Your Walk Speaks Louder than Your Words

Refer to Step 11: I make a commitment to nurture my relationship with the Lord, asking Him to reveal His will to me and to provide me with the power to carry it out.

 

Contemplation must bring forth right action in order to permit further growth.

—Robert A. Heinlein

Regardless of what you say or how persuasive you might be, it’s what you do that speaks volumes about who you really are.

In your recovery, doing God’s will is your responsibility—not just talking about it. At the same time, it’s important to realize you are not God, and He is perfectly capable of being God without your help. He’s responsible for drawing people to Himself—not you. When you try and make God’s responsibility yours, it doesn’t work. All hell breaks loose, instead.

Pushing Jesus, regardless of how noble your intention may be, ultimately produces alienation. Attraction works—promotion doesn’t. Lifting up the Lord is not promotion. Lifting Him up draws people to Him, which leads others to a restored life.

If you care for your fellow man; if you have compassion for abused people—for those caught in addiction, despair, and acting-out behavior; if you routinely display the fruit of the Spirit; you are doing God’s will. By loving others selflessly, you are a witness every day of your life—whether you utter a word or not. You just don’t realize it most of the time.

If your walk with the Lord is marginal, if your beliefs are not well thought out, and if you are unwilling to have your faith challenged, your witness is weak, and the fruit you produce will not be bitter and not sweet. That’s why most people in recovery need to work on the fundamentals—walking in God’s leading and learning to love one another from the heart. It’s a strategy that works every time.

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. (Ephesians 5:1-2)

—Jack Watts   Recommended Resources

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Some People Help You Recover, Some Don’t

Refer to Step 8: I will share my experience and my own wrongdoing with a trusted friend, confessing the exact state of my heart.

 

We are attracted to people who share in our growth and progress and lose interest in those who don’t.

—Recovery Quote

In every 12-step group, finding a sponsor is one of the essential steps to recovery. Usually, the sponsor has substantial time in the program—either alcohol or drug free—and has worked the steps to achieve a level of stability that someone new to the program can find beneficial. A sponsor is the first line of defense to keep a person from relapsing. Additionally, a sponsor is the person you are supposed to call before you pick up a drink or start using drugs—not after you do.

In recovery from religious abuse, having a sponsor is not as critical for recovery, but developing a support system of like-minded people certainly is. In this recovery system, the emphasis isn’t on stopping addictive behavior but on reconnecting with God in a rich and meaningful way.

Having people in your life who have had a similar experience can help your recovery, just as long as that person has worked through his or her own issues, especially bitterness and estrangement from God. Finding such people can be difficult. Most do not deal with their issues by being open and honest about them, choosing to suppress them instead. Perhaps it’s because they are too proud to admit they need help.

Nevertheless, it’s essential to develop relationships with fellow believers—those who will listen to you without scolding or being judgmental. It may take you a while to find someone like this, but when you do, you will recognize his or her value quickly. While looking for this person, be sure to be circumspect, knowing that Christians can be some of the harshest, most legalistic people on earth. If you detect even a hint of a critical spirit in the person, don’t allow yourself to be vulnerable. That would be unwise.

Encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today” lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3:13)

—Jack Watts   Recommended Resources

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Looking Good on the Outside Isn’t Being Good on the Inside

Refer to Step 5: I recognize the only way back to a productive life is exactly the way I came. I have to repair my relationship with God and make amends with everyone I have wronged along the way.

It is amazing how complete is the delusion that beauty is goodness.

—Leo Tolstoy

We live in an era when Christianity has become a vestige of what it once was—trite, simplistic, and deeply hypocritical. The richness, which once typified people of faith, has been replaced by Christian legalism and plastic faith that buckles under pressure. Looking good to one’s peers is more highly valued than doing the right thing.

Nearly everybody realizes this is true, but few are willing to be straightforward and admit it. By trying to maintain the illusion of “having it all together,” when nothing could be further from the truth, Christianity has lost its sense of direction, as millions of church-going people look out-of-touch and outdated to those who operate from a secular mindset. Secularists, refusing to be fundamentally dishonest about what they witness, have come to dismiss Christianity as irrelevant.

