2023 ISSUE TWELVE
In this issue 3
Unwrap Joy This Christmas charles r. swindoll
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Five Tips for Processing Change steve johnson
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Freedom in Christ: Insight for Living Ministries Romania insight for living ministries
10 O Holy Night bill gemaehlich Balancing Act 12 When to Serve or Savour Jesus steve johnson Beyond the Broadcast 14 Jesus: The Gift of God’s Truth Puzzle 15 Serving God or Savouring God?
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 © 2023 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.
The real reason our joy stays wrapped up? Our selfishness.
Unwrap Joy This Christmas by C h arle s R . Sw i ndol l
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e sing a lot about “joy” each December. Have you noticed? We’ll offer “tidings of comfort and joy,” and we’ll join our voices on carols with titles like, “How Great Our Joy!” and “Joy to the World!” There’s just one problem. We aren’t joyful. Oh, we sing the songs and sip the eggnog, and we wrap the presents and trim the tree. We even say, “Thank you,” for Uncle Frank’s fruitcake. But somehow the joy of the season remains that one gift we don’t open. Why? We usually blame our condition on the commercialism or on all of the parties and Christmas programs that keep us busy or on those overcrowded shopping malls (I have a friend who calls them “mauls”). But the real reason our joy stays wrapped up? Our selfishness. I have found that you don’t have to go to the mall to pick up selfishness. Not at all. Just having a family is all I need. I recall when Cynthia and I began to have children; I thought two little Swindolls would be perfect. That’s all we needed. You know, “Alpha and Omega”...ideal! Then our third came along... and not too many years later our fourth. Now, you need to understand the kind of guy I am. I like my shoes spit-shined rather than stepped on and scuffed up. I like my clothes hanging neatly in the closet rather than drooled on and wrinkled. And I like milk in a glass on the table rather than out of the glass and spilled on the floor. I especially like a clean car with no fingerprints on the windows. So what did the Lord do to help broaden my horizons and assist me in seeing how selfish I am? Very simple: He gave Cynthia and me four busy kids who stepped on shoes, wrinkled
clothes, spilled milk, and licked car windows. Today those four have multiplied to 10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren! You haven’t lived until you’ve walked barefoot across the living room in the middle of the night and stomped down full force on a jack or on a couple of those little Lego landmines left over from Christmas morning. I’ll tell you, you discover real quick just how selfish you are! You see, this is not some deep theological subject we’re thinking about. Being unselfish in attitude strikes at the very core of our being. It means we are willing to forgo our own comforts, our own preferences, our own schedules, and our own desires for another’s benefit. And that brings us back to Christmas. Perhaps you never realized that it was Jesus’ attitude of unselfishness that launched Him from the splendour of heaven all the way down to a humble manger in Bethlehem...and later to the cross of Calvary. Look at the Christmas story in simple terms that flowed from the pen of the Apostle Paul: You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. (Philippians 2:5–8) Everything that was involved in Jesus’ becoming human began with an attitude of submission...a
willingness to co-operate with the Father’s plan for salvation. Rather than lobbying for His right to remain in heaven and continuing to enjoy all the benefits of that exalted role as the second member of the Godhead, Jesus willingly said yes. He agreed to co-operate with a plan that would require His releasing ecstasy and accepting agony. In a state of absolute perfection and undiminished deity, the Son of God willingly came to earth. Leaving the angelic hosts who flooded His presence with adoring praise, He unselfishly accepted a role that would require His being misunderstood, abused, cursed, tortured, and then crucified. He did not come to us grudgingly nursing a bitter spirit. He came free of all that. While it was certainly not a pleasurable experience, He accepted His incarnation among us and His dying for us willingly and unselfishly. And what ultimately happened? Read and rejoice! Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9–11) God supremely exalted Jesus, and He was welcomed back with open arms. Heaven’s applause was the supreme reward for His earthly, unselfish sacrifice.
