Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Christmas Thoughts and Devotional By Rev. Dr. Don L Davis

I love going through the church year each year with my World Impact missionaries.  TUMI each year produces a devotional that has different readings and thoughts that supplement the different seasons of the church year.  I loved Dr. Davis's thoughts on the Christmas season and wanted to post below. Here is the link of where you can find an online version of this devotional.  

http://tumi.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=600&Itemid=19


Christmas celebrates the mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God, the Word made flesh.  He enters the world to reveal the Father’s love to humankind, to destroy the devil's work, and to redeem his people from their sins.  Although the highest Christological reflection has sought to plumb the depths of this mystery, only faith, awe, and worship can draw near to its richness.  In order to redeem humankind from its waywardness, to reconcile creation that was cursed at the Fall, to destroy the enemies of God, and to reveal the Father’s glory to the world, the eternal Word became a human being.  The One through whom the Father created the trillions of galaxies by his omnipotent, creative Word, was joined to human likeness, and entered the world as a baby boy.  And all this for love and grace.

This grand celebration and time of remembrance is an invitation to wonder, to meditate upon a truth that can easily be recited in the dry theological language of the schools, but can never be fathomed fully.  Who can possibly grasp the total meaning of the Christ-child, the One sent and anointed by God to reign forever after he conquered sin and death through his passion?  As Christians, we join the shepherds and the magi at the foot of the baby boy, and quietly, reverently bow with Mary and Joseph under the gleam of the star that rested above him who would one day become King of kings and Lord of lords.  His coming is soon, and we eagerly wait still for that time when the prophets’ foretellings will become true.  Yes, the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and of this child, and he will reign forever and ever.

At Christmas, believers worldwide celebrate the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Together we affirm that Jesus was--and is--God's only begotten Son, the Word made flesh, and the human son of the Virgin Mary.  In him we see the love of God revealed for all humankind.  He is God’s mystery that causes broken hearts to marvel and rejoice.  This little child would fulfill the prophecy of a Savior who, by dying and rising, would conquer humanity's mortal enemy, the devil, free us from sin’s bondage and curse, and restore creation under the reign of God.  "Joy to the world, the Lord has come! Let earth receive her King!"      


                                                                                     Rev. Dr. Don L. Davis. 

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

October Prayer letter - "I Just Want God So Bad!!"

This was our prayer letter that was sent out via mail for October. 



“I JUST WANT GOD SO BAD.”  I heard this recently in a time of deep prayer from a man who wants more freedom and deliverance from his past.  He went on to share his story with us during this time of prayer.  It was not unlike many other stories that I have heard.  First, there was abuse at an early age, then a life full of drugs and rage, which then led to violence and time in prison.  He had accepted Christ a few years ago, but he has struggled to find victory from the past.

This is what led to our special time of prayer with his pastor and me.  As we shared and prayed for this man, I was struck again by the power of God that is needed not only for salvation (Romans 1.16-17) but also for total healing and deliverance from every past hurt, addiction, and sin.  Two truths stick out to me as I think of people becoming free from the past--first is our identity in Christ; and second is understanding the incomprehensible, deep love of God.

Colossians 2:9-15 is an amazing text that is packed with truth of what Christ has done for us.  It is hard for us to wrap our minds around these great truths from the Word of God.  Verses 9-10 of that passage talk about how all fullness of God lives in Christ.  All of who God the Father is lives fully in Christ.  That statement alone makes my head spin.  But then Paul writes that we have been filled with Christ.  That means that the power that raised Christ from the dead is now living inside of me, you, and anybody who has accepted Christ as their Savior.  One of the first steps in our freedom from the past is our understanding the truth that the fullness of God in Christ is in us.

