Checklists are not always bad in matters of faith

by Barrett Vanlandingham

July 11, 2017

         

          I’ve taught many lessons against it. Checklist Christianity is both shallow and a works-based way to live out your faith. Just the sound of it is enough to make most people who are seeking a deeper relationship with God run away. But the fact is, there are some things we must not overlook whether we use checkmarks, sticky notes, or cell phone alarms.

          Our resident computer tech here at the church building is out of town. So as the back-up computer guy, I had to figure out why none of the office computers could access the network folder where we put the PowerPoint slides we use for worship. I dug around and noticed that the folder had apparently been affected by a power surge, and defaulted back to its original settings which will not allow access unless two little boxes are checked.  I clicked on those two boxes, and just like that our office computers once again had access to this all important folder.  It was amazing that just two little checkmarks could make that big of a difference.

          The same is true for the faith journey of every Christian. There are certain things we do simply by habit, such as: 1) waking up on Sunday mornings and going to worship or Bible class, 2) writing out a check to drop into the contribution plate, 3) participate in singing, praying, and communion on the first day of each week.  Those kinds of things are easy (with the possible exception of “giving”) because they can be easily checked off our list when we’re done.

          Unfortunately, the majority of our spiritual journey can suffer and be overlooked if we are not diligent. They are lifestyle things and matters of the heart that drastically affect our Christian walk if not tended to. In a conversation with the Pharisees, Jesus said,

          “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules” (Matthew 15:7-9).

          A good relationship with God is not built on mindless checklists, but sincere faith-based obedience to the One who loves us unconditionally. Have a great week!

There is freedom for all in Christ

by Barrett Vanlandingham

July 4, 2017

          I love hearing the stories of those who participate in our church’s prison ministry. I think what moves me the most is the idea that even though the walls of the prison prevent earthly freedom for those inside, those same prisoners can be free in the most important way, spiritually.

          Our preacher, Dan Rouse, says he can’t even count the number of times he has baptized a prisoner who then came up out of the water weeping with joy and amazement at the fact that they are now free from the shackles of sin.

          In the story of Paul’s conversion to Christianity, we can only imagine his reaction when God worked through Ananias to give Paul, the great persecutor of Christians, back his sight. Then imagine Paul’s thoughts when Ananias said, “And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name” (Acts 22:16). Notice here that Paul’s sins were not forgiven before the baptism, but because he was baptized.

          The story of Philip and the Ethiopian is very similar. After Philip explained to him the good news of Jesus Christ, they both went down into the water so that Philip could baptize him. In this passage it is clear that the celebration took place not before, but after the baptism when the Ethiopian “went on his way rejoicing” (Acts 8:39).

           Paul reminded the new generation of Christians in Corinth that the bodies we have and the things we see and experience here on earth are not the end all. As Christians, we have something much greater ahead of us.  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Cor. 5:17).

          Paul told Christians in Rome that their baptism is what makes it possible to be raised like Christ, that “we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:3-4).

          In the Gospel book of John, Jesus said this to the Jews who believed him: “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 8:32).

          Have a great week!

Short term mission trips offer perspective

by Barrett Vanlandingham

June 27, 2017

          Two weeks ago I returned from a week-long mission trip to Honduras. Our team of teenagers and adults had mixed feelings about leaving. Like any poor third world country, the people there have so many needs.

          Half of our group conducted a Vacation Bible School at a church we helped plant in a little community known as Bethel. We painted three 16 X 16 sheds they use for worship and Bible class space. We also passed out food bags of rice, beans, spaghetti and sauce, sugar, coffee, and butter to church members and some visitors.

          I think the part we liked most was simply letting the children and their parents know that there are Christians in America who love them very much, and serve the same God as they do. We spent a lot of time singing with them in Spanish, playing lots of games, and getting lots of hugs (I know, tough assignment).  We left most of the Bible teaching to the local preacher and one of his Bible class teachers (since they actually speak Spanish!)

          The other half of our team, the construction crew, built two 20 X 20 houses about a mile from the church, for a couple of families who are members there.  And while the houses looked more like humble wooden storage sheds with flat tin roofs, they were nicer than anything those Christian brothers and sisters had ever lived in. It will be a change from their previous homes which were built with a collection of tree limbs, sheets of plastic, a few boards and pieces of tin.  

          By the way, there were no roads leading into the valley where the construction would take place, so our team spaced themselves out over about 100 yards starting at the top of a very steep hill where they would slide boards down the hill and through the trees from person to person until reaching the bottom.

