Grand Prairie Seventh-day Adventist Church

09/07/2026

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 | 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗱'𝘀 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲
𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥: 𝘛𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘩𝘦𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘥’𝘴 𝘝𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦

𝗦𝗖𝗥𝗜𝗣𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” — John 10:27, NKJV

𝗗𝗘𝗩𝗢𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧
Sheep learn to recognize their shepherd’s voice through repeated exposure. They hear him calling in the morning, guiding them throughout the day, and bringing them home at night.

Familiarity grows through relationship.

Sometimes we want God to give us an immediate answer about school, work, relationships, family, health, or the future. But recognizing God’s voice is not a spiritual trick. It grows from consistently walking with Him.

God speaks most clearly and authoritatively through Scripture. The Holy Spirit may bring conviction, use godly counsel, or direct our attention through circumstances, but every impression must be tested by the written Word.

We are living in the middle of a great controversy between Christ and Satan. Not every spiritual-sounding voice comes from the Shepherd. The enemy has been twisting God’s words since Eden, and deception often sounds close enough to truth to appear convincing.

Culture may say, Follow whatever feels right.

Fear may say, You will never be enough.

Pride may say, You do not need anyone’s direction.

But God’s voice sounds like Jesus. It leads toward truth, humility, purity, courage, love, repentance, and obedience.

The Shepherd’s voice will never contradict the Shepherd’s Word.

That is why daily Bible study matters. We do not open Scripture merely to gather information. We open it to become familiar with the character, promises, and voice of God.

Do not wait for a crisis to begin listening. Spend time with Jesus today.

The closer you remain to the Shepherd, the more clearly you will recognize when another voice is trying to lead you away.

𝗙𝗔𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗙𝗔𝗖𝗧
Scripture is the standard by which every teaching, impression, experience, and claimed revelation must be tested. The Holy Spirit never contradicts the Word He inspired.

𝗔 𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗢 𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗬
When I make important decisions, whose voice do I usually listen to first?

𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥
Jesus, teach me to recognize Your voice above every other voice. Give me wisdom to test everything by Your Word. Protect me from confusion and deception, and help me remain close enough to You that Your voice becomes familiar. Amen.

𝗙𝗨𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚
Isaiah 8:20
The Great Controversy, ch. 37, “The Scriptures a Safeguard”

𝗧𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗬, 𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦
The better you know the Shepherd, the easier it becomes to recognize His voice.

— Devotional by Pastor Mark A. Valadez

09/06/2026

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 | 𝗖𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗲
𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥: 𝘛𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘩𝘦𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘥’𝘴 𝘝𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦

𝗦𝗖𝗥𝗜𝗣𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘
“And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation.” — 1 Samuel 3:1, NKJV

𝗗𝗘𝗩𝗢𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧
Samuel lived during a spiritually quiet time. God had not stopped caring about His people, but many had stopped paying attention to Him.

Our world is anything but quiet.

Notifications buzz. Videos play. News updates arrive. Even when the room is silent, our minds may still be crowded with responsibilities, regrets, and worries about what comes next.

Young or old, we can become so accustomed to noise that silence feels uncomfortable.

The problem is not always that God is silent. Sometimes our lives are simply too loud to notice that He is speaking.

Samuel heard God’s voice in the stillness of the night. There were no crowds, flashing lights, or dramatic signs. God spoke while Samuel was quiet enough to listen.

We need moments like that too—moments when the phone is put away, the television is turned off, and the heart becomes still before God.

Silence by itself is not the goal. We are not trying to empty our minds or manufacture a spiritual experience. We are making room to direct our attention toward God through His Word and prayer.

Silence is not empty time. It is space in which we become available to God.

Begin simply. Open your Bible. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your understanding. Read slowly enough to notice what God has already said.

The same God who called Samuel by name still knows how to reach a listening heart.

Perhaps the first act of faith today is not doing more.

Perhaps it is becoming still.

𝗙𝗔𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗙𝗔𝗖𝗧
God has given His written Word as the trustworthy foundation for hearing and understanding His voice. The Holy Spirit draws our attention to Scripture and applies its truth to our lives.

𝗔 𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗢 𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗬
What is the loudest voice competing for my attention right now?

𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥
Father, my life is often filled with noise. Quiet my thoughts and teach me to become attentive to Your presence. Help me set aside distractions and make room for Your Word. Give me a heart that is ready to listen when You speak. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

𝗙𝗨𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚
Psalm 46:10
Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, p. 393

𝗧𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗬, 𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦
Sometimes hearing God begins by turning down the noise.

— Devotional by Pastor Mark A. Valadez

09/05/2026

Watch Live - "Speak Lord" with Pastor Christian Ponciano, the director of Youth and Club Ministries for the Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

Message by: Pastor Christian Ponciano | Scripture: John 10:27-28...

09/05/2026

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 | 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗠𝗲, 𝗢 𝗚𝗼𝗱
Repentance: The Gift of God

𝗦𝗖𝗥𝗜𝗣𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” — Psalm 139:23–24 (NKJV)

𝗗𝗘𝗩𝗢𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧
There is a dangerous prayer in Psalm 139: “Search me.”

