Will Davis Jr.'s Blog, page 46

Faithful to the End

A few weeks ago I bumped into an old friend here in Austin–Kirk Root. Kirk and I grew up together at the same church. I bet I’ve known him over forty years.

Kirk started a very successful jewelry business here in Austin–Kirk Root Designs. His engagement rings have surprised more than a few fiancees-to-be, his wedding bands have helped seal countless marriage covenants, and his other inspirations have helped rescue more than a few men from the doghouse.

I rarely saw Kirk, as our paths just didn’t cross much. But I saw his ads on TV and continued to hear of the great work he was doing supporting important causes here in Austin.

So I bumped into Kirk at my favorite breakfast spot on a Sunday morning. I was grabbing a quick bite before church. Kirk had his Bible out and a big lesson book. He was actually studying for his Sunday School class. Kirk had taught high school kids for as long as I can remember, and this Sunday was no exception. He was gearing up for his next rodeo with a bunch of eager teens at his church just up the street.

Kirk and I parted with expressions of mutual respect. I complimented him on his great business success, his reputation in the community and his faithfulness to helping teens understand God’s Word.

That was maybe a month ago.

Kirk’s family buried him on Saturday. His service was at the very church where he’d faithfully taught for years.

Kirk Root

 

Kirk had cancer. I had no idea. He’d been battling it for quite some time. And apparently, Kirk was very aware that, barring direct intervention of God, his life on earth would be ending soon.

HE KNEW HE WAS DYING.

And yet, when I saw him he never said a word about it. Actually, he looked very alive and vibrant. And he was focused: focused on that Sunday lesson for those kids.

I’ve got a question for you: If you knew you had a month to live, what would you do? How would you spend it? In a world of bucket lists, grand finales and “going out on our terms,” I’m humbled by Kirk’s example. He probably could have afforded to do anything he wanted to at the end of his life. And no one would have blamed him.

But with less than a month to live, Kirk got up on a Sunday morning, grabbed his Bible and grabbed some breakfast, and then went and told a bunch of teens about Jesus.

He taught them about the God that he would soon to see face-to-face.

Blows me away. I can only pray that I would be so faithful under similar circumstances.

His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” Matthew 25:21

Read Kirk’s life tribute here.

To see the Kirk Root Designs’ facebook page, click here.

 

 

 

 

 

Join with Me

Join with Me

Join with me in suffering for the gospel, 2 Timothy 1:8

This is an unusual invitation, to say the least. I mean, I’m used to getting invitations—to Christmas parties, graduation ceremonies and weddings. I like getting those kind of invitations.

I’m not so sure about this one: Hey, come suffer with me.  Uh, is there a decline button on this evite? I don’t think I can go. Or want to.

But Paul didn’t shy away from suffering, and he didn’t shy away from encouraging us to pursue it with him. It seems that he found something very valuable in those moments or seasons of discomfort, especially when they were for the sake of the Gospel.

What’s the good of suffering? Well, besides humbling us, giving us perspective, teaching us desperation and dependency, increasing our compassion, strengthening our resolve, expanding our patience, making us more teachable, adding to our rewards in heaven and giving us greater intimacy with Jesus, I can’t think of much.

Suffering, it seems, is part of spiritual development. It’s part of discipleship.

This is an area where our cozy Western lifestyles don’t serve us well; stated more precisely, the way we live may actually be hindering our spiritual development.

Our culture says that suffering is to be avoided at all costs. There’s nothing mentioned about suffering in our inalienable right to pursue life, liberty and happiness. We view suffering as a curse, a blight on humanity, and something we should go to any length to avoid.

But in the Bible’s reality, suffering is a gift. It’s a blessing. It’s something Paul said he wanted to be part of his life (see Philippians 3:10). For only in suffering will we discover the kind of growth, love and intimacy with the Savior that God desires for us to have.

