Insights Magazine: July 2012 by Insight for Living Canada

July 2012

Improve

your

serve

in this issue 3 Five Promises from a Shepherd to His Flock Charles R. Swindoll pressure points

6 When is “Good Enough,” Good Enough? Steve Johnson lifetrac

9 The Burden of Looking Good Darren Malin STRONG FAMILY

“Each of us seems to be born thirsty for the

things we do not have.”

12 Cartons of Eggs & Old Phones Joy McKee laughing matters

14 When Will I Be Rich Enough? Phil Callaway Help Me Understand

17 Spiritual Abuse Insight for Living Canada

Copyright © 2012 Insight for Living Canada. All rights reserved. No portion of this monthly publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission from the publisher. Insights is published by IFLC, the Bible teaching ministry of Charles R. Swindoll. IFLC is an autonomous ministry and certified member of the Canadian Council of Christian Charities. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture passages are taken from the NASB. Printed in Canada. Unless otherwise noted, photography by IFLC staff.

Five Promises from a Shepherd to His Flock

pulpit

ÂŠ istockphoto.com/joyfnp

by Charles R. Swindoll

A number of years ago, a friend dropped by my study.

easily become less important to you. I want to urge you: Do not let that happen. We need you to continue doing original work, reading widely, thinking deeply . . . and speaking with the kind of depth and passion we have come to expect.” He said several other equally important things, which I’ll not forget. As he finally stood to leave, I walked over and embraced him. I told him how much I appreciated his words, the genuineness of his heart, the courage of his warning. He left as he had arrived—quietly, unobtrusively. I sat back down, swallowed hard, and sighed. His visit was both timely and memorable. Not only did he need to say those things, I needed to hear them. Solomon’s words, which I often quote, bore fruit that day. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend” (Prov. 27:6). You need to know, just as my friend did, that I remain deeply committed to pastoring the local church. It’s my primary passion, regardless of any additional roles I undertake. Whether you listen to sermons on the Insight for Living broadcast or sit in a pew at Stonebriar Comis that we ministers can munity Church, you have every right expect me to feed the flock carefully be lazy, indifferent, to prepared meals . . . and not stumble perfunctory, controlling, into the traps that litter the path of over and mean-spirited.” commitment. As my mother used to say, “Congregations should be fed good diets It’s what it could do to you. I mean, you of solid meat, not a bunch of pea-patch already have a lot on your plate . . . and stories. They should never leave hungry. now you’re adding this. I’m concerned Do your job, Charles.” Ours is a day of superficiality. If you that you might get so busy you’ll start cutting corners in your preaching. I’ve can fake it, you’re often admired as being never worried about you falling morally. clever, not criticized for being phony. The But I do worry that you could be tempted ministry is no exception. People trust to decrease your time with God. It could ministers to be diligent and spiritually e’s a true friend, one who knows me well . . . and loves me, warts and all. He also speaks the truth in love, which is exactly what he did in the last 20 minutes of our visit that day. I could tell we weren’t through when he closed his folder. He had that look of unfinished business as he tilted his head and took a deep breath. I appreciated his reluctance; he didn’t want to come storming into a somewhat sensitive subject . . . but he couldn’t leave without looking at me squarely in the eyes and saying some hard things. “Go ahead . . . tell me what’s eating away at you,” I urged. “Well, I don’t know how I should say these things, Chuck. But I can’t just ignore them either. The fact is, I’m concerned.” “Concerned about what?” I probed. “You. This recent decision you’ve made to add the presidency of Dallas Seminary to your responsibilities. It’s not the decision itself; I’m pleased with that.

“But the painful truth

Comment on this article

sensitive, to do their homework and think creatively, to remain fresh and innovative, to stay excited about their callings, faithful in prayer, and pure in their motives. But the painful truth is that we ministers can be lazy, indifferent, perfunctory, controlling, and mean-spirited. We’re not above predictability or plagiarism, especially if we’ve not managed our time well. I know of few professions where envy can

First ,

be more prominent or pride can be more manipulative. It’s easy to learn how to hide those ugly faces behind pious masks. So . . . at the risk of appearing stronger than I am or coming across in tones too religious to be real, I’m going to risk making a few promises to you that I made to my friend many years ago. They’re just as important today as they were then.

