Steven Wales

Your Young Years Are Critical.

The future kings Saul and David were so different. Saul hid from the spotlight, complaining that he was from a clan of nobodies. David welcomed the anointing and was fearless in the face of a ten-foot-tall Philistine with a spear so heavy normal men called it a beam. Samuel anointed each man. The Spirit ofContinue reading “Your Young Years Are Critical.”

Beauty.

Actor Sidney Poitier said something that amazed me. He grew up with no running water, no electricity—and no mirrors. “I didn’t know what a mirror was until I was ten years old. I never thought about what I looked like.” CAN YOU IMAGINE!? Poitier grew up surrounded by people who ignored appearances. Contrast that withContinue reading “Beauty.”

What Makes a Great Preacher? Jonah and 1 Samuel 16:13.

What is the secret to preaching? Is it being funny? Or telling a good story? Or having four points that begin with the letter “P”? How about rightly interpreting a passage of scripture? That is important, but there is more: preachers should explain scripture—AND it should be the passage God placed on their hearts forContinue reading “What Makes a Great Preacher? Jonah and 1 Samuel 16:13.”

Human Resources and the Heart.

Have you ever hired anyone? Ever chosen a person to fill a spot on a team or an officer in a club? Even choosing a roommate can be tricky. When Saul disobeyed God, God rejected him as king and chose someone else. God told Samuel to go to Bethlehem and meet the sons of Jesse.Continue reading “Human Resources and the Heart.”

Obedience > Worship.

When our faith is young, we look for ways to impress God. We negotiate—we try to make deals, to bargain with God: “Lord, if you get me out of this, I will put such and such in the offering plate.” Or, “God, if you will bless me with this, I will stop doing so-and-so.” ButContinue reading “Obedience > Worship.”

“What is This Sound of Sheep and Cattle That I Hear?”

I laughed in court when a man who has been in and out of prison, convicted of a string of armed robberies, testified that during a dice game he was keeping an eye on his money because “everybody ain’t got integrity.” True. “EVERYBODY AIN’T GOT INTEGRITY.” Period. Mic drop. Many of us lack integrity. KingContinue reading ““What is This Sound of Sheep and Cattle That I Hear?””

Corner Cutting.

Do you cut corners? Do you tell yourself, ‘it will be okay, just this once’? King Saul did. Before one battle, Israel was greatly outnumbered. The Philistine army had “troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore” 1 Samuel 13:5. The men of Israel were terrified and “hid in caves, thickets, among rocks, andContinue reading “Corner Cutting.”

Israel Rejected its True King.

When Israel kept begging for a king (“so we can be like the other nations”), God finally gave them Saul. And they were pleased: Saul was exactly what people would want in a king—he was handsome and stood a head taller than everyone else, an impressive physical specimen. He probably had a deep voice andContinue reading “Israel Rejected its True King.”

The Spirit of the Lord Will Control You.

I wrote recently of Samson, Gideon, David, Noah, Moses, and Elijah—men whose achievements followed a deep indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The phrase the Holman translation uses is “the Spirit of the Lord took control,” as in this passage about King Saul: “The Spirit of the Lord will control you; you will prophecy with [theContinue reading “The Spirit of the Lord Will Control You.”

Scotty.

Scotty is NBA-tall. At six-foot, nine inches, he is taller than the average pro (6’7”). Scotty is handsome too, with wavy black hair and dimples. I played basketball with Scotty a few times. My novice skills were useless against him, yet Scotty dogged himself constantly. I’ll never forget the way he practiced three-pointers, yelling “OFF!”Continue reading “Scotty.”