As Iron Sharpens Iron: Experiences in Blogging – Michael G. Davis

I have taken a cadre of young revivalists to try and infect youth groups from all over Florida. While I am gone I have asked some of my friends to post for me. Here is the bio of today’s blogger:

Dr. Michael G. Davis: MGD, as he can be found throughout blogsville, of Charismatica runs ANSWERS FOR THE FAITH Internet Ministries. Michael received his Doctor of Ministry from Claremont School of Theology. I have never personally met people before who were willing to out run their D.Min in chasing Jesus in this realm. His writings are both well exegeted and passionate.

“As Iron Sharpens Iron, So one man sharpens another.” -Prov. 27:17

One year and four months ago I launched my first blog and tentatively posted my first article. At the time I had all sorts of grandiose plans to do a €˜great’ teaching ministry on the internet. At least that was the vision that I believed that God was instilling in me at the time and maybe still is to a lesser degree.

Soon I was visiting in the blogosphere and paying homage at the feet of Adrian Warnock, JollyBlogger, Challies Dot Com, Evangelical Outpost, Mark D. Roberts, and Albert Mohler; with a Hugh Hewitt, a Mark Steyn, and a James Lileks or two thrown in for insane variety.

The €˜Godbloggers’ at the time were in the midst of a continuing discussion about Spiritual gifts. The battle lines were drawn between the Reform Charismatics and the Reform Cessationists with a few Pentecostals and what I call €˜Functional Cessationists’ (those who grant the possibility of Spiritual gifts while they seldom if ever experience them) thrown in as observers and referees. I thought I was through with theological minutiae when I passed my €˜quals’ and graduated from seminary. This was definitely not what I had in mind when I started.

One day while searching on Adrian’ blog I came across a link to PneumaBlogs. I went down the list on that page checking out a few. Then I came to a blog with an interesting name: “A Mighty Rushing Wind” -Carl Thomas. I Clicked on the link and was totally jealous when I saw that the domain name was Revivalblog.com, seeing that revival is a Spirit driven passion of mine. After that, I became a regular visitor to Carl’ blog.

I remember reading an article by Carl: “What I Learned in My Year of Blogging“. That article changed it all for me and the Holy Spirit used it to give me a new direction. Up to that point, Answers For The Faith was my main blog and it was by-in-large a teaching and an apologetic site. Charismatica was just a site where I stored a bunch of revival and prophetic ministry links that I wanted to keep track of. Once and a while I would post something Charismatic or Pentecostal that did not fit well on my other blog.

I really had no vision for the Charismatica site except the Lord had given me that name and domain in church one day. After reading Carl’ article, the ideas started flowing in a sovereign way. This would be a blog where I would share my own personal struggles, testimonies, and prophetic insights. Where I would write about my God-given passion for a major World harvest and revival.

A couple of weeks later, after I put up a contact link, I received an email from Carl asking me if I knew that it was impossible to make a comment on my blog. He helped me to change the settings and left the first official comment on one of my posts. It was the beginning of a friendship. He has no idea how thankful I was. My wife had been asking me every night for three months if anyone had left a comment yet. Finally, I could say yes and there was celebration in the Davis household.

That was over a year ago, though it seems like yesterday. Since then I have had a lot of different guests and a number of regulars commenting on my blogs and I am better for it. Also, I comment regularly here and on several other blogs. A whole community seems to revolve around this site and I am honored and blessed to be part of it.

I started out thinking that I was going to do some kind of teaching ministry on the internet and have found myself on the receiving end more times than not. I find myself in the midst of a whole lot of folks with similar interests. All seeking greater intimacy with God. All looking for a sovereign move of the Spirit in their lives and in their churches. All hoping for God to grace our land with revival once more.

All of you have built me up and have increased my faith and my hope exponentially. It is a case of €˜Iron sharpening iron.’ Every time Carl brings us testimonies about the Holy Spirit blasting his youth group, it is iron sharpening iron. Every time you visit Revival Journal and read about David Copeland’ latest ministry trip, it is iron sharpening iron. Take a few moments and visit SLW and gain the heart of a pastor, it is iron sharpening iron.

Read the latest on Chet’ blog and gain a heart for missions and discipleship, it is iron sharpening iron. Stop by and visit Mark H and Made To Prauise Him, it is iron sharpening iron. Go visit Rich and read his latest and then browse the Pneumablog articles, I have always found something to be thankful for, it is iron sharpening iron.

Then there is the fiery pastor/street preacher JC Smith, his passion wakes me up and keeps me moving on, it is iron sharpening iron in a big way. There are many others and lest you think it is just a €˜man’ thing, Sista Cala will drop by and occasionally leave an encouraging word, it is also iron sharpening iron.

I can’t tell you how much my life has been enriched and blessed by all of you. May God continue to richly bless you all and continue to bless me through you, and hopefully you through me also.

Michael G. Davis

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