August 30, 2010
How Strong is Your Foundation?
Two massive, beautiful trees fell recently not far from where I study. I’m not sure what happened. When I left on Friday, they we’re fine. But when I drove in on Monday, I found this:
Oh how the mighty have fallen.
As I looked at their respective bases, each appeared to be rotten. It could be from ants, disease or two much standing water. But the sad part is that these two trees looked to be fine. They were beautiful, green and vibrant. But inside they were dying. Their foundations were rotten.
Jesus taught that a man’s life was no more secure than his foundation: Therefore 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. But 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 (Matthew 7:24-27)
We can look good, have lots of money, and appear to have everything put together…but if our lives are not built on God’s Word, we are just one strong gust of wind away from being toppled.
Are you secure? Have you built your life on the principles of knowing, loving and serving God? If so, then you’re ready for life’s storms. If not, don’t be deceived when everything seems to be going your way. And, don’t be misled by the message of culture that money and material things can insulate you from troubles. They can’t. Make the foundation of your life a relationship with God. Center yourself on his Word.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
August 9, 2010
Where is God When Missionaries Die?
The brutal murders of ten Christian aid workers by the Taliban has once again underscored the frequent dangers faced by those who desire to take Jesus’ message and care offered in his name to underserved or oppressed people groups. Such senseless killings are not, tragically, all that unusual. These are just getting more attention because so many of them were Westerners.
But their deaths raise a series of profound, if not troubling questions:
- Where was God? Why didn’t he protect them?
- How far is too far? What price is too high? Weren’t these men and women being foolhardy for venturing into such dangerous territory?
- And, aren’t there certain lines—political, geographic, cultural and even sacrificial—that we shouldn’t cross in our efforts to spread Christ’s message? When do we decide that certain assignments need to be someone else’s, and not our own?
These are serious questions indeed. The good news is that the Bible directly answers them and lays out clear instructions for all of us who seek to advance the love of Jesus.
- Where was God? He was with those who were perishing. No Christian has ever died apart from the presence of God. When the bullets started flying, Jesus was there. God did not promise to exempt his servants from such suffering or sacrifice while on earth. Similar sacrifices have been all too frequent in the 2000 year history of the Christian faith. But God does promise to greatly reward in eternity those who suffer in this life. He reminds us that this world is not our home and that such suffering, while expected here, will only bring great reward in heaven.
- How far is too far? When is the sacrifice too great? Each believer must wrestle with God on the sacrifices he or she is being asked to offer for Jesus’ sake. And none of us should judge the other in regards to what he believes God is telling him to do. But Philippians 2 sets the bar of sacrifice painstakingly high: Jesus, who was God, gave up everything to reach out to sinners—even sinners who would reject him. If he deemed that sacrifice worth it, can we do any less?
- When is it someone else’s responsibly? Again, we are not to judge what other believers may feel God is or isn’t telling them to do, or where he is or isn’t telling them to go. But every Christian will answer to God for how we steward the specific assignments he gives us. Moses went to Egypt because God told him to. Paul went to Rome because God told him to. Hudson Taylor went to China because God told him to. Jim Elliott went Ecuador because God told him to. For any of them, not going would have been disobedience. I imagine that each of the aid workers who were murdered were serving exactly where they believed God expected them to be. Ours is not to judge whether they were right or wrong in their presumptions. Ours is only to be as radical in answering our calls as they were in answering theirs.
Pray for the mourning families and friends of those who died in Jesus’ name. Pray also for their murderers, that they may come to know grace that had so captivated their victims.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
August 6, 2010
Was it Worth It?
Last week, I spent several hours one day on a roof in Nicaragua lifting buckets of concrete. We’re building a dorm for college students (a college education in Nicaragua is extremely rare). At some point—maybe between bucket 65 and 80—I blew my right rotator cuff . . . . . again. I’m having surgery in a few days to repair it.
So the question I keep being asked is, “Was it worth it?” I’m also getting much well intended counsel:
- Better slow down old guy!
- Couldn’t someone else do that?
- Sounds like you should be supervising and not lifting.
With all due respect to my well-meaning counselors, YES—it is worth it. Jesus has called us to spend ourselves on behalf of others, to exhaust ourselves for the sake of those who can’t repay us. He gave us the ultimate example when he emptied himself of divinity, came to earth, and died as an ordinary slave for those who would reject him. Can we seriously do any less?
Now, I’m not advocating irresponsible behavior or foolish risk-taking. But I can promise you I wasn’t being foolish when I climbed up on that roof and started lifting buckets. There were 20 people on the site with me working equally as hard. I just happened to hurt my shoulder in the process.
It’s the least that I can do. My brothers and sisters in Nicaragua would give their right arms to be in the position to serve others and not to have to be served. I’ll get better healthcare in my couple of hours in the operating room than they will in their lifetimes. And, I’ve got all eternity to celebrate and enjoy my new shoulders. So, for right now, I’m pretty sure I’ll be back on a roof at some point. Care to join me?
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
July 26, 2010
Polluted Baptism?
I read recently that environmental groups in Israel are discouraging Christian pilgrims and tourists from being baptized in the Jordan River, the site of Jesus’ baptism. Apparently water flow is not significant enough to insure the river’s freshness, and the dirty water poses all kinds of health risks to people.
Huh. That creates an interesting theological question, doesn’t it? If you get baptized in dirty water, does it mean that you’re not really clean before God?
The good news is that the baptism that makes you right with God has nothing to do with water. Concerning the ministry of Jesus, John the Baptist said, “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire,” Luke 3:16. When you’re baptized in God’s Spirit and with his fire, you’re clean—eternally, internally and permanently clean. Nothing can erase that. And it’s made possible by Jesus’ blood.
We get baptized in water to show our peers and community that we love Jesus. It’s an act of obedience for every believer. But we are made clean by Jesus’ purifying Spirit. No water on earth is pure enough to wash away sin. Thank God it doesn’t have to be.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
July 20, 2010
Who’s Got Your Back?
It’s happened again—tragically. Another elderly person living alone has been found dead, buried under a house full of trash. It’s hard to imagine such a tragedy even happening; but unfortunately, it’s more common than you might think.
We weren’t designed to live in isolation. Our heavenly creator wired us for community, for relationships. So who has your back? Who is praying for you, holding you accountable and will come looking for you if you go AWOL? Who has permission to ask you any question, no matter how personal or how tough?
And are you looking out for others? Are you investing in others? Beyond that, are you watching over the poor, the widows and the orphans around you? Look around--they’re there.
Friends, no one should ever have to live in isolation, or die there. If you’re a follower of Christ, then living in community with others is part of the assignment. Looking out for them is too.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
July 15, 2010
What’s Your Name Worth?
I had to laugh the other day when I read that NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens is concerned about his reputation. The outspoken--but very talented--receiver has been with four teams in almost as many years, and every time he leaves a team, well, let’s just say that there aren’t a lot of tears with his former teammates. Whether he likes it or not, Owens has a bad reputation. Years of griping, arguing and showboating on the field and in the locker room have come to roost, and TR is shocked! shocked! to learn that no other team wants to sign him. Reputation is everything.
So how’s yours? Three thousand years ago Solomon wrote: A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold, Proverbs 22:1. When people hear your name, what comes to mind? Are you an encourager? Do your words build up or tear down? Are you a team player, or a maverick? Does your attitude help or hurt the environment you’re in? Do you gossip or keep confidences? Does your Yes really mean Yes, or does it just mean Maybe?
According to one of the wisest men in history, we need to spend less time pursuing wealth and more time building character. Terrell Owens has learned the hard way: all the talent in the world can’t compensate for a bad reputation. So as you go about your day, treat people like you’d want to be treated. Think of others before you think of yourself. Keep your word. Be on time. Don’t fret over who gets the credit. Offer lots of praise and limited criticism. Honor God, and be the kind of player that people want on their team.
For more from Will Davis Jr., visit willdavisjr.com.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
July 14, 2010
How to Pray for the Gulf Coast Crisis
I know we’re all brokenhearted over the current oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. The images of oil-covered birds, dolphins and turtles, the blackened beaches, the devastated economy in an area that was still trying to rebound from Hurricane Katrina, the paralyzed fishing and shrimping fleets, and most tragically, the loss of human life in the terrible explosion that started all of this—considering all of that, this crisis can seem insurmountable. But we are not powerless in the face of such a great trial.
We can pray. We should pray. Never see prayer as a last resort or the least you can do. Prayer is our best strategy in the face of overwhelming events because it woos the power and favor of the God who controls everything.
So pray for the gulf coast. Specifically, pray for:
- Wisdom for the leaders, engineers, geologists and technicians at BP. Pray that they can quickly find a way to permanently cap the leak.
- Stamina, safety, wisdom and provision for the local, state and federal agencies that are working around the clock both in the gulf and onshore.
- Provision and protection for those economies along the gulf coast that have taken such a beating in the last five years.
- Hope and encouragement for those residents along the gulf coast who have suffered so greatly and lost so much.
- Protection and restoration for the fragile ecosystems being devastated by the leak.
- Justice—for anyone guilty of negligence or malfeasance that led to the tragic explosion.
- Justice—for those who have suffered loss—that their hopes, dreams and livelihoods will be restored.
