Unity Is Still Christ’s Plea
by Barrett Vanlandingham
October 25, 2011

            Last week, my article focused on why the writers of the New Testament felt it was necessary to encourage new Christians and remind them of God’s will for them.  I wanted to write just a little more on that topic this week.

In review, all but six books (Matthew, Mark, Luke John, Acts, and Revelation) of the New Testament were considered letters, also known as Epistles, written to specific Christians, the church or Christians in general, or to specific congregations of the Lord’s church.  The Epistles were vitally important since first century Christians were undergoing tremendous persecution from those who did not believe that Jesus was actually the Christ, the son of God, the Messiah.  The Epistles were written to address specific concerns, problems, or questions that the recipients of those letters were dealing with.

            The writers made frequent mention of false teachers (2 John 1:7) and false gospels that were throwing the early Christians into confusion (ref: Galatians 1:6-10).  Ancient history from outside of the Bible agrees that even in the first century there were many philosophies on the nature of God and even the identity and nature of Jesus Christ, and on the specifics of salvation.

            That’s why passages such as 1 Peter 1:3, Colossians 1-2, 1 & 2 John, and Romans 6:1-11 were so important in reminding new Christians that the One they were following was indeed worthy of their dedication and commitment.

            Jesus died for only one church. Christians are symbolically the body of Christ. The New Testament never mentions there being more than one body (ref: Eph. 4:1-6).   Unfortunately, now there are thousands of denominations of Christ’s body. Such a tragedy that not only Christ’s hands, feet, and side were pierced, but His body (the Church), has been pulled and torn in thousands of different directions over nothing but selfish disputes. 

Let me pose some disturbing questions for our consideration:  1) How can we blame non-believers for not wanting to be a part of such division?   2) Do you suppose that if we knew that God were returning next week to take his faithful home to heaven, that we could manage to throw our opinions and traditions aside long enough to follow God’s word only?  3) Let’s start with Fort Gibson.  Would we be willing to tear down all of the church buildings in our town, and build one BIG building for us to worship in, using only God’s inspired word to guide us?

In John 17:20-21, Jesus prayed for himself, then for his disciples, and then for all believers.  “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

            May the words of Jesus himself ring in our ears as we renew our commitment to following God’s New Testament teachings.  Just like the children’s song says, “I stand alone on the word of God, the BIBLE.”  Have a blessed day!

The Bible’s Encouraging Words Are Timeless
by Barrett Vanlandingham
October 18, 2011

            The more I read the Bible, the more it occurs to me that our generation today has a lot in common with the first century.

             It has been about two-thousand years since the writers of the New Testament sent their letters to individual Christians, specific congregations, and to Christians in general.  These letters, also referred to as Epistles, include all the New Testament except for the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), Acts, and Revelation.   The Epistles were written to answer specific questions and to instruct and encourage Christians in their new way of life. 

Christianity was still in its infant stages. But already there were false doctrines and distortions of the truth that had surfaced and were being taught.  Even some of the churches Paul had helped establish were being swayed by these false teachers.

            Paul tells the churches in Galatia, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel, which is really no gospel at all.  Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ (Galatians 1:6-7, NIV).

            In Acts 17:18-21 (NIV), Paul makes note of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers who “…spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.”   Three philosophies were as follows: 1) The Epicureans didn’t think God created the world, and felt that humanity’s top goal should be to achieve worldly happiness.  2) The Stoics were the opposite. They taught that the world was created by God, but that all things were fixed by fate, even God. Their goal was to be in total control of every emotion.  3) Gnosticism was another philosophy of the day but was not mentioned by name. Its adherents felt that they had an inner knowledge (gnosis) that no one else had. They taught that the world and mankind was dirty and evil. They felt that only the spirit was good, so therefore, Jesus was actually a spirit-only being, and his body was only an illusion, and that the bodily resurrection of Jesus was not possible since the true Christ would not possibly want to take human form.

            These kinds of false teachings were confusing to many early Christians who were already suffering persecution for their practice of Christianity.  They needed to know their efforts in following Christ were not in vain.  That is why the writer of 1 John and 2 John, for instance, spent a lot of pen power reminding new Christians that they can “know” that Jesus really did come to earth in human form.  Other passages such as 1 Peter 1:3 (NIV) were very important in reminding Christians of their “…hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”  The apostle Paul devoted much of Colossians 1-2 in describing and defining Jesus our Lord.

            These same passages are just as important today as in the first century when it comes to encouraging Christians to continue walking with Christ.  Have a blessed day!

Everyday is a blessing from God

by Barrett Vanlandingham
October 11, 2011

             This past Friday morning I was sitting on my back porch having a cup of my favorite coffee. I had just ground and brewed a portion of the beans I recently brought back from my mission trip to Honduras.  The sun was shining bright above the eastern horizon, the skies were a beautiful blue, the trees and vines in my back yard were green, and to top it off there was a nice cool breeze ushering in the day.  I was making plans for a tailgate party before the football game.

            That’s when I decided to pray to God.  But what I had to say must have sounded less than impressive to our Creator.  I actually asked God to bless this day!  You talk about feeling stupid.  I immediately apologized, laughed, and thanked God for all of the above things I mentioned, plus safety for the players.

            God gives us so many blessings everyday that we often don’t think to thank Him for.  Lately, my ankle has been very sore.  It all has to do with a sports-related back injury many years ago resulting in my central nervous system failing to communicate properly with my foot. This causes me to walk with a slight limp sometimes because my right foot won’t push down enough to support my weight which I am in the process of trying to reduce!

