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THE WORLD, THE
WORD & YOU! RADIO BROADCAST
I’m Dennis Finnan, host and speaker on the World, the Word & You! Broadcast and in a moment we’ll talk about this MOST BLESSED THING, CALLED SLEEP!… …Say, have you had a Good Night's Sleep? For millions, this is only a “dream!” However for many, the elusive road to slumber land is anything but a dream. For many folks, the road to a good night’s sleep is littered with obstructions like sleep disorders, ranging from insomnia, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome (RLS) and sleep apnea, a condition where individuals usually snore, with fitful sleep, some even stop breathing for short periods, in some instances hundreds of times a night, I’m told. Indeed, the consequences of these sleep disorders and deprivation, during the day that normally follows, can have extremely serious, even life-threatening consequences. As a pastor, some years ago I had the sorrow of burying two teenage girls driving to a summer Bible camp to work, but they never made it. You see, at about 6:45 am one June morning, a local bread truck driver coming the other way on the highway, fell asleep at the wheel and careened into their car killing both girls. A lack of necessary sleep is something not to ignore, or downplay, and in a moment after another pause for some beautiful music, I’ll share with you some important things on sleep, especially some very good uses that originated with God Himself… Stay tuned for my message, CHAMPION OF SLEEP! …Every day billions of people, worldwide, will stop their daily activities to all do the same thing – sleep! But, as many as forty million Americans do not enjoy a good night’s sleep! They are in differing ways afflicted with more than 70 different types of sleep-related problems. From differing forms of sleep disorders such as, Insomnia, Sleep Apnea, and Narcolepsy, to others caused by stress, environmental noise, extreme temperatures change in the surrounding environment, and sleep/wake scheduling problems such as those due to jet lag and medication side effects – ALL can steal away the precious need we all have for a sound night’s sleep! In an article I came across, “A Good Night's Sleep? Merely a Dream for Millions” by Jan Ehrman, she reports: “Lack of sleep and its link to accidents--automobile and on-the-job--now appears to be a problem of far greater magnitude than previously believed. Fatigue leads to diminished mental alertness and concentration. According to a Dr. Kiley, it's the resultant "near miss" (in a motor vehicle or otherwise) that sometimes makes people recognize they have a problem and need to seek professional help. He says there could be as many as 1,500 fatalities and one hundred thousand sleep-related automobile accidents annually in the United States.” Friend, it’s no small matter, but then sleep is of course a “gift” from God. In fact, God promises us that sound sleep and rest is something He grants to those who are at peace with Him. We read in the Bible
Indeed, those who are at peace with God by living their lives in obedience to His commands are promised good sleep! Now this is NOT to say those who have sleep disorders are not at peace with God, or they have not been obedient. Such disorders can come upon even the best of saints in the Lord. But nonetheless, sleep is a most important thing we all need. Now there’s another area of sleep, we all need and require at times. It is the sleep of anesthetics. Whenever we need the surgeon’s knife, thank God for the anesthetist, who has studied sleep, and is able to administer this to us while we in surgical procedures. As a result we feel no pain, suffer no anxiety or fear, and awake after all is done. But friend it was so for centuries of our human existence. As such, I want to take you to a story of one man, a 19th century physicain named Dr. James Young Simpson, who is called the “Champion of Anesthesia.” You see, it was this man who experimented with chemical innovation in the use of medicine and surgery. Before his studies and findings, when people had to experience the surgeon’s knife it was a horrifying experience from which many died from the severity of pain itself. However, with can thank Dr. Simpson, for his relentless search to alleviate man’s suffering during surgical procedures. Amazingly enough, his discoveries of anesthetics came about because of all things – he was a Christian! Yes, that’s right. Let me tell you about it. James Simpson, born in 1811, was the youngest of seven sons growing up in his family. At his mother’s leading he became a Christian at an early age, by putting his faith and trust alone for Heaven and eternal life, for the forgiveness of all sin, and the promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit, in the Lord Jesus Christ as His God and Savior. In his early teen years, being a fantastic student, he was fascinated with medicine, and so he entered the University for study at the age of fourteen. Graduating in 1821 at age 21, Dr. James Simpson was a shining light in his medical school and was destined for greatness. He was offered the “Midwifery Chair” at the Royal Medical Society of Edinburgh. He gladly took this, and