NUMBER FOUR, 2018
IN THE END, GOD WINS...AND WE WIN...WHEN GOD WINS! charles r. swindoll
THE LORD KNOWS OUR PATHS insight for living ministries
GUIDE steve johnson + more
In this issue 2
In the end, God Wins...and We Win...When God Wins!
4
The Lord Knows Our Paths
8
Taking off the Training Wheels
11
How Do I Discover My Spiritual Gifts?
charles r. swindoll
insight for living ministries steve johnson robyn roste
Coming to Terms 12 Guide
steve johnson
Beyond the Broadcast 15 Demonstrating Wisdom
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 35 years. We hope this publication will instruct, inspire, and encourage you in your walk with Christ. Copyright © 2018 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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f you like stories that end well, you’ll love Christianity. One of the great themes of our faith is triumphant hope—an unshakeable assurance that things will end right. In the midst of struggles and storms, battles and trials, we focus beyond the present moment and we see victory. We see relief, because in the end, God wins! The Apostle Paul described the living conditions of “the last days” as “very difficult times,” in which people “will be cruel and hate what is good” (2 Timothy 3:1,3). The Greek term for “difficult times” means, literally, “fierce, harsh, hard to deal with, savage.” That’s an apt description of our times—isn’t it? The world is a powder keg! Anger lunges into physical violence at the slightest
by charles r. swindoll
Cover and artilce Images: Austin Prock from Unsplash
provocation. Depression and isolation explode into murder. Countries teeter on the edge of nuclear war. Individuals lash out at both strangers and friends from behind computer screens, filled with rage over another’s political view. Amidst this darkness, there is a singular ray of shining hope: the promise that Christ WILL return and set things right. He will “reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet. And the last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Corinthians 15:25–26). He wins even over death—our darkest, most relentless foe! Since believers are with God in Christ, we WILL win too. Think of it! All earthly woes, financial pressures, emotional trauma, physical disabilities, domestic conf licts, international wars, satanic
oppression—all that will end. The Lord will bear in His arms the spoils of victory: harmony, joy, praise, and delight. We’ll be changed down inside. We’ll have new natures, minds, and bodies. We’ll have the joy of living forever in adoration of our God, and evil will be abolished once and for all. In the end, God wins! Jesus is the incontestable champion! His story is THE end-well story...and His story becomes our story when we believe. He’s the hope of humanity and the best news we must share! Charles R. Swindoll serves as the senior pastor-teacher of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas.
Base photo by Artem Beliaikin on Unsplash
“Everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life.” (Matthew 19:29)
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anessa couldn’t rest. Amidst the study, and a good church. In 2008, they familiar sounds of her house welcomed a baby. However, every year, they came to the asleep, she could almost hear Jesus whispering those words He spoke to States for a medical conference. WherHis disciples when Peter asked what they ever the conference was held, they visited would receive for giving up everything to seminaries. One year, they fell in love follow Him. The Lord’s response settled with Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS). Soon after, Cesar told Vanessa he wanted Vanessa’s heart. After all, it was a mutual passion for the to study at DTS. His words felt like a gutScriptures that had drawn her to her hus- punch. “Absolutely not!” Vanessa replied. band, Cesar. He was the most prominent “Our life is here!” But then the Lord brought Matthew 19 orthopaedic surgeon in Venezuela, with training from both Harvard and Cornel— to mind. Vanessa knew she couldn’t stand well regarded at both hospitals where he in the way. Two weeks later, they obtained study practiced and the university where he taught. His intelligence and reputation visas and said goodbye to their bewilmight have drawn others, but his love dered family. “When we landed in August for the Word had sealed Vanessa to him. 2010,” Vanessa recalls, “Texas felt like an In Venezuela, such