Good Sleep

I'm going to talk about something we all need...REST, in particular, sleep.
 
There must be a balance between the various activities we engage in.  Work and leisure must both be given space in our schedules or we can lose the edge in performance.  Failure to have enough to keep one busy can lead to idleness, laziness, and depression.  Not having enough time to rest, recreate, and reflect can leave one with the "law of diminishing returns" in that you end up working harder but achieving less and then crash into an unhealthy burned out state.
 
Doctors are still learning much from the study of sleep.  This mysterious unconscious state, though found in the animal kingdom, is of much greater importance in human beings.  Failure to get enough sleep can lead to any number of psychological disorders and, in extreme cases, can lead to early death!  It has always fascinated me that we are designed to lapse into a virtual comatose state for one third of each 24 hour day!  Either too much or too little sleep can be bad for one's sense of well being.  Taking rest in sleep is so very important that we should learn how to get the benefits God intends for it to provide.
 
The Bible teaches us some things about sleep.  There are examples of people who went through experiences that robbed them of their sleep.  There are instances where some purposefully stayed awake in order to pray and strengthen their walk with God. There are also some verses that teach us the secrets to getting a good night's sleep.
 
Here are some helps taken from scripture:
 
1. Perform some good, honest, physical work. (Physical exercise has many other benefits also)  Ecc. 5:12 "The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep."
 
2. Develop Trust in God (avoid worry)  Psa 4:8 “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.”
 
Pro 3:24 "When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet."
 
Along with these two good spiritual lessons about sleep, there are some good common sense tips about how to get the benefit of sleep as well as make to most out of the day.
• Sleep only when sleepy.   This reduces the time you are awake in bed.
• If you can't fall asleep within 20 minutes, get up and do something boring until you feel sleepy.  I have some sermons on tape that might help.   :-)
• Don't take naps.  This will ensure you are tired at bedtime. If you just can't make it through the day without a nap, take a very short one but not after 3:00 P.M.
• If possible, get up and go to bed the same time every day.  Your body works better with a consistent routine.
• Refrain from strenuous exercise at least 4 hours before bedtime.
• Develop sleep rituals.  Listen to music, read, have a cup of caffeine free tea, do relaxing exercises.
• Don't stay in your bed for waking activities.  Associate the bed with sleep.
• Stay away from caffeine at least 4-6 hours before bed.
• Have a light snack before bedtime.
• Take a hot bath 90 minutes before bedtime.
• Make sure your bed and bedroom are quiet and comfortable.  Cooler temp is better for good sleep.
Remember, you can have too much of a good thing.  Sometimes the key to good sleep is to sleep less each night than the suggested "full eight hours".  Also, getting up early even on days off, rather than sleeping in and throwing ones body off cycle, may help avoid those frustrating times when it's bedtime and you just can't seem to get sleepy.
 
Finally, the best way I know to insure a good night's sleep is to fill the day with good works and a clear conscience.  Spiritual disciplines have many practical benefits that we can enjoy now and not have to wait for eternity!
 
Quotes:
 "I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve."  Albert Schweitzer

"A person will worship something, have no doubt about that. We may think our tribute is paid in secret in the dark recesses of our hearts, but it will out. That which dominates our imaginations and our thoughts will determine our lives, and our character. Therefore, it behooves us to be careful what we worship, for what we are worshipping we are becoming."  Ralph Waldo Emerson
 "I can think of nothing less pleasurable than a life devoted to pleasure."  John D. Rockefeller
 "Tell a man whose house is on fire to give a moderate alarm; tell him to moderately rescue his wife from the hands of the attacker; tell the mother to gradually extricate her babe from the fire into which it has fallen; but urge me not to use moderation."   William Lloyd Garrison

Opposition and Hardships

As I have been studying the biographies of famous Christians in history I observed that every single person who achieved anything of recognition went through some very difficult trials, received criticism, and experienced many failures. This is the same pattern we find in scripture. The inspired history of God's servants includes the accounts of opposition from enemies, criticism from peers, betrayal by friends, personal weaknesses, blunders, and failures. The thing that made them great servants of God was not that they were superhuman, or even above average in talent. The thing that made them effective was their devotion to God and a fervent dedication to the calling He had given them. Abraham, Moses, Elijah, David, Nehemiah, Simon Peter, and Paul all had their failures chronicled in scripture as well as their successes!