David doesn't say, “Search my spouse. Search my children. Search that difficult person. Search the one who really needs to change.”

No. Search me.

Before asking God to change everybody around us, we invite Him to examine what's happening within us. Is there pride in me? Bitterness? Unforgiveness? A habit I keep defending? A wound I've allowed to become resentment?

Search me.

And here's why we don't have to be afraid of that prayer. The Christ who reveals our need gives repentance. The God who calls us to return abundantly pardons. And the Savior through whom we are forgiven gives us grace to forgive others.

So the prayer becomes: Search me. Show me. Turn me. Forgive me. Change me.
Not so I can earn Your grace, but because Your grace is already drawing me.

And then, Father—let the grace You've given me flow through me.

𝗙𝗔𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗙𝗔𝗖𝗧
Grace doesn't only forgive the person you've been. Grace transforms the person you're becoming.

𝗔 𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗢 𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗬
If I sincerely prayed, “Search me, O God,” what might the Holy Spirit reveal that I need to surrender?

𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥
Father, search me. Show me what I cannot see and what I may not want to see. Give me repentance where I need repentance, forgiveness where I need forgiveness, and grace to forgive where I've been wounded. Create in me a clean heart and lead me in the way everlasting. In Jesus’ name, amen.

𝗙𝗨𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚
Psalm 51:1–12; Acts 5:29–32; Isaiah 55:6–7; Matthew 6:9–15

𝗧𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗬, 𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦
The grace that turns you toward God is the grace that teaches you to release others.

— Devotional by Pastor Mark A. Valadez

09/04/2026

Register by September 22 at https://register.adventsourceevents.org/AFCOE-Dallas-26

09/04/2026

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 | 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗖𝗮𝗻'𝘁 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻'𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱
Repentance: The Gift of God

𝗦𝗖𝗥𝗜𝗣𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘
“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” — Ephesians 4:32 (NKJV)

𝗗𝗘𝗩𝗢𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧
Notice the order. God doesn't simply say, Forgive. He gives us the source: “As God in Christ forgave you.”

Forgiveness begins not with them—but with Him.

We struggle to give grace when we forget how much grace we've received. Stand at the cross long enough and pride gets quieter. Self-righteousness loses its microphone.

You remember: I needed forgiveness too. I needed mercy too. I had a debt I could never pay. And Jesus paid it.

This doesn't minimize what someone did to you. It magnifies what Christ has done for you.

Grace comes to us before it flows through us. That's why forgiveness isn't primarily an exercise of human willpower. It's the supernatural fruit of a heart that has experienced the mercy of God through Christ.

𝗙𝗔𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗙𝗔𝗖𝗧
Forgiveness isn't produced by human strength. It's the fruit of experienced grace.

𝗔 𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗢 𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗬
Have I been trying to forgive through willpower instead of first resting in God's forgiveness of me?

𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥
Father, take me back to the cross and remind me how much You have forgiven me through Christ. Let Your grace sink deeply into my heart until the mercy I have received begins flowing through my life. Give me grace to forgive as You have forgiven me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

𝗙𝗨𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚
Colossians 3:12–13; Luke 7:36–50; Matthew 18:21–35

𝗧𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗬, 𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦
You don't manufacture grace. You receive it—and then you release it.

— Devotional by Pastor Mark A. Valadez

09/03/2026

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 | 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱, 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱
Repentance: The Gift of God

𝗦𝗖𝗥𝗜𝗣𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘
“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” — Matthew 6:12 (NKJV)

𝗗𝗘𝗩𝗢𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧
Now grace gets uncomfortable. It's one thing to celebrate God's forgiveness toward us; it's another thing to extend forgiveness toward someone who hurt us.

Jesus connects the two: “Forgive us… as we forgive…”

We aren't forgiven because we forgive. We forgive because we have experienced the grace of being forgiven.

The cross confronts both the sin in me and the sin committed against me. I come asking God to release my debt, and then grace begins working on my heart concerning the debts I'm still holding against others.

That doesn't mean the wound wasn't real. Forgiveness doesn't call evil good, eliminate healthy boundaries, or automatically restore broken trust. Forgiveness means I stop trying to occupy God's seat. I surrender personal vengeance and place judgment into His hands.

Sometimes we have to admit, “Father, I can't do this by myself.”

That's exactly the point. We need grace to give grace.

𝗙𝗔𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗙𝗔𝗖𝗧
We don't forgive because the wound wasn't real. We forgive because God's grace is greater than the wound.

𝗔 𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗢 𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗬
Whose name becomes difficult for me when Jesus says, “forgive”?

𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥
Father, You know what was done and how deeply it hurt. I cannot manufacture forgiveness. Give me the grace to release this person into Your hands. Heal what was wounded in me, and keep bitterness from becoming another wound. In Jesus’ name, amen.

