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the Manna | January 2013
Columns
21 | Captive Audience
07 | Signals 09 | On The Air
22 | No Distractions
Stay in Touch
What our lives say to those around us
Just enjoy the ride
Features
24 | Washed Up At 38
12 | Do Your Thing (For The Glory of God)
26 | The Prosperity Drug
The value in the work of our hands.
Where we’re storing our treasures.
When life doesn’t go as planned.
14 | There Goes My Hero Redefining our idea of superman.
16 | All For God Checking our motives at the door.
wolc.org | readthemanna.org | January 2013
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the Manna | A Publication of Maranatha, Inc. Editor-In-Chief: Debbie Byrd Creative Director: Joe Willey Contributing Writers: Keyanna Butts, Josh Millwood, B.A. Timmons & Karen Tull Media Client Liaison: Adam Riggin and 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 ©2013 Maranatha, Inc. May not be reproduced without written consent of Maranatha, Inc. Photos: iStockphoto and Thinkstock
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Signals Famous One There was a song a while back that passionately pleaded, “I need a hero”. (If you know it, you probably won’t get that tune out of your head today.) We look for heros everywhere. And there are many. Brave soldiers that run into battle and stare death in the face, or those that simply don’t know if their vehicle will be the next to hit a buried IED in the roadway, but drive down that road anyway. Brave men and women of law enforcement and fire and rescue that put their lives on the line every day. Brave people ,young and old, that face chemotherapy and keep on fighting, even when they don’t think they can. Brave teachers that shield the little children entrusted to them with their very lives, taking a bullet in an effort to save them. We look for idols in all sorts of sizes and shapes - from pop singers to booze, from money to drugs, from careers to vehicles. It’s easier to understand that there are people we consider heroes because, in fact, they are. And it’s not a bad thing to have heroes, especially if we know the Greatest One of all. It is, after all, He whom we reflect when we stand up to danger, or simply do the right thing. It’s harder to understand why we create an idol because of a voice, or a possession, or a life style . Anyone understanding the very basics of the Christianity knows, intellectually and in the heart, that it is flat out wrong to make idols out of anyone or anything except our God. Yet we keep placing our focus, our
time, our trust in and upon anything but. In this issue, Josh Millwood considers how Christ challenges our definition of a hero. Brittney Swatala wonders what happens when pop idols fade away into obscurity; was their pop fame what defined them? Keyanna Butts takes a look at what motivates stage moms, and Karen Tull considers the ego saturation of social media. In Karen Tull’s article she asks, “Who are we living to make famous?” And that, in a nutshell, is the question. Is it about me? Is it about you? Or is it, as Karen puts it, about the “Truly Famous One”—Christ, our Hero—He who died a brutal dealth to save any and all that will profess His Name and call Him Savior.. Debbie Byrd is General Manager of Maranatha, Inc., a ministry that includes Joy! 102.5 and the Manna.
wolc.org | readthemanna.org | January 2013
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On the Air Kings and Queens As you may have already heard, Kevin Max—former member of the group DC Talk—is now the lead singer of Audio Adrenaline, and on the air this month we’re playing their new release called “Kings & Queens.” “‘Kings & Queens’ is just an incredible song about this idea of when we love the least of these, God wraps these little orphans in His majesty and they can become kings and queens,” shares Mark Stuart, founding member of Audio Adrenaline. “It gives you that idea that these are God’s favorites, these little kids who have been forgotten. There’s going to be a special place in Heaven one day because of what they’ve been through here. It’s just a triumphant, majestic song that connects so deeply with Hands & Feet and the message of Audio Adrenaline right now.” So what is the Hands & Feet Project? Five years ago, the band gathered in Hawaii with their biggest fans for
what they thought was their last performance. Since that emotional finale concert, founding members Mark Stuart and Will McGinniss have tirelessly worked to raise awareness and support for the 100 orphans currently being cared for in orphanages in Jacmel and Grand Goave, Haiti. The official music video for “Kings & Queens”— which was taped in Jacmel at the Hands & Feet Project Children’s Village—showcases the beautiful children living in that country. Click here to watch the video (http:// www.handsandfeetproject.org/) and be sure to listen for this incredible new song on Joy! 102.5. 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 | January 2013
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RV Vacation and Travel Show 1/10 - 1/13 | St. Louis, Missouri www.stlrv.com/stlrv/Welcome One of the largest public RV shows in the country. Show visitors can view over 300 units, including Motorhomes, Sport Trailers and 5th Wheel Trailers.
