Steven Wales

ONE SCARY BIBLE STORY. 2 Kings 18:19-35; 2 Kings 19:35-36.

When Sennacherib, King of Assyria, began conquering the world, he sent men to convince King Hezekiah to surrender. But rather than go to the palace, they went to the City Gate and shouted to the crowds—in Hebrew—knowing that before Hezekiah could offer a rebuttal, the seeds of fear and doubt would grow into full terror. Continue reading “ONE SCARY BIBLE STORY. 2 Kings 18:19-35; 2 Kings 19:35-36.”

THERE IS NOTHING MAGIC ABOUT GOD’S LAW. 2 Chronicles 30:18-20.

The Harry Potter stories are the latest in a long line of fictional tales in which the power of a magic spell is determined by the speaker’s ability to say the right words in the right order—and even with the right accent. If you say the words incorrectly, either nothing happens, or something completely differentContinue reading “THERE IS NOTHING MAGIC ABOUT GOD’S LAW. 2 Chronicles 30:18-20.”

Embarrassed by Your Faith? Isaiah 25:5,8; 26:11; Matthew 10:32-33.

Have you ever been embarrassed to be a Christian? Ever been tempted to deny your faith, to say you’re not one of “THOSE” Christians—as if you are some OTHER kind, some better, more understanding type? There can be negative associations with Christ and with His Bride, the church. Lost people may accuse you of beingContinue reading “Embarrassed by Your Faith? Isaiah 25:5,8; 26:11; Matthew 10:32-33.”

God Subdues the Uproar of the Barbarians. Isaiah 25:5.

I saw a video today of Antifa protestors burning an American flag. Sadly, that has become commonplace with America-hating protestors. But this time they took it further, and burned a Bible. Why? How did a love letter from the God who created them and died for them become something worthy of burning? They pretend toContinue reading “God Subdues the Uproar of the Barbarians. Isaiah 25:5.”

EARTH DAY. Isaiah 24:1-23.

People today talk a great deal about CLIMATE CHANGE, and they usually mean ‘anthropogenic’ or man-caused climate change. That is the belief that the release of carbon dioxide (think car exhaust) has caused the earth to warm. For many, causes like this one are a religion, complete with sin, guilt, judgment, penance (you better buyContinue reading “EARTH DAY. Isaiah 24:1-23.”

THE GOLDEN HOUR REVEALS THE GLORY OF GOD. Isaiah 24:23.

Last night while I was mowing I watched the sun transform from hot, golden sunlight to cooler sparkling light dappling through the trees. The clouds above me went from white to yellow to pink. Then this morning I had to leave before dawn and drive into the city. The drive took a while, andContinue reading “THE GOLDEN HOUR REVEALS THE GLORY OF GOD. Isaiah 24:23.”

THE BIBLE AS LITERATURE. Isaiah 22:17-18.

Is the Bible literature, a work of art? Some find the idea offensive, as though we were arguing the Bible is ONLY literature, when it is much more. But as a work of art, as a carefully-crafted collection of words, the Bible is UNPARALLELED. Consider Genesis 1, Psalm 23, John 1, or Luke 2. IContinue reading “THE BIBLE AS LITERATURE. Isaiah 22:17-18.”

SIGN OF THE TIMES. Matthew 24:6

American Evangelicals are steeped in conversations about the End Times. Ever since Hal Lindsay published THE LATE GREAT PLANET EARTH in 1970, Christians have been reading, writing, preaching, and making movies about the end of the world. There are so many films about it, my pal Robb Brunson was even in one–he has his ownContinue reading “SIGN OF THE TIMES. Matthew 24:6”

What About All This Free Time? Isaiah 55:11.

God once sent a punishment that sounds like the year 2020: “Joy and rejoicing have been removed from the orchard: no one is singing or shouting for joy in the vineyards. I have put an end to the shouting.” Isaiah 16:10. In 2020 there was no cheerful shouting. Stadiums were quiet. Weddings were quiet. GraduationsContinue reading “What About All This Free Time? Isaiah 55:11.”

The Devil. Isaiah 14:12-15.

Satan. Beelzebub. Lord of the Flies. Prince of Darkness. Lucifer. Mephistopheles. Lord of the Dungheap. Where did this enemy of our souls come from? Most of our ideas about Satan come not from the Bible but from Milton’s PARADISE LOST (same place we get our notion that Adam & Eve were felled by an apple. Continue reading “The Devil. Isaiah 14:12-15.”