How Can I Vote Like Jesus?

 “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; love and faithfulness go before You.” – Psalm 89:14

If you didn’t know it already, let me be the first to tell you: Jesus ISN’T running for President. Instead, we have two presidential candidates who aren’t in the same league as Jesus. So, choosing between them can be tough.

As a pastor-teacher, it is NOT my job to tell you who to vote for. My job is to teach God’s Word, which will equip you to think like Jesus. When it comes to deciding who or what to vote for, I believe we have two goals: 1) To determine the heart of Christ on the issues; and 2) To prayerfully decide which political candidates, propositions and measures are most in sync with the heart of Christ. 

In Psalm 89, a Jewish religious leader longs for God to restore the throne of Israel to one of King David’s descendants. From a New Testament perspective, we know that descendent to be Jesus Christ. The psalmist says: “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; love and faithfulness go before You” (v. 14). In this verse, I believe we find the heart of Jesus Christ’s kingdom: It is built on the foundation of righteousness and justice.

Interestingly, Republicans tend to place a greater value on passing policies that are righteous (morally right), especially when it comes to the unborn child, marriage, gender, and sexual purity. Meanwhile, Democrats tend to place a greater value on passing policies that are morally just, especially when it comes to health care, the treatment of minorities, criminal justice reform, and ending poverty. But these few examples just scratch the surface of the matters of righteousness and justice that are addressed in the two party platforms.

So, you have some homework to do. Review the Republican and Democratic party platforms that are available online. (Once elected, political leaders vote in line with their party platform more than 3/4 of the time.) DON’T assume that your favorite news source is telling you the whole truth. Almost all news sources these days are slanted, either to the right or the left. But you have the tools necessary to make God-honoring decisions about who and what to vote for. You have the Word of God. You have access to God’s wisdom through prayer. And the party platforms are just a click away. Read them with righteousness and justice in mind.

Here are two very important lessons that I’d like every one of us to take to heart:

Lesson #1: Our primary job as Christians is to lead people to Christ, not to an elephant or to a donkey. So, don’t let your politics sabotage your witness to unbelievers or your fellowship with believers. Let’s be honest: If Jesus was an American citizen, He probably wouldn’t be a Republican OR a Democrat. Jesus isn’t a “party” guy. So, don’t damage your witness by coming across like it’s your way or the highway.

Lesson #2: Pray for right and just leaders. Vote for right and just leaders. And if the candidate you vote for doesn’t win … pray for the person who takes office, just the same.

For months I’ve been praying every day for Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Governor Newsom and Donald Trump to be saved. I hope that you’ll pray for that as well. We need Christ-loving, Bible-believing Christians in our government now more than ever. So, pray for ALL of our leaders as you pray for our nation.

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church, meeting Sundays at 8:30 and 10 a.m. at 16209 Kamana Road in Apple Valley.

Our Spiritual Secret Weapon

 “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” – 1 Peter 4:8

Jesus Christ, through His Holy Spirit, has given every Christian at least one spiritual gift, which enables him or her to perform an important spiritual function in the Body of Christ with joy and effectiveness. So, how can we use our spiritual gifts to make the biggest positive impact in the lives of others? The apostle Peter answers by revealing our secret weapon.

1 Peter 4, Peter tells us, “The end of all things is near” (v. 7). Or, as the New Living Translation puts it, “The end of the world is coming soon.” Christians in the early church believed that Jesus would return in their lifetime. And over the past 2,000 years, Christians in every generation have thought the same thing. Jesus is okay with that – because He wants us to live expectantly. In every generation, Jesus wants Christians to realize that His return is closer than ever before. He truly IS coming soon, so there’s no time to lose. We need to serve the Lord.

Peter goes on to say, “Therefore, be clear-minded and self-controlled so that you can pray” (v. 7). Because the window of opportunity to reach this world for Jesus Christ is shrinking, you and I need to be at the top of our game. We can’t indulge in drugs, alcohol or trashy entertainment, because those things cloud our thinking and sabotage our self-control. And if you and I are not clear-minded and self-controlled, we won’t be able to pray as Christ needs us to pray. And if we don’t pray as Christ needs us to pray, His life-changing work won’t get done.

Then, in verse 8, Peter mentions the priority of love: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” This isn’t an unrelated topic. If you look at all four chapters in the New Testament that deal with spiritual gifts (Rom. 12, 1 Cor. 12, Eph. 4, and 1 Peter 4), you’ll see that love is right there—every time. In Ephesians 3, right before the chapter teaching us about spiritual gifts, Paul prays that we will grasp how long and wide and high and deep is the love of Christ (v. 18). In Romans 12, Paul teaches about love right after highlighting seven of the spiritual gifts. And in 1 Corinthians 13, Paul spends a whole chapter on love in the middle of his teaching about spiritual gifts.

In the New Testament, we see agape love emphasized before, after and during the teachings on spiritual gifts. You see, it’s not enough to just HAVE a spiritual gift—you must USE your spiritual gift. And it’s not enough to just use your spiritual gift. You must use it … in love. So, why should you use your spiritual gifts to serve others? Because you love God deeply, and you love others deeply. Sometimes Christians are hard to love. But love us deeply anyway.

 Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church, meeting Sundays at 8:30 and 10 a.m. at 16209 Kamana Road in Apple Valley.

Are You Living Up to Your Calling?

 “I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” – Ephesians 4:1

Can you and I ever pay back God the Father for all that He’s done for us? No way. But we can sure try our very best. And one way for us to do this is by using our spiritual gifts.

Remember, every Christian has received at least one gift from the Holy Spirit. These spiritual gifts are needed for your church family to carry out its mission effectively. Jesus wants to give more of His grace to us … through each other. When you use your spiritual gifts to serve other Christians, they are blessed, and Jesus Christ is glorified.

As individuals, Christians have a very diverse group of backgrounds, races and opinions. But as believers and followers of Jesus Christ we are truly one because, as Paul writes: “There is one body and one Spirit ... one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all” (v. 4-6).

When Christians all carry out their spiritual gifts, it serves three important purposes.

Purpose #1: “To equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (v. 12). One of my greatest responsibilities as a pastor is to equip Christians for the work of ministry, so that together we can use our spiritual gifts to help build up the church.

