How to Have God’s Peace

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Following God’s Directions … Without a Map

“By faith, Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.”  - Hebrews 11:8

I heard a story about a woman who lived in mortal fear of a burglar breaking into her two-story home. At least once a week, she would wake up her husband in the middle of the night and beg him to go downstairs and check out a noise that she heard. This went on for over 10 years.

Then one night, things were different. The wife heard a noise, woke up her husband, and he stumbled downstairs as usual to check it out. But when he reached the bottom of the stairs, he got the shock of his life. He looked around the corner into the family room, and there actually WAS a burglar in their house! The man staggered back in shock. Then he introduced himself and said, "You’ve GOT to go upstairs and meet my wife. She’s been expecting you for years!"

You could make the case that for 10 years that man’s wife had a whole of faith. Even though she never saw him, she BELIEVED that burglar was coming for her. But now, let’s take a look at a more positive kind of faith—the kind shown by one of the greatest men of faith in the whole Bible: Abraham.

Abraham started life with the name Abram. He and his family lived in Ur, which is located in modern-day Iraq, not very far from Baghdad. In Genesis 12:1, God spoke to Abram for the first time, saying, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.” In this short verse, God commands Abram to “GO” and leave behind three things: his country, his people, and his family. That would be tough enough. Now, notice that God didn’t even tell Abraham where he was going. He simply said, “Go to the land I will show you.” That would be like God telling you or me, “Head east!” “East” could mean Palm Springs, Arizona, New Mexico, New York, or even China!

Abraham had to push his doubts and questions aside to do what God told him to do. And he had to give up a LOT in order to do it. But according to Genesis 12:4, “Abram left, [just] as the Lord had told him.” That journey eventually added up to about 1,000 miles total—traveled on foot. Abraham did it not because God answered all of his questions, but because God simply said, “Go!” So, in faith, Abraham went.

Abraham confidently obeyed God’s command to GO no matter how uncomfortable it was, no matter how much criticism he received from his family and friends. And, in all likelihood, at least some of those people were devastated to hear that Abraham was walking away from their tribal god to follow some new God called Jehovah. But Abraham counted the cost and obediently walked in faith anyway. Why? Because that’s what faith does. I love the way it’s described in Hebrews 11:8: “By faith, Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.”

Over the years I’ve discovered that most people are willing to put their faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. After all, most Americans believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. And most people really don’t want to go to Hell. So, they’re more than happy to say a quick prayer or jump through a few quick religious hoops to get “fire insurance” to avoid Hell. In my experience, most people are willing to put their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior. But most are not willing to put their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. You see, the word “Lord” means “boss and master,” and most of us despise the thought of someone being our master.

But if no one has ever told you this, let me be the first to tell you loud and clear: Savior and Lord go hand-in-hand. Jesus cannot be divided in two. Jesus is the whole package. If you accept him as your Savior, you also accept him as your Lord. But if you reject him as your Lord, you are also rejecting him as your Savior. If I truly have faith in Jesus Christ, there is no mistaking who’s in charge: He’s in charge—not me. He’s in the driver’s seat of my life—not me. He gives the marching orders, and I obey those marching orders. That’s true Bible faith.

That’s the kind of faith that Abraham had as he left his hometown, country, friends and family and headed Northwest, even though he didn’t know where he was going. And that’s the kind of faith that God has called you and me to have today.

Dane Davis is the Pastor of Impact Christian Church. Join us for our Worship Service Sundays at 10 a.m. at the new Dr. Ralph Baker School in Victorville. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.

Is Jesus Really the Only Way?

 “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment.” – Hebrews 10:26-27

Perhaps you’ve seen the movie: God’s Not Dead. The 2014 film tells the story of a first semester college student named Shane Harper who enrolls in a philosophy course and experiences a formidable challenge on the first day of class. You see, he is a committed Christian, and his professor is a militant atheist who requires every student to sign this simple statement in order to pass the class: “God is dead.” One by one, all the students in the class take out a sheet of paper and sign the statement. All of them…except for Shane. He refuses to sign it, and as a result, the professor requires him to spend the next three class sessions doing his best to prove that God’s Not Dead.

As you probably know, by many measures Christianity is on a decline in America. Fifty years ago, the overwhelming majority of Americans identified as “Christian” and considered the United States to be a Christian nation. But as much as I hate to admit it, America is a Christian nation no longer. Each year hundreds of churches close their doors. More than ever before, Christians are marginalized and criticized. A large percentage of Americans don’t believe the Bible to be God’s word. And millions of Americans—even many professed “Christians”—proclaim, “If there is a heaven, Jesus is certainly not the only way to get there.”

In this age of inclusivity and tolerance, many Christians are hesitant or embarrassed to affirm the exclusivity of the gospel. They deem it to be a huge cultural blunder to declare Christianity to be true and every other religion to be wrong. Let’s face it: We don’t like to be labeled “intolerant,” “narrow-minded” or “bigoted” by our culture. Therefore, we find ourselves second-guessing what the New Testament teaches about heaven. We think: Perhaps Christians have been too narrow-minded with their doctrine of salvation. Maybe we have misunderstood what Jesus and Scripture teach about salvation. Could it be that our belief in “Christ alone” is illogical and doesn’t stand up to intellectual scrutiny?

