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Sleep - For Thou Lord
Psa 139:13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. Psa 139:14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully [and] wonderfully made: marvellous [are] thy works; and [that] my soul knoweth right well.
We are wonderfully made. Do you believe that? I sure do.
Gen 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
Your body was not an accident. It was designed. You did not evolve. God spoke and man was created. You are wonderfully made. Take the complexity of DNA for example. It contains encyclopedic volumes of exact information. The human genome is amazingly complex. It took supercomputers years to map the human genome. The human genome has 3 billion base pairs in the DNA. 3,000,000,000
Cystic fibrosis is caused by a change of 3 nucleotides (base pairs) in one gene. A change of 3 out of 3 billion is fatal. A random change of 0.0000001% is fatal. Random mutations cannot create extremely complex, highly designed, anything. Mutations cause deformity. The truth is that you were wonderfully made. And when Almighty God made man, He designed him to work in a certain way. God knew before He created that man would fall, and He knew exactly what the ramifications of that would be. God designed our bodies accordingly.
God knew the wages of sin is death. He knew that sin has a decaying and destructive and corruptive nature. He knew that your body would run down during a day. God designed us to sleep.
Go to Psalm 4:8. I used to share this verse with the kids when I worked with the youth. I would ask them, did you know there was a bedtime verse in the Bible. They would say really? Show me.
Psa 4:8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
Notice the wording real close. He is talking about lying down to sleep and he says, “for thou, LORD.” We don’t usually think about sleep that way. We think I am tired so I will sleep. I do it for me. The Psalmist understood this principal. God wants me to do all I do the best I can.
If you are over tired and worn down, you can’t do everything heartily as to the Lord. God designed your body to require sleep. If you don’t get enough sleep there will be consequences.
Effects of missed sleep.
Reaction Time goes down. Judgment is impaired. Vision Short-term memory Performance Motivation Patience You can get down right cranky
You were designed by God to need sleep to refuel your brain and your body. Our brain needs to be refueled daily, without this refueling we are not prepared for the mental challenges that we face. And even more importantly you will not be prepared for the many temptations that we face every day. There is a very real spiritual application to this. We are in a battle. The Devil is real and he will throw temptations at you when you are weak.
In between nerve cells are what are called Neurotransmitters. They get fewer in number the longer you are awake. Your body uses them up when you are awake faster than it makes them. If you don’t sleep to build their levels back up You can’t react as fast.
Being awake 17-19 hours is equivalent to 0.05% blood alcohol level. Your reaction time slows down to the same rate. People with .05 blood alcohol level also make many mistakes. Their thinking is off. People who are over tired also don’t think as clear.
Functions of sleep
Restores normal levels of activity in the body. Restores normal balance among the parts of the nervous system Sleep is necessary for protein synthesis Necessary for psychological well-being. We repair our proteins, muscles, enzymes, etc during sleep.
Sleep is not just so you can dream. You might be lying still, but there is a lot taking place in your body while you sleep.
There are many stages of sleep. There is REM Rapid eye movement sleep. About every 90 minutes and lasts 5 to 10 minutes. During this period brain is highly active. This is when most dreams take place. And there is NREM sleep and it has 4 different stages. Stage 1 is very light sleep Stage 2 is light sleep Stage 3 is deeper sleep Stage 4 is deep sleep
During NREM sleep your Blood Pressure falls, pulse rate decreases, some blood vessels dilate, your CO level decreases. The point is that you need all these different phases of sleep. God designed it that way.
Benefits of Sleep/Rest
Assists in Blood Pressure regulation Reduces stress/adrenaline Improves memory and concentration Regulation of Hormones Restores energy
They did an experiment with Rats that normally live 3 years. They deprived them of sleep and they lived 5 weeks.
Regulates Immune system Decreases irritability and impatience.
Most healthy adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep.
The need to sleep does not decrease with age. The problem for many is as they get older they have an increase of disturbed sleep. More trips to the bathroom. Sore joints. Some nights will be worse than others. But you still need the same amount of sleep time What can be one solution?
A good Nap They say that a 1-hour nap is perfect for most who need to nap. If you only nap for 20 to 30 minutes you avoid the deeper sleep, which is really what you need. Longer than an hour can actually hurt you because it can make it harder for you to sleep at night.
Many people suffer from all kinds of sleep problems.
Some sleep problems can be solved by diet, and exercise. My wife cannot drink any iced tea late in the day. For me that is not a problem, but she will not sleep well. I cannot have milk products in the evening. I will wake up in the night with an upset stomach. Simple discipline. Telling yourself no on some things can make your situation better.
A healthy diet will help. Avoid a high sugar diet. Exercise also helps. It raises hormone levels that are essential for sleep. Keep with the same sleep cycle. They say it takes you 7 days to adjust to a new cycle. Ever hear of Jet lag. When I got out of school I needed a job quick. I took the first thing I could get, which was a night job. For 5 days you would go to bed at 8 to 9 in the morning.
My kids were little at the time and of course they did not understand quiet time at 10 o clock in the morning. That was playtime. By Friday you are getting worn down from not sleeping well but you are starting to adjust to going to bed in the morning.
Then comes the weekend. You need to spend time with your family. And you definitely don’t want to sit up all night alone and sleep when everyone else is up just to stick with your sleep schedule. That kind of schedule is very hard on your body. By the time it is getting used to a certain schedule you change it. That job was running me into the ground. I was having Jet lag every week.
