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the Manna | December 2012
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the Manna | December 2012
Columns
20 | Entering Eternity
09 | Signals 11 | On the Air
23 | Second Opinion
Features 14 | God Was Here The glorious feet that walked the earth.
16 | Water for Thirsty Souls Finding what truly satisfies.
18 | Evolving Words
Stay in Touch
Where will we spend forever?
Looking for the right answers.
24 | First Impression What God has revealed.
26 | Truth Or Tolerance? Sharing openly an unpopular belief.
28 | Christ, the King Mark your calendars.
Truth that stands the test of time.
wolc.org | readthemanna.org | December 2012
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the Manna | A Publication of Maranatha, Inc. Editor-In-Chief: Debbie Byrd Creative Director: Joe Willey Contributing Writers: Phil Bohaker, Keyanna Butts, Josh Millwood, Brittney Switala, B.A. Timmons & Karen Tull Media Client Liaison: Randall Stapleton
Frequently Asked Questions Who We Are The Manna is published by Maranatha, Inc., a Christcentered ministry called to proclaim the Good News of faith and life in Jesus Christ through various forms of media, as God directs, until He returns. “Maranatha” (mer-a-nath´-a) is an Aramaic word found in I Corinthians 16:22. It is translated, “Our Lord, come!” Joy! 102.5 WOLC is also part of Maranatha, Inc. Its call letters stand for “Watch, Our Lord Cometh.” Maranatha!
Disclaimer Non-ministry advertisers are not required to subscribe to the “Statement of Faith” printed at right; nor are their businesses and products necessarily endorsed by the Manna, Joy! 102.5 WOLC, or Maranatha, Inc., whose viewpoints are not necessarily represented by the opinions or statements of persons interviewed in this magazine; nor are the viewpoints of its advertisers.
Statement of Faith We Believe… that the Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible and authoritative source of Christian doctrine and precept; that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; that the only hope for man is to believe in Jesus Christ, the virgin-born Son of God, who died to take upon Himself the punishment for the sin of mankind, and who rose from the dead so that by receiving Him as Savior and Lord, man is redeemed by His blood; that Jesus Christ in person will return to Earth in power and glory; that the Holy Spirit indwells those who have received Christ, for the purpose of enabling them to live righteous and godly lives; and that the Church is the Body of Christ and is comprised of all those who, through belief in Christ, have been spiritually regenerated by the indwelling Holy Spirit. The twin mission of the Church is worldwide evangelization, and nurture and discipline of Christians.
Manna and Joy! 102.5 WOLC P. O. Box 130, Princess Anne, MD 21853 Voice: 410-543-9652 Fax: 410-651-9652 Manna e-mail: info@readthemanna.org Joy! 102.5 e-mail: wolc@wolc.org ©2012 Maranatha, Inc. May not be reproduced without written consent of Maranatha, Inc. Photos: iStockphoto and Thinkstock
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Signals Truth Be Told We live in a world where anything goes. I’m okay, you’re okay. If it’s right for you, it’s okay and none of my business. If it’s right for me, then it’s none of your business. And as long as we don’t bother each other, we’re both okay. But is that truth? Does our culture of tolerance keep us from sharing the truth? Does it keep some from finding the truth? Truth be told, most people consider it offensive if an individual even thinks they have a market on truth. But does that mean there is no truth? If a Christian believes the Bible to be the Word of God, the Truth, and a Muslim believes the Koran to be the same, who is right? Each of us has to make that choice. But it boils down to a choice. We choose Christ. We choose His Truth—the Bible. In choosing His Word as Truth, we chose to believe that He is the only way to God, because He tells us that is True. He also tells us in His Word that there will be others that profess to be the only path, or an alternate path, to God, but that we must choose the narrow path, the one that He has forged for us. Edward G. Dobson writes, in Total Sufficiency, “When we fulfill our calling to declare God’s truth, we are certain to be challenged. First, we will be challenged by a culture that denies absolute truth...our culture is not truth-friendly...the prevailing idea among people today is that there are no absolutes—that everything is relative. Therefore, there is no such thing as the truth. Rather, there are many truths, not one truth. When we come along, as followers of Christ and declare that this Bible is the
inspired, inerrant Word of the Living God, it’s not up for discussion or debate.” “When we as Christians tell people that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant Word of the living God, sometimes we’ll get the response that this Bible isn’t the only source of truth. However, God is not in a negotiating mood with His truth. His truth is forever settled. It transcends culture, language, time, and space. God’s Word is the absolute truth of God. And when we proclaim that, we will be taking a stand against the flow of ideas that are popular in our culture. We will be told that Jesus is not the only way to heaven and that we are being narrow minded and anti-intellectual.” “Truth is eternal because it is God’s truth. It is essential because it represents His character and nature. It is absolute because He is the ultimate absolute. Its proclamation is our mission, and its fruit is eternal life and righteous.” Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Proclaming The Truth—His Truth— this Christmas, we encourage you on His path, pray that you celebrate His Truth this Christmas, and stay on His narrow path as the New Year unfolds! Debbie Byrd is General Manager of Maranatha, Inc., a ministry that includes Joy! 102.5 and the Manna.
