The Philadelphia Manna November 2013

MMP H I L A D E L P H I A

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the Philadelphia MannaNovember 2013

W A S

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Lancaster County, PennsylvaniaBranson, Missouri

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readthephillymanna.org | November 2013 5

Stay in Touch

Mthe Philadelphia Manna | November 2013

Columns07 | Signals26 | Unfiltered

Features11 | Paper PlatesOnly Jesus can carry the world’s weight.

12 | Why We Should Stop Asking WhyTrials have a purpose.

14 | Spoiled Food, Spoiled Faith Why do we waste?

17 | Waste Not, Want NotDon’t waste any experiences.

18 | I’ll Be Happy WhenWhat are you waiting for?

20 | UnplugHow are you spending your time?

23 | Scare TacticsCan anyone be frightened into repentance?

24 | Why Christian?Christ is truly unique.

Maranatha, Inc. | Home of the Manna

Mthe Philadelphia Manna | A Publication of Maranatha, Inc.

Editor-In-Chief: Debbie Byrd

Creative Director: Joe Willey

Editorial Coordinator: Karen Punches

Contributing Writers: Phil Bohaker, Yvonne Bohaker, Josh Millwood, Karen Punches, Brittney Switala & Fran Tatum

Philadelphia Publisher: Chuck Kieffer

Statement of FaithWe 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.

DisclaimerNon-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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who We AreThe 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!

©2013 Maranatha, Inc.May not be reproduced without written consent of Maranatha, Inc.

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readthephillymanna.org | November 2013 7

On the Air

It’s been said that the apple never falls far from the tree. Country singer, song-writer Sara Spicer is forging new ground with the release of her new CD, You Gotta Believe. Sara is the daughter of local artist and community activist George Spicer. George was the lead singer and front man for the band Dream Catcher and founder of Yacht Stock which annually raises 1,000’s of dollars for kids charities.

Sara has been gifted from the start, following her dads lead whether it’s been in stage or church. But her songwriting career began when she was just nine when she wrote the song “Heavens Gate”. It was an expression of her love and affection for her mom who had committed suicide. Born out of this tragic event was a passion for expression through her music. “Heaven’s Gate” is just one of the songs which can be found on her new CD. You can discover more about Sara at http://www.reverbna-tion.com/saraspicer or on Facebook.

The title track of the CD, You Gotta Believe was written for the independent film Harry Godfather produced by Phila-delphia filmmakers Harry Stymiest, Jr and Bill and Kathy Mackie. The film was based on the premise that a little girl’s wishes are granted by a stand-in godfather due to a strike of all the fairy-godmothers. In the

recently released music video you can get a taste of the fresh voice Sara delivers in her music.

Over the past year Sara has been featured at Philadelphia Soul games at halftime, in local clubs and events. She is currently In Nashville working towards the next step in her career. We can only expect more positive news in the future from this local rising star.

Chuck Kieffer, is the Host of Big House Radio, an indie radio program proving a voice for young artists in Philadelphia. The program can be heard Wednesday evenings from 9-11 PM on http://www.wybf.com and Thursday afternoons from 2-4 PM on www.wdnrfm.org.

Sara Spicer

Go OutPhiladelphia

Free Sunday MorningsThrough 11/24 | Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania

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Museum admission is free on Sunday mornings from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Enjoy breakfast with a view from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. The restaurant

offers “Breakfast on the Brandywine” with a menu that changes weekly and costs $7. A children’s meal is also available for $3.50.

Media Farmers MarketEvery Thursday, 3-7 pm | Media, Pennsylvaniawww.mediafarmersmarket.com

While you shop at the Media Farmers Market the next few weeks, don’t just shop for the week, look ahead. Stock up on non-perishables and on foods you can prepare and freeze, carrying the bounty of the Farmers Market with you right through the cold months ahead!

Rend Collective Experiment w/ Audrey Assad & Bellarive

The Campfire Tour!

12/1 - 12/6 | Lancaster, Pennsylvaniawww.itickets.com

readthephillymanna.org | November 2013 9

Holy Angels Cafe featuring Paging Samuel

A Christmas Carol11/24 - 12/22 | Media, Pennsylvaniawww.mediatheatre.org

Philadelphia native and professional actor Scott Langdon will perform his one-man interpretation of the original Charles Dickens masterpiece. Tickets are a very family friendly $15 per person. This holiday classic is for all ages

Paging Samuel returns to one of their favorite venues: Holy Angels Cafe. What used to be a convent chapel has been transformed into one of the most intimate coffee houses you can experience. Tell a friend, your “other”, or even a group of friends about this chill, laid back atmosphere, and the elegance of ambiance you won’t find anywhere else.