We need to understand the deep love of God as well.  This love of God can never be fully explained or grasped.  We often try to explain it in words, but honestly it does not make sense to the rational mind.  Why would God give up everything and send His Son to enter into our mess and chaos so that we can have abundant life?  The answer is love, but this love must be much more intense than anything I can imagine.  I think that is why Paul, in Ephesians 3.18-19, prays that we “may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

We cannot fathom this love intellectually.  Our sin is too great.  There is too much evil in our world.  Yet, this amazing love does in fact win out.  The love of God is true, real, and available to all.  But this love needs to be more than understood.  It needs to be demonstrated and experienced in a powerful way.

So in one sense, that is our job as missionaries--to help people understand their identity in Christ and to understand the incredible love that God has for them.  We want our family to be clear on these truths in our own lives and live them out radically.  As we continue to grow and live this way, we will be able to help many in the city experience true freedom in Christ.  Please pray with us like Paul prayed for the believers in Ephesus, that we will know God’s love and be filled with the fullness of Him.  Let us all say, “I just want God so bad!”

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

What is our limit?

This past weekend, I had the privilege to hang out with some amazing urban men in California.  They have all been through so much suffering, brokenness, and sacrifice. Some because of their own personal sin, but so much because of their situation or the abuse done to them. But the stories they have of perseverance and how God is now using them in unreal ways are very powerful to hear.

Which then led me to these questions, "How much am I willing to sacrifice? What is my limit in suffering?"  I think if we are honest, we all have our limits on how much we are willing to give up, or sacrifice for the Lord.

I will serve you, Lord, here... but not there.  I am willing to live in this house but not that one.  Lord please don't make me live (fill in the blank).

Galatians 2:20 says that we are are dead in Christ.  If we truly understand our position in Christ, we are dead. We have no rights. Christ owns us completely. He should be able to do whatever he wants with us.  Send us to any place, be willing to endure anything.  Any physical suffering, and even death.

For some of us, it might be living near family or it could be related to finances and thinking that we need a certain income to maintain our lifestyle.  Or concerning our time and how we use it or how much pain we are willing to endure?  There are many different places where we put limits. 

Paul in Romans 9.1-3 says some pretty powerful words "I am speaking the truth in Christ -- I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit -- that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.  For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh."

Are you serious Paul?  You are willing to be cut off from Christ just so his fellow Jews could know Christ?  We know Paul endured everything for the sake of the gospel. He was completely obedient to whatever the Holy Spirit asked him to do.

2 Timothy 2.3 says "Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus."

I want that to be my prayer. I want to follow Christ anywhere, even to the point of death. But sadly, I see that I am still putting boundaries on the Lord on how much I will endure. I am praying that the Lord will completely break my flesh and my pride. I pray that I will completely trust in the Lord, in His love for me, that He truly knows what is best, and that I will follow him anywhere even to the point of death.  



Thursday, September 5, 2013

Celebrating 15 years with Angie!!!!

Today, Angie and I celebrate 15 years of marriage.  On my brother's 5 years anniversary of his passing, I wrote a letter to him.  Here's my attempt at a letter to you Angie.

Today is 15 years.  When I look back to 15 years ago, I think did we really know what we were getting into?  We were just kids. We were only 22. How did we know we would make it?  how did we know we were ready to spend the rest of our lives together? There really isn't anyway to know that.  But we loved each other.  We loved God and knew we wanted to be in ministry together and we were ready to go for it. So here we are at 15 years of living life together.

When I think of 15, I was thinking of us being 15 years old.  We would have finished our freshman year of high school. We've both talked and been grateful our paths didn't cross for another 4 years.  At aged 15, we probably wouldn't have gotten along. We were both sarcastic, but into our own thing. I was totally into sports, not the Lord, and living for my own thing. You were into sports, drama, and your anti-boy days.  It's safe to say, we wouldn't have gotten along then.  But we changed some in the next four years, met at Tabor (broke up twice, but finally got together for good our senior year) and started our life together on September 5th, 1998.

I think back to these 15 years and we really have done a lot together.  We've been to a lot of cool places together.  Lots of laughs. Lots of tears and in between some intense moments as we learned what living in the city, balancing ministry and raising a family is like for us.  Have we totally figured it out yet?

