Rejecting God as King

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Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, ‘You are old and your sons do not follow in your ways; appoint for us, then, a king to govern us, like other nations.’ But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, ‘Give us a king to govern us.’ Samuel prayed to the Lord, and the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Listen 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. Just as they have done to me, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so also they are doing to you. Now then, listen to their voice; only—you shall solemnly warn them, and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.’So Samuel reported all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. 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; and he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plough his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his courtiers. He will take one-tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and his courtiers. He will take your male and female slaves, and the best of your cattle and donkeys, and put them to his work. He will take one-tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. 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.’ But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; they said, ‘No! but we are determined to have a king over us, so that we also may be like other nations, and that our king may govern us and go out before us and fight our battles.’ Samuel said to the people, ‘Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingship.’ So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal. There they sacrificed offerings of well-being before the Lord, and there Saul and all the Israelites rejoiced greatly. (1 Samuel 8:4-20; 11:14-15)

We have a lot to be thankful for, don't we dear Friend?  We have life, we have a new day before us, we have faith, hope, and the joy of God's love through our salvation in Jesus Christ!  Let's make the best of that as we share what we have back with God, and with those in need.

I'll start with a word of personal privilege:  Thank you dear one for your prayers for Nellie yesterday.  It was a nervous start of a day as she faced surgery.  I thank God for texts, calls, cards, and the presence of two dear pastors in my life, Rev. Bill Henderson of Austin, and Rev. Virgilio Vasquez Garza of San Antonio, and his lovely wife, Acacia.  These two awesome pastors and both former district superintendents, spent all morning and part of the afternoon with us, praying and providing comfort to Nellie, our daughter Nellie, and myself.  The operation went well, and as soon as my nursing skills improve, I can be a better nurse to my dear wife.  God is good!

And I should say, whether we reject Him or not, God is King.  This passage was an eye-opener to me and to my students in my Old Testament classes back at Pan American  University.  The thought of a people rejecting God was a shocker.  Even in light of the warnings God gives to Samuel as a reality of what a king can do, and does, with the power given him.  "We still want a king!"  First, the rejection Samuel felt was real.  Not too long ago we studied of his life, of his mom's faith, and how she returned him to God after he was weaned and how God called him three times in the night to set him apart as a prophet.  Now, sadly, we read that history repeated itself in the lives of his own sons.  They turned out just like Eli's sons. Israel was truly not far behind in their own lack of obedience to the Lord; but in that disobedience they cried out to be just like everyone else.  They soon forgot the role God had given to them, to be a light to other nations; an example of what a nation governed by God could look like.  But they, like us, sometimes get lured by what others have, and we sometimes will stop at nothing to get the same thing; ultimately realizing we were better off with what God had given us than what we wanted.

This is the first time in the Bible we read of conscription (the draft).  A king has the authority to take our sons and make them soldiers.  Our country still, I believe (The year I turned 18 was a LONG time ago!) still requires men to register on their 18th birthday or 30 days within that time with the US Selective Service.  We have not had an actual draft for many years, but if we needed one, the country has the names of those who can be taken into military service.  God warns Israel that our daughters too would be taken as perfumers, cooks, and bakers.  The king could take most of their property, including slaves.  And God warns, "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."  Still, the people refused to listen and still cried out for a king.  

How often have you and I rejected God and God's teachings to be just like everyone else?  Can the unsaved world see the difference between the sanctified people of God and themselves?  Do we model a better life in the way we live and treat others?  Or, do they simply say, "Why should I?  You're just like me?"  Ouch.  John Wesley, as he sought to define the new movement that God started through the people called Methodists said:  "What may we reasonably believe to be God's design in raising up the Preachers called Methodists? A. To reform the nation and, in particular, the Church; to spread scriptural holiness over the land."  Wesley opposed simply shallow advertising in place of true evangelism in order to recruit new members for our churches.  He truly believed that with a sold theology should come solid living, which would provide the example of "scriptural holiness."  I still believe that.  Christ has commanded us to make disciples, not copy-cats of shallow and worldly practices; but true believers and doers of God's word.

It may be we have long ago rejected God in favor of a life that is comfortable and non-challenging.  But, here's the good news: God still welcomes us back.

PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for second chances.  May we take advantage of what You offer so that we can offer that to those still lost in the world.  Forgive us for choosing the easy over the tasks at hand, the joys of comfort over the challenges of sacrifice, and the "everyone is doing it" mentality that easily slips us further away from You.  Help us become what we need to be.  This we plead in Christ Jesus' awesome name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Accept God and God's way of life today in all you do!

Eradio Valverde

God-Made, Not Handmade!

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We're not keeping this quiet, not on your life. Just like the psalmist who wrote, "I believed it, so I said it," we say what we believe.  And what we believe is that the One who raised up the Master Jesus will just as certainly raise us up with you, alive.  Every detail works to your advantage and to God's glory: more and more grace, more and more people, more and more praise!  So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace.  These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us.  There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever.For instance, we know that when these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven - God-made, not handmade. (2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1 The Message)

Good day dear dear Friend; may all of us who turn to the Lord this day find His grace, comfort, joy, peace, and strength is my prayer.  And starting in His word blesses us!

I chose the Message Version of the Bible again today because of the excitement this version seems to have. Not that this same passage doesn't have excitement in and of itself in other versions; the modern day expressions speak to many with a certain joy that, well, in particular, I need today.  Paul was not known to keep his mouth closed much, and this passage begins with that declaration.  He's quoting David's psalm, but making it his own:  "We're not keeping this quiet, not on your life."  The joy of believing that Jesus died and was resurrected is great news, and the kind of news we don't keep quiet.  And for those who feel down or depressed, this is your message.  The One who raised up Christ Jesus, can certainly lift you up into the fullness of life.  We keep reading more and more of a suicide epidemic in parts of the country and these are mostly young people who have felt so lost and abandoned they believe there's only way out, and that's death.  Friend, we need to tell everyone we know, the way out and up, is faith in God!  If a man can die from such a horrible death as crucifixion and then be raised to new life by God, God can take us out and up out of the pit of despair.  God can quiet the mouth of bullies and critics and bring words of comfort and joy; and God can even use you and me to share those words.

We're not giving up.  How can we?  Paul says, "even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without His unfolding grace."  What we face today is nothing compared to that which is yet to come.  Paul then addresses our physical bodies.  When the day comes that this earthly tent is taken down and folded up, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in Heaven - God-made, not handmade."  

PRAYER:  Loving God, You more than us or anyone that knows us, know what we are facing.  Come to us and speak these words of life and its fullness, so that we can share them with those in need.  Make the challenges and obstacles of today be removed and replaced by the joy and victory that is Yours for us.  I pray a special prayer for my wife, Nellie, as she undergoes surgery later today, loving Father.  I pray for You Holy Spirit to guide the hands of the surgeon and those who work with him to bring the healing and relief that she needs; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Share life with someone today with what you say.

Eradio Valverde

PRAYER REQUESTS:  Prayers for Bernie Stumfoll, who was placed in hospice care yesterday.  He is Cheryl Meadows' uncle.  Prayers for Nellie Valverde, who this morning undergoes surgery at 11:30 in San Antonio.  We are thankful for the cards, calls, and presence many have already shared with us. We are blessed by the presence of our firstborn with us, who will help Mom this first day after surgery.  Pray for one another.  Pray for yourselves.  Glorify God in your life today!