So, here’s the question: are you willing to accept this invitation? Are you willing to give God permission to do whatever necessary so that you can be more like him? Friends, we have all eternity to live in the comfort and protection of Jesus. This is not that time.

Oh Lord, we accept your invitation . . . . .

 

*Want to know more about how this topic? I write at length about it in my book Enough: Finding More by Living with Less.

 

 

 

Greater than Jonah

Greater than Jonah

Today, let’s draw strength from thinking about the power and uniqueness of our awesome Savior, Jesus Christ.

. . . . now one greater than Jonah is here. Matthew 12:41

The revival recorded in the Old Testament book of Jonah is considered one of the greatest in history. To find a more unlikely setting for spiritual awakening would be difficult.

Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, was one of the most hated cities in the ancient world. The cruelty of the Ninevites was legendary and it was only matched by their paganism. To a devout Jew, the fires of Hades could not burn hot enough for a Ninevite.

Jonah, on the other hand, was more than just a reluctant prophet. He probably would have cheered at Nineveh’s destruction. The last thing he wanted to do there was preach repentance. The last thing he wanted to see was mercy for Nineveh.

You know the story: Jonah would have rather drowned in the sea than offer God’s grace to the Ninevites.

That’s why their response is so amazing. Jonah had barely even mumbled out his message when the king ordered a massive fast and seeking of God. Mixing one very reluctant prophet with one very sinful city should have very little effect. What happened in Nineveh was nothing less than miraculous. No Vegas odds-maker would have ever called that one.

Thus, Jonah’s reputation as an Old Testament character approached heroic levels with the religious leaders of Christ’s day. Any prophet greater than Jonah had to be taken seriously, and Christ once again used an Old Testament icon to point out that he was the greatest prophet of all.

Jesus actually elevated godless Nineveh over the religious leaders of his own day. His comments, if made today, might sound like this:

“The people of Nineveh, the people you despise most in history, still had enough spiritual intuition to repent at the preaching of a reluctant prophet like Jonah. What then does it say about you, who when offered life by One far greater than Jonah, reject not only the message but messenger as illegitimate? The men of Nineveh will laugh at you for your arrogance.”

Jesus is not just another prophet. Don’t make the common mistake of clumping Jesus in the group of well-known and politically correct religious leaders of history. He, by is own acknowledgement, is far greater. Only God can claim to be superior to God’s messengers–and Jesus did.

Second, Jesus is not someone who can be ignored. Many in history have tried to simply look away from Jesus. They hope that somehow by not deciding about him they can escape culpability before him. They’re wrong.

Jesus’ “someone greater than Jonah” statement is intended to be heard as a declaration of his absolute supremacy over all prophets and perceived religious messengers. You cannot get around him. You cannot sidestep his presence. He will not go away if you just ignore him.

Jesus is absolutely the best thing ever to happen to humans. Love and adore him. Not only is he greater than Jonah, he is greater than anyone or anything else we might choose to name.

 

Will’s Letter to ACF, January 10, 2014

Greetings Church Family! How are you? I’m eager to see you. I spent the last week in Estes Park on my annual mid-winter study and prayer break. It was amazing. Probably the best trip I’ve had. God’s Spirit was so close. I could almost touch him.

Here’s the view from my cabin yesterday. Yes I know, tough assignment.

I remain very encouraged about what God is doing in ACF. The Overseers and I remain very convinced that God will honor us as a church this year. Are you ready?

This Weekend @ ACF

We’re in week two of our series Twenty. We’re looking at the values and vision that have shaped us as a church for the last twenty years. This weekend, we’re looking at prayer and how it was changed me personally and our church. I get to tell some GREAT stories this weekend. I can’t wait. Be at your respective ACF community this weekend and be ready to be inspired.

ACFNE

We’re just a few weeks from the weekend launch of our fourth community, ACF Northeast. Pastor Shawn weekly has a hearty band of congregants and they’re ready to go. I’m still convinced that some of you need to join them.