There are so many things I'm grateful for with you.  But maybe the one thing that sticks out right now, is the fact that you just put up with me and have endured with me.  As I look back, I do think about our dark times. Especially our years of finishing up at Lighthouse, with your mom passing and then feeling totally burned out and then having Phil die.  Those days were jard and they were filled with darkness but yet you hung in there with me.

And now you are hanging in there with my new passion and calling with revival and intensity with the Lord.  You put up with my dreams for ministry, dreams for our family, and processing so many things.  You are an amazing listener and know just what to say at the right moment to offer a word of wisdom or balance to what I'm expressing in my passionate rant on whatever topic.

After 15 years, we're half way there with raising Ethan and Bree until we start to release them to a new chapter of their lives.  that's amazing as well to think about. We know these years are going super fast, so I guess we better put on our seat belts.

I am super excited for these next years of marriage. I feel more clear than ever about our calling. I firmly believe that we are going to see some amazing things with the Lord in the years ahead.

Let's continue pursuing the Lord with everything we have.   As they say in sports, let's leave nothing on the field. let's give everything we have to the Lord and see what these years will bring.

so thanks for being on this journey with me.  I love you mucho.

Matt

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

A Prayer for our country - From Psalm 81

As I was reading and praying through Psalm 81 from the lectionary reading this week, I was struck that this could be a great Psalm and prayer for our country.  So here is my attempt at a prayer with Psalm 81 in mind also clearly remembering America is not Israel.  But the spirit of the prayer, I think can apply well to our situation.

Lord today, we declare your praises.  We sing aloud to you, who is our strength.  We will use anything we have, instruments, our hands, our lives to celebrate you.  We will throw a party and festival in your name.  You are above all gods. We bless your name.

You have been so faithful to us.  You have walked with us through generation after generation.  Just like you walked with the Israelite's and delivered them from Egypt and many enemies, you have been with us in our country. You have walked with us. You have prospered us. You have given us amazing freedom. Amazing blessings.  You have been our protector.

Lord you said that we are to obey your voice, but we have not done that.  We have way to many distractions to even hear your voice now.  We are one with culture. We can't truly discern your will because we are so consumed with media, money, and the things of this world.  We confess that we have idols. We have worshiped our possessions, our security, our freedom rather than truly worshiping you.   Instead of bringing unity to the body of Christ, we have debated other believers and taken stands against so many things.  Instead of loving our enemies and showing them how good you are, we have not represented your name.  We have not been holy.  We have sinned, Lord.

We want to walk with you. We want to walk in your ways. Bring us back, Lord. Bring us to our knees.  Deliver us one more time from our sin, from our wicked ways. Heal our hearts. Heal our churches. Heal our families.  Keep our eyes focused on you.

We know that if indeed walk in your ways and follow your voice, you will give us what we need.  Not what we think we need, but you will feed us with your presence. We will be truly satisfied in you, Jesus.

Hear our prayer, Lord. We are desperate. We are in need of you to bring us back again.

Amen.

Monday, September 2, 2013

Ethan attending a new school

This past summer, we made a decision to send Ethan to a new school here in Wichita called, The Classical School of Wichita.  In a sense this decision came really fast and out of nowhere but as we prayed about it and made the decision, we realized God was answering a prayer that was several years in the making.

Ethan has loved learning Spanish and attending Horace Mann. We have absolutely loved the school and the faculty. Ethan loves the Latin culture. The school goes through 8th grade, so we didn't have any plans to change schools.  But that changed in a matter of one week in June.

This past year, I've felt like the Lord has impressed on me that this is a critical time in his life and development.  Since our Peru trip a year ago, we've seen his heart grow for missions and serving God.  He has a tender heart for the Lord and often talks about Heaven and eternity. But also he has really struggled with anger and it just seems like there is a real battle for his allegiance right now.

