The Manna August 2011 by Maranatha, Inc.

the Manna | August 2011

Envy

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the Manna | August 2011

Columns

20 | Completing the Work

07 | Signals 09 | On the Air

23 | For the Beauty of the Earth

It’s not done, until it’s done. There is a reason to exist.

Features

24 | Root of Destruction

10 | Semi-Charmed Life?

26 | The Giver

Do you think someone has it better than you?

12 | Green Grass What happens if you get there?

Stay in Touch

It can grow anywhere. Give yourself away.

29 | The Prophets of Ambiguity It’s not as hard as you think.

18 | Envy Ease...0r Suffering What should we really want?

wolc.org | readthemanna.org | August 2011

the Manna | A Publication of Maranatha, Inc. Editor-In-Chief: Debbie Byrd Creative Director: Joe Willey Contributing Writers: Aaron Bell, John Christopher, Josh Millwood, Brittney Switala, April Smart, Brent Timmons, Karen Tull Media Client Liaisons: Janet Beckett, Mary Kinnikin

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.

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Signals Envy Envy is a childish emotion. Children see what another child has and they want it. There’s no reasoning with them and circumstances aren’t important to the situation. If there are two children and only one has a cookie, the second child wants it. There’s a fine line between envy and covetousness, but it’s a childish line greyed even further by immaturity. Mature individuals simply don’t envy. It’s not a matter of being a believer or not, it’s simply a matter of maturity. That maturity can be part of the make-up of a ten year old child, or a full grown adult. An adult may want to be like someone they respect and may strive to emulate that person. But to envy that person brings other problems to the table. To envy means to have a bitter heart, to say to yourself, “I ought to have that life, those skills, those riches, those friends, that house, that car.” It focuses on self and oozes a sense of entitlement. Envy doesn’t want to put the hard work into getting ahead, it looks for reasons why that other person shouldn’t have it so good; envy is lazy and is only willing to long after what it wants but not work for it. Envy is not content. Envy is selish. Carol Ruvolo, writing about envy for Ligonier Ministries Tabletalk, says, “Envy is acquisitive, resentful, and selfish; it is always bad. It wants what others have simply because they have it, bears grudges against those who have what it doesn’t, and accuses God of being unfair. It looks like

Jacob conniving to steal the birthright from Esau; it looks like Rachel begrudging Leah her children; it looks like Peter pointing at John and asking Jesus, ‘Lord, what about this man.” Scripture is clear. We are not to envy. Envy brings strife and confusion and evil doings. Galatians 5:26 admonishes us not to become conceited, provoking and envying one another. And it’s conceit that drives envy, it’s conceit that says it’s only fair that I have that which I want. Let’s not confuse this with wishful thinking or ambition; it’s two different things to visit a friend’s new house and say, “Wow. I like this - I’m going to work hard and try to have a house like this for me and my family” versus “Wow. Some house. My friend doesn’t deserve this but I do. It ought to be mine; God isn’t fair.” Lists of things we envy are varied. A nice head of hair. A rich lifestyle. A spouse. When we let envy allow us to worship anything other than our Lord, it’s time to return to Him in prayer, allowing our full focus to dwell on Him and His holiness, with a fervent prayer for a transforming and maturing of the heart. Debbie Byrd is General Manager of Maranatha, Inc., a ministry that includes Joy! 102.5 and the Manna.

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On the Air Worship Revival Since the debut of Leeland’s acclaimed Sound of Melodies (2006), the three-time Grammy—and eight-time GMA Dove Award-nominated progressive worship band has become one of the most respected and influential voices in worship music. With its upcoming fourth release, The Great Awakening, Leeland recaptures the essence of its debut album while delving deeper into its spiritual roots. Described by band members as an 11-track “worship revival experience,” the new record releases September 20 on Essential Records. Leeland’s writing and recording process brought together founding members—lead singer Leeland Mooring; brother, Jack Mooring on keys, and drummer Mike Smith—along with new member (and Mooring’s younger sister) Shelly Mooring, who replaced the band’s original bass player who left to serve in the U.S. Army. As a newly-formed unit and fortified with contagious inspiration, The Great Awakening finds Leeland at its most complete. Each of the 11 songs is skillfully inspired by historical “fathers of the faith,” including theologian Jonathan Edwards and Salvation Army founder William Booth, whose depths of belief and passion for God