- God’s glory. Pray that we can all see God’s healing, protection, provision and perspective through this crisis.
Don’t sit idly by while this disaster unfolds in front of you. Get involved. Be part of the solution. Be part of the hope. Pray!
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
July 13, 2010
Lessons from a Notable Passing
George Steinbrenner died today at age 80. The long-time owner of the New York Yankees, Steinbrenner was a legend in the sports world and a household name for any who follow baseball. His death is yet another sobering reminder of the brevity and fragility of life.
In Psalm 49, David wrote, “Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases; for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him,” Psalm 49:16-17. As much as we’d like to think that money can fend off the grim reaper, it can’t. We all have a pending date with eternity, no matter our status or wealth in life. That being true, it just makes good sense to invest in what’s eternal and not in what’s temporary and fleeting.
Take a look at your life right now. Do your values reflect the fact that you are just one missed heartbeat away from eternity? If you knew you were leaving town tomorrow for an extended period of time, you’d be spending today preparing for your trip. Guess what? You’re leaving town, eternally. You just don’t know when.
Don’t get lulled to sleep by the false comfort and security of money. It’s a myth and a vapor. Sow into what matters in the long haul—long, like 50,000 years. Remember, if you live every day like it’s your last, one of these days you’ll be right.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
July 1, 2010
The Wise Coyote
When I think of a coyote, I am tempted to think about the humorous, bumbling coyote of the Roadrunner cartoons. That may actually say more about me than anything else. I do think the coyote on the cartoon gave coyotes a bad name. But I have reason now to think differently of coyotes. Let me tell you about the coyote I saw recently.
It was a couple of hours before dawn and I was on my way to hike. As I turned right by a grocery store and several other retail shops, I saw the coyote running across the parking lot. He had something in his mouth. At first I thought it was a rabbit. That would have made sense. But as he ran toward me, I saw that it was a fish—a huge fish. It was a trout (delete “and”) at least 20 inches long. This coyote had scored the catch of the day.
Then I started laughing. The trout in Colorado don’t grow that large. They’re typically six to ten inches. Nothing like the monster I saw in the coyote’s mouth. But in the pay-to-fish trout pond right next to the grocery store, the trout are huge. They’re flown in from Alaska and you can pay to catch them. That smart coyote had discovered the trout pond and had gone fishing, and I’m pretty sure he didn’t pay for it. There’s no telling how many times that coyote had crept in under the cover of darkness and gotten away with a really big fish. I can only imagine that the trout shop owners are wondering what’s happening to their inventory.
And then I started thinking about something Jesus said, “The people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light,” Luke 16:8b. People who live in the world without Christ will do anything to succeed in their respective trades. They’re shrewd and they use their wits and instincts well. Like our smart coyote, they know what it takes to survive, and they do it. But as Christians, we are typically neither as aggressive nor as shrewd when it comes to promoting our cause. We often settle for mediocrity or second best when it comes to our mission, and that’s completely unacceptable. We are often outworked, outhustled, outperformed and outthought by unbelievers, and we’re promoting the greatest message in the world.
It’s time we got a little wise coyote in us. I don’t mean that we become unscrupulous. That’s not what Jesus was saying. I mean we need to become shrewder. Has God given you a platform? Use it to promote him. Do you have wealth and other resources? Spend them on behalf of his Kingdom. Are you great strategic thinker? Then offer your insights to the leadership of a church or mission organization. Don’t settle for mediocrity in what you do, and don’t ever settle for second best when it comes to prompting Christ. Let’s be as excellent (at least) in promoting Jesus as unbelievers are in pursuing their bottom line. Go for the big fish. Don’t settle.
And the next time you see a coyote, give him a break. He’s smarter than you think.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
June 25, 2010
Waiting
(I wrote this a few years ago when my father was in the hospital. I never published it. It felt appropriate today.)
Isaiah 40:31, Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength . . . .
Waiting. I hate waiting. And yet it seems that I do quite a bit of it. I’ve been waiting all day.
As I write, I’m sitting alone in an empty hospital cafeteria, the low murmur of CNN Headline News in the background, eating overpriced hospital food. It’s been that exciting all day.
I’m here babysitting my father. It’s nothing serious, just a series of tests about some strange symptoms. He’s not sick enough to warrant fear, but his condition is enough to warrant a day off from work, waiting for him to get out and for the doctors to conclude what is going on.
Waiting. Did I mention that I hate waiting? I do the strangest things when I’m waiting. I eat a lot; it’s a way to pass the time. I read magazines I otherwise wouldn’t be caught dead with: Better Homes and Gardens, Popular Mechanics, Seventeen, anything to pass the time. I think, too. I think about my family and why I’m here at the hospital. I’ve been blessed with a healthy family, but it seems that the hospital waiting room is never too far away. I think about life and mortality and sickness and time. It will end for all of us. Hospitals remind me of that. I also listen. I sit in the quiet of my father’s room and listen to the sounds in the hall: the nurses talking about their weekend plans, the family across the hall having a serious conversation with their doctor, the custodian, humming to herself, cleaning my father’s bathroom. I hear the PA declare a code red on the fifth floor and I’m certain that can’t be good. I hear the sounds of life and death all around me. Waiting . . . . I hate waiting.
And then it dawns on me why God is so fond of it. God says that waiting is good; he says that waiting produces strength in our relationship with him. When we’re in God’s waiting room, when we’re having to sit tight until God comes through, great things can happen. God can feed our souls. He can take from the riches of his word and from the riches of silence, and replenish us. When we’re waiting, we can think about eternal things. Our minds can ask and find answers to some pretty significant questions when we’re waiting. And, we can listen. In the wait we can listen to the musings of our souls and the quiet murmurings of God’s Spirit.
What are you waiting for? Don’t waste this time. God has you in his waiting room for a reason. Look around. Listen to what he is saying. This season may be exactly what your weary soul needs to have its strength renewed.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
June 18, 2010
Pray for Your Leaders?
Here’s a question: when was the last time you prayed for the president, your governor, your mayor? These public servants obviously have very difficult jobs. Do you pray for them? Consider this:
I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone--for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 1 Tim. 2:1-2
In these verses, Paul urged his young disciple Timothy to pray for his leaders--even those leaders with whom he did not agree politically. Timothy’s day was filled with dictators and despots, not democracy. He had plenty of reason to dislike, even hate his leaders; yet Paul urged him to pray for them. Why?
Leaders, even bad ones, need Jesus. Paul had a good sense of the big picture. He knew that part of the reason why tyrants acted like they did was because of their sin-filled hearts. They were lost. They needed a savior. For Paul, that made them worth praying for. The same Jesus who died for him had died also for them. They needed Jesus, so he prayed for them.
Have you been faithful to pray for your leaders, even the ones you don’t like? When President Clinton was in office, I believe the Christian Church in America was very negligent by not supporting him with prayer. Many Christians were very vocal in their dislike, even hatred of the man. Few were vocal before God for his spiritual condition. Paul’s words judge us. We should pray for our leaders, even ones with whom we disagree. They need Jesus. What is the church for if not for praying for the lost, even lost leaders? If you’re still not convinced that God wants all people, even good and bad leaders to be saved, then read the next few verses in this letter from Paul to Timothy. God wants all to be saved, so pray for them.
God works through leaders, even bad ones. Paul told Timothy to pray for his leaders that they might live in peace. Rome had invaded Israel, set up a puppet government and ruled by the sword; yet Paul encouraged Timothy to pray for the Roman leadership. God was not ousted when Rome moved in. God not only allowed Rome to exist, He actually used them to accomplish His purposes. Paul reminds us in Romans 13:1ff, that no government exists without God allowing it to. He tells us to pray for them, that they will make wise decisions, that they will rule well and nobly, and that they would be accountable to God. He says that by doing so we can live in peace.
Do you pray for our leaders? Pray for their wisdom, their humility and their discernment. Pray that they will hate wrong and love right. Pray that they will think biblically before they think politically. Pray that God will surround them with godly counselors. Pray that they will be accountable for their actions. Pray that they will be Christ-followers. Pray for God to use them to create and protect peace. Pray for your leaders today.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
June 8, 2010
Don’t Call a Meeting
But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. John 11:46-47
There is only one appropriate response to the revelation of Jesus Christ—obedience. Anything else is sin. Any revelation of Jesus to you by its very nature requires an action, an adjustment, a response. Any revelation of Jesus to you has a built in call. We need not discuss Jesus’ revelations; we simply need to obey them.
In this text, the Pharisees receive (yet again) firsthand, eye-witness accounts of the miraculous work of Jesus. This time his work had been to raise Lazarus from the dead. The Pharisees should have been humbled by the accounts. God was once again giving them undeniable information about the reality of the Son of God in their midst. But humbled they were not. Instead, they called a meeting to discuss an appropriate plan of action in response to Jesus’ latest revelations.
It’s not wrong to gather with other believers to discuss the awesome work of God or to interpret his messages to the church through his word. But once clarity has come, once it is obvious what the Spirit is saying to the churches, obedience must be instantaneous. Never call a meeting to discuss obedience. Obey first; then if need be, you can call a meeting to discuss the implications of the fact that you have already obeyed. The Pharisees did no such thing. They called a meeting so they could plot how to counter the revelation of Jesus. That was their error: You can’t counter a revelation of Jesus; you can only obey it.
