NUMBER EIGHT, 2019
In this issue 3
The Legal Swamp
6
Getting Past Guilt: Overcoming Barriers to Feeling Forgiven
charles r. swindoll
insight for living ministries
11 How to Deal with Sin
tori matthys
Q&A 13 What Does the Bible Say about Organ Donation?
steve johnson
Beyond the Broadcast 15 Your Smile Increases Your Face Value
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 Legal Swamp by charles r. swindoll
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aw never fails to turn me off. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that I don’t think we need it...it’s just that it leaves me cold. It frowns and demands. It requires and warns and threatens. With a grim glare, it dares us to forget its rules or even think about disobeying its regulations. I know, I know. It protects us. It gives us recourse when we’ve been assaulted or abused. It’s the ultimate big stick we can wave in the face of an adversary. “I’ll sue!” has therefore become our favourite
national slogan, which fits perfectly into our me-ism society. “I’ve got my rights.” “I’ve got it coming to me.” “I don’t have to take that from you.” Those are the overused words of our overkill generation. Parents are now being sued by their children. Teachers are being sued by their pupils. Coaches are being sued by their players. Spouses are being sued by their partners, and it isn’t limited to unbelievers. Christians are now neck deep in
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the legal swamp. Christian neighbours sue Even if we win the case, we don’t walk each other. Christian faculty members are away humble and grateful. We walk away now filing suit against the administrations proud—and even bitter. Why? Because we of Christian schools. Churches not only sue “got what we had coming to us...we got what one another, congregations now sue their we deserved.” pastors—and vice versa. Parishioners who It occurred to me (thanks to an insighthave complaints about the counselling ful message I once heard from my friend they received from their ministers are turn- Ray Stedman) that when people receive ing to the courts to voice their anger and to what they deserve, they are robbed of the seek a financial settlement. joy of gratitude. Instead of being humbly Yes, brothers and sisters in the family thankful, they are either resentful that of God are actually pressing charges and they didn’t get more (or they didn’t get it demanding their rights...sometimes to sooner) or they are arrogant because they the exclusion of any attempt to reconcile got their way. And have you noticed? Joy is face to face. You’d think absent. From start to finDo you know what 1 Corinthians 6:1–8 is ish the process is a grim, either written in hiero- process God prefers? bitter, analytical battle glyphics or is no longer Have you considered of wills. And even when considered part of the lately what He says it ends—the offence biblical text. is still there. Unsmilabout the right way to ing, un-touching, and Don’t think I’m naive resolve our disputes? unyielding, each side eno ugh to be lieve we Christians don’t Do you want to know walks away. Momentary need law or that we His plan for healing mirth may occur as the never have reason to “spoils of victory” are offences? complain...or that I’m divided, but while the blinded to the fact that there are rip-off con head swells, the heart hardens. artists—wolves in sheep’s clothing—who Do you know what process God prefers? prey on and exploit flocks. We must be Have you considered lately what He says discerning, alert, ever mindful that human about the right way to resolve our disputes? depravity must be held in check, and on Do you want to know His plan for healing occasion it must be exposed. But the way offences? Allow me: we go about it, the spirit with which we Does any one of you, when he has a handle our conflicts, the attitudes we case against his neighbor, dare to go exhibit while working through the process to law before the unrighteous and not of reconciliation are crucial...that is where before the saints?... So if you have law our Christianity is often hung out to dry. courts dealing with matters of this And that is where we have an opportunity life, do you appoint them as judges to exhibit the astounding grace of Christ. who are of no account in the church? What’s worse is that we choose to press I say this to your shame. Is it so, that the issue from a strictly legal standpoint. there is not among you one wise man
who will be able to decide between his brethren, but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers? Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? On the contrary, you yourselves wrong and defraud. You do this even to your brethren. (1 Corinthians 6:1, 4–8 NASB) Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. (Romans 12:14–19) Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be
kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:31–32) What a radical approach, but what a superior plan! Now it won’t come naturally, nor can it be implemented with a stubborn will and a proud spirit. Unselfishness must prevail on both sides...a willingness to listen, to negotiate, to yield, to confess, to forgive, to submit, to release, to forget, then to go on. Really, to allow the other person to have something he or she does not deserve. Tough, huh? But, you see, that’s what brings about the joy of gratitude...receiving what we don’t deserve. When that happens, humility replaces pride. A thankful spirit cancels out arrogance. Mercy flies in the face of resentment. Rights are much less important in light of a healed relationship. Why? Simply because somebody received what wasn’t deserved. It’s called grace. Excerpted from Come Before Winter and Share My Hope, Copyright © 1985, 1994 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.
