Insights Magazine: Issue One, 2024 by Insight for Living Canada

2024 ISSUE ONE

In this issue 3

Unearthing Our Walk with Christ charles r. swindoll

Superstition charles r. swindoll

Character Sketch 8 Abraham: Father of Many Nations insight for living canada About the Bible 10 Bible Basics: Divine Revelation steve johnson Searching the Scriptures Study 14 The Essential Ingredient for a Godly Life

Insights is published by Insight for Living Canada, the Bible-teaching ministry of Charles (Chuck) R. Swindoll. Chuck is the senior pastor-teacher of Stonebriar Community Church in Texas. His international radio program Insight for Living has aired for more than 40 years. We hope this publication will instruct, inspire, and encourage you in your walk with Christ. Copyright © 2024 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 Byeongtaek So. IFLC is an autonomous ministry and certified member of the Canadian Centre for Christian Charities. Printed in Canada.

I urge you to make this New Year a year when you and the written Word of God get much better acquainted.

Unearthing Our Walk with Christ by C h arle s R . Sw i ndol l

remind myself every New Year of the words of Socrates: “The unexamined life is not worth living.” His statement rings true because over time things tend to get complicated. We begin our Christian life with utter delight and simplicity. But as tradition, religion, and activities begin to pile up over what was originally there, the simplicity can get lost. I thought of that several times in a recent visit to the Holy Land. Frequently people come to Israel to walk where Jesus walked. And so they often ask their guide, “Did Jesus walk here?” Unscrupulous guides will say, “Oh, yes, He was in that church and He probably saw that building.” But honest guides pause and say, “Come here, let me show you something.” And they walk over to a precipice and lean over a fence, “Look down there about 25 feet,” the guide says. “Do you see those stones? Jesus may have walked there.” Then the traveller begins to realize that over the passing of centuries and the spoils of war, the sands of time have slowly covered multiple feet of the original site. Sometimes there’s a twinge of disappointment, but I always look forward to those places where we can say for sure He walked there. For example, we know He walked on the Sea of Galilee. There’s no way to build a church over that! There’s no pile of rubbish, stack of debris, or rocks for people to kiss. All the stuff of tradition and religion is conspicuously absent—it’s just water. It’s the same surface Jesus walked on. There you see the same shore where He called some of His disciples to leave

their nets and follow Him. It’s an amazing feeling to be there where they were. It’s an eyeopening thrill to see what they saw! Every time we lead a tour to Israel, we tie up a group of boats in the middle of the sea. We ask people to bring a rock on board and let it symbolize some burden they brought with them as they began the tour. After a time of worship and teaching, we say to our friends, “The burden you brought with you, let it be contained in the rock and just let it go in the sea.” It’s a great moment, as everybody sits as silent as a room full of nuns! Then you hear plunk...It’s great! And then plunk...plunk...plunk. Almost without exception, the time on the sea remains each person’s favourite part of the trip. Why? Because it’s back to the original. It’s the simple, uncomplicated place where you renew something that over the years has gotten buried. Has your walk with Christ has become buried? Time has a way of doing that (remember, time complicates things). After a series of heartbreaking experiences, overwhelming obstacles, wrong decisions, and maybe an abusive church or two, it’s easy to lose your way. That’s why we have to periodically reexamine our lives—and get back to the basics. In a world that has lost its way and in a culture that has found itself distant from truth, how helpful it is to return to the Bible’s uncomplicated command, “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith...” (Colossians 2:6–7 NASB1995). Notice the order

of Paul’s words; it’s intentional: “having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him....” We can’t grow up in the Christian life until we grow deep. And growing deep means mastering the basics. I’ve noticed a pattern in my 50-plus years of ministry. Everyone who succeeds in the Christian life succeeds in the basics. Everyone who fails has, at some point, let the basics slip. It’s easy to do. For the longest time in my life, I glibly mouthed Christian truths. But they didn’t take root until I began to spend time regularly in the Book. I’m not referring necessarily to reading a book about the Bible or good Christian materials. I’m talking about letting your eyes look on the pages of your Bible on a daily basis this New Year. When you embrace the written Word of God as your guide, you start thinking differently. And best of all, you live better. I urge you to make this New Year a year when you and the written Word of God get much better acquainted. The Scripture offers us a promise—a motivation—to unearth our walk with Christ: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands...purify your hearts...” (James 4:8). May 2024 be a year of purity for you, purer than 2014, and purer than 2004. May you finish