Allow me to share something very important that Christians everywhere need to hear—three proofs that Jesus is the only way to heaven. Proof #1: Jesus revealed it. Throughout the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), Jesus reveals this truth over and over. For example, in John 3:16-17, Jesus makes it clear that he is “the” Savior from whom we receive eternal life. In John 11:25, Jesus reveals himself as the “resurrection and the life.” In Matthew 28:18, Jesus tells his followers that he has “all authority in heaven.” In other words, Jesus oversees all of heaven, even the front gate. There’s no back door, and there’s no appeal to a higher power, because Jesus is the highest power. And Jesus couldn’t have been more clear than he is in John 14:6: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” So, is Jesus the only way to heaven? Yes! Jesus revealed it.

Proof #2: The New Testament confirms it. Time and again, the Book of Acts and the epistles confirm that Jesus provides the only path to salvation. In Acts 4:12, when the Apostle Peter is being pressured to stop preaching in Jesus’ name, he boldly proclaims, “Salvation is found in no one else [besides Jesus], for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Paul declares in 1 Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.” And according to Hebrews 10:26-27, if we reject Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, there is no other path to salvation. Inevitably, all those who reject Christ will have to face the music: “judgment and raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.”

Proof #3: Logic proves it. Once we understand that Jesus Christ and the New Testament speak in harmony regarding salvation through Christ alone, it is completely illogical for any Bible-believing Christian to come to any conclusion other than this: Jesus is the only way to heaven. Now, Christians get accused all the time of clinging to beliefs that are too narrow-minded and too exclusive. But the fact is: All truth is narrow-minded and exclusive. Think about it: The truth that “two plus two equals four” is exclusive. Basic arithmetic doesn’t allow for any other conclusion. Two plus two can never equal three, five, seventeen or 38,000. Two plus two always equals four. Every truth is equally narrow-minded. Racism is wrong. Period! First degree murder is evil. Period! Incest, rape and armed robbery are always bad. Case closed! All truth and all truth claims are exclusive, narrow-minded and intolerant. Truth couldn’t care less about being politically correct. Truth doesn’t dabble in the “touchy-feely.” Truth is truth whether we like it or not.

In our culture where a growing number of Christians are more concerned with being politically correct than biblically correct, we need to embrace and speak the truth regarding salvation and heaven. We need to lock arms with Shane Harper and boldly proclaim the gospel. Pastor John MacArthur says it well: “As long as Christians are being duped or intimidated into softening the bold claims of Christ and widening the narrow road, the church will make no headway against postmodernism. We need to recover the distinctiveness of the gospel. We need to regain our confidence in the power of God’s truth. And we need to proclaim boldly that Christ is the only true hope for the people of this world. That may not be what people want to hear…but it is true nonetheless. [Therefore,] it is all the more urgent that we rise above all voices of confusion in the world and say so.”

Dane Davis is the Lead Pastor of First Christian Church in Victorville and the author of "Holy Huldah: Lessons You Should Never Forget from Bible Characters You've Never Heard Of." For more information, visit www.YourVictorvilleChurch.com, and join us for our Worship Celebration Sundays at 10 a.m.

You Won’t Find Him in the Ashes

“Why are you looking for the Living One in a cemetery?” – Luke 24:5

Two weeks ago, millions of people around the world watched in horror as the Notre Dame Cathedral went up in flames. This monument has stood for over 800 years, and it’s the most visited landmark in France. That’s right—the Cathedral draws more tourists than the Eiffel Tower, with over 13 million visitors every year. That comes out to an average of 35,000 visitors every day … more than the population of 99 percent of the cities in France.

Like most of you, my heart sank as I watched the video clips of the flames and the destruction they left behind. But in the days that followed, I found myself wondering if I was making too big a fuss over it. Our hearts tend to drop whenever we see a beloved historical landmark or building being destroyed. But the Notre Dame Cathedral fire affected millions of people at a much deeper level, because, as a Catholic cathedral, it seemed as if a big part of their religion and their faith went up in flames. And that shouldn’t be.

In the days that followed, people sifted through the ashes at Notre Dame, feverishly searching for relics and artifacts that they value as an important part of their faith. But God’s word tells us to stop sifting through the ashes. Why? Because we won’t find Jesus there. Similarly, on the first Easter morning, three women went to Jesus’ tomb to anoint his body with spices. Instead of a body, they found an empty tomb and an angel who asked them an important question: “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5) Or, as The Message paraphrases the question: “Why are you looking for the Living One in a cemetery?”

Great question! Jesus wasn’t hanging out in the tomb. Tombs are for dead people. Yet many people today still make the mistake of looking for Jesus among the dead. Those people believe things about Jesus that are true … but fall short of the full truth because they ignore Jesus’ resurrection. Here are a few of those misleading “cemetery thoughts.”

Cemetery Thought #1: Jesus was a great man. Many people believe Jesus was a great man just as Abraham Lincoln was a great man, just as Martin Luther King Jr. was a great man, just as Billy Graham was a great man. But all those “great” men are dead. Jesus was a great man, but that’s just part of the truth. When he walked this earth, Jesus was 100% man, but he was also 100% God. Jesus Christ was the great God-man 2,000 years ago, he is still the great God-man today, and he will continue to be the great God-man throughout all eternity. Because Jesus is alive, he isn’t a “was.” Jesus has always been and always will be an “is.” He is the Great I Am—the same yesterday, today and forever.