Church history provides us with the accounts of many well known Christians who have been recognized as making great contributions to the cause of Christ. C.H. Spurgeon, known across the world as the "Prince of Preachers", led the largest congregation in the world during his lifetime. His sermons have been printed and read by millions. He is acclaimed by many Christian historians and scholars as having been the most gifted sermonizer in the history of the church. Did you know that he was severely criticized by several prominent contemporaries? One well known pastor in London even questioned the legitimacy of his conversion and called him a dangerous and errant man. Others took issue with him for using humor and anecdotes to illustrate his sermons. They found fault with his person, his style, and his theology, yet history has demonstrated that he made thousands of genuine converts who went on themselves to win many thousands more!

Jonathon Edwards, known as the Father of the "Great Awakening" and author of the famous sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" was later fired from his own church for insisting that church members should be genuinely regenerate! The man we all now consider to be specially anointed to turn a country to God was dismissed from his pastorate by political players.

There are times when we are reminded of our own weaknesses and limitations. For those who strive to achieve something, there will be setbacks, failures, and disappointments. There will be those who will find reason to criticize, mischaracterize, castigate, and even demonize the man or woman who follows the call of God. If God waited for the perfect people to surrender for service, He would be waiting still and no one would be found. God uses flawed people. He uses cracked vessels. He uses mistake makers. He always has.

Have you messed up? Do you think that your mistakes have ruined you for service? Are you wounded because of the enemies' assaults on you? Take heart! God can take you at whatever state you may be in, re-work a plan for your life, and empower you to be His servant again. It is better to be the one taking the arrows than the one shooting them. It is more admirable to fail at something important, than succeed at something mediocre. Is it more commendable to draw the hatred of the small minded than to enjoy the false peace purchased with the price of cowardice?

Our ultimate example of worthy accomplishment is our Savior Jesus Christ. He had no faults, yet He was grievously accused. He made no errors, yet He was constantly harassed by critics. He never acted in malice, yet he was the victim of the worst malicious violence sinful man ever displayed! If the most perfect man in the world received unjust criticism, surely we who are flawed, faulty and often errant will experience criticism, both deserved and undeserved.
Press on. Pray hard. Play fair. Perform! God will help you.

Quotes:
 "If you want everyone to leave you alone, it is simple... just don't be anything, do anything, or have anything!  But if you try to be something, do something, or have something, expect opposition."  Vance Havner
    
 (When he heard that he was being criticized by a gossiping woman)  "Well, I agree with her that I am not a good man.  I know more bad things about myself than those she claims to know!"  George Whitefield
 
"Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them."  (attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson)
  
"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."  Winston Churchill

Cooperation

Cooperation is a great thing.  Many things can be achieved by one man working all alone.  Art, music, writing, craftsmanship, and a good number of other things can be done by one person who applies himself to his task and then present this work, as a blessing, to others.  There are some things, however, that require teamwork.  The talents and toil of numbers of people, working together in harmony, is necessary for a business to operate, a school to perform its charter, an army to defend a country, or a church to fulfill its commission. 

The local church, as the body of Christ, is composed of many members who are part of the whole, "For the body is not one member, but many."  'But now are they many members, yet one body." (I Cor. 12:14&20)  The analogy of a body is a fitting picture of how God would have us to view our church.  A healthy body has all its parts working, but not only working, they must work in harmony with all the other parts!  For example, if you have a perfectly good heart, but that heart does not respond to the increased needs of oxygen to the body, due to exercise, then the body is limited and weakened.  It may be capable of pumping to whatever degree required, but if communication breaks down then it will not serve the body well.  It could be said that the heart is faulty because it does not show up to the level the body requires when needed.  Also one may have a perfectly good eye, but it this eye wanders around on its own instead of working with the other eye, the focus will be off and the body cannot function properly.

All too often, a church can be just like that malfunctioning body.  The parts may be good but, without communication and coordination, the body is weakened.  The Holy Spirit dwells inside of each of us and serves to help us communicate on the same level.  This is why we must walk closely with Christ and allow his Spirit to rule in our hearts.  It is the ministry of the Spirit of God to join us together, move us to compassion, and direct our energies to a healthy sense of Christian unity. 

Worship, fellowship, and working together in Christian service connects us as the body of Christ.  Whenever we meet, whether it is an actual worship service, or a scheduled time of fellowship, we are able to practice the spirit of cooperation that is essential to achieve a healthy body life.  When we are close, we will naturally communicate and cooperate.  If we are detached and distant from fellowship, we will begin to weaken as a viable participant in the body.