          As always, we started our trip with the idea that we would brave the heat, fire ants, and flying insects to bless lives. But in the end, we once again left there feeling more blessed than ever to have spent such quality time with God’s family in Honduras.  Have a great week!

Clean Living Takes Planning

by Barrett Vanlandingham

June 20, 2017

    There's not much I don't like about barbeque ribs. I like’em fresh and hot, I also like’em leftover from the fridge. The fact that I have barbeque sauce all over my fingers when I'm finished eating? No problem, it's worth it.  

    Last weekend when my wife was out of town and I discovered something about barbeque I didn't like.  It happened when I decided that since nobody was around, I would skip doing dishes, and instead take a three hour nap. It seemed like a good idea at the time. But when I finally woke up, the caked on barbeque stuck to my serving bowl, plate, and silverware were still there staring at me as if I had abandoned them (which I had). So I grabbed the pan scrubber and began to chisel. I eventually got everything cleaned, but it dawned on me this task would have been a lot easier if I hadn't waited so long, ignoring a task that needed immediate attention.

    This scenario can also happen in our faith journey. In fact, we've all experienced it, and there are countless ways we can fall victim:  1. When you let a conflict go too long without making things right.

2. When you get so distracted by life you forget to pray to God.

3. When you stop making time to study God's word.

4. When you start making a habit of surrounding yourself with faithless friends who are not concerned about your spiritual life.

     

     James says “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin” (James 4:17).  

    In Romans 1:21-32, the apostle Paul talks about those who claimed to be wise but foolishly exchanged the glory of God for man-made idols.  This hardness of heart resulted in God giving them over to their sinful desires and the resulting consequences.

    In 2 Corinthians 6, Paul reminds Christians the importance of choosing believers as their closest allies because of the Godly fellowship with each other and with their Creator.

       Keeping a close walk with God's Holy Spirit is a good way to avoid spiritual laziness. He will help you keep your spiritual dishes clean both on the outside and on the inside where it really matters.  Have a great week! 

Don’t let life’s challenges drain you

by Barrett Vanlandingham

June 13, 2017

          Last week I dug what I thought was the perfect drainage ditch in my side yard to prevent water from pooling near my side garage door. I installed a drain, attached a pipe to carry the water from the drain to where it could disperse, and then filled the ditch back in with dirt. Seemed easy enough.

          The scene was set for success, or so I thought.  The heavy rains came. The storm drain and pipe filled up.  And then nothing! The water still pooled by the door, the drain didn’t drain, and the water did not flow through the pipe, or at least far enough. It became painfully obvious that I was going to have to do more digging. I thought to myself, “All that work for nothing!”

          Spiritually speaking, this scenario is very familiar to Christians. It’s our life. We read the Bible, pray, give to the church, attend worship, and try to live a clean life, so we think we should be able to win all of our spiritual battles. The only problem with that way of thinking is that it is not true.

          John says, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8).

          The apostle Paul says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

          So, not only have we all sinned, we continually find ourselves not living up to the standards set by God’s son who lived on earth and knows exactly what we go through.

          In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said that the Father “causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45).

          Preparing a good drainage system is not as easy as some might think. Preparing for the Christian life also takes a lot of work and faith (James 17-26). As for ditch digging, I think it is possible to finally get that perfect slope for drainage. Christians, on the other hand, will never be able to perfectly accomplish this life with all of its spiritual challenges. That’s what God’s grace and the love of Jesus is for.  Have a great week!

A good reputation passes the sniff test

by Barrett Vanlandingham

June 6, 2017

          The smell of sugar cookies, cigarette smoke, horse or cow manure, you name it!  Every car at the salvage yard my daughter, Gracie, and her friend Blake looked through had a distinct smell. They were shopping for a car for him to fix up and drive temporarily.

          Gracie said it was fun to see (and smell) all the stuff people left behind in their junked cars. Our reputations are sort of like that. Wherever we go, we leave a “smell” in our wake, not necessarily an actual smell, but one of either good or bad character. The Bible is full of examples of both kinds.  

          Luke tells of a woman named Tabitha who died, but who Peter with God’s power brought back to life.  We often focus on the fact that she was raised from the dead. Yes, that’s important, and it helped people believe Peter’s preaching. But what is more important is what we find out about this woman in the very first verse of her story. Luke describes her as “always doing good and helping the poor” (Acts 9:36). You probably know people today who fit this beautiful description.

          In the story of Jonah, we tend to focus more on the fact that he was swallowed by a giant fish after he ran from God and refused to go preach to the people of Nineveh. But in the very first verse of his story, it says that the wickedness of the people of Nineveh “has come up before me” (Jonah 1:1). How would you like to think that your wickedness was so bad that it would go down in history as basically a bad odor that made it all the way to where God himself resides?

