It takes courage to step out from the safety of the hothouse of Christianity and walk through the open door of evangelism.
At the Threshold of an Open Door
by Charles R. Swindoll
When I was growing up, I never knew cursing, drinking, divorce, or what people commonly call “the wild life.” And believe it or not, at the time I didn’t know the rest of the world was any different. Today, many feel that growing up in such a protected environment, free from the dangers of the world, has nothing but advantages...but there’s also a downside. That type of isolation can lull us to sleep and rob us of our passion for the Gospel. How so?
Until you step out the door of your comfortable Christian surroundings into the raw depravity of the world, you can’t fully understand people’s desperate need for the lifechanging Gospel. I know the temptation to stay inside our Christian cloisters is great. That’s why some of us need to be shocked out of our “Christian club” mentalities. It took a stint in the Marine Corps for me to become fully aware of the depths of sinful depravity...and to catch a passion for the Gospel’s transforming power. Before putting my sea bag down on the floor of that Quonset hut in Okinawa, I distinctly remember thinking: Before I even put these clothes in this little foot locker, I’ve got to decide whether or not I’m going to walk with Christ. Was I going to be His witness here, at the “remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8 NASB2020), or keep my mouth shut and just blend in?
An Open Door for Evangelism
Silence always seems like the easiest way, doesn’t it? Have you ever squirmed in your seat on an airplane, wondering if you should bring up spiritual things with the passenger beside
you? Do you know the feeling of standing on a new neighbour’s doorstep—palms sweating, heart pounding—struggling with whether simply to welcome them to the neighbourhood or to take the opportunity to invite them to church?
It takes courage to step out from the safety of the hothouse of Christianity and walk through the open door of evangelism. It is risky. It isn’t easy. But guess what? It’s never been easy. In fact, at times it has been downright deadly.
Let’s travel back many centuries to a faithful but timid church in Philadelphia, a city in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). While the church endured persecution as they eagerly awaited the Lord’s return from heaven, they struggled to preach the Gospel in their own neighbourhood. Because Philadelphia was situated on a welltravelled road, that thoroughfare brought a steady stream of people from across the empire to their doorsteps. What an open door for evangelism!
That’s why Christ reminded them, “Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut” (Revelation 3:8). Perhaps that congregation—numbed by persecution and intensely focused on their own faithfulness to Christ—had lost sight of the open door of opportunity before them. Maybe the ever-changing world of unbelievers that passed by their windows paralyzed them with fear or indecision. Or perhaps they decided to just delay evangelism until the smoke cleared and a more ideal opportunity presented itself.
Overwhelming obstacles can make cowards of us all. We can hardly fault the faithful Philadelphians for being frozen by feelings of inadequacy. Even today, fulfilling Christ’s mandate
for evangelism can seem daunting. A few snide comments from critics, an insulting remark from an atheist, or bad press from a journalist can deflate our passion for evangelism. We can easily lose heart by focusing so much on the staggering task before us that we decide to sit still and keep quiet rather than “rock the boat.”
The result? We miss the opportunity to reach out to those precious few within our personal reach...those lost souls passing by the thresholds of our own open doors.
Stepping across the Threshold
Like the Philadelphians centuries ago, each of us today stands at the threshold of “an open door which no one can shut.” Lost souls are standing nearby, literally within our reach. But if we wait for just the right moment or hold out for fresh motivation, we’ll stand in the doorway waving lost souls goodbye rather than welcoming them into the kingdom.
Timidity...fear...indecision—like a trio of thieves, these responses will rob you of your passion for the Gospel, leaving you numb to the needs of the world. Resist them. Ignore the overwhelming odds. Forget about the “what-ifs” of rejection and derision. Instead, think about
what might happen if you don’t share the Gospel. Even though you can’t do everything, you can do something. You may only be one person, but you can still make a difference. So, please, make a difference! God has opened a door for you. It’s open right now. Find it. Walk through it. Don’t hesitate. I often return to that critical moment so many years ago in Okinawa. It challenged my views about people, about evangelism, and about my need to step through the doors of opportunity God placed before me. Because I decided to take that step into the fallen world as Christ’s ambassador, I had the privilege of leading seven, perhaps eight of the Marines in our hut to Christ. That may not sound like a “great awakening” to you, but believe me—seven or eight souls out of 48 Marines was a revival!