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uritan minister Richard Baxter warned about the emotional toll of carrying unnecessary guilt: “That sorrow, even for sin, may be overmuch. That overmuch sorrow swalloweth one up.”¹ In his wonderful old English, Reverend Baxter captured the feelings of people who have not experienced forgiveness. Grief over past sins plunges them into a depth of sorrow. Guilt swallows them up, and they feel as if they are drowning. As believers, many of us understand intellectually what it means to be forgiven. We know that Christ’s death atones for our sins. By placing our faith in Him, we are saved into an eternal relationship with our Lord that never changes. Even though we may still sin after becoming a Christian, we know that when we turn to the Lord with a repentant heart, confessing our sin to Him, He washes our sin away. First John tells us that when we confess our sin, God “is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 NASB). Yet sometimes, people discover that they are unable to find that feeling of reconciliation with God. No matter how often they confess and after doing all that they can to make reparation for their sin, they still feel as if they cannot be forgiven. It may seem like their sins—things like divorce, abortion, or adultery—are beyond God’s
forgiveness. They continue to carry the burden of their guilt along with them each day, weighed down by a feeling of permanent distance in their relationship with the Lord. Perhaps the waters of guilt have washed over you, and you feel like you are sinking in sorrow and regret. What could be preventing you from moving beyond your past and feeling forgiven? I have observed five mistaken ways of thinking that are common among those who struggle with past sins. Crossing over these thought “barriers” is the first step on the road to feeling forgiven...and free. Barrier #1: “What I have done is too bad. I know that God is forgiving, but I cannot be forgiven for this.” This barrier ensnares many sincere believers because it gives such a strong appearance of sadness over sin. It feels like a righteous response; we don’t want to downplay the gravity of our sin. Yet an honest look at the above statement shows that it is not really humble nor is it true. In effect, it implies that Christ’s death was not enough to pay for all sin. It is as though we are saying, “Maybe His atonement covers the sins of the rest of the world. But Jesus’ death cannot cover this.” We have made our particular sin out to be uniquely bad and Christ’s payment to be inadequate. What a far cry this is from the truth! If our sin is an exception to God’s forgiveness, then
Again, this seems like a very righteous Scripture lies because it declares, “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be response. It seems flippant to simply accept God’s forgiveness and “dismiss” saved” (Acts 2:21). No exceptions! The truth is that our sin is no worse (and our sin. Intellectually, we may know that no better) than the rest of humanity’s. All Christ’s death is enough to pay for our sin is evil in the Lord’s sight. Yet Christ’s sins, but that doesn’t matter. We know death is sufficient (see Colossians 1:20–21; how wrong we were—too wrong to be let Hebrews 7:24–25). It is more than enough— off the hook so easily. Yet as we look closely at this thought many, many times over—to cover all the wrong we’ve ever done and will ever do. No barrier, we realize this response is not righteous. Just the opposite. By saying that we sin is beyond God’s forgiveness. Barrier #2: “I must punish myself for cannot forgive ourselves, we elevate our judgment above the Lord’s. We think that my sins in order to be forgiven.” We have a natural desire to pay for we know better than He does; He might be our sins. Logically, we understand that quick to forgive, but we are not so simple. Yet what right do we have wrong actions deserve Perhaps the waters of to hang onto something punishment, and we guilt have washed over that God released? Do we may feel an odd sense think He doesn’t know of satisfaction in being you, and you feel like every sordid detail of punished (or punishing you are sinking in sorrow every sin? Are we wiser ourselves!) for our sins. and regret. What could than He? If He has forOur feelings of guilt and be preventing you from gotten it, why would we rejection become the penance for our sin to moving beyond your past think that it is more honourable to hold on to it? win back God’s favour. and feeling forgiven? Seen in this light, the It is true that our sins deserve terrible punishment—which folly of this barrier is much clearer. ScripChrist endured for us. It is not true that ture never tells us to forgive ourselves. we must add our own punishment to When we try to “forgive” ourselves, we Christ’s. Personal pain adds no atoning are attempting the impossible. Forgivevalue to Christ’s sacrifice. Our forgive- ness assumes an innocent party has been ness came at a very high cost to our Lord, wronged, and it is the job of the person who and this cost is quite sufficient to pay for has been wronged to forgive. The offending what we have done. While we must still party is the one that receives forgiveness. We are the offender; God is the one who make reparation when we have wronged another person, we must not continu- has been wronged, since our sin is rebelally torture ourselves when the Lord has lion against Him. By focusing on forgiving already forgiven us. Jesus has paid our ourselves, we have taken the spotlight off of penalty. We cannot add to Christ’s sacri- God and pointed it at us—making it doubly difficult to let go of our sin! He has forgiven fice for our sins. Barrier #3: “I know that God has us. We must simply receive that forgiveness forgiven me, but that doesn't matter. I and rest in it. That means releasing those sins we want to hold on to, refusing to revisit cannot forgive myself.”
