Will Davis Jr.'s Blog, page 12

Do You have What It Takes to be a Disciple?

Recently I had to opportunity to lead our church in Austin through a forty day period of fasting and prayer. It was an amazing and enlightening time for all of us who participated. I really believe the fruit of this corporate fast will be evident for years to come.

One of the early pictures God gave me for the fast was that of climbing a mountain–nothing about it can be done easily or in a hurry. And that picture, quite honestly, is true for the entire process of following Jesus.

Consider this verse:

Then Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down with His disciples, John 6:3.

I’ve been in those hills around the Sea of Galilee where this scene took place, and I even climbed to the top of one early one morning to watch the sunrise. It was by no means easy.

So John’s simple little comment–Jesus went up on the mountain–required a serious commitment from his disciples. It still does.

Discipleship requires discipline. There are no shortcuts to a summit. Bottom line, it’s hard work. When we sign on to be Jesus’ followers, we sign on to a life of discipline, of sacrifice, of living with less and of limiting our opportunities for the sake of the Kingdom. Following Jesus up the mountain requires discipline.

Discipleship requires time. There is no instant anything in discipleship. It’s a process–a lifelong process. Even the smallest of mountains require time and effort if they are to be summited. When the disciples started up that mountain with Jesus, they couldn’t politely beg out because they had meetings to rush off to. Discipleship is all-in, or it isn’t in at all. Busyness cannot be in the vocabulary of the disciple. If we are to be busy, we are to be busy being with Jesus. Following Jesus up the mountain requires time.

Discipleship requires patience. I and a few friends have been praying for the healing of another friend of ours for several months. We all believe–dare I say KNOW–that she is going to be healed, but the healing is slow in coming. Guess who’s growing impatient with God?

The Lord is gently reminding me that sometimes the process is the point. The process makes us grow.

Some mountains I’ve climbed are really difficult because you often gain a view of the summit early in the climb. And even as the hours of arduous work pass by, the summit seems no closer than it did when you started. Patience and tenacity are required to reach some summits, and every summit Jesus has for you will require your steadfastness. An impatient disciple is an oxymoron. Following Jesus up the mountain requires patience.

Discipleship requires faith. Other mountains offer no real view of the summit until you are right on top of it. I even climbed a mountain once where the entire day-long effort was shrouded in clouds. I never actually saw the mountain or any of the view.

Following Jesus can be like that. There will be days when it’s very clear and easy to see where he’s taking you. But more often than not the way will be shrouded in mystery.

At the end of our most recent prayer gathering over the friend I mentioned above, I commented that it is like doing ministry by Braille. We really can’t see where we’re going. It’s more like we’re feeling our way along. That requires faith.

Following Jesus requires us to believe that he knows where he’s going, that the journey will end and that we’ll all sit down together and enjoy the view. Following Jesus up the mountain requires faith.

And, Discipleship offers perspective. Yes, that moment finally came. The journey up the mountain ended, and the weary disciples were finally invited to sit down with Jesus and enjoy the view for a while.

Summits do that–they offer perspective. Everything looks different–smaller–from a mountain summit.

I hit a few summits with Jesus and gained a ton of perspective over the last forty days. When you commit to following Jesus, and when you stay with him over the long haul, your perspective will change.

Do you have what it takes to follow Jesus? Are you disciplined? Are you willing to be patient and give your best time to the process? Do you have faith that Jesus knows where he is taking you and that the journey will be worth it?

If so, then buckle up. You’re in for the time of your life.

*Want to read more about how fasting and prayer can enhance your life? CLICK HERE.

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Congratulations!

Greetings, friends! Congratulations to those of you that just completed the 40 days of prayer and fasting! I am so proud of all of you! I can’t believe how great this time has been and the amazing stories that have come in of what God has done during this time. This weekend at ACF we will take some time to reflect over the past six weeks before shifting to Thanksgiving mode. I hope that you will join us in your respective communities!

Safe Families for Children – I want to let you know about a great opportunity coming up this Sunday, November 15th from 1-2pm in the ACF | fourpoints Student Building. We will be hosting a general information meeting for Safe Families for Children, which offers sanctuary to thousands of children, minimizing the risk for abuse or neglect and giving parents the tools they need to help their families thrive. Their ultimate goal is to strengthen and support parents so they can become Safe Families for their own children. If you have a heart for serving children in crisis or are interested in fostering or maybe adopting some day then this event is for you! To learn more about Safe Families visit their website. I hope that you will consider this invitation and attend the meeting to learn more about how you can help. Please let us know you’re coming by e-mailing Michelle Brigance.

