NUMBER FOUR, 2020
In this issue 3
How Can I Discover God's Will?
6
Following God's Plan—Fulfilling Your Purpose
charles r. swindoll
david carl
8 Poetry
steve johnson
11 Obsessed with Youth and Beauty
annalisa patenaude
Bumper Sticker Theology 12 God Will Never Give You More Than You Can Handle
steve johnson
Beyond the Broadcast 14 The God of Limitless Possibilities
Puzzle 15 Forgotten Mothers of the Bible
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. 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 Š 2020 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
“I
’m totally confused. How in the world do I find the will of God for my life?” I cannot number how many times through the years I have heard that question. I could probably list at least 10 ways that God leads His children today, but I will limit myself to the four that I think are the most significant methods of God’s leading. 1. God leads us through His written Word As the psalmist said: Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105 NASB) Whenever you see the phrase “This is the will of God” in Scripture, you can count on it: that’s God’s will. You also know that to disobey is to reject His Word. Other clear indications of His leading are the precepts and principles in Scripture.
Precepts are clearly marked statements, such as “Abstain from sexual immorality.” That’s like saying, “Speed Limit 35.” What is speeding? Anything over 35 miles an hour. That’s a precept. Then there are principles in Scripture, and these are general guidelines that require discernment and maturity if we are to grasp them. Paul writes of “the peace of God” guarding and guiding our hearts and our minds (Philippians 4:7). That’s like the sign that says, “Drive Carefully.” This may mean 40 miles an hour on a clear, uncongested road, or it may mean less than 10 miles an hour on an ice-covered curve. But it always means that we must be alert and aware of conditions…we have to be discerning. There is no sign large enough to list all the options you have when you’re behind the wheel. So
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you must know the rules of the road, follow convincing them—and, later, me—that I was the signs that are there, and use all your best the right person. Although it went against judgment combined with discernment. my own wishes at the time, I could not resist You will never, ever go wrong in consulting the compelling, all-powerful prompting of Scripture. Just be sure you pay close attention the Holy Spirit. to the context. Don’t use the “open-window So I can testify from personal experience method,” letting the wind blow across the that you can believe you really know God’s pages of your Bible and then closing your will, and you may be dead wrong. But if you eyes and pointing to a verse and saying, “This are, the prompting of the Holy Spirit will be is God’s leading on that.” If you do that, you nudging you within. could end up with “Judas went away and The mind of man plans his way, hanged himself” as your verse for the day! But the LORD directs his steps. Don’t go there. (Proverbs 16:9) 2. God leads us through the inner promptIt’s easier to steer a moving car—just get ing of the Holy Spirit the car rolling and you can push it into the Read the following statement carefully: filling station to get the gas. But it’s hard to So then, my beloved, get it moving from a just as you have dead stop. So you’re on The longer I live the always obeyed, not your way, you’re makChristian life, the less as in my presence ing your plans, you’re I know about why He only, but now much thinking it through. leads as He does. But I In the process, stay more in my absence, w o r k o u t yo u r am absolutely confident open. By doing so, you salvation with fear may well sense inner that He leads. and trembling; for promptings from the it is God who is at work in you, both to Holy Spirit steering you. will and to work for His good pleasure. That inner prompting is crucial, because (Philippians 2:12–13) much of the time we just can’t figure it out. The inner prompting of the Holy Spirit Man’s steps are ordained by the LORD, gives us a sense of God’s leading, although How then can man understand his way? that leading is not always what we might (Proverbs 20:24) call a “feel-good” experience. In my own (I love that!) When all is said and done, life, my decision to accept the presidency of you’ll say, “Honestly, I didn’t figure this thing Dallas Theological Seminary was not an easy out. It must have been God.” Talk about mysone. Ultimately, it was an “at-peace” decision, terious! The longer I live the Christian life, the but it was not what I would have wanted or less I know about why He leads as He does. chosen. I found all kinds of ways to resist But I am absolutely confident that He leads. when the position was first offered to me. I 3. God leads us through the counsel of wrote the president and the chairman a twowise, qualified, trustworthy people page letter, well thought through, carefully This does not mean some guru in Tibet or stated, and full of Scripture. It should have a serious-looking stranger at the bus stop. convinced anybody that I was the wrong This refers to an individual who has proven person for the job. Except that God was busy himself or herself wise and trustworthy and,