the year by saying, “I drew near to my Lord, and He and I had an intimacy I never knew before. I sustained periods of time through this year where I was with Him alone, and I took my deepest anxieties to Him in prayer.” I have found personally that when I’m in His Word, and when I’m faithful in prayer (even if it’s five minutes a day), I begin to grow deeper. I have discovered that the Christian life is nothing more than the life of Christ— living and growing in my life. When I draw near to God, He draws near to me. What better time than this New Year to blow the dust off the Bible and to remove the rubble that has buried your walk with Christ? Begin this year with a fresh, simple commitment to the basics—to spending time in the Word and time in prayer. One day you may soon discover the rubble gone and the debris missing, as you find yourself walking where Jesus walked. In reality, you will find yourself walking with Him.

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Superstition by C h arle s R . Sw i ndol l

he Great Plague stretched across London like a thick, drab blanket. It came as a thief in the night...unannounced, treacherous, silent. The mortality rate was astounding. Someone came up with the foolish idea that polluted air brought on the plague. So people began to carry flower petals in their pockets, superstitiously thinking the fragrance would ward off the disease. Groups of victims, if

they were able to walk, were taken outside the hospitals. Holding hands, they walked in circles around rose gardens, breathing in deeply the aroma of the blooming plants. As death came closer, another superstitious act was employed with sincerity. Many felt if the lungs could be freed from pollution, life could be sustained. So ashes were placed in a spoon and brought up near the nose, causing a hefty

sneeze or two. But nothing slowed the rag- it—and were martyred because of it. Religious ing death rate. Not until the real cause was superstition is ruthless. Before you write this off as applying to discovered—the bite of fleas from diseased anyone but yourself, take a long, hard look rats—was the plague brought in check. The awful experience gave birth to a little at your own life. The goal of superstition is song, which innocent children still sing at play. It bondage. Remember that. If anything in your was first heard from the lips of a soiled old man Christianity has you in bondage, it is probable pushing a cart in London, picking up bodies that superstition is the breeding ground. You see, our Saviour came along an alley: IF ANYTHING IN YOUR to give us the truth and Ring around the roses, CHRISTIANITY HAS set us free. Superstition, A pocket full of posies; although prompted by Ashes, ashes, we all fall YOU IN BONDAGE, IT sincerity, brings the plague down. IS PROBABLE THAT of slavery. Sincerity doesn’t Conceived in the mind SUPERSTITION IS THE liberate; Christ does. by ignorance, superstition BREEDING GROUND. You may be sincere. As cultivates insecurity and sends a legion of structural cracks through our sincere as a pocketful of petals or a spoonful of character. It feeds on exaggerated, self-made ashes or a song in the alley. But what good is a lies, which grow so thick that the boughs hide song if it’s sung to a corpse? common sense—and worse, God. You find superstition in sports. Some basketball players testify they simply cannot play the game unless they go through their Excerpted from Come Before Winter and Share strange warm-up ritual. The manager of one My Hope, Copyright © 1985, 1994 by Charles professional baseball team doesn’t dare step on R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. a white baseline. Several pro football running Used by permission. backs have superstitious “dances” that follow their touchdowns—and you’d better not try to stop them! The news media reported that one of America’s Olympic skiers stuck a four-leaf clover in her jacket pocket before she hit the slopes. Superstition enslaves many an entertainer. You wouldn’t believe the mental contortions they go through before their performances. Students are superstitious about getting good grades. Mothers are superstitious about their babies at night. Men are superstitious about their success in sales or the future of their careers. Multiplied millions are superstitious about their astrological forecast. The worst? Superstition regarding the Lord God. The Reformers were among the first to see it and call a spade a spade. They wrote of it, preached against it, publicly exposed

Abraham: Father of Many Nations by In sight for L iv ing Canada

n the Old Testament, Abraham was known as the "father of many nations” and a “friend of God.” He had a deep relationship with the Lord and followed His guidance even when he didn’t understand it! Let’s learn a bit more about this remarkable man. Name

Abraham’s original name was Abram, probably meaning, “the father is exalted.” Later after making a covenant with him (Genesis 17:5) God changed his name to Abraham, explaining it as, “you will be the father of many nations.”

