Will Davis Jr.'s Blog, page 54

Build Your House on the Rock

Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house,

and it fell with a great crash.

 

But everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house.

Yet it did not fall,

because it had its foundation on the rock.

Matthew 7:24-27

St Malo Church, Estes Park, CO. Photo credit Ed Long

It’s Dark Outside

By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. John 6:17b

Picture the scene: The disciples are rowing across the Sea of Galilee (it’s really big) at the command of Jesus. But Jesus isn’t there. A serious storm blows in–a serious enough storm to trouble seasoned fishermen. But Jesus isn’t there. And it’s dark–not just nighttime dark and not just storm dark–it’s nighttime dark AND storm dark. But Jesus isn’t there.

The disciples are right where Jesus told them to be, and yet they’re in serious trouble. Or at least they feel like they are. In their minds, Jesus couldn’t have been further away.

You ever feel like that? Have you ever felt like you were doing exactly what Jesus told you to do and yet it’s dark and stormy and Jesus is nowhere to be found? I have, and it’s terrifying. You think Did I miss God? or Maybe God has forgotten me? or Perhaps Satan has set me up. But none is true. You’re right where you’re supposed to be. Right in the middle of God’s will; it’s just hard.

It’s dark.

It’s always darkest right before Jesus shows up.

But you need to hear today that you’re not crazy. You’re not disobedient and you’re not out of God’s will. Jesus is coming, and when he does it will change everything.

Take a big, deep breath. Set your face firmly into the darkness. Somewhere out there is Jesus. And when he does show up, he’ll look like he’s taking a casual walk through the park. But he’ll be in the midst of your storm, in the midst of the darkness and right there with you.

You are not alone. Stay the course. He’s just a step away.

Ten Things They Don’t Tell You at Hooters

The beautiful twenty-three year old sat in my office and just cried. Heavy tears, deep signs, pain upon pain.

The problem? Dad.

When she was in her mid-teens when he decided that her mom–his wife–could no longer satisfy him. He decided he deserved better–younger, hotter, sexier–and he acted on it. He started going to Hooters and strip clubs and flirting and stroking his ego and lusting after young women–most of whom were the same age or younger than the beautiful, weeping young woman who sat in my office now.

He indulged his flesh, and he basically killed his daughter in the process.

So here she is, less than a decade later, trying to deal with the implications of having a dad who rejected her mother, her siblings, and her because he wanted better sex. She’s trying to deal her own bad choices–her professional drivenness, her inability to trust men, her poor relational decisions and her struggling spiritual walk–that are a direct result of the disobedience, rebellion and selfishness of her father.

That’s right guys, and this something they’re not going to tell you at Hooters: You need to pull your head out and quit listening to your buddies. When you indulge your flesh, you leave a world of human debris behind you. Is it really worth it?

I’m writing this blog as a direct result of, not one conversation, but of hundreds of conversations that all go exactly the same way. And they all begin with the same basic ingredient–a man, often a Christian, who basically decides that he can do better than the wife and family that God not only gave him but that he agreed to love and serve for the rest of his life.

To you men who are being tempted to pursue your sexual passions, even if it means that you lose your family, I offer the following:

Ten Things They don’t Tell You at Hooters

10. The girl you’re staring at and flirting with is your daughter’s age, maybe younger.

9. That girl you’re lusting after may well be your daughter in a few years, especially if you continue down the path you’re on.

8. The girl you’re leering at may have a dad just like the man you’re becoming. That’s why she’s working at a Hooter’s in the first place.

7. The fact that you’re in Hooters says worlds about you–not your masculinity or your sexual needs, but about your insecurity and immaturity.

6. You’re not owed certain kind of sex life or certain level of sexual satisfaction. In fact, you’re not owed anything at all.

5. Sex is a gift from God, not an entitlement.

4. What you consider “normal” isn’t normal at all; especially if you’re basing your definition on what you see in pornography.

3. Real men, secure men and mighty men don’t have to have some scantily-clad twenty-something ooohing and aaahhing over them (for tips, I might add) to make them feel manly.

2. This path you’re on will not satisfy you; it will consume you. And, it will consume those you say you love most as well. You don’t live in a vacuum. Choices matter.

