My elementary school selected well-behaved sixth graders to serve as “patrols.” Their main duty was to stand on the curbs and use flags to control traffic before and after school. But patrols also had hall monitoring duties for those who showed up early. Early arrivals were supposed to sit behind the line and behave calmly.Continue reading “HOPE REMAINS. Amos 9:13-15.”
Author Archives: Steven Wales
God Bless Our Preachers and Teachers. Jonah 1 and 2.
A pastor’s life is not an easy one. Here’s a typical day for one pastor I know: up at 5 to spend time with the Lord, head to the gym at 6 where he spends 30 minutes swimming laps, then runs and lifts weights. He is in the office by 8 and has meetings allContinue reading “God Bless Our Preachers and Teachers. Jonah 1 and 2.”
Victory is Not Without Risk. 2 Kings 15:5.
Painting: “King Uzziah Stricken With Leprosy,” by Rembrandt, 1635. Uzziah was a farmer, war hero, inventor, and king. He lived a rich, successful, creative life. But his successes were not without risk. But what possible risk accompanies success? Uzziah was crowned king at the tender age of 16, 2 Kings 15:2. The young man wasContinue reading “Victory is Not Without Risk. 2 Kings 15:5.”
How Do I Get My Children to Follow the Lord? 2 Chronicles 24:24-25.
What do most immigrants to the United States want their children to do? Go to med school, of course! The idea has become such a stereotype, standup comics make millions telling jokes about it. But the stereotype is not untrue. Parents of every stripe, of every American ethnicity and culture have imagined their children asContinue reading “How Do I Get My Children to Follow the Lord? 2 Chronicles 24:24-25.”
How Far Would You Go to Become King? History Indicates Some People Will Do Anything for Power. 2 Kings 11: 2-3.
Obi Wan Kenobi says of Mos Eisley Spaceport: “You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious.” As in all space movies, what’s true in outer space is true on earth. It is true of America. Of my city and yours: We must be cautious. Jesus said itContinue reading “How Far Would You Go to Become King? History Indicates Some People Will Do Anything for Power. 2 Kings 11: 2-3.”
I Dreamed That God Was Coming to Judge My Enemies. And I Was Happy! Amos 2:5.
One Sunday morning Jesus appeared in all the churches. He showed up simultaneously on a million big screens. Some churches were in the middle of a song when his face popped up and the music went quiet, like someone had unplugged all the cords at the sound booth. Bands and singers across America stopped singing,Continue reading “I Dreamed That God Was Coming to Judge My Enemies. And I Was Happy! Amos 2:5.”
He is Coming With a Plumbline in His Hand. Amos 7:8.
Not long after moving to the country, I decided to build a tree house. Officially it was going to be a two-story deck built around the trunk of a massive tree. My neighbor had given me several round poles that were about 16’ long, and at his insistence, I began building a frame with them.Continue reading “He is Coming With a Plumbline in His Hand. Amos 7:8.”
Marathons, Mentors, and Fathers. 2 Kings 2:9.
Image from The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, Inc., ISRAEL MY GLORY, March/April of 2020, available online at https://israelmyglory.org/?issue=march-april-2020 Have you had a great mentor? Not everyone has. When I was a young man, I was privileged to have two mentors during my college years. I found the process useful: it was great to haveContinue reading “Marathons, Mentors, and Fathers. 2 Kings 2:9.”
Spiritualism, Mediums, and the Occult. 2 Kings 1:6.
I found these business offerings on Yelp: Palm readers. Tarot cards. Ouija board readings. Crystal balls. Horoscopes. Hypnosis. Supernatural Readings. Psychic Consultants. Witchery. Manifesting with a Life Coach. Conjuring. Voodoo. These businesses thrive in our modern world. In an age of Enlightenment and Science, you might have guessed these relics of an age ofContinue reading “Spiritualism, Mediums, and the Occult. 2 Kings 1:6.”
Naysayers and Yes-Men. 2 Chronicles 18:17.
Which is worse, an irritating naysayer or an easy-going yes-man? Executives must be wary of both. My father was a deacon. He took confidentiality seriously, never repeating at home anything that had been discussed at a deacons’ meeting. However, he did make one comment about one of his fellow deacons. He said Earl (not hisContinue reading “Naysayers and Yes-Men. 2 Chronicles 18:17.”
Household Words: 