How to Defeat a Giant

 “It is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s.”
– 1 Samuel 17:47

We all love the story of David and Goliath. A teenage shepherd boy stands toe-to-toe with a 10-foot giant and gives him a knock-out punch with just a sling and a stone. It’s a great story! But remember, it’s not just a children’s story. It’s God’s Word, it’s historical fact, and it holds just as much spiritual truth for adults.

 

From the outside, David didn’t look like the most likely hero for this tale. But he was singled out months earlier. During King Saul’s reign, God sent Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint the next king of Israel—a “man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14). God sent His priest, Samuel, to the family of Jesse, who had eight sons. One by one Samuel considered Jesse’s sons … and under God’s instructions, he anointed the youngest son, David, to be the future king.

 

David was still just a shepherd boy, too young to even go to war, when the Philistine giant Goliath threw down the gauntlet—daring ANY Israelite soldier to face him, “mano y mano.” Disgusted by Goliath’s jeers, David vowed to defeat Goliath “because he has defied the armies of the living God. The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And just as David prophesied, the LORD handed Goliath over to David. With God’s help, David struck him down with a sling and a stone, and everyone on the battlefield knew that there is a God in Israel who doesn’t save by sword or spear, because the battle … is … the Lord’s (1 Samuel 17:47).  

 

Here are three Life Lessons we can learn from this famous showdown:

 

Life Lesson #1: When we are unfaithful to God, our enemy gets a foothold in our lives. The only reason the Philistine army was on Israelite soil in the first place was because Israel and her leaders, especially King Saul, had been unfaithful to God. The same is true in our lives. When we sin and are unfaithful to God, we open the door for Satan to get a foothold in our lives.

 

Life Lesson #2: Whenever you step out in faith to fight a battle for Jesus, there will always be someone on hand to discourage you—and it will often be someone in your own family. David’s own brothers didn’t believe in him, even though they had seen David get anointed. And David’s situation wasn’t unusual. Joseph’s brothers didn’t believe in him. And at one point, even Jesus’ half-brothers thought he’d gone insane. So, be encouraged. If God’s Spirit leads you into battle and clearly confirms that He's leading through the Word of God, step out in faith and fight the battle, in spite of the naysayers around you.

 

Life Lesson #3: Trusting God on the battlefield isn’t complicated; it’s just hard if you’re forgetful, distracted or self-absorbed. David remembered the times that God had saved him in the past, when he was attacked by a lion and a bear. David wasn’t distracted by Goliath’s size or the discouraging comments from wet blankets around him. And David took his eyes off himself and focused on His great and awesome God, Who was his Defender and Shield.

 

Trusting God isn’t complicated. It’s not even that hard when you remember God’s faithfulness. Just fix keep your focus on Jesus Christ and on the marching orders He’s given you. 

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church in Victorville. Join us at Impact for Sunday services: in person at 9 a.m., or online at 10 a.m. on YouTube or Facebook. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.

How to Spiral Up

"O Sovereign LORD, remember me. O God, please strengthen me just once more.” – Judges 16:28

Samson was, perhaps, the most flawed hero in the entire Old Testament. He was a complete mess. But by God’s grace, he was still a hero.

 

In the Book of Judges, the Bible gives us some highlights of Samson’s 20 years serving as Israel’s judge. He tore a lion in half with his bare hands, ripped a city gate off its hinges and single handedly killed 1,000 enemy soldiers with a donkey's jawbone. Samson was incredibly strong … no doubt! But he also had some major weaknesses, didn’t he? Facing a seductive woman like Delilah, he was putty in her hands. 

 

Through Delilah’s scheming and trickery, Samson ended up weakened, blinded, and enslaved. At last Samson prayed to God for the strength to fight back against the Philistine captors who were humiliating him. So, as his final act on earth, Samson brought down the pillars that held up the building he and the jeering crowd were under. It all came crashing down, killing thousands of Philistines AND Samson in the process.

 

Are we to believe that Samson’s famous hair grew long in seconds so that he could push down the pillars? No. Samson became strong again because God, in His grace, lifted him up out of the pit he had fallen into. Samson’s story would have been so much better had he consistently trusted and obeyed God’s plan for his life. In Hebrews 11:32, Samson is listed as a man of faith. But although Samson was a man of faith … sadly, he was not a faithful man.

 

Here are three Life Lessons we can learn from this tragically flawed hero:

 

Life Lesson #1: The greatest ability is DEPENDABILITY. Sadly, neither the Israelites nor God could count on Samson. He was a moral mess. We dare not make the same mistake. When it comes to physical strength, you might be a weakling compared to Samson. But in God’s eyes, you are so much stronger than Samson when you are consistently obedient to Christ’s commands every day of the week.

