Steven Wales

THE WEEPING PROPHET. Jeremiah 7:34.

Image: The wedding of Andy and Christy in the spring of 2020. Due to COVID-19, family and friends could not travel from out of the country and watched on a livestream. Read these verses—don’t they sound like the year 2020? “I will remove from the cities … and the streets … the sound of joyContinue reading “THE WEEPING PROPHET. Jeremiah 7:34.”

Jeremiah’s Nickname. Jeremiah 9:1.

Scholars suggest Jesus must have exuded joy or children would not have flocked to Him. In fact, Hebrews says Jesus was more joyful than anyone else. WHY was Jesus joyful? Because He was obedient. “You loved righteousness and hated wickedness, therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of joy above all your companions”Continue reading “Jeremiah’s Nickname. Jeremiah 9:1.”

YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW. Jeremiah 2:19.

Could there be a more universal principle, both literally and figuratively? When you plant an apple seed, an apple tree will grow. And when you plant seeds of sin, sin will grow. You can plant seeds in your children—of self-discipline, forgiveness, and reverence, or of laziness, selfishness, and rebellion. You can also plant seeds inContinue reading “YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW. Jeremiah 2:19.”

JESUS HEALS ADDICTION. Jeremiah 3:22

God used Jeremiah to confront Israel about its idolatry and unfaithfulness. The book prophecies destruction and judgment for 52 chapters. At one point, God reminds Israel of its own addictions, that the people are not faithful to God, but continue to be seduced by every new stranger or idol that comes along. God argues thatContinue reading “JESUS HEALS ADDICTION. Jeremiah 3:22”

THAT TIME WHEN TWO UNBORN CHILDREN GREETED EACH OTHER. Jeremiah 1:5; Luke 1:15,44.

We love to think we control our lives. And God gives us free will. But God has plans. Plans that began before YOU began. Consider what God says about people BEFORE THEY WERE BORN: Pregnant Rebekah suffered as her baby kicked non-stop. God said they were twins, and HE ALREADY KNEW THE BOYS and hadContinue reading “THAT TIME WHEN TWO UNBORN CHILDREN GREETED EACH OTHER. Jeremiah 1:5; Luke 1:15,44.”

Hydrate. Jeremiah 2:13.

There are fashions with words as with clothing. Buzzwords are in style today, but will sound old-fashioned tomorrow. There are so many buzzwords surrounding nutrition and exercise, including the pseudo-scientific verb, “hydrate.” “I need to hydrate.” –What an odd thing to say. Of course, you must drink or you will die. You may be ableContinue reading “Hydrate. Jeremiah 2:13.”

LIVING WATER. John 7:37-39.

Mom drug a sleeve across her forehead. Sweat dripped as she cooked. Everyone loved the Feast of Tabernacles—seven days of camping in shelters made of poles and branches. But this year it was so hot. Fall began last month, but summer ruled the dusty valley. The dry season was longer this year. Six months they’dContinue reading “LIVING WATER. John 7:37-39.”

JOEL: HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO ADVERSITY? Joel 2:12-13.

What do you do when trouble comes? Joel writes of desperate times: grapes, figs, pomegranates, dates, and apples are dried up, “indeed, human joy has dried up” 1:12. Then a Ninja-style army invades: “They scale walls, each goes on his own path. They dodge arrows, never stopping. They storm the city, run on the wall,Continue reading “JOEL: HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO ADVERSITY? Joel 2:12-13.”

Pass the Baton. Joel 1:3

Tell your children about the Lord, and let your children tell their children, and their children the next generation. Joel 1:3. This is your duty: to bring them up in the faith. Do you know how? Are you prepared? Are you studying? Do you know the Word? Can you defend the faith and answer theContinue reading “Pass the Baton. Joel 1:3”

REND YOUR HEARTS AND NOT YOUR GARMENTS. Joel 2:12-13.

I remember fighting with my brother as a small child. Mama stopped us from squabbling and insisted that we apologize to each other. We grumbled something. “Now say it again, and this time, say it like you mean it.” So we would apologize a second time, much more sweetly. We were learning a valuable lesson—oneContinue reading “REND YOUR HEARTS AND NOT YOUR GARMENTS. Joel 2:12-13.”