Though I’ve always been grateful for the moral foundation I had as a child, only when I took that first, risky step into the world of sinners did my passion for the Gospel and heart for evangelism spark into a fire that has been burning ever since. Will you make that same decision today? Will you boldly step across the threshold of that open door? I urge you, walk through it. Don’t hesitate. Make a difference!
Time with God
by Charles R. Swindoll
Iwas raised to believe in the importance of a “quiet time.” To the surprise of some, the original idea of that concept did not come from the late Dawson Trotman, the founder of The Navigators, but from the Lord Himself.
Replete through the Scriptures are references to the value of waiting for the Lord and spending time with God. On such occasions, the debris we have gathered during the hurried, busy hours of our day gets filtered out, not
unlike the silt that settles where a river widens, and we are able to see things more clearly...to feel God’s nudging more sensitively.
David frequently underscored the benefits of solitude. I am certain he first became acquainted with this discipline as he kept his father’s sheep. Later, during those tumultuous years when King Saul was borderline insane and pursuing him out of jealousy, David found his time with God not only a needed refuge but his means of survival.
When he wrote, “Wait for the Lord; Be strong, and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord” (Psalm 27:14 NASB1995), David was intimately acquainted with what that meant. When he admitted, “I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me and heard my cry” (40:1), it was not out of a context of unrealistic theory. The man was hurting, deeply pained. And when he tore a page from his journal and used it to compose Hymn 26, “Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity, And I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. Examine me, O Lord, and try me; Test my mind and my heart” (26:1–2), he wasn’t whipping up a few emotional thoughts to wow the reader. Those words splashed from the depths of his troubled soul, like the salty spray that explodes when waves crash against the rocks.
LET ME
fast track, and keep our appointment with Him who made us. His words take on greater meaning than a good meal. What great thoughts He has for us...what insights...what comfort...what reassurance! And the best part of all is that such divine breakthroughs come so unexpectedly. Though you and I may each have met in solitude with God morning after morning, suddenly there comes that one day, like none other, when He reveals His plan...and we’re blown away.
URGE YOU TO REMAIN FAITHFUL
IN YOUR QUIET
TIMES WITH GOD. HE WILL CERTAINLY BE FAITHFUL TO PROVIDE THE ANSWERS YOU NEED...JUST AS YOU NEED THEM.
Time with God? Who experienced its value more than Job after he lost everything he owned? In worship he wrote: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). And Job’s quiet trust didn’t wear thin; the man continued to commune with God. Remember his confession? What makes it even more remarkable is that he stated it while surrounded by those who accused him:
“But He knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
My foot has held fast to His path; I have kept His way and not turned aside. I have not departed from the command of His lips;
I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.” (23:10–12)
That’s it! That is exactly what occurs when we get alone, remove ourselves deliberately from the
It happened to Moses. Alone with his father-in-law Jethro’s flock of woolies on the backside of the desert, perhaps after the howling night winds of the wilderness had settled and the searing rays of the Sinai sun began to peek over the awesome slopes of Horeb, God spoke from the midst of a bush that was strangely ablaze. And what was it God said? What was it that that 80-year-old, over-the-hill shepherd heard? In effect, “Lead the exodus!” The night before, who would’ve ever guessed that an otherwise ordinary dawn would find the old man reeling in disbelief? Least of all, Moses. F. B. Meyer wrote with eloquence:
There are days in all of our lives that come unannounced, unheralded. No angel faces look out of heaven; no angel voices put us on our guard; but as we look back on them in later years, we realize that they were the turning points of our existence. Perhaps we look longingly back on the uneventful routine of the life that lies beyond them, but the angel, with drawn sword, forbids our return and compels us forward. It was so with Moses.1
Understand, those phenomenal moments are the exception, not the rule. If God spoke to us like that on an everyday basis, burning bushes would be as commonplace as traffic lights and
ringing phones. Fact is, never again in all of time has the voice of God been heard from a bush that refused to be consumed with flames. You see, God is into original works, not duplicated recordings. But never doubt it: He still longs to speak to waiting hearts...hearts that are quiet before Him. As David wrote in one of his “Maskil” (“instructive,” “contemplative”) psalms: Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found; Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him.
