Insights Magazine: Issue Four, 2025 by Insight for Living Canada

In This Issue

Insights Magazine is published by Insight for Living Canada, the Bible-teaching ministry of Charles (Chuck) R. Swindoll. Pastor Swindoll has devoted his life to the accurate, practical teaching and application of God’s Word. He is the founding pastor of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas, but Chuck’s listening audience extends far beyond a local church body. As a leading program in Christian broadcasting since 1979, Insight for Living airs around the world. Chuck’s leadership as president and now chancellor emeritus at Dallas Theological Seminary has helped prepare and equip a new generation of men and women for ministry. We hope this publication will instruct, inspire, and encourage you in your walk with Christ.

Jesus selected humility as the fundamental quality of greatness.

Cover & Article Photo: Alvin Mahmudov on Unsplash

Two Suggestions for Becoming Great

by Charles R. Swindoll

There’s something beautiful and innocent about the answers children give. Why? Children simply speak the truth—as best as they understand it. I love these answers that some kids gave to questions about the Bible. See if they don’t prompt a grin:

“Noah’s wife was named Joan of Ark.”

“The fifth commandment is, ‘Humour thy father and thy mother.’”

“Lot’s wife was a pillar of salt by day and a ball of fire by night.”

“A Christian can have only one wife. This is called monotony.”

Aren’t those answers great? Is there anyone more playful, naive, innocent, or unassuming than a child? Kids are unimpressed with someone’s title, salary, or education. They don’t envy the clothes you wear or the car you drive. Only adults are mesmerized by those things.

The world’s view of children is that they should be seen and not heard. God’s view, however, is just the opposite. He sees their value and their worth.

It’s no wonder, then, that the Lord chose a child as an illustration when answering a question about greatness. Matthew frames the question this way:

“The disciples came to Jesus and asked,

‘Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?’” (Matthew 18:1)

Do you know why the Twelve asked Jesus that question? Because they had been arguing among themselves which of them was the greatest (Mark 9:34). Now, picture this. To answer their question, Jesus called a little child “and put the child among them. Then he said, ‘I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become

like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven’” (Matthew 18:2–3).

Can you picture 12 jaws dropping as Jesus gave His answer? This response was not what the disciples expected. They saw children as incidentals, as noisy interruptions, and as unimportant (Mark 10:13–15). Certainly not as anything great! Jesus turned that notion on its head. “Unless you turn,” Jesus told them. You see, the Twelve were moving in the wrong direction. Their misguided idea of greatness led them to the wrong conclusions about God’s kingdom. It’s as if Jesus said, “Unless you allow me to turn you around, you’re going to miss the truth you’re asking about the Kingdom of Heaven.”

What did Jesus mean by telling them that they needed to “become like little children”? There are numerous characteristics of children Jesus could have pointed to. Here are four I have observed:

1. Children have an innocence about them. By that I’m referring to an absence of a calloused conscience. I don’t mean they’re sinless. I mean they are trusting and often naive. We have to teach them to not trust everyone.

2. Children have an ability to wonder. Before adulthood steals away curiosity and creativity, a child is full of questions.

3. Children truly forgive. Even though treated harshly, often ignored, and occasionally even abused, kids have an amazing ability to let love overshadow the insults.

4. Children are who they are. There is no pretense, no show, no phony-baloney.

Are you ready for this? Jesus chooses none of those characteristics as the childlike quality

essential for true greatness. Jesus continues: “So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 18:4)

Jesus selected humility as the fundamental quality of greatness.

Let me ask you: do you see a humble child as the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? I’ll be honest. That perspective is one I must continually remind myself of—daily. Why? Like you, I live in a world that values power, pride, money, and a quick wit. You want to be great? You want to make a lasting impact? You want to make a significant contribution? I don’t think that’s a bad ambition—if we’re talking true greatness. Here are two suggestions, beginning right where Jesus said to begin:

First, stay in touch with children. Don’t let children get squeezed out of your life. As I have become a grandfather and a great-grandfather, I have come to realize more than ever the impact I can have in the lives of children—as well as the impact they can have on me. If you have an occasion to spend an evening with someone great or with someone small, choose the latter. You will learn more from that child, and you will invest more in him or her too.