Lake Home & Cabin Show 1/25 - 1/27 | Madison, Wisconsin lakehomeandcabinshow.com If you own a lake home, cottage or cabin or you want to own one, this is a truly unique and focused event youll want to experience.
Estate Planning Seminar 1/10 | Hilton Head Island, South Carolina http://www.festivals.com Everything you need to know about wills, trusts, and probate. Seriously. Maranatha Media | Home of Joy! 102.5 and the Manna
Gospel Music Festival 1/4 - 1/6 | Rockport, Texas gospelforce.org An enjoyable afternoon and evening of Christian entertainment and praise through gospel music.
M L K Jr. Roundball Classic 1/12 | Portsmouth, Virginia leaguelineup.com/mlkroundballclassic Top High School Basketball teams coming together from all across the USA to play and compete. A lively fun-filled competitive event highlighting some of the countrys best High School Basketball Players.
Ultimate Fishing Show 1/10 - 1/13 | Novi, Michigan www.showspan.com Michigan’s largest pure-fishing show. This show is all about fishing tackle, fishing trips and fishing boats.
wolc.org | readthemanna.org | January 2013
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Do Your Thing (For the Glory of God) By Karen Tull
W
hat have you resolved to do in 2013? The arrival of a new calendar year often brings with it the desire for a fresh start. Perhaps last year didn’t hold a lot of the change you had hoped it would. In fact, this month may look completely the same as last January. Maybe you’re still at the same job and wish you weren’t. You’re thinking back on the résumés you submitted and the phone calls that never came in. Your dream job is still out there somewhere, you think, if you could just find a way out of your current situation. The unreached ambitions we have and the ensuing struggles with restlessness and discontentment are nothing new. We’ve all been there. We want to feel productive and purposeful in our daily lives. When you introduce yourself, you most likely give your name and state what you do for a living right on the heels of that. It’s a huge part of our identity, self-worth, and stability. John Calvin once wrote that each person has “his own kind of living assigned to him by the Lord as a sort of sentry post so that he may not heedlessly wander about through life.” Christians can be prone to our own unique struggle of placing a higher value on ministerial vocations than those in the secular sphere. Perhaps it’s your dream to be a pastor, but right now your work as a mechanic is what’s putting food on the table for your family. You wonder how you’ll ever afford to pay for seminary classes or where you’ll find the time to study. But the fact that you are currently not in church ministry doesn’t nullify the significance of what you’re doing now. The Apostle Paul tells us in Scripture to “...make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told
you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody” (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 NIV). Paul does not denigrate trades, manual labor, and secular employment—but ascribes value to them. In fact, when we go about our jobs with diligence and integrity, we have the potential to influence unbelievers. Isn’t that ministry? Author Trevin Wax writes, “We lift up the superChristians who are involved in church ministry, whether as pastors or evangelists or missionaries. We act as if they are the ones who are truly fulfilling the Great Commission. Everyone else is ordinary and perhaps too devoted to temporal things.” “This dichotomy is unhealthy,” he continues. “When we forget all we do should be to the glory of God and for the good of our neighbor, we divide our activities into categories of ‘sacred’ and ‘secular.’ And Christians who adopt this mentality come to realize that most of their time is spent in a world in which God is seen as irrelevant. So, for a couple of hours a week, the Christian enters the church and speaks the language of Christianity. But the rest of the week, the Christian engages the world on its own terms, adopting many of its values and ideas.” Choosing to separate the sacred from the secular can have destructive results. It actually diminishes our witness for Christ because the entire scope of our lives isn’t reflective of the gospel, but compartmentalized. Wax concludes: “Let’s recognize that Jesus is not merely Lord of our religious lives, our evangelistic efforts, and our ministries. He is the King we love and serve, even in our daily jobs.”
