Give...Give...Give - Acts 4

I have not been able to update my blog until today. My grandma just passed away yesterday and since that time, I have been thinking about the times I have had with her.

What I remember most is that my grandma was a giver. Every Christmas she always gave us grandkids gifts. Same gift for all the boys and same gift for all the girls. It didn't matter how many grandkids or great grandkids or step grandkids...she always gave.

She modeled the principle we find in Acts 4:32.

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possession was his own, but they shared everthing they had.

My grandma was a giver. She gived, because she believed in every word in the Bible. She believed in living a life full of God. She was dedicated and if you saw her, she might ask you if you want something to eat. She would greet you and love you.
WHY? Because that is how God greets us. That is how Jesus would greet us. He would give and love you. Remember to live for God is to be a giver. How is your giving? Are you sharing what you have?

Sunday afterthoughts 2.21.10

Inspired by Perry Noble, I am posting my Sunday afterthoughts:

• Prayer is a tool that we forget to use. Don't use in case of emergency, use all the time.
• We had good attendance, but God still wants more people in his church.
• I preached for 15 minutes, yet God used it in so many ways.
• I am glad I can be open and honest in the church, after all isn't that the way we should be?
• Having church dinners is what makes me a Baptist! LOL!
• Glad to see that creativity still exists in the church!
• Paul did so much more than teach people, he actually reached people even if they weren't saved. Acts 28:1-10
• I learned that I love my neighbor, but I really need to learn to love my spouse before my neighbor.
• God's love is immearsurable and incomprehensible. So why do we seek to understand it? Because love comes from God.

Peter is on a roll... - Acts 3

Welcome back! I love those Energizer bunny commercials. That bunny has so much power that he continues to keep going and going and going. It seems that he is just on a roll.

As we continue to journey through the book of Acts and one thing is for certain Peter is full of power! He just preached his first message (he didn't even use a concordance) and now he continues to carry on the message of the cross.

I want to focus on one verse to express a thought to you and those around you. It is in the story of an encounter with a crippled beggar. The story goes that Peter and John (for some reason we see people in groups of twos, but I digress...) went to the temple to pray. They encounter a man who was crippled from birth who was set in front of the temple courts (a sort of main entrance) for the purpose of begging for money. In fact, this beggar looked specifically at Peter and John and asked them (as he probably did everyone), "Can you spare some change?". He probably was expecting to be ignored, after all no Jew would even want to be near someone who had a physical disability for fear of being "contaminated". Instead he got a different response. They said, "Look at us!" They wanted to make sure he was not distracted, but he was probably expecting some BLING BLING, $$$$$, M-O-N-E-Y! Then Peter said he had something better to give him and it would be done in the name of Jesus.

So in Acts 3:7 this is what Peter did, "Taking him (the beggar) by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong." Here is my one thought (believe me there are thousand more in this story). Peter touched and helped this man. Peter, a Jew, was actually touching him. It was probably one of the rare opportunities that this beggar had from another human being. This was a big "no no" for Peter. All other Jews like Peter probably never even considered touching, speaking, or looking at this man. He was probably the most neglected man both emotionally, physically and spiritually. Peter was on a roll of spreading the Message!

Here is my question for you. Is there some relationship you are
neglecting? Is there some issue or attitude you are neglecting?

Wouldn't a touch from Jesus help you to be on a roll of living a life for Him?

I am going now. I need to touch someone right now.

Sunday afterthoughts. 02.14.10

Inspired by Perry Noble, I am posting my Sunday after thoughts:

• People need to be real 24/7 and we must live for Christ 24/7.
• I love my Boomers class, they teach me alot about myself and the world around me.
• Guest speakerers are not only a good break for pastors, but also a good lesson for pastors.
• It is hard to love when you face trials and the unexpected happens, but we must continue to love.
• Shopping teaches you alot about the community around you. Who they are and what they need?
• When we can live like Jesus, then we are perfect....until then I will continue to strive to be like Him.
• My heart breaks when I see so many people lost, and so little people showing people how they can be found.
• We all make mistakes and we need to learn, live, and be accountable for them.
• Love will conquer all things....Yes....I need to learn to love like Jesus did.
• John 3:16 says how much God loves us, how much do we love God?

In His Love,

Pastor Waldo

Supernatural - Act 2

For those of you who have been following my blog....WELCOME BACK! For those of you who have randomly selected my page...WELCOME! I am going through the Book of Acts. Each chapter tells us of alot of miraculous things that happen, but what we see is something...well explosive...something supernatural....and Peter was the one who led the charge.

Maybe you thought it was the coming of the Holy Spirit. No! I am talking about the impact of the words Peter said. He began to give his first sermon and at the end he gave what we call today as an "altar call" or "invitation". He did not hold back his words. "Repent", "Be Baptized" and he said every one of you!

What happened was so cool and I can't think of one single event where this supernatural event. We find this in Acts 2:43,

"Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were
addded to their number that day."

Three thousand! The same day! Baptized! WOW! Peter must have been exhausted from dunking those folks. Okay...I am being a bit humorous, but I can't imagine an entire neighborhood being changed. It doesn't seem possible. They didn't have webcasting, email, or podcast! That is what makes what happened, SUPERNATURAL.

We must never doubt the power of God! We have the same power that existed back then. However, I think we limit ourselves....and we should know better. God is supernatural...he is beyond what we can think or imagine. We have a big God, with big Power. Are you willing to be stretched and allow God to do the supernatural in your life?

Next week....Peter keeps on going and going and going....

Leadership Void-Act 1

I attended a major California university (aka CSUF....Go Titans!) and enjoyed my business management courses. As I took each class, I began to discover that business practice originated in the Bible. No doubt! For any buisness practice I saw, I can see where this came from.

One encounter that churches and businesses encounter is a leadership void. Whether it is an owner, key manager, or lay person leadership voids need to be dealt with. In Acts chapter 1, we see that was the very first issue that needed to be addressed. How do we fill the void?

We see that they had gathered together and one of them (a key leader named Peter) spoke up about the problem when he quoted Psalm 109:8 in verse 20,

May another take his place of leadership

We have a problem. We have an important role that needs to be filled. We must find someone who shares the same experiences and shares the direction that we are being told to go. We must "choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time..."

In leadership, it is important that the problem be defined and addressed. Once they discovered they were going to choose another leader, it was a group (team) effort. Leaders must recognize that it is important to have teamwork. It is important to have unity in decision making.

Verse 23 says, "So they proposed two men...". Together they made some recommendations. Worthy and respected people were nominated and the decision now relied on God's hands.

Ultimately, God knows the leaders. We must recognize what our roles and responsiblities are in leadership. Once we accept them, we must trust God and follow through and apply the principles he teaches us.

A good leader can make things go and run well. A great leader can make thing go, run, and grow. That's the difference. Growing together...growing in God. What void do you need to fill?