Insights Magazine: Issue Six, 2023

2023 ISSUE SIX

My friend, if your days have been difficult and nights have been like a tunnel, dark and long, find your comfort in God’s sovereign control and everlasting love.

Cover & Article Photo: Benmar Schmidhuber on Unsplash

How to Trust When You're Troubled

by Charles R. Swindoll

Some of you are facing what could easily be called an unsolvable problem. It’s you I hope to encourage today. Often the situations with no human answers form the basis upon which God does some of His best work.

This is illustrated beautifully in the life of Job, who, in my opinion, is a living example of unsolvable problems. Job’s biography includes a clipboard full of questions about suffering.

Is God fair? Is this situation just? What is a person to learn when going through deep waters of suffering?

In Job, we have a unique and rare look within the veil of heaven and behind the scenes on earth.

The Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.”

(Job 1:7–8 NASB1995)

What would God say about you if He were to address Satan right now and tell him about your life? “Have you considered ,” and then He calls your name. As He describes you, what would He say? With some of you, it might fit very closely to what He said about Job— “blameless and upright.”

Job’s life was a wonderful model of courageous living. Job trusted God in the good times.

Now the scene was set to determine if Job would trust God in humanly impossible situations.

The next chapter of Job’s life is a dark one. He endured loss like few have known. His home... destroyed. His family...perished. His health... ruined. His finances...wiped out. His friends... questioned his godly reputation.

In the long process of working through his questions and struggles, Job finally resolved to trust God—no matter what. He had worshipped. He had humbled himself. He had sat in silence. He finally responded to his wife, I accept what God has sent. I have accepted good, now I accept adversity. Read that once more. It is the secret of his stability.

I find three real reasons Job could respond like this. First, he looked up and was comforted by God’s sovereignty He saw more than God’s actions; he saw His heart. He accepted what God gave and took away. He saw God’s sovereign love, and he said to his wife, Should we not receive both without question?

Job also looked ahead and was reminded of God’s promise In chapter 19, Job said, “I know that my Redeemer lives, And at the last He will take His stand on the earth.” (19:25)

Job was reminded of God’s promise that at the end all will be made right. Looking ahead, he felt spurred on.

Lastly, Job looked within and was shaped by God’s instruction. Job 42:6 states that he looked at

his life, and he repented “in dust and ashes.” He saw that God had instructed him in his suffering and illness as in no other way. He said, in effect, “Lord, for the first time, I honestly can say, ‘I give myself to You as never before.’”

It’s a courageous thing for a believer to give themselves to a sovereign God while facing impossible situations. Perhaps that’s exactly what you need to do right now. I recall what a wise and surrendered person once prayed:

Lord, I am willing to receive what Thou givest. I am willing to lack what Thou withholdest. I am willing to relinquish what Thou takest. I am willing to suffer what Thou inflictest. I am willing to be what Thou requirest. Lord, I’m willing.1

My friend, if your days have been difficult and nights have been like a tunnel, dark and long, find your comfort in God’s sovereign control and everlasting love. Your Saviour knows your breaking point. The bruising and crushing and melting you are enduring are

designed to reshape you, not ruin you. Your strength and courage increase the longer He lingers over you. Remembering Job’s secret can make all the difference.

Adapted from Charles R. Swindoll, “How to Trust When You’re Troubled,” Insights (February 2002): 1-2. Copyright © 2002 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.

1. Clark, Dougan. The Theology of Holiness, 1893. Public Domain.

Sorrow and Hope

by Charles R. Swindoll

If tears were indelible ink instead of clear fluid, all of us would be stained for life. The heartbreaking circumstances, the painful encounters with calamities, the brutal verbal blows we receive from the surgeon or an angry mate, the sudden loss of someone we simply adored, riding out the consequences of a stupid decision—ah! Such is the groan and grind of life.

