Will Davis Jr.'s Blog, page 11

Seeker’s Corner: Should You Trust the Bible?

The Bible is the source book of the Christian Church. It is the sole authoritative work for those who follow Jesus Christ. As such, it’s the book that hundreds of millions read for inspiration, guidance and instruction.

But for such an ancient document, the Bible has unmatched levels of internal and external evidence for its accuracy and authority. If you’re looking for a religious guidebook that doesn’t ask you to make a blind leap into the dark to accept its word, then look no further than the Bible.

Here are just a few (painfully brief) reasons that you should consider the veracity of the Bible:

Historical Documentation. The fact is that as an ancient literary work, the New Testament is the best-documented piece of literature in history. There are more ancient and accurate copies of the New Testament (over 5000) than the works of Plato or Aristotle (each with fewer than five ancient copies). No other ancient work boasts anywhere near the number of copies as the New Testament.  With the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1948, the case for the veracity of the Old Testament (a much older document) gained significant ground as well.

The sixty-six books of the Bible were written over a 1600-year period. The oldest book, probably Job, was written at least 1600 years before Christ. The most recent, Revelation, was written in A.D. 90. We know that forty writers and/or editors produced the various books of the Bible, working from three different continents in three different languages. And yet, given its high number of contributors and their diverse backgrounds, the Bible has an uncanny degree of unity and seamlessness to its message and story.

Compilation. The Bible didn’t become “the Bible” overnight. In fact, it took over three hundred years for the sixty-six books of the Bible to finally be recognized as the authoritative sourcebook of the Christian church. In the case of the New Testament, individual books were written and circulated to various churches in the First Century A.D. It wasn’t until 397 A.D. at a gathering of church leaders at Carthage in North Africa, that twenty-seven books were officially affirmed as the New Testament canon of the church.

Compared to the Koran, the Bavigahd Gita, the book of Mormon or other religious sourcebooks, the compilation and organization of the Bible included an amazingly high number of people. God used thousands of individuals over hundreds of years to put together what we now know as the Holy Scriptures.

Message. I frequently get asked how I can believe in the relevance of a book that is as old as the Bible. How can it possibly have anything to say about today’s sophisticated world? I typically respond by asking the person of he or she has actually read the Bible. In my experience, it’s anything but irrelevant. In fact, it’s painfully relevant.

How can a book that openly discusses murder, jealously, racism, divorce, fear, financial management, slavery, the oppression of women in society, conflict resolution, prayer, the value of humanity, heaven, hell, death, suffering, leadership, pride, human origins, ethics and morality, capital punishment, child-rearing, marriage, sexuality, evil, physical health and well-being, governmental authority and civic responsibility, taxes, the spiritual realm, witchcraft, demonic worship, astrology, alcohol use and the Palestinian/Israeli conflict be deemed irrelevant? Add in the Bible’s generous offerings of wisdom and instruction on life’s most pressing issues, and you end up with a timeless treasure that speaks to the ages.

Durability. The Bible is, without exception, the most attacked and maligned book in history. Every generation since Christ has had its outspoken critics of the Bible and its message. Today is no exception. Some scholars today have banded together to try to show that much of the New Testament is erroneous and that Jesus neither said nor did much of what is credited to him. It is, however, the height of arrogance to assume that those of us who are living two thousand years after an event can know what really happened better than those who observed or experienced it.

Francois Marie Arovet was a French philosopher and atheist who wrote under the pen name, Voltaire. Voltaire, born in 1694, predicted that Christianity would be an extinct religion within one hundred years of his life. He died in 1778. Fifty years after his death, in 1828, Voltaire’s house was purchased by the Geneva Bible Society, a well-known mission organization that translates and distributes the Bible. The Society set up a printing press in the atheist’s former home, produced thousands of copies of Scripture and distributed them around the world.

Recognizing the Bible as a helpful and reliable tool for your spiritual pursuits isn’t a foolish venture. It is without question the best documented and most historically and archeologically substantiated religious text in the world. Beyond that, its evidences of divine inspiration–its ability to produce radical life-change and lead people from all walks of life to faith in Christ–are undeniable. Those who become students of the Bible won’t be inhibiting their minds, but rather stimulating them.

