Can I Trade in my Spiritual Gift?

“A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other…. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts.” – 1 Corinthians 12:7 & 11

If you’re a Christian, you have at least one spiritual gift. You weren’t born with it. You didn’t inherit it from your parents. And no one taught it to you in high school.

 

So, where did it come from? According to Pastor John MacArthur, spiritual gifts are “supernatural endowments” given to Christians by God’s “Holy Spirit.” Pastor MacArthur also highlights the PURPOSE of spiritual gifts: “They are God’s supernatural provision for the edification of the church and the evangelization of the world.”

 

Going back to God’s Word, the Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12: “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other…. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have” (vs. 7 & 11, New Living Translation).

 

Before we can delve into the types of spiritual gifts, we need to look at a couple of important truths from these verses:

 

Truth #1: The Holy Spirit alone decides which Christian gets which gift, and the Holy Spirit is never wrong. You don’t get to choose your spiritual gift – and it’s a good thing. I guarantee you, the Holy Spirit did a better job of picking your gift than you would. One of my spiritual gifts is pastoring. And honestly, there have been times over the years, when things were tough, that I wished I could trade in that spiritual gift for a different one! But I know now that God has always had me right where He wanted me to be, equipped with just the right gifts to do what He called me to do. The same is true of you.

 

Truth #2: Your spiritual gift isn’t for YOU; it’s for the other Christians around you. I love to teach God’s Word. But the enjoyment I get from using my spiritual gift of teaching is simply an added bonus. Our spiritual gifts are, first and foremost, for our Christian brothers and sisters in the church. However, as you faithfully use your spiritual gifts for the good of other Christians, God will bless you with an indescribable joy. It’s a thrill to do effective, life-changing ministry right where the Holy Spirit has put you and equipped you to serve.

 

Regardless of what your specific spiritual gift is, remember, it’s a gift given to you for the good of those around you. If you’re willing to accept this truth and humbly use your gift in love for the good of your church family, the Holy Spirit will see to it that your ministry is fruitful. And, as an added bonus, He will give you joy.

 

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church in Victorville. Join us at Impact for Sunday services: in person or online at 9 a.m. on Facebook Live or YouTube. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.

Can Communion be Unholy?

“Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.” – 1 Corinthians 11:27

When Christians gather to take the Lord’s Supper, we’re warned not to take Communion in an “unworthy manner.” But do we really know what this means? If we’re going to examine ourselves at Communion time, it would be REALLY helpful to know what we’re looking for.

 

It‘s too simple just to say, “We’re looking for sin.” Of course, we’re looking for sin in our lives. But what sins in particular does the Apostle Paul have in mind in 1 Corinthians 11, when he talks about being subject to God’s discipline and judgment at Communion time?

 

I believe there are 3 specific sins that we must search for inside ourselves before we take Communion:

 

Sin #1: The sin of going through the motions—exchanging an emotional connection with Jesus for a ritual (v. 29). This is a BIG one. Most of us know that Communion is not intended for unbelievers, because they have no relationship with Jesus. But did you also know that Communion is not intended for believers whose minds and hearts are distant from the Lord? So many Christians eat the cracker and down the grape juice without giving it much thought – without having any sort of emotional connection to Jesus. That’s unacceptable. Make sure you’re not just going through the motions when you gather with other Christians around The Lord’s Table.

 

Sin #2: The sin of holding onto unconfessed sin (v. 31). In verse 31 Paul writes: “If we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment.” As I mentioned last week, Communion is the ideal time to think about the life you lived over the past week – to scrutinize your words, your actions and even your thoughts. If you realize that you have any unconfessed sin, confess it to God and ask Him for forgiveness before taking Communion.

 

Sin #3: The sin of harboring prejudice, bitterness or unforgiveness toward another Christian in the church (vs. 17-22). One of the Corinthian Christians’ big sins was prejudice. They played favorites, and the rich Christians discriminated against the poor Christians. There is NO place for prejudice or favoritism at The Lord’s Table. And there’s no place for bitterness or unforgiveness. God’s Word is very clear: “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy…. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many” (Hebrews 12:14-1).

