tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58203623585595850992024-03-19T05:11:38.036-07:00Dane Davis "I turn my little omelet in the pan for the love of God." - Brother LawrenceDane Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01363298756371364130noreply@blogger.comBlogger338125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820362358559585099.post-86255387771826352512024-03-12T12:38:00.000-07:002024-03-12T12:38:51.262-07:00How to Have God’s Peace<p style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">“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.”</span></i><span class="textheb-10-25"><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">– John
14:27</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">As Jesus prepared to lead His followers to the
Garden of Gethsemane, He wanted to prepare them for the days that lay ahead.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">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.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">I love the fact that before Jesus was arrested,
He took the time to teach His disciples about the Holy Spirit—a c</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">ounselor, 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. I</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">n 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.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">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.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Here are three reasons Christ’s followers
should be at peace.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Reason #1: We have the Savior above us. </span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">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..</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Reason #2: We have the Spirit within us.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> 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. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Reason #3: We have God’s Word filling and
refreshing us. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">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.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">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!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian
Church. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;">Pastor
Dane’s daily devotional, “40 Days in Proverbs,” is available on Amazon.com. <span style="background: white; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Join us on Sunday
at 8:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. at <st1:place w:st="on">16209 Kamana Road</st1:place>
in Apple Valley, or livestream us on Facebook or YouTube. For more information,
visit </span></span><a href="http://www.greaterimpact.cc/"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">www.GreaterImpact.cc</span></a><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Dane Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01363298756371364130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820362358559585099.post-60355793008039610152024-03-05T11:46:00.000-08:002024-03-05T11:46:51.934-08:00How to Pray In Jesus’ Name<h4 style="text-align: left;"><i style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in
God; believe also in Me.”<br /></span></i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">- John 14:1</span></h4><p style="background: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">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?</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">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.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">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.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">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?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Guideline
#1: Begin your prayers with Jesus’ interests in the forefront of your mind.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> 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.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Guideline
#2: End your prayers with “Your will be done.”</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> 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.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">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.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> 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.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian
Church. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;">Pastor
Dane’s new daily devotional, “40 Days in Proverbs,” is now available on
Amazon.com. <span style="background: white; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Join
us on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. at <st1:place w:st="on">16209 Kamana Road</st1:place>
in Apple Valley, or livestream us on Facebook or YouTube. For more information,
visit </span></span><a href="http://www.greaterimpact.cc/"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">www.GreaterImpact.cc</span></a><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Dane Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01363298756371364130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820362358559585099.post-73223041223996394392024-02-26T12:54:00.000-08:002024-02-26T12:54:37.110-08:00How to Love Like Jesus<p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one
another.”<br />
</span></i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">– John 13:25</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">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.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">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: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">Jesus not
only washed the feet of his friend who would betray Him, He likely gave Him the
best seat at His final meal. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">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!”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">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.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">How
in the world can we love like that? Let’s look at three ways to love each other
like Jesus:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">#1:
Love other Christians selflessly and sacrificially.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> 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.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">#2:
Love other Christians understandingly.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> 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.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">#3:
Love other Christians forgivingly.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> 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.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">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.”</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian
Church. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;">Pastor
Dane’s new daily devotional, “40 Days in Proverbs,” is now available on
Amazon.com. <span style="background: white; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Join
us on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. at <st1:place w:st="on">16209 Kamana Road</st1:place>
in Apple Valley, or livestream us on Facebook or YouTube. For more information,
visit </span></span><a href="http://www.greaterimpact.cc/"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">www.GreaterImpact.cc</span></a><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Dane Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01363298756371364130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820362358559585099.post-4369704447773415742024-02-09T08:30:00.000-08:002024-02-09T08:30:00.138-08:00 How Humble Are You?<h4 style="text-align: left;"> <i style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">“I tell you the truth,
no servant is greater than his master.”</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;"> – John 13:12</span></h4>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">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.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The disciples were stunned—and uncomfortable—as
their leader and Savior knelt before them to wash 12 pairs of feet that walked </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">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.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">Clearly,
Jesus was sharing a spiritual truth here. But what IS that truth?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">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?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Let’s
take a look at four principles of true humility. (Most of these principles are
highlighted by Chuck Swindoll in his John commentary.)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Principle
#1: Humility doesn’t discriminate but is expressed equally to all.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> 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.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Principle
#2: Humility is an action and a behavior, not a thought or an attitude. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">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.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Principle
#3: Humility receives service without embarrassment.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> 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.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Principle
#4: Humility leads to true and lasting joy. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">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.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">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.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian
Church. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;">Pastor
Dane’s new daily devotional, “40 Days in Proverbs,” is now available on
Amazon.com. <span style="background: white; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Join
us on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. at <st1:place w:st="on">16209 Kamana Road</st1:place>
in Apple Valley, or livestream us on Facebook or YouTube. For more information,
visit </span></span><a href="http://www.greaterimpact.cc/"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">www.GreaterImpact.cc</span></a><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Dane Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01363298756371364130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820362358559585099.post-89477479342017366722024-02-07T12:30:00.000-08:002024-02-07T12:30:17.720-08:00Who’s Ready to Give Up?<h4 style="text-align: left;"><i style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">“Anyone
who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this
world will keep it for eternal life.”</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;"> – John 12:25</span></h4>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Jesus had just made his triumphal entry into
Jerusalem, riding a donkey colt through a cheering crowd who laid palm branches
before Him. They were sure their Messiah had arrived to save Israel from its
oppressors. Until Jesus spoke.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">In John 12:23, Jesus told the crowd before Him,
“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” Many of His followers
were thrilled: “YES! It’s about time! Gather your army and drive out the Romans
and set up your throne in Jerusalem! We’re behind you all the way!”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">But in verse 24, Jesus lowered the boom. His
idea of “being glorified” was much different than theirs: “I tell you the
truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a
single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” He went on to say: “The
man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world
will keep it for eternal life” (v. 25).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">What on earth was He talking about? Jesus’ fans
were ready to follow their Messiah to the death … if he went charging
full-speed into a Roman garrison. But they refused to throw their lives away
for a Messiah who wasn’t even going to put up a fight. It sounded like He was just
planning to roll over and die.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">In this passage, Jesus shares three powerful truths
at the heart of our Christian faith. The decisions we make each day should be
grounded in the following three truths. (Statements in quotation marks are from
Scottish theologian William Barclay.)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Truth #1 (v. 24): “Only by death comes life.”</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> As Jesus said, “<span style="background: white;">Unless a kernel
of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But
if it dies, it produces many seeds.”</span></span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">What is true in
agriculture is equally true in the spiritual realm. The great 2nd Century church
leader Tertullian famously said, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the
Church.” All but one of Jesus’ 12 apostles were martyred for their faith. Now,
you will probably never face death or imprisonment because of your beliefs. But
Christ has still called you to die. Your old selfish way of living, your old negativity,
your old unforgiveness … all need to die. It’s when our old nature dies that we
can really live for God.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Truth #2 (v. 25): Only by giving up our lives
do we retain life. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">People
who live for me, myself and I are usually motivated by two things: their own
selfish cravings and security. Selfish
people chase after pleasure and security. But Jesus calls His followers
to sacrifice—even “hate”—both pleasure & security. I urge you to hate your
own selfishness; hate your own laziness; hate sitting on the sidelines. Instead,
LOVE giving your life away in service to Christ and others.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Truth #3 (v. 26): “Only by service comes
greatness.” </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">So
many people live their lives serving one person: themselves. And at the end of
their lives, there’s not much to show for it. I’m so thankful that so many Christians
I know are the exact opposite of that. They live to serve Christ and others.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Earlier
this month, I had the privilege of officiating the Celebration of Life for Mele
Bond, a sweet lady who served at my church for more than 30 years. Mele embodied
this third truth: She lived a “great” life, because she was such a “great”
servant.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">For
many years, Mele stood at the front door of our church shaking hands and
handing out bulletins to our attenders. She greeted everyone with her great
big, loving smile. No one would have guessed that Mele had Multiple Sclerosis.
She didn’t talk about how it affected her health. She just kept serving. About six
years ago, when her legs got too weak, Mele could no longer stand and hand out
bulletins. So … she sat on her walker and handed out bulletins with the same big,
loving smile.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">In
the last three years, Mele’s MS reached a point where she was too weak to get
out of bed. So, did she finally stop serving? Nope! From her bed, she crocheted
beanies for family members, friends and the homeless. Whenever I visited, she
had a bag of hats for me to give away. She refused to stop serving. Anyone who
knew Mele would agree: She lived a GREAT life. You see, only by service comes greatness.</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian
Church. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;">Pastor
Dane’s new daily devotional, “40 Days in Proverbs,” is now available on
Amazon.com. <span style="background: white; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Join
us on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. at <st1:place w:st="on">16209 Kamana Road</st1:place>
in Apple Valley, or livestream us on Facebook or YouTube. For more information,
visit </span></span><a href="http://www.greaterimpact.cc/"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">www.GreaterImpact.cc</span></a><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Dane Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01363298756371364130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820362358559585099.post-59406111676699351472024-01-04T08:30:00.000-08:002024-01-04T08:30:00.144-08:00An Eye-Opening Experience<p style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">"<span class="textjohn-9-32"><span style="background: white;">Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born
blind.</span></span><span class="textjohn-9-33"><span style="background: white;"> If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.</span></span>"</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> – John 9:32-33</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">A
man who was blind from birth had been healed, but no one seemed too happy about
it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">In
John 9, Jesus took mercy on a blind beggar … in sort of an unusual way. On a
certain Sabbath day, Jesus spat on the ground, made some mud pies out of the
wet dirt, placed them on the blind man’s eyes and told him to go and wash his
eyes. According to verse 7, the man “went and washed, and came home seeing.”
The formerly-blind beggar was beyond excited! And you would think that everyone
who knew him would be beyond excited. But instead, he was met with skepticism
and unbelief.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">First,
the healed man was interrogated by the Pharisees to find out what had happened.
In verse 16, some of them objected, “This man [Jesus] is not from God, for He
does not keep the Sabbath.” According to Jewish tradition, all kinds of
everyday activities were forbidden on the Sabbath—including kneading wet dirt
into mud pies and using spit to heal.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Next,
the Pharisees spoke to the man’s parents, but Mom and Dad were too afraid of
these powerful religious leaders to take any chances. They simply admitted he
was their son, he had been born blind, and now he could see. But as for
anything else, they said, “Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself”
(v. 21).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">So
the Pharisees returned to the man and tried to trick him into admitting that
Jesus was a sinner. But he stuck to the facts: “One thing I do know. I was
blind but now I see” (v. 25). In frustration, the Pharisees finally snapped:
“You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! We know that God
spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where He comes
from!” (vs. 28-29). But the healed man pointed out, “We know that God does not
listen to sinners…. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing” (vs.