 

Life Lesson #2: God will get His work done with or without you. But make sure that you don’t miss out on the joy and blessings that come when you work with God, not against Him. Warren Wiersbe writes: “God will accomplish His purposes either with us or in spite of us. Samson should have been going to a war instead of to a wedding, but God used this event to give Samson occasion to attack the enemy…. Samson hadn’t planned these things, but God worked them out just the same.” Isn’t God amazing?! Even when we disobey Him, He gets His work accomplished anyway.

 

Life Lesson #3: It’s nice to begin well, but it’s more critical that you finish well. Wise King Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 7:8: “The end of a matter is better than its beginning.” Samson had SO MUCH potential that he squandered. His life spiraled down instead of spiraling up. What could God have done through Samson if he had loved the Lord with all his heart? I can’t even imagine.

 

Similarly, I can’t imagine what amazing things God can and will do through you as you work with the Holy Spirit. Trust God more, love God more, and obey Christ’s commands more. Spiral up, and finish strong for the glory of God!

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

When You Wish God Would Choose Someone Else

 “I have seen the misery of My people in Egypt … and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them.” – Exodus 3:7-8

The Book of Exodus records one of the most important events in Jewish history: the Israelites’ exodus from slavery in Egypt. And God chose Moses to be the man to lead the young nation of Israel through the exit, even though Moses was 80 years old. In the final third of his life, Moses led some two million Jews out of slavery and all the way to the front door of the Promised Land.

And yet, when God spoke to him from the burning bush and told Moses to go to Pharoah to bring the Israelites out of Egypt, Moses didn’t even believe he was the right man for the job. In Exodus 3 and 4, Moses gave God one excuse after the other. I’m a nobody (3:11-12). The Jews won’t believe me or listen to me (4:1-9). I’m not good with words (4:10-12). Somebody else can do it better (4:13-17). Choose someone else … anyone else!

As you read Exodus 3 and 4, you’ll notice that every time Moses gave God an excuse, God responded with grace and truth. Eventually, we’re told “the LORD’s anger burned against Moses” (4:14). But God still offered him grace and truth. He appointed Moses’ brother, Aaron, to be his spokesman. And so at last, Moses trusted and obeyed God’s marching orders. By the time we get to chapter 5, Moses and Aaron are standing before the Pharoah to deliver God’s message: “Let My people go!”

And so, God raised up a reluctant messenger who relied on His power and blessing to lead the Israelites out of slavery. Here are three Life Lessons we can learn from God’s call on Moses’ life:

Life Lesson #1: “No weapon formed against [God’s chosen ones] will prosper” (Isaiah 54:17). Sooner or later, God will bring us deliverance. The enemy’s size doesn’t matter. The enemy’s determination doesn’t matter. The enemy’s vast resources don’t matter. The enemy’s brilliant tactics don’t matter. “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Life Lesson #2: “‘I AM’ is all that we need in every circumstance of life. It’s foolish for us to argue, ‘I am not’” (Warren Wiersbe). Christians, if you’re going through it, do what God directed Moses to do at the burning bush. Do what God directed Peter to do when Peter tried to walk on water. Take your eyes off yourself and off your crummy circumstances and fix your eyes on Jesus.

Life Lesson #3: Joseph and Moses remind us that we’re never too young or too old to be one of God’s chosen heroes. Joseph was just 17 when his heroics began. Moses was 80. Regardless of your age, keep focused on God and let Him work IN you and THROUGH you to do great things for Jesus Christ.

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

Stay Faithful Through the Ups and Downs

 “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good.” – Genesis 50:20

Does it feel like your life is a constant cycle of ups and downs, highs and lows, successes and failures?

You’re not alone. Joseph, one of the 12 sons of Jacob, was a human yo-yo. At the age of 16, he was the Number One son in his family. But at the age of 17, he saw it all come crashing down when his jealous brothers betrayed him and sold him into slavery. But once in Egypt, Joseph was quickly promoted in the household of Pharoah’s captain of the guard.

Then, just as things were looking up, Joseph was falsely accused of rape and thrown into the king’s dungeon, where he sat and waited for 10 to 12 years. And you thought you had it tough?

Finally, when Joseph was 30, God lifted him up to the second-highest position in Egypt. Surprisingly, through it all – regardless of whether his circumstances were good, bad or ugly – Joseph remained uncompromisingly faithful to God.

Here are three Life Lessons we can learn from the story of Joseph:

Life Lesson #1: God is sovereign over your life. Every relationship, every triumph and every heartbreak is a piece of the puzzle. So, keep trusting God and serving Him faithfully. Warren Wiersbe says it so well. He writes: “Genesis 37-50 is much more than a piece of dramatic literature…. Behind this story is the heart of the covenant-making God, who always keeps His promises.”

Life Lesson #2: As you trust and serve God faithfully, He will allow people to see in your life a beautiful portrait of Christ that brings Him glory. Did you realize that Joseph’s life foreshadows Jesus’ life? Just like Jesus, Joseph was hated and rejected by his own brothers, betrayed and delivered into the hands of Gentiles, falsely accused and unjustly persecuted. And just like Jesus, Joseph was promoted and placed on a throne where God used him to save thousands of lives.