          Paul told Timothy that men who oversee the church should live the kind of lives that result in people thinking respectable thoughts about them (1 Tim. 3:7).

          Solomon says that a woman of noble character lives a life that results in her husband being respected by his peers, and her children calling her blessed (Prov. 31)

          We are eventually seen for who we really are, not just publicly, but also privately, and that reputation lingers for a long time.  Have a great week!

Christ-like aroma or odor depends on perspective

by Barrett Vanlandingham

May 30, 2017

          Smells are incredibly powerful.  It was 1973. I still remember sitting in Mrs. Waterfield’s 2^nd grade classroom at Cherokee Elementary in Tahlequah. There was no air-conditioning. Just a bunch of sweaty kids. The windows were open to catch the occasional slightly refreshing breeze. But sometimes it could only be described as a stench.  Those were the hot days when the roof repair crews fired up the old noisy tar kettle right outside. The machine made a low rumbling growl, and emitted smoke that was beyond repulsive to me. I just hated it.

          Then came my teenage years of taking hot summer trips to Six Flags and Silver Dollar City.  The freshly re-surfaced asphalt paths through the parks, the railroad ties and exhaust from the trains and other rides had that same odor I remembered from 2^nd grade! But it didn’t take long for my brain to re-define the smell of tar to almost aroma status! My new memories made me think of happy times, fun rides, friends, and laughing til my stomach hurt.

          The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian church about how Christians and the Gospel message we live and teach smell to other people.

          “14 But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. 15 Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. 16 To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?” (2 Corinthians 2:14-16)

          Paul is not saying we should try to be repulsive. He is simply stating the Bible truths we carry will be received in two very different ways depending on whether someone is open to truth. Consistently showing a loving spirit and the heart of a servant will not always immediately translate as an aroma to everyone you meet, but it’s a good place to start.  Have a great week!

Graduation is only the beginning of life's tests

by Barrett Vanlandingham

May 23, 2017

          This past week my son, Britton, was licking envelopes of graduation gift “thank you” cards when I heard him say, “Ouch!  Did I really just cut my tongue on a piece of paper?”  Then he said, “Dad, you should write an article about how one minute life can be just wonderful, and the next minute you cut your tongue!”         

          With as many problems as this world seems to have, it is not because we lack knowledge or wisdom. Sometimes, that information is simply not passed along, at other times we may not take seriously the warnings we receive. We may not apply what we already know. Any of these scenarios set the stage for something bad to happen.

          On top of that, when we cut our tongue (or worse), figuratively or literally, we allow ourselves to be tossed into despair by the fact that too much of our foundation was built on earthly things instead of on the foundation of Jesus Christ.

          You may know the children’s song about the wise man building his house on the rock, and the foolish man building his house on the sand. As Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, when the rain and wind came, the wise man’s house stood firm, while the foolish man’s house went “crash!”  (Matthew 7:24-27)

          We know the devil is the great deceiver, and we know our own fleshly desires unchecked can cause us to fall right into Satan’s traps. Temptation is a strange thing, though. Most of the time we can clearly see those things we need to stay away from. The problem is, the devil’s workshop is constantly re-building and re-packaging “gifts” meant to trick and inflict optimum spiritual pain. Sometimes the devil uses our busy-ness and distractions to cause unintentional sins, or even willful sins that we need to confess to God.

          Many things are uncertain in this life, but we can know for sure that none of us will escape dealing with those “gotcha moments”. If you are a Christian, you should already be prepared to react. If you are not, I pray that you will turn your life over to Jesus Christ, and let Him be your unshakeable foundation.  Have a great week!

There are some great spiritual benefits to graduating

by Barrett Vanlandingham

May 16, 2017

          Our little town is about to become a little smaller. 159 seniors will graduate from Fort Gibson High School this week, 17 from my church alone. I know other churches also have larger than normal numbers of seniors, since this year’s graduating class is one of the biggest ever for Fort Gibson.

           If there is a silver lining to having to turn loose of your children, it has to be that our loss is someone else’s gain. It was the same back in Old Testament Bible times when hostile governments would scatter Jews here, there, and everywhere outside of Israel. I am sure it did not seem like a blessing to them or anyone they cared about at the time.  But the scattering of Jews to different cities, regions, and countries would actually set the stage for later, when Christians like Stephen were being persecuted.

          “On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria” (Acts 8:1).

