NUMBER SEVEN, 2022
In this issue 3
Things That Strangle Us
charles r. swindoll 6
E.M. Bounds
bill gemaehlich 8
What You Never Expected
colleen swindoll thompson 11
Compartmentalizing God
robyn roste Understanding Our Times 12
Materialism
steve johnson Beyond the Broadcast 14
The Hidden Secret of a Happy Life
Puzzle 15
Biblical Geography
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 © 2022 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 Centre for Christian Charities. Printed in Canada.
THINGS THAT STRANGLE US by charles r. swindoll
Cover & Article Photo: Jonny Caspari on unsplash.com
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So I returned to the Master’s story and s a communicator, Jesus was nothing short of remarkable. Without the reread it. As I did, I was rebuked for my assistance of a public address system or the short-sightedness, especially as I began comfort of beautiful music, soft seats, and to digest His follow-up explanation. For, air-conditioning, His audiences listened unlike most parables He told, Jesus went with rapt attention. And most of His teach- back over this one point by point, leaving ing occurred outside, amidst the distrac- no room for doubt or misunderstanding. First, He said, the seed represents “the tions of nature and/or the noise of busy city streets. But none of that seemed to matter. word.” I believe we’re safe in saying that “the word” refers to truth. God’s truth. When He talked, people listened. While reading through Mark’s gospel Truth for living. Life-giving words provided recently, I was drawn into the scene of for us by the Lord our God. The Scriptures, chapter 4. You remember; it’s that time yes, but also the insights, the perspective, He sat down in a little boat by the seashore and the wisdom that grow in us when the and talked about a farmer who dropped seed takes root. Second, the different soils represent seeds into the dirt. Simple story. Easy to remember, even if you’re a little kid. Same people’s varied responses to that “word.” seed, different soil. Same time of sowing, All four, please notice, “hear,” but not all reap a harvest. That’s sigbut different results. Four to The term worry is nificant. Hearing guarantees be exact. derived from the nothing. It simply means Some seeds fell beside the road...the birds gobbled old German word the seed fell: “the word” was made available. them up. wurgen, which Next, the results are directly A few seeds fell on rocky means “to choke.” related to the condition of the ground...the searing rays of the sun scorched the rootless growth and soil...not the quality of the seed. Same seed, remember, but different soil. In some it is they withered and died. Other seeds fell among thorns...which wasted, in others it soon withers, in some choked out the growth so severely there it is choked, in others it grows well. If you look closely, you’ll see that the first two was no crop to harvest. Still other seeds fell into good soil... groups lack roots. Only with the last two groups does Jesus mention fruit. bumper crop. I think it’s obvious that the first two Interestingly, Jesus closed off His brief talk with that familiar line, “He who has groups of people are without spiritual life. ears to hear, let him hear” (Mark 4:9 NASB No roots, no fruit, no growth, no change 1995). Almost as if He assumed, “You’re whatsoever. The last two have roots... gonna miss what I’m saying if you don’t let they just differ in the realm of fruit. One these things penetrate...hear them well... “becomes unfruitful,” while the other absorb their significance...don’t let any- “bears fruit thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.” The third group hears, but only the thing drown out My voice!” I kept reading, somewhat preoccupied fourth group “hears the word and accepts with my goal of completing the chapter, it,” resulting in strong, healthy growth. It’s the third group that intrigues me. only to be caught short with that “ears to These people hear everything the fourth hear” phrase again and again.
group hears. But those truths are not really accepted, allowed to take root, and grow. Instead, the thorns “choke the word and it becomes unfruitful.” Thorns that choke? What are they? Jesus, being the excellent communicator that He was, doesn’t leave us in the dark. Choking thorns are “the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things” (Mark 4:19). The term worry is derived from the old German word wurgen, which means “to choke.” Somehow, by extension, the word came to denote “mental strangulation,” and, finally, to describe the condition of being harassed with anxiety. It’s the thorns that bug us. Always growing, ready to “choke the word” right out of our minds. Take worry (I wish somebody would!). It begins as a thin stream, trickling through our minds. If entertained, it cuts a deeper channel into which other thoughts are drained. The same is true of “the deceitfulness of riches.” What a consuming passion...yet how empty, how unsatisfying! And yet we rationalize by saying they
don’t mean that much to us. Like the great heavyweight champ, Joe Louis, who smiled and said, “I don’t like money actually, but it quiets my nerves.” Yeah, sure, Joe. But the third species of thorns is the killer: “the desires for other things.” Better think that one through. It’s the picture of discontentment, the plague of pursuit: pushing, straining, stretching, relentlessly reaching, while our minds become strangled with the lie, “enough just isn’t enough,” which makes great thorn fertilizer. Ah, when will we learn? Being the great communicator that He was, the Nazarene left much of the application unsaid. He was careful not to smother His listeners, but to let each person draw his or her own specific conclusions. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Taken from Charles R. Swindoll, "Things That Strangle Us," in The Finishing Touch: Becoming God's Masterpiece (Dallas: Word, 1994), 126–28. Copyright © 1994 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.