therefore, qualified to counsel on a given matter. Usually, such individuals are older and more mature than we are. Furthermore, they have nothing to gain or lose. This also means that they are often not in our immediate family. (Immediate family members usually don’t want us to do something that will take us away from them or cause us or them discomfort or worry.) At critical moments in my own life, I have sought the counsel of seasoned individuals— and they’ve seldom been wrong. That’s been my experience. However, you must choose your counsellors very carefully. And just as the best counsellors are usually not your family, often they are not your best friends either. Wise and trustworthy counsellors are persons who want for you only what God wants. Such persons will stay objective, listen carefully, and answer slowly. Often they won’t give you an answer at the time you ask for it. They want to sleep on it; they want to think and pray about it. 4. God leads us into His will by giving us an inner assurance of peace “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,” Paul wrote to the Colossians, “to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful” (Colossians 3:15). God’s inner
assurance of peace will act as an umpire in your heart. Although peace is an emotion, I have found it wonderfully reassuring as I’ve wrestled with the Lord’s will. This deep-seated, Godgiven peace comes in spite of the obstacles or the odds, regardless the risk or danger. It’s almost like God’s way of saying, “I’m in this decision…press on…trust Me through it.” The will of God for our lives is not some high-sounding theory; it is reality. We have looked at some of the ways God leads us into His will. Now comes the bottom line: we have to live out His will in the real world. Doing God’s will demands a decision. And that decision requires faith and action. You can’t see the end, so you have to trust Him in faith and then step out. You have to act. Faith and obedience are like twins; they go together. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” Adapted from Charles R. Swindoll, The Mystery of God’s Will (Nashville: Word Publishing, 1999), 44-50. Used by permission. All rights are reserved worldwide.
Tips on Being a Terrific Mother SINGLE CD MESSAGE
For ordering information visit insightforliving.ca or view enclosed flyer.
or as long as I can remember, I have had a passion for stories; they’ve always been a hobby of mine. I can recall summer evenings as a kid sitting under the street lamp with my friends. We would tell stories to each other until our folks called us in for the night. I also had the benefit of having some youth leaders and Sunday school teachers who were wonderful storytellers. And, I was an avid reader. I read lots of stories: The Scarlet Pimpernel, the Sherlock Holmes mysteries, the Tarzan adventures...I loved ’em all! And, although these books were just entertaining to me, I knew even then that I was learning when a storyline worked and when it didn’t work. Film was the same way; as I got older, I was able to
discern that sometimes even a very expensive movie could be a disaster. During my high school years, my friends and I would talk about these failures in depth! We were all going to make movies ourselves or act in them or at least write better stories than the ones we had watched. I guess I was just convinced about my views and abilities and got a little too boastful. In fact, one of my youth leaders actually told me that, and he tried to caution me about the negative repercussions of pride. He didn’t make a dent in my adolescent armour! Know what did? Hearing and reading the Old Testament story of Joseph and his dreams (Genesis 37). Talk about prideful boasting! That was a great example, and it
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F
got through to me. A good story does that. that God had taken me out of the race altoI’ve always loved the Old Testament and its gether. I didn’t know it then, but I was still in training. epic stories for that very reason. In 1997, I was hired by Insight for Living Later, as a church junior high director, I was faced with the challenge of trying to Ministries as a program producer. In that teach the Bible to kids who had the atten- position, I helped produce a radio protion span of a chihuahua in a thunder- gram—Chuck Swindoll’s radio program— storm. For me the best method of teaching that was broadcast around the world! It was was to use a story, and the Bible is packed great. I had a ministry again, and even an with great ones. (As a side note, I found interim calling. Although it didn’t feel like that a Bible story with swinging swords and the fulfilment of my dreams, I tried faithflying arrows is especially effective with fully to do the best I could with what I’d seventh-grade boys!) At the time, I was just been given. Then one day, I received my call. It felt trying to do the best I could do at the task at hand. It didn’t feel much like the sproutings like it was about 13 years late, but it was of any grand quest, but I think that’s often right on schedule. Chuck’s older son, Curt, asked me to how a call from God begins—with something that seems to be commonplace, not come up with a concept for a new radio program for Insight for Living Ministries. dramatic in the way I thought it would be. He knew about my pasI later left youth minsion, that this was what istry and went back to Give your all to what’s school to study video in front of you, and keep I wanted to do more than anything else, and the p r o d u c t i o n . M ay b e your eyes and ears open. If time was now. And so, this was where I could become a screenwriter, you’re faithful and wait on Paws & Tales was born! After years of preparamaybe make important God to use you, He will! tion, God fulfilled the films to teach kids about God through video...I thought about it all desire of my heart, and I was privileged to minister effectively to children through the time. From there, I got a job in television news. Paws & Tales. Now I was on the part of my You know those annoying commercials quest that I dreamed about for so long. If that tell you what will be on your local news you feel like you’re still in that waiting and show that night? That’s what I did. That did wondering phase, I’d suggest that you think not feel like a quest or a calling, but it was. of yourself as already on the path of your I learned how to tell a story in 30 seconds. calling. Think of what fires you up and how That’s not easy! I also learned how to use a that can be used to minister. Give your all to lot of really cool, expensive gear: cameras, what’s in front of you, and keep your eyes video-editing systems, and other tools and ears open. If you’re faithful and wait on of the trade. On occasion, I worked with God to use you, He will! actors. I loved most of it; I hated some of it. I began to realize I was “just trying to Adapted from David Carl, “Following God’s make a living,” and it didn’t feel much like Plan—Fulfilling Your Purpose,” Insights (April a calling. I thought I had taken an extended 2003): 2-3. Copyright © 2003 Insight for Living. All rights reserved worldwide. detour from my quest. At times I was afraid
by steve johnson
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M
odern poetry can be difficult to understand. It’s even more challenging to understand ancient near eastern poetry. Regardless, it is important to better understand biblical poetry since it makes up about one third of the Bible. Biblical poetry is very compact, seeking to express truth, feelings, and experiences using rich imagery. It was written with imagination and feeling and needs to be read the same way, without wooden literalism. Interpreting the Bible literally means reading the Bible according to the intent of its authors and the literary conventions of the particular style being used. We do not read poetry the same way we read historical narrative because poetry uses imagery that often serves as a figurative depiction of reality. Historical narrative tends to give us the bare facts and the orderly account of what exactly happened. Unlike poetry where rhyming words and metre are used, Hebrew poetry is thoughtbased and structured by balanced parallelism, word plays, and sound plays. Understanding parallelism is the most significant thing to help us understand biblical poetry. What parallelism means is that the first line in a couplet is directly
related to the next line and must be read in that relationship to be understood. The meaning of the passage is not just in the lines themselves but in the tension created between the two lines. It’s like creating a perception of depth by seeing a truth through both eyes. Both lines must be taken together to see the whole and greater thought. There are several kinds of parallelism to look for. 1. Synonymous Complete the same thought in different words. “O LORD, I have so many enemies; so many are against me” (Psalm 3:1). When interpreting this verse, think of the meaning as a single statement. 2. Antithetical Contrast the first line by lines expressing opposite thoughts stating the positive and negative. “For the LORD watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction” (Psalm 1:6). The thought of the first line is expanded by the contrast of the second line. 3. Synthetic Develop the thought in the next two or three lines and interpret it much like
Identify the figures of speech and prose. “You brought us from Egypt like a grapevine; you drove away the pagan interpret them according to correspondnations and transplanted us into your ing principles. In other words interpret hyperbole as exaggeration and simile as land” (Psalm 80:8). comparison. Consider all extreme, harsh, 4. Chiasmic A pattern expressing the message in a or violent language in light of the fact that descending and ascending order with poetry uses such language and prose does not. Since poetry is comthe main point found in the middle of the pat- Biblical poetry may at pact you will have to fill the thought-gaps from tern. “O God, do not be first seem repetitive, in other more clear Scripsilent! Do not be deaf. but it forces us to tures to interpret it. Do not be quiet, O God” engage both heart Relate the poems to (Psalm 83:1). Pattern: their historical setting A-B-C-B-A and head. as well as their place in Here are a few basic chapters and books because context helps guidelines to interpreting biblical poetry. Look for the central theme of the poem determine meaning. Biblical poetry may at first seem repetias indicated by structures such as parallelism, and groupings of stanzas, repetition tive, but it forces us to engage both heart of words, phrases, and refrains. Compare and head. Read it slowly. Imagine the modern translations for helpful insights to experience from different angles. Feel what the poet felt. understanding words and phrases. Identify the type of parallelism used since it will define the relationship of one Steve Johnson is the executive director at Insight for line to the next, the complete thought being Living Canada. expressed, and therefore its meaning. Summarize the main idea of each stanza in relation to the general theme.
