NUMBER SEVEN, 2017
In this issue
8
6 3 6 8
12
Be a Part of Something Phenomenal!
CHARLES R. SWINDOLL
11
Looking Beyond the Surface
ROBYN ROSTE
12
You Snooze You Lose
STEVE JOHNSON
15
Names of Jesus
Bread of Life
The Hea[r]t of the Issue
The Purpose of Prophecy
STEVE JOHNSON
Beyond the Broadcast
How Should We Interpret God's Calender?
Insights is published by Insight for Living Canada, the Bible-teaching 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 Š 2017 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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hen God is doing something phenomenal—something extraordinary, truly earth-shaking—you have to be part of it! When the Magi saw the star in the heavens, they had to follow it. When Peter and John heard that the tomb was empty, they ran to see. When the Holy Spirit empowered the disciples at Pentecost, they turned the world upside down. Is God doing something phenomenal today? I believe He is—and it’s much like what He did in the days of King Josiah. Josiah’s grandfather, Manasseh, had plunged the people into a cesspool of occult practices, including child sacrifice. Incredibly, Josiah’s father, Amon, “sinned even more” (2 Chronicles 33:23). Out of this sewer, Josiah ascended the throne at age eight. Can you imagine the boy looking at himself in the mirror wearing his baggy regalia and oversized crown? Most eight-year-olds wouldn’t stand still long enough to put on all that garb, much less wear the itchy stuff! But Josiah wore it, and “he did what was pleasing in the LORD’s sight” (2 Kings 22:1– 2)! His mother, Jedidah, must have guided him in godliness. Who else could have? He had no Scriptures—his wicked predecessors had lost or destroyed all copies. Josiah’s only spiritual signposts were memorized Scriptures recited to him by Jedidah—talk about phenomenal parenting! At age 16, “Josiah began to seek the God of his ancestor David” (2 Chronicles 34:3). God continued to move in Josiah’s heart,
and by age 20, the courageous king was ready to be a part of God’s moving in the nation. Starting in Jerusalem, Josiah set out to purify the land: He ordered that the altars of Baal be demolished…. He also made sure that the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the cast images were smashed. (34:4) Then he swept through the rest of the country: He destroyed the pagan altars and the Asherah poles, and he crushed the idols into dust. (34:7) He pulverized the idols. Nothing left but dust—now that’s phenomenally thorough! Next, Josiah appointed to his “cabinet” men who had caught his passion, supporters whom he mentored. With shared vision, they restored the temple— phenomenal team building! In the process, the priest Hilkiah found a dusty scroll: the “Book of the Law of the LORD” (34:14). Perhaps the only remaining copy—a phenomenal discovery! Keep in mind, Josiah, unlike Luther and Calvin, initially had no Scripture to rally his reformation. But then, there it was! How precious the melody of God’s truth must have sounded! Josiah wept as he heard it read, tearing his clothes in repentance over how his nation had neglected God’s Laws. Do you remember the first time the Bible impacted you? Did your heart sing and tears flow? Finally, you had Truth! Something you could rely on, that would help you know what to do next.
The phenomenal happens through our daily faithfulness to align our thoughts with God’s—to think biblically in order to act biblically...to fulfil our role in God’s plans! Josiah certainly knew. He gathered the nation and read “the entire Book of the Covenant” (34:30). He “pledged to obey the LORD by keeping all his commands, laws, and decrees with all his heart and soul” and required everyone to make a similar pledge (34:31–32). Then Josiah hosted the biggest Passover the nation had ever experienced. What phenomenal obedience! Can you imagine the entire world worshipping God and celebrating the Lamb? Don’t you ache to be a part of something so phenomenal? You can! Judah wouldn’t have seen reformation without Josiah’s “cabinet.” That team couldn’t have been built if Josiah hadn’t chosen to think and act biblically. And he couldn’t have if Jedidah had not done the same in teaching her son godly truth. The phenomenal happens through our daily faithfulness to align our thoughts with
God’s—to think biblically in order to act biblically...to fulfil our role in God’s plans! At Insight for Living Ministries, we’re passionate about following God’s commands. That’s why we’ve developed our plan to “make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19). We cannot do this alone. We need a loyal “cabinet” of believers who will think and act biblically with us. We need supporters to step up and help us have the financial resources required to execute the non-negotiable commands of the Great Commission. Will you join us? Something absolutely phenomenal is happening, and you can be part of it.
