Sleep Deprivation in the Bible

Saturday, July 31, 2010

Scheduled Reading (Click here to read the passages; Click back in your browser to return to this devotional)

• 2 Chronicles 10 - 12:16
• Psalm 91:5-11
• Proverbs 19:6-8
• Acts 20:1-16

Selected Passage: Acts 20:9

Sleep Deprivation in the Bible

Poor Eutychus. I am sure you are familiar with that dreaded feeling of trying will all your might to stay awake, but just not able to. In the end you succumb to Morpheus. Imagine the surprise Eutychus must have felt as he awoke to feel himself falling out of that third story window. Imagine the horror the people gathered there must have felt to witness such a tragedy. Imagine the relief when Paul pronounced him alive.

Difficult things happen, even when we are in the middle of doing what we ought to be doing. When hardship does strike, we have two options: 1. Resent God and blame Him. or 2. Cling to God and glorify Him. Satan uses such opportunities to impose his will on us: to steal, kill and to destroy. We have the power to rob him of that pleasure. If we only cling to our Lord and say "I don't like this. I wish it hadn't happened. I don't understand this. I can't handle it. YOU handle it God! I am anxious to see what good you can bring out of it!"

Then, instead of being embittered and controlled by a tragedy, we can be a part of a miracle as God brings meaning out of the senseless. And He will do it - for His glory and our good.

Oh to Be a Fly on the Wall...

Friday, July 30, 2010 

Scheduled Reading: (click here to read passage; Click back in your browser to return to this devotional)

• 2 Chronicles 8:1-9:31
• Psalm 90:16-91:4
• Proverbs 19:4-5
• Acts 19:13-41

Selected Passage:  2 Chronicles 9:1-8
Oh to Be a Fly on the Wall... 

      God kept His promise to Solomon above and beyond. Jesus described God's faithfulness and blessing to the generous as super compacted - shaken together, pressed down (Luke 6:38). By all accounts, Solomon was blessed beyond measure in wisdom and wealth early on in his reign. Did you see the animals he imported into Israel? Apes & baboons? Really? I guess he had a zoo.       The Queen of Sheba brought her entourage with her along with some awesome spices. Chelsea Clinton's wedding could never compare! But to hear about it in the media this week, you'd think otherwise. Then finally, Solomon seemed to have an effective immigration protocol. He had plenty of foreign visitors coming to hear his wisdom and see his wealth, but he seemed to do a much better job than the USA in sending his visitors back home. Meanwhile, Arizona is fighting it out with the federal government. Where is Solomon today??
      I would love to get my hands on a transcript of the dialogue between King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Can you imagine the questions she asked and the answers he gave? Wow. 
     The "health and wealth Gospel" says God wants His children to be wealthy and that financial trouble is indicative of God's displeasure. Others say abundant wealth is a sin. I say these philosophies focus on the wrong place. It is difficult to judge what is sinful or blessing in this area. Instead, I say we should focus on whatever brings God glory. Isn't that what the Queen of Sheba did when she saw Solomon's great wealth? It is not about us and our comfort or status. It is about our capacity to glorify God. This is true in all things, not just about wealth and health.
     Do you have an abundance of wealth and opportunity? God has blessed you with such as a means to glorify Him. Do that and you will be further blessed. Has God entrusted you with the difficulties of poor health or limited resources? Count it as a high calling to glorify God with your faith in His provision.

Bankrupt Fools

Friday, July 28, 2010

Scheduled Reading: (Click here to read passages, click back to return to devotional)

• 2 Chronicles 6:12-7:22
• Psalm 90:9-15
• Proverbs 19:1-3
• Acts 18:18-19:12

Selected Passage: Proverbs 19:3
³ A man's own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the LORD.

Bankrupt Fools
I am constantly amazed at those who make foolish decisions - be they Christian or not - then suffer the consequences, and then "rage against the Lord!" I compare it to a man who is having a hard time paying back his creditors and is in danger of defaulting on his loans. He ignores the problem hoping it will go away. It never does. Eventually the man falls behind on his payments and the creditors start calling or pursuing collections. His credit rating is ruined. He is accruing finance charges, penalties, late fees, etc. His problem is getting larger by the day.

My dad taught me long ago a sound principle: A creditor will loan you money because he wants to get paid back with interest. If you run into a hard time in paying the creditor back, call him and talk it out with him before you fall behind. He will more than likely be willing to help you through a rough patch rather than risk not getting paid back at all.

