Sleeping

Kopp Disclosure

(John 3:19-21)

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    Whoa.

    That video's intense...and reaaaaaaalllllllly scarrrrrrry.

    Help us, Jesus!

    He does.

    Once He's in us, we're no longer afraid of life's boogiewomen/men.

    We sleep...well.

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    "Now I lay me down to sleep.  I pray the Lord my soul to keep.  If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take."

    Amen!

    But some folks don't sleep...well.

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    A fellah who doesn't sleep...well...said, "Whenever you tell anyone you're an insomniac, you can guarantee what they'll say: 'That's funny because I'm asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.'  But when I meet a blind man, I don't say, 'That's funny because I can see perfectly.'"

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    Insomnia is no joking matter.

    Insomniacs, people who do not sleep...well, are often irritable, depressed, tense, anxious, stressed, plagued by headaches, accident prone, unfocused, forgetful,...and painfully weary because they haven't been sleeping...well.

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    My first introduction to insomnia was a few decades ago with a church musician who said, "I'm having so many problems with our choir and you that I can't sleep at night."

    Younger and even bolder than I am now, realizing ya can't fix what ya won't face, I said, "That's not the choir's problem and that's not my problem.  That's your problem.  Most of us sleep well even though we're having problems with you."

    "What do you mean by that?" she snapped.

    "Well, friend," I replied, "unless you've got some kinda medical or emotional problem, it's probably a spiritual problem that you don't sleep well at night.  Really, don't you believe God's in control of the choir, you, me, and everything else?"

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    Insomnia sometimes signals a spiritual problem.

    Sometimes not.

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    Insomnia may be a medical or psychological problem demanding medical or psychological therapy.

    Insomnia may mean we're just not taking care of ourselves by setting aside enough hours for sleep.

    God created us with a physical and psychological need for almost a third of our lives to be spent in sleep.

    Insomnia may mean we're not exercising enough or eating too much too late at night or smoking too much or drinking too much caffeine or alcohol or taking the wrong kinda meds or using our beds for stuff other than the two purposes prescribed by most physicians, psychiatrists, and psychologists.

    If you need help on that last one...

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    The Mayo Clinic: "Insomnia is a persistent disorder that can make it hard to fall asleep, hard to stay asleep or both, despite the opportunity for adequate sleep...[People who don't sleep well]...awaken feeling unrefreshed...Insomnia can sap...your energy and mood...health...work performance, and quality of life."

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    Insomnia, bringing to mind the aforementioned church musician, may be a spiritual problem that can only be cured by a spiritual solution.

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    Bert Atwood, one of the most practical preaching professors that I ever had, often said, "Trust Jesus...and, in everything else, hang loose!"

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    Do you remember when Jesus got into a boat with the disciples and then fell asleep during a terrible storm?

    They awakened Him in panic and begged, "Jesus, save us!  We're gonna drown!  How can you sleep when everything but heaven is breaking loose?"

    He answered, "Puuuuuuuhhhhlease!  Why are you such fraidy cats?  You'd never be able to handle a Metallica video!  Dang, ya ain't got much faith!"

    O.K., a little license from the latest revised non-standard version of the...

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    Moretheless, Jesus always talked about rain falling on everybody; but anybody trusting Him will survive.

    The Desert Fathers of the 4th century always said as soon as one challenge ends, another begins; but we can survive by sticking with God through them.

    Bikers say you're either riding into a storm or out of a storm before riding into a storm or out of a storm before riding into...and the only way to remain calm is to know you will ride out of a storm before riding into...

    Jesus said surviving the storms depends upon our relationship with Him.

    Read the end of Matthew 7.

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    David's life was constantly threatened by Saul and his own son Absalom and enemy after enemy; but he never lost sleep over 'em because he trusted God to take care of him.

    Read Psalms 3 and 4.

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    Solomon said, "My mind is clear, free from fear.  I lie down and sleep so well.  I am refreshed by sweet sleep.  I'm calm.  I don't fear anything or anyone because God is always around to protect me.  He is the safeguard of every step."

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    Simply, the spiritual way to sleep well is trusting God.

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    Yeah, sleeping pills or cocoa and marshmallows or hot tea or...may provide a quick fix or bandaid or...buuuuuuut trusting God is the only real fix, healing, and solution.

    When we trust God now and then and forever, we sleep...well.

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    When we trust God, we know the past is forgiven; so we don't have to worry about that and can sleep...well.

    When we trust God, we know the present is sustained; so we don't have to worry about that and can sleep...well.

    When we trust God, we know the future is secure; so we don't have to worry about that and can sleep...well.

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    Byron's son was a heroin addict.

    He said he couldn't sleep...well...because of it.

    Finally, his wife Betsy said, "Byron, don't you trust God for our son?  Don't you know God loves our son even more than we do?"

    When Byron started trusting God for his son, he started sleeping...well.

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    If you're not sleeping...well, it may be a medical, psychological, or spiritual problem.

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    Selah.

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Blessings and Love!

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