Antjie

Antjie

Monday 19 August 2013

Sermon on Sleeping

This is a post about trusting God. You can rest knowing God has your back. Let’s look at …

Psalm 3:1-8 NKJV
1. Lord, how they have increased who trouble me!  Many are they who rise up against me.
2. Many are they who say of me, “There is no help for him in God.”
3. But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head.
4. I cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill. Selah
5. I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.
6. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people wWho have set themselves against me all around.
7. Arise, O Lord;  Save me, O my God!  For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone;
You have broken the teeth of the ungodly.
8. Salvation belongs to the Lord.  Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah
Sleeping is a place of rest. In verse 5 of Psalm 3; David fell asleep trusting in the Lord. We need to be like David and come to peace with the turmoil of the world. True peace will never come until Christ returns.

Peace of mind is based on strength of mind.
Sleep comes when are mind becomes weary and we need to be restored, we are tired. Sleep reminds us that we are not God. God never sleeps. Remember we are helpless. We must rely on God.

Saving faith is rest in Him. You can rest in His protection. David slept despite big turmoil in his life. David even still worshiped God weeping through tough times of his life. See 2 Samuel 15:30. Instead of fear David had faith.
Faith can over come fear!

Joab the nephew of King David was amazed by his uncle. He asked King David, what are you doing sleeping? We are about to be taken over by an army.
Selah which means There, Lift Up! (Hebrew) It can also mean Stop and Listen! The Amplified Bible says “pause and think on that.” This was first used in the 3rd Psalm and used throughout the book of Psalm.
God wants us to pause. He wants us to Be Still and Know He is God. AsPsalm 46:10 shows us.

God is our help. He answers me. God always hears us. The answer is in God’s control On His time. When we pray we should pray the Will of God.

Verse 8 tells us that salvation is the will of God. God can deliver even in the deepest times of trouble. We might think we have too much trouble. We may endure a lot of personal attacks as well. Even at the work place. Remember it is not you, but God who used you to climb the corporate ladder.

Don’t be CEO church goers. What does CEO stand for? It means Christmas, Easter Only. As in you only go to church on Christmas and Easter Only. Or only special times.
Today as well churches are becoming battle fields due to hardening hearts. Don’t allow your heart to be harden.
2 Names of God, as used in the Bible 
Jehovah (God keeps covenant) 
Elohim (Powerful) 
God is the only one who can give us true encouragement. But, we can help to give others encouragement. Be encouragers, lift up people. Don’t put people down! God never tears us down. He is our shield, our protection. We need God to complete protect us.

Now rest in knowing that God has your back. I remember this sermon from last year. I remember I came home and took a good nap after church. After all the Sabbath is a day of rest. I remember other church members sharing they went home and had good naps too. More than likely one of the best naps they have had in a long time.