1. Jesus, not a great sex life, is what you need most. Stop trying to meet the needs of your eternal soul with fleshly solutions. You might as well be trying to breathe dirt.

 

 

 

 

Means Matter

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

We need to clarify something. When it comes to doing God’s will, how you get it done is as important as doing it. In the Kingdom of God, the ends never justify the means.

People often wonder why Jesus told people he had healed not to tell anyone. Why was he so afraid of the positive press coverage? And in this verse, why did Jesus resist the crowd? Didn’t he want to be king? Wasn’t that God’s plan for him anyway?

Jesus was and is indeed a king, but the route to the throne was very critical to God’s plan. It went through the cross. Had Jesus answered the crowd’s call to be their king, he likely would have never died on the cross. His path to the Kingdom required death and resurrection, and only then would he be qualified to rule.

In God’s Kingdom, means matter. Shortcutting for a good cause is never in the plan of God.

So, let’s think about our lives for a minute. How many times are we tempted to cut corners in the name of a something noble? How many times do we use unethical means to accomplish a good end? Still confused? Let’s get specific:

God wants the abortion clinic to be shut down, but he doesn’t condone the murder of those who work there
The man or woman you’re dating may be the person God wants you to marry, but living with them before marriage is still wrong
God wants you to be debt free and able to give more, but lying on your tax returns isn’t how you accomplish it
God wants your church to reach people and be evangelistic, but secretly lobbying to have your pastor fired isn’t how you help your church

Today, you will have the opportunity to make hundreds if not thousands of tiny choices. Some will possibly have huge Kingdom implications. Don’t let a good cause justify or blind you to poor or unethical methods. How you get it done matters.

 

 

Run Away

Run Away

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

Jesus was the bravest, mightiest man who ever lived, and yet he knew when to run away from trouble. Do you?

After witnessing the feeding, the crowd realized that Jesus was the solution to all of their problems. A guy who could miraculously feed a multitude once could obviously do it again, along with other things like chasing out those pesky Romans and restoring Israel to her national glory.

So the crowd turned into a mob and sought to take Jesus by force and make him King. And Jesus ran. In the language of the Scripture, he withdrew from them. Translated: he put a mountain between himself and that mob.

Why did Jesus do that? Why did he flee the crowd when they wanted to make him King? Simple–it wasn’t his Father’s will. Jesus knew that the crowd wanted a miracle-working, hunger-ending and Rome-defeating Messiah. And those things simply weren’t on the agenda for Jesus (at least not immediately).

Jesus knew that God had other plans, so he ran. He got as far away from that crowd as possible and spent the night praying and shoring up his will and resolve for his Father’s plan. And we’re all very grateful that he did. For had Jesus let the crowd make him King, he mostly likely would have never made it to the cross.

Do you know when to run? Are you discerning enough to know the difference between temptations and opportunities? Are you committed enough to God’s will in your life–no matter how difficult it may appear to be–to not be led astray by earthly, temporal temptations?

Just because someone has an idea for your life doesn’t mean it’s a good idea or a God idea. Have the sense to run away. Get alone on a mountain and reset your focus on God. Don’t ever let the will and demands of the crowd preempt your obedience before God. Stay the course. Don’t flirt with temptation. Run away.

 

Shiny Things

Shiny Things

After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” John 6:14

There’s a reason Jesus deemphasized his miracles and emphasized his words when he was living on earth. The reason is people tended to get hung up on what Jesus did and not on who he was. And in doing so they missed the point of why he came.

Jesus did miracles to get people’s attention. Yes he was compassionate for the hungry he fed, and yes he grieved the plight of the lepers he healed. But his miraculous healings and feedings were never ends in themselves. They were always the means to an eternal end. What Jesus did pointed to who he was.

That’s why John called Jesus’ miracles signs. They pointed beyond themselves to the real nature of the one who did them.

We need to be careful today not to get enamored with the what of Jesus. We’re often guilty of presenting Jesus as the great need-meeter, or the great comforter, or the great healer. And he is those things. But he is also more, much more.