wolc.org | readthemanna.org | January 2013
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grew up in church. My dad was employed as a minister (then later on as a Christian Ministry professor), so as a staff-kid I was expected to be at and participate in absolutely everything the church did. It was exhausting. Musicals, choir, handbells, Bible Drill (some churches call it “Sword Drill”), discipleship training, Sunday School, Experiencing God, worship team...You get the picture? Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, Wednesday nights, Saturday nights, and any special events—rain or shine, hell or high water, I was at church. Recently at a weekly Bible study that meets in my home, several other self-professed “church kids” were comparing how super-churched they were in their upbringing. It wasn’t really much of a competition. I slaughtered them. There wasn’t time for anything but church and school for most of my childhood. It wasn’t terrible, though it probably wasn’t normal. But crammed in between all of the memorizing facts about the Bible, the Holy Spirit began to write God’s Word on my heart. I became enamored with many of the stories. In fact, it is my love of stories in the Bible that translated later on into pursuing a degree in History. The heroes of the Bible became my heroes, right up there alongside astronauts and baseball players. I was very familiar with biblical stories from a young age, but as I matured, the nature of the stories transformed as my understanding grew. With maturity, the story of David and Goliath transforms from a simple little-guy-triumphs-over-big-guy story into a complex life of faith and failure. Noah’s pretty rainbow comes after genocide. Samson goes from being a hairy strongman to a womanizing example of an unfaithful nation. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob established the nation of Israel but lied, cheated, and ran whenever it suited them. And those examples are just from the Old Testament. Most of the disciples of Christ are prime examples of the failures of the flesh. I love that the Bible includes all the failures of these “heroes of the faith” because it makes them real. The people in the Bible are just like you and me—they fell short of the glory of God. When they performed heroic acts, it was often in spite of themselves, generally for God’s glory and almost never for their personal benefit. Jesus often taught using stories and metaphors, which seems fitting. In the very beginning God says “Let us make human beings in our image...” (Genesis 1:26 NLT). Our very nature is a copy or shadow of God’s own image! We are a living metaphor of His glory. Heroic behavior
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comes from the image from which mankind was shaped. All of the heroes in the Bible and throughout history are all shadows of the very real super-man: Jesus of Nazareth. By day, a humble carpenter from less than reputable descent. By eternity, the Son of the Everlasting God—Creator of the universe—Master of all. Jesus challenges our idea of a hero because it wasn’t through His physical strength or earthly supremacy that God chose to glorify His Son. What Jesus did (and is doing) is far greater than anything Samson could bench press or David could conquer with his army. It’s even greater than the feats of Hercules in mythology and anything else the human imagination can cook up (even George Lucas’s imagination). Jesus displayed power to heal, to feed, to care for those in need, but when given the opportunity to elevate Himself, He mysteriously remained silent. His followers expected Him to ascend to the throne of Israel. They even had a parade through the streets of Jerusalem, practically declaring war on their Roman overlords. But God’s ways are not our ways. In the ultimate demonstration of power, Jesus defied death itself—not for Himself, but for all of us. Pure selflessness. Pure Love. He redeemed His beloved creation. One of my favorite archetypes in the movies is the begrudging hero—the guy who was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, but somehow manages to save the day despite wanting to be just about anywhere else. I like that type of hero because he’s generally funny and often portrayed by Bruce Willis or Harrison Ford. I identify with those heroes—the people who don’t set out to save the day, but rise to the occasion. I would hope to be that type of hero. And like those characters, I don’t go out of my way to find situations that would require heroic sacrifices. There is a word that describes a hero who sets out to be the hero. It’s a word that implies selflessness, sacrifice, and all encompassing rescue. The word is savior. I suspect it is not often used, simply because our Savior has come. No one can ever hope to be that heroic ever again. Jesus is a better hero than those written about in literature, chronicled on television, or immortalized on film. His plan from the beginning was to save the people He created. Mankind’s fall from grace did not surprise our allknowing God. From the very conception of humanity, God crafted our story of redemption to show just how much He loves us. From the very beginning, to the very end, Jesus always intended to be our Savior. Lovingly created. Lovingly redeemed.