Purpose #2: To bring us to unity in our faith and unity in our knowledge of Jesus Christ (v. 13). When you use your spiritual gift to serve others, it’s like a neon arrow that points the rest of us to Jesus. It opens our eyes to fresh aspects of Christ’s character, and we are naturally drawn closer to Him. So, as we get down to the business of serving each other with our spiritual gifts, the end result is that we become more unified in our faith and in our knowledge of Christ.

Purpose #3: To move us all from spiritual infancy to spiritual maturity (vs. 13-16). Recently, a lot of us enjoyed watching the achievements of athletes in the Summer Olympics. But have you ever seen the BABY Olympics? If you want to smile, there are some adorable YouTube videos of babies all dressed up in athletic uniforms to perform their feats: toddling in all directions, dangling from rings three feet off the ground, crying as they drop their little toy barbells. Babies are really cute even when they don’t accomplish much! But the same can’t be said about adults. Adults are NOT cute when they whine like babies and don’t achieve any results.

Brothers and sisters, Christ has called you and me to stop whining and accomplish much for the good of each other AND for the glory of God. And our spiritual gifts are a critical piece of the puzzle.

 Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church, meeting Sundays at 8:30 and 10 a.m. at 16209 Kamana Road in Apple Valley.

Your Spiritual Gift Isn’t for You

 “All these [gifts] are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” – 1 Corinthians 12:11

If you’re not sure what your spiritual gift is or how to use it, you’re not alone.

Back in the First Century, the new Christian church in Corinth was struggling. It was very hard for these baby Christians in Sin City to be “in the world” but NOT “of the world.” The Corinthian church needed to be corrected, rebuked and encouraged in many areas of ministry—including in the area of spiritual gifts.

So the Apostle Paul wrote his first letter to the church he had spent a year and a half planting. He wanted to make it clear that the Holy Spirit had given the Corinthian Christians every spiritual gift that they needed to do ministry in their church AND in their community with joy and effectiveness. In chapter 1 verse 7, Paul wrote, “You do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.”

But chapter 12 makes it clear that they were clueless about how to properly use their spiritual gifts. So, Paul shared these important truths:

#1: Every spiritual gift given to you by the Holy Spirit has been given to you for the good of others (v. 7). Let this truth sink in: Your spiritual gifts are not primarily for you. They’re for everyone else in this church but you. For example, if you have the spiritual gifts of hospitality and encouragement, serving other Christians with your two gifts will bring you much joy—but that joy is just an added bonus. Your gifts were given to you for the good of others. The same is true of the gift of helping, administration, faith or mercy. God blesses you with great joy as you use your gifts. But the Holy Spirit gave those gifts to you … for others.

#2: In His perfect wisdom the Holy Spirit has supernaturally and strategically given you the spiritual gift(s) that are just right for you and your church (v. 11). The truth is ... as you discover your spiritual gifts, you might not like what you’ve got. Well, what’s new? Some of you don’t like your physical gifts either. You might think your nose is too big, your lips are too small … the list goes on. But one of the signs of emotional maturity is accepting and being thankful for what you’ve been given. The Holy Spirit knows what He’s doing—giving you the spiritual gifts that are just right for you, so you can serve others with joy and effectiveness.

#3: Your spiritual gift is a gift of grace from God to the Church, and you have the privilege of delivering it. This is pretty cool: The English word “gifts” in 1 Corinthians 12 is the translation of the Greek word “charismata.” Charis means grace. So, charismata literally means … “grace gifts.” EVERY spiritual gift is a grace gift from God to the Church through you!

When you became a Christian, Jesus adopted you into a big, beautiful new family. You’re a part of an amazing, gifted Church! And the Holy Spirit is calling you to use your spiritual gifts for the good of your church and your community. Freely you have received; freely give. 

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church, meeting Sundays at 8:30 and 10 a.m. at 16209 Kamana Road in Apple Valley.

You Are Gifted to Serve!

“I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.” – Romans 12:1 

If you’re a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, I have good news for you! You have at least one spiritual gift.

But just what is a spiritual gift? Here’s a good definition that is grounded in the truth of Scripture: A spiritual gift is a God-given skill or ability which enables every Christian to perform an important spiritual function in the Christ’s church with joy and effectiveness. And according to Romans 12, using these gifts is a vital act of worship.

Just as a human body has many different parts that work together, Christ’s Church has many different Christians who use their spiritual gifts together to keep the Church healthy and productive. While it’s hard to say exactly how many spiritual gifts are alive and well in the church today, in Romans 7:6-8, Paul mentions seven spiritual gifts: prophecy (v. 6), serving and teaching (v. 7), exhortation, giving, leadership and mercy (v8). Other gifts are mentioned elsewhere in the New Testament, especially in 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4 and 1 Peter 4.

I can say with confidence that if you are a Christian, you have at least one of these spiritual gifts. And if you want to grow and serve Christ with joy and effectiveness, the Apostle Paul says this calls for three essentials:

Essential #1: Honest self-evaluation (v. 3). Warren Wiersbe writes, “Each Christian must know what his spiritual gifts are and what ministry (or ministries) he is to have in the local church…. We were saved ‘by grace, through faith’, and we must live and serve ‘by grace through faith.’ …. When the individual believers in a church know their gifts, accept them by faith, and use them for God’s glory, then God can bless in a wonderful way.”

Essential #2: Humble cooperation (vs. 4-8). Have you ever been to a church where the staff and leaders looked busier than a one-armed juggler? There are a couple of possible reasons for that. Either the leaders aren’t allowing enough saints to serve … OR, too many Christians just aren’t serving. Individually, none of us is that great. But when we come together into a single unit, humble cooperation makes for some beautiful and powerful ministry.

Essential #3: Loving devotion (vs. 9-16). Regardless of which spiritual gifts the Holy Spirit has given you to use, Jesus Christ calls you to be motivated by love. Why do you serve Christ? Because you love Christ. And why do you use your spiritual gifts to serve your brothers and sisters in Christ? Because you love them.

Love should be the driving force behind all that we do as Christians. And when it is, “All men will know that we are Christ’s disciples” (1 Timothy 6:11-16). The world will be drawn to Christ as they observe how we love one another.

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church, meeting Sundays at 8:30 and 10 a.m. at 16209 Kamana Road in Apple Valley.

Jesus Says, “Follow Me”

 “These [signs] are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” - John 20:30

One of the reasons the Gospel of John is so powerful is because John was there. He heard with His own ears what Jesus said. He saw with His own eyes what Jesus did. He experienced firsthand the most extraordinary life that has ever been lived.

