NUMBER FOUR, 2019
In this issue 3
What’s the Big Deal about Easter?
6
No Place for Islands
8
Dirty Water, Prohibition, and the Bible
charles r. swindoll charles r. swindoll derrick g. jeter
10 In My Brokenness
annalisa patenaude
Q&A 12 How Much Should Christians Focus on Health and Fitness?
steve johnson
Beyond the Broadcast 14 Suffering, Sickness, Sin—and Healing
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 © 2019 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.
by charles r. swindoll
P
eople sometimes ask me, “What’s “Christ has been raised from the dead,” Paul the big deal about Easter?” declared. “He is the first of a great harvest of They’re thinking about bunnies all who have died” (1 Corinthians 15:20). and chocolate, maybe a new outfit and See that word all? That includes us! If brunch at a restaurant. Despite what the you know Christ, if the Lord Jesus lives in stores may want you to believe, Easter is your life, you’re among the “all.” You’re a not about any of that stuff. It’s about hope part of that great harvest of all who have beyond the grave. You take that hope out died. What “harvest”? Keep reading... of Easter, and Easter is just another SunChrist was raised as the first of the day...and life ends with death. harvest; then all who belong to Christ will All patients who have died of a terminal be raised when he comes back. (15:23) illness, no hope. All victims of a random At death, the soul separates from the shooting, no hope. All who have perished body, and the body is placed in a grave, in a fire, no hope. All who have died at sea either in a casket or as ashes in an urn. or in the air, no hope. Either way, our bodIf there’s no hope, Each of us who will ies decay into dust, there’s no spring. But but that isn’t the end. eventually die, same thing: no hope. We’re because there IS hope, Christ was raised from to be pitied, because the dead and later the winter you’re if there’s no hope, Job ascended into heaven. enduring will end. was right: He has promised that “How frail is humanity, He is coming back to earth...and when how short is life, how full of trouble!” He returns, He will lift from the grave all (Job 14:1) of those who have died. But remember, Job, who knew more “When the trumpet sounds, those who heartache than most of us ever will, have died will be raised to live forever,” didn’t stop there. He affirmed his faith in Paul writes triumphantly (15:52). How a living Saviour: good is that? “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer When I’m officiating a graveside service, lives, as the people are standing together under and he will stand upon the earth at last. the tent beside the open grave, I always say, And after my body has decayed, “You may not realize it, but you’re standing yet in my body I will see God! on resurrection ground.” I love to watch I will see him for myself. what happens. Some people take a little Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. step sideways, as if they’re going to block I am overwhelmed at the thought! something that’s about to happen under(19:25–27) neath them! Of course, the ground doesn’t Can you be as certain as Job? Is it pos- shift right then. But the fact is, someday, sible to know that after death you will rise our bodies will be raised from the grave to meet your Redeemer face-to-face? The and be instantly changed—made ageless answer is yes...because of Easter! and timeless, free of any further fear of
death. From then on, our bodies will last eternally just like the body of Jesus when He was raised. It’s all part of “the harvest.” How can I be so sure? Easter! What a great promise! Everything hangs on the hope of Easter. I recall a very moving letter that a parent wrote to me about the death of her 18-year-old son who had committed suicide. Through tears, this grief-stricken mother wrote: Insight for Living’s message on the radio “Hope Revived” reminded me God is always near. He cares about me and my family, and He revives our hope again and again—hope of seeing our son again, hope for the family to heal. Your last words comforted and broke my heart: “Inevitably, spring follows winter. Every year. Yes, including this one.” Let her words sink in. If there’s no hope, there’s no spring. But because there IS hope, the winter you’re enduring will end.
You can count on it! The new life of spring will come! Not even death will separate us from our beloved loved ones forever. We will be reunited. There will be no more tears, no more sorrow! Pain will disappear. Heartache and despair will be no more. Evil will be destroyed. The darkness will be dispelled once and for all. We will live together in the light of our Saviour, singing His praises in our resurrected bodies forever! You know why? You know why we have such glorious hope? Because Easter is the biggest promise of all! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed. Charles R. Swindoll serves as the senior pastor-teacher of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas.
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THE WORLD HAS BUILT A BETTER MOUSETRAP, SO IT SEEMS.