At the time of this writing, there are families less than one hour away from me with no home to return to tonight. A freakish landslide swept them away like a sand castle at

high tide. Not a fire. Not an earthquake. Not even a warning tremor. Just an unheard-of sudden slippage of soil and 15 million dollars of damage...and unerasable memories. I dare you to ponder their plight for two minutes without being ripped apart inside.

A letter arrived today from Portland. Nicely typed. Carefully worded. But behind the print, bone-deep grief:

My life has been turned upside down in the last two years and God has not left me much time to catch my breath!

My husband was killed in a military plane crash in Greenland a year ago, and I have two young sons, 7 and 9, who are my responsibility alone now.

My phone rang in the middle of the night a few weeks ago. With a quivering voice the young man who chose not to identify himself began:

I have a gun. It is loaded. I plan to use it on myself tonight. Somebody told me you could help me. I don’t see any reason to keep on living and failing. Tell me why I shouldn’t kill myself. [He began to sob.] Talk to me, fast...

Dear old Joseph Parker, a fervid pulpit orator and fine pastor and author for several decades, said it well three years before he died:

There’s a broken heart in every pew. Preach to the sorrowing and you will never lack for a congregation.

Percy Bysshe Shelley was right. He personified Sorrow as a mother “with her family of Sighs.” And so she is. Stooped and weary of the monotony, yet ever bearing more children only to sigh and cry and die.

Without God—end of message. Finis. Termination of misery. Curtains. It is here humanism puts its final period. It is here philosophy takes its last bow. The only encore to death, to borrow from Robert Ingersoll’s words of horror, is:

“the echo of a wailing cry.”

But that need not be the end. Life, with all its pressures and inequities, tears and tragedies, can be lived on a level above its miseries. If it could not, Christianity has little to offer. Jesus is reduced to nothing more than an apologetic beggar at the back door with His hat in His hands and a hard-luck story you can take or leave.

No—don’t you believe it! It is upon the platform of pressure that our Lord does His best work...those times when tragedy joins hands

with calamity...when Satan and a host of demons prompt us to doubt God’s goodness and deny His justice. At such times Christ unsheathes His sword of truth, silencing the doubts and offering grace to accept, hope to continue.

Hear Him well:

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. (1 John 5:4 NASB1995)

Not a reluctant hunch. Not some fairy-tale dream...but an accomplished fact as solid as granite and twice as sure—overcoming victory claimed by faith!

Is it for everyone? No. The majority? No. Read it again. It’s only for those who are “born of God”...only God’s born-ones are the overcomers.

Does it mean, then, that we won’t have sorrow? No. It means we’ll be able to overcome it...live in His victory in spite of it. How? By faith , just as He promised. By staking my hope on the absolute assurance that He is aware of my situation. He is in charge of it...and He will give all the grace I need to sail through it, rough seas and all, one stormy day at a time.

Sorrow and her grim family of sighs may drop by for a visit, but they won’t stay long when they realize faith got there first...and doesn’t plan to leave Excerpted

IF TEARS WERE INDELIBLE INK INSTEAD OF CLEAR FLUID, ALL OF US WOULD BE STAINED FOR LIFE.

Counting the Cost and Following Through

by Robyn Roste

Acouple years ago I decided I wanted to become a morning person.

After years of battling my alarm clock and dragging myself out of bed I finally had enough. Weary from the prolonged war I proposed a truce.

But I didn’t want to be grumpy about losing the battle. Instead, I wanted to wake up each

morning and leap out of bed like it was the thing I wanted to do most.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure if it was possible. I had tried everything I could think of: going to bed earlier, waking up to music instead of an alarm, exercising more, even putting my coffee maker on auto so the aroma of

Article Photo: Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash

fresh-brewed coffee would start my day off right. While I was able to get up on time, I wasn’t happy about it and my propensity for following through was dismal.

When I began this challenge, I was enthusiastic and motivated. But after weeks of struggle and little improvement I felt discouraged and wanted to give up.

