Where's Waldo?

Unchanged

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Waldo) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 20:47:00 +0000

It is been over 6 months since I have updated my blog. I guess with the new year approaching it is time to create a new post. So here is my review on some areas that I believe need serious improvement.

1. If you are a Christ follower, then you should forgive! I am tired of people holding on to grudges, hurts, pains, and then they go to church and remain unchanged. Look, Jesus did not have to forgive you of your sins, die on the cross and come back again. BUT HE DID! The fact that you have accepted it means you need to follow it and that begins with FORGIVENESS!!! Colossians 3:13

2. If you are a Christ follower, then you should trust God...TOTALLY! I know, I know...this is another tough one. But the fact is no matter what you are going through, no matter what part of you is broken, we need to trust God...SERIOUSLY! Paul was shipwrecked, beaten and left for dead. DEAD! How many of you are DEAD to God right now? Why? Because you are unchanged! 2 Corinthians 1:8-11

3. If you are a Christ follower, then you need to love...EVERYONE! Okay...I hear you. There are some people who are hard to love. Especially those you know! A family member, a friend or even someone in church! I find it almost laughable, that people will say they love like God does. The fact is God loves EVERYONE, but He does NOT like the sin. When Jesus walked on this Earth, he loved everyone. A tax collector, a prostitute, a leper, the blind...yet we set ourselves apart from those God loves. 1 John 4:6-8

4. If you are a Christ follower, act like Jesus! I am guilty of this. My feelings (aka the flesh) gets to me sometime. It is difficult for me to be angry, but sometimes I do. But I am always reminded to pray and talk to God. Not only that, but to listen to His voice. His voice can come in the form of another person, a situation, a thought, or an opportunity. Too many of us (admit it right now) say we love, trust and follow Jesus but yet we do not want to act like Him. Why? Is it too hard? Is it too difficult to give? Is it too difficult to process your reaction?

The bottom line is that in this post, it seems to me that many people want to remain unchanged. This means unrepentant, this means living for the Enemy, and this means an unhealthy way in all areas of your life. I write these things so that you can totally fall in love (for some of you again) with Jesus. He has help me change and I pray He helps you change. Make a conscious effort to change.

Peace Always,

Waldo

4000 emails...seriously?

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Waldo) — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 14:47:00 +0000

I subscribe to a lot of different blogs, websites, and of course Facebook. Therefore, I accumulate alot of emails which consists of special offers or general announcements. But there are alot of people that I go back and forth on my email account. Needless to say, I have accumulated over 4000 emails. That is too many for the average person to have. Do I really need emails from 2 years ago?What I realized today, is that I have alot of junk in my email. Unnecessary emails that I have held on to without removing them and therefore keeping a cluttered email box.

Isn't that how life is? We keep our hurts, pains, disappointment inside of us. We hold on to hate, unforgiveness, and worries? We keep them bottled up inside of us. There is no legitimate reason to do so! What good is it for you to be angry at someone from your high school days? What good is it to not love a person you know you should love? All these can be summed up in one word...SELFISH!

So today, begin with a new attitude. Get rid of the selfish part and get going with Jesus. Let go of those things that have bogged you down for weeks, months or maybe even years. Let go of guilt, anger, and disappointment today. Let go of those things that are keeping you away from a relationship with Jesus. I like the way The Message speaks about Matthew 11:28:

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life.

We are told to come to Jesus. Give him your emails in your life and he will give you a recovered life!

Until next time!

Pastor Waldo

To Save A Life

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Waldo) — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 16:42:00 +0000

Going to show this awesome movie to our youth on Wednesday, April 13th.

Stay tuned...

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Waldo) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 14:06:00 +0000

Blog will be updated in the next few weeks!

21 Day Experience

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Waldo) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 14:09:00 +0000

For the past 21 days (3 weeks or 504 hours or 30,240 minutes...okay...it was a loooong time), my wife and I have been fasting. We were challenged by a recent online message we saw at Life Church by Pastor Craig Groeschel. Pastor Craig spoke about fasting and provided different examples of how it could be done. So for my wife and I, it was not food that we gave up. It was something that indeed would be difficult for us (especially me). We gave up watching no TV. No sports highlights, news, weather or traffic updates. No DVD movies or online TV shows. No Netflix online or anything else. When others had the TV on, we could not watch it. So my "fasting" was different than most others and I would like to share a few things I learned from this 21 day experience.