            Anyway, when I opened my laptop computer to write this article, I checked my e-mail first.  That’s when I saw a message from www.godtube.com regarding an inspirational video that I should watch.  So I did, and now my sore ankle doesn't seem like anything to complain about.  It was the story of a twin baby boy who was born dead.  The doctors set him aside to deliver his sister.  But when baby Cristal cried, so did baby Christopher!  He had gone without oxygen for fifteen minutes, suffered brain damage, could not walk, talk, or speak, and was diagnosed with cerebral palsy.  His life would prove to be difficult.  His father left his mother and seven children shortly after the twins were delivered.

Christopher’s story of learning to read, write, talk, graduate high school in honors classes ranked 5^th out of 360 students, and be the only one in his family to graduate college is truly inspirational. His single mother’s faith in Jesus Christ encouraged Christopher to seek a relationship with God.  He says his life mirrors John 9:1-3 where Jesus heals a man born blind.

            “1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”  3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

So, in spite of his speech problems, disfigured limbs, and confinement to a wheelchair, Christopher’s faith and determination have helped him to live an unconfined life, speaking to groups all across the nation to tell his story and how God has blessed him richly. You can read more at www.christophercoleman.net .  Have a blessed day!

Attention to Detail Really Matters

by Barrett Vanlandingham

September 27, 2011

            To say the least, I am not a mechanical genius. Just a few days ago I yanked and pulled to start my push mower, but to no avail.  “What could possibly be the problem,” I asked myself.

            Then, I remembered a simple solution I learned as a kid when my mini-bike became difficult to start.  At age six, my dad had taught me how to remove and clean a spark plug.  Most of the time that fixed it.  And guess what? It worked this time, too.

            For some reason, it was amazing to me all over again that such a small thing as a clean sparkplug could make such a huge difference in how an entire lawnmower operated!  I was so happy, I turned off the mower and re-started it three more times just to make sure it wasn’t a fluke!  Immediately, I thought to myself how true this is to anything in life.  Just getting back to the basics and making sure all your foundational ducks are in a row can take a frustrating situation, and make it workable.

            In the Old Testament, we’re told about a time when the Lord’s anger burned against his people because they hadn’t obeyed the words written in the “Book of the Law” (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). What’s worse, the book, which had apparently been lost for as many as 400-years, was discovered in the temple while workers were doing repairs!  Can you imagine going to a church building every week to honor the only gods you knew about, not even knowing what Jehovah God expected of you until one day somebody discovers the only copy of God’s word that existed in your country?

Josiah, who was King of Judah at the time (600 B.C.), was known to have done right in the eyes of the Lord.  And when he heard that the book had been found basically right under their noses, he showed great remorse, tearing his robes and ordering his attendants to find out “…what all is written in this book that has been found.” (2 Kings 22:13)

            At that point, Josiah went to the temple, gathered together all the people, and read the Book of the Covenant. That day Josiah and all the people renewed their pledge to keep the Lord’s commands.

            So many times, in the middle of life’s turmoil, when things just aren’t working the way they should, it is easy for us to forget where to turn for real peace and hope, just like the children of Israel forgot.  The solution was always there in God’s word, but no one bothered to study and teach it to their children because idol worship and other detestable practices had become popular and eventually the only thing people knew. Sound familiar?

 In the Gospel of Matthew 11:28 Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”  
May we never forget where real truth can be found.  Have a great week!

Homecoming Day for God’s Team Will Bring Victory For Sure 

by Barrett Vanlandingham
September 20 , 2011

Fort Gibson’s homecoming festivities this Friday will no doubt result in many reunions of classmates from past years.  As a minister, I can’t help but make the connection between homecoming and that final Day.

This past week, a good friend to a lot of people in Fort Gibson said good-bye to life here on earth.  94-year old Lloyd Elkins along with his good nature, smiles, and Christian attitude will be greatly missed.  But just like classmates who have graduated and gone on to bigger and better things, Lloyd has too.  Many of us will be excited to see Lloyd and so many other loved ones on the other side when that day comes, the day Christians are re-united with the rest of God’s team.

In John 14:1-4 Jesus comforts his disciples with these words, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

According to the Bible, most people live their lives on the broad road that leads to destruction (ref: Matthew 7:13-14).  For those, “Homecoming Day” will not be a joyous occasion.  How awful it would be to hear, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers (Matthew 7:23).”

But for faithful Christians, Paul has this to say in Philippians 1:21, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”  Paul is simply saying that as long as he lives on earth, he will live for Jesus, live like Jesus, and live because of Jesus.  And the day he dies, Paul is saying that even death will be victory.  The same applies for faithful Christians today.

Many of us long for the day that we get to re-unite with loved ones who’ve gone on before us.  Yes, the prospect of death is scary to most of us, but only because we tend to be fearful of the unknown.  We would do well to remember these words, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).”  The apostle Peter knew without a doubt that we should build our hopes on Jesus Christ, the Firm Foundation.  He is the only One who has the power to save us from our sins. 

Jesus says in John 14:6, “No one comes to the Father except through me.” Those are great words of comfort for those whose sins have been washed clean by the blood of the Lamb.

As Ananias told the man who would eventually be known as the apostle Paul,  “And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his (God’s) name (Acts 22:16).”

Have a blessed homecoming week!