Do you want to really stir up your and your family’s faith? Then jump into a new church start. If you want to know more about ACFNE, email shawn@acfellowship.org.

We will pray over and commission the ACFNE crew at our 4 PTs Saturday service on January 25th. Will you please come to that service and offer your prayers and support for this new community?

Praying Big

I was interviewed this week by my friend Susie Larson of Faith Radio. We talked about praying big prayers. It was a great interview. If you want to listen to it, click on the image, scroll down and choose the Power of Praying Boldly, January 8 broadcast.

 

John

On the weekend of February 8/9, we begin a multi-series study of the book of John. The first series is called Prologue, and will look at the lofty themes taught in the first eighteen verses of John 1.

Here’s what you can do to get ready:

1. Read and reread John 1. We’ll be in it for a few weeks.

2. Memorize these verses:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:1-5
 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. John 1:12-13
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14
Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.  For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:16-17 
 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. John 1:18

This is good stuff! Get it in you!

So, if you’re still stinging about that mountain shot above. Here’s a shot of me as I write this:

 

Lovely, isn’t it? I got stuck on the way home (as many of you have in the last few weeks). This is what I look like after no sleep, no luggage and missing the mountains.

No worries. I promise to clean up before I see you this weekend.

Blessings, Will

Secure

Secure

I give them eternal life.  John 10:28

It’s one of the nagging questions many Christians struggle with: Am I still a Christian?

The thinking goes something like this:

Surely there is a point where I can go too far, where I can doubt too much, where I have sinned too severely. Just because I was saved yesterday, that doesn’t mean I am saved today. Right?

It’s questions like this that make me glad verses like this are in the Bible. But the simplicity of the words masks their significance.

Let’s look at them:

I–Our salvation is from Jesus himself. He is the giver, and he gives with the full awareness and permission of his Father. Jesus doesn’t make mistakes and he doesn’t do experiments. When he saves you he saves you completely.

Give–Salvation isn’t a loan. It isn’t a test. It doesn’t expire and it doesn’t have conditions. It’s a gift, and no one can ever give more fully, completely or permanently than Jesus.

Them–His people–any who would believe in him. In this passage, we’re called his sheep–imperfect, prone to wander from the fold, and very much in need of a shepherd. There is nothing deserving, good or qualified in us. This is very much about the giver, and not the recipients.

Eternal Life. Not temporary life, not partial life, not maybe life, but forever, unending life.

There is nothing in this statement of Jesus that even hints at the possibility of his sheep ever being stolen, rejected or lost from his fold. They are secure.

Eternal Security. It’s one of the greatest and most encouraging doctrines in all the Bible. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done, how far you’ve fallen, how much you’re doubted or how unfaithful you’ve been. Your salvation has never been dependent on you. It’s always been dependent on the One who gives eternal life.

Say it out loud:

We. Are. Secure.

I. Am. Secure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Want to read more on this? There’s an entire chapter on this topic in my book Ten Things Jesus Never Said

 

http://www.amazon.com/Things-Jesus-Ne...

 

Be Separate

Be Separate

 “Therefore, Come out from them and be separate,” says the Lord. 2 Corinthians 6:17

There really is a call on our lives to be distinct, to be different. Even with the relentless pull of culture to blend in and conform, the call of our Lord is for us to be “other worldly” in the midst of this one.

Consider some of these biblical admonitions:

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2
My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. John 17:15
Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. Philippians 2:14-16
You are the salt of the earth. . . .  You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Matthew 5:13-14

I find these scriptures to be very humbling. They’re good reminders that my life really isn’t my own, and that I really am on loan here from God.

I am supposed to be different. I am not supposed to fit in.

And neither are you.

It’s not that we’re to be troublemakers or trying to draw attention to ourselves by seeing how much we can stick out. It’s rather that the more we become like Jesus the less this culture and this world will have for us. We’ll be distinct.

