Will Davis Jr.'s Blog, page 48
December 17, 2013
Imitate God
Imitate God
Therefore be imitators of God . . . . Ephesians 5:1
If you think about it, this is an interesting assignment from Paul. He tells us to imitate God—someone we have never seen. But our lack of visual interaction with God doesn’t keep Paul from telling us to act like him. It seems the Apostle believes we have more than enough data about God to imitate him.
So what do we know about God that we could in fact put into practice in our lives?
We know that he his holy, and the Scriptures don’t hesitate to call us to imitate God’s holiness.
We know that he is loving, and we are told to love each other the way God loves us.
We know God is truthful, and we must be truthful as well.
We know God is merciful, and we are commanded to extend mercy to others.
We know God is just–that he brings justice for those who cannot defend themselves. The Bible commands us to bring justice to others as well.
We know that God is generous, and we are called to be as generous and open-handed as God is.
I could go on and on, but I think you get the point.
Even though we can’t see God, we know plenty about him. We have the beautiful pictures of God in the Bible that show us what he is like. Beyond that, we have the example of Jesus—the God-Man—showing us how God lived as a human.
And in four simple words we are commanded to take these examples and make them our own—be imitators of God.
Today, imitate God. Try to say the types of things that God would say. Try to treat everyone you meet the way Jesus would treat them. When you are confronted with injustice, respond as God would. When you are given the opportunity to forgive, forgive only as much as God forgave you.
Get the picture? Be imitators of God.
*There will be no Wake Up Calls December 23-January 3. They will resume Monday, January 6.
December 16, 2013
The Wonder of Disbelief
The Wonder of Disbelief
And he wondered at their unbelief. Mark 6:6
Skepticism is at a high premium these days. Those who seem to make the most headlines or have the bestsellers or land the professorships are those who boast in their lack on belief, not in their great faith in God. In today’s world, the cynics and doubters get the accolades.
That wasn’t the case with Jesus. He didn’t applaud those who refused to belief. Rather, he shook his head at them.
Jesus’ response to the lack of faith he encountered in Nazareth reveals the conflict of values between God’s Kingdom and the Kingdom of this world:
In God’s Kingdom, faith is normal. In the kingdom of this world, faith is a leap in the dark.
In God’s Kingdom, faith is required. In the kingdom of this world, faith is discouraged.
In God’s Kingdom, the evidence for the supernatural is obvious. In the kingdom of this world, only the tangible and quantifiable are obvious.
In God’s Kingdom, the citizens resemble little children. In the kingdom of this world, the citizens are skeptical and cynical.
When Jesus marveled at disbelief in Nazareth, it wasn’t out of respect. Rather, he was marveling at how shortsighted they were. The very Son of God was standing before them, demonstrating the full power of God’s Spirit, and they still refused to belief.
In the thinking of God, such skepticism isn’t noble, but foolish. Remember what Jesus said to Thomas: Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed, John 20:29.
Fellow Christ-follower, let’s not fall prey to the collective cynicism of this world. Faith pleases God; doubt only tests his patience. We have more reasons to be people of faith than we could ever use up in a lifetime. If Jesus is to marvel at us, let it be for our great faith, not the lack of it.
*There will be no Wake Up Calls December 23-January 3. They will resume Monday, January 6.
December 13, 2013
A City Left Unguarded
A City Left Unguarded
All the men of Ai were called to pursue them, and they pursued Joshua and were lured away from the city. Not a man remained in Ai or Bethel who did not go after Israel. They left the city open and went in pursuit of Israel. Joshua 8:16-17
It’s the oldest trick in the book: lure your opponent away from his city and make him think that he’s winning the battle, that he is actually defeating you. Wait until he is far from home, until his loved ones and possessions are not only alone but beyond his protection, and then spring your attack. In this case, Joshua had hidden many soldiers behind the city of Ai. When the men of Ai pulled out in pursuit of Joshua, the hidden soldiers rushed in and totally sacked the city. Imagine the horrible feeling the men of Ai must have had when they saw the smoke rising from their city, when they understood that they had been suckered, and when they realized that the men of Israel were about to kill them all. It is the oldest trick in the book, and they fell for it.
And so have we. Like the men of Ai, we have been lured away from our homes. We are convinced that there are enemies worth chasing, foes worth defeating, profits worth earning and kingdoms worth building that require our presence elsewhere. Satan has wooed us out; and while we are away chasing off the bad guys and padding our pocketbooks, our homes are left unprotected. Our children tuck themselves in at night and our spouses fall asleep in half-empty beds. Neither hears the prayers of a loving parent or partner. Significant life passages are missed and countless little moments that make life sweet, tender and memorable go unnoticed, lost forever. And while we aren’t looking, the enemy creeps in. Our children listen to his lies, our spouses are tempted by his offers, and all while we chase our dreams. Our cities are burning, our homes are being destroyed, and we’re too busy to notice.
