NUMBER EIGHT, 2017
In this issue
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6 Names of Jesus
A Church with Resilience and Charm
11 Good Shepherd
6
Endurance Strategies for Hard Times
12 Sadness
8
Forgiving God
charles r. swindoll robyn roste
steve johnson
The Hea[r]t of the Issue steve johnson Beyond the Broadcast
15 One of Those Upper-Downer Days
Insights is published by Insight for Living Canada, the Bible-teaching ministry of Charles (Chuck) R. Swindoll. Chuck is the senior pastor-teacher of Stonebriar Community Church in Texas. His international radio program Insight for Living has aired for more than 35 years. We hope this publication will instruct, inspire, and encourage you in your walk with Christ. Copyright Š 2017 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. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture passages are taken from the NLT. Unless otherwise noted, photography and illustration by Tim Schellenberg. IFLC is an autonomous ministry and certified member of the Canadian Council of Christian Charities. Printed in Canada.
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by charles r. swindoll
The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers. —Acts 9:31
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can think of few examples of resilience as incredible as the first-century church. Consider the circumstances in which that body of believers existed. Leaders and preachers were imprisoned daily. Members were threatened with violence or worse. Stephen’s martyrdom remained a fresh memory. Paul had barely escaped with his life from the hostile Jews. A blood bath was inevitable. Yet the church throughout the land “had peace” and “grew in numbers.” How? Four characteristics of resilience marked those first-century believers. They were steadfast, immovable, abounding, and confident (1 Corinthians 15:58, NASB). These same qualities are essential for any dynamic ministry—like four pistons in a smoothly running engine. Look how powerfully they progressed in the early church! No matter how often those followers of Jesus were ordered “never again to speak in the name of Jesus” (Acts 5:40), they fearlessly stayed at it. Steadfast. Regardless of threats, floggings, and other insidious methods of persecution, the believers remained pockets of peace and places of refuge. Immovable. Just imagine how infectious their enthusiasm must have been…how genuinely joyful! Abounding.
Against all odds, they flourished. They could have shrivelled into a camp of bitter, negative, and frightened people of rigid intensity. Instead, they remained winsome. Confident. There’s more! The resilience of the early believers combined with a kind of charm that made the church irresistible. People couldn’t stay away! Stern moralistic scowls have never attracted people to follow Jesus. It’s the charm of a consistent life of love that draws people. Reinhold Niebuhr’s insight on this point rings just as true today as the day he penned it in his notebook: You may be able to compel people to maintain certain minimum standards by stressing duty, but the highest moral and spiritual achievements depend not upon a push but a pull. People must be charmed into righteousness. How long before today’s church will learn this! What will it take to bring back the charm…that marvellous grace which draws righteousness out of us like a massive magnet? Somehow, despite all odds, the early saints maintained such a loving atmosphere, such an authentic appeal of positive acceptance, that no amount of pressure from without disturbed the peace within. Consequently, people f locked to the church with their hearts in their hands. The early church community
What will it take to bring back the charm…that marvellous grace which draws righteousness out of us like a massive magnet? was a place to be yourself…to share your grief…to ask your questions…to admit your needs…to shed your tears. I must ask: Is your church that kind of place? Too many churches have forfeited their charm and become places of shame, not grace. Let’s put an end to that! Let’s work together to spread a welcoming tablecloth of God’s grace across the globe that covers every person’s clay feet. At Insight for Living Ministries, that’s exactly what Vision 195 is all about. In fact, it’s written right into the mission statement: “We plan to broaden our borders with the message of God’s majesty, the authenticity of His Word, and the power of the cross, woven into a tapestry of God’s amazing grace, in all 195 countries of our world.” Just imagine! Someday, a historian,
looking back on our times might write, in the vein of Acts 9:31: “The church then had peace throughout all 195 countries of the world, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers.” Wouldn’t that be wonderful? It’s not a far-fetched dream. It was reality for those first-century disciples, and it can be reality for us today and for our children and grandchildren tomorrow! But for that entry to find its way into tomorrow’s history books, we—Christians who comprise God’s church—must have two all-pervasive ingredients: resilience and charm. I must ask: Are you that kind of Christian? Charles R. Swindoll serves as the senior pastor-teacher of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas.