An Act of Kindness Can Fit Inside A Shoebox

by Barrett Vanlandingham
September 13, 2011

When Lisa and my daughter Gracie got home from shopping Saturday night and began packing two shoebox size containers with Christmas presents bound for impoverished children in Honduras, I wondered to myself if it would even begin to make a difference.

But after re-visiting in my mind the things I witnessed this summer, I was almost ashamed the thought had crossed my mind. Honduras is one of the poorest of the third world countries in the western hemisphere. They have no wealthy friends, family, neighbors, or programs to give them things we take for granted.

The items in these boxes will likely be the nicest gifts these children receive all year. Toothbrushes, underwear, clothes, and toys for the younger kids. School supplies are added for the older ones.

It’s all part of the “Magi Project”, a program of “Healing Hands International” based out of Nashville. In time for Christmas, the organization will ship thousands of gifts to the some of the poorest children in Mexico, Honduras and Nicaragua who have been put on a list by local preachers.

Gean Hackworth is the local coordinator here in Fort Gibson. She says she jumped at taking on this project after seeing just how excited and involved her third grade Bible class was this summer in collecting over $900 to purchase a milk cow for a Honduran family. Gean says the “Magi Project” is not only a great way to help those who need help, but it also trains children to be servant-hearted and mission-minded. This effort is drawing a lot of support from all ages as parents, grandparents and other individuals in Fort Gibson lend a hand.

Last December, Glen Elliott (the missions deacon at my church) and I had the privilege of being on the other end of the “Magi Project”. We were actually in Honduras checking out some other mission opportunities when we received word one night that we were needed to help load thousands of gift boxes onto a truck that were being stored in a local church. The boxes had been shipped from towns all across the U.S. just like Fort Gibson. They would be taken to drop-off points throughout Honduras. It was an experience I will never forget.

God provides doors of opportunity everyday for us to open, walk through, and make a difference. It really doesn’t matter if it’s the “Magi Project”, water wells in Africa, medical mission trips in Guatemala, or just being a good neighbor in your own community, there is always room for another act of kindness. Jesus washed His disciples’ feet so that “…you should do as I have done for you.” (John 13:15) Whose feet will you wash this week? Have a great day!

A Hectic Life Is No Match for the God of

Comfort

by Barrett Vanlandingham
August 30, 2011

            Did you ever have one of those weeks that just wouldn’t seem to end?  We’ve all been there.  For me, it came last week.  I love doing full-time youth ministry more than just about anything, and I love the fact that our church hosted a four day relationships conference, and I loved the three day youth rally in Missouri that I went to with 53 kids and eight adult chaperons.  But at some point in my unusually long 84-plus hour work schedule of things I love to do, I was thinking, “This is way too much of a good thing!”  In fact, it’s the things that we enjoy doing the most that can easily lead to an unbalanced life.

            Even so, it quickly donned on me that things could always be worse!  A lot of you know what I am talking about.  So, even in the middle of writing this article I paused to pray for strength, peace, hope and healing, not just for myself, but for all of you who have grueling weeks year round, not just occasionally like me.
            We should pray for those who are dealing with loved ones in the hospitals and nursing homes, for those who are caretakers at home, for those who have stressful marriages or other family issues, for those who have difficult jobs, dead end jobs, or no jobs, for those who are struggling with health issues, for those who have family members in the military, for parents trying to raise God-fearing children in a culture that doesn’t care enough about God, for those whose lives are too busy, and for those who are not busy enough.
        The wisest man who ever lived was Solomon.  In Ecclesiastes 3:1 he wrote “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.”
        So, we know from Solomon’s writings that life will not always be a bed of roses. But he also says that God “has made everything beautiful in its time.”  And that includes all of us!
        The silver lining to any of our struggles is that we serve a God who can carry us through all of life’s messes and challenges.  We serve a God who loves each one of us, and has prepared a place for us in heaven.  We serve a God who “rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)
         Good and bad times are just a part of life on earth. But with God, Christians can be joyful even when the circumstances are not happy ones. In discussing difficult situations with his disciples, Jesus said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27)     Have a great week!

God is with our children, even when they leave home
by Barrett Vanlandingham
August 23, 2011

            As Lisa and I send our daughter, Ashton, off to Oklahoma Christian University to begin her freshman year, all kinds of thoughts rush through my mind. But the most comforting thought of all is the fact that God is going with her.

            I would be naïve to think she won’t occasionally stumble along the way and make a mistakes, hopefully not as many as I did.  But Ashton knows that she not only has parents who love her unconditionally, but more importantly, she has a Heavenly Father who loves her more than any of us can possibly imagine.

            Many of you who are reading this feel the same way about your children or grandchildren. God bless you. Isn’t it just amazing to think that the very Spirit of God makes His home inside every Christian?  It is more than the mind can comprehend, and yet, it’s true! The same Spirit who was there 6000 years ago when the Earth was created wells with us 24/7.

            In 1 Corinthians 6:19 Paul says, Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,” (ESV)

            Even so, it is possible for any of us to make mistakes.  Athletes often become overconfident and lose to a lesser opponent because of arrogance getting in the way of good judgment or concentration.  For Christians, this is also true, especially during those times when we think we are at our strongest spiritually.

            Paul also says, “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Cor. 10:12, NIV)

            Lisa and I have raised Ashton to be a Godly woman. We even loosened the reigns a little as she edged closer to leaving home so she could sharpen her decision-making skills while still living under our roof.  I know a lot of you have done the same.  But as we all know, there’s nothing that teaches life lessons any better than the kick in the gut we’ve all gone through in one way or another (aka: natural consequences).

