NUMBER SEVEN, 2019
In this issue 3
The Problem with Progress
6
How Firm Is Your Foundation?
charles r. swindoll
insight for living ministries
10 Why Not Canada?
bob kuhn
Q&A 13 What is the Role of Government According to the Bible?
steve johnson
Beyond the Broadcast 15 A Leader—From the Knees Up!
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 Š 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.
THE PROBLEM WITH PROGRESS by charles r. swindoll
Cover & Article Photo: Tobias Jelskov on unsplash.com
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rogress seems like a two-headed students majoring in systematic theology giant, doesn’t it? to a firebrand like John Knox? Or tell me, Looking back on it, it is admirable, how would an emotionally charged free almost heroic. We salute visionaries of yes- spirit like Ludwig van Beethoven fit the teryear. They emerge from the pages of our stuffy chair of any university’s department history books as men and women of gallant of music? And who today would choose to faith. We shake our heads in amazement as go into battle with a blood-n-guts, straightwe imagine the herculean courage it took shooting commanding officer like George to stand so confidently when the majority Patton or “Howlin’ Mad” Smith? For that frowned so sternly. Yesterday’s progress matter, how many votes would a crusty, outearns for itself today’s monuments of stone. spoken, overweight visionary like Winston Looking back, we laud those who refused Churchill...or the rugged Andrew Jackson to take no for an answer. We quote them get in our day of slick government and with gusto. We even name our children touch-me-not bureaucrats and politicians? after them. You think we’d respect their progressiveBut today? What do we do with such ness and value their vision? Don’t bet on it. creatures today? We brand them as irritat- People didn’t in their day. ing malcontents, reckless idealists who I came across a rather remarkable letter simply won’t sit down and be quiet. Today’s purportedly written over 150 years ago by progressive dreamers Martin Van Buren to Mavericks who don’t are seen as permissive, President Andrew wild-eyed extremists. colour within the lines Jackson. The conNot showing much tents? A strong, critiare also notorious corporate promise cal warning that the for not staying within “evil” new railroads (since they hate the the fences. And that status quo mould), would disrupt busimost of them have ness, boost unemploymakes folks terribly a tough time going ment, and weaken our uncomfortable. along with the system. nation’s defence. HisThey in fact loathe the system. But what torians may debate the authenticity of this they lack in diplomacy they make up for little epistle, but see if the underlying tone in persistence. Co-operative they’re not. doesn’t sound vaguely familiar. Resilient they are. Give most of them a January 31, 1829 couple hundred years and they’ll be virtuTo: President Jackson, ally knighted. But at the present moment, The canal system of this country is being they seem nuts. threatened by the spread of a new form I can scarcely think of a half dozen of transportation known as “railroads.” churches today, for example, that would The federal government must preserve so much as consider having Martin Luther the canals for the following reasons: candidate for the pulpit. It’s doubtful that One. If canal boats are supplanted by very many of you in business would hire “railroads,” serious unemployment will Thomas Edison or Leonardo da Vinci into result. Captains, cooks, drivers, hostlers, your company. And which evangelical repairmen and lock tenders will be left seminary would chance turning over its without means of livelihood, not to
mention the numerous farmers now employed in growing hay for horses. Two. Boat builders would suffer and towline, whip and harness makers would be left destitute. Three. Canal boats are absolutely essential to the defense of the United States. In the event of the expected trouble with England, the Erie Canal would be the only means by which we could ever move the supplies so vital to waging modern war. As you may well know, Mr. President, “railroad” carriages are pulled at the enormous speed of fifteen miles per hour by “engines” which, in addition to endangering life and limb of passengers, roar and snort their way through the countryside, setting fire to crops, scaring the livestock and frightening our women and children. The Almighty certainly never intended that people should travel at such breakneck speed. Martin Van Buren Governor of New York How wildly progressive can you get? Just imagine the shock of the Almighty(!) as those iron horses began to rumble by at such “breakneck speed.” It may be amusing in our day of moon shots, Concorde jet flights to London, and intercontinental ballistic mis-
siles, but when the late Governor Van Buren dispatched that epistle in the winter of 1829, he was sober and serious as a judge. The very idea of a President even tolerating such a thought smacked of temporary insanity. Maybe the heat from Old Hickory’s “kitchen cabinet” was getting to him. Are you an eagle-type, soaring to heights beyond your peers? Do you find yourself bored with the maintenance of the machinery...yawning through the review of the rules...restless to cut a new swath...excited rather than intimidated by the risks? Don’t expect pats on the back or great waves of applause. Not today. Chances are good you’ll lose a few jobs, fail a few courses, ruffle tons of feathers, and be the subject of the town gossip. Mavericks who don’t colour within the lines are also notorious for not staying within the fences. And that makes folks terribly uncomfortable. There’s something about that old progressive giant that currently casts a shadow on your genius. But take heart! Many an alleged heretic today will be a hero tomorrow. Which is another way of saying, “first the cross, then the crown.” Excerpted from Come Before Winter and Share My Hope, Copyright © 1985, 1994 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.