Obedience is Thicker Than Blood!

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Jesus came home and, as usual, a crowd gathered - so many making demands on him that there wasn't even time to eat. His friends heard what was going on and went to rescue him, by force if necessary. They suspected he was getting carried away with himself. The religion scholars from Jerusalem came down spreading rumors that he was working black magic, using devil tricks to impress them with spiritual power. Jesus confronted their slander with a story: "Does it make sense to send a devil to catch a devil, to use Satan to get rid of Satan? A constantly squabbling family disintegrates. If Satan were fighting Satan, there soon wouldn't be any Satan left. Do you think it's possible in broad daylight to enter the house of an awake, able-bodied man, and walk off with his possessions unless you tie him up first? Tie him up, though, and you can clean him out. "Listen to this carefully. I'm warning you. There's nothing done or said that can't be forgiven. But if you persist in your slanders against God's Holy Spirit, you are repudiating the very One who forgives, sawing off the branch on which you're sitting, severing by your own perversity all connection with the One who forgives."He gave this warning because they were accusing him of being in league with Evil. Just then his mother and brothers showed up. Standing outside, they relayed a message that they wanted a word with him. He was surrounded by the crowd when he was given the message, "Your mother and brothers and sisters are outside looking for you." Jesus responded, "Who do you think are my mother and brothers?" Looking around, taking in everyone seated around him, he said, "Right here, right in front of you - my mother and my brothers. Obedience is thicker than blood. The person who obeys God's will is my brother and sister and mother." (Mark 3:20-35 The Message)

Good Monday, dear Friend!  As we start the work week, let's do it with the Lord's blessings and help; which come from reading and studying His word.

If you've watched a music talent show like American Idol or The Voice, you know that when it gets down to three or so finalists, these finalists are taken back to their hometowns and there they receive a hero's welcome.  Parades, appearances on tv news shows, an assembly in their school's gym, etc.  A town likes that sort of attention lavished on their own sons and daughters.  The same happened to Jesus on this return to His home.  A huge crowd gathered to make demands on Him.  The crowd was so huge that Jesus' friends came to rescue Him, "by force if necessary," the scripture says.  Notice His friends also "suspected He was getting carried away with Himself."  Great friends, right?  Then also come the religion scholars who accuse Jesus of being demon-possessed and demon-led.  Jesus' remarks to these accusations ring better in older versions:  ‘How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.'  Notice the last sentence was used by President Lincoln in one of his Civil War speeches.  Jesus then states the truth; He had come to do God's work, not the devil's.  And to say that one who is led by the Holy Spirit is evil is to sin against the Holy Spirit, a serious accusation that Jesus says is unforgivable.  And on top of that, word reaches His poor mother that Jesus is besides Himself (thanks, friends!) and she and her other children come to rescue Jesus as well.

Jesus, in this version says, "Who do you think are my mother and brothers?'  And looking around, taking in everybody seated around Him, He said, 'Right here, right in front of you - my mother and my brothers.  Obedience is thicker than blood. The person who obeys God's will is my brother and sister and mother.'"  Jesus kept ever before Him, as should we, the goal of the mission God had shared with Him.  Nothing and nobody could deter Him from fulfilling it.  His eye ever on the prize fueled His desire to please His Father; as we should please God.  Yesterday, our pastor baptized his 8 year old son, Nate.  It was something Nate asked of his dad.  And as his dad asked him the baptismal questions, I kick myself for not taking a picture of Nate's loving stare and determined look on his face as he enthusiastically and loudly responded.  It's an image I pray I never forget.  I can only imagine Jesus' face as He prayed daily to His Father about that which still needed to be done.  And, even as harsh as this may hit some people, obedience to God is more important than obedience and faithfulness to family.  God is perfect as is His plan and purpose for our lives; our families are human and thus imperfect; we should always, prayerfully, choose God.

PRAYER:  Loving Father, guide us to faithfulness.  May our lives be fruitful in reaching those whom you've entrusted to our care.  Keep our spirits ever guided by You to see Your hand guiding us to what it is we should do, and be.  This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Pray to be faithful and fruitful to the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

PRAYER REQUEST:  As I mentioned on Friday, please keep Nellie in your prayers.  She will undergo corrective foot surgery tomorrow in San Antonio.  If ConCafe does not appear, please understand I have had to tend to her.  Thank you for your faithfulness in praying one for another.

Those Who Said Yes to Jesus: Tabitha, aka Dorcas.

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Now there was at Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him entreating him, "Please come to us without delay." So Peter rose and went with them. And when he had come, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping, and showing tunics and other garments which Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put them all outside and knelt down and prayed; then turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, rise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. And he gave her his hand and lifted her up. Then calling the saints and widows he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. (Acts 9:36-42)

Good day, dear Friend; may the life-giving blessings of the Lord be with you today and all days.  I pray that as we close the work week, we do so inspired and guided by the Holy Spirit.

What will you be remembered for when you depart to be with the Lord?  What lasting impact have you had on the lives of those around you?  What kindness and good works have you done for others?  I ask that because  today's person was a disciple of Jesus Christ.  At some point in her life someone shared with her the gospel, she believed and received it, and the led a life blessing widows.  The first description of her says, "She was full of good works and acts of charity."  She learned as part of her faith, that one must give and share and be all about helping others.  Her area of focus were the widows in her city.  The status of a widow during Jesus' day was not very high.  The belief was that a woman had to be under the cover, or protection of a man.  If you've ever wondered about our traditional wedding ceremonies, the father or male representative of the bride, hands her off, in some cases, to the minister, who then hands her to the man.  The symbolism is that from the cover or protection of her daddy (a man), she is entrusted to God who now shares that responsibility with her husband.  The meaning has changed for some, but that was the traditional view.  In Jesus' day, work outside the home was nonexistent, so if the husband died, and the widow had no children, she was left to the care and kindness of others.  It may have been that Tabitha had money, because at her death, the room was filled with widows, weeping and showing to Peter the tunics and other garments which she had made while she was with them.  We can only imagine that helping dress the poor widows was a very necessary thing for someone to do, and it was Dorcas who accepted that challenge.

Even in her death, Dorcas brought many to Jesus.  The scripture says that she died and believers called for Peter to come as soon as he could to be with them and to pray over Dorcas' body.  Peter prayed and after praying, turned to the body and said, "Tabitha, rise."  She did.  And he presented her to the believers and widows, and word spread throughout Joppa about her resurrection and many believed in the Lord.

Jesus gave Tabitha a second chance in life when she accepted Him as Lord and Savior of her life, just as He has to many of us.  There's no telling where we would be if we hadn't surrendered to Jesus.  Tabitha knew that once she knew Jesus, she had to share Jesus and share what she had with others beginning with the less fortunate, such as widows.  Upon her death, Jesus came and gave her yet another chance at life through her bodily resurrection. And from then on, she not only, we believe, continued to share tunics and garments with widows, she could now share her experience of life in Jesus with all who would listen.