stirred revival wherever they went. Recording every song live-to-tape, this process allowed the bandmates to capture Leeland’s signature energy found in its live performance. It comes naturally as the band members have a history of harmonizing and playing together. “When we were kids, our parents were traveling pastors,” Jack Mooring shares. “The three of us would jump in the car with them and lead worship services and revivals.” Along with the natural rhythms and harmonies that were molded when they traveled the country as a family, recording for The Great Awakening brought a deep sense of musical resurgence and together, the band felt a fresh stirring of both personal and global revival. Leeland feels it captured the passion of the “revival experience” that often occurs during its compelling live set. Leeland is on an impassioned journey straight to the heart of God, and they are more than ready to share with the world The Great Awakening. Listen for this great new music on Joy 102.5! You can also keep up with Leeland by checking out their website: www.leelandonline.com. Rodney Baylous is Program Director of Joy! 102.5. Visit www.wolc.org.

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wolc.org | readthemanna.org | August 2011

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Semi-Charmed Life? By Karen Tull

avoid people. Well...I should say, rather, that I avoid people en masse. If I know a place is going to be busy, I don’t go there. I grocery shop either very early or very late. I go to the movies on weekday evenings. If I’m out at dinner, the “early bird” specials are usually still available. Walmart on a Friday night? You’ve got to be kidding. Consequently, I’m not around a lot of different people on a regular basis. I’m not as privy to conversations as I would be if I were often standing in line at the check-out or waiting to be seated at a restaurant. But a couple of weeks ago, after someone very generously gave me free tickets to an Orioles game, I decided to go and just squeeze in with the best of them. Our section was completely full, and not far into the game, I became increasingly aware of the two couples sitting directly behind us. It was pretty evident that the wives, in particular, were not there to watch the game, but to chat. While I was trying to focus on what was happening on the field, the volume of their voices made it hard for me to tune out their dialogue. “Mike and I are completely renovating our home, and you would just not believe what we’ve spent on the tile work,” one woman said to the other. “And our custom-ordered cabinets? Don’t get me started.” The topic soon moved on to vacations. “Our trip to New Zealand was simply wonderful,” commented the other wife. “And, we have a cruise to Alaska coming up this fall that we are so looking forward to.” Afterward, the women—who had both apparently traveled to Ireland—compared the highlights of their respective tours,

including which castles they thought were the most magnificent and which bed and breakfasts were the most quaint. I found myself getting more and more irritated. Gee, must be nice, I muttered under my breath. Hmph, they obviously want everyone around them to hear about their charmed lives. They probably don’t appreciate any of it. I’ll bet they wouldn’t know a real problem if it fell on their heads. Embarrassingly, that is a sampling of my inner monologue at the time...resentful, critical, judgmental. Why? I didn’t know these people from Adam! But after a couple of hours, I thought I had them all summed up. I was sitting there comparing my life and my family members’ lives with theirs—and envy was rising up within. I was reacting as though God had never done a thing for me. In my jealousy, I seemed to forget all the blessings He has graciously bestowed time and time again. Scripture says, “Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance” (Psalm 16:5-6). Those of us who know the Lord personally have received all we will ever need. We may feel we’re entitled to this or that, but when we consider the punishment for sin we all truly deserve, our upward-directed complaints suddenly seem ridiculous. Perhaps the next time we’re tempted to indulge in a pity party for lack of worldly fun or possessions, we would do well to remember that what we have is of eternal value—our salvation through Jesus Christ and His endless love and mercy.

