God’s Amazing Grace and My Bad Back

Posted on October 5, 2025 by Wayne Davies

Many thanks for your prayers for me over the past few days.

On Tuesday, September 30, I had lower back fusion surgery at Parkview Ortho Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

My surgeon said that the procedure went well. He successfully removed two severely degenerated discs (L4-L5 and L5-S1) and replaced them with a medical device known as a “cage” filled with bone marrow extracted from my pelvic bone.

 

Over the next several months, Lord willing, the transplanted bone will fuse together the existing vertebrae and stabilize the spine.

This is the grace of God on display through modern medicine. Amen?

My prayer continues to be “God’s will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

After three days in the hospital, I am recovering at home with the world’s best nurse (my wife Julie), resting and managing the discomfort of a procedure that required 35 staples to close 5 incisions. I will start physical therapy next week to regain strength and mobility.

I am asking that you keep praying for me as the healing process continues in the months to come.

May God’s presence and peace be my portion.

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A Prayer Request

Posted on September 28, 2025 by Wayne Davies

I am writing this blog post to ask for your prayers.

On Tuesday, September 30, I’m having lower back fusion surgery here in Fort Wayne.

I’ve had chronic back pain for years from degenerative disc disease and spinal stenosis. Non-invasive medical treatments have not helped.

Pray that God’s will be done.

Pray for the surgeons and those who assist them.

Pray for my wife Julie; she’ll be taking care of me while I recover.

I am both nervous and content, anxious yet at peace. Ever have days like that?

God has used this condition to sanctify me and draw me closer to Him. Yes, I must admit, my bad back has been for my good, per Romans 8:28. It’s a paradox of biblical proportions. Pray that I experience the presence and peace of God while I wait on Him.

I’ll keep you posted. Thanks for reading this, and for your prayers.

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Who Is Charlie Kirk?

Posted on September 23, 2025 by Wayne Davies

My wife and I were eating dinner on September 10, and she asked,

“Did you hear that Charlie Kirk was killed today?”

I had never heard of him, so I wondered,
“Who is Charlie Kirk?”

It didn’t take long for me to find out. His assassination was the lead story on the national news that night, and within the next few days, I received emails from several evangelical leaders all about Charlie, including Mike Winger of BibleThinker.org, Greg Koukl of str.org, and Tim Challies of Challies.com.

(See below for links to their comments about Charlie.)

Now I know who he was.

Yes, he was a conservative political activist and a brilliant debater.

But he was much more than that.

Charlie Kirk was an ambassador for Jesus Christ – an intelligent, articulate, and bold representative of the King of kings.

“We are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.  For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
2 Corinthians 5:20-21

What did he believe?

You can watch this 2-minute video to find out, in his own words, what he believed about himself, the Bible, Jesus Christ, and the resurrection.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1124891729008737

May we all live with the loving courage of Charlie Kirk.

“I’m a sinner . . . Jesus saved my life . . . I believe the Bible is true and real.”
— Charlie Kirk

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.”
— 1 Peter 4:12-13

For Mike Winger’s comments on Charlie Kirk, check out this podcast:
“Why I Deeply Respect Charlie Kirk”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxVxkuoKW_Y&t=1881s

For Greg Koukl’s comments on Charlie Kirk, check out this podcast:
“Three Things to Remember in Light of Charlie Kirk’s Death”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scxDXchikTc

For an excellent list of articles on Charlie Kirk compiled by blogger Tim Challies:
“One Week Later: Thoughtful Christian Responses To Charlie Kirk’s Death”
https://www.challies.com/articles/one-week-later-thoughtful-responses-to-charlie-kirks-death/

 

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A Thank You Psalm for You

Posted on September 16, 2025 by Wayne Davies

A couple of years ago, I was reading Psalm 75 and decided to memorize verse one:

“We give thanks to you, O God;
we give thanks, for your name is near.”
Psalm 75:1

 

After meditating on this verse for some time, I paraphrased it into a poem:

Thank you, Lord, for you are with me
Thank you, Lord, for you are here
Thank you, Lord, you’ll never leave me
Thank you, Lord, your name is near.

This verse and these words became a treasure for my soul. I have repeated them countless times.

If I could cry words instead of tears, this is what would come out of my eyes.

Then one day I realized, unexpectedly, that this four-line poem could be sung to the tune of “Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus.” I had no idea that this was the case, but it worked.

So I’ve been singing it that way ever since. Give it a try!

A few months later, I decided to write more verses and came up with five more. Again, all of them can be sung to the tune of “Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus.” Here they are:

Thank You, Lord
by Wayne Davies

1. Thank you, Lord, for you are with me
Thank you, Lord, for you are here
Thank you, Lord, you’ll never leave me
Thank you, Lord, your name is near.

