Do You Make This Mistake When Reading the Bible?

Posted on October 2, 2021 by Wayne Davies


When reading the Bible, it’s easy to overlook the most important thing you should do to understand it: pray.

There are many things to pray about when you open the Word. Here are a few suggestions on how to pray before, during and after spending time in the Word. A good prayer need not be long. Even short two or three word prayers, when uttered from a heart of sincerity, can adequately express true devotion to Jesus.

1. A Prayer of Thanksgiving – “Thank You, Lord”
For the believer, every day is a day of Thanksgiving. We have 1,001 things for which we can give thanks to God, the great Giver. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17). Isn’t the Word of God one of those “good and perfect” gifts? Absolutely!

This is a wonderful way to start your Bible time. Before you read a word, simply say “Thank you” to God for the incredible gift of his Word. The psalmist does precisely this in Psalm 119:62 – “At midnight I rise to give you thanks for your righteous laws.”

Do you ever get up in the middle of the night, wide awake, and wonder what to do with yourself? Apparently the author of Psalm 119 did that. Of course, you need not wait until midnight to give thanks to God for the Bible! Any time of day is a good time to read the Word, and every time you read the Word is a good time to express your gratitude for holy Scripture.

Of course, while reading and after reading are also good times to thank God for what he is teaching you. The “Thank you” prayer should tumble from your lips repeatedly during Word-time.

2. A Prayer for Understanding – “Teach me, Lord”
God delights to give us the insight to understand his Word. And he gives us that insight in response to our sincere request to receive it. So this is one of the first things we should request every time we open the Book.

The desire to understand God’s Word is expressed in another two-word prayer: “Teach me.” Do not read the Word without praying this powerful little prayer!

Like the “Thank You” prayer, the “Teach Me” prayer should be uttered before, during and after you read the Word. This is a prayer that the author of Psalm 119 loved dearly. This psalm is well known as the longest chapter in the Bible – 176 verses! And these 176 verses contain at least 75 prayers. Isn’t that amazing?

And the most common prayer in Psalm 119 is this: “Teach me.”  It appears at least 11 times in this psalm. Here are these 11 verses. I urge to read them right now and take note of the many delightful ways the psalmist expresses this powerful two-word plea: Psalm 119:12, Psalm 119:26, Psalm 119:29, Psalm 119:33, Psalm 119:64, Psalm 119:66, Psalm 119:68, Psalm 119:108, Psalm 119:124, Psalm 119:135, Psalm 119:171.

As you spend time in the Word, why not take these verses and make them your own? Over the next couple weeks, pray each of these prayers, one each day. When expressed with genuine faith and love, there is no better prayer than a prayer that comes right from Scripture.

Another “Teach Me” prayer that doesn’t use those exact words is found in Psalm 119:18. This is one of my favorite prayers in the Bible: “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.”

3. A Prayer for Transformation – “Change me, Lord”
Reading the Bible should never be an end in itself. If spending time in the Word does not result in radical change of every aspect of your life, something is amiss. This is why Paul told the Roman believers, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).

The best way I know to renew my mind is to spend much quality time in the Word. God will change you from the inside out, by the power of the Spirit who indwells you, when you read the Bible and let his truth permeate your heart and soul. The process of sanctification (increasing degrees of holiness and Christ-likeness from the day of your new birth until the day of your physical death) cannot occur apart from the transforming power of the Word.

This is why Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17). I love that the New International Version provides this explanatory note for the word “sanctify,” which means to “set apart for sacred use” or “make holy.” Jesus is asking the Father to make us holy by the truth of his Word. What a great prayer! And what a life-changing experience God has in store for us as Christ-followers on the path of discipleship. Here we read that Jesus and the Father intend for our lives to become holy by means of the Word.

With that in mind, here are five questions you can ask God before, during and after Bible reading, all geared toward the goal of sanctification. These prayers can be prefaced by saying, “Lord, when I read this passage . . .

. . . is there a sin to confess, forsake or avoid?
. . . is there a promise to believe?
. . . is there a good example to follow or a bad example to avoid?
. . . is there a command to obey?
. . . is there something about God’s character for which I can praise Him?

(These questions come from Paul Little’s book, “How to Give Away Your Faith”.)

Note also how the “Change Me” prayer dovetails nicely with the “Thank You” and “Teach Me” prayers. There is a God-glorifying relationship among these prayers. I thank God for His Word and ask Him to teach me and change me through the reading of Scripture. Then He teaches me something, and I immediately thank Him for that truth and for giving me understanding of it, which prompts me to ask Him to empower me to incorporate that teaching into my life. The end result is that He changes me, causing me to become more like Christ, which gives me yet another reason to thank and glorify Him for the work He is doing in my life. And it all starts with this vital combination of prayer and the Word.

