Following Jesus involves more than just wearing His name

by Barrett Vanlandingham

March 1, 2016

            “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8:31-32, NIV).”

            So, I guess the question is this: Are you choosing to hold to the teachings of Jesus Christ? If not, you are living way beneath your potential. You are living as a slave to the ways of this world. You are not living the ultimate life of freedom found only in Christ. In fact, Jesus does not even consider those who are disobedient to his word, to be Christians. Ouch! Does this mean we are not allowed to make mistakes without surrendering our disciple card? Of course not! We would not need a Savior if we were perfect. Jesus knows that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).” He simply wants to remind those who bear His name, to take seriously our Christian journey. He knows the difference between our choosing to sin (willful sin), versus just sinning out of ignorance or sinning because of human weakness. In short, Jesus knows our hearts and our minds.

            You see, after Jesus died on the cross, resurrected from the tomb, and ascended back to his Father, something very special happened. God’s Holy Spirit came to this earth as Jesus promised (ref: John 16:7-15), and worked through believers to build and grow Christ’s church, not churches (ref: Matthew 16:18). The church is that part of God’s kingdom that continues to grow as the Lord adds baptized believers “to their number daily those who were being saved (ref: Acts 2:38-47).” The New Testament refers to the church as the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23). The apostle Paul says, “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her (Ephesians 5:25-27).”

That process of building God’s kingdom with Jesus as its chief Cornerstone (Ephesians 2:13-20) is still happening today, and according to the prophet Daniel, it is a kingdom that will never be destroyed (ref: Daniel 2:44, 7:14). That’s the Lord’s church I fervently pray and have faith that I am a part of. To be clear, I am not talking about labels on church signs, since labels do not always determine how a body of believers functions. I am talking about the Lord’s one and only church. But considering there are thousands upon thousands of manmade denominations, or variations of the Lord’s body (the church) to be a member of today, how are we to know which one we should choose to fellowship? Which group of believers should we worship with on the first day of the week? Jesus says the answer is simple. It’s the one that holds to his teaching, the one he died for, those he says are “really my disciples.”

            May God bless all individuals and groups who bear the name of Christ, with the sincere desire, wisdom, confidence, perseverance, and love for God, to conform to His will, and no one else’s. Have a great week! 

Christians must fan the flame of God

by Barrett Vanlandingham

February 23, 2016

Beautiful pink sunsets and vibrant growth in our prairies and pastures are a couple of benefits to the recent grass fires in our part of the state. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of curses to add to those blessings when fire is mixed with Oklahoma’s wild winds known for “sweeping down the plain!”  The smoke and danger to lives and property are always of grave concern.

There are two Bible passages that come to mind when I think about Oklahoma grassfires driven by strong winds. One is found in the book of James 3 where the writer reminds Christians about the dangers of letting their speech go unchecked:

“The tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell (James 3:5-6, NIV).” 

The ability to communicate with others is a tremendous blessing, whether it is verbal, written, or any other way. But just like a prairie fire set in the wrong place and with no guidance or accountability, the words we choose to say will most certainly cause great amounts of damage.

On the other hand, just like a fire that is well-managed, the words that come from our mouths will most certainly be a tremendous blessing to all those around. When this happens, no one gets burned. Not only that, but the Lord’s kingdom grows and becomes more vibrant with new souls experiencing the joys of walking in the light and love of the Jesus Christ.

The second passage comes from the apostle Paul who once gave Timothy, his younger brother in the faith, this very important advice:  “I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God (2 Timothy 1:6, ESV).”

It appears that even though Timothy was blessed with knowing the life-saving news of Jesus Christ, evidently Paul thought he wasn’t communicating this message effectively to bless the lives of others.

Let God’s Holy Spirit work in your life to fan your flame, and to bring souls to Him. Have a blessed week!

Jesus is still the real deal!

by Barrett Vanlandingham

February 16, 2016

            When I wrote this article last Friday morning, February 12^th, the weather forecast called for 65-degrees and sunny skies for today, Tuesday the 16th!  But I know this is Oklahoma, and things can change quickly where the weather is concerned.             Just about everything I can think of is susceptible to change. This world is full of uncertainty and distrust.

