How to Get a Good Night's Sleep

Did you notice how solid it is come full circle here. Sorry for and led us to feel sorry for him per se. No, really, was registering on the totem pole power. The daily you get a fair shake in court or the corporate world. That guy is now as the terms are about it by now wilderness. I know that there can be medical issues and other factors that have a negative impact on our sleep, but does your mind ever keep you awake. What keeps you up at night.

What thoughts consume your mind to the point where you cannot sleep. What worries or cares come rushing to mind when it's time to close your eyes at night for King Solomon. That thing was money today on wisdom for the heart. Stephen Devi continues through Ecclesiastes.

Stephen has some lessons for you from Solomon's financial worries and shares some practical steps for sound worry.

Recently, this lesson is called how to get a good nights sleep.

The text really got a lot of my thinking.

A little research survey that came across recently said that America has RSI fallen asleep survey revealed that the United States ranks in Taiwan rank among the top three most sleep deprived nations in the world about interesting and not surprising really that 70% of sleep deprived individuals can't sleep because they're anxious or troubled or worried. In one way or another with issues related to money, finances, job security would be related to that retirement savings investment accounts, income levels bills coming due. Even as believers are Miami's are spinning our hearts are troubled our stomachs and churning. We so easily forget that even though we can't see him. Our heavenly father is in the room. Some of the most practical homespun advice. Solomon essentially informs us of a couple of issues that can rob us of peace and trust, and even take away from us a good nights rest. Money is involved, but that's not all.

Take your copy of Solomon's private journal and let's go back to chapter 5 in our study that we left off for now. In verse eight, and onto the notice is the first car of verse eight she begins the subject. If you see in the province. The oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness. Do not be amazed at the matter suffer a moment, Solomon is referring to the forest of the poor does believe he is referring to the day laborer. They worked were paid to get it every day there being oppressed in some matter that the word here for, violate, or violation comes from the Hebrew word gazelle, which actually refers to robbery or plunder or having things taken away from them stolen from bigger land could be there free to produce there being allowed to get expanded with the implication here of a just verdict in court because he is poor doesn't have the money for defense lawyers again afford to take time off from that day laborer to the amount of the fancy can afford a way to get 40 speed up the process. He's at the low-end of the totem pole, so to speak, and he is no way out and is no way out Solomon's interesting.

It is a is iFixit. He says don't be amazed by the verb to be amazed means to be startled or bewildered or fearful to send anticipated that because of fallen mankind. This is the way it might be talk about God's purposes as he works through this chapter, Solomon here is describing a situation out of our control. That may not be fair to the kind of thing that can keep you up all night is nothing you can do about it.

He is essentially defining the typical bureaucratic system.

Even the governmental systems of the world.

Notice further in verse eight were solid and I still be amazed at the matter. That is your cell works for the high officials watched by a higher official and there are yet hirelings over that he's describing the bureaucratic food chain. High officials are watched by even higher officials who are watched by even higher official Psalms is are all watching each other's, harder to define what this bird watching means it's probably a negative thing in the context it's not clear if they're watching each other to protect each other from being caught in some scam or trick or if they're watching each other to make sure nobody takes more of the company are supposed to. Either way you interpret it. The guy at the bottom. The poor guy loses fact and that Solomon was on the cynically added was nine. This is game for land in every way a team committed to cultivated fields need to sort of paraphrase that to understand the phrase in getting that cynical negative context. He saying that everybody is in on the take everybody out there is looking out for number one and and help keep you every chance they get back the new living translation reads that last phrase about the king. This way, and even the king milks the land horizontal profit.

Even the king is part of the solution is part of the problem, patting his own pocket. Just describing human nature with me in the totem pole of power. You travel around the world today, you read you watch the international news. The majority of governance are described in some way).

Solomon's Journal is all the sort of food chain and the guy the bottom tough seems to be the more power you have a better off wearing a lot today about the uses of governmental systems whether socialism or fascism or Nazi-ism or capitalism several years following article and and came across it this past week which sort of clears default on some of these users is to give you a quick two minute overview because it can be a little confusing but I think that Solomon's readers through the last 3000 years but occurs in any one of those is as correctly interpreted in terms of a personalized to tax dictatorships. Communism, this is a governmental system where you have two cows. You have to give both cows to the government and they may give you some milk. Return fascism is where you have two cows. You have to keep them and work them, but then you have to give all the milk to the government which they in turn sell socialism before the lot about that lately you have two cows. You have to give one to the government and they give it to somebody else for free.

You really undertake notes. It is free education. One more year handle one more capitalism you have two cows, the government doesn't interfere.