            Please, let’s all take a moment and pray for all of our children, the ones still in the nest, and the ones taking flight, that they will hold onto God’s hand, so the lessons learned won’t be more of a burden than they can handle (ref: 1 Cor. 10:13).   Have a blessed week!

God is in control
by Barrett Vanlandingham
August 16, 2011

The rain we’ve received lately is an answer to many prayers. So, why did God make us wait so long? After all, many crops failed during the drought, cattlemen have had to pay premium prices for hay if they could even find any to buy, towns everywhere have had to ration water, and of course, there’s the heat-related illnesses and deaths. The question of “why” things like this happen is not new. People have asked questions like that for thousands of years.
The fact is, God works in His own time for His own reasons that we sometimes do not understand. But since we no longer live in the Garden of Eden, and since we haven’t reached the pearly gates of Heaven, why would we even expect things here on Earth to be perfect?
God formed us. He gives us what we need. It rains on the just and the unjust. He gives us beautiful days with perfect weather that we didn’t ask for or deserve. He gives us the fruit of the Spirit that makes our lives so much more complete. Imagine what our lives would be like without “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” As with the apostle Paul, God’s grace is sufficient for us. We all have an affliction or a thorn in the flesh we’d like to get rid of. But if everything in our lives was perfect, we would not need a relationship with God, and we would not need the hope provided through His son, Jesus.
When Joseph’s jealous brothers tossed him down a well and sold him into slavery, he probably never thought this would be the route God was taking to make him the Governor of Egypt. And he probably couldn’t have imagined that he would be the one to save the known world from famine by saving up huge quantities of grain during times of abundance.
In Isaiah 43:19, The Lord told Jacob, “I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” God was reminding the nation of Israel of His mercy in spite of the fact they continued to disobey him, resulting in serious consequences.
There is a lot we could learn from the plagues and misfortune the Israelites brought on themselves because of their stubbornness and disobedience towards God.
So what does all this mean for us today? We will always have to deal with the consequences of our sin and the sin of others as long as we live here. But for Christians, God has indeed provided a “way in the wilderness” of life and “streams in the wasteland” of a corrupt culture. And for those who choose to follow God’s righteous path, a blessing of Heaven awaits!

Give God the chance to be amazing this school year

by Barrett Vanlandingham

August 2, 2011

            Most of the time my Fort Faith column is a devotional thought on one topic or another.  But this week I am going to tell you how I was blessed this summer in the normal course of doing youth ministry at Fort Gibson Church of Christ.  Of course, when you tag along with God it seems nothing is ever really normal.

Let me just say that the 100-plus degree temperatures we’ve been dealing with were no match for the Spirit’s fire at church camp this summer.  I sincerely hope many of you had similar experiences.  If so, I would love to hear about it.  The theme for my weeks of church camp at Burnt Cabin was titled “Knee Mail”.  Yes, we studied all about prayer. It was awesome!

But going into it, I was embarrassingly worried that things would not go well.  So once I figured out the obvious answer, I prayed, and cast my anxiety on Him. Then I asked many others to pray.  God listened.  And God responded with more blessings than I could count.

By week’s end, six teenagers had put on Christ in baptism (Romans 6:1-11 and Acts 2:38), and seventy more had requested prayer for either themselves or someone close to them.

It was so inspiring to receive tearful hugs from young people who are faced with so many temptations.  It was truly a mountaintop experience to hear one young person say, “I am finished with my old life of sin, I am not going back there again, I want to stay on track with the Lord.”

Another teen made a similar statement, “I’ve been struggling to live the Christian life and I need your prayers.”

In just a matter of days our children will be headed back to school.  The unity of youth groups everywhere will be tested as routine school schedules and activities begin to take up our kids’ time, and pull them in many different directions.  Satan will be there front and center, making sure to hurl as many stumbling blocks as possible to throw our young people off track.  But instead of mourning the trials and temptations to come, let’s all trust God to give us an amazing school year.  Let’s all remember to thank Him for each victory everyday.

As a Christian man, a parent, and a youth minister, I am going to try harder than ever this year to be a support for young people in our community, and look for opportunities to help them with their spiritual growth.  Fort Gibson is blessed to have a lot of Godly men and women who will be doing the same.  What a blessing!  May God give each of us the desire, energy, knowledge and ability to lift the name of Jesus high, honoring Him in all we do.  Have a great day!

A branch not connected to the vine is dead

by Barrett Vanlandingham

July 26, 2011

            So what’s the big deal with church attendance?  Well, for starters let’s take a look at the Gospel of John chapter 15.  Jesus says, “I am the Vine, and my Father is the Gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful (Jn 15:1-2).”

            Yes it is true that sitting in a church building doesn’t make you a Christian any more than sticking a boot in the oven makes it a biscuit!  However, the body of Christ is the church. Christians are part of that body. Christ did not die for a church building.  He died for His church, the people. So it only makes sense that we as Christians need to assemble with other members of the Lord’s body in order to stay connected to the Vine, and therefore stay alive.

            A dead branch cannot bear fruit and cannot stay connected to the vine any more than darkness can be in Christ’s presence.  That is why dead limbs are separated from the vine much like Christians who are no longer sustained by the bread of life become separated from the Lord and from their Christian brothers and sisters.

            If it sounds to you like our God is a jealous God, that’s true!  He stated that himself in Exodus 20:5 in the listing of the Ten Commandments.  But it is important to know that God’s jealousy is not a destructive quality in our relationship with Him.