Outstanding Characteristics

Faith and surrender. Summary

Abram was born in Ur, in what is now modernday Iraq, but moved toward an unknown land at God’s promise to give him a son and make him into a great nation. The land of Canaan was promised to his descendants. A famine caused him to move to Egypt where, out of fear, he lied saying his wife was his sister. When he was 85 years old and Sarai was 75, Abraham, still childless and doubting God, married his slave girl Hagar

Son of God did at Calvary. When our faith is mature, we will obey and not fear death. 3. Surrender God the Holy Spirit will show us how to live and die as we learn how to surrender whatever has us in its grip. As long as we’re owned by what we’re clutching, we’ll never be given over completely to the Holy Spirit. We need to surrender whatever or whomever we are clinging to. 4. Faith God promised Abraham that He would bless Key Scripture “At that moment the angel of the Lord called and multiply him. But for that to happen he had to be stripped of all to him from heaven, that he knew and clung ‘Abraham! Abraham!’ ABRAHAM, THE FATHER to—homeland and fam‘Yes,’ Abraham replied. OF MANY NATIONS ily—and live as a stranger ‘Here I am!’ ‘Don’t lay a AND FATHER OF THE in Canaan. He had to be hand on the boy!’ the FAITHFUL, TEACHES brought to the end of angel said. “Do not hurt US THROUGH HIS his and his wife’s natural him in any way, for now LIFE STORY HOW TO ability to conceive. And I know that you truly SACRIFICE, OBEY, even then, when God fear God. You have not SURRENDER, WALK IN gave them Isaac, He asked withheld from me even Abraham to sacrifice your son, your only son.’” FAITH, AND TRUST THE him. Even in the face of (Genesis 22:11–12) LORD TO PROVIDE. performing that great terLessons Learned rible sacrifice, Abraham still had faith in God’s 1. Sacrifice God the Father showed us how to live when promise to do what He said He would do. He sacrificed His dear Son to us that night in 5. Provision For God to accomplish His purposes in Bethlehem. Christ willingly left His seat of absolute power in heaven, set aside the voluntary use and through us we may have to be brought to of His divine authority and became a helpless the end of our own resources. When we are infant. As a human, subject to all the pains and utterly broken and crushed may not the Lord’s sorrows and limitations that affect us all, He strength be made perfect in our weakness? would mature, learn, minister, suffer…and die. Let’s not question God’s providence, wisdom, If the Father was willing to sacrifice His own Son or love for us because of our personal inabilfor us, what could be so much more precious to ity but believe God’s Word without wavering. He says, “My grace is all you need. My power us that we would withhold it from Him? works best in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). 2. Obedience God the Son showed us how to obey when Regardless of appearances and circumstances He surrendered Himself to the Father. Isaac’s believe God will provide what we need. Abraham, the father of many nations and quiet obedience to his father illustrates this beautifully. He gave himself over to the will of father of the faithful, teaches us through his life his father and allowed himself to be placed on story how to sacrifice, obey, surrender, walk in an altar without a fight. That’s exactly what the faith, and trust the Lord to provide. and had a son with her named Ishmael. At age 99, God gave him the covenant of circumcision. Abram became Abraham and Sarai became Sarah. One year later, Isaac was born. God later tested Abraham by telling him to sacrifice Isaac. When Abraham prepared to obey, God stopped him and provided a ram to sacrifice instead. Below you’ll find the key Scripture from Abraham’s life, but for a deeper Bible-reading prompt, read Genesis 11:27–25:11.

Bible Basics: Divine Revelation by Steve Johnson

ccording to the Bible, God is there, and beforehand when they should rise and fall, He has not been silent. He has made and he determined their boundaries.” Humanity is a witness to God’s existence Himself known to us. That act and process is called “revelation,” a word meaning to because human beings are made in the image unveil or uncover what was previously of God (Genesis 1:26–27). Even those who hidden, and making known what had been haven’t read the Bible or heard of Jesus, secret. Theologically speaking it refers to “demonstrate that God’s law is written in their God’s deliberate disclosure of His plans, His hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing character, and Himself. There are two types of revelation. The first right,” (Romans 2:15). The magnificence of is what we call general revelation in which the human body is perhaps the best evidence God has made Himself known to all mankind of general revelation on earth. The entire everywhere. Paul explains, “They know the human body—its cardiovascular system, the truth about God because he has made it bone structure, the respiratory system, the obvious to them. For ever since the world was muscles, the nervous system including its created, people have seen the earth and sky. centre in the brain—reveals an infinite God. We also know of God’s existence through Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power His providential acts. “In the past he and divine nature. So they have no excuse for permitted all the nations to go their own ways, but he never left them without evidence of not knowing God,” (Romans 1:19–20). General revelation is God’s witness to His himself and his goodness. For instance, he own existence. This witness is given through sends you rain and good crops and gives you creation, as we just read in Romans 1:19–20 food and joyful hearts,” (Acts 14:16–17). Humanity is to reflect on these witnesses to in Psalm 19:1–2, “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsman- God’s existence and conclude that God is our ship. Day after day they continue to speak; great Creator, that we are to seek Him, and we are accountable to Him (Romans 2:1). night after night they make him known.” Although God’s existence is made known in History is also a witness to God’s existence. (See Acts 17:22–31, especially verse 26.) these ways, general revelation does not reveal “From one man he created all the nations God’s character and personality (Acts 17:23). It throughout the whole earth. He decided can neither tell us about the love and grace of

