Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Spiritual Deadline Approaching
More at Stake Than I.R.S. Penalties
by Barrett Vanlandingham
(for Fort Faith, April 15, 2008)

Hopefully, you made the April 15th deadline to file your taxes. If not, maybe you can file an extension. Unfortunately, that’s not the way it works spiritually. There are no extensions. But, there are a few things in which we should all be happy to pay a high rate of interest. The writer of Hebrews 9:27-28 has this to say about the end times:
“Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”
The Bible makes it clear that Jesus will appear one more time to bring his faithful home and give them a crown of life (Revelation 2:10). The first time He appeared was when he lived on earth, was crucified, and was resurrected. The second time will be judgment day.
Some people point to Matthew 24:4-8 as proof that the end is near. However, a close look at those passages show that the wars, rumors of war, earthquakes are only the beginning of “birth pains,” and that the “end is still to come.” Matt. 24:36 says, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Jesus goes on to say in the rest of the chapter that the final day will be like the story of Noah when the righteous were saved while the wicked were not.
1 Thessalonians speaks a lot about the end times. Paul says in 5:2 “…the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” That means there will be no warning, even from the “prediction experts.”
In 1 Thess. 4:16-17 we are told that those who are “…dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”
However it happens, I do know for sure that I have a responsibility to be ready when the Lord comes to take us home. It would make absolutely no sense at all to have 27 books of the New Testament that teach us the story of Jesus and how to live our lives, and then for Jesus to give us a second chance after He returns to take His faithful home. Seems to me that would kind of defeat the purpose of being prepared for the judgment. That is to say if He’s going to bring one boat-load of the faithful home to heaven and then give the unsaved a second chance. That might be good for them, but that would destroy the entire premise of the New Testament to live holy lives.
I don’t know about you, but whether I’m alive or dead when Christ returns, my soul plans on being in the first and only boat-load home to paradise. That is the only appointment in which we have a guarantee.
Mission trips are just one way to
“Go into all the world…”
(for Fort Faith, April 8, 2008)
by Barrett Vanlandingham

This is the time of year when youth groups everywhere including here in Fort Gibson are gathering prayers and financial support for their yearly mission trips. Whether a domestic or foreign trip, God will surely bless the efforts of those who faithfully and diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). It is my sincere prayer that if you’re not going on a mission trip, you would consider helping support someone who is going.
This idea of going on mission trips dates back to what’s known as The Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20. The conversation (one of His last) takes place after the resurrection when Jesus was talking to His disciples before ascending back to His Father.
“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”
This practice of teaching the life and message of Jesus Christ has been going on ever since.
One time my buddy Glen and I were on a mission trip at a church camp in Spearfish, South Dakota. We were talking about the difference between local evangelism and mission work. About the only thing we could come up with is where you begin and end. Think about it, even if you travel to the other side of the earth to teach the Gospel, to those people it’s a local work even though you are on a mission trip. The fact is, one soul is just as important as another.
In Acts 1:8, Jesus tells His disciples “…you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
In other words, we are to teach people locally, regionally, throughout our nation, and worldwide. In spite of the fact that we are amazingly blessed with technology, there are still many people here at home and far away who have either not heard the message of Jesus Christ at all, or who need to see Jesus living in you.
Our Lord’s words in Matthew 9:37 still ring true today. "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.”
What Jesus said next is something we can all do. “…ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Translation? Prayer! James 5:13 tells us that the “prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”
God’s word assures us that if we sincerely ask Him to use us to save souls, He will most certainly put us to work no matter who we are, no matter how young or old. As long as we live, we all have purpose here on earth. That purpose is to glorify God and bring souls to him through teaching His message, living out a Christ-like example, and helping support those who are called into the mission field, no matter where that may be.
April Fools and Showers
Bring Forth Thoughts of God’s Power

by Barrett Vanlandingham
(for Fort Faith, April 1, 2008)