Don’t follow Jesus because of what he can do for you. Don’t buy the lie that if you follow Jesus you’ll be rich or famous or problem-free. The Son didn’t live that way, and neither will his followers. Avoid chasing after the shiny things of the Gospel.

Instead, associate yourself with the gritty, dirty, blood-stained message of Jesus’ death for sinners. The holy for the unholy, the infinite for the finite, the sublime for the pagan, the divine for human, and Jesus for ________________ (put your name in the blank).

That’s the only real reason to follow Jesus. Everything else is secondary.

Let Nothing be WastedLet nothing be wasted. John 6:12I ...

Let Nothing be Wasted

Let nothing be wasted. John 6:12

I really wish the Scriptures told us what happened next. In the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, this detail is left out. We just don’t know. We can only speculate.

Here’s what we do know: Jesus turned five loaves of bread and a few fish into a feast for a multitude. They had so much leftover–much more than when they had started–that a plan was required to deal with the extras.

What did they do with them? Maybe the disciples kept them for themselves. They were always on the road and provisions were no doubt scarce. The extras could have sustained Jesus and his band of brothers for quite some time. Maybe they left them with the neediest in the multitude. Maybe they shared them with a leper colony. Maybe they gave them to street children. Maybe they shared them with the women who followed, supported and often funded Jesus’ ministry.

Here’s what we do know: they wasted nothing, not a single scrap.

That’s really convicting to me. Here’s why: It wasn’t just that food was really important back then, or that poverty was everywhere and those leftovers could really help someone. That’s certainly true and would be reason enough to not waste them. But there’s more to it. Those leftovers didn’t exist before Jesus created them out of the original loaves and fish. They represented the miraculous work that God had done. They were like manna–heaven sent. And what God provides in such a miraculous fashion should never be wasted.

Now get this–everything, and I mean EVERYTHING we have in the Christian life is like manna. It’s heaven sent. Our new existence as Jesus’ followers, the fact that we’re new creations, our spiritual gifts, the Word, the Holy Spirit, our blessings, our life mission, our family and Christian community, and certainly our resources and time–all of it is as miraculous as those newly created loaves and fish. There is no difference. And just like the loaves and fish, there’s more of us and our riches than we had before we met Jesus. He multiplies us.

To waste one day, one moment, one heartbeat or one penny when it all represents the miraculous of work of God is to completely dishonor God and to miss the point salvation. It’s like the line in the All Sons and Daughters song Great are You Lord: It’s your breath in our lungs, so we pour out our praise, we pour out our praise.

Don’t take any aspect of your life for granted today. Look around at your life–all you that have and all who you love–and know that it is directly from Jesus. God never gives you a blessing he intends you to keep. Let nothing be wasted.

When Will the Heaven Begin–The Ben Breedlove Story

On December 25, 2011, Ben Breedlove suffered a major heart attack and died a few hours later here in Austin. His death, and the amazing story of his life, became a YouTube sensation and has inspired millions of people around the world. You can learn more about Ben on the links below.

Ben’s sister, Ally, has written a book about Ben’s life that will be released in a few weeks. It’s available now for pre-purchase and I’m asking you to help make this book a bestseller before it ever releases.

This is the best Christmas present you could ever give someone. Please go online and pre-order multiple copies of When Will the Heaven Begin. This is a message that every person you know needs to hear.

If you’re not convinced, click the link below and watch the video of my interview with Ben’s parents and sister from Christmas of last year. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and then you’re going to want to order hundreds of copies of this book.

Click here to watch my interview with the Breedloves

Click here to see the YouTube videos Ben made a week before his death

Click here to go to the official Ben Breedlove website

Click here to order When will the Heaven Begin from Amazon

 

As Much as They Wanted

As Much as They Wanted

Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. John 6:11

Whatever Jesus takes, blesses and breaks always multiplies. Instead of becoming less, it increases.

Jesus didn’t have to handle the bread and fish at all. He could have just commanded and multiplied it as the disciples passed it out. But he was doing more than feeding a multitude; he was giving his disciples an object lesson.

The lesson: if you want to transform and multiply what you have, you have to give it to Jesus.