Life Lesson #3: If you believe that God is good and is sovereign over the details of your life, then there is no place in your life for bitterness, resentment or unforgiveness. Far too many Christians harbor resentment, grudges and unforgiveness. Make sure you’re not one of them. No matter what others have done to you, like Joseph, you must let it go. You … must … forgive. Jesus Christ won’t waste any of the pain others have inflicted on you. What they intended for evil, God will use for good.

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

Jesus Raises the Bar on Divorce

“It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.”
— Matthew 5:31

Studies consistently show that around 50 percent of American marriages end in divorce. Ever since “no-fault” divorce laws were passed in the 1970s, divorce rates have gone through the roof. There’s no doubt that making divorces easier has made them more common.

And you might be surprised to learn that divorces were just as common in Jesus’ day. Many Jewish rabbis taught that God approved of divorce … at least, when it was the husband’s idea. They taught Israelite men that there were all sorts of legitimate reasons for a husband to divorce his wife: if she was a lousy cook, if she lost her good looks and her nice figure, or if the husband found another younger woman who was more attractive than she was. According to many rabbis, ALL of these were acceptable and biblical reasons for a husband to divorce his wife.

But Jesus says, “NOT SO FAST!”

In his great Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, “But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery” (Matthew 5:32). Now, is Jesus saying what we think he’s saying? Is he actually saying that some wives who are having sex with their husbands are committing adultery with their husbands? Yes, he is. Is he actually saying that some husbands who are having sex with their wives are committing adultery with their wives? Yes, he is. How is that even possible?

In this passage, God says that a divorced woman must never remarry her first husband after being married to another man. This example of Jesus’ higher standard is actually piggybacking off of his previous example dealing with adultery: “I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (v. 28). Long story short: The Pharisees believed they were obeying the 7th Commandment flawlessly. They were convinced that they did NOT commit adultery. But Jesus reveals that they were adulterers in their hearts because of their lust. And in verse 32, he reveals that they were adulterers with their bodies because, as they had sex with their new wives, they were cheating on their old wives whom they didn’t have God’s permission to divorce in the first place.

Jesus gives an expanded version of his teaching on divorce in Matthew 19:3-9. In this passage, Jesus takes his listeners all the way back to Genesis 2—the day God created marriage. Jesus reminds us that God’s original design and plan for marriage was for one man to be married to one woman for life. God would seal their wedding vows, and nothing short of death was to tear them apart: “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate” (Matt. 19:6).

Jesus gives us only one legitimate, God-allowed reason for a divorce: adultery. And the Apostle Paul gives one more God-allowed reason in 1 Corinthians 7:10-16: physical abandonment by a non-Christian spouse. However, if there is physical or sexual abuse of any kind in your marriage, you need to separate immediately. If your safety or your kids’ safety is at risk, get out. But separation doesn’t automatically mean that divorce is your next step. If there are NOT biblical grounds for divorce, you should work on your marriage—from a safe distance.

There are other questions that we don’t have time to answer: What if my husband is a jerk? What if my wife is an addict? What if my husband is in the clink? What if I don’t love her anymore? In this sinful world of ours, we are always looking for excuses for getting out of our commitments. But if you are married, I encourage you to be true to the vows you made on your wedding day to love, honor and cherish him/her for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health. It won’t be easy, but with God’s help, you can successfully fight for your marriage.

Dane Davis is the Pastor of Impact Christian Church. Please join us for our in-person worship service Sundays at 9 a.m. at 17746 George Blvd. in Victorville. Or, join us online at 10 a.m. on the Impact Christian Church YouTube channel or Facebook page. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.

Do We Need the Old Testament?

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” — Matthew 5:17

By the time Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount, rumors had already begun to spread that he was starting a religious revolution. Many Jews—especially those in the religious establishment—had come to believe that Jesus wanted to scrap the Jewish religion. After all, Jesus ignored many of their time-honored customs, like ceremonial hand washing and fasting every Friday. Jesus did rebellious things, like healing on the Sabbath Day. Jesus shared meals with tax collectors, prostitutes and other sinners. No self-respecting rabbi would ever do that!  And if that wasn’t bad enough, Jesus didn’t tiptoe around the religious leaders and treat them like royalty. Now, THAT was inexcusable!

So, many Jews in Israel were confused about what Jesus thought about the Old Testament. Some were convinced that he wanted to abolish it altogether. And honestly, in our day, many Christians believe much the same thing. Many Christians believe that the Old Testament, especially the Old Testament Law, belongs on the ash heap of no-longer-relevant history. But to that, Jesus says in Matthew 5:17: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” I really like the way The Living Bible paraphrases this verse: “Don’t misunderstand why I have come—it isn’t to cancel the laws of Moses and the warnings of the prophets. No, I came to fulfill them and to make them all come true.” 

