Will Davis Jr.'s Blog, page 69
March 14, 2013
How do You Pray for Someone Whose Soul is Dead?
I grew up going to church, and believed that following the 10 Commandments and being a good person was all I really needed to do to get to heaven. It wasn’t until a friend told me some years back that that’s not what being a Christian is all about. I then realized I had spiritual work to do. I, however, continued on my merry way because it was way easier than thinking about Jesus. Over the years, I went to a few different churches, but I never felt that I belonged . . . . So writes Stephanie M. of Austin, in the testimony she shared at her baptism.
When you first meet Stephanie, it’s easy to be impressed. She’s a tall, willowy beauty with a gentle way about her. She has a smile that can light up a dark room. Stephanie is married to a great man and is raising three wonderful boys. If you looked at her, you would be tempted to think that she had it all. From an earthly standpoint, she did. She was alive and vibrant and happy. But Stephanie, along with many others just like her, still had a great spiritual need. Her soul was asleep. The most beautiful thing about her–her human spirit–had yet to be made fully alive by God. She was in a perpetual state of spiritual slumber. Stephanie knew she had a need, but she wasn’t able to articulate it. What she ultimately needed was a spiritual Prince Charming to come and rouse her sleeping soul. Specifically, she needed Jesus to awaken her into a relationship him.
Stephanie showed up at a Bible study our church was offering for spiritual skeptics. She shared some of her religious and church experiences growing up and expressed more doubts about Christianity than anything else. But she was open and willing to do the due diligence required to reach her own conclusions about Christ. I immediately began praying for Stephanie. I wrote her name in my Bible and made a point to pray for her just about every day. I know that many others, including her husband and some close friends, were praying for her as well.
The New Testament teaches that people without Christ have a spiritual condition that is more serious that most of us realize. Their souls aren’t just asleep before God, they’re dead. Ephesians 2:1 says that all of us in our pre-Christ existence were dead in our trespasses and sins. That’s true for every person today who is currently living without Christ. They have existence—they eat, breathe, sleep, work, feel, and procreate—but they’re not living eternally. They are not enjoying a relationship with God, and there is no way they can experience the abundant life that Christ offers. The curse of sin and death has full control over them. The Bible’s summary of their spiritual condition may not be pretty, but it’s accurate: they’re dead.
How do you pray for a lost person? How do you pray for someone whose soul is dead? With so much at stake, and with the eternal condition of the unbeliever on the line, shouldn’t we be as strategic and biblical as possible when praying for spiritually dead people? We need to pray with absolute pinpoint accuracy and spiritual authority when seeking salvation for another person.
March 13, 2013
It’s Not Your Fault
At a recent Pray Big conference I was approached by a woman after one of the sessions. She immediately appeared to be very shy and timid—painfully so. She talked in a quiet voice, almost a whisper.
She told me that she was concerned about her teenage daughter. She was starting to rebel a little and maybe even questioning her faith. The troubled mom wanted to know how she could pray biblical prayers for her daughter. As we talked, the woman mentioned in passing that her son had gone through a similar rebellion at the same age. Curious, I asked how he had turned out. She told me that he had killed himself when he was 19. He had never really pulled out of his rebellion. She had prayed and prayed, but he never turned back to God. Obviously, she was terrified that her daughter might be taking her first steps down the same path.
The most tragic part of this conversation was that the woman had fallen prey to the “if you were a better Christian” lie. Somehow, her son’s suicide was a reflection of her failed faith. She was consumed with guilt. She was convinced that her son’s death was her fault. For years Satan had been beating on her with his “You didn’t pray enough. You weren’t good enough,” lies. And she believed him. Not only was this woman gripped by shame, but she was stuck in her pain because of it. God’s efforts to heal this woman of her loss had been thwarted by the death grip of her belief that she had caused her son’s suicide. And now that her daughter was starting to show signs of similar behavior, the devil was really wreaking havoc in this woman’s life.
Rarely have I seen a Christian so held captive by Satan’s lies. That dear woman is a vivid example of just how devastating the “you weren’t good enough” lie can be.
The truth is that you can be a committed Christian and still have hard days and seasons. You can be very close to Jesus and still end up in a world of trouble. Bad things happen–sometimes it’s because of your sin, but often it has nothing to do with you. So if you get a cold, it doesn’t mean God is punishing you. If you get a pink slip at your job or a neighbor decides to sue you, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve fallen out of God’s good graces. As Christians, we’re going to have bad days. But those bad days aren’t typically a result of our lack of love for Jesus. The fact is, we live in a sinful world. Heartache is bound to come.
Jesus seemed to go out of his way to let his followers know that troubles would find them. But he was also quick to point out that bad things shouldn’t be interpreted as a sign that you weren’t spiritual enough.
Jesus made it clear that troubles were going to come. But don’t let Satan lie to you. Those troubles aren’t necessarily a sign of your disobedience or your weak faith. Sometimes your troubles will come because of your faith.