Cemetery Thought #2: Jesus’ teachings should be studied. Without a doubt, every follower of Christ must read and study Jesus’ teachings. But here’s the problem: Many people address the Bible and Jesus from merely an academic point of view. They study the Bible and they study Jesus’ teachings, but they do so in much the same way that they would study “Hamlet” or the Magna Carta or the U.S. Constitution. But because of that first Resurrection Sunday, Jesus’ teachings can never be reduced to academics. Jesus is alive, which means his words are alive. Or as the writer of Hebrews puts it, his word is “living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” William Barclay, a 20^th century pastor and professor, said it well: “Beyond doubt, study is necessary, but Jesus is not only someone to be studied; he is someone to be met and lived with every day.” That’s so true. Don’t just study Jesus. Meet Jesus, and live in relationship with Jesus every day.

Cemetery Thought #3: Jesus’ life should be modeled. Once again, there is some important truth in this statement. Jesus is our ultimate role model. If we’re going to pattern our life after someone, that someone should be Jesus. But Jesus is not a dead role model. Dead role models can only speak to us from the past from their finite lives. But because Jesus conquered death on that first resurrection Sunday, he is a living role model who continues to set a good example, who can answer all your questions, who can show you how to do the right thing. He can speak to us, not only from the past, but also right now in the present. Jesus is alive and active today. He helps us. He guides us. He is a living, active Lord and Savior.

And just as Jesus Christ doesn’t hang out in cemeteries, he also doesn’t hang out in temples or cathedrals or even in churches. When God shows up in a church building, it’s for one reason and one reason only: Because living people are there. You see, our living Savior spends his time among the LIVING.

With over one billion dollars already pledged in support to rebuild the Cathedral at Notre Dame, I’m pretty confident that, one way or another, it will be rebuilt. But I hope and pray that people aren’t short-sighted enough to think that during the rebuilding process Jesus is going to be hanging out in the ashes—with one exception. Jesus will gladly wade into the ashes to rescue someone who’s living in the ashes and needs to be set free.

Dane Davis is the Lead Pastor of First Christian Church in Victorville. For more information, visit www.YourVictorvilleChurch.com, and join us for our Worship Celebration Sundays at 10 a.m.

Who Jesus Is … and What That Means

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” – Luke 9:20

One Sunday morning an elderly pastor was getting ready for church, and he noticed that on his wife’s side of the closet, there was an old shoebox that he didn’t recognize. He opened it and was surprised to see three eggs and 100 one-dollar bills. He called his wife into the closet to ask her about it. Well, she was pretty embarrassed, but she ’fessed up. She said she’d been hiding the box for the past 30 years. The pastor was disappointed and hurt, and he told her, “I just don’t understand!”

She responded, “Well, I didn’t want to hurt your feelings, but every week you preached a bad sermon, I put an egg into the box.” At that point the pastor thought to himself, “There are only three eggs in the box. Three bad sermons in 30 years…that’s not bad at all!” But then he asked his wife, “What about the 100 one-dollar bills?” “Well,” she said, “every time I got up to a dozen eggs, I sold them to our neighbor for a dollar.”

Now, Jesus Christ is the greatest teacher who has ever lived, and I feel comfortable saying you wouldn’t find any eggs stashed in his disciples’ closets. But there are some who would say that Jesus was a good teacher, but not the Son of God. Have you ever heard that crazy rumor? Well, it’s nothing new. Going clear back to Jesus’ day, there were plenty of rumors and misconceptions about who he was. And in Luke 9:18, Jesus took this up with his disciples when he asked them: “Who do the crowds say I am?”

Why did Jesus ask this question? I believe he wanted to make sure his apostles could separate fact from fiction. And when Jesus asked, “Who do the crowds say I am?” they responded in verse 19: “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.” Once they confessed the fiction that other people believed, Jesus asked in verse 20: “But what about you? Who do you say I am?”

This is one of the most important questions Jesus ever asked his disciples, and it’s one of the most important questions he will ever ask you. Your answer to this one simple question affects everything else in your life. And Peter’s full response, which we now call the Good Confession of faith, is given in Matthew 16:16: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Surrounded by a sea of false rumors and lies about Jesus’ identity, Peter knew the truth. And he boldly spoke it.

This eternal truth would be the foundation upon which Jesus would build his entire Church. But, as Jesus continued to teach his disciples, it’s not enough to accept the truth that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of the living God. Jesus’ followers must also accept the truth about what that means. In Luke 9:22, he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

And since suffering and dying would be a very real part of Jesus’ life, it shouldn’t surprise us that it will be a very real part of our lives as we follow him. In verse 23, Jesus revealed three commands for anyone who has chosen to be his follower: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” What do those three commands mean?

#1: We must deny ourselves. As Chuck Swindoll explains, “The emphasis on ‘denying oneself’ is submission to HIS agenda, saying no to what WE want and saying yes to what HE wants.” This doesn’t mean to constantly deny yourself all food and rest and pleasure. But when Jesus says you must “deny” yourself, he means that if YOUR plans ever conflict with HIS plans, you must surrender to HIS plans.

#2: We must take up our cross daily. If denying ourselves means to submit to Christ’s agenda, taking up our cross means to die to our own agenda. William Barclay says it this way: “To take up our cross means … to be ready to endure the worst that man can do to us for the sake of being true to him.” And Jesus asks you and me today, “Knowing this, will you follow me anyway? Even if it means that suffering and death are on the horizon, will you pick up your cross every day and follow me anyway?” I want to make that commitment to my Lord and Savior, and I hope that you do too.

#3: Finally, a Jesus follower must FOLLOW Jesus. That sounds like a no-brainer, doesn’t it? But millions of so-called “Christians” don’t follow Jesus. If we are serious about following him as the Christ, we must be ready and willing to follow in his footsteps. As he speaks, we must speak. As he acts, we must act. As he prioritizes, we must prioritize. As he suffers and dies, we must suffer and die. That’s not the feel-good message we hear preached in many pulpits across America. But it’s the truth.