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or a season (or 12) I lived and breathed competitive figure skating. As I progressed in the sport my competitive programs became more difficult. And while I loved practicing jumps and spins, I was somewhat less enthusiastic about endurance training. The tricks were the fun part. And running through my four-and-a-half minute program was something I avoided at all costs. It was so hard! It would start out well but as the last note rang out my face was bright red and my breathing laboured.
“I must have athlete’s asthma,” I remember rasping at my coach. “You don’t,” she said. “You lack endurance.” Endurance wasn’t something 15-year-old me cared about. I just wanted to do the big tricks without the boring preparation. Of course now I realize endurance’s value. Being strong and able to land a triple jump is great, but if I can’t finish my program I’m not going to go very far in figure skating. This analogy can also be applied to the Christian life. There are lots of strength tricks we can perform, and earn encouraging feedback or praise from others for our
Training for endurance is not glamorous. No one notices you reading your Bible before work or espouses compliments over the worn-out spots in your carpet from knelt prayers. trouble. But what about when tough times come? Will our tricks be enough for us to hold to our faith? Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians are some of my favourite for remembering the value of enduring in the midst of hard times. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness….” That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NIV) Instead of becoming strong, we are instructed to endure. Training for endurance is not glamorous. No one notices you reading your Bible before work or espouses compliments over the worn-out spots in your carpet from knelt prayers. It’s what we accomplish out of the spotlight—the hours, weeks, days, months, and years spent training our body, soul, and spirit through studying the Bible and in conversation with God—that will see us through the tough times (2 Timothy 2:11-13, Hebrews 12:7, 1 Corinthians 10:12-13). Prayer and Bible reading are important in training for hard times, but they’re also critical when hard times hit. James 5:10-11 says, “For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance.
You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.” Thanks to the Old Testament, we do know about Job and what he endured. We can take heart that senseless suffering happens to the best of us, and know from their stories that we can get through it. Here are a few strategies I’ve found helpful in preparing for tough times, which will come if they haven’t already. First, decide on a regular Bible-reading schedule. In the hardest seasons of my life the Scriptures have spoken to me the loudest. But if I hadn’t been familiar with my Bible before these times, I wouldn’t have known where to find the words I could commiserate with and be comforted by. Second, set aside time to pray. Setting aside time for prayer means I’m prioritizing my relationship with God and ensuring we have a solid connection. I know I’d be lost without it—it’s my lifeline. Third, keep a prayer journal. For me this means leaving my raw thoughts on the page and turning them over to God. Looking back at my journal shows me how faithful God is...and how easy it is to lose sight of all He has done in my life.
Robyn Roste is the media and marketing manager at Insight for Living Canada.
by steve johnson
Disappointment with God is one of the most common reasons people give for not believing in God anymore, turning away from church, and keeping distant from Christianity.
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e let you down. He didn’t do what God is “supposed” to— answer your desperate prayer, provide for your critical need, save your loved one’s life. In fact, with the way things have gone it seems like God is using you for target practice with His arrows of suffering. And now your relationship with Him is strained. Sometimes it’s the big issues that birth the hurt and disappointment. Your loved one is diagnosed with a crippling or terminal illness or dies suddenly. You suffer abuse, or experience a major loss of some other kind. These hurts hit without warning and leave you devastated in the turmoil of its wake. Other times it’s little things accumulating that lead to disappointment. Reversals, misfortunes, battles, struggles— they all add up. You tell yourself that God could have made it work out different but He didn’t. And soon you’re living with a constant sense of betrayal. Disappointment with God is one of the most common reasons people give for not believing in God anymore, turning away from church, and keeping distant from Christianity. And this isn’t something only unbelievers wrestle with. Saints of old struggled