*Do you have a question about the Christian faith you want me to address? Send it to Joni@acfellowship.org.

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NOT GUILTY: Two Words Every Woman Who’s had an Abortion Needs to Hear

Hello ACF Ladies, I pray you are well. Today I offer you very encouraging words. Please share them with those who need to hear them.

If you had an abortion in the past and today you are a Christ-follower, God does not hold that sin against you. In fact, he doesn’t even see it any more.

Recently, Susie shared an article with me from Christianity Today about the number of Christian woman who have terminated at least one pregnancy. I was familiar with the numbers. What I didn’t know was how many feel condemned by their church or Christian circles.

I want to get directly to the point: You are NOT GUILTY. Don’t let Satan lie to you and don’t let your sins define who you are.

Every one of us in God’s Church has criminal records. We have all violated God’s spiritual law and were deserving of death. Jesus took our place in the crosshairs of God’s wrath so that all of our sins could be forgiven.

There are no exceptions to that. You are not the exemption to that.

If your abortion still haunts you, it may be time to confess it to a fellow Christian sister and to be freed from the stronghold of sin and shame that it holds over you.

God no longer sees the sin. You shouldn’t either.

But please don’t take my word for it. Please consider:

The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.  He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever;  he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.  For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;  as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us, Psalm 103:8-12
You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea,  Micah 7:19


Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.  We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all, Isaiah 53:4-6
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here, 2 Corinthians 5:17
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God, 2 Corinthians 5:21
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness, 1 John 1:9.
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective, James 5:16

Sisters, God hates all sin equally. Yours is not the deal-breaker. Look in a mirror and remind yourself that you are holy. You are a saint because of Jesus’ blood. Nothing will ever change that.

And, in one of those Kingdom-only kinds of over-redemption that only God can do, look forward to the day that you will be restored to your son or daughter in Heaven.  Yea God.

 

*I actually wrote about this topic in my book Ten Things Jesus Never Said: And Why You Should Stop Believing Them. Click here to check it out.

 

 

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An ACF Story: God’s Healing in the Face of Terrible Pain

I remember the first time I met Becky. She seemed to have the perfect life. She was a tall, slim, beautiful blonde living in a beautiful Dallas suburb and married to a very successful man with two handsome teenage boys well on their way to success.

Deep down she wasn’t happy, though, and ended up leaving her husband of 25 years for another man.

I still wanted what she had and spent the next several years trying to duplicate it. I chased money and success, pouring my identity into work and getting my MBA. My husband and I somehow believed we could measure our happiness by our possessions.

She and her new husband, Juan, moved to Fredericksburg and we all became very close. In many ways, I think Becky and I were closer to each other than we were to our spouses as we shared our hurts and struggles with each other. We were both seeking something more in life and tried to fill our lives with stuff (clothes, collectibles, and even cars) to fill the void. I also started numbing the pain more and more with alcohol.

Toward the end of her life, I think Becky started to understand that she was happiest when she was giving to others. She began the process of reconnecting with her faith, but there were struggles in her marriage that she felt could not be overcome. She was planning to come live with us in Austin in order to figure out what was next. However, when she told Juan of her plans to leave him, he shot and killed her and then committed suicide.

The pain was unbearable. In the blink of an eye, my husband had lost his oldest sister, our kids had lost their beloved Aunt Becky, and I had lost my best friend. Our family spiraled out of control as we reeled from the pain of losing two people that were very close to us, and I continued to use alcohol to numb the pain. But, there wasn’t anything that could numb the pain enough especially when we would face more pain. In that 2 year period following Becky’s death, Randy’s mom died following a long battle with Alzheimer’s, my father died from cancer, and a close friend of mine committed suicide.

I finally reached my bottom when I realized that, while alcohol could no longer numb the pain, I couldn’t stop. Thankfully I found the support that I needed.