wolc.org | readthemanna.org | December 2012
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On the Air A Christ-Centered Christmas On the air this month, you’re hearing the sounds of Christmas! You’ll hear traditional Christmas songs that we’re all familiar with, along with some new Christmas tunes from artists like Big Daddy Weave, Mandisa, Jeremy Camp, Josh Wilson, For King & Country, Group 1 Crew, and many more. No matter whether they’re traditional, remakes, or new releases, you can be assured that the songs we’ve selected are Christ-centered Christmas songs. We’ll be playing all Christmas music throughout the entire month. And this year, we will present 38 hours of uninterrupted Christmas music beginning at 9 AM on Christmas Eve and continuing through midnight Christmas Day. During these hours of continuous music, we will be preempting all our normal programming for those three days. This has become a listener
favorite over the past several years, and we continue the tradition this Christmas as our gift to you! So be sure to let Joy! 102.5 fill your home with the non-stop, Christ-honoring sounds of Christmas this year. Thank you for listening and supporting Joy! 102.5! From our family to yours, we wish you a very merry Christmas and the happiest New Year ahead! Rodney Baylous is Program Director of Joy! 102.5. Visit www.wolc.org.
Listen Now! Check out our Program Guide at wolc.org wolc.org | readthemanna.org | December 2012
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Go Out
It’s A Big World
The Nutcracker 12/1 - 12/23 | Washington, D.C. http://concerts.livenation.com/artist/1362033 A holiday must-see full of magic and marvels. Septime Webre’s critically acclaimed The Nutcracker transports us back in time to historic Washington, DC and stars George Washington as the heroic Nutcracker.
Victorian Christmas 12/1 - 12/23 | Berlin, Maryland calendar.visitmaryland.org Life-size animated story book displays, horse and carriage rides, visits with Santa, Christmas parade, Victorian fashion show and teas.
Festival of Wreaths 12/1 - 12/6 | Cambridge, Maryland http://calendar.visitmaryland.org/ Wreaths on display for silent auction. Gala on Dec. 3 featuring live auction of wreaths, trips, artwork; entertainment and refreshments.
Winterfest of Lights 12/1 - 1/1/13 | Ocean City, Maryland http://ococean.com/events/winterfest-of-lights-2012 Enjoy this award-winning holiday paradise created for the whole family! More than one million holiday lights sparkle throughout your favorite beach resort. Relax in the heated tent, enjoy entertainment on selected nights & sip hot chocolate at the Winterfest Village.