them in our minds, and allowing the truth of our forgiveness to cover us with His peace. Absolution from the Lord is far more powerful than absolution from oneself. Barrier #4: “Because I am still suffering the effects from my sin, God must not have forgiven me yet.” It is easy to confuse natural consequences with God’s punishment; however, they are different. If you jump from a lofty ledge, you may sprain your ankle. God did not cause your ankle to twist to punish you. Gravity drew you back to the earth’s surface (and quickly!). Your pain was simply a consequence of your action. In the same way, sins for which we have been forgiven long ago may still have consequences in our lives. An ex-spouse may be difficult to get along with. We may grieve on the due date of the baby that was aborted. We may suffer injuries from the accident that occurred while we were drinking. Yet none of these troubles represents God’s punishment. According to Romans 5:9–10, God saves us from His wrath: Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! (NIV) Our punishment has been paid in Christ. As believers, we are forgiven for our actions and precious to the Lord, even when consequences from those actions remain in our lives. Barrier #5: “God has allowed too much suffering into my life; I cannot forgive God for what He has done.” The person struggling with this last barrier has usually suffered greatly. The pain
from life’s losses can feel overwhelming, and the instinctive response may be to lash out at the Sovereign One for not stopping it. Yet when we are angry with the Lord, we cut ourselves off from the One who can truly heal our wounds. The psalmist has said, “But our God is in the heavens; / He does whatever He pleases” (Psalm 115:3 NASB). The Lord has the right to allow difficult things into our lives. In His wisdom He has chosen to wait before blotting out all pain from the earth. As a result we still suffer from the consequences of living in a fallen world, from the sins of others, and from our own sin. Ultimately we know that God’s justice will prevail. In the meantime, we may experience suffering. Some well-meaning counsellors may say that you need to “forgive God” for the things you have endured. Yet never in Scripture are we asked to forgive God. God has not wronged us. God is ultimately the only truly wronged party, as He is the only One who is truly innocent. It is we who have sinned against Him. In His graciousness, He has chosen to pay the penalty for our sins Himself and save us. If you are holding on to anger against the Lord, let His grace melt your bitterness. Only in submission to Him will you find peace. So what do we do with guilt? After we move past these thought barriers, the next step is to understand guilt from God’s perspective. What is supposed to happen when we sin? When we do something wrong, we should feel badly! That’s the purpose of our Godgiven conscience. Yet Scripture talks about two kinds of guilt or sorrow over sin, one we should pursue, and one we must avoid. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but
In trusting and repentance, there is rest. In our struggle through the hurts and pains of life, we must cling with all our heart to Scripture's teachings on forgiveness. Real forgiveness is available to all people—a forgiveness that satisfies our deepest longing to be cleansed inside and out. Through Christ, all of our sins have been paid for. God’s plan is that our sorrow—or guilt—over our sin would return our heart to Him. He desires that we turn from that sin, ask forgiveness—both from Him and from those we hurt—make reparation when possible, and then walk on with Him. We must let go of that sin, leaving no regret behind as we continue on with our Lord. May you find the strength and the peace of the Lord today through both the reality of and the experience of His forgiveness. 1. Baxter, Richard. "What are the Best Preservatives against Melancholy and Overmuch Sorrow?" In Puritan Sermons 1659-1689, Being the Morning Exercises at Cripplegate. 6 vols. Edited by James Nichols. Wheaton: Richard Owen Roberts, 1981, 3:253. Copyright © 2004 by Insight for Living. All rights reserved worldwide.