How about you?  Are you connected?  Are you performing your role in the life of your church?  Perhaps God is calling you to a closer walk with him.  If you draw closer to Christ, he will lead you to draw closer to others too.  These are the people Christ wants use to bless your life and these are the people that he wants you to bless.  There is no effective Christianity unless it is practiced in the world of "one another".  How about the church services?  Are you looking forward, with enthusiasm, to each meeting with your brothers and sisters?  Are you hungry for the Word of God?  Is the church calendar the priority in your weekly schedule? 

I encourage you, dear friend, to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit which dwells inside you.  He will lead you to close communion with Christ and loving harmony with your Christian family.  We have much to do.  We need all the various "body" parts healthy and working together!

Quotes:

"The purpose of Christianity is not to avoid difficulty, but to produce a character adequate to meet it when it comes. It does not make life easy; rather it tries to make us great enough for life."  --  James L. Christensen

    "All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen." --  Ralph Waldo Emerson

     "Religion today is not transforming people; rather it is being transformed by the people. It is not raising the moral level of society; it is descending to society's own level, and congratulating itself that it has scored a victory because society is smilingly accepting its surrender."    A. W. Tozer

Expectations In Ministry

Sometimes a preacher needs to remind himself of the promises of God.  He promises to bless our efforts in His name and to reward faithful service.  While he does not guarantee we will always see the results we would like to see, He does promise to empower us and to be with us as we obey his commission.  So here are a few thoughts along those lines that God has impressed upon my heart recently.

1.  I should expect God to convict and draw sinners to obey the gospel; therefore I should preach it authoritatively with the expectation that repentant sinners ought to respond.

2.  I should expect those who are sincerely saved to be willing to go public with their faith; therefore I should preach baptism, church membership, and enlist converts in becoming committed followers of Jesus Christ.

3.  I should expect followers of Christ to want to grow in their faith and to learn the principles of discipleship, namely, worship, fellowship with other believers, and service; therefore I should preach such truths and work to provide an atmosphere where this can be promoted.

4.  I should expect that success may not always be visible and the success which appears to be visible may even be deceiving; therefore I should do my best and rest in the sovereignty of God to build His church as He promised He would.

5.  I should expect Christ followers to give of their wealth and of their time to serve Christ; therefore I should teach and preach what the scriptures say about giving and service.

6.  I should expect that all the things we strive to do for Christ will receive opposition from Satan; therefore I should be dependent upon the Holy Spirit for power, guidance, and comfort as I experience any hardships and disappointments that opposition may bring.

7.  I should expect that the clearer and more central these expectations are, the better my life of service will be and the better the people I shepherd will be.   

An Old School Paddling

Back in the early 70s in May Eanes Jr. High, Mobile, Al. There was this boy in junior high school who held the record for the most paddlings.  He was the most paddled 7th grader, the most paddled 8th grader, and the most paddled 9th grader, that is up until the second semester.   That record was not just for those years but was an all-time record for the school!

Now this boy was not really all that bad.  He did have a rebellious streak to him but the real problem was that he enjoyed his misbehaving so much that the paddlings, even though unpleasant, were worth the fun he had cutting up. Added to this was the street cred he enjoyed from his reputation as a tough guy who couldn't be broken.  Paddlings had become his "claim to fame".

Well one day he went little too far in giving a certain lady teacher a hard time in class.  Right about that time Coach __________ was walking by the classroom door.  Now this man was a lesson in masculine engineering.  His arms were large and his neck was thick, and he sported a neat flat top crew cut.  He was small at the waist and never said more than two words at a time but you better believe he really meant those two words.

This lady teacher teacher looked out the door and saw the coach walking down the hall.  She got his attention and complained about this boy for about 30 seconds.  He looked at the boy and said, "Outside."  He happened to have his planed down baseball bat with him.  He took this kid over to a 56 Chevy parked around the corner, pushed him toward the hood and said, "bend over."

All it took was two full swings to reduce this tough street punk into a sobbing spectacle of complete contrition.  Today this coach might have been arrested for child abuse as he actually made twin bruises, one for each cheek, on that boy’s rebellious backside.  Back then it was just another day in the public school system when a misbehaving student crossed the line and needed to be given a wake-up call.

Well that boy went back to class, apologized to the teacher, and changed his ways.  That was the last spanking I ever got in my life and it probably did more to form my character than any other single event.  I finally had to learn that there was something and someone bigger than myself and the law did really have some teeth!