Follow Christ boldly. Follow Christ publicly. Follow Christ without any shame or regret. Followers of Christ, be very, very proud to proclaim to your family and friends and neighbors that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior. Without hesitation, he picked up his cross and carried it for you. So you and I must, without hesitation, pick up our cross and carry it for him.

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.

Blazing the Trail for Jesus

"I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” - Luke 3:16b

The story goes that a man died and was met by Peter at the pearly gates. Peter told him, “You need 100 points to make it into Heaven. Tell me all of the good things you’ve done and I’ll give you a certain number of points for each item, depending on how good it was. When you reach 100 points, you get in.” “Okay,” the man said. “I was married to the same woman for 50 years and never cheated on her, not even in my heart.” “That’s wonderful,” said Peter. “That’s worth three points.” “Three points!” the man exclaimed. He thought some more and added, “Well, I attended church all my life and supported its ministry with my tithes and service.” “Terrific!” said Peter. “That’s certainly worth a point.” “One point?” the man echoed. “Okay … well, I started a soup kitchen in my city and worked in a homeless shelter every weekend for 20 years.” Peter said, “Fantastic! That’s good for two more points.” “Two points!” the man cried out in frustration. “At this rate, the only way I’ll get into Heaven is by the grace of God!” Peter gave him a wide smile, stepped aside and said, “Come on in!”

You get the idea. It’s not possible for any of us to get into Heaven without God’s grace. And if that’s hard for many people to understand today, it was that much harder in the days of John the Baptist. Most Jews thought that if a person had been born into a Jewish family and pretty much followed God’s Old Testament laws, they would be saved. In their minds, salvation was simply a matter of being born into the right ethnic group and following Jewish law. If those two requirements were met, they’d be a shoo-in for salvation.

Then along came John the Baptist, From a very young age, I’m sure that John’s parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth, had told him what the angel Gabriel had prophesied about him before he was born: that John would turn the hearts of fathers to their children, turn the disobedient to obedience, and to get the people ready for the Messiah’s coming. When John embarked on his ministry, we’re told in Luke 3:3, “He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”

Now, baptism was a pretty common thing in John’s day, but the kind of baptizing that John was doing was unprecedented. You see, in those days the only people who were baptized were non-Jews who wanted to convert to Judaism. If you were born into a Jewish family, you would never be baptized. But John the Baptist was insisting that Jews come to God the same way that non-Jews did. John was basically saying that everyone has to come to God on the same terms. Nobody has the advantage of being able to ride their ancestors’ shirt tails into heaven. What John was preaching was revolutionary.

John also made it clear that he was paving the way for a leader far greater than himself: “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie” (Luke 3:16b). In other words, “The promised Savior and King is coming, and I’m not Him. He is much stronger than me. He is much more important than me. My job is simply to help get you ready for Him and then to get out of the way. When he gets here, you’ll need to leave me and go follow him instead.” How’s that for an unconventional approach to leadership?

And once John’s followers were baptized, they asked John what to do next to demonstrate their repentance. And John told them bluntly in verses 11:14: If you see someone in need, give him your jacket. If you are a tax collector or a soldier, stop using your job to cheat people. Stop strong-arming people and using your position to build your own bank account. Do what is right and good. Do what God would want you to do.

John packed a lot into his short ministry, but I believe it can be condensed into three points that still hold true for us today:

1. Everyone has to come to God on equal terms. We’re not that different from the Jews in John’s day. They believed that because they were born into a Jewish family and had studied the Bible, their salvation was secure. But they were dead wrong. Similarly, many people today believe their salvation is secure because their whole family is Catholic or because they were born into a Christian family. But the truth is, salvation is not transferrable. Your mom’s salvation is her salvation … not yours. You can’t ride anyone else’s shirt tails into heaven. You have to stand on your own two feet before God.

2. The way you have to come to God is through faith and repentance. You must place your faith—your trust—in Jesus Christ to save you from your sins. You will never get to 100 points on your own. Not even close! You need His grace. You need His forgiveness. You need His salvation. So, as I like to say it: You need to put Jesus Christ in the driver’s seat of your life. 

3. True repentance always produces fruit. To repent doesn’t just mean to be sorry for your sin. To repent literally means “to change your mind.” And once your mind is changed, your life must be changed. So, I ask you today: If you’ve truly chosen to repent—to change your mind and turn from your sin and follow Jesus Christ—is there plenty of evidence in your life to back it up?

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

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

Jesus Goes AWOL

“‘Why were you searching for me?’ he asked. 
‘Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?’” - Luke 2:49

This past week I was thinking about my junior high years. I turned 12 a few months into seventh grade, and if I remember correctly, I didn’t accomplish very much. I got A’s and B’s in school, but so did many others. I played AYSO soccer, but so did thousands of other kids. And like most other pre-teen boys I stumbled over my own two feet, and my voice changed, and I picked on girls I liked. Nothing earth-shattering—right?

Now, consider some of the heroes of our faith in Scripture. It’s interesting that we know very little about their childhoods. We know nothing about pre-teen Noah or 7^th grader Abraham or junior high Paul. We read a little bit about Samuel when he was a kid, and David might have been a teenager when he slayed Goliath, but we can’t be sure. When it comes down to it, the Bible doesn’t tell us very much about the childhood years of our Biblical heroes. But, as we see in the second chapter of Luke Jesus is an exception to the rule.