I discovered YouVersion. During the message and the online chat, it was recommended to sign up for the 21 day reading plan. The idea was there would be 21 bible verses and also some encouragement in your fast. I had heard of YouVersion, but have never used it. But it helped me tremendously, because instead of turning on the TV very EARLY in the morning I would use the mobile application and read my lesson for the day! What a great way to get up and read God's Word first!
I struggled. I watch alot of TV, no doubt! I enjoy certain programs and watching sports. It has become my relaxation time. Those first few days were difficult. TV had become an early morning and late night habit. In fact, I moved the remote control from the side of bed to a dresser where the TV was so I could not easily grab it. I am sure some of you struggled with whatever you gave up.
I messed up. I know, we all mess up. But I was doing really well for 14 days and then BAM it hit me. Subtle as it was, I was watching a late night TV program that someone else was watching. I didn't thinking anything about it at the time and it was only for a few minutes, but once I left the TV I realized I had done wrong and messed up. I definitely felt bad and convicted. But isn't that how we should approach those things that are wrong against God. Bad and convicted?
I could do it! Despite the temptations and wanting to watch the last two playoff games before Superbowl, my wife and I did it! We learned that we can put God first. We learned that there are other things we can do together instead of TV (shopping or even a puzzle).

So I shared what I learned and I pray that you too will challenge yourself to participate in a 21 day fast. If you participated in this fast, what did you learn? I would love to hear about your experience.

2010 is gone and 2011 is here!

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Waldo) — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 19:04:00 +0000

I can't believe it has been almost 2 months since I updated my blog. I would like to share what 2010 has been for me and what is waiting for me in 2011.

If I had to describe what 2010 was for me, I would say it was a "Valley"! No doubt! That is what it was!

Ministry/Church wise it was difficult year of changes. We changed 3 paid (although not that much) positions to unpaid positions and reduced the salary of another position. That was painful, but our finances could no longer support the staff. It was hard to suggest and hard to recommend and painful to recommend because this effected the livelyhood of people I have known and have relationships with.

This also meant changes to our ministries. Some people began to assist in ministry and things seemed to be progressing well. But the loss of members was devastating when Jesus took the home. I must admit, I am selfish with people. I don't want to see them go, but God had His plan for them. I truly miss Carol Olson who was always a great source of knowledge, creativity, and love. She was always willing to do whatever it takes to reach people for Jesus. Her husband, John, loved her so much that even in the last days of her life, he stood right by her bedside and looked at her with love!

We also lost our last surving charter member, Olive Dobbins. She had been in and out of our church for awhile during her last year. She struggled hearing the music or messages. But yet she would remain faithful to attending Sunday School and Worship Service. Her years of dedication and laying the foundation of what would become CornerStone Baptist Church, shows her love for Jesus.

During this past year, our attendance has shrunk tremendously. No real explanation for it other than life events in people have caused them to make changes as to where they live. I hate to see people leave the church. It is painful as a Pastor to see people leave, but God has other plans.

Lastly, in my own personal life things have been chaotic and challenging. Seasons of changes has just come and caused alot of pain and personal self-reflection. Am I doing what God wants me to do? Is it time to quite being a Pastor? Am I being a good husband, father, grandfather? Am I passionate about my own personal commitment to Jesus? Why are things happening? What am I supposed to do?

Today, I realize that 2010 is gone. That year was a "valley" year! But now 2011 is here and God gave me three things he wants me to do this year which I am sharing on January 9th. They are things that I have never attempted before and it is where God wants me to lead as a Pastor our church. So I ask for your prayer.

One final thought that I would like to share. If you are a follower of Christ, remember these two things. Love God and love people! It is as simple as that. It is the core of where we should be in our relationship with Jesus. I pray for all of you right now, that you experience Jesus' love in all areas of your life.

Happy 2011!

