What It Means to Love God

Posted on November 10, 2025 by Wayne Davies


One of the Bible’s best-known verses is certainly one of my favorites.

Perhaps it is also one of yours:

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
Romans 8:28 NASB

If I love God, everything that happens in my life is for my good. Everything I experience – the good, the bad, and the ugly – is for my benefit and God’s glory.

Everything.

That’s quite a promise.

But like many of God’s promises, it has a condition. It only applies to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. This promise is only for genuine believers in and lovers of God.

If I don’t love God, then everything in my life will not be for my good.

This raises the question: What does it mean to love God?

I like John Piper’s answer, from his sermon “All Things for Good, Part 1.” (See below for a link.)

“Loving God is desiring God himself beyond his gifts.
Loving God is treasuring God himself beyond his gifts.
Love for God is delighting in God himself beyond his gifts.
Love for God is being satisfied in God himself beyond his gifts.
Love for God is cherishing God himself beyond his gifts.
Love for God is savoring God himself beyond his gifts.
Love for God is valuing God and prizing God and revering God and admiring God beyond his gifts.”

“All these words are grasping for that essential response of the heart to the revelation of the glory of God, especially in Christ through the gospel. It is a glad reflex of the heart to all that God is for us in Christ.”

Love for God happens first and foremost in the heart. Those ten verbs capture well what should be happening in my heart – not perfectly, but consistently and increasingly – as I grow to love Jesus more and more.

By His Spirit, may God enable us to cultivate this kind of love for Him and His Son, for “If anyone does not love the Lord, he is to be accursed.” (1 Corinthians 16:22 NASB)

EDITOR’S NOTE:
All Things for Good, Part 1, a sermon by John Piper, is available for free in text and MP3 formats here:
https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/all-things-for-good-part-1

This is Part 1 of a 3-part sermon series on Romans 8:28. I have benefited greatly from all three sermons. I highly recommend that you listen to and/or read all of them.  You’ll find links to Part 2 and Part 3 in the link above.

Posted in Greatest Commandment | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Thoughts on the Saving Power of God

Posted on November 3, 2025 by Wayne Davies


I continue to spend time studying and meditating on the character of God.

Is there a better way to experience ultimate reality?

Paul Washer has been my primary guide. Knowing the Living God provides a treasure chest of passages on dozens of God’s attributes.

I’ve also been reading Steven Lawson’s Show Me Your Glory, another excellent resource for those eager to know God more deeply.

Over the past week, the omnipotence of God has taken center stage in my heart and mind.

Here’s what Dr. Lawson says about God’s power to save sinners like me and you.

“This omnipotent God is also mighty to save sinners from His wrath. In the conversion of His elect, He is able to overcome their natural resistance to the gospel and bring them to faith in Christ. Concerning salvation, Jesus said, ‘With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible’ (Matt. 19:26).

“Entrance into the kingdom of God is unattainable for any individual apart from the might of God. But what is unachievable to man is undeniably possible for God. No one lives beyond the saving power of God. The Almighty can break open the hardest heart and rescue the chief of sinners (1 Tim. 1:15).

“Divine omnipotence can cause spiritually blind eyes to see the truth (John 9:11, 39), and spiritually deaf ears to hear the effectual call (John 5:20; 10:3, 27).

“God is more than able to dynamically raise those who are dead in their trespasses to new life in Christ (Eph. 2:1 5). He can subdue the most stiff-necked person and bring him to faith. He is mighty to guard every believer and fulfill every prophecy. He is able to do far beyond anything we can possibly imagine.”

This description of what God does to rescue rebels from the clutches of sin, death, and eternal destruction makes my heart soar with praise to the only One who can save.

For years, my heart was as hard as a rock. My eyes, blind. My ears, deaf. My neck, stiff. I was spiritually dead until Jesus raised me to life. By the power of Almighty God, this is what He does to and for all believers: “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son” (Colossians 1:13).

Only God has that power. Aren’t you glad He does?

Have you experienced the infinite, captivating power of God?

If so, let me know by leaving a comment below. I’d love to hear about it.

Posted in Attributes of God, Thoughts About God | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Meaning of Romans 8:28

Posted on October 26, 2025 by Wayne Davies


Do you treasure Romans 8:28?

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (NASB)

If so, then you’ll benefit greatly from the following book, for here you’ll find 100+ pages that explain the meaning of this one verse:

All Things for Good, by Thomas Watson, is available for 99 cents in Kindle format here:
https://www.amazon.com/All-Things-Good-Thomas-Watson-ebook/dp/B0C9LK9RDR

I have been reading this book and give it my highest recommendation.