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No Place for Islands by charles r. swindoll
Image: Martin Sanchez on Unsplash
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obody is a whole chain. Each one And since we’re so different (thanks to the is a link. But take away one link way God built us), love and acceptance and the chain is broken. are not optional luxuries. Neither is Nobody is a whole team. Each one is a tolerance. Or understanding. Or patience. player. But take away one player and the You know all those things you need from game is forfeited. others when your humanity crowds out Nobody is a whole orchestra. Each one your divinity. is a musician. But take away one musician In other words: and the symphony is incomplete. Love each other with genuine affection, Nobody is a whole play. Each one is an and take delight in honoring each other. actor. But take away one actor and the Never be lazy, but work hard and serve performance suffers. the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our Nobody is a whole hospital. Each one is a confident hope. Be patient in trouble, part of the staff. But take away one person and keep on praying. When God’s and it isn’t long before the patient can tell. people are in need, be ready to help them. Cars are composed of numerous parts. Always be eager to practice hospitality. Each one is connected to and dependent (Romans 12:10–13) upon the other. Even Why? Because each if a tiny screw comes one of us is worth it. We need each other. loose and falls out You need someone and Even when we don’t of the carburetor, it act like it or feel like it someone needs you. can bring the whole or deserve it. Isolated islands we’re not. Since none of us is vehicle to a stop. You guessed it. We To make this thing called a whole, independent, need each other. You life work, we gotta lean self-sufficient, superneed someone and capable, all-powerful and support. someone needs you. hotshot, let’s quit Isolated islands we’re not. To make this acting like we are. Life’s lonely enough thing called life work, we gotta lean and without our playing that silly role. support. And relate and respond. And The game’s over. Let’s link up. give and take. And confess and forgive. And reach out and embrace. And release Excerpted from Come Before Winter and Share and rely. My Hope, Copyright © 1985, 1994 by Charles R. Especially in God’s family...where Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used working together is Plan A for survival. by permission.
by derrick g. jeter
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ater is life. It is also death. For mented grape juice. What teetotallers fail much of human history, whether to realize or recognize is that biblical wine because of humanity's igno- wasn't grape juice. According to respected rance or inability to dispose of and treat Greek scholar Kenneth Wuest, "wine" as sewage, or because of animal dung and rot- referenced in 1 Timothy 5:23, "as everyting corpses in rivers and streams, water- where else, means wine, fermented, and borne pathogens such as cholera, dysentery, capable of intoxicating, and not a sweet and malaria resulted in epidemics and syrup made by boiling down grape-juice."1 If true (and it is), how could the Bible mass deaths. The city of Ephesus, where Timothy lived and ministered, boasted a prohibit the drinking of wine? It doesn't. It prohibits drunkenness freshwater delivery and How could the Bible and promotes discipline sewage removal system prohibit the drinking (Deuteronomy 21:20–21; complete with aqueducts and terra cotta pipes for of wine? It doesn't. It E c c l e s i a s t e s 1 0 : 1 7 ; distribution and disposal prohibits drunkenness Romans 13:13; Galatians 5:16–19, 21; Ephesians at sea. But, even with such and promotes discipline. 