This Christmas, it will be our attitude that unwraps our joy—an attitude of unselfishness. My encouragement to you is that you not put it off until it is a little more convenient. Many will tell you that people will take advantage of you if you begin to live unselfishly or if you don’t defend your rights and “get even.” I offer the opposite counsel: God will honour your decision to demonstrate an attitude of humility. You will find that feelings of hate will be replaced with a relieving flood of peace and happiness. When we acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord and begin to release our cares, our disappointments, and our heartaches to Him, we not only keep our equilibrium, we also keep our sense of humour. Joys multiply when we have Someone to bear our burdens. Someday our voices will join the same angelic hosts that first proclaimed the newborn King, and together we will make great music! If we willingly humble ourselves as Jesus did, God will help us unwrap a joy that even the angels of heaven cannot experience. Say, isn’t it about time you opened your gift?
Adapted from Charles R. Swindoll, “Unwrap Joy this Christmas,” Insights (December 2013): 1, 4. Copyright © 2013 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.
Amazing Predictions single CD message
Which book has the most prophecies about Messiah Jesus? For ordering information visit insightforliving.ca or view enclosed flyer.
Five Tips for Processing Change by Steve Johnson
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or I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. (Isaiah 43:19) Some wag observed, “Nobody likes change except wet babies, and even they will usually cry about it.” It’s true. I don’t cry about change but much to the chagrin of change advocates around me I say, “Routine is our friend.” God has wired us to find comfort, security, and identity in the familiar, the routine, our customs and traditions. Losing them or changing them can throw us off balance and that’s uncomfortable. Most of us don’t want to change because we believe it will be detrimental somehow—we’ll lose power, comfort, convenience, or position.
God Himself doesn’t change, but that is not an argument against change. He is not interested in maintaining the status quo at all costs but rather expects us to change. He tells us, “Be transformed” (Romans 12:2) and that may mean repentance—changing our mind and behaviour. Change is necessary for salvation and life to occur. Dealing with change in life can be hard but Scripture does provide us with some direction. One of the best examples of change was the Israelites leaving Egypt after 430 years and heading ultimately to the Promised Land. One would think they would welcome the change from routine of slavery to freedom and independence, and at first, they did. But human nature being what it is they weren’t long in the desert before they wanted to go
back to the familiar settings and food of assurance for His children, no matter what change we go through is, “I will never leave Egypt—even if it meant bondage. From Israel’s experience of change, five you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5 ESV). Our comfort and security are not in the ways for dealing with change emerge. 1. Preparation. Change is constant; familiar, but in our unchanging God who always be mentally prepared for it. Develop provides what we need through the changes. 4. Process. Change is an event or series of a mindset that welcomes the fact that change events, but our response is inevitable. In one sense, GOD HAS WIRED US to it is a process. We the Passover was Israel’s TO FIND COMFORT, experience a range of act of mental and spiritual preparation. They were to SECURITY, AND IDENTITY emotions like fear, anxiety, resentment, anger, denial, partake of it dressed ready IN THE FAMILIAR, THE to leave (Exodus 12:11). ROUTINE, OUR CUSTOMS and eventually acceptance as we process the change. It built anticipation for AND TRADITIONS. Israel expressed many of departure and eventual arrival in Canaan. In the case of the Israelites these emotions as they transitioned from Egypt, to and Christians, God had made promises the wilderness, and eventually to Canaan. Don’t deny that change is happening. Allow to Abraham. Change is necessary for the yourself to feel the loss, sadness, and even anger at unfolding of God’s redemptive plan. 2. Priorities. Change means disruption the change. Living in denial and trying to continue and disorientation; prioritizing provides a as if nothing has changed can result in us not stable focus. Obedience to the Lord was the making the necessary adaptations to survive and overarching priority for Israel and for us. It thrive in the new situation. Understanding and accepting that we may was to be manifest in the Ten Commandments and the law, which gave structure and stability have these responses can help us embrace change to a new nation. It prioritized relationships to more readily and move forward in our life. 5. Positivity. Change is often uncontrollable God, family, work, and others—priorities for but our attitude isn’t. Choosing a positive attitude our times of change as well. goes a long way to ensuring that the process and 3. Provision. Change can be sudden outcomes are positive as well. Israel did not do which does not give us time to prepare; God, this. Despite the Lord’s presence, protection, who allowed the change, will provide. When and provision they grumbled at every turn. At Israel was driven out the day after Passover, the border of Canaan, 10 spies chose a negative, they did not have time for any further food unbelieving perspective and the eventual outcome preparations (Exodus 12:39). The Lord was 40 dismal years in the wilderness. Had they provided His presence, protection, guidance, chosen a positive, faith-filled outlook, they would and food. His constant reassurance to Moses not have suffered as much. If only they had and the people was, “I will be with you.” followed these five tips for processing change! And that presence was manifest through the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13:21). When Pharaoh attacked, God protected them by taking them through the Red Sea. When food was needed, He Steve Johnson is the executive director at provided manna and quail. God’s constant Insight for Living Canada.