4. A Prayer for Glorification – “Glorify Yourself, Lord”
The first three prayers lead naturally to the fourth payer. We thank God because He gets all the credit for giving us the Word. Then we ask God for enlightenment, not just for our benefit, but so the God of truth is honored as the source of truth and the One who grants us the ability to grasp the meaning of His Word. Next we ask for transformation – the power to overcome sin with a life of holiness; this, too, is not for our glory but so God can be praised.

These three prayers all have the glory of God as their ultimate goal, and so it is fitting that we add the 3-word phrase “for your glory” to each one.

“Thank you, Lord, for your glory. Teach me, Lord, for your glory. Change me, Lord, for your glory.”

The glory of God can also be its own two-word prayer: “Glorify Yourself, Lord.” This is a wonderful little prayer that is the essence of the first line of the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9, where Jesus teaches us how to pray. “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name” (NIV). The word “hallowed” means holy or sanctified. So why are we praying that God’s name be holy? Isn’t God already as holy as He will ever be? Of course.

We are not asking God to be what He already is. Our prayers do not make God holier. Rather, I believe the English Standard Version (ESV) footnote on Matthew 6:9 captures the meaning of this petition beautifully: “Let your name be treated with reverence.” We are asking that God be recognized as the holy One that He is, and that people everywhere, starting with us, treat Him the way He deserves to be treated – with the utmost respect, awe and adoration. We are praying that He alone be worshipped and adored.

The beginning of the Lord’s Prayer should be paramount in our thinking when we open the Word. By spending time in the Word, we are asking God to magnify Himself by teaching us His truth and changing us to be holy, and thereby putting Him on display through our lives. This is why Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” Simply put, we are to read the Word for the glory of God – so that He is exalted as a result of our understanding and our transformation.

Since God’s glory is the goal of everything we do, shouldn’t His glory be the focus of our prayers before, during and after we read the Word? May it be so.

NOTE: This post is an excerpt from Wayne’s new book 7 Deadly Sins of Bible Reading: Common Bible Reading Mistakes and How to Avoid Them, available in Kindle and paperback formats.

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How to Be Content with What You Have

Posted on September 24, 2021 by Wayne Davies

Sometimes the Bible is easy to understand, but hard to believe and even harder to obey.

Here’s a good example — Hebrews 13:5 — one of my favorite verses:

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

J.C. Ryle, a 19th century British pastor and Bible teacher, has this to say about the elusive nature of contentment:

“Contentment is one of the rarest graces. Like all precious things, it is most uncommon . . .

Murmuring, dissatisfaction, discontent with what we have— these meet us at every turn. To say with Jacob, “I have enough” (Gen 33:11), seems flatly contrary to the grain of human nature. To say, “I want more,” seems the mother tongue of every child of Adam. Our little ones around our family hearths are daily illustrations of the truth of what I am saying. They learn to ask for “more” much sooner than they learn to be satisfied. They are far more ready to cry for what they want, than to say, “Thank you,” when they have received it.

There are few readers of this very paper, I will venture to say, who do not want something or other different from what they have—something more or something less. What you have does not seem as good as what you have not. If you only had this or that thing granted, you fancy you would be quite happy.”

Would you agree?  I do. I have days when I’m discontent with my circumstances.

According to Hebrews 13:5, what is the cure for such dissatisfaction? We are exhorted to focus on one of the most comforting promises found in Scripture (in passages such as Deuteronomy 31:6, Joshua 1:5 and 1 Chronicles 28:20) – God’s promise to always be with His people.

I find this most intriguing. Of all the things that the author of Hebrews could have said to help us find contentment, he turns to the Bible. Again, I quote Mr. Ryle:

“It is striking to observe what a small foundation the Apostle seems to lay down when he bids us be content. He holds out no promise of earthly good things and temporal rewards. He simply quotes a verse of God’s Word. The Master hath spoken, “He hath said”…

The main point I want to impress on men’s minds is this: we ought to make the texts and promises of the Bible our refuge in time of trouble and the fountain of our soul’s comfort. When St. Paul wanted to enforce a grace and recommend a duty, he quoted a text. When you and I would give a reason for our hope, or when we feel that we need strength and consolation, we must go to our Bibles and try to find out suitable texts. The lawyer uses old cases and decisions when he pleads his cause. “Such a judge has said such a thing; and therefore,” he argues, “it is a settled point.” The soldier on the battlefield takes up certain positions and does certain things; if you ask him why, he will say, “I have such and such orders from my general, and I obey them.”

The true Christian must always use his Bible in like manner. The Bible must be his book of reference and precedents. The Bible must be to him his captain’s orders. If anyone asks him why he thinks as he does, lives as he does, feels as he does, all he has need to reply is, “God has spoken to such an effect: I have my orders, and that is enough.”

