Wayne Stiles's Blog, page 58
August 17, 2016
The Herodium—A Monument to God’s Sovereignty
How a hill devoted to a paranoid king offers comfort to our anxious lives.
Herod the Great is often remembered for the biblical account that never appears on Christmas cards. Hearing from the Magi that the “king of the Jews” was born, the paranoid Herod slew all boys under two years old in Bethlehem—a cryptic fulfillment of Jeremiah 31:15.
(Photo: The Herodium, courtesy of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)
Of course, Jesus’ family got word of the impending threat and escaped by night to s...
August 15, 2016
Save Yourself from Anger with This Mind Hack
The Lord's Prayer Can Be Your Secret Weapon against Losing It
I never thought the Lord’s Prayer would relate to anger. That’s probably because we usually associate the prayer with that flowery, feel-good moment in a service when we all pray the words together (though we’re never real sure whether to say “debts” or “trespasses”). But the prayer relates to anger?
It relates especially when we find ourselves asking, Why am I angry all the time? Especially in my relationships?
It’s tough to see...
August 10, 2016
How Geography Helps Destroy Your Doubts about the Bible
What you can verify about Scripture supports what you cannot prove.
I had lunch with a young man who nursed serious doubts about the Bible. He raised objections. I offered answers. After each exchange, he would shake his head and say, “I just can’t believe that’s true.”
(Photo: Pisidian Antioch cardo with Church of St Paul. Courtesy of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)
“What if I answered all of your questions to your satisfaction?” I finally asked. “Would you believe in Jesus then?” He t...
August 9, 2016
“He Will Never End” by Michael W. Smith [Video]
If you can’t see this video in your RSS reader or email, then click here. If you love beautiful video of the Holy Land, you’ll enjoy this music video by Michael W. Smith—filmed entirely in Israel. The video is stunning and the message is even better.
The song comes from Michael’s album,The Passion: New Orleans.Keep reading this post. Better still, get my full posts the easy way when you SUBSCRIBE TO MY BLOG. When you do, I’ll also send you my FREE e-book!
August 8, 2016
Shechem Still Shouts for Us to Choose God Today
Joshua's words show us the way to succeed in life each day.
Have you noticed when someone says something to you, the tone of what they say speaks louder than their words? As I’ve studied the Bible, I’m convinced something else also contributes to the words: the place the words were spoken.
(Photo: The summit of Mt. Gerizim overlooks ancient Shechem. Courtesy of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)
That’s why Joshua regathered the young Hebrew nation to Shechem. The geographical context of hi...
August 5, 2016
An Ephesus Question: What Comes First in Our Relationship with God?
One thing more than anything is essential in your life today.
All Christians long to live pleasing to Jesus Christ. That’s why if Jesus told us He had a criticism for us, many of us would pull out our checklist and grab a pencil.
(Photo: Ephesus theater and the Arcadian Way. Courtesy of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)
We’d make our way down the list and ask the Lord:
“Should I go on a mission trip?” “Do you want me to pray more?” “Maybe memorize the book of Romans?” “You just name it,...August 3, 2016
How Biblical Geography and Botany Can Help Your Marriage
God reveals affirmation as key to a healthy relationship.
The Bible speaks often of marriage. After all, God began the human race with it. His first command to the man and woman, “Be fruitful and multiply,” required the physical union the Song of Songs extols.
(Photo: The Rose of Sharon along Israel’s coast, by Gideon Pisanty [CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)
In the Song of Songs, inspired discretion veils the couple’s erotic conversations behind beautiful metaphors. But the veiled metapho...August 1, 2016
How to Change Your Past with 2 Mind Hacks
A couple of daily decisions can help your change the past that will be.
Think about the worst mistake you’ve made. If you’re like me, it probably ranks as the worst because of the fallout it caused. After all, some wrong things we did seem to have had little effect. But the ones that backfired on us we view as the big ones.
(Photo courtesy of Unsplash)
The trouble is, we never know which compromises will end up being the big ones.
Reuben, the oldest son of Jacob, blew it big-time. From his ex...
July 29, 2016
Why Your Dreams Come True is Actually a Temporary Fix
Life is still just life, no matter where you are.
Okay, so it finally happened. What you’ve waited on for years. Maybe you got the dream job. Better salary. More responsibility. Better fit. Flexible hours. Your dreams come true! But wait.
(Photo courtesy of Unsplash)
Only after taking the job do you discover that more responsibility means you’re managing people, and people bring challenges. Flexible hours mean you never feel like you’re working enough. And along with that salary come more exp...
July 27, 2016
2 Biblical Gardens Reveal How to Make the Best Decisions
How Eden and Gethsemane still affect you today.
Two gardens, Eden and Gethsemane, provided the settings for two choices that brought opposite results. The Bible wildly contrasts these choices. In fact, you face them today.
(Photo: The Garden of Gethsemane. Notice the city walls in the distance. Courtesy of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)
In the Garden of Eden, Adam’s choice to commit sin had the potential of bringing condemnation to everyone. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Christ’s decisi...
