Will Davis Jr.'s Blog, page 43

Letter to the Church – Week of February 10, 2014

In the Beginning . . .

We’re off to a great start in our study of John’s Gospel. As you can tell, this is going to be a very powerful and relevant series of studies. Start praying for and inviting your unchurched and non-believing friends to join you in your small groups and on weekends. John was written just for them.

This weekend we’ll be in the second week of the Prologue series with a study called Flesh.

If you missed last week’s message, click the image to watch or listen.

#ApartFromHimNothing

#JesusisGodsSelfie

   

Mission Discovery Internship 

Apply now for a very special internship with Mission Discovery, a Tennessee-based ministry that serves Jesus Christ by combining and coordinating mission resources and US churches to meet the physical and spiritual needs of the world’s poor. As an intern, you’ll work at their Nashville headquarters and on select US-based mission trips. The internship is May through December 2014. Stipend and lodging are included, and your time may be eligible for college credit. If you are considering vocational ministry in missions, advocacy, or nonprofit leadership, this is a perfect opportunity for you. Please send inquiries to Hilliary@acfellowship.org.  Learn more about Mission Discovery by visiting missiondiscovery.org.

 

Fifth Sunday Serving

We’re just six weeks out from our next Fifth Sunday Serving day. On the weekend of March 29/30, we’ll cancel our weekend services at all Communities and send an army of volunteers into the city to serve. Will you please mark your calendars, rally your small group and plan to be part of this force for Christ’s love that we’ll release into Austin March 29/30?

Contact your local community pastor for more information.

 

Is it Time for You to be Baptized?

The more ACFers I talk to, the more I come to believe that many of you have not been scripturally baptized. Many of you were baptized as infants, as an act of faith by your parents.

But baptism is for you, not your parents. And it’s an act of your will, not theirs. And, it’s something you do after you come to Jesus, not before. And finally, it’s an act of obedience that God honors.

My gut tells me that we’ve got hundreds of ACF men and women who have never been scripturally baptized.

What blessings of God are you missing because you haven’t yet been baptized? Think what kind of role model you could be for your friends and family by stepping up and being baptized. What’s stopping you? Contact your community pastor to sign up for the next baptism.

Four Points—Dana@acfellowship.org (for Steve Shaver)

Northwest—Thom@acfellowship.org

Northeast—Shawn@acfellowship.org

Brushy Creek—Tony@acfellowship.org

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Beginnings

In the beginning . . . . John 1:1

Two books of the Bible begin with “In the beginning.” The first book of the Bible, Genesis, opens with the creation of the world. It was as if Moses, the author of Genesis, stood at that moment when time was created, and then looked ahead and recorded all that God did when he created the physical world.

The other book is John. It also opens with “In the beginning.” John stood at the exact same spot as Moses–that moment where eternity and time met. But John did the opposite of Moses. While Moses looked down into time and saw the activity of Creation, John looked back, upstream so to speak, into eternity. He wanted to see what was going on before time and all material things were created.

John’s point was that “the beginning” was only the beginning for some of us. It was only the beginning for physical things. It wasn’t the beginning for God, for angels and demons, and most importantly, for Jesus. John saw a realm, a level of existence, a reality, that predates all time and material things. It’s the eternal realm, and it has no beginning.

Time and history do not tell the whole story. For before there was “the beginning,” the eternal and spiritual realm already existed.

That means several things for us today.

First, it means that the spiritual, eternal world gave birth to the temporal/material world. Just like a child cannot exist before her parents, time cannot and did not exist before eternity. And, the material world cannot exist without the spiritual world. It depends on it for its very existence.

Second, the spiritual/eternal world controls the physical one. As physical beings, we tend to forget that the spiritual world exists. We tend to think that the world we can see is all there is and is what ultimately matters. We look for physical and temporal explanations and solutions to everything around us. But in reality the material world we live in is controlled by the spiritual one. The world that we cannot see effects the world we can see, not vice versa.

Thus, if we want to have true impact in this world, then we must learn to connect with the spiritual world while we are here. True power, true wisdom and true love are all derived from the spiritual world. They do not originate here. We must learn to download them. Because of that, things like prayer, worship and fasting gain much more significance, while the pursuit of earthly gain becomes meaningless.

Next, who you really are isn’t defined by what how you look, how much you weigh, how much money you have or anything else that is temporary. Who you really are is defined by the riches, depth and maturity of your eternal spirit.

We’ll talk more about this in future Wake Up Calls, but here’s the bottom line: Don’t be duped into believing that what you can touch and see is all there is. In reality–in biblical and Kingdom reality–what’s real is what you can’t see. Chase what matters. And if you can see it, purchase it or sell it, it ultimately doesn’t matter. It isn’t even real.

*I’m teaching through John at Austin Christian Fellowship. If you would like to watch or listen to those messages, click here.