From Ten Things Jesus Never Said: And Why You Should Stop Believing Them
March 12, 2013
Our Artificial Environment
On my two recent 15 hour flights with Emirates Airlines I experienced something I hadn’t seen before on an airplane. They did an amazing job at creating a completely artificial environment for us. We left Houston on a Monday at 6 PM headed North/North East at well over 500 miles per hour. As we flew along at just under Mach 1, the sun (or rather the earth’s rotation) brought Tuesday hurling toward us even faster. In other words, we only had a few hours of daylight on Tuesday because we were flying toward the International Date Line. Thus, when we hit Dubai early Wednesday morning (Dubai time), our bodies were thoroughly confused as to what time of day or even what day it really was.
The good folks at Emirates Air did their best to help lessen that impact. Several hours into the flight, with daylight fast approaching outside, the cabin lights dimmed and took on a pink pallor, almost like a sunset. An hour later, the pink faded away and out came the stars. Yes stars–hundreds and hundreds of little lights scattered all long the roof of the fuselage.
It may have been 4 PM Tuesday outside, but it was midnight Monday night inside. Or at least it was supposed to be. A few hours later, as we needed to get ready to hit Wednesday in Dubai, the whole process reversed itself. We went back to a pink and even orange color–sunrise. And an hour later full cabin lights and breakfast, even though it was getting dark again outside.
Our airline hosts had done their best to create an artificial world for us, completely ignoring what was really happening all around us.
I’ve had a few days to process that experience and it has dawned on me (no pun intended) that we try to do much the same thing in our lives. We work very hard to create artificial environments that shield, protect and insulate us from what’s really going on around us.
Living with more than enough affords many of us the opportunity to mute the cries of those on the outside:
The cries from the oppressed for justice
The cries from the grieving for comfort
The cries of the spiritually lost for purpose, meaning and truth
The cries of the unborn for the chance to live
The cries of the orphan for a home
Our more than enough status enables us to stay busy enough, to turn the volume up loud enough, to be “important” enough or to just be distracted enough to not really notice what’s going on around us. We’re able to program in those prefabbed sunrises, sunsets and starry nights so that our worlds appear to be nice and tranquil and controlled and so we don’t notice the darkness that is just outside our artificial environment.
But friends, mark this–all the mood lighting in the world can’t protect us from the turbulence that is coming. Storms are brewing and no amount of free drinks, noise-reducing head phones and cozy environs can stop them.
Wake up. Turn off the automated light show and turn down the volume. Don’t let your relative wealth lull you to sleep. Turbulence is in the air and we’re way beyond a simple tightening of our seat belts.
You need to get in the game. You need to give your life away for something eternal. You need to know what you’re willing to die for if you’re going to know what to live for. You need to spend your money, time and energy for someone who can’t pay you back.
You (and I) need to answer the cries.
This plane is going to land soon. And trust me when I say that we’re all in for a huge shock when we see where we really are.
Our Artificial Enviroment
On my two recent 15 hour flights with Emirates Airlines I experienced something I hadn’t seen before on an airplane. They did an amazing job at creating a completely artificial environment for us. We left Houston on a Monday at 6 PM headed North/North East at well over 500 miles per hour. As we flew along at just under Mach 1, the sun (or rather the earth’s rotation) brought Tuesday hurling toward us even faster. In other words, we only had a few hours of daylight on Tuesday because we were flying toward the International Date Line. Thus, when we hit Dubai early Wednesday morning (Dubai time), our bodies were thoroughly confused as to what time of day or even what day it really was.
The good folks at Emirates Air did their best to help lessen that impact. Several hours into the flight, with daylight fast approaching outside, the cabin lights dimmed and took on a pink pallor, almost like a sunset. An hour later, the pink faded away and out came the stars. Yes stars–hundreds and hundreds of little lights scattered all long the roof of the fuselage.
It may have been 4 PM Tuesday outside, but it was midnight Monday night inside. Or at least it was supposed to be. A few hours later, as we needed to get ready to hit Wednesday in Dubai, the whole process reversed itself. We went back to a pink and even orange color–sunrise. And an hour later full cabin lights and breakfast, even though it was getting dark again outside.
Our airline hosts had done their best to create an artificial world for us, completely ignoring what was really happening all around us.
I’ve had a few days to process that experience and it has dawned on me (no pun intended) that we try to do much the same thing in our lives. We work very hard to create artificial environments that shield, protect and insulate us from what’s really going on around us.
Living with more than enough affords many of us the opportunity to mute the cries of those on the outside:
The cries from the oppressed for justice
The cries from the grieving for comfort
The cries of the spiritually lost for purpose, meaning and truth
The cries of the unborn for the chance to live
The cries of the orphan for a home
Our more than enough status enables us to stay busy enough, to turn the volume up loud enough, to be “important” enough or to just be distracted enough to not really notice what’s going on around us. We’re able to program in those prefabbed sunrises, sunsets and starry nights so that our worlds appear to be nice and tranquil and controlled and so we don’t notice the darkness that is just outside our artificial environment.