Reader, I know not whether I make the point clear; but simple as it seems, it is one of great practical importance. I want you to see the place and office of the Bible, and the unspeakable importance of knowing it well and being acquainted with its contents. I want you to arm yourself with texts and verses of the Bible fastened down in your memory—to read so you may remember and to remember so you may use what you read.

You and I have trouble and sorrow before us. It needs no prophetic eye to see that. Sicknesses, deaths, partings, separations, disappointments are sure to come. What is to sustain us in the days of darkness, which are many? Nothing is so able to do it as texts out of the Bible.

You and I, in all probability, may lie for months on a bed of sickness. Heavy days and weary nights, an aching body, and an enfeebled mind may make life a burden. And what will support us? Nothing is likely to cheer and sustain us so much as verses out of the Bible.

You and I have death to look forward to. There will be friends to be left, home to be given up, the grave to be visited, an unknown world to be entered, and the Last Judgment after all. What will sustain and comfort us when our last moments draw nigh? Nothing, I firmly believe, is so able to help our heart in that solemn hour as texts out of the Bible.

I want men to fill their minds with passages of Scripture while they are well and strong that they may have sure help in the day of need. I want them to be diligent in studying their Bibles and becoming familiar with their contents in order that the grand old Book may stand by them and talk with them when all earthly friends fail…I say to every reader: arm yourself with a thorough knowledge of God’s Word. Read it, and be able to say, “I have hope because it is thus and thus written. I am not afraid because it is thus and thus written.” Happy is that soul who can say with Job, “I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food” (Job 23:12).”

Great advice from a man who spent many years studying and teaching the Bible.

The comments above from J.C. Ryle are from the Free Grace Broadcaster, Issue #213, “Contentment.”

Here you’ll find 8 articles on contentment from gifted Bible teachers of the past, including:
What Is Contentment? by William Plumer
Full Contentment in Christ, by Jonathan Edwards
I Will Never Leave Thee, by Arthur Pink
Contentment: A Rare Grace, by J.C. Ryle (the comments I quoted above are from this article. Be sure to read the whole thing!)

You can get a free copy of this gem here:
https://www.chapellibrary.org/book/contfg/contentment
It is available in PDF, Kindle (mobi) and ePub formats.

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10 More Reasons to Read the Bible

Posted on September 18, 2021 by Wayne Davies


There are many reasons to read the Bible. God is so good to us. He doesn’t just say, “Read the Book . . . or else!” He also says, “Read the Book . . . because if you do, with a view to believing and obeying it, here are the benefits of doing so.”

That’s why I wrote Top 10 Reasons to Read the Bible Today: The Life-Changing Benefits of Daily Bible Reading. Each of these reasons can also result in a God-glorifying benefit in our lives. We get the benefits (like salvation from hell, stronger faith, greater joy, and freedom from the sins that so easily entangle us) and He gets the praise and credit for providing those benefits.

Certainly there are more than 10 reasons to read and study Scripture regularly. In the opening chapter of her classic book How to Study Your Bible, Kay Arthur writes:

“The Bible was written so that anyone who wants to know who God is and how to live in a way that pleases Him can read it and find out.

God wants to bring us into intimacy with Himself. He wants to be a Father to us. In order to have that relationship, however, God has to talk to us. He wants to explain to us who He is and how we can be brought into a close, wonderful relationship with Him. He also wants us to understand the blessings of a life of obedience to His Word and the consequences of disobeying Him. And He wants us to know the truth about life and what is going to happen in the future.

The Bible tells us everything we need to know about life. That, my friend, is why you need to study it for yourself.”

Wow! After reading that, hasn’t your motivation to spend time in the Word just gone up? I love what Kay Arthur says here. It’s brilliantly biblical. Those three paragraphs are packed with 10 more reasons and benefits of immersing ourselves in Scripture.

If we read, study and understand the Bible, and then believe and obey it, we will:

  1. Learn who God is
  2. Discover how to live in a way that pleases Him
  3. Be brought into a close, wonderful relationship of intimacy with God Himself
  4. Experience God as our Father
  5. Hear God talk to us
  6. Understand the blessings of obedience to His Word
  7. Learn the consequences (the “or else!”) of disobeying Him
  8. Learn the truth about life
  9. Learn what is going to happen in the future
  10. Learn everything we need to know about life

Looking for motivation to read the Word today? I urge you to spend time this week meditating on and praying through Kay Arthur’s 10 reasons.

Of these 10 reasons, which one resonates most in your heart? Leave a comment below and let me know. I love feedback.

Kay Arthur’s book is available on Amazon here. I do give this book my highest recommendation. 5 Stars.  2 Thumbs Up. To get a better idea of what the book is about, you can read the first 20 pages at no cost here.