And before bringing his gospel to a close, John wants us to understand in no uncertain terms that he was an eyewitness of all that he recorded in his account about Jesus’ life, death, burial and resurrection. He wasn’t peddling rumors or secondhand information. He was providing eyewitness testimony. John wrote down that testimony for you and me, “that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:30).

After you’ve read this Gospel, here are three important questions to ask yourself:

Question #1: What will you do with what you have read? Jesus asks you to believe in Him as the Christ and the Son of God. So, will you believe? Jesus fed hungry people in need. Will you do the same? Jesus humbled himself, got down on His hands and knees and washed His disciples’ feet. Will you serve your fellow Christians in similarly humble ways? Jesus forgave one of His best friends who had turned his back on Him. Will you forgive your friends and family who have hurt you?

Question #2: What is YOUR part in God’s redemptive plan for the world? It’s clear from John 21 that God had plans for John and Peter. Peter would be responsible for feeding and taking care of Jesus’ sheep, primarily in Jerusalem. John would also shepherd Christ’s sheep, largely outside of Jerusalem. Did God have special plans for Peter and John because they were apostles? Perhaps. But the truth is: Jesus has special plans for ALL His followers—including you. If you haven’t discovered your specific calling and purpose, begin asking God to reveal it to you now. Ask Him to reveal your role in His plan.

Question #3: How much hardship are you willing to endure for the sake of Christ? In John 15:18-21, Jesus warns us that the world will hate us if the world hates Him. And if the world persecutes Him, the world will persecute us also. So, if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, and you follow Him as you’re supposed to follow Him, you will endure hardship for His sake. If you know the truth about Jesus … and you believe the truth about Jesus … will you boldly share the truth about Jesus? Even despite the rolled eyes of your family members, the criticism of your friends, or the hardships that come your way – Jesus Christ is worth it.

If you are a Christian, His life story is still being written in your life. And He wants His life story to be written in the lives of those around you as well. So, live out your unique calling and mission. Let Jesus Christ continue living His amazing life through you, and give Him the opportunity to live His amazing life through those around you.

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church, meeting Sundays at 8:30 and 10 a.m. at 16209 Kamana Road in Apple Valley.

Do You REALLY Love Him?

 “Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?”
– John 21:17

It’s one of the most dramatic passages in the Bible. After Peter denied Jesus three times, he was once again face to face with the man he’d promised to follow without fail. And in John 21, Jesus questions Peter … three times.

 Three times, in three different ways, Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love Me?” And each time Peter replies, “Yes, Lord, You know that I love You” (vs. 15-18). Why does Jesus ask the same question three different times? Does He think Peter is lying? No. Is He rubbing Peter’s failures in his face? No. Is He trying to embarrass or shame Peter? No. So, why does He do it?

 Here’s why. In His mercy and grace, Jesus gives Peter three different opportunities to reaffirm His love and commitment to His Lord — one opportunity for every denial. And each time Peter does so, Jesus reiterates His calling on Peter’s life—not just to be a fisher of men, but to be a shepherd of Christ’s sheep: “Feed My lambs” (v. 15), “Take care of My lambs” (v. 16), and “Feed My sheep” (v. 17).

 In other words: “For the record, Peter, not only do I forgive you, I’m also restoring and promoting you. You’re still My disciple. You’re still My apostle. And I need you to finish what you’ve started. There are still many Jews in Israel who need to be brought into My sheep fold and cared for. And you’re the man for the job.”

Three times denied—three times FORGIVEN. Three times denied—three times RESTORED. Three times denied—three times PROMOTED.

Then, in verse 18, Jesus prophesies Peter’s martyrdom: “When you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” As best we can tell, it was about 34 years later, in 64 A.D., when Simon Peter was crucified for his faith in Jesus Christ. Peter died for his faith – but not before leading thousands of lost sheep to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and feeding them the Word of God.

Here are just two of many life lessons we can draw from this passage:

Life Lesson #1: Love covers a multitude of sins. Years later, in his first epistle, Peter writes: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). Peter is speaking from personal experience. Jesus Christ IS love. And Jesus had covered a multitude of Peter’s sins. Jesus lifted Peter out of his guilt and shame and transformed him from a wimp into a warrior … from a failure into a success … from a disgrace into one of the most influential Christians in history. Jesus’ love and grace were big enough to cover Peter’s sins, and they are certainly big enough to cover yours. So, bring your sin, guilt and shame to Jesus – and let Him get to work.

Life Lesson #2: Loving Jesus comes at a cost. Loving Him brings both a responsibility and a cross. Each time Jesus responds to Peter’s profession of love, He says, in essence: “IF you love Me, then you have to prove it by doing what I ask you to do … even if it costs your life.” Love always requires sacrifice. And if Jesus is your First Love, love requires you to be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church, meeting Sundays at 8:30 and 10 a.m. at 16209 Kamana Road in Apple Valley.

The Peace that Drives Out Fear

“Peace be with you.” – John 20:19

As ten of Jesus’ 12 disciples gathered in a locked room on Easter evening, they were filled with fear. Only one of them, Peter, had seen the resurrected Jesus, and only John believed Peter’s story. The other eight still didn’t believe Jesus was really alive.

But ALL of the disciples were scared. They were huddled behind a locked door because they were afraid that the Jewish leaders who tortured and killed Jesus would come after them next. And, of course, Jesus knew they were afraid. So, when He appeared to them in the room, His first words to them were: “Peace be with you” (John 20:19).

 And how did the disciples react to seeing Jesus in the room—which he apparently entered without using the door? John doesn’t record their initial reaction, but Luke tells us that “they were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost” (Luke 24:37). Even after Jesus showed His disciples the wounds in His hands and feet, they still had doubts. Finally, Jesus convinced them, by eating a piece of broiled fish, that He was truly there in the flesh. And at last, John tells us, “The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord” (John 20:20).

 In a few short minutes, the disciples’ fear was replaced by peace, and their doubts were dispelled by evidence-based faith. In verse 21, Jesus reiterated His offer of peace. Then He added: “As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you.” That night, more than ever before, the disciples were transformed into apostles. Jesus’ followers become leaders; His evangelized become evangelists; and His students become teachers. The ones who left their small corner of the world to come TO Jesus would now be sent into a bigger corner of the world to be missionaries FOR Jesus.

