Insights Magazine: Number Eight, 2021 by Insight for Living Canada

NUMBER EIGHT, 2021

In this issue 3

Your Testimony

Peace That Exceeds Understanding

charles r. swindoll insight for living ministries

Leaders: Lives and Lessons 8

David and Obscurity

Innovative Planning

charles r. swindoll

steve johnson

Purposeful Living 12 Purpose to Use Your Spiritual Gifts steve johnson 14

Peace on Earth...We Need It Now

John Adair

Puzzle 15 Purpose to Use Your Spiritual Gifts

Insights is published by Insight for Living Canada, the Bibleteaching 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 40 years. We hope this publication will instruct, inspire, and encourage you in your walk with Christ. Copyright © 2021 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 Centre for Christian Charities. Printed in Canada.

YOUR TESTIMONY by charles r. swindoll

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ne time-honoured and effective lenge you to give serious consideration to method of evangelism is the giving of thinking through and then presenting the your personal testimony. The skeptic may way God saved you—along with the excitdeny your doctrine or attack your church, ing results of His presence in your life. Think of three specific and important but he or she cannot honestly ignore the fact that your life has been changed. The changes Christ has accomplished in your skeptic may stop his or her ears to the pre- born-again life. These can become a part of sentations of a preacher and the pleadings your spoken testimony to unbelievers. And, of an evangelist, but this person is some- if you know your testimony could use some how attracted to the human-interest story written work and planning, schedule a time for it now—and write it on your calendar. of how you found peace within. Believe me, the steps that led to your con- This is exciting stuff! Believe it or not, your personal testimony version and the subsequent ramifications are far more appealing and appropriate to is one of the most powerful and compelling the non-Christian than a pulpit exposition tools God has given you in reaching nonbeof John 3 or Romans 5. If you have not discov- lievers with the Gospel. Now, I’m not talking about the common, ered the value of telling Believe it or not, your garden-variety, churchy others how God rear“braggamony.” We have ranged your life, you’ve personal testimony all yawned and groaned missed a vital link in the is one of the most as others rambled and chain of His blessing. powerful and preached their way On six separate occacompelling tools through a so-called testisions between Paul’s third missionary journey God has given you in mony—which was about and his trip to Rome, he reaching nonbelievers as fresh, appealing, and tasty as warm, monthstood before different with the Gospel. old lettuce. audiences and presented That kind of testimony never attracted Christ to them (Acts 22–26). Six times he stood alone. Six times he addressed unbeliev- anyone! I’d like to help you carry out the project ers, many of them hostile and rude. Do you know the method Paul used each time? His of preparing your testimony, that it might become an effective, powerful missile personal testimony. Each time he spoke, he simply shared launched regularly from your lips into how his own life had been changed by the ears of the unsaved. Consider these the invasion of Christ and the indwelling five suggestions: of His power. Not once did he argue or 1. You want to be listened to, so be interesting debate with them. Not once did he preach No one, no matter how gracious, enjoys a sermon. Why? Because one of the most convincing, unanswerable arguments on being bored. It’s a contradiction to talk earth regarding Christianity is one’s per- about how exciting Christ really is in an sonal experience with the Lord Jesus Christ. uninteresting way. Work on your wordNo persuasive technique will ever take the ing, your flow of thought, your key terms. place of your personal testimony. I chal- Remember, the person isn’t saved, so guard

against religious clichés and hard-tounderstand terminology. 2. You want to be understood, so be logical I suggest that you think of your salvation in three phases...and construct your testimony accordingly: (a) before you were born again—the loneliness, lack of peace, absence of love, unrest, and fears; (b) the decision that revolutionized your life, and (c) the change, the difference He has made since you received Christ. 3. You want the moment of your new birth to be clear, so be specific Be extremely careful here. Don’t be at all vague regarding how you became a Christian. Speak of Christ, not the church. Refer to the decision you made, the moment of time when you received the Lord. Be simple and direct. Emphasize faith more than feeling. 4. You want your testimony to be used, so be practical Be human and honest as you talk. Don’t promise, “All your problems will end if you will become a Christian,” for that isn’t true. Try to think as an unbeliever thinks as you are speaking. Refuse to pick theological

