Pray For Your City

“Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” - Jeremiah 29:7 

About a month ago, my family and I adopted a sweet little Welsh Corgi puppy named Finley. In this turbulent year, he’s been a breath of fresh air. For many of us, 2020 has been one of the hardest years of our lives. And honestly, some of us have been freaking out. But Finley doesn’t have a care in the world. Finley’s not worried about COVID. He’s not worried about paying the bills or keeping food on the table. And he won’t be any more stressed out on November 3rd than he’ll be on November 2nd. He doesn’t CARE who wins the Presidential election. He’s oblivious to all of it. At times I’ve found myself thinking, “It would be kind of nice to be Finley.”

Wouldn’t it be great to be oblivious to all of the problems and stressors in our world today? Of course it would. But you know what? God has something even better planned for you and me: Peace and prosperity without needing to be oblivious.

In Jeremiah 29, the people of Judah had been exiled to Babylon where, basically, they were prisoners of war. It was the hardest thing they’d ever endured, they felt as if God had abandoned them. But through Jeremiah, God gave His people a fresh perspective on their captivity. They felt their situation was hopeless, because they had taken their eyes off of God and were instead focusing on their problems. All they could think about was how to get out of Dodge as quickly as possible.

But God wanted His people to understand that they were in Babylon because He had PUT them there. And He had put them there for a reason, a reason that was going to take a number of years to carry out .... 70 years, to be exact. So, God tells them in verses 5-6 to “build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too my have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease.” While 70 years in Babylon must have sounded like a downer, it was actually a message of true hope, because it was part of God’s master plan. And God’s plan is always the BEST plan for us.

In verse 7, God urges His people to get on board with His plan: “Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” It would have been natural for the exiles to feel bitterness and unforgiveness toward the Babylonians, because those are all parts of our old sinful nature. But the Jewish exiles were God’s people, and as such it was high time for them to stop living according to the flesh and start living according to the spirit. And the same goes for you and me.

When we have the Spirit of Jesus Christ living inside us, there is no room in our lives for bitterness, resentment, hatred or unforgiveness. There is no room for blaming everyone else for our problems. Instead of criticizing and blaming those who have made our lives difficult, God calls us to pray for their peace and prosperity. Some of us are harboring bitterness and resentment toward family members who have treated us like crud. Others of us are harboring bitterness and resentment toward political leaders who make decisions that we passionately disagree with. But let me ask you: Are you praying for them?

If you aren’t praying for them, why not? And if you’re praying for them to be arrested, or to get sick and die, that doesn’t count. Those are terrible prayers! God says, “Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

You may not be crazy about the city you live in, whether it’s Victorville, Adelanto, Apple Valley, Hesperia or Phelan. But it’s where God put you, so you need to pray for it. If our hometown prospers…we too will prosper. Like many, I’m not too jazzed with California's Governor, Gavin Newsom, right now. I think he should declare all churches as “essential” and let churches in the High Desert get back inside their buildings. But regardless of how frustrated I am with him right now, that doesn’t change God’s command to me to pray for him and to seek his peace and prosperity. Because if Gov. Newsom and California prosper … we too will prosper.

Who ends up in office is important. But how Christians RESPOND to who ends up in office is even MORE important. It is both in our best interest and in God’s best interest that we seek the peace and prosperity of our city, our state, our nation, and the leaders who lead them. If America and its leaders prosper, we too will prosper. So this Tuesday, when new city council members and state and federal leaders are elected, there will be some new leaders you’re not crazy about. Who cares? Whether you like them or not is irrelevant. It doesn’t change God’s command to you to PRAY FOR THEM and seek the peace and prosperity of our city, our state, and our nation. Because if they prosper, you and I will also prosper.

Dane Davis is the Pastor of Impact Christian Church. Please join us for our live outdoor worship service Sundays at 9 a.m. at 17746 George Blvd. in Victorville. Or, join us online at 10 a.m. on our YouTube channel (Impact Christian Church) or on Facebook.