I wish I could say that the pain ended right there and then, but our family would experience even more inexplicable tragedy. Becky’s first husband, Joe, was murdered in July 2012 in an unrelated tragedy in Lubbock. How does a family recover? So much pain and grief in one family!

But, it is now obvious that God is using all of this pain and tragedy for his glory. Of course, He didn’t cause the tragedies – but, our family’s redemption is undeniable and so very clearly a design from God. So many of us have reconnected with God to find the hope and joy that we all craved long before any of the tragedies.

Both of my nephews have reconnected with their faith and are now sharing their stories with others. They speak of forgiveness for those involved in the atrocities done to their parents and also warn of the dangers of allowing adultery and sin into marriage. Only God could create something so beautiful out of something so horrific.

My daughter is now 12, and found Christ when she was 7 – she was the first in our family to surrender it all to God following the tragedies. She is also the first in our family to serve on a mission trip and enjoys sharing her story with others.

The rest of us came to a deeper understanding through the multiple opportunities to plug in at Austin Christian Fellowship and by watching other believers set the example of how to live. I was perhaps the slowest learner in the family, but the reward is so great! I no longer have the desire to drink in order to numb the pain or to feel like I belong, but more importantly, my 30+ year battle with depression is over! I now have a joy that never existed – even long before the tragic events in our family.

The contrast in my life is unmistakable – even down to my name. When I married my husband 16 years ago, I dropped my middle name, Joy, because it didn’t really seem to fit. These days, I find myself wondering if I should change it back as it absolutely fits today!

The recent period of fasting gave me more clarity – I was reminded again and again that the battle over me has been won and that it is no longer about my day-to-day happiness and comfort. My purpose is now to live in the freedom that I have been given and do my part to help others understand the same freedom for themselves.

 

*Do you have a story of God’s grace, mercy and healing you want to share with your church? Keep it under 1000 words and send it to Joni@acfellowship.org. 

 

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Yet Another Great Sauna Conversation: Why don’t I Support Abortion?

I had another great conversation in the sauna recently. Thankfully, this time all participants were clothed.

The conversation started with the 2016 Presidential election and candidates. After bantering around the usual topics of the economy and defense, my conversation partner asked me about my political views.

Hmmmmm. What do I say now? How much time do I want to spend (again) in this hot sauna?

I figured this was another God-opportunity (although I’m wondering why I couldn’t have as much success conversing at, say, Pinthouse Pizza, as I do in this blasted sauna), so I dove in.

The conversation went like this:

Me: Well, I need to qualify my answer. I’m a serious Jesus-follower. Thus, the book I believe to be his Word, the Bible, radically impacts my thinking on certain issues. So, when it comes to presidential elections, I’m pretty much a one-issue guy.  I can only vote for a candidate that is clearly opposed to abortion in any situation, even in the cases of rape, incest and when the mother’s life is at stake.

Him: Wow, that’s a very narrow point of view. I bet you have a hard time finding candidates to support.

Me: Finding a candidate isn’t really my primary goal. Being a voice for the voiceless and a defender of the defenseless is. I can’t think of a single reason to ever take the life of an unborn child–not and still be obedient to what Jesus taught.

Him: (And this is when things started heating up in the sauna a bit.) So you’re in favor of social engineering. You want to take a 16-year-old pregnant girl and make her keep her baby. You want to tell her how to live her life.

Me: No, I don’t. I want to educate her about her options. The waiting list for couples wanting to adopt is endless. We could end the vast majority of abortions today if the mothers would just consider adoption. But honestly, we’re talking about the wrong problem. That 16-year-old being pregnant isn’t the real problem. That’s just a symptom. When she got pregnant, her body did exactly what it was designed to do. The problem isn’t that she got pregnant; the problem is that she had irresponsible sex.

Him: You’re right about that. (That response surprised me.)

Me: I want to educate that 16-year-old about the covenant nature of sex. I want to equip her to say “No” to a guy’s advances and to understand why saying no is a good option until she’s married. If we can eradicate irresponsible sex in this country, then we can eradicate nearly 95% of all demand for abortion.