The fool in the proverb lives his life as he sees fit, ignoring the Word of God. The problems he creates by his actions begin to pile up. They eventually crush him. Instead of turning to God for help, he rages against him. He blames God for his problems. He fails to see that God's principles were established to prevent the problems. Instead the foolish man views his resulting problems as God "getting him" or punishing him for having fun.

Have you ever been the fool in the proverb? We all make stupid mistakes. We all wish we had an "undo button". At least I do. While no button may exist, we do have One Who promises that He can make ALL things work together for good! I'll run to God when I mess up instead of blaming Him. I KNOW He can fix the fine mess I got myself into!

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Scheduled Reading: (Click here to read; click back to return to devotional)

• 2 Chronicles 4:1 - 6:11
• Psalm 90:3-8
• Proverbs 18:23-24
• Acts 17:32 - 18:17

Much is being said about Darryl Stingley, former NFL New England Patriots Wide Receiver who was paralyzed in a 1978 pre-season game against the Oakland Raiders. He died today. While I honestly do not know much about the famous football player, I am quite confident that he never expected that to be his last football game that day. He was cut down in the prime of a very promising career. Check out the video at the bottom of this post for more information.

None of us are guaranteed tomorrow. Psalm 90:3-8 points that out very effectively.Our lives are lived best when we keep that in mind.

the other passages in our reading today tell stories of men of God who followed their calling and their passion with all their heart. It sounds to me like they never banked on having too many tomorrows in their future.

Solomon Did What??

Tuesday, July 27, 2010


Scheduled Reading: (Click here to read online; click back in your browser to return here to read the devotional)

• 2 Chronicles 1 - 3
• Psalm 89:48 - 90:2
• Proverbs 18:20-22
• Acts 17:10-31

Selected Passage: 2 Chronicles 1:6


SOLOMON DID WHAT??  

I love how we read the Bible sometimes. (Sarcasm intended). From the beginning to end we tend to gloss over passages or read right through the details in search of morsel hidden among more interesting stories. Today I was on that very familiar path myself. I was blowing right through 2^nd Chronicles 1. Then verse seven caught my attention. God appeared to Solomon and said "Ask for whatever you want me to give you." It is a familiar story for most. Solomon asks for wisdom instead of riches or long life. God gave him all three in huge portions. I figured my nugget for the blog was in the verses to come.

But then I went back to verse 6 and found a nugget there. Most of us are not at all familiar with verse 6. At least I wasn't. Not until today. I know, you need to go back and read verse 6 too. Go ahead. I'll wait. I've even made it easy for you. Click this link: Verse 6.

Did you see that? Solomon offered 1000 burnt offerings on the bronze alter in the Tent of Meeting! I wonder how long that took. I wonder what the offerings were. I don't think he was burning money on that alter. A studious reader can go back into Deuteronomy and comment about the bulls, rams, birds and grain required by the law for this particular sacrifice and how they had to be prepared. I hope you do. It will add a lot to the discussion. But I can’t do it and keep under 400 words!

So why the big deal? Have you ever killed large game - like a deer perhaps? What about a mess of ducks or fish? You can't eat them like they come out of the woods or the marsh! If you want to enjoy the game, you have to dress it out - butcher it. Many hunters give away their game because they do not enjoy cleaning their catch.

 Now have you ever tried to dress out 1000 deer or ducks or fish? No? Me neither. But I imagine you'd have to come in from your hunt mighty early in order to get that many cleaned before nightfall!

My point? We write a check. Or nowadays – we have automatic drafting. That’s our sacrifice. No wonder we don’t hear from God like Solomon did. Some sacrifice.

Monday, July 26, 2010

Scheduled Reading: (Click Here to read the passages online; Click back on your browser to return here)

• 1 Chronicles 28 - 29
• Psalm 89:42-47
• Proverbs 18:18-19
• Acts 16:25 - 17:9

Selected Passage: 1 Chronicles 28:9
"...the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts."

The search engines are prety impressive in what they can deliver to a computer screen. You type in a few words, and presto... thousands of websites for you to sort through. Chances are good that the searcher will find what he is looking for. Chances are even better that he will find a LOT more that he ISN'T looking for!

Sorry Google, Yahoo, Bling, etc but you are actually late to the game and you all pale in comparison to the best search engine ever: The Holy Spirit. The eyes of the Lord search the world for those hearts that are completely His. He doesn't just look at the actions or words, He searches our attitudes and motives. Those probably matter more to Him than the actual doing or not doing of a thing.