Second, ask God to cultivate in you a genuine, childlike humility. Ask Him to deflate your ego, to release your grip on fierce competitiveness, and to soften your harsh words. Begin to say (and mean) what children say—words like: please, may I? thank you, I’m sorry, I forgive you, and of course, I love you. Childlike qualities are qualities of humility. They are qualities of Christ.

It’s not without reason we are called God’s children. All of us who have come to God did so by a humble confession:

Lord Jesus Christ, I come as a child. I bring nothing to commend myself. I have no worthy achievements to offer you. I come by faith alone to the cross where you died for me. I give You my heart, my will, my life. That, my friend, is humility.

In our sophisticated, fast-moving, pressurized world, we need to come back again to what truly matters—to the qualities of childlike humility. We need to lose greatness in the eyes of the world and become truly great in the kingdom of heaven.

You’re Growing Older (But Not Old)

by Charles R. Swindoll

Growing older is a fact we all must face.

Now…you’re not going to get me to declare when growing up stops and growing old starts—not on your life! But there are some signs we can read along life’s journey that suggest we are entering the transition. (How’s that for diplomacy?) Ironically, it seems we’re growing older when our friends tell us how young we look!

Physically, the aging “bod” puts on the brakes. You begin to huff and puff when you used to

rip and zip. You prefer to sit more than stand… to watch more than do…to forget your birthday rather than remember it!

Mentally, the aging brain longs for relief. You can’t remember like you used to, and you don’t respond like you ought to. You start thinking more about yesterday and tomorrow and less about today.

Emotionally, you undergo strange fears and feelings you once swore would “never occur in me,” such as:

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• Being negative, critical, and downright ornery at times

• Being reluctant to let those who are younger carry more responsibility

• Feeling unwanted and “in the way”

• Being preoccupied with “what if” rather frequently

• Feeling guilty over previous mistakes and wrong decisions

• Feeling forgotten, unloved, lonely, and passed by

• Feeling threatened by sounds, speed, financial uncertainty, and disease

• Being resistant to the need to adjust and adapt

Come to think of it, Paul’s words apply to us regardless of our age:

You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others. (2 Timothy 2:2 NLT)

The command to multiply your faith in the lives of others often occurs most effectively when you’re older.

All this—and there is much more—is worsened by the memory of those days when you once were so very efficient, capable, needed, and fulfilled. As you look into the mirror, you’re forced to admit that the fingers of age have begun to scratch their marks upon your house of clay…and it’s hard to believe your twilight years could be of much worth.

How wrong! How terribly wrong! How destructive such thoughts can be! How quickly that kind of thinking can sentence you to the prison cell of selfpity, surrounded by the four bleak walls of doubt, depression, uselessness, and regret!

God’s patriarchs have always been among His choicest possessions. Abraham was far more effective once he grew old and mellow. Moses wasn’t used in any measure of success until he turned 80. Caleb was 85 when he began to enjoy God’s best goals. Samuel was old, old when the God of Israel led him to establish the “school of the prophets,” an institution that had a lasting influence for spirituality and godliness in the centuries to come. And no one could deny the way God used Paul during his last days on his knees, writing words of instruction and encouragement in letters we cherish today!

That’s what Jesus meant by His final command to “make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19). God hasn’t decided to let you live this long for nothing. Please remember—your age is not a mistake… nor an oversight…nor an afterthought. The command to multiply your faith in the lives of others often occurs most effectively when you’re older. Why? Because you’ve lived long enough to be able to pass along wisdom distilled by your experiences of success and failure.

No one fails to see that growing old has its difficulties and heartaches. It does, indeed. But to see only the hot sands of your desert experience and miss the lovely oasis of sharing your life with younger believers is to turn the latter part of your journey through life into an arid, tasteless endurance test that makes everyone miserable.

Isn’t it about time you cooled your tongue and softened your smile with a refreshing drink from the water of God’s oasis? You’ve been thirsty a long, long time.

Crucial Questions: How Do I Reconcile with Someone Who Hurt Me?

by Insight for Living Canada

Q. A person I used to call a friend gossiped about me, and I’m so hurt by her actions and angry with her. I don’t talk to her anymore, and I know that’s wrong. How do I deal with my hurt and anger?