31-33). Well, the Pharisees didn’t want to hear any more from HIM, so they
tossed him out of the synagogue.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">But
for the healed man, the story has a happy ending. He met Jesus again, who told him
that He was the Son of Man—the promised Savior of the World. Immediately, the
formerly-blind beggar believed that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of the
living God. He was saved.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">And
here are two Life Lessons that we can draw from this inspiring account. First,
because Jesus is your light and your salvation, be courageous when you’re under
attack. And second, when man kicks you out, Jesus will take you in. And once
Jesus takes you in, you will see the goodness of the Lord.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;">Dane
Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church. Join us for the Christmas
season, on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. at <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">16209 Kamana Road</st1:address></st1:street> in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Apple Valley</st1:place></st1:city>, or livestream us on Facebook or
YouTube. For more information, visit </span><a href="http://www.greaterimpact.cc/"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">www.GreaterImpact.cc</span></a><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;">.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></p>Dane Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01363298756371364130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820362358559585099.post-76608171168140167352024-01-02T12:18:00.000-08:002024-01-02T12:18:14.477-08:00Who Wants to Be a Shepherd?<p><i style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">“I am the good shepherd; I know My sheep and My
sheep know Me … and I lay down my life for the sheep."</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;"> – John 10:14-15</span></p>
<p class="ListParagraph" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Who in his
right mind would ever want to be a shepherd? Well, it turns out that Jesus
does. And you know what? He’s REALLY good at it.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">In John 10,
as Jesus was speaking to His critics, He drew their attention to the shepherds
and their flocks scattered across the Judean countryside and declared, “I am
the good shepherd.” You see, everyone in </span><st1:place style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on">Judea</st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">
was very familiar with the sight of shepherds leading their flocks along the
hillsides. So, Jesus latched on to that imagery to reveal some powerful
insights.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">In these
verses, Jesus reveals four vital ministries that He carries out that prove He
is a REALLY Good Shepherd.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Ministry #1: Jesus dies for His
sheep (vs. 11-13). </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Think
about how truly radical Jesus’ statement is. Jesus is God in human flesh, the
King of Kings and Lord of Lords. If anyone should be laying down his life for
someone else, one of us should be laying down our life for Him. That’s how
things work in the real world. Privates lay down their lives for their
lieutenants. Lieutenants lay down their lives for their colonels. Colonels lay
down their lives for their generals. And EVERYONE lays down their lives for
their Commander-in-Chief. But Jesus says that He, just like a good shepherd,
lays down His life for His followers. Warren Wiersbe says it so well: “[Jesus]
did not die as a martyr, killed by men; He died as a substitute, willingly
laying down His life for us.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Ministry #2: Jesus knows His sheep
(vs. 14-15). </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Heaven,
in a nutshell, is knowing God the Father and Jesus Christ personally—not just
knowing about them, but really KNOWING them. And Jesus tells us He knows each
of His followers personally. So, if you’re a believer and follower of Jesus
Christ, Jesus knows your name. He knows your character (the good, the bad and
the ugly). And He knows your needs better than anyone else in the world.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Ministry #3: Jesus brings other sheep
into His flock (v. 16). </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">If you aren’t Jewish, you should be REALLY glad that the Good Shepherd
carries out this third ministry. The New Testament makes it clear that the
“other sheep” are Gentiles … non-Jews. Jesus’ first ministry priority was to be
the gate of salvation and the Good Shepherd for Jews. Once that priority was
being carried out, He turned His focus to reaching Gentiles so that all men,
women and children on earth could have the opportunity to be saved & be
shepherded by Christ.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Ministry #4: Jesus takes up His life
again (vs. 17-21).</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">
Aren’t you glad that Jesus didn’t stay dead? Jesus’ voluntary death was
followed by His victorious resurrection. Jesus is alive and well … and is such
a Good Shepherd!</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">Dane
Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church. Join us for the Christmas
season, on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. at <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">16209 Kamana Road</st1:address></st1:street> in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Apple Valley</st1:city></st1:place>, or livestream us on Facebook or
YouTube. For more information, visit </span><a href="http://www.greaterimpact.cc/"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">www.GreaterImpact.cc</span></a><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Dane Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01363298756371364130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820362358559585099.post-54139682660152327192023-11-27T10:55:00.000-08:002023-11-27T10:55:26.730-08:00Jesus Lights Up the Darkness<p style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">"<span style="background: white;">I am the light of
the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness</span>."</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> – John 8:12</span></p>
<p class="ListParagraph" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">As the Feast of Tabernacles was drawing to a
close in John 8, Jesus was teaching in the inner courts of the temple,
surrounded by the huge candelabras that were lit every night of the feast. It
was said that these candelabras burned so brightly that on a dark night, they
would light up every courtyard in </span><st1:city style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Jerusalem</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">.
Standing just a few feet from those massive beacons of light, Jesus declared,
“I am the light of the world. </span><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Whoever follows me
will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">” (v. 12).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Jesus was basically saying, “These candelabras
can light up </span><st1:city style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Jerusalem</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">
for one night, but I’m the One sent by God to light up the whole world forever.
These candelabras provide physical light for your eyes, but I provide spiritual
light for your souls that leads to eternal life.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-pagination: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">The religious leaders weren’t sure what Jesus was talking
about, but they didn’t like it. So they challenged His right to speak on His
own behalf. They were baffled when He answered, “I am one who testifies for
myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me” (v. 18). And when they
asked where His father was, Jesus responded, “You do not know me or my Father….
If you knew me, you would know my Father also” (v. 19). They got even madder
when He warned them, <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">“I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that
I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins” (v. 24). This
probably didn’t win Him any new fans among the religious leaders. But according
to verse 30, many others who heard did believe in Him.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Jesus came to be the light of the world. Aren’t
you glad He didn’t leave us to keep stumbling in spiritual darkness? If you let
Him, He can flip the switch and light up your life, illuminating the sin that
you need to confess. He can lift the blinders from your soul so that you can
see clearly that He is the Christ and the Son of the living God. And He
provides a lamp for your feet and a light for your path, so that you can see
which way to go. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Here are two lessons we can
draw from this passage:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Lesson #1:
No matter how many lights are shining around you, let Jesus light your way.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> After all, He is the
Light of the World. There is no light like the Light of the World, Jesus
Christ.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Lesson #2:
Your life and time are both limited, and you don’t know what that limit is.
Therefore, there is every reason for making the decision to trust in Jesus
Christ now, before it’s too late. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Sadly, it appears that most of the religious leaders
missed their opportunity. Don’t make the same mistake they did.</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">Dane
Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church. Join us for worship on Sunday
at 8:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. at <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">16209
Kamana Road</st1:address></st1:street> in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Apple Valley</st1:place></st1:city>, or livestream us on Facebook or
YouTube. For more information, visit </span><a href="http://www.greaterimpact.cc/"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">www.GreaterImpact.cc</span></a><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Dane Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01363298756371364130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820362358559585099.post-40321446921955469872023-11-20T09:08:00.000-08:002023-11-20T09:08:48.575-08:00Don’t Watch the Church. Be the Church.<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">There’s
a crisis in </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on">America</st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> today—a
crisis much bigger than the dysfunction in </span><st1:state style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Washington</st1:place></st1:state><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">, much bigger than Covid-19, much
bigger than high gas prices. It’s a crisis that has eternal repercussions.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">For
years, historians and researchers have warned us that Christianity is dying in </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">. Study
after study has confirmed that belief in God, church attendance, and commitment
to biblical values are ALL on the decline. In 2019, the year before the
Covid-19 lockdowns, 3,000 new churches opened in </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">. That sounds great until
you realize that 4,500 existing churches closed. And during the pandemic, the
situation went from bad to worse.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Why?
Researchers agree that the biggest reason is the growing number of “nones” in
our country. In recent years, researchers have started using this term as a
label for people who don’t claim any religion. Some “nones” are atheists;
others are agnostics; still others say they’re religious but don’t identify
with any specific religion. But it shouldn’t surprise you to learn that as the
number of “nones” across America INCREASES, the number of church attenders
DECREASES. Because more than 95% of “nones” don’t go to church.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Since the
year 2000, the number of “nones” in </span><st1:place style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">America</st1:country-region></st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> has grown dramatically
across all age groups—but especially the younger generations. According to a
2021 Barna Group study, about half of Generation Z (those between ages 11 and
26) claim to be Christians … but around 30% of them claim no religion at all. Some
studies show that number over 40%.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">And here’s
an even scarier number. According to Barna’s research, only 4% of those 11-to-26-year-olds
have a biblical worldview. In other words, although over 50% of Generation Z
claim to be Christians, only 4 out of every 100 actually believe the Bible to
be the inspired Word of God and that Jesus is the only path to salvation.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">That’s
tragic. Worse, it didn’t have to be this way. Parents, to a very large extent,
it’s our own darn fault. Not only have we failed to teach our kids God’s Word
every day in our homes, we have failed to surround our kids with other Christians
who are ready and willing to teach them God’s Word at church. We haven’t
maintained our commitment to Christ’s Bride, the Church, and we haven’t taught
our kids about commitment to church. And if you’re worried that “dragging them
to church” will chase them away from God, believe me: There’s a much higher
likelihood of them walking away from God if they’re not in church at all.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">God’s
Word in Hebrews 10:24 is clear: “Let us consider how we may spur one another on
toward love and good deeds.” And that begins at home. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">You’ve taught your kids to persevere
in school work, in their chores and in their tooth brushing. Now, teach them to
persevere in the most important way: Teach them to persevere with the Church to
bring honor and glory to God. </span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">Dane
Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church. Join us for worship on Sunday
at 8:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. at <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">16209
Kamana Road</st1:address></st1:street> in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Apple Valley</st1:place></st1:city>, or livestream us on Facebook or
YouTube. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Dane Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01363298756371364130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820362358559585099.post-57227478585469579282023-10-30T11:19:00.001-07:002023-10-30T11:19:26.335-07:00Who Deserves Mercy?<h3 style="text-align: left;"><i style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">"If any one of you is without sin,
let him be the first to throw a stone at her."</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; text-align: center;"> – John 8:7</span></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">It’s one of
the most beloved accounts in any of the Gospels.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">In John 8,
Jesus was teaching in the temple courts when he was rudely interrupted by the
teachers of the law and some Pharisees. They brought Him a woman and said:
“Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses
commanded us to stone such women. Now, what do you say?” (vs. 4-5). And then
John adds a quick little FYI in verse 6: “They were using this question as a
trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">You see, the
religious leaders knew that if Jesus said they SHOULDN’T stone the woman, they
could arrest Him for rebelling against the Law of Moses. On the other hand, if
Jesus said the woman SHOULD be stoned, He could be arrested by the government,
because it was against Roman law for the Jews to carry out capital punishment
without Roman approval.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">So, Jesus was stuck
with a lose-lose question. Or so everyone thought.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">But Jesus’
response in verse 7 is genius: “If any one of you is without sin, let him be
the first to throw a stone at her.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">At that,
the woman’s accusers slunk away, one by one, too convicted by their own sins to
start hurling rocks. When Jesus was left alone with the woman, He asked, “Has
no one condemned you?” And when she responded with a “no,” He said, “</span><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Then neither do
I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin” (v. 11).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Jesus
showed the woman mercy – undeserved forgiveness. And in this passage, Jesus
gives us three important lessons about showing mercy:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">1. Legalists prefer to CONDEMN. Jesus
prefers to FORGIVE.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">
Often, it’s easier to condemn than it is to forgive. But when we start
preferring condemnation over forgiveness, we can be sure that we are following
in the footsteps of the Pharisees. Forgiveness is the path of Christ.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">2. Jesus’ mercy comes with an
implied warning: “If you reject My mercy, one day you will suffer God’s wrath.”</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> Some Christians think that Jesus
was soft on this woman’s sin. But He really wasn’t. Notice that He didn’t just
say, “Neither do I condemn you. Tell your lover I said ‘Hi!’” He said, “Go now
and leave your life of sin.” Jesus called upon this woman to make a radical
change in her life.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">4. Where legalists see miserable
sinners, Jesus sees potential saints.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> Throughout the New Testament, we see lives radically
transformed by following Jesus Christ. God doesn’t offer us a time machine to
go back and change what we’ve done. But Jesus Christ gives us the next best
thing: a second chance. Jesus is the God of second chances. He gives you the
opportunity to change your life – beginning today.</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">Dane
Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church. Join us for worship on Sunday
at 8:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. at <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">16209 Kamana Road</st1:city></st1:address></st1:street> in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Apple Valley</st1:city></st1:place>, or
livestream us on Facebook or YouTube. For more information, visit </span><a href="http://www.greaterimpact.cc/"><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">www.GreaterImpact.cc</span></a><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Dane Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01363298756371364130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820362358559585099.post-42196132461929455772023-10-29T19:45:00.001-07:002023-10-29T19:45:00.137-07:00So what does the Bible say about ghosts?<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">It’s almost
Halloween … so what does the Bible say about ghosts?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Every
October, millions of our </span><st1:place style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on">Southern California</st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">
family members, friends and neighbors have a renewed interest in ghosts,
goblins and all things haunted. In fact, in recent years SoCal theme park
owners have discovered that transforming their amusement parks into scare parks
is a great way to see their profits soar.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">When it
comes to the paranormal, it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. So, what
does the Bible teach us about ghosts? Are they real?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Well, that
depends on what you mean by “ghosts.” If by “ghosts” you’re referring to
“spirit beings,” the Bible answers with an unequivocal “Yes!” The Bible is
clear that Christians’ struggle “is not against flesh and blood, but against
the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and
against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">But if by
“ghosts” you’re referring to “the disembodied spirits of people who have died,”
the Bible’s answer is a resounding “No!” Consider one of the key verses that
proves this, Hebrews 9:27: “Man is destined to die once, and after that to
face judgment.” In other words, once a person dies, there is no in-between
place where his/her spirit can communicate with or interact with the living
before he/she faces God’s eternal judgment.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">So, when
the Bible speaks of invisible “spirits” who may, sometimes, interact with us in
the physical world, who or what are they? Simply put, they are either angels or
demons. Angels are good spirits who serve God and carry out His marching
orders. And demons are evil spirits who align with Satan’s goals to steal, kill
and destroy. And according to 2 Corinthians 11:14-15, sometimes demons
“masquerade as angels of light.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">So,
hypothetically, could a demon masquerade as the ghost of a dead family
member, a long-lost saint or even as an alien from another planet?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Certainly!
