Steven Garofalo
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WHAT KEEPS YOU UP AT NIGHT-The Power of Prayer
By Steven Garofalo, August 7, 2023 (Copyright 2023)
August 07, 2023

“WHAT KEEPS YOU UP AT NIGHT?

Insufficient sleep is a huge problem in American culture, including the body of Christ. Today, I am going to show you what God says regarding what’s at the center of your sleep and dreams, both good and bad and give you God’s formula for how to have better dreams and a higher quality of sleep.

In this two part series, I will show you that whatever preoccupies our dreams impacts our prayer life and a good prayer life is the key to good sleep. When our mind and heart are properly in tune with God, our anxieties will lesson, our spirit will calm, and as a result, God is able to give us better dreams and better sleep.

In an article titled, Sleep Statistics” by SleepFoundation.Com, posted May 18, 2023 by Eric Sunni and Kimberly Truong, writes that “Insufficient sleep has an estimated economic impact of more than 411 billion each year. And the lack of sleep or poor sleep results in unplanned absences from work that cost the U.S. economy $44.6 billion each year. Furthermore, drowsy driving is responsible for more than 6,000 fatal accidents annually. This is major issue in our culture and within the church. How does THE quality of our sleep and dreams affect our prayer life?

OUR DREAMS REVEAL OUR PREOCCUPATION WITH OUR WORK AND OUR BABBLE IS SEEN BY GOD AS NON-INTELLIGENT. King Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 5:3 that nighttime dreams often reveal our preoccupation with our work and that speaking too much may show a lack of intelligence. “For a dream comes with much business and a fools voice with many words” (Ecclesiastes 5:3).

If you’re wondering why Solomon connected these two seemingly different things (dreams and words), they are actually related to one another. Our dreams reveal a preoccupation with our work which in turn leads to exhaustion, which leads to using excessive words in prayer. The starting point of our dreams and quality of sleep starts with the peace (or lack thereof) in our mind and heart. Our dreams flow from our brain which flow out of our heart. It’s through prayer that our brain and heart are given a peace that surpasses all understanding by the Spirit of God. This leads us to examine our prayer life in light of Ecclesiastes 5.

Solomon tells us through Ecclesiastes 5, that we should make our prayers and prayer time focussed and not filled with meaningless babble. Verse 2 sheds light on how these two things (prayer and dreams/sleep) are connected to one another. Verse two says that “we are not to make rash or ill-considered bargains with the Lord”, nor twist the desires, requests and wishes we bring to the Lord in what we might call over-spiritualization or emotional requests. When we are exhausted from bad sleep it’s natural to babble, make rash statements and tired promises or deals with the Lord. We should stop ourselves when and if we find ourselves doing this and right side our mind and heart in sober prayer.

This is not easy. The good news is that the Holy Spirit is very real and He is our Helper if we will call upon Him. “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God” (Ecclesiastes 8:26-27).

Backing up to Ecclesiastes 5:2, it says “Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth”. God makes clear here that “God is in heaven and you (we) are on earth”. What does this mean? It shows us the essential contrast between God’s righteous might and our sinful mortality should cause us to revere Him as the Almighty (v.7) and not take Him for granted with excessive, meaningless words. We should be very deliberate to make our words count in prayer when talking with God. Why? When we babble, we risk making rash promises. And as a result we risk not keeping our word to God. Failing to keep our word with God invokes God’s anger which will convict us, further disturbing our sleep and dreams through our conscience, mind and heart.

In conclusion, we should be careful to use few words when in prayer and in God’s presence. It’s good for us to share our heart, mind, pain, joys and requests with God, but not in a prolonged, wordy way. If we are not careful we risk being unfocused and incoherent in our prayer life. The bottom line is that there is vanity in our preoccupation with work. As a result, this in turn affects our dreams, sleep and prayer life. In the end, this only leads full circle to a less coherent prayer life. It’s a vicious cycle. God shows us through Ecclesiastes chapter 5, that the quality of our  sleep and the goodness of our dreams are effected and directed by our pre-occupation with our work and that good sleep flows from your mind and heart as directed by God through prayer. What dominates our heart and mind culminates in and from our heart. When we sleep well, our prayer life is of better quality. When our prayer life is good, we sleep better and have better dreams. It’s a cycle. And it all starts with a proper prayer life. And this is what keeps us up at night.