You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.
I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. (Psalm 32:6–8)
To bring all this home, I’d like to offer you an example from my own life, at a time in 1993 when I was considering leaving our church in Fullerton, California, to accept the invitation to become the president of Dallas Theological Seminary. In the midst of the process of waiting on the Lord, I wrote the following letter to our congregation:
As most of you know, Cynthia and I are currently waiting for the Lord and spending an extensive amount of time before Him. In my initial announcement to the church, I stated that we were seeking His mind and trying to discern His will. I realized that such an announcement was unusual—especially since it had nothing whatsoever to do with some deeply personal problem in the realm of moral or ethical failure. Pastors don’t normally announce their inner struggles or alert their congregations to something as private as their own personal “stirrings,” lest it become complicated by rumors which are not true, creating a spirit of unrest and distrust among the congregation. Due to this risk, most pastors keep their churnings to themselves.
My decision to come up front and announce our situation—prompted by our board of elders—was actually a compliment to all in our church. We felt that the Fullerton Free Church flock not only could handle such an unorthodox announcement but would appreciate knowing that their senior pastor and wife are genuinely seeking to know God’s will for the future. Furthermore, by doing so, I would be enlisting hundreds, perhaps thousands, of caring, fellow Christians to pray with us and for us during these days and weeks of waiting. As a result, I am confident all of us have intensified our time with God.
Cynthia and I want one thing: to be doing only what God wants us to do, where He wants us to do it, and to do so with all our hearts. As soon as I know for sure, I’ll say so. May your time with God include us more than ever in your prayers. One of these days in the not-too-distant future, we will know the Father’s perfect will for us, which, by the way, will also be His perfect will for this church we love and serve.
When circumstances like these arrive in our lives, we all need to have developed the habit of spending time with the Lord. I never could have imagined the journey God would take us on in answer to those prayers offered many years ago. He is full of surprises!
So let me urge you to remain faithful in your quiet times with God. He will certainly be faithful to provide the answers you need... just as you need them.
1. F. B. Meyer, The Life of Moses: The Servant of God (Lynnwood, Wash.: Emerald Books, 1996), 31.
Abigail: Wise and Resourceful Wife
by Insight for Living Canada
Abigail from the Old Testament had impressive character. Her example serves as inspiration for how individuals can navigate difficult situations with wisdom, humility, and resourcefulness.
Name
The name Abigail means “my father’s joy.”
Outstanding Characteristics
Wisdom, humility, and resourcefulness.
Summary
Abigail was the wife of Nabal, a descendant of Caleb. His name means “fool.” He was a
crude, mean, and wealthy boor whose flocks and shepherds were protected by David and his men. In return for the protection, David asked Nabal for some food and water. Nabal refused and instead insulted David. In response, David set out with 400 men to slaughter Nabal and his household. In contrast to her husband, Abigail realized that Nabal’s insult in failing to give gifts to David’s men offended David and endangered their whole household. Through her resourcefulness, she took gifts of food and drink and way-
laid David as he was planning his attack, thus preventing bloodshed. David was impressed by Abigail’s wisdom and resourcefulness and because of it, he thanked God. When Abigail told Nabal of her action, he appreciated the narrowness of their escape, had an apoplectic fit, and died at the hand of God. David then married Abigail and she became the mother of Chileab, David’s second son.
Key Scripture
ABIGAIL’S STORY TEACHES VALUABLE LESSONS ABOUT WISDOM, COURAGE, PEACEMAKING, HUMILITY, TRUST IN GOD, AND RESOURCEFULNESS.
David replied to Abigail, “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you to meet me today! Thank God for your good sense! Bless you for keeping me from murder and from carrying out vengeance with my own hands.” (1 Samuel 25:32–33)
Lessons Learned
1. Differences bring opportunity Differences between husbands and wives do not mean that the marriage cannot continue (vv. 3). Differences bring conflict as well as opportunities for growth and change. Disagreements may rise on occasion, but as iron sharpens iron, so one person can sharpen another (Proverbs 27:17).
2. Peacemaking and reconciliation
Abigail’s actions exemplify the importance of peacemaking and reconciliation. Instead of allowing conflict to escalate, she seeks to make peace with David and prevent bloodshed. Her willingness to seek reconciliation demonstrates her commitment to harmony.