From this exciting passage, we can draw these life lessons:

Lesson #1: Jesus is ready to replace your fear with His peace and joy. In 1 John 4:8, John tells us that “God is love.” And 10 verses later he tells us, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear…. The one who fears is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18). Put those two truths together: Jesus Christ is love, and He drives out our fear. So, if you and I are living in fear, we are not as full of Jesus as we should be. I encourage you to lay your fears at the feet of Jesus.

Lesson #2: Jesus is in the sending business, and He has sent you to be His missionary in your corner of the world. If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance that you are a Christian. But you may not realize that you are a “sent” Christian. You have been chosen by Christ, and you have been sent by Christ. So, start talking like you’ve been sent by Jesus. Start behaving like you’ve been sent by Jesus. And start loving the people around you and sharing the Gospel with them like you’ve been sent by Jesus. Christ has called you to live sent.

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church, meeting Sundays at 8:30 and 10 a.m. at 16209 Kamana Road in Apple Valley.

Is Seeing Believing?

“Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.”
– John 20:8

It was a Sunday morning unlike any other in history.

When Mary Magdalene told Peter and John that Jesus’ grave was empty, they wasted no time strapping on their sandals and bolting down the street toward the garden tomb.

Once John got there, he bent over and peeked inside the small entrance to the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying on the shelf where Jesus’ body had been placed. Then Peter caught up and rushed right into the tomb to examine the bandages and burial clothing that had covered Jesus. At last, in John 20:8, “the other disciple [John] … also went inside. He saw and believed.” John appears to have been the first follower of Jesus to see the evidence of His resurrection and believe that He was and is alive.

The rest, as they say, is history. Here are three important insights we can glean from these important moments:

Insight #1: “The empty cross and the empty tomb are God’s ‘receipts’ telling us that the debt has been paid” (Warren Wiersbe). Why is the empty cross one of the greatest symbols of Christianity? Because Jesus isn’t hanging there anymore! He’s completed the work of redemption. The debt of sin is paid … once and for all. The empty tomb proves that Jesus not only conquered sin; He also conquered death.

Insight #2: “The whole point of the description is that the grave clothes did not look as if they had been put off or taken off; they were lying there in their regular folds as if the body of Jesus had simply evaporated out of them” (William Barclay). Have you ever heard of a burglar breaking into a house, stealing some jewelry … then washing the dishes before he leaves? No! Then why would anyone in their right mind think that a grave robber would take the time to make Jesus’ grave clothes nice and tidy in the tomb before disappearing into the dark with His body? There’s no doubt: Jesus’ resurrected body passed right through the grave clothes.

Insight #3: “John entered the tomb, at which point he perceived with understanding and believed” (Chuck Swindoll). In verse 5, John looked through the open door of the tomb and was able to “see” the strips of linen. In verse 6, after Peter went into the tomb, he was able to “see” the grave clothes in the sense of investigating them. But then in verse 8, after John entered the tomb, he was able to “see” with the eyes of understanding … and “believe” that Jesus was and IS alive!

So, let me ask you: How is your eyesight today? It’s not enough to just see Jesus. You must believe in Jesus. As we read in Hebrews 11:6, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.”

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church, meeting Sundays at 8:30 and 10 a.m. at 16209 Kamana Road in Apple Valley.

Learn to Love Like Mary

“Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying.” – John 20:11

Despite her sordid past, Mary Magdalene was the first witness to Jesus' resurrection.  

Early in His ministry, Jesus delivered Mary Magdalene from seven demons, and she was forever grateful. She had been forgiven much, so she loved much—sticking by Jesus' side through thick and thin. As Jesus hung on the cross, she was there on Golgotha. When Jesus was buried, she followed Joseph and Nicodemus to the graveside. On Easter morning, Mary Magdalene was there at the tomb. And for her love ... she was richly rewarded.  

When she first saw Jesus – possibly because she was blinded by her tears – Mary didn’t recognize Him. But everything changed when Jesus spoke one simple word: “Mary.” Hearing Jesus say her name, she immediately recognized the voice of her Shepherd. As Jesus taught in John 10: “I am the good shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me” (v. 14).

Then, when Mary went to embrace Him, Jesus surprised her by saying, “Do not hold on to me” (John 20:17). Instead, He asked her to let go of Him, go and share the news of His resurrection with the disciples. And how did Mary Magdalene respond to Jesus’ commands? With obedience. As difficult as it was to leave her Shepherd, Mary hurried to the disciples with the good news: “I have seen the Lord!” (v. 18).

Here are three lessons we can learn from Mary Magdalene: 

Lesson #1: If you have been forgiven much … love much. As Jesus said in Luke 7:47, after a sinful woman bathed his feet with her tears, “Her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” We don’t know much about Mary Magdalene’s past. We do know she had been possessed by seven demons, and Jesus had set her free and forgiven her sins. She had been forgiven much, so she loved much. Now, it took a LOT of Jesus’ blood to cover all of your sin, right? You have been forgiven much—so love much.

Lesson #2: Learn to recognize the voice of your shepherd. Christians often ask, “How can I recognize God’s voice?” Here’s how: Learn to tune your spiritual ears to Jesus’ unique frequency. You can do that by filling your heart and mind with the Word of God. The better you know God’s Word, the more you will hear and recognize the unique voice of your Shepherd. As Jesus declared in John 10: “[The Good Shepherd] calls his own sheep by name … and his sheep follow him because they know his voice” (vs. 3-4).

Lesson #3: It’s tempting to cling to Jesus and keep Him to yourself, but He has an important job for you to do. So, let go. Then go, and tell. Because Mary Magdalene loved Jesus so much, she was quick to do exactly what He asked her to do. She did it out of her deep love for Christ. And out of our deep love for Christ, you and I must do it too. Rejoice over your living Savior. And go tell the world!

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church, meeting Sundays at 8:30 and 10 a.m. at 16209 Kamana Road in Apple Valley

 

Like a Sacrificial Lamb

 “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.” – Isaiah 53:7

Before Jesus was sent to the cross, the gospels tell us that over a period of about six hours, Jesus was subjected to six different hearings and trials —three religious and three criminal. During the three religious hearings and trials, Jesus wasn't given a fair shake. Not even close! The religious leaders violated some eighteen different legal guidelines in order to unjustly convict Jesus of blasphemy.