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
by �nnalis a �atenaude
I
recently took a trip down the cosmetics acter is cultivated. In 1 Samuel 25, Abigail’s aisle at my local drug store. Planning husband Nabal refuses to pay King David and to run in and out with my usual supplies, his men for their work at tending his sheep. a sales representative foiled my plan Deciding to intercede, Abigail meets an by belabouring the latest trends in the enraged King David on his way to kill Nabal. Abigail recognized David’s intentions and makeup world. She was enthusiastic until she learned my sought to find a resolution. Nowhere in the passage does it mention age. With a disapproving I stopped and her physical appearance or look, she began scolding me for not using the proper remembered what age. Rather, in the message, Discernment of Abigail,” face wash, day cream, night truly makes someone “The Chuck Swindoll says of Abicream, eye cream, or exfoliabeautiful and what gail, “Flowing through her tor, to name a few. should be valued at mind and her emotions is a Red-faced I made my purchases and slunk out of the any age: character. beautiful blend of discernment and wisdom.” store. At home I scoured my Three things we can strive to model from face for fine lines and looked critically at my appearance. Maybe I needed those anti-aging Abigail’s life: products after all. What will others think of • She loved the Lord and followed His commands (1 Samuel 25:32) me if I develop wrinkles? Then I became angry about the obsession our society has • God gave her discernment and wisdom (25:33) placed on staying young and, therefore, beautiful. Beauty ads surround us and glam- • She was humble (25:24) In a world obsessed with youth and physiorize “must have” products and faces. Then I stopped and remembered what truly makes cal appearance, examples like Abigail remind someone beautiful and what should be val- me how living for God creates character with remarkable, unmatched beauty. ued at any age: character. Someone who represents beauty in the Bible is Abigail. She is an example of the Annalisa Patenaude is the Living Bridge Media discernment and wisdom created when char- assistant at Insight for Living Canada.
Bumper Sticker
Theology by steve johnson
“God will never give you more than you can handle.” That sure sounds good. Too bad it isn’t true! Here’s why. People who say this are usually trying to encourage someone who is suffering or facing a difficult situation. They usually have 1 Corinthians 10:13 in mind. “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” While the intention to encourage others is good they are twisting Scripture to make it say something it doesn’t. The word translated “temptations” can refer to a temptation to a sin, a trial, or any
type of suffering. So how do we know which meaning to take here? We know because context determines meaning. For example if you see the word “tear” you need to see this word in its context to know if someone is ripping paper in two, running fast down the hall, or having a good cry. In the preceding verses Paul is talking about Israel’s sins of idolatry, sexual immorality, testing God, and grumbling. He isn’t talking about trials and suffering. So when Paul writes 1 Corinthians 10:13 the context demands we understand he is writing about temptation to sin. Sin stalks us but God is faithful and provides a way of escape so we can resist. When people take those words about temptation to sin and apply them to trials
and suffering then the statement is not true. moving in on my weakness. Now I In fact the opposite is true: God does give us take limitations in stride, and with more than we can handle. good cheer, these limitations that cut Consider Paul’s experience. 2 Corinthians me down to size—abuse, accidents, 1:8–9 clearly shows that God may give some opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ people more suffering than he or she can take over! And so the weaker I get, the handle. Paul says he and his companions “… stronger I become.” (MSG) were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our Because of our sin nature our default ability to endure, and we thought we would mode is self-sufficiency and indepennever live through it. In fact, we expected to dence from God. Rather than allowing His die.” When Paul says this he is saying he had power—the power of Christ’s Holy Spirit more than he could handle. who lives in every believer—to replace our So why does God give us more than we weakness, we naturally try to handle things can handle? Read the rest of the verse. “But on our own. as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves To say, “God will never give you more and learned to rely only on God, who raises than you can handle” just reinforces this the dead. And he did error. The result is being rescue us from mortal overwhelmed. Paul tells In our attempt to danger, and he will resus it was when he did encourage sufferers cue us again.” He gives us not have the strength let me suggest the more than we can handle to face his own sufferby ourselves so we will ing that he found God’s following phrase depend on Him. instead. God will give power and