Him: (And this too surprised me.) That’s the most cogent argument I’ve heard from any pro-lifer, including any current candidate.

Seeing that moment as a great time to head to cooler air, I thanked him for the conversation and left.

So why am I telling you about this?

First, to remind you that God gives you daily opportunities to talk about him. I’m very glad that I got to tell this guy about my relationship with Jesus. The pro-life issue is secondary to the condition of his spirit. I hope I can talk to him about Jesus again soon.

If you will be alert and just take a little risk, you can sprinkle Jesus into your conversations throughout the day.

Second, people, including people of differing points of view, want to have rational conversations about our belief system. They may not necessarily agree, but they’re curious if we have any real thought behind our convictions. Most think we’re just spouting the talking points we learned in Sunday school or from some right-wing web site. They’re actually pleasantly surprised to learn that we have thought and reason behind our convictions.

So be okay with a little disagreement and respectfully share your beliefs with people.

Jesus told us to be salt and light. It’s hard to be either if we never get in the same arena with those who need it.

 

 

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Seeker’s Corner: A New Blog Category for the Spiritually Curious

Dear Reader, today I’m introducing a new blog category called Seeker’s Corner. This new category will feature posts written exclusively for unbelievers and the spiritually curious. I’m hoping you’ll help me by forwarding the postings to your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers who might find them helpful or intriguing.

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Years ago I spent three weeks in London. My first Sunday there I was invited to check out Speaker’s Corner in Hyde Park. The tradition of Speaker’s Corner can be traced back to the mid-1850s. Basically it’s a section of the park that’s reserved on Sundays for the practice of free speech and the delightfully British custom of heckling.

I had never seen anything like it. I spent every Sunday afternoon I was in London at Speaker’s Corner. I heard speeches from everything from the reality of UFOs to the merits of drug use to the evils of capitalism. And of course, I heard wild debates about Christianity.

The point is that Speaker’s Corner is dedicated to the exchange of ideas, and that’s something I fear we have far too little of in the world today–especially in matters of faith.

Thus I’ve created this corner of my blog for the exchange of ideas in regards to the Christian faith and the issues related to its claims. I invite believers and unbelievers alike to read and weigh-in, the latter being done respectfully and civilly. I don’t mind opposing points of view, but personal attacks and degrading language will go straight to the Trash file.

I’ll try to post something in this category every week or ten days. If you have topics you want to suggest, email me at wddjr@acfellowship.org and I’ll see if I can tee them up.

Look for my first post in this category later this week.

Thanks in advance for your participation and for helping me get the word out about the posts.

This should be good for us all.

 

 

 

 

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Great Life-giving and Encouraging Black Friday Shopping Ideas

Stay out of the lines. Here are some great ideas that will give encouragement and hope this Holiday season.

 

 

 

NYT Bestseller by my good friend John Burke.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great lessons to help erase those negative tapes that frequently haunt us in our thoughts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My wife Susie’s amazing book about overcoming trauma-based fear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Practical, biblical lessons on praying pinpoint prayers for your life.

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The ABCs of Gratitude

Needing a little help in being grateful this year? Here are 26 alphabetical, biblical and unchanging realities for which we can all be thankful.

Spend some time thanking God for each of them.

Adoption . God has adopted us as his sons and daughters. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, Ephesians 1:4-5
Baptism . God has baptized us in his powerful Holy Spirit. “I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” Mark 1:8
Church . He has made us part of the world’s most powerful organization.  “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.  “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:18-19
Deliverance . Jesus has delivered us from death. Who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us, 2 Corinthians 1:10.
Eagles’ Wings . God enables us to soar like eagles. Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary, Isaiah 40:31.
Forgiveness . God readily and radically forgives all our sins. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. Ephesians 1:7-8
Grace . God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9
Heaven . It’s real and being prepared for us.  “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.  “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.  “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. John 14:1-3
Image . God created us in his image. Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:26-27
Jesus . God came to us in human form. Enough said. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Philippians 2:5-7
Kindness . God woos us to him through his kindness. Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? Romans 2:4
Love . It’s God’s ultimate motive. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life, John 3:16
Mercy . God withholds from us what we should receive through his justice. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), Ephesians 2:4-5.