In His Amazing Love and Grace,

Pastor Waldo Barela

Avoiding Social Networking

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Waldo) — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 14:09:00 +0000

For a while, I have avoided social networking. It hasn't been purposeful, but more out of necessity. Social networking has dominated my time and I have to learn to limit myself especially when more important matters should take priority. But while I am not avoiding it entirely, I would like to offer my thoughts on social networking:

Be careful what you post! - Employers are now searching Facebook, Twitter, and blogs when hiring. So be careful what you post, even though it may be in jest!
Too much info. - There is so much information available on your profile pages. You must be careful what information is for public view and what information is private.
Don't post when you are angry. - There are have been several times I wanted to blog on something that I was angered about. Or there have been times where I have viewed other people vent too much information because of what they were involved in. You can express your frustration, but do so constructively and without names (implied or otherwise).
Your tweet, blog post, Facebook comment is a reflection on you! - I have admittedly gotten "called on" a comment I posted. I did not think anything of it at the time, but it was clear that my comments angered and offended someone. Instead of admitting I was wrong, I tried to justify and explain why. I am analytical and I try to reason, at times, my actions. The relationship was broken and it probably did not need to be, but I believe I was at fault.

What are your thought on social networking? Has it dominated your life? What mistakes have you made?

Seven Things The Church Can Learn From Disneyland

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Waldo) — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 00:55:00 +0000

WELCOME PEOPLE: The staff at Disneyland was always helpful and inviting. They made you feel comfortable from the time you boarded the parking lot tram on your way to the park. What would a church look like if it welcomed people from the moment they entered the facility? What if they were greeted with a smile, provided information about the church, and was escorted to a seat? They would never sit alone and they would definitely want to stay.
CLEAN FACILITIES: During one of the parades, some Mickey Mouse confetti shot out and got into Main Street. As soon as the parade was over, there were about 5 vacuum machines, a number of manual street sweepers, and it was definitely a neat street again. Churches need to be well maintained and cared for. This goes from the pews (or chairs) to the restrooms to the nursery. If you clean, it shows you care and we definitely should care for God’s church!
BE READY: I have been to Disneyland many times, but others were new or haven’t recently attended. The staff there was ready for any situation, was accommodating, and made sure that the guest’s enjoyment is a priority. Shouldn’t the church make visitors a priority? Be prepared for their questions instead of judging them, be prepared to direct them to restrooms, and be prepared to meet the need no matter how small it is. After all, Jesus always met the need!
ORGANIZED: With the exception of California Adventure, Disneyland is one of the most organized and well planned parks. In church, I have long debated if the church is an organism or an organization. It is BOTH! Not only are we a living, breathing growing church, we also have structure. Lack of organization leads to chaos and a chaotic church is not what God wants. Doesn’t He want some order when we come together
CHANGE: I was disappointed when the Star Tours ride was not available. I was informed that they were doing some remodeling of the ride. Remodeling means change, but in my mind it was perfect. “Change” is the word we don’t want to hear in our churches. Nobody likes to change, because they don’t see the value of it. Change in churches means, we have to do things differently to keep connected to people and so our regulars don’t fall into a rut. If we didn’t change, why would we have websites, emails, or COMPUTERS? Churches need to lead people into change. After all, don’t we change our mind when we have JESUS?
. ABOVE EXPECTATIONS: I have seen the Disneyland fireworks over and over again. It is a true highlight of the evening. I thought I would see the same big, bright fireworks I had seen before. To my surprise it was a well coordinated, audio, visual and live entertainment event. It went above my expectations. When people come to church, we should go beyond their expectations. We should deliver the best customer service for JESUS!!! After all, our God is a big God!
7. COME BACK: When people were exiting the park they had two choices. They can leave the park and not return or they can leave the park and have their hand stamped so they would be able to return that day. We have to create an environment where people would want to return. Don’t get me wrong our church is not for everyone, but we should have quality worship, bible teaching and connecting with people so that they want to return. Why? Because Jesus is in those things and He will draw them near when the church is doing what God has shown them to do.

Sunday Afterhoughts 09.12.10

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Waldo) — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 17:38:00 +0000

Here are my Sunday afterthoughts:

We had a leadership meeting and we read from the book of Acts the dramatic change that had happened in the church. I mentioned that our church has experienced dramatic change, but quite the opposite. Smaller leadership and smaller attenders. But God's vision remains the same and we should be faithful.
Leaders were asked if they were on board with the vision of our chruch. All said, "YES!"
Our Boomers class expanded when we combined it with our Youth class. Miraculously God added more than what we started with!
I have been recording my messages, so if you have a chance listen to this Challenges Part 3
When God leads, people respond.
We had a few make first time commitments or recommitments to Christ!
One family filled a whole pew yesterday! If you have pews, you know that is AWESOME!
Thankful that people see the need to decorate the church so it is inviting to guests.
Very grateful to Pastor Alex of our Spanish Ministry and their gifts in repairing the church. They do it because they love JESUS!
Praying for God to bring more people and for us to be motivated to inviting other to join us!