The more I thought about quitting the more Paul’s words to the Corinthians about counting the cost and following through came to my mind.

Now you should finish what you started.

Let the eagerness you showed in the beginning be matched by your giving. Give in proportion to what you have.

(2 Corinthians 8:11)

Now, this advice isn’t about getting up early and being happy about it—in fact it’s about money—but I recognized a parallel to my situation.

I’m making decisions based on my feelings

My initial idea to become a morning person was not based on emotions—I thought it would make my life better. But as I became more frustrated, my enthusiasm faded and I lost sight of my original goal.

By making excuses for why I couldn’t become a morning person I wasn’t being honest with myself. I was in effect letting myself off the hook because it got hard—I revelled in being a victim and feeling sorry for myself instead of pushing on. Paul’s words encouraged me to follow through with what I had started. There is a cost

Sure, getting up on the right side of the bed doesn’t cost me money but it does cost something. Once I really started counting the cost, I made a quick list:

What it will cost me to quit:

• I will miss sunrises, quiet reflection, and time to organize my thoughts for the day

• It will be easy to become lazy

• Instead of embracing the day I will resent it and be a pain to be around What I could gain by continuing:

• My days tend to go better when I get a good start

• When my attitude is positive I am more productive

• My energy level is higher when I’m not getting out of bed at the last minute

When I thought about why I wanted to become a morning person I realized it’s because I know my days go better when I have a good start, and when my days go better, I get more done. And I’m nicer. So to quit just because it’s a lot of work isn’t a good enough reason for me. Counting the cost helped me refocus and recommit to my original goal.

Starting is always easier than finishing, which is why follow through is a reflection of character. Besides, God doesn’t quit on us, so why should we give up when the going gets tough?

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. (Philippians 1:6)

I’m learning if I tell myself the truth about why I started a task and count the cost of not finishing (versus what I’ll gain from following through), it will make me that much stronger to resist the temptation to give up.

Robyn Roste is the communications director at Insight for Living Canada.

STARTING IS ALWAYS EASIER THAN FINISHING, WHICH IS WHY FOLLOW THROUGH IS A REFLECTION OF CHARACTER.

Robert Murray M’Cheyne

by Bill Gemaehlich

Afriend recently gave me the book, An AllSurpassing Fellowship, which is an introduction to the spiritual life of Robert Murray M’Cheyne. I think that you will find the short life of R.M. M’Cheyne is extraordinary.

M’Cheyne was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on May 21, 1813, the youngest child of five children. He grew up in a family with high moral standards, but according to him was “devoid of God.”

Being academically inclined, M’Cheyne began high school at the age of eight, and at

age 14 he went on to study at the University of Edinburgh. Then in 1831, his beloved brother David died. However, through this tragedy he found the love of Christ. Four months later, M’Cheyne enrolled in the Divinity Hall of Edinburgh University. After completing his studies, he went on to pastor the church in Dundee, Scotland for six years. At the age of 29, M’Cheyne died from typhus fever.

M’Cheyne is best known for his close walk with the Lord and his passion for evangelism.

THE BIBLE WAS WHERE M’CHEYNE BEGAN HIS DAILY FELLOWSHIP WITH THE LORD AND IT WAS HIS SUSTENANCE FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH.

He realized the importance of understanding the Gospel, which was evident in his sermons, conversations, and intense prayer life. M’Cheyne delighted in God’s Word and wrote in his memoir, “All my ideas of peace and joy are linked in with my Bible, and I not give the hours of secret converse with it for all the other hours I spend in this world.”1

The Bible was where M’Cheyne began his daily fellowship with the Lord and it was his sustenance for spiritual growth. So strong was his desire for people to know how to study the Bible more effectively, three months before he died, M’Cheyne provided the members of his church with a daily Bible reading plan that is still used today.