What is the last thing that God told you to do? Have you obeyed it? If not, act on it today. What are you waiting for? Obey the most recent revelation of Jesus in your life; then, if you still must call a meeting, do so only to broadcast what an awesome Savior we have.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
June 4, 2010
Hearts Set Free
I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free. Psalm 119:32
People who do not know God very well tend to view his laws as something to be avoided. Anything prohibitive is seen as infringing on our rights and freedoms. God is often viewed as the great rule-maker; the judge in heaven who sits around and thinks up ways to steal our independence. Freedom, it is thought, lies in going your own way, in answering to no man.
That makes these words from David all the more astounding. He confesses to willingly and happily running the way prescribed by God. He acknowledges that his life is lived out under the close scrutiny of God’s commands. For David, the law of God set his heart free. Doesn’t that seem strange, almost oxymoronic? When was the last time that you heard someone declaring freedom through obedience? And yet that is exactly what David declares here; moreover, it’s what the prophets taught and it’s what Jesus himself promised.
Freedom, true freedom of the soul, does not lie in independence from authority. Liberty is not found in moral isolation. Were we really nothing more than evolved accidents, that might be true. We are, however, the most finely tuned creatures in the universe. We are keepers of God’s image and designed for eternal intimacy with him. Because of that, we function best in the environment that he prescribes. We function best when we live according to his commands.
Friends, God’s laws are not some great prohibition to keep us from having fun. They are eternal standards set up by our eternal Creator that will help us live life the way he intended. To turn from God’s laws is not just to slip into moral rebellion, it is to miss life as God intends. Freedom and liberty are not found by walking away from God, but rather with him. Tyranny of the soul always lies in the path unmarked by God’s precepts.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
May 17, 2010
How Far is Too Far?
I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin. Mark 3:28-29
It is difficult to imagine, against the backdrop of so much teaching of forgiveness in both Testaments of the Bible, that there would be anything that God would not forgive. It seems to go against the grain of the rest of God’s revelation about himself. And yet, Jesus assures us in this troubling passage that there is indeed a sin that will not be, that cannot be, forgiven by God.
Much has been written and said about this difficult teaching. Many efforts have been made to explain it away or render it outdated or invalid. Yet, we must face up to its sobering reality. Simply stated, all sins, even spoken blasphemies against God, can be forgiven. Even if we curse God to his face and slander his name to others, if we repent, God is ready and willing to forgive. That is truly amazing grace. But to blaspheme God’s Spirit is an entirely different matter. Now don’t panic here; this is not referring to an idle or accidental slur spoken in haste about the Holy Spirit. The sin here goes much deeper. In fact, it’s not a sin occasion at all; it’s a sin verdict, a lifetime sin, a sin decision.
When the Holy Spirit speaks, he speaks only truth. Jesus taught us that the Holy Spirit’s job was to testify to the truth of Jesus. When the Holy Spirit speaks, he always speaks to the heart. He cuts through all the fear, intellectual struggles and baggage and gets right to the point. “Jesus is true,” he says. “You need him. He is the Son of God. Yield your life to him. Don’t worry about what you don’t understand. God will make all things clear in due time. Jesus is Lord and he loves you more than you can imagine. Surrender to him.” And when he says these things, he speaks them into the very soul of a person.
So when an individual, in the pride, arrogance or stubbornness of his heart, rejects this claim of the Holy Spirit, he is basically calling the Holy Spirit a liar. Even though we are hard-wired from creation to be drawn to the truth of Jesus, and even though our hearts recognize it as truth, if we choose in the foolishness of our sin to reject the Spirit’s testimony, then not only are we lying to ourselves, but we are also calling God’s ultimate truth a lie. And that, friends, is the eternal deal-breaker.
Now remember, this is not a sin committed in a moment. It’s a lifetime sin and choice. When you stand before God, he will basically ask you what you did with the revealed truth of Jesus. Did you acknowledge it as truth and yield to it appropriately, or did you reject it and call the Spirit’s message a lie? It is the lifetime verdict, rendered against the Spirit’s truth, that Jesus says will not be forgiven.
If you are concerned that you might have committed this great sin of blasphemy against God’s Spirit, be encouraged. The fact that you are concerned proves you have not. Rather, our concern should be for those who are living their lives in open rejection of God’s revealed truth. Pray for them. Left unchanged, the course they are charting will lead them into an eternity of unforgiveness.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
May 11, 2010
Serving and Honor
My Father will honor the one who serves me. John 12:26
This is one of the most revealing and radical statements on grace in the entire Bible. In it, Jesus links two normally mutually-exclusive concepts together in an upside-down fashion; such is the nature of grace.
The words serves and honor are usually only linked together when suggesting that the one doing the serving honors the one he or she serves. The lesser serves and honors the greater. That would be what one expects. That is not, however, what Jesus states here. He suggests rather that it is God who does the honoring and that it is we, the servants, who are honored. Nothing could be more outlandish, and nothing more patently biblical.
Grace is all about role reversals: Jesus dying for us; our receiving Jesus’ righteousness; the first becoming last; God becoming man. Grace tends to turn human reality on its head. It does so here.
While it is expected that we would be called God’s servants, it is not expected that we would be honored in the process. One does not expect to hear a master honoring a slave for doing his duty. The slave has simply done what is expected. Yet Jesus promises here that those who become his followers will know the honor of God. In God’s economy, in the economy of the Kingdom, there is no higher position than being a servant of Christ. Those who chose to humble themselves and bow at the Savior’s feet will indeed be blessed and honored by the Father. This honor is neither deserved nor earned; it is grace in action.
Are you a Christ-follower? Are you a slave to God? You can know no higher status in life. You can receive no greater honor than to be named as a slave to Jesus. Don’t settle for the fading accolades of men. Serve Jesus and receive the unmerited and eternal honor of God.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
May 3, 2010
Daily Duties
They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord. They were to do the same in the evening . . . . 1 Chron. 23:30
Have you praised God today? Have you admired his handiwork in creation and blessed him for his sovereign control over all things? With every new sunrise we have fresh reasons to praise God. From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised (Ps 113:3).
King David knew the importance of worship. He knew that a nation that worshipped the living God would be blessed. David also loved God and was a personal worshipper. He wanted the people he led to worship God, also.
Praising God was so important to David that he designated an entire division of temple workers for that task only. Their job was to stand before God in shifts and to endlessly declare his praise. David did not want a single moment of a day to pass that did not echo with God’s praise. Should we be any different?
There is something radical about a heart set aside for worship. The Christ-follower who fills his day with praise will know blessing and spiritual momentum that others will not. Why not designate the temple of your heart as a 24-hour worship zone? What if you determined, like David’s priests, to stand every morning and evening to declare the holiness and splendor of God? What if you, like David’s priests, filled every moment of your day with thoughts, songs and declarations of praise? What would happen if your default mental process became worship?
First, you would know unbroken fellowship with God. David himself wrote that God inhabits the praises of his people. Fill your mind and heart with worship and God will fill your life with his presence. Nothing attracts the manifest presence of God faster than worship. Do your daily duties of worship and know God’s presence.
Second, you will receive God’s blessing. This is not a motive for worship but rather the inevitable result of it. Wherever God’s presence is there is blessing (blessing=favor, anointing, protection and provision). Where he abides there is grace. Allow God to inhabit your heart through praise and the inevitable result will be that you will be blessed by him. He can’t do otherwise. God blesses those who bless him. Do your daily duties of worship and receive God’s blessing.
Third, you will gain eternal perspective. To worship throughout a day is to worship without regard to circumstances. As you worship, your faithful and fearless declarations about God will set the temporary circumstances of your life against the backdrop of eternity. Praise—which is the ongoing activity of heaven--will cause you to see things from heaven’s perspective. As you do, all earthly conditions, even bad ones, will be put into their proper place in light of eternity. Worship sets hearts free because it liberates them from the tyranny of earthly circumstances. Do your daily duties of worship and know eternal perspective.
Finally, worship brings joy. The heart committed to ceaseless praise is the heart that will know endless joy. Joy is the abiding condition of the heart that exists without regard to circumstances. Joy is based in inner realities, not outward appearances. The Christ-follower who fills his heart with God’s praise is the Christ-follower who will know limitless joy. There is clearly a proportional relationship between praise and joy. As goes your praise, so goes your joy. David said, “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise will forever be on my lips.” Do you want a heart of unshakeable joy? Fill it with God’s praise.
Do your daily duties of worship. Your life only stands to gain as a result.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
April 20, 2010
Can you Handle the Truth?
Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
Galatians 4:16
You see it all the time. It’s really quite tragic, and quite immature. The Apostle Paul would call it fleshly. It happens, nonetheless, and it happens between Christ-followers.
I saw it happen recently. A small group of believers gathered around one of their own out of love and concern. They had a covenant to hold each other accountable, to keep each other true to Christ’s way. When they saw ungodly behavior creeping into the life of one of their community, they confronted it. They were told not to worry. When the behavior continued and they brought it up again, they were told they were overreacting. When they persisted, they were told that it was none of their business. Finally, when the small group once again confronted the errant believer, they were treated as enemies. The wayward follower broke off fellowship, took his community, his membership, and his sin, and went elsewhere.