I promise to keep doing original and hard work in my study. No hectic schedule of mine will rob you of a strong pulpit or Bible-teaching ministry. You deserve the best of my efforts.

I promise to maintain a heart for God. That means I will pray frequently and fervently. I will stay devoted to Him and to the things of my calling. I won’t simply talk about doing those things . . . I’ll do them.

Second,

I promise to remain accountable. Living the life of a religious Lone Third , Ranger is not only unbiblical, it’s dangerous. I am committed to being open with other men of integrity. I promise to stay faithful to my family. My wife deserves my time, affecFOURTH, tion, and undivided attention. Our now-grown children and grandchildren, the same. I won’t forget that, no matter what. I promise to be who I am. Just me. No amount of public exposure will FIFTH, turn my head—scout’s honour. If I start acting sophisticated, remind me how disgusting it looks, how ridiculous shepherds appear when they start using pious words, trying to strut their stuff. I plan to keep laughing, saying things a little off-the-wall, hanging out with the guys who aren’t impressed, and making a few mistakes each month. Sort of keeps the ol’ humanity gears greased.

I have my friend to thank for these thoughts. He deserves the credit. He’s like my mother with guts enough to remind me, “Do your job, Charles,” to warn me of potential pitfalls, to remind me that he’s not ready to put an X across the face of another minister he once respected. Pastors like me need more friends like that. 5

Pressure Points

When is “Good Enough,” Good Enough? by Steve Johnson

trumpet

n 1910 G.K. Chesterton wrote, “If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly.”1 I’ve often quoted that, much to the shock and dismay of many of my Christian friends. “What? That’s not true! If something is worth doing it’s worth doing well!” they retort. I maintain it is also worth doing badly. I don’t remember learning to walk, but watching babies try to walk I’m sure my mother would testify I didn’t do it very well at first either. The old adage is true: you have to learn how to walk before you can run. The same is true of when I learned how to talk, ride a bike, play the trumpet, even ballroom dance. I deemed them all worthwhile things to do; yet for a time I did them badly. OK, truth be known, I still dance poorly. I’m writing this because there are Christians who think that since they can’t do something well, they should do nothing at all. So they decline an opportunity for service because they can’t do it really well or there is someone else who they think can do it better.

Moses thought this way. When the Lord told him to go Egypt to lead Israel out, he tried to excuse himself saying he couldn’t speak well. He refused to do it to the point of making the Lord angry. How many of us think this way? We feel we don’t share our faith well, so we don’t do it at all. We don’t know what to say to encourage someone, so we say nothing. We don’t have a clear understanding of what we read in Scripture, so we don’t bother to read at all. Remember the little boy with his five loaves and two fish? A poor supply for a large crowd, but he offered it regardless. If he had reasoned he needed something more elaborate or plentiful, thousands may have gone hungry that day. In another story Jesus commended a woman with the simple words, “She has done what she could” (Mark 14:8). In other words, sometimes just getting something done is more important than doing a fantastic job. If you stipulate perfection or nothing, the result will be nothing . . . every time.

G.K. Chesterton. What’s Wrong with the World. Leipzig: Bernhard Tauchnitz, 1910.

Comment on this article

Doing something worthwhile badly is at least doing something productive, if what you’re doing is the right thing to do. It’s better than not attempting something at all. At least you will learn from your efforts. You cannot improve until you start. You improve as you go. You begin by starting out badly. Be willing to fail, sometimes often, to achieve what you want to. In most things, we must do the best we can at any given moment, knowing full well that the quality of our work will leave something to be desired. Most things must be done relatively poorly before they can be done passably well and eventually mastered. How else do you plan on getting better at anything than through experience? Reading and theorizing can only get you so far. It’s good to have high standards of excellence. But in the Lord’s work, while we should strive for excellence we can’t afford the luxury of declining to try a worthwhile task merely because we think we can’t do it as well as we would like. If God provides an opportunity to do something, go and do it—even if you can only do it badly. Speak to your neighbour, and feel clumsy at it; phone someone who has been on your mind, even though you

