Will Davis Jr.'s Blog, page 63
June 20, 2013
The Difference between a Camel and a Rich Man
It’s one of the most familiar metaphors of Jesus, and probably of the most misquoted as well. I’m talking about the statement Jesus made to his disciples after his conversation with a man who has come to be known as the Rich Young Ruler (see Luke 18:18-25). After Jesus challenged the man to let go of his wealth, give it to the poor and to simply follow him, the man “became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth,” (Luke 18:23). Upon seeing the rich man’s response, Jesus offered the following insight: How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God (Luke 18:24-25).
The part of Jesus’ story that most folks remember is the camel and the eye of the needle part. That fascinates people. The idea of a camel literally trying to go through the eye of a needle is ridiculous. Jesus was obviously using a metaphor to make a point. But unfortunately, many people still don’t hear Jesus’ message. Jesus never said that it’s impossible for those with more than enough to get to heaven, but he did say it can be very difficult.
What people often don’t know is that scholars believe there was a narrow gate in the Jerusalem wall called The Needle. It was designed for pedestrian access only. A merchant or traveler who was bringing goods into the city via camel would most likely not be able to use this entrance, as it would be next to impossible for the fully burdened beast to fit through the opening. Jesus may have been referencing this gate when he made the statement. Either way, Jesus’ point was that those who are burdened with wealth often find their financial and material loads prohibitive to their spiritual progress. He was saying that having more than enough tends to hinder, not help, one’s ability to know and love God.
From Enough: Finding More by Living with Less
June 18, 2013
Pray Big for Your Child Webinar Tonight!
It’s not too late to join Susie and me and listeners from around the country as we talk about how to pray pinpoint prayers for your children.
We’ll share our own struggles and successes in praying for and raising three kids. Should be loads of fun and very helpful.
You can purchase the book here.
Order your $1.99 e-book of Pray Big for Your Marriage below:
June 17, 2013
$1.99 Pray Big for Your Marriage E-Book
This week only you can buy the e-version my marriage book Pray Big for Your Marriage for $1.99. It’s helped thousands of couples pray biblical prayers for their marriages over the past several years.
This comment was posted on my blog last week:
Dear Pastor Will Davis
I’m reading your book “Pray Big for your Marriage” and it has been a big help to keep on praying for a better marriage. We have a good relationship which I’m very thankful for, and still I know that God has always something to teach us and something better ready for us. we just need to ask. Praying God’s Word with the help of your book has made praying big for us way easier and fun. May God Bless you!!
Thank you very much! Tina
Pray Big for Your Marriage can help you too! It can also help others you know who want to have better marriages. For $1.99, you can buy a bunch and email them to your friends!
Here are the links for the e-version:
To purchase a hard copy, Click Here.
June 14, 2013
Friday Fire Starters: Get Outside!!!!!!
Fire Starters are simple ways to kick-start your time alone with God. Here’s todays suggestion:
Psalm 97:6–The heavens declare His righteousness, And all the peoples have seen His glory.
The Scriptures teach that nature is a 24/7/365 worship prompter–that it is the first level of revelation of God to all people and proof that he exists. So in this Fire Starter, I want you to get outside. Take a walk and note all the things in nature that reveal God’s glory to you. Praise God and join with all creation in honoring him as the Creator.
June 13, 2013
I have an Idea for a Great New Reality TV Show
OK, I have to admit that I’m a bit punchy about this right now. Perhaps I’m not objective at all. My church has teams in Moore, OK and Port Au Prince, Haiti (from which I just returned). In both cases, the teams are building or rebuilding homes for people who literally have nothing.
So while hanging out with my wife yesterday as she recoops from hand surgery, we started watching some of those shows that feature office, room or home makeovers. And in the cases of the shows we happened to see yesterday, they featured perfectly good homes/rooms/offices being transformed into even better ones. And there’s nothing wrong with that. People have a right to spend their money as they choose and to fix their homes as they please. And given that my home is in need of a new roof, etc., I certainly can’t judge anyone else.
But the shows gave me an idea. Why not make a show about a family who has never had a home receiving one for the first time? Why not have a camera crew follow a mission team to Haiti or Mexico or Nicaragua, show how the family they’re helping is currently living, and then show their speechless reactions as they receive their “home” (often a 12-16 wooden or stone building with no water and no power) for the first time? Why not promote agencies who help people clean up and rebuild after tragedies like the OK tornadoes or give homes to people around the world who have never had them? Wouldn’t that be more inspiring than seeing someone who has a 2500 foot home upgrade to a 3000 foot home so they can have more room? I mean, seriously, which one is the better story?
So there’s my new reality show idea. Any takers?