5:18). And while there sophisticated systems, water in ancient days was often infected are good reasons not to drink—personal moral objections, past and preswith disease. Because pure drinking water was often ent struggles with alcohol, and care for unavailable, beer and wine have long been weaker Christians' spiritual development staples of the human diet, including that of (Romans 14:1–18; 1 Corinthians 8:7–13)— Jews and Christians. Wine was used during Christians are free to drink alcohol in times of worship, festivals, and celebra- moderation. But we must always do so tions (Numbers 15:10; Luke 22:14–20; John under the watchwords of grace, discretion, 2:1–11), but was also part of Jewish daily and self-control. life (Genesis 14:18; Psalm 104:15; Ecclesiastes 10:19). Early Christian monks brewed Derrick G. Jeter served as a writer for the Creative beer and fermented wine. Martin Luther Ministries Department of Insight for Living Ministries. is recorded to have drunk a gallon of beer Excerpt taken from Excellence in Ministry: Finisha day. And the Pilgrims came to America ing Well—Doing What's Best in the Challenges of with kegs of beer. Ministry Bible Companion by Charles R. Swindoll. It wasn't until modern times, when water Copyright © 1983–2015 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. became safe to drink in industrialized All rights reserved. countries, that Christians, for theological 1 Kenneth S. Wuest, "The Pastoral Epistles in the reasons, began to abstain from drinking Greek New Testament," in Wuest's Word Studies beer and wine. Some people claim the from the Greek New Testament, vol.v 2 (Grand RapBible outlaws the drinking of alcohol and ids: Eerdmans, 1979), 88. that wine referred to in the Bible was unfer-
by annalisa patenaude
Image: Lauren Richmond on Unsplash
I
was overweight as a child. As a way at her bravery and courage. Mordecai, a to cope, I constructed what I thought relative of Queen Esther, informs her of was an indestructible wall around me. the danger her people the Jews are in. I didn’t want to face my problem. But at Esther must appeal to the king in order age 19, the wall crumbled. The mountain to save them. Realizing death was certain, of excuses I had made rather than give in to Esther’s commitment to over the years, justifyfear she prayerfully ing my situation, sud- God and ability to do what fasts for three days denly held no author- seemed impossible gave me before approaching ity. I saw where my lack hope. My weight problem him (Esther 4:9-16). of self-control and low E s t h e r ’ s c o m m i tseemed small compared to ment to God and abilself-esteem had led me. what Esther faced. If she I was broken. ity to do what seemed The reality of what could do what needed to be impossible gave me weight loss would hope. My weight probdone, so could I. require—commitment, lem seemed small comdiscipline and taking full responsibility pared to what Esther faced. If she could for my actions—was overwhelming. I do what needed to be done, so could I. welcomed self-pity and anger while I Isaiah 41:10 gave me additional insight. blamed God for creating me flawed. But Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. what I truly felt was fear. I regularly Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. found myself on my knees pleading with I will strengthen you and help you. Him to intervene. I begged, “Lord I just I will hold you up with my victorious can’t do this on my own.” right hand. A good friend saw my brokenness and This verse affirmed God’s love for reached out. She encouraged me to look me and His sovereign presence in my at the lives of people in the Bible who had situation. My doubts of being able to lose found themselves at rock bottom and weight turned to hope and courage. What challenged me to see God’s hand in the is impossible for me is possible with God. situation no matter how hard it may be. Desperate for support, I came across Annalisa Patenaude is the Living Bridge Media Esther’s story. I was moved beyond words assistant at Insight for Living Canada.
