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.”
Author Archives: Steven Wales
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.”
Be Wise! WHEN YOU CHOOSE YOUR SPOUSE, YOU CHOOSE YOUR FUTURE. Ezra 10:2.
While living in exile, many of Israel’s men married the women of Babylon. They had been told not to marry foreign (non-Jewish) women, but they did not obey. Ezra led the people in prayers of repentance—and Ezra took this sin personally. He was innocent—that is, Ezra did not marry outside the faith. But because soContinue reading “Be Wise! WHEN YOU CHOOSE YOUR SPOUSE, YOU CHOOSE YOUR FUTURE. Ezra 10:2.”
FOREIGN WIVES. Ezra 9-10; 2 Corinthians 6:14.
How does God feel about dating or marriage outside your own race? Can white people and black people get married? Does it make any difference? God told the Hebrews NEVER to inter-marry with the “Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, … Egyptians, and Amorites.” Ezra 9:1. When Solomon took foreign wives, it was a disaster. The BibleContinue reading “FOREIGN WIVES. Ezra 9-10; 2 Corinthians 6:14.”
Choose a Spouse You Can Agree With. Ezra 9:3, 5-6
Why did God command His people “not to marry foreign women”? Because He knew such a marriage would weaken their convictions and lead to compromise. The New Testament says “do not be unequally yoked.” The image is similar to putting a horse and a donkey under the same harness—such arrangements do not work well, andContinue reading “Choose a Spouse You Can Agree With. Ezra 9:3, 5-6”
“WHEN I RUN, I FEEL GOD’S PLEASURE.” Ezra 7:6.
We love this line from the film “Chariots of Fire.” In this film based on a true story, the Scotsman Eric Liddell, China-born son of missionary parents, tells his sister in 1924 that he is going back to China to preach—but not yet. “I believe that God made me for a purpose—for China. But heContinue reading ““WHEN I RUN, I FEEL GOD’S PLEASURE.” Ezra 7:6.”
EXPERTS. Ezra 7:6-21.
One of the most interesting things I did as a lawyer was to select and prepare expert witnesses. It is fascinating to meet people who are leaders in their fields. I hired an expert in tropical medicine (malaria), in metallurgy (for a suit over oilfield pipe) in orthodontia (for a suit about teeth being pulled),Continue reading “EXPERTS. Ezra 7:6-21.”
When Ministers are Embroiled in Scandal. Malachi 2:1-9.
I am an organization man. A team player. I have a tendency to trust institutions like schools, churches, and the government. Many people are wired the same way. When I was ordained a deacon, I was encouraged to support the church and its staff when others raised difficult questions. Having worked in church staff positions,Continue reading “When Ministers are Embroiled in Scandal. Malachi 2:1-9.”
Respect the Parents That God Chose for You. Malachi 4:6.
Malachi is a book best known for its words on tithing. But I like the words on families: “I will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and I will turn the hearts of children to their fathers.” Malachi 4:6. A father is an irreplaceable resource. No one else can fill that role. Yet someContinue reading “Respect the Parents That God Chose for You. Malachi 4:6.”
Household Words: 