 

Sign up to Serve Our City – On November 28/29th there will be no worship services at any of our ACF communities. This is your chance to get out in your community and make new friends while serving others! Registration is now open! What better way to give thanks this season than to serve? Check out the opportunities and sign up here!

Lakeside Apartments Thanksgiving Celebration – Celebrate Thanksgiving with the sweet residents of Lakeside Apartments, November 18, 9:30am-12pm. Email Cindy Flickinger for info or to sign up.

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How to Raise a Child Who Won’t Bail on God

Are you raising a disciple? Are they equipped to leave home and stand for Christ? Are you sure?

Did you know that 80-90% of kids raised in Christian households stop going to church when they leave home? That’s right. Their so-called “Christian-upbringing” doesn’t necessarily give them a strong enough foundation to walk with God when no one was forcing them to. Why is that? What can we do about it?

I think we can find at least part of the answer in John 4 and the amazing salvation experience of the woman who met Jesus at the well.

After her life-changing experience, the woman–formerly shy and withdrawn–ran into town and told all the people about Jesus. John records that “From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, ‘He told me all the things that I have done,'” (John 4:39).

That’s what I call secondhand faith. It comes to a person through the teaching or testimony of another. And, it’s how most kids come to faith in Jesus. They hear about Jesus through the teaching and testimony of their parents, and there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s quite natural.

But secondhand faith won’t usually sustain a kid when the pressure is really on. Not when a college professor is challenging them to defend their faith or when all their friends are partying late into the early Sunday hours and have no intention of rising to worship anything, especially God, the next day.

That’s why we as parents need to pray for a better and more profound faith experience for our kids. We need to pray for them to have a firsthand faith.

Consider the next few verses in John 4: “So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days.  Many more believed because of His word;  and they were saying to the woman, ‘It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world,‘” (John 4:40-42).

Did you see the difference? The woman’s neighbors got a dramatic bump in their faith level when they spent time with Jesus. Suddenly their faith wasn’t just cerebral, it was experiential. And that made all the difference in the world for them.

A firsthand faith is when you move from what others have told you and promised you about Jesus to what you have experienced and received yourself from him. And that’s the kind of faith that will sustain a kid when facing a world that is very hostile to his or her faith.

So how do we help our kids taste and see that the Lord is good? Here are a few suggestions:

Pray for them. The best tool God has given Christian parents is prayer. Check out my book Pray Big for Your Child to learn more. Pray Ephesians 1:17 for them: that God will give them the spirit of knowledge and revelation so they will know him better. Pray they will experience the power of God’s love, forgiveness and grace.

Pray with them. Since God inhabits prayer (Matt 18:19-20), it makes sense that he will meet with us when we pray with our kids. Make a routine of praying with and over your kids–before the first day of school, before a big test, when they’re going through a difficulty and every night before they go to sleep.

Encourage them to take faith risks. Don’t protect your child from things that will challenge his or her faith. Encourage them to pray risky prayers and to believe God for big things. Our kids need to learn that God rewards faith.

Want to hear much more on this topic? Click here to listen to or watch Will’s message on it.

 

 

 

 

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Be One Who Serves

Greetings, friends…we are nearing the finish line of our 40 Days of Prayer and Fasting!  I am thrilled that over 500 of you signed up to participate in this experience with us and want to encourage you to press on to the finish…God will honor your obedience. Please continue to send your stories of what He has shown you during this time to my assistant, Joni Kendrick at joni@acfellowship.org . I would love to hear from you!

As I was thinking about our serving opportunities at the end of this month during Serve Our City weekend, I was reminded of this Wake Up Call that I wrote a few years back. I hope that it will inspire you as you prayerfully consider your decision to get out and serve with friends and neighbors in your community!  

One Who Serves

But I am among you as the one who serves. Luke 22:27

I constantly struggle with my need for approval, my need to be somebody. Insecurity has plagued me since childhood, and while I’ve gotten much better, I still battle it.

I want to matter.

I prayed about it this morning, asking God to make me secure in him and not in my own flesh. And then I read this verse. Jesus turns leadership, fame, fortune and significance on their heads simply by identifying himself as a servant. While his disciples argued about which one of them was the greatest, Jesus–obviously far superior to each of them–put a shot across each of their respective bows by telling them that it is the servants, not the power-hungry, who matter in his Kingdom. Talk about a conversation-killer.

And yet the conversation continues. We still battle with the need to be great, to be somebody. We jump through all kinds of hoops and struggle to please all sorts of people so we can get that nod or be accepted into that club or be seen in the right places. And none of it matters. It’s like trying to catch the wind.