love blooms like the oven. I’d never experienced such heat!” “Queen of the Night”—the rare, breathtak- For Vanessa, it felt like the beginning of ing Kadupul flower that opens its delicate, hell. For Cesar, it was heaven. Everything white petals only at night. Finding a man about DTS amazed him! But Vanessa, who treasured the Scriptures as she did overwhelmed by the new culture, felt completely alone as she struggled to raise assured Vanessa that Cesar was for her. They married in 2003 and made their their daughter. “I missed my work, family, friends, home near family. Cesar continued practicing medicine and teaching; Van- and home, even the weather and the essa owned a graphic design business. food,” Vanessa says. “I felt so alone. I Although crime and poverty spread as took classes, joined Bible studies, but it communism reached deeper into the wasn’t enough. I wasn’t happy. Why had country, they hadn’t been affected. They God given all the joy to my husband and had a nice home, where they held a Bible all the misery to me?” She didn’t mention
her sadness to Cesar; she couldn’t bear to From there, a connection at church led tarnish his happiness. Vanessa to Insight for Living Ministries. During this time, Cesar returned to Ven- Today, she’s the senior artist/strategist at our ezuela every six weeks to work. After a week, international headquarters in Texas. When he would come back with enough money to she started, she had never heard of Chuck support their family. Then the democracy in Swindoll nor our Spanish-language ministry, Venezuela fell; a cruel dictator rose to power. Visión Para Vivir. Then she heard the broadThe country became unrecognizable—over- cast theme song and recognized it from the run with crime, poverty, and sadness. Doctors radio in Venezuela. She had often, unknowwho had made $500,000 a year now made ingly, listened to our Spanish-language $10,000. Cesar could no longer afford airfare. broadcast on her commute! With only study visas, he and Vanessa also Looking back, Vanessa realizes the Lord couldn’t work in the US. plucked her family out of their country just in Then one day, Vantime. Today, nearly 90 per essa found their bank “The most valuable lesson cent of Venezuela’s more account empty. She than 31 million inhabitI have learned in ministry ants assumed Cesar had simlive in poverty. In is that you can never be 2017, each person lost ply moved their funds to a new account. She too small for God to use... an average of 24 pounds, asked him about it that simply due to shortage of only too big.” evening. He dropped to food.1 The infant mortalhis knees in tears. Desperate, he had trusted ity rate is more than double that of the US.2 a broker and invested all their money. In only While disease, malnutrition, and death rates three days, every penny was gone. continue to climb, political unrest gives rise Vanessa says, “That day broke our world.” to rebellion and violence. For years, Vanessa She had another account with just enough couldn’t understand why God was putting money to survive for a year, but they were them through misery, but she sees now that panicked. They couldn’t go home; they He was, in fact, rescuing them. His ultimate couldn’t stay if they couldn’t afford the purpose remains to be seen, but Vanessa tuition. How could God have brought them and Cesar now know personally the truth of here just to abandon them? 2 Chronicles 16:9: Vanessa realized what she needed to do: “The eyes of the Lord search the whole get a work visa while Cesar continued at DTS. earth in order to strengthen those whose Clueless where to start, she turned to Google. hearts are fully committed to him.” Miraculously, within two months, she had Vanessa and Cesar pray for those still in what she needed. Next, she looked for a Venezuela, where violence and abuses of job. Again, miraculously, the Lord used the power can only be conquered with the Gospel. Internet to lead her to a job with an employer She says the people know about God. Howwhose wife had family in Venezuela. To make ever, spirituality there is “very emotional.” ends meet, she simultaneously worked two Studying the Scriptures is “very strange.” other jobs and long 16-hour days. Vanessa People need someone to teach them how to understood then: Years earlier, the Lord had study and apply the Word so they can live begun making the way for her, Cesar, and with hope...and that’s why Visión Para Vivir their now two children. is so important.