How Can I Win Over Worry? SINGLE CD MESSAGE
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by insight for living ministries
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aps, cracks, and droops. Sticking doors, scraping windows, and sagging floors. If you live in a part of the world with soft soil or an extreme climate, you know about foundation problems. Unless you plant your piers on the bedrock, your house could very well shift, sink, or settle. In the same way, without digging deep to the solid foundation of sound theology, the floors of your Christian life will sag. The support beams will bow, the walls crack, and the doors stick. And if the foundation problems continue without repair, your whole Christian life can collapse. In a culture that seems to downplay the need for depth of doctrine and biblical knowledge, the solid foundation of theology has been replaced by the soft soil of emotion, experience, and pragmatism. How Faulty a Foundation Perhaps you’ve heard it from a pastor or said it yourself: “I’m no theologian. I’ve never been to seminary and don’t know any of those big words. All I know is Jesus. He’s all I need.” Others exalt “practical
living” over “theoretical theology” and emphasize “knowing God” rather than merely “knowing about Him.” But can we really have practice without theory? Can our vital relationship with Christ and vibrant Christian life really grow up without growing deep? We live in a time when theological foundations are being rocked. Both leaders and lay people have turned away from theology as an essential component of their personal faith in Christ. What’s the result? Their faith is often built on the shaky ground of personal convictions. When something new comes along that sounds better, rootless believers can easily be led astray, “tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14 NASB). How the Foundation Became Faulty Theology used to be called “the queen of the sciences.” It dictated morality and ethics while philosophy served as its handmaiden. Why was it once held in such high esteem? Because theology pro-
vides the right foundation for our world- Jesus intimately is our first pursuit (Phiviews, which in turn set the inclinations lippians 3:10), but knowing Jesus requires for our hearts, actions, and decisions in knowing about Him. Is Christ God? Is He man? Is He part man and part God? Can all circumstances. In the late Middle Ages, theology became you express and defend the biblical docdetached from the Bible and out of reach trine of Christ? How firm is your foundation? for the common people. It grew into the speculative philosophy of the university Affirming the Foundation In Ephesians 2:20 the Apostle Paul said elites. Locking theology in the closet of “scholasticism” resulted in a dysfunctional the church was “built on the foundation household of God. Laypeople were often of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus filled with superstition, uncertainty, and Himself being the corner stone.” The early church relied directly on a distorted picture of God. With the coming of the In short, we can’t grow the apostles’ and prophets’ Reformation, pastors and deep in our personal teachings about Christ and teachers like Luther and relationship with Christ exposition of the Old Testament Scriptures (Acts Calvin gave the Bible and theology back to the peo- without digging deeper 17:2–3). When the apostles in our knowledge a n d p ro p h e t s p a s s e d ple—and faith in Christ on, they left us the Bible, flourished once again.1 about Him and His which points to Christ and But something haprevelation in the Word. teaches us not only what to pened in the last hundred years. Perhaps it was in response to the believe but how to live (2 Timothy 3:16–17). In Ephesians 4, Paul described the liberal takeover of many seminaries and universities that once stood for sound doc- process for achieving a strong, healthy trine. Maybe it was under the influence of Christian life. This process begins not with popular revivalist movements that empha- personal preferences, mystical experiences, sized religious experience over learning. emotional convictions, or private devotion. Whatever the cause, many evangelicals It begins with the teaching of the apostles turned their backs on theological educa- and prophets through pastors, teachers, tion in exchange for an anti-intellectualism and evangelists (Ephesians 4:11). They work to build up believers in the church (4:12), that still lingers in the church today.2 In his timely book, The Scandal of the with the goal of leading them to maturity— Evangelical Mind, evangelical historian “the unity of the faith” and “the knowledge Mark Noll begins with these alarming of the Son of God” (4:13). Many passages in the New Testament words: “The scandal of the evangelical mind is that there is not much of an evan- regarding knowledge of God use the words gelical mind.”3 Is this where we are today? gnosko or gnosis, which can imply an intimate, Have we lost our minds? Have we dumbed personal knowledge, as in a marriage reladown the Christian faith? Sure, knowing tionship.4 But that’s not the word Paul used