When Jesus was 12 years old, he went with his parents to the eight-day Feast of Passover. After eight days, Joseph and Mary joined a caravan and began their long road trip back home. But a funny thing happened on the way back to Nazareth: they misplaced Jesus.

In Luke 2:43-44, we read, “After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends.” Now, from our 21^st century perspective, Mary and Joseph look completely negligent, don’t they? How on earth could you leave your pre-teen son in a strange city and not even realize it until the end of the day?

Well, before you call CPS on Mary and Joseph, you need to realize that at 12 years old, Jesus was less than a year away from entering Jewish manhood. So, it’s not like Mary and Joseph were leaving behind a 2^nd grader. And because Mary and Joseph were traveling in a large caravan, they probably weren’t traveling side-by-side. Joseph probably assumed Jesus was with Mary and their other younger kids in the front of the caravan. But since Jesus was nearing male adulthood, Mary probably assumed Jesus was with Joseph at the back of the caravan. And their cell phone reception was really spotty, so they didn’t compare notes until the end of the day.

But what’s remarkable about this story is what they discovered when they returned to Jerusalem and found Jesus. He wasn’t in the street kicking a ball with other kids his age. He wasn’t panhandling from a food vendor in the marketplace. “After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers” (Luke 2:46-47). Jerusalem’s best and brightest rabbis were blown away by Jesus’ understanding of Scripture and theology. They knew they were in the presence of some sort of child-savant with a spiritual understanding well beyond his years.

And when Mary scolded him for sending them on an anxious three-day search, Jesus’ response was a puzzler: “‘Why were you searching for me?’ he asked. ‘Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?’ But they did not understand what he was saying to them” (vs. 49-50). It wasn’t just a matter of Jesus being a child genius. Simple genius would have been easier to deal with. What Mary and Joseph couldn’t wrap their minds around was the fact that their boy was not THEIR son. He was GOD’S son. From Jesus’ perspective, he wasn’t on his way home to Nazareth, because he was already home in his Father’s house in Jerusalem.

It seems clear that when Jesus came to earth, he emptied himself of most of his eternal power. When he was a kid he wasn’t all-knowing or all-powerful. He allowed Himself to be born as a helpless baby who needed to learn how to talk and walk and obey his parents just like every other kid. But this appears to be the point in time when Jesus had an awakening—here, at the age of 12, seems to be when he realized for the first time that he was the Son of God, and His life’s purpose was to do the will of the Father. Jesus understood these realities at the age of 12. But for Mary and Joseph … that would take quite a while longer for them to grasp.

If any 12-year old was ever smart enough, spiritually mature enough and experienced enough to call the shots in his home and rule over his parents, it was Jesus. But Jesus modeled what God expects of kids and teenagers: He submitted to their authority. We’re told in verse 51, “Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them.” The Savior of the world humbly obeyed his parents as he grew up physically, socially and spiritually.

So if you’ve closed your ears to the truth, do what Jesus did—SIT, LISTEN, LEARN and OBEY. Let’s be honest: We’re not very good at sitting down and listening. We close our ears to others’ opinions. We close our ears to others’ needs. We close our ears to our spouses and to our kids and to our parents. We act as if we’re know-it-alls. But even Jesus wasn’t a know-it-all. He sat and listened and learned and submitted to the authorities God had placed in His life. So too should we.

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

Christmas in September

“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” - Luke 2:19

It was one of my favorite Christmas presents of all time: the Little Tikes football toybox that my parents gave me when I was just two or three years old. I LOVED that toybox. It didn’t take me very long to figure out that if I didn’t have many toys in it, I could crawl inside, put the lid back on top and hide from my parents. Little Tikes must have suspected that there would be some mischievous boys who would do just this, so fortunately they designed it with a big round hole in the back of the football.

I would sit inside that toybox and peek through the hole, watching my mom walk back and forth through the house looking for me. Finally, when my mom’s voice sounded like I was about 10 seconds away from a spanking, I would slowly stand up in the toy box with the lid on my head. And I was so darn cute I didn’t get in trouble.

Well, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve discovered that a Little Tykes toybox isn’t the best Christmas present of all time. Neither is a dollhouse or a new bike or a game system or a trip to Disneyland or even a new car. I’ve learned that the best Christmas present of all time was a baby boy who—it turns out—was the Son of God, born to save the world.  

Of course, the Christmas story in the second chapter of Luke is one of the most famous parts of the Bible. The details in the first 20 verses are so familiar to us, from the decree of Caesar Augustus to the “No Vacancy” sign at the inn. Maybe you read it with your families on Christmas Eve or on Christmas morning as you’re gathered around the Christmas tree. Chances are, you don’t usually read it in September. But by taking a closer look, we still take some lessons from this story that are new to us, and that apply to our lives any time of year.

We know that while Joseph was in Bethlehem registering to be taxed, Mary gave birth to Jesus. We also know that since the little town of Bethlehem was bustling with people who had come into town for the census, there were no vacancies in any of the homes or inns. And since Jesus’ first crib was an animal’s feeding trough (a manger), our best guess is that Jesus was born in a stable. It could have been a cave. It could have been an open corral without a roof. But whatever it was … it was not a nice place for a baby to be born.

In the insightful words from Bible scholar William Barclay, “That there was no room in the inn was symbolic of what was to happen to Jesus. The only place where there was room for him was on a cross. He sought an entry to the overcrowded hearts of men; he could not find it; and still his search—and his rejection—go on.” Think about that. Jesus Christ has sought entry to your over-crowded heart and my over-crowded heart; our parents’ and kids’ and neighbors’ and co-workers’ overcrowded hearts. And in most cases, there is no room for him. So, the Christmas story carries this important lesson to carry with you all year long: Make sure there is room in your life for Jesus.