Why not spend some time today evaluating your own distinctiveness.

Lord, help us to be in this world, but not of it.

 

 

 

How about We all Skip Church Next Sunday?

Two weeks ago, the church where I serve, Austin Christian Fellowship, cancelled our three weekend services. Instead of gathering for worship, we encouraged our congregants to get out into the city and serve.

Click the image to watch a brief video about the Serve Our City initiative

This is actually a new initiative for us, and it’s a direct result of some things we think the Lord has spoken to us coming out of our Restoration service last May 5. We’ve dedicated every weekend in the year that has five Sundays to be serving weekends. And so on those days, we hope to send hundreds if not thousands of eager volunteers out to serve our city.

At our first serving day, we had teams that:

Loaded backpacks full of food and other provisions and distributed them to homeless people
Served breakfast to and led a worship event for a group of special needs adults who live in city housing
Provided breakfast, prayer and encouragement to a group who lost their homes in the recent Austin floods
Met and worshipped with the homeless and other volunteers at Church Under the Bridge.
Assembled and delivered cookie care packages for area first responders.
And, many other projects as well.

It was a great day, and I can’t wait till the next one.

Worship at Church Under the Bridge

We think it’s important for us to do this for several reasons:

1. We’re a little fat. By that I mean that many in our congregation think that church is only about gathering. They think that meeting and eating (spiritually) is all we do. They never get any real spiritual exercise.

2. Sometimes the Church just needs to be seen and not heard. We do a lot to promote the Gospel in Austin and around the world, including giving away 45% of our annual receipts to other missions and Gospel organizations. Serving is a different way to share Christ’s love. It’s less about words and more about actions. Sometimes we lean too far toward words and not enough toward actions.

Preparing Cookie Care Packages

3. It’s good for us. When I was talking to Sunshine, an eighty-something year old woman who lives at Austin’s home for special needs adults, I was again reminded of how sheltered I am. And how much I don’t know. Sunshine’s had a hard life. She’s learned many great lessons in the school of hard knocks. And, she has a profound faith. I can learn things talking to Sunshine that I won’t learn anywhere else. And, I’ll be reminded of just how good it is for me to get out and serve others.

What about you? Will you commit to regularly get out and serve those who can’t pay you back?

If you or your church want to know more about ACF’s Serve Our City initiative, Click Here. 

 

 

The Confession

The Confession

I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.

John 11:27

You won’t find a more beautiful, more concise and more accurate confession of Jesus than that offered by Martha at her brother Lazarus’ tomb. Let’s consider it a moment:

I believe. Every transaction with Jesus requires faith. Martha was talking directly to Jesus, looking him in the eyes, and yet her confession of his true identity still required faith. Any confession of Jesus is at some point an act of faith. And it’s an act of faith, by the way, that he honors.

You are. There’s no wavering here. Martha firmly sets her feet, looks Jesus in the eye and directly confesses to him what she believes about him.

The Messiah. Unless you’re Jewish, it’s hard to grasp the significance of this. The Hebrews had waited centuries for God to keep his promise and send the Anointed One—the Messiah. Martha was confessing that Jesus was the very Promised One for whom Israel had been waiting.

The Son of God. Martha shows amazing insight and faith with these words. As a Hebrew, she would have believed that God could not give birth to anything less than himself. Thus, if Jesus was God’s Son, then Jesus was God. And remember, she confessed this before Jesus raised her brother from the dead.

Who has come into the world. We are safe in assuming that Martha knew of the unusual circumstances surrounding Jesus’ birth. This phrase reflects her understanding that Jesus was sent here on a mission, and not just conceived and birthed in the usual way.

What an amazing confession, and it’s one from which we can learn much.

Why not write your own confession today? What do you believe about Jesus? Who do you know him to be? Who is he in your life? Would you take a few minutes and write a statement to Jesus that reveals your heart for him and belief in him? Martha only used 18 words; I’ll give you twenty.