in Ephesians 4:13. Instead, he used epignosis, emphasizing the intellectual aspect of knowledge that comes only by learning, studying, or receiving information.5 In short, we can’t grow deep in our personal relationship with Christ without digging deeper in our knowledge about Him and His revelation in the Word. How Firm is Your Foundation? The alarm has been sounded. We’ve heard Paul’s words and seen the pattern of history. The mission to reclaim theology—to reawaken the evangelical mind for Christ—is underway. Evangelicals are responding to the call to revive theology in the church, to repair the long-neglected foundation, to dig deep to the bedrock of the faith so we can continue growing deep in the Christian life. Let us give you an excellent example. In 2001, The Theology Program was launched at Stonebriar Community Church, where Chuck Swindoll serves as pastor. The program takes solid theological education out of the seminary and places it into the lives of average Christians. It’s a full theological program for all people who have a thirst for God’s truth. Its mission is to reclaim the mind for Christ by equipping people and churches to understand and defend the Christian faith. In the six-course curriculum, students explore all the major doctrines of systematic theology, learning to think through the issues biblically, so they can understand and defend the historic Christian faith. Through a partnership with bible.org, The Theology Program is used by churches all over the world to help strengthen theological foundations, and we highly recommend it.
So how firm is your foundation? Is your theological and biblical knowledge riddled with gaps and cracks? Is your Christian life in danger of shifting, sinking, or even collapsing? Unless you dig deep down to the solid theological foundation, you’ll never be able to grow deep in the Christian life. Will you start your own foundation repair today? Taken from Michael Patton and Michael J. Svigel, “How Firm Is Your Foundation?” Insights (November 2005), 1-2. Copyright © 2005 by Insight for Living. All rights reserved worldwide. 1 See Steven Ozment, The Age of Reform 12501550: An Intellectual and Religious History of Late Medieval and Reformation Europe (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1980), 204-222. 2 See Joel A. Carpenter, Revive Us Again: The Reawakening of American Fundamentalism (New York: Oxford University Press, 1997); George M. Marsden, Fundamentalism and American Culture: The Shaping of Twentieth-Century Evangelicalism 1870-1925 (Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 1980); Mark A. Noll, The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1994). 3 Noll, The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind, 3. 4 See Walter Bauer and others, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 2d rev. ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979), 160-162; 163-164. 5 See Walter Bauer and others, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 291.
by bob kuhn
Image: Phil Desforges on Unsplash
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t is no small feat to achieve effective communication between cultures, even if they are relatively close “cousins,” like the United States and Canada. But in 1984, Chuck and Cynthia Swindoll took the risk of building a bridge between these two countries—a bridge that has only become stronger over the past 35 years. It all started, as many of God’s stories begin, with a small group of men and women who wanted to study God’s Word in order to apply it to their lives. In this case, the group was made up of Canadians—including my wife, Renae, and me— who, in short order, were drawn by God to the sermons of Chuck Swindoll recorded on cassette tape. With these tapes, our small Bible-study group began studying, praying through, and applying the biblical truth that God brought to us when we most needed it. And of course, there was the laughter! Chuck would not preach if he could not laugh, sharing his joy and wonderful sense of humour in a way that makes the Scriptures winsome.