One reason we can be certain that Jesus was the promised Christ was because he is the only person in the history of the world who fulfilled hundreds of Old Testament prophecies: He was born in Bethlehem of a virgin in the family line of King David (prophesied in Micah 5:2, Isaiah 7:14 and Jer. 23:5-6). He came out of Egypt, grew up in Nazareth and proclaimed good news to the poor and freedom for the captives. (Hosea 11:1; Isaiah 61:1). Jesus was led like a lamb to the slaughter. He was pierced. Men cast lots for his clothing. And he was raised to life. (Those are fulfillments of the very detailed prophecies in Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22.) And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Directly or indirectly, Jesus fulfilled hundreds of Old Testament prophecies.

So, Jesus has no desire or intention of eliminating the Old Testament’s prophetic books, because they all serve as a huge neon arrow pointing right to Jesus. If you read the New Testament and aren’t convinced that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of the living God, then go back and read the Old Testament prophets. Read ALL of Isaiah 53. Read ALL of Psalm 22, and you’ll become convinced. Because, once again, the Old Testament prophets are a neon arrow pointing straight to Jesus. 

But what about the Old Testament law, the Torah? In the first five books of the Old Testament —especially Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy—the ancient Jewish scribes counted 613 Laws of Moses. Didn’t Jesus come to scrap those laws? Obviously, we don’t slaughter sheep and goats anymore. We don’t wring off the heads of sacrificial doves. We don’t burn incense in temples, prosecute people who get tattoos, or stone to death children who rebel against their parents.

Well, keep this in mind. Those 613 laws fall into three categories: The Moral Law, The Civil Law, and the Ceremonial Law. The Moral Law contains laws like the Ten Commandments, which are timeless. They are to be obeyed by every follower of God in ALL times and places. The Civil Law contained specific laws for the nation of Israel to help maintain law and order. The Ceremonial Law contained the laws dealing with worship at the tabernacle and temple, including animal sacrifice.

Jesus came to reinforce the Old Testament Moral Law, and he came to FULFILL the intention of the Civil and Ceremonial Law. What does that mean? Theologian Warren Wiersbe explains it very well: “Jesus did not destroy the law by fighting it; He destroyed it by fulfilling it! Perhaps an illustration will make this clear. If I have an acorn, I can destroy it in one of two ways. I can put it on a rock and smash it to bits with a hammer. Or, I can plant it in the ground and let it fulfill itself by becoming an oak tree.”

So, did Jesus come to take a hammer and beat the Old Testament Law to a bloody pulp? Never! The Jewish people didn’t realize that for the past 1,500 years God had been planting those 613 Old Testament laws as seeds in the ground. If people were to step back and open their eyes, they would see that those 613 laws blossomed into a living, breathing neon arrow that pointed straight to Jesus.

We don’t need to slaughter sheep and birds anymore, not because those laws have been abolished, but because Jesus’ sacrifice has made them obsolete. We don’t have Aaron’s priesthood anymore that leads us in temple rituals, not because Jesus scrapped Aaron’s priesthood or the temple rituals, but because Jesus’ greater priesthood and superior ministry have made them obsolete. So, Jesus says in Matthew 5:18: “I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”

So, what are you and I supposed to do with the Old Testament Law? Should we take out a hammer and beat it to a bloody pulp? Never! It is God’s word. So, we read it. We study it. And we step back and marvel at the way it points straight to Jesus.

Dane Davis is the Pastor of Impact Christian Church. Please join us for our in-person worship service Sundays at 9 a.m. at 17746 George Blvd. in Victorville. Or, join us online at 10 a.m. on the Impact Christian Church YouTube channel or Facebook page. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.

But God Remembered

“But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock

that went with him in the ark.” – Genesis 8:1

“But God.” These are two of the most encouraging words in the Bible. In Genesis 50:20, Joseph told his brothers, “You intended to harm me, BUT GOD intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” And four verses later Joseph told them, “I am about to die. BUT GOD will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land He promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” In Luke 5:21 we read, “Who can forgive sins BUT GOD alone?” And in Acts 2:23-24 Peter tells the crowd in Jerusalem, “You, with the help of wicked men, put [Jesus] to death by nailing him to the cross. BUT GOD raised him from the dead.” 

Yes, there is great power in these two little words: BUT GOD. Just ask Noah. In Genesis 6:5-7 we read: “The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved that He had made man on the earth, and His heart was filled with pain. So the LORD said, ‘I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them.’”

Because wickedness was so rampant, the LORD decided to wipe out mankind in one fell swoop. He would send a global flood that would scrub the land clean of all people, animals and birds. Only one man’s family would survive, and that man was Noah. As God looked down from heaven at our wicked world, Noah stood out in the crowd. According to Genesis 6:8-9, “Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD….Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.”

