I made a bumper sticker today. It has a picture of hiking boots and says, “We will walk in the name of our God forever and ever.” Micah 4:5. When I read the verse, it got me thinking of the great stickers in the tee shirt shops along the Appalachian Trail. But I’ve never seenContinue reading “Don’t Let Prosperity Make You Weak. Micah 4.”
Author Archives: Steven Wales
Birth Announcements. Isaiah 9:6-7.
When birth announcements arrive in the mail, husbands across America get in trouble for not paying attention: “How tall is he?” “I don’t know.” “What does he weigh?” “I don’t know.” “You don’t know much, do you?” “I know they put him in a Dallas Cowboys jersey for the picture.” Some birth announcements take aContinue reading “Birth Announcements. Isaiah 9:6-7.”
FEAR GOD OR FEAR EVERYTHING ELSE. Isaiah 8:12-13.
Oswald Chambers wrote, “When you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else.” It’s not easy to have faith that strong—but it is true: “Do not fear what they fear; do not be terrified. You are to regard only the Lord of Hosts as holy. ONLYContinue reading “FEAR GOD OR FEAR EVERYTHING ELSE. Isaiah 8:12-13.”
CAN YOU SEE WHAT GOD IS DOING? Isaiah 5:11-13.
God’s children suffer because they miss God’s work. But why are we blind to God’s activity? Because we focus on our appetites. “Woe to those who rise early to drink beer, who stay up late drinking wine. At their feasts they have music and wine. They DO NOT PERCEIVE the Lord’s actions, and they doContinue reading “CAN YOU SEE WHAT GOD IS DOING? Isaiah 5:11-13.”
MY PURPOSE? TO BEAR FRUIT. Isaiah 5:1-4.
We are here to bear fruit. But how? The same way trees bear fruit. They need sunlight, water, and soil. They also need a few years—peach trees and grape vines often don’t bear fruit until year three or four. First, they need good roots. God explains Himself as a farmer with crops that are unsatisfying:Continue reading “MY PURPOSE? TO BEAR FRUIT. Isaiah 5:1-4.”
QUARTERMASTER. Isaiah 6:8.
When I was eleven, I joined the Boy Scouts. my friends Chris and Paul joined too, and my brother Dennis came along as soon as he was old enough. What red-blooded American boy wouldn’t want to join an organization that promised to take him on a camping trip in the woods every month for theContinue reading “QUARTERMASTER. Isaiah 6:8.”
COME LET US REASON TOGETHER. Isaiah 1:18; Isaiah 45.
In the book of Isaiah, God speaks frankly, in a straightforward style. Because of translation challenges, some of the wording may seem old or “religious,” but that should be corrected. This is God offering you a seat at His table, a good meal, and a good conversation. Let’s paraphrase and put it in today’s English:Continue reading “COME LET US REASON TOGETHER. Isaiah 1:18; Isaiah 45.”
The Older Brother Temptation, Isaiah 1:18.
God confronts His children in the book of Isaiah. “‘Come, let us reason together,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they be red as crimson, they shall be as wool” Isaiah 1:18. This is not an accusation. God states it as a given: ‘sureContinue reading “The Older Brother Temptation, Isaiah 1:18.”
CAN A FATHER BE BOTH TENDER AND TERRIFYING? Hosea 11:8-9.
God is both. The movie that best captures my view of my father is Mel Gibson’s THE PATRIOT. The dad is wise and thoughtful, avoiding war, but when war comes for his sons, he takes action in a manner that is fierce to say the least. God hates sin and will destroy those who wouldContinue reading “CAN A FATHER BE BOTH TENDER AND TERRIFYING? Hosea 11:8-9.”
Come. Let’s Talk. Hosea 11:8-11.
In Isaiah, God says to His people, “Come, let us reason together.” That means, “Come, let’s talk. Let’s discuss your sins and my holiness, and how we can have a relationship. Even if your soul is as red as scarlet, I can make it white as snow” Isaiah 1:18. God is merciful. He wants toContinue reading “Come. Let’s Talk. Hosea 11:8-11.”
Household Words: 