I ran into Coach _________ 11 years later when I was pastoring a new church in Mobile.  He still had that same flat top and that same imposing physique.  I don't know if he even remembered that incident but there was a look in his eye that made me think that he did and he was proud to see that I wasn’t in jail but was wearing a suit and buying tires for the family car.  I should have said “thank you” but the silent nods from each to the other was enough.  With guys, sometimes no words are really needed.

Thermometer or Thermostat?

As I am writing this, it is a very cold January morning.  It is somewhere around zero.  Boy, am I glad for "global warming" or it might be even colder!  :-)

Yes, all over the world there are reports of unusually cold weather.  People living in places that hardly ever freeze are seeing their rivers become ice.  Southern farmers that grow citrus are suffering the loss of those crops due to abnormally low temps for their area.  Some people have even died of hypothermia, and it is feared more may die due to the arctic blasts that are hitting much of the nation.  Around the world, similar reports are made of freakishly cold weather for their areas.

Long term weather forecasters are the most gutsy people in the world.  They are sometimes right on the money, but other times they miss it by a mile!  Shorter term predictions, on the other hand, are getting surprisingly more accurate.  Those guys at the meteorological centers seem to have their craft fine tuned to the point that they can almost tell you what side of the street it will rain on and for how long.  But even the short term forecasts aren't always accurate, as we have seen this year.  Several times lately an "inch of snow" has turned into several inches of snow followed by several more inches of snow.  I don't envy the job of the weather man.  All the best tools of science at his disposal still set him up as an educated guesser.

We may try to guess or predict what the future holds, but just like the weather, things can happen that we didn't foresee.  Only God knows the future, and with the exception of scriptural prophecy, He has not chosen to reveal it to us!  We are to live in the present moment with certain unchanging principles that are to serve us in whatever times we may live.  Honesty, courage, diligence, courtesy, faith, hope, and love work all the time!  The winds of societal fads may blow, and the temperature of cultural acceptance of the gospel may be cold or hot, but Christians are called upon to be the one great constant as a witness to this world of the love of Christ.  This means we have to be more of as thermostat than a thermometer.  The mechanism for each of these is similar, but the thermometer only has a pointer attached to it.  It reflects and records the temperature.   It is passive.  The thermostat, on the other hand, is attached to a great power source.  When it sends the signal, the connection is made, and that power source kicks in to actually change the temperature of the air.  Therefore, it is active!

Are you a thermometer or a thermostat?  Both need to be in the air space to work, and both need to be sensitive to the environment.  However, to affect needed change, one must be in tune with something more powerful.  God alone knows the future and its needs.  He alone can affect change.  As believers, we are called upon not to reflect the world, but to change the world.  As an individual believer, this means that I am to help bring God's power into play to affect my environment.  The scriptures refer to this concept as being "salt" and "light".

The secret to effective Christian living is to stay in tune with God.  We are affected by our environment, but we are not to be controlled by it.  Instead, we are to partner with God to challenge the darkness with light, and bring some needed heat to a cold world.  Let's be thermostats!  Let's work together to warm people's hearts toward Christ.

Quotes:

 "It is not scientific doubt, not atheism, not pantheism, not agnosticism, that in our day and in this land is likely to quench the light of the gospel.  It is a proud, sensuous, selfish, luxurious, church going, hollow-hearted prosperity."  Frederick D. Huntington, 1890(Did you notice the date...1890!)

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"As any action or posture long continued will distort and disfigure the limbs; so the mind likewise is crippled and contracted by perpetual application to the same set of ideas."   Samuel Johnson

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"Our Father in heaven...help us to see that it is better to fail in a cause that will ultimately succeed than to succeed in a cause that will ultimately fail."   Peter Marshall

Dealing with Depression

“Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”  Philippians 4:4-8

When we concentrate on the negatives, we can become depressed.

What are the thought patterns that most often lead to a depressed attitude?

1.  Things are not going my way.  (Expectations not met)

2.  Others have it better than me.  (Comparisons to others)

3.  Others are mistreating me.  (Anger at other people)

4.  God is mistreating me.  (Anger at God)

Notice!  Each of these has the personal pronoun “me” or “my” in it!

Types of depression:

Circumstantial - Due to temporary setbacks or losses.
Chemical –  Due to physiological imbalances.
Cognitive – Due to a pattern of unhealthy thinking.
Chronic – Due to a longtime pattern of combined causes.

(Types 2 and 4, in some cases, may require medical treatment.)

Attitude is the key!  Pro. 18:14The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?