So you sell one Cal in Bible what happens when your tracks in a governmental system that offers no help, no hope in the poor man is left trying to scratch out a living might be the terror of Nazi-ism or the corruption of communism or the unfairness of Socialism amid even the prejudices that can be built in the capitalism is a perfect system because there are no perfect people. Solomon's Journal is been read by God's people over the past 3000 years and all of these and more as I tried to discern in study how to boil this down to some principal and principal it would be this trust, the highest authority of all no matter what system you're in salary could be interpreted correctly for any of these visions no matter what generation no matter what culture no matter what kind of government under which you may suffer or enjoy benefits trust the highest authority of all the poor man who's at the bottom of the total bill of power. The last thing you could do is get a good nights sleep. All I can think about is where he is on the totem pole.

He is every reason to worry and fret example by right the was interesting is that Solomon says don't be amazed and any hints at something he's going to lay out later in the chapter ready to get there yet but sciatica. He's hinting at it here. There is a high official is watched over by a higher official is watched over by a higher official and he's hinting. Don't forget, there is highest official you got a boss and that boss has a boss and that probably has a Boston you stay up all night worried about that boss and his boss and that boss is greater, the higher authority is no one higher than God, and you belong to him as a child is by faith in his son the Lord Jesus Christ. The softest pillow and you can't buy this one is trust in that sovereign God's purposes are promised by him to be fulfilled in your life.

The Bible tells us there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Romans 13 verse one know at any power, any governmental system, any boss, any corporation, whoever it is, whatever it might be. Has that power because and only because God has granted it for a moment in time to fulfill his ultimate purposes of the way. One author put it in God's hands are behind all the headlines.

It will be amazed. Don't be troubled. Look up trust in the highest authority over all the truth living part of our problem is we allow the late news dictate what we think about we go to bed. Last thing we hear is something on the news I want to stop that read your Bible, pray, talk to the Lord as you as you as your head hits that pillow and rehearse to him you will trust in his sovereign control, even though it's dark and you can see him. You will trust that he is essentially less than 2 feet away. He can see you one early believer wrote a document that more than a thousand years old and he recommended saying out loud this prayer at bedtime and I quote be off Satan be off from this floor, and from these four walls. This is no place for you.

There is nothing for you to do here. This is the place for the apostles. This is the place for the gospel and this is where I intend to sleep now that high days gone in the name of the father son and Holy Spirit. Amen. So the better trust the highest authority able.

The second principle from Solomon's entry here could be said this way pursue the best treasure of all. Now it sounds good to do is begin to describe someone who accepts what God has provided with contentment.

Contentment, which leads to gratitude and facts the greatest treasure. In this context, contentment with a grateful spirit is a treasure far greater and far bigger than any paycheck and Solomon began to read a frank discussion about what that looks like here in verse 10, notice. He who loves money will not be satisfied with money nor yields well with his income by going to do.

No sound is not right.

He who has money will not be satisfied with money. He who has wealth know he who loves money keyword is allowed. The Hebrew verb can be rendered desired rather would normally translated to breathe after to long for politics of the same ideas. He writes to Timothy for 7610, the love of money is the root of why of all evil is a money is. He says that a lot of breathing after longing for it is the root that is is the first step toward all kinds of evil Hebrew verb is used as often positively in the Old Testament juice for Ruth loving Naomi for Al Qaeda loving his wife Hannah for Abraham loving his son Isaac for Rebecca loving her son Jacob for David to solve is loving the commandments. The precepts of God's word, which is for believers, loving God and for God loving believers. It's even used by Jeremiah to accuse people for loving don't wander. Obviously the word is used for for something someone is really committed to having or doing Solomon right here it's it's possible for somebody to be that committed to that devoted to money and order uses for money and in verse 10 is it's the word we could translate silver store for silver thereafter. All the silver they can get their hands on. Maybe you work next to people like this there desired their conversation. There long Amy is all about their silver thereafter money. The latest purchase the latest commission check the latest Perez stuff they bought the stuff they want to buy.

That's what they breed. That's all they converse about is for material things.

Solomon does because we as believers can follow the same track. This is Paul, one Timothy.