After a few months of listening to Chuck’s sermons on tape and discussing and applying what we had learned, our group discovered that these sermons were also available by radio, but only in the United States. Why not Canada? we thought. Thinking that a simple request might be enough, I was nominated by the study group to write a letter to the (relatively) newly minted Insight for Living Ministries (IFLM) in Fullerton, California. In my letter, I offered to help establish incorporation of a Canadian “outpost” of the ministry. Impatient for a response, I placed a call shortly after I sent my letter and was connected to one of IFLM’s vice presidents, who seemed very enthusiastic, but did not know anything about Canadian laws, demographics, or ministry potential. We offered to help by enlisting the support of several individuals who would serve as the founding members of the Insight for Living Canada Board of Directors. They included a member of Parliament, the
executive director of Focus on the Family broadcasting in other English-speaking Canada, the president of a Canada-wide countries and, ultimately, for broadcastadvertising agency, and me, a lawyer. By ing in numerous languages and cultures the end of 1984, Insight for Living Canada around the world—50 countries and was a Canadian-registered charity com- eight languages so far! Today, as Canadian Christians struggle mitted to spreading God’s Word through with increasingly a number of United Today, as Canadian secular pressures, States border stations beaming into Christians struggle with Insight for Living remains a beacon Canada. And soon, increasingly secular of trustworthy with the support of pressures, Insight interpretation and the ministry’s main for Living remains a application of God’s office in the United Word. Together, we States, we began beacon of trustworthy have built more to see Insight for interpretation and than an effective Living Canada take application of God’s Word. cross-cultural comroot and make an munication bridge between “cousins.” impact in our country’s culture. As others will share, Insight for Living We have spread the good news far beyond Canada eventually grew to become finan- what any of us in that small Bible-study cially independent. As IFLM’s first step group imagined when we asked the innoin becoming a global outreach, Canada cent question, “Why not Canada?” has become the prototype for all the ministry’s future international ventures. Bob Kuhn is the chairman of the board at Insight for Living Canada Through special events, international interaction, and testing of culturally sensitive adaptations, the Canadian ministry served first as an effective template for
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
SZOK QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FRAGEN UND ANTWORTEN QUESTIONS ET RÉPONSES VRAGEN EN ANTWOO UNTAS Y RESPUESTAS CEISTEANNA AGUS FREAGRAÍ 问题和解答 DOMANDE E RISPOSTE ਸਵਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਜਵਾਬ пита овіді PYTANIA I ODPOWIEDZI MGA TANONG AT MGA SAGOT вопросы и ответы PERGUNTAS E RESPOSTAS CWESTIY TEBION SPØRSMÅL OG SVAR FRÅGOR OCH SVAR KÉRDÉSEK ÉS VÁLASZOK QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FRAGEN WORTEN QUESTIONS ET RÉPONSES VRAGEN EN ANTWOORDEN PREGUNTAS Y RESPUESTAS CEISTEANNA AGUS 问题和解答 DOMANDE E RISPOSTE ਸਵਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਜਵਾਬ питання та відповіді PYTANIA I ODPOWIEDZI MGA TANONG AT T вопросы и ответы PERGUNTAS E RESPOSTAS CWESTIYNAU AC ATEBION SPØRSMÅL OG SVAR FRÅGOR OCH ÉSEK ÉS VÁLASZOK QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FRAGEN UND ANTWORTEN QUESTIONS ET RÉPONSES VRAG WOORDEN PREGUNTAS Y RESPUESTAS CEISTEANNA AGUS FREAGRAÍ 问题和解答 DOMANDE E RISPOSTE ਸਵਾਲ ння та відповіді PYTANIA I ODPOWIEDZI MGA TANONG AT MGA SAGOT вопросы и ответы