“Thus Judah was carried away captive out of his own land,” Jeremiah 52:27. Once an interesting, fresh phrase, “Human Trafficking” has been talked about so much in the last twenty years it may be in danger of becoming a cliché. But don’t tune out. The Bible has a great deal to say about what weContinue reading “Trafficking … in Humans. Jeremiah 52:27.”
Author Archives: Steven Wales
Woe Be Unto Pastors Who Destroy the Sheep. Jeremiah 23:1.
Once again, Jeremiah addresses false prophets and fallen preachers[1]. (I never realized how often preacher-scandals were addressed in the Old Testament!) Doesn’t this sound like a page out of today’s headlines? “Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” Jeremiah 23:1. The prophet continues: “Therefore, thus says the LordContinue reading “Woe Be Unto Pastors Who Destroy the Sheep. Jeremiah 23:1.”
Misplaced Confidence. Jeremiah 49:16.
Petra was recently chosen as one of the “New 7 Wonders of the World.” Petra was a thriving city in the desert with buildings and homes carved directly into the cliff walls. As many as 20,000 people once lived in the Petra area, accessing water from an amazing system of cisterns and ceramic conduit. InContinue reading “Misplaced Confidence. Jeremiah 49:16.”
Replace Self-Affirmations with God’s Affirmations. Psalm 139.
Are you familiar with self-affirmation? Merriam-Webster defines SELF-AFFIRMATION as “the act of affirming one’s own worthiness and value as an individual.” An article[1] online reports real-life examples of celebrity self-affirmations: Lizzo says, “I started talking to my belly this year.” Every day she tells her belly the following: “You deserve all the space in theContinue reading “Replace Self-Affirmations with God’s Affirmations. Psalm 139.”
MEMORIZE: Replace Your Thoughts With God’s Thoughts! Jeremiah 15:16.
Imagine with me: You are an unhappy young person, low-key depressed. You think you are happy, maybe, at least while scrolling on your phone. But all you get on social media is ads and sales pitches from influencers and pointless videos of car crashes, street fighting, two kids dancing, concert clips, comedy clips, storytellers goingContinue reading “MEMORIZE: Replace Your Thoughts With God’s Thoughts! Jeremiah 15:16.”
There Are Exceptions to the Principle of Sowing and Reaping. Job 21:13.
Job’s friends have a Res Ipsa Loquitor view of suffering. Res ipsa loquitor is Latin for “the thing speaks for itself.” This is a lawyer’s argument to prove negligence when traditional evidence may be lacking. For example, if an X-ray reveals a pair of forceps left inside a patient following surgery, the mere presence ofContinue reading “There Are Exceptions to the Principle of Sowing and Reaping. Job 21:13.”
Jelly Roll and Jeremiah. Jeremiah 11:14.
Image from 20 the Countdown Magazine. The people of Israel made God angry many times: by doubting him, by worshipping idols, by questioning the leadership of Moses, by having too little faith to enter the Promised Land, and more. God reacted to their disobedience in many different ways: with mercy, grace, silence, punishments that wereContinue reading “Jelly Roll and Jeremiah. Jeremiah 11:14.”
The Weeping Prophet Curses His Birthday, but Maintains Hope.
Dear Diary, Every day is hard now. I don’t remember the last time I enjoyed a nice meal and a few laughs. It’s all so serious all the time. God continues to give me messages of doom and destruction. Honestly, no one even knows my name anymore. They just say, “Here comes the weeping prophet.”Continue reading “The Weeping Prophet Curses His Birthday, but Maintains Hope.”
Gratitude Will Make You Happy; Comparison Will Make You Unhappy. Jeremiah 45:3-5.
Some lives are harder than others. They just are. Nothing is “fair” and things do not even out. Most of us today live in an age of antibiotics and vaccines for childhood diseases. We have clean drinking water, pasteurized milk, and more food than we can eat. Many parents will never bury a child. ThoseContinue reading “Gratitude Will Make You Happy; Comparison Will Make You Unhappy. Jeremiah 45:3-5.”
Don’t Make Your Job Complicated—Obedience is Simple. Jeremiah 22:3.
What is your job description? Some are clearly defined: ride the back of the trash truck and empty trash cans into the truck at each stop. Others are loosely defined: be my personal assistant, show up at 8 every morning and do whatever I ask until I send you home. What is the job descriptionContinue reading “Don’t Make Your Job Complicated—Obedience is Simple. Jeremiah 22:3.”