2. Praise you, Lord, for you are holy
Praise you, Lord, for you are sweet
Praise you, Lord, you’ll always love me
Praise you, Lord, we soon will meet.

3. Exalt you, Lord, for you are gracious
Exalt you, Lord, for you are kind
Exalt you, Lord, your Word is flawless
Exalt you, Lord, renew my mind.

4. Save me, Lord, I need your mercy
Save me, Lord, or else I die
Save me, Lord, I’m lost without you
Save me, Lord, this is my cry.

5. Teach me, Lord, so I can trust you
Teach me, Lord, to love you more
Teach me, Lord, I long to know you
Teach me, Lord, for you I adore.

6. Change me, Lord, make me like Jesus
Change me, Lord, revive my soul
Change me, Lord, your Word is mighty
Change me, Lord, and make me whole.

So that’s how I wrote my first psalm. I wasn’t really trying to do this. It just happened. I thank God that it did. The creative process is a big mystery to me. I do know that it’s all by grace.

I was wondering if you could help me make a couple of final tweaks . . .

What should the title be? I’ve been calling it “Thank You, Lord.” Does that seem appropriate? Or can you think of something else?

And what should the order of verses be? I like verse 1 being the first verse. But would it make sense to change the order of the remaining verses?

Let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

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A Short Bible Study on God

Posted on September 9, 2025 by Wayne Davies

I’d like to share a few verses with you about God.

They share a common theme: what God is like.

To love and worship God properly, we need to know what He is like.

Let’s start with Psalm 113:4-6. Here are three verses about our incredible God:

4 The LORD is high above all nations,
and his glory above the heavens!
5 Who is like the LORD our God,
who is seated on high,
6 who looks far down
on the heavens and the earth?
Psalm 113:4-6

What is God like? This passage teaches us the breathtaking truth that God is incomparable. He is in a league of his own. No one else and nothing else even comes close. The psalmist presents this truth in the form of a question: “Who is like the LORD our God?” (v. 5a).

This question is not original with the author of Psalm 113. It appears repeatedly in Scripture. We don’t know the name of this psalmist, but we do know the names of other Old Testament believers who asked this question.

Exodus 15:11 – MOSES asked this question.
Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods?
Who is like you, majestic in holiness,
awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?

Psalm 35:10 – DAVID asked this question.
All my bones shall say,
“O Lord, who is like you,
delivering the poor
from him who is too strong for him,
the poor and needy from him who robs him?”

Psalm 89:6-7 – ETHAN asked this question.
6 For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord?
Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord,
7 a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones,
and awesome above all who are around him?

Isaiah 40:18 – ISAIAH asked this question.
To whom then will you liken God,
    or what likeness compare with him?

There is one more Person who asks this question.

Jeremiah 50:44 – GOD HIMSELF asked this question.
For who is like me? Who will summon me? What shepherd can stand before me?

This is a rhetorical question – the answer is so obvious, the speakers don’t even give the answer.

There are other verses that do answer this question, presenting the truth of God’s incomparability as a statement rather than a question.

Exodus 8:10 — MOSES
Moses said, “Be it as you say, so that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God.

2 Samuel 7:22 — DAVID
Therefore you are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

2 Chronicles 6:14 — SOLOMON
O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven or on earth, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart.

What is God like? He is incomparable. He’s in a class by Himself.

This is reason to worship Him and only Him . . . forever!

Or right now.

Before you do anything else, why not take a few moments to express your praise and adoration to the One who is unlike anyone? There is no better way to spend your time. Amen?

For more short Bible studies, click HERE.

Posted in A Short Bible Study, Attributes of God, Bible study, Thoughts About God, Thoughts on the Psalms | Leave a comment

How the Bible Solves Your Biggest Problem

Posted on September 6, 2025 by Wayne Davies

I have good news to share with you . . .

My 16th Christian book has been released on Amazon and is now available in Kindle and paperback formats.

Here’s more good news . . . the Kindle version is free.

CLICK HERE to get your copy.

Here’s what one reader says:

“Thank you for the opportunity to review your book.  I love it!  I love truth and you have presented it so well.

“What I liked is that the analogies are so relatable; the thorough explanations; the helpful definitions. It is easy to read and friendly–not textbook style. You do not ‘talk down’, you’re on my side; you are real, including your own thoughts and actions (this is a great aspect of your writing).

“It was very helpful that you gave a review/summary of the previous topic before you moved on. It was helpful, too, that you referred back to Scripture you had shared in a previous section.

“How did I benefit? I am encouraged! I know I won’t be perfect this side of heaven, but it’s an honor to be chosen, and through His grace, I can live a life that glorifies Him!!  I am reminded and so grateful for the treasure I have–a life of hope and joy thru my Savior.”
— Cindy G.