lint. Restrain yourself from plucking the wings off religious flies. Theoretical stuff doesn’t attract his or her attention as much as practical reality. 5. You want your testimony to produce results, so be warm and genuine A smile breaks down more barriers than the hammer blows of cold, hard facts. Be friendly and sincere. Let your enthusiasm flow freely. It’s hard to convince another person of the sheer joy and excitement of knowing Christ if you’re wearing a jail-warden face. Above all, be positive and courteous. Give thought to this, my friend. Ask God to open your lips and honour your words... but be careful! Once your missile hits the target, you’ll become totally dissatisfied with your former life as an earth-bound, secret-service saint. Excerpted from Come Before Winter and Share My Hope, Copyright © 1985, 1994 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.

Our Lord’s Return: What Then? SINGLE CD MESSAGE

The doctrine of the return of Jesus Christ is no recent fad. For ordering information visit insightforliving.ca or view enclosed flyer.

PEACE THAT EXCEEDS UNDERSTANDING by insight for living ministries

eace. Whisper the word to yourself and you can almost feel your heart relax. When you’re at peace, you feel an inner confidence that things are not running wild—regardless of the circumstances. Your mind is at rest. Your heart doesn’t flutter with anxiety. Your focus is clear.

But far too often, peace is like that elusive butterfly. Even Christians chase after it and find it just out of reach. Perhaps the rarest of all virtues, real peace comes only when you decide to take God at His word. So, if God promises peace, let’s discover how to find it on our most stressful days!

Article Photo: Aaron Burden on unsplash.com

Look carefully—resting on the edge of Isa- from God, whom you lean upon and trust. iah’s prophecies sits that elusive butterfly: No wonder humankind’s frantic search “The steadfast of mind You will keep in for peace leaves them empty-hearted— perfect peace, they’re looking in the wrong place! Paul Because he trusts in You. said God’s peace “surpasses all compreTrust in the LORD forever, hension” (Philippians 4:7). It’s not found For in GOD the LORD, we have an in mind control or managed situations. everlasting Rock.” The secret to shalom is trusting God. (Isaiah 26:3–4 NASB) Want a good summary of our Bible study Let’s break down that promise and dis- above? God gives complete rest to those who cover the secret to peace. Steadfast means lean on Him for support—to those who trust “to lean on for support.” Of mind means “to Him as an unmovable and strong Rock. frame or to form.” Together, this phrase So, in what circumstance do you need means God will give compeace today? Are you facplete peace to you if your God gives complete ing a frightening situation? “frame of mind leans on rest to those who Lean on Him. Do you feel and is supported.” panicked, unsure of what to lean on Him for On what should you be do? Trust Him with it. Are support—to those you worried about your job, leaning? On God, as the who trust Him as verse says: “The steadfast of someone you love, or a situmind...trusts in You.” When an unmovable and ation outside your control? you trust Him, you “throw Give it to God. He promises strong Rock. yourself down”—just as you you shalom if you lean your do when playing that trust game, falling full weight against Him, not yourself: backward into the waiting, ready arms of Trust in the LORD with all your heart those behind you. When you trust God, you And do not lean on your own refuse all other crutches and lean your entire understanding. weight on the One who gives stable support. In all your ways acknowledge Him, Can God hold you up? Yes. As verse 4 And He will make your paths straight. says, He’s “an everlasting Rock.” (Proverbs 3:5–6) And how will He hold you up? In Today, choose one thing that distracts two ways: He will “keep” you, meaning and disturbs you. Intentionally give it to He’ll “guard or watch over” you, and He God. Release your grasp on it, and let it go. does this with “perfect peace,” which in Who knows? In its place, you might find Hebrew means shalom. Literally, God a butterfly resting in your open hand. will guard you with shalom—an unending security, an uninterrupted rest, and a Adapted from “Peace That Exceeds Understanding,” Insights (April 2001): 1–2. Copyright © 2001 by complete calmness. Did you notice where that complete Insight for Living. All rights reserved worldwide. calmness comes from? Not from you, but