ANDE E RISPOSTE ਸਵਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਜਵਾਬ питання та відповіді PYTANIA I ODPOWIEDZI MGA TANONG AT MGA SAGOT вопрос ы PERGUNTAS E RESPOSTAS CWESTIYNAU AC ATEBION SPØRSMÅL OG SVAR FRÅGOR OCH SVAR KÉRDÉS OK QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FRAGEN UND ANTWORTEN QUESTIONS ET RÉPONSES VRAGEN EN ANTWOORD NTAS Y RESPUESTAS CEISTEANNA AGUS FREAGRAÍ 问题和解答 DOMANDE E RISPOSTE ਸਵਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਜਵਾਬ питанн ді PYTANIA I ODPOWIEDZI MGA TANONG AT MGA SAGOT вопросы и ответы PERGUNTAS E RESPOSTAS CWESTIYNA BION SPØRSMÅL OG SVAR FRÅGOR OCH SVAR KÉRDÉSEK ÉS VÁLASZOK QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FRAGEN U RTEN QUESTIONS ET RÉPONSES VRAGEN EN ANTWOORDEN PREGUNTAS Y RESPUESTAS CEISTEANNA AGUS FR 问题和解答 DOMANDE E RISPOSTE ਸਵਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਜਵਾਬ питання та відповіді PYTANIA I ODPOWIEDZI MGA TANONG AT M вопросы и ответы PERGUNTAS E RESPOSTAS CWESTIYNAU AC ATEBION SPØRSMÅL OG SVAR FRÅGOR OCH S EK ÉS VÁLASZOK QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FRAGEN UND ANTWORTEN QUESTIONS ET RÉPONSES VRAGEN ORDEN PREGUNTAS Y RESPUESTAS CEISTEANNA AGUS FREAGRAÍ 问题和解答 DOMANDE E RISPOSTE ਸਵਾਲ ਅਤੇ я та відповіді PYTANIA I ODPOWIEDZI MGA TANONG AT MGA SAGOT вопросы и ответы PERGUNTAS E RESPOST YNAU AC ATEBION SPØRSMÅL OG SVAR FRÅGOR OCH SVAR KÉRDÉSEK ÉS VÁLASZOK QUESTIONS AND ANSW UND ANTWORTEN QUESTIONS ET RÉPONSES VRAGEN EN ANTWOORDEN PREGUNTAS Y RESPUESTAS CEISTEANN REAGRAÍ 问题和解答 DOMANDE E RISPOSTE ਸਵਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਜਵਾਬ питання та відповіді PYTANIA I ODPOWIEDZI G AT MGA SAGOT вопросы и ответы PERGUNTAS E RESPOSTAS CWESTIYNAU AC ATEBION SPØRSMÅL OG QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FRAGEN UND ANTWORTEN QUESTION R OCH SVAR KÉRDÉSEK ÉS VÁLASZOK ES VRAGEN EN ANTWOORDEN PREGUNTAS Y RESPUESTAS by steve johnson CEISTEANNA AGUS FREAGRAÍ 问题 OMANDE E RISPOSTE ਸਵਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਜਵਾਬ питання та відповіді PYTANIA I ODPOWIEDZI MGA TANONG AT MGA SA ы и ответы PERGUNTAS E RESPOSTAS CWESTIYNAU AC ATEBION SPØRSMÅL OG SVAR FRÅGOR OCH SVAR KÉRDÉSE SZOK QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FRAGEN UND ANTWORTEN QUESTIONS ET RÉPONSES VRAGEN EN ANTWOORD NTAS Y RESPUESTAS CEISTEANNA AGUS FREAGRAÍ 问题和解答 DOMANDE E RISPOSTE ਸਵਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਜਵਾਬ питанн ді PYTANIA I ODPOWIEDZI MGA TANONG AT MGA SAGOT вопросы и ответы PERGUNTAS E RESPOSTAS CWESTIYNA BION SPØRSMÅL OG SVAR FRÅGOR OCH SVAR KÉRDÉSEK ÉS VÁLASZOK QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FRAGEN U RTEN QUESTIONS ET RÉPONSES VRAGEN EN ANTWOORDEN PREGUNTAS Y RESPUESTAS CEISTEANNA AGUS FR 问题和解答 DOMANDE E RISPOSTE ਸਵਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਜਵਾਬ питання та відповіді PYTANIA I ODPOWIEDZI MGA TANONG AT M вопросы и ответы PERGUNTAS E RESPOSTAS CWESTIYNAU AC ATEBION SPØRSMÅL OG SVAR FRÅGOR OCH S EK ÉS VÁLASZOK
HOW MUCH SHOULD CHRISTIANS FOCUS ON HEALTH AND FITNESS?
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he question of how much Christians should focus on health and fitness isn’t just theoretical. I look around and I see more health and fitness issues than ever: obesity, eating disorders, workaholism, sleep disorders, and unhealthy diet and fitness fads, just to name a few. I was in college when I was first exposed to what we called conditioning—weight training and aerobics. I did it to get in shape for hockey season. I was in my early 30s when I first joined a gym. I don’t remember the reasons I had for doing so at the time, but it became something I’ve done on and off ever since. And it wasn’t just that the gym became a part of my life, I became interested in learning about the world of health and fitness. I read everything I could find about the pros and cons of different weightlifting, diet, supplement, and training regimens. And in the process of that I had to grapple with what Scripture says, directly and indirectly, about health and fitness.
Here are some thoughts to consider in forming your own theology of fitness. Our bodies “were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies…. Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:13, 19-20). God is very pro-body. He created our bodies and will resurrect them. He wants us to honour Him by taking care of our bodies. Because God wants us to take care of our bodies the Bible affirms, “Physical training is good…” (1 Timothy 4:8). It’s good because being healthy and fit will help us better fulfil our God-given purpose in a variety of ways. It will help us feel better, have better moods and attitudes, give us greater strength and stamina for our work, help keep us from getting sick, and improve our productivity.