What a Wonderful World

“The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.”  - Isaiah 11:6

In 1968 our nation was in the midst of the Vietnam War, and two men—Bob Thiele and George David Weiss—wrote a song that was recorded by the great jazz musician Louis Armstrong. You’ve all heard it sung many times. The song was “What a Wonderful World.”

I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world. 
I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world. 

The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shaking hands, saying, “How do you do?” 
They’re really saying, “I love you.”
I hear babies cry, I watch them grow
They’ll learn much more than I’ll ever know
And I think to myself…what a wonderful world
Yes, I think to myself…what a wonderful world.

The world Louis Armstrong imagined was, without a doubt, a wonderful world. But Jesus’ world will be…EVEN…BETTER.

I don’t know about you, but after the past six months of COVID, social unrest and constant political squabbling, I’m ready for a better world. Sometimes it seems impossible. But the Bible tells us a day is coming that will be like Christmas, our birthday and the 4th of July all rolled into one. Jesus Christ will touch down on planet earth once again, and this time he will set up his throne here on earth for 1,000 years. Under his leadership, we will finally experience perfect righteousness, justice and peace. I can hardly wait for this wonderful new world!

We can read about it in the Book of Isaiah, written by the great prophet who lived about 700 years before Christ was born. Isaiah’s name means “Yahweh is salvation.” That’s the perfect name for him, because many of his prophecies highlight the salvation that Jesus Christ will bring to Israel. Like most prophetic books, the Book of Isaiah speaks of judgment. But Isaiah’s prophecies don’t just talk about judgment. Like most prophetic books, they also speak of blessing.

Some of the most encouraging prophecies in the Book of Isaiah are those that deal with Jesus’ second coming—when he will set up his earthly kingdom and reign for 1,000 years. Isaiah 11:6-10 describes what Jesus’ earthly kingdom will look like: “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them” (vs. 6).

Finally … perfect peace here on earth. No more pandemic lockdowns. No more religious persecution. No more ruthless dictators. No more constant bickering between Republicans and Democrats. No more abortion, sexual perversion, poverty or racism. We won’t need to lock our doors, because nobody will steal our stuff. During that thousand-year reign of Christ, it won’t quite be heaven. There will be a certain amount of temptation, difficulty and pain. There will be death. But without a doubt, it will be BY FAR the best this world has ever been since the Garden of Eden.

At long last, our government will be perfectly right and perfectly just. And all creation, which for several thousand years has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth, will let out a sigh of relief and rejoice with us as we—for the first time since the Garden of Eden—experience true rest and peace on earth. I can hardly wait!

But remember, the same Lord who will one day bring peace to this world is living inside of you. He wants to speak through you and work through you to bring peace to our broken world—today. People around us need to be at peace with God and with others. And we can bring them peace—because we carry with us the Prince of Peace.

Until that day, here are some things you and I can do: #1: Although Jesus isn’t yet king of this world, make sure that he is king of your heart. #2: The righteousness and justice that you long for in our world should be lived out in your home. #3: Since Jesus’ kingdom is a kingdom of peace, you as Christ’s follower must be a peacemaker.

Passages like Isaiah 11:1-10 leave us thinking, “What a wonderful world it will be!” But because Jesus lives inside us, every single day of our lives, we have the ability to bring much of that wonderful world into this broken world. So, let Jesus Christ work through you to make the lives of those around you a little more right, a little more just, and a little bit more at peace. Jesus is with you, so go and make this world a little more wonderful!

Dane Davis is the Pastor of Impact Christian Church. Please join us for our live outdoor worship service tomorrow at 9 a.m. at 17746 George Blvd. in Victorville. Or, join us online at 10 a.m. on our YouTube channel (Impact Christian Church) or on Facebook.

How Would Jesus Vote? (Part 2)

“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne.” – Psalm 89:14

Since Jesus isn’t running for office, when it comes to voting, followers of Christ have to do the next best thing: determine the heart of Christ on the issues, and prayerfully determine which political candidate, party, and propositions are most in sync with his heart.

