Steven Wales

Grace Gives You Freedom from the Law. Use Your Freedom to Serve Others. Acts 15:29.

Imagine: You are a missionary to the people of Jerusalem in the year 55 A.D. You have invited a crowd of two dozen local Jews to listen to you share about Jesus on the beach one morning. As they walk up, they can smell something cooking. You’ve got a nice fire going, with bacon andContinue reading “Grace Gives You Freedom from the Law. Use Your Freedom to Serve Others. Acts 15:29.”

THE RECIPE FOR SALVATION WILL BE RUINED IF YOU MIX IN A PINCH OF LAW. Galatians 5:9.

I love to cook without recipes. When I was a child, I made milk shakes in a blender. I would throw in bananas, berries, ice cream, a raw egg, chocolate syrup, honey, milk, vanilla extract, and more. You really can’t mess up a milk shake. But boy, have I ruined a few meals! I onceContinue reading “THE RECIPE FOR SALVATION WILL BE RUINED IF YOU MIX IN A PINCH OF LAW. Galatians 5:9.”

AN ALLEGORY OF GALATIANS 3.

Imagine a KINGDOM called FAITH. The head of the kingdom is KING ABRAHAM. Before King Abraham leaves for a long journey, he places his child and heir, PRINCE ISRAEL, in the hands of a guardian. The guardian’s name is LAW. Guardian LAW will raise the heir while the king is away, teaching the heir allContinue reading “AN ALLEGORY OF GALATIANS 3.”

RICHES. Revelation 18.

Energy creates value. When man discovered oil and ways to reach it, mine it, refine it, and use it, the world instantly became fabulously wealthy. Imagine an animated graphic: as oil was brought from the depths to the surface, buildings rose from the surface into the clouds. Cities exploded. Trails became superhighways. The globe isContinue reading “RICHES. Revelation 18.”

“DO YOU SWEAR?!” James 5:12.

When Hurricane Camille came ashore on Sunday, August 17, 1969, three people showed up at Istrouma Baptist Church in Baton Rouge: the pastor, there to keep an eye on the building, and Willie and Vercie Wales. Paw Paw, my grandfather, figured it was Sunday morning, time to go to church. What’s a little rain? HeContinue reading ““DO YOU SWEAR?!” James 5:12.”

WORD CHOICE. James 4:4-5.

Research says most hear 30,000 words a day, and speak 7,000 words a day with some (like my family!) speaking many more. Stephen King encourages new writers to WRITE 1,000 words a day. That’s 40,000 words a day. That being said, when was the last time you looked up a word to ensure you wereContinue reading “WORD CHOICE. James 4:4-5.”

IMAGINE PEACE. James 4:4-10.

What if we were all on the same side? What if everyone loved everyone, and there was no judgment, no hate? No politics? No right and wrong? “Imagine there’s no countries. Nothing to kill or die for… Imagine all the people living life in peace…. Imagine all the people sharing all the world.” Unfortunately, thisContinue reading “IMAGINE PEACE. James 4:4-10.”

ARE YOU A FRIEND OF THE WORLD? James 4:4; 2 Cor. 6:17.

The Voice translates James 4:4 this way: “You are adulterers. Don’t you know that making friends with this corrupt world order is open aggression toward God? So anyone who aligns himself with this bogus world system is declaring war against the one true God.” Are you trying to “make friends” with this “bogus world system”?Continue reading “ARE YOU A FRIEND OF THE WORLD? James 4:4; 2 Cor. 6:17.”

IF WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE, THEN WHY ARE THERE SO MANY LAWS? Galatians 3:24.

How many laws are there in America? One thousand? Ten thousand? One hundred thousand? The truth is, no one knows. In 2013, a Senior Legal Research Specialist with the Library of Congress wrote that “trying to tally the number” of federal laws “is nearly impossible.” [1] The laws governing life in ancient Israel were alsoContinue reading “IF WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE, THEN WHY ARE THERE SO MANY LAWS? Galatians 3:24.”

The Demons Also Believe. James 2:19.

Does belief save you? Is it enough to know Jesus died for you? Is believing He died to take away your sins the same as placing your faith in Jesus? Consider: “A man with an unclean spirit was in their synagogue. He cried out, ‘What do you have to do with us, Jesus? Have youContinue reading “The Demons Also Believe. James 2:19.”