 

 

 

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A Holy Consciousness

 I said, “I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth as long as the wicked are in my presence.” Psalm 39:1

Sin is never appropriate. It’s always devastating. But believe it or not, sometimes  the where, when and how of our sin dictates just how devastating it is.

David, the writer of this Psalm, knows this. He is aware that he should never allow his tongue to utter a single, ungodly word. But he seems equally aware that the consequences of his sin increase exponentially when he is around “the wicked,” a.k.a. unbelievers.

The same is true for us. But why? Why is it so devastating if we slip in front of unbelievers? Simple: They’re watching.

The moment you become a Christ-follower you also become an example. You are a walking, talking poster-child for God’s grace. The standards are higher for you, the risks greater, the stakes eternal. People who do not yet believe and who are aware of your faith want to know if it is real. They want to know if your Jesus has any street value. So they watch . . . . and listen.

They listen at office parties when the booze really starts flowing.

They listen when the neighborhood flirt comes your way.

They listen when department meetings get heated.

They listen when you are taken advantage of or being wronged.

They listen when your spouse hurts you, when your kids drive you crazy, when your in-laws meddle in your business, and when God lets you down.

They are always watching and listening. And when you blow it, when you let loose with string of verbal whatevers, they notice.

It’s a frightening truth that David alludes to here, but a truth nonetheless. Our sinful outbursts may be the final reason for someone to not believe. I’ve heard it so many times: He cusses just like I do. She’s the worst gossip I know. He tells the dirtiest jokes in the office. And then the rest: If that’s Christianity, then why do I need it?

Friends, wake up! We are being watched. You are being watched right now. Pray with David for a muzzle to cover your mouth. When around the unbelieving, be extra cautious and prayerful. They really are looking to see if your faith has changed you.

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God’s Auto Reply

If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a thousand times. A person or couple decides to write a first tithe check, and within days they receive back the same amount from an unexpected source—often to the penny.

I heard it again Saturday night. Our church elders and I were praying over a man and his wife. He smiled as he told us his story.

His wife and he felt compelled to start tithing—giving 10% of their income to their church. They dropped their first check in the bowl two Sundays ago.

That week, the man’s boss called him into his office. He basically said, “Look, we can’t afford this as times are really tough right now, but we absolutely have to give you a raise.” And of course, the weekly net for the man was almost to the penny what he and his wife had given just days before.

No wonder the man was smiling. So I turned and asked our elders, “How many times have you heard that story.” They just smiled and took turns answering: Hundreds, countless, over and over . . . ”

It happens so frequently—and by it I mean that a person or couple writes a first 10% check to his/their church and within hours or days they’ve got it back from a surprising source—I’ve started calling it God’s Auto Reply.

It’s like God wants his people to know—sometimes instantly—that he honors obedience. That’s why people who give 10% or more of their income aren’t surprised when they hear stories like this—it’s happened to them too.

God really is faithful. He really does honor giving and obedience. And you can’t out give him. No way. The more you give and invest in his Kingdom, the more he’ll give in and invest in you.

Still not convinced? Try it. Just try it. The next time you get paid, before you pay any bills, write a check and give 10% of what you just got to the church you attend. Then don’t put it in a drawer or sit on it until everything else clears. Mail or deposit it immediately.

Then, pray, watch and wait. What’s going to happen? Let me let God answer that one:

“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.” Malachi 3:10

 

Do you have a great story of God’s auto reply? Share it here!

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No Limits

No Limits

“I forgive you.” Have you said those words lately? There’s so much power and liberty in them. We all need to hear them and say them frequently, even when it’s hard.

Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him. Luke 17:3-4

This seems so outrageous at first. What Jesus calls for is so over the top, so radical. I don’t think I have ever forgiven anyone seven times in one day. I’m confident that I would reach my limit long before then, say around transgression two or three.

In a regular workday, forgiving someone seven times would mean that I’m a real pushover and I desperately need to choose my company more wisely. But in Kingdom living, forgiving someone seven times is the least we can do for a sincere brother or sister.

And it doesn’t mean you’re a pushover. It means you’re being like Jesus.

Here’s why: God puts no limits on how much or how often he’ll forgive us. There is no cap on his mercy to us. As a result, he demands that we do the same.

But there is a condition we need to look for–if he repents. You cannot over-forgive someone who is genuinely repenting. If they’re willing to step up to the plate, own their sin and truly try to turn away from it, then we are required to pardon them and remain in fellowship with them, even if it happens seven times in one day.

Jesus began this teaching with a warning: Be on your guard! His concern is not that we’ll forgive haphazardly or inappropriately, but rather that we won’t forgive sufficiently. Jesus warned us about the dangers of unforgiveness: it only increases our own guilt before God.