Festivals of Speed 12/2 | Orlando, Florida http://www.festivalsofspeed.com The 7th Annual Festivals of Speed at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes to benefit the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children.The luxury lifestyle display will showcase over 300 exotic cars, motorcycles, watercraft and aircraft
National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony 12/6 | Washington, D.C. http://www.thenationaltree.org In 1923, President Calvin Coolidge walked from the White House to the Ellipse to light a 48-foot fir tree decorated with 2,500 electric bulbs. 90 years later, this American holiday tradition continues to bring citizens together wolc.org | readthemanna.org | December 2012
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God Was Here By Karen Tull
“S
o the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son” (John 1:14). It blows my mind every time to consider that God Himself was physically here on Earth...walking around, talking, eating, working, laughing—being a human (and yet fully God simultaneously). Two thousand years ago, the Creator of the universe limited Himself by time and space and came down into a fallen world. Jesus Christ was born. The true Light entered the darkness and all of history changed. Author Max Lucado describes it this way: “For a period ever so brief, the doors to the throne room were open and God came near. His Majesty was seen. Heaven touched the earth and, as a result, earth can know heaven. In astounding tandem a human body housed divinity. Holiness and earthliness intertwined.” The human mind cannot comprehend God’s majesty. It is foreign to us—alien. Perhaps we have experienced moments of feeling as though we’ve gotten a rare glimpse into His glory. Music often has a powerful ability to elevate the psyche to a higher state of awareness. Sacred pieces such as Handel’s Messiah or Lauridsen’s “O Magnum Mysterium,” for example, can indeed lift the eyes upward in awe and wonder. But we have not seen the true glory of God. In fact, only three disciples were permitted to see Jesus Christ in all His heavenly splendor: “As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as light...a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to Him.’” The disciples were terrified and
fell face down on the ground. Then Jesus came over and touched them. ‘Get up,’ He said. ‘Don’t be afraid’” (Matthew 17:2, 5-7). The presence of God is so other-worldly and allconsuming that the only possible human reaction is one of sheer fright, as God is good and perfect and we are corrupt and unworthy. Even the angels themselves dare not look upon Him. As the prophet Isaiah wrote about his vision: “I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above Him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory’” (Isaiah 6:1-3). And yet, from a human standpoint, there was nothing grand about the way in which Christ entered this world, His virgin birth notwithstanding. No pomp and circumstance. No finery. No royal fanfare. No cavalcade of chariots. Instead, a humble arrival unnoticed by nearly everyone. Why did Jesus Christ come here? What was His mission? To rescue His sheep who were separated from the Father when sin entered creation—sheep who didn’t even know they were entirely lost. Jesus accomplished this by living a perfect life on behalf of sinners like you and me and in redeeming us through the shedding of His blood on the cross. God was here. God didn’t have to come here— but He did. This Christmas, may you believe in your heart that a holy, glorious God loves you and has provided salvation and hope. And may you put your faith in Jesus Christ, the Returning King! ...And He shall reign forever and ever...
wolc.org | readthemanna.org | December 2012
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Water for Thirsty Souls By Phil Bohaker
A
few years ago I heard a sermon on the uniqueness of Christianity. The pastor was relating to the congregation how he had explained the defining characteristic of Christianity to his teenage son. In every other major religion of the world, he argued, the goal is to “climb the mountain” to reach God. Muslims have their five pillars to adhere to in hope of reaching Paradise. Jews seek the favor of God through devotion to Torah. Hindus desire release from the cycle of rebirths and union with Brahman—infinite, transcendent reality. The paths are many, but they share a commonality: We must work our way to God. On the other hand, the pastor told his son, Christianity stands in stark contrast to every other religion. Through Christ, God came down the mountain to us. We call it the Incarnation of Christ. Isaiah called him Immanuel, “God with us.” Jesus is not a clever sage, who merely showed us the way to God. He is the very God we seek. And He did what we could not by erasing the gap that separated us from Him. Postmodernity says, “All paths lead to God.” The truth is that all manmade paths feed into the same highway. It is a “Road to Nowhere,” to borrow a phrase from the Talking Heads. They’ve never brought a single person closer to God. God has already drawn near to us; it only remains for us to draw near to Him through faith in Christ. This fundamental difference between the Christian gospel and all other religions can be summed up in one word—grace. The gospel centers on God’s grace. Dig to the core of any other religious system, and you will find at its core only Law. When Christians think of the Law, we often think of the Mosaic Law as it is recorded in the Old Testament. But Paul teaches us that even those who do not claim the Law of Moses as their authority still create their own system of rules and regulations by which they measure their morality (Romans 2:14,15). As believers we recognize that Christ is the fulfillment of Law for us. Left to ourselves, we can never shake the label “Lawbreakers.” But Jesus fulfilled the Law for us and thereby stands as our intermediary with God.