The purpose of this little book is to answer three big questions:

  1. What does the Bible do – both to you and for you?
  2. According to the Bible, what is your biggest problem?
  3. How does the Bible provide the only solution to that problem?

Since the subject of this mini-book is the world’s best-selling Book of all time, you’ll find plenty of Bible passages that provide the answers to these three questions — over 100 verses are quoted, mentioned, or explained, starting with Hebrews 4:12-13.

Why so many verses? Because the best commentary on the Bible is the Bible, or as Martin Luther said, “Scripture is its own light.”

We have many problems. Shouldn’t we take time to hear what God says about solving the most important one?

Get your copy today!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0FNKQVMS5

To read an excerpt, check out this blog post:
What’s In Your Heart?
https://godwrotethebook.com/whats-in-your-heart/

“Scripture throughout. A clear explanation of the soul/spirit/heart/mind . . . the real me.”
— Marilyn Hoffman

Posted in Book Reviews, Evangelism, Free Books & Other Resources, Heaven and Hell, What the Bible Says | Leave a comment

The Bible’s Greatest Love Story

Posted on August 25, 2025 by Wayne Davies

Do you love a good love story?

Here’s one that I just read last week . . .

Enjoy!

 

“There is no greater love story. The Judge of the universe chased after those who rebelled against Him. People made themselves God’s enemies by rejecting His rule and following their own desires. Yet God so loves His enemies that He sent His Son to pay the penalty for their crimes. God’s wrath was satisfied as Jesus hung on the cross. Through His death, believers are cleared of their sin and reconciled to the God they once rejected. This makes God both fair and forgiving, just and justifier (see Romans 3:21-26). He is just because His judgment against our sin was carried out. We are justified because His innocent Son suffered on our behalf.

“As I write this, it feels cheap. I’m trying to describe something so sacred with lifeless words on a page. My words feel so subdued. So sterile. I want to stop writing, stare you in the face, and scream: Jesus died! He chose the most grueling death to bring you to God! Everything is changed! You and I were destined for a horrifying encounter with God – we were “objects of wrath” (Ephesians 2:3) – but that has all changed! Death no longer scares me! I can’t wait to die! Thank you Jesus!!”

I love a biblically sound explanation of the Gospel. And you just read one.

I also love when people get excited about the Gospel. And those who wrote the above two paragraphs are enthusiastic about what God has done for sinners like me and you.

This is an excerpt from the book, You and Me Forever: Marriage in Light of Eternity, by Francis and Lisa Chan. My wife and I have been reading this book together.

Does it surprise you to find such a wonderful presentation of the Gospel in a book about marriage?

I was. But now that we’ve read a few chapters, it makes sense.

The authors’ premise is this:

The best way to work on your marriage is to work on your relationship with God. To increase your love for your spouse, increase your love for God.

Something for you to ponder today.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33)

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How to See the Invisible God

Posted on August 18, 2025 by Wayne Davies

Jesus told His disciples,
“Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they shall see God.”
(Matthew 5:8)

Jesus also said,
“No one has seen the Father.”
(John 6:46)

Why has no human being ever seen God the Father? Because “God is spirit” (John 4:24), He is invisible. He does not have a physical body.

The New Testament teaches these truths repeatedly:

“To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Timothy 1:17)

“He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see.” (1 Timothy 6:15-16)

“By faith he (Moses) left Egypt, not being afraid of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.” (Hebrews 11:27)

The Bible is a Book of paradoxes, and this is one of them. How can we see the invisible God? If we cannot see God, how can we know Him?

Fortunately, our compassionate God has provided a solution in Jesus!

“No one has ever seen God; God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.” (John 1:18)

This is why Jesus told Phillip, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9)

Ah, this is Good News indeed! We can see and know God the Father by seeing and knowing God the Son. Thanks be to God for sending His Son to reveal the Father – for only Jesus is . . .

“The image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15).

And only Jesus is . . .

“The radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature” (Hebrews 1:3).

This is reason to rejoice:

According to John 1:18, the Son has “made known” the Father. The verb “made known” means “to interpret, explain, exposit, or expound. The Son explains God to us through His life and His teaching. The NET Bible provides us with a very useful translation: No one has ever seen God. The only one, himself God, who is in closest fellowship with the Father, has made God known.” (Paul Washer, Knowing the Living God).

Because of the work of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, we can see the invisible God, and by seeing Him as He really is, we can know Him, worship Him, and be satisfied in Him.

May it be so, today and forever.

NOTE: Paul Washer’s book, Knowing the Living God, is available for free as a PDF download HERE.