Hence, the Bible teaches us to be on guard against the enemy’s schemes
(Ephesians 6:10-11). Faith in Jesus Christ provides a shield that protects us
from needless fear about any so-called “spirits” who might try to sidetrack us
from trusting, loving and obeying God.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Here is one
final Bible verse to consider. After teaching us that God is love, the Apostle
John tells us plainly, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out
fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made
perfect in love” (1 John 4:18).</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">Dane
Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church. Join us for worship on Sunday
at 8:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. at <st1:city w:st="on">16209 Kamana Road</st1:city> in <st1:city w:st="on">Apple Valley</st1:city>, or livestream us on Facebook or YouTube. For
more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Dane Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01363298756371364130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820362358559585099.post-3711071380716117452023-10-14T07:02:00.001-07:002023-10-14T07:02:00.139-07:00How Can I Do God’s Will?<p style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial;">“Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find
out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.” </span></i><span style="font-family: Arial;">– John 7:17</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Over the
past few years, several studies have confirmed what many of us have suspected:
Christianity is not growing in the </span><st1:place style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region></st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">. It’s actually on the
decline. As the years go by, fewer families go to church. Fewer adults and
teenagers claim to be Christians. And the percentage of Americans who don’t
believe in the existence of God is growing at an alarming rate.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">In 2021, </span><st1:placename style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on">Arizona</st1:placename><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><st1:placename style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on">Christian</st1:placename><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">
</span><st1:placename style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on">University</st1:placename><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">’s </span><st1:placename style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Cultural</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Research</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Center</st1:placetype></st1:place></st1:placename><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">
published the results from their latest survey about Americans’ belief in God.
It showed a sharp decline in belief with each new generation. 83% of Americans
born before 1945 say they believe in God. 79% of Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964)
say they believe in God. 70% of Gen Xers (born 1965-1983) and 57% of
Millennials (born 1984-2002) identify as Christians. Meanwhile, 43% of
Millennials say they “don’t know, care, or believe that God exists.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">We would
like to think that with each passing year, the number of people who are getting
saved is outpacing the number of people who are choosing not to get saved. But
it’s simply not true. And sadly, what is true in 2023 was also true in Jesus’
day.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">In John
6:66 (notice the verse number), we read: “From this time many of [Jesus’]
disciples turned back and no longer followed Him.” That verse marks a
heartbreaking turning point in Jesus’ ministry. For over two years, Jesus had
shared the good news of salvation, explained the Scriptures and healed the
sick. He offered the people of </span><st1:place style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region></st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">
faith, hope and unconditional love. But many of them responded by grumbling and
walking away—unappreciative, unchanged and filled with unbelief. As Jesus
entered his final year of ministry, the crowds that gathered by the thousands
to hear Him preach became few and far between.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">By the
beginning of John 7, Jesus had begun to avoid </span><st1:place style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on">Judea</st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">
because He knew the religious leaders there “were waiting to take his life” (v.
1). But after His brothers left for the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus went there
on His own in secret (v. 10). He knew the religious leaders would be looking
for Him—and evidently, the crowds were on the lookout for Him too. There was a
lot of secret chatter among them. Some whispered, “He is a good man,” while
others whispered, “No, He deceives the people” (vs. 12 & 13). But
regardless of their opinions, they tried to keep a lid on it, because the
religious leaders were acting weird when the subject of Jesus came up. The
people didn’t know the extent of the leaders’ hatred for Jesus, but they knew
they didn’t want to get caught in the crossfire.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">On the
fourth day of the feast, Jesus began teaching in the temple courts. Even his
foes were blown away. The religious leaders exclaimed, “How did this man get
such learning without having studied?” (v. 15). They were astounded that Jesus
was teaching circles around many of their highly-educated rabbis. Jesus
explained that His teaching came from “Him who sent Me” (v. 16). Then He added,
“If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether My teaching comes
from God or whether I speak on My own” (v. 17). In other words: We learn by
doing. So, if you don’t understand everything you need to know to live a life
that pleases God, put the little bit you DO know into practice. As you walk in
obedience to the parts of God’s will that you already know, He will unlock your
understanding to the truths that you don’t know … yet.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Here are
two Life Lessons we can draw from the previous passage:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Life Lesson #1: People will always hold
many different opinions about Jesus. But believe and live your life by this
truth: Jesus is the Christ and the Son of the living God.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> Believing that Jesus was JUST a
good man, a good teacher or a prophet are not logical options, because He
claimed to be the Son of God. So, there are only three logical options: He is a
liar, a lunatic or He is Lord. So, choose one.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Life Lesson #2: If you want to
UNDERSTAND God’s will, begin by DOING God’s will.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> You will learn God’s Word by living
God’s Word. It’s often been said: “It’s easier to steer a moving car.” So, get
moving, and God’s will for your life will become much, much clearer.</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">Dane
Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church. Join us for worship on Sunday
at 8:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. at <st1:place w:st="on">16209 Kamana Road</st1:place>
in <st1:place w:st="on">Apple Valley</st1:place>, or livestream us on Facebook
or YouTube. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Dane Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01363298756371364130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820362358559585099.post-32453865196673534052023-10-07T07:45:00.000-07:002023-10-07T07:45:00.140-07:00Eat Your Soul Food First!<p style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial;">“Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that
endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you."</span></i><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">– John 6:27</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">There’s an
activity that most people will participate in at least 20 times this week.
Chances are, you did it this morning, and you’ll probably do it a few more
times today. You can perform this activity alone, but if you’re like most
people, you prefer to share it with others. This activity is a part of every
party, most dates and even major holidays. Of course, I’m talking about …
eating. Food is an important part of our lives, isn’t it?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">So, chew on
this for a moment: No matter how poor you think you are, you enjoy a luxury
that several billion people on earth don’t have. You don’t have to worry about
where your next meal is coming from. But in First Century Israel, many people
did. So, in the early verses of John chapter 6, when Jesus performed a miracle
and fed 5,000 men an all-you-can-eat fish and biscuit dinner, it was a HUGE deal.
That may have been the first time in a long time that some of those people went
to bed with full bellies. That’s why, in the middle of the chapter, it’s not
surprising that many people in the crowd who were fed by Jesus yesterday, want
him to feed them again today.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">When the
crowd tracked Jesus down in </span><st1:place style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Capernaum</st1:city></st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">,
He called them on it: “Y</span><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">ou are
looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because
you ate the loaves and had your fill” (v. 26). </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">As William Barclay puts
it, “It is as if Jesus said: ‘You cannot think about your souls for thinking of
your stomachs.’” </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Sadly, what was true
of so many people in <i>Jesus’</i> day is equally true of many people in <i>our</i>
day. Jesus told them, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">“Do not work for food that spoils, but for food
that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you” (v. 27). He’s
telling the crowd to stop chasing after STOMACH food that is only edible for a
short time. Instead, Jesus tells them to chase after SOUL food—food that never
spoils, and which nourishes for all eternity.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Verse 27
actually sounds like a paradox. Jesus is telling them to WORK for “food that
endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will GIVE you.” When we work for
something, it’s not a gift. Right? But the people are fixated on the “work” and
are overlooking the “gift” as they ask Jesus: “What must we do to do the works
God requires?” (v. 28). The crowd wanted to know what every one us has wanted
to know at some point: “What do I need to DO to get on God’s good side? What do
I need to DO to make it to heaven some day?” When we ask these questions, we’re
asking for some sort of to-do list. “Read your Bible and pray every day. Go to
church every Sunday. Help 100 old ladies across the street.” That type of list
makes sense to us.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">But in
verse 29, Jesus responds with some of the simplest yet most profound theology
in the entire book of John: “The work of God is this: to believe in the one He
has sent.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Here are
three Life Lessons we can take away from these passages:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Life Lesson #1: Your old nature
craves PHYSICAL food to the exclusion of SPIRITUAL food. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">So, keep your priorities straight.
Feed your spirit before you feed your face. Jesus urged the crowd in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Capernaum</st1:place></st1:city> to stop working
for food that perishes, but instead to work for food that endures. In John 6,
the people who came to Jesus were physically hungry. But this second time,
Jesus refused to give in to their physical cravings. Instead, He fed their
spirit. That’s a good model to follow. Before you feed your face, make sure you
feed your spirit. The health of your eternal spirit is infinitely more
important than the health of your temporary body. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Life Lesson #2: Grace and truth both
come through Jesus Christ, and you need them both. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Why did Jesus feed the 5,000 on the
other side of the <st1:place w:st="on">Sea of Galilee</st1:place>? Well, He did
it because He had compassion on the crowds. He also did it to teach his 12
disciples some important lessons. But He also did it to show the crowd God’s
grace so that they would be more open to receiving God’s truth. His grace
included physical bread. But the truth was: What they most needed was the
eternal Bread of Life, Jesus Christ. Over the years, you’ve accepted many
gracious gifts from Jesus—your health, your family, your job. However, have you rejected
the truth of Jesus … that
unless you place your faith in Jesus Christ, none of your good works will
matter on Judgment Day? You can’t go to church enough times, or give
away enough money, or walk enough old ladies across the street to escape God’s
judgment.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Life Lesson #3: If you want to be
right with God and make it to heaven one day, there’s only one good work that
God finds acceptable: Believe in Jesus and keep believing in Jesus. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">In Hebrews 11:6, we read that
“without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him
must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”
Pleasing God begins with believing in Jesus as your Savior and Lord. And once
you are saved, you can only continue pleasing God by continuing to believe in
Jesus.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Far too
many Christians believe in Jesus for salvation and then spend the rest of their
lives believing in themselves. That’s stupid! If you trust that Jesus can
snatch your rotten soul out of Satan’s grubby hand, why on earth don’t you
trust that Jesus can help you with every other problem you’ve got? Walk by
faith. Talk by faith. Pray, read your Bible and make your decisions by faith.
Your belief in Jesus Christ should permeate EVERYTHING in your life.</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;">Dane
Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church. Join us for worship on Sunday
at 8:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. at <st1:city w:st="on">16209 Kamana Road</st1:city> in <st1:city w:st="on">Apple Valley</st1:city>, or livestream us on Facebook or YouTube. For
more information, visit </span><a href="http://www.greaterimpact.cc/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">www.GreaterImpact.cc</span></a><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;">.</span></p>Dane Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01363298756371364130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820362358559585099.post-81762789860930748352023-10-06T08:42:00.000-07:002023-10-06T08:42:00.138-07:00Jesus Can Do a Lot With Your “Little”<p style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial;">“Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and
distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same
with the fish.”</span></i><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">– John
6:11</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Over the
years, I’ve seen my share of dumb movies. And I’ve got to admit … I do have a
few favorites. One of my favorite dumb movies of all time is the Steve Martin
and </span><st1:place style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on">Chevy Chase</st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> comedy, “The Three Amigos.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">The year is
1916. Three bumbling silent movie stars, the Three Amigos, are called upon to
rescue the people of a small Mexican town from the infamous El Guapo. This
villain and his ruthless banditos have been terrorizing the people of Santo
Poco. Late in the movie, El Guapo and his men mount their horses and ride
toward Santo Poco to unleash their fury on the town one last time. And the
Three Amigos rally the townspeople to do something they’d never done before:
stand up and fight.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">In a
rousing speech, one of the Amigos asks the townspeople: “What is it that this
town really does well?” Most of the people stand with baffled looks on their
faces. But after a few seconds, one of the senoras speaks up: “We can sew.”