June 12, 2013
The Left Hand Obviously Doesn’t Know What the Right One is Doing
From my wife Susie’s blog today (written at 3 AM and yes, with only one hand):
need to reschedule
Posted: 12 Jun 2013 04:18 AM PDT
I discovered a truth this week: My left hand is a huge slacker. Has been for decades. Can’t button my jeans, fasten my bra, and has no idea how to apply mascara without poking out my eye. Be warned, be watchful. If you see me in the next couple weeks … I’ll be make-up less, bra-less and wearing pull-on clothes. A full on hippie mama. The kind that’s banned in Dallas, embraced in Austin. Thank God for Austin. But it still ain’t pretty …
Click here to read the full blog.
June 10, 2013
Jude Law
I met Jude Law (not the actor) a week ago in Port Au Prince, Haiti. He is a bright, articulate and handsome 27-year-old who has lived the last five years of his life in the Bon Samaritan orphanage in Port Au Prince. He met the house mother of the orphanage, Madam Paul, through his father a several years ago. Madam Paul currently cares for 103 orphans from infants to teens in a facility that only has 50 beds and a scant food supply. The living conditions are harsh, but still relatively good by Haitian standards.
Jude Law volunteers his time for Madam Paul, and he has the entire time he’s been with her. He lives in the orphanage, cares for the kids, eats what they eat and goes hungry when they do. I imagine he sleeps on the floor. He has no privacy, no day off and no career plans.
I was struck by the class and character of this young man. Were I to meet him in the States, I imagine he’d have an MBA or a Law degree and be well on his way to greatness. But that’s not his life. He lives with the poorest of the poor and serves them he best he can.
My encounter with Jude Law got me to thinking about greatness–I mean Christian greatness. In my culture we put the faces of mega-church pastors, best-selling authors and bloggers, Christian TV stars and famous athletes on the covers of our magazines. We talk about the fastest growing churches and the top 50 Christians to watch in the new year. We ooohh and aaahh over these celebrity Christians and applaud their magnificent Kingdom contributions, all of which I am sure are quite significant.
But when I think about Jesus’ definition of greatness, it seems that he may have been thinking more about a guy like Jude Law than one of our superstar believers in the US. For in the Kingdom economy of Jesus, the great are rarely famous. They don’t have articles written about them and they don’t win awards. In fact, they’re often unheard of and go through this life unnoticed.
Like Jude Law. He’ll never publish a book or speak at a conference, but he is a mover and shaker in the Kingdom. By simply giving his life away on behalf of those who cannot thank him or pay him back he hits the high level of greatness that Jesus defined. And unless things drastically change for him, Jude Law will live and die in poverty and hunger, but he will be undeniably rich in heaven. On the other hand, those of us who have our name in lights (or want to) here on earth will be dwarfed by the greatness and reward of the countless Jude Laws who will outrank us in heaven.
We don’t know their names and faces here, but you can be sure that we will in eternity.
Fellow Christian, what are you giving your life to? What are you pursuing? It’s so easy to get sucked into the mantra of Christian culture that applauds and promotes our stars and superstars. But the painful reality is that our value system is upside-down.
Do you want to be great in God’s Kingdom? Disappear. Fade to black. Become obscure. Give your life to a cause that promotes others, serves those who can’t return the favor and gives glory to Jesus alone.
Jude Law isn’t wasting his life. He’s humbling himself, emptying himself of his rights and entitlements and becoming a servant. And if I read the Scriptures correctly, he’s in good company:
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death —
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:5-11
If You Were Taken Against Your Will to a Foreign Culture, How would you Do?
Here’s part 2 of our Legendary series. Suppose you were taken as a POW and forced to live in a foreign culture that worship different gods. Could you stay true to yours?
June 8, 2013
An Account of Incredible Faith
My friend Chelsea Landis wrote in her blog recently:
I want to share a story with you about incredible love, faith, and trust.
Some time ago, a 16-year-old young man was moved from an orphanage in Port-au-Prince, Haiti to live with his uncle somewhere near by. Let’s call him Mack. Mack’s uncle selfishly decided he didn’t want him to live in his house so he sent him on a bus, 9 hours north to live with his birth father. His dad didn’t love him, had little money to take care of him or afford to send him to school, and participated in satanic rituals most every night.
June 6, 2013
An Urgent Invitation for Your Pastor
Friends, we still have seven spots open for pastors and their spouses at the Wind River Pastors retreat September 10-14 in Estes Park, Colorado. Here’s the letter I’ve been sending to my pastor friends:
Dear________, I am writing to invite you and your spouse to join me and Susie at Wind River Ranch in Estes Park, Colorado September 10-14, 2013. Wind River is a Christian Dude Ranch tucked away in the beauty of the Rocky Mountains. Susie and I, along with the staff of Wind River, have created this retreat just for pastors and wives. It’s an invitation only event and one that will refresh and encourage you. And, it’s paid for. All you have to do is get there.
Check out the link to Wind River above, look at the dates and let me know if you’re interested. Spots are limited. If you can’t afford the cost of travel let me know and I’ll see what I can do.
Do you know a pastor or ministry couple who needs to go to this camp? Get them there! Contact Becky at info@windriverranch.com and she can get them signed up. But please hurry! Spots are filling up fast!.
