Ready or not, your child will do spiritual battle

by Barrett Vanlandingham

July 1, 2014

            Lately, I have spent a lot of time updating my family’s GPS units.  I recently gave one to my daughter for graduation with a lifetime of updates.

            There’s just something about coming to the reality that your child will be leaving the nest in a month and a half.  From a dad’s perspective, the least I could do is make sure her GPS maps are all up to date before she hits the road for her next journey.

            The same is true spiritually.  The only difference is that you don’t wait until the last minute to make sure your kids have the right directions programmed in to their brain.  It starts very early on.  In fact, the first time kids challenge their parents regarding spiritual matters, it usually catches parents off guard!  This forces the parent to make a decision they may not have thought much about, or maybe they just thought it would come natural.  Yes, some answers to questions come natural, but others can require significantly more brain power to deal with.  And even then, sometimes you’re not exactly sure if you made the right decision.

            I remember one time when my now 16-year-old son was about four years old, he asked me this question, “If God created everything, then who created God?”  Another question he asked was this, “Is God real in the same way that Santa is real?”  I thought to myself, “Wow! Parenting is going to be fun!  Ugh.”  The questions have only gotten tougher over the years.

            The Bible’s teachings have been a great source of comfort for me as a parent because God’s word is consistent in its teaching.  There is no topic not covered.  As time goes along, life presents opportunities to teach our children Bible based answers to life’s questions.  Yes, Bible class is important.  But if Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights are the only times children receive Biblical instruction, that is only about one-half of one-percent of their time per week. That is why it is important for parents to spend time reading the Bible on a regular basis, and then find practical ways to weave it into our children’s lives all day, every day (ref: Deut. 6) long before it is time for them to leave the house.  This way, your child will at know now and later where life’s best advice comes from.

            Just as we update our GPS units to keep up with changes to roads and highways, it is also necessary to update our children on a variety of topics that we may come across in life that might be spiritually helpful.  Your child may say, “O dad!” or “O mom, don’t worry!”  But on the inside, they will always know you have their best interests at heart as you help them stay alert to the devil’s schemes (1 Peter 5:8-9), and as you make sure your children stay prepared to do spiritual battle away from home.  Have a great week!

Membership in God’s Family is a Big Deal

(part 5 of 5 articles on "Family Life")
by Barrett Vanlandingham
June 24, 2014 

            In the final part of my five part series “Family Life” I want to talk about the most important family of all, God’s family.  Making sure you and your loved ones are part of it is the greatest decision you will ever make.

            In Matthew 12:46-50 someone in a crowd that Jesus was teaching told Him that Jesus’ family was waiting for Him outside.  But Jesus’ response to this was probably not what the crowd expected to hear.  He said, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?”  Pointing to his disciples he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

            Wow! That must have been a shock, at least at first, for people to hear such a thing from such a respected teacher.  But I suspect there were no doubt many Aha moments as His words began to sink in.  Jesus was not disowning his earthly family.  He was simply making the point that even though our earthly families mean a great deal to each of us in this lifetime, Christians are part of God’s family which lasts into eternity!

            About a week ago, Lisa and I returned from our 25^th wedding anniversary trip to Florida and the Caribbean Sea.  We had never experienced anything like that!  The clear blue water and white sand beaches of the Bahamas, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel were amazing.  I can barely begin to describe to you the beauty of God’s creation we got to be a part of there.  I mentioned to Lisa that I think I may now have an idea of what the Garden of Eden was like.

            But as wonderful as that trip was, and as blessed as I feel to have such an amazing woman in my life, I feel even more blessed that she and I both are part of God’s family.  This means when Jesus returns to bring His faithful home, we will get to experience something much greater than a temporary relationship on God’s beautiful earth.  We will get to experience paradise in heaven for an eternity that far surpasses our imagination and certainly any of God’s created things here on earth!            We are doing our best to guide our children in this way, too.

            Children have no choice as to which earthly family they are born into.  In Old Covenant times before Jesus came to earth, children born into the nation of Israel were automatically God’s chosen people.  But in New Testament times, through Jesus, we have “the right to become children of God (John 1:12-13)”.  It is a choice to obey God’s will and let Him add you into His family of believers (Acts 2:47).   Will you choose Him today?  Have a blessed week!