It happens all the time. In fact, it happens so frequently that some people reading this might be wondering if I am writing about a situation in which they were involved. It’s that common.
Paul’s question has the stinging ring of relevance: Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth? We ask people to be honest with us. We tell them we want accountability. We boast about our deep levels of community. Then, when one of them speaks truth to us, we get defensive. We fire back, we blow them off, we tell them to get lost, we leave the church, we change small groups, we transfer to another Sunday School class, we take our marbles and play elsewhere. All because someone told the truth.
My friends, that is not Christianity. It’s cowardice. It’s childishness. It’s self-centeredness. It’s sin. We are required by our Lord to receive truth from each other. We are required to submit to each other in love. We do not have the biblical option of bolting every time we are offended by someone else. We do not have the biblical option of changing fellowships and breaking community just because someone pointed out one of our faults--even if they did so poorly.
Christ-followers, wake up! Our inability to submit to each other and to receive truth is a mockery of the unity Jesus died to give us. Satan laughs and gains precious, blood-bought ground in the church whenever we make enemies out of those who tell us the truth. Please do not resist those who would rebuke you. Please do not write off those who would challenge your lifestyle. Please do not consider as enemies those who would question your choices. Thank God for them. Listen to them. Yield to them. God may well be speaking to you through them. Don’t resist them; they may be they only hope you have.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
April 8, 2010
Dry Wells
He told her, "Go, call your husband and come back." John 4:16
A friend of mine, Dave Busby, who now lives in heaven, used to always say that guys make rotten gods. He was right; and in case you’re wondering, so do girls.
The woman to whom Jesus spoke in this story had tried 6 times to make the guy/god thing work, each unsuccessfully. I don’t mean that she was literally bowing before men and worshipping them; this woman claimed to worship the true God, just from the Samaritan point-of-view. What I mean is that she was looking for men to meet needs that only God can. That’s why she moved so disastrously and quickly from one man to another. When she discovered that her current squeeze didn’t satisfy her deepest longings, she moved on. She was wise to keep looking; the problem was that she kept looking in the wrong direction. She was searching the horizontal realm for what can only be found in the vertical; she was asking men to do for her what only God can.
That’s why Jesus told her to go get her husband. He wanted to point out to her what she had been depending on. She needed to see that what Jesus was offering her was better than what any human could give. This woman had been drinking from dry wells; no wonder she was thirsty.
Jeremiah said it this way 650 years earlier: Has any nation ever exchanged its gods for another god, even though its gods are nothing? Yet my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols! The heavens are shocked at such a thing and shrink back in horror and dismay, says the Lord. For my people have done two evil things: They have forsaken me—the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all, (Jeremiah 2:11-13, NLT). I suspect that Jesus was thinking of this verse when He pointed out the six broken wells that this woman had dug for herself. She must have been thrilled (from the text, she obviously was) to learn that there really was a relationship that could satisfy her soul’s most inner longings. She had been drinking from the well of men; it was time for her to start drinking from the well of God.
Here’s the point: Cracked lips, dry mouth, parched throat, and an empty soul--these are the evidences of empty well-drinking. From what source do you drink today? Were Jesus to stand before you, what might He tell you to go get and bring to Him? What broken wells might He need to point out in your life? Never substitute the living water of Jesus for the dusty clay of men. Only the divine can adequately address the needs of something as marvelous as a soul.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
March 2, 2010
Have You Told the Kids Yet?
We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. Psalm 78:4
Have you ever considered that Christianity is never more than one generation away from extinction? Jesus clearly left the baton of faith in the hands of his disciples to pass on to future followers. If they failed, the light of his message would be snuffed out. Amazingly, every generation since Christ has been faithful enough to secure the faith of the next. And yet, our faith remains precariously close to the edge of disaster if we do not seize the day and pass on what has been given to us.
It would be easy to fail. Western culture offers many distractions from and alternatives to genuine Christ-following. Eastern cultures provide a myriad of self-based religions that require the exercise of little faith. Synchronicity and religious tolerance cry out for a blending of faiths and a watering down of those that appear too extreme or radical: namely biblical Christianity. Given the moral and spiritual darkness of the day in which we live, we had better think twice about our deliberateness in passing on our faith.
The Israelites knew well how important faith-passing really was. On every border were neighboring nations who worshipped any number of pagan gods. Four hundred years of captivity in Egypt and 70 years of exile in Babylon also taught them the importance of maintaining a true faith. Had they not, they would have easily been swallowed up by the religious status quo. They could have literally become spiritually extinct. So might we.
Friends, the natural drift of faith is always away from the high road and toward the broadest and most accepted paths. Never expect Christianity to be easy or popular. Thus, if our faith is to go on, if it is to outlive us, if we are to have spiritual descendants, it will happen only one way—deliberately.
So in whom are you investing? Who are your spiritual descendants? What are you doing to secure your faith beyond your lifetime? No Christ-follower is exempt from Christ’s command to invest in the next generation. There’s simply too much at stake.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
February 22, 2010
Please Don’t Quit
As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew, and were not walking with Him anymore. John 6:66
We don’t hear much about it, but there were times in Jesus’ ministry when He actually lost momentum and popularity. They are infrequent, but there nonetheless. Can you imagine someone actually choosing to walk away from Jesus? Think about it--the rich young ruler, Judas and Peter, and the people here that John mentions--each of these rejected Jesus in some way. Have you?
Notice in this verse that those who John mentioned were disciples. Strange as it seems, these were not borderline people. These were not fringe followers. Those who walked away from Jesus were time-tested disciples. They had been with Jesus for a while, long enough at least to be recognized as one of His followers. And yet they ceased following. Why? What makes a disciple stop being a disciple?
In the example of John 6, it was Jesus’ words. His teachings were so extreme, so radical, that many who had been following decided that they could no longer afford to do so. The sideshow was over, the miraculous feedings had ceased, and now Jesus was getting down to the nitty-gritty of what it meant to follow. In short, he was talking about a relationship with himself. He wanted his followers to feed off of him and to live for him. He wanted them to forsake everything else and sell out to his cause. And that was the deal breaker. After hearing that, many no longer wanted to follow him.
Why are you following Jesus? What is your motive? What draws you to Him? He certainly is an attractive figure--offering forgiveness of sins and eternal life; but in reality, he wants more. He wants a relationship. He wants his disciples to live for him as he died for them. He wants them to worship him as the only true God. He wants them to meditate on his teachings. He wants them to teach others how to be his followers as well.
Have you been looking to sneak away from the followers of Jesus? Are you starting to lag behind, hoping that you can quietly disappear with no one noticing? Remember, you will be somebody’s follower in life. You will call someone or something Lord. Don’t shy away from Jesus just because his call is demanding. He is worth everything he requires of you.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
February 9, 2010
Surrender.
This past weekend at Austin Christian Fellowship we invited attendees in each of our four weekend services to come to the stage and take a white flag of surrender back with them to their seats. We also provided black pens so that people could write important messages to themselves so they wouldn’t forget how they were feeling at the moment. The response was overwhelming, as our stage was flooded with men, women and children--some together, some alone--kneeling, writing, praying and crying in each of our services.
But a curious thing happened. Dozens and dozens of people chose to leave their flags on the stage; some of them were even signed. The flags were left on the stage like beautiful, poignant mementoes to what God had just done among us. They also gave us great insight into what exactly people were struggling with, and surrendering. I thought you might enjoy and be inspired by reading a few of them. They speak for themselves:
- I surrender my ego and empty power. All I do will be for your recognition and for the purpose of changing lives.
- I surrender my anger with someone I love.
- I surrender my foolishness! My clothes, house, cars, comfort, trips, upgrades, style, self, small comforts, waste, food, wealth, status. I’m sorry! Please forgive.
- I surrender—fear! You are enough. I surrender my comfort, my children, my wealth. I believe that you are enough.
- I surrender my parents’ dreams for me. My trivial wishes. My need for someone to love me. All of this I surrender to you.
- I give you my life. I put my marriage, my career in your hands. I give you all my hurt, pain, fears and sorrows.
- I surrender to His will. I will not be a victim.
- We surrender control of ourselves and commit to be obedient to what you have asked us to do.
- Thank you Lord, help me surrender completely to you. I release resentment, gossip, materialism. Change me to your servant.
- Lord, I surrender. I love you. Not providing for my family is killing me. Please, I need your help. They don’t deserve this. Please help!
- I surrender my hatred.
- I surrender my pride and arrogance.
- Lord, it’s yours. It’s on you. I can’t. You can.
- I surrender to reach my higher calling from you, Lord. I surrender the “pull” of meaningless things that weigh me down and take away from the important things that you have given me. Amen
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
January 25, 2010
The Ringside Seat.
Picture the scene: A man and a woman stand in a receiving line, quietly greeting friends and guests who have stopped by to see them. Just three feet away is a casket containing the body of their 27-year-old daughter, a victim of cancer. The casket is open.
As I made my way to the front of the line and greeted my grieving friends, I was overwhelmed by the entire scene—not just the poise of my friends, but also of their proximity to their daughter’s body. I simply don’t know if I could do it. How do you stand next to the open casket of one of your children and not crumble into an emotional heap?