New . God made us a completely new type of human in Jesus Christ. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17
Overcome . Through Jesus’ power, we have overcome our ultimate enemy. You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:4
Prayer . Seriously? Whatever we ask in prayer God is willing to give to us. Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do John 14:13-14
Quietness . God gives us quiet and calm spirits. But let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. 1 Peter 3:4
Rescue . God has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness. For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, Colossians 1:13.
Saints . God has turned us from sinners to saints. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, Ephesians 2:19.
Treading . Jesus empowers us to tread upon Satan. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. Luke 10:19
Understanding . God gives us divine understanding. Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. 2 Timothy 2:7
Victory . We live from the position of victory. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57
Wind . God makes us as free as the wind. The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit. John 3:8
Word . (I’m giving you two Ws because there are no X words in the Bible besides names!) God has given us the ultimate offensive and defensive weapon in his Word. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17
Yes . God’s promises are all Yes in Jesus! For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us. 2 Corinthians 1:20
God will zealously guard and protect those who follow him. Then the LORD will be zealous for His land and will have pity on His people. Joel 2:18

This was actually a really good exercise for me. Why don’t you take some time over the Thanksgiving weekend and make your own list either by yourself or with your family. Use different words than I did. You’ll be encouraged by what you find.

Happy Giving Thanks!

 

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Naked Men, Saunas and Jesus.

I stepped into the sauna last week at the gym I frequent in the hopes of working on some sore muscles. The sauna is very popular and usually filled with men in varying forms of dress or undress.

I need you to know that I’m a dressed guy. I’m not a fan of burning my backside on hot wood.

Anyway, the discussion that day was on the weekend football scores and the latest wins and losses of our favorite teams. The conversation was (as you might expect) laced with varying levels of colorful language.

From football the topic shifted to the ISIS attacks in Paris and then to religion.

When one of the regulars in the sauna commented that he wasn’t religious, I responded that he should never say that with a preacher in the room. He replied rather wryly that he could outlast me–both in conversation and the sauna.

He had me on the sauna part, as this guy’s ability to sit in the heat is legendary. Plus, I just dropped 25 lbs. in a fast and probably shouldn’t be in the sauna at all.

Knowing that my time as limited and believing that God would honor my sacrifice if I died during the conversation, I dove in and asked the guy to explain himself.

Turns out he is a cancer survivor. He got cancer after he quit going to church here in Austin and was able to beat it on his own–“without prayer or any help from God.”

He is anti-religion but clearly believes in some higher source for everything, but he’s hesitant to call that higher source “God.” He’s very well read, especially in the areas of Eastern mysticism.

This guy took what he believes is the worst that life can throw at him and lived to tell about it. He basically doesn’t see any need for God.

I listened with great interest to the man’s story and I felt genuine compassion for him. I also knew that I only had about 30 seconds left in me before things would go dark.

So I asked him if I could give him my take on his story and promised it would be brief. He reluctantly agreed, mostly I think out of pity for me.

I simply said, “I think God healed you. I think he gave you some extra runway in the hopes that you’d come back to him.”

I then said, “And in regards to perfect love, we do know what it is.” (He had referenced perfect love earlier in his comments and said that no one really knows what it is.)

I said, “Perfect love is the Son of God hanging on a cross for the two of us. That’s what perfect love looks like.”

And with that, we shook hands and ended conversation quite cordially.

I share this story with you for several reasons.