11/9 | Woodbury, New Jerseywww.reverbnation.com/pagingsamuel

Philadelphia Boys Choir Christmas Concert

Get in the Christmas spirit with a special performance by the Philadelphia Boys Choir! All proceeds from this event will go toward helping build a new home for Martha K. and her 62 orphaned children who have been displaced due to road construction in White Plains, Liberia.

12/1 | Wilmington, Delawarewww.brandywineonline.org

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readthephillymanna.org | November 2013 11

Paper PlatesBy Josh Millwood

We all know them—perhaps you are one of them—the folks that cannot resist casting a disapproving glare whenever someone whips out the paper plates. It’s that look that

says, “Don’t you know that you are polluting the planet? This is not sustainable! I’ve half a mind to throw you into the cramped trunk of my Prius and drive you out into the middle of the dying forest and leave you for biodegrad-able fertilizer!” Well, that might be a bit much, but you’ve probably been on the receiving end of one of those glares if you don’t properly separate your recycling in the pres-ence of an environmental crusader.

More and more Christians are getting passionate about taking care of planet Earth. For some, it’s an exciting topic. When a believer examines Creation, he might see the ever-present hand of the Creator. For others, it is a conviction that stems from God commanding Adam and Eve to tend the Garden of Eden. In fact, one of the often overlooked repercussions of mankind’s sin was for us to be at odds with the earth. What was meant for harmony is now a battle.

Like most things, the Christian community often disagrees over what our responsibility is towards this planet. Sadly, as a people, when we don’t share common convictions we attempt to enforce them, convinced that others have simply missed what God is saying. Whether your passion be for preserving God’s Creation, protect-

ing unborn babies or saving young women from human trafficking, you probably get unnerved that not everyone shares your passion. You might be tempted to think them unloving or self-absorbed. Can’t they see how important this is?!

Yes. They see. But they might have other convictions and passions that fuel their walk with God. God is the only One that can successfully balance all of the world’s great needs. This world is in His hands and, as the Church, we are commended to be His hands and feet. But we can’t do it all. Only one person could carry the weight of balancing love for all of life’s important causes—and His name is Jesus.

Humanity is at odds with Creation. It is crying out for the redemption promised long ago by its Creator. That renewal—that re-Creation—is coming. We can do our part to care for something beautiful that our Savior spoke into being—a Creation, mind you, that predates us! Before life was breathed into mankind, the Great Artist created a world that He cheerfully declared was good. But it is more important for us to live out the charge Jesus gave us: Love God and love others as we love ourselves. God will not give us a more important passion than those. When a crusade or movement causes us to falter in that love, it might be time to press pause and re-center our values on what Christ commanded.

By Phil Bohaker

Why We Should

Stop Asking

Why

readthephillymanna.org | November 2013 13

Things happen for a reason. Sometimes we know exactly what that reason is. Case in point is the lesson my preschooler gets after falling just short in his leap from the couch to the coffee table—

“Your leg is throbbing with pain because of something called ‘blunt force trauma.’ Living room furniture was never meant for tests of athletic prowess. Good effort, though.” Early life lessons such as these teach us that there are consequences to our actions. Other life events have an immediate cause but also raise more questions. A car accident caused by another driver running a red light might induce the question, “Why did God allow me to be in that exact spot at the exact moment the car sped through the intersection?”

The answers to these kinds of questions may never come. Often that is just the way God would have it. He does not always provide answers to all our questions, but He always provides opportunity for us to grow spiritually. We do not have to know why something happens if we know who is in control. Although not having answers can be extremely frustrating, it can also be the catalyst God uses to strengthen our faith. Until we accept that reality, we will inevitably waste these opportunities.

John Eldredge writes in Fathered by God of his own struggles with the whys of life. During a relatively incon-sequential struggle, Eldredge began wondering about the bigger picture, asking, “Why does everything have to be so hard?” Later, he had a realization that prompted more penetrating questions, “How much of my life have I been misinterpreting? How many things have I just written off as hassle or ‘life is hard,’ or even as [spiritual] warfare, when in fact God was in it, in the difficulty, wanting to Fa-ther me?” Eldredge realized all the time he was spending lamenting his situation was blinding him to God’s offer to use those trials to refine him. The annoyance was actually the lesson. The difficulty was actually God’s initiative for spiritual transformation.