don’t know quite what to say; pick up the Bible, even though you do not know where to begin. In doing so you will rely on God’s strength rather than on your own. You will see God’s power at work. As much as our pride might like to find one, there is no shortcut to competence even in doing the Lord’s work. It demands that each of us do what we can. There are simply some activities in life where one must always do what one can. When a task deserves to be done at all, it deserves a less-than-perfect attempt while we are learning to do it better. The Lord is looking for people who will try. Isaiah had the correct view of matters when he responded to the Lord’s call for a messenger, “Here am I! Send me” (Isa. 6:8). He evidently understood this truth: the Lord is not looking for people who can do everything; He is looking for people who will try to do anything. So whatever you do, do it badly, to the best of your ability.

Steve Johnson is the executive director at IFLC.

on the air in august

Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives Chuck delves into the lives of little-remembered Bible characters and events. He will help you discover biblical principles and practical applications for living so that you can be who you are in God’s estimation. . . a person of true significance.

Upcoming Messages Include:

Often Overlooked Lives of Significance Cain: The Farmer Who Killed His Brother Abraham: The Father Who Released His Son Esau: The Son Who Couldn’t Win

The Burden of

Looking Good

by Darren Malin On lifetrac.ca/blog this month: Procrastination By Robyn Roste

once read a quote that said, “Monday is an awful way to spend 1/7th of your life.” Would you agree? Would the average Christian say that Sunday is a great way to spend 1/7th of your life? Do we look at our lives in compartments? Are our lives different in church compared to our lives at work or with our friends? How can we build consistent Christian lives wherever we are or wherever we go? I believe the wholeness to our fragmented lives—and resulting excellence in ministry—is found in the resolution of value, identity, and worth. All over the world people struggle with their value, identity, and worth. We can use a lot of energy and resources in our lives to build up our internal sense of worth or to form an identity for ourselves. Who we believe we are defines how we behave. If, for example, we believe ourselves to be descended from apes

we would then expect ourselves to behave like an animal does. We can define ourselves by what we do (“I am a teacher,” “I am a doctor”), or what we own (“I drive a Mazda,”“I own a Mac”), or what we have achieved (“I am an Ironman”). Usually these activities are at the expense of other people. Although our need is legitimate, the way we attempt to fulfil that need is essentially self-serving. Every day for eight months of the year, I have the privilege of meeting with university-aged students. It has been eye-opening to realize everyone struggles with their own value, worth, and identity. Some struggle with keeping a consistent Christ-centred life away from church. Others fill the gap of value and worth through consumerism. The commercial lie is, “Buy this product and you will feel more confident.” When it doesn’t work, we move on to the next product. With proper reflection, most of us can probably identify how our lives first became fragmented. For me, I grew up in a home where performance and success were critical in relation to my own value, worth, and identity. This created a constant tendency to one of two possible goals: either (1) engage wholeheartedly with whatever I set my mind to and make perfect success a measure of my own worth (achieving the highest success made me feel better) or (2) don’t fully engage so if things didn’t work out as a success I could have the get-out clause that it was never fully my responsibility. The problem was that even if I achieved success, it never actually freed me from the underlying worth and value problem. Furthermore, never being fully engaged in something means that you always have a feeling of being lost, baseless, a wanderer. Is this true for you? Do you feel that you are wandering through life? Let me encourage you.

The Burden of Looking Good continued from p. 9

Comment on this article

Jesus had a great deal of strength in these areas of His worth and identity. This freed Him from the selfish pursuit of “fixing” any inner weakness and enabled Him to live the perfect life of a servant. Jesus had inner strength partly because He consistently drew His identity and worth through faith in what was written about Him in the Word of God. God wrote about Jesus in His Word. God has also written about us in a similar way in His Word. We therefore now have the opportunity to model ourselves on Jesus; building our own sense of worth and identity on what God has said in His Word and therefore becoming increasingly free to choose to serve God and others before ourselves. The answer I have found in the Gospel is that my value, worth, and identity are eternally founded ALREADY in the person of God and His treatment of me through Jesus. His parenting recognizes that I have failed, and yet says “that doesn’t matter!” I am still just as valued as a son now as I was before any perceived or actual failure. I’m just valued, period. That frees me from both extremes: using success as a measure of my worth on the one hand, and fear of engaging with projects because of the possibility of it reflecting on me on the other.