Write a statement, twenty words or fewer, that sums up your belief in and love for Jesus. Then, send it to me at srpastor@acfellowship.org by Friday, January 10th, and I’ll publish them next week.

This will be a great exercise for us all. Let’s join Martha in confessing what we believe about Jesus.

Sold as a Slave

Sold as a Slave

He sent a man before them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave. Psalms 105:17

The Bible encourages us not to despise the day of small beginnings. It teaches that very big trees can grow from very small seeds. And, it teaches that slaves can become kings.

I’m so glad this story is in the Bible. I’m sure that when Joseph was languishing in prison he was tempted to think that God had forgotten him. That his life was over. But neither was true. In fact, God was preparing him for his life’s assignment.

If God doesn’t send Joseph ahead to Egypt, which he accomplished through the evil act of his brothers, then:

Joseph never meets Pharaoh, and never becomes the ruler of his Kingdom
Jacob and his family don’t have provisions during the terrible famine
Israel’s 400 year captivity never happens, and Moses never leads the people out of captivity
God doesn’t provide manna and quail for his people every day for forty years
God doesn’t provide the best of the world’s wealth for the Tabernacle (which he did when the Israelites walked right out of Egypt with the best of Egypt’s wealth)
The Hebrews don’t have the legacy of God’s deliverance and provision to look back on
And we’re not being inspired by Joseph’s amazing story right now

But God did send Joseph, and he used his short season of suffering to birth and inspire a nation. And aren’t we glad he did.

What prison are you in today? What plans have been delayed? What dreams have seemingly died?

DO NOT . . . GIVE UP . . . HOPE.

God isn’t done with you. He may be sending you ahead, just as he sent Joseph, so that he can prepare, birth and accomplish a great work through you. Do not despise the day of small beginnings. Do not grow weary in waiting. Stay faithful in your current prison.

There’s always more going on than you can see.

 

 

 

 

Guard Yourselves

Guard Yourselves

Little children, guard yourselves from idols, 1 John 5:21

In this first Wake Up Call of 2014, I thought we’d spend a moment with the last verse of 1 John.

John ended his first epistle in what seems to be a rather abrupt manner. He simply said: Guard yourselves from idols. That’s not your typical, cushy and warm ending to a letter. Perhaps John was in no mood to be sentimental. I have no doubt that John’s final words lingered on in the minds of his readers.

An idol is anything that has a higher place in our lives than God. Most of us who follow Jesus would never suspect that we might have an issue with idolatry, as we still tend to see idols as silly little golden statues. But we can be sure if John’s fellow followers struggled with idols, we do too.

Curiously, the idols John warned his readers about weren’t the material kind we struggle with, and they weren’t the little tokens to pagan gods we associate with ancient times. The idols were in fact the alternative theologies and beliefs about Jesus. They were fictional little stories about how Jesus wasn’t really God’s Son, or how he didn’t really come as a human, or how his resurrection was only symbolic or metaphorical.

These stories were elevated above the truth about Jesus—that he was God’s Son in the flesh—and thus they became the very things that were worshipped and observed over the truth.

Huh. Who knew that idolatry started with poor theology? But if you think about it, it’s still true today. We don’t believe that God will care for us or provide for us, so we pursue things that we think will make us happy and secure. And in the process, God gets the boot.

Remember, this is a question of what ACTUALLY gets the best of your time, your love and your attention. It’s not a question of what gets your best in THEORY; it’s a question of REALITY and PRACTICE.

And if your reality is anything like mine, then God has way too much competition in your life. So, John’s words are still timely.

Little children, guard yourselves from idols, 1 John 5:21

Lord Jesus, may 2014 be a year where we keep ourselves free from the idols of the world.

**Join me in Estes Park, Colorado March 24-30 as we help rebuild Windriver Ranch.  Click Here to learn more.