began devoting his medical knowledge and further studies to obstetrics and gynecology. Being a kind and gentle man, dedicated to Jesus Christ, he often saw the terrible suffering and pain women experienced in child birth and sought to find ways to alleviate this. Medicine in those days was quite barbaric compared to today. Why often surgeries were performed with no anesthetics and worse -- boiling tar was placed on surgical wounds to prevent infection. Can you imagine that? Well, during his early medical days, Dr. Simpson was intrigued by the findings of a Dr. Morton, who had experimented with “ether,” as an anesthetic for surgical procedures. He immediately adopted its use but soon found it highly flammable, dangerous, and unsatisfactory. Surely there had to be some other chemicals that could induce deep sleep, but not be so dangerous. Being a Christina he often read his bible enjoying God’s Word and its teachings. One day he was intrigued by the beginning account of Creation found in Genesis; especially, when he read that God was the very first surgical “physician.” You see we are told the following,
Amazingly, we are told here that not only did God recognize that man in solitude was not good, He also took steps to make the life of man one of joy and fulfillment, by creating another human being to be his life partner. And so the Lord God, our Creator, caused a “deep sleep” to fall upon Adam. This deep sleep in Hebrew, “tardēmah,” was a divine anesthetic administered by the Great Physician Himself to prevent Adam suffering any pain in the process. Yes, the very first surgeon, God Himself, proceeded to immediately removed one of Adam’s “ribs,” and then closed up the flesh thereof. Now the Hebrew word for rib “tsēla,” and is used elsewhere in the Old Testament to mean a “side,” or a “wing of a building,” or even a “panel or piece.” Thus, it might best be to translate this – “God surgically removed a portion of Adam’s physical body from his “side” and used it to fashion another human being, the very first woman, Eve. Well, Dr. Simpson, a faithful believer in God and Christ and the Bible knew that to put a patient to sleep before any surgery was not only a good thing to do to alleviate suffering, but was certainly biblically sanctioned. Now I say that, for in his day when he came up with the use of “Chloroform” as a substitute for “Ether” in surgeries and the pains of child birth, many churchmen condemned him. They said God planned pain in childbirth and to alleviate this violated Scripture which taught a woman’s pregnancy pains were to be greatly multiplied because of sin. Therefore, they said, a woman is to suffer and no one should alleviate such pain. Dr. Simpson, a man of God tried to help these truly “unlearned” theologians by showing them that God Himself was the first anesthetist. As such it was biblically and morally right to ease the pain of surgeries and child birth. Now having come upon this new chemical, “Chloroform,” he experimented in its use on his friends and found it was truly a magnificent sleep inducing chemical. The rest of this story is history, as physicians and medical specialists have found many other forms of sleep inducing chemicals and combinations that have wonderfully alleviated the terrible pain of surgeries and even child birth to this day. In Dr. Simpson’s later years, a reporter interviewed him asking about his studies in the fields of anesthesia, obstetrics, and gynecology, and said: “What has been your greatest discovery?” Dr. James Simpson replied to this man’s astonishment, “When I found that I was a sinner, and that Jesus Christ was my Savior!” He said nothing of science, and nothing of having served as Queen Victoria’s personal physician. No, the most important discovery was that all around him was here as the result of an Omnipotent Creator God, and this God loved Him enough to die for His sins. Even more, because he was a sinner in God’s sight, God’s love found a way to save him from the eternal pain and suffering that was coming to all mankind, apart from being rescued and saved by the great Physician, Jesus Christ. You see my friend, we are all suffering a terrible disease that is rotting away our body, soul and spirit. One day if not dealt with, it will bring us to eternal ruin with real unbearable pain and terrible suffering, and there will be nothing nor anyone to dull or extinguish this pain… One day while Jesus was talking with the religious leaders, they began to mock Him. It was at this point, the God-Man Jesus Christ lifts the veil of the afterlife to tell a story about what happened to two men. Listen to the text, The Rich Man and Lazarus
The point of telling this story which I believe was not a story at all, but a vivid true-life account of what happened to two men. Now, the rich man’s name was concealed apparently to protect the living family members, I’m sure. Yet Jesus Christ, our God and Creator, sobered up these mocking religious leaders by telling them of the terrible suffering, pain and agony awaiting all those who die with their sins unforgiven. We see, the Rich Man neglected to deal with his sins as evident by his stingy, selfish, self-serving life. The poor man, named Lazarus, had nothing in his life but the glorious truth that God loved him, and so he placed His faith in trust in the promises of God, that a Messiah would one day come and save him from his sins. Well Jesus tells us Lazarus went on to his heavenly reward, of an eternity of peace, joy, and happiness, but the Rich Man, who remains nameless, having had all the good things in this life, neglected his soul and spirit’s need, and went into eternity into a place called Hell. Note what resulted,