Way too many Christ-followers spend their lives settling for the best they can do. They strive in their flesh and end up with mediocre results. Their crowds, so to speak, remain hungry. But when we bring what we have to Jesus–relationships, money, time, dreams, gifts and talents, and even hurts, fears and insecurities–he takes it and transforms it. And the little we have to offer becomes enough to feed a multitude (think—bless countless others) with more left over than when you started.

If you will daily–even moment to moment–bring your life to Jesus, he will pour you out in a glorious fashion and all those you contact will be able to take as much as they want. And you, rather than being depleted and bankrupt, will have more energy, joy, passion and even resource than when you began.

That’s Jesus’ pattern of taking, blessing, breaking and distributing. And it’s his plan for you.

Seven Things to Do When Your Good Boyfriend Becomes a Bad Husband

What do you do when the man you’re married to isn’t the man you married?

It happens way too often–A guy and girl start dating. He promises to be a hard worker and to be a great dad and to go to church with her and to be the man of her dreams. But then she wakes up a few years into her marriage and she’s in a nightmare.

What’s changed? Usually it’s his relationship with God. And when his heart goes from hot to lukewarm to cold, behavior inevitable follows. And there you are, little kids in tow, going to church without your husband and having to be the spiritual leader in your home. Your good boyfriend has become a bad husband.

Why this happens so often is another blog for another day. Today, let’s focus on what you do when your husband’s behavior, morality, work ethic or faith goes south.

1. Remember your covenant. You stood at an altar and made a covenant with God to serve this man for the rest of your life. You don’t get to divorce him just because he’s not the guy you thought he was. Determine to be a godly woman and wife and to honor your covenant with God.

(Note: I’m not talking here about abusive marriages and infidelity. If he’s threatening you or hurting you physically, move out immediately. Call the police if you have to. If he’s being unfaithful to you, throw him out and don’t let him back in until he stops the other relationship and gets help for his errant ways.)

2. Pray and fast for him. God loves your husband more than you do. He wants him to be godly more than you do. Pray for him. Ask God to humble and break your husband. Find verses in the Bible that describe what you want to be true about your husband and pray those verses every day. Enlist your friends to pray and fast with you for him.

3. Respect him. Lecturing and griping at your man for being a bum isn’t likely to motivate him to change. Find a way to respect him. Praise him in front of others. I’m not asking you to be inauthentic. There are things your husband does well. There are still good aspects to his character. He still has great moments. And when he does, be the first to acknowledge them.

4. Surround yourself with godly women who give godly counsel. One of the most shocking and disheartening things I hear is when Christian women advise other Christian women to abandon their husbands to go on the hunt for a better or richer or nicer man. The marriage may be hard, but it isn’t over. If you’ve got women in your life questioning why you’re sticking with your husband, you need to dump them. Surround yourself with women who will challenge you to honor your covenant and to respect your husband even when you don’t want to.

5. Grow. When you bump into a wall, look for mirrors. In other words, ask God how he wants you to grow during this difficult season in your marriage. I am not saying that your husband’s behavior is your fault. It’s not. I’m saying that God will use this painful season to purity and refine you. So go ahead and give the Holy Spirit permission to make you more like Jesus. God doesn’t waste hurts and he doesn’t waste tears. Let him use this time to make you better.

6. Expect things to get worse before they get better. Don’t get discouraged here–this is actually a good sign. The number one sign that a wayward man is under conviction is that he gets grumpier. As you pray and fast for him, God will convict your husband. He will attack his pride and everything that gives your man a false sense of security and pride. God will bust him. And when he does, unless your husband has a really tender, teachable heart, he’s going to get mad. When you see that happening, know that God is working on your husband. Turn up the prayers and increase the fasting. You’ll actually be able to see the battle that is being fought for your husband.

7. Settle in for the long haul, but go ahead and start thanking God for changing your man. Chances are your husband didn’t get where he is overnight, and he probably won’t turn back overnight either. So be patient and know that this may take a while. Remember that for better or for worse didn’t come with time limits. But God is working, so go ahead and start thanking God for his work. Pray in faith and thank God for the man your husband will become. And remember–God is honoring your obedience.

Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 1 Peter 3:1-2