Eldredge’s experience echoes Peter’s encouragement in his first letter. After acknowledging that his readers are “grieved by various trials,” Peter compares their faith to gold, the authenticity of which can be proven by the

heat of a fire (1 Peter 1:6-7a). Gold that has been diluted into a cheap alloy will be exposed by intense heat, as the impurities separate from the gold and rise to the surface of the cauldron. But the faith of Peter’s audience is pure, he writes, and like pure gold will be proven by fire rather than destroyed.

Trials have a purpose, even if we don’t understand why they have come upon us. The end result of our trouble, Peter proclaims, is “praise and glory and honor at the rev-elation of Jesus Christ” (v. 7b). If they accomplish nothing else in our lives, trials remind us of our “living hope” of eternal life in Christ and prepare us for our heavenly inheritance (vv. 3-4). When we actively struggle to escape from our trials or become consumed with wishing our situation away, we may be resisting the very thing God has ordained for us.

We can be encouraged to know that God’s love tran-scends our circumstances. One might not feel loved in the experience of suffering, but one can be reassured by God’s faithfulness. If He has promised to love and care for His flock, then there must be some loving purpose beyond this dark moment.

The affliction will end, maybe in the next day, maybe not for a long time. However long the trial lasts, if we make our hope in Christ our focus in the middle of the storm, we do more to highlight the surpassing value of a relationship with Christ than we could ever accomplish in our prosperity. “What could be so valuable to a person,” someone might ask, “that he would still cherish it at the loss of health, riches, esteem, even his very life?”

Asking God why we must endure suffering is not nec-essarily wrong or sinful. It is a natural human response to tragedy. But perhaps the prevalence of unanswered whys in many of our lives should turn our questions into hows. How is God using this difficulty to change me? How can my tribulation bring glory to God? To questions such as those He has already provided an answer. Any struggle we face is an opportunity for us to direct our attention toward the sufficiency of God’s grace and to esteem Him before the watchful eyes of the world.

Con-densation from lukewarm

gallons of milk and the blood of red meat were dripping to the floor. A pile of moist cereal boxes were crushed and spilling. A tired cashier grabbed a mop while gazing across a sea of abandoned carts and spoiled food. On October 12, several Wal-Mart stores in Louisiana allowed shoppers to use their EBT cards without limits while the system was down. The EBT outage affected shoppers in 11 states. In most locations, welfare recipients were simply not allowed to shop (although varying state laws do allow for a contingency plan that should have allowed shoppers a small allowance.) Reports came in of shoppers stealing up to $700 worth of food and filling 8-10 carts. Some shoppers were stuck with full carts as the glitch was discovered. Carts of food were left at the door to spoil, and in many cases the sheer amount of food shoppers brought home was more than could be properly stored and eaten without spoilage.

In the Bible, a hungry group of

Israelites would have gladly pushed shopping carts across the des-

ert. They feared starvation so much so that they longed for their slavery days in Egypt which their minds some-how skewed to be better and full of plenty. Stuck wander-ing in the desert, they cried out to God and Moses for food. The Lord provided them with manna—a sweet bread that could be gathered in the morning. Anyone who, out of lack of trust in God, took more than they could eat in one day would have spoiled rotten food by the next morn-ing. It stunk and was full of maggots. Sometime later, the Israelites complained about the manna and asked for meat. God provided quail from the sky. He gave them quail for a month, so much that He said they would “loathe it.” He then sent a plague on the people. Numbers 11:34 says, “Therefore the place was named Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had craved other food.”

Humans will do whatever it takes to fulfill basic life

readthephillymanna.org | November 2013 15

By Brittney Switala

Spoiled Food, Spoiled Faith

needs. In elementary school, we learned that our basic needs are food, shelter and water. In our modern Ameri-can society, cell phones and internet have been added to that list. We struggle to put limits on our standards. We desire a certain quality and variety of food, we want an “open concept” living space like HGTV and we buy natu-ral spring bottled water. We do whatever we can to have enough and we have trouble knowing what “enough” even means.

According to a recent United Nations report, about 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted each year. Estimates say between 30-50% of all food is wasted worldwide. In developing countries, most food that is wasted is lost due to lack of proper storage and transportation options. (Food Security, Bryan McDonald.) Much of the waste happens before families even purchase foods from the store, and yet 14-25% of the food we have in our refrigerators is thrown away.

As the old saying goes, “Waste not, want not.” Perhaps it would help to know why we waste. There are lots of reasons that food is wasted in the farm to store stage, but here we will focus on those that affect us as American refrigerator-owning consumers.

