A New Life in Christ

April 17, 2022
by Barrett Vanlandingham

For me, Easter Sunday always feels like hitting a reset button in my faith journey, and somehow it always comes at a time when it is most needed.

During each season of the year and each season of life, it is so easy to get distracted by things that really do not matter in the big picture.  The final instructions of Jesus before going back to heaven were brief, to the point, unmistakable:

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

This past week, a parent asked me to study with their son to make sure he was ready to be baptized, and that he understands what he is asking to do.  The "plan of salvation" has always been one of my favorite topics to study and teach. In the middle of our study it really dawned on me, once again, just how humbling it is to play a small part in bringing someone to Jesus, to bring them to a point where God’s work and grace brings about salvation.  It is a process that truly never gets old, it is off the charts exciting every single time. Why God allows or trusts any of us to share in this experience is beyond me, but I am so grateful He does.

It was a long Bible study with lots of questions from the young man, and lots of discussion.  There were several things that clicked in his mind as we studied:

1) Baptism is necessary to be saved. Every person who became a Christian in the New Testament was baptized.

2) God’s grace is amazing, but you have to accept it, and live as Christ. 

3) God knows our heart, and He is not okay when we choose to sin and do not ask His forgiveness with a heart that is truly sorry. 

4) It is only after baptism that God calls you His child (Babies and others who do not understand sin and what God expects of us are not included in that statement).

5) To live a new life in Christ, you gotta choose Him and His ways everyday. 

6) Romans 6:1-11 tells us we cannot be buried or united with Christ if we’re not baptized, and unless we’re buried with Him we cannot be raised to live a new life with Him. 

7) Galatians 3:26-27 tells us that only those who have been baptized into Christ are clothed in Christ. We get into Christ by being baptized into Christ.

8) After we’re baptized, God sees us in a different way. He sees us covered in the blood of His son, Jesus Christ. His blood continually cleanses us as we choose to walk His path.

Have a great week!

Spring brings hope and other good things

by Barrett Vanlandingham

March 20, 2022 

            Today may be the first day of the spring season according to the calendar. But as I write this article in early March, it is hard to imagine anything but cold weather. Only a week ago, we traveled to the Christeens Youth Rally with ice piled on either side of I-40 all the way to Russellville. And tonight (March 7), our high school baseball team is playing its first home game despite ice-box temperatures. And even though remnants of the recent ice storm have barely finished melting away, there is now more snow in the forecast heading into spring break.

            Hopefully, by the time you read this, the words “cold weather” will have faded away, and Lisa and I will be experiencing some beautiful traveling weather as we head back from visiting our son, Britton, in Franklin, Tennessee over spring break.  I guess we will see (This is Oklahoma, after all).

            Spring weather in Oklahoma can take on many different forms: cold, hot, stormy, icy, snowy, and that’s all in the same week! 😊 One thing that does not change about spring is what it represents. An awakening, new life, hope. It is hard to not feel good when you start seeing green sprouting from the ground and from the trees, and when flowers begin to bloom and fill the air with aromas long awaited.

Even spring-related Bible verses begin to blossom in my mind. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul says, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

            This passage paints the picture of new Christians, those who have been buried in baptism, and have chosen to live for Christ who died for all people, paying the ultimate price for our sins. In doing so, Christ’s disciples who live “…should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again” (2 Cor 5:15).

            In just a few weeks, we will observe the most celebrated day of spring in all kinds of ways. Many will color Easter eggs, hunt candy-filled plastic eggs, eat basketfuls of candy, and spend time with family and friends.

Others will remember the fulfillment of age-old Biblical prophecies that told of the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ a thousand years before it happened. Easter celebrations of this kind are not only in remembrance of stories we read in the Gospels, but also writings outside of the Bible from ancient historians, philosophers, ministers, and even skeptics who lived from about 70 a.d. to 300 a.d. and wrote about Jesus and the events surrounding Christ’s death when it was still considered recent news.

Many of us enjoy both kinds of celebrations! After all, candy any time of year is hard to resist, but then, so is the story of Jesus and the hope we have because HE STILL LIVES.

Have a great week! 