Being Big Enough to Forgive SINGLE CD MESSAGE
SO MUCH HURT WOULD BE HEALED IF WE WOULD CHOOSE FORGIVENESS. For ordering information visit insightforliving.ca or view enclosed flyer.
E.M. BOUNDS by Bill Gemaehlich
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want to share with you one of my favourite prayer warriors, the life of Edward McKendree Bounds. E.M. Bounds was born on August 15, 1835 in Shelbyville, Missouri to Thomas and Hester Bounds. He was the fifth child, in a family of three sons and three daughters. In 1849, after Bounds lost his father to tuberculosis, he headed to California
to seek his fortune in the gold rush. After four unsuccessful years in the goldfields, he returned to study law in Hannibal, Missouri. At 19, he became the youngest practicing lawyer in the state of Missouri. By the time he was in his early 20s, the Third Great Awakening had swept across the United States. During this time, Bounds felt called to serve the Lord in
ministry and by the age of 24, completed Bounds realized more than ever before seminary training and was ordained by that this world is not home.” Toward the the Methodist Episcopal denomination. end of the war, he chose to stay and care Shortly after Bounds was ordained, for the wounded soldiers and was once the Civil War broke out in April 1861. He again taken prisoner by the Union Army. found himself caught in the middle of the The Civil War ended in April 1865. After war living in Missouri, which was a bor- having served six months in prison he der state. Bounds had recently accepted was released on June 28, 1865, by taking a position as a pastor of the Methodist an oath of loyalty to the United States. Episcopal Church South, which had split Bounds then returned to war-torn from the Northern denomination over Franklin, Missouri where he became the the issue of slavery. Union troops arrived pastor of Franklin Methodist Episcopal in the area to keep Missouri from seced- Church South, and helped the commuing from the Union. While Bounds did nity rebuild spiritually. Over the years, not set out to align with the Confederacy, Bounds served in other churches and took some historians believe he did so after on an itinerant preaching ministry across witnessing the brutality of the US. He is best known for Union soldiers who unjustly He is best known his deep abiding love for God hanged 10 men. Although and his immense heart for for his deep Bounds did not support prayer. For Bounds, prayer abiding love slavery, he was arrested by was as natural as breaththe Union army as a Confed- for God and his ing. He said, “Prayer should erate sympathizer simply immense heart not be regarded as a duty because he was the pastor of which must be performed, for prayer. a church that contained the but rather as a privilege to word “South.” While in prison he began be enjoyed, a rare delight that is always the unofficial work of being a chaplain to revealing some new beauty.” Confederate soldiers sharing with them With this in mind, may we come the hope of the Gospel. He was released together to enjoy the privilege of praying from prison a year and a half later. and delight in the beauty of our Saviour After his release, Bounds went on to as we pray for our nation, world, and the become a chaplain in the Confederate ministry of Insight for Living. States Army and chose to serve on the “Then you will call upon me and come front lines of battle with the men who and pray to me, and I will hear you.” were in the greatest need of a Saviour. (Jeremiah 29:12 ESV) Lyle Dorsett wrote in his biography about Bounds that serving as a chaplain during Bill Gemaehlich is the EVP/COO operations at the Civil War had a significant impact on Insight for Living Ministries his prayer life and ministry, “As he stood there surrounded by mass graves, devastated farmhouses, and land, and a throng of wounded and weakened fellow warriors,
by Colleen Swindoll Th o m p s o n
Article Illustration: Tori Matthys