God nor of His perfect holiness. Furthermore, who heard the Lord and His apostles whose creation does not tell us of God’s plan of salvation teaching or words were confirmed by signs and wonders). This was precisely in keeping or how people may procure that salvation. “Everyone who calls on the name of the with Christ’s own words in John 16:12–15. Lord will be saved.” But how can they call Special revelation involves a narrower focus on him to save them unless they believe in than general revelation and is restricted to him? And how can they believe in him if Jesus Christ and the Scriptures. Of course, all they have never heard about him? And how that is known of Christ is through the Scripcan they hear about him unless someone tures. Therefore, it can be said that special revelation is restricted to the Scriptures. tells them? (Romans 10:13–14) Why do people need special revelation? SpeThis brings us to the second type of revelation. We call it special revelation. cial revelation is needed because of our blind and By special revelation, we mean God’s sinful condition caused by the fall as recorded manifestation of Himself to particular people at in Genesis 3—a blindness made even stronger by the blinding activity of definite times and places, enabling those people to HUMANITY IS TO REFLECT Satan (Ephesians 4:17–19; enter into a redemptive ON THESE WITNESSES TO 2 Corinthians 4:4). This necessitated the need for relationship with him. GOD’S EXISTENCE AND special revelation so God The nature of this CONCLUDE THAT GOD IS could reveal Himself and mode of revelation is OUR GREAT CREATOR, His plan of salvation that that it consists primarily THAT WE ARE TO SEEK people in turn might be recof words. The author of HIM, AND WE ARE onciled from their condition Hebrews reminds us that of alienation and restored to God has made Himself ACCOUNTABLE TO HIM. fellowship with God. known by speaking long Humanity also needs special revelation for ago to the fathers in the prophets and in many ways, and in these last days has spoken to us two other important reasons. First, so people correctly interpret the truths revealed in in His Son (Hebrews 1:1–2). general revelation, and second, because these There are three elements to special revelation: general truths are very limited. As is obvious specific times, specific modes, and specific from the many religions of the world, people persons. Later, still dealing with this special consistently misinterpret what they can revelation that reveals our “great salvation,” learn from creation or providence. Therefore, the author of Hebrews says, “so what makes people desperately need God’s special and us think we can escape if we ignore this great supernatural revelation. salvation that was first announced by the Lord Special revelation centres on Jesus Christ. Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those He is the Word because He is the complete who heard him speak? And God confirmed revelation of the Father (John 1:1). He reveals the message by giving signs and wonders and what the Father is like (John 1:18). He reveals various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit the Father’ s compassion (John 5:36–37) and whenever he chose” (Hebrews 2:3–4). that the Father gives eternal life through the Again, we see the same elements: a specific Son (John 6:63; 14:10). He determines who mode (special revelation embodied in words), will know the Father (Matthew 11:27) and to at a specific time (during the life of Christ and know Jesus is to know the Father (John 14:9). the apostles), and in specific persons (those

The Bible serves as the most inclusive of all the avenues of special revelation for it encompasses the other avenues of special revelation such as visions and dreams or speaking prophets. Plus, though special revelation centres in the person of Christ, all that can be known about Jesus Christ is known through the Bible. In a very real way, it is true that special revelation is restricted solely to the Bible. Scripture reveals all the doctrine, rebuke, correction and guidance that is needed for godly living (2 Timothy 3:16–17). It reveals all that God has chosen to reveal to people through human authors directed by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). God took the initiative to reveal Himself to humanity through general and special revelation (Hebrews 1:1). The most complete

and understandable self-disclosures are through the propositions of Scripture (1 Corinthians 2:6–16). The revealed and written Word of God is unique in that it is the only revelation of God that is complete and that so clearly declares humanity’s sinfulness and God's provision of the Saviour.