          What a blessing, and the Christians didn’t even realize it at the time. They had an audience already in place who had been scattered before they were. So even as the Christians were running for their lives, relocating to other places, God had provided for them a people who were already well-studied in the Old Covenant, and that met every week in synagogues. The church grew rapidly in the first century even in the midst of persecution.

          I am not under any delusion that every single graduating senior is a believer in Christ Jesus. But I do believe that God’s Holy Spirit is alive and well, and is putting people in just the right places to make a difference for the next generation. Free will always plays a part in specific outcomes, but if the past and present are any indication of God’s creativity for drawing people to him, I have no reason to doubt that many of our children will play a significant role in God’s plan to save as many souls as possible before he returns. Please pray this happens, and have a great week!

Good character lessons from Willy Wonka

by Barrett Vanlandingham

May 9, 2017

          I never really noticed just how many good Bible lessons there are in the story of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. But it became very apparent as I was watching some very talented and energetic Fort Gibson Middle School students perform this musical last week.

          Eighth grader Kinley Wilson, who played the part of Willy Wonka, did a fantastic job with his singing and lines. But there was one line that caught my attention more than any other. It was when Willy Wonka had just finished giving a tour of the factory to several bratty children who had won the tour by finding one of five golden tickets inside their purchased chocolate bars.

          What the children did not realize was this was no ordinary tour. The child who showed good character and followed directions would inherit the entire factory. One by one, each of the five children were disqualified for disobeying instructions.  At the end, only one child admitted their wrongdoing and apologized for it. That’s when Willy Wonka told the child named Charlie that even though he disobeyed, it was admitting the wrongdoing and apologizing that made the difference. So Charlie won the prize.

          Christians mess up just as often as anyone else. The difference is that there is a plan in place so that we are not eternally lost. We all sin (Romans 3:23) though sometimes we are not aware of it. That is when God’s grace comes into play.

          1 John 1:7 says, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

          This cleansing from sin is ongoing. God has qualified us to share in a heavenly inheritance (Colossians 1:11-14).  However, when we choose to sin, and intentionally leave God’s light in exchange for darkness, we put our souls in jeopardy. We are instructed to get back on track, apologize to those we’ve offended, pray for each other for healing (James 5:16), and ask God’s forgiveness (1 John 1:9). In the end, the prize is worth much more than a chocolate factory.  Have a great week!

Let Jesus handle your burdens

by Barrett Vanlandingham

May 2, 2017

         

          There are certain times of year that seem to throw more at us than other times. For my oldest sister, tax season is the most stressful because she is a C.P.A.

For retailers, Black Friday through the Christmas season would likely win hands down. If you’re a high school or college senior who is trying to figure out where to go for your next stage in life, you might be feeling a little anxious right now. For all you parents out there whose daughters go out on dates, I feel your pain! The list goes on and on.

          Before I even got out of bed last Monday morning, I counted in my head how many hours it would take to get everything done for the week, and came to the conclusion it was going to require burning a lot of midnight oil. But when I walked into my office, suddenly a calm came over me after I wrote out a list of things to do, and then thought about Jesus’ words.

          “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

          Those words should offer immediate comfort. But if you’re like me, the next question that comes to mind is, “So, how does this apply to you and me?” Bottom line, if you have a good relationship with Jesus Christ, the world could fall down around you and everything is still going to be alright. So, just stay focused and do the best you can.

          As I wrote this article, I messaged one of my former youth group members turned professional bull rider, Zane Cook. I asked him about stress and bull riding. He said, “I don’t really get stressed riding because I know God’s got my back. And the more stressed I get, the worse I ride. I just try to stay relaxed and enjoy it. You never know when it’s going to be the last time. If you’re grinnin’ you’re winnin’.”

          I agree! The same could be said of any of us.  Have a great week!

Coffee and tea are both blessings to me

by Barrett Vanlandingham

April 25, 2017

          Anyone who knows me knows how much I love coffee. I have a coffee bean grinder in my office and one at home. I always have a bag of freshly roasted coffee on the counter at home and one in my office, usually from Wise Owl Coffee Company, one of Fort Gibson’s best local shops.

          But this past Friday morning I tried something new.  I ran across a box of Lipton Tea bags in the church kitchen and decided to put one bag in a medium sized Styrofoam cupful of hot water.  After about five minutes I took a sip.  It was wonderful! I guess it was just what I needed at the time.

          Now, I realize there are people out there who are just as much tea snobs as I am a coffee snob, so I know I probably broke some sort of rule in fine tea sipping.  But on that stormy morning, it just really hit the spot. There are just some situations where one thing works better than another.