wolc.org | readthemanna.org | August 2011

Green Grass

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or as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be fabulously wealthy. I’ve begged God to connect me to some doting billionaire. I’ve imagined inheriting a fortune from some unknown relative. I’ve signed up for drawings online. I’ve dreamed of all the good I could do while jet-setting around the globe. It’s a sin I’ve confessed many times, and I worked hard to overcome this tendency to love money. But I look at the incredibly wealthy and want so badly to be like them. I’ve convinced myself that, if God entrusted me with such treasures, I would model myself after Solomon or even the Gates family. God knows better. I’d probably build a superexpensive laser tag arena, collect muscle cars, import caviar (which I don’t even like), and install a Wipeout obstacle course at my custom-made estate. God knows my heart. He has entrusted me with exactly what He can trust me with. And, as I honor Him, I’ve watched my blessings and prosperity grow—not always to the level or with the things that I daydream about, but grow nonetheless. I’ve been given an amazing family. My church is fantastic. I have a wonderful job. I have a safe, comfortable life. So, why am I still not satisfied? Am I addicted to wanting what I can’t have? I think maybe I am. I envy those who seem to have it all, even if I can plainly see the truth that their lives are empty without Christ. I have Christ and yet sometimes I want more of the forbidden fruit. As if this sin rooting itself in my heart—this greed—wasn’t enough, I also suffer from that very human disease of thinking I’m somehow better than others. My desires reveal that about my character. My inability to be satisfied and my lust for what

others have says that somewhere in my heart I secretly believe I’m more deserving. I’m a sick man! The good news is that I’m not alone. The human condition (SIN) makes us infinitely self-obsessed. It is only by God’s grace that we can truly love anyone outside of ourselves. In truth, we can’t really love ourselves without God either! God’s love and His plans are perfect. I think that perfection is such a foreign concept to my human brain that I strive to create my own gambles to accomplish a will that seems much more reasonable than the epic salvation of all creation that God desires. Most commercials for medicine now end with an extensive list of possible side-effects. What if our decisions came equipped with those same warnings? Should you choose to envy Warren Buffett’s wealth you might experience dizziness, nausea, spiritual achiness, and the guilt of disappointing your Holy Father. I’d probably reconsider my decision to dwell in envy. Of course, we are equipped with those warnings in the Bible! We are also equipped by the Holy Spirit to flee temptation and live a life fully satisfied in Christ Jesus. While it’s hard to shrug off our sinful nature, it is as simple as chasing after Jesus. Like the hymn says, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.” And Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus…” As Zach Efron so joyfully sings, I gotta get my head in the game (and keep my eyes off others’ green grass).

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he has 1053 “friends” on Facebook. I have 789. He has a window with a view. I have a cube with a coffee stain. They have kids in the Talented and Gifted program at school. My kids struggle. The neighbors’ church is adding an addition. Our church building is a school gym. Put in those simple terms, it sounds petty. We envy those who have what we want. However, envy can so easily be couched in grown-up terms of fairness and the desire for justice. It is very Christian to want to right the wrongs of the world. Like my situation with the guy in the SUV who was riding along in the right turning lane only to whip in front of me at the last minute. I was patient; he was a jerk! But honestly, I think the guy had guts, and he definitely spent less time in stop-and-go traffic than I did. I envy him, though I am piously proud of my actions as a “good Christian.” The sin of envy may be an easier trap for a “good Christian” because of our misunderstanding of what God will and should do for us. Albeit simplistic, this conflict can be seen by putting one Old Testament and

one New Testament verse side by side: “Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield” (Psalm 5:12 NIV). “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed” (1 Peter 4:12-13 NIV). There is something within us that naturally reverts to a system of blessings and curses. We love the idea of the bad guy getting his, and the good guy riding off into the sunset. Something wells up within us as we read accounts of destroying the Canaanites and plundering the Egyptians. Putting wealth and land in the hands of the righteous makes for a great story, the kind that even sells well at the box office. This is generally the system we see at work in the Old Testament, and yet even Job shows us that the righteous may suffer to bring God greater glory. Job, as you remember, lost family, possessions, property and health. His (very unhelpful) wife

