Stewardship

Image from lakesidelutheran.org

Will anyone rob God? Yet you are robbing me! But you say, ‘How are we robbing you?’ In your tithes and offerings! You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me—the whole nation of you! Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.(Malachi 3:6-10)

I wish that Google Earth had a time machine feature, where one could travel back to a certain year and zoom in on buildings and homes that once were. I'd visit 203 W. Avenue A, Kingsville, Texas, first. The home that was most memorable to my growing up is no longer there. It was a wooden house on blocks, with plenty of space underneath in which a boy could hide. Behind it would be the old Missouri Pacific building that my dad turned into a home for my grandmother. We didn't have much of a backyard, but that didn't matter because we have our "Momo." Then I would move the cursor over to Richard Street to see the old Chapa's Grocery Store, when it was still open, and in its own way, thriving. I don't think Mr. Juan Chapa ever made much money, but he sure gave a lot. He gave me an opportunity to learn about money and work. He taught me about attitudes towards work and how to find the fun behind most things that people cannot see as fun. And my mother, because of that first job of mine, taught me how to tithe. My "paycheck" was in the form of a small brown envelope with a dollar and two quarters. My mother knew that and she told me when I got that pay, to ask Mr. Chapa to please give me two dimes and a nickel. When work ended that first day, my mom drove up in our old Chevy, and handed me a church envelope. I had seen these in the pews at church, but being 9 years old, never thought much about them. She said for me to put in a dime and a nickel. I did, and she said, "That is your diezmo, tithe. That belongs to God." Fine with me. I wondered if I should give and I did say, "Is that all?" Mom laughed and said I could give as much as I wanted. I sealed the envelope and she said to put my name on it. The next morning I put it in the offering plate. This was the first time I wasn't handed money by my dad to give; up to that point that wasn't really a meaningful thing, and some experts have now determined that really doesn't teach giving so much as it teaches handing over what really isn't yours to begin with. And I'm remembering that that little church, El Buen Pastor Methodist (we weren't United yet) Church, would report on the back of the bulletin the names and amounts of people's givings. Imagine doing that now? I chuckle knowing what I know now. But there was my name and by it, .15¢. Wow! I was now fulfilling most of my vows of membership to the church.

The vows of my church are indicators of my stewardship. I promised to support my church with my prayers. At 9 I wasn't praying much. Maybe before tests at school, but even then I knew my mom and grandma were praying for me when I told them I had tests; a blessing that continued on through my university and seminary years. My presence was pretty much a part of my "drug" problem, for anytime the church doors were open, my dad drug me and my brothers and sisters to church. No questions asked. He often said we had to be dying or dead for us to miss church. And I can't ever remember missing church for illness. Maybe chicken pox. Now, with my tithing, I was supporting the church with my gifts. I also sang in the church choir and that was part of my stewardship life. I also attended Sunday school (another drug problem), and I was there at church whenever my mom and grandma had sewing circle or they made tamales at the church. Hey, I was present! And at 9 my service was limited to not misbehaving in church. Hello, I was nine! And that counts for a lot of service! As my talents developed and my commitment deepened, I was able to give and do more. So much so, that my call into ordained ministry came when I was in eleventh grade.

The Old Testament closes with a stern warning in its last book, Malachi. The middle part of that third chapter deals with faithfulness towards God. Those who hold back are guilty of robbing God, a very serious offense. In this case, the prophet was telling the whole nation of Israel their woes were based on their lack of faithfulness; restoration would come when they would bring in "the full tithe," and this promise, "see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing." I am one of the richest people on earth, not based on what my bank account says, but what my heart says. Blessing after blessing have come my way, too numerous to count. I can say these started when my beautiful wife said yes to marrying me. Then God blessed that journey with our four beautiful daughters. Then came two wonderful sons-in-law; and five awesome grandchildren. Has it always been easy? No, of course not. Has it always been fun? For the most part, yes. Has God stayed faithful to me? Yes, indeed!

Live in Jesus

Image from agnusday.org

‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. (John 15:1-8)

Good day dear Friend!  May this find you and me ready for today and all that the week may hold for us!  May the words of our Lord grant us more strength, power, and peace to live out our faith.

This passage is about connectedness.  It's about being connected to Jesus and how necessary that is.  As I was reflecting on this passage, I thought about times I have been at a grocery store or somewhere in public and I see a church member; there's that moment of "I know you!," a smile (usually) and a word or two of greeting.  My wife as a teacher went through that as well, usually the student would smile, turn to her/his mom and then point to Nellie and say something along the lines, "That's my teacher!"  That is being connected.  A deeper connection is with our Lord.  He knew life is at times tough.  There come moments we don't want in our lives and we face them, we grieve, sob, say things we don't want to; or we can face them knowing we don't face them alone.  One cannot get more connected than being a grape on a vine.  And no better vine on which to grow and bear fruit than Jesus.  And then Jesus adds the words, "Abide in me as I abide in you."  More modern language says, "Live in me as I live in you."  If we have given our heart to Jesus it came with the invitation for Jesus to live in our lives. The truth is where Jesus says, "because apart from me you can do nothing."  I can't begin to list the times I have done something or received something with Jesus on my side.  Apart from Him I would have done nothing and received nothing.  The major blessings in my life came through prayers of faith and my willing to trust Jesus to provide all that I needed.  I married at the right time, though my grandma thought it was getting a little too late; God provided the right wife.  My education was provided at the right time for me to enter ministry just as God had asked.  Our daughters' births were just as we had wanted.  Some sermons have blessed people when I thought I had failed in delivering what God had asked.  And people have come to faith in Jesus through something He allowed me to say or share.

