Ending The Day With God

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Podcast network you're listening to the Truth Network and TruthNetwork.com encouraging prayer, God offers an open invitation for his people to talk with him at any time about anything on encouraging prayer Dr. James Banks, author of the best-selling peripheral product and many other books on prayer provides weekly biblical insight help you learn to love and now in say something unique or do you just lie down and rest in him and go to sleep on today's encouraging prayer when I pick up where we left off last week looking at some great advice for going through the day with God and those episodes we talked about starting the day with God and spending the day with God and if you miss them you are available.

You can go to get the podcast absolutely at the encouraging purchase. Tell Siri on here that encouraging Kirk podcast but James, go ahead. Let's jump in with Mr. Sandman you think about it God you ministry really is the original and I love that you go to today were to start with home for eight which says I will lie down and sleep in peace for you alone. Lord, make me dwell in safety, but I think another Psalm as well hundred some white 124 that says the Lord court grant sleep to those he loved. Jenny really is Mr. I can't think of better versed to focus on being in these troubling times and some full rate and and when Matthew Henry looks at those words.

He saw so much in them and that's where were going to have as I've mentioned before Matthew Henry is one of my favorites.

I mean, a pastor who lived over 300 years ago, but because he stayed so close to the word of God he's still on point today.

So James, what were some of the things he saw. There one of the first thing he sees it is summed up with this question.

Where you get your joy. We look at verse six of us on for a bit that says, many are asking who can show us any good in the answer to that question comes immediately. Let the light of your face shine upon. So Lord you have filled my heart with greater joy.

So it's like the choice any good. You know, many are asking that many excessive with the Lord face turns so so basically he just starts with the best things come from God and and let's go there as we think about sleep.

Have you ever asked God to speak to you when you were sleeping more to help you dream what he wants you to dream. That's what that makes me think of how I like to test now. Haven't we all had dreams that were anything but we want to give ourselves over to him and that includes sleep yeah and and what a difference it makes for good night sleep. Think about David's work again I will lie down and sleep in peace. We want to welcome God's spirit to fill us and help us and direct us in God's peace even when were sleeping and I don't know about you Robbie, but I found that I'm on best able to hear God's very first thing in the morning because my mind isn't so filled with with all the things I want to do and there's, there's less noise if you will and and for me that means more creativity and and and a better ability to hear how that brings ethical fawning line on Ascot what he wants you to do for the next day coming and invite them to give you the ideas he wants you to have James you could ask him about what the next book is like you are. I get asked about on ideas he has for the radio show some part I love that you one difference that can make not just dropping off to sleep at St. Lord before I go there response me of the prayer. How I lay me down to sleep I pray the Lord my soul to keep, yeah, yeah. And that is if I should die before I wake I pray the Lord my soul to take you, not the traditional version of that and I learned that as a young child when the person my father taught me if you think about it this really is a a rehearsal for the ultimate lying down of of of our lives.

You know when when we die and go to be with the Lord. Those moments like leaning back into him and and resting in him and that's not a morbid thought.

It's a realistic thought in the new add to that that that Henry points out that that David wrote Psalm for what he was troubled by his enemies as a matter fact starts out answer me when I call and then give me relief for my distress. So what's happening is David runs to God in the middle of his troubles and find there is peace only God can give. So his confidence is in him and and David recognizes that his life is really in God's hands and he's not in control of it and we need to do this, don't that's another great thing about closing the day focusing on God. Sometimes we worry about what happened the night while were sleeping, our homes, they save our loved ones committing them ourselves to God and the last thing we doing in potentially placing our trust in him. Certainly makes a difference. Yeah it does a great point Rob, you know.

And another thing Henry finds it in the Psalms of David is thankful. He says you alone. Lord, make me dwell in safety nets way of recognizing God's work and expressing it to him. He is thankful to God for God talking to him. It's almost like you are you sure analogy here crawling up in the father's laughing and resting his head. My favorite thoughts actually also makes me think about what you mention about John leaning on Jesus and putting your head on the pillow at night. As if you're doing the same thing is that and that really is one of my favorite things and it helps me resting human and trust him and it helps me remember that there is no peace. Like the PC yet so it sort of takes you know all of that focus and put their helps to cast my cares on him as if to say Lord I been caring all the stuff in my heart and mind. You know carrying around all day like a backpack and lay it down and just be with you and it's amazing how when we do that that backpack is so much lighter in the morning if it's even there at all. And I also think that backpack in a different way. Think of all the blessings you have and recognize that there from God and unpack it before him and thank him for each one. Also, you know, as we been thinking about David's word consult for rate what a great song to memorize and pray right before you go to bed I will lie down and sleep in peace.

Just as words.

I will lie down and sleep in peace for you alone make me dwell in safety if it's like putting everything in order. At the end of the day is not another thought that Henry had on this first Corinthians 1031. Whatever you do all the glory of God.

Think about how much of our lives, we spring we spend sleeping.

I know I do is got a difference. I mean if we dedicated to him now. Yeah, exactly. And we really do him just after Metro salesman what you were like you.

I'm so glad you pointed out, Robert committing to God, even those parts of the day that we think might not matter and and letting them into those moments I could get something he really wants us to do and I think that's one of the reasons why Psalm four is in God's word. I think it's all there for a reason. If we let God into those moments I think will sleep more peacefully.

I think will awaken more refreshed. I think he'll lead us even what were sleeping give us beautiful dreams and creative thoughts and what were resting in him will sleep in a way that we never would have otherwise.

So now we really need to do this.

This we do yes I do. I'm so glad we looked at this today. James let me wrap up with the time that we could really put this into practice starting tonight. So Jesus, thank you for these amazing words from David to who clearly went before us with much trouble. And Lord, we pray that you would give us a hunger and thirst tonight this very night and then to keep it up to spend some real time with you before we lay down and truly think through the parts of the night and offer them to you in a brand-new experience so I'm excited to join us be a great Saturday night. She's a man and man hear more from Pastor James by visiting the website James Banks.org or by visiting these church in Durham, North Carolina.

May God bless you and encourage you as you pray