Will Davis Jr.'s Blog, page 24

Does God Judge Nations?

 

And I will execute vengeance in anger and wrath on the nations which have not obeyed. Micah 5:15

Does God judge nations? And if so, how, where and when does he judge them?

Does God judge nations? And if so, would he ever judge yours or mine? Would he judge the US or England or Iraq or Syria or Mexico or Iran? Would he judge Israel?

It does not appear that Micah was only referencing the various ethnicities and nationalities that dotted the cultural landscape of his day. Rather, it appears that God was indeed calling out the governments and peoples of the nations surrounding Israel who openly defied God’s calls to repentance.

And thus, the answer to the question “Does God judge nations?” appears to be a resounding “Yes!”

Consider that two of the nations who would have been included in Micah’s audience—the Assyrians and the Babylonians—did not survive long after this prophecy. And what about Rome, the powerhouse nation of the two centuries before Christ? Daniel prophesied both its rise and fall, and got it right on both counts.

My point: nations are accountable to God. He can bless them, reward them, protect them and promote them. And he can punish them and even destroy them. And no country, no matter how powerful or how rich or how invincible it may appear to be, is exempt.

So you as a Christ-follower need to pray every day for YOUR nation. You need to pray for your leaders, your churches, your universities and your citizenry. Pray for godliness to prevail and righteousness to be exalted. Pray for an appropriate fear of God and humanity before him. And then be salt and light in your land.

Friend, no nation gets a pass before the holy God. Pray for yours. Pray that he will stay his vengeance and bring healing, hope, forgiveness and restoration to your land.

Oh God, we seek your healing for the nations. And I seek your healing for mine. In Jesus’ name . . .

 

 

 

 

 

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Be Careful What You Pray For!!!!

Years ago when I was quite young and very inexperienced in ministry, I helped to start a small church in far north Austin where I lived. My wife Susie and I were still without children and we both had lots of time to devote to each other and to our ministry. We lived just a block or two from our church. One day when I was making the short drive to my office, I remember praying about my poor evangelism habits. I knew that I wasn’t sharing Christ as frequently as I needed to. I prayed the simple pinpoint prayer that God would give me more opportunities to share my faith with others.

Moments later, as I pulled into church parking lot, I was met by a member of our youth group. His name was Todd, he was 17 and came from a tough family situation. He actually attended a school in Austin for kids who were too rough and unruly to be placed in regular classes. His car wouldn’t start and he’d walked to the church in hopes of bumming a ride to school from one of our staff members. (Since I was the only staff member, that would be me.) I had been concerned for Todd for a long time and I felt a lot of compassion for him. I was more than happy to take him to school.

We were late to Todd’s first class and so he asked me to walk him in and vouch for his story to his teacher. The minute we walked to his class, Todd was met by a chorus of jeers and harassing comments from his classmates about his tardiness. When they saw me, they began to joke about me being his parole officer. Then Todd, clearly without thinking, blurted out, “He’s my pastor!” I think Todd believed that somehow a pastor would merit more respect from this rowdy crowd, but he was wrong. Wild and raucous laughter now greeted us both.

I really just wanted to clear Todd with the teacher and make a quick getaway. This was no longer my idea of a productive way to spend a morning. I introduced myself to the teacher and explained why Todd was late. As I turned to leave, one of the kids yelled out, “Hey Preacher, what do you guys believe at your church, anyway?” I need to explain that this wasn’t said in a particularly respectful fashion. It didn’t sound like a genuine inquiry from a true spiritual seeker. The kid’s tone of voice sounded like he was really saying, “Hey Dude, surely you don’t really believe any of that stupid religious stuff! What a waste of time! What could you possibly believe at your church that I haven’t heard and rejected already? What could you possibly be teaching that’s worthy of anybody’s time?”

That’s not what the kid said, but sounded like what he really meant. The cynicism, sarcasm and skepticism were just dripping off his words. I had clearly been challenged.

Knowing that I was in a public school, in a class filled with troubled seventeen-year-olds, and in very hostile territory, I turned and looked at the teacher for some sort of sign. If anything, she seemed amused by the situation. She simply nodded, smiled and motioned with her head toward the class. It was as if she was saying, “Hey, if you can handle it, go for it.” I suddenly had been granted a captive audience.