Some of these trials were held at night, in secret. Trials were not to occur on the eve of a Sabbath or during any festival, but His hearings and trials occurred during Passover celebration. An accused person could not testify against himself; but the Sanhedrin convicted Jesus on His own words, not seeing a need for witnesses. And sentencing in a capital case was not to occur until the following day, but the Sanhedrin convicted Jesus and condemned Him right away.

How did Jesus handle these inexcusable violations? Like a meek, sacrificial lamb.

Jesus showed Himself to be the fulfillment of Isaiah 53:7: “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth.”

And when Jesus stood before Pontius Pilate, Jesus turned the tables on him and put him on the defensive. Jesus didn’t really defend Himself against the false accusations. Instead, He took the opportunity to share a revelation with Pilate: “My kingdom is not of this world…. And everyone on the side of truth listens to Me” (v. 36). It seems that more than anything else, Jesus wanted Pilate to be saved. That’s remarkable! But a baffled Pilate didn’t want to hear it.

From the injustice of these proceedings, we find these revelations about Jesus:

Revelation #1: As Jesus listened to His accusers’ lies, through His silence He showed Himself to be the willing sacrificial lamb. Jesus was an expert debater. He could have shot down every one of His accusers’ false accusations in seconds. But He chose not to, because it was the Father’s will for Him to suffer and die, so that you and I could be forgiven and live.

Revelation #2: As Jesus was questioned by Pilate, He was not a defendant who avoided the truth; Jesus showed Himself to be the truth who put unbelievers on the defensive. Throughout the gospels, arrogant unbelievers tried to put Jesus on the defensive by asking Him tough questions. But time and again, Jesus answered their tough questions with a few zingers of His own, which set them back on his heels.

Jesus used the last hours before His death not to save himself, but to save others. And praise God, that salvation is still available to you and me today.

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church, meeting Sundays at 8:30 and 10 a.m. at 16209 Kamana Road in Apple Valley.

Jesus Even Loved Barabbas

 “But the whole crowd shouted, ‘Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!’”
– Luke 23:10

Governor Pontius Pilate must have been baffled as the Jewish leaders called for the release of the biggest thug on Death Row.

When Pilate interrogated Jesus – twice – Pilate didn’t find Him to be guilty of any capital crime. But the religious leaders refused to accept Pilate’s verdict. So, Pilate thought he had a foolproof way to get them to agree to release Jesus. In John 18:39, he asked them, “It is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release the king of the Jews [or Barabbas]?”

Pilate strategically chose one of the most notorious criminals who was scheduled to be crucified that day: Barabbas, a convicted murderer who had taken part in an uprising. No one with an ounce of decency would EVER vote for a terrorist to be released into the streets. But to Pilate’s astonishment, the crowd shouted back in unison: “Don’t release Jesus! Give us Barabbas!”

Given the choice, they chose the convicted terrorist over Jesus. There was no excuse for what they did. But, ultimately, it was God’s will. 

All four of the gospels tell about the crowd calling for Barabbas’s release. Interestingly, not a single gospel writer mentions Jesus objecting — because Jesus didn’t protest. He actually wanted them to choose Barabbas instead of Him – because Jesus loved Barabbas. How do I know that? Because of John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Think about it: “For God so loved [Barabbas] that He gave His one and only Son.”

When Barabbas allowed Jesus to take his place on Death Row, that was unimaginably unjust and unfair. But, strangely, Jesus chose to die so that Barabbas could live. And I believe that if you had been in Barabbas’s shoes that day, Jesus would have taken your place on Death Row. Because of His great love for you, He would die so that you might live. 

As Barabbas walked free, Jesus showed Himself to be our substitute on Death Row. Over the course of our lives, every one of us has lied, cheated and stolen. Like Barabbas, we have sinned thousands of times and earned our place on Death Row. Hell is the just punishment for our sin. But Jesus took our place. He went through Hell so you and I wouldn’t have to. He died so that we could live. How, then, can we help but live for Him?

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church, meeting Sundays at 8:30 and 10 a.m. at 16209 Kamana Road in Apple Valley.

Was Peter a Chicken?

“Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given Me?” – John 18:11

When Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter tried to be a hero by cutting off the ear of one of the high priest’s servants. But in John 18:11, Jesus told Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given Me?”

Jesus was doing exactly what God the Father wanted Him to do—beginning the work of redemption that you and I desperately needed Him to do. In John 18, Jesus was ready to drink the cup of God’s wrath on human sin so that you and I wouldn’t have to. He was ready to go through hell on earth, so that you and I wouldn’t have to go through hell in eternity.

God the Father's plan was for both Jesus and Peter to drink from their designated cups of suffering. Sadly, while Jesus began gulping His cup down, Peter put his cup back on the shelf. Should we give Peter a hard time for denying Jesus three times while Jesus was on trial for His life? Perhaps. But there's more to Peter than meets the eye.

When Jesus was arrested, all 11 of the remaining apostles were scattered. But Peter followed Jesus at a distance. He and another disciple entered the high priest’s courtyard and warmed themselves by the fire. And there in the high priest’s courtyard – while Jesus was interrogated by His accusers – Peter lived out what Jesus had predicted at the Last Supper. Three times, people asked Peter if he’d been with Jesus. Three times, Peter denied even knowing Him.

The third time Peter denied Jesus, according to Luke 22:60, the cock crow began even before Peter had finished his sentence. “Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: ‘Before the rooster crows today, you will disown Me three times.’ And [Peter] went outside and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:61-62). While Jesus was drinking His super-sized cup of suffering, Peter refused to drink his little Dixie cup of suffering.

Did Peter screw up in the high priest’s courtyard? Yes, he did! However, it could be helpful to look at Peter’s screw-ups from a different angle. At least he loved Jesus enough to stick close to Him when Jesus didn’t have a friend in the world. Many of us don’t fail Jesus as much as Peter failed Jesus … because we don’t take any risks for Jesus. Which begs the question: Is it better to attempt something great for Jesus and fail, OR attempt nothing for Jesus and succeed? 

It’s been said: “Aim for nothing, and you’ll hit it every time.” At least Peter aimed for something. He aimed to stand up for Jesus. He aimed to stick close to Jesus. His intentions were good. It’s just that his execution was lousy. But in the weeks to come, Peter repented and never made the same mistakes again. He went on to become one of the boldest followers of Jesus in Christian history.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter chickened out. Which makes me wonder, in similar circumstances … would you and I do the same? As followers of Christ, we have our own cups of suffering to drink. But regardless of whether your cup is small or large, you should willingly drink your designated cup of suffering for Jesus. As the great missionary William Carey said so well, “Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God.”