“Even if I achieved success, it never actually freed me from the underlying worth and value problem.” When my new success barometer became ministry-based I felt a real burden to show I was a great Christian worker. Through Scripture like Isaiah 43:1-7 and Jeremiah 9:23-24, I have found more of a joy and freedom in living the Gospel without the burden of “looking good.” I certainly do not crave the same amount of approval and affirmation from people today as I once did. Every day, I remind myself that my value, worth, and identity are sustained in Christ alone, and He is helping to be excellent in ministry. Darren Malin will transition out of his Navigator position this year to launch his own media and marketing company. He lives in Calgary.

Letting Others Be Themselves Do you give a person the freedom to be completely different from you? Or must we all sound, look, and respond alike? Listen online anytime at lifetrac.ca

Free mp3 What do you do when you lose heart? When the wind leaves your sails and morale drops to a new low? When life is heavy the good times seem like a distant memory. When he wrote the book of Ephesians, the Apostle Paul was in a Roman prison. He was concerned because his friends were discouraged over his situation. In Paul on His Knees...Again, Chuck Swindoll relays Paul’s response to hard times and teaches us what to do the next time we find ourselves disheartened. Download this encouraging message today at lifetrac.ca

This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord. (Jer. 9:23-24 NIV)

Strong Family

Cartons of Eggs &

Old Phones God’s ways of reaching a lost world are endless

by Joy Mckee

number of years ago I heard about a woman who had the most amazing way of reaching people with God’s Word. She lived on a chicken farm and each morning collected up the eggs to be sold. As she placed the eggs into cartons, she slipped in a little something extra—a handwritten Bible verse. Everyone who purchased those eggs received a word of encouragement from Scripture. I’ve never forgotten this story because it is an absolutely brilliant and creative way to share Scripture. And it made me realize that God takes our simplest and most humble efforts for His purposes and multiplies them. We don’t have to do big and flashy things to reach people for Christ.

Comment on this article

We don’t even have to leave our homes. My friend, Jessie, also has a far-reaching ministry with very limited resources. Using only a rotary phone, Jessie connects with politicians and high profile people in her community and Ottawa. She encourages them in their work and shares God’s love. Jessie uses what she has to make a difference. In the scheme of things her efforts may appear small but she impacts decision-makers and people of influence with God’s truth. That’s how our Creator works. He cares about small things. Look, for instance, at how He made the spider. The tiniest spider can make both sticky and non-sticky silk and knows how to use both! Spiders even know how to stay on the parts that aren’t sticky so they won’t be glued to their own web. Isn’t that incredible? God cares about giving spiders the ability to create webbed masterpieces out of their tiny little bodies. In the same way, you can create masterpieces for God’s glory through the seemingly small, everyday things that you do. Romans 12:1-2 expresses this ministry lifestyle beautifully. “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walkingaround life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you” (The Message).

I love the sentence “Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it.” That’s the key. Living for Christ is a moment-by-moment lifestyle, giving what you have for God’s service. You can listen, pray, bake, babysit, fix things, forgive, mediate, teach, guide, soothe, encourage, chauffeur, disciple, feed, hug, let others take the credit, smile, take a stand against injustice, mow someone’s lawn, go the extra mile, be friendly, be available . . . to name a few.

“You can create masterpieces for God’s glory through the seemingly small, everyday things that you do.” Children can have ministries, too! Watch for their interests and strengths. Together, find ways to use their gifts to help others. It’s never too early to teach children about looking beyond themselves. Matthew 5:15-16 sums it up well: “If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.” If God uses old rotary phones and cartons of eggs for His purposes, He knows a thousand different ways for you to make the most of what He has given you to reach a lost world. Joy McKee is the communications manager at Insight for Living Canada.