PRAYER:  Loving God, thank You for this dear reader; bless his/her gifts in ways that bless others.  May her/his faith bless someone today.  May the second chance you have shared with us allow us to share those chances with others as we give witness to our faith in You.  This we pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

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

Eradio Valverde

Look in the Mirror and say this: I Am Awesome!

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God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand. I'm an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I'm thinking. You know when I leave and when I get back; I'm never out of your sight.  You know everything I'm going to say before I start the first sentence. I look behind me and you're there, then up ahead and you're there, too - your reassuring presence, coming and going. This is too much, too wonderful - I can't take it all in! Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother's womb. I thank you, High God - you're breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration - what a creation!  You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something.  Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I'd even lived one day.  Your thoughts - how rare, how beautiful! God, I'll never comprehend them!  I couldn't even begin to count them - any more than I could count the sand of the sea. Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you! (Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 The Message)

Dear Friend, I pray this finds you well and ready to face the day, or end the day, or to face lunch, depending on when you read this.

Most of us are too old to have been subjected to something my grandkids have had to endure.  And I'm half-teasing about the enduring part of what is known as The Elf on the Shelf.  This mythical creature sees all and knows all - and reports all to the big guy.  No, not Him,  but to Santa Claus.  Jews, not to be left behind had the Mench on a Bench; basically same duties:  watch kids and make sure they behave so that their eight magical days will be wonderful.  I guess we Latinos need El Abuelo en El Suelo (the Grandpa on the floor, thought I might resemble that remark!).  But, as we read the first six verses of today's psalm, we have been and are, under careful and loving watch.  The psalmist knew this and invited it; "God, investigate meh life; get all the facts firsthand."  Then, he shares honestly what he perceives himself to be like.  And he also shares what we should know as well.  God loves us, and watches us; more importantly, God cares and protects us if we invite that from Him.  I love the poetic descriptions he shares about God's ability:  "I'm never out of your sight (parents, you know how important that is; one second out of sight in a crowded place gets one a bit nervous); You know everything I'm going to say before I start the first sentence.  I look behind me and you're there, then up ahead and you're there, too - your reassuring presence, coming and going."  And I love how he sees this as being "too much, too wonderful - I can't take it all in!"  I don't know about you, but this motivates me to more carefully and joyfully live; asking that my every thought, every action, every deed be a reflection of a deep, committed relationship with our Lord.

Here's the second part; the psalmist, not in an obnoxious way, declares himself to be "marvelously made!"  And that holds true for you, dear one, and for me.  That's what I gave you that first assignment, to look in a mirror and claim that for yourself:  You are awesomely made, so say, "I am awesome."  And, this is your second assignment, say that to someone you know and love.  Don't be like the farmer in the old joke, who after being some forty years, his wife said, "Honey, you don't tell me you love me any more."  The man, barely looking up from the paper replied, "I told you forty years ago I loved you, and if I ever change my mind I'll let you know!"  It doesn't work like that.  Try that in 40 years with your spouse and report back!  Words can bless, and we should bless someone with a positive word, like "Did you know you are awesomely made by God?"  Or, whatever is more appropriate in your setting.  Share a word of encouragement.  Seek to lift up someone today.  But, start with you.  Many have the problem of remembering only the negative someone told us a long time ago, and we haven't erased it or forgotten it or have stopped it from influencing us.  For pastors, as an example, 200 people can tell us we preached a great sermon, and one negative one will say, "I've heard better..."  And guess which comment stays with that pastor?  If one member of your family says a good word to you today, let that guide and bless you today.  Ignore the negative and realize where it's coming from and pray for that person.  You be the uplifter!  You be the God-voice today; and again, start with YOU!

PRAYER:  Loving God, I thank You for making this dear reader in an awesome way.  I pray they will feel this as I pray for them, and that that will inspire them to share that same prayer and word with someone who might be in need of it.  Remove the negative thoughts and comments someone has placed there; and fill us with Your grace and love.  This I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Say again, I am Awesome because God made me that way!

Eradio Valverde

Please feel free to forward this to someone who might need this blessing!

PRAYER REQUEST:  Prayers for Forrest Penny as he in hospitalized in Gonzales Hospital  He may leave today, but he is battling cancer and needs our prayers for defeating that dreaded disease.  Pray that he be part of the 3% who do survive this type of cancer.  Prayers for Debbie Robinson, who hopes to be released from her rehabilitation stay and return home this Sunday.  Pray for her strength and mobility to come back in a wonderful way to maneuver around her home.  Pray for one another.  Pray for yourself. Prayers for my bride, Nellie Valverde, who will undergo surgery next Tuesday in San Antonio.  Pray for me as I will be her care-giver.

Even Before You Know God; God Knows You! (And He may be calling, too!)

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Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread. At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ and he said, ‘Here I am!’ and ran to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call; lie down again.’ So he went and lay down. The Lord called again, ‘Samuel!’ Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call, my son; lie down again.’ Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, ‘Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” ’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place. Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ And Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’ Then the Lord said to Samuel, ‘See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle. On that day I will fulfil against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. For I have told him that I am about to punish his house for ever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be expiated by sacrifice or offering for ever.’ Samuel lay there until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. But Eli called Samuel and said, ‘Samuel, my son.’ He said, ‘Here I am.’ Eli said, ‘What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also, if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.’ So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. Then he said, ‘It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him.’ As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the Lord. (1Samuel 2:1-20)

Good day, dear Friend!  May this find you alert, awake, and open to God's voice.  I believe we are guilty of only praying half-way; We speak, but never say, "Okay, Lord, it's YOUR turn."  May we listen, truly listen today to what God may be asking of us.

The story of the prophet Samuel is a most interesting one; son of a woman who begged God to bless her with a child and her promise was that if God shared one with her, she would give him back to God.  And thus we find the boy Samuel "ministering to the Lord under Eli."  Eli's story is another interesting, but sad one.  He was the priest and prophet, but as he grew older and his own sons grew older, the boys took over and misused the office of their father, thus Samuel coming into the picture.

The writer sets the stage by telling us that "the word of the Lord was rare in those days."  And that is not surprising given what was going on in the holy places.  Greed instead of grace was being shown.  Money over mercy; cash over compassion; the personal gain of so-called servants over prophetic warnings.  It took the innocent heart of a boy to be open to what God wanted to do next.  It's during the night while the boy slept in the temple that he heard the voice of God calling.  God calls him by name, "Samuel!  Samuel!"  Note the urgency.  The boy thinks it is Eli calling and runs to say, "Here I am!"  The old man says he did not call.  After the third such occurrence that Eli realizes that God is calling the boy.  He tells him, "Go, lie down; and if He calls you, you shall say, 'Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening."  Notice the posture given the boy about listening to God.  He was to respond in the affirmative and to say that he was God's servant.  Helpful for our prayer lives, don't you think?  We are ready, we are listening, and we are (or should be) God's servants.  The next time it happens, Samuel says that the priest told him, and God speaks to Samuel.

It should be noted that most calls likes this in the Old Testament, were calls for God's people to be in the right relationship with God and with each other.  God desires that even today from us.  We should be attentive to God's loving instruction and direction, especially if we know we are in the wrong or have feelings of doubt about where we are in our spiritual life.  We note that the old prophet heard that word and replied that the Lord should do what seemed good to Him.  Another way of saying, "May God's will be done; not mine."