Trust God, He Wrote the Book

by Barrett Vanlandingham
March 6, 2022 

            Who knew a weekend study of Habakkuk could be so amazing?!  But for nine of our youth and four chaperons who went to the CHRISTeens youth rally in Russellville, Arkansas last weekend, our study of this 2600-year old book was exactly that. So, thanks for continuing to let me minister to your kids and give them experiences and opportunities to draw closer to God.

            We do not know much about Habakkuk’s background. But from his three-chapter book in the minor prophet section of the Old Testament, we learn a very important lesson about our relationship with God: Trust God even when He seems unresponsive or unfair.

            Habakkuk complains, and the Lord answers. Habakkuk complains again, and the Lord answers. Then finally, Habakkuk prays, pleading with God to use some of the same kind of power He exhibited in the past, but do it now.

            This sounds a lot like how I feel sometimes. I know God is the answer, but I really want Him to answer in my time frame, with the answer I want.  But as our study at CHRISTeens pointed out, most of us make judgments when we look at just one second of a two hour movie that God wrote, and we get frustrated when it doesn’t seem like He is responding the way we want, or maybe just not listening at all.

            In the case of Habakkuk, he complains that God is allowing so much violence and injustice to take place among His people. Habakkuk is shocked to find out that God’s plan for turning the Jews back to Him involves using an aggressive warlike and highly educated people from southern Babylon known as the Chaldeans to punish the disobedient Jews. Habakkuk ultimately submits to God’s authority.

            Having raised three kids with three distinct personalities has helped Lisa and me understand why God deals with one person this way, and another person a different way, or even entire countries. There are some kinds of personalities that are receptive to immediate consequences, and some are more stubborn and have to get dragged through the mud of life a little more before they come to their senses.  We had two kids who only needed me to give them “the eye” in order to know they better stop what they were doing. And then there was the other child who had to experience both consequences from us and natural consequences. As a parent, it is hard to let your kid experience natural consequences. But sometimes, it’s the only thing that works. That’s really the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32).

            We all go through days and evens seasons of life that can seem almost unbearable. But God is faithful, and He is working. We may not understand His timing and methods with us or anyone else. But God knows what He is doing. It’s up to us to trust and obey.

            Have a great week!

The Bible overflows with love

by Barrett Vanlandingham
February 13, 2022

 

            I think it is fair to say that over half of all songs ever written have something to do with love, although finding an exact number or a percentage has proven difficult. Simply put, songwriters for generations have found that people are interested in at least some aspect of love, and therefore write about it.

We all want to love and be loved. I guess you could say it is in our DNA. After all, a loving God created man and woman in His image, and love is the very first of God’s qualities the Bible lists in describing His Spirit.

            In the Bible, you can find the word love about 700 times, depending on which version you use. To love God and others is the greatest command (Mark 12:28-31). So it was a surprise to me that love is not even in the top 20 most used words in the Bible, that is, until I read that the word man (2750 times) was number three, right under Lord (8000 times) and God (4300 times). This makes sense, considering His word tells us that “Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). The same is true for our Creator! So many times, just like a parent, God is at work doing things that prove His love for us even when He doesn’t specifically say the word love when He is blessing us. He may not use the word love but He is not vague about His feelings for mankind and who is in His heart. Adding the words people, children, men, and Israel easily quadruples the number of times the word man is used.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus is talking to His disciples, and makes clear the close relationship He wants with each of us: “I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them” (John 14:20-21).

            In Luke 12:6-7, Jesus reassures His disciples with these words of love, without actually using that word. “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

            In today’s times of worldly instability, what a beautiful thing, to love and be loved by the Creator himself! He not only demonstrated His love for us on the cross (Romans 5:8), He also wants us to take comfort in knowing that those who are in Christ Jesus cannot be separated from God’s love (Romans 8:37-39).  What a blessed assurance! Have a great week!

Educating our kids in God’s word is vital

January 16, 2022
by Barrett Vanlandingham

 Something about this recent news story really hit me:  “A new state law allowing public school students to transfer to any school district at any point in the year, as long as there is an opening, is now in effect. Some districts have lots of availability while others are limited” (1-3-22, Cal Day, The News on 6).

            It occurred to me how strange it would be if a similar news story broke, but instead, about churches!