A. Gossip destroys good friendships (Proverbs 17:9). Along with the hurt

feeling, you’re likely experiencing other feelings, such as sadness over the loss of your friendship, shame because of the secret that your friend revealed, and anger at their insensitivity.

The best way to deal with hurt and anger is through resolution. Here are key steps to take.

First, let go of the hurt and anger. Anger must be handled properly. The Bible says, “‘don’t

sin by letting anger control you’” (Ephesians 4:26). Unresolved anger can lead to grudges, backbiting, faultfinding, and a host of other sins. Processing our negative emotions and surrendering them to the Lord is the healthiest way to deal with them. Remember, the Lord cares deeply about your feelings. Jesus was also betrayed by His friends, so He understands your sorrow—and He can comfort you. Surrender your feelings to Him in prayer. Picture yourself handing over all your hurt and anger to Him.

Peter writes, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you” (1 Peter 5:7). Surrendering your hurt and anger to the Lord means fully acknowledging your feelings, admitting your inability to deal with them on your own, letting go of your right to seek revenge, and trusting Him to be your defender.

encourage you to look for a simple way to show love to your friend—perhaps through a thoughtful gift, a handwritten card, or a gentle word of grace.

Finally, have a conversation. Talk openly with your friend about how you feel, and take time to listen as she shares her perspective. Remember, listening doesn’t mean agreeing—it means seeking to understand her thoughts and reflecting back what she’s feeling. This kind of honest, empathetic dialogue can open the door to healing and reconciliation.

Processing our negative emotions and surrendering them to the Lord is the healthiest way to deal with them.

The word surrender best describes the act of handing over to God something that truly belongs to Him—the right to retaliate. The Lord says, “‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay’” (Romans 12:19 NIV). He wants us to trust Him to set things right and balance the scales. When we surrender our anger, the hurt may still remain, but it will no longer seek expression through retaliation.

Have you surrendered your anger? Or are you still holding on to the right to hurt her because she hurt you? Maybe you’re at the point where you don’t want to retaliate, but you still feel wounded by her words. That emotion is okay. It’s normal to feel hurt—just don’t let that hurt turn into angry revenge.

Second, respond in love. Once you’ve let go of the need for revenge, you’re free to reflect the love of Christ to the other person (Luke 6:27–36). A kind word truly can soften a hardened heart. We

After listening to her, you might say something like, “You thought it was OK to share my problem with others so they could pray for me,” or “You felt hurt by my response to you.” That doesn’t mean your friend was right. Sharing your private matters without your permission was wrong. But remember, your goal isn’t to assign blame or determine who’s right. Your goal is to understand one another, not to win an argument. Winning an argument but losing a friend isn’t worth it. You might even say, “We disagree on this, but that’s all right. I still love you, and I understand how you feel.” In doing this, you acknowledge your differences instead of allowing those differences to divide you.

After taking these steps, forgiveness will begin to follow naturally. Even if your friend never asks for forgiveness, you can still choose to release the offence. You’ve already processed your hurt and anger, and you’ve communicated openly with her—now, it’s time to let it go.

The Problem with Prayer

by Michael J. Svigel

For many, there appears to be a problem with prayer. “It’s a one-way conversation.” “It doesn’t seem to work.” “God takes too long to answer.” “God does what He wants anyway.”

Crushed between the mortar and pestle of life, it’s easy to think there’s a serious problem with prayer: God. When God doesn’t answer according to our will, we can get frustrated. We can feel like our prayers are just floating around the galaxy, too insignificant to catch the Creator’s attention. In the midst of this disappointment, we’re often too slow to accept that the problem with prayer is not God, but us.

The Problem of Misunderstanding Prayer

I used to think that life would be a lot easier if God answered a few more strategic prayers—just a couple key petitions to remind us that He’s listening. I was convinced that a profound healing here and there would add spice to the life of the church.

Then God healed Karen.

Our Sunday school class gathered for desperate prayer the night before the surgery to remove a tumour from Karen’s brain. The surgery would probably render her unable to speak for a long time. Leading the prayer, I asked God to comfort her husband, daughter,

and family at this time of crisis, to help the surgeons, to speed her recovery, and—if He willed—to miraculously heal her.

Of course, that last part was just for show. Although I believed God could heal Karen, I was certain He would use less glorious means. As we drove home, I even told my wife, “Karen will probably never be the same again.”

The next morning the tumour had disappeared.

I assumed Karen’s response would be just as profound as God’s answer to prayer. After all, when a person experiences the awesome intervention of the Almighty God, we should expect an explosive revival, right?

Less than a year later, Karen left the church and divorced her husband.

I had always thought answers to prayer would strengthen faith and ignite thanksgiving. Disappointed in Karen’s response, I was reminded that even the Israelites grumbled and rebelled in the midst of powerful answers to their requests (Numbers 11:1–4).

You see, the problem with prayer is not God, but us.

The Problem of Abusing Prayer

When I was a new Christian, I mistakenly followed the “prosperity gospel,” the “name

it-claim it” theology that overwhelmed Christian television and bookstores—and continues to overwhelm today. “Don’t make negative confessions,” I was told. “If you’re sick, confess that you’re healed!”

On one occasion, I mentioned to a selfproclaimed “prophetess” that I was going bald. Instantly, she placed her hand on my head and shouted, “No you’re not—in the name of Jesus!” That “prophetess” treated prayer like a credit card she could whip out at any time to make major purchases.

We may not be as extreme as that woman, but we can all fall into the trap of abusing prayer. While we may tack on a half-hearted “Thy will be done,” deep down we think, “No! My will be done!” Yes, Christ said, “Ask, and it will be given to you” (Matthew 7:7 ESV), but his brother James reminds us, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives” (James 4:3 NASB2020).

God’s a stubborn God when He doesn’t give us everything we want? We need to trust that God is wise and powerful enough to answer rightly—and right on time. First John 5:14 says, “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” That is, God won’t jump at every loose-lipped confession. Prayer offered up in true faith submits to His will— our sanctification (1 Thessalonians 4:3). God’s will is to change us, not please us.

I’m convinced that humans don’t fully comprehend how little we deserve God’s love and grace. Consider that what we regard as “crumbs” of answered prayer may really be bountiful feasts once we realize that God owes us nothing.

Once again, the problem with prayer is not God, but us.

Correcting the Problem with Prayer

After a dozen years in Bible college, seminary, and Ph.D. studies, I’d hoped to finally have a handle on prayer. I don’t. In fact, the more I pray, the less I understand its profound mysteries. However, I’ve come to several conclusions that might help correct our perceived problems with prayer.

First, we need to understand that the purpose of prayer is not for God to please us, but for God to change us. If a father constantly gives in to a little child’s whiny demands, we’d take him for a lousy parent. Why, then, do some think

Second, we need to accept that the power of prayer is perceived in even the smallest response. I’m convinced that humans don’t fully comprehend how little we deserve God’s love and grace. Consider that what we regard as “crumbs” of answered prayer may really be bountiful feasts once we realize that God owes us nothing (Genesis 32:9–10; Luke 7:6–9). When we adjust our attitude about our own unworthiness to receive God’s favour, we’ll never regard “small” answers to prayer as insignificant.

Finally, we need to acknowledge that the process of prayer is not as important as the attitude of prayer. When God chose in His sovereignty to heal Karen, He did so even though none of us expected it. Our feeble prayer was a simple act of faith—turning our worries over to God’s care (Philippians 4:6; 1 Peter 5:6–7). Christians can get hung up on method, worried that they haven’t said the right words, haven’t prayed hard or often enough, or haven’t believed deeply enough. That’s hocus-pocus, not prayer (Matthew 6:5–8). If you’re concerned about not praying with the right words or for the right things,

memorize Romans 8:26—God’s Spirit even helped Paul pray!

Of course, these reminders are easy to read, but they’re not easy to live. To our finite human minds, we’ll always perceive “problems” with prayer. Are you struggling with your prayer life, not seeing results, wondering if God is listening? It might be time for an attitude change. It might be time

to finally accept that the problem with prayer is not God, but us.

Adapted from Michael J. Svigel, “The Problem with Prayer,” Insights (October 2005): 1–2.

Our vision is to reach Canadians with the truth of God’s Word. We believe this is the first step to helping people understand and apply God’s Word.

Learn more at insightforliving.ca/vision

Hope in the Face of Doubt

by Robyn Roste

Have you ever had a “mountaintop experience”?