with disappointment. In Psalm 13:1-2 David wrote, O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way? How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand? So what do you do when you’re disappointed with God—forgive Him? That you need God’s forgiveness is without question. That God needs to be forgiven borders on blasphemy. Why? Because the act of forgiving implies that the object of forgiveness is guilty of sin and needs to be pardoned. But God is holy and can't sin. Therefore, no one has the right to pardon Him. Even though God doesn’t sin, you may treat Him as if He has sinned. If this is the case you need to go through a process with God that resembles forgiveness. You may need to "forgive" Him. Why is this necessary? One reason is because emotions are responders. Emotions arise from your expectations and how you interpret experiences. What you think about God determines your expectations of Him and when He doesn’t act the way you think He should,
you wonder if He cares. If you don’t believe God cares about you it can lead to feelings of abandonment and a loss of trust. How do you “forgive” God? Making peace with God comes from evaluating your beliefs and expectations of Him. Are you holding a grudge against God? It’s possible your beliefs about Him are wrong. Check that your thinking is based on how Scripture reveals Him to be, not what you believe God should be. If you’re unsure of some of your ideas, read the Bible and speak with someone you trust. Another step in coming to a place of “forgiving” God and being reconciled to Him is by viewing the situation through the Gospel. Here’s what I mean: In this world of sin and wrong, God allows things, even bad things, to happen for His purposes. They aren’t right. But just because He allows them doesn’t mean He thinks they are right either. In anguish Jesus hung on the cross and cried out, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Matthew 27:46). It wasn’t right that an innocent Man die for sins He didn’t commit. But Jesus endured the cross
because He knew the joy and glory that was ahead (Hebrews 12:2). And so He died, committing His spirit into the hands of the Father, surrendered and reconciled to God and anticipating glory ahead. This is also true for you. You may experience wrong or suffering and feel abandoned by God. But the good news is the Father says that one day He will make it all right. Jesus suffered so that all could be reconciled to God. Where was God when Jesus was suffering? He was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. You may be holding a grudge against God “to make Him pay,” but He already did on the cross. Christ’s death and resurrection are God’s provision and promise that one day He’ll work it all out and make it all right. Tears and sorrow will be wiped away (Revelation 21:4-5). Accepting this by faith, forgiving God, and choosing to let go of your grudges is the path to peace and reconciliation with Him now. Steve Johnson is the executive director at Insight for Living Canada.
Insight for Living Canada began over 30 years ago when a Bible-study group in Vancouver decided to look into bringing Chuck Swindoll’s messages into Canada. For more visit insightforliving.ca/our-history
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me.” (John 10:11, 14)
Origins: Sheep are defenceless and dependent, requiring constant protection, provision, and guidance
Meaning: Jesus calls Himself our good Shepherd, because He is One who protects, guides, and nurtures His people Usage: In John 10:12-18, Jesus contrasts Himself with the Pharisees, implying they don’t know or care about the people. Jesus loves each person and willingly gives up his life for people of all nations.
Illustration by: Laura Vanderwel
Application: Follow the Good Shepherd for salvation. Only He is able to save you. Then you will dwell with Him forever in the house of the Lord (Psalm 23:6). Follow the Good Shepherd for rest, renewal, and right paths (Psalm 23:2-3). Our souls need the kind of care only He can give. We need guidance for life. We can find those needs met in Him and His Word. Follow the Good Shepherd for protection (Psalm 23:4). Listen to His voice instead of false teachers. Only He can protect and comfort us when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death or are in the presence of enemies. Follow the Good Shepherd for provision (Psalm 23:1,5). The Lord our Shepherd provides for us so we have all we need in all circumstances.
by steve johnson
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veryone feels sad at certain points in life. Often, it is a response to pain and loss. General sadness is usually temporary and fades. Clinical depression, on the other hand, is a longer-term mental illness. Is it OK to be sad? Are we supposed to admit it when we’re blue? What does God think about sadness? How are we supposed to think about and treat people who are sad?
Here’s Where They’re At
When the subject of sadness comes up you may hear statements like, “Get over it. Talking about being sad only makes it worse. Move on,” or “Happiness is a choice and sadness is a weakness. No one likes being around sad people.”
Illustration by: Tori Nikkel
Here’s Where You’re At
You may have been raised believing Christians shouldn’t ever be sad. If Christians are sad there must be sin in their life. Because you believe Christians must always be happy, you hide your sadness. You smile even when you don’t want to so you aren’t a bad testimony. Or perhaps
you were raised believing the opposite— Christians should always appear dour and sad thereby proving they are spiritual, serious, and Christlike.