            Just imagine this: “As of 2022, Churches with Bible classes are now accepting students from anywhere, as long as there is an opening. Availability may be limited. Make your reservation asap!”

That would be a nice problem to have for Fort Gibson’s church of Christ, wouldn’t it? Can you imagine people feverishly flocking to make it to the church building to enroll their children in our Bible classes, even re-arranging their schedules to make sure they were first in line? Unfortunately, this scenario would be hard to find at any church in any town today. It seems the only people spending much time studying are mostly those who can already quote much of the Bible from memory.

The Bible’s teachings on morality and New Testament Christianity have taken a back seat or no seat at all in comparison to the other things we think are most important for our children. And so, time passes, and each generation’s connection to Jesus has become weaker and weaker. As Dr. Phil sometimes says, “How’s that working for ya?” Have we as a culture simply given up? The consequences to our culture have become painfully obvious. The apostle Paul’s words come to mind:

“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:7-9).

There is obviously nothing wrong with Christians of any age participating or even excelling in fun or extracurricular wholesome activities. How else are we supposed have opportunities to mix and mingle with lost souls and ultimately bring them to Christ? Still, the Bible has clear teachings about living in the world but choosing God’s ways.

Jesus said, “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36).

Paul says “For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:8).

May we all strive to strike a healthy balance for us and our children that honors God in all things.  Have a great week!  Barrett

Kingdom Opportunities Abound in 2022

by Barrett Vanlandingham
January 2, 2022 

            In May of this year, I will end my 20^th year and begin year number 21 in youth ministry here at Fort Gibson church of Christ. My, how time flies when you’re having fun! Seriously!

            When we first moved here, Lisa and I hoped we could be a blessing to the kingdom here. But as is often the case in ministry, we have found the church family here to be a blessing to us, far beyond our hopes and dreams. So, thank you! We look forward to the future as the Lord continues to open doors here in our congregation and in our community to make a difference in those areas where He leads us.

            I am very encouraged when I look around and see all the good things going on in our congregation. I am also very encouraged that we continue to have an eldership that encourages all members to get involved, either in existing ministry opportunities or ones that you have discovered on your own that fit well with your unique or individual talents, blessings, and spiritual gifts.

If you’re like me, you have probably wondered from time to time why somebody isn’t doing this or that job. In my experience, the answer to that is simply that no one has stepped up to do it. So, if that un-attended task stays on your mind and you just can’t stop thinking about it, maybe it is something that you might find important enough to take-on yourself.

We have a lot of resources available to our local church family that can be a big help in turning your ministry goals into reality. Each ministry is overseen by a deacon who has a budget and knowledge of how to help you get involved. For instance, Glen Elliott is the deacon over missions. But there are many opportunities under that heading that do not require traveling to foreign countries. Charlie Dortch is our benevolence deacon who meets face to face with people who find themselves in need in various ways. But there are many additional ways that volunteers can serve just a little or a lot. The same can be said for the other ministries: property, prison, education, body-life, outreach, worship, and youth.

May God bless you in the New Year as you trust God to guide you into those areas of service that will make a difference in His kingdom in 2022. Have a great week!

A Time to Give Thanks

November 21, 2021
by Barrett Vanlandingham 

            The 2021 fall youth retreat is finishing up this morning (Sunday). Our theme for the weekend was “Thanks Be to God!” I thought that would be an appropriate topic that might plant some much needed optimism in our society today.

All of our preachers and Bible class teachers eagerly took on the opportunity to dig into this rich feast of God’s word beginning with 1 Corinthians 15:57, assigned to Justin Tillison for Friday night worship.

In this verse, the apostle Paul had just reminded the church in Corinth of some very important things about Jesus: One, that Christ died, was buried, raised on the third day, and appeared to hundreds of people before he ascended back to his Father in heaven.  Paul stated that some people were mistaken in thinking there was no such thing as a resurrection from the dead since without it, not even Jesus could have conquered the grave, which would have meant very bad things for us including no hope beyond this life.

In this chapter 15, Paul quotes Old Testament prophecy: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” followed by this exclamation point: “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

There is perhaps no one who felt more grateful of this victory than Paul, since Jesus appeared to him in a bright light and struck Paul blind in order to help him see the error of his ways in persecuting Christians. This victory in Christ gives us many reasons to be thankful.