Family crises can be overcome with God’s help

(part 4 of 5 articles on "Family Life")
by Barrett Vanlandingham
June 17, 2014

            I really haven’t met anyone who hasn’t had some sort of family crisis.  Sometimes it’s your fault, sometimes another person’s fault, and sometimes things just happen. Financial problems, death, divorce, conflict.  It’s just part of life in a broken world.  The question is not really “Will I experience a crisis?”  But rather, “What kind of crises will I experience in my life, and how will I get through the hard times?”

            In 2 Kings 11-12 we’re told about a baby boy named Joash whose father was the wicked king Ahaziah.  In fact, the king was so wicked he was killed after only a year on the throne.  Then, in a successful takeover attempt to become the ruling queen of the land for the next six years, Ahaziah’s mother, Athaliah, began to have the rest of the royal family killed.  She succeeded with one exception, baby Joash’s aunt hid him away until he was seven years old.  Long story short?  The people thought Queen Athaliah was too much of a tyrant, so the seven year old Joash was revealed as the rightful heir to the throne.   

            At first, it would appear that Joash had the cards stacked against him.  The hand he was dealt in life meant he lived his first seven years in hiding as a fugitive from his power hungry murderous grandmother who would have killed Joash had she known of his existence.

            The fact that Joash became king at such an early age was another problem.  But he accepted the challenge.  That’s one of the great things about youth, isn’t it?  The word “can’t” is not really in your vocabulary.  And in Joash’s case, he had the support of the people who had been through all of the evil leadership they could stomach.  But still, how did he do it?  2 Kings 12:2 says, “Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him.”   Joash reigned in Jerusalem for the next forty years with help from his Godly mentor Jehoiada the priest.  Stories like these must have been on the apostle Paul’s mind when he instructed young Timothy to not let his youth stand in the way of his calling as a minister of the Gospel (1 Timothy 4:12).

            Sometimes, the crises of life can seem more than a little overwhelming no matter if we are young, old, or in between.  It is important for us to remember to pray to God with the right motives (James 4:3).  But we must keep in mind that God has a plan.  And whether you find yourself in pleasant circumstances or challenging ones, God can help you work through it all.  We Christians must learn to live up to our name.  As followers of Christ, we must have faith and confidence that God goes with us into every spiritual battle.  There is no spiritual challenge that God has not helped His believers defeat in the past.  The same promise of God’s devotion to us holds true in the present and future.   Have a blessed week!

Family infighting is no way to live

(part 3 of 5 articles on "Family Life")
by Barrett Vanlandingham
June 10, 2014 

            Highly rated television shows dealing with family conflict are not hard to find.  Dramatic series, situation comedies, and reality shows ranging from 19 Kids and Counting, Duck Dynasty, and Dance Moms, to some of the classics you may remember such as Dallas, Mama’s Family, The Cosby Show, and I Love Lucy.  They’re popular because people can relate in one way or another.  

            The blame game has been around since the beginning.  Adam tried to blame God for his disobedience in the Garden of Eden.  “The woman you put here with me-she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it (Genesis 3:12).”   Next was Cain who killed his brother, Abel, basically out of jealous anger that arose when God accepted Abel’s animal sacrifice but not Cain’s sacrifice of vegetation or “fruits of the soil”.

            Genesis 37:2-8 gives the scenario of how Joseph’s brothers became angry and hated him.  As the story goes, Joseph checked on his brothers who were tending the flocks, and then gave “a bad report about them” to their father, Jacob.  Their feelings about Joseph worsened after Jacob presented the favorite son with an “ornate” robe.  Then, as if tensions weren’t high enough, Joseph told his brothers about his dreams, foretelling that they would someday bow down to him.  They were so angry they attempted to murder him, but then decided to just sell him into slavery.  But Joseph eventually managed to become the Governor of Egypt who would save much of the known world from starvation, including his brothers.  And yes, they bowed to him.