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he opening story of the evening news provides us the opportunity to develop was about a parent who forgot her new ways of using our resources...[and] child in the car. The day’s temperature was by being persistent, we discover ways to 107 degrees Fahrenheit, outside of the car. overcome these problems.... The next story was about several people One day, however, we will encounter a gunned down, and the next one detailed a change or problem that seems beyond car accident that resulted in severe injuries our capacity to cope. When a problem to all parties. By then, I turned the channel. is overwhelming, or when our support We hear about crises all the time. Somesystem—within ourselves or from times we receive reports from friends and others—doesn’t work, we are thrown family about recent deaths or diseases, off balance.1 accidents, unexpected losses, divorces, Many of us are currently enduring a crifinancial hardships, and ongoing national sis. We are filled with worry, panic, pain, disasters. At other times, television news and loneliness. As adults, we must rememor Internet sites report an impending crisis ber that crisis and chaos affect others as in the economy, the weather, or our neigh- well—specifically children and adolesbourhoods. Regardless of cents. They often encounter Many of us are how often we hear about awful tragedies with very crises in general, when they currently enduring a few resources to get through happen close to home—to a crisis. We are filled the pain. As adults, we are loved one, a friend, a family with worry, panic, responsible to look out for member, or to us persontheir well-being, as well as pain, and loneliness. our own. ally—most people say, “I never expected this would happen to me, Yes, crisis changes the course of our to us, to them, or around here.” Rarely lives. But what we often forget is that the does a person expect a crisis to be per- changes can open doors to a life better than sonal; therefore, rarely are most people what would have been if the crisis had not prepared for the recovery process. happened. When we turn to our powerful In Dr. H. Norman Wright’s book titled A and sovereign God, He opens our eyes to New Guide to Crisis and Trauma Counseling: new and different opportunities, which A Practical Guide for Ministers, Counselors, creates new hope. God brings that hope by and Lay Counselors, he wrote: directing our lives to a meaningful purpose The journey through life is a series during the healing process. Sometimes we of losses, crises and, in some cases, need guidance in moving forward, in gettraumas—some are predictable and ting through that process. expected, but others are total surprises. Here are some suggestions: Some crises are developmental; some 1. Plan time for purposeful self-reflection are situational.... Being alive means that Identify your feelings; then talk with we constantly have to resolve problems. the Lord about them, seeking wisdom and Every new situation we encounter direction. Commune alone with Christ
at intervals throughout each day. Seek an older, spiritually-sound individual to assist you with your struggles. 2. Pursue healing from your losses Choose to face the losses and pain you experience. It is helpful to begin a journal, to meet with a counsellor or mentor regularly, and to document significant losses on a timeline. Allow yourself to grieve, then ask the Lord for His healing. You might also become active in a group recovery program or a related class. 3. Practice spiritual disciplines To discipline means to set in a right course or direction. In other words, set your mind on what is right, good, true, and pure. Begin with some of these ideas: meditate, recite, or memorize a passage of Scripture
that speaks of what is right and pure, of walking in wisdom, or of an attribute of God such as His sovereignty, faithfulness, goodness, righteousness, power, justice, and holiness. You could also spend time each day in prayer following the Lord’s Prayer found in Matthew 6:9–13. May these actions become rich reservoirs of restoration for you in the days ahead. 1 H. Norman Wright, A New Guide to Crisis and Trauma Counseling: A Practical Guide for Ministers, Counselors, and Lay Counselors (Ventura, Calif.: Regal, 2003), 9. Copyright © 2012 by Insight for Living Ministries. All rights reserved worldwide.