The greatest man who ever lived didn’t flex his proverbial muscles, didn’t play the “Don’t you know who I am?” card, and didn’t try to impress anyone. He simply gave his life away as a servant and then commanded his followers to do the same. And curiously, he taught them that by doing so they would be truly great.

Today, don’t try to make an impression. Don’t lobby for position and don’t struggle to get ahead. I know it’s counter-intuitive, but it remains a Kingdom truth. Do you want to get ahead? Do you want to have impact? Do you want to leave a legacy? Do you want to change the world?

Be one who serves.

Sign up to Serve Our City on November 28/29th! Registration is now open! What better way to give thanks this season than to serve together as a church family? Check out the opportunities and sign up here!

Here are a few more opportunities to serve with our ACF Missions teams:

Safe Families of Austin – Join us on Sunday, November 15, 1-2:30pm at the Students’ Building at ACFfp for lunch and to learn about Safe Families for Children and how you can help with children that are in short-term crisis. There are many ways to serve; come learn where you might fit! RSVP by November 12th.

Lakeside Apartments Thanksgiving Celebration – Celebrate Thanksgiving with the sweet residents of Lakeside Apartments, November 18, 9:30am-12pm. Email Cindy Flickinger for info or to sign up.

 

 

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Choose Your Path Wisely

Last summer I had the opportunity to spend some extended time in pursuit of my goal of climbing all 58 of Colorado’s 14,00 foot peaks. As of today, I’ve successfully summited 35 of them.

In mid June my son and I decided to make a run at Mt. Wilson. The Wilson group (Mt. Wilson, Wilson Peak and El Diente) are a rugged and difficult series of peaks located in the far southwest corner of Colorado. The Wilsons have the reputation of being as difficult to climb as they are to get to.

My son, Will 3, and I had read several trip reports about the treacherous conditions on Mt. Wilson. The May snows had made for a very late Spring in the Rockies. Above 12,000 feet, it was basically still winter. We are both very experienced climbers, however, and had successfully summited many mountains in similar conditions, including in the dead of winter. We figured we could handle whatever Wilson threw at us.

Here I am on a different 14,000 foot summit a week before our Wilson attempt. This is loads of snow for mid-June.

We camped below the trailhead and started our climb around 4 AM. The lower portion of the hike was uneventful. But after we got above timberline we ran into field after field of slushy snow. Slushy snow is the worst kind. It simply isn’t stable enough to hold you.  The steeper the terrain got, the more difficulty we had safely navigating it.

We also had trouble finding the trail. Normally an easily discernible trail guides you up Wilson. But that trail was buried under twenty feet of snow. And since my son and I were relatively unfamiliar with the mountain, we were basically winging it.

We made the decision to make for a high ridge that was snow free.  In order to reach the ridge we had to climb a couple of hundred feet up a steep wall that was covered with snow, ice, rocks and mud. It was slow and difficult work.

About halfway up the wall I put my right hand on a watermelon-sized rock that was sticking out of the wall. The moment I put my weight on it, the rock pulled loose from the wall. It wasn’t rock-sized, it was desk-sized. The entire mud, ice and rock wall gave way above and to the right of me. I instinctively shifted my weight to my left foot and pulled my right leg out of the way. The rock slide went right by me, just brushing my leg. When I looked down at the place where my right foot had been moments before, that place was gone.

That’s when Will and I decided to come back and try Wilson on another day.

I wonder if you can relate to my Wilson experience. I wonder if, because of poor life-navigational choices or just slowly getting off course, you have ended up in serious trouble. I wish I could tell you that my bad decision-making was limited to hiking, but it’s not. My life has had seasons of great difficulty and pain, simply because I didn’t follow God’s prescribed path for my life.

God has given us a wonderful guidebook, a map, called the Bible. If you will read it and do what it says, you will stay out of those danger zones that can cause you and those you love great pain.

In Psalm 119, David prayed: Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me, (Psalm 119:133). Steady steps…doesn’t that sound better than having the ground disappear from underneath you? Notice that to David “steady steps” meant that no sin would rule over him. 

A few verses later, David declared: Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble, (Psalm 119:165). “Great peace” is something I was sorely missing on Wilson. I’ve also missed it in those times in my life when I have stumbled into sin.

What about you?

If you find yourself today in a world of hurt because you strayed off the trail, don’t panic. The same guidebook that could have kept you away from trouble can lead you out of it. Turn to God and his word. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what you need to do to get back onto the firm soil of obedience.

It’s never too late with God, and it’s not too late for you now. Repent right now, confess your sin and get back on track. The safer path is waiting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Fall Back!