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simply told him to “curse God and die,” yet Job continued to trust God’s heart—even though he was quite bewildered. Throughout the New Testament, the suffering of the saints becomes somewhat of a badge of honor. Paul encourages followers to be content in all circumstances, just as he was during times of shipwreck, cold, and hunger. It is generally accepted that all of the apostles (with the exception of John) had shortened lives because of their faith in Christ. Probably the most famous martyr of the twelve is Peter who tradition says chose to be crucified upside-down because he didn’t feel worthy to die in the same way as his Savior. As believers we intellectually know that suffering is supposed to be a part of the Christian life. We marvel at the oft-quoted phrase, “The blood of the saints is the seed of the church.” We know that affliction causes our faith to grow, but we long for ease. When the way is difficult, we are not content as Paul implores us to be; we actively envy those who are on a smoother path. I can’t help but think of singer/song-

writer Laura Story who herself is beginning to understand God’s unusual way of “blessing” his children. Here are lyrics from her latest song, “Blessings”: ‘Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops What if Your healing comes through tears? What if a thousand sleepless nights Are what it takes to know You’re near? What if trials of this life Are Your mercies in disguise? Laura’s young husband of one year, Martin, was hospitalized with a brain tumor in 2006. He had been strong, athletic, and capable, yet there were post-surgery episodes when Martin could not even remember being married. Laura endured times when the love of her life was kept alive by breathing machines. Yet all the while she could see God involved in the midst of her pain and struggle. Perhaps it is those who joyfully endure persecution, not those with easy lives, who are really worth envying!

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one. Over. Finished. Through. Warm up the bus. The fat lady has sung. One of the final things Jesus said while on the cross was the declaration, “It is finished.” When He died, the work of redemption had been accomplished. Nothing else needed to be done (or ever needs to be done) to cleanse His people from their

sins. It was, and is, a done deal. And while the finished work of the cross is a foundation of the Christian life, there remains an unfinished work that the Lord must do in each of our lives. According to Hebrews, Chapter 12, God disciplines His children as a father would discipline his son. But contrary to our natural assumptions, His dealings with the

believer have nothing to do with sin. Why is this so? It’s because He has already dealt with the believer’s sin! To suggest that God must constantly deal with our sin problem is to suggest that what He has already done is somehow lacking. But He need not die again. What He has already done is sufficient for every sin ever committed—past, present, and future. Sin is no longer an obstacle for us. It has been removed “as far as east is from the west.” It is a done deal (see paragraph one). Yet, in spite of this, there remains a work that God must do in the heart of every believer, the nature of which is most profound. His work is not cosmetic, merely focused on behavioral modifications or improvements. Nor is His work an attempt to reform or rehab the corrupted flesh. Instead, He does a work in the inner man, a spiritual work, as He conforms us into the image of His Son. This is a work that God watches over with great affection and tenderness and one that He is fully committed to see through to completion. In exploring how He deals with our inner selves, it must be acknowledged that His ways are a mystery and cannot be known in full. But consider two ways that He “disciplines us for our good” as they are illustrated in the life of Jacob, God’s chosen servant. He Prunes In Order To Make Fruitful One of the hallmark dealings of God is His pruning the believer in order to produce the Christ-fruit. In John 15:2, Jesus said, “Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, He takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” To prune is to cut away, to trim back, to remove dead and overgrown parts. And while the end result of pruning is desirable, the process itself can be most difficult and painful for the one being pruned. One example of this in Jacob’s life is the critical 20-year period he spent at his uncle Laban’s house after the vision at Bethel. While at Laban’s house, Jacob was deceived, mistreated, lied to, cheated out of wages, and forced to work in miserable conditions. In short, it was the most difficult stretch of Jacob’s tumultuous life. Although this time was the most painful, it was also the most fruitful. It was during these crucial years that God began to bless Jacob and multiply his flocks and possessions. It was also during this time that Jacob had 11 of his 12 sons, includ-