          On Wednesday evenings, our new Involvement Minister, Steve Parker, has been teaching a series of lessons on “Discovering You Spiritual Gifts”. We’ve learned to differentiate talents such as singing, playing an instrument, or cooking from spiritual gifts, such as hospitality, teaching, service, leadership, mercy, and discernment.

          These gifts are designed to help the church body function at its best. As Christians, we are all called to be Jesus to a world that is broken. But we don’t all have equal ability in every area of soul saving.  For instance, someone who has the gift of hospitality might not be best suited for leading or shepherding a church. Someone who is really knowledgeable of the Bible might not have the gift of mercy. And even though we are all supposed to give money to the work of the church, someone who has the spiritual gift of giving might not excel in teaching.

          As for last Friday, I still enjoyed a cup of coffee that day. I believe it is one of the God’s most wonderful creations. In fact, it serves me well just about every day. However, sometimes tea is what’s needed to get the job done.

          Have a great week!

Hey Parents! God’s got this!

by Barrett Vanlandingham

April 18, 2017

          I always told myself I wouldn’t be one of those parents who cry every time their high school senior completes another “last” event.

          Well, I have almost reached my goal, but I must admit there is at least a little bit of heaviness in my heart, and I can tell that my tear ducts always feel like they’re on standby mode. Graduation day? Let’s don’t think too much about that.  

          We all leave home eventually. I remember my dad and mom telling me from their perspective about the time I left home. It was the morning after high school graduation, and I was starting a summer job playing guitar and singing at Dogpatch USA, a theme park outside of Harrison, Arkansas. Mom said as she and dad and my Grandpa Van watched me through the living room window drive away on our country gravel road at 6:00am, Grandpa began to get teary eyed. When my mom asked why he was so emotional, Grandpa Van said, “It’s never the same after they leave home.  Even when they come back to visit, it’s just not the same.”  If anyone would know, he would since he and Grandma had seven sons and two daughters.

          Most parents don’t want our children to just stay at home forever. We actually dream of the day our children will grow up to be successful. I think what we really fear are threats to our children, or situations they might not know how to handle. Also, we will miss them.

          We may need to be reminded that our children were never ours to begin with. They are God’s. He’s the one who knew our children before they were born (Jeremiah 1:5). He’s the one who has numbered their hair (Matthew 10:30). He’s the one who had plans for them to prosper long before we did (Jeremiah 29:11).

          “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

          This was true for the children of Israel back then, and it’s still true for obedient Christians today.  Have a great week!

Easter season resurrects gratitude of nature and the empty grave

by Barrett Vanlandingham

April 11, 2017

          Springtime brings with it such incredible and much needed beauty, hope, and new beginnings. The scenes of spring are almost like getting to watch the third day of creation take place right before our eyes. What a gift!

          “Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds. And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning-the third day” (Genesis 1:11-13).

          As refreshing as spring is to us today, the aromas and colors of the very first growth of vegetation on that third day must have made quite a splash in God’s creation canvass. Remember, until the third day the universe only included light, darkness, sky, land, and seas.

          The creation of sun, moon, and stars on the fourth day must have been an incredible sight. Can you imagine the impact, even from the very beginning, that the creation of the sun had on the grass, flowers, and trees that God had created only 24 hours earlier?  You talk about kicking things into overdrive! All of this would set the stage for day five’s creation of birds and fish, and then the sixth day’s creation of animals and man. Thank You, God, for each part of your deliberate, planned, and thoughtful creativity!

          Any discussion of springtime and “day three” would not be complete without recognizing an even more significant “day three” that Christians think about especially in the spring. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ rose from the grave early on the third day following his death. It is the fulfilled prophecies of His death, burial, and resurrection that give proof that He really is the Christ (anointed One), the Son of God, and the Messiah (promised Deliverer)!  This fact that we can believe in Jesus is what supplies our lives with real beauty, hope, and the promise of new beginnings.

          “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Cor. 5:17).

          Happy Easter!

Take time to check your spiritual inventory

by Barrett Vanlandingham

April 4, 2017

          There is a little red plastic toolbox in my office marked “Camp First Aid.” It is full of items I would need to treat someone for minor scrapes, headaches, stomach aches and such while we’re on the road to various youth activities and camps. Every spring, I open it up and sort through all the items. I check expiration dates and see if I’m running low on anything.

          It is also good to conduct an occasional inventory of our spiritual toolbox.  It is important to know if we are missing any of the tools necessary for success in spiritual warfare, and we always need to make sure we are well stocked with spiritual first aid supplies. After all, Satan has many darts, traps, devices, and lies in his arsenal to deceive and injure us spiritually.