In fact, it is just the opposite. God sets boundaries that come with consequences because he loves us with a love that humans cannot even begin to comprehend.  He wants us to choose him and obey him so we can experience the blessings of being in him, that our joy may be complete (ref: Jn 15:11)

He proved his love when he became flesh and took a beating and was crucified and was raised to give us hope of eternal life. If he hadn’t gone through all of that, mankind would have a very hard time understanding what gives God the right to trim dead limbs from the Vine, and even prune fruit-producing limbs.

The fact is, God knows and understands us better than anyone (Hebrews 4:14-16).  And even with all of our flaws, he opens his arms wide to every person in the world, no matter what they’ve done, in hopes that all will repent, accept His grace, and get connected to Christ the true Vine.  Have a blessed day!

There is always hope for those who turn to the Lord

by Barrett Vanlandingham

July 19, 2011 

            Scripture is very clear on the fact that Christians can turn away from the Lord.  This is not a good thing, but it has happened, does happen and will continue to happen as long as we are human.  “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).”

            In writing to Christians in Rome, Paul clearly stated a message that the world back then and the world today would rather not believe, that hell (spiritual death) awaits those who follow the ways of the world instead of God’s ways.  Paul says, “For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die, but if by the Spirit you will put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God (Romans 8:13-14).”

That is why scripture places so much importance on repentance, or a continual turning away from the world in favor of walking with God.

One of the most intriguing passages I have read lately comes from the book of Ezekiel 38:24-30. God gave a message to the prophet Ezekiel to give to God’s chosen people, the Israelites, who for hundreds of years rebelled against God’s degrees and paid the price for it over and over again through military defeats, slavery and other misfortunes.

The message was one of love, hope and peace to the children of Israel who God loved deeply and wanted them to walk in His righteous path.  The Lord said, “For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit in you…”

Today, God offers Christians the same opportunity He gave to the Israelites 2600 years ago, the chance to walk with Him, and the assurance of heaven when this life is over.

Galatians 3:26-27 says, “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”

Scripture not only tells us that there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus (ref: Romans 8:37-39), but it also reminds us that we can be our own worst enemy in this regard because of our own evil desires that can lead to spiritual death (ref: James 1:13-15).     May God bless your days as you seek His face in all things. (end)

Keep on the lookout for spiritual road hazards

by Barrett Vanlandingham

July 12, 2011

            In my previous life as a TV journalist, I wrote about potholes many times, but hardly ever about manholes.  But after my experience last week in Honduras with the Fort Gibson Church of Christ mission team, I definitely have a new well of stories to dig from.  And yes, it includes uncovered, unmarked manholes that I had to dodge while driving white-knuckled and wide-eyed in a rented 15 passenger Toyota van.

            There were no warning signs, no florescent paint around them, no orange cones, and no barricades, just several very deep manholes about three feet in diameter.  Hondurans call serious road hazards such as these “baches” (like gotcha).

Driving in Honduras was kind of like playing a video game, only this was for real.  In fact, as I was driving, I noticed an uncovered manhole in the oncoming lane of traffic and sitting next to it was a tire, a front bumper and a radiator that had just fallen victim to this unforgiving bache.

            In living the Christian life, there are spiritual baches along life’s highways.  Some result in permanent physical consequences, and some you can recover from, kind of like driving over an annoying speed bump versus hitting a deep bache that stops you dead in your tracks and causes the immediate destruction of your car.

            The main difference between earthly baches and spiritual ones is that no one likes road hazards.  On the other hand, the devil is very deceptive and is a master at creating temptations that can be very appealing to our senses (James 1:13-15).  These spiritual baches can lure even the strongest Christian into a trap. This means we need to be careful to stay alert (1 Thessalonians 5:6) and remember  the consequences or rewards that will come at the end of our spiritual journey.

            In Paul’s final instructions to the church in Thessalonica he says, “Abstain from every form of evil.” (1 Thes. 5:22, ESV)

            This means we cannot pick and choose which sins we will allow ourselves to participate in. God’s inspired word makes it very clear that we are to not be involved in sin, in any form, even when it appears to be cute, funny, off color, entertaining, or even socially acceptable.

            Scripture says that not only we to stay away from sin, but that we should not approve of the sinful actions of others (ref: Romans 1:32).

            May God bless us all with the wisdom we need to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15) to help keep our friends and loved ones in a right relationship with God, and ourselves, too.   Have a great day!

A joyful life begins with prayer

by Barrett Vanlandingham

July 5, 2011

            The apostle Paul had some great advice about prayer:  “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”

(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

            If there’s anyone who earned the right to say these words, it’s Paul! 

Let’s just say he went through enough of life to have a sour attitude if it hadn’t been for the change he experienced because of Jesus Christ.  You want examples?  To begin with, there were people in every town Paul went to preach the Gospel in who tried to kill him.  Can you imagine living like that?  Even with encouraging friends along for the journey, Paul found himself the target of hatred from Jews who didn’t believe that Jesus was the son of God.

Even after healing a crippled man in the town of Lystra who had never been able to stand and walk before, an angry mob stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city thinking he was dead.  Beyond that, Paul was flogged, beaten with rods, shipwrecked, and felt daily concern for all the issues being faced by the Lord’s church during the first century.   And as you might expect, there were many Christians who were skeptical of Paul because of the way he used to persecute Christians before turning his life around.

