Sometimes life is hard. It just is. There is the grief of emotional loss. There is the pressure of responsibilities. There are health concerns and disappointed hopes and crushed dreams. You gained weight when you were trying to lose it. You gave up three walks when you had a chance to strike them out. AnotherContinue reading “THINGS ARE GONNA GET BETTER! Psalm 30:5; Psalm 126:1-2,5-6.”
Author Archives: Steven Wales
GOD’S HOUSE. Nehemiah 13:7-9; 1 Corinthians 6:19.
My attention was arrested this morning by a strange passage: “I discovered the evil that Eliashib had done on behalf of Tobiah by providing him a room in … God’s house. I was greatly displeased and threw all of Tobiah’s household possessions out of the room. I ordered that the rooms be purified, and IContinue reading “GOD’S HOUSE. Nehemiah 13:7-9; 1 Corinthians 6:19.”
If You’re Too Busy for God—You’re Too Busy. Nehemiah 9:3.
Are you too busy? The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that most Americans work about forty hours a week. That is less than most people have worked, both in other nations and other times in history. But those of us blessed with shorter modern work weeks manage to fill our free time with otherContinue reading “If You’re Too Busy for God—You’re Too Busy. Nehemiah 9:3.”
GIVE GOD THE GLORY–and the Money. Nehemiah 10:35-37.
It’s great to hear athletes and movie stars give God glory. Sometimes it is heartfelt, other times it may not be. The wording can be clichéd; when I was in a similar situation, I would say: “Yeah, God really blessed me.” But the point is, on some level the celebrity recognizes: I DID NOT DOContinue reading “GIVE GOD THE GLORY–and the Money. Nehemiah 10:35-37.”
A BIBLICAL ATTENTION SPAN. Nehemiah 8:2-5,9.
Are you a good listener? Am I? Consider this remarkable story. “Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women, and all who could listen with understanding…. He read out of it from daybreak until noon … ALL THE PEOPLE LISTENED ATTENTIVELY. Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform madeContinue reading “A BIBLICAL ATTENTION SPAN. Nehemiah 8:2-5,9.”
DO YOU HAVE A HIGH BOREDOM TOLERANCE? Nehemiah 8:1-3.
How do you feel about reading aloud? My mind can wander when I listen to a lengthy reading. After all, we are the SHORT ATTENTION SPAN GENERATION, right? We crave fast food, music every second of our lives, TV and movies during every free moment until we hit the pillow late at night. Few thingsContinue reading “DO YOU HAVE A HIGH BOREDOM TOLERANCE? Nehemiah 8:1-3.”
YOUR FIRST BIBLE. Nehemiah 8:3
Do you remember your first Bible? Most of us received one as first graders, and we went home and sat down and opened it. We were excited. We turned to Genesis 1:1, and started reading … and it quickly became difficult and a little boring. The Bible is not a children’s book. It includes rape,Continue reading “YOUR FIRST BIBLE. Nehemiah 8:3”
Dream Big. Nehemiah 4:1-6; 6:15-16.
Set big goals. But accept the fact that you will hear discouraging voices. Expect it. Put discouragement on your to-do list, so you can scratch a line through it when it happens. Because it WILL happen. People will say it can’t be done. They will tell you to quit, that you’re wasting your time, thatContinue reading “Dream Big. Nehemiah 4:1-6; 6:15-16.”
Pray Like Nehemiah. Nehemiah 1:4-11.
A wise king surrounds himself with capable people. Pharaoh made Joseph second-in-command, Genesis 41:40-42. Nebuchadnezzar elevated the best of the Hebrews, young men “skillful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge,” bringing them into his service, Daniel 1:3-4. The same is true of Nehemiah. He was the king’s cupbearer, a position of great trust. ThereContinue reading “Pray Like Nehemiah. Nehemiah 1:4-11.”
CAN YOU BEAR ARMS?Nehemiah 4:17-23.
Christians are not in agreement about America’s Second-Amendment right to keep and bear arms. Pacifists argue the Prince of Peace would not approve of weapons. When Peter cut off a man’s ear, Jesus said to put away the sword, that “he who lives by the sword, shall die by the sword” Matthew 26:52. But earlierContinue reading “CAN YOU BEAR ARMS?Nehemiah 4:17-23.”
Household Words: 