How’s your forgiveness? Do you put a limit on how often or how much you’re willing to forgive another? Do you refuse to pardon someone who’s wounded you more than once, even when they repent?

Don’t close off your heart to a repenting brother or sister. It only places you over them as their judge, and that’s something you are not qualified to be.

Forgive your repenting brother today. My guess is you’re going to need them to return the favor someday.

 

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The Two Most Powerful Words in Prayer

We agree. Those are without exception the two most powerful words in prayer.

Jesus was an advocate of corporate prayer. He believed in it, practiced it and taught about it. In fact, it’s difficult to overstate the significance that Christ placed on it. If you’re looking for pinpoint prayers that have off-the-charts potential, then learn to pray with other Christians.

Why is the prayer meeting (for those churches that still have them) the least attended meeting in the church? Why are so few Christians comfortable praying out-loud with other Christians? Why don’t pastors and other spiritual leaders spend more time praying together? Why don’t more husbands and wives pray together? For all of the promise and authority that Jesus gave to group intercession, it sure gets little airtime in Christians’ lives today. It’s almost as if there was an organized effort bent on keeping Christians from praying together. Hmmmm . . . .

In Matthew 18:19-20, Jesus made two sweeping statements about the unlimited impact that corporate prayer could have in the church. He said, “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them In other words, “Whenever believers gather together, I’m there.”

There is a powerful, mystical beauty in a simple meeting of believers. Jesus paid it the highest compliment and gave it the greatest authority possible. Jesus isn’t obligated to be anywhere, but he promised that when a group meets together in his name, even if there are just two of them, he will be there with them.

As a pastor, I find that very encouraging. It means that I don’t have to lead a large congregation to merit God’s presence. It means that women’s small group has just as much attraction to Jesus as a church’s worship service.

But these sweeping promises tell me something else. They tell me that a gathering of believers is more powerful that any other meeting on the planet. They tell me that a group of moms meeting to pray for their kids have more power and authority than a joint session of Congress. It means that a men’s accountability group that meets in Jesus’ name has more spiritual power than the Joint Chiefs of Staff has military power. It means that a family Bible study has more authority than a meeting of the U.S. Supreme Court. The most powerful gatherings in the world are those that meet in Jesus’ name. Because when they do, when they meet aligning with his purposes and seeking his glory, he is there with them.

Jesus used a descriptive term to help his disciples understand why praying together is so powerful. Our English Bibles typically translate it as the word agree, but that doesn’t really do it justice. The word that Jesus used is the Greek word sumphoneo, and you can probably see its similarity to our word symphony.

When musicians unite together–each with their own special gifts and talents, each playing a different role and instrument–to produce a beautiful musical piece, it can be an incredibly moving and inspiring experience.

The same is true of God and prayer. He loves to hear the corporate, unified prayers of his people. That’s why Jesus elevated the prayer meeting to such a high level. It really is music to God’s ears.

Christianity is not an individual sport. The path of the Christ-follower was clearly laid out by God to include community with other followers. Christians are designed to live in fellowship with other believers. Corporate prayer may be the most intimate expression of Christian unity.

When believers set aside their personal agendas and together seek God’s answers, they’ve broken into a new realm of pinpoint prayer. They’re in an entirely different prayer stratosphere. Quite frankly, there may be no more effective words Christians can say in prayer than, “Lord, we agree.”  And when we agree, Jesus promised that God will give us what we ask.

Will you commit to praying regularly with other believers? Husband, will you agree to pray regularly with your wife? Parents, will you commit to praying daily with your family? Pastor, will you commit to meet regularly with other leaders for times of worship and intercession?

There’s too much power available to us through the medium of corporate prayer for us to not make it a regular part of our lives.

We agree.

Want to read more about the power of praying together? Click here.

 

 

 

 

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Go For It

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Matthew 13:44

 I’ve always wondered why this guy just didn’t drop his shovel, grab the treasure and run like crazy. I mean think about it: lying at his feet is the treasure of a lifetime. One would think that he would at least be tempted to take the goods and make a quick getaway. But he doesn’t. He carefully reburies the treasure, goes off to sell his possessions, and then buys the treasure-laden field. It’s all legal and above board.

So the obvious question is “Why?” Why did the man rationally sell his goods so he could by the entire field, when all he really wanted was the treasure? Simple—the treasure was just too big. This man didn’t discover a pouch full of gold coins; he discovered boxes and chests and suitcases full of pouches of gold coins. There was no way he could just tuck it under his robe and run. The treasure was so significant that the only way he could gain access to its wealth was to bet the proverbial farm and buy the field. Only then would he have access to the treasure.