DAVID AND OBSCURITY by steve johnson

bscurity is the state or condition of heart that was cultivated in obscurity. His being unknown, inconspicuous, or character and skills were developed when unnoticed, not having prominence or fame. no one was looking. Living away from the It seems to be a method of operating externally-focused limelight allows for that God chooses nobodies—people of no attention to be given to developing characcount living in obscurity. “God chose acter and skills. things despised by the world, things Developing Character Faithfulness in the little things when counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers no one’s looking. This is one of the major character qualiimportant” (1 Corinthians 1:28). Noah, Moses, Joseph, Gideon, Amos, ties God looks for and is a qualifier for John the Baptist, Mary, and Joseph are doing bigger things. David obeyed his some who come to my mind. And then father and looked after the sheep as he there is David. He’s noteworthy for learn- was supposed to. He developed faithfulness because he stayed ing lessons in greatness It seems to be a method with the task through first in smallness and of operating that God the years. obscurity. His renown Even after David was began in being unknown. chooses nobodies— anointed as the next king David’s obscurity is people of no account he didn’t go to the palace. first highlighted when living in obscurity. He went back to the sheep Samuel went to Bethlehem to crown the next king. David was out and goats. Then Saul called on David to play tending the flock (1 Samuel 16:11). He was music for him and elevated him to being an unnoticed nobody. Even his own father his armour bearer. But because of Jesse’s didn’t invite him to the meeting of his advancing age, “David went back and forth sons with Samuel. But while the country so he could help his father with the sheep of Israel was watching Saul front and cen- in Bethlehem” (1 Samuel 17:15). He stayed tre in Jerusalem God was watching David with the sheep because his father needed him to. He didn’t skip out and stay at the tucked away in the hills of Judea. Is obscurity the characteristic God is palace all the time. David sought to be faithlooking for or is there something else? ful in his shepherding. Then there is this interesting statement There is something else. “The LORD doesn’t see things the way David makes when he volunteered to kill you see them. People judge by outward Goliath. It is packed with significant lesappearance, but the LORD looks at the sons learned in his time alone in obscurity heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). God saw David’s and qualifying him to fight.

“But David persisted. ‘I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,’ he said. ‘When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! The LORD who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!’” (1 Samuel 17:34–37) Here are more character lessons. Dependence on and confidence in the Lord. David knew the Lord was with him and rescued him in these fights with predators. He cultivated courage to attack enemies. Humility. David gave God the credit for helping him kill the predators. So it was in the Lord’s name he came after Goliath. Courage. David didn’t run from the danger or difficulty. He went after the problem and dealt with it. Developing Skills David also learned skills that contributed to and enhanced his leadership.

1. Skilled in fighting techniques. “I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. I have done this to both lions and bears.” Notice the plural 2. Skilled as a slinger. While tending sheep he became proficient in the use of a sling 3. Skilled at singing, songwriting, and playing the harp 4. Skilled in his knowledge of God’s Word. This was evident from the Psalms he wrote. He used his time in silence and solitude to seek the Lord and learn from God’s Word. David's heart for God was developed during the early years of his life in obscurity David’s obscurity ended when his fame for killing Goliath spread. While on the run from Saul he continued to develop character and skills that would help him later as a leader and king. But all those were built on foundational lessons learned in obscurity. May that also be true of leaders today. Steve Johnson is the executive director at Insight for Living Canada.

Insight for Living Canada began over 35 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

