Steven Wales

ENTERTAINMENT AT CHURCH. Ezekiel 33:30-33.

SESAME STREET convinced generations of children that school should be fun. There’s nothing wrong with an entertaining class. But EXPECTING to be entertained at school is TERRIBLE. If students believe everything must be entertaining to “earn” their attention, then they will refuse to learn when things become boring or tedious. Why is that a problem?Continue reading “ENTERTAINMENT AT CHURCH. Ezekiel 33:30-33.”

Break the Chain of National Pride that Takes Credit for Things God Has Done. Ezekiel 32:10.

God used Babylon to humble Israel. Then when Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, grew proud, God used Darius, King of Persia, to humble Nebuchadnezzar. This is a common pattern in Bible history: God lifts up one nation to humble another. But then the nation God raised up become proud, and God lifts up a third nationContinue reading “Break the Chain of National Pride that Takes Credit for Things God Has Done. Ezekiel 32:10.”

EGYPT. Ezekiel chapters 29, 30, 31.

Egypt. How was the dynasty eclipsed by Greeks, Romans, and the British Empire? Today the Land of Pyramids is a has-been. But Egypt once ruled the world. Besides allowing transportation up and down the continent, the Nile’s seasonal flooding spread water and nutrients across the delta. Soon the plow was invented, allowing people to build housesContinue reading “EGYPT. Ezekiel chapters 29, 30, 31.”

EGYPT: AN INTERNATIONAL NOBODY. Ezekiel 29:15; James 1:17.

You don’t hear much about modern Egypt. The nation on the Nile once ruled the world. Through Joseph, Egypt saved the world from famine. The nation built the pyramids—glorified tombs listed among the Seven Wonders of the World. They built the Sphinx. They invented hieroglyphics. They filled King Tut’s tomb with a billion dollars inContinue reading “EGYPT: AN INTERNATIONAL NOBODY. Ezekiel 29:15; James 1:17.”

Watch Out for the Sin of Egypt. Ezekiel 29:15

Ever wonder what happened to Egypt? The nation once ruled the world. Today it is on the sidelines. But it was proud, and God does not ignore pride. When Egypt said, “the Nile is my own, I made it for myself,” God promised judgment. He said: Egypt will be the lowliest of kingdoms and willContinue reading “Watch Out for the Sin of Egypt. Ezekiel 29:15”

Stop Hoping Bad Things Will Happen to Bad Drivers, Rude People on Social Media–and All Those Others. Ezekiel 25:3-4

I confess: sometimes when people drive rudely around me, I hope to see them on the side of the road stalled with engine failure, or in a ditch somewhere after losing control, or climbing out of their car after crashing into a bridge abutment. I confess: sometimes I wish evil on the people I seeContinue reading “Stop Hoping Bad Things Will Happen to Bad Drivers, Rude People on Social Media–and All Those Others. Ezekiel 25:3-4”

SATAN’S BACKSTORY. Ezekiel 28:12-19.

Where did the devil come from? Who is he and how much power does he have? Some of the answers are found in Ezekiel 28. “You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God, and were covered in every kind of precious stone…Continue reading “SATAN’S BACKSTORY. Ezekiel 28:12-19.”

PRIDE GOETH BEFORE THE DESTRUCTION … OF SATAN. Ezekiel 28:12-19.

Every day you see it: someone proud fails. It happens in “karma” videos, sports, academics, celebrity gossip, politics, and movie plots. It’s happened to all of us—your confidence becomes cockiness and you fail. Maybe you stare in the mirror telling yourself how great you look, and suddenly acne breaks out like a rash of boils.Continue reading “PRIDE GOETH BEFORE THE DESTRUCTION … OF SATAN. Ezekiel 28:12-19.”

SABER RATTLING. Ezekiel 21:3-5.

The term “saber rattling” is one of those phrases you hear on the news or perhaps in a college classroom. It sounds sophisticated, but probably confuses half the audience. But you can figure it out using context clues. What is a saber? It’s a sword. Why rattle a sword? As a threat. Dictionary.com offers thisContinue reading “SABER RATTLING. Ezekiel 21:3-5.”

LIFE IN THE FISH BOWL. Ezekiel 24:16,18.

Imagine a goldfish, swimming around a glass bowl all day, his every move on display. No privacy. Pastor’s families live in a fish bowl: everything they do is watched by the church—watched and judged. It is not easy. Being in ministry means living selflessly. When you “put on the collar” people see you differently. YourContinue reading “LIFE IN THE FISH BOWL. Ezekiel 24:16,18.”