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As a result, we have no faith in our works, as we know these works always fall short of God’s standards. Instead, our faith is in a person, Jesus. This shifts our focus away from ourselves and turns it toward God. If Jesus is all I need to have a relationship with God, then my time is more aptly spent cherishing Him than dwelling on myself. And He wants us to not just live in relationship with Him, but to live abundantly in Him. Have you ever noticed after you drink a soda or a cup of coffee how quickly you become thirsty again? That is because our bodies were made to take in water. Nothing else will satisfy the need our bodies have for water. The same is true of the spiritual life. Some try to manufacture spirituality through works. Others seek fulfillment through money and possessions, or through sex, or through food. All these things are like drinking a soda. They taste great, but wait around a few minutes and you will find that you are unsatisfied. Only Jesus can truly satisfy our souls. In a sermon entitled, “Safety, Fullness, and Sweet Refreshment in Christ,” the great Puritan preacher Jonathan Edwards said this: “There are plenty and fulness [sic] in him; he is like a river that is always flowing, you may live by it forever, and never be in want. Come to him who has such excellency as is sufficient to give full contentment to your soul, who is a person of transcendent glory, and ineffable beauty, where you may entertain the view of your soul for ever without weariness, and without being cloyed.” Christ is indeed refreshment to a thirsty soul. In Him, we can rest from the burdensome toil of works and Law. In Christ, we can lay aside encumbering sins. This is what Jesus was referring to when He told the Samaritan women that if she drank the water He gave her, she would never again thirst (John 4:14). Only Jesus can provide the life-giving water for which our souls yearn. And He is not just a sip from a canteen in the desert. He has already done the work of “coming down the mountain” to offer us a drink. Drink deeply of Christ, and you will find that He is the wellspring of eternal, abundant life.
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Evolving Words By Josh Millwood
T
he English language is ever-evolving. Each year, Webster, Oxford, and whatever other dictionarymakers are out there add words. Generally, they are words that have gained traction on the internet or are combinations of words that have new meaning in society. They also appoint the Word of the Year. In 2012, the Oxford English Dictionary Word of the Year was “omnishambles.” And even though omnishambles sounds like it should be a delicious omelette made from an ostrich egg, it actually means “a situation that has been comprehensively mismanaged, characterised by a string of blunders and miscalculations.” The American Word of the Year was “gif,” which is short-form for Graphic Interchange File, a common file format for online graphics. Omnishambles is obviously a way cooler word than gif. Some brand-new English words include agritourism (how tree-huggers like to vacation), burkini (a combo burqa/bikini developed during the Arab Spring), and dramedy (because we can’t just laugh at a movie anymore; we need to also feel awkward and sad). Not only do we get new words, others get tossed out as arcane or politically incorrect, only to be cycled back into vogue a decade later. English is a groovy language. But English is not a rock on which to stand. It can be beautiful, harsh, pointed and vague—yet what is eloquently written today could mean something completely different in 50 years. We tend to honor those wordsmiths who can craft a statement that holds true for longer than a fortnight (another great word that needs to be brought back into style). Shakespeare invented much of the English language
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and countless academics have committed their lives to studying his work. Tolstoy, Dickens, Twain, Rowling, Eliot, Hawthorne—the list goes on and on (and does not include Stephenie Meyer). You remember high school English class. You were forced to read stories and poems that you hated just because somebody who compiled your literature book thought these folks really knew how to turn a phrase. In some cases (like Chaucer), it feels like you have to play detective to figure out what the author means because the language has changed so much over hundreds of years. Other times, a poem by Rudyard Kipling might connect with you on a deeply personal level that was, up to that point, undiscovered. Words are important. They allow us to express, communicate, and chronicle. As gifted as many human beings are with using words in a lasting way, it is but a shadow of truth found in God’s Word. The Gospel of John starts with, “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone.” The Bible establishes that Jesus is The Word. Through Him, everything was created. What we do today with words is but an echo of The Word. Unlike our words, which change with the passage of time, our God is unchanging, forever, and solid. No matter what language, dialect, or translation of God’s Word you read, actual living truth is conveyed. Try as this world may to stop God’s Word, the darkness cannot defeat the Light. No man can silence The Word.