If you will be alert, God will drop all kinds of opportunities into your day for you to talk about him. I also got to talk about why I had fasted for 40 days and the power of prayer. We meet people every day who aren’t afraid to share their worldviews. Let’s not be afraid to share ours.
“Unbelievers” are not our enemies. The man in the sauna spent a lot of years in the Christian church before decided to leave it. He left for a reason. (I hope to ask him about it next time I see him.) Don’t be intimated or put off by people who reject your faith. Love them and be patient with them. Every last one of them has a story.
Don’t debate. Just listen. Show respect and interest in their stories. And don’t be threatened by the stuff they spew about God. The Kingdom isn’t going fall because of the opining of a naked man in a sauna.
Finally, sometimes thirty seconds is all you need. I was able to share the Gospel with this guy in less than one minute. (Actually, he already knows the Gospel. I just reminded him of it.) Some of you never share the message of Jesus because you’re worried about being out-argued. Don’t argue at all. Take thirty seconds to share your heart and let that be the end of it.

Trust me. God can take it from there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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As the Waters Recede, What will We Discover?

There’s an intriguing thing happening right now in central Mexico. A severe drought has caused the water level in Nezahualcoyotl reservoir in Chiapas to drop over 80 feet, revealing the ruins of a 16th Century church that is normally submerged under 100 feet of water. (Read the full article here.)

The Temple of Santiago was originally built in 1564 on the King’s Highway in an area that was anticipated to experience tremendous growth. Two hundred years later, though, several plagues devastated the area and the temple was abandoned in 1776. In 1966 the reservoir was created and the church submerged.

But the temple has refused to remain hidden, making comeback appearances in 2002 and today as the waters hiding it have receded. Today, tourists flock to the remains, finding it fascinating to visit a church that only makes an appearance once every decade.

The eerie images of a church emerging from a lake really caused me to think a lot about the church today in America. It does appear that the plagues of culture are winning the day and burying the church. It does appear that our culture, including some Christians, are interested in a church that only makes an appearance on certain occasions, but that has no real bearing on how we live or on our collective moral consciousness. And it does appear that what we want is a church that is a tourist attraction, like the cavernous (and empty) cathedrals of Europe and not the salt of the earth and light of the world that Jesus said it would be.

 

But, in the wisdom and sovereignty of God and in the violent upheavals of history, there are seasons when the waters of culture recede for a brief time as they lose their appeal or their relevance in serious times of need. Times like the weeks after September 11, 2001, or when the stock market dives 500 points and we’re all reminded (albeit temporarily) of the stupidity of placing our hope in money, or when another video appears of innocent men, women and children being executed, reminding us of the inhumanity that lies just below the surface of what we call “human nature,” or, in a final act of unbelievable bravery, a nine-year-old boy pushes his little sister to safety just before a speeding car strikes and kills him, reminding us all of the potential for good that also exists in each of us.

It is in times like that, times when political pundits and late-night comedians have no real answers, that people stop and look back at the church.

I believe we are in a time like that now, and if not now, that we will be in one very, very soon.

And that begs the question: As the waters of culture recede and the 21st Century Church in America is exposed, what will be revealed?

Will our spiritually hungry friends and neighbors see a church that is nothing more than a curious tourist attraction, a token to the former times before we all grew up, became sophisticated and recognized the fallacies of our childhood fantasies, including our faith? Or, will they see a group of people who are wildly in love with God and who model his grace and mercy in their daily lives?

When our spiritually hungry friends and neighbors look at us, when they look at you and me, will they see people who are overly busy, stressed out and whose lives and morality look no different from their own? Or will they see a humbly submitted group of Jesus-followers who take to heart the scriptural admonition to be holy as God is holy?

Friends, I believe great things for the Church in our land. I believe that as the waters of culture recede, and they will, that the beautiful and vibrant bride of Jesus will shine forth in all her glory. I believe what Isaiah promised to us:

“Is this not the fast which I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free and break every yoke?  “Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into the house; when you see the naked, to cover him; and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?  “Then your light will break out like the dawn, and your recovery will speedily spring forth; and your righteousness will go before you; the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.  “Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you remove the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness,  and if you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness and your gloom will become like midday.  “And the LORD will continually guide you, and satisfy your desire in scorched places, and give strength to your bones; and you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.  “Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; you will raise up the age-old foundations; and you will be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of the streets in which to dwell, (Isaiah 58:6-12). 