Charles R. Swindoll serves as the senior pastor-teacher of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas.
Taking on Life With a Great Attitude SINGLE CD MESSAGE
Taking on Life With a Great Attitude For ordering information visit insightforliving.ca or view enclosed flyer.
by Robyn Roste
Building a protective barrier around my emotions and self isn’t exactly what Jesus calls me to—in fact His instructions are quite the opposite.
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omething I hear often in my circles is “collaboration, not competition.” And whenever I hear this I think, isn’t that a nice idea. In theory I understand how working together rather than competing with others helps everyone but in reality I don’t trust people enough to believe they won’t take any opportunity to get ahead. As a result I hold back, bite my tongue, and keep to myself rather than seek opportunities to offer help. My mistrust in human nature extends to the person who appears to have it all together. I don’t believe my eyes and spend more time wondering when the other shoe will drop than trying to get to know her. When I think about my attitude, I wonder why I don’t have more faith; why I’m not more inclined towards kindness. Am I projecting my insecurity on those with more confidence? Am I jealous? Am I afraid I’ll get hurt? All of the above? Building a protective barrier around my emotions and self isn’t exactly what Jesus calls me to—in fact His instructions are quite the opposite. Love your neighbour as yourself (Matthew 19:19, 22:39; Mark 12:3133; Luke 10:27; Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:14; James 2:8). And lest I stay away from the New Testament to avoid this uncomfortable command, it’s also in the Old Testament, “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD”
(Leviticus 19:18). When I expect the worst from people, or am biased against “perfect” people, do I love my neighbour as myself ? Of course not. Reaching out despite the risks also means I’m fulfilling Jesus’ command to love people I don’t like (or am intimidated by) and pray for those who are bullies (Matthew 5:43-44; Luke 6:27-35). When I love my enemies it forces me to pull away from my snap judgments and look closer at who they are. When I look beyond the surface of these difficult people (who I love to hate) I’m a step closer to seeing them as God does (as His much-loved children). It reminds me of my place in the relationship as well—I don’t decide who deserves my love. My job is to love, regardless of the outcome. I don’t know about you but some of my best friendships were formed out of misconceptions and misunderstandings. I’m so grateful these people have taken the time to look beneath my surface and think the best of me (despite their better judgment). I hope I can pay their kindness forward by loving my neighbours.
Robyn Roste is the media and marketing manager at Insight for Living Canada.
by steve johnson
Jesus said He’s coming back and warns us always to be ready. But what if we don’t want Him to come back just yet?
Illustration by: Tori Nikkel
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heard the average person hits the alarm clock snooze button an average of three times. I rarely use it so I wonder, “Who’s making up for me?” I also wonder how many of us would, if we could, hit the snooze on Christ’s return. Jesus said He’s coming back and warns us always to be ready. But what if we don’t want Him to come back just yet? Maybe we want to doze in this world a little longer because we’re comfortable snuggled under the fluff y duvet of our self-satisfying life. Perhaps we are so at ease in the bed of life that the thought of Christ’s return doesn’t rouse or comfort us like the Bible said it should (1 Thessalonians 4:18). Living the Christian life in this fallen world with its hardship, pain, and battles with sin and Satan isn’t supposed to be easy and comfortable. Jesus said, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows...” (John 16:33). Yes, being a Christian may be more fulfilling and joyful. But easier? No way! Life is supposed to get more difficult after we come to Christ. Here’s why: we don’t live our Christian life in a vacuum. All the sins we succumbed to before now
become never-ending temptations. We’re no longer spiritually dead, being carried along downstream by the world’s current. Now we’re alive and swimming upstream against the current of the world, the flesh, and the Devil constantly struggling to live our lives by God’s values. To change metaphors, when we come to Christ we suddenly become strangers and aliens in this world. We are new creatures. Strangers, aliens, and creatures aren’t supposed to blend in very well. We often don’t fit in with our friends and family anymore because they don’t understand us and question our beliefs and behaviour. So if the prospect of my Lord’s return to take me out of the battle and to an eternal bliss with Him isn’t comforting to me I have to ask myself, “Is my little world too sterile, easy, and full of fluff ? Am I so out of touch with the realities of how the Christian life is to be lived that I am unmoved by the prospect that the One who died for me is returning to take me personally to be with Him in heavenly bliss forever?” Jesus’ second coming is the ultimate corrective. If I’m preoccupied with pursuing the creature comforts of this world