It helps us to stay balanced by rememberIn practical terms, this includes having a healthy diet and not overeating—two ing, “our bodies are dying, our spirits are things we struggle with in our culture of being renewed every day” (2 Corinthians 4:16). processed foods and fast food. Taking care With this perspective in mind, the Bible of our body also means getting adequate affirms that spiritual health and fitness is exercise—again something we lack in this even better than physical fitness: “…training digital age with our increasingly sedentary for godliness is much better, promising lifestyles. Getting proper rest and giving benefits in this life and in the life to come” adequate attention to our physical and (1 Timothy 4:8). Being healthy and fit is benemotional needs in our driven, workaholic eficial for this life. But this life is not all there is. There is an eternity society is also part of carBeing healthy and fit is to keep in view and the ing for our body. If any of these aspects beneficial for this life. But rewards are greater and more enduring. of healthy living are not this life is not all there In the end, it shouldn’t what they should be in is. There is an eternity be an either/or situation your life, begin today to to keep in view and the when it comes to physical take small steps to make rewards are greater and health versus spiritual changes. I suggest not health. It is a both/and, thinking in terms of more enduring. with spiritual health and changes for the rest of your life, just focus on making a change godliness being the priority. Physical life will for this week. Focus on success for a short end but spiritual life is eternal. Keep in mind time period and after achieving that, add that the glorified body we receive for heaven has nothing to do with whether we are fit another short time period. As important as health and fitness is, now or not. The balance is in focusing on looking there must be balance, not obsessiveness. The Bible warns against being a slave to after your body for the sake of your soul. anything including health and fitness, and Although I tried many different things diets (1 Corinthians 6:12). Scripture also related to health and fitness, now it all boils addresses our motives warning against down to six words to live by: Move more, eat vanity (1 Samuel 16:7; Proverbs 31:30; right, keep balanced. 1 Peter 3:3-4). The purpose of being healthy and fit is to serve God better, not so others Steve Johnson is the executive director at Insight for will notice and admire us. Living Canada.
Suffering, Sickness, Sin—and Healing
“I believe in divine healing. I do not believe in divine healers. I believe in faith healing. I do not believe in faith healers. There is a great difference.” - CHUCK SWINDOLL
In Scripture, we at times witness God • There are two classifications of sin: original sin (Romans 5:12) and miraculously healing the sick, restoring personal sin (3:23) sight to the blind, giving mobility to the lame, even raising the dead. Whether • Original sin introduced sickness and death to the human race (5:12) the healing was carried out by prophets in the Old Testament or Jesus Himself in • Sometimes there is a direct link between personal sin and sickthe New Testament, often the question ness (1 Chronicles 10:13 and wasn’t if God would heal but how. So, has 1 Corinthians 11:30) God changed? The truth is that many believers today who suffer must accept • Sometimes there is no relationship between personal sin and sickness the fact that they might not be healed in (Acts 3:2-8) this life. Inevitably, deep questions about God’s faithfulness and love surface when • It is not God’s will that everyone be healed (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) pain endures, illnesses progress, and the James 5:13-16 answers many questions prognosis seems bleak: “Where is God about suffering and healing. The Greek when I’m suffering?” Here are five foundational truths about word for suffering means “in distress” or “afflicted.” Many believers today suffer sin, sickness, and healing:
indescribable physical and emotional pain because of their faith in Jesus Christ. Others have witnessed the violent executions of loved ones, or have been separated from their families because of persecution. Suffering with no remedy in sight can discourage even the strongest saint. With so-called “faith healers” claiming divine power to alleviate sickness on one side and well-meaning believers on the other side refusing all medical treatment, it’s no wonder we’re confused on the topics of suffering, sickness, sin, and healing. How would you communicate the message of James 5:13–16 to people enduring
chronic pain or illness? How would you address their deep questions about God’s character? How would you emphasize the importance of prayer and confession in the midst of suffering? From the beginning of James 5:13–16 to the end, prayer is the point. Prayer connects a believer’s heart with the sovereign plan of God. If we have joy and health, we should sing praises to God. If we suffer with mental, emotional, or physical pain, we must pray for healing, confess our sins, and entrust ourselves to God’s perfect plan.
“Suffering, Sickness, Sin—and Healing” is from Chuck Swindoll’s series James: Hands-On Christianity. You can stream this message online anytime at insightforliving.ca/audiolibrary.
Insight for Living’s Bible-teacher Chuck Swindoll has spent more than 50 years emphasizing God’s grace alongside a commitment to practical application. Learn more about our pastor at insightforliving.ca/chuck-swindoll