My book, Top 10 Reasons to Read the Bible Today, is also available on Amazon. The Kindle version is free here.

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How to Overcome Any Sin (Thoughts on Romans 8:13)

Posted on September 12, 2021 by Wayne Davies


Romans 8 is one of the most loved chapters in the Bible. Here we read that nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39). And that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28). These are words that have comforted the hearts of God’s people for centuries.

This chapter also has one of the most challenging verses in the Bible: “For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live” (Romans 8:13).

I like this verse because it answers the question: What is a Christian?

When answering this question, we tend to focus on our profession of faith by saying things like “A Christian is a person who has received Jesus as his/her Savior and Lord” or “A Christian is a person who believes in Jesus Christ.” Other plausible responses include, “A Christian is a person who knows the Lord” or “A Christian is a person who has repented of his/her sins and received forgiveness of sins.”

These are all valid ways to answer the question. All contain truth.

The purpose of this article is to answer the question according to Romans 8:13 – especially the last half of the verse: “but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeed of the body, you will live.” Paul says that a Christian is a person who continuously puts to death the misdeeds of his/her body.

There are three key phrases here.

#1. The misdeeds of the body.
This is a clear reference to our sin. Paul is saying that if we put to death our sinful behavior, you will live forever with Jesus. And by implication, if you don’t, you won’t.

#2. Put to death.
This means to kill, to get rid of, to bury and destroy. We are in a fight to the death against our sin, and God commands us to kill our sin, to take no prisoners in this battle.

In other words, a Christian must be a violent person, and Christianity is a violent religion. We are told here to kill. And what are we instructed to kill? People? No. Of course not. We are commanded to kill our sin.

So, if I profess to be a Christian, a person who believes in Jesus as my Savior, I must answer the question, “What sin am I killing today?” What evil behaviors am I going to put to death today and tomorrow and every day for the rest of my life?

Do you claim to be a Christian? Then welcome to the war; welcome to the never-ending battle against your sinful thoughts, words and deeds.

#3. By the Spirit.
This is the best part of the verse because is answers the “How” question. If you are going to kill your sin, how are you going to pull that off?

How do we overcome our addictions to alcohol, drugs, pornography, or chocolate? How do we overcome having sex outside of marriage? How do I stop overeating or wasting hours in front of a screen?

Or how do I overcome my tendency to become angry, bitter, and resentful? How do I stop criticizing people unnecessarily, unfairly and unrighteously? How do I kill my habit of wallowing in self-pity when I receive a boatload of blessings from above every day?

How do we kill our sin? By our own strength, our own power, our own abilities, talents, and mental acumen? Am I not smart enough to figure this out, and determined enough to make it happen? If it is to be, isn’t it up to me?

I think not. Not according to Paul.

If by the Spirit you kill your sin, you will live.

Overcoming sinful habits requires divine power rather than human ingenuity. We need to cry out to God for the wisdom and strength to kill our sin. Christianity is not about self-help. God does not help those who help themselves. He helps those who depend on Him to provide the resources we need to fight the good fight of the faith.

I am compelled now to ask more questions. What does Paul mean when he says to kill my sin “by the Spirit”? What does that look like? And what am I supposed to do to access the power of the Spirit? I understand that I can only kill my sin “by the Spirit.” At the same time, I am commanded to do the killing, for Paul says that “you put to death the misdeeds of the body.”

The answer to these questions is found just a few verses earlier in Romans 8:5: “Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.”

People who live in accordance with the Spirit do something with their minds. They set their minds on what the Spirit desires. And how do we do that? What resource has God provided that reveals the desires of His Spirt? Obviously, the Word of God.

To set my mind on what God desires for me, I must spend time in the Word of God — reading it, studying it, meditating on it, understanding it, all with the goal of believing  and obeying it, for to believe and obey the Bible is to believe and obey God.

This is straightforward advice from the Apostle Paul. God enables me to kill my sin when I fill my mind with His truth and believe the promises found there regarding the provision of His power to overcome any sin.

Romans 8:13 and Romans 8:5 dovetail perfectly with Ephesians 6:17. “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” When Paul describes the Christian’s armor that must be used when fighting against the world, the flesh and the devil, what is our one offensive weapon? The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

How do we kill our sin? By the Spirit. More specifically, by the sword of the Spirit. We put our sin to death with the Word of God. It is God’s sharp, double-edged sword that not only penetrates our hearts to reveal the sin we are often too blind to see (per Hebrews 4:12), but it is also the divinely appointed resource that we wield to defeat and destroy the enemy within.