then I need to remember that when Christ returns it will all be destroyed by fire. Someone may counter, “True, but until that happens why not enjoy the creature comforts? So what if convenience and comfort secretly are my life’s goals?” I would counter with, “Christ’s return will lay your motivations bare. Works will be judged. Rewards will be given for sacrificial service in this life. And heavenly assignments for eternal service will be determined. Convenience and comfort will matter little as you stand emptyhanded before Him with no crown to cast at His feet and smelling of burnt wood, hay, and stubble, and being assigned to the least of heavenly tasks for eternity.” Sounds kind of embarrassing. And short-sighted. It is hard to comprehend the glories that await us when our Saviour returns and takes us to be with Him. C.S. Lewis has it right, “We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because
he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea".1 When I catch myself thinking like this I need to remember that I’m not home yet. I’m “just a-passin’ through” as the old song says. In this life I’m camping in the flimsy tent of this dying body while my eternal house, my real home, is being prepared. And if I’m getting too earth-bound and tied to the things in this campground called life I ought to recall that God has saved me not just from sin, but for heaven. When our Saviour returns for us, the day of the Lord will dawn. It will be a new eternal morning breaking and this life, like a dream, will be over. So I ask, on that great gettin’ up mornin’ will you be hitting the snooze?
Steve Johnson is the executive director at Insight for Living Canada. 1 C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory, (New York: HarperOne, 1949), 21.
Our national office is located in Abbotsford, BC but our program airs across the country. To find a station near you visit insightforliving.ca/find-station
“Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty” (John 6:35)
Origins: Bread was part of the Passover deliverance and “bread from heaven” sustained Israel in the desert (Exodus 16:4 NIV)
Meaning: Bread, a basic dietary item synonymous with food in general, is essential for life. Without it we die Usage: By saying “I am the bread of life,” Jesus is saying He is essential for life— eternal life. He is also claiming deity. He invites people to place their faith in Him as their Saviour in order to live and be truly satisfied.
Application: Partake of Him for salvation. When Jesus died on the cross He took the sins of mankind upon Himself and made atonement for them. When we place our faith in Him, our sins are imputed to Jesus, and His righteousness is imputed to us. Jesus satisfies our hunger and thirst for righteousness and life. Partake of Him for sustenance. Every day we need to feed on Christ. We need His Holy Spirit to fill and empower us to live the Christian life. Partake of Him for strength. In the face of odds and adversity Paul said, “I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13).
by steve johnson
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hat is the purpose of biblical prophecy? Is it so we have a timeline, can build charts, or satisfy our curiosity about the future? In all the debates and conjecture it is easy to miss the fact that biblical prophecy is about Jesus. The “last things” are about the last One.
Here’s Where They’re At
When the topic of prophecy comes up with people who don’t hold the same biblical worldview as you, you may hear statements like, “The idea that the world will end is peddled by evangelists trying to sell books and scare people,” “The world is going to end soon because of climate change or nuclear war and there is nothing anyone can do about it but wait,” “The return of Christ is spiritual not literal,” “People keep setting dates for Christ’s return. He hasn’t so far and so now I don’t believe anybody who says the world is ending soon.”
Here’s Where You’re At
Christian perspectives and attitudes towards biblical prophecy run the gamut,
from those who obsess over it to those who are completely and wilfully ignorant of events to come. Maybe you have everything confidently laid out in a timeline or chart and read Bible prophecies in one hand and the newspaper in the other. Or maybe you’ve heard something about an Antichrist and a millennium but you don’t know the particulars. You might be one who avoids discussions about prophecy and are just hoping to be raptured out before everything goes sideways. Maybe you take the position of pan-millenialists—it will all pan out in the end!