There Goes My Hero By Josh Millwood
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All For God By Keyanna Butts
I
n recent years, a new epidemic has spread through reality television: The “stage mom” phenomenon. Shows like Dance Moms, Toddlers and Tiaras, and forthcoming reality series Momagers, document pushy moms (and dads) who think they have the most talented kid in the world and will do whatever it takes to make their child famous. Basically, the parent wants stardom for their child more than their child is dreaming of stardom for themselves. Watching the shows, you can’t help but feel sorry for these kids who are put under immense amount of undue stress to make their parents happy and be the best at what they do (i.e. singing, dancing, acting, etc.). Sadly, the pressure to measure up to mom and dad’s dreams and expectations of them
often leads to resentment of both their talent and their parents. “Stage mom syndrome,” as it has been dubbed, has no respect of person. Just as secular parents can be obsessed with getting their child top billings, Christian parents can be infatuated with putting their child in the spotlight, for God. A few months ago I received a Facebook invite to a fan page for a 12-year-old aspiring Christian pop artist. The fan page, which had been created by the child’s mother, boasted multiple glamour shots of the young girl and posts about her most recent accomplishments. The parents often talk about how talented their daughter is and how many people are blessed by her performances in church concerts and plays. They believe their daughter’s singing abil-
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church? Perhaps there is no absolute answer to that question, because as a parent, only you know what’s best for your child. And obviously there should be things that you require your children to do because it is best for them. However, it’s important to be sensitive to your child’s personal passions and desires. And although it’s the parents’ duty to be involved in their child’s extracurricular life (be it secular or religious) and to nurture and develop their gifts and skills, there is a fine line between guiding children in the direction for success and manipulating their path to control their success. The key is to coach—not coerce.
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ity is a gift from God. Thus, she will participate in the children’s choir, have a solo in the holiday program, play the lead role in the church play, and now, a Facebook fan page, so that her God-given gift can be shared with the world. Not for any self-gain, but all for the glory of God, of course. Meanwhile, the 12-year-old has no desire to be a singer. So ,is it okay to be a stage mom, for God? A church stage mom. One who makes her child sing in every youth choir, participate in every church program, go to every youth conference, and hold a position on every youth auxiliary, because it’s for God. And you can’t say no to God, right? Or, could the pressure of being forced in the spotlight for God lead to resentment of the
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Captive Audience By Karen Tull
T
hese days, anybody can be a celebrity. Thanks to YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and blogs, we can be an overnight, virtual sensation with the world as our audience. Hilarious, offensive, provocative—the more shock value, the better. People are waiting to be entertained. Who knows? You might be the next big thing to hit the internet. Popularity can be intoxicating and addictive. It feeds our innate selfish desire that says, “Look at me! Look at me!” Is it possible, however, for fame to be beneficial, for the allure not to overtake the ego? It depends on our focus. The Bible says that crowds clamored to John the Baptist, the man God appointed to announce the coming of the promised Messiah—Jesus Christ—and to preach His message of repentance to the Jewish nation. He was a unique man, from his clothes to his diet. He spoke the truth of salvation with authority and did not shy away from rebuking the religious leaders for their hypocrisy. Naturally, he garnered quite a following. But John the Baptist was only the agent of belief; not the object. When Jesus began His earthly ministry and people began to follow Him, some of John the Baptist’s disciples approached him with that concern. But John, who knew his place and purpose, pointed away from himself and toward his Superior. “...You yourselves know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for Him.’ It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the best man is simply glad to stand with him and hear
his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at His success. He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. He has come from above and is greater than anyone else” (John 3:28-31 NLT). John continues to exalt Jesus to the people: “‘He testifies about what He has seen and heard, but how few believe what He tells them! Anyone who accepts His testimony can affirm that God is true. For He is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives Him the Spirit without limit. The Father loves His Son and has put everything into His hands. And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment” (vv. 32-36). It’s not about us. We are not the source of God’s light. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the Light. He reveals the way to us and guides us along that path. John the Baptist knew that he was never to be the main attraction. He could have absorbed the hype and celebrity status; but he didn’t. A humble servant, he fulfilled his role by continually directing people to Jesus. Who are we living to make famous? Ourselves—or Christ? Perhaps you don’t have your own YouTube channel where you’ve uploaded videos of yourself preaching the gospel message, but your life is preaching something. From your own household to the community where you work, shop, and eat...people are watching. May our everyday conduct humbly point to the truly Famous One.