          In Ephesians 6, Paul tells us to put on the full armor of God so we can stand our ground when temptation comes our way. The belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of readiness, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, sword of the Spirit (God’s word), and prayer are necessary when it comes to both defending yourself and taking the offense in spiritual warfare.

          It is also important to grow and cultivate the Holy Spirit’s fruit in our lives. Those qualities include love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).  We know from 2 Peter 1:8 that we as Christians are supposed to increase our supply of Godly qualities so our faith does not become useless, just like those expired supplies in my first aid kit.

          Unless we continue to grow spiritually, we make ourselves vulnerable to Satan’s schemes. Even when we are fully stocked, that doesn’t mean the devil will stop bothering us. But commitment to God, consistent fellowship with our church family, regular Bible study, and a life of prayer does mean we have resources in place to help us get back on track as soon as possible. Spiritual injuries are sure to happen in life. We can either go through it with God, or without.  Have a blessed week!

The devil is in the detail

by Barrett Vanlandingham

March 28, 2017

            Fortunately, wisdom comes with experience. So, when I received an email Friday with more than a few suspicious clues, I knew not to click on the link unless I wanted a computer virus. There were just too many grammatical errors and misuses of the English language.

            The subject line read: “Important Notice From Yahoo.” The heading stated: “Your Mailbox Statements.”  Then came the body of the email: “Your incoming messages were placed on hold due to our recent upgrade. Kindly UPDATE your mail-box to receive new mails that are pending.  Mail configuration – CUSTOMER CARE.

I clicked reply so I could see who had sent the email.  Their address was “elsuida.kondo@unimelb.edu.au”.  Not exactly the address I would expect from Yahoo. So, I escaped, and inspected the body of the email a little more. 

First of all, the word “From” in the subject line should not have been capitalized. Second, the heading made no sense whatsoever. Third, the only link provided was the underlined word “UPDATE” in all caps. Suspicious, as is the reference to “mails”.  Also, my emails had not been placed on hold, otherwise I would not have received this one! No credible email would use the word “kindly” when giving instructions. Also, the word mailbox was misspelled (there is no hyphen).

As Christians, it is important to increase our Bible knowledge and keep our wits about us. The apostle Peter made a lot of errors in judgment during his time on earth. So, he could definitely speak with authority when he said, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

Peter knew that when we take a little more time to examine the evidence, we can tell when someone does not have our best interest at heart.

Jesus agreed. He said, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?  So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit” (Matthew 7:15-17, ESV).

Let’s all take time to pray before acting on our decisions. Have a great week!

Cherry picking scripture is dangerous

by Barrett Vanlandingham

March 21, 2017

          In one of Paul’s letters to the church in Corinth, he warns Christians concerning how they treat each other, and reminds them to not lose their salvation. Paul’s letters were specific to the audiences to which he was writing, as he addressed their spiritual struggles.

          “Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters. Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor the drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were.” (1 Cor. 6:8-11).

          Recently, Disney has come under fire for portraying LeFou as a homosexual character in its new children’s movie, Beauty and the Beast. But we as Christians should not only be concerned about the entertainment industry’s glamorization of this sin, a closer look at scripture reveals there are many things the world promotes that are against God’s will.

          You see, just because one particular sin is more of a hot button issue in our culture than another, the other sins listed in God’s word are still sin, and can still send us to hell if we willfully choose sin over obedience to God’s righteousness.

          Paul told Christians in Ephesus that “No immoral, impure or greedy person – such a person is an idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God” (Eph. 5:5). He even says, “Therefore do not be partners with them” (5:7).

          Paul explained to the church at Rome how so many people had found themselves at odds with God: “They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents;“ (Romans 1:29-30). 

          Paul not only lists those things as deserving of spiritual death, but also warns Christians to not give their approval to those who practice such things (Romans 1:32).

          Let’s be alert and avoid all the devil’s schemes. Have a blessed week!

Spend time with God on your spring break

by Barrett Vanlandingham

March 14, 2017

          Taking a few days off for spring break during a busy and challenging school year provides a much needed rest for families.

          It’s nice to get a break. Jesus thought so, too. But finding time alone, even to pray, often proved difficult for Him, though it didn’t stop Him from trying. In Luke 5, the writer tells about the miracles of Jesus, and the resulting crowds of people who came to Jesus in hopes He would also heal their sicknesses.  Luke 5:16 says, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

          In Matthew 14, we read about the beheading of Jesus’ cousin, John. Herod had John thrown in jail because John was persistent in trying to explain to Herod that it was wrong for him to have an affair with Herod’s brother’s wife, who eventually told her daughter to ask for John’s head on a platter.