Was Noah perfect? No. Far from it. But he is described as “righteous,” because more times than not, he did what was right in God’s eyes. And he is described as “blameless,” because as he lived among his peers, he lived a life that was above reproach. And most importantly, Noah walked with God. In other words, he had a close relationship with God, he knew God’s laws, and he strived to obey God’s laws every day.

Nowhere is that more clearly demonstrated than in the latter half of Genesis 6. God said, “Build an ark,” so Noah built an ark. God said, “Build it 450 feet long,” so Noah built it 450 feet long. God said, “Get into the ark with two of every kind of animal,” so Noah got into the ark with two of every kind of animal. Yes, Noah obeyed God’s commands daily and consistently did what was right in God’s eyes.

When Noah’s building project was completed, he entered the ark with his wife, three sons and their wives (eight in all), and God sealed the door behind them. And for forty days the earth was pummeled by a cataclysmic flood. It was, without a doubt, an extinction level event. Were it not for the fact that we all know how the story ends, we would wonder if Noah and his family were goners. After all, how could a wood ship survive the onslaught of wind and waves that accompanied a flood ferocious enough to flatten hills and raise mountains? Simply put…it couldn’t. It would be impossible. The flood waters would have ripped Noah’s ark to shreds.

BUT GOD. Yes, here are these two glorious words again. Chapter 8 begins as follows: “But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and He sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded.” As Noah, his family and his smelly shipmates bobbed up and down on the floodwaters, his situation must have felt hopeless. At times it must have seemed like the roof would start leaking or the creaking walls would start buckling. Perhaps they even thought to themselves, “God has forgotten us!”

But He had not forgotten. God remembered them. And He remembers you too. If you are a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, you need not worry yourself with the notion that God has forgotten you. His mind is like a steel trap. If you have placed Him in the driver’s seat of your life, He never falls asleep at the wheel. He never forgets you. He knows right where you are, and He knows exactly where He’s leading you.

So, you can take comfort in His promise to you: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze” (Isaiah 43:2) May these God-breathed words flood through the corridors of your mind and heart until you are fully convinced that they are true. Remind yourself daily: My circumstances may seem dire, BUT GOD REMEMBERS me and will be with me every step of the way.   

Dane Davis is the Lead Pastor of First Christian Church in Victorville. For more information,

visit www.YourVictorvilleChurch.com  and join us for worship Sundays at 10 a.m.

Jonah and the God of the Second Chance

“When God saw … how they turned from their evil ways, He had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction He had threatened.”  – Jonah 3:10

The early 20^th century British pastor George H. Morrison used to say, “The victorious Christian life is a series of new beginnings.” Isn’t that true? When we fall down, Satan tries to convince us that we can’t get back up. He tries to convince us that once we’ve failed God, God won’t take us back, God won’t forgive us, and God certainly won’t ever—under any circumstances—allow us to serve Him again in any useful way.

The first time God gave Jonah an opportunity to serve Him, Jonah disobeyed and ran away. But God is the God of the second chance. After rescuing Jonah from the storm and helping him survive his stay in the belly of a big fish, God gave Jonah another chance as He lovingly said, “Go to the great city of Ninevah and proclaim to it the message I give you” (Jonah 3:2).

God had already chosen not to put Jonah to death for his sins--that’s mercy. But here, God chooses to wipe the slate clean and give him a second chance to do what He had asked Jonah to do a week earlier—that’s grace. That’s undeserved favor. Isn’t God awesome? Not only does He offer to spare us the punishment that we deserve; He also offers us a clean slate, a fresh start, a new beginning to live for Him and do His great work. And this time, after being showered by God’s mercy and grace, Jonah “obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh” (Jonah 3:3).

Then, in verse 4, the Bible gives us the gist of Jonah’s message when he gets to town: “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned.” Surprisingly, that’s it. In the original Hebrew language Jonah’s message is only five words. That’s a pretty short sermon, don’t you think? Now, it’s likely that this is just a small sample of his message. Certainly, he pointed out their wickedness and violence. In all likelihood, he proclaimed God as holy and righteous. But I think it’s safe to say that Jonah’s message was short and sweet.

Yet, amazingly, verses 5-10 make it clear that the people of Nineveh did repent. They fasted. They put on sackcloth. Their king took off his robes, donned some sackcloth of his own, and sat in ashes.

Now, if the people of Nineveh had simply fasted and sat in ashes, would God have forgiven them? The most likely answer is—no. Because in Isaiah 58, God tells us He’s not impressed with fasting that does not include a sincere change in behavior. The Bible says that fasting is a wonderful spiritual discipline—when it is accompanied by sincere prayer and a sincere change in our behavior. And from what we read in Jonah 3, it’s clear that the Ninevites’ prayers and repentance were sincere. Notice what the king commands the people to do in verse 8b: “Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence.”

