Category Archives: Thoughts

“Don’t panic.” Quite possibly the best advice to ever come from a sci-fi book series. And while The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy may indeed be a hilariously peculiar concoction, Douglas Adams actually was trying to get a point across in creating this recurring theme for the series. After all, what place does comedy have amongst anxiety? The best of comedians know that humor, almost without exception, is accompanied by the belief that everything will be okay. Worrying is for those who overestimate the importance of their lives. Perhaps, then, “don’t panic” might be more appropriately interpreted as “don’t take yourself too seriously.” So, don’t panic.

Okay, sounds nice, but easier said than done. I mean, come on. Money is tight, school is rough, church is intimidating, and, honestly, spiritual growth kind of sucks sometimes. I’m trying to mend relationships, disciple younger guys, gain wisdom, fight temptations, be a good steward, and then, of course, there’s this girl… yeah. It just feels like everyone is looking at me, watching, waiting for my next move.

Well, that’s how I felt a week or so ago. Now, not so much. “Be still,” the Lord commands, “and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10, ESV). Think about it; how many of the things I just listed are within my control? Maybe one or two. But even so: “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:26, NIV). You heard that right. God notices birds. Freaking birds. And I spent Monday in panic mode because I couldn’t afford to put gas in my car? Why? God provides for birds. I’m sure He has the simple ability to fill my gas tank.

But here’s the catch. Yes, He has the ability, but will He always? Doubtful. Does that mean we can panic now? I mean, if God isn’t providing… crap, we’re in trouble, right? Wrong again. We forget that God is also sovereign, which is just a fancy way of saying that He knows what He’s doing. “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future,’” (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV). I don’t know if you’ve figured this out yet (apparently I haven’t eiher), but God is God. I mean, THE God. God of the universe. The One who created the heavens and the earth back in Genesis. The One who developed this elaborate plan for the redemption of all mankind. This God we speak of is kind of an expert at being in control, because, well, he’s God. It’s really not that complicated for Him to take care of us. And, being omniscient (knowing everything), God’s definitely figured out what’s best for His kids.

So if your circumstances are out of your control, relax. Apparently God’s doing something intended to strengthen your faith. So praise Him for that! He’s simply trying to show how much He loves you. And, hey, if your circumstances are your own fault, relax. You can’t change what you’ve done already, so simply ask God for the wisdom and discernment to make the right decisions for said situation from here on out. And, since you’re seeking God’s will with sincerity, He will more than gladly grant you your request.

This is still easier said then done. It looks great on paper. But the fact of the matter is that I love convincing myself that my plans trounce God’s. Hold on though; where were my plans taking me anyway? I mean, my initial plans? Oh yeah, eternal separation from God. Might want to rethink that one then. Clearly, God has a much better plan for my life than I do. After all, He’s the one who created it.

My challenge to you, then, is the same one I’m issuing to myself: never, ever cease to remind yourself that God is in control. Your life is not your own. You, along with every single other human being on this face of this planet, were created to know God and glorify Him through that relationship. That is your purpose. That is why you exist. Straying from that will do nothing short of destroy you, because it breaks from your original design. But thankfully, if you have, God created this beautiful concept known as grace. All of God’s wrath, anger, and hatred toward sin and the sinful was poured out upon His Son, Jesus Christ, as He hung from a tree almost two thousand years ago for crimes He did not commit. He stood in your place and took your judgement. My place. My judgement. And now you and I stand blameless before an almighty God. Blameless. What we deserved? That’s something to panic about. But we’re free from that. Free from sin. Free from judgement. Free to know God. Free to love. Free to be loved. Morality, then, becomes a response to God’s grace and mercy and the freedom which He has given you. Affection for Him brings about an affection for things that represent Him: love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. I can go for hours on this, but you get the concept.

So now what? It’s simple. If you believe the promises of God, then what reason do you have to worry? None. He’s way better at this control thing than you. And, if you don’t believe said promises, I encourage you look into them, simply because, as I said before, you were made for this. You were made to know God. Check out the link I have in the right column entitled The Story for more detail if you like, but please, don’t simply brush this off. Ask questions, regardless of how odd they sound. There’s nothing wrong with seeking truth.

All that said, I find it hard not to praise God. He took over a life I was inevitably going to screw up. And, of course, not everything has gone according to plan. Not mine. But His plan is greater, and it goes way beyond the life of one American college student amidst seven billion other human beings. So relax! This isn’t about you anyway, and God knows exactly what He’s doing. So smile, and remember: don’t panic.