Living in Jesus will bring us much fruit; apart from Jesus will make us worry like the sheep above about some branches being thrown in the fire.  We avoid that be staying connected.

Dear One, stay connected with Jesus.  It starts with devotional time like you're doing now.  Throughout the day, share think-prayers as you face challenges or obstacles.  Spend time reading your Bible; read a book or commentary on God's word; find time to worship the Lord through prayer and other ways, and you will be not only connected, but blessed!

PRAYER:  Loving Father, thank You for being the vine-grower.  I ask that I might live in Jesus and be connected to You.  I seek to be faithful and fruitful.  May this week be a glorious week that blesses You and those who need blessing.  This I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!  Live in Jesus and the moments will be wonderful!

Eradio Valverde

PRAYER REQUEST:  Our prayers for Ms. Betty Sample, who fell on Saturday and was facing surgery yesterday or today.  Pray for her healing and comfort.  Our continued prayers for Rev. Harry Kahl and his hospitalization.  May the Lord bring healing to our brother.  Pray for one another; bless the Lord with joyful kindness.

Jesus, the Flavor of the Month!

from 21flavorsofsplendor.com

For some years now, our denomination and our conference especially, entertained and invited several experts in church growth to come and share with us what I came to call the flavor of the month. These men had some good ideas and were paid very handsomely to come and share with us their ideas and suggestions as to what would make our churches grow as they should. These gentlemen also brought along their own language and jargons borrowed from the business world. And that's not wrong in and of itself, for the business world has borrowed from our language quite freely. Evangelist was a term first used by such giants as Apple and others, who hired professional aggressive persons to share their message. To evangelize meant the task of luring away sold PC users to Mac. Some borrowed the word gospel, as in their product was "good news" to those who needed it, and buying their product would bring satisfaction. (Please note even corporations did not use the word "salvation"). More recently I have heard that the business world has hired professional story tellers to tell their stories of vision and success to help them achieve a better bottom line. But I digress, it came to the point where I personally did not like sitting in meetings of the church hearing about "wheel houses," "silos," "band widths," and others that thankfully God has erased from my memory. I longed to hear the words evangelism, as in our sense of sharing the gospel with the lost; I longed to hear about prayer, outreach, witness, testifying, and mission. Mission and vision, were also those church words borrowed from us by the business world.

Here's an ancient idea to help the church truly become "The historic church making His story new;" Jesus as our flavor of the month. Yes, Jesus, the Son of God as in what John 3:16 states, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." Yes, Jesus as Savior, as in the one who takes away our sins and hurts and makes us new. Just this morning on a social media app I saw a picture of a park bench with the question: "If you could sit and talk for one hour with one person, who would it be?" The answers, for the most part, were sincere. One woman shared it would be her husband, who died in a Marine Military aircraft crash. Another woman listed her six week old son who died at that age. A man said his dad. Another said his grandpa. But most of the answers shared a longing to sit with God or Jesus, just to be held and to hear that everything would be alright. "My Father God just to feel his arms around me and to hear His voice. I need this soooo much right now...The world is so cruel." Another wrote, "My Savior! Jesus Christ to hug Him. He has been always by my side... My husband passed away 5 months ago for cancer but I know he's in a good place without pain." This is the Jesus we should preach; the One who can and does hold us and speak to us words of encouragement and hope.

Jesus, the Redeemer, the One who can lead us into faithfulness and fruitfulness.

Why would the psalmist share this invitation? "O taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are those who take refuge in him." (Psalm 34:8)

Jesus. The Flavor of the month! No, make it Jesus the Flavor for All Eternity.

Be blessed!

Character

Nellie and I have been blessed to spend time with our two oldest grandchildren, and I've taken advantage of this time to share with them some key elements of a blessed life, namely traits and abilities that I pray will bless them in their lives.

They may moan and complain, but they sit at the kitchen table with me and with the scriptures pictured above, we set out to discover these traits in teachings from the Bible, such as Character as I believe we can find in the Ten Commandments.

There is character in the person who knows how to love and respect God, and who learns how to love and respect others. Each of the ten commandments speak to this, and we discussed each one and its importance in our lives. They know the Ten Commandments can be found in the book of Exodus, chapter 20, and on our paper they were asked to underline each as we know them.

One of the greatest gifts any person, pastors included, can share with little ones in their lives, is time and wisdom from the years we've enjoyed; seeking to bless a new generation in the eternal truths we find in God's Holy Word.

Still looking for a resolution? This might be a great one!

Blessings!

Pastor Eradio