Fear. The Israelites showed us one reason we waste—fear. We keep too much (or in our case, buy too much) out of fear we will not have enough. In buying more food than we can eat, the extra goes to waste.

Greed. Greed was on full display when the Wal-Mart shoppers took advantage of the EBT shutdown. Greed may also display itself in buying mass quantities of unneeded items at the warehouse club or wiping out a shelf of snack crackers that had a triple coupon deal. It is

important to probe the heart when going crazy on a “good deal.”

Poor Household Management. How often are things stuck in the back of the fridge and forgotten? I know this happens in our homes more than we like to ad-mit. Lack of meal planning leads to more shopping. More shopping, more waste.

Spoiled? There is plenty of confusion about “sell by” dates and expiration dates. When in question, most of us throw food away. Food dating exists to indicate the fresh-ness of the food, when that product will be at its peak. Spending a few minutes googling whether a package of three week old eggs should or should not be thrown away could save dollars—and breakfast.

Fickleness. Children are picky eaters and it’s easier to throw away their food than to have a fight. Honestly, the whole family can get bored of a certain dish and toss the leftovers. Putting half a casserole in the freezer for a later date could save it from the garbage disposal.

Just as with the Israelites thousands of years ago, our relationship with food and waste has a spiritual element. If we were to really consider stewardship of food a spiritual issue, perhaps we would eat differently. Inexpensive food gives us the idea that it can be thrown away without con-sequences. At the same time, millions of people in other parts of the world are starving. If we had optimal nutrition in mind and a firm grasp on quantities necessary to feed our families, America may have additional opportunities to spread resources to other parts of the world and lower global rates of poverty and starvation.

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readthephillymanna.org | November 2013 17

By Fran Tatum

Waste Not, Want Not

“Waste not, want not!”

My mother quoted these words so faithfully to me during my childhood that I honestly thought they were in

the Bible. While I have not been able to find this exact expression in Scripture, it is not bad advice. Mom was referring to material items when she repeated these words. I have learned that what we waste in life is often far more valuable.

Disappointments, failures and heartaches are certainly things which I do not want wasted in my life! It is bad enough to go through such experiences, but not to learn from them would add insult to injury. If nothing else, such times can bring us closer to our God who really is there no matter what happens to us and regardless of what we have done.

In the Bible, David provides a good example of not allowing bad experiences and failures to be wasted in life. In desperate situations and in failure, David was a man who pursued God in prayer. When King Saul was trying to

kill him and Saul’s men had David’s house surrounded, he wrote in Psalm 59, “O my Strength, I will watch for You; for You, O God, are my fortress.” After being rebuked for his sin with Bathsheba, David wrote in Psalm 51, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” In Psalm 63, while in the desert, most likely running from either Saul or Absalom, he wrote, “You (God) have been my help and in the shadow of Your wings I will sing for joy.”

“Waste not, want not!” I can still hear my mother repeating those words while carefully retrieving a piece of cotton from a newly-opened aspirin bottle, or washing used aluminum foil because it could be used once more. I have to confess, I do not always save the same items as my mother, but I have not thrown away her words. My prayer is that I will not waste any experience life hands me. I want to truly treasure those things that have eter-nal value. I want to grow closer to God throughout life’s journey.

My friend and I used to play a game called “Hy-pothetical Situation.” We never consciously invented it, but over time came to realize that most of our conversations invariably turned to

“what if” discussions, in which we would throw grey-matter scenarios at each other and ask what the other would do. While it was just for amusement, it was always interesting to pause and consider the different twists and turns life can take…the people you might meet, the deci-sions you’ll have to make, and so on.

If someone were to ask you whether or not your life has gone the way you thought it would, what would your answer be? Are you happy? If you aren’t, do you know what would make you happy? Maybe you don’t know what you need in order to be happy—you just know you

need it (and preferably now).I’d guess that many of us, at some point or another in

our lives, have had an “I’ll be happy when…” phase. We may never have voiced that exact statement, but that was the mindset. Life is sort of on hold until that certain thing happens. “I’ll be happy when I’m married.” “I’ll be happy when I have children.” “I’ll be happy when I’m divorced.” “I’ll be happy when I have a better job.” “I’ll be happy when I move away.” “I’ll be happy when we find a differ-ent church.”

Have you ever been there? I definitely have. I can think back on a time when I was practically sure how my life would go. I had my picture of happiness figured out and now all God had to do was start putting the pieces together as I had envisioned them. Well, in the end, none of it

readthephillymanna.org | November 2013 19

I’ll Be Happy WhenBy Karen Punches

happened. While I can sit back now and be thankful as to how things actually went, I do regret the time I wasted. Real life was going on in front of me, but my head was somewhere else.