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

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THE ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT FOR A GODLY LIFE insight for living ministries

The following mini-study is intended to familiarize you with Pastor Chuck’s method of Bible study and provide an opportunity to study the passage yourself.

The essential quality, the one ingredient that must be part of any life that aims to be godly is integrity. —Pastor Charles R. Swindoll

DVERSITY can sweep over our lives like the howling winds of a winter cyclone. We may experience a financial setback, loss of employment, or serious family conflicts. One biblical figure encountered the fiercest storms, but his 80-plus years of walking with God taught him that upholding an unshakable integrity is the best way to get through adversity. His name is Daniel. The integrity of our faith and character is what truly keeps us standing amid life’s storms, just as it did for Daniel. Prepare Your Heart Take a few moments to quiet your spirit and invite the Lord to minister to you through His Word. Write your prayer out if you wish. Turn to the Scriptures Turn to Daniel 6 in the Old Testament. Observation: A Biblical Model of Integrity O: We start by observing the passage, looking for answers to the questions who, when, where, and what. Who are the characters introduced in Daniel 1:1–3 and how does the text describe Daniel? O: According to Daniel 6:4–5, what do the jealous “administrators and high officials” first do to bring down Daniel and stop him from becoming Darius’ top official? O: When that strategy failed, what scheme did Daniel’s enemies try next, according to Daniel

6:6–9? Observe their words carefully. What half-truths and manipulations do you see? O: What ungodly character qualities did these men display? O: What godly character qualities do you see in Daniel, according to Daniel 6:10? Don’t miss key lines that give hints to Daniel’s integrity, such as, “as usual” and “just as he had always done.” Interpretation: What Integrity Is and Isn’t I: In the interpretation phase, we seek to understand the meaning of Daniel’s example of integrity. How does the English dictionary define integrity? I: A person of integrity lives a life of complete truthfulness because there are no gaps of sin to hide. Their character is solid and whole. Daniel certainly wasn’t sinless. However, people with integrity don’t try to smooth things over when they sin. Instead, how do people of integrity handle their failures, particularly when their failures hurt someone else? I: Carefully review what you observed in Daniel 6:1–10 and write one principle based on the qualities you see in Daniel’s life. For example, “When adversity strikes, we should...by....” Correlation: Supporting Passages on Integrity C: Correlation includes exploring other passages in Scripture that clarify or expand upon

the teaching in our main passage. Look up the following verses and write down what they say about integrity. (Psalm 78:70–72; Proverbs 10:9; 11:3; 20:6–7) C: Daniel’s stability through adversity reminds us of Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:24–25. How does Daniel represent the kind of person Jesus had in mind? C: Unlike Daniel, we can stand on the solid rock of Jesus Christ and His words to stabilize us in the fiercest storm. How did the winds of opposition surge to gale force and how did Daniel stand strong, according to Daniel 6:11–23? C: Who was with Daniel in the lion’s den? Who promised to be with you through any storm, according to Matthew 28:18–20?

A: As you reflect on the spheres of your life— your personal life, family life, work life, community life, church life—in what ways might you need to confess and turn from a sin in which you acted without integrity? A: Look back at the principles just above. Jot down a few specific ways you can put into action one or two of those principles. Daniel didn’t spend time worrying about what his enemies might do. Instead, he focused on walking with God. He stayed true to the path God set for him, despite the fierce winds that could have easily blown him off course. As you close this study, pray for God to empower you to walk through your storms with a Daniel-like resolve.

It’s always amazing to me that Daniel didn’t wind up in the lion’s den because he did something wrong. He was there because he did things right. He wasn’t worried about those envious men. He answered to his God. We’re not called to please people; we’re called to live our lives before an audience of One. —Pastor Chuck Swindoll Application: Integrity through Adversity in Our Day A: The final step of Searching the Scriptures is to incorporate into our lives the truths we’ve learned. Following Daniel’s example, what does walking with integrity in times of adversity look like today? Twentyfirst-century Daniels... • Speak the truth • Don’t live a double life • Model personal purity • Refuse to participate in corruption

Go to insightforliving.ca/essential to download the full-length Searching the Scripture Study and listen to Pastor Chuck’s message.