            In Joseph’s family conflict, as in most, problems arose because of three things: 
1) Their values were different.  Evidently, Joseph’s idea of satisfactory work was not the same as his brothers.  On a practical aside, this is exactly why Christians are to be of one heart and mind like Paul urged of the early church (Acts 4:32).  This could actually be achieved in God’s family today if all Christians allowed God’s word to speak for itself.  Like values are the basis for any good relationship as Paul mentioned in 2 Corinthians 6:14 when he urged the Corinthian Christians to not be yoked together with unbelievers.  It is necessary for our closest allies to be on the same page spiritually in order to help each other in our Christian journeys.
2) Jacob’s favoritism of Joseph added fuel to the fire of conflict.  The same happens today when parents express more love for one child than another.  It is only natural to like the behavior of a sweet child more than the behavior of the child who is disrespectful.  But it is important for parents to show love for our children equally even though we don’t always like their attitudes equally.  Your consistency in Christian parenting will pay off with a child who honors God.

3)  Inflated egos are never a good thing in keeping family peace.  Even though Joseph’s brothers may have been loafing on the job, and even though Jacob let it be known that he loved one son more than the others, Joseph did not have to flaunt his favored status.  There was no reason for him to tell his brothers about his dream in which their sheaves of grain bowed down to his.  Things are sometimes better left unsaid for the sake of peace unless your silence puts a family member in danger spiritually or physically.  Have a blessed week!

Respect is an important part of family life (part 2 of 5 articles on "Family Life"

 by Barrett Vanlandingham
June 3, 2014

            I’ve actually had parents tell me, “I love my children, but honestly, I just don’t like them these days!”   There is almost nothing more frustrating as a parent than to feel you’re not being respected by your children.  I’m sure my parents probably felt the same way when I was a child, as parents have for generations.   It’s just part of the process of kids discovering their boundaries, becoming their own person, and taking responsibility for their own actions. 

            So, in part 2 of my series “Family Life”, I will take a look at the benefits of respect within the family unit.

            Showing respect to all family members is important, not only to help keep things running smoothly on a day to day basis.  But there are other rewards, too, especially when it comes to respect between parents and children.   The Bible speaks to this issue.

            Solomon made a lot of mistakes in his quest for wisdom.  But when all was said and done, he wrote down things he learned which are still of great value for today’s families who are wise enough to apply the lessons he learned so long ago.

            In Proverbs 1:8-9 Solomon says, “Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.  They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.” 

            Most people already know this but I’m going to say it anyway. Children feel more secure when they have boundaries in their lives.  Children who live with little accountability actually admire families in which the parents and children have close relationships.  Those bonds are cemented by mutual respect when children know their parents love and care enough about them to enforce reasonable boundaries.  And when a parent feels that a child appreciates their instruction, the parent/child relationship grows.  So parents, please never feel like you’re the bad guy when you enforce household rules.  Your children respect you for it, even though they don’t want you to know it.

            In a letter to the church at Ephesus, Paul made a reference to commandment number 5 of the 10 Commandments.  He said, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor you father and mother-which is the first commandment with a promise-so it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth (Eph. 6:1-3).”  

            We would all do well to show respect for the advice and experiences of our parents and others who have journeyed this life ahead of us.  In some cases, respect means following their lead, and in other cases, learning from their mistakes.  Have a great week!

Family unity is strengthened with God as the common bond

by Barrett Vanlandingham

May 27, 2014

            TV parents can be funny, helpless, crude, near perfect, or just about any other way a show’s producer wants to portray them.  The Bible shows parents in many different lights, too. 

            In this week’s Fort Faith column, I am beginning a five part series on family life.  In part one, I am going to take a look at what the Bible has to say about parents and their responsibilities.

            For starters, parents are supposed to teach their children about the kind of behavior God expects them to practice.  The wisest man who ever lived has a famous quote on this topic.  It comes from Proverbs 22:6.  Solomon says, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” 

            This may be a general statement.  But I happen to believe it is true, even if it takes more than a few years to reach the desired outcome.  I know of one man who rebelled against his parents from the time he was a child until he himself was in his sixties!  Eventually he came to realize his parents really did know best when they were basing life lessons from the Bible. When things work as they should, the family unit is to be the main source of learning for children.  Parents are supposed to make sure of that, even though a child can often, at least for a time, live as if he or she learned nothing from them. Moses wrote that parents are to take advantage of daily opportunities to teach life lessons by weaving God’s commands into everyday tasks and conversations (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)

            It is also important for parents to correct their children in the way God intended when they get off track.  After all, the media and other influences in our society certainly show no hesitation when forcefully targeting and teaching our children to live by cultural norms that are opposite God’s will for His people. When a parent spends time with a child, they grow to understand each other.  And even if a child disagrees with a parent’s decision, they will respect the parent who uses Godly advice.  Maybe not immediately, but they’ll come around.

