A Monday's reflection on Sunday Morning...aka Sunday's afterthoughts.

Here are my Sunday's afterthoughts:

• Sunday Service was busy:  patriotic songs, honoring our vets, reading a story, and communion.
• I used little notes yesterday and it gave me some freedom.
• We had 3 people who served (or still serving) in our military.  All were USMC!
• The point of the message:  Let God Be the Spark!
• The Boomers class (aka Adult Small Groups) keeps growing and it is great.
• Thankful to see some people I haven't seen in a while.  I really missed you guys and hope you continue to come!
• Anger is not a good thing to hold on to.  Especially on Sundays.
• Make sure you are thankful to our veterans today!  They sacrafice without question!
• Next week we have a special worship group!  We start a new series and we need to be a new church!  We can't be the same church, we need to be the church of Jesus Christ and we need to start acting like him.

Acts 8 - Need a guide?

One of the places my wife and I visited a few years ago was the Grand Canyon (south rim).  We have been there a few years before that, but really didn't see too much.  We were limited in time, and if you know how big the Grand Canyon is you know you can't limit viewing this awesome sight!

On our visit, we had planned it out.  We took a few days off of work, left early in the morning and made a few stops along the way.  We had reserved a hotel in the little town of Williams, Arizona.  We had planned everything but one question arose.  How were we really going to get a good view and understanding of the Grand Canyon?  We could go online and see all the maps of the canyon and points of interest, but we still were not going to be able to enjoy it.  Thankfully, my brother referred me to a trip he had taken with an experienced Grand Canyon expert.  We booked our time with the Grand Canyon Tours companty (there were others too who had done the same thing) and we had a great experience, view, and history of the Grand Canyon!!!!  If we are going to have a great experience to an unfamiliar place, we need someone who has been there.  Someone who is knowledgable and can share the ins and outs of the place.  We need a guide!

In Acts 8, God placed Philip in the deseret.  He didn't know why he was there, because God just told him to go there.  There he noticed a man, an Ethiopian eunuch, traveling with his chariot.  Philip was summoned to go over there by the Spirit and when he arrived he had heard the man reading from Isaiah.  Obviously, this man was reading out loud and loud enough to be heard by those around him.  So Philip asked him a question.  "Do you understand what you are reading?"  Do you know the significance of the verse you are reading and how important it is?  Perhaps puzzled, but also curious the eunuch replied, "And he said, 'How can I, unless someone guides me?' And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him."  Acts 8:31.

Have you ever found yourself lost on the freeway?  Lost in your marriage?  Lost in your parenting skills?  Have you ever found yourself lost as to what life is really about?  Have you ever wondered what your purpose is here?  You need a Guide.  You need a Guide who will lead you into understanding your need for Him.  In Him, we find direction, purpose and eternal life. 

It took alot of guts for the eunuch, a very important official to the Queen, to ask a stranger for help.  But when he got the help, his life would never be the same.  His life would be changed becauuse Philip made himself available to be his guide and point him to the purpose of Jesus Christ.  Will you ask God to help you today?  Let God be your guide.

Somebody chose me...

Okay.  Someone tagged me in their blog and so now I guess I will respond.  Thanks Becky for making me ponder on these questions. 

1.What is your favorite food?  If I had to say what my one favorite food would be, it would probably be chips and salsa.  Honestly...is there anything better and more addicting?


2.What is your favorite thing to do?  Other than to read the bible, I would say surfing the Internet, blogging, facebooking, twittering...you get the idea.

3.Why do you blog?  I blog for two reasons.  It is outlet for me to share my thoughts with others.  It is also a great way to practice writing.

4.What is your dream vacation?  For right now, I would say going to Alaska with Mrs. Waldo.  It is one of our vacation plans.

5.When was the last time you watched a movie?  Well, the last movie I believe we saw was To Save A Life.  A definite must see movie.

6.What is your favorite outdoor activity, and why?  Camping.  It is relaxing and helps me to appreciate God's creation.