𝗙𝗨𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚
Matthew 6:14–15; Ephesians 4:31–32; Romans 12:19

𝗧𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗬, 𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦
Grace received becomes grace released.

— Devotional by Pastor Mark A. Valadez

09/02/2026

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 | 𝗔𝗯𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗱
Repentance: The Gift of God

𝗦𝗖𝗥𝗜𝗣𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘
“Let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” — Isaiah 55:7 (NKJV)

𝗗𝗘𝗩𝗢𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧
Some of us believe God forgives. We're just not sure He wants to forgive us.

We've failed too many times, known better too many times, and promised God too many things. But Isaiah doesn't merely say God pardons. He says God “abundantly” pardons.

That's the heart of God toward the repentant sinner. When the prodigal returned, the father ran. When Peter denied Jesus, Christ restored him. When the thief turned toward Christ on the cross, he received hope.

God's grace is bigger than the history you're ashamed of. That doesn't make sin small. It makes grace enormous.

Repentance and forgiveness belong together. God gives us grace to turn, and when we turn, we discover mercy waiting for us.

Real repentance sees how serious sin is—and then discovers how much greater the Savior is.

𝗙𝗔𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗙𝗔𝗖𝗧
God doesn't pardon because your repentance is impressive. God pardons because His mercy is abundant.

𝗔 𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗢 𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗬
Am I carrying guilt for something God has invited me to confess, surrender, and place beneath His grace?

𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥
Father, thank You for abundant mercy. Help me confess honestly, repent genuinely, and trust completely in the forgiveness You provide through Christ. Teach me to believe Your promise more than I believe my guilt. In Jesus’ name, amen.

𝗙𝗨𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚
Psalm 103:8–12; 1 John 1:9; Micah 7:18–19

𝗧𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗬, 𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦
Your sin may be great. His pardon is abundant.

— Devotional by Pastor Mark A. Valadez

09/01/2026

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 | 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻
Repentance: The Gift of God

𝗦𝗖𝗥𝗜𝗣𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘
Isaiah 55:7 (NKJV) — “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD…”

𝗗𝗘𝗩𝗢𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧
Biblical repentance is more than feeling bad. You can regret the consequences of sin without ever turning away from the sin itself.

Isaiah gives repentance two movements: Forsake. Return.

Forsake the old way. Return to the Lord. Repentance isn't merely crying over where you've been. It's changing the direction you're going.

Notice that God mentions both our ways and our thoughts because He wants more than changed behavior. He wants the heart.

But God doesn't say, “Fix yourself, then return.” He simply says, “Return to the LORD.”

Bring Him the struggle. Bring Him the failure. Bring Him the thoughts you haven't been able to straighten out. Repentance doesn't mean you've gotten yourself together. It means you've stopped running from the One who can put you back together.

𝗙𝗔𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗙𝗔𝗖𝗧
Repentance isn't simply turning from sin. It's turning to God.

𝗔 𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗢 𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗬
What do I need to forsake—and what would returning to God look like in my life?

𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥
Father, reveal anything in my ways or thoughts that is pulling me away from You. Give me grace to forsake it and return completely to You. Change not only my actions, but my heart. In Jesus’ name, amen.

𝗙𝗨𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚
Ezekiel 18:30–32; Psalm 51:10–12; Acts 3:19

𝗧𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗬, 𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦
Repentance isn't just leaving something. It's returning to Someone.

— Devotional by Pastor Mark A. Valadez

08/31/2026

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 | 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗲
Repentance: The Gift of God

𝗦𝗖𝗥𝗜𝗣𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘
Isaiah 55:6 (NKJV) — “Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.”

𝗗𝗘𝗩𝗢𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧
There is urgency in this verse: Seek. Call. While.

Sometimes we tell ourselves, “I'll deal with that later. I'll apologize later. I'll surrender that later.” But every time we resist conviction, the heart becomes a little more comfortable resisting conviction.

That's why Scripture says, Seek Him now. Not because God is reluctant to save, but because sin becomes dangerous when we become comfortable with it.

When your conscience says, “This isn't right”—that's mercy. When Scripture exposes something in you—that's mercy. When the Spirit puts His finger on an attitude, habit, resentment, or secret —that's mercy knocking on the door.

Conviction isn't condemnation; it's an invitation. God isn't exposing the problem to push you away. He's revealing it because He's calling you closer.

Don't run from conviction. Run toward Christ.

𝗙𝗔𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗙𝗔𝗖𝗧
Conviction isn't God pushing you away. Conviction is God calling you home.

𝗔 𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗢 𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗬
What has God been speaking to me about that I need to stop postponing?

𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥
Father, keep my heart tender toward Your voice. When You speak, help me respond instead of delaying what Your Spirit is asking me to surrender. Draw me closer to You and teach me to follow Your leading. In Jesus’ name, amen.

𝗙𝗨𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚
Hebrews 3:7–8; 2 Corinthians 6:2; Revelation 3:19–20

𝗧𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗬, 𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦
When grace says “come,” don't answer “later.”

— Devotional by Pastor Mark A. Valadez