Now, we all remember what happened next. In verses 8-20, we read about the shepherds who were out in the fields watching their sheep and the angels who announced Jesus’ birth to them. Since Bethlehem was just about six miles outside of Jerusalem, these shepherds were likely tending the lambs that were used for temple sacrifices. It’s a touching thought to consider the strong likelihood that the first outsiders to lay their eyes on the Lamb of God were the same ones who cared for the little sacrificial lambs.

After the shepherds visited baby Jesus, we’re told that they spread the word about what they had seen, “and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them” (verse 18). And I want you to notice what is said about Mary in verse 19: “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” I like the wording of this verse in New Living Translation: “But Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.” Even though Mary had been visited by one of God’s most important angels … even though Elizabeth had prophesied about Jesus nine months earlier … even though she had just given birth without ever having had sexual relations … Mary was still blown away by the story the shepherds told her. She hung on their every word, and she treasured their words in her heart. And she thought about them often.

The same should be said of us as Christians. No matter how many times we’ve heard the Christmas story … no matter how many times we’ve read Luke chapter 2 … no matter how many times we’ve heard the story of the manger and the shepherds and the angels … we should never stop being blown away by that first Christmas night. Like Mary, we should still treasure these things in our hearts and think about them often.

Dane Davis is the Lead Pastor of First Christian Church in Victorville. For more information, visit www.YourVictorvilleChurch.com  and join us for National Back to Church Sunday next week at 10 a.m.

Good News is Contagious

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come

 to his people and redeemed them.” - Luke 1:68

It wasn’t the shot heard around the world. It was far more important than that. The news that the angel Gabriel shared in Luke 1, foretelling the births of John the Baptist and Jesus, has echoed through the centuries. And it will continue to ring through eternity: the good news of Jesus Christ, the savior who came to rescue all of us from our sins.

Shortly after receiving God’s message from Gabriel that she would be the mother of the savior, Mary went to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who was to be the mother of John the Baptist. When she arrived, she walked through the front door and greeted Elizabeth. What happened in verse 41 is one of the most remarkable events in this chapter: “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Now, let’s be honest with each other: Pre-born babies kick and poke and stretch. But they don’t usually leap. And babies in their mothers’ womb do have the ability to experience emotion. But experiencing joy—that seems like a bit of a stretch. How was this possible? Well, it was possible because of the Holy Spirit. Luke makes it clear that Elizabeth became filled with the Holy Spirit after John leaped. So, it stands to reason that John leaped because he too was filled with the Holy Spirit. 

The angel Gabriel had told Zechariah back in verse 15 that John would be “filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.” The New American Standard Bible translates this phrase more literally: “He will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb.” So, at what point during Elizabeth’s pregnancy did the Holy Spirit fill John the Baptist for the first time? In all likelihood, it happened right here in verses 40 and 41—the moment when Mary entered the room with Jesus inside her womb. The Holy Spirit responded by filling both John and Elizabeth, confirming that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords was in the house.

The meaning of John’s leap was clear to Elizabeth. She responded with great joy: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (vs. 42b-43) Elizabeth knew things about Mary’s pregnancy and baby Jesus that Mary had never told her—because the Holy Spirit told her. And Elizabeth’s joy was contagious. Mary, who was likely filled with the Holy Spirit herself, began speaking a beautiful new psalm to God, widely known as the Magnificat. It begins, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant” (vs. 47-48).

If you and I had been in the room with Mary and Elizabeth on this day, their joy would have been palpable. These two were beaming. They were rejoicing in what God was doing, and they just couldn’t help themselves. But how was Elizabeth’s husband Zechariah dealing with the good news?

Months earlier, Zechariah was in the doghouse. He had been the first person the angel Gabriel appeared to with the good news—but he didn’t believe it. So, God disciplined him. For nine long months Zechariah was mute. At last Elizabeth’s baby boy was born, and on the day of his circumcision, the baby was to be named. Family members assumed the baby would be named after Zechariah, or another male relative. But instead, in obedience to Gabriel’s message months before, Zechariah wrote on a tablet: “His name is John.”

And with that, Zechariah’s mouth was opened, his tongue was set free, and he could speak again. And once he could speak, what did he do with his tongue? He used it to praise God. At the start of the chapter, Zechariah responded to God’s good news with unbelief. But he had learned his lesson. By the end of the chapter, Zechariah reacted to God’s good news with a psalm of praise that’s often called the Benedictus. It includes the words, “And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins” (vs. 76-77). Yep, it’s pretty clear that Zechariah had gotten the message.

I think we’ve all been like Zechariah. In the past, we responded to God’s good news with unbelief. But today is a new day. It’s time to respond with faith and praise. If Zechariah could speak to us today, he’d probably say something like this: “Don’t make the same foolish mistake I made when I was standing there in the temple and refused to believe the angel standing right beside me. Nothing is impossible with God. When you receive God’s good news, receive it in faith and praise Him. Because our great and awesome God is good, and He is strong, and He is worthy of praise.”

Dane Davis is the Lead Pastor of First Christian Church in Victorville. For more information, visit www.YourVictorvilleChurch.com  and join us for National Back to Church Sunday, Sept. 16th at 10 a.m.

Two Impossible Messages

“For nothing is impossible with God.”