So Angie and I wanted to expose our kids to other kids who are passionate for God. We sent them to a Signs and Wonder camp at IHOP in KC.  This camp changed both of their lives. They were exposed to God in deep levels. They both learned to love to worship God and experience His Presence in new ways. When I talked to Ethan following the camp, I thought, "What has happened to my son?!"  He couldn't stop talking about the Holy Spirit.  It was obvious he was touched by God.

When we got home and shared with our good friend, Lisa Entz, she mentioned that we might need to home-school him.  That wouldn't work for Angie and I but it got us thinking that now might be the time to switch to a Christian school.

Ethan has met a couple of good friends at Horace Mann, but as a whole he hasn't made many Christian friends.  He has been picked on a lot at recess.  I talked to one friend who taught in public school for a few years in 5th grade. She said 5th grade is the year where a lot changed for the boys. She was so surprised with what the kids knew and talked about.

Suddenly we realized, we needed to steward what God was doing in his life and that the public school environment wouldn't be the best for him.

We researched schools and learned more about the Classical School. We were so impressed by the education and faculty and the families that attended. We sensed God was leading us there so we enrolled Ethan and now he is attending there.   He is very excited to be learning Latin.  He has already met some good new friends, and we have loved the new community there.

It was interesting though after the first couple of days. He said that he misses speaking Spanish and misses the Latin culture. He has sure learned to appreciate many cultures.  But he will still get many experiences of culture through playing tackle football and our work as missionaries.

The issue of public school vs Christian schools and home-schooling is one that has caused a lot debate. We have always been in favor of public schools and want to support public education.  But in our current situation as missionaries and the lack of Christian friends Ethan has, we felt that at this time, this decision was right for us.


Friday, August 30, 2013

A new attempt at blogging.

I have made a couple of different attempts at our blog and it's always been a struggle for me to know what to write, say, and put on here. There are so many blogs and really do I have anything worth saying?  Most of the time that answer is a clear no even though I do love to talk a lot.

I started this blog as a place to share more about our family and our lives as urban missionaries.  I will continue to do that some, but the blog is going to start to take on a new shape.

In the past 8 months, my heart has been touched by the Lord in a deep way to see revival in the inner city.  There is a lot to this journey that I will share soon.  I have learned so much this past year and at times it is overwhelming, but I felt like the Lord told me to start writing about it. So that is what I do.

Now, for those of you that know me, know I am not a writer.  I love to communicate but that is mostly in the form of talking!!! So writing consistently will be a stretch and honestly one that reveals my insecurity.  But I am learning that I can't compare myself to others and not to worry about what people think of me.  But what I hope to do is share my heart and things that I feel the Lord is teaching me.  My writing will at times probably be raw and could be said a lot better by someone who is much smarter than me. 

One thing after being a missionary and serving the Lord the past 14 years, I have learned that the more I grow and  learn about God, the more I don't know.  I have learned to appreciate many streams of the Christian faith.  I have become good friends with Orthodox priests, and pastors and leaders in the Charismatic movement and anything in between.  God is so big and massive. He doesn't have any grids or boxes that we can put him in, yet that is often the thing we do with certain theologies or traditions.  I don't think we mean to do it, but perhaps it is just human nature. How do we really explain with words the beauty of the Lord, this supernatural Being? So as we study Scriptures, we form certain theologies and doctrines.  They are definitely helpful but the problem is then we put ourselves in certain camps and then the body of Christ can appear to be divisive.

My heart is for Christ.  I deeply want to know him. I want to be in his presence. I want to see his glory come down. I want all that God has and don't want to resist Him in anyway.  So I think that is why I love learning from different streams. They all have something different to share and it expands my view and understanding of God.  

I don't have a major plan other than to share my heart and especially as it concerns revival.

Thanks for reading. 

Sunday, June 16, 2013

5 Years and a letter to my brother

(just a warning, I wrote this raw and didn't edit!!)

Today, I wake up thinking about my brother Phil. It was five year's ago that on June 16th, we received that terrible call that he left this life and gone on to be with Jesus for eternity.  I miss my brother so much and there is so much that I would love to tell him, but here is a few of the things I would want to say to him now if I could.