Those of us who have been wounded by the church have a similar mindset. We don’t think the religious leaders in our lives are hypocritical; we know it. Being embittered by our experience, many who have been wounded—people like you and me—have chosen to pursue our lives knowing that God is real but remaining aloof from seeking His counsel. We are still willing to give Him a nod of the head, but we have stopped bending our knees in submission to Him as we once did.

This is why recovery is critical for wounded believers like us. As part of our recovery, we know the value of rigorous honesty, which was once an integral part of Christianity instead of legalism. We know that without being forthright, especially about our shortcomings, we will remain hopelessly mired in mediocrity.

This is why we have more to offer than those who look good on the outside but have marginal character qualities on the inside. God needs tough people; and with all you’ve been through, you qualify to be one of the people He needs the most. The question is, will you be there for Him, as He has been there for you?

Now flee from youthful lusts, and pursue after righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. (II Timothy 2:22)

—Jack Watts   Recommended Resources

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Growing Old Isn’t the Same as Growing Up.

Refer to Step 3: I accept that the responsibility for getting back on track is mine and no one else’s.

 

Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there.

—Will Rogers

By the time I was thirty-three, after having established my relationship with God as foundational years earlier, one might expect that I was a well-established man with strong character qualities, but that was not the case. In nearly every area of life, I was still a little boy who happened to look like a man. I was just floating along, buoyed by good looks, charm, and a great smile, but I had also become a master at manipulating people to get my way.

I learned to talk the talk, but whenever difficulty came my way, I carefully skirted it, choosing evasion of responsibility over facing life on life’s terms. When my luck ran out and I was forced to make some difficult choices, I made a determination to be the person God created me to be, regardless of the price that had to be paid to accomplish the task.

After making that decision, life was difficult for years but, because I had so little practice at living responsibly, it was much harder than it needed to be. The maturity I achieved came in a concentrated form, with the pressure remaining constant.

Now, many years later, I am an adult in every sense of the word, having character qualities that have been forged in God’s winepress of adversity. It was a painful experience, but from the Divine standpoint, absolutely necessary. Without it, I would still have my gray hair, but all I would be is a little boy who looked like a grown up. The world is full of men who have never grown up. In America, there is a great surplus of them—that’s for sure.

At long last, however, I can say that I’m no longer one of them. I owe that to God’s faithfulness and my commitment to recovery. In my case, I needed to recover from alcoholism as well as from religious abuse, but I’ve done it successfully for years—one day at a time.

As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there be waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ. (Ephesians 4:15-16)

—Jack Watts   Recommended Resources

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A Prayer: Insisting on My Own Way

Father,

I want to control the outcome

Of events that impact my life.

You know that the desire of my heart

Is for You to orchestrate circumstances,

Which will allow me to get my own way.

When that doesn’t happen,

Which seems to be far too often,

I become sulky, peevish, and petulant.

I resent that You will not make Your will mine,

Even though my desires may not be in line with Yours.

When I behave like a child, I think like one as well,

Never acknowledging how juvenile I’ve become.

It doesn’t occur to me until after my fretful emotions

Have run the gambit and I am spent—

Emotionally exhausted from dictating to You.

At the end of it all, like always,

I become sorrowful, realizing that

You are God, and I am not.

Forgive me for my waywardness, and restore

To me a sense of humility and equilibrium.

Teach me to focus on my part alone—

Which are the things that I can control—

Rather than all of the things I cannot.

—Jack Watts

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Review & Reflection 28

Father,

Lord, my days are in Your hands, and You alone know

When the time for my deliverance will come.

Until that time, I know what I must do.

I must relentlessly press forward

And never, never, never, never give up.

Question: Is this how you think? How quickly do you give up on your dreams, calling them unrealistic and unattainable? Is this an area of your life that needs improvement?

Adversity is a way of life in recovery—a constant that needs to be recognized and accepted. An easier, softer way just isn’t in the cards. The trick is to look at life from a growth perspective and not as an end result. You may never win the game, but you can always be a winner in the process—if you keep at it, taking life one day at a time.