            And finally, parents are supposed to nurture their children, and make them feel loved and supported, not bitter or discouraged (Colossians 3:21).  This does not mean a parent has to be a pushover.  It simply means the parent should imitate the love of Jesus. Be willing to listen, and teach them Godly traits through word and example.  One more thing, parents should always pray to God about the decisions they make for their family.

            By the way, this series of family articles and advice is aimed at me and my parenting skills as much as anyone.  Have a great week!

Graduating seniors can have confidence in Jesus

by Barrett Vanlandingham
May 20, 2014

            For me and many other parents who have sons or daughters graduating high school this month, it is a very emotional and exciting time.  I wrote this poem May 9 to encourage our young people to take God with them wherever they go.  It’s called “Graduation to Life”.

            There will be times when your mind plays tricks on you, and you think you cannot succeed.  Just remember that’s only the devil talking to fulfill his needs, he plants seeds of doubt and failure.

            You see, satan has already blown his deal, to live in God’s presence, with the redeemed, those marked with the Holy Spirit’s seal.

            The devil can no longer hurt Christ Jesus, he ceases to be a threat to our Savior.  Tho our God still hurts for us when we labor, and toil to overcome the demons’ bets, that we will give-in, and swim-in to the deceiver’s nets.

            Graduating seniors, know this. The forces of darkness do in fact exist. But light and righteousness persist and insist that victory can always be yours, whether you are red, yellow, black, white, rich or poor.

            It doesn’t matter what you’ve done in the past. Jesus gives hope to all, from first to last.

It doesn’t matter whether your parents were good or bad, happy or sad, whether they raised you to honor God, or to worship the world’s trends and fads.

            It’s now up to you, no one else, to blaze your own trail, to succeed or fail, to live in freedom without pressure from peers or fears that you’re not living up to someone else’s expectations in the hallway, the locker room, the class room, or even the congregation.

            It’s now between you and your Creator, the Great I Am, the Great Illuminator. So spread your wings and soar with the wind. Obey Him.  Give Yahweh the glory in all things. He will save you in the end.

            We will all kneel before Him and confess “Jesus Is Lord”, amen? No time to be bored because that day is coming.  Will it be a day of joy of the assembling and celebration, or trembling that the Lord’s deliberation will find you un-prepared to meet the Only One who ever paid the price for our worldly saturation?

            Seniors, this is the end, and the beginning. Your day is here.  A chance to start over is near.  Choose wisely.

            Have a blessed week!  Also, I would like to ask each of you reading this to offer a prayer today for all of our children as they graduate and take-on this new level of life.  May they always trust and obey God (Proverbs 3:5-6).

A Christian’s view on alcohol consumption

by Barrett Vanlandingham
May 13, 2013

            Drinking alcoholic beverages is not condemned in the Bible as sinful.  Drunkenness is, though (1 Corinthians 6:10).  Beyond that, the wisest man who ever lived, Solomon, had some really bad things to say about alcohol, “bites like a snake and poisons like a viper (Proverbs 23:29-35).”  So, why does this issue keep coming up in families, schools, and communities?  I think it’s because each generation sees the issue from a little different perspective.

            These days, it is not uncommon for Christians to openly drink at sporting events, restaurants, and during holidays or celebrations simply because they enjoy it, and they are enjoying the liberties granted them in New Testament passages such as what Paul wrote in Romans 14.  But as with any privilege, considerations must be made for how your actions are affecting other people.  Paul also said, "I have the right to do anything," you say--but not everything is beneficial. "I have the right to do anything"--but not everything is constructive. (1 Corinthians 10:23).”