A Broken Promise...

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Waldo) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 23:16:00 +0000

It has been nearly a month since I updated my blog. I am a bit disappointed in myself. I set out to regularly update my blog. It was a goal I set for myself earlier this year. I was pretty gung ho about it and was commenting fairly regularly on the book of Acts, but then something happened.

BUSYNESS! Busyness can distract us from goals. It can distract us from those things that are important! It can distract us from being a God follower. The cost of busyness is life changing in the wrong way! It can be destructive to your health and it can be destructive in your spiritual walk with Jesus. Jesus said to the rich man: "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." His possession, his wealth, his money is what kept him away from Jesus. He even knew the commands, but he would not live by the commands of grace, love, forgivenss and a pursuit for Jesus.

What is keeping you busy from attending church? from praying? from reading the Bible? from making some significant lifestyle changes? from following Christ? You know what they are. God knows what they are. All you need to do as I have done...confess...give it to God. He has made a difference in the world and he can make a difference in YOU!

I ain't afraid of no Ghost! Or am I?

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Waldo) — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 20:35:00 +0000

I have been reading a book called Forgotten God by Francis Chan. It doesn't imply that God is missing, although that is what I thought when I picked it up. But it talks about this person, the Holy Ghost (or Spirit)! He explains how we are missing out on the Holy Spirit being active in the church. Francis spends alot of time developing the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers and the believer of the NT times. Then he goes on to define the Holy Spirit. He continues to develop the theology of the Holy Spirit and then...I get to Chapter 4. And then...I get to page 84. Here is what he says:

Right now I want you to take a break from reading and some some time asking yourself why you want the Holy Spirit. Is it for power? Is it for your own betterment and purposes? Or is it because you want to experience all that God has for you? Is it because you love the church and desire to be a better servant to your sisters and brothers?

So I stopped. I said, "Okay. I am going to stop reading and really ponder what Francis is writing." So I stopped at the very first sentence. Here is some of what I recall my thoughts were:

Lord, work in me and straighten me out give me Your Spirit.
With Your Spirit, I can do all things!
Father, bring the Holy Spirit to Your church, so I can see it grow.
Holy Spirit, work with in this situation to resolve the feelings I have.

Did you notice a trend? Did you notice what I was asking this Holy Spirit, this "Ghost" to do. First, let me say, I do believe in the Holy Spirit. Totally. But what I was asking for were selfish things. Look at the two statements after the first sentence. Yes....some of what I asked was for power for me. I asked for ability. I asked for the future to be seen by me. I asked the Spirit to work within me and another person. Those things I mentioned are "spiritual" for the most part. We ask that from God and they are not necessarily "bad things". We have all said things like that. But what got me, what convicted me, and what I hope will convict you is that last two sentences: Or is it because you want to experience all that God has for you? Is it because you love the church and desire to be a better servant to your sisters and brothers?

I don't believe what I asked was for either of those things. My heart was dislocated from God's Spirit. My heart was only asking for a partial grasp of the Spirit instead of the fullness and "sold out" life that listens to the Spirit. Where is your relationship with the Holy Spirit? Are you afraid what He can do for you? Have you said, "I ain't afraid of no Ghost!", but in reality you truly are? Take advantage of what the Spirit of God wants to do in your life. He wants to take it up a notch. Because He is God and there is no other.

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Acts 2:4 (NIV)

Click on this video to introduce you to Forgotten God.

6 things about family and future

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Waldo) — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 15:11:00 +0000

Inspired by another blog, I am answering the questions about my family and future:

Tell us more about your family. (Married, siblings, etc)

Are you married? Yes. I love my wife, Marie!
Do you have brothers and sisters? I have one brother who is five years younger than me. No sisters.
Where do you live and what type of house? I live in Southern California, in an unincorporated area of Riverside. I have a two story house in an average neighbrohood.
How about mom and dad? My mom and dad live in the community where I grew up in. I work for that particular city.
Are you in school? I will be returning to seminary this fall. Hopefully, I will.
Do you have children? Yes. I have two daughters and one son. By the end of this year, I will have a total of 5 grandchildren from each one of my children. I love to spoil them!