But friends, mark this–all the mood lighting in the world can’t protect us from the turbulence that is coming. Storms are brewing and no amount of free drinks, noise-reducing head phones and cozy environs can stop them.
Wake up. Turn off the automated light show and turn down the volume. Don’t let your relative wealth lull you to sleep. Turbulence is in the air and we’re way beyond a simple tightening of our seat belts.
You need to get in the game. You need to give your life away for something eternal. You need to know what you’re willing to die for if you’re going to know what to live for. You need to spend your money, time and energy for someone who can’t pay you back.
You (and I) need to answer the cries.
This plane is going to land soon. And trust me when I say that we’re all in for a huge shock when we see where we really are.
March 11, 2013
Are You a Disciple?
Jesus set the bar very high for those who want to be his disciples. Perhaps higher than you realize. He invites all to follow him, but on his terms, not ours. Click the image below to watch or listen to the weekend message from ACF.
March 8, 2013
Wanted: A Few Weary, Faithful and Godly Pastors
Susie and I are doing our first-ever pastors’ retreat in September at Wind River Ranch in Estes Park, Colorado. The camp expenses have been covered. All the pastors and their wives need to do is get there. We’ve still got a few spots to fill.
Estes in September
I wonder if you know any pastors who have served faithfully over the years that could use a respite in the mountains with other pastors and their spouses. If so, how about writing a few comments here about who they are and how they’ve served. Tell me about their impact. I’ll send invites to those you mention until the camp is full. The only requirement is they have to be sr/lead pastors. Thanks!
Friday Fire Starters–You are Loved.
Fire-starters are simple ways to kick-start your time with God. Here’s this week’s suggestion:
Read and meditate on 1 John 4:19.
We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19
Write down ten things that are true about you today because God loved you before you were ever created. Then praise and thank him for them.
March 7, 2013
Letting Them Go
As godly parents, we need to come to grips with a timeless biblical reality: Our kids are not our own. They’re God’s. God gives us children to raise, love, teach and train for his glory. But like everything else we have, they’re on loan. We are stewards of our children; we are not their owners. I’m asking you to consider–and more importantly, to pray about–crossing that mental and emotional line where you accept the fact that you are raising kids that are not really yours, kids that you are training and preparing to leave home. I want you to begin to pray about, prepare for and parent towards the day when your children make a clean, healthy and God-honoring break from their dependence on you.
I’ll never forget the day I crossed that line with my son, Will. He was about three. I was playing with him at a playground near our house. He was laughing and giggling, and then he just gave me this piercing look. It was like time just froze in that instant. I can still see his face. In the moment that Will looked at me, I saw him as an adult, not a child. I saw him as a man. It was like God was saying to me, “Will is not yours; he’s mine. I have plans for him that you know nothing about. I will care for him and protect him, but I need you to let go of him.”
Those were some tough words for a dad to hear. I didn’t like them. But I got the message. I made the clear decision to start preparing my son for the day that he would leave Susie’s and my care (a day that arrived in August of 2005). I began looking for opportunities to grow and stretch him. I began to be more aware of teachable moments and of his critical life transitions. When I crossed that emotional line, I became a better parent. You will too.
Have you had that encounter with God when he gently reminded you of his claim on your child’s life? Maybe it came when you were rocking her to sleep one night in her nursery, or when he took his first steps. Maybe God spoke to you when she said her first words. Or maybe you saw it when you dropped him off for his first day of school. Whatever the occasion, I bet you’ve had that moment when God reminded you of your job description as a parent. If you haven’t had it yet, start praying for it. You won’t love your kids any less, but you will see them differently.
March 6, 2013
Bless Someone. Try Saying, “I Got It!”
A few weeks ago my wife Susie shared about her spontaneous payment of a woman’s bill at her doctor’s office. The woman was distressed about being unable to pay her bill and Susie stepped up and covered it with our credit card.
Yesterday, Susie received this message from a friend who attends our church. Looks like this spontaneous generosity thing is catching on. Yea God.
Susie,
I just wanted to tell you that ever since I heard your story about helping the young pregnant lady at the OBGyn office, I’ve been open to seeing those opportunities in my life. Today, I got to help someone. At HEB, a man in front of me was asking how long they could suspend his transaction, or hold his groceries. I asked if I could help, and he told me he forgot his card. I told him, “don’t worry about it. I got it”. He was floored. He was speechless. I was tearing up. It was awesome! I told him to just say thanks. Then I told him, “God bless you” and he left.
One of the best things ever!
Thanks for always being an inspiration to me and so many others through your kindness and good works.
It’s very difficult to overstate the power of sheer, raw, love-motivated generous giving. Try it.