Visión Para Vivir began in 1987 out of Quito, Ecuador. Today, our Spanish-language broadcast can be heard in 21 countries, including on stations throughout Venezuela and in Canada. Like Vanessa and Cesar, our Spanish-language pastor, Carlos Zazueta, says he never could have dreamed the Lord’s path for him. Born in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico, he eventually came to Dallas, Texas, where he attended and received his doctorate in ministry leadership from DTS. In 2010, he met his wife, Karla, on an Insight for Living Ministries Israel tour. He later asked her to marry him on a mission trip to Guatemala hosted by our ministry. In 2011, in a beautiful combination-of-cultures wedding, Chuck Swindoll married them at Stonebriar Community Church. Then, just a few months ago, they adopted a darling baby boy, Asher in China. Like Vanessa and Cesar, Carlos and Karla are great examples of how “the eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” And they certainly felt that truth when they were finally able to hold little Asher! God had searched the whole earth and delightfully chose Asher just for Carlos and Karla. The Lord alone opened the doors that now swing wide for us to proclaim His Truth in Spanish. He alone can continue to expand
Visión Para Vivir so that eventually, through modern technology, every Spanish-speaking individual on earth might receive the hope that comes from His Word. “The most valuable lesson I have learned in ministry is that you can never be too small for God to use...only too big,” Carlos says. The Lord knows His plan for His followers! He knows exactly how He will fulfil the Great Commission worldwide today, just as He did with those first 11 disciples. He knows the exact next steps our ministry needs to take in order to expand Vision 195 and the exact individuals who will join us in prayer and financial support. The Lord is searching the whole earth for those whose hearts are fully committed to Him...will you be ready when He calls YOU? Charles R. Swindoll serves as the senior pastor-teacher of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas. 1. Reuters, “Venezuelans are starving amid economic crisis, food shortages,” New York Post (February 22, 2018), https://nypost.com/2018/02/22/venezuelansare-starving-amid-economic-crisis-food-shortages/ (accessed March 16, 2018). 2. Central Intelligence Agency, “The World Fact Book: South America: Venezuela,” Central Intelligence Agency, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/ the-world-factbook/geos/ve.html (accessed March 16, 2018).
How Can I Begin the Christian Life? BOOKLET
What does it mean to live as a Christian? For ordering information visit insightforliving.ca or view enclosed flyer.
by steve johnson
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hen I was young I learned wheels in the form of the acrostic ACTS. how to ride a bike. I perched The letters stand for adoration, confesawkwardly on the seat while sion, thanksgiving, and supplication. The my friend held onto it. He would run acrostic captures some of the basic kinds alongside, helping me steady, and then of prayer found in Scripture and can be push me forward yelling “Keep pedalling!” helpful when one is first learning to pray. But there comes a time when we must After numerous crash landings, scrapes, move away from the training wheels. In and bruises I got the hang of it. When my children were learning to the case of prayer, this means moving ride a bike I attached training wheels to away from saying prayers to praying their bicycles. This was to make it easier from the heart. Praying isn’t supposed to and safer to ride when I wasn’t around to be a mechanical formula or repetition of words (Isaiah 29:13). support them. Once As we think of how This is where many they mastered the basics of riding, such gracious and merciful the of us Christians get as balance and avoidLord has been to us, and stuck. We continue u s i n g o u r p r a ye r ing trees, I took the everyone around us, our training wheels—the training wheels off. Then they were able to hearts will burst forth with prayer-language we experience the thrill genuine thanksgiving and have heard modelled or the words we’ve and freedom of really praise to Him. always used. We have riding a bike. It occurred to me that riding a bike with difficulty making the transition from the training wheels is like learning to say training wheels of saying prayers to true prayers. I learned to say prayers at bed- heartfelt prayer. For me, a turning point came upon time. My siblings and I simply repeated what my mother said. It was mechanical noticing how my prayer became so much but we learned the basics. And we rarely more fervent, passionate, and heartfelt crashed except when we laughed or when things became critical or desperate. My rote prayers didn’t cut it in times of started fighting. When we learn something new, crisis. In those times I wasn’t just saying mechanical aids like training wheels prayers, I felt I was actually praying. Real can be helpful. I recall someone giving prayer was springing from my great sense me what I’d call a set of prayer training of need and dependence on the Lord. I
learned a fundamental attitude for praying from the heart is to continually realize how dependent I am on the Lord. Someone might rightly ask whether we then need to be going around in a constant state of crisis to truly pray. The answer is no. Because even though I may not be in a crisis and feeling totally dependent on the Lord, the Bible teaches us that whether we feel it or not, we are totally dependent on Him. It is a fact we must accept and live by faith. When that attitude of total dependence is there, prayer flows from our heart. It is meaningful, permeating and prompting the various kinds of praying we do. Let me elaborate. When we are saturated with a true sense of our limitations and finiteness on one hand and then consider God’s awesome majesty and eternal supremacy on the other, we can’t help but respond from our hearts with adoration for Him. It’s all as natural as craving water when you are thirsty. When we have sinned and sincerely recognize our failure and how much we need God’s righteousness, forgiving grace, and
mercy, then honest confession will freely flow from our hearts. As we think of how gracious and merciful the Lord has been to us, and everyone around us, our hearts will burst forth with genuine thanksgiving and praise to Him. And when we consider the many needs we all have and then reflect on God’s abilities, sovereign control, and bountiful riches, then supplication (asking for ourselves) and intercession (asking for others) naturally pour out to Him. Once I took the training wheels off my kids’ bikes I never put them on again. They didn’t need them. I just wish someone invented something like that for when they were learning to drive a car but that is another story. If you’re still using prayer training wheels why not try praying without them? Realize your dependence on the Lord and begin to experience the freedom of really praying. Steve Johnson is the executive director at Insight for Living Canada.