If you are a Christian, you are in a war against your sin. God has already provided the means by which you can win this battle and overcome your sin. By the sword of the Spirit, the written Word of God, you can go forth into the fray with confidence, knowing that through that same Spirit, our Lord Jesus Christ, the Living Word, goes before you. He has promised to never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). Keep your eyes on Him, remembering that “out of His mouth came a sharp double-edged sword,” for “He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God” (Revelation 1:16, 19:13).

John Owen got it right. “Be killing sin or it will be killing you.”

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What Is Jesus Teaching You Today?

Posted on August 27, 2021 by Wayne Davies


When we open the New Testament, we find four books called “gospels” – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  All four present compelling accounts of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, the long-awaited Jewish Messiah and Son of God.

Mark is the shortest of the gospels, with 16 chapters. The main reason Mark’s gospel is shorter than the others is because he devotes the least amount of space to the teachings of Jesus.

Because he spends less time recording the teachings of Christ, the book of Mark is a fast-moving, action-packed description of Jesus’ 3-year ministry. But when you read Mark, you would do well to take note of this – while not focusing as much on the content of Jesus’ teachings, he does emphasize the importance and frequency of Jesus’ teachings.

To demonstrate Mark’s focus on Jesus’ teaching ministry, let’s take a tour through the book of Mark.

Please take note: Jesus taught everywhere He went.

He taught in the synagogue.  As a faithful Jew, Jesus would go the synagogue to observe the Sabbath. And he would often be the speaker, or what we would call the “guest preacher.” We see this in Capernaum, his ministry headquarters in Galilee – “when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach” (Mark 1:21). Likewise, when he traveled to other cities, such as his hometown of Nazareth, “When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue” (Mark 6:2).

He taught in homes. In Capernaum, where he likely stayed with Peter’s family, “he preached the word to them” (Mark 2:2). Note also Mark 3:20-23, where Mark mentions specifically that “Jesus entered a house” and then “spoke to them in parables”.

He taught by the lake. We know that Jesus spent much time in the northern part of Israel, in the region of Galilee. At least four of the apostles were fisherman (Peter, Andrew, James and John) who made their living on a lake known as the Sea of Galilee.  This lake this was one of Jesus’ favorite places to teach – “Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them” (Mark 2:13). “Once again” communicates that teaching by the lake was something Jesus did repeatedly.

He even taught on the lake. But crowd control was a problem. People came to Jesus by the thousands, which forced him to use the water as a way to protect himself from the masses clamoring for his attention. “On another occasion Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. He taught them many things” (Mark 4:1-2).

Can you picture this scene? I would love to have been there on the shore, listening to Jesus teach the Word while sitting in a boat! When you think of Jesus and imagine what it would have been like to follow him for three years, have you ever visualized this – Jesus in a boat, doing what he told the disciples he would show them how to do – fishing for the souls of people by teaching them the Word of God.

So Jesus taught in public places, both indoors and outdoors.

He taught in small towns. Dozens of towns dotted the landscape of first century Israel.  Jesus made it a priority to keep moving throughout the countryside, visiting as many communities as possible. This was part of his strategy. Early one morning, while spending time alone in prayer at Capernaum, Peter tracked him down. Jesus told him, “Let us go somewhere else – to the nearby villages – so I can preach there also. This is why I have come. So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues” (Mark 1:38-39).

He taught in big cities. Jerusalem was the largest city in Israel and Jesus went there for the annual Jewish religious festivals every spring and fall. He went to Jerusalem for the Passover, most importantly to die on the cross. When Mark tells us that Jesus spent his last few days on earth “teaching in the temple courts” (Mark 12:35), this should not surprise us.

Jesus spent much time teaching and preaching to the masses. He wanted everyone to have opportunity to hear his message. Inside and outside, small towns and big cities. If you wanted to hear Jesus speak, there would have been many opportunities to do so.

He taught his inner circle. And he also spent much quality time with just his disciples, especially toward the end of his ministry. “He then began to teach them (the disciples) that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected . . . and that he must be killed and after three days rise again” (Mark 8:31).

As his crucifixion drew nearer, Jesus made time alone with the disciples a priority — away from the crowds — specifically for the purpose of teaching them about his death and resurrection. “Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, ‘The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise'” (Mark 9:31-32).

Make no mistake about it. Jesus was known first and foremost as “The Teacher,” a title used of him over 40 times in the gospels. And he spent time teaching his followers about the most important event in his life and in the history of the world: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

Unfortunately, “they (his disciples) did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it” (Mark 9:32).

What about you? Do you understand the meaning of the death and resurrection of Jesus? What did Jesus mean when he said that the purpose of his coming was “to give his life as a ransom for many”?

If you are not sure what Jesus meant, please don’t be afraid to “ask him about it.” By reading and studying the Bible, you can go to Jesus himself and listen to him delineate the meaning and significance of his death, for your eternal destiny depends on it. The book of Mark is a good place to start. After that, I recommend the books of Romans and Galatians to better understand the Gospel.