            For instance, any time I’ve ever spoken to an audience and asked whether it would affect my credibility if I were to drink a beer while teaching their Bible class, I always get strange looks of disapproval. And if I were speaking at an AA meeting, common sense would dictate it would be highly inappropriate to sip a glass of wine while leading a discussion group.  However, if I were trying to teach the Gospel in a different country or culture where I would be seen as a snob if I made a big deal out of alcoholic abstinence,  then sipping a little wine might actually help the cause of Christ. In my case, any amount of alcohol consumption would not be a good thing because it would violate my conscience.

            In Bible times, the wine was commonly watered down in households for meals.  So, it was not the kind of potent beverage we have today.  That is likely the reason the phrase drunkard and a glutton was often used together in the Bible, because in order to get drunk, a person would have to consume a LOT of wine.  That is not the case these days.

            The Mothers Against Drunk Driving website says high school students who use alcohol or other substances are five times more likely to drop out of school.  1 in 6 teens binge drink. Only 1 in 100 parents believes his or her teen binge drinks.  Kids who start drinking young are seven times more likely to be in an alcohol-related crash.  Teen alcohol use kills about 4,700 people each year, more than all illegal drugs combined.  Over all, more than ten-thousand people die in alcohol related crashes each year, averaging one death every 51 minutes.  Keep in mind that in the number of drunk driving deaths has been cut in half since MADD was founded in 1980. 

            The Barna Research Group says many younger Christians describe themselves as far more tempted by alcohol abuse (28%) than any of their predecessors.  So even if we as a culture feel empowered to drink whenever and wherever the law permits, that does not do away with our responsibility as Christians to look out for the greater good of mankind.  It’s called agape’ (love), and it is the first and greatest commandment.  Have a great week!

God's plan of creation is still at work

by Barrett Vanlandingham
May 6, 2014

            The other day I was practicing some songs to lead on Sunday morning when I suddenly heard my dad’s voice.  He was nowhere around, but at that moment my voice sounded so much like his I’m sure it could have fooled a voice identification machine!  But then again, why wouldn’t my voice sound like my dad’s?  I am his son.  You may have had similar experiences.

            Every day we see evidence of God’s power and ancient plan for the inhabitants of earth, still in effect today after six thousand years of recorded history, right down to how animals continue to reproduce after their own kinds.  It is interesting that the phrase “according to their own kinds” is mentioned at least seven times in the Genesis creation story in reference to animal reproduction (ref: Gen. 1:21-25). 

            After that (vs. 26-28), God created man and woman, and told them to be fruitful and increase in number, and to rule over all the animals God had created that were also to reproduce after their own kinds.  There is nothing to indicate God caused or even allowed one animal species to evolve from a different species.  That statement is also true of humans. Scientific proof would have to agree with that today as well since there is still no evidence, fossil or otherwise, that one species has ever evolved into another.  ALL scientific evidence is consistent with a Biblical view of how we all got here. I say this because there have been witnesses, no tests and certainly no repeatable tests that can prove the Big Bang Theory of how the universe supposedly began 13.8 billion years ago, or the Theory of Evolution (how Charles Darwin believed life began).

            The reason a “missing link” or “ape-man” set of bones or even a fossil of one has never been found is because there isn’t one.  That’s why science calls it the “missing link”.  For years, science museums have displayed fully manufactured skeletons to give the public an idea of what they think humans might have looked like millions of years ago.  According to the PBS website, man evolved from an African ape about five-million years ago, the same as gorillas and chimpanzees.   But remember, not even one old dug up bone shows evidence of a transition or “link” species. 

            An Associated Press survey in March of more than a thousand adults reveals that when it comes to the theory of evolution, Americans are only somewhat confident (24%), or not too confident (16%), or not at all confident (27%).  Regarding the big bang theory, 25% are only somewhat confident, 20% not too confident, and 30% not confident at all.   72-percent of those surveyed are somewhat (18%), very (14%), or extremely confident (40%) that a supreme being guides our universe.  To this, I would add that since something cannot come from nothing, something would have always had to exist.  That “something” is God.  Have a great week!