The Future

Where would you like to “be” ten years from now? (if the Lord hasn’t returned) – I will be 50 in 10 years, so I hope that I will be living in a newer home or remodeled my current home. I would pray that the church I am apart of will be transformed.
Marriage? I will be married to my same beautiful wife.
Do you plan on having children? Already had them and don't think I will have anymore at the age of 50.
Having a job? Begin to think about retirement and dedicate myself to working more at the church.
School? Prayerfully, be able to teach at a school or conduct workshop or leadership meetings.
Where do you want to live? I want to live where God wants to put me.

One of the best Mother's Day Messages...

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Waldo) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 00:54:00 +0000

This video definitely should hit your heart on what we are supposed to do. It is worth watching.

Cover

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Waldo) — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 14:17:00 +0000

Recently, Apple's CEO Steve Jobs announced a solution to some signal problems with Apple's Iphone 4. The solution is a free protective case. Some expected refunds or perhaps something of significant value such as some free Itunes would have been a preferred method. While I don't know how common this problem is, the fact that Consumer Reports would not recommend a purchase is significant. But here's the problem. The case only covers the problem. It masks what the problem is which is the design of the antenna on the phone.

Thousand of years ago, there was a man and a woman who lived in a perfect world. They had everything they wanted. Perfect weather, food, and just a perfect life. Then one day, they gave into temptation. They ate of the fruit from the tree of knowledge. When they did, they noticed something different about themselves. Their minds had been altered and they would never be the same. They could no longer look at themselves with purity and holiness, instead their minds became full of sin. So in order to hide their sin, the Bible says this:

Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. ~Genesis 3:7

They tried to cover their sin themselves. But the sin was still there. We try to cover up our sins. We make excuses, mask the symptoms, blame others, and deny we have problem. We hide them by saying we are "saved" or that we are a "Christian", we "go to church", we "pray" but in reality God knows that your sin is still there.

The solution is not to cover your sin, but to change your life. In order to do that, you need Jesus. You need a new life. 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 says:

¹⁷Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! ¹⁸All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:

Don't "cover" your sin, let God create a new life in you. Jesus wants to give you eternal life, all you have to is to admit your sin, believe in Christ, and confess your sins to him. Steve Jobs still has a problem with the phone when you take the cover off. Do you have a problem you are covering up?

The Pain

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Waldo) — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 15:00:00 +0000

One of the "products" of getting old is pain. Things that weren't a problem before are now a problem. I am currently experiencing back problems and other physical problems that I didn't have before. I feel as though I am in a lot of pain.

My son had just come from running and he had a shirt on that said this:

What does that mean? Pain can make us weak. We don't like to be weak. Weak makes us incapable of performing at our best! My son said that what it means is, "It [pain] makes us stronger!" Think about that "pain makes us stronger". What are you doing with your pain? How can your pain make you stronger? Jesus' death was painful, yet it made the whole world a lot stronger than before. When Paul was suffering with pain, Jesus gave him a few words.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

How is the pain your going through making you more powerful in Christ? Maybe right now, you don't know Christ and you are experiencing pain...physical, emotional and spiritual pain. God's grace is found in the person of Jesus Christ. He endured the pain for you on the cross, so that you can have a relationship with God right now. Do you want to be forgiven? Do you want eternal life in heaven? Just repeat this short prayer and mean it from your heart. God will hear you.

God, I am sorry for what I have done. I have trusted in myself instead of you. I now want to change my life. I want Christ to be the center of my life. I ask for your forgiveness, love, and healing. I know that Jesus died for me on the cross for me. I now turn my life over to you and will follow you now even when I don't understand it. Thank you for hearing me. In Jesus name. AMEN!

If you said that prayer, welcome to God's family. I encourage you to email me or contact a local church and tell everyone about your new life. The pain can now be handled by the freedom we have in Christ.

Relax...Give God The Box

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Waldo) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 11:21:00 +0000

I took a few days of vacation. It was much needed. In actuality, I have been off for 5 days and it has been great. I had time to spend with my wife and just talk about things we normally don't talk about. Even though I had alot on my mind, the days off from work was still relaxing. I like The Message translation of Psalm 9:9-10:

"God's a safe-house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times. The moment you arrive, you relax; you're never sorry you knocked." Psalm 9:9-10 (The Message)

It is a delight that I can take my box of worries and pains to God. But what about my other box? The box of unforgivness. The box of "things I don't understand". The box of loving those I hate. The box of confusion. The box of "why me". You get the point. You have a box too! You have been holding on to it for so long. You need to relax and give God the Box.