The truth is, we have no idea what the future holds. To get ahead of ourselves, even for a day, is a pointless venture. Scripture says, “How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, ‘If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that’” (James 4:14-15).

Only God knows what we need for wholeness and peace. It may be difficult to do, but we have to surrender all of our tomorrows to Him and live right in this very moment. If we wait to live for what we think is the ideal

situation, we’re squandering the time given to us. After all, how do we even know what is best? That is for God to work out in our lives as He sees fit. But in the meantime, He invites us to share with Him all of our hopes and long-ings.

Jim Elliot, a Christian missionary and martyr, once wrote, “Wherever you are, be all there.” Happiness is fleeting, but contentment comes when we look for the blessings in each day and find joy in the wonderful things God has already orchestrated in our lives. In His timing we will learn more of the purpose and plan He has for us. And you know what? Maybe the very thing you’re hoping for is part of that plan. But maybe it’s going to be unimag-inably better.

Maranatha, Inc. | Home of the Manna

I am currently working through The 7 Experiment: Staging Your Own Mutiny Against Excess, a Bible study by Jen Hatmaker. This compelling and con-victing study examines seven areas of life in which

Americans typically partake in excess: clothes, spending, waste, food, possessions, media and stress. My first reac-tion to this study was skepticism. Out of all seven areas, excess use of media and technology seemed especially irrelevant to my situation, since I am a stay-at-home mom of three small children with very little free time. As I progressed through the study, however, I found that it was this area I needed to surrender the most to the Lord because this was where I had my biggest blinders up.

The study calls for fasting in the seven areas of life covered in the study. For the media fast, I ventured to fast from texting, TV, radio, Facebook, internet-surfing, email and (gasp) Pinterest. I began to feel resistant. I questioned, “What if I miss something?” “How will I entertain my children at 6:00 am when I am half awake?” “What if someone needs to reach me?” “Will I become culturally irrelevant?”

The process revealed my dependence upon a digital

life. Rather than interacting with a person, I preferred instant virtual communication. Rather than having neigh-bors teach me to sew, I would rather disciple myself via Pinterest and blogs. Rather than look my children in the eyes and intimately be present with them, the chime of an alert would take priority.

This may seem like a 21st century problem, but in real-ity it is only a modern manifestation of an age-old tempta-tion. Jesus was a striking contrast to the culture around Him because He was perfectly devoted to His calling—to reveal God’s love. He was a living example of how we should spend our short time here on Earth. Jesus’ prior-ity was people. Hurting, lost, sinful, abandoned, real-life people. He shared meals with them. He talked to them. He loved them. He poured Himself into others through inti-mate relationships. If I am a Christ-follower, shouldn’t the bulk of my time be spent doing the same? It is a deception to think “liking” pictures on Facebook or commenting on another’s post constitutes a relationship. These connec-tions at best are mere entertainment and at worst a distrac-tion from our day-to-day calling from God.

We see the charge in Philippians 2:4, “Don’t look out

readthephillymanna.org | November 2013 21

UnplugBy Yvonne Bohaker

only for your own interests, but take an interest in others too.” Jesus gave up His divine privileges to become a suf-fering servant. How does your life mirror that of Christ’s? Do you find yourself escaping into an isolating digital world? Or are you opening your eyes, heart and resources to the world in which He has placed you? Although media and technology can be a benefit to our lives, the distrac-tion it potentially brings is something of which a wise person would take heed.

I was worried I might become irrelevant by not keep-ing up with the current social media, news, music, etc. The truth I found was I was already irrelevant. My choice to pick a digital world over real community, family and neighbors was causing me to be irrelevant to them. I didn’t know my grieving neighbor’s need for comfort. I didn’t stop long enough to allow my child to process his pain. I half-way listened to my husband talk while I scrolled on my phone. I didn’t ask that friend over for tea. All because I was too busy. But too busy doing what? Surfing the internet, pinning my coveted desires, reading updates from people I hadn’t spoken to in a decade. I was wasting my time. Even worse, I was wasting my life.

So you might ask, “Are you suggesting we give up these luxuries all together?” Perhaps. That’s not my choice to make. What I am definitely saying is to take an inven-tory of the way you spend your time. Is the quantity of time you spend plugged in greater than the time you spend seeking God and serving others? Do you spend more time watching TV, texting and blogging than reading Scripture, praying and loving your neighbor? In other words, has media and technology become an idol in your life? If so, drastic change may be necessary. Purge yourself from the wasted time and see what truth you find.