Here are several spiritual keys to deal with depression:

1.  Accept yourself as a creation of God.  Ps. 139

2.  Accept and rejoice in God’s forgiveness.  Rm. 4:6-8

3.  Remember you are a work in progress.  Phil. 1:6

4.  Be positive.  Avoid griping, complaining.  Phi.l 4:8

5.  Practice trusting in God.  Isa. 26:3, Phil. 4:19

6.  Have a steady devotional life.  Phil 4:6-7

7.  Worship and Serve God.  Get out of self!

8.  Serve others.  Get out of self!

9.  Develop the attitude of gratitude. I Thess. 5:18

10. Take care of your body!

Physical exercise – Releases healthy endorphins
Good sleep – Deprivation can lead to imbalances.
Healthy diet – Balanced nutritionally and moderate
Have fun – Plan something you look forward to doing , then follow through with it.

God can help us with each of these sources of depression but cognitive depression is up to us since it is self imposed.  Even God will not override our conscious choices and artificially create euphoria or joy in the heart of someone who chooses to think in a way that brings him down in his spirit.  It would be like asking God to help you with a drinking problem while gulping down alcohol!

God has a different value system than we do. Lk. 16:13-15 Our old nature is like a little baby impatiently and irrationally crying for attention.  Before we can see that the Father is right there we have to stop crying and look at him!  Training ourselves to think better requires staying in God’s word, reaching out to others and maintaining a busy schedule with times for rest. 

Giving in to depression is something that we should resist with everything we’ve got.  When and if it grabs us, we ought to endure it for the time and then snap out of it as soon as we are able!

Depression

Depression is many things.  There is the kind that comes naturally from negative experiences such as death of a loved one, a sickness or failure. I call this "normal depression".  Then there is the kind that comes from chemical imbalances that may be more tied in with the body and its complex glandular system.  This is "physiological depression" and can be caused by a number of factors including drugs, bad diet, and abnormalities of the internal organs, hormonal fluctuations or hereditary reasons.

The trickiest kind, in my opinion, is that kind of depression which is the result of faulty thinking or errant belief.  It is the kind of thinking that makes a teenage boy think he has no future because his temporary troubles seem so large and overwhelming. Teen suicide. It is the kind of thinking that makes a preacher think he is useless and a failure, when in reality (God's view of things) he is doing a great job.

This depression is what I call "cognitive depression" in that it is based inside ones own head with little or no basis in reality.  Often the reason for this is a lack of a reference point or a faulty reference point.  Not knowing where you are creates the fear or the assumption that you are nowhere.  Thinking you are not where you should be assumes that you are an accurate assessor of where you
should be.  We are not.

Therefore, this kind of depression is a spiritual problem and it can lead to mental and physical problems.  Hope, faith, love and trust in God along with a renewed emphasis on working will combat physical depression.  There are two human factors behind it:  1. Pride (The example of Elijah "I am not BETTER than my fathers" Who said you had to be better than anyone?)  and 2. Fear.  Perfect love casts out fear.  I am convinced that if we can deal with these two things we can go a long way to getting over depression in our own lives and help others
to gain victory as well.

One thing I have found is that most depressed people have way too much time on their hands.  Some, in the absence of any real challenges or difficulty, will imagine or create the same except these manufactured problems cannot be solved or won over in reality because they do not really exist except in their minds.

For example, Hypochondriacs will often lose their strange, illusive symptoms when they acquire an actual illness.  I once pastored a woman who always had some stomach problems or headaches. She had gone to many doctors and was on all kinds of medicine.  She once fell down some steps and broke her leg.  For several weeks she was healthier and felt better than she had in years!  She had a real problem that she could focus her energy on and it relieved her of the imaginary ones. 

I think this may be why we have so much "angst" among our youth.  Our affluence has shielded them from real difficulty so they lack a reference point. The youth of the Great Depression or World War Two had too much real trouble to spend their thoughts on how bad things are. Maybe this is the reason behind piercings and other self inflicted pain.  Those who are getting real cuts, blisters and bruises from working a physically demanding job are generally not as interested in poking holes in themselves.  They may do it to conform to a fad but they probably wouldn't think of it themselves.

With the exception of those whose depression is the result of burnout (another issue but very related) I have prescribed them to get a job or add to their daily activities.  Doing something good for others is the best cure I know for those whose depression is the result of being too inactive and self absorbed.

I could say a lot more but these are just some of my observations   gained through my years of ministry.