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church. Join us on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. at 16209 Kamana Road in Apple Valley, or livestream us on Facebook or YouTube. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.

Thoughts About the Holy Spirit

“When He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth.” – John 16:13

Over the centuries, the Holy Spirit has been the most misunderstood and unappreciated member of God’s holy Trinity. He is hardly mentioned in some churches, while being overemphasized in others.

But in John 16:5-15, just a few short hours before being arrested and nailed to a cross, Jesus places the perfect amount of emphasis on the Holy Spirit – teaching His disciples (and us) about the Spirit's life-changing work in and through Christ's followers for the glory of the Father. As He leads His followers to the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus shares timeless truths about His Spirit that you and I need to understand. 

Here are four practical truths Jesus teaches about the Holy Spirit:

Truth #1 (v. 7): It’s better for you to have uninterrupted fellowship with the Holy Spirit than to have part-time fellowship with Jesus. Jesus tells His disciples, “It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.” Even as amazing as it would have been to have walked and talked with Jesus 2,000 years ago, what we have today is even better. We have the Spirit of Jesus living on the inside: teaching us, protecting us and empowering us for life-changing ministry, 24/7.

Truth #2 (vs. 7-8): Jesus sent the Holy Spirit TO you in order to bring conviction to unbelievers THROUGH you. In Jesus’ words, “When He comes, He will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment.” But we have to allow Him. So ask yourself: Do I see evidence of the Holy Spirit working through me to bring conviction to others around me? Continue to prayerfully speak God’s Truth and live God’s Truth in plain view of others around you. And as you do, the Holy Spirit will bring conviction to those who are ready to be saved.

Truth #3 (vs. 12-13): Jesus knows your limits. So, thank Him for the Holy Spirit, who patiently corrects you, teaches you, and guides you little by little. He tells His disciples: “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth.” Aren’t you thankful that God is patient with you? Aren’t you grateful that He didn’t dump all of His theology and biblical insight on your lap on the day you got saved? It would have fried your brain.

Truth #4 (v. 14): It brings glory to Jesus when you allow the Holy Spirit to give TO you and to move THROUGH you. Jesus tells His followers, “[The Holy Spirit] will glorify Me because it is from Me that He will receive what He will make known to you.” If you love Jesus, then allow the Holy Spirit to fill you—not from the outside in, but from the inside out. If you are a baptized believer and follower of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is already inside you. But have you let Him fill you?

Remember, to be full of the Holy Spirit is to be full of Jesus. So, I urge you to ask God: “Father, please fill me from my head to my feet with Your Spirit. Holy Spirit, give me whatever You want to give me, and use me however You want to use me for God’s glory.”

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church. Pastor Dane’s daily devotional, “40 Days in Proverbs,” is available on Amazon.com. Join us on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. at 16209 Kamana Road in Apple Valley, or livestream us on Facebook or YouTube. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.

Four Promises You Can Count On

 “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

Knowing full well what awaited Him over the next 24 hours, Jesus spent the evening before His betrayal teaching His apostles some of the most important things He wanted them to know before their worlds would be turned upside down.

 As John 16 draws to a close, Jesus makes four amazing promises that will change their lives forever. These four promises are summed up in four words: Resurrection, Joy, Love and Peace. Do these sound like four promises you’d like to hear a little bit more about? Well, read on.

Jesus’ 1st Promise: I am going to die, but you will see me again (vs.16-18). Promise #1 is a bad-news-good-news promise. In verse 16, Jesus tells his disciples, ““In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.” As was often the case, Jesus’ disciples were confused. So, what DOES Jesus mean? He means this: “I promise you, something lousy is going to happen to Me. (That’s the bad news.) But I also promise you that it will only be temporary. (That’s the good news.)”

Jesus’ 2nd Promise: You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy (vs. 19-24). Jesus’ second promise is another bad-news-good-news promise: “You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy” (v. 20). In other words, “I promise you, something lousy is going to happen to you, and you WILL be heartbroken. (That’s the bad news.) But I also promise you that your grief will be miraculously transformed into joy. (That’s the good news.)” Jesus illustrates His point using the example of childbirth. When a woman is in labor, she experiences intense pain. But “when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world” (v. 21). Jesus Christ specializes in transforming failures into opportunities, hardships into blessings and grief into joy.

Jesus’ 3rd Promise: God the Father loves you because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from God (vs. 25-28). No matter how rotten a sinner you are ... no matter how undeserving of forgiveness and heaven you are … if you love Jesus Christ and trust Him as your Savior and Lord, God the Father will forgive you. And He will love you like you’ve never been loved before.

Jesus’ 4th Promise: Regardless of how much trouble you experience in this world, you can have peace in Me (vs. 29-33). In verses 29-30, Jesus’ disciples declare that there’s no longer any doubt in their minds that “You came from God.” But Jesus warns them that soon, “you will be scattered [and] you will leave Me all alone” (v. 32). The disciples probably wondered why Jesus had spent so much time telling them He would leave them, about their upcoming bout with grief, and that they’re going to be scattered. Jesus answers with His fourth promise: “Regardless of how much trouble you experience in this world, you can have peace in Me. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (v. 33).

Some people's promises don't mean much. But aren't you thankful that Jesus keeps EVERY ONE of His good promises to you and me? 

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church. Pastor Dane’s daily devotional, “40 Days in Proverbs,” is available on Amazon.com. Join us on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. at 16209 Kamana Road in Apple Valley, or livestream us on Facebook or YouTube. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.

How to Be Fruitful as a Christian

 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.”
– John 15:5

Even as Jesus led His followers to the Garden of Gethsemane, with precious little time left in His earthly life, He was still teaching them. And as He so often did, He used their surroundings to illustrate a point: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener” (John 15:1). And then, in verse 5: “I am the vine; you are the branches.”

As branches on Christ’s vine, we’re called to bear fruit. Jesus says in verse 8, “This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples.” Jesus highlights three of those fruit in John 14 and 15: love, joy and peace. By abiding in Jesus and producing the fruit of love, joy and peace, we can show the watching world what God is like. We show love to people to show how much God loves them. We display an authentic joy that all the depressed people around us are missing—to point them to the Creator of joy. And when things get stressful, we reflect a peace that our stressed-out friends are hungry for … to draw them to the Prince of Peace. When we bear much fruit, God is glorified through us. People are drawn to Christ through us. And as they accept Christ and begin growing fruit of their own, God is even MORE glorified.