I sat down on a desk, and for the next forty-five minutes I shared with the class and answered questions about the Christian faith. I was amazed at how the mood of the group turned from wild and skeptical to serious and attentive in just a few minutes. They had a genuine interest in knowing what Christians claimed and what bearing the teachings of Jesus might have on their lives. They acted as if no Christian had ever taken the time to clearly explain what he believed to them. I spent the entire period with the class. When I left, they actually thanked me for my time. The teacher, who had still not said a word, just kept smiling.

I drove away from the school that day with huge goosebumps on my arms and completely overwhelmed by what had just taken place. At that point in my Christian life, it was one of the most exhilarating Kingdom experiences I’d ever had. I imagine I felt just like those young prophets did when they saw that floating axhead (See 2 Kings 6:1-7). And, I hate to admit this, but it was later in the day, much later, before I remembered what I’d prayed just before I ran into Todd.

I’ve seen similar scenarios played out hundreds of times in the lives of other Christ-followers. A Christian offers up a simple prayer about something quite small and seemingly unimportant. And yet, before she knows it, God has answered her prayer in a huge, astounding and Kingdom-impacting way.

From The Power of Praying Boldly. Formerly called: Pray Big.

Click here to see the gift edition.

 

 

 

 

 

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Outcomes

 

We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful. James 5:11

Sometimes we judge the work of God prematurely. At any given point if we look at the circumstances of our lives we may conclude that God doesn’t love us, or that he is mean and vindictive. The reason for this is at any given point in our lives, we may not see the complete work of the Lord in a matter.

We have to wait for the outcomes. We have to see the matter to completion. We have to know the end of the story.

Consider Job. If we pick up his account anywhere but the final few chapters, his story looks unbearable and unfair. In all but the end of the Book of Job, God looks uncaring and harsh.

But when you get to the end of the story, when you see the Lord’s outcomes, then you see things differently. Rather than seeing a mean and vindictive God, we see Him as holy and just.

Seeing outcomes requires time. It requires faith while waiting. Time is something we seem to have very little of these days and waiting is something few of us are good at.

But both time and faith are required if we are going to see the Lord’s outcomes.

A few days after the brutal murder of Jim Elliott and his fellow missionaries, no good outcome was visible. But in the sixty years since, the Lord’s good outcomes are quite evident.

Obviously, some outcomes will not be fully known until we are in heaven. But many are clearly visible right now. Are you looking for them?

What situation have you written off as a complete loss? What relationship, illness or personal risk that you have taken appears to be a complete waste and has no redeeming value?

Don’t give up on it…keep praying and seeking the Lord’s outcomes. Remember: The Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.

Oh God, give us the faith and patience to seek and wait for Your outcomes. In Jesus’ name . . .

 

 

 

 

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Large Crowds and Mountains

 

On the next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met Him. Luke 9:37

There is a direct relationship between platform and prayer. God will not promote you if you are not praying.

The mountain from which Jesus and his disciples were descending is now referred to as the Mount of Transfiguration. In his prayers to God on that mountain Jesus slipped back into his eternal glory, into his pre-incarnation state. That time on the mountain in intimacy with his Father changed him, invigorated him and prepared him for what was to come.

It prepared him for the crowds.

Crowds are powerful things. They can sway even the most committed leaders and woo them onto the path of least resistance and ultimately self-destruction.

We live in a world where men and women want the crowds without the mountain. We want the perks of platform without paying the price for it on the mountain of prayer.

A man who has not been to the mountain is a scary thing in front of a crowd. He’s liable to talk about himself and offer his own wisdom. He is likely to fall in love with having a crowd and begin to say and do things to keep the crowd coming back. He is quite likely to move from prophetic words to pathetic words, and from exhortation to expediency.

Only he who has been to the mountain can resist the allure of the crowd.

Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself, (John 6:15).

Are you a man or woman of the mountain? Have you paid the price for platform and true success on the mountain of prayer? Don’t expect God to increase your crowd if you’re a non-praying person. You simply won’t be able to handle it.

Oh God, help us to seek you over the crowds, your presence over the perks of fame. In Jesus’ name . . . .

 

Looking for a meaning gift to give this Christmas?

May I suggest:

 

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Good Stuff Happens when You Pray

 

Have you prayed today? You need to. You need to pray all the time.

After over 30 years in Christian ministry, I have come to a very profound theological conclusion: Good stuff happens when you pray!