Let me tell you what they told me—grace. My friends--and their daughter—are Christ-followers. They believe that nothing will ever touch their lives that isn’t approved by God. There are no accidents, no coincidences, no mistakes. God could have stopped the cancer that took their daughter from them, but chose not to. And given that they are convinced that God is good, then something else must be up. God’s plan for my friends and their daughter, however brutal it appears to be on earth, will look much different in light of eternity.
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us, Romans 8:18 (NIV).
My friend—the husband and father in the grieving duo—told me that he wouldn’t wish this experience on anyone else. The pain of losing a child has been unbelievable. But he also told me something that I will never forget. He said that he wouldn’t have opted out of it, either. He said that he and his wife had been given a ringside seat to the mercy of God. Their daughter had displayed such poise and grace during her ordeal, God’s promises had been proven to be undeniably true, the Spirit of God had been so sweet and comforting, and the perspective they had gained was so dramatic, that the terrible crisis of burying a child had become something they could indeed praise God for. His goodness had been evident, even in the pain.
That’s the message of Christ, that’s the hope of the Gospel of Jesus, that’s the reality that the Cross event makes possible. Open your eyes. Even in today’s headlines and in the tragedies of our lives we too can have a ringside seat to God’s mercy.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
January 19, 2010
Kidneys Matter.
Over a decade ago, my mother’s kidneys stopped working. Because of a major bout with septicemia, all of her major organs shut down in a 24-hour period. Most of her organs eventually kicked back in; but not her kidneys. Persnickety things that they are, they stayed offline for several years. My mom endured several years of kidney dialysis—a brutal routine of three treatments a week each lasting 3-4 hours, where all of the patient’s blood is taken out, cleaned in a machine, and then put back in. Pretty amazing; it’s also exhausting. After five years of this, my mom decided she’d had enough. She went off dialysis, went into hospice care and waited to die.
Then an amazing thing happened—one of her kidneys decided it was time to get back to work. That little kidney began functioning with just enough gusto to keep my mom’s blood relatively clean and to keep her alive. That was several years ago. Both (my mom and her kidney) are still kicking today.
In 1 Corinthians 12, the Apostle Paul wrote, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it,” 1 Corinthians 12:27 (NIV). As a Christ-follower, you have a role to play in Christ’s body, the church. The body of Christ can no more function well without you than we can without kidneys. Every part is vital. But far too often body parts in the church go on strike or (like my mother’s kidneys), take extended sabbaticals. The result is always chaos. Not only does the body suffer, but the MIA member typically atrophies as well. The only way to insure that the church will function well and that all its members will stay healthy is to make sure that they stay connected.
So how are you? Are you fulfilling your role? Are you tightly connected to your local church body? Are you using your gifts, skills and resources to strengthen Christ’s body? Or, have you unplugged? If you have, please know that the results of your spiritual isolation will be devastating for both you and your church.
Do you want to see a spiritual revolution? Be what God called you to be. Live wholly and completely as part of Jesus’ body, the church.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
January 7, 2010
Revolution, Part 2
496 years ago this week, on January 10, 1514 the first parallel Bible was completed. The six-volume set included multiple language versions of the Old and New Testaments and a comprehensive set of study notes. The work was initiated in 1502 and financed by Cardinal Francisco Cisneros. Cisneros invited several top religious scholars of his day to participate in the ambitious task that took 15 years to complete. The Cardinal’s motive? To “revive the languishing study of the Sacred Scriptures.”
Hmmm . . . . It seems that nearly 500 years ago they had the same problem we do. Perhaps they didn’t understand what they had in their hands. Maybe they needed a spiritual revolution.
We do. Look across the desk, walk across the room, or go to your nightstand and pick up your Bible. In those pages can be found the answers to the most pressing questions in life. In those pages can be found a living and active message from our living and active Creator. And in those pages can be found the recipe for the spiritual upheaval we seem to so desperately need. If Jesus was anything, he was revolutionary. But he didn’t preach a political revolution; he preached a spiritual revolution. He called for a transformation of the hearts of men. And then he died to make it possible.
Get into the message of God’s Word. Don’t take your Bible for granted. Read it, study it, meditate on it, and then pray for revolution.
By the way, just over ten months after Cardinal Cisneros published his parallel Bible, another priest named Martin Luther posted 95 statements of protest on the Church door in Wittenberg, Germany. He’d been reading the Bible. What followed is called the Reformation. God calls it revolution.
Let it come.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
January 4, 2010
Revolution
God has placed a word on my heart for 2010. It’s revolution. I think he’s asking me to be a revolutionary Christian. I also think he’s calling me to lead a revolutionary church.
It all started when I checked my On This Day in History web site for January 2. I learned that on January 2, 1776, the first revolutionary flag was flown in the colonies. It still had some of the markings of the old British flag, but the red and white stripes clearly indicated 13 independent streaks running strong in the hearts of the colonials. By July 4, 1776, all of the old British markings had been removed. The red, white and blue flag with thirteen stars flew proudly as a symbol to all the world that revolution had come to the British colonies; I’m sorry, the AMERICAN colonies!
As I read about our flag’s origins, I felt the gentle nudge of God’s Spirit asking me to think about revolution from a spiritual perspective. What if we had a revolution of faith? What if Christians all over the world declared war on our collective status quo and decided to live revolutionary lives for God. What if, in the words of James, we looked after orphans and widows in their distress and kept ourselves from being polluted by the world (James 1:27)? What if, to quote Isaiah, we devoted ourselves to loosing the chains of injustice and untying the cords of the yoke, to setting the oppressed free and breaking every yoke, to sharing our food with the hungry and to providing the poor wanderer with shelter, to clothing the naked and not turning away from our own flesh and blood (Isaiah 58:6-7)? And what if, to quote the Lord Jesus, we committed ourselves to lifting up the name of Jesus and offering salvation to all who would believe in him (John 12:32)?
If millions of us were to do those things, then there is no doubt that revolution would come—spiritual revolution. In the coming weeks, at Austin Christian Fellowship and here in this blog, I’m going to be talking about revolution. Let’s learn about it together; and then, let’s raise the flag of revolution and see what God will do with us.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
January 1, 2010
Opening Day
Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. Psalm 145:2 (ESV) I love opening days. Whenever an opening day roles around it means that something good, fun, exciting or important is about to begin. There’s the opening day of the NFL, when September finally arrives and real football action can be expected until the end of January. Hunters look forward each year to the opening days of deer season or dove season, or whatever other season they may be inclined to enjoy. Then you have the opening day of highly anticipated movies, where moviegoers flock to theaters to be the first to see the new flick.
I remember the opening day for our church facility. We had prayed about and worked toward that day for nearly a decade. And yet after all that preparation, it was over in a flash. That’s the problem with opening days: they only last a day.
So here you are on the opening day of a new year. You no doubt have high hopes and expectations for this year. You may have even been anticipating or praying about today (and the new year it’s ushering in) for a long time.
I would like, however, to take some pressure off of you. I don’t know about you, but I tend to really overreact to new year opportunities. As with other opening days, I like to gear up for the big New Year’s event. I plan and pledge and pray and put tons of pressure on myself to really rise to the occasion, only to find out that the guy who woke up in the bed on January 1st is the same one who climbed in it on December 31st. No magical transformation has ever taken place in me in the wee hours between bedtime and breakfast on New Year’s Day. As a result, I tend to set myself up to fail. My opening day dreams eventually become just another opening day dud. Perhaps you can relate.
That is why a verse like this one is so important. David suffered from no Opening Day illusions in this verse. He just figured that his best plan of action was to every day meet with God. I find that strategy very refreshing. Here’s why: there are some things that I know I’m going to do every day. I brush my teeth every day; I shower every day; I sleep and eat every day. I kiss my wife, pray with my kids, pet the dogs and check the headlines every day. I don’t worry about doing these things; I don’t plan for them; I don’t have to work them into my schedule. I just do them every day. So I’ve relegated my times with God from the big event category to the every day category.
No don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying that my spiritual disciplines are no more important than these routine and otherwise mundane daily activities; but I am saying that when it comes to spiritual matters, my consistency is right up there with personal hygiene. Maybe yours should be too.
Don’t try to gear up for a full year of spiritual growth. That’s way too much of a daunting task. Rather, just take a deep breath and put loving Jesus on the list of things you do daily. Connect spiritual disciplines with something as mundane but as regular as brushing your teeth. Pretty soon, it will be second nature to you. And then, you won’t even have to think about it.
Friends, you don’t have to commit to be faithful for the next 365 days. Just be faithful today; be faithful right now. That’s all God is asking.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
December 26, 2009
Do You Believe This?
"Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into
the world." John 11:27
In this Christmas season, I think this is the question that Jesus might pose to each of us: Do you really believe? It’s the question He posed to Martha just moments before raising her brother Lazarus from the dead. It was a question He often asked someone before He healed them. Martha’s answer should be the answer we all have: Yes Lord, I do believe.
