The Dark Night of the Soul

[David from New Bern]

I can't help but notice that a lot of us are staying up past our bedtime with this holy chit chat. We know it can't be good for our health or our social interaction early tomorrow. But if you are like to me the PM and especially the early AM is a time of spiritual restlessness and often creativity born from this isolated hour. I have always felt my worst at his hour or my best during this hour. Look at the frequency of dreams, visions, sleep interruption in the Scripture. Why do you think God works this way on us? The last pronoun is intentionally personal.

[Times]

Maybe it is the only time that we are still and quiet enough to hear God. Our minds are quiet and free from all the hustle and bustle of the cares of world. I believe God wakes us up at times to pray for others and to talk to us. I know people that complain they can't slep and go off to the doctor for medication. I wonder how many times these medicated people miss out on hearing from God.

[Guest Slightly_Deranged]

"I wonder how many times these medicated people miss out on hearing from God." They don't.

It's the things of the day that people take meds for to be able to shut the mind down enough to sleep. Example... night before last couldn't sleep even after taking tooo many meds because I was soooo torqued over deceptive realtors and their practices. When I woke up yesterday morning I called the agent and told him what i thought(long story) and that that day wasn't good for me and that MAYBE next week sometime I MAY find time for their demands.

Whether or not you take meds to sleep, you can be awakened very easliy, or something brought back to your rememberance on que. God is powerful enough to counter act any meds a person may be taking. Just my opinion.

[Christ's Free Servant]

Maybe it is the only time that we are still and quiet enough to hear God. Our minds are quiet and free from all the hustle and bustle of the cares of world. I believe God wakes us up at times to pray for others and to talk to us. I know people that complain they can't slep and go off to the doctor for medication. I wonder how many times these medicated people miss out on hearing from God.

Amen! I agree with everything you said!!

[Christ's Free Servant]

"I wonder how many times these medicated people miss out on hearing from God." They don't.

It's the things of the day that people take meds for to be able to shut the mind down enough to sleep. Example... night before last couldn't sleep even after taking tooo many meds because I was soooo torqued over deceptive realtors and their practices. When I woke up yesterday morning I called the agent and told him what i thought(long story) and that that day wasn't good for me and that MAYBE next week sometime I MAY find time for their demands.

Whether or not you take meds to sleep, you can be awakened very easliy, or something brought back to your rememberance on que. God is powerful enough to counter act any meds a person may be taking. Just my opinion.

Oh, Yes He Is!! But, I don't think the issue is his power. I think the issue is that people are not listening to his voice. Instead of seeing their sleeplessness as an opportunity to hear God's voice and to pray for others or to just hear God speaking, they get so obsessed with trying to fall back asleep, that they can not hear God speak. I know. I was one of those. I used to fret over not sleeping until one day I heard a missionary speak about how God would wake him up on a regular basis at 3 a.m. At first he fought it and then he realized that maybe God was trying to tell him something and soon he finally submitted and told God he had his permission to wake him up anytime of the night, because he trusted that God would give him the sleep he needed or that God could carry him through the day on little sleep. I have heard hundreds of testimonies from people who God spoke to at the wee hours of the morning or who felt led to pray for someone, only to find out from that person later that they were in danger at exactly that hour. So, the key issue here is not God's ability to override medications but whether or not we are listening to his voice.

[Guest Slightly_Deranged]

Agreed. He has a way of getting His point across regardless of what state we may find ourselves.

[Christ's Free Servant]

P.S. I truly think the key here is to see interruptions in our lives, whether awake or asleep as opportunities instead of interruptions. I think we miss out on many opportunities to hear God's voice or to be used of him in someone's life because we get so concerned over our schedules that we fail to see interruptions as divine opportunties. For instance, have you ever gotten stuck in traffic and you found yourself getting angry and frustrated only to find out that a couple of miles down the road there was a tragic accident, that if you had not been stuck in traffic, you may have been a part of? That happened to me one time. I also used to get upset if I got stuck in long lines at stores, at the bank, etc., until the Lord convicted me of that and what a bad testimony I was being. Perhaps the Lord had me stuck there, not only to teach me patience, but to give a smile or friendly words to someone else who is stuck in line. So, we should see all the interruptions of our lives as opportunities, whether awake or asleep! Just my thoughts here.