Freedom in Christ: Insight for Living Ministries Romania by In sight for L iv ing Ministr ies
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nsight for Living Ministries (IFLM) Romania teaches God’s Word so people can know our Lord and Liberator. For more than a decade, Ben Mogos and his wife Anda, the executive director of IFLM Romania, have spearheaded our Vision 195 efforts of bringing Pastor Chuck’s Bibleteaching resources to Romania and Romanian speakers worldwide. Through Vision 195, IFLM strives to reach all 195 nations as God opens
the doors...and how grateful we are that He’s ushered us into Romania! Freedom Doors God has been shaping Ben and Anda since childhood to share Christ’s freedom through IFLM Romania. Both grew up in communist Romania, but they lived miles from each other in vastly different settings. Ben, the sixth generation
In the past, Ben’s father had to share the of Christians in his family, spent his earliest years on a small country farm. Both his grand- Gospel in secret—but now Ben broadcasts the father and father were pastors, and during the Gospel openly on the airwaves. Ben’s mother typed Christian material reign of communism, they on a contraband typehad to minister in secret THROUGH VISION 195, to avoid arrest. Ben recalls IFLM STRIVES TO REACH writer—but now Pastor Chuck Swindoll’s books his grandfather hiding his ALL 195 NATIONS AS GOD are published and disBible in a haystack so the OPENS THE DOORS... tributed to Romanianpolice wouldn’t confiscate it during house searches. AND HOW GRATEFUL WE speakers worldwide. Ben’s father showed the ARE THAT HE’S USHERED Ben sums up their reaUS INTO ROMANIA! son for hope: “What a Jesus film late at night to difference grace makes!” small groups huddled in Throughout our history, God has expanded their home with blackout curtains drawn. Unlike Ben, Anda grew up in an atheistic our reach into new countries and languages. home in the capital city of Bucharest. Her father We consider this international outreach vital served as an officer in the communist army. He to our mission in obedience to Christ who despised Christianity. But after the revolution, gave The Great Commission to all Christians. To further our Vision 195 efforts in Romania, he began reading newly available spiritual literature which drew him to Christ where he found please pray for: true freedom. Through his transformation, 1. The completion of their new office spaces 2. The expansion of their pastor-training efforts Anda’s whole family became believers. “I was 11 years old when he became a 3. The Word to find receptive hearts through radio and web believer,” recalls Anda. “It was the first time I heard the name of Jesus.” Later, Anda’s father 4. The broadcast to air from more stations They will continue to ring the liberty bell of trained for ministry and became the first Christ’ s freedom, believing and proclaiming His evangelical chaplain in the Romanian army. own words from John 8:31: “You will know the God used the rich legacies of Ben and Anda’s truth, and the truth will set you free.” families to plant the seeds for lifelong ministry. In fact, He brought them together at a Christian summer camp when they were just teenagers. Immediately, they sparked a friendship. Then God led them to the same Bible Excerpt taken from “Freedom in Christ: Insight for college where they fell in love, married, and Living Ministries Romania.” Read the complete article online at insightforliving.ca/Romania. sensed God’s call to ministry. In 2016, Viziune Pentru Viata, “Vision for Life,” aired its first series, Character Counts, and has been broadcasting Pastor Chuck Swindoll’s messages ever since. Your Prayers and Support The future is bright for IFLM Romania. Desperate souls are hearing about Christ’s freedom on the radio and Internet in their heart language.
O Holy Night by Bill Gemaehlich
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s we anticipate celebrating the birth of Christ through the season of Advent, I wanted to share the history behind the beautiful Christmas hymn “O Holy Night.” “O Holy Night” has an unusual origin beginning in the town of Roquemaure in Southern France. To celebrate the completion of renovations to the church organ, a local parish priest hired poet and wine merchant, Placide Cappeau, to write a poem for Christmas mass. Known more for his poetry than his church attendance, Cappaeau penned the poem, using the Gospel of Luke as his guide, while riding on a stagecoach to Paris.