Insight for Living Canada began over 30 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
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the sorrow of the world produces death. (2 Corinthians 7:10) Godly sorrow and worldly sorrow. The first one leads to life, but the latter shoves us into a spiritual grave. Worldly sorrow only bemoans getting caught or weeps for what was lost. It never grieves for the wrong committed. Godly sorrow produces different results. When we experience godly sorrow, we are deeply grieved for the wrong we committed. We desire to ask forgiveness, to repair the damage, to make reparation for the harm done; not merely to protect ourselves from pain or regain what we didn’t want to give up. In a word, we repent. Repentance is turning away from sin and turning back to God. True guilt gets us up on our feet and motivates us to do the right thing. But notice the middle part of the passage above, because it’s easy to miss. Godly sorrow...leaves no regret. We are not to be like broken records, skipping back to an old sin over and over again, but we are to move forward with the Lord. Imagine if Paul had continually relived his terrible past—he pursued and imprisoned Christians! If he had hung on to his sins, he certainly wouldn’t have been the powerful minister we find in Scripture (see 1 Timothy 1:12–16).
HOW TO DEAL WITH SIN by tori mat thys
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f you’ve ever tried to weed an overgrown our ability to experience God in abungarden, you know how challenging it dance, or even feel His presence. Just as can be to fully remove those unwanted, it is vital to remove the root in order to prolific plants from your once blooming ensure that the weed will not just grow oasis. In order to eradicate weeds, you back, it is essential to bring light to the must dig deep—depending on the size and source of our sin and allow the Holy Spirit to sanctify our hearts, species of said weed—in removing sin’s roots. order to reach the root. The vivid imagery of Hebrews 12:1–2 says, Removing the root, not healthy plants being “Therefore, since we are just the topical weed, is essential if you want per- entangled and choked surrounded by such out by thorn bushes, a great cloud of witmanent elimination. As my family and I reminded me of sin. nesses, let us throw off everything that hinders prepared for my wedding this summer on our farm, we spent a lot and the sin that so easily entangles. And of time cleaning up the abundant weeds let us run with perseverance the race around the property. One day, my fiancé marked out for us, fixing our eyes on and I were working in a garden overgrown Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” with thick and dense thorn bushes. As (NIV). It is when we take our eyes off the we cut, hacked, and dug out the weeds I cross, and what Christ accomplished on was struck and, to be quite honest, over- our behalf, that we fall prey to sin’s snare. whelmed by the significance of this seemly We become entangled in the weeds of life and lose sight of the grace freely offered trivial chore. The vivid imagery of healthy plants to us by our Saviour. So, the next time you are stuck with the being entangled and choked out by thorn bushes, reminded me of sin. Sin, left task of weeding your garden, think about unattended, will subtly and quickly creep that! into your life—especially if you are not regularly spending time with the Lord in prayer or reading His Word. Similar Tori Matthys is the media assistant at Insight for Living Canada. to how weeds spring up and choke out healthy plants nearby, sin will quickly, and without our notice, begin to hinder
LASZOK QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FRAGEN UND ANTWORTEN QUESTIONS ET RÉPONSES VRAGEN EN ANTWOO EGUNTAS Y RESPUESTAS CEISTEANNA AGUS FREAGRAÍ 问题和解答 DOMANDE E RISPOSTE ਸਵਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਜਵਾਬ пита повіді PYTANIA I ODPOWIEDZI MGA TANONG AT MGA SAGOT вопросы и ответы PERGUNTAS E RESPOSTAS CWESTIY ATEBION SPØRSMÅL OG SVAR FRÅGOR OCH SVAR KÉRDÉSEK ÉS VÁLASZOK QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FRAGEN TWORTEN QUESTIONS ET RÉPONSES VRAGEN EN ANTWOORDEN PREGUNTAS Y RESPUESTAS CEISTEANNA AGUS AÍ 问题和解答 DOMANDE E RISPOSTE ਸਵਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਜਵਾਬ питання та відповіді PYTANIA I ODPOWIEDZI MGA TANONG AT GOT вопросы и ответы PERGUNTAS E RESPOSTAS CWESTIYNAU AC ATEBION SPØRSMÅL OG SVAR FRÅGOR OCH RDÉSEK ÉS VÁLASZOK QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FRAGEN UND ANTWORTEN QUESTIONS ET RÉPONSES VRAG TWOORDEN PREGUNTAS Y RESPUESTAS CEISTEANNA AGUS FREAGRAÍ 问题和解答 DOMANDE E RISPOSTE ਸਵਾਲ тання та відповіді PYTANIA I ODPOWIEDZI MGA TANONG AT MGA SAGOT вопросы и ответы PERGUNTAS E RESPO ESTIYNAU AC