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The Purpose of Bible Reading 101

Posted on August 11, 2025 by Wayne Davies


I’d like you to read something I wrote about 10 years ago.

I need to heed my own advice, so I read it again this morning.

Here it is:

For many Christians, reading the Bible is critical. We call it our “Quiet Time,” and we go to great lengths to make sure we have it. We want to read, study, and meditate on the Word, for it is our daily bread.

Did not Jesus himself say that “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God”? (Matthew 4:4).

There is a danger to avoid, however, when we read the Bible — treating Bible time as an end in itself rather than the longing of a seeking heart to experience and enjoy intimacy with God.

Psalm 119:2 speaks to this issue –

“Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart“.

And so we must regularly examine ourselves and our motives. I’m writing this to challenge you and me to ask ourselves the question, “Why do I read the Bible?”

“Do I read the Bible merely to acquire knowledge that becomes a badge of pride, a way to impress my Christian friends, a means to receive praise from others?”

If that is the case, Bible time has little to do with seeking God. Rather, it has everything to do with me – my self-seeking, self-absorbed agenda of pleasing others so I can be viewed as spiritually mature, when in fact I may be anything but that.

If this is an area you struggle with, I’d like to encourage you to spend time in prayer about it. Confess the sin of Bible knowledge as an end in itself and ask God to instill in you a greater desire to spend time in the Word because you want to spend time with him.

Focus on the fact that being a Christian is first and foremost an intimate relationship with your Maker. And this relationship, like any good relationship, is characterized by communication between two people – you and your God. This communication must be a two-way street. We communicate to God through prayer, and he communicates to us through the Bible.

God wants to speak to us through His Word. When we read the Bible, we have the wonderful privilege of hearing what he has to say.  And when we listen, with a humble heart and an open mind, there is a communion that takes place that satisfies the soul and brings us into the very presence of King Jesus.

Oh that this would be the cry of our hearts every time we open the Word and read it: “I seek you with all my heart . . . Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain” (Psalm 119: 10, 36).

If what you just read resonates in your heart, let me know by leaving a comment below.

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John MacArthur and His Critics

Posted on August 6, 2025 by Wayne Davies

This post is a tribute to long-time pastor and prolific author John MacArthur, who died on July 14, 2025, at the age of 86.

How many years does it take to be considered a “long-time” pastor? How about 55 years – all at the same church (Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California).

During that time, he preached over 3,000 sermons, all of which are available for free in downloadable PDF and MP3 formats at gty.org. Or you can just listen to them on the website.

Most of these sermons are verse-by-verse expositions of all 27 books of the New Testament. I have listened to many of them on my daily walks in the neighborhood. Two of my favorites are “Which Way to Heaven?” (Matthew 7:13-14) and “Fifteen Words of Hope” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

How many books do you have to write to be called a “prolific” author? How about 100+ and counting.

You can check them out at Amazon. My favorite is The Gospel According to Jesus. This book turned my theology on its head and taught me much about the meaning of the gospel.

For a free paperback copy of one of MacArthur’s books, visit:
https://www.gty.org/free-offer/25WS0009

MacArthur was also controversial. He had his critics. On spiritual gifts, he was a cessationist and received much wrath from the Charismatic Movement. On the Lordship Salvation issue, he taught that if Jesus wasn’t your Lord, then He wasn’t your Savior either. On the role of women, he was a complementarian; I’ve heard him say, “A church with a woman pastor is a church without a pastor.” (For more MacArthur quotes, see below.)

Through it all, he was a faithful Bible teacher. I thank the Lord for him and the way God has used him in my life.

John MacArthur Quotes:

“On the cross God looked at Christ and saw you, now he looks at you and sees Christ.”

“If you could lose your salvation, you would.”

“He loves us not because there is something in us that attracts Him to us; He loves us because He determined to love us in spite of our unattractiveness … It’s a love we don’t deserve, a love that will never end. It’s a love that perseveres even when we fail Him.”

“The dammed think they are good. The saved know they are wicked.
The damned believe the kingdom of God is for those worthy of it. The saved know the kingdom of God is for those who realize how unworthy they are.
The damned believe eternal life is earned. The saved know it is a gift.
The damned seek God’s commendation. The saved seek His forgiveness.”

“God must open the eyes of our understanding before we can truly know and rightly interpret His truth. His truth is available only to those with a regenerate spirit and in whom His Spirit dwells, for only the Spirit can illumine Scripture. Just as the physically blind cannot see the sun, the spiritually blind cannot see the Son. Both lack proper illumination.”

Source: https://www.monergism.com/dr-john-macarthur
This link provides an excellent overview of various biblical topics that John MacArthur has preached on and/or written about, with links to resources, both free and for sale.

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