One in 1.7 million

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Waldo) — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 01:08:00 +0000

If you were one of the many people who preordered or stood in long lines at the Apple store to purchase the Iphone 4, you were one in 1.7 million. You were unique and had the latest gizmo since slice bread. Okay, maybe not slice bread, but you were in a unique group. You were the envy of Iphone 3 users, you were the envy of those of us with Blackberry phones. People would be asking you a lot of question about the phone. How much it cost? Is it really that much better and faster? How much memory does it have? You would have the one thing that many of us desire.

But think about this. There are over 6.8 billion people on planet Earth. That makes you and I, one in 6.8 billion. That is in smaller comparison the Iphone 4! But it also you makes you unique. It also makes you valuable in the eyes of God. You see, Jesus told a story about some sheep. He had 100 of them and he could account for 99 of them. What about the other one. Wouldn't you give up? Who cares? You have 99 other ones, no need to look for the one that is lost. But that is exactly what God does, he searches for the one who is lost.

^4-7"Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn't you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, 'Celebrate with me! I've found my lost sheep!' Count on it—there's more joy in heaven over one sinner's rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue. Luke 15:4-7 (The Message)

When God finds you and rescues you, He, the angels, and all of us on this Earth are going to celebrate. God is looking for you and when He rescues you, you will never be the same.

The Hardest Job...

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Waldo) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 21:05:00 +0000

I don't know about you, but I do like the show on the Discovery Channel called Dirty Jobs. Mike Rowe is the host and he searches for some of the dirtiest and sometimes hardest jobs in the world.

Some jobs are just disgusting. Others are unimaginable. Still others come as a surprise to us, because we didn't even know such a job existed. But Mike, reluctantly, takes on the job and gets dirty.

In Exodus, God had told Moses, "You 'da man!" Okay, maybe not quite like that, but God revealed Himself to Moses through the burning bush and said, "I am going to get you guys out of Egypt. I have seen it and now I am going to take you out of the bad company. I am going to give you a land flowing with milk and honey!" "That sounds good, God but..." Moses might have thought. "What if they won't believe me and will not obey me..." Exodus 4:1 (HCSB)

Moses answered God, but if you read the last verse of Chapter 3, God did not ask him a question. Moses was fearful of the job. He knew it was going to be the hardest job and he didn't believe in himself. Later on in Chapter 4 after God provides more details, Moses says, "Please, Lord, send someone else." Exodus 4:13. The job is just too hard. I am not qualified, I don't speak well and people are not going to believe it is you.

I would agree Moses had the hardest job in the Old Testament. Moses had the hardest job being the spiritual leader that God wanted him to be.

What do you believe is the hardest job? Perhaps, a police officer or firefighter. Perhaps, people who serve in our military. Perhaps, being a single mom, school teacher, or counselor. I believe all those are some of the toughest job. But I believe, like Moses, that the spiritual leader that God has called in the local church is the Senior Pastor is the hardest job.

I know because I have felt like I wanted to give up! I have felt like saying, "Why me, God?" I struggle with being on fire every single Sunday. There have been times where I have felt like leaving it. Where I have felt like enough is enough. Sometimes I feel as though I am a firefighter, putting out one fire after another. Sometimes I am surprised, like Moses was when he came down with the tablets, about how people are. Sometimes I am surprised by people's actions. I put alot of effort in trying to organize our leaders, shepherd our church, and outreach to our community. God I feel like leavingYour church and let someone else do the job!

The Senior Pastor is one of the hardest jobs on the planet. There is alot of work that goes on "behind the scenes". There is preparation on Sunday Mornings, there are visits to be made, there are problems, crisis and surprises that come around. Maybe. But if you are a Christ follower and you go to a local church, you need to get behind your Senior Pastor. I am not a big name Senior Pastor like Andy Stanley, Rick Warren, Perry Noble and whole host of others. But these guys have shared their ups and downs of being a Senior Pastor.

Back to Moses, alot of the Hebrews didn't want to get behind Moses. They started going their own way. They didn't even begin to understand what Moses was doing. As I have read his story, Moses put up with alot of complainers and whiners. The job didn't pay well, but the rewards were great. And even though Moses did not make it the promised land, he still remained faithful to the hardest job.

What about your Senior Pastor? Are you make it hard or are you getting on board with what God wants to do? Are you going back to Egypt or are you going to the promised land? Make your choice, because I have.