Here’s Where Scripture’s At
Scripture affirms sadness’ place in our lives. Sadness can be constructive, helping us focus on important things, while frivolity can be distracting. “Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us” (Ecclesiastes 7:3). Some sadness is caused by sin (Psalm 32:10) over which we are told to mourn (James 4:8-10). Other sadness is a result of living in a fallen world (Job 1-3). Jesus was sad when Lazarus died (John 11:35) and was called “a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief ” (Isaiah 53:3). He experienced great sorrow in Gethsemane and on the cross (Matthew 26:38; 27:46) yet endured it by focusing on the joy awaiting Him afterward (Hebrews 12:2). We know when Christ returns, sorrow will be replaced with rejoicing (Isaiah 35:10). But until then, God teaches (James 1:3), strengthens (1 Peter 5:10), disciplines
(Hebrews 12:5-11), and works to make us more like Christ (Romans 8:28-29; Hebrews 12:10) through times of sadness. In the midst of sadness we can glorify God (1 Peter 1:6-7), resting in His grace and peace knowing He can sympathize (Hebrews 4:15).
Where to Go From Here
If you’re sad but don’t know why ask yourself if there’s something you’ve lost— perhaps security, stature, hope, trust, health, or something material or sentimental. Get to know yourself and learn what triggers sadness. Don’t waste energy trying to discover why you lost what you did; just accept God’s control over your situation. Ask whether your sadness indicates you need to change your focus or something in your life. Rather than focusing on your loss, focus on and rejoice in the fact that one day Jesus will take away all sadness forever (Revelation 21:4). Sadness can lead to joy by drawing your mind to the promises of God and forcing you to hope (Romans 5:3-5). Choose healthy ways to cope with sadness. Cultivate intimacy with God and rejoice in His character. Meditate on the blessings God has given you and choose to be grateful in everything. Focus on others’ needs. Accept their sadness without judgment and learn to “weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15).
Be sad over what you should be sad over. But in the midst of your sadness continue hoping in God’s promises and rejoice in their truth. Find comfort and encouragement in His unfailing love (2 Corinthians 4:8-11; 7:6). If you experience sadness, lack of motivation, or changes in sleep or appetite for a prolonged period consult a medical professional. It’s possible you’re dealing with clinical depression.
REMINDER:
Ask yourself, “Am I truly hearing, listening, and understanding or do I need clarification?”
This series provides training on having difficult conversations. How do you discuss difficult topics in a way you hear and are heard, maintain your influence, and avoid alienation? How do you deal with different worldviews while still valuing the person? Read our basic guidelines for having difficult conversations at insightforliving.ca/tough-talk.
One of Those Upper-Downer Days
“Stay passionate in prayer. It will soften your heart for those who don’t know Jesus.” - CHARLES R. SWINDOLL Let’s face it: some days are uppers and some are downers. “Upper” days lift our spirits and send them soaring. “Downer” days leave us sad and discouraged. On a few occasions we get both in one day! The events recorded in Genesis 18 represent one of those “upper-downer” days for Abraham. By the end of this day, Abraham must have felt mentally, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted! As we face our own upperdowner days, we can learn how to put things in proper perspective and find our balance thanks to Abraham’s experience. In Genesis 18:1-8, Abraham’s upperdowner day began as high as a man of God can imagine: with a visit by three heavenly beings in human form—two angelic beings and God Himself! As Abraham fed his visitors one declared Abraham and Sarah would have a son. The promise of a son was “old news” to Abraham but it was the first time Sarah heard this extraordinary promise with her own ears. In the middle of this fantastic day, Abraham learned terrible news—the Lord was going to the home city of Abraham’s nephew
Lot to respond to the flagrant wickedness rampant in the city (Genesis 18:16-33). Like Abraham, we spend some days in the valley of the shadows and others on the bright peaks of spiritual triumph. From Abraham’s experience in Genesis 18, we can draw four principles to help us maintain a spiritual perspective through our own upper-downer days. 1. Be aware that others may be angels (that will change your perspective) 2. Be confident that nothing is too difficult for the Lord (that will boost your attitude) 3. Stay sensitive to the Lord (that will strengthen your walk) 4. Stay passionate in prayer (that will soften your heart) Throughout this narrative, Abraham kept his focus on others, not on himself. Can you think of three ways you’re other-focused in your daily life? If not, what can you do to add this dimension? If you’re already otherfocused, what more can you do?
“One of Those Upper-Downer Days” is from Chuck Swindoll’s series Abraham: One Nomad’s Amazing Journey of Faith. You can stream this message online anytime at insightforliving.ca/audiolibrary.
online RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT
WHAT DOES THE CHURCH HAVE TO DO WITH ME? Despite controversies, wars, and denominational splits, the Church continues to be the means through which God announces to a dark and dying world that light and life have come in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. Visit insightforliving.ca/church for articles and audio messages on the Church.