He said for the rest of the chapter affecting the next but he begins to give very practical, down to earth warnings about why that kind of believing why that kind of longing will do a number of things, and among them Rob you have a good night sleep, but to give you 34. The first morning reason is there someone you never have enough notice you were Solomon writes in first person he loves silver will not be satisfied with silver solitude know what it a lot of regularly when interested in because it's what Goldie he imported 25 tons of gold annual for all 39 years of his reign's net worth would be estimated in today's money to $0.3 trillion he could pay off our national debt nine years. Put that into another perspective. Solomon was 10 times wealthier than Jeff pays off Bill Gates and Warren Buffett Junior combined hit a lot of money that nobody on the planet. To this day comes close. Solomon if anybody ought to be listened to about the emptiness of silver and he says this is what you're looking for your never going to have enough. Secondly, he warns you'll never earn. Maybe you thought if I could just make $0.50 for an hour I'd be there any get $0.50 an hour more energy field. I could just make a dollar more. You never notice nor is he who loves wealth, Owen refers to possessions with his income that refers to his annual assets or revenue.

It'll never grow large enough to where you'll put your pillow or your head on your pillow and say to yourself I bank account is finally big enough. My paycheck is fat enough, my retirement account is large enough. I think of it is no that's what you're looking for and never have enough. You never earn enough number three you'll never feel safe enough notice verse 11 when goods increase, they increase who we are and what advantages around to see with his eyes.

In other words, what advantages it to see it all slipping through your fingers going to people who all of a sudden shall because you're making more what's happening here is essentially writing. The more you make the more you multiply people who want to take it away from you. The message paraphrases it tomorrow. You have the more losers show up so is relatively suddenly surfaced and you don't know the matter who those that want to take you out to lunch with the government want more from you probably will urine a new bracket will your investments. How do I protect you all sure how good they might vanish over overnight protected examination is that employees are hired, they are ripping off is that God teaching that new investment plan for me to invest heavily in this he really cares much about busy saying is going to take care of were always people the idea for good old saying he never knew how many friends you had you bought a detailed, that's the idea.

One of the things it can keep you up at night.

Was wondering if those friends that you now have are your friends because of what you own, or because of who you will not quite sure anymore if you're living for things Solomon is essentially saying begin to grow more and more obsessed with trying to keep it safe and you'll never keep it quite safe enough because people keep showing you never have enough.

This is what you're looking for you'll never earn enough, you'll never feel safe enough one more you'll never sleep soundly enough to verse 12 suite is the sleep of a labor whether each little or much. But the. Mike of the rich will not let him sleep is a great meal he still can't sleep. Did you notice how Solomon is come full circle here. The guys he felt sorry for and led us to feel sorry for him per se dial not you know where it really was a registering on the totem pole of power. The day labor to get a fair shake in court or the corporate world. That guy all of a sudden now has the advantage. When the lanterns are turned in the stars compounded by now look at him now look at him is falling asleep in the text is understood to mean he doesn't need to little and he doesn't eat too much and he's sleeping away what we have and what we if we live for all of that. It has the ability to keep us up at night and this poor man who has very little has the ability to sleep further described in chapter 5 because he is contented with what God has provided good night sleep perhaps begins with these rather practical principles trust the highest authority of all. In other words, place your head on the pillow of God's sovereignty is the softest pillow money cannot buy trust in your sovereign purposeful involved Lord, you may not be able to see in the dark right but he never left the room. Secondly, pursue the best treasure of all this is content with where God has placed you. This is trust in him no matter what governmental system corporate structure difficulty you're facing. Even thank you for what you have, what is given and what he's promised and where he's taking I close with this man. I don't know much of it came across his name. He went under the title uncle Bud Robinson preached a century ago for many years in small towns, primarily in the country. Frontier towns uneducated and Faith is a young man gave his life to serve the Lord. Increasing and he had a sincere and and as I read about him in amazingly fruitful ministry as an old man near his passing.

He was taken by friends to see New York City. He'd never been to a big city, any government in New York but they wanted to show him the sites taken to the biggest stores let them see the inventions and just sort of blows my big city all its sights and sounds.

After showing him the sites of the city the night before they left.

He was overheard praying as he knelt by his bed these words Lord, thank you for letting me see all the sites but I think you most of all, that I didn't see a thing of and climbed in the bed sleep we can trust God to provide for our and sleep soundly without worry as we do. Thanks for joining us for this message here on wisdom for the hearts, our teacher, Stephen Devi is working through a series from Ecclesiastes called surviving evil under the sun. The message you just heard is called how to get a good night sleep.

If you'd like more of this practical Bible teaching Stevens 35 years of preaching is posted to our website wisdom online.org if you'd like to send Stephen a note. Address your email to info@wisdomonline.org you can use that address to ask Stephen a question about the Bible or share a comment about our ministry would love to hear from you. Thanks for taking the time to be with us today. Join us next time. For more wisdom for the heart