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only correlate salvation with being freed (“saved”) from sin. But when we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we receive much more than just remission from sin— we unwrap the greatest gift anyone could hope for (and what scientists can only dream about). For some, the thought of living forever can be somewhat overwhelming, even a nightmare if pondered from an earthly point of view. Who would want to live forever in this violent, polluted, corrupt world? Thankfully, for those who believe in Christ, eternity is not founded on this present earth, but in heaven. In essence, the moment our physical body dies, our spirit is present with God (2 Corinthians 5:8). Death for a Christian is not so much an exit out of life as it is an
Entering Eternity By Keyanna Butts
entry into the Lord’s presence. Heaven is a real place. A place of such majesty that it can only be described as indescribable. “... No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). In Heaven, there is a special place prepared for each of us. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:1-3). We will eventually live out the remainder of eternity on a new earth. Life on the
new earth will be nothing like this present earth. There will be no lack, no death, no sadness, no pain. There will be no need for the sun or the moon because God and Jesus will be physically present, and their glory will light the earth. There will be a city with streets of pure gold and garnished with precious stones (Revelation 21). Everything will be perfect. Everyone will be happy. Life will be exactly how God intended it to be in the beginning—very good. We are not mentally capable of fully comprehending the splendor, beauty, and glory of Heaven or the new earth. But our belief in Jesus Christ ensures that we will one day live forever, in paradise.
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Second Opinion By Karen Tull
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hose wisdom informs how you live? What drives the decisions you make? Who or what is your go-to source when you’re in need of guidance? Each of us navigates through this life according to what we deem to be right, and there are myriad belief systems and moral codes to which we can subscribe. During a class on the New Testament that I took at my (secular) college, we were discussing the teachings of Jesus and the professor posed a question on the value in applying these principles to our own lives. One student reluctantly responded, “I really don’t know...I guess I should probably consider his opinion on some things.” Think about prominent figures revered for their philosophies and teachings—Socrates, Aristotle, the Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa, Ayn Rand—even Oprah, horoscopes, and advice columns. New Age doctrine would have us look inside ourselves to somehow connect with the answers we need. Are the words of Jesus Christ to be lumped in with all the rest, as potentially worthy of merit? It depends on how you answer the following question: Who do you say Jesus is? Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus is very clear about it: “I AM the gate; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved...” “I AM the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for His sheep.” “I AM the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies.” “I AM the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” “I AM the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.” One of the most powerful statements Jesus makes is recorded in John 8:58: “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I AM.” Here, He declares His divinity in saying that He existed even before Abraham and by attributing to Himself the holy name of God, I AM (Exodus 3:14). Such a declaration cannot be ignored—it demands a response from us. Do you believe this to be Truth? Or are you sitting on
the proverbial fence? C.S. Lewis once wrote, “A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said wouldn’t be a great moral teacher. He’d either be a lunatic—on a level with the man who says he’s a poached egg—or else he’d be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice.” He continues, “Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But don’t let us come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He hasn’t left that open to us. He didn’t intend to.” In reality, there is no middle ground. We have either put our faith in Jesus Christ as our only hope for salvation—or we haven’t. “He who does not take the step of faith, and so enter upon the road to heaven, will perish,” said Charles Spurgeon. “It will be an awful thing to die just outside the gate of life. Almost saved, but altogether lost! This is the most terrible of positions. A man just outside Noah’s ark would have been drowned; a manslayer close to the wall of the city of refuge, but yet outside of it, would be slain; and the man who is within a yard of Christ, and yet has not trusted Him, will be lost.” God, the only supreme and eternal Being, has created all and ordained how humans are able to approach Him. That He would want or allow us to approach Him at all is amazing. But He loves sinners and has therefore made a way—that Way being Jesus Christ, His Son—who redeemed us with His own blood. Who are we to customize our own preferred path to God? Instead of being offended that our options are limited, should not our response be one of gratitude that we even have an option! In view of the majesty and holiness of Jesus, we should be driven to our knees and exclaim as John the Baptist did...“Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”—and then live accordingly.
