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Psalm 4:8 - Peaceful Sleep.

Psalm 4:8: Peaceful Sleep. 

Psalm 4:8 (NLT) I will lie down in peace and sleep, for you 
alone, O LORD, will keep me safe. 

Psalm 4:8 (CWR) At night I will sleep in peace because the Lord 
watches over me and keeps me safe. 

   With so much to do and so little time for it, why do we spend 
six to 10 hours out of every day in a state of inactivity and 
unconsciousness? It seems that my cats sleep at least 20 hours each day. Its a 
mystery to evolutionists, who think in terms of survival and fitness. 
Yet animals display so much downtime not being alert to predators, 
not searching for food, not competing for mates or space, not 
mating, and not taking care of their young. Sleep doesn't seem logical, 
but it must be adaptive and important. Almost all critters spend 
time either sleeping or dormant. So what about us?  
   Though literally hundreds of sleep research centers exist 
around the world, with thousands of highly trained people intensely 
studying sleep, the consensus is that the physiology of sleep is still 
largely a mystery. We do know that during sleep the brain stays 
incredibly active while our muscles go dormant. Scientists have recorded 
five phases of sleep, with different types of electrical brain 
activity. The body makes growth hormones during sleep, which is why 
babies, children, and teenagers need more sleep than adults. But growth 
hormones are involved in cell maintenance, too, explaining why adults 
also require sleep. The consensus is that while we are asleep, the 
brain processes things that we have done or thought about while awake, 
something akin to organizing data files and doing routine maintenance on 
your computer's hard drive. Called memory consolidation, it is a form 
of brain maintenance. We also recognize that stress damage gets 
repaired during sleep. The mystery of sleep is an area that provides many 
ongoing challenges.  
   Furthermore, we know some of the serious problems that happen 
if we don't get enough sleep. As little as one hour of sleep 
deprivation slows response time, making it more difficult to think clearly 
and focus on problems. It explains why students usually do worse on 
tests after pulling an all-nighter. My students who include sleep and 
exercise in their daily discipline perform better academically. Compared 
to those who do get adequate sleep, those who are sleep-deprived 
make more bad decisions and poor choices, have lower job performance, 
take more risks, have more accidents on the highway, in the home, and 
on the job, gain more weight, are more irritable, have higher blood 
pressure and more heart disease, and have less resistance to disease to 
name just a few. We honor God by sleeping well. 
   Lord, I sleep so much better knowing that all my cares are in 
Your hands. [God of Wonders by David Steen] 

   Sleep is God's gift. To accept that gift is an act of trust. 
He restores your body and energy through sleep.  
   One of the hidden triggers to overeating is lack of rest. 
When we are overtired, we often try to boost our energy with 
caffeine, sugar, or carbs. That ultimately makes us more tired than 
before.  
   Jesus understood the value of rest. When his disciples 
returned to him after a long ministry trip, they found him in the thick 
of ministry himself. "Because so many people were coming and going 
that they did not even have a chance to eat, [Jesus] said to them, 
'Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest' " 
(Mark 6:31). Jesus needed rest, and his disciples needed it even more. 
Rest ultimately gives us more energy to accomplish all the priorities 
God has for each of us. 
   God makes us lie down in green pastures (Psalm 23:2) so that 
we can rise up again refreshed and restored. [The Daniel Plan 
365-Day Devotional] 

   Sometimes I have trouble sleeping. Well ... I always have 
trouble sleeping. Some nights are just worse than others. Of course, 
sometimes it's just because I drank coffee too late in the day. But there 
are some nights when I lie awake thinking about the other day when I 
really blew it. Or my mind is full of worry about what's coming 
tomorrow. There are the nights when my mind won't stop working on a 
problem, and there are nights when I'm struck with regret over past bad 
choices that have lingering consequences.  
   The thing is, my mind is often my enemy at bedtime. And I 
know that I won't be at my best in the morning if I don't get sleep. 
When this happens to me, I usually toss and turn for a few hours 
before it dawns on me that there is only one course of action to take - 
prayer. I visualize myself taking each worry, each failure, each regret, 
each fear and turning it over to Jesus.  
   On the nights when I do this, a funny thing happens: I begin 
to feel peace. I might not fall asleep immediately, but the power 
of those negative thoughts is broken. Their weight is lifted 
because I'm not the one carrying them anymore. After that, I just talk 
to my heavenly Father for a while until I finally drift off.  
   Thank you, Lord, for taking all my anxious thoughts and 
carrying them for me so that I can rest peacefully. In Jesus' name, Amen. 
[Celebrate Recovery Daily Devotional by John & Johnny Baker] 

   When we lay our heads on the pillow at night, the only 
security we have is God's presence. For all of our security systems, 
yearly physicals, savings accounts, and pension plans, the only real 
peace we can find comes from knowing that we will never face life 
alone. God will always be there with us.  
   The psalmist, David, understood this. As a soldier he carried 
swords. As a general he had an army. As a king he had guards. But what 
he knew in his heart was that only God's presence was a true source 
of peace.  
   What about you? Have you begun to experience this peace 
promised by God? Becoming a believer didn't erase all your problems or 
change the world to a rosy shade of pink, but becoming a believer does 
put you in the lap of One who will protect you, watch over you, help 
you through the problems, and make you a better person because of 
them. You can rest in peace knowing that you will never be alone 
again. God is watching over you. [The One Year Bible for New 
Believers] 

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

   As you sit quietly in My presence, let Me fill your heart and 
mind with thankfulness. This is the most direct way to achieve a 
thankful stance. If your mind needs a focal point, gaze at My Love poured 
out for you on the cross. Remember that nothing in heaven or on 
earth can separate you from that Love. This remembrance builds a 
foundation of gratitude in you, a foundation that circumstances cannot 
shake.  
   As you go through this day, look for tiny treasures 
strategically placed along the way. I lovingly go before you and plant little 
pleasures to brighten your day. Look carefully for them, and pluck them 
one by one. When you reach the end of the day, you will have 
gathered a lovely bouquet. Offer it up to Me with a grateful heart. 
Receive My Peace as you lie down to sleep, with thankful thoughts 
playing a lullaby in your mind. (Rom. 8:38, 39; Psa. 4:7, 8) [Jesus 
Calling by Sarah Young] 

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Peace With God Is The Fruit Of Oneness With God [Charles Stanley]

It is useless to get up early or stay up late, anxiously 
worrying about the next meal. He will provide, and trusting Him helps 
those who love Him to sleep well. Psa 127:2 (CWR)   

LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2009/20090710-1100.html

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

Most Important Decision in Life: 
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0 

Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782

Prayer Made Real: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE

LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES AND SEMINARS

Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: http://www.bibleresearch.info/

ABible.com: http://www.aBible.com