Daddy used to get fed up: “You’d argue with a fence post!” So he told me to be a lawyer. True, there are thousands of lawyer jokes, few of them undeserved. But when you need one, you’ll be glad to have one. (Even Jesus is described as “our advocate with the Father” 1 John 2:1.)Continue reading “PRAY LIKE A LAWYER! Matthew 15:22-27; Mark7:29.”
Author Archives: Steven Wales
Pray Without Ceasing. Matthew 15:21-28.
Jesus says, “You have not because you ask not.” Are you remembering to ASK? And when you ask, He says to “pray without ceasing,” (I Thess. 5:17) and to “knock and keep on knocking” (Matt. 7:7). Don’t give up in prayer. Consider the story of the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:21-28. She comes to JesusContinue reading “Pray Without Ceasing. Matthew 15:21-28.”
The ‘God Bless the USA Bible.’ Matthew 15:4-9.
When confronted by the Pharisees, Jesus pointed out the hypocrisy of man-made rules. “God said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’ … but you say ‘Whoever tells his father or mother, ‘whatever benefit you might have received from me is a gift committed to the temple’—does not have to honor his father and mother. YouContinue reading “The ‘God Bless the USA Bible.’ Matthew 15:4-9.”
REJECT THE GOOD. John 6:15.
There is a curious line following John’s report of Jesus feeding the 5,000: “Therefore, when Jesus realized they were about to come and TAKE HIM BY FORCE TO MAKE HIM KING, He withdrew again to a mountain by Himself” John 6:15. The crowds were going to “take Him by force to make Him king”? How?Continue reading “REJECT THE GOOD. John 6:15.”
OBSERVE ALL THINGS. Matthew 28:20.
When Jesus gave us our mission statement, he included a phrase I had not noticed until yesterday’s sermon at Kingsland: “Teach them to observe all things that I have commanded” Matthew 28:20. In context, that means that my mission in life is to “Go… and make disciples… baptize them… and teach them to observe allContinue reading “OBSERVE ALL THINGS. Matthew 28:20.”
COULD YOU WALK AWAY FROM JESUS? John 6:68.
Jesus called twelve to become His disciples. But multitudes followed Him, listening to His teaching, being healed of diseases, eating 5,000 fish sandwiches that He created with a simple prayer of thanks. People love a leader who says poetic things and gives away food. Everyone was drawn to Him; Jesus was the biggest thing toContinue reading “COULD YOU WALK AWAY FROM JESUS? John 6:68.”
HIDING PETER’S FOIBLES. Matthew 14:22-31; Mark 6:47-52.
Bible readers have always LOVED Peter. We love his rash statements, his passion, even his mistakes. People identify with Simon Peter. I relate to the way he talks without thinking. You know he keeps making mistakes—but you also know his heart is in the right place. He just wants to please Jesus, but often doesContinue reading “HIDING PETER’S FOIBLES. Matthew 14:22-31; Mark 6:47-52.”
THE DEATH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. Matthew 14:13-14.
The death of John must have been so hard. John was Jesus’s first cousin. They had been friends all their lives. And it was not awkward: John did not know who Jesus was until the day he baptized Him. But Jesus knew John was the forerunner, the great herald, preparing the people for their Savior.Continue reading “THE DEATH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. Matthew 14:13-14.”
TWO YEARS IN EPHESUS. Matthew 10:34.
When the home team wins a championship, it is HUGE. Everyone is going to Academy, wearing the gear, closing schools, having a parade. The city is turned upside-down—for a day or two. But God sent Paul and others to Ephesus for TWO YEARS. He revolutionized the city of idols. First, Apollos “vigorously refuted the JewsContinue reading “TWO YEARS IN EPHESUS. Matthew 10:34.”
SIN-LEVELING. Luke 10:13-14.
People say, “the ground is level at the foot of the cross.” It’s a nice reminder not to judge. True, we must ALL bow the knee. No one reaches Heaven without Jesus. But is the ground really level? Are Hitler and I equals apart from Jesus? NO. Hitler’s sin is extremely, almost infinitely worse thanContinue reading “SIN-LEVELING. Luke 10:13-14.”
Household Words: 