There is someone who will never let you down, and that is Jesus Christ. Our Lord’s teachings have stood the test of time where others’ teachings have failed.  He only preached for about three and a half years and yet his words, his life, and his fulfillment of dozens of Old Testament prophecies have made a mark on history and on mankind like none other. Think about this quote credited to Australian philanthropist Henry G. Bosch:

            “Socrates taught for 40 years, Plato for 50, Aristotle for 40, and Jesus for only three. Yet the influence of Christ's three-year ministry infinitely transcends the impact left by the combined 130 years of teaching from these men who were among the greatest philosophers of all antiquity; yet, some of the finest paintings of Raphael, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci received their inspiration from Him.”  Bosch continued, “Jesus wrote no poetry; but Dante, Milton, and scores of the world’s greatest poets were inspired by Him. Jesus composed no music; still Haydn, Handel, Beethoven, Bach, and Mendelssohn reached their highest perfection of melody in the hymns, symphonies, and oratories they composed in His praise. Every sphere of human greatness has been enriched by this humble Carpenter of Nazareth.”

            Last week, a teenager in my Wednesday night class asked how to respond to someone who wants to know why anyone would become a Christian. I told him that I believe we can trust that Jesus Christ actually existed. We also know for sure that Christian and non-Christian teachers, historians, philosophers, and government leaders in the first, second, and third centuries wrote about Jesus Christ, and about those Christians who followed him, and about the great miracles he performed, the death he died, and the resurrection on the third day. Some of those writers loved Jesus, and some hated him. But the fact is, they still wrote about him. It is that man, Jesus of Nazareth, who claimed to be the Son of God. His teachings have changed people’s lives for the better for the last 2000 years.

First and second century historians (Julius Africanus, Thallus, and Phlegon) confirm the darkness that took place in the middle of the day during the Passover when Jesus was crucified, and also the earthquake that shook the earth. Second century writer Tertullian also said that the Roman archives confirm the supernatural darkness.  Let’s not forget that the most accurate history book of all times is still the Bible, which also records the darkness and earthquake that took place at the crucifixion, as well as the many other amazing stories of Jesus’ life.

In a world where trustworthiness is getting harder to come by, the facts about the life of Christ as our loving Savior and the effect He still has on the world today continue to prove He is worthy of our trust and devotion. God bless you!

The Gospel story is worth your time

by Barrett Vanlandingham

February 9, 2016

            When I see an ad that says “1/2 Price!!” it definitely gets my attention. So, when a pharmacist told me I could go online to the manufacturer’s website to find a coupon, I eagerly searched and found a “1/2 off” coupon for my prescription. I was excited to say the least, especially since the standard price was nearly $120 (per month) after insurance. I took the coupon to the pharmacy that gave me the tip, and they said, “Yep, the coupon is valid. You’re going to save half!”  I said, “Great!  But I wish I had known about it three years ago.”

            The fact is, I could have known, but I simply didn’t put in the effort to find out. No one else told me the coupon was even available, nor did anyone know I even needed a good deal on a prescription. As a consequence of not using a coupon, I have been paying about $55 more every six weeks than I should have. Ouch!

            Spiritually, most of us probably know of people who are in desperate need of a good deal. But often, those who need Jesus either don’t know that’s what they’re missing, or they don’t know where to start, or they’re embarrassed to ask. The Bible says that Jesus came to earth, showed us how to live as humble servants, died for all, rose on the third day, and will be coming back to bring his faithful home to heaven. In the meantime, he has left his Holy Spirit (John 16:7-11) to guide and comfort those who are willing to trust and obey. We benefit both in this life and the life to come (1 Timothy 4:8).

            In the case of the coupon, it really is up to each consumer to be our own advocate in order to avoid paying higher prices. But in the case of a friend or neighbor or acquaintance in need of Jesus, that is the responsibility of every Christian. One of the most quoted, but least applied passages of scripture in the Bible is known as the Great Commission. Jesus spoke it to His disciples just before He ascended back to His Father in heaven.

            “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 (Matthew 28:18-20).”         

            Followers of Jesus Christ (disciples) each carry a bagful of seed to sow wherever we go. It’s called the Gospel story, the Good News. Most of us have multiple opportunities daily to reach people characterized as either good soil, rocky ground, hard path, or thorn-infested places (Matthew 13).  Christians have the exciting privilege of telling others about Jesus and what He has done for us (Matthew 10:32). The special qualities the Holy Spirit brings into our lives (Galatians 5:22-23) of every baptized believer (Acts 2:38) cannot be ignored by anyone.

            In Isaiah 55:11, the prophet says that God’s word never returns empty. But it’s our job to make sure God’s word gets to those who need it most. If you don’t know who that is, just pray about, and the Spirit of God will open doors of opportunity at just the perfect time. The results will be appreciated more than any coupon. May God bless your efforts to make a difference in someone’s life this week by letting Christ work in you (Ephesians 2:10). Have a great week!