 

 

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DO PETS GO TO HEAVEN?

When I was in seminary, the question was raised as to if pets or animals in general go to heaven. Our professor, Dr. Norman Geisler said this: “Jesus Christ came to earth and died on the Cross for the human race, not animals.” I was working out at the gym one day when one of the regulars, who had just moved to Charlotte, NC from California told me that one of her beloved dogs died; and would that dog go to heaven. I have her the same answer. But, was that the whole story? That’s what we are going to look at today.

In a peace by Michael Housman, Founder of GotQuestions.Org, Housman wrote that “The BIble does not give any explicit teaching on whether pets or animals in general have souls, or spirits, or whether pets and other animals will be in heaven.

His answer was short but the animals not having souls maybe up for debate.

We can use general biblical principles to develop some clarity on the subject though Housman wrote. The Bible states that both man (Genesis 2:7) and animals (Genesis 1:30; 6:17; 7:15 and 22) have the “BREATH OF LIFE” that is, both man and animals are living beings. Furthermore, the primary difference between human beings and animals is that humanity is made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27), while animals are not.

Being made in the image and likeness of God means that human beings are like God in some ways; they are capable of spirituality; they have a mind, emotion, and “will”; and part of their “being” continues after death.

If pets and other animals do have a “soul” (or spirit or immaterial aspect), it must therefore be of a different and lesser “quality”. This difference possibly means that pets and other animal “souls”  do not continue in existence after death.

Another factor to consider regarding whether pets will be in heaven is that animals are a port of God’s creative process in Genesis. God created the animals and said they were good (Genesis 1:25). Therefore, there is no reason why there could not be pets and animals on the NEW EARTH as described in (Revelation 21:1). 

In the end, there will most definitely be animals during the millennial kingdom (Isaiah 11:6; 65:25). It is impossible to say definitely whether some animals of these animals might be the pets we had here on earth. We do know that God is just and that when we get to heaven, we will find ourselves in complete agreement with His decision on this issue, whatever that turns out to be.

So, there you have it. I think that’s the best answer on the subject in all honest. Please remember to SUBSCRIBE to our channel and check out StevenGarofalo.Com for exclusive content and early release of our two weekly podcast.

Until next time, I’m your host Steven Garofalo, and this is your reason for truth for today.

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AN ETHICAL ECONOMY IS GOOD FOR ALL
By Steven Garofalo, May 2, 2025

WHAT MAKES A GOOD ECONOMY

Government corruption comes to the advantage of a few-but at the expense of many if not all the rest of society. Today, I am going to show you through Ecclesiastes 5:8-9 that vanity and wealth, if not kept accountable, will devour one’s honor and the honor or the nation in whole. Let’s get started.

The Vanity of Wealth and Honor is an interesting subject in light of wealth, corruption, and the human heart. This subject effects many things, including what makes a good economy. 

In the Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 5, verses eight to nine, Solomon says the following:

Ecclesiastes 5:8-9
“8 If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. 9 But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.”

COMMENTARY: There are two things king Solomon is saying here within the theme of the vanity of WEALTH and HONOR. Wealth and honor are two different things, as one can have wealth with or without honor or honor with or without wealth. That being said, let’s look at verses 8 and 9 independently to see the simple message God provides us today through Solomon.

BREAK DOWN
Ecclesiastes 5:8-9

THE ABUSE OF AUTHORITY & WEALTH
 “8 If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them." 