With all that is happening in our world, the importance of knowing and sharing the Gospel is a top priority. I find that learning about M’Cheyene’s prayer life and his extraordinary dependence on the Lord inspiring. Here is a portion of one of my favourite M’Cheyne poems: When Israel knew not where to go, God made the fiery pillar glow; By night, by day, above the camp

It led the way—their guiding lamp;

Such is Thy holy word to me

In day of dark perplexity. When devious paths before me spread, And all invite my foot to tread, I hear Thy voice behind me say—

“Believing soul, this is the way; Walk thou in it.”2

1. M’Cheyne, Robert M, Bonar, Andrew. Memoir and Remains of the Rev. Robert Murray McCheyne. W. Oliphant & Company, 1866

2. M’Cheyne, Robert M, Bonar, Andrew. “Thy Word is a Lamp Unto my Feet, and a Light Unto my Path.” Memoir and Remains of the Rev. Robert Murray McCheyne. W. Oliphant & Company, 1866, 588.

Bill Gemaehlich is the EVP/COO operations at Insight for Living Ministries

Insight for Living Canada is a registered non-profit charity. Because of this we need to fundraise, which can be distracting.

When Do I Demand My Rights and When Do I Sacrifice Them?

by Steve Johnson

Christians have two kinds of rights. As citizens of earth, there are rights we’ve bestowed on ourselves through our governments. In Canada we’ve enshrined them in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and in the Canadian Human Rights Act. We are governed by the laws of Canada.

We also have rights as citizens of heaven. When we accepted Christ, God “rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son” (Colossians 1:13). We were given freedom in Christ and a new status as citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20). We’re now governed by Christ our King and His Word is our law.

Should I, as a citizen of earth and Canada, always demand my rights or is there ever a time when as a Christian I should sacrifice my rights? Does being a citizen of heaven ever overrule my rights as an earthly citizen?

On one occasion Paul and Silas, Roman citizens, had allowed themselves to be publicly beaten without a trial. After being told they were free to leave secretly they mentioned their citizenship. They required the officials to come and apologize to them after which they didn’t leave immediately but stayed on and encouraged the believers (Acts 16:16–40).

On another occasion Paul was arrested and as he was bound and about to be whipped, he told

captors he was a Roman citizen (Acts 22:24–29). Since his right to a trial as a Roman citizen was violated, Paul invoked his right to be tried by Caesar, which was granted (Acts 25:11).

Why the difference in the exercise of rights? In the first instance, by sacrificing his rights and requiring an apology from the city officials, Paul helped provide better treatment for believers who remained in the city.

In the second instance, the Lord had appeared to Paul and told him he’d bear witness in Rome (Acts 23:11). He exercised his rights as a citizen to ensure that the purpose God had for him in preaching the Gospel in Rome would be carried out. He invoked his right of appeal for a trial as an opportunity to share the Gospel with Caesar.

The exercise of rights was different, but the motivation was the same—to further the kingdom of God. Paul wrote, “It is the opportunity to preach the Good News without charging anyone. That’s why I never demand my rights when I preach the Good News. Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ” (1 Corinthians. 9:18–19).

Jesus is the best example of sacrificing rights (Philippians 2:5–8). He gave up His divine right to glory in order to become human and redeem us. And we are told to have the same attitude.

In coming to Christ, we surrender ourselves and all our rights to Him to be subservient to the kingdom of God. Paul wrote, “For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves. If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord” (Romans 14:7–8).

In terms of our citizenship in heaven, we also have the right to our freedom in Christ.

But again, that freedom may need to be limited for the sake of the kingdom and another believer’s spiritual benefit.

In the discussion about meat offered to idols we’re taught we have the right to eat what we want (1 Corinthians 8:4–13; cf. Romans 14:14). Food is amoral. But for the sake of those whose consciences are weak or who potentially could be caused to fall back into sin, those who are stronger are to sacrifice their rights and freedoms for their sake. In 1 Corinthians 10:25–32

Paul again emphasizes the right to liberty, but we glorify God if we limit our rights for the spiritual benefit of others. When it comes to exercising our right to Christian freedom, having the right to do something does not mean we are free to do it in every circumstance, regardless of its effect on others. It should be voluntarily limited to maintain the unity of the Spirit and to not cause a weaker brother to sin by violating his conscience (Romans 14:19). Love is what limits Christian freedom.