Here’s Where Scripture’s At
Biblical prophecy is about completing the work of redemption begun by God through Jesus Christ. Paradise was destroyed by our sin at the Fall but God set about to restore it. He promised to send a deliverer who would right the wrong (Genesis 3:15). This is Jesus and He is the focal point of all God yet intends to do to restore humanity. Jesus is the way our sins are forgiven and the kingdom of God gets re-established. Biblical prophecy shows God’s power and that He wins
in the end. Therefore, biblical prophecy incites us to hope (Romans 15:4), godly living, and preparedness (2 Peter 3:11-12). For those suffering under persecution or trial, prophecy is given to encourage to perseverance (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). It serves as a reminder for us to be motivated in sharing the Gospel throughout the world (Matthew 24:14). When we look at fulfilled prophecy we see how the truth of God’s Word is validated and that all His promises are sure.
Where to Go From Here
Although there is a lot of mystery and many views regarding prophecy and what’s to come, the following things are absolutely certain. We must not turn our study of Jesus’ return into a catalogue of events in which we’re more concerned about chronology than worshipping the Lamb. Jesus first came in weakness, poverty, and humiliation. Although we don’t know the exact date, He will soon return as victorious conquering King. We know time is running out and must be ready. Fulfilled prophecies of the past remind us that prophecies of things yet to come are true and certain to be fulfilled. That means we should live each day in the light and hope of that certainty. Hell awaits those who reject Christ. Therefore, Christians are to be busy with reaching the lost, living godly lives, and
encouraging one another in those things because Jesus is coming soon. Pain, sickness, and death will not have the last word. For believers, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. We look forward to a physical resurrection with a new body and spending eternity with God and loved ones on a new earth where there will be no tears, death, or pain. Jesus is the ultimate focal point of all past and future prophecies. Though we may not know the exact makeup, sequence, and timing of future events, we are to plan as though Jesus were not returning in our lifetime but live as though He were returning tomorrow.
REMINDER:
Ask yourself, “Am I open to, or fearful of, new possibilities?”
This series provides training on having difficult conversations. How do you discuss difficult topics in a way you hear and are heard, maintain your influence, and avoid alienation? How do you deal with different worldviews while still valuing the person? Read our basic guidelines for having difficult conversations at insightforliving.ca/tough-talk.
How Should We Interpret God’s Calendar?
“Do you feel a sense of urgency to share the Gospel? Do you truly care about the eternal destinies of others?” - CHARLES R. SWINDOLL Today’s world seems fascinated by and preoccupied with the future. Bestselling books are often those offering predictions and warnings concerning future events. Astrology continues captivating people by the millions. Even the film and television industries have made a bundle off science fiction and futuristic fantasy ideas dreamed up in the minds of imaginative producers. But invariably, one major subject is overlooked or denied altogether—the return of Jesus Christ. Few things are more clearly set forth in all of Scripture. This single prediction is woven through the teachings of Christ, especially during His final months of ministry, as well as the writings of the apostles. In Matthew 24:3-14, Jesus is with His disciples on the Mount of Olives, just east of Jerusalem across the Kidron Valley. They are filled with questions and He graciously responds to their concerns.
What Gives World Missions Its Urgency?
Christians often speak about the importance of evangelism, both at home and around the world. Our churches send out short-term teams to other nations to share the Gospel, as well as recruit those who stay behind to pray and give financially. But what gives this crucial mission its urgency?
In Matthew 24 and 25, Jesus reminded us that our evangelistic efforts have a deadline. Often, Christians forget their eternity is at stake. Jesus urges us, the workers in God’s field, to get busy harvesting the world for Christ. Because when Jesus returns, world missions will come to an end.
How Are We to Interpret World Events?
Matthew 24 opens with the disciples seeking to speak privately with Jesus. They asked him three questions because they wanted to know how they’d recognize Jesus’ return. They already know that an indefinite period of time would separate His departure and return and they knew Jesus would fulfil His promise; they just didn’t know when. Jesus responded with an answer that unfolds throughout the chapter. It includes a warning, signs to watch for, and predictable endtimes events. So how do we develop a sense of urgency for a world without Christ? First, we should recognize that the goal of history is to display God’s glory and that He stands at the centre of unfolding events. Second, we must catch a world vision by understanding that Jesus didn’t die for a certain ethnicity or country—He died for the entire world.
“How Should We Interpret God’s Calendar?” is from Chuck Swindoll’s series Questions Christians Ask. You can stream this message online anytime at insightforliving.ca/audiolibrary.
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