Question: When apprehension becomes overwhelming, say to yourself: “I’ll do the next right thing—one day at a time.” Will you make the effort to do that?

When you first believed, God gave you a spirit of love, power, and of a disciplined, sound mind. It resides just below the surface of your troubled heart, waiting for you to do the work necessary to appropriate the inner power that rightfully belongs to you—just as it does for all of God’s children.

Question: Do you rely believe that God has given you a sound mind? Is this a real, tangible promise or just a noble idea?

 

If I can be there for you, reaching out to you with words of encouragement and exhortation, it makes my abuse worthwhile. There’s so much pain and suffering—so much dysfunction—in the lives of nearly everybody I meet that experiences such as mine can and should be very uplifting.

Journal: React to the paragraph above. Write about how you feel about it and about how it might apply to you.

We’re in trouble because Christianity has more weak, Scripturally ignorant, morally corrupt, worldly-minded materialists than those who will stand by their convictions, regardless of the price they have to pay for doing so. To make matters worse, those who appear to be strong are often so self-righteous and judgmental that they turn off more people than they influence.

Journal: Write about this paragraph as well, making sure to either agree or disagree with it, naming your reasons.

—Jack Watts   Recommended Resources

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Why Christians Have so Little Influence

Refer to Step 11: I make a commitment to nurture my relationship with the Lord, asking Him to reveal His will to me and to provide me with the power to carry it out.

 

I slept, and dreamed that life was Beauty;

I woke, and found that life was Duty.

—Ellen Sturgis Hooper

Every Sunday morning, you can go to thousands of churches across America and listen to a diatribe about what’s wrong with our nation. During some times of the year, it would be difficult to find a church where “Jeremiads” are not being preached. Nearly all of these messages place blame upon liberals, progressives, political correctness, and increasing godlessness in America. It’s rare for a church to cast the blame where it belongs—upon Christians like us, but I believe that’s where it resides.

We’re in trouble because Christianity has more weak, Scripturally ignorant, morally corrupt, worldly-minded materialists than those who will stand by their convictions, regardless of the price they have to pay for doing so. To make matters worse, those who appear to be strong are often so self-righteous and judgmental that they turn off more people than they influence.

For society to transform, something has to change, and we are the ones who need to change—not hedonists and liberals. They never change. We’re the independent variable, not them.

We bemoan how far America has strayed from our noble origins. That may be true, but it’s the strength of Christians that has changed—not the influence of non-believers. If righteousness is to return to America, Christians must be the ones leading the way, but we have to do it from the inside out. Self-righteous condemnation of others will not get the job done. Neither will increasing church membership with people who haven’t a clue about who Christ really is and what He expects of His disciples. We already have enough of them.

The fruits of our lives— individually and collectively—must exemplify love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, mercy, and other positive character qualities of Christ’s followers throughout the centuries. If we do this, a plethora of leaders with renewed minds will arise out of our midst. If not, we’ll continue to spit in the wind at the liberals with predictable results.

He has told you O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)

—Jack Watts

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Recognizing the Value of Your Recovery

Refer to Step 7: I will make a detailed, written account of my abusive experiences, as well as my subsequent behavior. I commit to being as thorough and honest as I’m able.

 

God taught us to laugh again, but God, “Please don’t let us forget that we once cried.”

—Recovery Slogan

For your recovery to have value, you must to be willing to share your experience with others. Helping other abused people look at life honestly—without medicating their pain or revising reality—is what made my experience worthwhile. I’m firmly convinced it’s why God has allowed my painful experiences in the first place. In my head, I keep hearing the Lord’s voice—as gentle as a zephyr, saying:

It is for such a time as this that I have brought you to this place. If you look to Me and not to your circumstances, you can help many—perhaps millions. Be strong; be fearless; be transparent. This is your destiny. Accept it with dignity, helping all who ask, regardless of their situation.

So, that’s what I have tried to do. If I can be there for you, reaching out to you with words of encouragement and exhortation, it makes my abuse worthwhile. There’s so much pain and suffering—so much dysfunction—in the lives of nearly everybody I meet that experiences such as mine can and should be very uplifting.