Thunderstorms make great Bible lessons

by Barrett Vanlandingham
April 29, 2014

            This past Thursday was an incredible time to hear and watch God at work.  You may have felt the same way.  While getting some work done in my office, I began to hear raindrops on the rooftop, heavier and heavier, and then bolts of lightning and the booming thunder echoing like enormous bass drums. I walked outside under the awning where I could see and hear gushing downspouts watering the flowerbed near the entry.  Low spots all over the church yard were quickly filling up. 

            I couldn’t help but think, “Wow! God’s power is truly amazing!”   It was all very humbling as this display of nature reminded me of who is behind all of this! 

            I bet Noah was absolutely terrified the first day of the flood, especially since the Bible indicates it may not have ever rained (ref: Genesis 2:5) up until that point when “all of the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened” for forty days and forty nights (ref: Gen. 7:11-12). 

            What a faith-builder that must have been after a hundred years of building an ark!  Noah, a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5), finds himself smack dab in the middle of God making good on one of the most incredible promises of all time, as the highest mountains under the heavens would ultimately be covered “to a depth of more than twenty feet (Genesis 7:20).”  Just think, all those people who probably thought Noah was crazy for obeying God’s command to build a huge boat to God’s specifications quickly re-thought their position on the matter.  But it would be too late.  Noah and his family would be saved, and no one else.

            God has supplied us with mountains of evidence to increase our faith if we would just pay attention (Rom. 1:20).  In fact, thousands of years before science finally discovered the water cycle and ocean currents, as well as the existence of underwater mountains, valleys, and springs under the oceans, the Bible had it right all along in passages such as Job 36:27-28, Ecclesiastes 1:7, Job 38:16, 2 Samuel 22:16, and Jonah 2:6.  Based on Psalm 8:8, Matthew Maury, an officer in the United States Navy in the 1800’s, discovered there are many ocean paths or currents.

            When I see God’s power on display as it was the afternoon I wrote this article, my faith is strengthened.  Days like this not only help me appreciate what God can do with our universe, but also what he can do in the life of my family, just like He did for Noah’s.  There is no time like the present to become a member of God’s family. Give me a call or email if you would like to know more.  Have a blessed week!

Jesus never closes the door

by Barrett Vanlandingham
April 22, 2014

            In the just released movie Heaven Is For Real there is a scene where the dad tucks his children into bed and then on the way out he starts to close the door until the kids yell, “Dad, leave the door open!”  That is not a major scene or anything, but I immediately began to think about my childhood, and how I always wanted the door left open a few inches and the light left on in the hallway bathroom.  For me, it was just a feeling of security knowing the door was open and that my parents could hear me yell if I needed something.  I didn’t realize they could have heard me anyway since we lived on a quiet farm near Tahlequah, way out in the middle of nowhere, and a yelling child could have been heard fifty yards down our gravel road even if my door was shut.

            I think that’s kind of how God is for us, only even better.  It’s kind of like those hotel rooms that have the connecting wall doors I used to always be fascinated with when I was a kid.  It was always a thrill to open the door on our side of the wall just to see if the people in the other room had theirs open, too.  Thank goodness, the other door was always closed.  But that’s not how God operates.  His door is always open, whether ours is or not.  He can always hear us even though He may choose to not pay attention to our needs if we have intentionally closed Him off. 

            In the story of the man born blind (John 9), Jesus approached him, put mud on the man’s eyes, and sent him to wash in the pool of Siloam.  To me, this shows Jesus’ door was open to the man, so to speak, but if the man had chosen to be closed off to the healing Jesus was offering or maybe refused to wash in the pool, then he may not have received his sight.  John quotes the man as saying, “We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the Godly man who does his will (John 9:31).”  This echoes thoughts from Isaiah in the Old Testament, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear (Isaiah 59:2).”

            God allows us to experience the natural consequences that come with choosing the world’s way over His way.  But that does not mean God cannot hear us when we truly repent and call on His name.  In Isaiah 55:7 the prophet says that our merciful God will pardon the wicked when they turn to Him. You see, Jesus’ door not only stays open for everyone (Romans 10:13), but the Bible says that Jesus IS the door (John10:9).”   All we need to do is remain open for Him to be in our lives.  Have a great week!