Greetings, friends! This has been an amazing time of prayer and fasting at ACF and I am thrilled that over 500 of you signed up to participate! We are on the home stretch now, so please continue to fast and pray, be encouraged and know that God will honor your obedience. Please continue to send your stories of what He has shown you during this time to my assistant, Joni Kendrick, at joni@acfellowship.org. I would love to hear from you!

This weekend at ACF I’ll be speaking to you about discovering your next steps with God. We will take a look at where we are in our spiritual walk and what our next steps should be depending on where you land in your walk. This is a great message for everyone from brand new believers to seasoned Christians, with practical advice on how to move into a deeper relationship with Christ. Invite your friends, coworkers and neighbors to join you at one of our weekend services!

Sign up this Sunday to Serve Our City on November 28/29th! Registration opens this Sunday. What better way to give thanks this season than to serve together as a church family? Check out the opportunities and sign up here!

Here are a few more opportunities to serve with our ACF Missions teams:

Safe Families of Austin – Join us on Sunday, November 15, 1-2:30pm at the Students’ Building at ACFfp for lunch and to learn about Safe Families for Children and how you can help with children that are in short-term crisis. There are many ways to serve; come learn where you might fit! RSVP for lunch to michelle@acfellowhsip.org by November 12th.

Lakeside Apartments Thanksgiving Celebration – Celebrate Thanksgiving with the sweet residents of Lakeside Apartments, November 18, 9:30am-12pm. Email cindy@apartmentagents.com for info or to sign up.

Christmas in Nicaragua –It’s time to collect gifts for our friends down in Nicaragua! Pick up either a gift bag (to fill with toys or clothes – instructions with bag) or an ornament (for a monetary donation) this weekend! Each bag & ornament has a name attached for you to be praying for. Bags & Ornaments will be available at all campuses during services on October 31/November 1. Follow the instructions on the bag & return the gifts by Sunday, November 22. Also, remember to pray for those who will be delivering and receiving the gifts during the mission trip, December 3-9. Need more info? Contact JulieApra@acfellowship.org.

Don’t miss this great read! Check out my friend (founder and lead pastor of Gateway Church here in Austin) John Burke’s fascinating new book that just released called Imagine Heaven: Near-Death Experiences, God’s Promises, and the Exhilarating Future that Awaits You. This book looks at over 100 near-death experiences and compares them to the Bible’s extraordinary picture of Heaven. You’ll feel like you’ve been there! You can get two FREE chapters at http://amzn.to/1hgoHEP or at ImagineHeaven.net.

Fall Back! Just a reminder to set your clocks back one hour before you go to bed Saturday night. Enjoy the extra hour of sleep and be safe this Halloween!

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Let’s Drown Out All the Bad News

Are you a Kingdom proclaimer?

The reality of God’s Kingdom among us is the greatest news in history. It’s the true game-changer. Our joyful sharing of this great news needs to drown out all the background noise and depressing headlines that bombard us daily.

Are you a Kingdom proclaimer?

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…and the sky poured rain…

Guess what, friends…it’s raining in Austin, Texas!!!! Thank you Lord, for answered prayers! I want to share this scripture and a reminder of just how powerful your prayers can be:

Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.  Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.  Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.    James 5:16-18

Prayers matter…specifically, your prayers matter. You do not have to be some spiritual giant to move Heaven with your prayers. Pray, believe, and then watch God work.

The point of James’ teaching is not that Elijah was a super-human pray-er. His point is rather that Elijah was just like us. And if a man with the same nature as you and I can shut up the heavens with his prayers, then we can too.

Sure Elijah had great faith, but that is something that you and I can grow into. Faith comes by hearing and hearing comes by the Word of Christ.

I wonder if you would be willing to take this verse to heart today and raise the level of your praying. I mean really raise it. Raise the frequency, the intensity and the expectation.

I can promise you that the limits you feel in your prayers are not on God’s end. He is ready to move Heaven and earth in answer to your prayers. If there is a holdup in your prayers, it is on your end.

Let’s end that today. Right now.

No more feeble praying. No more drive-by prayers. No more safe and no-faith-required praying.

Let Elijah, a man just like you, be your example in prayer. What do you have to lose? Pray.

