Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Sleep is dangerous

By Odon Bulamba (Summary by Benedicte Bahjejian - 22 Nov 06)

Sleeping when you’re tired is normal, but when you’re sick at the hospital it is not. When you’re sleepy, you are weak and you loose control over your body and your mind. When you go to a party, it’s easy to stay awake, but when it comes to praying, we feel sleepy and lazy. When I sleep I don’t control what I’m doing.

• The danger of sleeping

There is a time to rest because we are tired, but resting when it’s time for praying is laziness. Sleep is the enemy of body and soul because it pushes me far away from God. 1Th 5:6 ‘…so let us not be like others who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled’. When I sleep, I am not alert & self-controlled.

What would happen if God decides to sleep for 2 days? Who would rise up the sun, make the rain fall down? It would become like a disaster & darkness. Example: the dormouse sleeps 6 months a year, ½ of its life & people protect it from being killed. Satan protects also people asleep to prevent them from turning to God.

• Examples in the Bible

Jonah in chapter 1;5;6 was asleep when people were dying around him. He said he didn't care. When we also know that people are in hardships or in the waves, we say; I’ll pray later for him/her, that’s when we fall asleep.

Samson, Judg 16:19-21, strong man, over-sure of himself fell asleep on Delilah’s lap, that’s when Philistines came to shave off the 7 braids of his hair. We first overpower ourselves, but then feel weak when the danger arrives.

Mat 13:25 The enemy arrives when everyone is asleep and sows weeds among the wheat.

• What is sleeping?

Nothing about time of rest and sleep on this earth is mentioned in the Bible. But it will be in our future life with our future husband, Jesus-Christ. Satan makes us sleep and distract us by all means: want to go out while at church, want to have a drink while praying etc. But God shows us signs of our tiredness toward him.


• Signs that show we move away or are far away from God

Pr 24:30-34 Laziness is a sin & brings poverty & scarcity. A lazy man will not inherit the kingdom of God. Why don’t you push laziness away from u & work hard to be accepted in the kingdom of God?

Signs that show you are asleep:
1. Prayer is not a priority for you
2. Your spiritual knowledge is sufficient for you
3. You live a life of theory: you talk about the word of God but are not doing it. Faith without actions is dead. A dead faith is like a dream. You have poor actions.
4. You forget about eternal life. You don’t think about death & soon coming back of Jesus Christ.
5. More time of distraction than time for God
6. Minimise sin, you don ’t care to say sorry to others and to God when you sin
7. Test your holiness. Am I really holy?
8. Avoid spiritual duties
9. Sinners can’t see any difference between you & them. Talk rubbish things, do rubbish things like them.

Ph 4:13 We are battling against Satan, & I will win by making a decision. God doesn’t give food in my mouth. There are things we need to decide by ourselves. If we are ready, God can do something. He will not teach me how to dance, I have to learn by myself.

2nd Cor 10:3-6 Our weapons are spi to demolish strongholds, evth that sets itself up against the knowledge of God.
Ecc 4:9-10& 12 2 are better than 1. 2 = me +God in me

Conclusion
Are u a Jonas, a Samson? Where are u asleep? Battle against sleep. Make your own decision of faith & obedience to pray.

For the full message please email: littlebethlehem@windowslive.com

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