            Prayer was a way Paul could continually stay connected with the very One who makes it possible for Christians to live a joyful life today in spite of difficulties.  It is no accident that Paul connects joy, praying continually, and giving thanks in all circumstances.  The three are intertwined for those who have clothed themselves in Christ.

            Can you imagine what life on earth would be like if we were not allowed to speak to God, and if God never answered prayers?  But God does answer prayers everyday!  The problem is, much of the time we mark it off as coincidence, or something God would have done anyway.  We are often quick to ask for a favor from God, but not nearly as quick to thank and praise Him for all the ways He provides for us on a daily basis. 

            A Prayerful Attitude:  1) Strengthens our relationship with God, which strengthens our faith in Him.  2)  Helps us overcome temptations. 3) Make an average day filled with excitement over what God is going to do next!

            James says, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”  (James 5:16)

            May God bless you with a renewed commitment to a joyful life of prayer. (end)

There are reasons why God doesn’t always give us what we ask for
by Barrett Vanlandingham
June 28, 2011

            The other night I found myself watching a new show called “Toddlers and Tiaras.”  The show was basically following two little girls through a beauty pageant.  If you appreciate a good show to roll your eyes at, just tune in to some of this show’s behind the scenes temper tantrums, back-talking, and on-stage pint-size modeling followed by uncontrollable crying when the contestants find out they didn’t win it all.  As the judges were tallying their scores, one very dramatic six year old shut her eyes in full concentration as she said, “Please God, Please God, Please God!”  Well, she did win second overall, but not the grand prize which was a double-size pink poster bed.  When she finally figured out she hadn’t won the top spot, she threw a queen-size FIT.

            At some point in our lives, we all find ourselves not knowing what to pray for, or we know what we want but we don’t know if we’re supposed to ask for wants.  Sometimes we simply get discouraged with our prayer life because we ask over and over for something that just doesn’t seem “meant to be.”

            Each one of the following Bible passages could be an article on its own.  But I encourage you to go ahead and look-up these verses which shed light on why we don’t always feel like God answers our prayers, at least the way we wanted. 

1. We don’t believe that God can answer prayer.  (James 1:6-8 & Matthew 21:22)

2. Wrong motives. (James 4:3)

3. Unconfessed sin separates us from God, so that He cannot hear.  (Isaiah 59:1-2).

4. We set up idols in our hearts that come between us and God.  (Ezekiel 14:3).

5. We don't answer those who cry to us for help.   (Proverbs 21:13).

6. We don't remain in God and his word is not in us.  (John 15:7). 

            Beyond these reasons, God’s wisdom is simply greater than ours. He sees the overall picture of what we need.  Just like a parent gives a child what is needed, God knows what’s best for us.  Having said that, we must remember we live in a broken world. Even in 2011, we are still dealing with the consequences of Adam and Eve’s sin that happened in the Garden of Eden shortly after creation some 6000 years ago.  The silver lining is that for Christians, life on earth is just the beginning of our relationship with God.  May God bless your week with plenty to be thankful for as we await that final day and the promised reward.  (end)

There are reasons why God doesn’t always give us what we ask for
by Barrett Vanlandingham
June 28, 2011

The other night I found myself watching a new show called “Toddlers and Tiaras.” The show was basically following two little girls through a beauty pageant. If you appreciate a good show to roll your eyes at, just tune in to some of this show’s behind the scenes temper tantrums, back-talking, and on-stage pint-size modeling followed by uncontrollable crying when the contestants find out they didn’t win it all. As the judges were tallying their scores, one very dramatic six year old shut her eyes in full concentration as she said, “Please God, Please God, Please God!” Well, she did win second overall, but not the grand prize which was a double-size pink poster bed. When she finally figured out she hadn’t won the top spot, she threw a queen-size FIT.
At some point in our lives, we all find ourselves not knowing what to pray for, or we know what we want but we don’t know if we’re supposed to ask for wants. Sometimes we simply get discouraged with our prayer life because we ask over and over for something that just doesn’t seem “meant to be.”
Each one of the following Bible passages could be an article on its own. But I encourage you to go ahead and look-up these verses which shed light on why we don’t always feel like God answers our prayers, at least the way we wanted.
1. We don’t believe that God can answer prayer. (James 1:6-8 & Matthew 21:22)
2. Wrong motives. (James 4:3)
3. Unconfessed sin separates us from God, so that He cannot hear. (Isaiah 59:1-2).
4. We set up idols in our hearts that come between us and God. (Ezekiel 14:3).
5. We don't answer those who cry to us for help. (Proverbs 21:13).
6. We don't remain in God and his word is not in us. (John 15:7).
Beyond these reasons, God’s wisdom is simply greater than ours. He sees the overall picture of what we need. Just like a parent gives a child what is needed, God knows what’s best for us. Having said that, we must remember we live in a broken world. Even in 2011, we are still dealing with the consequences of Adam and Eve’s sin that happened in the Garden of Eden shortly after creation some 6000 years ago. The silver lining is that for Christians, life on earth is just the beginning of our relationship with God. May God bless your week with plenty to be thankful for as we await that final day and the promised reward. (end)