Cappeau then sought out his Jewish friend Adolphe Adam, a well-known composer of French Operas and ballets, to transform the poem into a song. Adam crafted a beautiful musical score to accompany the poem. Initially, the hymn was wholeheartedly accepted by the church in France but soon after it was denounced by French church leadership. The church deemed it unfit because the writer walked away from the Catholic church and joined the socialist movement, and the composer did not believe in Jesus Christ. A decade later the song made its way to the influential American music critic, John Sul-
livan Dwight, a Unitarian Minister. Dwight, the beautiful hymn “O Holy Night” was who was an ardent slave abolitionist, trans- based on a poem written by a French heathen, lated the song into English which we now composed by a Jewish man, rejected by the know as “O Holy Night.” Dwight strongly church, translated by an American Unitarian, identified with the power and was the first song THIS SEASON, LET’S behind verse three that ever heard over airwaves KEEP OUR HEART says, “Truly he taught us to the tune of a fiddle. to love one another; his This season, let’s keep AND EYES ON OUR law is love and his gospel our heart and eyes on LORD AND SAVIOUR is peace. Chains shall he our Lord and Saviour by BY REMEMBERING break, for the slave is our remembering His first HIS FIRST COMING ON brother; and in his name coming on that Holy THAT HOLY NIGHT all oppression shall cease.” Night, and be encouraged He then published the song in his magazine that His second coming is imminent. and it quickly found favour in America, espeAnd the angel said to them, “Fear not, for cially in the North during the Civil War. behold, I bring you good news of great joy In 1906, Reginald Fessenden, the former that will be for all the people. For unto you chief chemist for Thomas Edison, did someis born this day in the city of David a Savior, thing long thought impossible. For the first time who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10–11 ESV) in history, a man’s voice was broadcast over the airwaves. Fessenden spoke into the microphone and began reciting the birth of Christ from Luke chapter two and after he finished picked up his Bill Gemaehlich is the EVP/COO operations at Insight for Living Ministries fiddle and sang live the hymn “O Holy Night.” So, remember for great conversation with your family and friends over Christmas that
When to Serve or Savour Jesus by Steve Johnson
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ow do we find the balance between serving Jesus and savouring Him? By serving the Lord, I mean service like fulltime Christian ministry on the mission field, local church, or parachurch organization. I also think of non-full-time service, such as using our gifts and talents in some way in our local church. Even our occupation can be done as service to the Lord (Ephesians 6:5–7). Scripture is full of admonitions about serving the Lord. The Lord told Abraham, “Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life,” (Genesis 17:1). Israel was told, “You must serve only the Lord your God,” (Exodus 23:25). Christians are commanded, “Never be lazy, but
work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically,” (Romans 12:11). And, “Do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible,” (1 Corinthians 7:35). By savouring the Lord, I mean enjoying, cherishing, and treasuring Him. Psalm 37:4 says, “Take delight in the Lord.” And in Psalm 43:4, David calls God “the source of all my joy.” Paul exhorts us, “Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord,” (Philippians 3:1). We see the contrast between serving and savouring Jesus in the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38–41. Jesus stops at their house to rejuvenate and relax. While there, Mary seats
We must learn to balance service with herself at Jesus’ feet enjoying and savouring Him as He talks and teaches. Meanwhile, Martha, like savouring Jesus. Christianity is a love any good host, is serving. She’s busy preparing a relationship, not a legal relationship. Living big dinner. But the telling phrase is, “But Martha the Christian life revolves around enjoying a was distracted by all the preparations that had to Person, not performing a service. If we strive only for performance, we be made,” (Luke 10:40 NIV). lose sight of the Person Distracted from what? CONSTANT ACTIVITY we are to love and enjoy Or should we ask, from IS NOT NECESSARILY A on a daily basis. When we Whom? Martha was so SIGN OF SPIRITUALITY. are focused only on other wrapped up in serving the IT MAY EVEN BE A things instead of the Lord, Lord that she was distracted DISTRACTION FROM we are out of balance from savouring Jesus. spiritually speaking. That can happen to us ENJOYING GOD. In order to find balance too. We can