Few things are more surprising to a first-time Bible reader than the constant presence of idol worship in a book about the One True God. God called Abram out of idol worship. His grandson Jacob married Rachel—who stole her father’s idols as a wedding present to herself. After Moses brought the nation out of Egypt,Continue reading “Pork, Port, and Potions: What’s So Tempting About Idolatry? Psalm 135:15-18.”
Author Archives: Steven Wales
WHAT IS GOD LOOKING FOR? Isaiah 66:2.
I once overheard a conversation between women. One wanted a man who was tall. The other wanted one with a deep voice. They talked about traits: is he a family man? Can we laugh together? Is he patient? Honest? Kind? Strong? A good listener? A nice dresser? But what does God look for? In Isaiah,Continue reading “WHAT IS GOD LOOKING FOR? Isaiah 66:2.”
Your Good Deeds are Not Good Enough. Isaiah 64:6.
My grandfather lived in the woods of East Louisiana. There was no cathedral and no church. But the priest would ride up on his horse every third Sunday and hold mass in the school house. I used to share that story with Catholics so I could talk to them about faith. I would say, “Well,Continue reading “Your Good Deeds are Not Good Enough. Isaiah 64:6.”
CERAMICS. Romans 9:20-21.
God is a “creative,” if you will pardon the annoying buzzword. God keeps good accounts. He understands math and science. But creativity is the heart of who God is. And one of the great things about creativity is that creative people are resourceful, they can work the unexpected problem into the final product and evenContinue reading “CERAMICS. Romans 9:20-21.”
TREMBLE. Isaiah 66:2.
I remember the fear I felt one night when I was a little boy. We were in a fourth-floor apartment in New York City visiting my aunt and uncle. My brother and I had gone to bed and the lights were off. Suddenly I looked at the window and saw a man on the fireContinue reading “TREMBLE. Isaiah 66:2.”
WHY DOES GOD LET US SUFFER? Isaiah 63:9.
Why DOES God let us suffer? Why doesn’t He spare us? Why must we grieve and feel lonely and hurt and disappointed? Why do we have physical pain? Why do we go through death, whether it is quick and horrifying, or a decades-long odyssey through ever-worsening illnesses? I believe God DOES spare us many pains.Continue reading “WHY DOES GOD LET US SUFFER? Isaiah 63:9.”
Are You Pestering God? Isaiah 62:7.
Have you ever heard someone talk about wasting God’s time? Or maybe you’ve heard them say, “I’m not going to pray about that—I don’t want to bother God.” You wouldn’t want to pester God, right? Wrong. God is NEVER bothered by our prayers. He has an infinite mind—and infinite time. Thus, His attention for youContinue reading “Are You Pestering God? Isaiah 62:7.”
ENJOY THE MYSTERY. Mark 3:21, 31-35; Isaiah 55:8-9.
God does things HIS way. Stop expecting everything to make sense. “For My ways are not your ways … My ways are HIGHER than your ways” Isaiah 55:8-9. You’ve seen Christians who think if you lost that job, you must be out of God’s will, or if your marriage is on the rocks, one ofContinue reading “ENJOY THE MYSTERY. Mark 3:21, 31-35; Isaiah 55:8-9.”
Drought. Isaiah 55:10-11.
Remember the drought of 2011? Remember the fires all over Texas? Even at our house? Remember the way fields turned brown, grass died, fertile soil turned to dusty sand? Rain is not convenient, but it is so important. We realize it as soon as things turn brown. And the earth has PLENTY of water. TheContinue reading “Drought. Isaiah 55:10-11.”
OPPORTUNITY COMES DISGUISED AS ADVERSITY. Isaiah 55:9.
Paul kept being arrested. Why? Because it gave Paul an opportunity to preach to world leaders. In Philippi, Paul led the jailer and his family to Christ. When Paul wanted to go to Jerusalem, everyone told him he would be arrested. He went anyway. When a crowd gathered, Paul preached to the crowd, and someContinue reading “OPPORTUNITY COMES DISGUISED AS ADVERSITY. Isaiah 55:9.”
Household Words: 