Consider this example:

And it happened that while He was praying alone, the disciples were with Him, and He questioned them, saying, “Who do the people say that I am?” . . . And Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.” Luke 9:18-20

Peter’s confession marks a major highpoint in the Gospel records. For Peter to label Jesus “the Christ of God” meant that the disciples were slowly coming to the realization that Jesus was in fact the promised one they had been hearing about and hoping for all their lives. And while their understanding of “the Christ’s” mission was still very superficial, Peter’s confession shows that they were making progress.

Progress, I might add, that was birthed in prayer.

Did you notice that little introductory phrase—while he was praying? That is no minor detail. It was in those classrooms of prayer that disciples began to gain a sense of Jesus’ true identity. It was in those early mornings and late evenings, watching and listening to their Master’s intercessions, that the disciples began to gain a sense of both his mission and theirs.

The point? Stuff happens in prayer—good stuff, life-changing stuff, eternal stuff, Kingdom stuff.

There are many lessons Jesus wants to teach you–truths he wants to reveal, scriptures he wants to illuminate and secrets he wants to share—that he only delivers in prayer. Prayer is the classroom of the Spirit. It’s the lecture hall of God’s Word. And while there are many great lessons to be learned along the course of living out our lives, the best, most profound and most eternal lessons are learned in prayer.

There are answers you are seeking, guidance you need and refining that will make you more holy that Christ wants to give you today, right now. But those answers, guidance and refining can only happen in the place of prayer.

Now, look at this next example:

Some eight days after these sayings, He took along Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray.  And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming. Luke 9:28-29

There it is again—another reference to prayer in the life of Jesus.

Do you see a theme developing here? 

While he was praying . . . his face became different . . .

There are some things Jesus wants to show us about himself that He will only show us in prayer.

 

So here is an assignment: Do a word study of Luke and Acts, both authored by Luke. Look for all the references to prayer in both books. You can just read through them and mark all the times you see prayer mentioned, or you could use a concordance, Bible software or an online tool.

But as you uncover all the references to prayer, be sure and notice what is going on. Pay attention to the context. I think you will be astounded at how many significant events in Jesus’ life and the life of the early Church that Luke connects to prayer.

Then, as you weigh the major role that prayer played in the life of our Savior and His early followers, think about the implications for your own life…then pray accordingly.

 

 

 

 

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You Give Them Something to Eat

 

But He said to them, “You give them something to eat!” Luke 9:13

 These words have impacted me as much as any in the Bible over the last ten years. Here are a few lessons I have learned from them. (For the fuller context, read Luke 9:12-17.)

Sometimes God’s assignments will be counter to what we think wise and will trump want we want to do. The disciples wanted nothing to do with this crowd. They wanted to send them away. Jesus wouldn’t let them.
Jesus wants us to care for the immediate needs around us. There was no great ministry plan or strategy needed here. There were hungry people around Jesus’ disciples, and Jesus expected them to feed them.
Vision is not limited by our perceived provision. By the disciples’ count, they only had a few loaves and some fish. Their perceived provision was very small. But the vision Jesus gave them, and the assignment he set before them required far more resources than they had on hand. That didn’t stop Jesus and it shouldn’t stop us. In weighing obedience to God, we should never set limits on what we are willing to risk for God based on the resources we think we have. God’s assignment on your life will always require more than what you think you can do.
God assignments are God-sized, not man-sized. God will not call you to do something that you can just go and do. He will call you to do something that you cannot go and do. He will call you to something that only he can do. If you can accomplish what you perceive to be the will of God without the miraculous provision of God, then you have missed the will of God.

What crowd is God calling you to feed? What assignment are you dodging because you think you don’t have the resources?

Of course you don’t have the resources! That’s the point. Step out in obedience, embrace God’s God-sized call on your life, and then watch Him feed a crowd through you.

Father, help us to look at Your vision, not our perceived provision, as we discern what You are calling us to do. In Jesus’ name . . .

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What’s Your Focus?

And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases.  And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing. Luke 9:1-2

When Jesus sent out his disciples, his equipping of and instructions to them were amazingly simple. He gave them power and he gave them a message.

Let me turn that around: He gave them a message and then gave them the power to back it up.

The message: The Kingdom of God is here. It’s not just future. It’s in your midst right now.