ATEBION SPØRSMÅL OG SVAR FRÅGOR OCH SVAR KÉRDÉSEK ÉS VÁLASZOK QUESTIONS AND ANS AGEN UND ANTWORTEN QUESTIONS ET RÉPONSES VRAGEN EN ANTWOORDEN PREGUNTAS Y RESPUESTAS CEISTEA US FREAGRAÍ 问题和解答 DOMANDE E RISPOSTE ਸਵਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਜਵਾਬ питання та відповіді PYTANIA I ODPOWIEDZ NONG AT MGA SAGOT вопросы и ответы PERGUNTAS E RESPOSTAS CWESTIYNAU AC ATEBION SPØRSMÅL O QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FRAGEN UND ANTWORTEN QUEST ÅGOR OCH SVAR KÉRDÉSEK ÉS VÁLASZOK PONSES VRAGEN EN ANTWOORDEN PREGUNTAS Y RESPUESTAS by steve johnson CEISTEANNA AGUS FREAGRAÍ 问 答 DOMANDE E RISPOSTE ਸਵਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਜਵਾਬ питання та відповіді PYTANIA I ODPOWIEDZI MGA TANONG AT MGA просы и ответы PERGUNTAS E RESPOSTAS CWESTIYNAU AC ATEBION SPØRSMÅL OG SVAR FRÅGOR OCH SVAR KÉRD VÁLASZOK QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FRAGEN UND ANTWORTEN QUESTIONS ET RÉPONSES VRAGEN EN ANTWOOR EGUNTAS Y RESPUESTAS CEISTEANNA AGUS FREAGRAÍ 问题和解答 DOMANDE E RISPOSTE ਸਵਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਜਵਾਬ пита повіді PYTANIA I ODPOWIEDZI MGA TANONG AT MGA SAGOT вопросы и ответы PERGUNTAS E RESPOSTAS CWESTIY ATEBION SPØRSMÅL OG SVAR FRÅGOR OCH SVAR KÉRDÉSEK ÉS VÁLASZOK QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FRAGEN TWORTEN QUESTIONS ET RÉPONSES VRAGEN EN ANTWOORDEN PREGUNTAS Y RESPUESTAS CEISTEANNA AGUS AÍ 问题和解答 DOMANDE E RISPOSTE ਸਵਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਜਵਾਬ питання та відповіді PYTANIA I ODPOWIEDZI MGA TANONG AT GOT вопросы и ответы PERGUNTAS E RESPOSTAS CWESTIYNAU AC ATEBION SPØRSMÅL OG SVAR FRÅGOR OCH RDÉSEK ÉS VÁLASZOK
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT ORGAN DONATION?
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ince organ donation was not done in Bible times, the Bible says nothing about it. So, we find some Christians in favour and some against it as they try to decide how to answer this question by applying biblical principles. Some who oppose post-mortem organ donation believe it violates biblical teaching related to the resurrection of the body, self-mutilation, prolonging life, and natural order. They believe a body will be necessary at the resurrection. But 1 Corinthians 15:35–49 indicates there is a huge difference between the physical body at death, which may be buried or disposed of in various ways, and the spiritual body of the resurrection. Some in favour see organ donation as an act of compassion providing life and health to someone who might otherwise die. They cite passages like Galatians 6:10, “Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone— especially to those in the family of faith.” They draw the parallel to blood donations and see organ donation as simply
an extension of this practice. Some even point to the example of Jesus who gave up his body for all humanity and that “since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other” (1 John 4:11). When it comes to being a living organ donor and donating a kidney or blood or bone marrow, it is a gracious loving act. The issue becomes more complex when it comes to donation of organs such as heart and lungs that require the death of the donor. There is nothing ethically wrong in recovering organs from the dead. But most successful organ transplants require that any prospective organs be kept alive with blood and oxygen flowing through them until they are removed from the body. This presents a troublesome dilemma because the Bible teaches it is wrong to murder (Exodus 20:13) so we cannot support the termination of life in favour of organ donation. That leads us into the murky issue of when death actually occurs and the question of whether the donor is nearly
dead or clearly dead. The medical pro- of death. Unless doctors’ resort to taking fession has traditionally used cessation organs before death is declared they need of heart and lung activity to mark the to be able to declare death while the heart point of death. But medical technology continues to beat if these transplants are has progressed to a point where it is pos- to succeed. Declaring brain death while sible to sustain heart and lung activity the body is still alive meets this need. The difficulty with that declaration for days or even weeks with a respirator after a patient has irreversibly lost all is in determining the threshold beyond brain function. All major organs such as which the brain is no longer living. Cells heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys are very take hours, even days, to die so death is sensitive to loss of blood circulation. not an absolute black-and-white moment. These organs cannot be successfully To complicate things further, science is transplanted from clearly dead donors divided