No needy persons

The first church “had no needy persons among them.” The church had over 5,000 people in it by this time and not one in need. It’s staggering when you think about it. Not one falling through the cracks in a group that big. It was only possible, because “no one claimed any of his possessions as his own”. “From time to time” people were selling their property to make sure everyone in the body had their needs met.

There are dozens (if not hundreds) of churches in this country with 5,000 people. But how many 5,000 who are “one in heart and mind”. How many have 5,000 people so committed to one another that they would look at the wealth and say “not my wealth… the Kingdom’s wealth.” The church I belong to is good church with only between 70 and 100 people, and I don’t think we could claim to be at this level.

This is probably why they were such a force to be reckoned with. The Kingdom of God was real to them. They were committed to one another. The world understood the love of God by seeing how they loved one another.

Here is a challenge: Go through your most valuable possessions (home, bank account, car, collections…). Remind yourself item by item, that you have “surrendered all” to Jesus. So, my mini-van becomes the King’s mini-van. My home is Christ’s home. Etc... Are they being used in that way?

Jesus Is for Losers

When I first heard Steve Taylor’s song by this title, I was rubbed the wrong way. I had great admiration for Steve Taylor, yet how could he say this?

Here is a sampling of the lyrics:

If I was groping
Groping around for some ladder to fame
I am ashamed
If I was hoping
Hoping respect would make a sturdy footstool
I am a fool
Bone-weary every climb
Blindsided every time
Just as I am
I am needy and dry
Jesus is for losers
The self-made need not apply
Just as I am
In a desert crawl
Lord, I'm so thirsty
Take me to the waterfall
He is not saying that the Way is the losing side. He is saying that Jesus is the only place for losers. Through the years, as the Lord has humbled me bit by bit, Taylor’s lyrics have begun to sound like an understatement.

In Acts 4, Peter tells the religious winners (all the ruling priests) that Jesus was the stone you builders rejected, but now he had ascended to the place of greatest prominence. As a loser who knows the sting of rejection, I’ll follow Jesus to victory, tooting his horn all the way.

Why do the nations rage?

I know it’s been a while since I wrote on Acts. Holidays and babies will do that to you. I will be interspersing family pictures and stories between the Acts stuff.

In Acts 4, Peter and John are detained and questioned by the religious authorities. I guess they didn’t like Peter and John preaching Jesus in the Temple, and telling people that the religious leaders “killed the author of life.” It’s not hard to see why they are upset.

They threaten them, and tell them not to preach Jesus anymore. Peter and John go back to the church, and what follows is one of my favorite biblical prayers. It says that when the church heard the news, “they raised their voices together in prayer to God.” And what follows is a beautiful demonstration of the power available when the church unites in prayer.

What you find is 24-28 is pure praise, a recounting of who God is and what he has done. These words were a declaration of confidence. “We know we come to the right place to ask for help.” It’s amazing how declaring confidence in God can affect us. As we speak them our confidence grows. After declaring their confidence the church prayed a bold prayer.

They did not pray for safety. They did not pray that no one would be harmed. They did not pray for God to iron out the differences between them and the religious leaders. They prayed that God would enable them to speak of Jesus with boldness. They knew the threats. They knew what could and probably would happen. But they wanted to see God’s will to overcome all opposition. They prayed for God to move powerfully not to protect their lives but to expand the Kingdom. And in verse 31, we see God honor that beautiful prayer.

A side note: What does it mean that they were filled with the Holy Spirit? Weren’t they already? I’ll post my opinion in the comments in a couple of days.

This is Eli's hospital picture. It looks remarakalby like Hannah's hospital picture. Any tips on how not to get peed on when change a boy's diaper? 

It's a boy!

On my Monday my wife gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. His name is Eli Willis.

Shortly after he was born, he was taken off to the NICU for testing. He had to stay there for about almost 48 hours. Turns out that it was nothing.

Cindie did amazing. I am in awe of her. She handled the delivery and crisis with such grace. She is an amazing woman.

Hannah is doing very well with it as you can see below. She is doing better than I would have thought possible.

I am still waiting for the hospital to post his picture at which point I will provide a link or something. I need to take more pictures, but as most of you know; having a new baby around really limits your ability to get it all done.

I'll share more on a day when my eyes aren't crossing from exhaustion.

This is Hannah as big sister. She loves the role and is well-suited for it.