Every month or at least every season of the year has characteristics that turn my thoughts to Scripture. For instance, ever since someone sent me an e-mail bringing this to my attention I can’t help but think of Psalm 14:1 when April Fool’s day rolls around. “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”
Except for the fact that passage hadn’t been written at the time of Noah, it would have probably been a favorite of his. Noah preached for as many as 100-years about the impending flood, and no one believed him. After all, people up until then had not experienced rain, much less a flood. The heavy rains that fell on Fort Gibson and elsewhere recently reminded me once again of God’s power.
Genesis 6-9 tells the story of the flood: 5 The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. 6 The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. 7 So the Lord said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them." 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:5-8).”
Of course, you know what happened next. God gave Noah specific instructions. The ark was to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, 45 feet tall, made of cypress (gopher) wood, and would be used by Noah’s family along with pairs of animals to survive for an entire year.
Can you imagine the ridicule Noah and his family must have been put through by people in his community? Just think of the people’s reaction when he would answer the question, “Hey Noah! What are you doing?” It must have been difficult to keep from being swayed by people’s opinions and the cultural mindset. Add to that the challenges Noah must have also faced within his own family. After all, just before this massive project began, Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth (Genesis 5:32). Do you think he ever went to the local bookstore to look for information on raising teenagers in a corrupt society? Of course, by the time the ark was built, he might have been reading books on how to complete long-term projects with your hundred year old children (pretty young compared to Noah’s 600 years).
So what’s the lesson in this for us today? The same as back then. The earth will never be flooded so badly again that it destroys all life. But more importantly, we know there is a God, and He always keeps his promises. This should be of great comfort for all of us, young and old, and especially parents of teenagers who no doubt have their hands full battling societal trends and norms. Just remember, if Noah could work with and teach his sons for a hundred years, maybe training our children for twenty years or so isn’t all that bad after all considering the prize at the end of the rainbow.
Looks can be deceiving
Flowering beauty doesn’t always mean pleasing aroma

by Barrett Vanlandingham
(for Fort Faith, March 25, 2008)

As I looked out my window this week, I immediately noticed the beautiful Bradford pear tree in our front yard in nearly full bloom. For a spring lover as myself, the white flowering branches sprinkled with green unopened blooms were a sight to behold. It was a fresh and welcome sign of new life. What a wonderful gift!
There was only one problem with this hallmark moment. When my daughter and I actually went outside to get into the car, both of us were hit smack dab in the sniffer with the horrible odor of rotten meat or something equally disgusting. She asked me, “Dad, why in the world would God create such a beautiful tree and make its blooms smell so badly?” I answered, “Maybe He did it to help parents explain to their kids how a person can be beautiful on the outside, and still have a stinky attitude.” She thought that was pretty funny. Who says God doesn’t have a sense of humor?
Some people are a little like Bradford pears, aren’t they? In fact, most of us probably have at least a few Bradfords in our life. You know, those people who on the surface seem to be just fine, but the minute you have any dealings with them you find out they have a “tude,” as in attitude?
So, what do you do about people like that? Well honestly, there’s not a lot any of us can do to change anyone, but God can. The Bible is full of quotes on this topic. For starters, “A soft answer turns away wrath (Proverbs 15:1).” Although sometimes this happens immediately, it doesn’t always. God may want that person to learn the consequences of being a hot head, and that can take some time, especially if a person is particularly thick-headed or stubborn.
Jesus used the highly visible Pharisees as examples of this topic many times. In one instance He said, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness, (Matthew 23:27)."
So, the next time you see a Bradford pear tree, a chrysanthemum, a geranium, or a marigold, be sure to thank God for the beauty He created, but also remember to ask Him to make you as beautiful on the inside as those creations are on the outside. You see, God loves us more than any of His other creations. In fact, He sent His one and only son, the Rose of Sharon, the Lily of the Valley (Song of Solomon 2:1), to die for our sins and be raised on the third day so that those who believe in Him could have hope of eternal life (John 3:16).
As for all the Bradfords out there? Let God, not us, worry about them. When we let God work on our inner self, the beauty He creates inside us will be evident to many. Then He, not us will receive the glory.