As for me, when I get to the end of my life and look back, I will not think, “I wish I had spent more time on the computer, watching TV or listening to music.” I can choose now to continue wasting time with these things, or I can choose to spend my time doing what truly matters. God-willing, I will be reminiscing about the connected moments I shared with my precious children and husband. I will be remembering each person who made a difference in my life and who I loved well. And I will be dwelling on the Lord as I enjoy His presence.

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Scare Tactics

By Karen Punches

T here are going to be many good people in Hell. This is a statement I’ve heard quite a few times. Meaning, the deeds and character traits we see as good actually do nothing for us in securing a

place in Heaven. We may work hard at walking the pro-verbial line but, ultimately, it fails us. God is not satisfied. Something is still missing.

We all know people we’d label as “good.” They’re the ones who shake our hand, look us in the eye, and we know we can take them at their word. They do right by us. They’re honest and reliable. They care, too. Maybe they’re the ones who send over some food when we’re sick or drop us a card in the mail. Perhaps they’ve even bailed us out of a jam, from stopping to help with a flat tire or sparing us some cash when we’ve really needed it. Good people do those things.

It’s hard to imagine that ones such as these could face eternal torment when they die, but the Bible says no one is inherently good—not one single person. We’re told that everyone who relies on their own definition of goodness to save them instead of accepting true redemption from God through Jesus Christ will be punished forever. And, it’s likely that some of the best people we know have indeed rejected Christ; perhaps consciously or perhaps more often, simply through apathy. Sin? Hell? They just don’t have an interest in thinking about it.

God’s Word describes Hell as a “lake of fire” where there is “weeping and gnashing of teeth” and “no rest day and night.” These are horrors our minds cannot fathom. Of course we would want the “good” but lost people around us to be spared this end. But how does someone snap out of complacency?

In the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol, the cold and hateful character of Ebenezer Scrooge (someone most would label a “bad” person) is visited by the ghost of his former business partner who, having been just as hard-

hearted in life, is now forced to roam the earth in shackles and without peace. He beseeches Scrooge to change his ways before it’s too late.

Such an encounter certainly might get our attention, but this obviously is fiction, and warnings about the after-life don’t come from those who have passed before us. It doesn’t mean, however, we aren’t given ample caution; we are—from God Himself.

In Scripture, Jesus tells a parable of a rich man who dies and is sent to a place of torment. Suffering in the flames, he cries out and begs that his brothers be warned of what awaits them if they do not repent. His request, however, is denied.

“But Abraham said, ‘Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote.’ The rich man replied, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if some-one is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.’ But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t listen even if someone rises from the dead’” (Luke 16:-29-31).

Author John MacArthur explains: “This speaks power-fully of the singular sufficiency of Scripture to overcome unbelief. The gospel itself is the power of God unto salvation. Since unbelief is at heart a moral, rather than an intellectual problem, no amount of evidences will ever turn unbelief to faith. But the revealed Word of God has inherent power to do so.”

Most people cannot be frightened, argued or cajoled into repentance. God’s Word needs nothing added to it. Ultimately, it’s the work of the Holy Spirit to pierce through the fog of apathy and bring understanding and conviction to those who are lost. If we have already been redeemed in Christ, we are not called to have an in-your-face attitude, but to be salt and light and live a godly life for all others to see, letting the Lord handle the rest. No scare tactics necessary.

“Why Christian?” was a question put before Professor Douglas John Hall by one of the many students who end up in his office asking more about

the theology he teaches. He notes the possibility that the question was asked rhetorically, maybe even a bit sarcasti-cally, like those near Jesus who threw questions more like daggers than candid inquiries. But it is also possible the student just wanted to hear an honest explanation: In a world of so many spiritual options, in a world of reasons to reject religion altogether, Why Christianity? Regard-less of tone or motive, the seasoned professor of theology decided to answer the question, laying aside the responses that could be given easily after so many years of teach-ing. “I confess, I [am answering] as much for myself as for you,” he writes to the student who asked the question. “You made me realize that after all these years I needed to face that question in the quite basic and personal way you put it to me.”

On a typical day, my own answer to the question of Christianity might be steeped in the signs and realities of the uniqueness of Christ. Thankfully this answer is not my own. With many who have gone before me, I cannot explain Jesus of Nazareth without concluding his unique-ness:

“Surely this man was the Son of God!”

“Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing” “Come and see the man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?”

Christianity is not a matter of preference or pedigree, but pilgrimage chosen specifically because a follower has found one worth following. “[Jesus] was the meekest and lowliest of all the sons of men,” wrote Scottish nobleman James Stewart, “yet he spoke of coming on the clouds of heaven with the glory of God… No one was half so kind or compassionate to sinners yet no one ever spoke such red-hot scorching words about sin… His whole life was love. Yet on one occasion he demanded of the Pharisees how they ever expected to escape the damnation of hell… He saved others but at the last, Himself He did not save. There is nothing in history like the union of contrasts which confront us in the Gospels.” Why Christian? Be-cause there is none other like Christ.

The incomparability of Jesus Christ answers the ques-tions of a world of spiritual options and religious hostility. Like professor Hall, facing the question “Why Christian?” is typically a matter of confessing the things I know, even as I know I now see but a reflection and will one day see face to face. Still, there are less typical days when the question comes not with hostility or sarcasm or curiosity, but from somewhere within, and the answers are some-

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Why Christian?By Jill Carattini

where caught up in despair or injustice or death. When standing over a casket or holding the hand of one whose body is riddled with cancer, “Why Christian?” takes on a different flesh—or else it wavers cold and corpselike. Christ’s uniqueness is suddenly a matter of urgency, need-ing to be spoken in words that have meaning in valleys of death and shadow. Standing before this body that once breathed, what does it really mean that Christ was unique? Though with a far different kind of trembling certainty, here too Christ’s incomparability is ultimately what mat-ters.

The apologetic of the apostle Paul was always spoken starring life’s “last enemy” dead in the eyes. Whether answering the question “Why Christian?” or standing in jail having been beaten to silence, Paul kept before him the hope of the resurrection as both the proof of Christ’s uniqueness and the assurance that this uniqueness inher-ently matters. He spoke of the resurrection of Christ and his hope in the resurrection of the dead before the assem-bled Sanhedrin, before the Roman procurator Felix, and again before Felix’s successor, Festus, who conceded that Paul’s arrest was due to his proclamation “about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive.” Even before king Agrippa, Paul’s answer to the first acrimoni-ous signs of the question “Why Christian?” was an appeal to Christ’s uniqueness in the hope of the resurrection. He

asked, “Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?…I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen—that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gen-tiles” (Acts 26:8, 22). For Paul, and for all who claim the inimitableness of Jesus, if Christ has not been raised, there is no answer to the question “Why Christian?”

Instead, the uniqueness of Christ is an answer for questions that come with sarcasm or sincerity. But so it is an answer with flesh when life’s typical comforts fall by the wayside and the valley of shadows is long and lonely.

“He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.” There is none other like Christ. I know of no other god who weeps with us at gravesides and then shows us in his own dying and rising that death no more holds its sting.

Jill Carattini is managing editor of A Slice of Infinity at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

Why Christian? by Jill Carattini, A Slice of Infinity, originally printed November 7, 2013 (www.rzim.org). Used by permission of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

Maranatha, Inc. | Home of the Manna

This Is Just To Say: William Carlos Williams

I have eatenthe plumsthat were inthe icebox

and whichyou were probablysavingfor breakfast

Forgive methey were deliciousso sweetand so cold

William Carlos Williams’ poem This Is Just To Say, is no epic; well, not in its length or language anyway. It is short and reads like a note left on the kitchen table after a late night snack. It is to the point, but yet comfortable in its confession and hints that the one that set aside the plums would certainly understand the great temptation he faced. Temptation is what this poem is really about.

Williams uses language lusciously. Just using the word icebox sends a chill. Since the poem was written in 1934, the word “icebox” is no contrivance, but an accurate description. It still sends a chill.

Unable to withstand the temptation of the cold plums in the icebox, the writer eats them. “Forgive me,” he writes, “they were delicious, so sweet and so cold.” It is temptation

at the core. We are all tempted and we all transgress. It is our condition and our curse. It is called sin. Is it a leap to pin the heaviness of sin on a couple of cold plums in an icebox? No, not really. It is not temptation that is the sin, but the action after the temptation, even if the plums were sweet and cold. Williams may not have written an epic poem, but he certainly wrote of an epic theme. - Joe Willey

Heart Eyes: Beth and the Bullies: Vicki Chandler

There are certainly plenty of books about bullies, and how to handle bullies, but this one is different. While most books on this topic are presented from the view of the one bullied, this book is about the observer. Therein lies the value. For every child who is bullied, there is a classroom full of children who stand by, unsure what to do.