So let’s ask ourselves that question today. It’s the question of the ages, the question of Christmas. It’s the question every living soul will be asked at some eternal moment in the future. Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God? Do you believe that He is eternally equal with God? Do you believe that His birth, life and death were prophesied hundreds of years before His advent? Do you believe that He was the One promised through the ages?
Do you believe that Jesus was conceived in and born of a virgin, and that the One Who conceived Him was the Holy Spirit? Do you believe that Jesus grew up in perfect obedience to His earthly parents? Do you believe that when Jesus died, He did so as a sinless human being?
Do you believe that Jesus came to seek and to save the lost? Do you believe that He became sin so that we would become the righteousness of God? Do you believe that He embraced our spiritual poverty so that we might receive His spiritual wealth? Do you believe that He died for you?
I do. I believe all this and more. I believe that Jesus is the final and complete revelation of God to man and that He is the only true way for us to find God. I believe that He loves me . . . . and you. On this Christmas Day, I find great joy in confessing that belief. You will too. Try it. Tell someone. Confess your belief in Jesus today.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
December 18, 2009
Very Awesome
Then the woman went to her husband and told him, “A man of God came to me. He looked like
an angel
of God, very awesome.”
Judges 13:6
How do you picture God? When you imagine God, what do you see? Do you personify Him? Do you see a little old man with a long white beard? Do you see a wizard-type person with flowing white gowns? Do you see an intangible spirit? When you think of God, what do you see?
Now let me ask you another question: If God were to appear to you today, what form would He take? In the centuries before Jesus, God did appear to men and women, or at least his angel did. We’re not really sure who this angel was. Some think Gabriel, others think it was Michael. Some scholars even argue that the dramatic and apparently human appearances of God in the Old Testament were pre-incarnate appearances of Jesus--that the angel of God was none other than the Son of God, and that’s why he was so astounding, so awesome.
Awesome—isn’t that a great description for God? But wait, it’s not just awesome, it’s very awesome. This woman’s two-word testimony about God could not be more powerful: very awesome. He is indeed.
Here’s a final question: What two-word phrase best describes the God that you see? Let me take a guess at some possible responses: very confusing; very late; very weak; very mean; very distant; very busy; very preoccupied; very intimidating; very removed; very unconcerned. Do any of these sound like how you might describe God today? If that’s the case, then I’d like to suggest that you keep looking—because there is more of God than you currently see.
Spend your day looking for evidences of the awesome God. Don’t take things for granted, things like a baby, a sparrow, rain, the sunset, wind, an unconditionally loving parent, or unexpected blessings. Each of these can be first-hand evidences of the God who is real. He is indeed awesome. When you get a glimpse, tell Him, “God, You’re awesome.” And after you tell Him, tell somebody else about your awesome God.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
November 23, 2009
Look Deeper
I ran into an old friend today at the grocery store. I crossed right in front of his car in the parking lot. We exchanged quick greetings. I noticed a bouquet of flowers in the front seat, so I asked innocently whom they were for. He responded, “Today is Betty’s birthday.” Betty was his wife of fifty-plus years who died a nearly two years ago. His tears flowed. “I am on my way to the cemetery”, he said. I was speechless.
My good friend Gary Sinclair always says, “People are hurting more deeply than we know.” Even this week I’ve seen the hurt spilling over. The man whose wife is having an affair. The young woman who had the sudden stroke. The child with a tumor. The couple that is losing their home. People are hurting indeed.
Look around. In every face you see there is story. Some stories are in pretty difficult chapters. If you’ll look a little deeper, you might notice the hurt that’s there. And when you do, be ready to love, to embrace, to share your hope and to pray.
We are Jesus’ hands, feet and heart.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
November 10, 2009
Reflections on Another Day of National Sorrow
I’ll never forget where I was and what I was doing on September 11, 2001, when I heard about the attacks on our country. I’m sure you’ll never forget either. Unfortunately, we had another day like that recently. It started for me as a bold-printed headline on my computer’s news link: Shooting at Fort Hood. From there, the details began to come in and the heartache of another national crisis at the hands of a deranged individual returned. I grieve for those whose lives have been ripped apart by this madness. I know you do too.
In the wake of the events of 09/11/01, God led me to Isaiah 6. He led me back there after the Fort Hood tragedy. In that magnificent passage, Isaiah and the nation of Judah were grieving the death of the great leader, King Uzziah. The king’s death had left the nation exposed politically, spiritually and militarily. The enemies of Judah were swarming. It was truly a day of national crisis.
Then Isaiah saw God: In the year of King Uzziah’s death, I saw the Lord, lofty and exalted (Isaiah 6:1). The juxtaposition couldn’t be greater: In the year that Judah’s hope and security died, Isaiah saw God. In the year that the best of man failed, there was God, lofty and exalted. In the day of national crisis and mourning, God showed himself strong.
I really needed those words in September of 2001, and I need them in November of 2009. I’m sure I’ll need them again. God always rises above our chaos. When our systems, securities and sources of strength fail, he doesn’t. When our enemies (or the Enemy) wreak havoc in our lives, God still rules. When the headlines tell of tragedy, God is still exalted and in control. He is always more significant than our circumstances. He is today.
Pray for the grieving hearts at Fort Hood, in Orlando, and around the world. Pray that the name and glory of God will be seen, even in our worst of days. Then, look for God. He’s reigning even now.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
October 25, 2009
So, do you want to see my scar?
I had neck surgery a week ago. Pretty amazing stuff. The doc went in through the front of my neck, took out some bad stuff, put in some new synthetic stuff, and wham-o, the chronic pain and weakness in my right arm that I’d had been battling was instantly gone. Of course, now I do have this matter of the hole in my neck.
So here are some of the more random thoughts I’ve had since surgery:
- Dr. Jim Smith of Central Texas Spine Institute is way cool. He had me and my family laughing before and after the surgery—even when it hurt for me to laugh. BTW—he’s a pretty good surgeon too.
- Swallowing is way underrated. I still can’t eat solid foods. The doc basically moved my esophagus out of the way to get to my spine. The poor thing is a bit traumatized and not quite back in working order yet. I’m pretty much on a Gerber diet. They nurses tells me it could be a few weeks. I miss swallowing. Please no more eating disorder comments.
- Drugs are overrated. I just don’t see the big deal about taking drugs. I have talked publically about the fact that I was a serious Doobie Brothers fan in high school, and it wasn’t always for musical reasons. Yet I never really got what all the buzz was about (pun intended). But I was on some heavy-duty stuff post-surgery and I can tell you firsthand that they’re just not worth the effort. Unless, of course, you like hallucinating that you’ve got the lead role in a new Village People video. That’s it—I’m done with drugs.
- Nurses rock. The ladies and gent who cared for me before, during and after the surgery for 24 hours were totally professional, patient and kind. Thanks to them all.
- If the first point of surgery is healing, the second is humiliation. Think about it: moon robe, panty (they call it “support”) hose, lightly treaded socks lest you slip and sue, and the little puffy hat that resembles the balloon kid’s balloon, only way smaller. To make matters worse, at least three of the people involved in the procedure have been to my church. I’m sure that pirated pictures of me in all my surgical garb beauty are going to show up on Facebook any day.
- It’s impossible to beat anesthesia. Trust me, I’ve tried—3 knee operations, 2 shoulders, 2 spine “procedures” and this most recent event. In every case I tell the sleep doctor that he doesn’t have what it takes to put me down. I tell him that 5 minutes after the juice goes in I’ll be having a serious conversation with him about health care reform or stock futures. And in every case he just smiles, squirts the juice in my IV, and I never see him again. Sleep docs—6, Will—0.
- Friends are awesome. Thanks for the cards and prayers. They’re very appreciated.
- Susie Davis rules. My poor body literally started falling apart at about age 35. I’m not sure why. Maybe because I played really hard growing up; maybe because it’s a way God can keep me humble. Either way, Susie has nursed me through more than her fair share of the “in sickness” and “for worse” part of her vows. There’s no way I can repay the patience, love or humor. Not to mention the medical expenses.
- God’s still there when you come back to him. I’ve lost at least a week in my relationship with God. I can’t really sleep or eat, which means I’m typically too tired to pray or read the Bible. Connecting with God in a meaningful way hasn’t happened for me in several days. Sure, I pray when I’m lying in bed at 3:52 AM wishing I were asleep, but it’s not the same. But yesterday, God and I connected again. It was really cool. I was just coherent enough to process what the Bible was saying to me and I had some meaningful times of prayer and reflection. It lasted for nearly an hour. I really needed it. And like that friend that you can just pick up where you left off with them, no matter how many years or how many miles have separated you, God was there like he’s always been. It was like we’d never missed a day. That’s grace, God’s grace, and it’s the coolest thing I’ve learned from this hole--I’m sorry--whole, experience.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
October 16, 2009
They’re Everywhere!
I had surgery recently—neck surgery. Not a major ordeal. Just enough to justify a night in the hospital. What I found surprised me: Christians, believers, Jesus-followers. They’re everywhere. The nurse who checked me in was Greek Orthodox and had a very sweet spirit about her. The doc who did the actual cutting is a good Episcopal who also loves the Lord. The surgical assistant who provided the materials to go in my neck actually attends our church! I had no idea. The sweet nurse who greeted me and showed me to my room actually visited our church last weekend. All three of my night nurses—one man and two women—were believers. My nurses this morning? Again, all three believers. My primary post-op nurse actually recognized me. She used to work at a church where a buddy of mine who is a pastor.