over the issue of consciousness after death. because to be successSince organ donation was As Christians, we ful the organs need to be alive. Because it not done in Bible times, the can support organ only takes minutes for Bible says nothing about it. donation only in those cases in which death the cells to begin to deteriorate most major organs are taken has been determined by every criterion, including complete loss of brain funcfrom a donor with a beating heart. In practice today, a donor is declared tion, rather than just by a couple criteria. brain-dead often after some form of God forbids intentional killing (James trauma such as a car accident. Once 2:10–11). So, we must carefully determine declared brain-dead, the heart contin- whether a respirator is simply oxygenatues to beat on its own and breathing is ing a corpse or sustaining a living human maintained by a machine. Then breath- being then act accordingly. Since most transplants come from ing and circulation are maintained while the organs are removed. The last thing donors who have been declared neurodisconnected from the organ is the blood logically dead, it is important that we supply. The blood is replaced by a cooled fully understand the criteria the medical preservative fluid and the organ is rushed profession is using to define brain death. to the recipient so the recipient’s blood Only when a patient is determined to be can provide what is needed to keep the irreversibly and completely brain-dead organ alive. This needs to occur within should he or she be considered a candihours. The longer it takes the less likely date for organ donation. the organ will survive. The main ethical issue with donation of Steve Johnson is the executive director at Insight for these major organs is with the declaration Living Canada.
Your Smile Increases Your Face Value
“From start to finish, Philippians is a letter that makes you smile!” - CHUCK SWINDOLL
Joy prompts healing—both physically and emotionally. What an amazing gift from the Lord is this joy, supplied to all who know Jesus as Saviour! In this poignant letter of friendship and faith, the Apostle Paul advocated for a lasting joy to undergird the life of all believers. This letter was originally addressed to a small pocket of Christians living in Philippi—a Roman colony located in Macedonia, a few miles inland from the Aegean Sea. Though writing during a time of his own house arrest, Paul urged his readers to rejoice in suffering and to trade their anxious thoughts for a sentinel of peace to guard their minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7). For the apostle, his aim was threefold: • To encourage his friends at Philippi (1:3–30) • To warn them about the dangers of false teachers and the risk of falling from their faith (3:1–4, 15–19) • To thank beloved believers for their partnership in the spread of the Gospel (4:14–16) Paul wrapped his strong arms of encouragement around the Philippian believers
in this letter of affection. And though not intended as a theological treatise, Paul’s words flowed with rich doctrinal overtones (2:1–11). In his message, Chuck makes this important interpretive statement: The great love songs of the past were written for one person, most often...yet they have stirred the hearts of millions of other lovers to whom the song was not written. So it is with these great letters. I personally think we have fallen into the wrong pattern of thinking when it comes to interpreting them (the epistles) for today. They are letters to be read, understood, and applied personally. But to think of them as treatises, needing each verb or noun or adjective dissected, is to miss the point. That is especially true of Paul’s Philippian letter. It is one to be enjoyed and appreciated not merely analyzed. You can sense Paul’s deep sentiment in his opening greeting. Thank You, Father, that in Your presence is fullness of joy and that in Your right hand are pleasures forevermore! Please do whatever needs to be done to form that joy in me by Your gracious Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, amen.
“Your Smile Increases Your Face Value” is from Chuck Swindoll’s series Laugh Again: Experience Outrageous Joy. You can stream this message online anytime at insightforliving.ca/audiolibrary.
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RESOURCES FOR LEADERS If you are in a position of leadership—and chances are good that you are—you may need to sharpen your vision for the future, strengthen your integrity, and find new sources of courage. Insight for Living Ministries, by introducing you to godly leaders of the past, is committed to encouraging you in this pursuit, as well as challenging you to grow in godliness. See our free leadership resources at insightforliving.ca/leadership