This term can be taken literally, figuratively, or even spiritually. If you have experienced the spiritual mountaintop, you are probably also familiar with the spiritual valley. These low places can be emotionally taxing and sometimes take the form of discouragement or even depression.

Mountaintop highs and valley lows could explain why even strong believers struggle with faith. Although struggles refine us and force us to figure out what we really believe, if we give in to negative emotions, we begin a downward spiral.

Elijah, the Old Testament prophet, fought this same battle between hope and doubt. God told Elijah in 1 Kings 18 to tell King Ahab that

the drought—punishment for Ahab’s idol worship—was to end. Elijah gathered more than 800 prophets of Baal and Asherah on the top of Mount Carmel, challenging them to ask their gods to send down fire from heaven. Elijah said whichever god sent fire was the true God.

After an entire day of chanting and praying and penance, these pagan prophets were unable to call down fire from their “gods.” Then Elijah called on the Lord to prove Himself, and immediately fire flashed down from heaven. At this, all the people fell down and proclaimed, “The Lord, He is God; the Lord, He is God” (1 Kings 18:39 NASB1995). Then Elijah seized the prophets of Baal, “brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there” (18:40). It

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was a massive victory for Elijah—a literal mountaintop experience with God.

And then, it began to rain.

In response to Elijah’s victory, Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, threatened to kill Elijah. The prophet ran for his life. He ran for more than a day. Once in the wilderness, he sat under a tree and asked God to let him die.

Only days earlier, Elijah had boldly called on God to prove Himself in front of hundreds of people who opposed God. Then, after receiving a single threat, Elijah picked up and ran away? What changed? Where was his faith?

Elijah was utterly exhausted and, therefore, susceptible to doubt and discouragement. He gave in to self-pity and lost his perspective. He was focused inwardly. Chuck Swindoll, in his book Elijah: A Man of Heroism and Humility, wrote: “Elijah had to get his eyes back on the Lord. That was absolutely essential. He had been used mightily, but it was the Lord who made him mighty. He stood strong against the enemy, but it was the Lord who had given him the strength.”1 In the face of doubt, we must fight against discouragement. When things look like they can’t get any worse, we must reach out to others to gain perspective and hope.

churches, it’s easy to feel as though we’re the only remaining faithful ones and are about to be wiped out. How much easier it is to give in to self-pity than trust in the Lord’s provision!

After God fortified Elijah with food and rest in the wilderness, God confronted him on Mount Horeb. “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (19:9). Elijah complained that he was the last remaining prophet and was about to be killed. Instead of rebuking Elijah for his selffocus and lack of faith, God revealed Himself. He told Elijah he was not alone, no matter how things seemed. There were 7,000 people in Israel still faithful to God, people whose knees had not bowed to Baal and whose mouths had not kissed him (19:18).

Elijah reminds us to look up, to choose to believe in God’s faithfulness, even when everything around us seems to us to be hopeless.

The same is true today. Regardless of how bad things look, there are those who remain faithful to God and continue preaching His Word. That remains our mission at Insight for Living Canada. We exist to glorify God and reach the world with His truth through the exegetical exposition of the Scriptures.

By running away, Elijah separated himself from people who could have helped him grow in faith— people who could have offered encouragement, strength, and, most importantly, objectivity. If he had reached out to others, Elijah might have realized that the God who answered by fire would continue to be with him. But instead, Elijah wailed, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers” (19:4).

Many of us can relate to Elijah’s situation. Faced with an increasingly secular society and the watering down of scriptural truth in our

Elijah reminds us to look up, to choose to believe in God’s faithfulness, even when everything around us seems to us to be hopeless. Whether we apply this truth to our ministry or personal lives, we can know that when we’re in the will of God, we’re secure…even when our experiences are not always “mountaintop.”

1. Charles R. Swindoll, Elijah: A Man of Heroism and Humility (Nashville: Word, 2000), 121.

We’re deeply thankful for your faithful support of Insight for Living Canada and the Bible-teaching ministry of Pastor Chuck Swindoll.

Your prayers and gifts are tangible expressions of God’s grace, enabling us to move forward with confidence. Through His grace and your partnership, lives are being touched with the hope and truth found in Christ.