Well, it wasn’t much to work with, but it was better than nothing. So, the
people of Santo Poco begin sewing like the wind, making Three Amigos costumes
for everyone in the village. And when El Guapo and his banditos roll into town,
instead of fighting three amigos, it looks like they’re facing 100 amigos. El
Guapo is defeated, the Three Amigos ride off into the sunset, and the people of
Santo Poco live happily ever after.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Well, in
John 6, Jesus demonstrates his amazing ability to multiply what we bring to
Him. Jesus stands in front of a crowd of over 10,000 people who are facing
their own El Guapo: Hunger. And Jesus saves the day by taking one boy’s measly
lunch and multiplying it to meet the need.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Jesus had
traveled to the town of </span><st1:place style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Bethaisda</st1:city></st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">
to find a “great crowd” of people had followed Him (v. 2). </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">We learn a few verses later that there were around 5,000
men; from Matthew’s gospel account, we know that there were also women and
children. So, this crowd had to have totaled over 10,000 people. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">As
mealtime approached, Jesus asked His disciples to help figure out how to feed
so many people. At last Andrew brought a boy to Jesus and said, “Here is a boy
with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go
among so many?” (v. 9).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">But Jesus
told his 12 apostles to get the crowd ready for lunch by asking them to sit
down. Then Jesus took the loaves and gave thanks (v. 11). Once Jesus had broken
the bread and fish into smaller pieces, He gave the pieces to the apostles, who
in turn gave them to the people in the crowd. And the sight must have been
amazing. One loaf became two, two became four, and four became eight, until
over 10,000 people were completely full – with twelve baskets of leftovers.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Here are three Life Lessons we can draw from these passages:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">1. A Lesson from the Disciples: When
God places someone in your path who needs something that Christ wants to give
them through you, don’t send them away empty-handed. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">I don’t believe God expects us to
meet the needs of every person who crosses our path. But if you are a believer
and follower of Jesus Christ, you’d better believe that on a regular basis, God
is going to place people in your path—people who need something that God wants
you to give them. It might just be a kind word to a lady in line at the Dollar
Tree. Maybe it’s your coworker who needs someone to invite him to church, or
the homeless guy on the sidewalk in front of McDonald’s who just needs a
burger. How do you know if the person in your path has been placed there by God
to receive something from you? You pray without ceasing. Every day, go to God
and pray: “Use me today, God. I don’t want everyone who crosses my path today
to leave empty-handed. So, show me who You want me to bless.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">2. A Lesson from the Boy: “Whenever
there is a need, give all that you have to Jesus and let Him do the rest”
(Warren Wiersbe). </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">What a loss it would have been to
that crowd of 10,000—and to the hundreds of millions of people who have heard
this story over the past 2,000 years—if Andrew hadn’t brought the boy to Jesus.
The boy didn’t have much, but what he had, he brought to Jesus. You might not
think you have much to give. That’s okay. Bring ALL that you have to Jesus, and
let Him take care of the rest.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">A Lesson from Jesus: Jesus says, in
effect, “You do the addition. I’ll take care of the multiplication” (Chuck
Swindoll).</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> Each
miraculous sign in the Book of John reveals something about Jesus: who He is
and what He came to earth to do. This miraculous sign reveals that He is the
Great Need-Meeter, the one the Jews had prayed to for centuries. He is the Lord
our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth. There’s
not a problem that Jesus can’t solve. There’s not a need that Jesus can’t meet.
There’s not a shortage that Jesus can’t turn into a surplus. But nine times out
of 10, Jesus will NOT meet our needs out of thin air. You and I must put in ALL
that we have on the table and trust Him to multiply it. And this applies to all
areas of your faith. You must surrender your WHOLE life to Christ – your time,
your talents, your treasures – if you truly want Him to work through you and accomplish
things beyond all you could ask or think.</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt; text-align: left;">Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church.
Join us tomorrow for Back to Church Sunday! Our worship services are at 8:30 a.m.
and 10 a.m. at <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">16209
Kamana Road</st1:city></st1:address></st1:street> in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Apple Valley</st1:city></st1:place>, or livestream us on Facebook or
YouTube. For more information, visit </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.greaterimpact.cc/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">www.GreaterImpact.cc</span></a></span><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt; text-align: left;">.</span></p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"></span>Dane Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01363298756371364130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820362358559585099.post-27946357992186355692023-10-05T08:38:00.001-07:002023-10-05T08:38:00.141-07:00Did Jesus Really Claim to Be God?<p style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial;">“T</span></i><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">he Father judges no one, but has
entrusted all judgment to the Son,<span style="background: white;"> </span>that
all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father.<span style="background: white;">”</span></span></i><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">– John
5:22-23</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Not
too many years ago, a well-respected leader stepped up to a microphone and
spoke to a crowded room of supporters. His greatest desire was to convince them
that his religion was superior to every other. To the surprise of many people
in the crowd, the speaker had a lot of nice things to say about … Jesus. He
praised Jesus as a genuine prophet, a wise teacher and a worthy example of
human goodness. But then he said, “Jesus is ALL these things, but He never
claimed to be anything more than a man. He never claimed to be God.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">So,
let me ask you: Is he right? Truth be told, we don’t have a record of Jesus
ever speaking the words: “I am God.” So, did Jesus ever </span><i style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">really</i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> claim to be God?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">The
religious leaders of Jesus’ time certainly thought so. Within minutes of Jesus
healing the crippled man at the Pool of Bethesda, these leaders started
griping. At first they complained because the man who Jesus had healed was holding
his bedroll—carrying a “burden” on the Sabbath (John 5:10). When the man said that
Jesus had told him to carry it, they shifted their attack to Jesus. And their
attack intensified when Jesus declared in verse 17: “My Father is always at His
work to this very day, and I, too, am working.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">John
explains why those words set the religious leaders’ teeth on edge: “For this
reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him; not only was He breaking the
Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with
God” (v.18). Now, if Jesus was being falsely accused of being the Son of God, this
would be the perfect opportunity to set the record straight. But Jesus doesn’t
voice a rebuttal here in John 5. Instead, He doubles down and makes six claims
that reinforce His declaration that He is the Son of God:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Claim #1 (vs. 19-20): My actions and
God the Father’s actions are identical. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Jesus says flat out, “Whatever the Father does the Son also
does,” and the Father “shows Him all He does.” No man—or even any angel—would
ever say, “My actions are identical with God’s, and God never does anything
that He doesn’t first run by me.” So, the claim that Jesus makes in verses 19-20
is NOT a claim that any human or angel can rightfully make.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Claim #2 (vs. 21 and 26): I raise
the dead and give life at will. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Chuck Swindoll writes, “This would be an outrageous claim
for any mere human. Doctors can give medicine or administer treatment in order
to delay death, but they cannot give life to a dead body…. Only God can create
something from nothing and then fill it with life…. Only God has the power to
restore life.” The Bible makes it clear that God alone is the Creator and
Sustainer of life.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Claim #3 (vs. 22 and 27): I am the
final judge of the living and the dead. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">In verse 22, Jesus claims that the Father “has entrusted all
judgment to the Son.” And in verse 27, Jesus says that the Father “has given
Him authority to judge.” God is the only One in the universe qualified to be
the eternal Judge of the living and the dead, because God is the only One in
the universe who knows absolutely everything about us. And God is the only One
who is perfect both in His love AND in His justice. So, when Jesus claims to be
the eternal Judge of the living and the dead, He’s claiming to be all-knowing
and perfectly holy.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Claim #4 (v. 23): I am worthy to be honored
just as God the Father is honored. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Jesus is, in effect, claiming a right to be worshiped just
as God the Father is worshiped. Once again, no mere human or angel can
rightfully make this claim.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Claim #5 (vs. 24-25): Every person’s
eternal destiny hinges on Me. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">If Jesus is telling the truth, where you spend eternity has
nothing to do with how good you were or how wicked you were during your
lifetime here on earth, or how religious or irreligious you were. In God’s eyes, the man who has “done good” is the man who
has accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and followed Him with his life.
And in God’s eyes, the man who has “done evil” is the man who has rejected Him
as Savior and Lord and lived life on his own terms. If Jesus is telling the truth here, where you
spend eternity has nothing to do with you at all. It has everything to do with
Him. It has everything to do with Jesus.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Claim #6 (vs25-29): At the sound of
My voice, every person who has ever died will be resurrected. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">At first glance, this might seem to
be the same as Jesus’ second claim, but it’s not. Jesus’ second claim is that
He can raise a dead body to life here on earth. But in verses 25-29, Jesus
claims to have the authority to resurrect EVERYONE who has died to live
forever.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Now, that
you’ve heard Jesus’ claims for Himself, you have to decide. You can’t just call
Him a “good teacher” or a “prophet”—because He claimed to be the Son of God. Therefore,
there are only three logical options: He is either a liar, a lunatic or Lord of
all—Lord of the living and the dead, at whose name one day “Every knee will bow
and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” Are you willing to
receive that which is true? Will you humbly bow before the Son of God, confess
Him as your Savior and Lord, turn from your sin and obey His marching orders
from this point forward?</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt; text-align: left;">Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church.
Join us for worship on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. at <st1:city w:st="on">16209
Kamana Road</st1:city> in <st1:city w:st="on">Apple Valley</st1:city>, or
livestream us on Facebook or YouTube. For more information, visit </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.greaterimpact.cc/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">www.GreaterImpact.cc</span></a></span><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt; text-align: left;">.</span></p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"></span>Dane Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01363298756371364130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820362358559585099.post-6818273207459134092023-10-04T10:36:00.005-07:002023-10-04T10:36:53.113-07:00Do You Show Mercy and Grace?<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: left;"><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;">“</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus said to
him, ‘Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.’<b><sup> </sup></b>At once the
man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.<span style="background: white;">”</span></span></i><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">– John 5:8-9</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="background-color: white;">I</span>magine
you’re awakened in the middle of the night by the sound of a lawnmower. When
you get out of bed and step onto the front porch, you see your next-door
neighbor, who’s been in a wheelchair for 38 years. And he’s dancing around your
front yard, mowing your lawn like he just won the lottery. How would you
respond? Would you yell across the yard, “Charlie! I can’t believe it! How on
earth did you get out of that wheelchair?” Or would you wave your fist at him
and say, “What in tarnation are you doing at this time of night? GET OFF MY
LAWN!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">That’s Pastor
Chuck Swindoll’s great illustration of the two different ways religious leaders
could have reacted after Jesus healed a paralyzed man in John 5.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">The man was
one of many disabled people who used to gather around the Pool of Bethesda,
hoping for a healing. The name “</span><st1:place style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Bethesda</st1:city></st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">”
can be translated as “house of mercy and grace.” But the place didn’t live up
to its name. At that time, it was believed that an angel from heaven came down
to the pool every now and then to stir up the waters. We know now that this was
most likely from an underground spring. But back then, those disabled people
believed that the first person into the stirred-up pool would be healed. In
other words, the fastest person into the water gets healed—so, most likely,
it’s the one who least needs the healing. So, was </span><st1:place style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on">Bethesda</st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">
a true house of mercy and grace? Not really!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Thankfully,
the God of grace and mercy, Jesus Christ, stepped onto the pool deck. And he
wasn’t looking for the fastest or healthiest man to heal. When the paralyzed
man explained to Jesus that he had no one to help him get to the water first,
Jesus had just one thing to say to him: </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">“Get up! Pick up your mat and walk”</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> (v. 8). Immediately, the man
was healed—so he got up and did just that. It should have been a happy ending,
right?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">But as it
turns out, the healing took place on the Sabbath Day, and the religious leaders
didn’t take kindly to anyone doing anything that even resembled work on the
Sabbath. So, when they saw the healed man walk into the temple courts carrying
his bed mat, all the religious leaders could say was, “It is the Sabbath; the law
forbids you to carry your mat.” The healed man responded, “The man who made me
well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk’” (vs. 10-11).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Now, what
is the most remarkable detail in this man’s statement? Is it A) that someone
had just healed his severed spinal cord and paralyzed legs? Or B) that the
healer told him to carry his sleeping bag? That’s a real stumper, isn’t it? But
look at what the religious leaders focused on in verse 12. They asked: “Who is
this fellow who told you to pick up your mat and walk?”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Be very
careful that you don’t make the same mistake that the religious leaders made in
John 5. They were so entrenched in their legalism that they completely flushed
grace down the toilet. They were staring an earth-shattering miracle right in
the face, and all they could see was an out-of-place sleeping bag. How sad!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Here are
three Life Lessons we can draw from these passages:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Life Lesson #1: Just like in Jesus’
day, our community is filled with hurting people who are searching for a house
of mercy and grace.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">
And as Jesus’ followers, we have what they so desperately need. Every week,
people walk through the church door who are hurting or sick. Every week, there
are people watching church services online who, like the crippled man, have
been pushed around and mistreated, and they feel like they don’t have a friend
in the world. You and I who follow Jesus are called to offer them kindness,
mercy and grace.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Life Lesson #2: Just like in Jesus’
day, there is healing in the house of mercy and grace. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">The same Jesus who healed the
crippled man in John 5 is working in this world today. And His power to heal
back then is still available to heal right now. Maybe you need physical healing.
Maybe you long for an emotional healing from depression, anxiety or addiction.