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n article by David Byrne entitled “How Music Works” appeared in the October 2012 issue of Smithsonian. Byrne is perhaps best known for his work with the new wave band Talking Heads. Byrne discusses how our brains process information: “In a UCLA study, neurologists Istvan Molnar-Szakacs and Katie Overy watched brain scans to see which neurons fired while people and monkeys observed other people and monkeys perform specific actions or experience specific emotions. They determined that a set of neurons in the observer “mirrors” what they saw happening in the observed. If you are watching an athlete, for example, the neurons that are associated with the same muscles the athlete is using will fire. Our muscles don’t move...but the neurons do act as if we are mimicking the observed. This mirror effect goes for emotional signals as well. When we see someone frown or smile, the neurons associated with those facial muscles will fire. But—and here’s the significant part—the emotional neurons associated with those feelings fire as well. Visual and auditory clues trigger empathetic neurons... empathy seems to be built into our neurology. It has been proposed that this shared representation (as neuroscientists call it) is essential for any type of communication. The ability to experience a shared repre-
sentation is how we know what the other person is getting at, what they’re talking about. If we didn’t have this means of sharing common references, we wouldn’t be able to communicate.” The evolutionist would say that our brains evolved to this place to enable communication with each other. I would propose that the Lord God created us this way by design so that He might use it to communicate His heart with us. So let’s say you’re God, and you want to communicate something really spectacular. How do you do it? You have been dwelling among the people you have created for a long time. You laid out a path for them to follow. They have been plugging along, waiting for your next move. The time comes to unveil the key element in your grand plan. The way by which you desire to make your home in the hearts of your people is finally being revealed. You have created these people so that the neurons in their brains will respond to what they see and hear. They have the ability to understand because they are very familiar with the experience you are about to share with them. It is an experience that
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Every subsequent viewing of the nativity would spark these same emotions forevermore. However, it would be a complex set of emotions. How could a child be the Savior? How could God arrive so humbly, so quietly? How could your people be expected to put their faith in a child such as this? You would answer those questions later, for those who seek. For now, you are all about first impressions. We understand what you were getting at, because you enabled us to do so by design. Yet there is still one further step which we must take, and that, of course, is the step of believing by faith. The message is simple—it’s the same one you gave those shepherds: “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
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is common to all mankind. So you come to Earth in the form of a man, an infant to be exact. You make your presence known to a group of shepherds— ordinary men leading ordinary lives. These shepherds represent all to come afterwards. They go and find you in a most unlikely state—a child wrapped in cloths, lying in a manger. Despite the odd circumstances, it is still a familiar sight to them. Here lay a newborn child with his parents. The shepherds take one look and can’t help but see the joy of a new birth through the faces of Mary and Joseph. They immediately associate the scene with a long history of blessing through the births of children. You knew these shepherds and all of mankind henceforth would be able to empathize with the emotions that accompany new little lives and the promise of hope that comes with them. You knew there is a universal excitement that comes with the birth of a child.
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he longer I knew David, the more I liked him. As political science students in the hub of Washington, D.C., we would talk current events and policy but more
often than not our conversations would dig deeper into heart convictions. We were a part of a tight-knit Christian college community where we ate, studied, and often walked to our internships together. I noticed that even after work and school hours were over, David could be seen relaxing in a preppy collared shirt and sweater. Clean-cut, the kind of guy a good Christian girl would feel glad about
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Truth or Tolerance? By Brittney Switala
bringing home to mom. I knew David had his issues. He was a former alcoholic and faithfully rode his bike to weekly recovery group meetings. He praised the organization for how it had successfully changed his life. I found it odd that he once called this group his “church,” yet I admired his fortitude in staying away from his former vice. As I lived and breathed life among this group of Christian college students, I was drawn to how seriously David, above others, took his moral conduct. One day walking home from work, our conversation landed on the topic of eternity in Heaven. David was great about playing devil’s advocate and looking at an issue from various points of view. I never had a reason to doubt he was a Christian. But one quote of the verse John 14:6 and he totally withdrew. I said the Bible tells us salvation is exclusive: There is only one way to Heaven and that is through Jesus Christ. That was our final conversation of spiritual substance. Later on I found out David was an avid follower of Eastern religions. Looking back, I have often wondered what I could or should have done differently. Should I have taken the conversation down a less controversial path? Did I not have the friendship with David I thought I had? Did he tune out because other Christians (or the Church) had done some damage before I came on the scene? Was I the one who was offensive or was it the Word of God he was rejecting? It is a point of internal conflict that burdens believers. We must each face the fact that we are torn between the ultimate good in the eyes of society and the ultimate good in the eyes of God. The prized virtue in America is tolerance and acceptance of multiple equally valid “truths.” No one wants to be called a judgmental bigot. The most oft-quoted Bible verse in America is no longer John 3:16