[Dad Ernie]

Greetings,

I agree with Sue. Good work Sue. It is interesting to note that the English word "pharmacy", comes from the Greek word:

5331 pharmakeia {far-mak-i'-ah}

from 5332;; n f

AV - sorcery 2, witchcraft 1; 3

1) the use or the administering of drugs

2) poisoning

3) sorcery, magical arts, often found in connection with idolatry and

fostered by it

4) metaph. the deceptions and seductions of idolatry

or the Hebrew word:

07081 qecem {keh'-sem}

from 07080; TWOT - 2044a; n m

AV - divination 9, witchcraft 1, divine sentence 1; 11

1) divination, witchcraft

1a) of the nations, Balaam

1b) of false prophets

1c) in a good sense (king's lips as oracles)

When you think about this, one must realize that God is the "healer":

Exodus 15:26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

07495 rapha' {raw-faw'} or raphah {raw-faw'}

a primitive root; TWOT - 2196; v

AV - heal 57, physician 5, cure 1, repaired 1, misc 3; 67

1) to heal, make healthful

1a) (Qal) to heal

1a1) of God

1a2) healer, physician (of men)

1a3) of hurts of nations involving restored favour (fig)

1a4) of individual distresses (fig)

1b) (Niphal) to be healed

1b1) literal (of persons)

1b2) of water, pottery

1b3) of national hurts (fig)

1b4) of personal distress (fig)

1c) (Piel) to heal

1c1) literal

1c2) of national defects or hurts (fig)

1d) (Hithpael) in order to get healed (infinitive)

You might have heard the Name - Jehovah Rapha'.

Now, I am not condemning the use of drugs per se, for I believe they can be used of God where there is a lack or numbness of faith. I have abused my body for many years and now I am paying the toll and must take several meds to keep it in balance, but nevertheless it is the Lord who numbers my days and not man's pharmakeia.

Blessings to all,

Dad Ernie

[shanbopop]

Greetings,

I agree with Sue. Good work Sue. It is interesting to note that the English word "pharmacy", comes from the Greek word:

5331 pharmakeia {far-mak-i'-ah}

from 5332;; n f

AV - sorcery 2, witchcraft 1; 3

1) the use or the administering of drugs

2) poisoning

3) sorcery, magical arts, often found in connection with idolatry and

fostered by it

4) metaph. the deceptions and seductions of idolatry

or the Hebrew word:

07081 qecem {keh'-sem}

from 07080; TWOT - 2044a; n m

AV - divination 9, witchcraft 1, divine sentence 1; 11

1) divination, witchcraft

1a) of the nations, Balaam

1b) of false prophets

1c) in a good sense (king's lips as oracles)

When you think about this, one must realize that God is the "healer":

Exodus 15:26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

07495 rapha' {raw-faw'} or raphah {raw-faw'}

a primitive root; TWOT - 2196; v

AV - heal 57, physician 5, cure 1, repaired 1, misc 3; 67

1) to heal, make healthful

1a) (Qal) to heal

1a1) of God

1a2) healer, physician (of men)

1a3) of hurts of nations involving restored favour (fig)

1a4) of individual distresses (fig)

1b) (Niphal) to be healed

1b1) literal (of persons)

1b2) of water, pottery

1b3) of national hurts (fig)

1b4) of personal distress (fig)

1c) (Piel) to heal

1c1) literal

1c2) of national defects or hurts (fig)

1d) (Hithpael) in order to get healed (infinitive)

You might have heard the Name - Jehovah Rapha'.

Now, I am not condemning the use of drugs per se, for I believe they can be used of God where there is a lack or numbness of faith. I have abused my body for many years and now I am paying the toll and must take several meds to keep it in balance, but nevertheless it is the Lord who numbers my days and not man's pharmakeia.

Blessings to all,

Dad Ernie

So...since i am taking Oxycontin for my back pain that means i am practicing witchcraft in a way?

[Dad Ernie]

So...since i am taking Oxycontin for my back pain that means i am practicing witchcraft in a way?

Greetings Shanbopop,

I've been around long enough now to know that medicines come and go. There is a book out called: "The Gift that Nobody wants". It is all about the "gift" of PAIN. If you can get a copy of it, you will be amazed as I was. But like I said, I abused my body and did not take care of it for many years and now it has caught up with me. Drugs help, but they are not the end all that ends all. Only God is. Paul had a "thorn" that pestered him for a long time until God told him "My grace is sufficient for thee". Another verse to be reminded of is "It is not what goes IN TO a man, but what comes OUT of him that defiles him."

So take your Oxycontin, but rely on the Lord for healing/repair of your back. Try to uncover the underlying causes and if possible modify your behavior to bring about healing. In this day and age that is not always possible without major rethinking and reorienting your life.

Another interesting study that I have on tape is "Dead Doctors Don't Lie" by Dr. Joel D. Wallach. You might want to search the internet for it.

Hope I didn't come down condemning anyone on meds.

Blessings,

Dad Ernie