The king knew there weren’t any guarantees that God would spare Nineveh the destruction He had threatened. He told his subjects in verse 9, “Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from His fierce anger so that we will not perish.” And that’s exactly what the God of the second chance did: “When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, He had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction He had threatened” (verse 10).

Twice at the end of the chapter we find this wonderful word, “compassion.” As Jonah says to God in the next chapter, “You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity” (Jonah 4:2). On the heels of showering Jonah with undeserved mercy and grace, God showered the wicked people of Nineveh with grace as well.

You see, neither Jonah nor the people of Nineveh were too far gone to be reached by God’s mercy and grace. And neither are you. We need to pay attention to Jonah’s example. When God gives you a second chance, take it. So, you blew it the first time. There’s nothing you can do about that now. But don’t blow it this time. Despite how much you disobeyed Him yesterday, receive His mercy and grace and obey Him today. Like Jonah, you can do it by God’s grace.

Dane Davis is the Lead Pastor of First Christian Church in Victorville. For more information, visit www.fccvv.com  and join us for worship tomorrow at 10 a.m.

Unlike Solomon, Finish Well!

 “As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been.”  

- 1 Kings 11:4

There was a certain military leader in the Revolutionary War who impressed General Washington so much that he nicknamed him the “fighting general.” George Washington’s fighting general successfully attacked and captured Fort Ticonderoga from the British in 1775. In 1776, this general led a successful campaign to keep the British from invading the colonies through the Lake Champlain region. And his greatest victory was at Saratoga in 1777, which led to the French coming into the war as America’s most important allies.

What was this hero’s name? Benedict Arnold. Yes, Benedict Arnold was a brilliant general during the early years of the Revolutionary War, but on September 25, 1780, he defected to the British side. And ever since that day Benedict Arnold’s name has been synonymous with being a traitor. Although Benedict Arnold did some marvelous things for our country, they will always be overshadowed by his treachery. Sadly, Benedict Arnold ended his military career very, very poorly. Simply put: He didn’t finish well.

The same could be said of King Solomon. The first ten chapters of 1 Kings are, for the most part, very encouraging. Solomon was a man blessed by God with incredible wisdom and wealth. He was a gifted leader, an impressive orator, and—most  importantly—a faithful follower of God. But as he came down the homestretch of his life, he failed miserably. Although he had the IQ of two Einsteins, the riches of four Donald Trumps and the wisdom of ten Zig Ziglars, 1 Kings 11 reveals that Solomon finished his life very poorly. In the words of Bible commentator Dale Ralph Davis: “Chapter 11 is the dull thud after the high hopes of chapters 1-10.”

Instead of ending on a high note, Solomon’s life ended with a “dull thud.” And the biggest reason for this was his divided loyalty. You see, Solomon’s forty-year reign began and ended with love. Unfortunately, during those forty years his love shifted. At the start of his reign we read these encouraging words: “Solomon showed his love for the LORD by walking according to the statutes of his father David” (1 Kings 3:3).

Yet by the time we get to the end of Solomon’s reign, we read that Solomon “loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. They were from nations about which the LORD had told the Israelites, ‘You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods’” (1 Kings 11:1-2). We are then told in verse 3 that Solomon had 700 foreign wives in addition to his 300 concubines, and they pulled his heart away from the Lord and toward their pagan gods.

Solomon still loved God with part of his heart. But tragically, he divvied up the rest of his heart into 700 pieces that he distributed among his idol-worshiping wives. According to Jesus, the greatest command in the Old Testament is: “Love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.” Without a doubt, as time passed Solomon drifted from his first love. He no longer loved God with “all” his heart, “all” his soul, “all” his mind or “all” his strength.

In our melting pot culture, some might ask, “What’s the big deal?” Well, consider this. We read in 1 Kings 11 that on a hill east of Jerusalem (most likely the Mount of Olives) Solomon set up worship centers to Ashtoreth, Molech and Chemosh. Ashtoreth worship traditionally involved orgies with male and female prostitutes. Molech worship involved child sacrifice, and Chemosh worship also involved forms of human sacrifice. Although Solomon probably didn’t participate in these more heinous “worship” activities, they were an integral part of the religion back in his wives’ homeland. And regardless of what labels we affix to ritual prostitution and child sacrifice, they are, at their heart, demonic.

On the very same hill east of Jerusalem where Jesus would one day sweat drops of blood and pray, “Not my will but yours be done,” Solomon was building shrines to bloodthirsty demons. On the same hill where Jesus would receive a kiss of betrayal from one of his friends, King Solomon himself was betraying his first love. On the same hill where Jesus would be bound and led away to sacrifice his own life for you and me, Solomon was worshiping murderous demons who required parents to sacrifice their own innocent children in a sacrificial fire. Was Solomon’s idol worship a big deal? You better believe it was!