wolc.org | readthemanna.org | January 2013
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W
e stood in the staging area waiting for the parade to get under way. Our girls’ marching band would be near the end. Many of the floats and other entries were within our view from this position. The band practiced a maneuver they would perform at the judges’ stand. I made sure our girls were wearing the two-dollar earrings we had just bought for this occasion. The excitement of marching in the parade slowly built. For lack of anything better to do, I took a picture of a float—a train that had been fabricated on a flat bed trailer with lights outlining the entire structure—and sent it in a text to a friend who I thought would appreciate it. “We are about to march in the Millsboro Parade with our girls. I love this kind of stuff.” The following day, I received a response. “That is cool. You are really a good dad.” The quality of my fatherhood was not what I had intended to communicate. As I had stood there at the start of the parade, I didn’t consider how good it was to support our girls. I was thinking about how much I was enjoying the moment. So, I made an effort to clarify: “I didn’t do it to be a good dad. It’s just fun for all of us.” My friend responded: “I know. I was talking about result, not motive.” It was the perfect analysis of the situation. My friend understood that I wasn’t trying to be a good dad, but the result of just enjoying our children was that I ended up doing what dads are supposed to do. The same holds true for my wife in her role as mother as well. It wasn’t difficult, but completely natural. This is parent/child relationship at its best. It doesn’t always work like this of course. When children are younger, there is often a lot of time spent in just getting them to do what they need to be doing to function in a family—
eating, getting dressed, getting ready to leave the house, making a path to be able to walk into their bedroom. These are all necessary things to learn in the process of growing up. While working through them is often viewed as a nuisance, we all understand it is part of being a child. And as the adults, we always exhibit perfect patience in all of these situations, don’t we? But as our children get older, our relationship with them progresses. This is what we were experiencing at the parade. My wife and I were not consumed with keeping track of the girls, or telling them to stop running around, or acting as referees in a squabble. Instead, we all were simply sharing the experience. And a pleasant one it was. If our relationship with our children never progresses to this, it is a great loss for all concerned. It remains stuck, based in discipline, elementary teaching, and often frustration. The pleasure of shared experience, while present at every stage, never reaches its full potential. It is that full potential we hope to reach in any kind of relationship. This is what the Lord desires to experience with us. Our early relationship with Him is mostly about us trying to understand what He is all about. We spend much of our Christian lives discovering that we have many misconceptions about Him. We struggle with the pull of our flesh on our lives. We spend inordinate amounts of time trying to measure up to what we think He wants of us. And one day, we move through all that and just begin to enjoy relationship with Him. It’s not that He stops teaching and we stop learning. But it is a matter of focus. We share common experience with Him just as my wife and I share common experience with our girls. We are free of many of the distractions we once had, and now we just enjoy knowing one another. Another lesson taught by our children. Thank you, girls.
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I
t was Christian Music Night at the old ballgame. Sound checks and last-minute rushing around. Near the sound booth a suntanned, scruffy rocker in a skinny orange t-shirt was paging through sheets of scribbled handwritten notes marked liberally with yellow highlighter. As he quietly mouthed the words to his speech, I noticed something new since I’d last seen him—he had braces. Months earlier he had been the lead singer of one of the top Christian bands in the country. He was used to singing before thousands, but speaking was different. He proceeded to a small makeshift stage at the side of the ballpark and gave his speech to a group of about 40 antsy kids who were waiting for him to quit talking so they could enjoy the bands they had paid to see. This recently divorced Christian superstar had lost the one thing that had made him famous, as well as the love of his life. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. As far as I could tell he was washed up...and just a few years older than I. It struck me deeply as I wondered how he must feel. How would he spend the rest of his life? Would he find another band to join or frit©2010:HealthSouth:441521