What has lured you away from your home? What keeps you from tucking in your kids, from praying with them, from having those long, important talks that shape a future? What noble pursuit has drawn you out so that your spouse knows more loneliness than companionship? What is keeping you from experiencing your life’s most important moments? Can you see the smoke? Can you hear the war cries? Are you soon to be a causality yourself? It’s the oldest trick in the book. Wake up! Don’t be lured off your watch by the promise of something better. You already have it.
December 12, 2013
March Mission Trip to Estes Park, Colorado
I’m thrilled to announce that I’m partnering with Mission Discovery to take a group of people to Windriver Ranch in Estes Park, Colorado. 
Windriver is a Christian dude ranch that was hit by a terrible mudslide back in September. (You can read more about the flooding and mudslide here.)
The dates are March 24-29, 2014. Travel days are Monday the 24th and Saturday the 29th. Cost os $250 a person with lodging and meals provided. Transportation to and from Denver International Airport is available if needed. 
We’ll be staying on site at Windriver and doing a lot of brush and debris removal. Over 2000 trees were taken out in the mudslide and there is a lot of timber that needs to be cut and moved. The work will be outdoors, possibly very cold, but still appropriate for men, women and teens. We’ll end our days with worship, sharing our “God-sightings,” and studying God’s Word together.
Interested?
Click Here to visit the Windriver trip page on the Mission Discovery site and get more info.
Click Here if you want to register a group from a church or other organization.
Click Here if you want to register as an individual and not part of a group.
Click Here if you attend Austin Christian Fellowship and want to register.
The Heart of the Gospel
The Heart of the Gospel
For God so loved the world that he gave . . . John 3:16.
Most of us know this verse as the heart of the Gospel, the summary statement of the entire Bible. It was the first verse many of us learned. It has been flashed at football games, quoted at awards banquets and written in multiple languages. So what does it really say? Broken down to its simplest form—to subject and predicate—it reads: he gave. That really is the heart of the Gospel.
Giving was the central focus of Christ’s message and ministry. He gave sight to the blind; he gave wholeness to lepers; he gave forgiveness to sinners and life to the dead. He gave the words of life to those seeking direction and meaning. And, he gave his own life to free us all from sin. Giving was at the center of Christ’s ministry. That truly is the heart of the Gospel.
He came by it naturally. Jesus’ very presence in human form was the expression of his Father’s giving Spirit. God’s response to man’s rebellion was to give. God’s answer to man’s greatest question was his gift. God’s provision to man’s greatest need was giving his only Son. God gave; that truly is the heart of the Gospel.
Have you received his gift? For God so loved the world–you–he gave. He gave so you could live. Receive his gift of life and be born into his heavenly Kingdom. That is the heart of the Gospel.
There is, however, one final aspect to God’s giving message. Those who receive his gift are likewise expected to become givers. Here is a statement upon which you can base the rest of your Christian life: God never gives you anything that he intends you to keep. Whatever you receive, God wants you to give away. Keep nothing. Claim nothing as your own. The very nature of the Christian walk is to give, to serve, to defer, to bless. Giving was at the center of what God did for us, and it is at the center of what he calls us to do for others.
What has God given you? What gifts, skills, talents, resources, abilities, attributes and experiences are yours that you can use to bless others? As God gave his best, his Son, for us, so we are to give our best for others. Are you a giver? Giving is at the center of the Christian message. It is the essence of what God did, and it is the essence of what we are to do. It really is the heart of the Gospel.
For God so loved the world . . . he gave.
December 11, 2013
Four Great Things to do Today
Four Great Things to do Today
Vindicate the weak and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and destitute. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them out of the hand of the wicked. Psalms 82:3-4
I’m sure you have many things on your “To Do” list today. I know I do. If I were to reduce my day to a series of verbs, it might read:
Pray
Read
Write
Eat
Meet
Lead
Exercise
Converse
Pay
Drive
Call
etc, etc
You get the idea. You could supply your own set of verbs.
Before I get busy with those verbs, the biblical writer Asaph–a worship leader and mighty man who served King David—added four verbs that trumped mine:
Vindicate
Do justice
Rescue
Deliver
Hmmmm . . . Those verbs weren’t really on my list when I got up this morning.
Did you notice how different they are from my verbs? These verbs have nothing to do with making me healthier or increasing my income or promoting anything having to do with me. They’re all about helping others; and specifically, others who can’t help themselves.
Now, I can’t delete my own list of verbs from my day. I have things I have to do. But I can add Asaph’s list to mine and probably have a much better, much more fulfilling and more eternally-minded day.
What about you? Why not spend some time today doing the things Asaph talked about. Add them to your list. I’m betting your day will be better for it too.
December 10, 2013
A Word Behind You
A Word Behind You
Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left. Isaiah 30:21
Today I want to encourage you to be listening. Be listening to God. Keep one ear turned toward Heaven. God is always speaking. If you will quiet your spirit and cut out the background noise, you will hear him.
In this beautiful description of the work of God’s Spirit, the prophet Isaiah tells us what we should expect from him. Even in our most basic decisions, even in something as simple as turning to the right or left, we should expect to hear God.