Jesus is King of kings, Lord of lords, and the one and only God-Man. He is also the greatest Teacher to ever walk on this planet.

What is he teaching you today?

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How to Sit at the Feet of Jesus

Posted on August 20, 2021 by Wayne Davies


I’ve been reading Psalm 119 lately. Here’s a verse that leaped off the page and penetrated my heart:

“I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me” (Psalm 119:102).

The psalmist says that God Himself was his Teacher. What a wonderful thought!

Isn’t this what should happen when we read the Bible? We open the Book, fill our minds with divinely inspired words of life, and God Himself teaches us how to live for His glory.

In Luke 10:38-42, isn’t this why Jesus commended Mary instead of her sister Martha?

38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Mary “sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said.” Martha was distracted, “worried and upset about many things.” What a study in contrast.

In your own life recently, have you been more like Mary or Martha?

Do you set aside time regularly, even daily, to sit at the feet of Jesus, listening to Him through the written Word of God? Or have “all the preparations” of life pulled you away from Jesus and His teaching ministry that is indispensable to your spiritual growth?

Either way, if you are looking for a surefire way to enrich your time in the Word, I recommend reading and meditating on Psalm 119. To help you navigate your way through this passage, I’ve written a short book entitled Sweeter Than Honey, More Precious Than Gold: Meditations on Psalm 119. Here you’ll find guidance on how to read one of the most-loved chapters of the Bible in such a way that your love for Jesus as Teacher will be enhanced. It’s available on Amazon in both Kindle and paperback, or you can get a free downloadable PDF copy here: www.GodWroteTheBook.com.

You can also check out the companion resource, Sweeter Than Honey, More Precious Than Gold Workbook: A 22-Day Journey Through Psalm 119, which is available on Amazon here:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1532910053/

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How to Celebrate Thanksgiving in August

Posted on August 15, 2021 by Wayne Davies

In the U.S. we celebrate Thanksgiving in November.

But for the Christian, every day is a day to give thanks. Amen?

I like the way Psalm 147:7-9 puts it:

 

“Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; Make music to our God on the harp. He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills. He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call.”

Simple words, are they not? But how profound, how meaningful, how true.

The psalms are filled with commands to praise God with our voices. It’s good to remember to whom we are singing. We don’t sing to ourselves, we don’t sing to the person sitting next to us. Who do we sing to?  We sing to the LORD.

And how do we sing? With thanksgiving.

(I’m quoting the 1978 NIV. The most recent NIV replaces “thanksgiving” with the phrase “grateful praise,” and I’m thankful that the idea of thanksgiving, via the word grateful, is still included.)

But why? Why should we sing with thanksgiving? What are we thankful for?

Verse 8 gives us one compelling reason. We sing with thanksgiving because God “covers the sky with clouds. He supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills.”

This is not brain surgery. This is easy to understand.

God is in control of this planet. He’s in control of the weather. He puts the clouds in the sky and when’s He’s good and ready, He makes it rain and causes every plant to grow –the trees, the flowers, the grass. And all the fruits, vegetables and grains that we eat to stay alive.

Jesus said it like this, in Matthew 5:45. “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”

And because He does all that, you were able to wake up this morning, and live this day, and open this email and read about the grace of God.  Without God covering the sky with clouds, without God sending rain to make the crops grow, we wouldn’t have coffee beans and bananas and bread, or anything else we need to exist.

David said it like this: “The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing” (Psalm 145:15-16). From His hand to our mouth, everything we eat and drink comes from our Good Shepherd, the One who makes us lie down in green pastures and leads us beside quiet waters (Psalm 23:2-3).

Would you join me today in giving thanks to the Great Provider?

And if you’re so inclined, feel free to leave a comment below to let me know what you’re thanking God for today. I’d love to hear from you.

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Three Reasons to Rejoice In God (Thoughts on Psalm 47)

Posted on July 31, 2021 by Wayne Davies

Looking for reasons to be joyful today?

Look no further than the psalms, which are filled with exhortations for the people of God to rejoice in the presence of God — to be glad in Him, to experience delight because of who He is, what He has done, and what He will continue to do.

Psalm 47 begins with a compelling and universal call to joy: “Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. For the LORD Most High is awesome, the great King over all the earth” (Psalm 47:1-2).

There are many reasons for Christians to rejoice. God is so good – He rarely tells us to do something without also providing a holy motive to do it. He wants us to know why the command to be joyful has been issued, as indicated by the key word “for” at beginning of verse 2, which means “because.”

These opening verses of Psalm 47 give us at least three reasons to lift our voices with joy to God, and they center on who God and what He is doing.