PERGUNTAS E RESPO STIYNAU AC ATEBION SPØRSMÅL OG SVAR FRÅGOR OCH SVAR KÉRDÉSEK ÉS VÁLASZOK QUESTIONS AND ANS EN UND ANTWORTEN QUESTIONS ET RÉPONSES VRAGEN EN ANTWOORDEN PREGUNTAS Y RESPUESTAS CEISTEA FREAGRAÍ 问题和解答 DOMANDE E RISPOSTE ਸਵਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਜਵਾਬ питання та відповіді PYTANIA I ODPOWIEDZ ONG AT MGA SAGOT вопросы и ответы PERGUNTAS E RESPOSTAS CWESTIYNAU AC ATEBION SPØRSMÅL O QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FRAGEN UND ANTWORTEN QUEST OR OCH SVAR KÉRDÉSEK ÉS VÁLASZOK NSES VRAGEN EN ANTWOORDEN PREGUNTAS Y RESPUESTAS by steve johnson CEISTEANNA AGUS FREAGRAÍ 问 DOMANDE E RISPOSTE ਸਵਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਜਵਾਬ питання та відповіді PYTANIA I ODPOWIEDZI MGA TANONG AT MGA осы и ответы PERGUNTAS E RESPOSTAS CWESTIYNAU AC ATEBION SPØRSMÅL OG SVAR FRÅGOR OCH SVAR KÉRD LASZOK QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FRAGEN UND ANTWORTEN QUESTIONS ET RÉPONSES VRAGEN EN ANTWOOR UNTAS Y RESPUESTAS CEISTEANNA AGUS FREAGRAÍ 问题和解答 DOMANDE E RISPOSTE ਸਵਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਜਵਾਬ пита овіді PYTANIA I ODPOWIEDZI MGA TANONG AT MGA SAGOT вопросы и ответы PERGUNTAS E RESPOSTAS CWESTIY TEBION SPØRSMÅL OG SVAR FRÅGOR OCH SVAR KÉRDÉSEK ÉS VÁLASZOK QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FRAGEN WORTEN QUESTIONS ET RÉPONSES VRAGEN EN ANTWOORDEN PREGUNTAS Y RESPUESTAS CEISTEANNA AGUS 问题和解答 DOMANDE E RISPOSTE ਸਵਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਜਵਾਬ питання та відповіді PYTANIA I ODPOWIEDZI MGA TANONG AT T вопросы и ответы PERGUNTAS E RESPOSTAS CWESTIYNAU AC ATEBION SPØRSMÅL OG SVAR FRÅGOR OCH ÉSEK ÉS VÁLASZOK
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE?
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ccording to the Bible, “all authority established in order to secure the peace comes from God, and those in posi- so that those wishing to live peaceably tions of authority have been placed with their neighbours may do so. Civil authorities are instruments of there by God” (Romans 13:1). This means that it is God who has ordained the institu- God’s wrath on wrongdoers and for the tion of government and that the role and good of the society, have the responsibilpurpose of government is mandated by Him. ity of retribution. “The authorities are The essential role and purpose of gov- God’s servants, sent for your good. But ernment is to exercise justice. Based on if you are doing wrong, of course you the truth of the dignity of every human should be afraid, for they have the power being, justice means to give each person to punish you. They are God’s servants, that which is due and is expressed nega- sent for the very purpose of punishing tively and positively. Negatively, govern- those who do what is wrong” (Romans ment is to punish evil. Positively, it is to 13:4). The government is also to defend its promote good. Romans 13:3–7 and 1 Peter people from external or foreign threats. Because they have the right to use 2:13–14 provide the most thorough treatment of a government’s purpose. Under force and exercise retribution, authoriGod, governments are given the authority ties instil fear in doing evil. The state will to use force for the purpose of punishing never be the remedy of sin, but it must be a restrainer of evil by punishing it. evil and rewarding good. The role of government in punishing “For the authorities do not strike fear in evil stems from the fact that we live in a people who are doing right, but in those fallen world. We are all sinners with good who are doing wrong. Would you like to and bad desires. If allowed to act on these live without fear of the authorities? Do desires unchecked there would be chaos what is right, and they will honor you” and discord in society. Governments are (Romans 13:3).