3. Goodness protects
Abigail represents wisdom and resourcefulness (vv. 17–18). A wife is to love her husband and it is God’s responsibility to make him good. As a woman of integrity, she chose to protect her husband, not because he deserved it or was good, but because she was good.
4. The wisdom of silence and good timing Silence and good timing are two of the most
effective ways to handle a strained relationship (vv. 19, 36). Abigail wisely chose what and when to tell her husband about her meeting with David. “In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over by observing your pure and reverent lives” (1 Peter 3:1–2). Abigail’s gentle and quiet spirit knew instinctively what to say and when to say it.
5. Insensitivity hurts and offends others
Nabal was insensitive to the help he received from David and his men, which resulted in David being offended. Some wives are insensitive to their husbands and rob them of dignity with disrespect, continual criticism, and dismissive attitudes. Some husbands strip their wives of self-worth and value by dismissing their counsel and failing to see their positive qualities.
6. Trust in God earns honour
Obedience often requires us to sacrifice something we want in favour of what God desires. Abigail entrusted her future to God and in this case, Abigail was relieved of the strain. In other cases, God gives grace to bear the strain. “This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They put their trust in God and accepted the authority of their husbands” (1 Peter 3:5).
Abigail’s story teaches valuable lessons about wisdom, courage, peacemaking, humility, trust in God, and resourcefulness.
Bible Basics: History and Types of Biblical Translation
by Steve Johnson
Bible translation is the process of rendering the biblical texts into other languages. This is an essential task to make the Scriptures accessible to people in their native tongues. There is a long history of biblical translation, which forms the key types of translations we have today.
Translation is a complex task involving language transfer, interpretation, and contextualization. Translators must determine the meaning of the source text and then find the best way to express that in the receptor language and culture.
The Bible was originally written in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. But as the understanding of these original languages diminished over time, and as Christianity spread to new regions, the need arose for the Scriptures to be translated into other languages.
Bible translation was first necessary for the Jews following the conquests of Alexander the Great (323 BC), when Greek became the common trade language of the eastern Mediterranean
region. Jews living in Egypt and elsewhere had gradually lost the ability to speak and read in Hebrew and needed a translation of the Old Testament into Greek. The result was the Septuagint (from the Latin septuaginta meaning “70,” abbreviated LXX), which gets its name from a legend recounting how 72 scholars, six from each of the 12 tribes of Israel, completed the work of translation in 72 days. Scholars affirm that the Pentateuch was likely translated into Greek in Alexandria, Egypt in the third century BC and the rest of the Hebrew Scriptures followed. The Septuagint became the standard Bible for Greekspeaking Jews living outside Israel and the early Christians. Most Old Testament quotes in the New Testament come from the Septuagint.
One of the other early translations was the Old Syriac. Syriac was the chief language spoken in the regions of Syria and Mesopotamia and it is almost identical with Aramaic. The Syriac translation was especially valuable for Aramaic-
speaking Jews and in districts adjacent to Palestine. In the East, other translations like the Egyptian, Armenian, and Gothic were made in order that people in those regions might read the Bible in their own tongues.
In the West, the Roman Empire established Latin as its official language so a Latin version, known as the Latin Vulgate (common version), was completed by the early Christian priest, Jerome. For centuries afterward, people thought no other translation was needed so the Bible remained in Latin. At this time, it was used primarily by scholars or in church liturgy.
About 500 years later, in the 14th century, a translation of the complete Bible was made in English. The translation was made mostly because of the efforts of theologian, John Wycliffe. Wycliffe believed that every person should be able to read the Bible for themselves. In the year 1382, Wycliffe and his associates completed an English translation from the Latin version.
WHILE ALL TRANSLATORS HAVE THE SAME GOAL— TO REPRODUCE THE MEANING OF A TEXT FROM ONE LANGUAGE INTO ANOTHER—THEY DIFFER AS TO HOW BEST TO DO THIS.
that a common version of the Bible, readily accepted by all the people, would help with their goal. This resolution pleased King James of England so he commissioned a group of scholars to complete the project. Earlier translations, including the Bishop’s Bible and Tyndale’s work, served as the basis for the new translation. It was completed in 1611 and authorized by King James to be read in churches. It came to be called the King James Version (KJV) and was the predominant English translation for hundreds of years, profoundly impacting English literature and language. There are several contributing factors as to why there are so many Bible translations today. New discoveries and understandings about ancient languages, manuscripts, and cultural contexts continually inform translation work, leading to updates and revisions of existing translations or the creation of new ones.