Reason #1: The Supreme Position of God
We can rejoice because our God is “the LORD Most High.” We serve the one and only true God. But He has much competition. Our rebellious nature has resulted in the creation of countless false gods, from the physical idols of wood, metal and stone so common in biblical times, to the more subtle yet equally profane idols of modern society, such as money and possessions, pleasure and entertainment, power and popularity.

God does not tolerate our idolatry. Immediately prior to bringing the Israelites into Canaan, He commanded them to “Destroy completely all the places on the high mountains, on the hills and under every spreading tree, where the nations you are dispossessing worship their gods. Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and burn their Asherah poles in the fire; cut down the idols of their gods and wipe out their names from those places” (Deuteronomy 12:2-3). This is the practical application of the first of the Ten Commandments, “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3).

And some 1,500 later, God continues to steer His people away from the temptation to replace Him with the vain imaginations of our evil hearts, as the Apostle John ends his first letter with these words, “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21), for “He is the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:20).

Yes, the lure of counterfeit gods surrounds us every day. The antidote to idolatry is to focus on the matchless supremacy of the LORD Most High. By meditating on His transcendence, we can live in the heavenly places of Colossians 3:1-2 and “set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

Reason #2: The Awesome Wrath & Grace of God
The Bible is filled with breathtaking adjectives that describe God. Here is one of my favorites: “The LORD Most High is awesome” (Psalm 47:2). This Hebrew word has a wide range of meaning, as demonstrated by the diverse ways it is rendered in various Bible versions. Consider these other translations: “the Most High is awe-inspiring” (HCSB); “the Most High is to be feared” (ESV and NASB); “the LORD most high is terrible” (KJV). Yes, in 1611 the King James Version used the word “terrible” to describe our God.

And for good reason. When you consider the never-ending wrath of God that awaits unrepentant and idolatrous sinners, isn’t the eternal destiny of hell the most horrific fate imaginable? Yes, God is terrible . . . for those who refuse to believe in Him, submit to Him, and worship Him.

For those of us who have humbled ourselves before the throne of grace, all things do work together for our good in both this life and the next (per Romans 8:28). But for the rest of the human race, the terror of God will be all they know on Judgment Day and forever.

The wrath of God gives us reason to be in awe of Him, because God’s saving grace in Christ has rescued us from that terror. Because of the death of His Son, He has delivered us from His wrath, and therefore we are awestruck and flabbergasted. His unfailing love takes our breath away. Surely this is reason to rejoice every day!

Reason #3: The Holy Reign of God
Our God is nothing less than “the great King over all the earth” (Psalm 47:2). The kingdom of God is prominent in this psalm, for verses 6, 7 and 8 return to this theme. “Sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth; sing to Him a psalm of praise. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne.”

In the presence of such glorious royalty, we show the utmost respect, honor and admiration. We bow down before Him. We prostrate ourselves in His presence, well aware of our unworthiness, yet here we are, blown away by His majesty – all because His holy throne is also a throne of grace.

Yes, God is the sovereign ruler of the universe. He reigns over everyone and everything, whether we acknowledge it or not. Be not dismayed by what is reported in the news media on a daily basis — the Lord is in charge. He has ultimate authority and is in complete control of history. He reigns supreme because He is supreme.

Obviously, with the condition of the world the way it is, it doesn’t necessarily look like God is sitting on a holy throne. But for those with eyes of faith, we can see that Jesus is fulfilling every promise He has made, and that one day “every tongue will acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:11). In every way, King Jesus is the best, the strongest, the wisest and the most beautiful Person in the universe. No one else comes close. He’s in a class by Himself, a league all His own, because He is the LORD Most High, the awesome One, the great King of the cosmos.

These are three great reasons to rejoice in God. Today, and every day, may we lift our hearts and our voices in joyful adoration to the King of kings and Lord of lords.

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What Is the Best Thing in Life?

Posted on July 29, 2021 by Wayne Davies

In July 2020 one of my spiritual mentors died.

J.I. Packer passed away and I recall vividly how sad I was to hear the news. But through the many books he wrote, his ministry of Christ-exalting Bible teaching continues. His best-selling Knowing God has had tremendous impact on me; it is the only Christian book (other than the Bible) that I’ve read more than twice.

For the one-year anniversary of his death, Sam Storms has written an excellent article, “J.I. Packer on the Hub of the Christian Life.” Please take a few minutes to read it and you’ll be blessed.

You’ll find answers to these questions:

1-According to Packer, what is the best thing in life, bringing more joy, delight and contentment than anything else?

2-Why study God?

3-What does the activity of knowing God involve?

4-Why did Packer say that God “does not exist for our sake, but we for his”?

You can access this article here:
https://www.crossway.org/articles/j-i-packer-on-the-hub-of-christian-life/

For more of what I have learned from Packer’s Knowing God, visit:
https://godwrotethebook.com/category/knowing-god/

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Who Made God?