It does not matter how old or young we are, God still calls.  There is always something yet to do for the good of God and God's people; we should position ourselves as those ready and wiling to do the bidding of the Lord.  May this be reflected in our lives today.

PRAYER:  Loving God, as we pray, we pray for openness to Your leading.  May Your will be done in my life and the lives of those around me.  Show me my role in all this, and let me fulfill it, for I seek to please only You.  Grant me listening ears and a caring heart; for I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Be the prophet (God's mouthpiece) people need to hear today!

Eradio Valverde

That Kind of Week Already?

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For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. (2 Corinthians 4:5-12)

Dear Friend, I truly trust this finds you well.  And blessed, not stressed.  But if you are stressed and feeling that it is one of "those weeks," I pray that today's Bible passage and devotional speak to your heart and spirit in a positive way!

Being a Christian is not easy; and truly it has never been.  But stop to consider the stress and real threat of death that our early Christian brothers and sisters felt during Paul's day.  The idea of a foreign religion that was not in line with emperor worship meant death. And the Romans had entertaining ideas of how to kill those who opposed them.  The Colosseum in Rome served as a key place to display Roman might against the helpless, and many a Christian met their death in that arena.  Yet, the stresses and pressures of our day are no laughing matter for some.  Paul writes in a loving way, that within those of us who have invited Jesus in as Lord and Savior, we have a great treasure.  We hold that treasure in our bodies, which Paul compares to clay jars.  All this, Paul says, to show that it is not us, but God living in us gives us power to endure and persevere.  Then his famous list that I believe describes us, yes even me, and even you, dear one, from time to time:

Affliction, in all forms; okay, but not crushed.  Pereplexity; maybe, but not despair (And if you are in despair, keep reading and keep praying!).  Persecuted; sometimes, but not ever alone!  Struck down (embarrassed or harassed); but not destroyed.

Our baptism showed our spiritual acceptance of Christ's death as our death so that His life might shine through us, even in the midst of the above.  Christ is that constant hope on the horizon that keeps us going ever forward and upward.  Remember that sailors teach that feelings of seasickness can be eased by focusing on the horizon; for us that is Christ with us as our horizon.

 Dear Reader, please remember we are not alone.  Jesus is with us.  We may feel down, but Jesus is our up.  If you feel you're in a  dark place, Jesus is the light and way out!  Remember that the extraordinary power in our lives is God's, who makes all things new!

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, You more than anyone know what we face and we place ourselves in Your loving hands.  I ask a special blessing on this dear reader at this very moment, asking that Your extraordinary power shine through Your presence on whatever challenge or obstacle is the affliction in their life.  In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  You are the flashlight some really need to see today!

Eradio Valverde

What Would You Do?

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One sabbath He was going through the cornfields; and as they made their way His disciples began to pluck heads of grain. The Pharisees said to Him, ‘Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?’ And He said to them, ‘Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food? He entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his companions.’ Then He said to them, ‘The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath; so the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.’ Again He entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand. They watched Him to see whether He would cure him on the sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. And He said to the man who had the withered hand, ‘Come forward.’ Then He said to them, ‘Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to kill?’ But they were silent. He looked around at them with anger; He was grieved at their hardness of heart and said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately conspired with the Herodians against Him, how to destroy Him.  (Mark 2:23-3:6)

Good day dear Friend!  I pray the blessings of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you this day.  I thank the Lord you are starting your work week with a devotional time.  May this be a time of renewal and refreshing, recharging and redirecting.

As Nellie and I have shared with some of you, during our entire time in Israel we never felt unsafe.  People were friendly, helpful, and welcoming.  The only time we experienced a minor incident was on the Sabat or Sabbath.  Our tour bus was traveling near the Orthodox Jew part of Jerusalem and little Jewish boys were throwing trash cans and filled trash bags onto the road.  When they saw our bus the slide an aluminum barricade in front of us.  We stopped, professor Jack Beck got down to remove it and older youths came to help him shaking their heads as if to say, "These kids!"  The boys were holding to their teaching which we read above, of the sacredness of the Sabbath.  To drive a vehicle on the Sabbath is contrary  to their beliefs; and in my opinion, they were "working" by lifting and throwing cans and bags onto the street.   Jesus encountered this on this day.

The first part of the passage deals with hunger.  What do you do when you're hungry?  What do you do when you're hungry and there's no food easily available?  The day was the Sabbath and the Disciples were hungry.  The only food around was the heads of grain in the fields near where they were walking.  To pluck these heads was considered work.  And work was in violation of the Sabbath observation.  Jesus reminds them of their history, when King David and his men were hungry; they ate sacred bread in the house of God, which was a violation of the Law.  The big question:  Do you go hungry or do you feed yourself on the Sabbath?  Jesus'  response was telling:  The sabbath was made for humankind, and not the other way around.  The day was set aside as a holy day of rest, and God understands when we "violate" such to avoid hunger.  

The second part deals with healing on the Sabbath, which is also considered work.  And, dear one, keep in mind these religious men of Jesus' day spent their entire lives defining and redefining what it mean to work.  As an example, the law said that to dot an i was considered work.  And the defining list went on and on.  Jesus sees the need in a man who is in the house of God.  He has a crippled hand; and the religious men watch Jesus carefully because they knew He was a man of wonders, who had performed miracles of healing and they wanted to see if they could become eyewitnesses to such an act.  They were not disappointed.  Jesus begins the healing by asking a question:  "Is it lawful to do good or do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to kill?"  Notice they kept silent.  This angered Jesus.  They knew the answer but did not want to fall into any trap with Jesus.  Jesus is grieved at the hardness of heart in these so-called religious men and says to the man to stretch out his hand and as he did, it was restored.  The religious men ran out of the house of God to conspire with followers of Herod to make plans on how to destroy Jesus.

You may be saying, no such things exist nowadays!  Wrong.  Some places of worship still abide by laws of dress.  If a man comes in with a cap or hat and does not remove it during worship, some churches may ask them to remove it from their heads.  If a woman comes in with what some might consider inappropriate dress, they might ask the woman to leave.  And it wasn't that long ago, men had to wear suits with ties, and women had to wear dresses.  Thank God, most places have changed.  Most.  Not all.  Would you turn a person away from a possible life-changing experience because of the way they were dressed?  Would you deny someone an eternity with God because they did not know, or did not have, the "appropriate" attire?

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, have mercy on us when we or those around us act like the "religious men" of this passage.  Help us to do what is best and right for You and Yours when it comes to situations like those mentioned above.  Forgive us when we silently judge or criticize; free us for joyful obedience to life-giving and life-affirming decisions.  This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Do the right thing today and all days!

Eradio Valverde

Those Who Said Yes to Jesus: Priscilla

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There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them, and they worked together—by trade they were tentmakers. (Acts 18:2-3)

Happy Friday, Dear Friend!  My prayers are for you to be blessed on this day and tomorrow and so by Sunday, you'll be bursting with joy and blessings as you enter God's House to worship Him!  Whatever is troubling  or worrying you, turn it over to the Lord.  "Come to me, all who are heavy-laden and I will give you rest."