If you are willing to work for your recovery, there is a life of abundance waiting for you, regardless of your situation. I know this is true; I’m not guessing. In America, millions live in fear of the truth, carefully concealing what’s really going on in their lives, believing exposure will make them look weak. But that’s an illusion. Freedom—true freedom—comes from being honest with yourself and with others. It releases you to be the person God intends you to be—a person who lives life to its fullest—as it’s meant to be lived. There’s power in this freedom as well.

It’s also why writing about your experience is critical. Putting it all down on paper will help you see your situation more clearly. If you want to become a complete person, transparency and vulnerability are required; they are not optional. There is no other way. You have to let the truth cleanse the wounds left to fester in the dark places of bitterness and resentment.

Be courageous and strong, understanding that being this vulnerable is not a weakness; it’s a profound strength. Only a strong person can stand the scrutiny transparency brings. Weak people have to mask reality because they don’t own enough of themselves to withstand the external examination of others.

Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; do not destroy his resting place; for a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, but the wicked stumble in time of calamity. (Proverbs 24:15-16)

—My Story

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Making the Most of Difficult Situations

Refer to Step 4: I believe that God understands my wounded-ness and He alone can heal me. I chose to accept as true what God says about Himself. He is good and can be trusted. I recognize that God is not the abuser; people who misuse their authority are the abusers.

 

I do not want to die . . . until I have faithfully made the most of my talent and cultivated the seed that was placed in me, until the last small twig has grown.

—Kathe Kollwitz

For most people, after being subjected to verbal and emotional abuse, life is never the same—not really. Deep emotional scars become crippling, effectively preventing them from experiencing the richness, fullness, and contentment they once enjoyed.

Although this happens routinely to abused people, life doesn’t have to be this way, and it’s most definitely not God’s will. Regardless of what you have done, God loves you exactly the way you are—in your shame, in your anger, and in your rebellion. After walking away from Him, you’ve probably been consumed with anger and fear, but that certainly didn’t originate from Him.

When you first believed, He gave you a spirit of love, power, and of a disciplined, sound mind. It resides just below the surface of your troubled heart, waiting for you to do the work necessary to appropriate the inner power that rightfully belongs to you—just as it does for all of God’s children.

It’s not easy to regain your composure after experiencing deep wounds from being abused but, if you do the work necessary each day, one day at a time, you will become a better person than you have ever been before—perhaps much better.

Purpose and resiliency will return to you, but in a more meaningful way, because you will become interested in others and not just in yourself. Your goals and aspirations will be tempered with humility, discernment, and wisdom—God’s wisdom.

This is not an idealistic, utopian, of fanciful. It can happen; it can be your experience—not just for a while—but for the rest of your life.

For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. (I Timothy 1:7)

—Jack Watts   Recommended Resources

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Never Give Up

Refer to Step 2: I refuse to continue living my life pursuing self-defeating behavior.

 

 Never, never, never, never give up.

—Winston Churchill

Facing adversity is a way of life in recovery—a constant that needs to be recognized and accepted. An easier, softer way just isn’t in the cards. The trick is to look at life from a growth perspective and not as an end result. You may never win the game, but you can always be a winner in the process—if you keep at it, taking life one day at a time, always doing the next right thing.

Maintaining an attitude capable of living like this reminds me of a story. Once, there was a little boy talking to himself as he strutted through the backyard, wearing his baseball cap and toting a ball and bat. “I’m the greatest hitter in the world,” he announced. Then he tossed the ball into the air, swung at it, and missed.

“Strike One”, he yelled. Undaunted, he picked up the ball and said, “I’m the greatest hitter in the world!” Again, he tossed the ball into the air. When it came down he swung again and missed. “Strike two,” he cried.

The boy then paused a moment to examine his bat and ball carefully. He straightened his cap and said once more, “I’m the greatest hitter in the world!” Tossing the ball in the air, he swung at it again, missing. “Strike three!”

Not at all ruffled by missing the ball three times, he exclaimed, “Wow! I’m the greatest pitcher in the world!” Instead of looking at himself like he was a failure at what he wanted to be, he accentuated the positive and kept playing the game.