Posted on July 25, 2021 by Wayne Davies

One of the best questions a child can ask is, “Who made God?”

Or how about this one: “Where did God come from?”

These are great questions that a person of any age can ask, don’t you think?

Fortunately, the Bible provides an answer that theologians call the self-existence of God.

 

The wonder of God’s greatness is beyond the limits of our finite minds. Yet God wants us to know Him to the extent we are able. He desires that we “Be still, and know that I am God “(Psalm 46:10). This is why the Bible is filled with profound statements that tell us who God is and what He is like. So let’s take a closer look at one of my favorite truths about God: His eternal self-existence.

The Reality of God’s Self-Existence
God has always existed. He is eternal, and His eternality extends into the past as well as the future. I think we have an easier time thinking about the never-ending future existence of God, mainly because “God has given us eternal life” (1 John 5:11). We will live with God forever because God lives forever. Of course, even this future aspect of eternal life is mind-boggling and way beyond our mental ability to comprehend. But even more difficult to grasp is the truth that God has always existed in the past.

Please join me in this brain-bending exercise: meditate on the fact that God has no beginning. He is uncreated. No one or no thing made God because God always was. We don’t have a category for this. Everything and everyone in the world has a beginning, a point in time when it came into existence. But not God. He has always been.

A.W. Tozer comments on the mystery of God’s eternality and the challenge we face in our attempt to understand it: “To think steadily of that to which the idea of origin cannot apply is not easy, if indeed it is possible at all . . . The human mind, being created, has an understandable uneasiness about the Uncreated. We do not find it comfortable to allow for the presence of One who is wholly outside of the circle of our familiar knowledge. We tend to be disquieted by the thought of One who does not account to us for His being, who is responsible to no one, who is self-existent, self-dependent and self-sufficient” (The Knowledge of the Holy).

We know God has no origin because this is what Scripture teaches. Moses begins Psalm 90 with these words:

1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

It’s that last part of verse 2 that makes our heads spin. “From everlasting” God has been God. The Common English Bible translates this as “from forever in the past to forever in the future, you are God.” Psalm 93:2 is equally clear: “Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting.” Or as the NIV puts it, “you are from all eternity.”

The Reason for God’s Self-Existence
God has always existed because God is life. This amazing truth is also revealed in the Bible. When God spoke to Moses in the burning bush He told him that “I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go, I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:9-10).

Moses’ response to God’s command was less than enthusiastic, so he said, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” (Exodus 3:13).

God then said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ God also said to Moses, ‘Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers – the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob – has sent me to you. This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation” (Exodus 3:14-15).

The Hebrew word for “LORD” (in all capital letters) is Yahweh, and it literally means “I am.” This is the most common word for God in the Bible, used over 6,800 times in the Old Testament! We must not miss the significance of this – God has a name (just like you have a name), and His name is based on the truth of His eternal self-existence. Every time we read the word “LORD” in the Old Testament, we should be reminded that our God is the source and fountain of life, because He is life itself. He is the only self-sufficient, self-sustaining being in the universe, dependent on no one else and therefore the only truly independent Person.

The Gospel of John makes this truth about God’s self-existence abundantly clear:
In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind (1:4);
For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son also to have life in Himself (5:26);
I am the resurrection and the life (11:25);
I am the way, the truth and the life (14:6).

The Overflow of God’s Self-Existence
The implications of God’s self-existence should humble us. The only reason we exist is because God exists. He is life itself and has chosen to give life to us. Every breath we take and every move we make is because of His sustaining power. We would not be here if God had not brought us into being. And we would not continue to live another second were it not for the grace of God.

He made us, and He upholds us. God is the only reason we are alive today. And only because of His mercy will you wake up again tomorrow. Let the goodness of God, as manifested in the provision of our daily existence, take your breath away. “In Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).

Our Response to God’s Self-Existence
In light of this amazing truth, how do we then live? What effect should the self-existence of God have on us? It should bring us to our knees in worship of the living God. This is the only appropriate response!

John had a vision of God on His throne in heaven. Angels are worshipping Him, and this is what they are proclaiming day and night: “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” (Revelation 4:8). God was. He “was” in the sense that He always was. There has never been a time when God was not God. This should evoke endless praise and adoration of the great I AM.

While these angelic beings “give glory, honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever,” the 24 elders, representative of God’s people, join the celebration and “fall down before Him . . . and worship Him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say, ‘You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being’” (Revelation 4:9-11).

Looking for a reason to glorify God today? Look no further than the beating heart in your chest. If you are alive and can read these words, you have every reason to worship King Jesus, “the author of life” (Acts 3:15) and the lover of your soul.

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