          “When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat to a solitary place” (Matt 14:13).

          But as you can imagine, this did not deter the crowds. They still tracked Him down in hopes He would heal their sick, and He did. In fact, at the end of the day Jesus would not allow his disciples to send the crowds away, but instead, chose to feed all five-thousand of the men plus women and children. With full bellies, Jesus dismissed the crowd. “After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside to pray” (Matt 14:23).

          His alone time didn’t last long. He got up early, walked on the water out to where His disciple’s boat was being tossed around on the lake, convinced Peter it was okay to get out of the boat and walk to Him, and finally pulled Peter out of the water after he began to sink for lack of faith.

          As Christians, our lives are filled with opportunities to serve as Jesus served. But we must pace ourselves. Breaks can improve our quality of life, especially when we use them to spend time alone with God to re-energize us, and get us ready for challenges that lie ahead.

          Remember Peter’s words: “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).  Have a great week!

Salvation is available for all people

by Barrett Vanlandingham

March 7, 2017

          We all know of a few cantankerous people, you know, those who are bad-tempered, argumentative, and uncooperative. But in spite of the conflict and disunity we see in the news and even in our own communities, it is nice to know that the Creator of our universe calls each of us to a higher standard.

          You see, God is not from a particular nation, and He wants to save all people.  It doesn’t matter to God that one person has more social status, money, or physical beauty than someone else, or that he or she is from America or somewhere else.

          One day the apostle Peter had a vision in which God made it clear to him. So, Peter (a Jewish convert to Christianity) took this message to the house of Cornelius (a Gentile Centurion - officer in the Italian army stationed in Caesarea) where there was a large gathering of Gentiles.

          Peter said, “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean” (Acts 10:28).

          Cornelius welcomed the news, and told Peter about a special messenger from God who had appeared to him a few days earlier while he was praying. The messenger had told Cornelius where to find Peter, and so he sent for him so that Cornelius and his guests could “listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us” (10:33).

          “Then Peter began to speak: I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right” (10:34-35).

          God had already communicated this message to Peter, but He also wanted to convince everyone else. So after Peter told the Gentiles about Jesus, God poured out His Holy Spirit on them so they could miraculously speak and praise God in other languages. Peter baptized them in the name of Jesus, and then spread this wonderful news to the other apostles and believers in Jerusalem.

          The story of Jesus and salvation for all people is a unifying message that still changes lives today. Have a great week!

God’s power is at work in His church today

by Barrett Vanlandingham

February 21, 2017

          God used his power to create the universe (Genesis 1).  A few thousand years later, God used His power again, this time in cooperation with some very unlikely first century partners to spread His church.

          Perhaps the most intriguing thing about the beginnings of the Lord’s church is that Christ’s followers were so bold in teaching about their friend, Jesus, when just weeks before, they had behaved so cowardly, deserting Jesus in his time of need. The Church would quickly come to be known for attributes that are still important for the Church today: 1) the instruction Christ’s followers could find there, 2) the power of God that people witnessed there, 3) an open invitation to a life of salvation and joy.

          Acts 1:1-5 tells us that in the 40 days between Christ’s resurrection and ascension back to heaven, Jesus interacted with His disciples, giving them “convincing proofs” that He was alive again. He spoke with them, ate fish with them, and even let them touch Him. Jesus knew His disciples would need to be fully convinced of His resurrection if they were to teach His message of love and hope while enduring persecution.

          Acts 2:1-11 tells us a huge crowd of Jews had gathered for a festival in Jerusalem known as Pentecost that took place 50 days after the Passover. But this Pentecost would prove to be a day to remember like no other. God’s Holy Spirit empowered the 12 apostles, allowing them to speak in tongues about “the wonders of God” so that everyone, no matter where they were from, could understand in their own language.

          In Acts 2:12-47 Peter takes it up a notch as he reminds the crowd about Jesus’ life, death, burial, and resurrection. Three thousand new believers were told to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins so that they could receive the gift of God’s Holy Spirit (2:38).  These new Christians were so excited about their new life in Christ that they met together everyday, ate together, praised God together, enjoyed each other’s company, and took care of each other’s needs.

          Three simple things made all the difference in the early church. The same is true today. Have a great week!

God wants imperfect people for His church

by Barrett Vanlandingham

February 21, 2017

          The very first Christians (church members) were taught by eye-witnesses to the miracles of Jesus. The church not only witnessed God’s supernatural power, but also his love, compassion, and mercy.