Oh Lord, make it so.

 

 

 

The post As the Waters Recede, What will We Discover? appeared first on Will Davis Jr.

We Need to Talk about This

Hello friends, I pray you are well.

As I mentioned in my message to our church this weekend, we have to address the sexual sin in our church.

At the end of last week an ACFer wrote me and offered some perspective he had received during the 40 days. He told me that he felt tat we needed to address pornography in our church. When I asked him why, he responded by sharing his story with me. It’s a beautiful story of God’s mercy and healing.

Today, with his permission (and anonymously), I share it with you:

Ever since I remember I had the habit of biting my fingernails. Sure, you may not call me your traditional addict, but it was still an addiction that impacted my way of life. Unlike a chemical dependency where you are able to check into rehab and just stay away from the fix, I had the product with me at all times. As A child I was ashamed of how my fingers looked and as I got older I learned how to hide the effects of my addiction. During my adolescence I was introduced to another highly addictive drug. Like many men I was introduced to pornograhy at an early age. Unlike today’s culture, it wasn’t as readily available on any device at any time but you still knew where to get it. The crazy thing is, as I grew up, I was more ashamed of the outward condition of my fingernails than my porn addiction. 

Even today in my late 30’s I see  culture and men openly joke and talk about pornography with other men as sort of an unwritten man code. It is almost accepted and expected within circles of men yet while in the presence of our families often hidden or whispered about. Unlike my fingernails, I was able to hide this addiction from my wife and children which I thought wasn’t affecting them.

Like many, my addiction started out small. A few minutes with a source and a quick hit. That no longer gave me the high I desired so it led to more and more which cost me sleep and although I didn’t think it was hurting anyone, it impacted my attitude at work, at home, and how I was leading my family spiritually. Not only was I secretly finding time away from my family, but I started to change my view on how my wife should be submissive to me or be an object mainly for my sexual pleasure.

I started to believe that woman enjoyed being used in a submissive fashion and those groans were of pleasure instead of cries for help. These visions started to take over and control my thoughts and views of my wife and how she was supposed to look, dress, and serve me. She became an object for my sexual needs and I no longer looked at her as my loving bride but as servant who should wait on my every desire. This obviously impacted my wife and her view on herself and led her into a depressed state. As my wife continued to feel more and more depressed, I was feeling more and more prideful which continued to widen the gap in our relationship. This ultimately led me down the path towards destruction of my marriage, my family, and my faith. 

Through what I later realized are a series of God-events I finally awoke to the realization that I was on the edge of destruction. I had a choice to make of which path I wanted to go. The one path led to short term desire, satisfaction, perceived freedom, and to a life with little to no responsibility. The other path was to check myself into what I now consider a spiritual rehab. I realized that if I wanted to keep my family intact I had to change my actions and I had to change them now. I could not take another step forward, not a single one because if I did I would be hurling down that cliff to what I now realize led to the death of my soul. I knew that I couldn’t do this on my own and I needed an intervention so I called out to God and asked him to intervene in my life. At that moment I could feel an overwhelming sense of peace come over me. I could see the path back to my family and Jesus there to be my guide through it. I knew that the path back would be filled with pain, shame, heartache, humiliation which would result in the death of the god I was worshipping, me. I asked God to please forgive me of my sins through the redemption of his son Jesus and show me the steps to take which led back to my family. 

I knew that I had to change my actions and remove those triggers that might take me off the path. When I traveled I changed the hotel I would have normally stayed at which was near the bar scene to a hotel with no distractions around it. I knew that I could no longer put myself in situations where an attractive woman might sit next to me and I may be tempted to see if I still “had it.” I knew I had to break my addiction to pornography and instead found time to read the gospel. I pulled away from going out with  my friends and re-engaged with my wife and family.  I didn’t know it at the time but God’s hand was already at work in resurrection of my marriage. He brought men into my life who reintroduced me back to the church and into a men’s group. Even though God had illuminated the path to take, He still required me to take the steps and make the correct choices. 