Insight for Living Canada began over 35 years ago when a Bible-study group in Vancouver decided to look into bringing Chuck Swindoll’s messages into Canada. For more visit insightforliving.ca/our-history
COMPARTMENTALIZING GOD by robyn roste
Article Image: Robert Katzki unsplash.com
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ave you ever heard the phrase "Don't take work home with you? Let’s say you’ve had a terrible day at work. If you properly separate the negative emotions resulting from your bad day from the rest of your emotions, you will leave work and arrive home happy. This is a classic example of compartmentalization—to divide your emotions in your mind and only focus on what you want to. Some of you are thinking this is quite difficult to achieve. But others are thinking you already do that. There are positive and negative consequences that go along with compartmentalization and compelling arguments for and against the practice. But the reality is, this is a coping mechanism we have all accessed at one time or another. Compartmentalization is a bit of a buzzword in North America but it isn’t a new concept. Ancient Greek philosophers spoke of compartmentalizing life into five realities: physical, mental, social, financial, and spiritual. Today’s psychologists refer to compartmentalizing as consciously separating life into compartments as a way of avoiding negative emotions. Putting all the aspects of your life into tidy little categories so you can deal with each thing at the proper time seems like a nice idea, but it doesn’t work for everything. One example is your relationship with God. Often, our tendency is to go to God when we “really need Him,” or when we’re doing something spiritual, like attending church or reading the Bible and praying. We like to give God part of us, but keep “the parts that don’t concern Him,” to ourselves. This is not biblical.
Romans 12:1 says we are meant to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. In the Old Testament, according to God’s Law, animal sacrifices were killed, cut into pieces, and placed on an altar. When Paul points out that God wants us to offer ourselves to Him he means our entire self— every compartmentalized piece of us. There’s nothing wrong with dividing up your life into pieces and sometimes emotions need to be dealt with at a later time, once you’ve gained perspective or gone for help. But know that God wants to be a part of your everyday life—not just when we need help, or on Sundays. He is concerned about every part of us and wants us to give our lives fully to Him. David’s prayer in Psalm 139:1–6 (MSG) sums it up nicely. Maybe it can be your prayer too: God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand. I'm an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I'm thinking. You know when I leave and when I get back; I'm never out of your sight. You know everything I'm going to say before I start the first sentence. I look behind me and you're there, then up ahead and you're there, too— your reassuring presence, coming and going. This is too much, too wonderful— I can't take it all in! Robyn Roste is the communications director at Insight for Living Canada.
MATERIALISM
by steve johnson
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ou and I are material beings in a material world. Every day we fill our senses with that which is physical, earthly, and perceptible. It’s hard for us immersed in this physical world not to be focused primarily on the material things around us. That’s basically what materialists do. To them there’s no such thing as the supernatural and nothing can exist unless it is comprised of physical components. They even go so far as to say there is no God or afterlife. If you believe that then it’s understandable why you would attach importance only to this life, and desire to possess a lot of material things. You’d believe the message of consumerism that your security, wellbeing, and happiness depend on obtaining that which is newer, better, or more. That this is what life is all about. Whoever dies with the most toys wins!
Many Christians would deny that they are materialists because they say they believe in spiritual realities. Yet they live as though material things and physical comforts are of utmost value and importance. They talk of heaven but strive for earthly things. Some have even developed a theology, which says God wants you rich and that being rich and having lots of things are signs of God’s blessing! To summarize Scripture, the issue is not that possessions are wrong. It’s our attitude toward them. It is the LOVE of money and things that Scripture condemns. Anything we trust in besides God is an idol. So here we are—Christians alive spiritually but trying not to succumb to the materialism and consumerism of the world. How do we do that? Adoption—Personally embrace biblical values 1. God’s presence