INNOVATIVE PLANNING by charles r. swindoll

Article Photo: Gabrielle Henderson on unsplash.com

oseph had an innovative plan, some- innovation and creativity. It had never been thing that had never been done before. done before. It will never be done again. It “In order for the land to produce, we must was a once and for all Master Plan only the spread out over this land,” he said. Prior Creator could envision. As He did with Joseph, the Father does to this they had been settled in only a few well-populated regions. Those places with us. In His great arrangement of life, represented their homes, their work, their He does not discount man’s sin; He deals farms, and their neighbourhoods. They with it. He deals with the hard questions were asked to relinquish all that. That took of life. Not questions like how do I make a some selling—an awful lot of convincing. living, but how do I make a life? Not how But Joseph managed it, and he spread the do I spend my time, but how will I spend eternity? And not so much how do I get people out across the land of Egypt. along with the person Leadership calls for From the virgin birth who sits next to me, but the stretching of creativultimately, how do I get ity. If you are a leader, to the death and the along with God? When you will occasionally Resurrection to the we answer the hard find yourself up against soon-coming of Christ, questions correctly, all a blank wall. It’s big and intimidating and usually the plan of Almighty God the others fall into place. May we be models tall and slick. You can’t is packed with innovation of diligence, honesty, push through it, climb and creativity. compassion, and creover it, or see your way around it. That’s when it gets exciting! ativity. May our work be an extension of That’s when innovative juices start to flow our integrity. And may each one of us who and you begin to think about possible names the name of Christ as our Lord be a ways to get beyond that wall. Innovation positive influence on those around us and and creativity (not to mention courage) a faithful representative and ambassador team up, determined to find an answer for Him who loved us and gave Himself for us. and a way. Jesus Christ carried out the most innovative, creative plan this world will ever know. Taken from Charles R. Swindoll, Great Days with the Great Lives: Daily Insight from Great Lives of From the virgin birth to the death and the the Bible (Nashville: W Publishing Group, 2005) 39. Resurrection to the soon-coming of Christ, Copyright © 2005 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All the plan of Almighty God is packed with rights reserved. Used by permission.

PURPOSE TO USE YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS by steve johnson

here are several places in the Bible where spiritual gifts are written about: Romans 12:3–8, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4:11–13, and 1 Peter 4:10–11. In this article I focus mainly on Peter’s words. “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 4:10–11) Peter’s concise statement tells us about the nature and the necessity of spiritual gifts.

The Nature of Spiritual Gifts Each believer has a spiritual gift. A spiritual gift is an ability, skill, or talent God graciously gives each believer so that by using it they can help advance the work of the church on earth. The spiritual gifts are given by grace and are not based on our worthiness or personal abilities. They are given according to God’s sovereign choice. Because every believer receives a gift to do ministry, every believer is a minister. Let that sink in. It’s significant. Too often people think only the pastor is the minister when in reality the church is full of ministers. A closer look at Ephesians 4:11–12 makes this clear. “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his

people for works of service, so that the body with a lawn mower that has no wheels or of Christ may be built up” (NIV, empha- make a cake without flour. You get the sis added). Individual believers are to be idea–the church is severely limited when only a few believers exercise their gifts. equipped to do the work of ministry. Others are to use their gifts well to The pastor is only one of the ministers exercising his spiritual gifts. And too often serve and minister to us. This is the flip side we don’t often think because people think only the pastor is the minister, they feel they are merely specta- about. It is necessary for our personal tors. The result is ministry in a church is spiritual health and building up in our like a football game where you have a hand- faith to have others use their gifts. It ful of players on the field badly in need of needs to be reciprocal. You need your rest being watched by stands full of people pastor to use his gifts of shepherding and badly in need of exercise! And when only a teaching, but he needs you or others to few ministers in the church are using their use their gift of helping and encouraging. The goal of exercising our gifts is to spiritual gifts, the overall work is stunted. bring glory to God by God has a “great variThere are spiritual gifts building up the church. ety of spiritual gifts” to assessments one can The opposite is also true. bestow on believers by His Spirit. take, but the simple When we don’t use our gifts and the church isn’t If you compare the pasway to discover the built up, God isn’t glorisages noted above you gift God gave you is fied. Do you want to bring will see there is a great to look at needs and glory to God? Find and use diversity of gifts. your spiritual gifts. Although there is tre- opportunities around There are spiritual gifts mendous diversity in the you in the church and assessments one can take, ways you can serve, all the in the community. but the simple way to gifts fall into one of two summary categories: speaking gifts and discover the gift God gave you is to look at needs and opportunities around you in the serving/support gifts. The gifts are to be used in reliance church and in the community. Pick a need on the power of God’s Spirit and in the that resonates with you. Ask the Lord if that is something you can do. Then step out and strength God supplies. This is what makes them spiritual and seek to meet the need relying on the power that comes from God’s Holy Spirit. That’s effective. The Necessity of Spiritual Gifts ministry. If it goes well and you enjoy it and God We are to use our gifts well to serve uses it then continue. If not, keep looking others for the common good. They are to work together as the parts at other needs and opportunities. Above all be willing and purposeful to discover and of a body to make a functional whole. When believers don’t know their gifts use God’s gifts. or don’t use them, the advance of the Gospel and the church is hindered. It is like Steve Johnson is the executive director at Insight for an orchestra trying to play a symphony Living Canada. without violins. Or like trying to cut grass