In 1516, Erasmus, a monk and scholar, published the New Testament in Greek. This was significant because scholars in different lands could now access the New Testament in its original language.
One of these scholars was William Tyndale, whose ambition was to give people an English translation based on the original languages. He completed the New Testament in 1526 but it was the Bible translator Miles Coverdale who completed the entire Bible in English in 1535. Other English versions followed. The most popular of all the 16th-century Bibles was the Geneva Bible of 1560, which, because of its legible type and convenient size, became the Bible of English households and the Puritans.
In the interests of religious toleration, a group of church representatives resolved
Every reader has a different preference regarding language style, readability, and theological interpretation. Some prefer traditional translations like the KJV, while others may prefer more contemporary language or interpretations.
Different Christian denominations may have preferences for certain translations based on doctrinal considerations or historical affiliations.
Publishers may produce new translations to appeal to specific audiences or to address perceived gaps in the market. Additionally, translations may be tailored for specific regions or language communities to increase accessibility.
Finally, language evolves over time, and what was clear and understandable in one era may become archaic or difficult for modern readers to comprehend. New translations seek to bridge this gap by using contemporary language while maintaining faithfulness to the original texts.
While all translators have the same goal—to reproduce the meaning of a text from one language into another—they differ as to how best to do this. All translation is the translator’s interpretation of what equivalent word or phrase best captures the meaning and contextualization of the original text.
All translations fit somewhere on the translation spectrum from literal to dynamic. On one side, literal translation is known as formal equivalence, which seeks to follow the form of the original language as much as possible, resulting in a more literal, word-for-word translation. Examples of this are the American Standard Version (ASV) and the New American Standard Bible (NASB2020).
At the other end of the spectrum is functional translation, known as dynamic equivalence, which seek to reproduce the meaning of the text. These translations offer an interpretation of the meaning of a text—not usually an individual word, as in formal equivalence, but as thought-for-thought translation. The Living Bible (TLB) and The Message (MSG) are examples of this and are paraphrases of the ASV.
In the middle of the spectrum are translations based on a combination of the formal and functional approach to the text, as mediating or optimal translation. The most popular version like this is the New International Version (NIV).
A more “meaning of the text” functional translation is The New Living Translation (NLT).
It was a revision of the ASV and falls somewhere between the NIV and MSG in its translation.
Both literal and functional translations have strengths and weaknesses. By mechanically reproducing forms, literal word-for-word versions risk miscommunicating the original meaning. Yet they can be helpful tools for study and observing things such as recurring words. While functional thought-for-thought versions may more clearly communicate the meaning of text, they are also more interpretive so have a greater risk of misinterpretation by the translators. Believers should use a variety of versions from across the translation spectrum when studying and reading the Bible.
The task of translation is never finished. This is because languages change over time and there are constant advances in biblical scholarship. Furthermore, the imprecision and ambiguity of language itself means there is always room to improve a translation in terms of its accuracy, precision, and clarity. The history of biblical translation grows as new translations are created
Steve Johnson is the executive director at Insight for Living Canada.
THE INTEGRITY OF WAITING... NOT
WORRYING
insight for living ministries
The following mini-study is presented to familiarize you with Pastor Chuck’s method of Bible study and provide an opportunity to study the passage yourself.
“Everyone is waiting for something. Everyone has a deep heartache, a serious prayer that still has not been answered. Habakkuk speaks with relevance to all of us.”
—Pastor Charles R. Swindoll
INThe Swindoll Study Bible , Pastor Chuck Swindoll expresses the central theme of Habakkuk: an extended conversation between God and one of His prophets. Habakkuk was distressed about God’s seeming inaction and lack of control in the world. He wanted to see God do something more, particularly in the area of bringing justice to evildoers.1
We could make the very same complaints today! In a world where so much evil and tragedy exists, we are surrounded by people “who love to argue and fight” and “justice has become perverted” (Habakkuk 1:3–4).
Why doesn’t God intervene?