Laughing Matters

I must admit that I like stuff. Always have.

inters of my childhood were the old model to the shed. There I placed characterized by dreams of it with the other rusting relics. I think I Christmas morning and sitting on the should put up a sign: Stuff I Used To Covet. If we love anything more than money heat vent drooling my way through the toy section in the Sears catalogue. In fourth these days, it is approval. The only thing grade my parents bought me the grooviest worse than the debt on our new car is the pair of flared pants I had ever seen. They fear that no one will notice when we drive were purple with wide vertical stripes. The up in it. A thousand times a day images bomstripes were bright orange. I was the envy of every kid at Prairie Elementary School. bard our minds, creating necessities for us, Until Stan Kirk showed up with bigger reminding us that we are unhappy, that we flairs and brighter stripes. In ninth grade do not have enough. “You do not eat steaks I traded a summer’s earnings for my very like the ones we serve,” the images boast. first stereo: a small amplifier, two speak- “You do not live in a Victorian mansion or ers, and a state-of-the-art record player— drive a blue Mercedes like this one. You complete with strobe light. By Septem- are not happy because you do not lounge ber I had sold it so I could upgrade. In around in silk pyjamas like the couples in November I did it again. Then I sat and this catalogue. You poor thing. You do not listened to the Eagles sing, “It seems to have a television as large as this one or cofme some fine things have been laid upon fee beans that are this freshly brewed. You your table / but you only want the ones do not eat bronzed chicken in a perfect kitchen with perfect lighting and perfect that you can’t get.” Each of us seems to be born thirsty for children who laugh at all your jokes while the things we do not have. Advertisements the black Labrador Retriever lies at your feet flea-free and grinning.” catch our eye. New cars turn our heads. What the images really sell us is disCan we ever reverse the trend? My compact disc player expired a week content. Companies spend billions sellafter the warranty. “Throw it away,” a sales- ing unhappiness. And we buy it at a man told me. “It’s cheaper to buy new than handsome price. Contrast such a message with the life of fix the old one.” As I placed the new one in the back seat I realized that we do the Jesus: “For you know the grace and love same thing with friendships in this cul- of our Lord Jesus Christ,” wrote Paul in 2 ture—and marriages. Once home, I took Corinthians 8:9, “that though he was rich,

When Will I Be

Rich Enough? by Phil Callaway 15

Comment on this article

yet for your sake he became poor, so that home and strolling through a mall countyou through his poverty might become ing all the things we do not need. We both enjoy this exercise immensely. Such an rich” (NIV). In Romans 12, Paul paints a beautiful attitude counters the discontent sold us picture of this rich community of people on a daily basis and provides freedom. I living in simplicity. They are hospitable do not need the silk pyjamas or the bright people, giving freely to meet each other’s blue car. What I need right now is to hold needs. They celebrate with those who cele- my wife’s hand and repeat these words, brate, and grieve when others grieve. They “No, we do not have the big screen television and the perfect children, but we have what share, they serve, they trust. you can’t sell. We have each other and the wisdom to know that real satisfaction will “Companies spend billions come from things, but from relationselling unhappiness. And we never ships—with God first, the others follow. We buy it at a handsome price.” have the God-given ability to handle our finances with responsibility and restraint My wife and I have taken to going “non- and respect for the needs of others. We are shopping” lately. Real shopping drives rich enough to give some money away. Conme nuts. I pull into the parking lot of just tent to set our hearts on things above.” And when we notice that the grass is about any mall in North America and I begin to develop a headache that sinks looking pretty green on the other side of from my sinuses right down into my wal- the fence, we remind ourselves that their let. By the time we enter a store with a ban- water bill is higher. ner reading: “SALE: No Payments Until September!” my eyes can hardly focus. is a popular speaker and the best-selling author Lately we’ve tried something different. Phil of Making Life Rich Without Any Money. Visit him at Lately we’ve tried leaving our wallets at philcallaway.com

This Month’s FEATURED RESOURCE

Insight’s

Bible Application Guide Genesis-Deuteronomy A Life Lesson from Every Chapter

This new book uncovers a timeless truth in each chapter of the first five books of the Bible. You’ll be inspired and encouraged to discover how relevant God’s Word is to your life today. See enclosed form for ordering information 16

Spiritual Abuse

“They say I should do more.”