A joyful life begins with prayer
by Barrett Vanlandingham
July 5, 2011

The apostle Paul had some great advice about prayer: “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
If there’s anyone who earned the right to say these words, it’s Paul!
Let’s just say he went through enough of life to have a sour attitude if it hadn’t been for the change he experienced because of Jesus Christ. You want examples? To begin with, there were people in every town Paul went to preach the Gospel in who tried to kill him. Can you imagine living like that? Even with encouraging friends along for the journey, Paul found himself the target of hatred from Jews who didn’t believe that Jesus was the son of God.
Even after healing a crippled man in the town of Lystra who had never been able to stand and walk before, an angry mob stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city thinking he was dead. Beyond that, Paul was flogged, beaten with rods, shipwrecked, and felt daily concern for all the issues being faced by the Lord’s church during the first century. And as you might expect, there were many Christians who were skeptical of Paul because of the way he used to persecute Christians before turning his life around.
Prayer was a way Paul could continually stay connected with the very One who makes it possible for Christians to live a joyful life today in spite of difficulties. It is no accident that Paul connects joy, praying continually, and giving thanks in all circumstances. The three are intertwined for those who have clothed themselves in Christ.
Can you imagine what life on earth would be like if we were not allowed to speak to God, and if God never answered prayers? But God does answer prayers everyday! The problem is, much of the time we mark it off as coincidence, or something God would have done anyway. We are often quick to ask for a favor from God, but not nearly as quick to thank and praise Him for all the ways He provides for us on a daily basis.
A Prayerful Attitude: 1) Strengthens our relationship with God, which strengthens our faith in Him. 2) Helps us overcome temptations. 3) Make an average day filled with excitement over what God is going to do next!
James says, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16)
May God bless you with a renewed commitment to a joyful life of prayer.

There are reasons why God doesn’t always give us what we ask for
by Barrett Vanlandingham
June 28, 2011

The other night I found myself watching a new show called “Toddlers and Tiaras.” The show was basically following two little girls through a beauty pageant. If you appreciate a good show to roll your eyes at, just tune in to some of this show’s behind the scenes temper tantrums, back-talking, and on-stage pint-size modeling followed by uncontrollable crying when the contestants find out they didn’t win it all. As the judges were tallying their scores, one very dramatic six year old shut her eyes in full concentration as she said, “Please God, Please God, Please God!” Well, she did win second overall, but not the grand prize which was a double-size pink poster bed. When she finally figured out she hadn’t won the top spot, she threw a queen-size FIT.
At some point in our lives, we all find ourselves not knowing what to pray for, or we know what we want but we don’t know if we’re supposed to ask for wants. Sometimes we simply get discouraged with our prayer life because we ask over and over for something that just doesn’t seem “meant to be.”
Each one of the following Bible passages could be an article on its own. But I encourage you to go ahead and look-up these verses which shed light on why we don’t always feel like God answers our prayers, at least the way we wanted.
1. We don’t believe that God can answer prayer. (James 1:6-8 & Matthew 21:22)
2. Wrong motives. (James 4:3)
3. Unconfessed sin separates us from God, so that He cannot hear. (Isaiah 59:1-2).
4. We set up idols in our hearts that come between us and God. (Ezekiel 14:3).
5. We don't answer those who cry to us for help. (Proverbs 21:13).
6. We don't remain in God and his word is not in us. (John 15:7).
Beyond these reasons, God’s wisdom is simply greater than ours. He sees the overall picture of what we need. Just like a parent gives a child what is needed, God knows what’s best for us. Having said that, we must remember we live in a broken world. Even in 2011, we are still dealing with the consequences of Adam and Eve’s sin that happened in the Garden of Eden shortly after creation some 6000 years ago. The silver lining is that for Christians, life on earth is just the beginning of our relationship with God. May God bless your week with plenty to be thankful for as we await that final day and the promised reward.

The Bible has much to say about how to pray
by Barrett Vanlandingham
June 21, 2011
(part 3 of a 5 part series on prayer)

Humility, love and confidence in approaching the Lord top the list when it comes to our attitude in prayer. The reason is that while it is important to keep Him on the throne and not ourselves, God wants us to approach Him with confidence because Jesus understands our struggles like no one else. And of course Christians feel love towards God because of the sacrifice and salvation through his Son.
While that addresses the heart part of how to pray to God, there are many opinions about physical posture. length of prayer, wording, location, and time of day. The Bible addresses those things too.
It doesn’t matter how many words you pray. In at least one instance, Jesus prayed all night (Luke 6:12). But another time Jesus says a short prayer when teaching us how to pray (Matthew 6:9-13).
As for wording, God has never been impressed with how well somebody speaks. Moses and Paul both made mention of their lack of ability in oral communication. So, there’s no reason for us to think we have to be a great speaker in order to talk to God either privately or publicly. In fact, Jesus tells us he’s not a big fan of babbling on in prayer (Matthew 6:5-8).
As for posture, there are Biblical examples of people praying on their knees (1 Kings 8:54, Daniel 6:10), face on the ground (Nehemiah 8:5-7, Exodus 34:8), face towards God (Daniel 9:3), hands in the air (1 Timothy 2:8, Psalm 28:2), standing (Exodus 19:23, 1 Samuel 1:26), or sitting (2 Samuel 7:18).
As for location, in a room or closet (Matthew 6:6). Jesus prayed in a river after being baptized (Luke 3:21-22) and in the Garden of Gethsemane. Many prayed in front altars, others on a bed (Psalm 63:6), or inside a giant fish (Jonah 2).
As for time of day, Jesus prayed at night, David prayed in the morning (Psalm 5:3). Daniel prayed formally three times a day (Dan. 6:10), while we’re commanded in the New Testament to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). So, you can see it would be impossible to do all those things at the same time.
The fact is, there are times when each of these prayer techniques may be appropriate (especially if you find yourself inside the belly of a fish). The important thing is to have the right attitude in your conversations with God. Next week, I will look at why we don’t always get what we ask for.
Have a great week, and always remember to pray!