COMMENTARY: Verse 8 clearly illustrates that there is a corruption at every level of government, with higher level oppressors plundering the equally oppressive lower-level magistrates. This perhaps explains the st state of America and the world. With blackmail running. Rampant and the public sector unchecked, they have been robbing the everyday citizen of their hard earned money. As a result, the system became insulated and division between the haves and have nots became more defined. When the high level government officials rob and abuse those below them, someone above that person robs and abuses the higher level person himself.

In America, where we print money out of thin air for the world, in this short period of history, there is little need to plunder those under one authority because there is so much to steal that those in authority can simply pay them off or blackmail them; whichever is most convenient. Either way, Solomon makes abundantly clear that when there is nobody minding the ship, evil perpetuates to the point of overtaking the government in whole. As a result, we end up with a 2024 government, riddles with corruption, immorality, blackmail, lawlessness, and all other things evil due to the lack of God-ness which equates to “goodness”. 

Economically speaking, when this happens to a country, its own economy begins to decline into debt due to their insatiable desire and emotional need for more money and resources. When resources are stripped and money is squandered, the elite few are smart enough to collect those resources and money and we end up with a U.S. Stock Market where only 5% holds up to 80%  of the entire market wealth. 

WHAT IS THE ANSWER?
The answer and solution is to keep to return to the system we created in the first place which is free market capitalism that allows those who desire to work hard, to have a fair chance at success, making money and turning a fair profit. This is called “honor for everyone”.

HONOR FOR EVERYONE
"9 But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.”

CONCLUSION:

Government corruption comes to the advantage of a few-but at the expense of many if not all the rest of society. Vanity and wealth, if not kept accountable, devours one’s honor and the honor or the nation in whole. Solomon (Qohelet) considered goverment to be frustrating becuase it was a necessary evil, something deply flawed but indespsnsible. On the one hand people sould "not be shocked" when they see OPPRESSION and injustice in a governmental province (v.8). After all, bloated government bureaucracy tends to frustrate justice (v.8b). On the other hand, government has it advantages (v.9). Many hold to the belief that this verse continues the negeative assessment of government. Others see this passage better understood more positively since it fits with Qohelet's normal pattern of "on the one hand, on the other.." way of teaching. 

Even a corrupt government is better than anarchy, which devastates a country, it's culture and in Solomon's time, an agrarian economy that would lead to starvation. Keeping to God's ways is the only solution to man's sinful nature; especially in governmental rule. In the end, a king who devotes himself to developing the resources of the land ushers in a systems that brings the opportunity for profit to all, not just the corrupt few.

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SOLA SCRIPTURA
A Protestant & Catholic View Comparison

I grew up Catholic and now go to a Protestant or non-Catholic church in Charlotte, NC. Michael Houdmann, Founder and CEO of GotQuestions.Org writes that a major difference between the two boils down to believing in the Bible alone as God's word verses believing that God's word plus man's input as the divine inspired word of God.

WHAT DO PROTESTANTS BELIEVE?

A major difference is the issue of sufficiency and authority of Scripture. While Protestants believe that the Bible alone is the source of God's special revelation to mankind, it also speaks to everything we need to understand as necessary for our salvation from sin.

Protestants view the Bible as the STANDARD for Christian morality and ethics which governs our behavior. This is called sola scripture and is one of the five Solas in Christianity. (Solas meaning "alone" in Latin. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 makes clear that "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (ESV).

WHAT DO CATHOLICS BELIEVE?

Catholics do not believe in sola scriptura hence do not believe that the Bible alone is sufficient. They see both the Bible and sacred Roman Catholic tradition as equally authoritative and binding on the Christian. While not all Catholics hold to doctrines such as purgatory, praying to the saints, worship or veneration of Mary, etc., the Catholic doctrine hold to them even though they have little or no mention or basis in the Bible. In truth, these doctrines are based on Roman Catholic traditions based on the Catholic Church's insistence that the Bible and tradition are equal in authority. The problem with this is that it undermines the sufficiency, authority, and completeness of the Bible. The view of Scripture is at the root of many, if not all, of the differences between Catholics and Protestants.

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