On Saturday morning, the youth minister at Sand Springs, Zach Foote, was assigned to teach about being thankful for the church. “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29).

Next, our Thomas Holton’s topic was on being “thankful in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Saturday afternoon classes included being thankful “for His indescribable gift” of grace (2 Corinthians 9:15), by Chandler Road’s youth minister, Michael Carney.

The NSU Riverhawks for Christ campus minister Tyrel Hatfield was assigned to teach about being thankful to God for leading us to “spread the aroma” of Christ (2 Corinthians 2:14-16). Tyrel will also be speaking here in Fort Gibson for our Sunday evening worship.

Saturday night’s keynote was Chandler Road’s pulpit minister, Don Cherry, who had the assignment of what it means to have “A Thankful and Overflowing Heart” (Psalm 9:1 and Colossians 2:6-7).

Sunday morning, I asked the pulpit minister from Stuart, Chris Rampey, to challenge us with a message of “Letting Our Thankfulness Make a Difference!”

About 100 or so from area churches signed up for our weekend of fellowship and thankfulness. God is good. Have a great week!

What it means to be in God’s family

by Barrett Vanlandingham (written 10-6-2021)

             We all know there are advantages to being part of God’s family. For starters, salvation, fellowship, and support along life’s journey.

Each of us in our church family has experienced the goodness and blessings that come as Christian friendships grow, and often become closer than blood relatives. Even those who haven’t yet developed those close relationships often receive the blessings of being associated with our congregation. But just like a marriage or a family unit, the church family thrives most when we are a blessing to others, not just when we receive blessings.

  Each of us has an important role to play in the overall success of our church family and what makes it appealing to each of us. You see, if I do not fully participate, or if I forget to follow through with my responsibility to the church family, then I become a “taker” or a “consumer” instead of being a “blessing” or a “giver” to others in the group. At various times, we all find ourselves on either end of that as we experience life’s peaks and valleys.

Here is a motivational tale that has been circulating through social media for the last couple of years:

 A wise teacher once brought balloons to school for students to inflate, write their names on them, and then toss them into the hall. The teacher moved through the hall mixing them all up. The kids were given five minutes to find the balloon with their name on it. They searched frantically, but no one found their own balloon.

Then the teacher told them to take the balloon closest to them and give it to the person whose name was on it. In less than two minutes, everyone was holding their own balloon.

The teacher said to the students, “These balloons are like happiness. We won’t find it when we’re only searching for our own. But if we care about someone else’s happiness … it will ultimately help us find our own.”

The writer of Hebrews makes the connection between Christian fellowship and the encouragement we give and receive that helps each of us stay on the path to heaven (Hebrews 10:24-27).

The apostle Paul knew what he was talking about when he wrote these words:  “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:10).

Have a great week!

You Can Change

by Barrett Vanlandingham
September 19, 2021 

            “Choose your rut carefully, you’ll be in it for the next 20 miles.” It is an old and wise saying you may have heard, but likely haven’t seen printed on an actual road sign, even though it probably should be.

On the surface, it is a cautionary message to drivers on rarely maintained dirt roads. But the intended message is much deeper, and one that we can all learn from. It is a metaphor for life. We all make choices for our lifestyles that can turn into lifelong ruts that define us. These are routines we get into that become habit. The days can turn into years of doing the same thing. This is good if you’re moving in a positive direction. But if not, you are definitely not living your best life in Christ.

The apostle Paul said becoming a living sacrifice to God will lead to better days ahead.

“² Don’t change yourselves to be like the people of this world, but let God change you inside with a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to understand and accept what God wants for you. You will be able to know what is good and pleasing to him and what is perfect” (Romans 12:2).

It all starts with what you spend your time thinking about. That’s why Paul said, “If anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things” (Philippians 4:8-9).

We can all make changes for the better if we allow God to work in us. Maybe that is what Paul was talking about when he told Christians in Thessalonica “Do not quench the Spirit.” The fruit of the Spirit are those wonderful qualities of God such as love and joy and peace and self-control that we are supposed to keep in step with (Galatians 5:25).