On The Air Did you know Insight for Living airs on radio stations across the country every day? To find the program on your local station visit insightforliving.ca/find-station
by robyn roste
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love taking online quizzes where I find For some this is to remain single and not out which ice cream flavour matches marry, so their attention can be devoted my personality (strawberry) or what’s to the Lord. And for others this passion the best breed of dog for my lifestyle (Corgi). develops into an urge to pray for healing Of course, these quizzes are just for fun and at certain junctures. These are often the don’t mean much but it is nice to feel nor- impulses from the Holy Spirit and we can learn to recognize and grow these passions. mal and understood. Spiritual gifts tests can help point you But not all tests are silly. There are scientific personality tests, which help you to areas you may be gifted in, but another understand yourself and others better. And way to discover your gifts is to spend time then there are spiritual gifts tests, which are in prayer and reflect on what you’re already passionate about. If supposed to help you discover which gift you Spiritual gifts aren’t specific you suspect an area, skills or talents, but a go and do it with have. I’ve taken spiriintention. The more tual gift tests before and spiritual passion or urge you become involved found the exercise helpleading to action. in a certain aspect of ful and informative. Although the delegation of spiritual gifts ministry you will find your passion either aren’t explained in great detail, the Bible is subsides or intensifies. If it does grow, this clear they exist and are given to believers by is probably an area you’re gifted in and you should continue doing. If it does not, don’t the Holy Spirit intended to edify the Body. There are different kinds of gifts, but be discouraged! Continue following your the same Spirit distributes them. There passions and trying new areas of ministry are different kinds of service, but the until something sticks. There are many spiritual gifts mentioned same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in in Scripture. Here are some starting points. everyone it is the same God at work. • 1 Corinthians 7 Now to each one the manifestation of • 1 Corinthians 12 the Spirit is given for the common good. • Romans 8 • Romans 12 (1 Corinthians 12:4–7 NIV) The passage goes on to highlight wisdom, • Ephesians 4 knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, proph- • 1 Peter 4 ecy, discernment, tongues, and interpreting of tongues. Robyn Roste is the media and marketing manager Perhaps it helps to keep in mind spiritual at Insight for Living Canada. gifts aren’t specific skills or talents, but a spiritual passion or urge leading to action.
GUIDE | God Guides believers How does God’s Spirit Guide us His Spirit and the Word are there to Guide us By Steve Johnson
Photo by Henry Lo on Unsplash
Terms in the Bible are specialized words of particular significance. In Coming to Terms we explore the significance of these terms to deepen our understanding of biblical truth through a question and answer and fill in the blank format. (Fill in the blanks where applicable to gain a deeper understanding of the term. I’ve used the New Living Translation for the Scripture passages.)
Unpacking the term
Although the word “guide” can be used in a down-to-earth way such as guiding a cart (2 Samuel 6:3), in Scripture its most frequent usage is filled with greater spiritual and providential significance. The Bible reveals to us a sovereign God who purposefully created all things. From the beginning, He guided and moved everything He made toward fulfilling His purposes (Ephesians 1:3–10; Galatians 4:4). God has an overarching plan. Through His providence He guards, governs, and— according to His plan—guides down to the smallest detail all He made toward their divinely predetermined end (Psalm 104:10–15; Ephesians 1:11). What is the goal toward which He is always working and guiding everything? It is the renewal of all things (Ephesians 1:3–10; Romans 8:28–30). Through whom will it be realized? Through Jesus Christ. Within the scope of His overarching
plan, God guides believers toward being like Jesus. God promises that nothing in all creation will keep us from that (Romans 8:38–39; Philippians 1:6). This guidance is both hidden and revealed. God’s guidance is hidden when He sovereignly works behind the scenes using everything to guide, move, and push us along. It may also involve circumstances, common sense, or following others’ counsel (Proverbs 4:11; 19:20; Galatians 6:1). Because it is behind the scenes we may not know something is God’s plan until after it happens. But all is for His glory and our good (Romans 8:28). God’s revealed guidance involves giving us directions, instructions, wisdom, and knowledge through His Word. The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you” (Psalm 32:8). This requires our conscious participation and choosing to cooperate with His plans and obey His Word.