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ter away into obscurity? Would he be able to find himself—who he really was—apart from his band? I think it’s safe to say that most young people dream of the fame this star had by age 21: a band signed with a national label and adoring fans. It seems many pre-teen/ teen television shows feed that desire. Sing, plus dance, plus act, equals the perfect formula for teen fame. Time and again former teen stars have encountered personal struggles once they left the well-oiled Disney (or Nickelodeon) machine. As much as the ideal of fame is sold, has-beens often struggle with substance abuse or other unhealthy habits to cope with the pain. How great a loss must one feel when a star has had thousands of fans wearing his photo on their t-shirts and now those shirts are going to Goodwill. For so many of us, our job is our identity, whether it be a high-profile position or simply steady income. The American Counseling Association says this about job loss: “In many ways, losing a job is similar to the sense of loss one experiences when a loved one dies or an important relationship ends. There’s often a shock and then denial
Washed Up at 38 By Brittney Switala
that this is happening to you. What follows is often anger—anger that can be damaging if it leaves you bitter and easily irritated, affecting your relationships with friends and family. Or you may try, unrealistically, to get back that job that no longer exists, and you can easily experience depression and sadness as you question your worth and abilities. Accepting that such emotional reactions are likely and often necessary in order for you to move on can enable you to get through them more quickly and less painfully. When you couple that acceptance with an effort to continue living a normal life, it makes moving on much easier.” Back in biblical times, it wasn’t much different. If you wanted all the fame, popularity, and riches, the king was the person to be. King Saul was the first superstar of Israel. He instantly had a Justin Bieber-like mob of fans who he shyly tried to avoid. But once he got the fame bug he could not shake it. He loved winning battles, but when he noticed he was not the only one being praised, he developed a jealous hatred for the competition—David. The women were divided in their loyalty dancing
and singing, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” Saul knew that David was God’s chosen person in line for his throne. Like an aging sports star who won’t accept retirement, Saul kept hanging on. He made David’s life miserable and eventually took his own life. Perhaps the Apostle Paul is the best biblical model we have of someone who transitioned well from a position of great social status to at times being held in prison. His calling to follow Christ made all the difference. He was able to find contentment without fame because he had peace in his heart that he was doing the right thing. Paul wrote in Philippians 4:12-13. “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.” Today I would say that Christian rocker would agree with Paul’s sentiments. He has passed the torch off to a new lead singer while he pursues missionary work in a poverty-stricken country. A new calling and a sense of contentment makes all the difference.
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The Prosperity Drug By Margaret Manning
T
he catchy beat was disarming. Driving down the highway with my hands tapping out the rhythm on my steering wheel, I thought this was just another clever pop tune with bubblegum lyrics. Then the words to the chorus caught my attention: “I don’t know what’s right and what’s real anymore I don’t know how I’m meant to feel anymore When we think it will all become clear I’m being taken over by The Fear.” This song sung by the young British pop star, Lily Allen, was not just another slickly produced tune without substance. Allen sings of the destructive impact of materialism: “I want to be rich and I want lots of money I want loads of clothes and loads of diamonds I heard people die while they are trying to find them Life’s about film stars and less about mothers It’s all about fast cars and passing each other But it doesn’t matter because I’m packing plastic and that’s what makes my life so fantastic And I am a weapon of massive consumption and it’s not my fault it’s how I’m programmed to function I don’t know what’s right and what’s real anymore
I don’t know how I’m meant to feel anymore Cause I’m being taken over by fear.” Among other things, the song laments the vacuity of mindless consumption and its pervasiveness in our society. Consumption, as Allen points out, can be like any other form of addiction, providing an initial high that hooks us, but never again delivers what it promises. Instead, it leads us down the path toward diminishing returns and never ultimately calms our fear. Over 200 years before Ms. Allen stepped onto the pop music scene in the United Kingdom, John Wesley articulated the dangers of materialism. “I fear, wherever riches have increased,” he wrote, “the essence of religion has decreased in the same proportion. Therefore, I do not see how it is possible, in the nature of things, for any revival of religion to continue long....[A]s riches increase, so will pride, anger and love of the world in all its branches.” Even as thousands and thousands were joining his ranks, he spoke prophetically about the inevitable decline and dissolution of this revival as a result of the increase of wealth arising from Christian diligence and frugality. Indeed, it is well known to students of human societies that an increase in prosperity often brings with it a precipitous decline in religious involvement. After all, why would anyone need God when there is MasterCard and Visa? The declining numbers in churches in the Western