Our God is not merely a god of love, or of joy, or of peace. Our God is the singular source of each and every thing which may be considered good, or even perfect. We serve a God who cannot be described through our own simplistic words. They are not enough. He is God. The God. The ultimatum of all power and glory. And, when we approach Him, this should do nothing less than bring us straight to our knees in a state of fear, awe, and surrender. And yet, this same God is a god of mercy. One who sends His only Son to bridge the gap between imperfection and perfection, between mankind and Himself. No greater love has ever been heard of, let alone attested to. And though we will never fully understand this God of whom we claim, we seek to know Him, to love Him, to serve Him. We earn not His favor; He grants it to us through the person of Jesus Christ in His infinite grace and mercy. This, friends, is the God we speak of. Whom, then, do you serve?

Some things aren’t going to make much sense. We just have to learn how to deal with that. And you know what? Sometimes, we aren’t going to like where we’re at. And we aren’t going to be satisfied with who we are. But, more often than not, that’s God’s way of reminding us that we have room to grow. We can react to that however we want, but it doesn’t change the fact that we still have room to grow. Welcome to life. It isn’t easy, it doesn’t make sense, and we aren’t in control. Thankfully, God is. So let go of yourself. Because this really isn’t about you.

Okay. Let’s get something straight here. This is a seminary. The school I attend is composed of what very well may be the future leaders of the church as a whole in the United States, perhaps even worldwide. We are being trained by the best. The very best. And what do these men tell us? That we are here to do God’s work, and, more specifically, to train others to do God’s work. This doesn’t simply involve teaching; this involves leading by example. So here’s the question of the day: WHAT example? Is this the best we can do? Are you serious? Because all I’m seeing from myself is a bunch of frivolous attempts at getting by. Last I checked, the Scriptures don’t ask us to “get by.” Getting by is a load of crap. It also happens to be an expression I use on a day-to-day basis.

So let’s talk motives. Why are you here? Seriously, why are you here? Why am I here? I can promise you I’m not hitting the mark. Why? Because I look across the street at a public high school with over 2000 students, most of which are dying without a Savior. Across the street from a seminary. It’s the same trend throughout this entire town. And what are we doing? Nothing. We’d rather debate theology, or have guitar sessions by the gazebo, or lock ourselves in our rooms for whatever reason. We’d rather go to a restaurant and get the server we know because they go to seminary too instead of sharing with one who’s never heard the gospel. We’d rather spend a majority of our time and effort finding our future spouse, since that’s obviously what you do in seminary. Evangelism is for mission trips. Not for the people I’m physically surrounded by as I sit in this dormitory and they drive down Stadium. Deny this mentality all you want, but you know you have the same problem. How many lost people do you know in this town? There’s plenty of them, and it sickens me that ninety percent of the people I know down here are Christians. Don’t get me wrong, I love those people, but is that really a good example of being in the world?

Death to the Christian subculture (stole that one from Doc). It’s not doing us any good. No, we’re not supposed to be of the world, but we’re definitely in it. So we construct our own social groups that do “churchy things.” And what do we accomplish? Nothing. NOTHING. I’m going to leave the professor who said this nameless (I know I quote him a lot, but it was not Doc Reid): “The reality is that, if this school was really doing it’s job, Wake Forest wouldn’t have so many people who are dying and going to hell.” And there’s a lot. Fake Christianity has ruined this town. Or should I call it a city? It’s getting there. In 2007, Forbes Magazine listed it as the twentieth fastest-growing suburb in the United States, with a 73.2 percent population increase between 2000 and 2006. The estimated population is quickly approaching 30,000, and Wake County as a whole is the seventh fastest-growing in the US. And we’re sitting here being good little seminary students (or, in some cases, we can’t even say that).

Here’s the point. This semester has to be different, at least for me. I have at least five people who would say the same thing for themselves. And I’m willing to bet that you would too. Think about it. We, as a school, are in a position to change the world. I’m serious. I’m not saying this because I think the students here are the best things to walk this this earth. We aren’t. But we are in a prime position to have a significant impact. With the Triangle being as populated as it is, and with three major universities (Duke, UNC, and NC State), any major movement is bound to spread. The churches in this area are some of the best I have encountered, and, if we actually pooled our resources and went, as a body, out into this region, something serious could take place.