Do you want to please God? Please Him with what He finds in your heart today.

The Impervious Blockade

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Scheduled Reading: (Click here to read passages online; Click back in your browser to return here)

• 1 Chronicles 26:20 - 27:34
• Psalm 89:35-41
• Proverbs 18:15-17
• Acts 16:1-24

Selected Passage:  Acts 16:1-24

It's often with the best of intentions that I will unwittingly get myself into trouble. But I gotta tell ya... I don't know of a time when I acted foolishly or stubbornly when I didn't hear that still small voice or have that check in my spirit saying... and I quote... "Ahem." God is faithful, even when I am faithless. I sure am glad my salvation rests in the qualifications of Jesus Christ and not on my qualifications!

Paul and his posse (my 12 year old son would be proud) weren't up to no good here. They were actually trying to go preach the Gospel to some folks that needed to hear it! Yet God had other plans. He wouldn't let them in. He set up an impervious blockade. Now I suppose they could have pressed the issue and went in those towns anyway. I probably would have. Some people may have gotten saved too. Who knows? God does. He knows. He knows exactly what would have happened - or what would NOT have happened had they gone to those towns first.

It is going to be a few chapters before we get to find out what was so important in Macedonia. But along the way we are in for a rough ride: faithful obedience on display, cruel jealousy in full force, and spectacular conversions to faith in Christ.

I am so thankful that our God speaks to us by the Holy Spirit and helps us along the way. Shame on me for the times I pretend to not hear Him. I suspect I am not alone in this folly. We are all a work in progress.

Music Downloads found in the Bible

Saturday, July 24, 2010


Scheduled Reading: (click to read the passage; hit return in your browser to come back here)

• 1 Chronicles 24:20-26:19
• Psalm 89:29-34
• Proverbs 18:13-14
• Acts 15:22-41

Selected Passage - 1 Chronicles 24:20 - 26:19

It is times like these that I really appreciate this Read The Bible Through system! It is hard to be refreshed by the listing of the gate keepers of the temple in 1 Chronicles. I know God has included it in His Word for His purposes and I'm good with that. However, coming up with a devotional thought based on this passage that is worth reading is a tall order that is best left to greater minds than mine!

Ahh, but with this system not only do I get to read about the list of men charged with singing praise in the temple morning and night, I also get to read a Psalm that actually leads me in praise to the Almighty God. I get to imagine for a moment that I am in that heavily guarded temple with the ancient men of Israel. I can participate with them in exulting our God together!

It is sort of like having a music download in your own Bible! Read a passage, and there is a Psalm set as a soundtrack to it!

Psalm 89:29-34 - Is a very reassuring Psalm. It teaches us that God is faithful even when we are not. More than that, it teaches that God is faithful in spite of our treachery. I am appalled at my own foolishness, and admittedly I am embarrassed at times to approach His throne... knowing I deserve judgment, but also knowing I am now under no condemnation because of what Christ has done for me.
This Psalm does an excellent job of reminding me of who I am in Christ Jesus, while at the same time reminding me the expectations that come with living up to that Name! Reader & writer beware.

The Perfect Tropical Storm

Friday, July 23, 2010

Scheduled Reading: (click here to read; click Back on your browser to return here)

• 1 Chronicles 23 - 24:19
• Psalm 89:22-28
• Proverbs 18:10-12
• Acts 15:1-21

 Selected Passage: Acts 15:1-21

What do Tropical Storm Bonnie and this story of Jews, Gentiles, Circumcision, and parting company have in common? Nothing much really, except you could see them both coming from a long way off, and in the big middle of it, it is difficult to know whether it is going to turn out OK.

My point? Glad you asked! We have all heard about the different theories posited about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Some say a storm in the Gulf will just push the oil inland and get it all over everything - making the place inhabitable. Others say no, the powerful wind and surf will serve to break up the oil better and let the sea reclaim her oil as she does with the countless leaks seeping from her floor all the time.

So now we are watching Tropical Storm Bonnie set her sights on the Gulf oil spill. B.P. is evacuating the Deep Water Horizon, and my parish (county for any non-Louisianans) is under a state of emergency as I type. We watch and wait.

The Jews had to endure circumcision, so they thought it only fair to impose the rite on the converted Gentiles. Paul and Barnabas got into it over John who ditched them. They decided it would be best to go their separate ways. Was it a bad thing?  The world watched and waited.