Or maybe you recognize your greatest need: a spiritual healing. You need to get
saved and be born again. Maybe it’s your day to be healed. But if it’s not,
keep coming back to the house of mercy and grace, believing that your healing
is coming.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Life Lesson #3: Just like in Jesus’
day, there are wet blankets in the house of mercy and grace.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> I suppose we shouldn’t be too
surprised that the religious leaders in His time were ignoring the miracle and
focusing on the infraction, because, honestly, sometimes you and I do the same
thing. Hurting people are being ministered to and decisions for Christ are
being made, but we’re complaining about the service going too long. The Word of
God is being preached in power, and Christians are growing in their faith, but
we’re all miffed because someone “took my seat.” There are any number of ways
that we can be wet blankets in the house of mercy and grace. Let’s stop doing
that.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Let’s all
be ministers of mercy and grace. Let’s spill mercy and grace all over everybody,
and then watch and see what miracles Jesus Christ performs when we do.</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;">Dane
Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church. Join us for worship on Sunday
at 8:30am or 10am at <st1:place w:st="on">16209 Kamana Road</st1:place> in <st1:place w:st="on">Apple Valley</st1:place>, or livestream us on Facebook or YouTube.
For more information, visit </span><a href="http://www.greaterimpact.cc/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">www.GreaterImpact.cc</span></a><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;">.</span></p>Dane Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01363298756371364130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820362358559585099.post-13789977792944053812023-08-21T10:20:00.001-07:002023-10-04T10:32:52.729-07:00Do You Take Jesus at His Word?<h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"><i>“Jesus replied, ‘You may go. Your
son will live.’ The </i></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"><i>man took Jesus at His word and
departed.” </i>– John 4:50</span><br /></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Perhaps
you’ve heard of the avid hiker who clung to a tree branch after slipping and
falling off a mountain ridge. I</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">t was just a matter of time before he lost his grip and plummeted to his
death. So, he cried out to the great Rescuer in the Sky: “Is anyone up there?”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">To his
surprise, a reply quickly came: “I am here. Do you believe in Me?” “Yes, I
believe in You, Lord,” he replied. “But I can’t hang on much longer. Please
help me!” To which God responded, “I will help you. If you believe in Me,
there’s nothing to worry about. Let go of the branch. Just … let go of the
branch.” After a brief pause the man shouted, “Is anyone ELSE up there?”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">That man
wasn’t very good at trusting God. But in John 4:46-53, we’re introduced to a
man whose family was forever changed, because he took Jesus at His Word.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">In John
4:46, a certain royal official came to Jesus in the town of Cana and begged
Jesus to heal his son, who was on his deathbed in nearby Capernaum. Evidently,
the doctors could no longer help him, and the medications weren’t helping
either. So, he came to Jesus in desperation, begging Jesus to travel back to
Capernaum with him before it was too late.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">The royal
official’s faith in Jesus’ miracle-working ability was impressive but flawed in
at least two ways. For starters, he believed that Jesus had to be physically
present in Capernaum to heal his son. And secondly, he believed that if his son
died, it would be too late for Jesus to heal him. Little did he know that
Jesus’ healing power isn’t restricted by time or space.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">But the
royal official’s bigger faith problem is revealed as Jesus responds to his
request in verse 48: “Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders, you
will never believe.” At first, Jesus’ reply to the grieving father seems rather
cold and uncompassionate. But the truth is: It was a call to saving faith.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">You see,
there’s a big difference between believing in Jesus as a miracle worker and
believing in Jesus as your Savior and Lord. There will be plenty of people who
will spend eternity separated from God who, during their lifetimes on earth,
believed that Jesus performed miracles. But sadly, they didn’t believe in Him
as Savior and Lord. They had MIRACLE-WORKING faith, but they didn’t have SAVING
faith. And without saving faith, we remain hopelessly separated from God and
self-condemned. So, Jesus’ response to the royal official is a call to the most
important kind of faith—saving faith.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">In verse
50, Jesus sends him on his way with these simple yet powerful words: “You may
go. Your son will live.” And that’s ALL the assurance the worried father needed
to hear. “The man took Jesus at His word and departed.” And within the next few
verses we discover not only that the official’s son was healed at the exact
moment Jesus had spoken the words “Your son will live”—but also that the man
and his entire household believed in Jesus as Savior and Lord. The GOOD news is
that the young boy’s life was extended here on earth. But the much BETTER news
is that the entire family’s souls were saved for all eternity in heaven.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Scottish
theologian William Barclay identifies several excellent character traits that
the royal official demonstrates in this passage, character traits that you and
I would be wise to emulate.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Character
Trait #1: He swallowed his pride and came to Jesus humbly.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> It’s one thing to believe that
Jesus can help you out of your mess. It’s another thing to swallow your pride,
humble yourself before the Lord and actually ask Him to help—even when people
around you think you’re crazy for trusting in Christ.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Character
Trait #2: He refused to be dissuaded from bringing His great need to Christ. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Do you hesitate to pray, read your
Bible or talk about Jesus Christ in public? If so, you need to follow in the
royal official’s footsteps and come to Jesus without concern for your precious
ego or reputation. No one should be able to talk you out of trusting in Christ
every day and making church a priority for you and your family every week.
Never be dissuaded from crying out to Jesus—no matter where you are or who
you’re with. Like the royal official, refuse to allow anything or anyone to
discourage you from taking your needs to Him.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Character
Trait #3: He had great faith in Jesus. He took Him at His Word.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> When Jesus makes a promise, it’s
not a matter of it “may” be true. We are convinced that it “must” be true.
Jesus said it. I believe it, and that settles it. In fact, if Jesus said it,
it’s settled whether or not I believe it. So, I’d be a fool not to believe the
100% reliable and trustworthy Word of the Lord.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">After a
raging fire swept through his house one night, a young boy crawled out his
bedroom window onto the roof. His father called to him from below, “Son, jump!
I will catch you!” But the boy was petrified. He couldn’t see his dad. All he
could see were flames and smoke. So, he called back, “Daddy! I’m scared! I
can’t see you!” To which his father replied, “That’s okay, Son! I can see you,
and that’s all that matters.” So, the boy took his father at his word and jumped
safely into his arms. Jesus calls you and me to do the same—to take Him at His
word and jump by faith.</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;">Dane Davis is the pastor
of Impact Christian Church. Join us for worship on Sunday at 8:30am or 10am at
16209 Kamana Road in Apple Valley, or livestreaming on Facebook or YouTube. For
more information, visit </span><a href="http://www.greaterimpact.cc/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;">www.GreaterImpact.cc</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;">.</span></p>Dane Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01363298756371364130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820362358559585099.post-7668130565629460032023-08-21T10:11:00.003-07:002023-08-21T10:11:39.177-07:00Maybe He Can Change Your Life, Too<h3 align="center" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"><i>"The true worshipers will
worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of
worshipers the Father seeks." </i></span></span>–<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> John 4:24</span></span></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Mayor
Fiorello LaGuardia is widely regarded as one of the best mayors in American
history. He effectively led </span><st1:city style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York
City</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> through the most difficult years of the Great
Depression and World War II. Although LaGuardia had a short frame, he had a BIG
personality, and he loved people of all ages. It wasn’t unusual for him to ride
the </span><st1:city style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York City</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">
fire trucks or take entire orphanages to baseball games. And when the </span><st1:state style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:state><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> newspapers were
on strike, he went on the radio and read the daily comics to the kids.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Well,
one night in January 1935, Mayor LaGuardia showed up at the night court that
served the poorest ward of the city. LaGuardia dismissed the judge for the
evening and took over the bench himself. An old woman was brought before
him, charged with stealing a loaf of bread. She told LaGuardia that her
daughter was sick and that her son-in-law had deserted her and their two kids.
The old woman said she stole the bread because her grandchildren were starving.
But the shopkeeper from whom the bread was stolen refused to drop the charges,
insisting that the woman had to be punished to teach a lesson to others in that
bad neighborhood.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">LaGuardia
sighed, turned to the woman and said, "I've got to punish you. The law
makes no exceptions: ten dollars or ten days in jail." But as he spoke, he
reached into his own pocket and pulled out a $10 bill. Mayor LaGuardia said,
"Here is the $10 fine, which I now remit; and furthermore, I am going to
fine everyone in this courtroom 50 cents for living in a town where a person
has to steal bread so that her grandchildren can eat. Mr. Bailiff, collect the
fines and give them to the defendant.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">The
next day, </span><st1:city style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on">New York City</st1:city><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> newspapers reported that
$47.50 was turned over to the shocked grandmother who had stolen a loaf of
bread to feed her starving grandchildren. Fifty cents of that amount was
contributed by the embarrassed grocery store owner. The remaining 70 people in
the courtroom not only coughed up 50 cents each; everyone in the room rose to
give the mayor a standing ovation.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">I’ll
bet you agree that a grace like that DESERVES a standing ovation. And so does
the amazing grace that Jesus showed to the Samaritan woman at the well.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">As
I discussed in last week’s column, the Samaritan woman had little or no social
standing. She was a five-time divorcee who was sexually promiscuous. It’s
pretty clear that she was a social outcast. Yet, in John 4:16-24, Jesus urged
the woman to receive the spiritual truth He was offering her and to step into
the grace of God. Jesus explained that true worship isn’t confined to a certain
building in a certain place: “A</span><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI"; font-size: 9pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">time is coming when you will worship the
Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem….The true worshipers will
worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of
worshipers the Father seeks” (vs. 21-24).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">In
this passage, Jesus highlights two differences between false worship and true
worship:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Difference #1: False
worship is a selective worship, but true worship transcends time, space and
ritual (v21). </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Jews and Samaritans held different views regarding where God
should be worshiped. The Jews claimed that God HAD to be worshiped in <st1:city w:st="on">Jerusalem</st1:city>. But the Samaritans insisted that God HAD to be
worshiped on <st1:city w:st="on">Mt.</st1:city> <st1:city w:st="on">Gerizim</st1:city>,
there in <st1:city w:st="on">Samaria</st1:city>, where the Samaritans had set
up a temple of their own. Jesus, however, pointed out that true worship can’t
be confined to a specific place—because GOD can’t be confined to a specific
place. Is our God so small that He’s stuck inside a 30 x 30-foot room on top of
the temple mount? No way! Our God is a BIG God. His glory not only fills the
earth; His glory fills the heavens and the earth.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Difference #2: False
worship is an ignorant worship, but true worship involves a personal knowledge
of God and His Word (v. 22). </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">The Samaritans had tossed out most of the Old
Testament, leaving only the first five books. So they were largely ignorant of
who God was. But God has given us several wonderful gifts to help us NOT be
spiritually ignorant. First, He gave us His Word—but we have to read and listen
to His Word and hide it in our hearts. The second gift God gave us is our
brains. It’s wonderful when our emotions are engaged when we worship God, but
true worship requires our minds to be engaged. The third gift God gave us is
His Holy Spirit—our most faithful Teacher and personal Tutor, Who opens our
minds and hearts to the truth of God’s Word.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">When
I think of the grace that Mayor LaGuardia showed the granny who stole the loaf
of bread, I can’t help but wonder how that grace changed her life and the lives
of her hungry grandkids. And when I think of the grace that Jesus showed the
woman at the well, I can’t help but wonder how His grace changed HER life and
the lives of those she shared that grace with.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">At
the end of the account of the woman at the well, she runs into town saying,
“Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did” (v. 29). In a matter of
minutes, she goes from simply having a little bit of intellectual knowledge
about God to knowing God personally—because God in human flesh came to the well
to have a one-on-one conversation with her. I believe that God has called you
and me to do the same thing. Sometimes it's simply about telling someone,
“Jesus Christ changed my life. Can I tell you what he did for me? Come with me
to church on Sunday. Perhaps He can transform your life, too. Come and see a
man who changed my life. Come and see!”</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;">Dane
Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church. Join us for worship on Sunday
at 8:30am or 10am at <st1:city w:st="on">16209 Kamana Road</st1:city> in <st1:city w:st="on">Apple Valley</st1:city>, or livestreaming on Facebook or YouTube. For
more information, visit </span><a href="http://www.greaterimpact.cc/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">www.GreaterImpact.cc</span></a><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;">.</span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></p>Dane Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01363298756371364130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820362358559585099.post-10079939851906261152023-08-07T11:20:00.002-07:002023-08-07T11:21:38.449-07:00A Savior for Social Rejects<p style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Arial;">“If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for
a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water.”</span></i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;">– John 4:10</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #fafafa; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt;">It’s one of the best-known and loved moments in
the Book of John: Jesus' conversation with the woman at the well. It's one
thing for Jesus to SAY that God didn't send His Son into the world to condemn
the world but to save it; Jesus' exchange with the Samaritan woman PROVES
it. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">The story is
in chapter 4 of the Book of John. Traveling through Samaria, a weary Jesus was resting by the
well of Jacob when a Samaritan woman came to draw water. When He asked her for
a drink, she was surprised He had talked to her at all. Most Jews would have
nothing to do with Samaritans, believing that the
Samaritans’ bloodline and morals were corrupt.
