Me: Lord God, the Bible is a big book. Isn’t there
some shortcut to wisdom–a TED talk, or
Cliff Notes or a Reader’s Digest condensed
version?
God: Silly child, that wasn’t your wisest
request ever.
2 Timothy 2:15 (MEV)
Study to show yourself approved by God, a workman who need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
James 1:5 (NIV)
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
Your free gift of wisdom. Wrapped up in the Bible. 
You have to make a decision. You pray for wisdom. Then what?
Most of the time, the answer is right there in front of us, in God’s Word.
2 Timothy 3:17 (MSG)
Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.
If we never study the Bible, we cut off the conversation before it starts. We aren’t prepared to hear God’s answer
We know that Satan lies, steals and destroys.
He lies to scare me, he steals my sense of safety and he destroys my good night’s sleep.
Psalm 4:8 (NIV)
In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, Lord,
make me dwell in safety.
“Peace, perfect peace, by thronging duties pressed?
To do the will of Jesus, this is rest.”
Edward Henry Bickersteth (1825-1906)
Bickersteth was poet, pastor and traveler–in support of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, he did mission tours in India, the Middle East and Japan.
Before bed, I put my anger and regrets in God’s hands. He sorts through my collection.
He trashes my resentment to a coworker’s criticism (how dare she!) and a comment I overheard (nasty).
Ephesians 4:26 (NIV)
Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.
He shakes his head over words spoken that I regret. He tells me to own up to my true motives, to learn from it and to let it go.
James 3:14
But if your heart is full of bitter jealousy and selfishness,
don’t brag or lie to cover up the truth.
Sleep light.
What keeps you up at night?
There are nights when sleep just doesn’t come. My head is full of yesterday’s regrets and tomorrow’s worries. My body is in bed, but my mind is on a hamster wheel.
I can hit the brakes on that hamster wheel.
I can rest assured, knowing that my heavenly Father protects me from the enemy’s plans to disrupt my sleep. My left-over worries are safe in God’s hands. He never sleeps.
Daylight Savings Time and St. Patrick’s Day, all in the same week.
Now is a good time to forgive. It will bring out the saint in you.
[As a teenager, Patrick was captured by Irish pirates and enslaved in Ireland for six years. He escaped and found his way back home to his family in Britain. Later, he returned to Ireland as a Christian missionary.]