Turns out, that nope, God worked it for good and for His glory. The Gospel got spread even more effectively because of the arguments and split up.

Sometimes it takes a bit of a storm to break things apart so they can do some good. We just have to trust the One who's in charge. That's easy to say when you are between storms and much harder to do in the thick of it. Nevertheless, its true.

Celebrity Gossip - Did you hear about Mel Gibson?

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Scheduled Reading: (click here)

• 1 Chronicles 20 - 22
• Psalm 89:16-21
• Proverbs 18:8-9
• Acts 14

Selected Passage: Proverbs 18:8-9
Celebrity Gossip - Mel Gibson  is he just the latest easy target? I don't know. To tell you the truth, I'm not even following all the details of the matter. I've heard his name mentioned on the news and see headlines on search engines about him. Frankly my own buffet of worries and concerns is enough for me to handle as it is. Funny thing about Gossip: Proverbs says it will make you sick. The writer makes it sound like the sweet Hershey's Kiss morsel is really filled with Exlax! Yikes! But there is a subtle difference... while the effects of a laxative will wear off after a while, this proverb seems to suggest that the poison of a gossip can have a more lasting effect on the hearer. For that reason alone, I believe it would be prudent and easy to turn off the TV, pass by the tabloids, set a new home page, delete a gadget, etc to avoid the mindless chatter about the rich and famous.

Just as important, but less easy, would be to turn a deaf ear of that gossip who works with you, goes to church with you,  or sits next to you in class. Is a gossip wasting your time with the dribble? Want to know a secret? The gossip only shares it with you because you will listen to it. Ouch. I know. Sorry. Stop it.

What do you do if your the one sharing the gossip? Simple. Stop it.
Stop sharing the gossip and start sharing the Gospel.

Clueless People with Too Much Salt

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Scheduled Reading:  
Click here to go to BibleGateway.com to read these verses

•  Chronicles 17- 19
• Psalm 89:9-15
• Proverbs 18:5-7
• Acts 13:42-14:7

 Click on "Scheduled Reading" above to go to BibleGatway.com and read the verses directly.

Selected Passage: Psalm 89:9-15. 
We are clue free. That's what we are. Absolutely clueless. The Psalmist declares the awesomeness of God. He gropes around for things in creation with which to compare to the Creator. Although he does a much better job than I could ever hope to do, he still comes up with nothing. He is overwhelmed by His majesty.

When did we become so... so.... (here I go, groping around for words to describe US!) so... comfortable around, so... familiar with God the Almighty? Have we lost sight of the dreadful holiness of God? Love and grace are there, to be sure. Jesus encouraged His disciples to call him Abba - Daddy. But here we are 2000 years later, and we call him Daddy, The Man Upstairs, Father... but very rarely do I hear anyone broach the subject of His holiness. I think it scares us. It makes us uncomfortable. And well it should. It made Isaiah very uncomfortable when he saw the Lord in his vision (See Isaiah 6). So much so, he thought he was about to die.

We would do well to learn about God's holiness and His glory. We wouldn't sit down to feast on a pile of salt, would we? NO! We feast on meat and potatoes. But even the best meat and potatoes without any salt or other seasonings would be a very bland meal indeed. Neither is God only holy or only loving. We must understand His holiness as being seasoned with the flavor of His endless love and sweet mercy.

Recommended Reading:

The Pursuit of Holiness

By Jerry Bridges / NAV Press


What does holiness look like? For starters, it doesn't look anything like perfection. And it doesn't necessarily look like victory. Mostly, it consists of effort, prayer, grace, and obedience. "Scripture speaks of both a holiness we have in Christ before God, and a holiness we are to strive after," writes Bridges. We can ignore neither Christ's role nor our own if we are to successfully pursue holiness. It is as simple as refusing to smudge the truth on a tax return or as complicated as forgiving the person who has most viciously hurt us. Bridges takes holiness out of the realm of the impossible and brings it into the real world of your daily life and decisions. Whether you're continuing your pursuit of holiness or just beginning, the principles and guidelines in The Pursuit of Holiness will challenge you to obey God's command of holiness.

Tuesday July 20, 2010

Scheduled Reading:

• 1 Chronicles 16:7-17:15
• Psalm 89:3-8
• Proverbs 18:3-4
• Acts 13:14-41

 Highlighted Passage: Proverbs 18:4
The writer compared the words of man to deep waters and wisdom to a bubbling brook. Hmmm. At first glance it would see almost as though the writer may be exalting the value of man's words and minimizing wisdom. But it is easy to see how a bubbling brook can be a source of refreshment, nourishment, and even life itself for those dying of thirst. So, it is plain that this is no slam on wisdom out of this book of wise sayings!