Yes, Virginia, the afterlife has a place called Hell, and all are going there save those who have trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord God and Savior. Dr. Simpson said that was his greatest discovery and indeed it was and is for anyone else too. Now today millions of people seeking a good night’s sleep often do not find it. I personally believe apart from legitimate sleep disorders, most of the sleeplessness of people is caused by their being estranged from God by their sins and disobedience. King David of Israel when he fell into adulterous sin and murder, and did not confess it to God, tells us what happened to his night sleep,
David could not sleep at night any more. Chronic insomnia plagued him! He tossed and turned, his eyes would not close in sleep because God would not allow it. King David needed to confess his multiple sins before God. Particularly, he needed to confess his terrible sin of adultery, murder and disobedience. Perhaps I’m talking to someone right now, who likewise tosses and turns without the deep sleep of the “just.” Maybe, you need to confess your sins and turn from them, and call upon your God to forgive them through Jesus Christ? Much sleeplessness is a result of sin today and no amount of anesthetics that induce sleep, will really be the answer. Dr. James Simpson surely was the “CHAMPION OF SLEEP,” for those who needed surgeries and medical care. But those who need spiritual care, only Jesus Christ can help you. Best of all, Dr. James Simpson was a Christian from his early days and lived his life for God and the advancement of the work of Christ. He also was a man of faith who did much to alleviate human misery. For this we can all thank God. But like Simpson, we must all come to a place in our spiritual lives were we can say, our greatest discovery in life was to find out we are sinners in God’s sight under His wrath and coming judgments; but, that this same holy God is also a God of great love who sent His Son Jesus Christ to be our Savior. The Great Physician is also the Great Savior of mankind and today He wants to alleviate coming pain, misery and suffering. But we have to submit to His call for our lives here and now. I thank God I do not have sleep disorders and I further than God that by His grace and leading I can keep short accounts with Him when I sin or fail to be obedient in all things. As a result, I have that wonderful gift from God of a sound and deep sleep every night. My heart is heavy for those who do not have it and it is my hope and prayer that those who suffer actual sleep disorders that they find quality medical care that is out there for them. But for the rest, whose sleeplessness is possibly a result of sin, seek the only spiritual care that comes through Jesus Christ the Lord. May God add His blessing to these thoughts for Jesus sake, Amen… …Dr. James Simpson was indeed the “Champion of Sleep,” for his findings in the medical use of anesthesia has greatly aided the surgeon and alleviated the misery, suffering and pain of patients who must undergo surgeries and women in childbirth. We thank God for allowing him to find out what God himself did with the very first man, which shows us how tender, caring and loving God was to His creation, and still is. May you come to know the love of God through Jesus Christ the Lord. · Radio talk # 4902 · Broadcast date: December 08, 2002 · Speaker: Dennis L. Finnan, Commentator · Program: The World, the Word & You! Radio Broadcast · Address: P.O. Box 40133 Grand Junction, CO 81504 The World, the Word & You! Broadcast is a non-denominational ministry based on the historic fundamental evangelical interpretation of the Scriptures. A copy of our doctrinal statement is available upon request. These weekly radio commentaries are not exhaustive studies of any particular subject due to the time limit of broadcasting. Actual broadcasts can be heard in selected areas around the nation, as funding provides. Dennis Finnan has been the speaker for over 22 years, and serves as General Director. These transcripts are available free of charge to all who desire them. Also available are actual radio cassette tapes and printed booklets of each message. A free listing of recent messages is available upon request also. Want to Help? If you've been blessed and encouraged by these messages, you can help keep them on the Internet. Below is a secure link to PayPal, a way to donate through the Internet to this Christian Radio Broadcast. We are a faith ministry depending totally upon the love gifts of friends like you. Please consider a donation today of any amount. Or you can use the snail mail address at bottom left to write to us. God bless you.
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