Above all, remember this: As Christians we are called to lead people to Christ—not to an elephant or a donkey. However you decide to vote, don’t allow your politics to sabotage your witness to unbelievers or your fellowship with believers. Our loyalty must be to Christ, not to a political party.

In Psalm 89:14a, the psalmist summarizes God’s perfect government this way: “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne.” When God rules, He always does what is right. And He always does what is just. Looking at the two party platforms, Republicans tend to identify with Christ’s heart for righteousness: for example, the sanctity of human life and the importance of marriage and family. Democrats tend to identify with Christ’s heart for justice: for example, the goals of ending poverty and achieving racial justice and equality. Both parties have some admirable goals. But now, let’s look at two areas where each party is Biblically wrong.

Democratic Policy Position #1: Promoting abortion. The Democratic party platform makes it clear that the party wants to expand access to and funding for abortions. They use the terms “reproductive health” and “reproductive justice,” even though 99% of abortions have nothing to do with the mother’s health and 100% of abortions are “unjust” to the innocent child. And statistics show that more African-American lives are lost to abortion each year in the U.S. than every other single cause of death combined. Make no mistake about it: Abortion is evil, and the face that the Democratic party supports it is inexcusable.

Democratic Policy Position #2: Promoting LGBTQ+. Throughout the Democratic party platform, you will see the term “LGBTQ+” used over and over again. The Bible is very clear in Genesis 1 and 2 that there are two genders, male and female. These chapters make it equally clear that marriage is between one man and one woman, and sex is to take place only between a husband and his wife. But over the past few years, the Democratic party has been obsessed with normalizing, promoting and celebrating sexual perversion. And that grieves the heart of Christ.

The great sin of the Democratic party is calling evil “good” and good “evil.” On the other hand, I believe the great sin of the Republican party is HYPOCRISY. James 4:17 describes that sin very well: “Therefore, anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.” Here are two examples:

Republican Policy Position #1: Speaking out against abortion but not being fully pro-life. Being pro-life isn’t just about speaking out against abortion. It means reaching out to and mentoring young women BEFORE they get pregnant, compassionately providing them with necessary supplies and health care AFTER they become pregnant, and helping women PROVIDE for their children once the child is born. Yelling “Abortion is murder!” is easy. But we must be willing to put our time and money where our mouth is. Many churches do this very well, but the Republican party … not so much.

Republican Policy Position #2: Speaking up for traditional marriage and two-parent families, but doing very little to support them. The Republican party platform states: “Every child deserves a married mom and dad, and our laws and government regulations should actively promote married family life as the basis of a stable and prosperous society.” The party correctly identifies the breakdown of the American family as the #1 cause of poverty, drug abuse, crime and teenage pregnancy. But it’s not enough to IDENTIFY the problem. Leadership is about implementing solutions to FIX the problem. And too often, the Republican Party has talked the talk without walking the walk.

Regardless of whether you are a registered Republican, Democrat or Independent, if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, he has called you to take a stand for righteousness and justice in your political party. Even if you are outnumbered, speak up for the issues that matter most to your Lord, and pray for God to raise up leaders who honor Him.

Dane Davis is the Pastor of Impact Christian Church. Please join us for our live outdoor worship service tomorrow at 9 a.m. at 17746 George Blvd. in Victorville. Or, join us online at 10 a.m. on our YouTube channel (Impact Christian Church) or on Facebook.

How Would Jesus Vote? (Part 1)

"Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne.” 

– Psalm 89:14

Two ladies met at church one day. We’ll call them Mary and Mabel. They struck up a great conversation after the church service and talked about getting together for coffee later that week. But as they made their way to the parking lot, each of them got the shock of her life.

Mabel was beside herself when she looked at the back of Mary’s car and saw a bumper sticker that said “Biden-Harris”. Mabel thought, “How on earth could this sweet Christian lady be a Democrat?” Meanwhile, Mary glanced at the back of Mabel’s car and almost blew her top when she noticed a Trump sticker. She shook her head in disgust and thought, “How could ANY Christian support Donald Trump?”

