God made you for a plan. What plan? Whose plan? His plan. He may reveal to you His plan. But He won’t change His plan. Is that unfair? What if you don’t like God’s plan? What if your plans are as good as His plans? That’s the wrong way to look at it. He knowsContinue reading “YOU ARE THE POTTER; I AM THE CLAY. Isaiah 29:16; Romans 9:20-21.”
Author Archives: Steven Wales
TRUE LEADERSHIP. 2 Chronicles 30:18-20.
Leadership requires humility and service, such as Jesus washing the feet of His disciples. But it also involves something priestly. That is, true leaders do what priests do—they plead to God for their people, just as Jesus pled for us from the cross. Hezekiah was a godly king. He had the temple cleaned and heContinue reading “TRUE LEADERSHIP. 2 Chronicles 30:18-20.”
HE IS MINDFUL. HE KNOWS. 2 Chronicles 30:18-20.
When Hezekiah became king, he began reforms to bring God’s people back to the Lord. He got rid of idol worship and brought back the Passover. When it came time to celebrate it, however, many of the people were ritually unclean, but ate the Passover anyway, breaking God’s law. “But Hezekiah interceded, saying, ‘May theContinue reading “HE IS MINDFUL. HE KNOWS. 2 Chronicles 30:18-20.”
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.”
Household Words: 