PEACE ON EARTH... WE NEED IT NOW by John Adair

n the latter half of the 20th century we look forward to eternal life in the new and continuing through today, a rather heaven and new earth, we look forward to significant push for peace has been made a life of peace with God and humanity. As citizens of that world to from many different If Christ came into come, our work today— corners of our world. the world to bring whether in our homes, People sickened by war, our cities, or around the fed up with oppression, peace—which Luke world—should be to live and weary of abuse have indicates He did—a out and encourage the joined together in a fight desire in humanity for ideals of that world to against fighting. Ironipeace is something to come with every fibre of cally, many Christians— followers of the Prince appreciate and honour our beings. Remember of Peace—raise a skeptias an evidence of God the words of the heavenly host upon the birth cal eyebrow toward this working in people. of Jesus. Let the call for embrace of peace rather than add an enthusiastic Christian voice peace motivate your dealings with men to it. Luke 2:14 reminds us that peace on and women everywhere. earth is a worthy goal—indeed, a godly one. If Christ came into the world to Taken from John Adair, “Peace on Earth…We Need bring peace—which Luke indicates He It Now,” Lesson Four, in God’s Masterwork, Volume did—a desire in humanity for peace is Five: God with Us—A Survey of Matthew–Acts Learn Online. Copyright © 2012 Charles R. Swindoll, something to appreciate and honour as Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. an evidence of God working in people. As

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Puzzle — Code Word

Purpose to Use Your Spiritual Gifts Difficulty ● ● ○ ○ Each letter in this puzzle is represented by a number one through 26. Can you crack the code to solve the Bible verse (NIV translation)? Two letters are already in place to get you started.

5 10 2 17 24 8 19 6 8

8 2 13 9 9 22 2 1 13 2 4 6 22

22 2 1 13 2 4 9 24 5 7 8 13 8 21 2 17 24 22 2 1

20 22

4 6 3 9 22 2 1

6 17 23

9 6 16 19

, 5 13

8 19 6 8

4 1 8 1 6 10 10 22

8 2

13 25 5 21 5 8 1 6 10

8 2 —

5 4 25 6 21 8

8 19 6 8

4 6 22 20 9

9 17 16 2 1 21 6 24 9 23

ʼ 2 8 19 9 21 13

7 6 5 8 19

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Phone number

INSIGHT FOR LIVING CANADA PUZZLE CONTEST RULES

21MIN8

Insights magazine subscribers are invited to submit their completed puzzles by mail, email, or fax for a chance to win a Swindoll Study Bible. Each month from January 15, 2021 to October 31, 2021 there will be a new puzzle challenge with another opportunity to gain a contest entry. Completed puzzles received before November 12, 2021 will be entered into a draw. One grand prize winner will be selected by random draw and notified by email or phone. Contest entries are limited to one per household, per puzzle. Open only to legal residents of Canada who are of legal age of majority in the jurisdiction in which they reside, and at least 18 years of age at the time of entry. Not open to Quebec residents. Not open to Insight for Living Canada staff or their immediate family. Mathematical skill testing question to be answered correctly to win. No purchase necessary. Puzzle solutions will be posted at insightforliving.ca/puzzle at a later date. Mail: 1-30445 Progressive Way Abbotsford BC V2T 6W3 // Email: info@insightforliving.ca // Fax: 1.604.870.8743

What are the basic requirements for leadership? Vision, integrity, articulation, courage, and a thick skin. Other requirements could be added—for the follower of Christ, godliness is essential. Insight for Living Ministries, by introducing you to godly leaders of the past, is committed to encouraging you in this pursuit, as well as challenging you to grow in godliness. Visit insightforliving.ca/leadership for free leadership resources!