Eventually, the step led to me communicating my infidelity to my wife. But why? Things were going well, we were dating again, spending time together as a family, and we were on spiritual highs. I chose to ignore and put off this step for many months as it just never seemed to be the right time. During this time my wife had signed up for a mission trip. As part of her preparation she wanted us to get baptized together. I believe that due to the shame I had, I deflected her request and eventually sent her on her way. While on her trip I received a picture from my wife showing her being baptized. At that moment I lost it. I missed out on the opportunity to share in this beautiful gift with my wife and she was going to move on spiritually without me. I knew that I had to divulge my secret to my wife if I truly wanted to walk with her in the light. With my parents visiting for the long weekend I felt this provided me with the best time to tell my wife. My parents would watch the kids while we would get a hotel room for Saturday night and hash it out. I took Friday off work and spent the day golfing with my father. During the round I told him what I had done and explained what I had planned for the weekend. He gave me some encouraging words and agreed to watch the kids for the weekend.  

That night we watched The Bible miniseries and watched as Abraham had relations with Hagar which sat uneasy with me as we went to bed. As we lay in bed, my wife comments on the show and asks, “Have you ever cheated on me?” Although this wasn’t the time or day I was going to tell her, I answered “Yes”. As you can imagine silence filled the room followed by a “What?”  As I shared my shameful confession with my wife I couldn’t believe the words that came out of her mouth next, “I forgive you.” Through the night my wife and I talked, cried, and eventually tried to get a limited amount of restless sleep. While my wife was on her mission trip she learned of a spiritually led weekend marriage counseling retreat aimed to address affair recovery using biblical principles. She made a call and miraculously there was one planned for the next weekend and although there is typically a waiting list (go figure) we were able to get in. My parents were supportive and agreed to stay the following weekend while we went on a “couples church retreat” as we told the kids. Although it was a very difficult weekend filled with tears, pain, and truth, it was paramount to the start of our recovery process. 

We are four years post-affair and three years post-disclosure. The impact of my selfish actions still continue to haunt my wife. Pictures taken during that time, movie scenes, song lyrics, and places around town provide a constant reminder to her at times. Thankfully the triggers which haunt her happen less now as time passes. As for me, with God’s help and protection I still continue to fight the good fight. As a sign of my faith and gratitude I was baptized with my wife and kids by my side. Sure, the devil continues to try to knock me off my path and I have moments of weakness where I find my eyes wondering or inappropriate thoughts race through my head, but as I stay engaged and close to God and remember his promises I find the comfort and ability to overcome my inner demons. Through his grace and power of the Holy Spirit I am free from both of my addictions. 

There have been many benefits realized through the freedom over my addictions. First and foremost I find the time to be in the word. This provides a daily reminder of God’s promise and glory while I stay on the path. I also have time to engage in community with fellow Christian men who support me on my journey and share in similar struggles. My relationship with my wife is as strong than it’s ever been. I am no longer presented with fantasies of what she should be but rather I am able to share in the beauty of who she is. We generally are able to go to bed at the same time which increases our time to communicate, snuggle and get a good night’s rest. Our children are experiencing the difference and now being raised in a loving and engaged family unit and responding accordingly. I am now proud to be a role model for my children and not scared at what secrets they may stumble upon or addictions I may pass down to them. 

On of our favorite movies is the 1999 adaptation of Great Expectations. In it, one of the characters tells another to not bite his nails as many believe the hands are the pathway to the soul. In my case I find this to be true, for 30+ years I tried to fight my own battles and for that many years I was ashamed of what my hands had done and looked like. Now, knowing God’s redemptive promises through his son Jesus Christ I am set free from the condemnation and proud to walk in the light with my hands held high!

“Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”

2 Timothy 2:22 NIV

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”

1 John 2:15-17 NIV

“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.”

Ephesians 5:11-13 NIV

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV

“When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”

James 1:13-15 NIV

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.”

Romans 8:1-2 NIV

For immediate help and guidance on affair recovery, CLICK HERE.

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