Can you hear him? He’s whispering even now.
Isaiah described God’s whispers as “a voice behind you.” I’ve heard that voice, and I bet you have too. It’s that gentle nudge, that gut feeling, that quiet whisper that requires you to stop what you’re doing and listen more intently.
Can you hear him? He’s whispering even now.
Part of the love affair we get to have with Jesus is that we receive his little love whispers all throughout the day. He loves us enough to be interested in making every little detail of our lives holy—even if we’re just turning to the right or left.
And the best part about hearing God is that we don’t need a phone, a fax, an email or text message. We can simply listen.
Today, slow down enough to hear the whispers of your First Love. Expect him to speak. Stay spiritually alert. There’s a word behind you.
Can you hear him? He’s whispering even now.
December 9, 2013
Jesus’ Last Wish
Jesus’ Last Wish
Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am.
John 17:24
Every time a Christian dies Jesus says “Amen.” We need to remind ourselves of that every day.
In the longest recorded prayer we have from Jesus in the Bible, Jesus prayed that all his followers might be with him in Heaven so they could see his glory. In Jesus’ mind, this life is woefully inadequate when it comes to our seeing his true nature. There’s just too much sin, too much distance between our Father and us.
Heaven fixes all that because we finally get to see Jesus in all his eternal glory. And when we see that, when we really see Jesus, we’re forever healed. That’s why Jesus prayed for us to hurry on to heaven—he knows how much we need it.
So it’s time for us to repent of our terribly weak theology when it comes to the death of a Christian. While our earthly grief is understandable, if we have any sense of eternal perspective we’ll realize just how good it is that the Christian has died. Jesus prayed for it!
That Christian is done with suffering, pain, hunger, weakness, sadness and sin. That Christian is now fully alive—more alive than we are. And that Christian, if given the opportunity, would not come back to this sin-and suffering-filled world. No way.
The only reason to weep at the death of a believer is the void we feel in their absence. But even that is selfish. No person, regardless of how young or old, ever loses or misses out on anything when he or she gets to go to Heaven.
We simply have it all wrong. We’ve got it backwards. We were not made for this world. We were made for heaven. Jesus prayed that God would hasten our arrival in his heavenly Kingdom so we could be fully alive.
Let’s rethink what it means to be alive. Let’s rethink what it means to die. And even in the midst of our earthly sorrow, let’s celebrate when our brothers and sisters get to go to their true home.
Stop fearing and grieving death. What Satan intended as a tool for evil has become that which sets us free. It’s the ultimate payoff for every believer.
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful servants. Psalm 116:15
December 6, 2013
Will’s Letter to ACF, December 6, 2013
Greetings ACF Family, I pray all is well!
I’m been traveling all week and haven’t had the chance to sit down in front of a camera, so this week you get the written version of my letter.
I’m actually on my way to Nashville for a Mission Discovery board meeting. Mission Discovery is the agency that helped introduce ACF to missions back in 2005. They’re a great group and I’m proud to serve on their board. You might want to click on the link and check them out. If you ever can’t get on an ACF mission trip, Mission Discovery would be a great alternative.
March Missions
Speaking of missions, I’m partnering with Mission Discovery and leading a mission trip to Windriver Ranch in Estes Park, Colorado March 24-29. Windriver is the Christian dude ranch that Susie and I often speak at. They were hit by a terrible avalanche/mud slide back on September 12 when the area got 13 inches of rain in 12 hours. The camp was devastated by the slide but still plans to be fully up and running by mid-May when their camp season starts. Stay tuned to my web site or this letter for more info after the first of the year. But if you think you’re interested, go ahead and save the dates.
This Weekend at ACF
It’s Family Worship weekend at all communities. This has by far become my favorite weekend each month at ACF. We’re in week 2 of the Christmas: From Here to There series. Gary did a great job launching it last week. I have the pleasure of teaching on the subject Up, which is simply a message about worship. The angels and the wise men worshiped at Jesus’ birth. We’ll take our cues from them and see what we can learn about the hows and whys of our own worship.
Year End Giving
As we approach the end of the year, please make sure that you are up to date in your giving to ACF. Remember, the first tenth of all your increase is to be given to the church that you call home. You’re welcome and encouraged to give beyond the 10% to other ministries, and many of you do. But I need to stress the impact your giving or not giving has on missions around the world. At the beginning of this year we had to delay many missions payments to ministries and missionaries all over the world simply because we didn’t have the cash. That should never happen! On the other hand, when that missionary or leader of an orphanage gets their check from ACF, the impact of that money and the encouragement they get is immeasurable.
So I humbly and prayerfully ask you to not end the year without giving your full 10% to ACF. God will honor your giving.
And by the way, as of January 1, 2014, we’ll be at 45% giving at ACF! (That means we give away 45% of all we get.) Yea God!!!!!!!!
OK, that’s enough from me. The Frontier Airlines coffee just hit my bladder.
See you this weekend, Will