After a while, it kind of got to be funny. We’re having an outbreak of Christians! Now keep in mind that I didn’t have a sign around my neck telling these folks of my religious status. I most cases, I was too drugged to say anything coherent. But in our conversations—albeit one-sided—out came their faith. As I look back on it now, it was very encouraging.
Christians, Christians, everywhere. Hmmmm. It reminds me of what the Lord told the Apostle Paul during a particularly dark period of his ministry: For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city (Acts 18:10--NIV). Many people indeed.
Friends, believers are everywhere. There are more of us than we realize. In Tucson and Tulsa, Anchorage and Albany, Conroe and Cheyenne, Dallas and Denver, Jacksonville and Jackson Hole, Nacogdoches and Nashville. And in Austin. Open your eyes (and maybe also your mouths). Faith in Jesus is alive out there. He really does have many people in your city. Yea God.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
October 7, 2009
Successful Baton Passing
Just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word have handed them
down to us. Luke 1:2
If you’ve ever been involved in track and field, then you know the importance of baton passing in a sprint relay. It’s amazing how many times some of the fastest athletes in the world have been stopped dead in their tracks by a miscue with a 12-inch metal cylinder. In a relay, the success of the race depends on the success of the baton pass.
This seems to be true in spiritual matters as well. In the introduction to his Gospel, Luke talked about the importance of baton passing. He mentioned those who were eyewitnesses to the life, ministry and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He said that what he wrote in his Gospel was what has been handed down to him by those eyewitnesses. The baton, in other words, had been successfully passed. In writing his Gospel, Luke was doing his best to make sure that he didn’t drop the baton. Aren’t you glad he did? If you’ve ever had your heart stirred by a passage in Luke’s Gospel or in Acts, then you can be sure that Luke succeeded. He has handed the baton firmly to you.
That begs an obvious question: what are you doing with it? We have the same responsibility to be successful baton-passers. The future of the spread of Jesus’ message depends on each generation’s determination to effectively hand down what has been given to them. So, what about your kids, your cousins, your neighbors, your co-workers, your parents, your spouse and your friends? Have you handed the baton of truth to them yet? And what about the person who does your lawn, cuts your hair, handles your income tax, changes your oil, cleans your house, collects your rent, takes your dry cleaning, delivers your mail, exterminates your house or drives your carpool? Have you handed them the baton yet? While not everyone in your relational world is ready to take the baton, many are. Please don’t let them live empty-handed because you didn’t try. The next generation of believers is depending on you. It’s time to pass it on.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
September 28, 2009
Have you every heard the laugh of a hearing-impaired person?
Three to four times a year our church sends a team down to the Lakeside apartments. I go with them every chance I get. Lakeside is a city-run project that is filled with mostly special needs residents. For many, Lakeside is the last stop before homelessness. If they lose their lease at Lakeside, they end up on the streets--special needs or not.
I typically sign up for cleaning duty when I go to Lakeside. I don’t know, but I find that it’s really good for me to spend a morning cleaning a total stranger's bathroom. It kind of put’s things into perspective.
On my last trip to Lakeside, I was assigned to clean the apartment of a deaf woman named Doris. I remembered Doris from my previous visits. She is a wheelchair-bound woman who can neither speak nor hear. She has warm smile and a kind disposition. When my cleaning partner, Connie, and I walked into Doris’ apartment, we were shocked. It was totally spotless; immaculate would be a better word. Most of the apartments at Lakeside are a total mess, as many of the residents are simply unable to clean their units. Doris’ was spotless. I wondered what we had been sent there to do. Then Doris showed me what she wanted--she was very bothered by the green mold growing on the caulk on her bathroom tile. I immediately declared war on Doris’ mold!
I stepped into Doris’ shower and began to work on the mold with a sponge. I was having a hard time getting to it, so I went out into her living room and took off my boots and socks, rolled up my jeans and headed back toward her shower. Doris was sitting by watching me. When she saw me take off my boots and socks, her eyes got real big, like she couldn't believe what I was doing, and then she just broke out into laughter. Loud, raucous laughter. I don't know if you've ever heard a deaf person laugh. I hadn't until then. It was one of the most beautiful sounds I've heard in a long time. Not only the actual sound, but also the notion that in serving Doris, Connie and I had brought some joy and happiness into her life. It was one of the coolest serving moments I’d had in a long time.
Doris’ sweet “joyful noise” reminded me of one my favorite biblical promises: Isaiah 35:5-6 (NLT), “And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy! Springs will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams will water the wasteland.” I can’t wait for the day when Doris and I stand side-by-side, sing our loud praises to God, dance together before God and laugh raucously out-loud at the notion of the sheer goodness of the grace of God. Bring it on, God. Bring it on.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
September 24, 2009
Let the Wind Blow!
It’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. I was ministering to a former gang member/street fighter when I lived in Fort Worth. He had nearly been killed in a fight outside of Billy Bob’s and I met him while he was in the hospital. Strangely enough, we became friends. His name was Rippy.
I was going to spend five days at a Christian camp and I was sure that the experience would be really good for the wayward Rippy, so I started bugging him about going with me. He gave me every excuse in the book for why he couldn’t go--pretty creative stuff for a guy who was unemployed and had very little to do.
On the very day that I was supposed to leave, I stopped by Rip’s for one more visit. We talked in his front yard for about twenty minutes. There just happened to be a rare Spring storm brewing that morning, and the wind was really starting to pick up. So I took a chance. I told Rip that the wind represented God’s Spirit and that every gust was God trying to tell Rip that he needed to join me at the camp.
What happened next still astounds me: The wind really started blowing! It was howling. I’d say something like, “Rip, God loves you and really wants you to get to know Him,” and before the words were off my lips, another huge gust would come and almost blow us over. This went on for several minutes. I’d say something, and the wind would blow. And every time it would blow, I reminded Rip that it was God. Before our conversation ended, we had to shout into each other’s ears to be heard over the wind.
Finally, Rip put his hand on my chest, leaned forward and shouted, “Tell Him to stop! I’ll go!” I guess you could say that Rip was kind of blown away.
The Bible uses the same word for both spirit and wind. Obviously, there’s a reason for that. So when you walk outside today and you feel a gentle breeze in your face, stop and say a prayer of worship to God. He’s right there with you.
By the way, Rippy went to the camp; and, he became a Christ-follower while he was there. Let the wind blow.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
September 14, 2009
Special Edition
I promised to write more about the wind and how it symbolizes God’s work in our lives, and I intend to. But the events in Austin this past weekend have moved me to write about something else—rain! It seems that rain has a lot to teach about God as well.
If you don’t live in Austin, then you probably don’t know what we’re in the midst of a terrible drought. We haven’t had significant rain in a couple of years. We’re on mandatory water rationing and our yards and lakes are vivid reminders of just how dry things are. Lake Travis, a beautiful, 60 square mile lake northwest of Austin, now has huge, dry islands that are actually sprouting vegetation. It’s about 35 feet below full. Most of the public boat ramps don’t even reach water any more.
So when it started raining late last week here in Austin—I mean really raining—we all started celebrating. It rained all weekend. Roads were closed; creeks ran over, a part of our house even flooded. It was serious rain. But guess what, the lake levels didn't budge. Even with all that rain and runoff, Lake Travis stayed at about 35 feet below full. How can that be? How can we get so much rain and no effect on our lake?
Because the land is that dry. The ground, desperate and parched from 3 years of drought, drank in the water. It’s going to take much more heavy, heavy rain for us to see any real movement in our lake levels.
Sometimes, when God starts to work, you don’t immediately see it. He may be pouring out his Spirit on a family, a business, a life, a church or a nation, but it may not be immediately evident. Sometimes God has to fill in the cracks. He has to fill the aquifers and wells of our own hearts before we have enough to spill out onto others. You may have been praying about a situation for a while—even years—with no evident result. It doesn’t mean God isn’t working. It may just mean that he is filling the cracks first! Keep praying. Keep seeking. Don’t stop. The flood will come.
Back in August, I started praying for God to fill Lake Travis. For the record, I’m praying for Lake Travis to be at 700 ft. (the spillways on the dam are at 713 ft.) by November 1. We’ll see. But this weekend’s rains are an encouraging sign. And I’m not worried that the lake levels didn’t move. Our land is thirsty. I intend to keep praying. Maybe you should too.
Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth. Hosea 6:3 (NIV)
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
September 8, 2009
Are you a wind-driven person?
A team of Harvard researchers recently determined that if governments and industries will continue to pursue the development and use of wind energy, we have the potential to produce 40 times more power via wind than we currently consume overall. They also determined that if we’d make our turbines a little taller, we could harness more wind power as well. That’s an amazing and very encouraging finding. Just think: all around us is a tremendous source of energy that is more than enough to meet all our needs.
So, it should come as no surprise that the Bible frequently talks about the wind in reference to a person’s relationship with God. It seems the biblical writers, and especially Jesus, understood the similarities between the work and power of God’s Spirit and the power of the wind.