But we aren’t. So I’ve decided that this is the semester to change that. I’m not speaking for anyone else but myself. This semester, I change my outlook. My focus. My drive. And it’s going to be really hard. Anxiety is already on the verge of eating me alive. But something has to change. It has to. Because I refuse to keep up this mundane trend of doing the minimum to graduate that I seem to be stuck on. I’m not called to that. So, if you’re with me, do it. Don’t tell me, just do it. And, whether you’re in or out, expect to start hearing about it. This isn’t some crazy idea I concocted in church today; this is a result of much prayer and discussion with other guys (and girls) who are just as sick of the same crap. The semester starts Thursday. What are you going to do? Stick with what you have, or start pursuing something greater? Because, let’s face it. I’m going to need a lot of help, or I’m going to collapse. I’m way too weak to do this alone. Let’s do something amazing for God. For once.

“Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the capital, that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said to me, ‘The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.’ As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. And I said, ‘O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father’s house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses. Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, “If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.” They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.’”
Nehemiah 1:1b-11a, ESV

Tonight, I’m feeling extraordinarily passionate. I wish I felt this way more often, but I admit I don’t. In high school, I held back a lot. I have some serious regrets in my life, but my biggest is that I never said what I’m about to share. Now, if you know me at all, you know that I’m slightly skeptical. You also probably know that I don’t believe something without serious thought. Honestly, I would be an idiot to do so. When making a serious decision in life (such as a college or career choice), there should be some serious thought involved. So, before I go into details, know that this isn’t simply a tangent; it’s legit.

Basically, I’m a really messed up person. I mean, let’s face it, isn’t everyone? What does it mean to be “good” anyway? I know some people who, in my eyes, are really “good” people, but they’re still messed up. They still have problems. So, in that case, are they really good? I’m not. It might look like I have it together, but I really don’t. And, in reality, anyone who claims they do is probably lying to you. But I’ll be honest. I’m a terrible person. Simple as that. I could go into details, but that would take to long. Let’s just say I’m selfish. I think about Colby Davis a lot. But I’m one of, what, almost seven billion people on this planet? So how can I possibly think the world is about me?

But you do it too, don’t you? Come on, think about it. You think about yourself all the time. How can I make such an accusation? Because everyone does. It’s normal. But why? You’re one of seven billion people. And, if you died right now, the other 6,999,999,999 people would still keep going. Sure, a really minimal number of them would be upset, but life would go on, and the world would keep spinning. Now doesn’t that make you feel insignificant? I feel pretty unimportant right now personally. So why I am making us all seem like losers? It’s quite simple really. I’m trying to get you to realize that the world doesn’t revolve around me or you.

Okay, cool. So the world doesn’t revolve around you. Well, who does it revolve around? President Obama? The United States? Oprah? The evening news? Well, bad news. We lose any of those, and you’ll still be alive. Yeah, I’m sure there would be some serious repercussions, but you’d probably still be alive. So would a majority of the rest of the world. In fact, there are parts of the world that wouldn’t give two craps if the US disappeared. If you disagree with me, go visit a little continent called Africa, and find the remote tribes that have never even heard of it. Pretty sure they would be fine.

Well, the world must revolve around somebody. There must be some reason it even exists. Or maybe it was an accident. If it is, that’s one impressive accident. Ever heard of the Watchmaker Analogy? Say you’re walking through the woods. You’re hundreds of miles from civilization, with nothing but plants and trees and animals. Suddenly, you happen upon a watch. A pretty, gold, ticking watch. How do you know that it isn’t a part of nature? Because it isn’t natural. It’s way too complex. Someone left it there. You know that watches don’t grow on trees. And, even if you haven’t seen a watch before, you still know that it’s impossible for it to have just appeared. Somebody actually MADE that thing, and then, somebody left it there.

So let’s look at the universe. Would you agree that it is at least slightly more complex than a watch? I would hope so. But yet we assume that it just happened. Would you assume that with the watch? That it just happened? Probably not. But the universe did? And the people with the knowledge to create that same watch did? Just accidentally? Doubtful.

Okay, so say you’re following so far. If not, then you won’t really get the rest; please contact me, because I’ll be happy to discuss this more. If you’re following, you know that I’m implicating that God created the universe. Fact about God: He’s perfect. Again, if you disagree, contact me. Therefore, a perfect God would undoubtedly design a perfect universe. In fact, Genesis 2 specifies that God “made man in His own image and likeness” (and I’m paraphrasing there). So God designed man (people) to be perfect.

