Peter opened the door to his house and immediately felt tension in the room. His guests were not happy. He dropped his bag, kissed his wife, and began to greet the men who had gathered to see him. He hugged them, kissed their cheeks in ceremony, and sensed their cold, stiff anger. He knew whatContinue reading “The Big Tent. Acts 11:18.”
Author Archives: Steven Wales
PROUD TO BE IGNORANT. Acts 7:22.
Have you noticed the way some Christians are proud to be uneducated? Preachers will say things like “well, I’m just a poor country preacher, but …” and you can tell they wear that badge with pride. Pride in your own ignorance is a classic example of anti-intellectualism, and it has deep roots in the AmericanContinue reading “PROUD TO BE IGNORANT. Acts 7:22.”
LEADERS KNOW HOW TO PRIORITIZE. Acts 6:2-3.
If a teacher can’t say no, she will say yes to the principal and parent volunteers and end up serving on five committees and organizing school-wide rallies and fundraisers and having two or three after-school activities happening in her classroom every week. Soon the teacher will be pulled in so many directions she will becomeContinue reading “LEADERS KNOW HOW TO PRIORITIZE. Acts 6:2-3.”
HOW CAN JESUS CLAIM TO BE THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN? Acts 4:12.
If God provided a way for sinners to be rescued, why are people so unhappy about it? I have often heard people rail against Christianity for its claim to exclusivity: “How can you say Jesus is the only way, when there are millions of people around the world who never heard of Jesus?” The answerContinue reading “HOW CAN JESUS CLAIM TO BE THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN? Acts 4:12.”
Fasting, Praying, Servant Leadership. Deuteronomy 9:18.
Image generated with A.I. In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses recounts his experiences leading the difficult people of Israel (whom he describes as “stiff-necked,” Deuteronomy 9:6). After they left Egypt and crossed the Red Sea, God called Moses to visit with the Lord on Mount Sinai. Moses went up the mountain, was gone forty days,Continue reading “Fasting, Praying, Servant Leadership. Deuteronomy 9:18.”
Do the Ten Commandments Make Any Difference Anymore? Matthew 13:52.
Pictured: Moses holding the Ten Commandments at the center of a statue of lawgivers atop the East Facade of the United States Supreme Court building. My friend James wrote recently that the Ten Commandments play no role in the life of a Christian. I disagree–and contrary to my usual approach, I am going to beginContinue reading “Do the Ten Commandments Make Any Difference Anymore? Matthew 13:52.”
“We Had No Idea How It Was Going to Work.” Mark 16.
Christian testimonies frequently include the phrase “we had no idea how it was going to happen.” God calls us to step out in faith, often when things look impossible. For some, it may be a mission trip. They sign up to go, but explain later, “We knew we did not have the money, but GodContinue reading ““We Had No Idea How It Was Going to Work.” Mark 16.”
PROGRESS: BUILDING LIVES, BUILDING SOCIETY. Mark 5.
Pictured: the bell tower of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, Houston, Texas. Americans struggle to appreciate the march of human progress because we are surrounded by it. Driving across this great nation today can seem like an endless line of truck stops and fast food, gas stations and coffee shops, oil wells and 300-foot wind turbines.Continue reading “PROGRESS: BUILDING LIVES, BUILDING SOCIETY. Mark 5.”
UNITY: E PLURIBUS UNUM. John 17:20-21.
E Pluribus Unum. This Latin phrase was chosen by the founders as our nation’s motto. In English it means, “out of many, we become one.” Does one-ness matter? Does unity matter? Most of us find reasons to divide ourselves into warring camps, even when everyone involved is a “good person.” Children naturally divide the kidsContinue reading “UNITY: E PLURIBUS UNUM. John 17:20-21.”
GOD CAN OVERCOME ANYONE. Ezra 1-3; Proverbs 21:1.
Image generated by A.I. Have you ever felt good things would come your way if someone were out of the way? Is someone keeping you from your destiny? There is no one God cannot move. No one can stand in God’s way. “The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of theContinue reading “GOD CAN OVERCOME ANYONE. Ezra 1-3; Proverbs 21:1.”
Household Words: 