If we want to arrive at the destination God has for us what then is our first responsibility? We must first turn from going our own __________________ (Isaiah 53:6) and commit ourselves to live for ________________ (2 Corinthians 5:15). What are our responsibilities in relation to guidance through the Word? We must read, memorize, meditate on, and understand the Scriptures. We must have attitudes of __________________ (Psalm 25:9) and ________________ (Proverbs 11:3). We must ask for __________________ (Proverbs 16:23; James 1:5) and ______________________ (Proverbs 1:5). We must trust God and His plans for everything and consciously and continuously choose to obey the Word. What if we disobey God’s guidance through His Word? We must ask His forgiveness (1 John 1:9). In His sovereignty, God can overrule sin’s consequences and bring about the good He has planned (Genesis 50:19–20). By what other means does God promise to guide us? By His __________________ (Ezekiel 36:26–27). How does God’s Spirit guide us? Through the ________________ (Psalm 119:104–105; John 16:13). God speaks to us through the Bible and we are to read it to discover what God wants of us. The Bible is the tool the Holy Spirit uses to teach us the truth of how God wants us to live (1 John 2:18–27). He uses the Word to rebuke us when we depart from the way, correct us to show the way back, and train
us in the right way to go. The Spirit and the Word are there to guide us every step of the way (2 Timothy 3:16–17). God hasn’t promised any other means besides His Spirit and the Word to guide us but that doesn’t mean He can’t use dreams, writing on the wall, or appear in a burning bush. However, because He has not promised these things, don’t expect or look for them. What is our responsibility in relation to the Spirit? We are commanded to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). As we are under the influence of the Spirit He uses the Word to speak to us within our spirits convicting of sin and guiding toward wisdom and Christlikeness. It is also necessary for us to be in an attitude of continual prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17). This keeps our hearts and minds dependent on and open to the Holy Spirit’s guidance.
Steve Johnson is the executive director at Insight for Living Canada.
Demonstrating Wisdom
“Rash reactions are never the best reactions.” - CHARLES R. SWINDOLL
Let’s meet Abigail, a woman who • We learn from Abigail that wise wives deftly and exquisitely applied godly wisseldom miss the best use of timing and tact dom to a tenuous situation and turned Although Chuck’s applications are a future king from evil. Standing in the tucked into the marriage rubric, you breach between David’s murderous intent don’t have to be married in order to glean and her husband’s insulting indifference, wisdom to apply immediately to your life. Abigail’s story is told in 1 Samuel 25. This Timing and tact are always worthwhile. story has it all: an unfair, self-serving boss, Insensitivity or rashness are never traits a careless husband, frustrated employees, that we want to purposely act on; they are a strained marriage, and a wife who saved counter to the fruit of the Spirit. her husband’s neck. Abigail’s example Lord, keep us humble. Keep us selfis relevant to us today as we seek to apply aware so we don’t run over people with godly wisdom to our everyday challenges. our rash reactions or tactless words. May Here are some applications from Chuck these words inhabit our responses: Swindoll’s message on 1 Samuel 25, based A gentle answer deflects anger, on each character. but harsh words make tempers flare. • We learn from David that rash reacThe tongue of the wise makes knowledge tions never lead to anything good appealing, • We learn from Nabal that insensitive but the mouth of a fool belches out husbands always leave heartache in foolishness. (Proverbs 15:1–2) their wake In the name of Jesus, Amen. “Demonstrating Wisdom” is from Chuck Swindoll’s series Wise Counsel for Troubled Times. You can stream this message online anytime at insightforliving.ca/audiolibrary.