The balance for both earthly and heavenly citizenship rights is found in our attitude and focus. Like Jesus and Paul, we’re not to have a rights-focused perspective where we always demand our rights. Instead, we are to be willing to limit our rights, with a servant-minded focus and attitude. Personal rights may be sacrificed in order to accomplish something for the kingdom of God.

Steve Johnson is the executive director at Insight for Living Canada.

SHOULD I, AS A CITIZEN OF EARTH AND CANADA, ALWAYS DEMAND MY RIGHTS OR IS THERE EVER A TIME WHEN AS A CHRISTIAN I SHOULD SACRIFICE MY RIGHTS?

Strengthening Your Grip on Discipleship

Time for a pop quiz. What is a disciple?

a. Someone who has completed a 10-week Bible study course

b. A Christian leader

c. A knowledgeable Christian

d. A zealous Christian

e. A Christian who listens to spiritual CDs

Answer? None of the above. Surprised? Don’t be! Never has a word been so overused yet so misunderstood. Although the topic of discipleship has been overworked, it is an underapplied concept. We all have probably heard a lot about discipleship. But if the truth were known, most of us still are not discipling others or being discipled ourselves. Most of us are still spectators when it comes to ministry. That is not only unwise and unhealthy, it is unbiblical.

Getting to the Root:

Becoming a Learner

The Greek word for “disciple” is mathetes , which comes from the verb manthano , meaning “to learn.” A disciple is one who consistently lives by and can be identified with the teachings and points of view of his or her teacher.1 So, Jesus’ disciples, by way of extensive time spent with Him and His people,

must embody His priorities and values. In other words, a disciple has developed the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:14–16) and has been transformed into a living sacrifice by His Word (Romans 12:1–2).

Though biblical knowledge plays a crucial part in our faith, we must remember that discipleship is relational. Disciples not only learn about their Master, they grow closer to Him. We must spend time with our Master, as well as with other believers who are more mature and who can teach what it means to follow Christ. And we should take time to teach younger Christians what we have learned from walking through trials, tests, and joys with our Saviour.

Do you feel that you know Jesus Christ better now than you did when you started your spiritual journey? Or has your walk come to a standstill? Do you prioritize time with Jesus over other important things in your life?

1. Frederick William Danker, ed., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 609, 615.

“Strengthening Your Grip on Discipleship” is from Chuck Swindoll’s series Strengthening Your Grip. You can stream this message online anytime at insightforliving.ca/audiolibrary.

“You can come to church, sit, leave, and NEVER be impacted by another life. That’s tragic, you know?”

—Pastor Charles R. Swindoll

Difficulty

The book of Jude is one of the shortest books in all of the Bible. This crossword provides hints pulled directly from its 25 verses (NIV). If you would like an extra challenge, read through this short book several times and then try to solve the puzzle without referring back to it. Or try to solve it using a different translation than the one used to create it!

ACROSS:

4. The Lord you

5. those who did not believe

7. Show , mixed with fear

9. Do not have (x2)

12. Snatching them from the

15. , the seventh from Adam

16. People whatever they do not understand

18. These people are grumblers and

19. Entrusted to God’s (x2)

21. These are the people who (x2)

DOWN:

1. Mercy, and love be yours

2. all of them

3. for Jesus Christ

6. Able to keep you from

8. They have taken the way of

10. A license for

11. of Jesus Christ

13. Bound with chains

14. The we share

16. who feed only themselves

17. Be merciful to those who

20. Delivered his people out of

Please join us in shining the light of God’s hope across Canada by sending a generous financial gift today. insightforliving.ca/donate