Beth is the new kid in school. Like any kid facing a new classroom, she’s nervous. But Beth has an advantage. Even though her new classmates aren’t welcoming, Beth chooses to be proactive, She sees things in other kids that their class-mates don’t notice. She has heart eyes. When she sees someone treated unfairly, she proactively seeks creative solutions to cause her classmates to see that child differently. When things are unfair, she finds ways to balance the score without direct confrontation.

The author has the credentials to speak to the topic, and the experience to offer solid solutions to a problem that never goes away. It’s refreshing to find a book that takes the focus off the victim and the perpetrator, and places it squarely in the hands of the reader. In its own simple way, this story does what the best fairy tales do; it makes heroes out of children who learn to face their fears. - Joy Kieffer

UnfilteredThink Out Loud

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It Might Get Loud: David Guggenheim

Have you ever tried to play the guitar? I have owned three guitars over the last 20 years. None of which I can play. I can play three chords, with a 3 second pause between each as I struggle to get my fingers on the appropriate frets. On electric, I can manage some power chords, but they still sound weak. It’s hard, and leaves calluses. But at least I can admit I’m terri-ble at the guitar. Youth and college groups are crammed full of kids who believe they have mad skills because they mastered the G, C, D chord progression for the praise and worship band. I got news for you guys - you are like preschoolers compared to the three musicians spotlighted in David Guggenheim’s It Might Get Loud.

“Jimmy Page, The Edge, and Jack White sit down in a living room...” It sounds like the setup for a bad joke, but it’s actually the premise for It Might Get Loud, conceived and produced by Thomas Tull and directed by the guy who brought the world An Inconvenient Truth, David Guggenheim.

Three men, three different generations, three different styles - all extremely talented at extracting something original from a piece of wood, strung up, and plugged into an amplifier. This documentary brings three musical geniuses together with their guitars and then lets them talk, teach, play, and learn. In fact, the title comes from a passing remark by The Edge as he hits his overdrive pedal in demonstration of a favorite effect. It’s cheeky and fun.

Guggenheim mixes in the personal musical histories of the three stars in a way that feels refreshingly different from the cookie cutter Behind The Music style that we have been subjected to for a decade on VH1. We watch Jimmy Page walk through an old English house in which Led Zeppelin literally invented recording techniques. The Edge blasts his tremolo pedal off a cliff in Ireland. That’s right. He practices outside on a cliff looking out at the isles of Ireland. In a quirky twist, we see Jack White teach a child labeled “Jack White Age 9” how to play the blues. Each musician’s story is as different as different can be from each other, yet their love and passion resonates a single chord; three notes, in perfect harmony.

All of this is spread throughout the ever-evolving conversa-tion between the three masters of the guitar. They explain their techniques and favorite effects. They talk about history, social changes, and their beloved guitars. It’s the ultimate rock shop-talk! The three take turns being impressed by one another. Most frequently, Jack White looks like a puppy expecting a treat. He seems genuinely surprised to be included in the con-versation between The Edge and Page. But both veterans seem to appreciate White’s skills, and eagerly join him in playing a song for the end credits.

Fans of the bands represented (Led Zeppelin, U2, The White Stripes/ The Raconteurs) will instantly appreciate and love the insight into these icons, but even if you have never heard “Stairway to Heaven,” you can appreciate watching these three gifted musicians express their gratitude for the opportuni-ty to spend their lives making music. They seem to understand that they get to play for a living, and not one of them takes it for granted. - Josh Millwood

The Power of Small: Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval

Wildly successful advertising agents for major national product lines, Thaler and Koval “get it,” and they share it well in this short, motivational read.

Life is overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done. From home improvement projects to a major, career dependent presentation on the job, significant “big picture” stuff often overshadows the lesser stuff. But is it really lesser stuff?

It’s paying attention to the small stuff that has not only ce-mented Thaler and Koval’s professional success, but enriched their lives.

Filled with example after example, this little book makes one think about all the important little things we miss as we move through the day; little things that, left undone, can steal the twinkle from an eye otherwise filled with excitement and, conversely, little things that, carried out, can bring joy and satisfaction into a life desperate for meaning.

And it’s not just about being nice. Though nice matters. It’s about being thorough. Little things mend hearts, brighten and even save lives, and endear one soul to another. It’s about rela-tionship, personal and professional. It’s about doing what we do, at home, on the job or in the community, with passion and excitement. It’s about not just going through the motions.

It’s about living. - Karen Punches

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