This scene repeats itself in some form or another every week across America. And there’s a reason for it. If you didn’t know it already, let me be the first to tell you: Jesus isn’t running for President. Neither is Moses, King David or the Apostle Paul. Instead, we have two flawed men running for president, and each one has certain strengths and certain weaknesses.

If Jesus was a registered voter in the United States today, I’m convinced that he wouldn’t be a registered Republican. I’m also convinced that he wouldn’t be a registered Democrat. You see, Jesus was NEVER one to join political parties. In 1st Century Israel there were political and religious parties: The zealots, the Herodians, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Essenes. Which one did Jesus join? None of them! Jesus represents only one governing body—the kingdom of heaven.

Since Jesus isn’t running for office, when it comes to voting, followers of Christ have to do the next best thing. 1) Determine the heart of Christ on the issues, because Jesus DOES care about many issues that our government leaders deal with on a daily basis. 2) Prayerfully determine which political candidate, party, and propositions are most in sync with the heart of Christ. Now, let’s see how both the Republican and Democratic party platforms measure up to some issues that matter most to our Lord.  

In Psalm 89:14a, the psalmist summarizes God’s perfect government this way: “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne.” When God rules, He always does what is right. And He always does what is just. So, any leader who is going to please the heart of God must also do what is right and just. When it comes to choosing our political leaders, every Christian should ask: “Will this candidate do what is RIGHT in God’s eyes?” And, “Will this candidate do what is JUST in God’s eyes?”

If you, like Mary and Mabel, have ever wondered how committed Christians could vote differently than you, consider this: Christians who vote Republican tend to identify with Christ’s heart for righteousness, while Christians who vote Democrat tend to identify with Christ’s heart for justice. If you keep this in mind, it will help you better understand your Christian brothers and sisters on the other side of the aisle instead of judging them.

Here are two policy positions in the Republican party platform that are Biblically RIGHT:

Policy Position #1: The sanctity of human life. The Republican party platform states, “the unborn child has a fundamental right to life which cannot be infringed.” The party supports state and federal efforts “against the cruelest forms of abortion, especially dismemberment abortion procedures, in which unborn babies are literally torn apart limb from limb.” On the other side of the life cycle, the Republican Party also stands strongly against all forms of euthanasia including physician-assisted suicide.  

Policy Position #2: Marriage and family. The Republican party supports traditional marriage. Their platform says, “Every child deserves a married mom and dad, and our laws and government regulations should actively promote married family life as the basis of a stable and prosperous society.” Although the Republican Party has largely caved to public pressure to accept gay marriage, their party platform supports biblical marriage between one man and one woman.

On the other side of the coin, here are two policy positions in the Democratic party platform that are Biblically JUST:

Policy Position #1: Ending poverty. The 2020 Democratic platform states: “Democrats remain committed to ending poverty and enabling all Americans to live up to their God-given potential.… Directing more federal investment to the communities most in need will help create jobs; improve and expand housing; modernize and expand transportation, clean water, wastewater, energy, and broadband infrastructure; and promote shared prosperity.” This is, without a doubt, a Christ-honoring, just goal.

Policy Position #2: Achieving racial justice and equity. The Bible is very clear that God does not show favoritism, and neither should his followers. So, there is no place for racism in the church OR in America. The Democratic Party is absolutely just in standing strong against racism in America. Now, personally I think that some of the Democrat’s policies for eliminating racism are not biblical at all. But the fact still remains: The basic policy position is biblically just.

As the election approaches, remember: As Christians we are called to lead people to Christ, not to an elephant or a donkey. Don’t allow your politics to sabotage your witness to unbelievers or your fellowship with believers. Our loyalty must be to Christ. So, do some research, and vote in line with the heart of Christ. Let’s do our best to vote for right and just leaders, and to pray for righteousness and justice in the hearts of those who are elected.

Dane Davis is the Pastor of Impact Christian Church. Please join us for our live outdoor worship service tomorrow at 9 a.m. at 17746 George Blvd. in Victorville. Or, join us online at 10 a.m. on our YouTube channel (Impact Christian Church) or on Facebook.