(about salvation through Christ); instead, the best known verse is Matthew 7:1: “Judge not, that you be not judged.” It is no longer good enough to speak Truth in an attitude of love, because the Truth itself is labeled intolerant. Sharing openly an unpopular belief can isolate a believer and even lead to discipline in the workplace or school environment. Through Christ, the ultimate good is not to avoid offending, but to lead someone away from a lie and open their eyes to the Truth of God’s Word. Thinking about a friend on the path to Hell and being a part of the process of changing their eternal destiny to Heaven is the most electrifying experience a person can ever have. It is a privilege to be a bearer of Truth. There are Christians who scream truth from the roadside with hate-filled voices holding obnoxious signs. Any Scripture quotes fall on deaf ears because the only thing that can be heard is the hatred. More often than not, I think that we as believers honestly err in the other direction. We huddle in our Christian groups and do a big motivational pow-wow. “We are right; the world is wrong,” and then safely return to our homes. Professional Christians make bold statements to the press while the rest of us cheer them on in front of our TVs. Very little one-on-one relationship is happening between the Buddhist mom and the Christian mom whose kids are playing together in the fast food playland. Fear of offending keeps us from life-changing conversation. And that brings us back to David. I need to have more conversations with the “Davids” I meet and pray that Christ takes control of my words, so I can look back without second-guessing. “For the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18).
Christ, the King By Margaret Manning
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ost of us only know of kings and queens through fairy tales. Especially those who reside in North America, we have not witnessed the coronation of a royal, nor visited the museum that houses crown jewels. For most of us living in the modern world, kings and queens are the product of legend and myth, or remembered through history classes as those often tyrannical figures overthrown by revolution. Yet, if you are part of a church that journeys through the liturgical church year, then you’ll be aware that Sunday, November 25 was the Sunday of Christ, the King. This special Sunday marks the end of the church year, and inaugurates the Advent Season that includes Christmas Day. This day, for Christians, celebrates and recalls the rule of Christ over all creation. Special hymns, Scripture readings, and prayers fill the day captured by the apostle Paul’s words to the Philippians: “God highly exalted him, and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” For many living today, the language of kingship may seem outdated or oppressive. And perhaps for many, the dominant images of kings and kingdoms conjure up thoughts of tyrants. We think of ancient feudal societies with despotic rulers and overlords, or power-hungry leaders who will stop at nothing, nor think twice about stepping over anyone who gets in their way. As a result, these images often negatively impact thoughts about Christ being called the King. But the biblical imagery and descriptions of Christ’s kingship are not despotic or oppressive. The ancient Hebrew prophets, Isaiah and Jeremiah, both envision a Messiah who presents an alternative vision to the stereotypical understanding of kingship: “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth…the wolf and the lamb shall graze together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox…they shall do no evil or harm in all my holy mountain, says the Lord…. Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I shall raise up for David a
righteous Branch; and he will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness I the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely; and this is his name by which he will be called, ‘The Lord our righteousness.’” In addition to this prophetic vision, the way in which Jesus lives radically alters the human understanding of kingship. For, the earthly ministry of Jesus was not one of power, military might or oppression. Indeed, Jesus turns the whole concept on its head in a discussion with his disciples: “You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to become great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.“ Jesus argued before Pilate that his kingdom was not of this world. He understood all too well popular images of kings and lords and he specifically sought to undermine them. Jesus demonstrated that as king and as ruler of all, he would be the servant of all. Indeed, even the Incarnation celebrated on Christmas day is an example of this: God the Son, King of all creation, humbled himself to become human, even sharing the ultimate fate of his would-be captive subjects: human death. For those who care to see and hear in a new way during this season of Advent, Christ, the King Sunday points us to King Jesus who did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, being made in the likeness of humans. It is before the rule of this servant-king that one day all will bow. Margaret Manning is a member of the speaking and writing team at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Seattle, Washington. Christ, the King by Margaret Manning, A Slice of Infinity, originally printed November 27, 2012 (www.rzim.org). Used by permission of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.
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