ing Judah, the seed through whom Messiah would come to the world. Jacob was exposed to the masterful pruning knife of God and the end result was the Christ-fruit. He Brings Us To The Place Of Dependence Another classic example of God’s dealings is that He constantly brings the believer to the place of total dependence on Him. Perhaps the most graphic biblical illustration of this truth is found in Genesis, Chapter 32, in the story of Jacob’s unforgettable night at the ford of the Jabbok. It was at the Jabbok where the self-reliant, self-dependent Jacob entered the final round of a lifetime wrestling match with Jesus. For most of the night (and much of his life), Jacob fought like mad to preserve his own self, and in the process (whether he knew it or not), he was fighting off God. But in one simple touch of the thigh, God wounded Jacob at his strongest point and brought him to his knees. Jacob went down in a heap and the dependent Israel, “the prince with God,” arose in his place. For the rest of his sojourn on earth, Jacob would walk with a severe limp, a constant reminder of his need for God. The last mention of Jacob in the Bible is recorded in the famous faith chapter of Hebrews where Jacob’s final act is mentioned. Hebrews 11:21: “By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.” Jacob lived much of his life as a self-dependent man, but he died a Goddependent man. Though Jacob’s case is dramatic, God’s dealings with us are much the same. Like Jacob, most believers love God with a sincere heart, yet we fight like mad to preserve our own self-life, and in the process, we fight off God. But one way or another, He will bring each of us to a place of total dependence on Him because this is the true mark of a child of God. These dealings are just a small sample of an ongoing work which has everything to do with the condition of the heart. As far as sin is concerned, the work of the cross is a finished work. It is done. Over. Finished. Through. All obstacles have been cleared, once for all and forever. This paves the way for the ongoing work of the Spirit, which in due time, will have its perfect result. Philippians 1:6: “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”

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For the Beauty of the Earth by Karen Tull

ne of the best aspects of living in the Mid-Atlantic is that we have four seasons. This summer has already brought some nearly insufferable heat waves, but we know that come October the hazy humidity will evaporate to leave us chilly mornings and clear blue skies once again. When walking on the road alongside a wall of field corn, it seems amazing that one kind of seed produces such tall and wiry plants, while another seed grows to be something as different as a round and heavy melon. That may all sound elementary, but these are the natural wonders around us. Everything has its own design and purpose. Surely this is the beautiful handiwork of a good Creator. Many, however, do not hold that view. Vegetation, animals, human beings...it all just is. There is no evidence of God, they claim. Evangelist Ray Comfort defines an atheist like this: “An atheist is someone who believes that nothing made everything. He will deny that through gritted teeth, because it is an intellectual embarrassment. But if he says of his Toyota that he has no belief that there was a maker, then he thinks that nothing made it (it just happened), which is a scientific impossibility. So, to remain credible, he falls back on something made everything, but he just doesn’t know what that something was.” Still, the problem with denying God goes beyond arguments and philosophies. The root of the issue is far deeper. In Scripture, the psalmist David laments, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; there is no one who does good. The Lord has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; there

is no one who does good, not even one” (Psalm 14:1-3). Author Stuart Briscoe labels the people described above as “functional atheists.” Whatever they may profess with their mouths is beside the point—they are living out their disregard for God. Briscoe explains the thinking behind this: “He or she says in the heart but not aloud, ‘As far as the practical import of this life of mine is concerned, as far as being a human being here on earth is concerned, God is an utter irrelevance. Whether he exists or does not exist is of no interest to me. His commands and his promises are of no concern to me. His offer of salvation and his people are of no interest to me. Worship and prayer have no part in my life.”’ The human heart—specifically, our pride—causes the trouble. And carrying on as though God does not exist usually leads to hopelessness. If there is no Creator, there is no greater meaning. If there is no purpose behind our existence, what significance do we have? There is only nothingness. We’ve come from nowhere and we are going nowhere. But the Word of God says that simply isn’t true. God is real and wants us to know Him. He has taken care to reflect Himself in all of creation so as to foster our faith. The complexities in nature, the intricacies of our biology, our inherent knowledge of good and bad (and the feeling that we ought to do the “right” thing)—it is all from God. And if you exist, there is a reason for it. God knows you and loves you. Do not war against Him and take the path to despair. Choose the Lord and begin the journey that will lead you to a secure future and enable you to appreciate all of His many blessings. As Psalm 34:8 exhorts us, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.”

