In your bed at night, before you go to sleep your mind can be occupied with worry, anger, greed, lust, or empty things, or you can meditate on your bed and turn your bed into an altar where you present yourself and your thoughts to God. Yesterday I studied most of the day and after dinner and some time with the family I studied and read until bedtime. My thoughts were scattered but in the night insights from scripture and from my study lined up in my mind. This morning I rose and wrote as fast as I could to get the insights keyed into my computer so I could share them with the people of Evangel Sunday. Turn your bed into an altar, a place of mediation and worship.
Here are the notes of a message I preaching on night meditations in the format I used for preaching:
Night Meditations
Introduction: (ill) Listening to “Nightwatch” with Chuck Wagner on WEEC when I was in high school.
What you think about when you go to bed at night will have a profound effect on your life. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. (Psalm 63:5-6)
GOD OFTEN COMMUNICATES WITH PEOPLE IN THE NIGHT. In the Scripture God communicated direction, understanding and warnings in the night. He also sometimes revealed Himself in special way to people at night.
-God warned Abimilech at night in a dream. (Genesis 20:3)
-Jacob’s Bethel was at night. (Genesis 28:10-18)
-God communicated to Laban in a dream. (Genesis 31:24)
-Jacob wrestled with an angel at night (Genesis 32:22-30)
-God spoke to Samuel in the night. (I Samuel 3:3-18)
-The Psalms of David frequently mention meditation at night (attached)
-Daniel had the meaning of a dream revealed in the night. (Daniel 2:19)
-God communicated with Nebuchadnezzar at night. (Daniel 2:1)
-God communicated to King Ahasuerus at night. (Esther 6:1)
-Peter was visited by and angel at night in the prison.
-Paul’s vision of Macedonia was in the night. (Acts 16:9)
-God encouraged Paul in the night again in Corinth. (Acts 18:9)
-Joseph (Matthew 1:20 and Matthew 2:13)
WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT BEFORE YOU GO TO SLEEP AT NIGHT CAN HAVE A PROFOUND EFFECT ON THE REST OF YOUR LIFE
Displace Evil Mediations with Godly Meditations. Devote Yourself to Edifying Meditations.
1. Angry, Hurt, Bitter mediations. (“Know that the Lord hat set apart him that is Godly for himself…commune with your own heart upon your bed and be still (Psalm 4:3; Ephesians 4:29)
2. Guilty meditations. (Psalm 32 and Psalm 51)
3. Covetous meditations (Micah 2:1ff)
4. Anxious, fearful meditations. (Psalm 91:5a) Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night
5. Lustful meditations (Proverbs 7:6ff) Genesis 6:5 “…imaginations of heart only evil continually…” It was in the night that David rose from his bed and sinned. (2 Samuel 11:2) (ill) What I saw when I was fourteen.
6. Displace Empty Meditations (Sports, fashion, my plans) (ill) Reds on the radio…. What I wish I had done.
7. Sorrows (Psalm 77:1-6)
What you think about when you go to bed at night can have a profound effect on the rest of your life.
Conclusion: (ill) What Lois was thinking about at night… radio. Lester Roloff