Jesus goes on to make a powerful connection to His illustration about the vine and the branches: “Now remain in My love.” And how do we remain, or abide, in Christ’s love? By obeying Christ’s commands. In chapter 14, Jesus taught that to KNOW Christ is to LOVE Christ. And to love Christ is to OBEY Christ. Here in chapter 15, Jesus makes it clear that knowing Christ and abiding in Christ are one and the same. So, we can say: To ABIDE in Christ is to LOVE Christ. And to love Christ is to OBEY Christ.

Now, how can you tell if you’re abiding in Christ? Look for these five signs in your life:

#1: Daily consistent obedience – you are obeying Christ’s commands (v. 10). 

#2: You experience God the Father’s pruning (v. 2). Useless things and even some “good” things are removed from your life in order to make you more fruitful. Never forget that what is good is often the enemy of what is best. God doesn’t want your “good” fruit or even your “better” fruit. He wants your very “best” fruit. 

#3: You produce much fruit (vs. 2 and 4), especially the fruit of love, joy and peace. 

#4: Others around you are drawn to Jesus (v. 8).

#5: Your life brings much glory to God (v. 8).

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church. Join us every Sunday (including Easter Sunday) at 8:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. at 16209 Kamana Road in Apple Valley, and for our Good Friday service at 7 p.m. March 29. You can also livestream us on Facebook or YouTube. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.

How to Have God’s Peace

 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” – John 14:27

As Jesus prepared to lead His followers to the Garden of Gethsemane, He wanted to prepare them for the days that lay ahead.

The disciples knew they were completely incapable of obeying Jesus’ commands on their own. That’s one of the reasons they were petrified at the thought of Jesus leaving them. Following Jesus was hard enough when He was right there to guide them, protect them and teach them. But it would be impossible without Him. Of course, Jesus already knew this. That’s why He reassured them in John 14:16-17: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth.”

I love the fact that before Jesus was arrested, He took the time to teach His disciples about the Holy Spirit—a counselor, comforter and advocate to walk alongside them every step of the way. Jesus was God in human form … but the Holy Spirit would come to them as God in spirit form. Incredibly, that’s even better. In His physical form, Jesus couldn’t be with them all the time. Sometimes He was off praying or doing ministry by Himself. At other times, He needed to sleep. But soon, instead of being with His followers part-time, through the Holy Spirit He would be with them full-time—guiding, protecting and teaching them 24/7.

Just before they left for the garden, in verse 27, Jesus promised His disciples something that they desperately needed. It’s something that you and I need as well: true and lasting peace.

Here are three reasons Christ’s followers should be at peace.

Reason #1: We have the Savior above us. In verse 28, Jesus said, “If you loved Me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.” Remember that when Jesus took on flesh, He emptied Himself of much of His eternal power in order to experience life as we experience it. So, in the scope of eternity, Jesus was at His weakest when He was here on earth in the flesh.But now that Jesus is back in heaven at the right hand of the Father, He is infinitely stronger than when He was here on earth..

Reason #2: We have the Spirit within us. When Jesus ascended into heaven, He didn’t leave us as orphans. He sent His Spirit to be with us and in us every step of the way. The Holy Spirit is one of the greatest gifts that Jesus Christ could have ever given us, because when He gave us the Holy Spirit, He gave us the gift of Himself. If you are a believer and follower of Jesus, the Holy Spirit is with you 24/7—permanently.

 Reason #3: We have God’s Word filling and refreshing us. How can we have peace when it feels like our world is falling apart? Because God’s peace transcends our circumstances. It has nothing to do with where we live, how much we make or who’s in the White House. You could be at your best friend’s funeral and still have peace, because the Word of God gives you strength when you are weak and fills you with hope when things look hopeless.

If you follow Jesus, you CAN find peace in the promises of God. He will never leave you nor forsake you. And your present sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that shall be revealed in you. Find peace in the promises of God! 

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church. Pastor Dane’s daily devotional, “40 Days in Proverbs,” is available on Amazon.com. Join us on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. at 16209 Kamana Road in Apple Valley, or livestream us on Facebook or YouTube. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.

How to Pray In Jesus’ Name

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in Me.”
- John 14:1

Jesus’ disciples had left everything to follow Him. They’d left their jobs and their families and had risked their lives repeatedly over the last three years to stick by Jesus’ side.

Now, at the Last Supper, they had learned that one of their own was going to betray Jesus, and that their lead apostle, Peter, was going to deny Jesus three times. But what worried them the most was Jesus’ plan to leave them—to go who knows where to do who knows what. How on earth could the disciples NOT have troubled hearts? 

Well, according to Jesus, the remedy for their troubled hearts was … trust. One the very night He was arrested, Jesus told them, “Trust in God; trust also in Me” (John 14:1). In this verse, Jesus revealed a beautiful, simple truth: The secret to having a heart at peace is just to trust God. That was true 2,000 years ago, and it’s just as true today. Whatever appearances might suggest, Jesus Christ will never let you down. You can trust Him. You should trust Him.

In verses 12-14, Jesus tells his apostles that after He returns to heaven, they will do “even greater things” than what He Himself had done. And secondly, He tells them that He “will do whatever [they] ask in His name.” Now, don’t misunderstand or twist what Jesus is saying here. Sadly, many people believe in a “prosperity” Gospel, which portrays Jesus as a kind of genie in the lamp. You rub the lamp by using the magic phrase “in Jesus’ name”; you tell Jesus what you want, and if you have enough faith, He will give it to you.

But notice what Jesus gives as the reason why He answers our prayers: “to bring glory to the Father” (v. 13). So, let’s tackle this important question: How can we pray in Jesus’ name?

Guideline #1: Begin your prayers with Jesus’ interests in the forefront of your mind. Chuck Swindoll says it this way: “More often than not, we do not pray in the interests of Jesus’ plans…. In our immaturity, we seek our own interests and for what will improve our situations…. Jesus promised that as we discover the will of God & align our prayers to fulfill His purposes, our prayers will become as powerful as His own.”