The passage for today introduces us to a Christian Jewish couple.  They were forced out of Rome by Claudius and his anti-Semitic policy.  As the verse says, this couple, like Paul, were tent-makers.  Any vocation of Christian workers not fully supported by the ministry is called a tent-making ministry.  You may find in some small towns, where a pastor will be a teacher in the schools during the week (that's his or her tent-making ministry), and on Sundays, they preach the Gospel.  This is where the term originated.  

Priscilla is known in some circles, as the first presbyter; fully ordained woman to preach the gospel.  She is also known as the silent author of The Letter to the Hebrews, an awesome book, written in an eloquent style that some believe to be the produce of her hand.  Think of the powerful verses that bless our lives from that letter:  Look at 11:1, for example:  "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for; the conviction of things not seen."  And let us not forget, 13:8:  "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever."

Priscilla is the diminutive of Prisca and it means "worthy or venerable."  We find her formal name mentioned in 2 Timothy 4:19, when Paul asks to "Greet Prisca and Aquila."  In most other references, she is always mentioned as the wife of Aquila; but together they blessed the early Church as well as the ministry of Jesus through Paul.  It is believed she was converted to Christianity in Rome, and even though expelled because of her heritage that only served to strengthen her faith.  She and her husband arrive in Corinth and there they meet Apollos, an eloquent preacher and speaker, but he did not yet know the way of Christ.  He was a follower of John the Baptist and his teachings, and it was Priscilla who instructed him in the knowledge of Christ's crucifixion and resurrection, making him a more effective evangelist for the sake of Jesus.

Many have noted that the zeal of Priscilla and her husband, bless many in the knowledge that together they were one in their faith in Jesus.  They worked together for the sake of God's work in Jesus.  Others have noted that they were one in marital bliss.  Their love of Christ fueled their love for one another and made their lives stronger.  They were also one in their secular occupation as tentmakers.  They worked side by side and even allowed Paul in to work with them.  Eventually, they opened their home for other believers starting a house church where the faith was shared with new believers.

Here's our take-away from this amazing woman of faith:  A strong, solid faith in Jesus Christ will see you through any thing, including a forced deportation by a government who opposes and despised you.  A strong, solid shared faith with your spouse blesses them and you, and ultimately those who know you.  A strong, exciting faith in Jesus will allow you to open your home and heart to others in the hope they that too, can come into faith in Jesus Christ.  

We do not know how they died, but Paul knew they stood with him even as he died, citing they "risked their necks" in trying to save him.  But one thing we know, their love for God through Jesus and love of God's people assured them a place in the eternal kingdom of God.

PRAYER:  Loving God, let me where I am right now, serve You.  I should not wait for things to get better or easier, to enter into dedicated, committed service to You and yours.  Anoint me with Your Spirit that I may bring wonderful blessings all around me.  This I pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Start blessing God right now with what you have!

Eradio Valverde

Give Unto the Lord!

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  Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the Lord is upon many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars; yea, the Lord breaketh the cedars of Lebanon. He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn. The voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire. The voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness; the Lord shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory. The Lord sitteth upon the flood; yea, the Lord sitteth King for ever. The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace. (Psalm 29 King James Version)

May the blessings of the Lord be with you today, dear Friend, is my prayer.  Today's passage is from the Psalms and it is displayed above in the King James Version.  If you compare it to a more modern version, you will see the word "ascribe" as in "ascribe to the Lord" instead of give unto the Lord. I thought it would be better to have a sense of our responsibility towards the Lord in the giving sense, rather than in "attributing" to God. 

As forgiven and blessed people, our hearts should be brimming with gratitude and love towards God.  David's heart seemed to be in that way most of his life.  From his days in the pasture to his day in the palace, he was ON when it came to giving God glory and honor.  And as he reflected on this, he wrote it down.  Consider it a To Do List of gratitude towards God:

(Check all that apply):  Give God glory!  (check?) Give God your strength! (check?) Give God glory to His Name! Give God worship in the beauty of His holiness! Hear God's voice in the waters! Hear God's voice in the thunder! Hear the power in God's voice! Hear the majesty in God's voice! Recognize that God's voice can break cedar trees! Know that God can make those same trees skip like calves! Know that God's voice can divide the flames of fire! Hear as God's voice shakes the wilderness! Know that God's voice brings forth new life! Know that God is present in all things, even floods! Know that the Lord is King for ever! Receive the strength God gives you! Receive the blessings of peace that God will give you!

I don't know about you, but this brings a blessing to my heart about what God has, is, and will do, for you and me.  And that makes my heart glad!

Dear one, may your day reflect these blessings in a way that blesses others!

PRAYER:  Loving God, receive my gratitude and praise.  May this day be a blessing that blesses so many.  Help me in hearing and seeing and saying all that blesses You.  This I pray in Christ Jesus my Lord, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Be a blessing today!

Eradio Valverde

PRAYER UPDATE:  Our brother, Mr. Bill Meadows underwent a successful heart Cath and nothing more was required.  Join Bill and many as we give thanks to God!  Pray for one another.  Pray for yourself that you may be an ever-growing blessings to God and God's work!

Here I Am! Send Me!

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In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Master sitting on a throne - high, exalted! - and the train of his robes filled the Temple. Angel-seraphs hovered above him, each with six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two their feet, and with two they flew." And they called back and forth one to the other, Holy, Holy, Holy is God-of-the-Angel-Armies. His bright glory fills the whole earth. The foundations trembled at the sound of the angel voices, and then the whole house filled with smoke. I said, "Doom! It's Doomsday! I'm as good as dead! Every word I've ever spoken is tainted - blasphemous even! And the people I live with talk the same way, using words that corrupt and desecrate. And here I've looked God in the face! The King! God-of-the-Angel-Armies!" Then one of the angel-seraphs flew to me. He held a live coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth with the coal and said, "Look. This coal has touched your lips. Gone your guilt, your sins wiped out."  And then I heard the voice of the Master: "Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?" I spoke up, "I'll go. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:1-8 The Message)

Good day dear Friend; I'm sitting here early morning with two of my granddaughters, one of whom, Ada, said, "Today is going to be a beautiful day!"  I replied, "Yes, it is; it will be a beautiful day!"  She of course pointed out that it was dark outside and asked when morning would come.  I said in a few minutes, then the hopeful thing she said.  I pray that it is a beautiful day for you.

This is a powerful passage from the prophet Isaiah.  He shares a vision he had on a sad occasion; the death of a beloved king, King Uzziah.  I still remember clearly my Old Testament professor saying that we as Americans did not have a full understanding of what it is to serve under a monarchy; and all that comes with it.  I think we've bridged that gap a bit with the reaction and reception of the Royal Wedding last Saturday.  I think we're getting the picture, almost.  The death of a beloved king is something we may never fully understand, but the death of JFK and others have impacted our memories.  Yet, even in the mourning that came with that death of King Uzziah, Isaiah was lifted up to the heavens to see God sitting on a throne as He was being worshipped by the angels who attend to His court.  This made the prophet even more afraid of being in God's presence.  His reaction might be ours as well; to find our unclean selves in the presence of the holy God, will make us immediately reconsider who we are and what we've done.  In this version, he thinks to words that he has said, "every word I've ever spoken is tainted- blasphemous even! And the people I live with talk the same way, using words that corrupt and desecrate.  And here I've looked God in the face!"  Whoa.  You and I don't need to wait to stand before God to take inventory of our lives and some of the things we have said or done.  We know we're guilty most days, and we stand in need of forgiveness.  Isaiah's mouth was touched with a coal and proclaimed clean - you and I have been touched by God's grace and we've been proclaimed clean too as we confess our sins to the Lord.  