Every day I try my best to be a good Christian and show my gratefulness to the Lord for my salvation by giving my all to the church. I volunteer on four committees and teach Sunday school, but I can tell it’s not enough. In fact my pastor has said as much. I feel guilty for not doing more to serve the kingdom but also don’t know what more I can do. Already my days are long and I have difficulty finding time for my family. I know I should never question those God placed in authority of the church, but I’m starting to feel exhausted always trying to measure up to their standards. It never seems like I can do enough or be enough. Sometimes I catch myself daydreaming about calling in sick or simply not showing up. But then I feel guilty for thinking those things and end up putting in extra hours as penance. The Bible says I’m saved by grace, but is it really enough?

Comment on this article

Our Problem—Sinful self-centredness

expresses itself in spiritual leaders who take advantage of the power of their positions to teach legalistic error, manipulate others for personal gain, and use fear and intimidation to keep followers compliant. People may be perpetrators of spiritual abuse or victims. Abuse may occur only once or over a long period of time. It includes things people do and neglect to do.

God’s Answers

1. Spiritual abusers are nothing new. Jesus faced the Pharisees and Paul had the Judaizers. Scripture warns us about them (Ezek. 34:4-10; 3 Jn. 1:8-10). 2. Rather than lording it over others as spiritual abusers do, God’s design is that spiritual leadership is servant-oriented (Mk. 10:42-44). 3. Spiritual abusers are self-centred and act for personal gain. True spiritual leadership has nothing to prove and puts the needs of others first (1 Pet. 5:2,3). 4. True spiritual leadership understands and teaches grace, not performance as the basis of acceptance with God (Gal. 3:2,3). Spiritual abusers often major on legalism and minor on grace and mercy. 5. Following Jesus does not leave us feeling beaten up and ashamed (Matt.11:28-30). His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Following spiritual abusers leaves us fearful, guilty, and condemned. 6. God accepts the sinner in Christ, just as he is and forgives him for all he has done and hasn’t done. He doesn’t require performance for acceptance. We are accepted because of what Christ has done, not what we have done.

The Solution

1. Be on guard against spiritual abuse. Watch for: a lack of servant attitude and grace, lists of dos and don’ts, paranoia and suspicion of other believers, sexual looseness, financial manipulation, no accountability, Scripture-twisting, and defensiveness. 2. Call attention to spiritual abuse when you see it. “I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing…” (3 Jn. 1:8-10). 3. Resist legalism by deepening your understanding of God’s grace—His unmerited favour. Although undeserving we are blessed because of God’s love for us. 4. If you are a spiritual abuser: • Recognize and identify the characteristics of an abuser in your behaviour. • Study Scriptures like Titus 3:5 that show God’s grace and mercy. • Repent of your self-centredness and abusive behaviour. • Deepen your understanding of God’s grace. Cultivate a servant’s heart. Become accountable. • Practice your spiritual disciplines out of a desire to connect with the Lord, not out of need to earn His favour. 5. If you have been spiritually abused: • Understand that grace means you have nothing to give, nothing to earn, and nothing to pay. • Reaffirm your identity and sufficiency in Christ. Find release from your shame and renewal for your mind with Scripture such as Romans 6:14; 8:35-39; Ephesians 2:8 and Galatians 5:1. • Rest in Christ’s performance, not your own. by

Insight for Living Canada

19 23

STAFF PICK “The Owners’ Manual for Christians gave me a foundation to build an amazing life for Christ. I love it so much, I’ve read it a number of times!” Marjorie Glenn Listener Services Representative Insight for Living Canada

The

Owner’s Manual for

Christians

CLEARANCE!

reg. $16.00

Chuck captures the essentials of the Christian life in simple, inspiring terms. From grace to freedom, these chapters walk you through the keys to a life you long for, drawn from the Creator of life itself.