That’s what people in recovery need to tell themselves every day—occasionally, ever hour. In recovery, you need to keep playing the game—win, lose, or draw. If you do, you’ll always be a winner.

For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:3)

—Jack Watts   Recommended Resources

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Never, Never, Never Give Up

Father,

As the vicissitudes of life have turned against me,

And it seems like nothing but misfortune

Will be in my path for the foreseeable future,

Anxiety and fretfulness fill my days.

I awaken in the night, filled with dread and foreboding,

And my mind races, as my heart churns with apprehension.

Yet, at the deepest level of my being,

A quiet persistent voice tells me to never give up.

When I rise in the morning, I am filled with resolve,

Knowing that the quiet voice came from You.

As the days pass and the pressure increases,

I feel battered and beaten at every turn.

It seems like everything that can go wrong, certainly does.

Maintaining a positive outward demeanor,

I remain determined to do the next right thing,

Regardless of what that might be.

I have no other choice but to follow Your path.

My insides, however, feel numb and crushed,

As pressures from all sides intensify,

Weighing me down, relentlessly grinding down my soul.

As I bow my knee and ask for relief,

Which I know can only come from You,

I realize that I have no answers within me.

In the quietness of my heart, Your voice continues to resonate,

Telling me to never, never give up.

As the weeks turn into months, with no respite from my travails,

Having been abandoned by all but those who wish me harm,

Experiencing ridicule, slander, abuse, and castigation,

I feel undone, and fear that my heart will break.

And yet, I have no choice but to press forward.

There is no alternative, and I cannot abandon my purpose.

It’s not in the nature You have implanted within me.

With that in mind, I bolster myself repeatedly affirming

That I will never give up—never, never, never give up.

Lord, my days are in Your hands, and You alone know

When the time for fulfillment will come.

Until that time, I know what I must do.

I must relentlessly press forward

And never, never, never, never give up.

—Jack Watts   Recommended Resources

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Review & Reflection 27

Father,

Oh, how I loathe the pompously religious

Who extol their virtues, with a never-yielding heart.

May I never be like them—like those

Who talk of Your love and guidance,

While seeking an advantage over the naive.

Let my witness be by my actions,

And not by my mellifluous tongue,

Which I know can be self-serving and serpentine.

Journal: Write about the character qualities you need to avoid. Be certain to name at least three.

Look at this as a time to return to your first love—to return to the Lord.  You’ve already experienced a measure of recovery, but you know your potential is far greater. It requires substantial work but, if you put your heart into it, you’ll never regret your decision to proceed. What do you say? Why not let today be the day when you become more serious.

 

Journal: Write your answers to the questions above.

Of all the reasons for religious abuse, perhaps the greatest is the steadfast determination that maintains, “I am right and the other person is wrong.” Militantly insisting upon this position causes more wounding than any other thing.

 

Question: How accurately does this describe your situation? How determined have you been to insist upon your own vindication?

What counts is being of value to your fellow man—to unfortunate, needy people. This is particularly true of people in recovery. To own your recovery fully, you must give it away by serving others. How you achieve this is between you and God, but it will probably never be flashy.

 

Journal: Write about how you have helped another in his or her recovery. If that hasn’t happened, describe an ideal situation where it might occur.

Although we should never encourage aberrant behavior, we can better understand the weaknesses of others. We didn’t always possess this character quality, but we certainly have grown into it. It’s part of the reason we have had the experiences we’ve had.

Question: If a religious abuser showed up in your life, what would be the keys to recognizing that person? 

—Jack Watts   Recommended Resources

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Recognizing When Christianity Is a Mask

Refer to Step 11: I make a commitment to nurture my relationship with God, asking Him to reveal His will to me as well as the power to carry it out.

 

It takes one to know one.

—Childhood Taunt

After a person has been abused, including religious abuse, an interesting phenomenon occurs. The person’s naiveté vanishes. They are no longer susceptible to being hoodwinked or, at least, they are far less likely to be. This is a good thing. It makes a person more discerning.