The Lord then shared the need for someone to go and speak truth to all; the prophet replies immediately, after his cleansing and says, "Here I am; send me!" (NRS Version). This reminds me of the hymn we sometimes sing, "I the Lord of wind and flame, I will tend the poor and lame, I will set a feast for them, My hand will save. Finest bread I will provide, till their hearts are satisfied, I will give my life to them, whom shall I send?  Here I am, Lord; is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night.  I will go, Lord, if you lead me; I will hold Your people in my heart."  Many a life has been touched and changed because of that song; and many who have said Yes to the Lord as they follow Him into active ministry in all walks of life.

Do you feel you have something that's keeping you from following the Lord?  Here's the good news:  That sin is as good as forgiven the instant you confess and turn it over to Him.  Why carry extra baggage around that Christ died for over 2,000 years ago?  Give it to Him.  And then give yourself to Him.

PRAYER:  Loving God, we confess we stand in need of forgiveness.  Like the prophet we have said or thought words that were not worthy of Your approval.  Forgive us and make us new.  Let us hear clearly Your voice as we seek to be guided by You as we minister and serve among Your people.  Let our lives say, "Here I am, send me!"  In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  It will be a beautiful day with you serving the Lord today!

Eradio Valverde

PRAYER REQUEST:  We ask for prayers this morning for Mr. Bill Meadows who is undergoing a heart Cath in San Antonio.  We pray that all go well and whatever is troubling Bill be corrected this morning.  Pray for his wife, Cheryl, and all who pray for Bill this morning.  Pray for one another.  And, pray for yourself!

There Are Things to Do & Places to Go!

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So don't you see that we don't owe this old do-it-yourself life one red cent. There's nothing in it for us, nothing at all. The best thing to do is give it a decent burial and get on with your new life.God's Spirit beckons. There are things to do and places to go! This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What's next, Papa?" God's Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children.  And we know we are going to get what's coming to us - an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we're certainly going to go through the good times with him! (Romans 8:12-17 The Message Version)

Dear Friend, may the blessings of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you today and all days is my prayer for you.  Today's passage is from the Letter to the Romans, but it has been called The Gospel According to Saint Paul, for in it he shares the good news about Jesus to the people in the capital city of world at that time.  Paul's excitement for Jesus never waned, and it is evident as you read through this exciting book.

The Message Version of the Bible is a modern paraphrase edition of the Bible, with phrases and words that bring an extra dimension to God's word.  The title for today's devotional comes from verse 14 and shares Paul's excitement over a Spirit-led life.  Being a reader in the city of Rome was like being one in a city like New York or Las Vegas.  You can go only so many blocks and temptation hits you in the face; it is very easy to please the desires of the flesh in most major cities, or any city or town for that matter; but Paul calls us out of that way of thinking in the first verse:  "We don't owe this old do-it-yourself life one red cent."  Do it yourself makes me blush for I think of that one time out of many, when I took on a fix-it situation at one of our parsonages.  That experiment took about 15 trips back and forth from the hardware store.  I expected them to call me by name each time I returned!  I am not a fix-it-yourself type of guy, nor am I when it comes to spiritual things.  I am powerless and weak, as are you; we need God to come in and do it for us, which He did through Jesus Christ.  He took our old life and crucified it with Him on the cross and gave us a new life. He took our raggedy sins and buried them - ain't no use "grave-tending" as Paul's says.  We have a resurrection life!  "It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike 'What's next, Papa?'"  My dad was one of those type dads.  He never was one to fully or thoroughly explain where we were going; get into the car or pack your suitcase was all we needed to hear, and off we went. Whether it was a Sunday drive or a visit to Walt Disney World the very first summer it was open; we were on an adventure. 

God's Holy Spirit had made those of us who have asked, children of the Most High.  God is our Father and we are His Children by simply asking and believing; then getting busy with the things we need to do and ready for the next places we are to visit.  "What an unbelievable inheritance!"  Paul said.  Hard times will only lead to good; difficult times will be easier to face, knowing and trusting that Jesus is with us.

Are you packed and ready?  Are you excited?  I am!

PRAYER:  Loving Father, thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit.  Make me a child of Yours.  Bless me with the excitement that comes from faithful obedience to following you.  Help me do what things you have asked of me; and as the journey continues, "what's next, Papa?"  This I pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen!

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  You have an adventure waiting!

Eradio Valverde

Nick at Nite: You Must Be Born Again!

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There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:1-17 King James Version)

Good day, dear Friend!  May this first day of the work week find you well rested, blessed, and ready to go!  (One out of three ain't bad, huh?)  What was the version of the Bible you used when growing up?  Some of you are new to the Bible and that's great!  And you probably know by now the Bible comes in many versions.  If, like me, you grew up in the 50s, your version would have been the King James Bible, in what many call "King James" English; and so for today only, I chose to share today's text in KJV.  This is a well-known passage and it contains many truths which we will try to cover in a single morning's devotional.

The first part of the title comes from a channel my daughters grew up watching.  Nickelodeon after a certain hour would become Nick at Nite.  We even were in a taping of a series called Nickelodeon's GUTS; we were in the audience and we had to yell out, "Guts!" when prompted.  Nellie and I had no clue about the show and I tend to forget what we yelled out.  Or, maybe it was a bad dream...  The "Nick" in this story was an important man named Nicodemus.  He was intrigued and perhaps convicted by what he heard and saw Jesus do.  We know he became a believer in Jesus later, and this meeting with our Lord set the stage for that conversion.  He grants Jesus that He had to be sent by God, "for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him."  Correct.  Jesus further says, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."  Whoa!  Nick is thrown for a loop!  "How can a man be born when he is old?"  Jesus explains that one must be born of water and the spirit to understand the things of God.  Nick knew something wasn't happening inside the Temple as should have been happening; the miracles and solid, strong teachings were happening outside, with Jesus.  Thus, the meeting.  

Jesus reveals that God is a Trinity; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  And Jesus further shares one of the keystone verses of His ministry: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, what whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." And the verse right after that is also key:  "For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved."  Boom!  The Gospel in two sentences, 49 words in this version.  God's desire is to have a loving, living relationship with everyone for all eternity (a relationship that will not end for any reason!).  And if it took Jesus dying on a cross, that's what God paid.  And condemnation comes from us, not from God.  Many ask, "How can a loving God send people to Hell?"  The answer: God desires relationship, we choose independence and freedom and the condemnation comes from us; we send ourselves to an enteral separation from God.

This passage, dear one, fits in to the celebration the Church had yesterday.  God sent His Holy Spirit to carry on the work of His Son.  The Spirit, as Jesus explains, helps in that new birth; from earthly and carnal, to spiritual and divine; from temporary to eternal understanding of all things.  And with the Spirit, there is no telling where the Spirit will lead us.  In other words, come to faith, then buckle your seat belt, the ride of a lifetime is starting and you're not driving - God is!  