- Luke 1:17

About a year after our first daughter was born, my wife took a pregnancy test and shared the good news: Our second baby was on the way. We were pretty excited. She set up an appointment with her ob-gyn, and he scheduled her for an ultrasound. It was incredible seeing the images of the tiny little baby inside my wife’s womb.

Several weeks passed and when we went in for a follow-up ultrasound, something looked a bit odd. It looked like the baby hadn’t grown since the last ultrasound. The doctor called us into his office and broke the news: The baby wasn’t alive. We were devastated, and we prayed for a miracle. But over the next week as further tests were run, the results were the same: The baby hadn’t made it. And I remember thinking: I wonder if we’ll ever be able to have another baby. At the time, I sure thought the answer was “No!”

Within the next six years, three more beautiful daughters came along, one by one, to prove me wrong. But at the time it sure felt like our baby bearing days were over. We were experiencing a small taste of what Zechariah and Elizabeth had been experiencing for many years … until Zechariah received some startling news in Luke 1.

Elizabeth, you may recall, was cousin to Mary, who would give birth to Jesus. But that comes later. At the beginning of Luke, all Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah knew was that they had prayed year after year to have a child, and year after year Elizabeth remained barren. We’re not told how old they were in Luke 1, but it’s likely that Zechariah and Elizabeth were in their 60s. Perhaps it had been 10 years since they had stopped praying for a child.

So, imagine Zechariah’s response when the angel Gabriel appeared to him in the temple and said, “Your prayer has been heard.” Gabriel told Zechariah that he would have a son who would be a source of joy for his family and for many people in Israel. He would lead many people back to God and pave the way for the Lord’s coming, turning the hearts of fathers to their children and the disobedient to righteousness. What an amazing message to receive from one of God’s most famous angels!

But how did Zechariah respond? In verse 18, he said, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” Or, to translate: “Gabriel, I’m not so sure I believe you. You’ll need to prove it to me. Otherwise, I’m not buying it.” Um … not such a great response. It was the most amazing day in Zechariah’s life: He was in the temple serving the Lord, he was having a conversation with one of God’s greatest angels, he was being told that the prayer he had prayed for decades was finally being answered—and he didn’t believe it. He doubted the goodness and power of God. And since Zechariah responded with unbelief, God chose to discipline him by temporarily taking away his ability to speak. 

Compare that to Mary’s reaction when she had a face-to-face meeting a few months later with that very same angel. In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God dispatched Gabriel to deliver another very important message, this time to a teenage girl in the hills of Nazareth: “You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.” (Luke 1:31-32a).

Understandably, young Mary was blown away. And at first glance, her response to the angel seems very similar to Zechariah’s. She asked, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” (v. 34). But although Mary’s reply sounds similar, it was actually very different. Zechariah said, “How can I be sure of this?” In other words: “I don’t really believe you.”  But Mary said, “How will this be?” In other words, “I believe you. But could you explain to me how God is going to pull this off with me being a virgin and all?” Zechariah’s response was a response of unbelief. Mary’s response was a response of faith.

Remember: Faith is a DECISION, not a FEELING. I imagine that when Gabriel delivered his messages to Zechariah and Mary, they both FELT confused; they both FELT overwhelmed; they both FELT unprepared to handle what God had in store for them. But there was a big difference in how these two handled these feelings. Zechariah allowed his uncomfortable feelings to overrule his faith in God’s goodness and power. But inside Mary’s mind and heart, faith ruled. Mary clung to her faith in God’s goodness and power despite her swirling, confused feelings.

Two very different responses to God’s good news from two different servants of God. One allowed his feelings to rule his faith. The other made a decision that her faith would rule her feelings. When God brings you some good news, which will rule your response: your feelings or your faith? I hope that, like Mary, you will make a decision to trust in the Lord’s power and goodness.

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.

A Savior for All People

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” 

- Luke 19:1-10

We hear the verse every year at Christmastime. It’s so familiar, sometimes the words might just slip by us. So now, in the middle of August, let’s take a moment to listen a little closer as an angel appears to the shepherds on that first Christmas night: “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10).  

Today I want to point out a tiny little three-letter word: “ALL the people.” Because that tiny little word makes ALL the difference. It’s at the heart of Luke’s gospel account.

You see, the Bible gives us four different gospels for a reason. Each of the four gospel historians presents a slightly different perspective. Matthew wrote to a Jewish audience and highlights Jesus as the King of the Jews. Mark wrote to a Gentile audience and presents Jesus as a powerful miracle-worker. John wrote his gospel account some 50 years after Jesus ascended into heaven, so he was writing to a generation that hadn’t personally walked or talked with Jesus. And he presents Jesus as the Son of God.

Luke intended for his gospel account to be read by both Jews and Gentiles, and he presents Jesus as the loving savior of the world—not just the savior of Jews, not just the savior of men, not just the savior of the rich or famous. Luke documents example after example of Jesus being a savior available for every man, woman and child.

Consider this: The word “salvation” isn’t used at all in Matthew or Mark, and it’s only used once in John. But it’s used six times in Luke. Luke also uses the word “savior” twice and uses the verb form “to save” more than any other gospel writer. So, Luke puts a big emphasis on Jesus as the world’s savior. Here are a few specifics:

#1: Jesus is the loving savior of NON-JEWS. There are a number of examples of this in Luke’s gospel account. For instance: the genealogy of Jesus in Luke 3. When Matthew recorded Jesus’ genealogy in his gospel account, since he was writing to a Jewish audience, he only went as far back as Abraham. But when Luke records Jesus’ genealogy, since he’s writing to all people everywhere, he takes Jesus’ genealogy all the way back to Adam. It’s also worth mentioning that Luke is the only non-Jewish author in the entire New Testament.