Some sleep problems can be solved by having a good environment. Just making good common sense choices can make a big difference. Minimal noise, appropriate lighting, good pillow. Simple common sense.
I think one of the biggest sleep problems is actually spiritual. It is a worry problem.
You have a big job interview the next day. Or something is going on at work that you don’t like. There is a big bill coming due, or how about a family member is having a serious health issue. The list is almost endless. All the things we get worked up about and let worry us.
Let us look at the context of the bedtime verse.
- Psa 4:1 <To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm of David.> Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me [when I was] in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.
- Psa 4:2 O ye sons of men, how long [will ye turn] my glory into shame? [how long] will ye love vanity, [and] seek after leasing? Selah.
- Psa 4:3 But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him.
He is dwelling upon His great God. He mentions how God enlarged him when he was in distress. He thought about what God had done for him in the past. He thinks about how the Lord shows mercy, how the Lord set us apart for himself. We are His. His eye is upon us. And he says, “the LORD will hear when I call unto him.” God does care. He does listen. He does answer prayers.
Psa 4:4 Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
The world might tell you to count sheep when you are having trouble going to sleep. Other sleep specialists will strongly disagree and tell you to count them backwards. Others when having trouble, often from worry, will just run for a pill.
I prefer listening to the Word of God. I am convinced all the answers you need in life are right here in this book.
Stand in awe. Have a right view of Almighty God. And sin not. Live right so you are in right fellowship with God. And if you sin not your body will also be in better shape. Commune with your own heart upon your bed. Think about your great God like in this Psalm.
And it says be still. Relax. Get the things of this world out of your mind.
Psa 4:5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.
There is the heart of the matter right there. Put your trust in the LORD. Don’t let worry rob you of the sleep you need. Thinking about how great He is, thinking about what He has done for you in the past, think about His great love and how He listens. Be still and pray.
Psa 4:6 [There be] many that say, Who will shew us [any] good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Psa 4:7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time [that] their corn and their wine increased. Psa 4:8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
David had plenty of nights on the run from Saul. David had plenty he could worry about. He was a leader of men. But David knew how to go to sleep. He knew how to think about God, be still, pray, and trust in the Lord. And David knew that he needed to sleep so he could do well the next day for God.
Psa 4:8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
A great bedtime verse and actually the whole chapter. God’s plan to solve sleep problems due to stress and worry.
Psalm chapter 4 is not the only scripture on sleep.
- Pro 3:19 The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.
- Pro 3:20 By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
Once again we start with a great Almighty God.
Pro 3:21 My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: Pro 3:22 So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. Pro 3:23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
Here we have living right according to God’s sound wisdom. So sin not, and make good choices.
- Pro 3:24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
- Pro 3:25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
- Pro 3:26 For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.
Here we have an Almighty God, living according to His precepts, and then when thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
Right thinking toward God and living right goes a long way toward sweet sleep.
- Phi 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
- Phi 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
A Christian who is having trouble sleeping due to stress or worry should run to one place for help. Jesus.
Sleep is very important. However, there are times when something in your life is more important than sleep.
Pro 6:3 Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend. Pro 6:4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. Pro 6:5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand [of the hunter], and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
There are times in life when you need to loose a little sleep. Don’t let the sun go down upon your wrath or that of your friend.
Sleep can be over done.
Pro 6:9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Pro 6:10 [Yet] a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: Pro 6:11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
Pro 20:13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, [and] thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
We need sleep but we are not to over do it. We are not to be sluggards.
Another solution for getting good nights sleep is a good days labor.
Ecc 5:12 The sleep of a labouring man [is] sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
There is something to be said for moderation.
1Co 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.
Sleep can be over done. In that case God calls you a sluggard. Sleep can be under done and we will not be our best and be vulnerable to temptation.
Nutrition can be over done. Some people take it too far. They take so many pills they make themselves sick. Nutrition can be over looked to our detriment. We can eat ourselves into diabetes or heart attack. Some people spend so much time on nutrition that it takes away time they should spend on God. Don’t spend any time on nutrition and you are not being a good steward of the body God gave you, and you will not be able to do near as much for Him. Exercise can be overdone. I spent 8 years selling shoes and I dealt with many runners. I don’t think I ever dealt with a runner who had any age to them at all who did not have problems. Torn knee, blown out ankle. Bone spurs, ect…
They would come in with a problem looking for a shoe that would fix it. I have developed this roll over problem and I hear that Nike has a shoe for it. Or this Asics Gel no longer stops the pain; I heard that the new Air runner is great. It never dawned on them to stop running. At least for a while. Have some variety. It is called moderation.
I have suffered two exercise injuries. Both of which still bother me to this day. I tore my knee up skiing when I was around 20 years old. And I tore my right ankle up playing racket ball about 10 years ago. I made the same mistake both times. I over did it. No moderation.
Exercise can all too easily be left undone or underdone, and that does have severe consequences.
When it comes to Nutrition, exercise, sleep, or just about anything else, nothing beats good common sense, proper moderation, and the attitude of doing all to the glory of God according to His Word.
Psa 4:8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
Why pay attention to our sleep habits and sleep problems. Verse 8 says for thou, LORD. We should do it for the Lord so that we are at our best for Him each and every day. We should watch thing like this in our lives so we can serve God better and longer. Amen.
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