Are you the boss? Do you decide everything? Do you decide when to get up, when to go to bed, when to study? Do you decide who to talk to? Who your friends are? Who to avoid? Your hobbies? Your classes? How you use your free time? When was the last time you asked GodContinue reading “WHO’S THE BOSS? Romans 14:7-8”
Author Archives: Steven Wales
DO NOT BE WISE… Romans 12:16.
Children are amazingly TEACHABLE. Every day they stare outward, soaking up everything and memorizing new things without trying. Babies watch people and figure out faces and expressions and gestures and words. It’s an incredible, lightning-fast process. And reading! Imagine beginning first grade in August and knowing almost nothing about reading, and by Christmas you areContinue reading “DO NOT BE WISE… Romans 12:16.”
LEAVE ROOM FOR THE WRATH OF GOD. Romans 12:19.
I had enemies. You hear about circles of influence? I had circles of enemies. It began with kids on my street, then bullies from other streets who rode up just to fight. And the children at daycare were given free reign by the drug-addled hippies responsible for us. (Those ladies considered rock-fights ‘good, clean fun.’)Continue reading “LEAVE ROOM FOR THE WRATH OF GOD. Romans 12:19.”
ONE EASY WAY TO HANDLE FEAR. Romans 12 and 13.
Do you ever feel afraid or worried about parents, bosses, teachers, coaches, professors, or police? Romans 13:3 says, “Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good and you will have its approval.” Pretty simple: do your work, be on time, drive the speed limit, etc. Bonus: Romans 12:21—“Do not beContinue reading “ONE EASY WAY TO HANDLE FEAR. Romans 12 and 13.”
HOW DO YOU SPOT A CONVERT? Romans 11:7-8.
Only God can judge a man’s heart. But we can observe signs. Does the tree bear good fruit? Jesus says only a good tree can bear good fruit. Jesus also said people will know you are His disciple by your love. But even bad people love those who love them. And idolators can string togetherContinue reading “HOW DO YOU SPOT A CONVERT? Romans 11:7-8.”
JEWS. Romans 11:24-33.
How should we treat Jews? Simple question, right? Yet it has been a problem for centuries. The Israelites were taken captive several times, then kicked out of Israel for good in 70 AD, launching the Diaspora or “dispersal” of Jews around the world. Ever a minority, Jewish people tend to have strong families and communities,Continue reading “JEWS. Romans 11:24-33.”
Editing on Horseback. Romans 15:1.
Did you know that the sixty-six books of the Bible were codified into a single book long before the chapter and verse divisions were added? Stephen Langton, the Archbishop of Canterbury (and a key writer of the Magna Carta), first introduced chapters in the year 1228. The first Bible to be published with both chaptersContinue reading “Editing on Horseback. Romans 15:1.”
DEPTH PERCEPTION. Romans 10:17.
Have you ever tried to play catch while wearing an eye patch? You need two eyes to see distance. You can compensate a bit by moving your head from place to place. But it’s easier and far more effective to have two good eyes. Your soul has one eye. It sees negatives: you’re lonely. You’reContinue reading “DEPTH PERCEPTION. Romans 10:17.”
WHAT WORDS DO YOU PRAY? Colossians 1:9-12.
I remember being asked to pray in public as a child. I LOVED public speaking, but was terrified of public praying. What if you can’t think of something to say? What if you love your friends or family or students, but don’t know what to ask God for on their behalf? Does the Bible provideContinue reading “WHAT WORDS DO YOU PRAY? Colossians 1:9-12.”
WOODROW. Romans 9:14-16, 20-21.
My childhood friend Woodrow could walk on his hands, climb anything, and do crazy things with bicycles. He would have made an excellent athlete if his family had not driven him toward intellectual pursuits. One day in 12th-grade English class, he shouted me down: “The only reason you’re a Christian is because that’s the wayContinue reading “WOODROW. Romans 9:14-16, 20-21.”
Household Words: 