The positive aspect to the role of govern- not the good of the rulers (Romans 13:4). ment is promoting good and protecting It must promote and never prevent progpeace. Peace is one of the great desires of ress toward the peace and prosperity of humanity. Jeremiah instructed the exiles the society. It is to preserve human digin Babylon to “work for the peace and pros- nity. Harm done to another person is a perity of the city where I sent you into exile. violation of human dignity. Government is to praise those who do Pray to the LORD for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare” (Jeremiah 29:7). good and encourage order by upholdAs the country goes, so goes the citizens ing the rule of law (Romans 13:3–4; 1 of the country. And Paul commanded Peter 2:14). This praise could be giving Timothy and all believers to pray for rulers special recognition to those who serve so we might live “peaceful and quiet lives” in exemplary ways or just acknowledgment for being a good (1 Timothy 2:2). The role of government citizen. The state must The role of governencourage law and ment in carrying out in carrying out justice order, never disorder justice also entails also entails passing and or lawlessness. passing and upholdupholding just laws for the It is also important ing just laws for the good of the commu- good of the community and to understand that only God is sovereign, nity and protecting protecting the needy. and the role of governthe needy. A great biblical example of injustice, and its correc- ment is limited. This is because God has tive, is found in Psalm 82:2–4: “How long not only ordained the government but will you hand down unjust decisions by also the church and the family. They have favoring the wicked? Give justice to the their own authority structures and the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of state should only interfere in exceptional the oppressed and the destitute. Rescue circumstances in order to carry out justice. Although God has ordained governthe poor and helpless; deliver them from the grasp of evil people.” However, extra ment and its purposes it does not have sensitivity to the abuse of the poor does the solutions for all the problems and not warrant prejudice in their favour. God troubles in society. Those who govern are commanded: “Do not twist justice in legal fallible people just like us needing God’s matters by favoring the poor or being wisdom just as much as we do. We will all partial to the rich and powerful. Always do well to not forget that. judge people fairly” (Leviticus 19:15). Government is to seek, serve, and pro- Steve Johnson is the executive director at Insight for mote the common good of the people, Living Canada.
A Leader—From the Knees Up!
“Do you have a problem with people? It probably won’t get resolved until you take it to God in prayer.” - CHUCK SWINDOLL Few Old Testament characters surpass Nehemiah in the potency of their leadership. God used him to motivate and direct a relatively small group of people in building a wall around the city of Jerusalem and then to establish a godly government. Nehemiah discovered Jerusalem’s desperate need and then brought it before God in prayer. It is highly significant that the first place we find this great leader is on his knees. Leadership requires prayer. As a great leader, Nehemiah responded to the needs of Jerusalem and its people with clear recognition, personal concern, an appeal to God, and availability. First, Nehemiah clearly recognized the need. Although he worked in a palace, Nehemiah did not allow his heart or mind the luxury of ivory-tower preoccupations. He was not afraid to see the real problems, especially when it came to hearing about the needs of those closest to his heart. Second, Nehemiah was personally concerned with the need. Nehemiah allowed the anguish and misery of his people to pierce his heart. And from that wound,
Nehemiah’s mourning for his people along with his passion were poured out in sonorous refrain before the Lord. Third, Nehemiah brought the need to God first. He resisted the normal temptation to pick up the conductor’s baton and orchestrate the reparation of the wall himself. Instead, he fell on his knees, beseeching the One whose place it is to conduct all the affairs of humanity and to meld their efforts into one harmonious plan. Fourth, Nehemiah was available to meet the need. With this final theme, the overture of leadership reaches its finale. Amid the climactic strains of Nehemiah’s petition (1:11), an essential leadership quality emerges—availability. But in order to be available to meet the need of rebuilding the wall, Nehemiah had to overcome a hurdle: King Artaxerxes. This brings us back to the opening premise of our study—the primary importance of prayer in leadership. Only God has the power to mould and move the heart of a king.
“A Leader—From the Knees Up!” is from Chuck Swindoll’s series Hand Me Another Brick: Timeless Lessons on Leadership. You can stream this message online anytime at insightforliving.ca/audiolibrary.
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