wolc.org | readthemanna.org | August 2011

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was blessed with the privilege to perform some volunteer work recently in Camden, New Jersey. A group of my colleagues and I went to a local charity’s garden in the middle of the city. Part of our mission was to tend to the general care of the garden. We were weeding plants, planting new ones, disposing of trash, watering the plants, and turning over the mulch. I wanted to get down and dirty, so in my church shoes, nice jeans, and shirt, I began pulling the weeds. There were a few others who were weeding as well, but did not quite get the gist of it. I quickly informed them that you had to grab the weed by the root in order to rid of it completely. As I continued to weed, I saw one that was almost unnoticeable; in fact, I was going to pass it by. It looked as if someone had already attempted to uproot it, but was unsuccessful. Staring at it again, I wanted to pull it out, simply because I didn’t want to do a half-job at what we purposed to do. I stopped and thought about it.

Then God began to speak to my heart. He revealed to me that the weed had the potential to destroy other plants, to drain water and other nutrients out of the soil. So, I quickly began to pull it up. Some of you may be surprised at what I found: This weed which may have stood less than an inch above ground had a root that was more than a foot in length. It had even attached itself to several other plants, flowers, and vegetables. This root was going to destroy all that it came in contact with. What are our desires, our passions, and our goals? More importantly, what are the motivations, reasons, and intentions behind them? Searching within ourselves, we may be surprised to learn that some (if not much) of what we seek after has been fueled by envy. Envy is caused by what we see in others or their lifestyles. We notice personality, job position, luxuries, and even spiritual life, and something goes wrong in our spirit. Nasty, poisonous thoughts begin to bud in our minds. We allow this weed to

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grow and infiltrate the garden of potential that God has planted in us. The root of envy has the direct and immediate potential to destroy all that we are designed to be. It causes spiritual blindness and attaches itself to the other gifts that God has given us. It corrupts our motivations and can cause everything we do to be vain and destructive. Furthermore, it affects those around us. Envy is a weapon of mass destruction, but we have the preventative measures to pull it up by the root. It is up to each of us to complete a spiritual evaluation, to take an inventory of where these weeds exist. No matter how small it may appear to be above ground, it can stretch to other areas, including the ground right underneath our feet. An important part of serving God is having our mind and spirit in check. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and

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ur youngest daughter had just finished a book her school had assigned her to read over the summer. Her older sister had read it two years ago in English class. A small discussion about the book ensued. Neither girl liked the story very much, and both were frustrated with the ending. Though I pointed out that the intent was not necessarily to entertain the reader but perhaps to expose specific ideas, this suggestion landed with a thud. My curiosity was high—there was no other option but to read the book myself. It didn’t take long before I understood the girls’ discomfort with the story. The society described was extreme. In an attempt to create the perfect world, almost all personal choice had been eliminated. Daily life was carefully laid out, and everyone was expected to follow it without question. The story itself revolves around a twelve-year-old boy who is about to be as-

signed his life’s work by a group of elders. After an assignment is given, each child is to start a season of training. This particular boy is chosen for the role of “Receiver of Memories,” the most honored role in the community and also the most difficult. Long before, it had been decided that memories were often painful and therefore counterproductive. The society concluded that it would be better for members not to be burdened with them. Memories were therefore removed, but at the loss of wisdom. However, since society recognized that memories did serve a purpose in decisionmaking, the Receiver of Memories was to collect all of them and give counsel when called upon. So, the boy begins his training as the new Receiver under the tutelage of the current one, an old bearded man. Now known as the Giver, he must give all the memories to the boy. Training is grueling, and the more the