 

Just like King David in Psalm 139:23-24, at Communion time we should cry out to God: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

 

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church in Victorville. Join us at Impact for Sunday services: in person or online at 9 a.m. on Facebook Live or YouTube. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.

No Cliques at the Lord’s Table!

"When you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk.”  – 1 Corinthians 11:20-21

Have you ever wondered: Did churches in New Testament times hold potlucks? Well, the answer is … yes!

 

Since Christians didn’t have church buildings back then, they met in homes. Some of their meetings were called “Agape Feasts,” or “Love Feasts” (Jude 12). At these love feasts, church members gathered to pool together whichever food items they wanted to share. And their big meal would culminate in taking communion together.

 

Sounds beautiful, doesn’t it? The problem was, in the church of Corinth, not everyone was getting the same helpings at the table. Some may not even have gotten a seat. Instead of using the feast as a time to bring Christ’s Church together in love and unity, they were using it as an opportunity to exclude certain Christians and selfishly stuff their own faces.

 

In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul addresses the issue of confusing and disorderly potluck meals and communion services in the Corinthian church. He identifies two problems in this passage:

 

Problem #1: Your Communion Services Are Too Cliquey (vs. 17-18). The way the Christians held their love feasts and communion services was, in Paul’s words, doing “more harm than good.” The gatherings were cliquey and divisive. When we piece together the biblical and historical details, it appears that the rich brought most of the food and wine to the feast – and they weren’t ABOUT to share it with those who could only afford to contribute a couple of biscuits.

 

Problem #2: Your Communion Services Are Too Self-Centered (vs. 19-21). Paul points out one good thing about having cliques in the church: It made it easier to recognize the mature Christians. They were the ones who DIDN’T exclude certain Christians. They were the ones who denied themselves and put others first. Meanwhile, immature Christians were selfishly gorging themselves, instead of humbly sharing their food with those who needed it the most.

 

One of the clear messages in this passage is this: Having NO love feast is better than having a divisive and humiliating love feast. And skipping communion is preferrable to making a mockery of it.

 

For one reason or another, as centuries passed, Christian churches around the world stopped holding love feasts. But churches have never stopped celebrating the Lord’s Supper together. Communion always has been and always will be observed by Christians in every tongue, tribe and nation. But it must be observed by Christians who are unified, not divided; and selfless – NOT selfish.

 

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church in Victorville. Join us at Impact for Sunday services: in person or online at 9 a.m. on Facebook Live or YouTube. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.

Taking Communion … the Right Way

“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you.” – 1 Corinthians 11:23

When the Apostle Paul writes about the Lord’s Supper in 1 Corinthians 11, it seems clear that he had the best possible teacher. Paul didn’t learn about Communion from Peter or James or John. He learned directly from Jesus. 

 

In verse 23, Paul says that what he’s about to teach us about the Lord’s Supper was something he “received from the Lord.” And when he shares what Jesus taught him, he instructs us to look in four directions. We are to Look Back; Look Ahead; Look Inside; and Look Around.

 

#1: Look Back (vs. 23-26a). When we take Communion, we need to look BACK—remembering Jesus’ body that was offered and His blood that was poured out as He died on the cross for our sins. As theologian Warren Wiersbe puts it: “It is not the life of our Lord, or His teachings, that will save sinners—but His death.” At The Lord’s Table, we look back to the cross and remember what Jesus did in love for you and me.

 

#2: Look Ahead (vs. 26b). When we take Communion, we need to look AHEAD—celebrating the fact that Jesus will one day come back to take His followers to heaven. The Lord’s Table isn’t just about respectfully remembering our Savior who died for us. It’s also about celebrating our Savior who CONQUERED death for us. Our Savior lives and will one day come back to take us home to heaven. So, Communion is a beautiful time to look ahead with the eyes of faith and celebrate our soon and coming King.

 

#3: Look Inside (vs. 27-31). When we take Communion, we need to look INSIDE—making sure that we are not taking Communion in an unworthy manner. If you are reading God’s Word each day and receiving good Bible teaching every week, believe me: The Holy Spirit WILL rebuke you discreetly. And it is up to you to heed His rebuke. Confess your sins to Him. Ask Him to forgive you. And turn from your sins.