#2: Jesus is the loving savior of WOMEN AND CHILDREN. Both Jewish and Gentile societies in Luke’s day were male-dominated. But Luke’s gospel proves that Jesus is an equal opportunity savior for men, women and children. From the very first chapter, women play a prominent role. Of the four gospel writers, Luke alone records the Angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary that she would give birth to Jesus. Only Luke records Mary’s visit to Elizabeth after she received the angel’s message. In chapter 10, only Luke records the well-known account of Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus while Martha ran around like a chicken with her head cut off.

And Luke spends more time on babies and children than any other gospel writer. Luke records more details of Jesus’ birth than any other gospel writer. Only Luke records the dedication of Jesus at the temple when he was eight days old and the account of him staying behind at the temple without his parents’ knowledge when he was 12 years old. Matthew, Mark and Luke all record for us the account of Jesus blessing the children who were brought to him despite his disciples’ protests. But only Luke points out that people weren’t only bringing children but babies to Jesus.

#3) Jesus is the loving savior of the POOR and the NOBODIES in society. At Christmas time we often talk about how shepherds in Jesus’ day were nobodies. They weren’t counted in the census. They weren’t allowed in a synagogue. They were basically considered to be half-human. So, aren’t you thankful that Luke took the time to document that visit by the angel to the shepherds in the hills of Bethlehem? The angel told them, in Luke 2:11-12: “Today in the town of David a savior has been born to you: he is Christ the Lord.” Isn’t that awesome!? “A savior has been born to YOU.”

In Luke 7:22, Jesus makes it clear that he didn’t come to earth to preach the good news merely to “the poor in spirit” as Matthew states. Jesus says he came to preach the good news to “the poor”—period. In Luke 14:13, as Jesus is teaching his followers how to throw a party that will please God, he tells them to invite “the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind” to the party.

Jesus is the savior of all mankind: not just the savior of Jews, but the savior of non-Jews as well. Not just the savior of men, but also the savior of women and children. And not just the savior of the rich and famous, but the savior of the poor and the nobodies as well. So if you ever find yourself feeling like a nobody, this gospel is good news indeed!

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.

The Truth About Jesus

“For by him all things were created … all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” – Colossians 1:16-17

It’s been called the most significant teaching about Jesus Christ in the whole Bible—and it’s only six verses long. If you really want to know who Jesus is and understand the Christian faith, read over Colossians 1:15-20. Its powerful message is, in seven simple words: Jesus Christ is supreme over heaven and earth.

We look around us and see a world that is incredibly complex and fine-tuned. Without a doubt, it bears the fingerprint of an intelligent designer. When we come to our senses, we understand that it would have been impossible for our world to have simply evolved by chance. Well, in these passages, we learn the identity of that creator: Jesus Christ. Now, is Paul actually saying that Jesus Christ is the Creator of the universe? Yes. That’s exactly what he’s saying. Everything in the universe was created BY him and FOR him, and all of it holds together IN him.

Did you catch those three key prepositions? BY, FOR and IN. We ask the “who” question: Who made all of this? And God’s word answers back: All things were created BY Jesus Christ. Next we ask the “why” questions. Why was the universe created? Why was I created? What’s the point of it all? And God’s word answers back: All things were created FOR Jesus Christ. Then we wonder—with all of the upheaval in the universe with stars exploding and the galaxy expanding and the asteroids falling—how is it possible that this world doesn’t just fall apart? And God’s word answers back: IN Jesus Christ all things hold together.

And not only is Jesus supreme over all creation—Paul makes it clear that Jesus Christ is supreme over all eternity. Let’s face it; This life we live here on earth is just a drop in the bucket of eternity. If you live to be 100 years old here on earth, that’s barely even a warm-up lap in eternity. So, when the Bible tells us we are eternal beings, that our bodies will one day die but our souls and spirits will live on forever, I want to know who’s going to be calling the shots. Because honestly, eternity is a very long time, so I want to get in good with whoever is in charge of it.

In verse 18, Paul points out that Jesus is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead. In other words, he was the first person to have risen from the dead … permanently. Jesus has the privilege and authority to blaze a trail to heaven for his followers. He is the only one who can restore our broken relationship with God. He is the only one who could pay the death penalty for our sin that we deserve to pay; the only one who holds the key to heaven. That’s why Jesus said point blank in John 14:6: “I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

When it comes to this physical world we live in—and in the new and improved eternal world that’s to come—it’s so important to understand that everything in the universe was created BY Him and FOR Him. And all of it holds together IN him.

Jesus is the one and only manifestation of the invisible God in our visible world. He was and is the only one who occupies the position of privilege and authority over all creation. He is eternal—with no beginning and no end. He is Lord of all creation. And He is Lord of all eternity. He is our only hope of forgiveness. He is our only hope of a relationship with God. He is our only hope of a life filled with purpose, grace and peace. He is our only hope of heaven, because heaven is all about him. And—miracle of miracles—this awe-inspiring Creator of Heaven and earth loves you. He loves you!

Whether you like it or not, you were created by Jesus Christ. You were created by him and for him, and he is the only reason you haven’t completely fallen apart—because in him, all things hold together. So, it is my hope and prayer that today you will humbly embrace him as the awesome Creator and Savior that he is and follow him as best you can every day of your life.

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