          God’s mercy is still a huge part of what makes Christ’s church special and appealing to us today. God made clear His desire for us to show mercy to others in the way He showed mercy to one of Jesus’ very first disciples. By studying about the apostle Peter, we get a close up encounter of God’s mercy, and one of the best reasons why our Lord is known as “The God of second chances.”

          In John 13:37, the day before Jesus was crucified, Peter expressed his commitment to Jesus, saying, “I will lay down my life for you.”

          Of course, we know how that turned out. While the high priest was questioning Jesus in the courtyard, Peter was there warming himself that cold night by a fire. Three times, Peter was asked by the opposition about whether he knew Jesus. Peter denied it three times before the rooster crowed.

          Peter failed his friend. But thankfully, Jesus did not give up on Peter.  Several days after Jesus’ resurrection, He and his disciples were on the seashore, eating fish around a fire early in the morning. Then Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love me?”     After each time Peter answered yes, Jesus told Peter, “Feed my lambs.”  Jesus was giving Peter a second chance to prove his commitment by reinstating him as someone He trusted to show His love to others and teach God’s truths.

          Peter made the most of his second chance. In Acts 2, He preached the first Gospel sermon. Three-thousand people obeyed the message and were baptized. “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47). 

          That number quickly grew to five-thousand, so members of the Sanhedrin (Jewish high court) commanded Peter and John to stop teaching the message of Jesus. This time, Peter’s response to the opposition was different, “We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20).

          Thank God He allows those who mess up the opportunity to repent and continue serving in His kingdom.  Have a blessed day!

Baptism is immersed in Biblical truths

by Barrett Vanlandingham

February 14, 2017

          The New Testament makes clear the necessity of baptism, and that baptism means immersion or burial in water (Romans 6:4), not sprinkling or pouring. Baptism symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. The Bible uses the Greek word for immerse (baptizo) at least nine times in telling the stories of Christian converts.

          In Acts 2, the apostle Peter preached to the crowd the good news of Jesus Christ and what He did for them. When the people asked what they needed to do, Peter said, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). The Lord added three-thousand people to His church that day who accepted Peter’s message.

          In Acts 8, Philip rode in a chariot with a government official identified in scripture as the “Ethiopian Eunuch.”  After Philip taught him the good news about Jesus, the man saw water near the road and asked to be baptized. Philip and the eunuch “went down into the water and Philip baptized him” (8:38). If immersion (burial in water) were not necessary, Philip could have simply sprinkled a few drops on his head without getting out of the chariot. One other note, Philip did not begin rejoicing (8:39) until after his baptism, even though he surely believed in the good news of Jesus before his baptism.

          In Acts 22:6-16 we read about the Apostle Paul’s conversion to Christianity on the road to Damascus. He encountered a blinding light, and heard a voice identify Himself as “Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.”  Paul spoke with Him and asked Him what he should do. Then Paul’s friends led him into Damascus where a man named Ananias said to Paul, “Receive your sight!”  And then he said, “And now, what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.”

          None of these souls was saved by saying a prayer, talking to Jesus, or asking Jesus into their heart. However, the NT does point out that believing (John 8:24), repenting (Luke 13:3-5), confessing (Romans 10:9-13) and baptism (Romans 6:1-11) are necessary to be saved.  Have a great week!

God’s love has always been in the air

by Barrett Vanlandingham

February 7, 2017

          If you’ve been to any major stores lately, you’ve probably noticed lots of red and pink hearts, cards, banners, flowers, and candy boxes! 

          Our culture tells us this is how we are supposed to express our love and admiration for those we care about.  And why wouldn’t expressions of love be engrained in our world? We were created by a loving God who invented love! In fact, 1 John 4:19 says, “We love because He first loved us.” 

          During creation, God said that it was “good.” But after he created man and woman, he referred to his creation as “very good” (Genesis 1:31).  We have always held a special place in God’s heart.

          Songwriter Matt Wertz expressed his thoughts about how God feels about us:

          “v1. I will not take my love away, when praises cease and seasons change. While the whole world turns the other way, I will not take my love away. I will not leave you all alone, when striving leads you far from home, and there's no yield for what you've sown. I will not leave you all alone.

          v2. I will give you what you need, in plenty or in poverty. Forever, always, look to me, and I will give you what you need. I will not take my love away.”

          Wertz’s lyrics, like so many other poems and songs that speak to our hearts, are based in scripture. His song reminds me of Paul’s letter to Christians in Rome.

          “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:37-39).

          There are so many things in this life we have absolutely no control over. Thankfully, God’s love for us is one of them. He loves us no matter what!  In return, we are compelled by His love, to love Him and others. Valentine’s Day is almost here, but I am so happy that God shows his love for us more than once a year! 

          Have a great week!