When she asked why He had spoken to her, He replied, <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">“If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink,
you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water” (v. 10).</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">In the conversation that followed, Jesus revealed what He
already knew about the woman: that she had been divorced five times and now
lived with a man who wasn’t her husband (vs 17-18). Eventually He even revealed
to her that He was the Messiah (v. 26). When their conversation ended, the
woman left her water jar and ran to tell her neighbors: “Come, see a man who
told me everything I ever did” (vs. 28-29). She left the well a changed person,
ready to share Jesus with others.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Jesus’
discussion with the woman at the well is revolutionary for what He said—and for
who He said it TO. He didn’t just have a shallow conversation in a public place
with a Samaritan man. He had a deep, spiritual conversation in a public place
with a Samaritan woman, at a time when many rabbis wouldn’t speak to ANY woman
in public. And not only did Jesus have a public conversation with a Samaritan
woman. He had a conversation with a notorious, scandalous Samaritan woman—a
woman of very low moral character. Was the Samaritan
woman unworthy of God’s mercy and grace? Yes. But so are you. The woman at the
well was no less deserving of God’s mercy and grace than anyone else. And Jesus
didn’t love her any less than anyone else. Jesus understands better than anyone
that “all have sinned and fallen short
of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">As
far as we know, the Samaritan woman never DID give Jesus that drink. Jesus was
tired, hot and thirsty, but He put His own personal needs aside to extend
compassion and mercy to this broken woman. And when His disciples returned and offered
Him food, He said, <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">“I have food to eat that
you know nothing about” (v. 32). By ministering to the woman at the well, He
was satisfied.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">For this
passage, I’ll draw some Life Lessons from three of my favorite Bible scholars
and teachers:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Life Lesson #1: “There can be no
conversion without conviction” (Warren Wiersbe). </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">It’s been said that every good teacher
must do three things: Teach, Model and Inspire. Here in John 4, we see Jesus
doing all three. First, he TEACHES the woman some vital truths about what
matters in eternity—not physical water, but the spiritual water of salvation.
And throughout the conversation, Jesus MODELS this truth: Dear woman, you
matter to God, and you also matter to Me. He didn’t just talk about God caring
for her – He showed it. But the teaching and the modeling by themselves didn’t
transform this woman. Jesus had to INSPIRE her to change. And He inspired her
to change by calling attention to her sin. Jesus didn’t do this to shame her or
condemn her. He did it to convict her so that she would confess her sin, turn
from it and be saved. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Life Lesson #2: “There are two
revelations in Christianity: the revelation of God and the revelation of
ourselves. We never really see ourselves until we see ourselves in the presence
of Christ; and then we are appalled at the sight” (William Barclay).</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> After her encounter with Jesus, the
woman at the well makes a complete 180-degree turn. When she first comes to the
well, she’s by herself for a reason. She’s walking away from any social
interactions. She’s walking AWAY from spiritual conversations. She knows she’s
a sinner, because 100 different people have already told her so – and she
DOESN’T want to talk about it. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">But by
verse 28, she’s a changed woman. She’s no longer walking AWAY from her
neighbors, she’s running to them. She’s not AVOIDING spiritual conversations,
she’s INITIATING them. And most remarkable of all, she’s no longer denying her
past sins. She’s admitting them—telling people, “This man told me everything
I’ve ever done, and He has accepted me and forgiven me anyway!”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Life Lesson #3: “Notice that Christ
asked the woman to receive Him and His gift without any prerequisite change in
her life. After she believed, and because she believed, her way of living would
be changed” (Charles Ryrie).</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> In some churches, when someone wants to receive Christ as
their Savior and Lord, they’re told: First, you have to start doing this. Or
first, you have to stop doing that. The woman at the well had plenty of changes
that she needed to make. But Jesus didn’t require her to change ALL her bad
behaviors BEFORE she got saved. First, she needed to get saved. That was true
for her, and it’s also true for you. If you’re waiting to get your life in
order before becoming a Christian, you’re putting the cart before the horse.
The Bible says that when you turn from your sin and become a baptized believer
and follower of Jesus, God will give you the gift of the Holy Spirit. And the
Holy Spirit specializes in helping us change our bad behaviors. So, the
question is: Are you ready to stop making excuses and begin following Jesus
today?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;">Dane
Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church. Join us for worship on Sunday
at 8:30am or 10am at 16209 Kamana Road in Apple Valley, or livestreaming on Facebook or YouTube.
For more information, visit </span><a href="http://www.greaterimpact.cc/" style="color: blue;" target="_blank"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;">www.GreaterImpact.cc</span></a><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;">.</span></p>Dane Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01363298756371364130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820362358559585099.post-84430207814176396422023-07-24T07:41:00.001-07:002023-07-24T07:41:00.139-07:00How to Be Second Greatest<p style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">“A person can receive only what is given them from heaven.… He must
become greater; I must become less.”</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> – John 3:27-30</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Aside from Jesus Christ, who is the greatest person in the
Bible?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">In Matthew 11, Jesus answered that question. Interestingly,
he didn’t choose any of the great leaders you might expect. He didn’t choose
Abraham, Moses, Esther or David—all great heroes of our faith. Surprisingly,
Jesus said in Matthew 11:11: “I tell you the truth: Among those born of women,
there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Really? John the Baptist? The guy who lived in the
wilderness? The guy who wore camels’ hair clothes and ate bugs? Seriously,
Jesus? That’s the GREATEST man who’s ever lived? Yes. And John 3 explains why.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">The Gospel of John makes it clear that the early part of
Jesus’ public ministry overlapped with the final weeks of John’s public
ministry. While Jesus was turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana, while
Jesus driving out the money changers in the temple courts, and while Jesus was
having a one-on-one conversation with Nicodemus about being born again … John the
Baptist was still out there preaching and baptizing.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Well, by John 3:22, Jesus had also begun baptizing people in
the Judean countryside. Some of John the Baptist’s loyal followers didn’t like
that. They felt that Jesus had come into John’s backyard and snatched up John’s
customers. So they went to Aenon, where John was—once again—preaching and
baptizing (v. 23). And they told John: “Rabbi, that man who was with you
on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is
baptizing, and everyone is going to him” (v. 26).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">John’s disciples thought they were being good, loyal
followers by being offended on his behalf. How did John the Baptist respond to
his zealous disciples? He responded masterfully … by responding humbly: “A
person can receive only what is given them from heaven. You yourselves can
testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ … He
must become greater; I must become less” (vs. 27-30).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">It would
have been so easy for John to side with his followers and feel offended and
mistreated. It’s easy to feel offended. It’s easy to feel wounded. It’s easy to
feel unappreciated. All of us have done it at one time or another. But John the
Baptist didn’t take the easy road. John’s humble response to his disciples’
frustration and jealousy reveals WHY Jesus considered John the Baptist to be
the greatest man born. Instead of following his ego into a trap, John corrected
his disciples on the spot.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Here are three Life Lessons we can learn from this passage:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Life Lesson #1: Be careful that your
sympathy for others doesn’t encourage them to be bitter or jealous.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> As the great theologian William
Barclay writes, “Sometimes a friend’s sympathy can be the worst possible thing
for us. It can make us feel sorry for ourselves and encourage us to think that
we have not had a fair deal.” So often when people feel they’ve been ignored or
treated unfairly, we validate their toxic thoughts and feelings. When speaking
to a Christian who feels shafted, 1) Remind them that God is control; (2)
Encourage them to be content with what God has given them; and (3) Urge them to
rejoice with others who God is blessing.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Life Lesson #2: As you serve Christ,
be content with every season of ministry—the highs, the lows and everything in
between.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> The
world’s view of success and God’s view of success are NOT the same. God doesn’t
call us to be “successful” by the world’s standards. Instead, He calls us to be
obedient and faithful … and leave the results up to Him. Sometimes the results
God brings will knock our socks off. At other times, the results will seem
underwhelming. But GOD KNOWS WHAT HE’S DOING. He is always true to His promise
to work ALL things together for the good of those who love God and are called
to carry out His purposes. So, trust Him. And be content to be used by Him on
the mountaintops AND in the valleys.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Life Lesson #3: As you serve Christ,
make this your motto: He must become greater. I must become less.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> As the forerunner to Jesus, John
had two important jobs: #1) Prepare the way for Christ. And #2) Get out of the
way of Christ. Don’t you think that’s a pretty good job description for you and
me as well? From the moment He was born, John the Baptist had a subordinate
role to Jesus. He understood that. He owned that. John was okay with that—as
long as Jesus Christ was glorified.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">There was once a pastor who had a thriving ministry. His
church services were full every Sunday. But as the years went by, most of his
attenders left to attend a new church just down the road. So, one evening the
pastor asked his small congregation, “Where have all the people gone?”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">After a few seconds of awkward silence, someone spoke up: “I
think they’ve gone to the church down the street to hear the new minister.” The
pastor thought for a moment, then said, “Well, then. I think we ought to join
them.” And he descended from the pulpit and led his congregation down the road
to attend the other church that night. In Jesus’ book, THAT is a great pastor.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Do you want to be a great servant of the Lord Jesus Christ?
That’s fantastic—as long as you don’t misunderstand what greatness looks like
in the </span><st1:placetype style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Kingdom</st1:city></st1:place>
of <st1:placename w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Heaven</st1:city></st1:placename></st1:placetype><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">.
Wherever Jesus is working and whoever He’s working through, celebrate the
life-changing work of Christ. He must become greater; you must become less.</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">Dane
Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church. Join us for worship on Sunday
at 8:30am or 10am at <st1:place w:st="on">16209 Kamana Road</st1:place> in <st1:place w:st="on">Apple Valley</st1:place>, or livestreaming on Facebook or YouTube.
For more information, visit </span><a href="http://www.greaterimpact.cc/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">www.GreaterImpact.cc</span></a><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Dane Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01363298756371364130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820362358559585099.post-24774589247183619412023-07-20T07:10:00.000-07:002023-07-20T07:10:00.142-07:00 Will You Grab God’s Lifeline?<p style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">“For God did not send
His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through
Him.”</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> – John 3:17</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">In 1829, a career criminal named George Wilson robbed a </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">
mail carrier. </span><st1:city style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Wilson</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">
was arrested and convicted of six charges, including violent assault, which
carried the death penalty. So, </span><st1:city style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Wilson</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">
was sentenced to hang.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">But in the days leading up to his scheduled execution,
things got really interesting. Some friends of George Wilson petitioned President
Andrew Jackson and convinced him to offer </span><st1:city style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Wilson</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">
a presidential pardon. But George Wilson dropped a bombshell: He refused to
accept the pardon.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Well, the district court wasn’t sure what to do. So, </span><st1:city style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Wilson</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">’s case was bumped
all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, which reportedly handed down this
ruling: “A pardon is an act of grace …. and delivery is not complete without
acceptance. It may then be rejected by the person to whom it is tendered, and
if it be rejected, we have discovered no power in a court to force it on him….
Therefore, George Wilson must die.” By most accounts, having rejected the gift
of grace, George Wilson was hanged for his crimes.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Are you another George Wilson? Are you rejecting the
forgiveness and grace that Christ has offered to you?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">The
frequently-quoted John 3:16 is an amazing verse. But verse 3:17 is equally
amazing. In His first coming, Jesus didn’t come into the world to condemn
people to hell. That will happen at His second coming, on Judgment Day. But
Jesus’ first coming was never about judging or condemning. It was all about
love and salvation. In love, God has offered every person the free gift of
forgiveness and eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. But God cannot and will
not force you or me to receive His loving pardon from hell. What you do with
God’s get-out-of-hell-free card is up to you.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Jesus went
on, “Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not
believe stands condemned already” (v.18). Again, Jesus didn’t come to condemn
us to hell—because we’d already beaten Him to the punch. We’ve already
condemned OURSELVES to Hell. Satan has convinced most people that if so-called
“good” people end up in hell, it’s God’s fault. If anyone other than murderers,
rapists and child predators go to hell, it’s because God unjustly sent them
there. Ultimately, it’s easier to blame God than to look in the mirror and
realize how steeped in darkness and evil we really are. Here’s the truth: If
you end up in hell, you have no one to blame but yourself. God didn’t sin. YOU
did. Jesus doesn’t deserve hell. YOU do. If you didn’t take hold of God’s
get-out-of-hell-free card, the fault is yours. Jesus threw you a lifeline, and you
shoved it back in His face.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">So, why
would any rational person do that? Why would anyone reject Christ’s gifts of
forgiveness and heaven?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Jesus
responds, “Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of
light, because their deeds were evil” (v. 19). Most people will say they “love
Jesus.” But the sad truth is, most people love their sin MORE. Most people love
the darkness of the world more than they love the light of Jesus. Most people
love their own evil deeds more than they love the righteousness of Jesus.