 

#4: Look Around (vs. 17-22 & 33). Whenever we take Communion, we need to look AROUND—making sure to make things right with other Christians in the church. Before you take Communion, look around the room and ask yourself: “Is there anyone here today that I need to make peace with? Is there anyone that I’m out of fellowship with?” If the answer to either question is “Yes,” follow Jesus’ instructions in Matthew 5:23-25a. First, make things right with your brother or sister in Christ. Then, take Communion together.

 

As you gather with your church family to take Communion, remember that the Lord’s Supper is one of the most beautiful and meaningful parts of the worship service. But each of us must make sure to focus on Christ as we Look Back. Look Ahead. Look Inside. And Look Around. 

 

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church in Victorville. Join us at Impact for Sunday services: in person or online at 8:45 a.m. on Facebook Live or YouTube. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc

Should I Wear a Hat to Church?

“For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.” – 1 Corinthians 11:12

So … when is the last time you heard a sermon about women wearing head coverings in church? Chances are you never have.

 

Many Christians are puzzled by these verses in 1 Corinthians 11: “Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head” (vs. 4-5). How are we as Christians meant to follow these verses in 2026?

 

Over the centuries, different Christians have interpreted these verses in different ways. I’d like to share 3 different ways that Bible-believing Christians interpret this passage today:

 

#1: The Normative Practice View. Christians with this view believe the command for women to wear a physical head covering during worship is a universal, timeless command for the church. Today, the practice ranges from women wearing veils to kerchiefs to bonnets.

 

#2: The “Hair as Covering” View: Christians who hold to this viewpoint believe that a woman’s long hair is the “covering” in question (v. 15). Therefore, both men and women’s heads must reflect their God-given gender distinctions.

 

#3: The Cultural Principle View. Christians with this view believe that the command to wear a physical head covering was specific to 1^st Century Corinth. Supposedly, in Paul’s day, respectable married women wore head coverings in public as a sign of purity and submission to their husbands. By contrast, prostitutes NEVER wore head coverings in public, and women with extremely short hair with those found guilty of adultery. Those with this view believe that Christian women in every culture must submit to their husbands and maintain their moral purity. But the outward SIGN of their submission and purity may vary.

 

I don’t believe the Cultural Principle View holds water, because Paul doesn’t say that his teaching about head coverings is only for certain cultures. So, that leaves two options. If the Apostle Paul was sitting right here, would he tell us that Christian women need to wear some kind of head covering in worship services, or would he say that having long hair will suffice? I’m not sure.

 

But one way or another, despite the fact that it’s not politically correct, Scripture teaches that a Christian woman should have some outward sign that communicates both her purity and her submission to her husband. In today’s culture, those outward signs might be a wedding ring, or taking your husband’s last name, or dressing more modestly than you did when you were single.

 

Search your own heart. Your best guide may be Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 10:31: “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

 

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church in Victorville. Join us at Impact for Sunday services: in person or online at 8:45 a.m. on Facebook Live or YouTube. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.

How Should We Treat Jesus’ Mother?

“The angel went to her and said, ‘Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.’”
– Luke 1:28

Mary was really confused.

 

Wouldn’t you be, if an angel appeared to you? Even more confusing, in Luke 1:28, the angel called Mary “highly favored” and told her that “the Lord was with her.” That was a statement reserved for great prophets, priests and kings—not for an insignificant teenage girl whose family hailed from the armpit of Galilee.

 

So, just how important IS Mary? Some churches have gone way too far in their reverence for Mary. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that Mary was born without a sin nature, or that she remained a virgin all her life, or that she ascended to heaven without physically dying.

 

Because of these exaggerated doctrines about Mary, many evangelical churches have overreacted by largely ignoring her. But the Word of God—especially Luke 1—gives us a clear biblical understanding of who Mary is and how much attention we should give her.