The evidence: Jesus’ disciples had the ability to cast out demons and heal diseases in his name.

That is focus. Proclaim the Kingdom and back up the message with Jesus’ power and authority.

As I pondered these words recently, I found myself convicted at how easy it is for me to lose focus in my life and in the ministry I lead. I am frequently guilty of spreading thin my attentions, my message and my leadership. And the fruit (or lack thereof) in my life shows.

There is a direct relationship between focus and power. The more focus you have the more power you will have to support it. But broaden your focus and allow for many (albeit worthy) add-ons, and you lose power.

Consider the spray nozzle on your garden hose. Which has more power, the tight stream or the wide, gentle spray? The answer is obvious.

That is why Jesus didn’t give a lot of instructions to his disciples. Just preach the Kingdom and back it up with miracles in my name.

Perhaps this is why many Christians and churches today don’t seem to have a lot of power and authority. Maybe this is why demons and diseases seem to have their way in our lives and ministries. Maybe we have lost our focus.

So here is your opportunity to examine your own focus. Look at its scope and weigh it against Christ’s claim on your life as his disciple. Maybe it’s time to tighten things up. Think about it.

Father, help us to stay focused on our Kingdom’s message and to use your power to demonstrate its power. In Jesus name . . .

 

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Practical Gratitude

 

Susie and I had the opportunity to team teach last weekend on gratitude. It’s a practical and helpful message that’s loaded with fun and a little chaos.

Click the image to watch or listen.

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This Verse is Talking about Us!

As the host of heaven cannot be counted and the sand of the sea cannot be measured, so I will multiply the descendants of David My servant and the Levites who minister to Me. Jeremiah 33:22

Here’s something for you to think about today as you go about your routine: These words—these lofty promises—written over 2800 years ago, are talking about you.

The descendants of King David that the Lord promised would arise are all men, women, boys and girls—both Jews and Gentiles—who would profess faith in God’s Son in the coming ages. The people of God changed from those who were part of a national heritage by birth and geography to those who are adopted through faith.

And you, as a believer in Jesus, are one of those divinely adopted sons of David.

The countless Levites that God promised would arise are those same sons and daughters of David—believers in Jesus–who through the calling and equipping of the Holy Spirit would minister in his name in the ages to come.

God’s priests today are not those who have taken certain vows or those who are born into a particular earthly linage, but rather those who, through faith in Jesus, have been called as His holy and royal servants.

And again, because you follow Jesus, you are one of his priests.

So as you go about your day, remember your true identity and your true assignment.

You are not ordinary—you are God’s holy son or daughter.

You are not here on earth to just pass time or scratch out a living—you are here to serve as God’s holy and royal priest.

Holy God, thank you for adopting us as your children and calling us to be your priests. In Jesus’ name . . .

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What You Bring to the Table

 

For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2

What do you have to offer people that can really help them? Is it your charm, your wisdom, your work ethic, your experiences, your knowledge, your athletic ability, your great communication skills, your good looks?

Each of these things get a lot of attention in our day. They are our selling points.

As the Apostle Paul sought to further his relationship with the believers in Corinth, he made one thing very clear to them: he would fight to keep his and their focus on Jesus.

He wouldn’t chase theological rabbits
He wouldn’t discuss philosophy
He wouldn’t argue over which earthly leader was the MVP among them
And he wouldn’t try to impress them with his own wisdom, eloquence or personality

He was there to lift up the message of the crucified Jesus, and he was deadly serious about removing anything that got in the way of that message.

We need to be equally serious.

We’ve got way too many Christian celebrities today–too many superstars, too many power-pastors and too many believers leaning on or promoting their own wisdom, their own experience and their own talents. We’re preaching a manmade gospel and man’s wisdom based on man’s own learning.

We’ve settled for a stripped-down version of the true Gospel, one devoid of God’s power and God’s wisdom. We are supposed to stand in stark contrast to the world around us, not blend in with it.

Friends, what you bring to the table isn’t your charm, good looks and personal experiences. What you have that others most desperately need can be summed up in one word—Jesus.

Take Paul’s pledge. Determine to be a Jesus-knower, a Jesus-proclaimer, and an enemy of anything that takes the attention off of Him and puts it on you.

Holy God, help us to have laser-like focus in proclaiming the power and wisdom of your Son. In Jesus’ name . . .

 

 

 

 

 

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