But lets turn to the first part of the proverb... a man's words are deep waters.... I can imagine a few things happening in deep waters and, none of them are good: drowning comes to mind; then there's all those really big critters that could do some serious harm to a fellow; Oh and let's not forget about the "dead zone"... we have it here in the Gulf of Mexico, and I'm confident it exists in the Dead Sea. It is the layer of water in certain areas where the oxygen is depleted and cannot sustain life. I don't recommend fishing in these areas. In fact, I think that may be the writer's point... man's words alone cannot sustain life. It cannot refresh you. Neither can it sustain you.

No, man must not live on bread alone, but on every Word that comes from the mouth of God. Reading the Bible through this year is an excellent strategy! Keep it up!

Monday, July 19, 2010

Scheduled Reading

• 1 Chronicles 14, 15, 16:1-6
• Psalm 88:14 - 89:2
• Proverbs 17:28 - 18:2
• Acts 12:20 - 13:13

Selected Passage: Psalm 88

"The darkness is my closest friend." Wow. Have you ever felt like that? The Psalmist describes such pain, loneliness, despair, and longing for God's comfort that would lead one to think he has lost faith. But yet, what does he continue to do, in spite of the hardships he has faced? He continues to call out to God for help. He clearly recognizes that his pain is ordained of God. He doesn't dispute the fact that God is in his right to dole out the circumstances as He sees fit. He eloquently pleads his case before God almighty for relief.

We are all tempted to turn to somewhere - anywhere - except to God when life spins out of our control? Alcohol, sex, drugs, work, etc, can all be a dead-end means to escape. Often we fall to the temptation to retreat into ourselves. We blame God. We blame others. We blame ourselves. We throw blame around like litter flies out of the bed of a pick up truck speeding down the highway. In so doing we leave an ugly mess behind and our condition remains the same if not the worse for it.

When we take the example of the Psalmist and submit ourselves completely to the One Who is in control, only then, can we experience the good that is promised to those who love Him. I am fond of saying:

"If God can make man out of dirt, then he can make good out of hurt." 

Oh, but wait, you have to believe in creation - not evolution - to believe that... good thing I do! But that's a whole other topic....

Sunday July 18, 2010

Scheduled Reading

• 1 Chronicles 12 & 13
• Psalm 88:8-13
• Proverbs 17:26-27
• Acts 11:27-12:19

1 Chronicles 12 & 13 contrasted with Acts 12

What a contrast we can see here between David, who would be king of Israel soon, and Peter and his friends! Both are under duress from their enemies. Both need a miracle to survive. Both get just the miracle they need. But the similarities seem to fade from here. David bides his time in enemy territory while God miraculously adds men to his number through David's obedience to God and good treatment of others. All the while, David believes God will do just what he said.

Now to Peter and those praying for the miracle he needed.... they pray, God swoops in and makes a way of escape from peril... but apparently no one actually believed he would do it - at least not in this fashion!

So many times I am more like Peter and his buddies than David and his men. I say I believe God will move and work a miracle in our hour of need, yet I act all astonished when I actually see evidence of his hand in m situation. That doesn't sound much like faith to me.

Scheduled Reading for Saturday, July 17, 2010

• 1 Chronicles 11
• Psalm 88:1-7
• Proverbs 17:23-25
• Acts 11:1-26

Thoughts from Acts 11:1-26
When the other Christians in Judea learned that the Gentiles (Non-Jews) in the region were allowed to hear the Gospel (Good News about the Savior) it caused no little concern. Up until then, the believers of this new found faith in Jesus as the promised Messiah believed that forgiveness of sins through the blood of Jesus was a gift only for the chosen people of God - the Jewish nation. Once Peter described how God had blown that idea out of the water, the Jews of the area figured they better not stand in the way of what God was doing among the Gentiles! Smart move!

How about today? How do we stand in the way of what God is doing among unbelievers? What preconceived ideas and limitations do we possess that prevent us from allowing God to work in and through us to reach our world with the Good News that Jesus paved the way to a personal relationship with our Creator?

Ask God right now to show you those misunderstandings on your part over the next few weeks. As He does so, He will also give you the tools, strength and resources necessary for you to overcome.