In this Searching the Scriptures study, we’ll hear God’s answer.
Prepare Your Heart
Turn to the Lord in prayer.
Father, I call to You, my great God. Speak to me through this ancient book. Talk in terms that I can understand, and begin a work of changing my thinking so that I can change my way of living. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Turn to the Scriptures
Habakkuk 1 and 2 focus on Habakkuk’s conversation with God. Chapter 3 records his praise to God, after Habakkuk waited on God and listened to His words of reassurance.
Observation: Dialogue with God and Praise
Though not present in the earliest text, most Bibles include headings. These headings can help us in the observation phase of our Scripture study as we aim to understand the structure and flow of the book.
: O What headings do you find in the New Living Translation of Habakkuk? Write them in the space below.
1:2–4: 1:5–11: 1:12–2:1: 2:2–20: 3:1–19:
: O Summarize Habakkuk’s first complaint to the Lord in Habakkuk 1:1–4. What tearful questions tumbled out of his heart? Have you asked questions like these?
: O Summarize the Lord’s response to Habakkuk’s first complaint in 1:5–11. What shocking news did the Lord reveal to Habakkuk?
: O What didn’t make sense to Habakkuk about God’s plan, according to 1:12–17?
: O Habakkuk knew when to speak and when to listen to the Lord in quiet humility. How did the Lord answer Habakkuk’s core fear in Habakkuk 2:4?
: O The Lord revealed to Habakkuk a vision of the future in which the Babylonians would pay for their arrogance and brutality. Find
the five “sorrows” against the Babylonians in 2:6–20 and summarize these judgments. God would eventually judge the wicked and greedy idolators, but not before He used the Babylonians to deliver judgment on Judah.
: O The news of coming judgment was a hard pill for Habakkuk to swallow, but he could put his trust in God’s faithfulness, goodness, and sovereignty. Pick a couple of lines from the prophet’s prayer in chapter 3 that describe God’s awesome power and write them out. Habakkuk concludes his book at peace, quietly waiting for the day “when disaster will strike the people who invade us” (Habakkuk 3:16). His soaring song of faith in 3:17–19 has touched the hearts of countless people of God who have walked through adversity in tears. In the interpretation section, let’s look closer at the meaning of these lines and the principles we can draw from them.
Interpretation: Habakkuk’s Song of Faith
: I The prophet responded to his world falling apart in a surprising way. Instead of wailing, he put his faith in God and rejoiced! Not in the adversity but “in the L ord ” and “in the God of my salvation” (3:18). What lesson was he teaching his readers, and us, in 3:18?
:I According to Habakkuk 3:19, what truth was the foundation of Habakkuk’s joyful confidence?
:I What overarching principle does Habakkuk’s prayer teach all followers of God who must travel the difficult road of adversity and, at times, obscurity about God’s ways?
Correlation: Saved by Faith
Alone in Christ Alone
:C What line did the Apostle Paul quote, according to Romans 1:16–17? What central truth about our salvation was Paul making?
:C How did Paul elaborate this truth in Galatians 3:10–11?
Application: From Habakkuk to Us
: A The righteous shall live by faith. Even in a world where so much evil and tragedy exists, God is still in control. Memorize and remember:
1. God is able, and I am not
2. God knows what’s best, and I do not
3. God sees the end from the beginning, and I cannot
4. God should have His way, and I should not
5. God must be glorified through this trial, and I must not
:A Are you in a situation in which you’re calling out to the Lord, “How long, O Lord?”
:A How do the five truths above speak to you in your situation?
When we get a clear view of God, we change. His strength carries us not only through our adversity but above it, as we sing the ancient prophet’s song of faith.
The Sovereign L ord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.
(Habakkuk 3:19)
A Final Prayer
Father, in the pit of my struggles, I acknowledge that You are able. You know what’s best. You know the end from the beginning. Your plan is far better than mine, and You are the one who will be glorified in the end. I choose to live by faith in God, in His faithfulness, goodness, and sovereignty. I rest in Christ alone, who is my salvation and my strength. In His name I pray, amen.
Endnote
1. Charles R. Swindoll, The Swindoll Study Bible (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House, 2017), 1092.
Go to insightforliving.ca/waiting to download the full-length Searching the Scripture Study and listen to Pastor Chuck’s message.