In his famous “born again” statement, Jesus described people who believed in him as being born of God’s Spirit. He said that they were wind-driven people: The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit (John 3:8). In other words, people who follow Jesus are as free as the wind. They have a spontaneity, a freedom, that is uncommon in those who adhere to a strict religious law. Rather than being bound to a certain system or way of life, Jesus’ followers are marked by a free-flowing existence that is directly sourced by God’s Spirit. Beyond that, their lives are filled with power; a kind of power that they could never produce or experience on their own.
In my next few entries, I want to talk with you about what it means to be wind-driven. There is a difference between someone who is working and striving his or her way through life and someone who is led along by the wind of God. One is weary and worn; the other is refreshed and enjoys the newness of God every day. Which are you?
I invite you to seek the God of the wind today. Ask him to fill and refresh you with his Spirit. Ask him to blow through your life. Invite him to lead you moment-by-moment through your day. Pray to the God of the wind, the Holy Spirit, to free you right now.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
September 1, 2009
Will you still be running when you’re 80?, Part 2
What are you passionate about? What drives you to get up everyday? If you’re healthy and live that long, will you still be passionate about your cause when you’re 80? Howard Elakman is passionate about running. And he’s still running at age 80. My father, Will D. Davis, is passionate about his job as an attorney. He’s still practicing law at age 80!
Those of us who follow Christ should have no problem with a cause about which we can remain passionate. We have the greatest news in the world to share with people and the greatest joy of having a relationship with the God of the universe. In my own life, I can’t think of a more noble or more rewarding cause to give myself to. So when I’m 80, if my bad knees, back and neck (and/or rooting for Baylor football) have put me in an early grave, I pray that I will still be passionately telling people about Christ. I want to have the vigor of Caleb, who at age 85 said: I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then (Joshua 14:11). I love his passion. And if I make it that long, I still want to know how to live passionately for God.
What are you passionate about? Do you have something that drives you beyond just paying the bills or closing the next deal? There’s nothing wrong with those things, but they’re difficult to build your life around. Honestly, you can do better.
If you’re looking for a cause that will keep you running when you’re 80, take a look at the Kingdom of God. You might be surprised. Once you experience it, you might just find yourself running for a whole new reason.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
August 27, 2009
Will you still be running when you’re 80?
Howard Elakman is a runner—a distance runner. He’s run 28 marathons. He still runs 5ks and half marathons. The curious thing is that Howard didn’t start running until he was 38. That’s pretty late in life to start running. The really amazing thing is that Howard is 80—and he’s still running. In fact, he’s so passionate about running that he’s written a book about it: Stepping Forward: A Runner's Guide to Moving for Life.
Howard says that good eating and an overall well-balanced lifestyle have helped him stay healthy. But he acknowledges that he has also been very disciplined to just run. He’s run all over the world—in snow, heat, rain, wind, in the city and out in the boonies. And even as an octogenarian, he’s still at it.
As I read about Howard, I thought of another great runner--the biblical writer Paul. His race was a different one, however. Paul ran a race for Christ. His goal was to live his life passionately and faithfully for Jesus until he died. In some of the last words that Paul ever wrote, he said: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith, 2 Timothy 4:7 (NIV). Paul knew that he was soon to face the sword of a Roman executioner. He looked back over his life and concluded, I’ve run well. The fact that 2000 years later we’re talking about his words proves that he did indeed run his race well.
I want that to be true of me. I want to run well. I want to live my life passionately for Jesus. While I can run, while I’m still able, before the Lord calls me home, I want to spend myself for Christ. If God wills it, I want to still be living, giving and loving for Jesus, even when I’m 80!
Are you a runner? What are you running for? Will you still be running when you’re 80? Stay tuned.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
August 19, 2009
Don’t Quit until Your Work is Done, Part 3
Joshua 4:10, Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the Lord had commanded Joshua was done by the people, just as Moses had directed Joshua.
So, what’s the secret to walking out a difficult assignment? How do you stay then course when every fiber of your being wants to quit. Let me give you a one word answer—others.
Notice in the verse above that the word priest is plural. God didn’t tell a priest to stand in the River with the Ark; he told the priests to. That made all the difference in the world. Instead one of man trying to do an impossible task all alone, God sent several men to do it together. Yes, they still got hot; yes, they were still tired; but they were able to draw strength from each other.
The Bible teaches that it’s critical to not walk out tough assignments alone. You need others to pray with and for you, to offer you perspective, to comfort you when you’re hurting, to rally you when you’re weak, and to pick you up when you fall. And, they need you. That’s why the Bible constantly refers to the Church as a body: we really do need each other to be whole.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (NIV), Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
What tough assignment are you in right now? Do you want out of a hard marriage? Do you have a special needs child? Are you miserable in your job? Do you deal with chronic pain? Is the behavior of a child breaking your heart? Have you recently buried a loved one? Are you unemployed and starting to see the end of your savings? The settings for tough assignments are myriad; but the prescription for walking them out well is almost always the same: let someone else walk it with you.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
August 12, 2009
Don’t Quit until Your Work is Done, Part 2
On my first trip to Washington DC, my family was invited to take a behind-the-scenes tour of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetery. We got to meet several of the honor guards and see where they dress and prepare to come out for their respective shifts guarding the world’s most recognizable gravesite. The men were humble and very polite; they were also bad to the bone.
One of them relayed a story to us about one of his fellow guards, Seth. While Seth was on duty before the Tomb, a wasp flew into his face and ended up stuck between his eye and his sunglasses. The panicked insect fought, flew and stung desperately for 20 minutes trying to get out from behind Seth’s glasses. While this was happening, Seth never wavered in his steps. He never lifted a hand to move his glasses and free the enraged wasp. Seth completed his post-duty inspection, all the while standing perfectly still. He marched slowly off of the main portico and into the staging area for the guards, where he collapsed. His eye was swollen completely shut.
I’ll never forget that story. Every time I visit Arlington Cemetery I think about Seth. Even though I’ve never met him, he’s one of my heroes.
Following-through on an assignment from God isn’t always easy. Sometimes it’s downright painful—staying in a troubled marriage, loving a rebellious teen, working for a tyrannical employer, praying for an enemy, serving a neighbor who dislikes you, being generous in a troubled economy, living for Christ in the face of persecution. We’ve all faced hard assignments, and we will face them again.
I want Seth’s tenacity. I want his courage. I want to be as committed to Christ and his calling in my life as Seth was to his duty as an honor guard. I want God to find me faithfully living for him, even when it’s hard. I want to be as tireless and steadfast as those priests standing in the river (see my previous entry). What tough assignment has God given you? Pray for the courage, strength and conviction to stay with it. It’s worth it. In my next entry, I’ll talk about the secret to completing a tough assignment.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
August 7, 2009
Don’t Quit until Your Work is Done, Part 1
Joshua 4:10, Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the Lord had commanded Joshua was done by the people, just as Moses had directed Joshua.
Joshua, the heir-apparent to Moses as the leader of Israel, was guiding the nation across the Jordan River and into the Promised Land. They were forty years late getting there—God had to take care of that little matter of the rebellious spies and their disbelieving followers—but they were there nonetheless. God told Joshua to have the priests carry the Ark of the Covenant out into the middle of the Jordan. As soon as the feet of the priests touched the river’s edge, the water backed up and left dry ground for the priests to stand on. This was no doubt a repeat of the miracle at the Red Sea some forty years earlier. God wanted this new generation of Israelites to know that his power was available for them like it had been for their forefathers. He also wanted to firmly establish Joshua as the true spiritual leader of Israel. So he rolled back the waters and the nation crossed the Jordan on dry ground.
The priests who were carrying the Ark had to remain in the middle of the River bed while the nation crossed over. Think about that: An army of 40,000 soldiers plus several hundred thousand Israelite men, woman and children, not to mention their cattle, donkeys, carts, cats and dogs had to successfully cross the rock-laden bottom of the river before the priests could walk out. Those priests probably stood there for the better part of the day; holding the Ark, while their Israelite brothers and sisters passed by. It was a grueling assignment, and one that was not easily completed by the priests. But they did, and the nation made it safely to the other side of the River.
Think about what might have happened if the priests had decided to quit before their work was done. I’m quite sure that the story would have ended tragically. But the priests stood their ground, and God led his people to safety.
This verse has caused me to do some thinking. It’s made me wonder how many times I’ve bailed on an assignment from God just because things got hard. It’s caused me to stop and think just how much Kingdom chaos I’ve produced by stopping well short of the goal that God had for me. What people have I stopped praying for? What skeptics have I written off? What serving assignment did I drop out of? What repentance efforts did I abandon on my way back to sin?
When God gives us an assignment, he fully expects us to stay with it until the job is done. It might get tough; we might get tired, and we might even suffer for it. But God’s assignments don’t come with escape clauses. The Kingdom cause needs our full obedience. The people who are crossing the river need us to stand our ground. Are you?
Think about the angel that God posted outside of Eden in Genesis 3; the one with the flaming sword whose job it is to keep Adam, Eve and all of their rebellious offspring from eating from the Tree of Life. That angel is still there. He’s still at his post.
In my next entry, I’ll give you a real life example of a guard who wouldn’t leave his post until his work was done.
Dr. Will Davis Jr.
Sr. Pastor
Austin Christian Fellowship
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