Sunday afterthoughts 06.06.10

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Waldo) — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 00:25:00 +0000

We had a blessed Sunday and there were many prayers that were given specifically for this service. With that, here are my Sunday afterthoughts.

We had 4 visitors on Sunday and that is always great to see.
I got so excited at the end of the service that I had to be reminded about the offering during our service. A funny moment, but it goes to show everyone that Pastors are human.
The music was great and I just want to say a big thank you to my friend, Jeremey, for coming out and bringing his band to bless us with music.
Sometimes when you are on the spritiual high, the enemy wants to drag you, the church and everyone aroudn you down.
Leaders are called to see the problem, develop a solution, involve others and pursue the goal.
If you go to church, you don't know how much it means when a person complements your preaching.
Thankful to all the Pastors (Rick Warren, Andy Stanley, and Perry Noble) for the amount of energy you invest in God's people, outraching to the community, and challenging church leaders.
When people get your point, it is so rewarding. When people got Jesus' point, the angels began applauding.
We had one person come to Christ! That makes yesterday's service totally worth it!

An Open Letter to CornerStone

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Waldo) — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 05:33:00 +0000

Below is an email sent to members and friends of CornerStone:

As most of you know, we are having a guest worship band this Sunday. I want this to be another outreach event. We have had postcards made and the event is Sunday. This is a time where we need to be proactive with our faith. We can't go any longer with watching people go down the road to destruction. It is time we start acting like the church has called us to be. We can no longer sit down and make excuses. We can no longer limit ourselves through finances. I don't know about you, but it is my understand that God is greater than anything on this earth. God is so loving even when people are hard to love. If I remember correctly, He sent His son to earth to show us and teach us the seriousness of a follower of Him. In fact, if memory serves me correctly, His Son (Jesus) died on the cross for me and for YOU and for the 12,000 people in YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS. Our church has been around for 55 years and yet we still struggle to share our
faith, invite and encourage others, and connect with this community. That type of behavior has to be unacceptable in our church.

Jesus gave us a mission. His mission. His mission is to be the church's mission. It was simple. He said, "Go...." We can't just say, "Come to church." We need to say, "I would love to see you there and in fact I will meet you there." Make your invitation personal and not just handing out a postcard and prayer. We are called to be in action. We are called to continue to reach others in the name of Jesus Christ. We can not be the same church, we need to be God's Church. The one he established 55 years ago! The one that had a passion to communicate the gospel.

A few weeks ago, I met with most of our church leaders. I asked them to evaluate themselves and their ministries. Your church leaders have some serious business to tackle. Some self reflection and some honesty in their service here. I laid out alot of information on them. Shared with them the vision God has for this church. We can't be afraid any longer to take steps towards that vision. We must do what God has gifted us to do to get the church there. We will work hard and evaluate our church and its ministries.

So what am I asking you to do? I am asking you to pack our church this Sunday. I am asking you to make the extra effort and be challenged. I am asking you to make sure you attend! I personally have invited people from my work and people I know. I am hoping to have at least one couple attend this Sunday. Don't let the enemy get a footstool in our church. By not doing nothing or by simply making it another list on your prayers is not all that we should do.

Are you taking ownership in this church? Do you believe in the Vision, Mission and Purpose that has been laid out for you? Take the Vision, Mission and Purpose to heart! Make it happen. Don't wait. Move. Move NOW! Support! Encourage your leaders! Don't say you support the church, but support the church in action.

I normally don't write e-mails this late, but God has been moving me in ways I can not express. He has put some challenges in my role as Senior Pastor. He is little by little peeling away at my outer shell and breaking me down periodically. He shows me that being a leader isn't easy and it is full of risk. I trust God and sometimes trusting him in ALL things is difficult. However, I am prepared to follow His lead and what He has shown us and the message that continues to be on my heart from God is to lead this church to being The largest family oriented church in our mission field. We have a huge parking lot, a great facility, and now it is time to pack the pews, pack the church and make it overflow.

Jesus wouldn't have done anything differently and neither should we.

In His Love,

Pastor Waldo

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

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Waldo) — Mon, 31 May 2010 14:59:00 +0000

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?

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Waldo) — Fri, 28 May 2010 18:15:00 +0000

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...

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Waldo) — Fri, 28 May 2010 00:56:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Waldo) — Thu, 20 May 2010 15:14:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Waldo) — Mon, 10 May 2010 01:44:00 +0000

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.