 

So, let’s go back to the angel Gabriel’s God-given message to Mary. In verse 30, he tells her she has found favor with God. Now, WHY did Mary find favor with God? Was it because of something SHE did, or was it simply because God chose to show her favor? It’s clear that Mary received grace (undeserved favor) from God.

 

Gabriel goes on to tell her she is somehow going to get pregnant and give birth to a son named Jesus, which means, “Yahweh the Lord saves.” And her son will be the long-awaited Messiah AND the King of the Jews (vs. 30-33). Mary must have been blown away! But in these verses, notice who Gabriel is most focused on: Jesus, not Mary.

 

In verses 34 and 35, Gabriel explains that Mary will be overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, and that’s how she will conceive a child. And not only will Mary give birth to the Messiah and King of Israel – He’s going to be the Son of God. Wow! This otherwise insignificant teenage girl from an insignificant town had her virgin womb miraculously transformed into a Holy of Holies.

 

After the angel Gabriel finishes speaking, Mary sets an example for us all by saying: “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said” (v. 38). Not only did Mary believe the Word of the Lord that Gabriel spoke to her, she was willing to do whatever God wanted her to do.

 

Warren Wiersbe says it so well: “Mary’s believing response was to surrender herself to God as His willing servant…. Therefore she could be used by the Spirit to accomplish the will of God. A ‘handmaid’ was the lowest kind of female servant, which shows how much Mary trusted God…. What an example for us to follow.”

 

Mary was obviously a woman of great faith and humble obedience, but the only reason she didn’t live an insignificant life is because Jesus made her life significant. And if you follow Him, Jesus will make your life significant as well.

 

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church in Victorville. Join us at Impact for Sunday services: in person or online at 8:45 a.m. on Facebook Live or YouTube. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.

John is on his Way!

“Many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.”

– Luke 1:14-15

Before Christ was born, the forerunner to the Christ was born.

 

Interestingly, the Gospel of Luke is the only one of the four gospels to tell the beautiful story of how the forerunner to Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, was born. And Luke’s account is full of life-changing lessons for us today.

 

As the story begins in the early verses of Luke 1, it appears that John the Baptist’s parents had lived rather quiet lives. Zechariah was a Jewish priest, and Elizabeth was the daughter of a priest (v. 5). We read that they were both “righteous in the sight of God,” but they had no children and “were both very old” (vs. 6-7). In those days, being childless was considered a disgrace for a Jewish woman.

 

Their monotonous lives changed, however, when an angel appeared to Zechariah as he was burning incense in the Holy Place of the temple. The angel announced, “Your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John” (v. 13). The angel foretold that John would “be great in the sight of the Lord”; he would never drink alcohol; and he would be filled with the Holy Spirit even before his birth (v. 15). Furthermore, John would bring many Israelites back to their God, turn parents back to their children and disobedient people to a righteous wisdom – all “to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (vs. 16-17).

 

Zechariah wasn’t so easily convinced … starting with the part about having a child. After all, he and Elizabeth were no spring chickens. They had most likely given up on children years ago. But the impossible happened! Elizabeth soon became pregnant, and she seems to have responded with much more faith than her husband.

 

As her pregnancy progressed, Elizabeth wrote a short hymn of praise: “The Lord has done this for me…. He has shown His favor and taken away my disgrace among the people” (vs. 25). In her heart, it seems she understood that the baby in her womb was no ordinary child.

 

Here are 3 Life Lessons we can draw from this passage:

 

Lesson #1: Even prayers we’ve stopped praying years ago can still be answered in God’s perfect timing. It’s important to persevere in prayer, but even when you drop the ball, your past prayers may still be answered.

 

Lesson #2: Don’t assume that your afflictions are meaningless. They aren’t. Christians who are afflicted BY God are being set apart to do great work FOR God. I am so thankful that God never wastes an ounce of pain or difficulty in a Christian’s life.

 

Lesson #3: Our impossible situations set the stage for God to do His best work of drawing people to Christ.

 

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church in Victorville. Join us at Impact for Sunday services: in person or online at 8:45 a.m. on Facebook Live or YouTube. And don’t miss our special Christmas service this Tuesday,December 23^rd at 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.