It is also available for free in PDF and ePUB formats here:
https://www.monergism.com/all-things-good-ebook

Enjoy!

Posted in Book Reviews, Free Books & Other Resources | Tagged , | Leave a comment

How to Hear the Voice of God

Posted on October 19, 2025 by Wayne Davies

What a privilege it is to hear the voice of God.

We never have to wonder, “Was that God talking to me, or the devil?”

This is breathtaking: we open His infallible Word and He speaks to us. His words are there, in written form, for all to read and digest.

But there’s more . . .

We can also be sure that everything God says is true because “God never lies” (Titus 1:2).

God will never be unfaithful to His Word. He will never break a promise. He will never fail to do what He said He would do because “He remains faithful – for He cannot deny Himself” (1 Timothy 2:13).

Yes, there are things that God cannot do. This is one of them: He cannot contradict or violate His own character.

This is huge. This is comforting. This brings peace to my unsettled soul.

Because I am listening to the voice of God through the Word of God, I am tasting the goodness of God. He is teaching me, and my anxious heart calms down. My worries melt away in the warm and gentle sunlight of God’s presence.

I shed tears of joy and gratitude because now He is with me. The Teacher is explaining the meaning of His Word in a way that makes sense. And I am no longer stressed out, on edge, or distraught.

My Shepherd has enabled me to lie down in a green pasture where I can eat and be satisfied in Him.

He has led me to still waters so I can drink deeply, quenching the thirst of my parched heart.

God is at work in me! And once again, I am no longer troubled because He has restored my soul by renewing my mind with His truth.

What a God. What a Book. What a Life.

What happened to Jeremiah has happened to me. Oh that it would happen with the same level of clarity and intensity every time.

“Your words were found, and I ate them,
and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart.”
Jeremiah 15:16

Does it ever happen to you? If so, share your joy and let me know by leaving a comment below.

Posted in Attributes of God, Bible reading | Leave a comment

Who Is Like the Lord Our God?

Posted on October 12, 2025 by Wayne Davies

I’m thanking God today because, as I look back over the past few months, I realize that my desire to know God has been increasing. This is evidence of God at work in me.

I’ve been studying the attributes of God by working my way through a Bible study entitled Knowing the Living God, by Paul Washer. I give it five stars without hesitation. (See the link below to get yourself a free copy.)

The past week, I’ve been immersed in chapter 10: “God Is Eternal.” This is a great place to be – reading and meditating on 23 passages that teach the mind-boggling truth that God has always existed and will always exist.

“Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”
Psalm 90:2

Only God is without beginning and end. His eternality is evidence of His transcendent uniqueness. Nothing else and no one else has this attribute. He alone has always existed. Everything else has a beginning. But not God: He is the One “who is and who was and who is to come” (Revelation 1:8).

Why has God gone to such great lengths to reveal Himself to us? We have a 1,000+ page book filled with God’s self-revelation. The Bible is God’s autobiography. He wants us to know who He is and what He is like.

Yes, God delights to tell us about Himself. But to what end? What’s the point of knowing that God is eternal?

In his book Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs, J.I. Packer offers this profound explanation of the purpose of knowing God:

“Theology is for doxology and devotion – that is, the praise of God and the practice of godliness.”

We study the Word of God in order to know God. And we pursue the knowledge of God in order to worship Him and to become more like Him.

This is what the Christian life is all about.

Singing our praises to God – doxology – is one way to worship Him. And here’s one of my favorite Christian songs that is all about God’s “otherness.” I listen to it often – just about every time I drive somewhere, I turn on the CD player and fast forward to track 6 and sing along to Phillips, Craig and Dean as they extol God with the song “Only You.”

“Only You, You alone
Are worthy of the glory, Lord
And every crown we’ll ever wear
We lay it down

We bow our knees, we confess
You are Lord all by Yourself
You reign alone upon Your throne of righteousness
Only You

Who is like the Lord our God
Who reigns in majesty?
Who formed the earth and the heavens above
The mountains, the deserts and seas?

Who deserves honor?
Who deserves praise?
Who is the sovereign King?

Only You, You alone
Are worthy of the glory, Lord”

You can listen to the entire song here. Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TowRxNK82Tc

To get a free PDF of Paul Washer’s Knowing the Living God.
CLICK HERE

Posted in Attributes of God | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

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.

Posted in Suffering | Leave a comment

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.

Posted in Prayer | Leave a comment

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/

 

Posted in Famous Christians | Leave a comment

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.

Posted in Attributes of God, Hymns, Thoughts on the Psalms | Tagged | Leave a comment

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