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World seem to affirm that Wesley’s fears were warranted. Christian leaders speculate that if current trends continue in England, for example, Methodists will cease to exist in that country in thirty years. Of course, long before Wesley uttered his fears, Jesus warned his disciples: “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and riches” (Luke 16:13). Jesus warns of the idolatry that so easily entraps us, luring us away from faithful allegiance. We might be tempted to disregard any such warning in times of economic “slow down.” How can people be tempted to serve “the master” of money, after all, when there is so much less of it? Yet even in its absence, we can find our hearts soothed more by money than by God and behold the signs of a dangerous dependence. When our hearts find salvation and security in having more and more material gain—whether we actually hold it or not—we are reminded of “the deceitfulness of riches” and the narcotic effects of material success. Thus clearly, the abolition of wealth or production is not the answer to materialism! Rather, the answer Jesus suggests lies in the proper use of wealth in our world: as a blessing for others and not just for our own use. Jesus instructed disciples to “sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves purses which do not wear out, an
unfailing treasure in heaven....For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Luke 12:33-34). John Wesley understood this, too, and in the spirit of Jesus reiterates the same idea: “We ought not to forbid people to be diligent and frugal: we must exhort all Christians, to gain all they can, and to save all they can...What way then (I ask again) can we take that our money may not sink us to the nethermost hell? There is one way, and there is no other under heaven. If those who gain all they can, and save all they can, will likewise give all they can, then the more they gain, the more they will grow in grace, and the more treasure they will lay up in heaven.” In difficult economic times, this is far from unnecessary counsel. It may be, in fact, the very idea that finally breaks the chains of addiction and reveals a far better treasure. Margaret Manning is a member of the speaking and writing team at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Seattle, Washington. The Prosperity Drug by Margaret Manning, A Slice of Infinity (2273), originally printed July 24, 2012 (www.rzim.org). Used by permission of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.
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Welcome to Shore Transit Going Places Together! The public community transportation system serving the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland. Shore Transit provides safe and affordable transportation for customers traveling for employment, education, medical appointments, and shopping.
For additional information, go to the new website www.shoretransit.org or call the Customer Service Center at 443-260-2300.
Program Guide Listen @ www.wolc.org
SRN News - at the top of various hours www.srnnews.com
Focus on the Family - 6:30 pm www.focusonthefamily.com
Music - 12:00 Midnight - 6:00 am
Turning Point - 7:00 pm www.focusonthefamily.com
Joy in the Morning - 6:00 am - 9:00 am Our Daily Bread - 6:25 am www.rbc.org/odb My Money Life - 7:25 am www.crown.org Insights - 7:45 am www.insight.org The Point - 8:30 am www.breakpoint.org Family News in Focus - 9:02 am, 12:02 & 4:02 pm www.citizenlink.org Focus on the Family - 9:30 am www.focusonthefamily.com Family Life Today - 10:00 am www.familylife.com Turning Point - 10:30 am and 7:00 pm www.davidjeremiah.org Midday Joy - 11:00 am - 1:00 pm New Life Live - 1:00 pm www.newlife.com Mission Network News - 1:55 pm www.mnnonline.org In Touch - 2:00 pm www.intouch.org Money Wise - 2:30 pm www.compass1.org Renewing Your Mind Minute - 3:30 pm www.ligonier.org Focus on the Family Minute - 4:30 pm www.focusonthefamily.com Adventures in Odyssey - 6:00 pm www.whitsend.org Maranatha Media | Home of Joy! 102.5 and the Manna
Revive Our Hearts - 7:30 pm www.reviveourhearts.com Money Life - 7:55 pm www.crown.org Insights for Living - 8:00 pm www.insight.org Bible Reading - 10:30 pm Music - 8:30pm - 12:00 Midnight
SATURDAY Down Gilead Lane - 9:00 am www.cbhministries.org Adventures in Odyssey - 9:30 am www.whitsend.org
SUNDAY Music - 12:00 Midnight - 8:00 am Grace to You - 8:00 am www.gty.org Living a Legacy - 10:30 am www.moodyradio.org/livingalegacy Moody Church Hour - 11:00 am www.moodychurch.org National Christian Choir - 12:00 pm www.nationalchristianchoir.org The Hour of Decision - 1:00 pm www.billygraham.org Forward in Faith - 1:30 pm www.centralchurchofgod.org Gospel Greats - Sunday, 2:00 pm www.thegospelgreats.com Music - 4:00 pm -12:00 Midnight
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Introducing
Southern Gospel Now available 24/7 on wolc.org. Listen online or on your mobile device. It’s that easy.
Would your church or business like to become a sponsor? Just email jwilley@wolc.org or call 410-543-9652