faithfulness Paul wrote more about sufficient to provide you all the grace you was his personal experiwhat he needed. ence with this truth in need in every situation. In our attempt to 2 Corinthians 12:7–10. encourage sufferers let “… so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was me suggest the following phrase instead. given the gift of a handicap to keep me God will give you all the grace you need in in constant touch with my limitations. every situation. No matter how much sufSatan’s angel did his best to get me fering people face, and how deeply they down; what he in fact did was push me hurt because of that suffering, they need to my knees. No danger then of walking to know the truth that God’s grace will be around high and mighty! At first I sufficient for them in all their needs. didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged Focusing on our suffering and our own God to remove it. Three times I did that, ability to handle it doesn’t bring comfort. and then he told me, Focusing on God and His resources for us in My grace is enough; it’s all you need. suffering does bring great comfort and hope. My strength comes into its own in God will never give us more than He your weakness. can handle. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the Steve Johnson is the executive director at Insight for handicap and began appreciating the Living Canada. gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength
The God of Limitless Possibilities
“God is the God of limitless possibilities. Think about that. Perhaps for the first time in your life, think rightly about God. With Him there are no limitations. No restrictions. No boundaries. There is no stopping. There is no hindering. There is no impossibility. In fact, God has yet to experience a challenge. It’s all as good as accomplished when He determines His will be done.” - CHUCK SWINDOLL
Only once must God speak a decree for it to carry eternal weight. How significant then that God should declare one truth four times? O Sovereign LORD! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you! (Jeremiah 32:17) I am the LORD, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me? (32:27) For nothing will be impossible with God. (Luke 1:37 NASB) What is impossible for people is possible with God. (18:27) But the revered sages of this finite world like to imprint in our minds a nambypamby god or even a self-starting universe. Like a careful editor, then, we must grab our eraser to rub out what’s false and take up the divine pen to realign our perspective with the Mind of heaven.
Because our view of God determines our life’s course, Chuck Swindoll teaches us from Luke 18 that God is the God of limitless possibilities. We can live big. Dream big. Give big. Pray big. God knows no confines. That’s why Jesus calls us to engage in His planet-wide mission. Have you joined in the work of Jesus’ Great Commission—to make disciples in every nation? Sure, it’s big. Like 6,875 languages big. But it’s mission possible with God because He knows no limits. It delights Him to include us because He made us in His image to be His ambassadors. You can do it. Live big. Dream big. Pray big. God made all this possible for you by taking on the weaknesses of human flesh. Jesus shed His divine privileges, so you can “share his divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). Immortality. Everlasting joy. Communion with the Almighty. All yours through the Prince of Peace.
“The God of Limitless Possibilities” is from Chuck Swindoll’s series Mission Possible: God’s Great Commission. You can stream this message online anytime at insightforliving.ca/audiolibrary.
Puzzle — Word Jumble
FORGOTTEN MOTHERS OF THE BIBLE Difficulty ● ○ ○ ○
The objective of this puzzle is to unscramble the letters to form a word. Each word will be a mother’s name or description found in the Bible.
Died on the way to Bethlehem (Genesis 35)
The bitter widowed mother of two sons (Ruth 1:20)
Had a daring plan to save her son (Exodus 6:20)
The mother of Boaz (Matthew 1:5)
Wounded by the abuse of her husband’s other wife (1 Samuel 1:2–7)
Egyptian woman who bore a child by a man she was not married to (Genesis 16)
Had a genuine faith and timid son (2 Timothy 1:5)
Widowed by two brothers and mother of twin boys by her father-in-law (Genesis 38)
Gentile (non-Jew) with a demon-possessed daughter (Mark 7:24–30 NASB/KJV/esv)
Mother of a boy and gracious hostess to a prophet (2 Kings 4 NASB/KJV/esv/NIV) ____________________
____________________
____________________
First and last name
Email address
Phone number
INSIGHT FOR LIVING CANADA PUZZLE CONTEST RULES
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, 2020 to October 31, 2020 there will be a new puzzle challenge with another opportunity to gain a contest entry. Completed puzzles received before November 13, 2020 will be entered into a draw. One grand prize winner will be selected by random draw and notified by email or phone. Further details can be found on page 2 of this issue. Mail: 1-30445 Progressive Way Abbotsford BC V2T 6W3 // Email: info@insightforliving.ca // Fax: 1.604.870.8743
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