The Church Awakening: An Urgent Call for Renewal hardcover by Charles R. Swindoll, 304 pages

Chuck Swindoll exposes the problems ofâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and solutions forâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the postmodern evangelical church and explores the challenges, struggles, and priorities of the Church in the 21st century.

t-R Mus

l ad C

c! a ssi

Sale!

1500

reg. $20.00

Mere Christianity paperback by C.S. Lewis, 227 pages

Sale!

1200

In his legendary broadcasts aired during World War II, C.S. Lewis demonstrated that Christianity is not a religion of blind faith but of free will, an innate sense of justice, and the grace of God.

reg. $16.00

On Sale in

JuLY Paws & Tales Seasons 1-3 CD set, 69 audio episodes

Sale!

9225

reg. $123.00

Own the entire Paws & Tales audio collection! This set includes the dramatic retelling of the Story of Esther, the Story of Saul, and Goliath, King of Shadow Valley.

order/donate at insightforliving.ca or call 1.800.663.7639 offer expires AUGUST 31, 2012

Cultivating Purity in an Impure World paperback by Insight for Living, 104 pages

Through the encounters of Bible heroes, David and Joseph, Chuck reveals the practical steps it takes to cultivate purity in a sex-crazed world. You can live a pure life—even in an impure world.

Sale!

$ 00 reg. $12.00

Sale!

$ 00 Improving Your Serve: The Art of Unselfish Living

reg. $12.00

paperback by Charles R. Swindoll, 229 pages

Chuck examines the qualities of a servant’s heart and explains the challenges and rewards of selfless living. This insightful book studies the life and teaching of the ultimate Servant, Jesus Christ.

Phil Callaway Live: Learning to Laugh Again DVD, approximate running time: 40 min.

Phil’s stories of overcoming fear, reversing disappointment, and meeting hard times with courage and faith will help you face the difficulties on your own journey. Ideal for personal or group viewing.

Sale!

1350

reg. $18.00

this month’s featured resource

first copy

$ 00 additional $ copies:

reg. $12.00

Insights Bible Application Guide, Genesis-Deuteronomy, A Life Lesson from Every Chapter paperback by Insight for Living, 168 pages

This new book uncovers a timeless truth in each chapter of the first five books of the Bible. You’ll be inspired and encouraged to discover how relevant God’s Word is to your life today.

ON THE AIR THIS MONTH Sale!

Praying Like We Mean It

3360

single CD message

reg. $48.00

Praying like you mean it means forgetting all the church-sounding phrases. It requires laying off the lingo and laying out your heart before the Lord. The greatest prayers are those that you voice from the heart.

God’s Masterwork, Volume Six: Letters to God’s People— A Survey of Romans-Philemon 13 CD messages

Whether you struggle with legalism, conflict, carnality, or need help sharing God’s truth, the letters from the Apostle Paul will equip you for biblical success. Discover how these letters apply to your life today!

Sale!

600

reg. $8.00

“The Owner’s Manual for Christians gave me a foundation to build an amazing life for Christ. I love it so much, I’ve read it a number of times!”

Sale!

2660

reg. $38.00

- Marjorie Glenn

God’s Masterwork, Volume Seven: The Final Word— A Survey of Hebrews-Revelation

Listener Services Representative Insight for Living Canada

9 CD messages = bonus interview with Chuck Swindoll

Discover how Jesus Christ fulfilled the Mosaic Law and how you can find hope in the midst of trials. Join Chuck and dig into these nine treasures from the first century! You’ll gain theological depth and grow in your practical devotion to Christ.

STAFF PICK Owner’s Manual for Christians paperback by Charles R. Swindoll, 234 pages

God’s Masterwork: New Testament Set 28 CD messages + bonus interview with Chuck Swindoll

From Matthew to Revelation you will hear the recurring melody of redemption through Jesus Christ repeated throughout each book. This overview of the New Testament includes God’s Masterwork Volumes 5, 6, and 7.

Sale!

reg. $100.00

70.00

For the complete Bible set, Volumes 1-7, visit us online at store.insightforliving.ca

CLEARANCE!

700

reg. $16.00

info@insightforliving.ca • insightforliving.ca • 1.800.663.7639