(Part 2 of a five part series on prayer)

Prayer life improvements begin with attitude adjustments
by Barrett Vanlandingham
June 14, 2011

Prayer is not a formal, religious act we’re supposed to do now and then. But rather, it is a conversation with God anywhere, anytime. When we’re happy, or feeling sad, or angry, or lonely – no matter how we’re feeling we should talk to God on all occasions (ref: Ephesians 6:18).
We should never worry about God thinking our concerns are petty or unimportant. The Bible assures us of that in Hebrews 4:15 which says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.”
In fact, the next verse gives us permission to have a bold prayer life. We can be assured that God welcomes us in His presence. Why? Because He understands the struggles we go through. Coming to earth in the form of a Suffering Servant made all the difference in how God deals with us.
Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. “
A confident prayer life must also include humility as we approach the only One who will carry us through our darkest moments in life. Government leaders around the world are constantly faced with questions of how to alleviate problems of many kinds. The answer was written down for us about 2400 years ago.
2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
A few hundred years later Jesus showed compassion and healed people of all kinds of diseases even though his deeper desire was to show them that He had the power to heal them spiritually. This message still applies to us today as noted in 1 John 1:9 which says , “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Putting God in His proper place as we confidently approach Him in prayer certainly brings about peace. But for Christians it is also our Savior’s means of continuing the blessing of forgiveness as we confess our sins to God.
Next week, I will look at what the Bible says about prayer posture. Have a great week!



Talking to the Man upstairs has great benefits
June 7, 2011
by Barrett Vanlandingham

“The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” Those words penned so long ago in James 5:16 are just as important today as in the first century.

With so much chaos in the world today, Christians should take full advantage of one of the most power weapons in spiritual warfare we have available to us.

PRAYER.

My church camps this summer are focusing on the topic of prayer through our theme, “Knee Mail.”

Prayer is simply how we talk to God. I have never received a personal invitation, a tweet, a text, or an e-mail from a movie star, a President, or a famous singer to talk to them. But God, the Creator of everything we see and don’t see (Colossians 1:15) actually wants us to hear from us everyday.

To me, that is an incredible thing. God is the only one who can make a real difference in our lives.

Any good relationship requires good communication. God has revealed everything He wants us to know about Him through His written word and through His creation.

He has blessed us with His Holy Spirit to help guide and comfort us until we reach our heavenly home.

But until we see Him face to face, He wants us to stay in close touch with Him.

Prayer is how Jesus spoke to His Father in heaven.

Just before Jesus was arrested, He was praying on the Mount of Olives (Luke 22:39-44).

This was an extremely intense prayer in which He said, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

Jesus was dreading the torture he was about to endure, and in his humanity he was asking God for a way other than this to save the world from sin and eternal spiritual death.

Of course, only the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ himself could do this.

In John 17, the apostle records Jesus’ prayer a short time before the arrest.

Jesus prayed for himself, for his disciples who lived during that time and finally for all people who would eventually believe in Christ because of the message carried by those early disciples.

Prayer is how Paul says we can stay strong in our spiritual walk.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

As I wrote this article, I received word that a Christian brother and long-time Fort Gibson resident Arlie Perry has passed away.

Please say a prayer of peace and comfort for his loved ones.

God bless and have a prayer-filled week.

Graduation to a new life must include Jesus Christ
by Barrett Vanlandingham
May 24, 2011

For each of Fort Gibson’s 115 graduates, this week marks a new beginning. Our hometown kids will be scattered to the four winds before we know it. But that doesn’t mean they have to be separated from the most important things in life.
Graduates will be faced with many crossroads, detours, and exit ramps along life’s highway. But God will always be there to help them with their choices as long as they choose to walk His path and include Him in their daily decisions (ref: 1 John 1:7-9).
One of the most crucial decisions a graduate has to make after leaving home is which church family to become a part of in their new town. My advice is to find the church that models itself after the first century church we read about in the New Testament. This includes meeting on the first day of the week, taking the Lord’s Supper, praising God in song, prayer, giving financially and otherwise to the work of the church, and teaching all the truths found in the New Testament. Building relationships with Christians in a Bible-based church family helps us all stay strong in spiritual battle, especially recent high school graduates.
Hebrews 10:23-25 says, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
One time when I was in college, I had two tests the next day so I decided that I would just this once not go to Wednesday night Bible study. A friend of mine walked by the open door of my dorm room and saw that I was not dressed for church. After I told him why, he said, “If you will go to church, you will come back refreshed and will be able to study better.” That’s not what I wanted to hear. But I went to church anyway and my friend was right. I felt better and had a clearer mind to study.
There will be all kinds of temptations awaiting our graduates who will be out on their own for the first time ever. But we can be confident in Solomon’s words that if we have trained our children properly they will not depart from those teachings as they become older (ref: Proverbs 22:6). That is why it is important for parents of younger children to take the Lord’s commands and “Impress them your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” (Deuteronomy 6:7)
Spiritually speaking, Romans 6:1-11 tells us that new life begins after we are buried with Christ in baptism and “…raised from the dead through the glory of the Father.” Scripture says we can only begin this new life after being united with Christ in this way.
2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”
May God bless each of our town’s graduating seniors with the desire to take on their new life with boldness and confidence that only comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ.