Idol worship and fiery furnaces are still around today
August 4, 2009
by Barrett Vanlandingham
Just exactly what does it take in order for us to honor false gods over the Lord God? It happens in our community every day, doesn’t it? Even though Fort Gibson is a wonderful place to live, you don’t have to look very far to find someone worshiping a false god. As hard as we try, our town is not sheltered in the least from the same evil influences that attack the rest of the world. Sometimes, idol worship comes in the form of earthly possessions. Other times, idol worship comes in the form of spending more time honoring hobbies and sports than we spend honoring God and spreading the Gospel story of Jesus to those around us.
Last week, my article centered around four Hebrew teenagers named Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They chose to trust God instead of Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar. The end result? They turned out to be wiser and healthier than any of the other Israelites who were taken captive during the siege of Jerusalem in about 600 B.C. Make no mistake about it. It wasn’t their diet of vegetables and water over the food from the king’s table that made the difference. It was their dedication to God. They resolved to not defile their bodies with food and wine that could have been used as a sacrifice in idol worship. They chose to avoid the very appearance of evil just as the apostle Paul articulates in 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22.
The book of Daniel has even more amazing stories that illustrate choosing to honor God instead of idols. In Daniel 3 we read about Nebuchadnezzar making an image of gold ninety feet high and proclaiming, “As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp pipes and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.” (3:5-6)
There are no surprises in the outcome. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to fall down and worship the statue of gold. As a result, they were thrown into a furnace that was heated as much as possible because of the king’s anger towards them. But once again, the good news was that because they remained loyal to God, not even one hair on their heads was singed, their robes were not scorched, and they didn’t even smell like fire.
The world is still full of fiery furnaces that threaten Christians today. Threats of no job promotions, no pay raises, or being left out of the inner circles in the professional world are commonplace. For kids, being laughed at, being left out, and being bullied are just the beginning. Cruelty of many kinds can take place when young people choose to behave in Godly ways instead of following the crowd.
In the end, it’s the dedicated Christian who will see victory. “…Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10)
Welcome to my bulletin article site. What I do is minister to young Christians, their families, their friends, and others in the Fort Gibson, OK area. So check-in every now and then, and I'll try to have an encouraging word for you.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Young and old can learn from Daniel
July 28, 2009
by Barrett Vanlandingham
Our society has a way of making us believe that if we don’t cave-in to idol worship of one kind or another, then there MUST be something wrong with us. Think about it. We MUST spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year on video games and television to avoid people thinking we’re out of the loop, or depriving our children of their right to be a couch potato. We MUST have the most impressive cars, gadgets, and clothes in order to gain status in the community. We MUST be in all the right social circles in order to further our careers. And we MUST go on the most exotic vacations just for bragging rights. Having said all this, I do realize that some people’s motives for having all these things really are pure. It is possible to use earthly things to God’s glory, and we should. I will say, however, the temptation to do otherwise is strong.
As for standing your ground spiritually, one of the most inspirational characters of the Old Testament is most certainly Daniel. His self-titled book has intrigued people of all ages for generations. The first six chapters contain stories of faith that are easily understood by all. The last six chapters contain visions that challenge the most advanced Bible scholars. When read properly and in context, the book of Daniel will encourage us to have more faith as we serve God, and it will reassure our faith in the inspiration of the Bible.
The name Daniel means “God is my judge.” He was a person of deep and abiding faith as a young and old man. In chapter one, he introduces us to three of his friends named Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were all Hebrew teenagers when Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon invaded Jerusalem and the area around it known as Judah. Nebuchadnezzar hauled them back to Babylon along with many other captured Israelites from Judah’s royal family. The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained in Babylonian language and literature for three years and then enter the king’s service.
Here’s the lesson. Daniel and his three friends resolved to not defile themselves with the king’s food. They asked permission to have a diet of only vegetables and water for ten days. At the end of that time, the four teenagers looked healthier than any of the young men who ate the king’s choice food. God also blessed them with knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. Daniel could even understand visions and dreams. In every matter of wisdom, the king found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in the whole kingdom.
As with anything God asks us to do, it’s not the physical act that makes the difference. It’s our faith in God, and Him rewarding us for it. In the case of the four Hebrew teenagers, it wasn’t the special diet that made them smart and healthy, it was God rewarding them for their faith in Him instead of putting faith in the king and his lavishness.
You may think it would be difficult to do without some of life’s “extras”. But when you trust in God, you will find that you can spend more time, money, and effort on Godly things, and our He will take care of you.
If you have a story of someone being blessed after putting God or others first, please let me know and I might include it in a future article. God Bless. (end)
July 28, 2009
by Barrett Vanlandingham
Our society has a way of making us believe that if we don’t cave-in to idol worship of one kind or another, then there MUST be something wrong with us. Think about it. We MUST spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year on video games and television to avoid people thinking we’re out of the loop, or depriving our children of their right to be a couch potato. We MUST have the most impressive cars, gadgets, and clothes in order to gain status in the community. We MUST be in all the right social circles in order to further our careers. And we MUST go on the most exotic vacations just for bragging rights. Having said all this, I do realize that some people’s motives for having all these things really are pure. It is possible to use earthly things to God’s glory, and we should. I will say, however, the temptation to do otherwise is strong.
As for standing your ground spiritually, one of the most inspirational characters of the Old Testament is most certainly Daniel. His self-titled book has intrigued people of all ages for generations. The first six chapters contain stories of faith that are easily understood by all. The last six chapters contain visions that challenge the most advanced Bible scholars. When read properly and in context, the book of Daniel will encourage us to have more faith as we serve God, and it will reassure our faith in the inspiration of the Bible.
The name Daniel means “God is my judge.” He was a person of deep and abiding faith as a young and old man. In chapter one, he introduces us to three of his friends named Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were all Hebrew teenagers when Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon invaded Jerusalem and the area around it known as Judah. Nebuchadnezzar hauled them back to Babylon along with many other captured Israelites from Judah’s royal family. The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained in Babylonian language and literature for three years and then enter the king’s service.
Here’s the lesson. Daniel and his three friends resolved to not defile themselves with the king’s food. They asked permission to have a diet of only vegetables and water for ten days. At the end of that time, the four teenagers looked healthier than any of the young men who ate the king’s choice food. God also blessed them with knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. Daniel could even understand visions and dreams. In every matter of wisdom, the king found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in the whole kingdom.
As with anything God asks us to do, it’s not the physical act that makes the difference. It’s our faith in God, and Him rewarding us for it. In the case of the four Hebrew teenagers, it wasn’t the special diet that made them smart and healthy, it was God rewarding them for their faith in Him instead of putting faith in the king and his lavishness.
You may think it would be difficult to do without some of life’s “extras”. But when you trust in God, you will find that you can spend more time, money, and effort on Godly things, and our He will take care of you.
If you have a story of someone being blessed after putting God or others first, please let me know and I might include it in a future article. God Bless. (end)
Monday, July 06, 2009
Small doses of sin can really build up!
by Barrett Vanlandingham
July 21, 2009
My wife and I recently bought a pre-owned mini-van. It was exactly what we were looking for, a 2007 Nissan Quest. But I have to admit, besides reliability, one of the greatest things about getting a new car is just that it’s clean! This is especially the case for those of us who still have children living at home.
Here’s where the story gets good. We decided to sell our 2003 Chrysler Town & Country ourselves. And even though it runs great, it occurred to us that we would need to do some cleaning of the interior before anyone would want to buy it. Some cleaning turned into a LOT of cleaning. So, after two days of detailing it inside and out, my wife and I along with our kids now have a new appreciation and education on the topic of mini-van maintenance. You would not even believe the amount of crushed-up, ground-in candy bars, M & M’s, gummy bears, candy corn, Kix Cereal, and even melted crayons we successfully removed from the cup holders, the floor and from the inset brackets that anchor-down the kids’ seats, which by the way we took out and cleaned, too.
At some point, I thought to myself, there must be a good lesson in this somewhere. Here’s what I found in a chapter of the New Testament known as the Seven Woes.
Jesus says in Matthew 23:27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean.”
Little did I realize, but everytime I or someone else spilled or dropped even a little something in the mini-van over the course of five years, it built up! What I wound up with was a BIG MESS that was mostly hidden until I made the decision to open-up my car for inspection. That’s exactly what happens to us when we allow sin or junk of many kinds to come into our lives. We may intend to get rid of most of it, but there’s always the residue of consequences that are leftover. There’s only so much we can get rid of on our own. After that, it’s only by the blood of Jesus Christ that we can be made completely clean and stay that way, ready for inspection by our peers or even God.
It’s scary to think of becoming completely transparent. Even those who profess to be dedicated Christians have floor mats in their lives that haven’t been cleaned out from under in a very long time. Sin builds up and we often forget it’s there until something happens that makes us re-commit our lives to Jesus. God bless your efforts to be spiritually beautiful inside and out. (end)
by Barrett Vanlandingham
July 21, 2009
My wife and I recently bought a pre-owned mini-van. It was exactly what we were looking for, a 2007 Nissan Quest. But I have to admit, besides reliability, one of the greatest things about getting a new car is just that it’s clean! This is especially the case for those of us who still have children living at home.
Here’s where the story gets good. We decided to sell our 2003 Chrysler Town & Country ourselves. And even though it runs great, it occurred to us that we would need to do some cleaning of the interior before anyone would want to buy it. Some cleaning turned into a LOT of cleaning. So, after two days of detailing it inside and out, my wife and I along with our kids now have a new appreciation and education on the topic of mini-van maintenance. You would not even believe the amount of crushed-up, ground-in candy bars, M & M’s, gummy bears, candy corn, Kix Cereal, and even melted crayons we successfully removed from the cup holders, the floor and from the inset brackets that anchor-down the kids’ seats, which by the way we took out and cleaned, too.
At some point, I thought to myself, there must be a good lesson in this somewhere. Here’s what I found in a chapter of the New Testament known as the Seven Woes.
Jesus says in Matthew 23:27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean.”
Little did I realize, but everytime I or someone else spilled or dropped even a little something in the mini-van over the course of five years, it built up! What I wound up with was a BIG MESS that was mostly hidden until I made the decision to open-up my car for inspection. That’s exactly what happens to us when we allow sin or junk of many kinds to come into our lives. We may intend to get rid of most of it, but there’s always the residue of consequences that are leftover. There’s only so much we can get rid of on our own. After that, it’s only by the blood of Jesus Christ that we can be made completely clean and stay that way, ready for inspection by our peers or even God.
It’s scary to think of becoming completely transparent. Even those who profess to be dedicated Christians have floor mats in their lives that haven’t been cleaned out from under in a very long time. Sin builds up and we often forget it’s there until something happens that makes us re-commit our lives to Jesus. God bless your efforts to be spiritually beautiful inside and out. (end)
Are you hot?
July 14, 2009
by Barrett Vanlandingham
As I try to learn Spanish, it occurred to me why foreigners have difficulty learning English. So many of our words and terms have multiple meanings. Take the word “hot.”
If you’re an adult, “hot” means one thing, usually something to do with temperatures not unlike some we’ve felt this summer. If you’re a teenager, “hot” can mean something totally different, usually a reference to good looks and not to morals as was the case in my parents’ generation. If you’re playing a game, the terms “cold, hot, hotter, and HOT” are meant to give directions to a secret location where something has been hidden. And last but not least, hot (as in fire) in the Bible takes on meaning that should quickly get all of our attention as it is used to describe hell, the place reserved for the devil and those who follow him instead of God.
In Paul’s instructions to young Timothy, Paul says, “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.” (1 Tim. 4:1-2)
Paul was very concerned not only with false teaching, but also with Christians who would get caught up in them, resulting in backsliding in the faith. The fact is we all have influence on somebody. And as followers of Jesus Christ we have a responsibility to lead people in the right direction so we don’t act as a hot iron that sears the consciences of those we teach with our own opinions, traditions, likes and dislikes. The wise Bible student will use God’s word as the only authority on spiritual matters which includes everything for Christians.
Paul spoke firmly to those who would mislead others in regards to God’s word.
“But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!” (Galatians 1:8)
Wow, now if that doesn’t get your attention I don’t know what will! Something tells me that the word hot might barely begin to describe the place reserved for those who pervert the words of the Bible.
The book of James says a big amen to Paul when the writer says, “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” (James 3:1) James goes on to warn us against using our tongue for evil.
May God bless you this week in your relationships with family, friends, and co-workers as you strive to be the kind of hot that irons God’s truths onto anyone who will listen. (end)
July 14, 2009
by Barrett Vanlandingham
As I try to learn Spanish, it occurred to me why foreigners have difficulty learning English. So many of our words and terms have multiple meanings. Take the word “hot.”
If you’re an adult, “hot” means one thing, usually something to do with temperatures not unlike some we’ve felt this summer. If you’re a teenager, “hot” can mean something totally different, usually a reference to good looks and not to morals as was the case in my parents’ generation. If you’re playing a game, the terms “cold, hot, hotter, and HOT” are meant to give directions to a secret location where something has been hidden. And last but not least, hot (as in fire) in the Bible takes on meaning that should quickly get all of our attention as it is used to describe hell, the place reserved for the devil and those who follow him instead of God.
In Paul’s instructions to young Timothy, Paul says, “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.” (1 Tim. 4:1-2)
Paul was very concerned not only with false teaching, but also with Christians who would get caught up in them, resulting in backsliding in the faith. The fact is we all have influence on somebody. And as followers of Jesus Christ we have a responsibility to lead people in the right direction so we don’t act as a hot iron that sears the consciences of those we teach with our own opinions, traditions, likes and dislikes. The wise Bible student will use God’s word as the only authority on spiritual matters which includes everything for Christians.
Paul spoke firmly to those who would mislead others in regards to God’s word.
“But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!” (Galatians 1:8)
Wow, now if that doesn’t get your attention I don’t know what will! Something tells me that the word hot might barely begin to describe the place reserved for those who pervert the words of the Bible.
The book of James says a big amen to Paul when the writer says, “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” (James 3:1) James goes on to warn us against using our tongue for evil.
May God bless you this week in your relationships with family, friends, and co-workers as you strive to be the kind of hot that irons God’s truths onto anyone who will listen. (end)
Thursday, July 02, 2009
Fort Faith: Ups and Downs of Life
July 7, 2009
by Barrett Vanlandingham
Well, I’m still in one piece after having taken my youth group to Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington. One of my friends said it just right: “I still like the rides, but some of the rides no longer like me.” Let me put this into perspective. I rode the Titan rollercoaster once! Some of the kids rode it 15 to 20 times! This giant orange rollercoaster track is 300-feet tall which is about the same height as the Lookout Tower and the Superman Tower. The ride goes about 90 miles an hour almost straight down before it levels off and shoots back up for some unbelievably intense twists and turns. The night before we went into the park, our youth group had a devotional in which I told them to think about the ups and downs of life when they ride rollercoasters the next day. But after having ridden the Titan for myself, I must confess that the only part of life I could think about during a 90 mph drop was the part where it ends!
For youth ministers, summertime is our one big shot at making an impact on our kids that will last through the school year. A busy youth calendar is not just something to keep the youth group busy. It’s a tool that incorporates experiences that happen through church camps, mission trips, and fun trips of many kinds into the overall mindset of teenagers. It’s about creating memories that ministers like me can refer back to during the school year. Those positive experiences and memories can help snap a kid out of difficult situations involving peer pressure.
Parents, as you know, your kids will go through many emotional and spiritual ups and downs while you’re trying to guide them through adolescence. The only question is whether they will go through these challenging times with God or without Him. At some point, our children will grow up and leave home. Part of a parent’s job is to prepare their children for life outside of the nest. And although keeping your children involved in church youth group activities and Bible class is very important, it is more important for parents to model Christ-like behavior. This way, kids can see the end result of Bible study, church attendance, commitment to marriage, and honesty in business and interpersonal relationships.
“For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:8).
Adults go through ups and downs, too. The challenges are a little different. But the God who helps us get through the teenage years is the same God who can help us through our grown-up struggles.
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize without weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin.”(Hebrews 4;15) (end)
July 7, 2009
by Barrett Vanlandingham
Well, I’m still in one piece after having taken my youth group to Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington. One of my friends said it just right: “I still like the rides, but some of the rides no longer like me.” Let me put this into perspective. I rode the Titan rollercoaster once! Some of the kids rode it 15 to 20 times! This giant orange rollercoaster track is 300-feet tall which is about the same height as the Lookout Tower and the Superman Tower. The ride goes about 90 miles an hour almost straight down before it levels off and shoots back up for some unbelievably intense twists and turns. The night before we went into the park, our youth group had a devotional in which I told them to think about the ups and downs of life when they ride rollercoasters the next day. But after having ridden the Titan for myself, I must confess that the only part of life I could think about during a 90 mph drop was the part where it ends!
For youth ministers, summertime is our one big shot at making an impact on our kids that will last through the school year. A busy youth calendar is not just something to keep the youth group busy. It’s a tool that incorporates experiences that happen through church camps, mission trips, and fun trips of many kinds into the overall mindset of teenagers. It’s about creating memories that ministers like me can refer back to during the school year. Those positive experiences and memories can help snap a kid out of difficult situations involving peer pressure.
Parents, as you know, your kids will go through many emotional and spiritual ups and downs while you’re trying to guide them through adolescence. The only question is whether they will go through these challenging times with God or without Him. At some point, our children will grow up and leave home. Part of a parent’s job is to prepare their children for life outside of the nest. And although keeping your children involved in church youth group activities and Bible class is very important, it is more important for parents to model Christ-like behavior. This way, kids can see the end result of Bible study, church attendance, commitment to marriage, and honesty in business and interpersonal relationships.
“For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:8).
Adults go through ups and downs, too. The challenges are a little different. But the God who helps us get through the teenage years is the same God who can help us through our grown-up struggles.
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize without weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin.”(Hebrews 4;15) (end)
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