HOW WELL DO YOU SLEEP?

INTRODUCTION:
1. How well do you sleep?
2. A natural period of rest during which consciousness is suspended.
3. The Bible has many things to say about the various aspects of sleeping.
I.        THE SLEEP OF DEATH:
A. In 1 and 2 Kings, especially, the phrase, "he rested (slept, KJV) with his fathers," occurs many times (1 Kings 2:10; 11:43).
B. Psalms 13:3 Consider and hear me, O LORD my God; Enlighten my eyes, Lest I sleep the sleep of death;
C. The Christian dead are said to "sleep in Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 4:14).
II.     THE SWEET SLEEP OF A WORKING MAN:
1) God gives sleep to the righteous and to the hard worker  Psalms  4:8 I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make  me dwell in safety.
2) Ecclesiastes 5:12 The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, Whether he eats little or much;
3) The word "work" is mentioned 402 times in the Bible!
4) 2 Thessalonians 3:10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.
5) 2 Thessalonians 3:11-12 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.
6) 1 Timothy 5:8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

III. THE RESTLESS SLEEP OF A MATERIALISTIC MAN: Materialistic people don't sleep well: But the abundance of the rich will not permit 
          him to sleep. Luke 12: The Lord came to the rich man at night.
IV. THE EXCESSIVE SLEEP OF A LAZY MAN:
A. Sleep also can symbolize physical laziness, which brings poverty.
1) Proverbs 6:9-11 How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep - So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man. 
B. In the New Testament sleep often suggests spiritual or moral laziness (1 Thessalonians 5:6) But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
V.  THE PEACEFUL SLEEP OF ONE RIGHT WITH GOD:
A. On the other hand, sleep can be a symbol of living in safety Ezekiel 34:25 "I will make a covenant of peace with them, and cause wild beasts to cease from the land; and they will dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. I will make them and the places all around My hill a blessing; and I will cause showers to come down in their season; there shall be showers of blessing."
B. Proverbs 3:24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid; Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.
C. Jesus in the boat: 
VI.   SLEEP/IDOLNESS:
Rom 13:11-13 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
Sleep disturbed by troubles:
Sleep disturbed by fear:
Sleep disturbed by guilt:
Sleep disturbed by worry:
Sleep, Eternal rest in Heaven:

CONCLUSION:
1. I know from experience when one is not right with God, if he/she has any conscience at all, it is difficult to sleep.
2. The word of God can get into one's heart and cause that person to be restless until something is done about it.
3. There are people who have gone beyond letting it bother them.
4. There are people who are just plain mean, they sit around thinking up ways to hurt others, and they justify everything they do by saying "I was mistreated once, so it is acceptable for me to mistreat others".
5. I am no match for those people. I don't think retaliation. I am not devious or diabolical enough, and if I tried to be, I couldn't sleep well at night knowing I had done wrong.
6. Paul said these were ones whose consciences were as if they had been seared with a hot iron.
7. I am hoping that you are one tonight who wants to be able to sleep well, without concern for your personal safety.
8. Without concern for your soul. Knowing that if you die tonight you will go to be with Jesus.