And even though God rebuked Solomon and warned him that judgment was coming, Solomon didn’t respond with humility, sorrow or repentance. There is no indication that Solomon ever repented from his idol worship or tore down the pagan altars. He finished his life surrounded by hundreds of beautiful women, untold riches and every type of pleasure that a person could ever desire. But he died a shell of man—empty, hopeless and full of regret. Like Benedict Arnold, although he was a man of great potential who started his adult years so well, Solomon finished his life so poorly. When our loved ones look back on our final years here on earth, will they say the same of you and me? I hope not. Let’s finish well!

Dane Davis is the Lead Pastor of First Christian Church in Victorville. For more information,

visit www.fccvv.com  and join us for our worship service Sundays at 10 a.m.

Covenant: The Pursuit of God

 “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,’ declares the

LORD. ‘I will put My law in their minds and write it on their hearts.

I will be their God, and they will be My people.’”

– Jeremiah 31:33

Just about everyone knows the Bible is divided into two sections—the Old Testament and the New Testament. But most of us would be hard-pressed to explain what a “testament” is and why knowing the answer could make God’s Word come alive to us. Well, let me take a stab at it. The word “testament” is a synonym of “covenant.” And contrary to popular belief, a biblical covenant isn’t merely a promise or a contract. It’s much, much more. You see, unlike a run-of-the-mill contract, a biblical covenant requires love and grace.

That being the case, a biblical covenant is a binding contract between two parties, marked by love and grace and containing specific terms and promises. With only one or two exceptions, every covenant in Scripture contains three components: Parties (those who are participating in the covenant), Terms (the stipulations of the covenant) and Promises (the blessings guaranteed by the participating parties to each other if the terms of the covenant are met).

Of the many covenants described in Scripture, five stand out as most important. And each of these five communicates loud and clear that God pursues a love relationship with us. The five key covenants are the Noahic Covenant (Gen. 9), Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 15&17), Mosaic Covenant (Exodus 19-24), Davidic Covenant (2 Sam. 7) and New Covenant (Jer. 31:31-34; 2 Cor. 5:17-21). Consider the great pursuit of God through these five covenants.

The Noahic Covenant. After Noah, his family and his animal friends exited the ark, the Lord spoke to Noah and initiated a covenant with every living creature on earth (Parties). God gave Noah three commands (Terms): 1) Do not murder, 2) Do not eat meat with blood in it, and 3) Multiply and fill the earth. And God made a marvelous promise to Noah and the rest of creation—never again would He destroy the earth with a flood. The Noahic Covenant demonstrates that even on the heels of judgment, God shows concern and loving care for His creation.

The Abrahamic Covenant. When Abraham was around 80 years old, God made a covenant with him and his descendants (Parties). God gave Abraham three general instructions (Terms): 1) Walk with God, 2) Be blameless, and 3) Circumcise every male in your household. And as he walked in faith and obedience to God’s commands, the LORD made three guarantees to Abraham (Promises): 1) His descendants would possess all of Palestine, 2) His descendants would become a great nation, and 3) The LORD would be Israel’s God. Within the Abrahamic covenant resonates this powerful message of God’s love: God pours out extravagant blessings on those who walk by faith and obedience.

The Mosaic (“Old”) Covenant provides a canopy over the first ¾ of the Bible. In Exodus 19-24, God drafted a covenant with Moses and the nation of Israel (Parties). The requirements of this covenant (Terms) boiled down to this: 1) Israel must faithfully obey the 613 Laws of Moses, and 2) Israel must be a holy people (i.e., set apart from sin). If Israel faithfully followed these two stipulations, God promised to: 1) Keep Israel as His treasured possession, 2) Protect Israel from attack, and 3) Set them apart to spread His grace to the nations. This great message resonates from the Mosaic Covenant: The Lord treasures His chosen people and sets them apart to spread His grace to the nations.

The Davidic Covenant is short and sweet. But it is, oh, so important. The Lord appreciated David’s desire to build a temple in Jerusalem, but God didn’t want a man of war like David to build a temple for the Prince of Peace. However, in the midst of delivering this message to David, the Lord forged a covenant with him (Parties). There were no specific terms of the covenant, but God made this promise to David: He would have a permanent dynasty. One of his royal descendants would establish a throne over Israel, and His throne and rule would be eternal. Yes, the Davidic Covenant paved the way for the Prince of Peace and King of Kings to rule. And this great message is proclaimed: In our violent, war-torn world, God promises a future of peace and rest to His followers. 

The New Covenant is the crème de la crème—the covenant of all biblical covenants. It is the culmination of God’s great love pursuit of mankind. God offers this covenant to every man, woman or child who chooses to be a follower of Jesus (Parties). And the requirements (Terms) of the covenant are surprisingly simple: 1) Believe/Trust in Christ as Lord and Savior, and 2) Obey Christ’s commands. For those who do, God extends three great promises: 1) Forgiveness of sin, 2) The indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and 3) Eternal life. Wow! The wonderful message of the New Covenant is: Through Christ God demonstrates His heart’s desire—for you and me to be forgiven and restored to an unbroken love relationship with Him.