boy learns of his assignment, the more uncomfortable he becomes. Gradually, he begins to question the whole concept, and as he voices this to the Giver, the old man, too, confesses the system is a poor one. They discuss the tragedy that has taken place in society. So much had been given up—choice, emotion, and even love—for the sake of the supposed good of the whole. But it had been a heartbreaking experiment. Much had been lost, and much must be recovered. The question is how to change it. It seemed that the Lord wanted to show me something through this story—about my own heart. The Lord was addressing me through the character of this young boy. As the story unfolds, he and the old man plan how to remedy the error made by society. The solution, not surprisingly, involves a sacrifice: The boy must leave the community at the risk of losing his own life. If he succeeds, the lost memories of the people will be returned to them. But the fate of the boy is a question that can’t be answered on that side of the plan. In these pages, the Lord began to speak to me about my desire for self-fulfillment. What can possibly be wrong with the desire for self-fulfillment? Just one thing—the word “self.” I couldn’t help but think of Jesus. I was reminded that

self-fulfillment was not the way of Christ. He did not come to fulfill His own desires but to sacrifice His desires for a greater purpose, which was to reconnect us with the Father. My desire for self-fulfillment was not Christ-like at all. I hesitate to use the words, but in a sense, those desires are antiChrist. They are against, the opposite of, and in place of Christ. They are not of Him. It was a quick and startling revelation. Does this mean we must live in a constant state of introspection, brooding over our need to abandon our own ambitions? Of course not. Take a look at Christ. While He laid down His life for us, we would all agree that He was doing exactly what He desired to do, down to His core. It is a difficult paradox to comprehend. He was fulfilled in the sacrifice of His own life. It does mean that when we are bumbling along and the picture of “fulfillment” in our minds goes awry, God will be faithful to show us Christ. Although, it may come from the most unlikely sources at the most unexpected times. As He does this work, our “self-fulfillment” will look more and more like Christ laying down His life for the benefit of those around Him. And that will become our fulfillment. It will be what we desire at our very core. Through us, He becomes the Giver.

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The Prophets of Ambiguity By J.W. Christopher

hen it was now the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and began to teach. The Jews then were astonished, saying, “How has this man become learned, having never been educated?” (John 7:14-15 NASB). I once took a seminary class on the Pentateuch. I remember the professor’s pet peeve was on holiness, saying most people have no clue what it really means. So he spent a lot of time teaching about holiness. I took extensive notes, soaking up every word. When the final exam came, I knew that question would be on the test. When I got my exam, there it was: “Define holiness.” I wrote a two-page answer. But when the test came back, my answer was wrong. Think about it: This professor explained in-depth his idea of holiness. I wrote detailed notes, studied myself sick for just that one question, and answered it exhaustively. But what I wrote was still wrong! I still didn’t grasp holiness. And I guess I never will. That experience proved to me how complicated we have made the faith. Even after all that study, I still could not understand a basic biblical idea. You would think I could grasp something so important. But was the problem me or the teacher? Holiness should be an easy concept to grasp since God repeatedly commands believers to be holy. And this He commanded of everyday people, not scholars. When God told the nation of Israel to be holy, it should’ve been something which didn’t require a theology class to understand. But I took the class and still didn’t understand it! Amazing, isn’t it? The scribes in Jesus’ day were proud elitists. They created

a hierarchy of scholars, giving them authority. Yet with all that learning, they still missed the heart of God’s message. They had a mistaken notion concerning who was blessed and enlightened to understand truth. But the best examples of people of faith in the gospels are not the scholars. They are common people. Consider the widow with the two mites, the publican in the temple, and the prostitute who wept at Jesus’ feet. They had little knowledge, and yet their legacies remain. Today, however, many pastors, teachers, and scholars consider the masses to be ignorant and unenlightened. They ask the same kind of questions as the one in the verse above. Not much has changed. The simplicity and humility of truth is missing in a lot of churches and seminaries today. The very ones who should be making truth clear are actually shrouding it in ambiguity. Truth is now presented in so complicated a way that the common people can’t grasp it. That is not the way Jesus taught. I can’t help but wonder who is behind the confusion. Certainly it’s not God. It seems more like the work of a master deceiver. Christianity has become confused in a minutia of details and variations of every conceivable doctrine. Throw in some PhDs from every kind of tradition and denomination, and you have a real mess. It’s no wonder most people don’t believe in absolute truth anymore. The more ambiguous we become with the truth, the less hope the world has in understanding it. Devotional from Thoughts of a Modern-Day Sojourner by J. W. Christopher

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