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, bless the life of this dear reader in ways they do not expect. I pray the joy of an adventure come their way in their journey of faithfulness and fruitfulness.  Bless them in overflowing ways that their joy and love would bless everyone, especially those no one else wants or sees.  Thank You, loving Father, for not only seeing us, but loving us and helping us know we matter to You.  We pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Buckle that seat belt and enjoy the ride!  

Eradio Valverde

Those Who Said Yes to Jesus: Thomas

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Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow-disciples, ‘Let us also go, that we may die with him.’ (John 11:16)

Dear Friend, Joyous Friday! Here's praying this finds you blessed and praying this will add to your blessings to overflow, that you may bless others.

Some believe this is the first introduction to Thomas. The first three gospels have Thomas in the list of disciples, but it is John's gospel that gives us an introduction to this man. Some scholars believe that Thomas was also known as Judas the Twin, for this is found in Mark 6:3, and some legends hold that Thomas was a brother to Jesus. We can almost rule that out, however, but we know Thomas by the above declaration that he believed in Jesus enough that he was willing to die with Him. He's also a pessimist, for he saw that returning back to be with Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha, was a sure-death scenario but he is willing to die. We know that Thomas was easily bewildered; the days of the Upper Room, he is here and there, and absent when he should have been present. It's in John 14 that he declares he does not know the "way" Jesus is referring to, which leads Jesus to declare, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."

We know, or we may be, like Thomas, a man who never had an unasked question. And some suggest that that is precisely the way to not having doubt. But, Thomas was and is, called the Doubter, for his absence that day when the Risen Jesus made His appearance, he was not there and declares he would not believe anything unless he saw with his own eyes and touched with his own fingers the wounds of Jesus. His absence may have been his way of mourning the death of Jesus. But, we know he was a man of great faith; when the resurrected Jesus returns and asks Thomas to touch His wounds, Thomas makes one of the greatest declarations in the gospels: "My Lord, and my God." (John 20:26-28).

Legends about Thomas place him in Parthia, an independent kingdom that stretched from the Indus to the Tigris, and from the Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea. The Romans feared the Parthians! Legend also places Thomas in India. He made a difference in some regions of that country, baptizing many, and even said to have ordained seven priests, and founded two churches (not bad for a doubter!). Another legend has him in China with great success, but ultimately returning to India, where he was murdered by a lance. I have shared that his impact was so strong that some people took the surname Thomas as proof of his influence, notably, Danny Thomas, whose faith led him to start St. Jude's Hospital to work with sick children. His daughter, Marlo Thomas continues her dad's work. I even had a seminary classmate from India whose surname was Thomas.

One of Thomas' prayers has him saying, "I thank Thee, O Lord, in all things, that thou didst die for a little space that I might live for ever in thee, and that Thou hast sold me that by me thou mightest set many free."

One source says of Thomas, "No one was ever less of a 'stained-glass saint' than Thomas. Thomas' first reaction not to do what he was told to do, and not to believe what he was asked to believed." Yet, he lived and died a life of obedience to his faith in Jesus Christ. His greatest discovery was what you and I have made, and if not yet, will make: By ourselves, everything is impossible, but with God, nothing is impossible.

PRAYER: Loving God, bless us in ways that bless others with our faith and actions that speak of Your greatness. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Don't worry about being in stained-glass; be one whose image is in the hearts of those you bless today!

Eradio Valverde

Send Forth Thy Spirit & Renew the Face of the Earth

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O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. Yonder is the sea, great and wide,creeping things innumerable are there, living things both small and great. There go the ships, and Leviathan that you formed to sport in it. These all look to you to give them their food in due season; when you give to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things. When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. When you send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the ground. May the glory of the Lord endure for ever; may the Lord rejoice in his works— who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke. I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being. May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord. Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Praise the Lord! (Psalm 104:24-34, 35b)

Happy Thursday, dear Friend!  I pray God's rich and wonderful blessings upon you and your day today and all days.  I thank you for your prayers for my dear friend, Rev. Thom Elliott.  Yesterday morning about 11:30 he was called home.  I know he's in Glory and rejoicing with the Lord and those whom he loved and loved him.  It's sad for many of us who loved and appreciated Thom and his sense of humor, serious, deep poetic prayers and thoughts, and his smile.  Thank you, Lord, for sharing people like Thom in our lives.

This is a Pentecost psalm that sums up almost every aspect of life.  It's a psalm of praise, thanking God for all God has made; and for the limited understanding we have about creation even now, but sufficient to say, "God, You are awesome!"  I marveled at how the psalmist wrote about the deep, thinking, "How did he know about the Leviathan if he was not a scuba diver?"  And I answered my own question, duh, I've seen a whale come up for air and disappear as quickly as it appeared; surely the psalmist made a trip or two to the Mediterranean sea!  But, the verses that I love are the ones directly tied to the power of God's Holy Spirit:  "When you send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the ground."  Even among the dry bones in a dry desert, as we studied yesterday, God can bring life.  And it is new life.  As winter ended, so did the dryness and brown earth on my drive from home to work; as spring arrived, the dryness was replaced by the lush greenness of new life in the grass, trees, flowers, plants!  Yes, it made me want to sing praises to the Lord.  May we have the spirit and joy of this writer, who desired nothing more than to sing and praise God for God's goodness, dedicating all he did to the glory of God.  May it be the same for you, dear one and me!

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, for Your goodness and beauty we are so thankful.  For the renewal of the earth by Your Spirit we are constantly needful.  Bring forth newness of spirit and life in me, and let me have the spirit that sings Your praises always and everywhere; for You are worthy of my praise.  Bless us to be a blessing to others.  In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Dear Reader, be renewed in your heart in a joyful way today!

Eradio Valverde

Dem Bones!

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The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me all round them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me, ‘Mortal, can these bones live?’ I answered, ‘O Lord God, you know.’ Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.’ So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.’ I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.Then he said to me, ‘Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.” Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.’  (Ezekiel 37:1-14)

Dear Friend; don't you love autocorrect, or Otto Korect as some call it?  I had to type in the title twice and you can guess why.  If you cannot, well, think of the structure that holds water back; something beavers build...  Let me begin with a special prayer request.  My very dear friend and longtime colleague in ministry, The Rev. Thom C. Elliott is near death.  He has been bleeding throughout the night and his nurse says he may be brain dead.  Please pray for his comfort and safe passage from this life to the presence of the Lord.  Please also pray for his children, Eric and Bekah.  Bekah is at Thom's side and Eric is coming this morning with his mother, Kathy.  Rev. Elliott is very special to my life and ministry as he is to Nellie.  We've known Thom for some 38 years.  