Our true security is God’s presence, not but because He didn’t want our money to money. “Don’t love money; be satisfied have us. “Teach those who are rich in this with what you have. For God has said, “I world not to be proud and not to trust in will never fail you. I will never abandon you" their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us (Hebrews 13:5). all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to 2. Godliness Godliness and contentment make us use their money to do good. They should be wealthier than gold and consumption. rich in good works and generous to those “Yet true godliness with contentment is in need, always being ready to share with itself great wealth. After all, we brought others. By doing this they will be storing nothing with us when we came into the up their treasure as a good foundation for world, and we can’t take anything with us the future so that they may experience true when we leave it. So if we have enough food life” (1 Timothy 6:17–19). In other words, and clothing, let us be content. But people we can’t take it with us when we die, but who long to be rich fall into temptation and through generosity we can send it on ahead. are trapped by many foolish and harmful Accumul ation— Change your spending desires that plunge them Understand the differinto ruin and destruction. Many Christians ence between your needs For the love of money is the would deny that and wants. Before you go root of all kinds of evil. And they are materialists out and buy that next thing, some people, craving money, because they say pause. Ask, “is it necessary?” have wandered from the Reduce your exposure true faith and pierced themthey believe in to advertising. Advertisselves with many sorrows” (1 spiritual realities. ing is based on creating Timothy 6:6–10). discontent so you will buy more. Reduce 3. The Kingdom “Seek the Kingdom of God above all it by using ad blockers when you’re browselse, and live righteously, and he will give ing online. Unsubscribe to emails that are you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33). overly promotional. Hit the mute button Materialism strangles the Word and its when commercials play on television. Stop recreational shopping. Remember fruit in our lives. “The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s there will always be another good deal. The final word on materialism is Jesus’ word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and question, “And what do you benefit if you the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced” gain the whole world but lose your own (Matthew 13:22). Don’t “worry about every- soul? Is anything worth more than your day life—whether you have enough food soul?” (Matthew 16:26). and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more Steve Johnson is the executive director at Insight for than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25). Living Canada. Action—Give generously Generosity is the biblical antidote to materialism. God commanded us to be generous not because He wanted our money,
“Let’s start with a one-question quiz: ‘Can you name the most Christlike attitude on earth?’” — CHUCK SWINDOLL
The Hidden Secret of a Happy Life
Early on in his letter to the Philippians, Paul stated his credo: “For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better” (Philippians 1:21). Paul lived his post-conversion life with that credo guiding everything he did. As he wrote to the Christians at Philippi, he developed for them a theology of surrender fuelled by one overarching, Christlike attitude: humility. We’ll see that attitude literally in the flesh since Paul beautifully expounded the wondrous, albeit mysterious, incarnation of Jesus—God humbly “taking the form” of a servant to lead all of us to glory (2:7 NASB). Most Christians who’ve known Christ for even a few years know the uplifting portion of Paul’s letter to the Philippians that encourages prayer in place of worry, making it heaven’s antidote for an anxious spirit. Before you begin your study, ask yourself this question: What is causing me to be anxious today that I’ve yet to give to the Lord in prayer? Take all the time you need to bring your life, your family, your circumstances to God
in prayer by listing out what is making you anxious. When you do so, with thanksgiving in your heart, He promises to replace your fears and anxious woes with a perfect peace to guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6–7). How Unity Is Accomplished— Philippians 2:3–4 Paul not only exhorted the Philippian Christians to embrace the attitude of Christ, but he also showed how unity in Christ could be accomplished. He described three practical points to follow: 1. Never let selfishness or conceit motivate you 2. Regard others as more important than yourself 3. Don’t limit your attention to only your interests, but include the interests of others Father, thank You for the perfect illustration of humble obedience in the person of Jesus Christ. Form His humility in me until I am wholly and unswervingly Yours. For the glory of His name, I pray, amen.
“The Hidden Secret of a Happy Life” is from Chuck Swindoll’s series Laugh Again: Experience Outrageous Joy. You can stream this message online anytime at insightforliving.ca/audiolibrary.
Puzzle — Crossword
Biblical Geography Difficulty ● ● ○ ○
How much do you know of the locations of the Bible, where it takes place, and where biblical figures are from? Test your knowledge on this crossword. If you need some hints head toward these biblical texts: Genesis 17, 37, 45; Exodus 15; Numbers 32; Ruth 1; 1 Samuel 28; 1 Kings 18; Daniel 1; Jonah 1; Luke 2, 4; John 4, 6, 11, 19; Acts 9, 17, 28; Hebrews 12; Revelation 1.
ACROSS
1. Where Joseph was sold into slavery 3. Paul’s hometown 8. Where Jesus was crucified 10. Lands Reuben and Gad settled in (3) 11. Peter’s hometown 13. Not Nineveh 16. City built on Zion 18. Where Paul was shipwrecked 20. Israel’s slice of Egypt 21. Region of half Jews 22. Where Daniel was taken
DOWN
2. Where Paul addressed the Athenians 4. Also known as the Sea of Galilee (3) 5. City of David’s ancestors 6. Site of Paul’s conversion (2) 7. Site of Elijah’s battle of the gods (2) 9. “Bitter” rest stop for Israel 12. Where Ruth is from 14. Where Revelation is written 15. Mary and Martha lived here 17. Land promised to Abraham 19. Where Saul sought a medium
Puzzle solutions will be posted at insightforliving.ca/puzzle at a later date.
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