Christianity has never been about simply believing in Jesus (John 3:16-17).
Christianity is about believing in Jesus AND walking in the light of Jesus (John
3:18-19). The proof of your love for Christ is in your actions, your priorities
and your lifestyle.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Here are three Life Lessons we can draw from this passage:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Life Lesson #1: Before
Jesus came onto the scene, you were drowning in your own sin. You were
self-condemned.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> Going
to hell is easy. Just live your life here on earth however the “hell” you want
to, and you’re a shoo-in. Every person who ends up in hell will end up there
because of their own wicked choices—because they wanted to live life on their
own terms. They didn’t care about God. They ignored God’s commands. And when
Jesus Christ stretched out His hand to offer them a lifeline, like a cockroach
fleeing the light, they rejected Him and retreated back into their darkness.
Ultimately, they will be in hell because they preferred the darkness of hell
over the light of heaven.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Life Lesson #2: Jesus
didn’t come to earth in anger to bring you judgment. He came to earth in love
to bring you the gift of salvation.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> When the perfectly holy Creator of the universe came to
earth 2,000 years ago, He had every right to condemn us all to hell then and
there. Hell is the just punishment for our sin and rebellion against God. But
that’s what’s so remarkable about John 3:16-17. God had every right to send
Jesus to judge us and condemn us. But instead, “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” (v. 16).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Life Lesson #3: When
Jesus Christ reaches out to save you, you can cling to your sin and stay in the
dark … or you can cling to Christ and step into the light. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">President Jackson threw George
Wilson a lifeline by giving him a pardon. Like a fool, George Wilson refused
it. And most people today—like George Wilson—refuse Jesus’s lineline and pardon
from sin.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Are you another George Wilson? Are you rejecting the
forgiveness and grace that Christ has offered to you? The light of the world,
Jesus Christ, is within arm’s reach. I hope and pray that you will take hold of
Him today.</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">Dane
Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church. Join us at our new worship
location in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Apple Valley</st1:city></st1:place>
(<st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">16209 Kamana Road</st1:address></st1:street>),
now meeting at 8:30am and 10am. You can also join us livestreaming online at
Facebook or YouTube. For more information, visit </span><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.greaterimpact.cc/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">www.GreaterImpact.cc</span></a></span><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Dane Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01363298756371364130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820362358559585099.post-91352050875754426662023-07-17T07:06:00.002-07:002023-07-17T10:39:29.272-07:00God's Love Will Blow Your Mind<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><o:p> </o:p></span><i style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">“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.”</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> – John 3:16</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">It’s
the most famous verse in the whole Bible: John 3:16. But no matter how well you
THINK you know this verse, I promise, there’s always more to learn. Even though
I’ve known this verse since I was a little kid, as I was studying it recently …
it blew my mind. Let’s hold this verse in our hand like a precious gem and take
a closer look at each part of it.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">“For God so loved the
world ...”</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> The New Testament was written in the common Greek language of Jesus’
day, which had seven or eight words that can be translated as “love.” Three of
them appear in the New Testament: “Phileo,” the tender love between friends or
brothers; “Storge,” a love for one’s family; and “Agape”—unconditional,
self-sacrificial love. Even when Agape love isn’t appreciated or responded to
favorably, it always works for another’s greatest good. It’s the purest and highest
form of love. Not surprisingly, this is the word for love we find in John 3:16.
God’s love for lost and dying people is the purest, highest kind of love. Nothing
you think, nothing you say, nothing you do can stop God from loving you. Notice
in John 3:16 WHO God loves. Not just <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region></st1:place>. Not just His chosen people.
Not just those who believe in God and follow His laws. “For God so loved … the
world.” That’s a REMARKABLE thing for Jesus to say.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">“… that He gave His one
and only Son …”</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> It would have been easy for God to SAY He loved everyone. But God
proved His agape love for the world as “He gave His one and only Son.” John
3:16 makes it clear that God took the initiative. Not me, not you. Before you
and I ever thought of God, He was thinking of us. Before we ever loved Him, He
loved us. When we were still lost and dying in our sins, God loved us and gave
us the greatest gift in the universe. Because God’s love for the world is Agape
love, He gave us the most precious gift He had to give: His one and only Son.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">“… that whoever believes
in Him …”</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">
Just as faith in God was the key to being saved from the deadly effects of
venomous snake bites in Numbers 21, faith in Christ is the key to being saved
from the deadly effects of sin in eternity. When Nicodemus came to talk with
Jesus, he had spent his entire life trying to be good enough and religious
enough to make it into Heaven. If Nicodemus came to Christ with a heart filled
with pride and arrogance, Jesus’ teaching about saving faith would have
disappointed him. But if he came with a heart that was humble and teachable—as
I believe he did—Jesus’ teaching about salvation through faith would have
brought him great relief. After so many years of obeying hundreds of Jewish
laws, Nicodemus had no guarantee that he would make it to heaven. But now he
understood, through Jesus’ teaching, that he could have assurance of eternal
life by God’s grace through faith. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">“… shall not perish but
have eternal life.”</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> In this verse, the word “perish” is a translation of the Greek word
“Apollumi,” which means “to be destroyed, to be utterly lost.” If you believe
and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, you will be given the gift of
eternal life in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Kingdom</st1:placetype>
of <st1:placename w:st="on">Heaven</st1:placename></st1:place>. But if you
DON’T believe and trust in Jesus Christ, you will eternally perish in hell.
According to Revelation 21:8, hell—the eternal lake of fire—is the second
death. So, it bears repeating: You will either be born twice and die once, or
you will be born once and die twice.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Now,
at this point some critics ask: “If God is loving as Jesus makes Him out to be
here in John 3:16, how could He possibly condemn anyone to hell?” Good
question. And there’s an even better answer: In a very real sense, God doesn’t condemn
anyone to hell. People condemn THEMSELVES.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Years
ago, a rather arrogant man was given a guided tour of a famous art gallery
filled with priceless masterpieces by Michelangelo, da Vinci, Rembrandt and
Picasso. After the tour, the man told the museum curator, “I think those old
pictures are ugly, and looking at them was a waste of my time.” The curator
calmly responded, “Sir, I would remind you that these pictures are not on
trial, but those who look at them are.” All that the man’s reaction had done
was show his own foolish blindness.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">F.F.
Bruce says it so well: “What is true in the realm [of art] is equally true in
the spiritual realm. The man who depreciates Christ, or thinks Him unworthy of
his allegiance, passes judgment on himself, not on Christ. He does not need to
wait until the day of judgment; the verdict on him has been pronounced already.”
William Barclay says it equally well: “God sent Jesus in love. He sent Him for
the salvation of those people; but that which was sent in love has become a
condemnation. It is not God who has condemned them; God only loved them; the
people have condemned themselves.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">God
so loved the world that He gave us the most precious gift He ever could have
given us: part of Himself … the Son of God. Through Him, God has provided a way
for ANY person—male or female, young or old, black or white, Jew or Gentile,
religious or irreligious—to be snatched from eternal perishing in hell and be
brought into eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven. That is the highest form of
love in this world AND in the world to come. It’s a love that is indescribable,
unimaginable … mind-blowing. And that’s the kind of love God has for you and
me.</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;">Dane
Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church. Join us at our new worship
location in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Apple Valley</st1:city></st1:place>
(<st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">16209 Kamana Road</st1:address></st1:street>),
now meeting at 8:30am and 10am. You can also join us livestreaming online at
Facebook or YouTube. For more information, visit </span><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.greaterimpact.cc/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;">www.GreaterImpact.cc</span></a></span><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;">.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Dane Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01363298756371364130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820362358559585099.post-42942868220326518132023-07-10T07:03:00.001-07:002023-07-10T07:03:00.156-07:00What Does “Born Again” Really Mean?<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: medium;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">“I tell you the truth,
no one can see the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">kingdom</st1:placetype>
of <st1:placename w:st="on">God</st1:placename></st1:place> unless he is born
again.”</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> – John 3:3</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">If you’re
reading this article, one thing is for sure: You’ve been born. But here’s a
more important question: Have you been born again?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">One of our
nation’s most famous founding fathers was Ben Franklin. Not only was he a great
statesman, he was also a brilliant inventor. He invented all sorts of things:
swim fins, bifocals, a more effective wood-burning stove, and, of course, the
lighting rod, which came in handy with his experiments on electricity.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Well, one
day </span><st1:city style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Franklin</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">
received a letter from the popular British evangelist George Whitefield, who
wrote: “As you have made such progress in investigating the mysteries of
electricity, I now humbly urge you to give diligent heed to the mystery of the
new birth. It is a most important and interesting study and, when mastered,
will richly repay you for your pains.” Brilliant as he was, as far as we know,
Ben Franklin never took George Whitefield’s advice.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">I hope and
pray that you don’t make the same mistake. Unless the rapture happens first,
you will either be born twice and die once … or you will be born once and die
twice, once in this life and once more in eternity. I guarantee you: The first
option is a whole lot better. In John 3, Jesus reveals how we can be born twice
and live forever.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Jesus was
approached by a man named Nicodemus, a Pharisee who belonged to the Jewish
ruling council. In other words, Nicodemus was not only a very religious man, but
also a LEADER of very religious men. Yet he addressed Jesus very respectfully: “Rabbi,
we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the
miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him” (v. 2). Calling Jesus
“rabbi” and “a teacher who has come from God” was no small thing for a member
of the high council to say to a traveling teacher who hadn’t been formally
trained as a Jewish rabbi. Nicodemus also acknowledged that Jesus had been
performing miraculous signs.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">But instead
of saying, “Thank you!” to Nicodemus’s compliments, Jesus skipped the small
talk and cut to the chase: “I tell you the truth, no one can see the </span><st1:place style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">kingdom</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">God</st1:placename></st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> unless he is born again” (v. 3).
Now, the idea of being “born again” actually wasn’t a new idea to the Jews in
Jesus’ day. Rabbis used the term to refer to Gentiles who converted to Judaism.
But Nicodemus would have been baffled by the idea that he himself—a devout
Jewish Pharisee who followed God’s laws to a “T”—needed to be born again. So he
responded: “How can a man be born when he is old? Surely he cannot enter a
second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” (v. 4).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">You can
almost hear the spiritual hunger in Nicodemus’ voice. In his heart, he must
have known that something was missing. He obeyed all the laws, but he knew he
was still a sinner. Nicodemus believed he would make it to heaven after he
died, but he had no assurance of it. Eternal life was more a hope than a
promise.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Jesus
responded, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the </span><st1:placetype style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">kingdom</st1:place> of <st1:placename w:st="on">God</st1:placename></st1:placetype><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">
unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the
Spirit gives birth to spirit” (vs. 5-6). In other words, anyone who is ever
going to enter the </span><st1:placetype style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Kingdom</st1:place>
of <st1:placename w:st="on">God</st1:placename></st1:placetype><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> is going to
have to be born twice: once physically, through his or her earthly mother; and
the second time spiritually, through the Holy Spirit.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Entering
hell is simple. You just have to be born once. And that qualification is easy
to meet. Entering heaven isn’t so easy. You have to be born twice. And only the
Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ can grant you that second birth. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">There is so
much to draw from this passage, but here are just two Life Lessons:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Life Lesson #1: Even those who know
the most ABOUT Jesus still need to come TO Jesus.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> When they met, Nicodemus probably knew
more about Jesus than most people in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region>. He knew the Old Testament prophecies
about Jesus. He had heard some of Jesus’ teachings and had probably witnessed
some of His miracles. But knowing ABOUT Jesus isn’t enough. It doesn’t matter how
much you know ABOUT Jesus ... the question is, do you really KNOW Jesus?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Life Lesson #2: Hell will be full of
very religious, “good” people.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> If you found 100 people who knew Nicodemus well and asked
them, “Is Nicodemus a good man?” there’s no doubt they would have all answered
with a resounding, “Yes!” But Jesus told him point-blank in verse 7, “You must
be born again.” It didn’t matter how “good” Nicodemus was compared to others
around him. Like everyone else on this planet, Nicodemus sinned and fell short
of the glory of God. And neither his good works nor his religion could pay the
high price for his sin. So, if he were to die without being born again,
Nicodemus would have spent all eternity in hell. That’s the bad news that most
people don’t understand today. Hell will be filled with very religious,
so-called “good” people who refused to be born again. Don’t be a “good” fool. You
MUST be born again.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">It bears
repeating: Unless the rapture happens first, you will either be born twice and
die once—OR you will be born once and die twice. Which will it be for you?