Speaking of prayer, if you have not had the opportunity to attend a prayer meeting in your community, I strongly encourage you to do so! These are amazing times of worship and prayer that you can share with your family, friends and neighbors. These meetings will run through Nov 22:

Round Rock – Mondays from 6-7 AM
 at…
306 West Main St. Round Rock TX 78664

Lake Travis – Tuesdays from 7pm to 8:30 pm
 at…
River in the Hills prayer room, 1310 RR 620 South, Suite C-10 Lakeway, TX 78734

Northwest – Wednesdays from 12-1 pm
 at…
Westover Hills Church of Christ on 8332 Mesa Dr, 
Austin, TX 78759

Brushy Creek – Thursdays from 7-8 pm
 at…
Twin Lakes Ministry Center on 1150 S. Bell Blvd
Cedar Park, TX 78613

Four Points – Saturdays from 7-8 pm
 at…
EC ACF Four Points, 6401 River Place Blvd, Austin, TX 78730

And finally, we are now at the halfway point in 40 days of Prayer and Fasting. I have already heard some amazing accounts of how God is using this time in the lives of our staff and ACFer’s and I would love to hear your God stories, also! Please forward whatever you would like to share to joni@acfellowship.org.

And remember, it’s never too late to join in this journey of prayer and fasting…you can still sign up here!

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Hang In There!

Greetings, friends! On Sunday, October 4th, our church joined together in a 40-day period of prayer and fasting in order to seek God’s favor, healing, provision, and direction. If you are a participant, I want to affirm your commitment and encourage you to keep going! I know it can be difficult at times, but the benefits you will receive are worth far more than any temporary hunger pangs or withdrawal from whatever it is you have chosen for your fast. You can do this!!! God is good and he will honor your obedience. If you have not signed up to participate, it’s not too late! You can begin today. Please commit to fast with us here. This link will also allow you to receive a daily devotional during the remainder of the fasting period that is biblical, informative and motivational.

As a reminder, here is the list of weekly prayer meetings in each community that are happening through Nov 22. These promise to be sweet times of prayer with your friends and neighbors. I hope that you can make arrangements to attend in your community (or in other communities, if you can!).

Round Rock – Mondays from 6-7 AM
(beginning October 5th) at…
306 West Main St. Round Rock TX 78664

Lake Travis – Tuesdays from 7pm to 8:30 pm
(beginning October 6th) at…
River in the Hills prayer room, 1310 RR 620 South, Suite C-10 Lakeway, TX 78734

Northwest – Wednesdays from 12-1 pm
(beginning October 7th) at…
Westover Hills Church of Christ on 8332 Mesa Dr, 
Austin, TX 78759

Brushy Creek – Thursdays from 7-8 pm
(beginning October 8th) at…
Twin Lakes Ministry Center on 1150 S. Bell Blvd
Cedar Park, TX 78613

Four Points – Saturdays from 7-8 pm
(beginning October 10th) at…
EC ACF Four Points, 6401 River Place Blvd, Austin, TX 78730

 

During the next 40 days we will explore the following questions for you to pray over and consider:

What does God want to do in me (and my extended family)?

What does God want to do in my neighborhood?

What does God want to do in my ACF community?

What does God want to do in Austin?

Prayer Walks with Angela Sansone, Intercessor. Angela is a full time intercessor and prayer consultant who lives in Nebraska. Susie and I have known Angela for about 3 years and can attest to her encouragement within her calling to intercede for pastors (and others), and participate in spiritual warfare. I invited her to join us this week in Austin at ACF during our 40 Days of Prayer and Fasting. While she is here, she plans to do prayer walks at the ACF Four Points location. She love to have any ACFers join her that wish to do so…. at any point and for any length of time. (I’m sure she would appreciate the encouragement and support!) Her schedule is included below…Please meet about 5 minutes prior to the start times on the patio of the Event Center.

Four Points Intercession Walk Schedule:

Thursday, October 15th: 4-6 PM

Friday, October 16th: 2-4 PM

Saturday, October 17th: 12-2 PM

Sunday, October 18th: 3-5 PM

Monday, October 19th: 3-5 PM

Tuesday, October 20th: 3-5 PM

Wednesday, October 21st: 4-6 PM

The prayer format for these laps will be:

Lap 1: Praise & Thanksgiving

Laps 2-4: What we want God to do in our neighbors/family/friends

Lap 5: Four Points

Lap 6: Brushy Creek

Lap 7: Lake Travis

Lap 8: Northwest

Lap 9: Round Rock

Laps 10-11: Austin

On Sunday, October 4th, ACF | roundrock was officially launched…that’s a big Yea God! They meet at 10am each Sunday at Robertson Elementary (1415 Bayland, Round Rock 78664.) If you know anyone in the Round Rock area, please pass this information on to him or her! ACF | Round Rock is encouraging their community to seek purpose, meaning, and truth to know, love and serve Jesus Christ. Please pray for Community Pastor Jake Thomen, his family, staff and volunteers and for favor for their ministry!

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Does your life reflect your agreement with God?

Where are you out of agreement with God? from Will Davis Jr on Vimeo.

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