That’s what Jesus is trying to teach us about his kingdom. With him, it’s all or nothing. There’s no absconding away with only a small part; say, enough to fit in your pocket. There are no free samples. The Kingdom does not offer test drives, prenuptials or money-back guarantees. There’s no sticking a toe in the water or getting a one- day pass. If you want to experience God’s Kingdom you’ve got to buy the field.  Now, before you get all huffy and decide that God is too rigid about this whole Kingdom thing, remember that we are talking about a Kingdom. That implies that there is a king. This is not a flea market, an outlet mall, or a democracy. We are neither customers nor registered voters. The only way any of us has any access is through the blood of Jesus. And when the Son of God has shed his royal blood to redeem us from sin, samples, trial runs and money-back guarantees aren’t necessary. The value of what’s being offered has already been proven.

So wake up and sell the farm! Go for it totally and completely with Jesus. The only way to experience God’s Kingdom in your life is to sell out and move in. Anything less will miss the Kingdom entirely. It’s simply too big to fit in your pocket.

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Will’s Letter to ACF – February 4, 2014

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Look What I Found

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Matthew 13:44

This man’s reaction to the treasure he finds tells us much about the nature of Jesus’ Kingdom and the nature of the things that keep us from discovering it. Jesus wants us to learn from this fictional figure’s example and do the same.

When the man discovered the treasure, he was obviously very surprised. He was not on a treasure hunt. Chances are he was a day-laborer working in someone else’s field. When he uncovered the treasure, he was overjoyed. He’d never seen anything like it. His immediate response is astounding. In his joy over his grand discovery he rushed off and immediately sold everything he owned. He just had to buy that field! What’s amazing is how ready he was to let go of all he had to get the treasure. There was simply no comparison.

Two points must be seen here to fully appreciate Jesus’ teaching. First, what the man sold was good. This parable is not about a man turning from wickedness to the holiness of God, it’s about a man letting go of some really good things so he could get something priceless. This man didn’t sell bad or evil things to get the treasure, he sold good things, valuable things, important things, but not eternal things.

That’s Jesus’ first point. Satan won’t always tempt you with evil. He may well tempt you with good; something just good enough to distract you from what’s eternal. In short, don’t settle for good when Jesus is offering the Kingdom. There simply is no comparison.

The second point is this: the man in the parable sold all his possessions out of joy. This was no Kingdom guilt trip. There was no manipulation. This wasn’t a “That poor man gave up everything to follow Jesus” concession. No way. The man in the parable saw the treasure and knew immediately that what he’d found far outweighed the value of everything he had. The decision to sell was a no-brainer. He did it out of joy, and he couldn’t do it fast enough.

Satan will lie to us and say that following Jesus requires us to take huge earthly hits. He’ll tell us that major sacrifices and life disappointments await those who follow Jesus. He’ll make it sound like we lose everything of value if we embrace Christ. Poor old you; you’ve had to drop it all and follow Jesus!  What a lie! It’s no contest. When you see the reality of the eternally glorious Kingdom of God, all earthly trappings become irrelevant.

Come to Jesus out of joy. If you don’t know his joy yet, keep looking. When you see him for who he really is, you won’t even have to think about it.

 

*Want to know more about true treasure? Have you read Enough: Finding More by Living with Less  yet? Click the image to check it out.

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Hidden Treasure

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.

Matthew 13:44

Jesus used the intriguing concept of hidden treasure to help us better understand his Kingdom. The original hearers of Jesus’ parable quickly got the point this simple lesson. They knew all about hidden treasure.

It was quite common in Jesus’ day for people to hide their riches underground where it would be safe from thieves, marauding armies or jealous neighbors. A hole in the ground was often the safest bet for one’s money.

The problem was that sometimes the people who buried their treasure died or were taken captive before they had a chance to dig up their trove. Significant amounts of wealth might lay unclaimed for decades, even centuries before someone would stumble upon it. Sometimes families would be living within just a few feet of vast riches and never know it. The treasure was there all the time, but it was easily missed.

That’s what Jesus was saying about his Kingdom. It’s all around us, but it’s not always obvious. It’s hidden.

Now don’t get me wrong–I don’t mean that it’s hidden as if God were hiding it from us and trying to keep it from us. I mean it’s hidden like your car keys are hidden when you’ve thrown them on a cluttered desk and you can’t find them later because of all the desk debris. I mean hidden like your favorite Phillip’s head screwdriver is hidden in the bowels of your overstuffed toolbox. It’s hidden because you buried it.

And that’s Jesus’ point. The Kingdom is hidden from us because we fill our lives with so much clutter, so much activity and busyness, and so many distractions, that it becomes impossible for us to see. God wants us to find it, but we have to look past the stuff to do so.

Is the Kingdom hidden to you? Have you discovered it? Have you found the vast reserve of life-wealth that is all around you? The Kingdom of God is in your midst; it’s as close as your next breath. Open your eyes, push aside the debris and seize it. It’s right before you.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33

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