Phil, I so desperately want to catch up with you.  I just wish we could have had one good conversation in person. I was so looking forward to your furlough, and to give a hug again. I guess that hug will have to wait for when you welcome me into Heaven someday and we reunite.

These last years have been hard and good. there has been so much wrestling eternally.  When you died, I was already in a hard season of life of burnout and but your passing only made that worse. I trusted that God was good and didn't struggle in that regard. but I struggled so much in questioning why I wasn't more like you.  I was feeling so dry spiritually and it was hard for me to hear about all of the things you had already done in your life. and how you lived your life spiritually.  It seemed that God had put so much into you at an early age. I was always envious of that.  My life to that point, didn't seem to have the fullness spiritually that yours had.  So what was it for you? how did you learn to pray at such an early age?  You had such an intensity for the Lord and I wished my life was so much more like yours. I could go on and on. but I really struggled comparing myself to you. It was very hard.  especially as I talked with so many people about your life. I loved hearing those stories but it just enforced inside of me, how much I wasn't like you at that time, no matter what people said to me.

But that ended up being a very good thing. In my wrestling, I had lots of help from other people. They came alongside me in my brokenness. I didn't know who I was.  But the Lord started to teach me so much about Him and started to tell me that I wasn't like you and I didn't have to be like anybody else. He had created me unique.  I started to learn more who that was.  I started to become free and accept who God had made me. that was very hard for me to do.  In some ways, I will always compare myself to others but there is more freedom there.

But still spiritually, I felt like there was some healing that was needed.  Over a year ago, I started wrestling with my call again.  I wondered if God would ever use me again in front line ministry. I had resigned from thinking I could ever be used again. but in that brokenness, I also told the Lord I was content to be behind the scenes. I told him, I didn't want leadership.

But I couldn't shake the wrestling with the Lord. I sensed, He wanted to do something new in our lives and was calling us to new ministry. but where, how, what would it look like?

We first thought we were called back into leading a new church plant. But the Lord continued to shift things in my life.

These last months have been so intense spiritually.  As I have opened my life to the Lord, He has came on me in powerful ways and I have seen my passions for Him intensify. I know longer was doing this to try and prove myself. I was just wanting to live my life fully for the glory of God.

I started to love prayer. To love God's presence. to love praying for other's.  So much more I could write and say to you. But the Holy Spirit become so powerful in my life.  then the Lord called me led the prayer efforts for our new church planting efforts here in Wichita with World Impact. I am going to lead what we will call CTV Fire.  We are going to seek the Fire of God for the city.

About two months ago, when I was sharing all of this to some friends who have helped me on my journey. My friend stopped me, and said, Matt, I sense it in the Spirit.  The reason all of this is changing on you, is that you are carrying your brother's spirit. It is now resting on you.  You have his passion now for prayer and for the Lord.  It humbled me.  for so long, I wanted to be like you. but when I why released myself to that, and paved me own path, God still gave me passions and a hear like yours.  I thought that was so cool.

So now, I hope that for the rest of my life, I will live this life of passion for Jesus. My aim, like Paul's in First Cor 2. "for I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified."  I will be committed to prayer and seeking God's presence and helping others experience God's healing prayer.

I look forward to Heaven. Where this life will be over. Then we will share stories and I can catch up with you.  thanks for paving the way.  for allowing the Lord to shine extremely bright in your quick life.


Here is the last time, I saw you.  7 years ago.





Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Video Blog: Angie's Worship Recording Project

After two years of waiting for equipment to work and figuring everything out, Angie is finally in the middle of her recording project.  God provided in a big way for someone to help with all the production.  That is a huge help as all of the tech part can be very overwhelming for her.  The plant right now is to record a few songs at a time.  The end goal is that she will have worship music recorded for our Christ the Victor church plants. Often when a church plant is just starting, there is not a worship leader in place.  Rather than just play CD's of various artists that are often hard to sing to, Angie is recording this music so it will be easier for people to sing along with.  Hopefully in the next months, we will have something ready.