At the same time, it also allows the abused person to see others as they really are and not as they portray themselves to be. Christian groups tend to draw many people who, for whatever reason, are outcasts and misfits. These are people who learn to talk the talk but who are also broken on the inside. It’s not that they experience brokenness from pride and self-seeking; it’s more like they don’t have the capacity for wholeness—to be a complete person. The emotional wounds of these people are so extensive; they would be in the Special Olympics, if their limitations were mental rather than emotional.

Those of us who have been abused seem to recognize these people more easily than others, providing us with an opportunity for service. Because of the pain and humiliation we have suffered, we have a greater capacity to empathize than others. Because we can recognize the woundedness behind the mask of these unfortunates, we can also provide a measure of acceptance, stretching us beyond our comfort zone.

It’s why we have learned to be accepting people. Although we should never encourage aberrant behavior, we can better understand the weaknesses of others. We haven’t always possessed this character quality, but we certainly have grown into it.

We have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to everyman’s conscience in the sight of God. (II Corinthians 4:2)

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Learning to Measure Success

Refer to Step 10: I believe that God still has a purpose for my life—a purpose for good and not evil.

  

Dreams are renewable. No matter what our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us, and new beauty waiting to be born.

—Helen Keller

In our society, success is measured by notoriety, beauty, or the accumulation of wealth. If you’re young, good looking, and have substantial discretionary income to spend, whether you’ve earned it or not, you are living the American dream; at least in its current version. This goal is what most Americans strive to accomplish, but nearly all miss the mark badly. Those who do achieve it believe they are entitled to it always. When they lose it, most lack the maturity to move on with life pursuing other productive avenues. Instead, they choose to turn to vice as a medication for their pain. Examples of this occur often with athletes and young celebrities, but it happens to many others as well, as they become addicted to alcohol or drugs. If this has happened to you, you understand how devastating this can be. It’s why you made the decision to choose sobriety—a much healthier path.

As you progress in recovery, your values begin to change. You realize that what the world considers worthwhile is never satisfying—not soul satisfying anyway. Being at the right party, with the right partner, and wearing the right outfit may be fun but, as your purpose for life, it leaves you feeling empty. It’s an unsustainable existence.

What really matters is being of value to your fellow man—to unfortunate, needy people. To own your recovery fully, you must give it away by serving others. How you achieve this is between you and God.

It will probably never be flashy, however. In fact, you may never even be noticed. As often as not, you will never be thanked for your efforts either, but that’s not what counts. Helping others is part of your recovery, and it is pleasing to God—no question about it. Receiving validation from Him satisfies at a level that no material possessions ever can.

Through Him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing; for with such sacrifices God is pleased. (Hebrews 13:15-16)

—Jack Watts   Recommended Resources

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Being Self-Righteous Doesn’t Work

Refer to Step 6: I make a commitment to turn away from my pride and refuse to become like those who have abused me. I abandon my desire to spread malice because of my pain and anger, and I chose to relinquish my right to be self-absorbed.

 

It’s easier to fight for one’s principles than to live up to them.

—Alfred Adler

Of all the reasons for religious abuse, perhaps the greatest is the steadfast position, doggedly maintained, that “I am right. The other person is wrong.” Maintaining this position causes more wounding than any other reason. When this is coupled with spiritual arrogance, the combination can be particularly devastating.

Most abusiveness has little to do with core Christian beliefs. More often than not, it has to do with issues about which there can be legitimate differences of opinion.

When it’s one of the central tenets of faith, it’s one thing, but most conflict comes from micro beliefs—things about which people can differ and still remain true to God and their convictions.

Because people would rather argue than entertain any question that might shake their worldview, church people are constantly discarding people they shouldn’t. Unfortunately, it’s much easier to call someone a name that wounds, rather than embrace any divergence in opinion.

Routinely, conservatives castigating political liberals for their beliefs is an example of this, and via se versa. Christians need to take a good look at themselves because we do the same thing with people of faith. Indeed, it is easier to fight for your beliefs than live up to them.

But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions. (I Timothy 1:5-7)

—Jack Watts   Recommended Resources

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