The above passage is powerful.  You probably heard it or read it and may have heard a sermon or two about it.  And the title is from an old spiritual from the 1920s.  I'm attaching a kid's video from YouTube below so you can see and hear it.  As ancient as this passage is, the truth and power behind it is still as relevant as it was when the prophet heard it and recorded it from God.  In the midst of death, God can bring life through His Holy Spirit.  And not only bringing bodies back to life, but to raise up an entire army to do what God needs done.  This passage came during a hopeless period in Israel's history.  The only thing being done was to dig up graves for those who were dying.  And this was in the physical and spiritual sense.  But, isn't it like God, to speak a word of hope during the hopeless times?  And as we celebrate the power and presence of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and present today for our Church, can we not preach and share the same thing?  To sum up, we can say, God is not through with us yet.  The resurrected, Spirit-filled and Spirit-led army is needed to battle sin.  The Spirit brings hope and strength and leads us to share that with those who need it the most.  As I said in yesterday's devotional, this is the work of the Church.  We, as the Church, are to be that army, resurrected from despair and doubt, from defeat and desperation, to strength, hope, and victory.  Our message is one that can reach those not yet in relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Think about your personal situation.  Do you feel as if you're walking in a dry desert?  The greenery has faded to brown and died?  You have a thirst that seems you can never quench, and a hunger that needs satisfying?  You look around and you see the bones of failed attempts for life?  This seems like the last chapter of most movies or novels; but it is but the beginning scene of new life as shared by God.  Countless have been the testimonies of those who thought all was lost, but God stepped in, and new life and new purpose and meaning came to those; and this has become their story.  And this can be your story as well.

PRAYER:  Loving God, in the midst of death, bring life.  In the heart of despair, bring hope.  In the dryness of times, bring the floods of Your grace, and raise us up so that we can raise others up.  Father, I pray for Your will to be done in the life of Thom; bring comfort and peace to those who love him.  Receive my thanks for a faithful witness and life dedicated to Your service.  In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.  Even in the face of death, hope arises; let it flow over you today!

Eradio Valverde

The Church is Born; For ALL People (No Exceptions)

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When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each.Amazed and astonished, they asked, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.’ All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’ But others sneered and said, ‘They are filled with new wine.’ But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: ‘Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: “In the last days it will be, God declares,that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Acts 2:1-21)

Good day dear Friend!  Praying this finds you well and ready for today and all its opportunities to serve God and to do good for all people!  This coming Sunday is Pentecost Sunday, and the above passage tells why the Church celebrates it; it's the Church's birthday and as we will read, it was meant for ALL people.

Pentecost for the Jews was a feast day.  It was a religious and cultural day.  In their history, it was the day celebrating the receiving of the law by Moses for the people of God.  In a very real way, it was like Thanksgiving and Memorial Day mixed into one.  Those Jews who could afford it, would travel to Jerusalem to celebrate this day in the Temple. The disciples were in the Upper Room perhaps preparing to join other Jews in the Temple when it happened.  It is unexplainable, as most of God's things are; It was compared to the rushing of a forceful wind, gale force and then the appearance of fire, in tongues, that rested on each of the twelve; and the 12 were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues they did not know; those from those countries whose language they were speaking became amazed at what they heard.  The list is there:  Parthians, Medes, Elamites, Mesoptamians, Judeans, Cappadocians, Pontusians, and Asians; Phyrigians, Pamphylians, Egyptians and Libyans, Romans, Cretans and Arabs.  Notice how the list includes enemies of the Jews?  Though these were Jews so they were friendly towards each other, but you do notice the inclusive way that God chose to involve all.  For each of the disciples in a foreign tongue, spoke about God's great deeds of power.  Those who heard it asked "What does this mean?"  Those who did not understand; and isn't it always the ignorant who choose to turn things around?  The language says, "God has, and is, doing amazing things in our midst!"  and they say, "These guys are drunk on cheap wine!"  Nope.  Peter stands and defends this, "These men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning."  (Yep, some of you are thinking, "It's 5 o'clock somewhere!"  Wrong!).  Peter explains it as the fulfillment of prophecy as the prophet Joel had said:  "God will pour out His Spirit on ALL flesh, your sons and daughters shall prophesy; young men will dream dreams.  Slaves, male and female, all will have the Spirit poured out on them and they shall tell of the works of God."  And, don't miss the important part: "Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

How do our churches look like today?  I thank God, some look inclusive, involving all kinds of people.  The strangers are welcomed and made to feel at home.  Some even sing in other languages, without fear of anger or criticism from critics. Someone once said, "God uses whatever it takes, to reach all that He can, and so should the Church!"  Is it music that should be appealing to younger people?  Then start clapping and swaying!  Is it the old, faithful hymns?  Then, fire up the organ and piano!  Is it sermons and messages that speak to the truth of situations and the hearts of people?  Then, preach it, sister/brother!  Does it take open hearts, open to the way God may work in your old church?  Then pray that God open YOUR heart, and then ask for the hearts of others to open as well.  Then, run, go and tell someone of the great things that God is doing in your midst!

PRAYER:  Loving God, as we prepare for this Sunday, open MY heart.  You know better than I, what needs to change and be thrown out; make me receptive to Your moving amongst us, but let it begin with me.  As we celebrate that which happened years ago, as we celebrate Heritage Sunday, remind us that new blank pages are ever before us on which to write something new and great that God wants to do NOW.  Receive this prayer of faith that we lift up in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Open your heart right now to the love of God, then give it away!

Eradio Valverde

Never Alone!

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‘When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf.You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning. But I have said these things to you so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you about them. ‘I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, “Where are you going?” But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgement: about sin, because they do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; about judgement, because the ruler of this world has been condemned. ‘I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. (John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15)

Dear Friend, here's trusting you had a great weekend and you're about ready to face the work week filled with God's Holy Spirit.  This coming Sunday is yet another big Sunday in the life of the Church; Pentecost!  May these scriptures prepare us for that celebration, and for the work that Pentecost calls for us to do!

Jesus prepared His disciples for the coming and the work of the Holy Spirit.  In this gospel, Jesus calls the Holy Spirit, Advocate.  The Message version has Jesus calling the Holy Spirit, Friend. Both sound good to me; an advocate speaks on your behalf in a positive way, and a friend does as well.  As Jesus was sharing this, He knew His time was coming and there was still much the disciples did not know, and the coming of the Holy Spirit would equip them for the work still needed to be done.  Keep in mind that Jesus also calls the Spirit, "the Spirit of Truth," sent by the Father to continue the testimony about Jesus.  The disciples were to continue their work as witnesses to what they had seen in Jesus, and to continue the work Jesus outlines:  Teach the world the truth about sin, righteousness, and judgement.  In truth, the world still has these three all wrong:  Sin is no big deal, according to the world.  Our pulpits, for the most part, are silent about sin; and judgement is something no one worries about because we're too busy.  Jesus says the biggest sin is the lack of faith in Him.  Righteousness because the world cares more about appearance and success and not about Jesus; and judgement because the one in charge of the world has messed up the first two, but his time is almost over.  The devil has had his day; it's God's turn now.

We are not now, or ever, alone.  We have the presence and power of the Holy Spirit with us.  The Spirit helps us know, if we ask, the truth about all things.  He is ready to instruct and guide those who ask.  He is ready to equip and strengthen us for the work the Lord expects from us.  Together, we must glorify the Lord in ways that bring others to knowing Him.

PRAYER:  Loving God, fill me with your Holy Spirit.  May the Spirit guide me to Thy way and Thy work.  Help me to glorify You in all things that I do, say, and think today.  This I ask in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great day in the Lord!  Be led by the Holy Spirit!

Eradio Valverde