From the very beginning of creation, God has been pursuing a love relationship with us. And the only thing that stood in the way was our own sin. But through these five great covenants in Scripture, God was methodically and compassionately paving the way for our relationship with Him to be restored. Yes, throughout human history God has been engaged in a great pursuit: a pursuit of a love relationship with you and me, expressed through covenant.

 

Dane Davis is the Lead Pastor of First Christian Church in Victorville. For more information, visit www.fccvv.com  and join us for worship Sunday at 10 am.

The Problem of Suffering

“The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.”

– Job 1:21

I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard someone ask, “If God is all-powerful and He is just, then why do good people suffer?” Over the centuries atheists and agnostics have asked this question. Most Jews and Christians have—at some point or another—asked it as well. And honestly, most answers to this question have been dead wrong.

Many skeptics have used the problem of suffering as an opportunity to cast aspersions on God’s character: “Perhaps good people suffer because God is not as powerful or as just as we once thought Him to be. Maybe God wants to squelch suffering, but He’s powerless to do so. Or perhaps He’s powerful enough to do so, but He chooses not to because He doesn’t care.” When faced with this question of human suffering, skeptics have responded by saying, “Good people suffer because God is NOT all-powerful, and He is NOT just.” To the average agnostic, it’s as simple as that.

Yet to the Jews in both Old and New Testament times, this answer was completely unacceptable. It flew in the face of everything they believed about God. You see, they believed with all their hearts that Yahweh is the all-powerful Creator of heaven and earth. And they believed the Old Testament Scriptures that testify to God’s goodness and justice time after time. Therefore, the Jews came to the conclusion that every person’s suffering is a direct consequence of his/her guilt before our holy God. In other words, if I sin a lot, I will suffer a lot. But if I sin a little, I will only suffer a little. To most Jews, it was as simple as that.

Do you recall what Jesus’ disciples asked him in John 9:2 when they saw a man who had been blind since birth? They asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” It seemed so obvious to the disciples: The ONLY reason this man was blind was because someone had sinned. Otherwise, our all-powerful, all-just God wouldn’t have allowed him to be born blind. So, when faced with the question of why good people suffer, the Jews’ typical response would have gone something like this: “God IS all powerful. And God IS perfectly good and just. Therefore, good people don’t suffer.”

Well, the truth is: The answers offered by both the skeptics and the Israelites were wrong. And to them and to all others who hold false views of God’s character and/or human suffering, God gave the Book of Job.

Perhaps you’re familiar with the story: Job was a man who lived to the East of Israel around the same time as Abraham. We are told in chapter 1 that he was “blameless and upright” and “he feared God and shunned evil.” You might call Job “God’s pride and joy.” Job was a very dedicated follower of God, and he was also the richest man in his neck of the woods. But with God’s permission, Satan unleashed his fury on Job—stripping him of all his wealth and even murdering his ten children in one fell swoop. By the time we reach the end of chapter 1, Job is a broken man, lying on the ground grief-stricken and baffled by his misfortune. Yet in the midst of his unimaginable suffering, he cries out to God saying, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.”

Over the next thirty-six chapters, Job struggles to find meaning behind his suffering. He begs God to answer the “why” question. Yet surprisingly, God never gives Job a satisfactory answer. The LORD never reveals to Job that he was the apple of His eye. The LORD never informs Job that Satan was the instigator and perpetuator of his intense suffering. And He never reveals to Job that his very faithfulness to God in the midst of his suffering both shamed Satan and brought much glory to the LORD.

So, the Book of Job does not give Job or us a satisfactory answer to the question of why good people suffer. [This “why” question is answered later in Scripture: in Luke 18:19, James 1:2-4, 1 Peter 1:6-9, Hebrews 12:4-13 and John 9:3.] But the book does answer two similar and equally important questions about suffering. To the question: “Is there such a thing as innocent suffering?”, the Book of Job answers with a resounding “Yes!” The Book of Job clearly demonstrates that God IS all-powerful and just. But even still, sometimes—through no fault of their own—the innocent suffer.

And to the second question: “How should I respond to my suffering?”, Job gives us a marvelous answer: “The Lord gave and the LORD has taken away. May the name of the LORD be praised.” In other words, when suffering rushes in—even through no fault of our own—we as Christ’s followers are called to ride out the storm in humble worship and praise. Like Job, we may never know why we suffer, but we can and should trust, obey and worship our great God in the midst of our pain. Ultimately, He will see us through.

Dane Davis is the Lead Pastor of First Christian Church in Victorville. For more information,

visit www.fccvv.com  and join us for worship tomorrow at 10 a.m.