Humbly come to Jesus, and be born again.</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">Dane Davis is the
pastor of Impact Christian Church. Join us at our new worship location in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:street w:st="on">Apple Valley</st1:street></st1:place></st1:city>
(<st1:address w:st="on"><st1:street w:st="on">16209 Kamana Road</st1:street></st1:address>),
now meeting at 8:30am and 10am. You can also join us livestreaming online at
Facebook or YouTube. For more information, visit </span><a href="http://www.greaterimpact.cc/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">www.GreaterImpact.cc</span></a><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Dane Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01363298756371364130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820362358559585099.post-92172245602008649302023-07-08T07:54:00.001-07:002023-07-08T07:54:00.140-07:00The Day Jesus Posted His First Sign<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">“This, the first of
his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in <st1:place w:st="on">Galilee</st1:place>.
He thus revealed His glory, and His disciples put their faith in Him.”</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> – John 2:11</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">There’s
a story about a drunken coal miner who repented of his sins and became a
follower of Jesus Christ. After getting baptized, he stopped drinking “cold
turkey” and started telling everyone what Jesus had done for him. One of his
old drinking buddies thought he could trick him into picking up the bottle
again. He pulled him aside and asked, </span><i style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">“Do you believe that Jesus turned
water into wine?”</i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> The new and improved coal miner replied, </span><i style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">“I certainly
do! In my home, Jesus has turned wine into furniture, decent clothes, and food
for my children!” </i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .3in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">No
doubt, Jesus Christ is in the transformation business. In John 2, the Apostle
John records Jesus’ first public miracle, a miracle that he calls “a sign.” <span style="color: black;">Surprisingly, Jesus’ first public miracle had nothing to do
with the healing of an outcast leper or the opening of a blind man’s eyes. It
didn't even involve calming a storm, walking on water or raising someone from
the dead. Instead, it was a rather discreet miracle that went unnoticed by most
people at a wedding feast: Jesus transformed over one hundred gallons of water
into wine. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .3in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">The scene opens in John 2:1 with Jesus and his five new
disciples attending a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Cana was located just a few
miles from Jesus’ hometown of <st1:street w:st="on">Nazareth</st1:street>, and
Jesus’ mother, Mary, was also in attendance. Mary must have been in some
position of authority at the wedding, because she had inside information about
a food-supply crisis before the bad news leaked to the wedding guests. In verse
2, she hurried to Jesus and said, “They have no more wine.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .3in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">B</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">elieve
me when I say: This was a crisis and Mary was frantic. This wasn’t as simple as
a modern-day bartender running out of booze at a wedding reception. In a
culture where there was much poverty and most people worked very hard six days
a week, the wedding feast was the highlight of the year. That being the case,
during the seven-day celebration, the groom’s family was expected to provide
enough food and drink for everyone. Hospitality was considered a sacred duty.
If at any point they ran out of food or wine, it was deeply embarrassing…
humiliating for their entire family. So much so that, in some cases, the local
authorities would fine the groom’s family for failing to adequately provide for
their guests.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .3in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Initially,
Jesus expressed a hesitation to nip the crisis in the bud by performing a
miracle. But, before too long, he got involved. He instructed the wedding
servers to fill six large jars to the brim with water. And once they did, Jesus
transformed the water (between 120 and 180 gallons) into wine. And it wasn’t
the cheap stuff! After tasting Jesus’ miracle wine, the wedding coordinator
declared, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine
after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till
now.”<span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .3in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Now, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt;">John
doesn’t want us to spend all our time oohing and aahing about the miracle
itself. Sure, it’s <i>cool </i>that Jesus transformed over 100 gallons of
standing water into some of the best wine ever. But it’s a SIGN pointing to
something deeper, greater and more life-changing. So, as cool as the miracle
is, even <i>cooler </i>are the deeper spiritual truths that Jesus revealed to
his disciples at the wedding AND to his disciples today—including us.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .3in;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt;">Truth
#1: The miraculous sign points to Christ as the SOURCE of lasting JOY. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt;">In the Old Testament, wine is a
symbol of joy (e.g., Judges 9:13 a d Psalm 104:15). So, if Jesus had preached a
sermon right after performing his first sign, I bet he would have said
something like this: </span><i style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt;">“The world’s joy looks and tastes great in the
beginning. And there seems to be plenty of it. But sooner or later, it runs out
and leaves you empty. But the joy that I give you is new every morning and
completely satisfying. My joy will never leave you empty. Taste and see that MY
joy is good”</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .3in;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt;">Truth
#2: The miraculous sign points to the INFERIOR nature of the Old Testament law
and the <st1:street w:st="on">SUPERIOR</st1:street> nature of Christ’s grace. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt;">It’s no accident that Jesus chose to
perform his miracle using six stone, ceremonial washing jars that were filled
to the brim with water. In the Bible, numbers are very symbolic, and the number
“6” symbolizes falling<i> short</i> of completeness. It’s man’s number, representing
incompleteness and sin. So, in John 2, Jesus took six large jars designed for
an inferior purpose (i.e., washing hands) and He transforms them into vessels
designed for a higher purpose (i.e., hydrating a large group of thirsty wedding
guests). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .3in;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt;">Truth
#3: The miraculous sign points to Jesus’ power to TRANSFORM us from the inside
out. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt;">In 2
Corinthians 4:7, Paul describes our bodies as “jars of clay.” And throughout
Scripture we are told that God does His greatest work inside our jars of clay.
The Lord doesn’t waste His time styling our hair or trimming our unruly
eyebrows or giving us a mani-pedi. God spends His time <i>softening</i> our
hard hearts, <i>opening</i> our stubborn minds and <i>renewing</i> a steadfast
spirit within us.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .3in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt;">If
Jesus had preached a sermon after transforming the water into wine, I suspect
He would have also said something like this: <i>“Your heart inside your jar of
clay is like the water in this jar. I transformed the water in this jar into
something much, much better. And, in the same way, I can transform your heart
into something much, much better. If you’ll let Me, I will reach inside your
jar of clay and soften your hard heart, open your closed mind and give you a
brand new spirit. I make good wine. But I make even better hearts.”</i> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">Dane Davis is the
pastor of Impact Christian Church. Join us at our new worship location in <st1:street w:st="on">Apple Valley</st1:street> (<st1:street w:st="on">16209 Kamana Road</st1:street>),
now meeting at 8:30am and 10am. You can also join us livestreaming online at
Facebook or YouTube. For more information, visit </span><a href="http://www.greaterimpact.cc/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">www.GreaterImpact.cc</span></a><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">. <o:p></o:p></span></p>Dane Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01363298756371364130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820362358559585099.post-88731549432254137942023-07-06T12:54:00.000-07:002023-07-06T12:54:01.629-07:00Come and See<p align="center" class="Style1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i><span style="background: white;">“When he
saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”<br />
</span></i><i> </i>– John 1:36</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Style1" style="text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">In the 1920s
and ’30s, Billy Graham grew up on his family’s farm near </span><st1:city style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Charlotte</st1:place>, <st1:state w:st="on">North Carolina</st1:state></st1:city><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">.
Although his parents were committed Christians, Billy wasn’t much interested in
God or church. In May of 1934, the Grahams invited a group of Christian
businessmen to hold a prayer meeting at their farm. At that meeting, one man
prayed that out of </span><st1:city style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Charlotte</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">,
the Lord would raise up someone to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
Farmer Graham never imagined that his own son, who had no interest in church,
would be God’s answer to that bold prayer.</span> </o:p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">A few
months later, the local pastors invited a traveling evangelist, Dr. Mordecai
Ham, to come to town and hold revival meetings for several weeks. Billy
Graham’s parents encouraged their son to attend the revival meetings, but
that’s the last place on earth he wanted to go. So, he didn’t go—for almost four
weeks. Then one day, a friend of the family tried a different approach: He
asked Billy if he could do him a favor. The man had invited a bunch of teenagers
to the evening service, but they needed a ride. So, he asked Billy to drive
them to the service in his old vegetable truck.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Billy
agreed to help, and he attended the service that night. He was blown away by
what Dr. Ham had to say about heaven and hell, and God’s love and judgment.
Nothing could keep Billy from returning the next night … and the night after
that. And on November 1, 1934, just a few days shy of his 16th birthday, Billy
Graham walked down the aisle and gave his life to Jesus Christ. Over the next
80 years, Billy Graham preached the gospel in person to more people than anyone
else in history. He preached Jesus to 215 million people in 185 countries and
territories around the world. Aren’t you thankful that the old farmer gave
Billy the keys to his old vegetable truck and invited him to come and see Jesus
for himself?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Well, in
chapter 1 of the Gospel of John, we see people beginning to come and see Jesus.
During the first week of Jesus’ ministry, John the Baptist was at the </span><st1:place style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on">Jordan River</st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> with two of his disciples. As the two men
were listening to their rabbi, Jesus passed by. Seeing Him, John the Baptist
said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” (v. 36). And in the next verse, “When the two
disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus” (v. 37). Think about that. John
certainly knew that as soon as he opened his big mouth and said, “Look, the
Lamb of God!” he himself would never again be those disciples’ first choice as
a rabbi. Their focus and their loyalty would shift from him to Jesus. And not
only was John okay with that—he was actually happy about it.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Next, the
two disciples—Andrew and, most likely, John—followed Jesus to the house where He
was staying. According to verse 40, after spending the day with Jesus, the first
thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the
Messiah.” And Andrew brought him to Jesus.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">The next
day, Jesus found Philip, who apparently began following Jesus immediately. And as
soon as he had a few spare minutes, he found his buddy Nathanael and told him,
“We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the
prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph” (v. 45). Nathanael’s
response is famous … or infamous: “</span><st1:city style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nazareth</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">!
Can anything good come from there?” (v. 46). In the minds of many people in
those days, </span><st1:city style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on">Nazareth</st1:city><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> was just another Podunk
town in </span><st1:place style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;" w:st="on">Galilee</st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">. Nathanael was both a skeptic
and prejudiced. He didn’t believe his friend, and he didn’t like Nazarenes. But
how did Philip respond? Notice that he didn’t debate him. He didn’t give him a
piece of his mind. He didn’t storm off angrily. Instead, he said the same thing
Jesus had said to Andrew and John the day before: “Come and see.” And
Nathanael’s life was forever changed.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Here are
three Life Lessons we can draw from these passages:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">1. A Life Lesson from John the
Baptist: When your family and friends leave you to follow Jesus, let them go,
and be happy for them.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> One of my favorite sayings is, “Often, what is good is the enemy of
what is best.” If you’re a mature Christian, it’s good for your family and friends
to spend time with you. But it’s better when they spend time with Jesus. It’s
good when they listen to your advice. But it’s better when they listen to Jesus’
advice. It’s good when they follow in your footsteps. But it’s better when they
follow in Jesus’ footsteps. We never want to get in the way of the call of
Jesus on someone’s life.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">2. A Life Lesson from Andrew and
Philip: One of the most loving things you could ever say to a friend is, “Come
and see.”</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> Rarely
does anyone get debated into heaven. You will probably never argue anyone into
getting saved. So, take a lesson from Andrew and Philip. Bring your friend to
Jesus and let him see for himself. Or just sit down with them and tell them the
difference Jesus has made in your life. One way or another, love them by
inviting them to come and see Jesus for themselves.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">3. A Life Lesson from Jesus: Jesus
alone knows who you are today and who you can become tomorrow. So, don’t let
anyone—even yourself—define who you are.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> Find your identity in Christ, both today and tomorrow.</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">Dane Davis is the
pastor of Impact Christian Church. Join us at our great NEW worship location in
<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Apple Valley</st1:address></st1:place></st1:city>
(<st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">16209 Kamana Road</st1:address></st1:street>)
at 9am and 11am. You can also join us livestreaming online at Facebook or
YouTube. For more information, visit </span><a href="http://www.greaterimpact.cc/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">www.GreaterImpact.cc</span></a><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">. <o:p></o:p></span></p>Dane Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01363298756371364130noreply@blogger.com0