Guideline #2: End your prayers with “Your will be done.” Just as we should begin our prayers with Jesus’ will in mind, we should end our prayers with Jesus’ will in mind. In fact, the prayer for God’s will to be done is ALWAYS answered. So, go ahead and ask God to take away your cancer and to bless you with a better job and to protect your kids at school and work. But end your prayers with “Your will be done.” In other words, “God, if I’ve prayed for anything that’s outside Your will, please just scratch that request. Ultimately, I just want Your will to be done.”

Guideline #3: Pray what Jesus Himself would pray—for God the Father to be glorified in your life and in the lives of those around you. You are a servant of Jesus Christ and a soldier for Jesus Christ. So, as you live your life, say what He would say. Do what He would do. And pray what He would pray. Ultimately, that’s what it means to pray in Jesus’ name—to pray exactly what Jesus would pray to the Father if He were in your shoes. 

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church. Pastor Dane’s new daily devotional, “40 Days in Proverbs,” is now available on Amazon.com. Join us on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. at 16209 Kamana Road in Apple Valley, or livestream us on Facebook or YouTube. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.

How to Love Like Jesus

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
– John 13:25

Before the end of the Last Supper, Jesus dropped two bombshells to the 12 men sitting at the table with Him. In John 13, He told them that one of His trusted apostles would betray Him, and that another of them would deny even knowing Him.

Jesus made it clear that the disciple who would betray Him was Judas – even though many Bible scholars have concluded that Judas was sitting in the seat of honor, on Jesus’ left-hand side. Try to wrap your head around that: Jesus not only washed the feet of his friend who would betray Him, He likely gave Him the best seat at His final meal. And in verse 38, Peter’s heart must have dropped when he heard Jesus say, “I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown Me three times!”

Yet Jesus showed His love to both men, despite what He knew was coming. And in verses 34 and 35, Jesus gave His disciples one of the most important commands He had ever given them: “As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

How in the world can we love like that? Let’s look at three ways to love each other like Jesus:

#1: Love other Christians selflessly and sacrificially. The Greek word used for “love” in these verses is “agape”—the highest form of love. Agape love is always others-centered, never self-centered. Jesus didn’t think of Himself. He was always thinking of others. So much good takes place in the Church when we love each other selflessly and sacrificially. You’ve heard the old expression: “Give until it hurts.” We could just as easily say, “Love until it hurts.”

#2: Love other Christians understandingly. Jesus knew every flaw in every one of his disciples, yet He loved them anyway. Sadly, many Christians only practice conditional love. “I will love you only as long as you make good choices, only as long as you don’t screw up, and only as long as you don’t get on my nerves.” That’s NOT agape love. Agape love sees the stupidity in others and knows that some people are really hard to love. But agape love loves them anyway … just like Jesus.

#3: Love other Christians forgivingly. Jesus taught us, “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:14-15). Is Jesus actually saying that God’s forgiveness is conditional? Yes! If you expect God to forgive you, He expects you to forgive others. So, if you refuse to forgive others, God will refuse to forgive you. The first thing Jesus said as He hung on the cross was, “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they’re doing.” That’s agape love in action.

The Church should be the easiest place in the world to find forgiveness. And this should be obvious not only to Christians, but to our not-yet-saved friends and family members as well. As the old chorus goes: “And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love. Yeah, they'll know we are Christians by our love.”

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church. Pastor Dane’s new daily devotional, “40 Days in Proverbs,” is now available on Amazon.com. Join us on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. at 16209 Kamana Road in Apple Valley, or livestream us on Facebook or YouTube. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.

How Humble Are You?

 “I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master.” – John 13:12

Jesus had less than 24 hours to live, and He knew it. He had precious little time left with His disciples—so, whatever He did, He was going to make it count. And what did He choose to do? In John 13, at the Passover meal, He washed His disciples’ dirty feet.

The disciples were stunned—and uncomfortable—as their leader and Savior knelt before them to wash 12 pairs of feet that walked on dirt roads, in sandals, everywhere they went. Peter even tried to stop Him until Jesus told him, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me” (v. 8). Jesus even washed the feet of Judas, although He knew Judas was about to betray Him into the hands of murderers.

Clearly, Jesus was sharing a spiritual truth here. But what IS that truth?

Jesus told them in verse 12: “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master.” To follow Jesus Christ’s example, we must be humble. But how?

Let’s take a look at four principles of true humility. (Most of these principles are highlighted by Chuck Swindoll in his John commentary.)

Principle #1: Humility doesn’t discriminate but is expressed equally to all. Jesus knew that His disciples would all desert Him in a few hours. He knew Peter would deny Him three times. He knew Judas Iscariot would betray Him. Yet Jesus washed their feet anyway. Friends, there is no room for petty discrimination in your Christianity. Whether you like a person or can’t stand a person, whether they love you or hate you, humbly serve them anyway … just like Jesus.

Principle #2: Humility is an action and a behavior, not a thought or an attitude. Many people describe themselves as humble. But thinking you’re humble has nothing to do with humility. As soon as you announce, “I’m humble!” – you’re proving you’re not. Just as love is an action, not a thought or a feeling, so is humility.

Principle #3: Humility receives service without embarrassment. Sometimes the most prideful thing you can do is to NOT allow someone to serve you. Jesus was the most humble servant of all. But just five days before He washed His disciples’ feet, He allowed Mary to get down on her hands and knees and wipe His feet with her hair. Everyone in the room was embarrassed, except for Jesus—because He was gentle and humble in heart. Don’t just humbly serve others. Check your ego at the door and allow others to humbly serve you.

Principle #4: Humility leads to true and lasting joy. Did you know that the nearer you are to suffering people, the nearer you are to Jesus? Jesus identifies with the poor, the sick, the abused, and the outcast. So, the more we humbly serve them, the closer we are to Christ. Most people think that happiness comes from earning more money or taking more vacations. But the truth is, if we chase after happiness, we tend to miss out on it. Why? Because God had linked happiness to humble service.

Warren Wiersbe says it so well: “Be sure to keep these lessons in their proper sequence: humbleness, holiness, happiness. Submit to the Father, keep your life clean, and serve others. This is God’s formula for true spiritual joy.”

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church. Pastor Dane’s new daily devotional, “40 Days in Proverbs,” is now available on Amazon.com. Join us on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. at 16209 Kamana Road in Apple Valley, or livestream us on Facebook or YouTube. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.