7.Morning or night person?  I used to be a night person, but I am definitely a morning person that to coffee!

8.Do you like camping?  See question 6.  I enjoy the process of getting settled and walking around the camp area and visiting other places.

9.Do you have brothers or sisters?  Yes.  Only one brother and that is it.  I figured our parents wanted to limit the US population.

10.What is your passion in life?  To preach the gospel and to connect with so many people to hear His message.  The basics of my passion it Love the Lord and Love Others.
 
That is a little about me.  What about you?

Sunday afterthoughts 05.16.10

I have been lagging on my Sunday's afterthoughts, but here they are:

• Many of our regulars were out on Sunday, but that means we shouldn't be discouraged.
• Our children nearly outnumbered our adults/youth in service.  THAT IS AWESOME!
• God wants our marriages to be built on trust and not just love.
• Trust and Love is a must in a healthy marriage.
• Even the most successful people can fail in their character and marriages.
• King David's story about his encounter with Basheba sounds like a "Godfather" story.  Lies, manipulation, murder.....it is all in there.  (2 Samuel 11)
• The Bible amazes me with the stories it tells.  It is not about the good things, but the bad things as well.
• Our chuch, CornerStone, needs prayers.  Many of our people are sick or attending to sick family members.
• I need to be more committed in my marriage.  I can't lead unless my marriage and leadership in the marriage is healthy.
• You will never ever get away with sin.  NEVER.  (2 Samuel 12:13)
• God will always forgive you!  (2 Samuel 12:13)

Sunday afterthoughts 05.09.10

Today was Mother's Day.  It was a day we honor all women and for the gift and talents that god has given them.  But this morning was different.  Our church was challenged to do something I have never asked them to do.  With that said here are my Sunday after thoughts:

• We had our Sunday School Director out (get better soon JoAnne) and so I was able to share a bit from the book of Amos during our Set Our Sights session before small groups.
• The Boomer's class still continues to grow spiritually as we learn what 1 John says about the "last hour".
• Our attendance was low, but that didn't hinder what God does....more in a minute.
• Romans 12:2 is a powerful verse.  It is more powerful when it is in our hearts!
• If you want to see transformation listen what I asked the church:  "Today's offering will go strictly to evangelism".  I asked them if they had a problem to let me know.  But we needed to get serious with the gospel and no one objected.  We raised over $1400 plus.  God will meet our financial needs here, but there greater need is the gospel, especially in Tennessee.
• Happy Mother's Day!
• To my church, thank you for putting up with me today.  I had alot of sinus problems and God shook me up this morning where I was literally crying out to God.  Do you need to cry?
• I can't wait until next week's service where lives will be changed and people will be impacted.
• Next week's message focus on marriage and your invited.
• Evangelism takes place everyday when people see are lives.
• Impacting the community for Christ has to be a number one priority.

Acts 7 - Speak Out

"You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are alway resisting the Holy Spirit; as your forefathers did so do you." Acts 7:51 (HCSB)

Those are some harsh words. Those are confrontational words. Or in the south "Them is figthin words!"

This where we find a man named Stephen. A man who was selected with six other men to serve the neglected widows. He had something to say. He had something that the people needed to hear. He wasn't afraid to speak out. We know nothing other than Stephen's characterisitics (Acts 6:3). He obviously knew his history, he knew what the prophets said, he knew his Old Testament. But the one thing I admire about him is that he was not ashamed to proclaim the message of Jesus Christ. He was not ashamed where they had fallen short. He was not ashamed to point out their history. He was not ashamed to stand and speak out his faith. Because he did, he was stoned to death.

In your faith, do you speak out? Do you speak out in your actions? Do you speak words of encouragement or love? Do you speak out when you worship God? Because Stephen spoke out, an important man was somehow impacted by this event. Will you be impacted by your faith? Will you be impacted by the faith of other Christ followers. Make a decision to not be ashamed.

"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, and then for the Gentile."-Romans 1:16 (NIV)