Wait, we’re not perfect! We just discussed this. Well, God also gave us a wonderful little feature called “decision-making.” The first two people He created, known notoriously as Adam and Eve, came with that ability installed, and so did the rest of us. Their choice was simple. Eat from the tree they weren’t supposed to eat from, or obey God and don’t. If you don’t know the whole story, check out Genesis 3 (at the beginning of the Bible or searchable at www.biblegateway.com). Bad news: they ate. First people to ever disobey God. Unfortunately, that really screwed things up. Suddenly, God’s perfect universe wasn’t so perfect. Hence the fact that there are so many things wrong with the world, and with us.

More bad news: since God is perfect, and we aren’t, it’s impossible for us to be with Him. Of course, I’m talking about heaven. Heaven isn’t messed up; it’s still perfect. So, if we showed up in our imperfect, that really screws things up, and suddenly heaven is wrecked too. And it gets worse: we have to pay for what we’ve done. Everyone knows that there are consequences for our actions. Well, to be blunt, the consequence for our actions is eternal separation from God… in hell. I don’t need to clarify that this is a really bad thing. If you’re confused, message me.

Great, so we’re all condemned to hell. Well, God made us, so that’s not something that He’s really cool with either. Seems like a disaster, but here’s the good news. Finally. God fixed this problem. He took care of our punishment. It couldn’t be ignored. The government isn’t going to ignore your fifteen speeding tickets either. It had to be taken care of, and God did it.

How? That’s right, I’m talking about God’s son Jesus Christ. I’m sure you’ve heard the story. Jesus, as both God and man, came to earth and lived a perfect life. Totally perfect. Before you say that’s impossible, remember that He’s God. But, since He was also fully man, He still went through all the same crap you and I have been through. Then He gets condemned for doing nothing wrong. The people scream that they want Him dead, capital punishment for no crime whatsoever. If you’ve seen Passion of the Christ, you know what happened next. Or you can read John 19. They executed Him in the same way that they executed murderers, by nailing his hands and feet to a cross and letting Him hang until His lungs collapsed. Extremely painful. However, unlike the other prisoners who had died in this manner, He hadn’t done anything wrong. He did this for us. You and me, and everyone else who has ever and will ever live.

By this point, the situation seems bleak. We’ve been condemned to hell, and Jesus is dead, which seems to accomplish nothing. However, if we move ahead to John 20, we find some really good news. Three days later, a few ladies went to Jesus’s tomb (which was actually a cave with a giant bolder in front of it) for some traditional burial procedures. They showed up, and this massive bolder was gone, along with the body. Then Jesus showed up. Totally alive. They checked; ghosts don’t have scars, and they don’t breathe. It really was Jesus. Now, before you claim that this is impossible, remember that Jesus is still God. I’m pretty sure the God who created the entire universe could come back to life quite easily. There is plenty more evidence for this, and I will gladly discuss it with you. It’s real. Jesus is alive, and, forty days after his resurrection, He ascended to heaven to be with God.

So what does that mean to you? Why am I even telling you this? Well, here’s the best part: when Jesus came back to life, He proved that He had beaten death and hell. So the perfect God-man pays the ultimate price to free us of all the things we’ve done wrong. Our sin problem is fixed! There’s no catch; this is a gift. God, through Christ’s death and resurrection, has given you a way to be with Him in heaven for an eternity. All you have to do is accept that. It’s really quite simple. Admit you’re wrong, believe Jesus really did save you through His death and resurrection, and allow it to change your life. Place God in charge. I know that seems weird, but think about it. Jeremiah 29:11 states that God has a plan for your life. And, from experience, that plan is much better than anything else I’ve ever experienced. God isn’t going to set you up to fail. If He’s willing to send His son to die for you, He’s not going to turn around and screw your whole life over. That’s totally illogical. The reality is, He wants to use you to your full potential. And trust me, it’s way better than I could possibly describe it. I have this peace over my life. Something that nothing else has given me. I know that God is taking care of everything; I just have to trust Him.

So the choice, once again, is yours. You can surrender yourself to a God who knows every last detail about you and knows exactly why He created you and what you are meant to be, or you can try to live life on your own, where everyone is going to fail you at one point or another. Before you decide, I have one last request. Click on the link to The Story below. It will only take another five or ten minutes at most. Guys, this decision is important. We’re talking about eternity. We’re talking about your purpose on this earth. This isn’t minor stuff. And, if you have questions, just contact me. My info is on the top right corner of the page, or you can email me at colby@colbyjdavis.com. Think about it.