serve God but miss out on that needful thing of delighting in the Christian life, we must learn the secret in Jesus. Like Martha, we are anxious and of enjoying God’s presence as we serve Him. To distracted by many things including our delight oneself in the Lord means to enjoy who service for Him. Yes, only one thing is needful He is and His presence. It means relating all we in life, which is taking the time to sit at the do to Him because that’s what a relationship feet of Jesus, worship Him, and delight in is. And all service without enjoying God’s His presence. All service and activity without presence will be draining and frustrating. Learn to slow down, delight in God, and delighting in our Lord will turn our service into drudgery and missing out on the abundant life reflect on His character and attributes. Our first obligation in life is, as the Westminster Shorter that Jesus promised (John 10:10). Note that the Lord doesn’t rebuke Martha for Catechism says, “to glorify God and enjoy Him her service. Preparations were needed. Food forever.” And it’s amazing how much easier the was required. We ought not think that what the wheels of life and Christian service turn when Lord is commending here is that we should do we take time to enjoy our God. Constant activity is not necessarily a sign of nothing but spend time enjoying Him and not spirituality. It may even be a distraction from taking care of other things. It is important to enjoying God. He’s looking for our hearts to keep the balance between serving and savouring. delight in Him before and during our service Martha’s problem was not that she was busy, for Him. Life is not merely about serving but that she had the wrong focus and attitude. Jesus, it’ s also about slowing down, sitting at We read in verse 40 she finally blows up: She His feet, and savouring Him. came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” This had become all about her! She wasn’t doing her work and delighting in the Lord. She Steve Johnson is the executive director at was focused on herself instead of the Lord. This Insight for Living Canada. balance, it seems to me, is key. Whatever our hand finds to do, we are to do it with all our heart. However, whatever we do, we are to do it focused on the Lord, enjoying and savouring Him.
“Jesus was in a category by Himself. He never left a false impression. Never tried to appear as someone He wasn’t. He was the personification of the truth.” —Pastor Charles R. Swindoll
Jesus: The Gift of God’s Truth
Have people ever led you to believe something that wasn’t true? It happens frequently during the Christmas shopping season as advertisers glamorize their products to make a sale. Only after we buy the item do we realize we were duped by a slick sales pitch. If only we had a truth-metre that would flash green when people were being honest and red when they were misleading us, then we’d know the real score. With this handy device, we could test the words of advertisers, politicians, commentators...anyone, and we’d never be hoodwinked again! God never lies. It goes against His nature to lie, so it follows that when God became flesh, truth became flesh as well. Jesus was the embodiment of truth. If a truth-metre existed in the first century, anyone who tested Jesus’ words would have seen only green lights all the time!
Where can you find truth this Christmas? Certainly not in the fairy-tale hype of the season. Only in the baby in the manger, who grew up to become the greatest of all teachers, can you find truth to nourish your soul. On what truth would you like to focus your mind today and throughout this Christmas season? If you need prompting, read John 8, looking for one special truth in Jesus’ words to which you can cling today. Father, You give the best gifts: peace, love, joy. But the greatest gift is Your Son whose words of life are true and trustworthy. Help me today to shape my thoughts around His words so I can keep my mind and heart free from the contamination of the lies of this world. Thank You for the gift of truth, in Jesus’ name, amen.
“Jesus: The Gift of God’s Truth” is from Chuck Swindoll’s series Jesus: The Indescribable Gift. You can stream this message online anytime at insightforliving.ca/audiolibrary.
Puzzle — Fill in the Blank
Serving God or Savouring God?
Difficulty ■ ■ □ □
Fill in the blanks with these key statements or phrases about serving God or savouring God. The solutions are direct quotes from the New International Version Bible translation.
1. (Genesis 17:1) 2.
(Exodus 23:25)
3.
(Psalm 32:11)
4.
(Psalm 37:4)
5.
,
(Psalm 43:4)
6. (Isaiah 61:10) 7. (Romans 12:11) 8.
(1 Corinthians 7:35)
9.
,
(Philippians 1:21)
10.
(Luke 10:40)
Puzzle solutions will be posted at insightforliving.ca/puzzle at a later date.
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