Paul knew that people could change. Some of the Corinthians he addressed were still choosing to live in sin while calling themselves Christians. Others changed when they became Christians. Paul listed sexual sin, idol worship, greed, drunkenness, and sins of the mouth as among those offenses that will prevent people from going to heaven.  “And that is what some of you were” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

So, once again, Paul affirms that our bad choices of the past do not dictate that we continue down that road.

The other day I saw a meme that Lisa Walkingstick re-posted on Facebook that really made me think. It said, “Life humbles you as you age. You realize how much time you’ve wasted on nonsense.”

God bless us all as we choose a life that makes sense spiritually according to His will. In the end, that’s really all that counts.  Have a great week!

A Summer of Reflection and Blessing

by Barrett Vanlandingham
August 8, 2021 

            It is a true gift to be able to continue serving here in this place as your youth minister. Even though I have always tried to listen to God’s voice in regards to the present and the future, so far the only nudge from God seems to be to keep working with this church. Lisa and I are in year number TWENTY as of May 1, and we just want you to know how much we love this family of believers.

            It is easy to love and develop deep bonds with the kind of people we have here in our congregation.  Yes, Tahlequah will always have a warm place in my heart as my hometown, but somehow along the way Fort Gibson has broken the 8^th commandment and has stolen both mine and Lisa’s hearts…see what I did there?  😊   It’s where we raised our family, and where we feel at home.

Geographically, Fort Gibson has also worked out great for us because my parents live in Tahlequah, and Lisa’s parents live in Tulsa. Both sets of parents are in their 80’s and doing well.  Our children live in Tulsa, OKC, and Nashville. So, Fort Gibson still seems like the most practical place on the map to live. Plus, Lisa really likes her job of teaching 2^nd grade at the Fort Gibson Early Learning Center. She has taught there for 16 years.

Before we moved here in 2002, my very first Bible professor at Oklahoma Christian, Dr. Howard Norton, told me he thought Fort Gibson would be “a fun little place to work.” Little did I know I would still be loving this church and community more than ever 20 years later!  Thanks to some great youth parent volunteers, youth deacons, a very active missions deacon, and some great elders over the years, Lisa and I have been able to give our youth group kids (and our own kids) a lot of memorable, life-changing experiences in many different towns and states, inside and outside of the U.S.  All of these pieces working together have resulted in a great start to the faith journey of thousands of kids over the years. 

God blessed our youth ministry this summer with much success, especially after such a devastating year-long slow down due to covid.  With help from many volunteers, a lot of awesome teens, and my two interns, Hannah Hackworth and Thomas Holton, we completed an ambitious summer schedule. We had devotionals nearly every Sunday night at members’ houses or at the lake, a rafting trip on the Illinois River, a trip to Frontier City in OKC, and a fantastic week at Burnt Cabin Christian Camp with friends from several area towns.  We witnessed 14 baptisms at camp, and two more within a few days afterwards, and untold changed lives.  Pictured below is a friendly elk that made an appearance at one of our devo’s at Greenleaf State Park at the Wilson’s campsite. Chris spoke that evening. I led songs. And yes, my first song was… “As the Deer.”

A beautiful heart makes beautiful feet!

by Barrett Vanlandingham
August 29, 2021 

As we are all aware, people can say anything and not really mean it. But if we believe something in our heart of hearts, it makes a difference in how God views us and how we commit ourselves to whatever mission we are trying to accomplish. It’s a lot like when someone has only heard about God, as opposed to knowing God to the point it changes your life, your heart, and results in God knowing you and recognizing you as one of His own. Now that is a truly beautiful thing!

As Paul told Christians in Rome: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” (Romans 10:15)

This passage gets used a lot to describe those who bring the gospel message of salvation to our friends, acquaintances, co-workers, and even to strangers. But for context, let’s look at what Paul said just a few verses earlier in regards to Jews who thought their salvation was based on their good deeds, instead of God’s grace and a faith in Christ that leads to obedience and good works.

“Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved” (Romans 10:1).

That’s a nice thing to say. But Paul modeled what it meant to believe in Jesus Christ so much that his faith resulted in a life committed to Him, doing good to all, and teaching lost souls what it meant to live as a disciple of Christ even in the midst of persecution. He stated that he had poured himself out on an altar, after having given everything for the sake of Christ.

Paul didn’t just hope the Jews would come to Christ, but he took those concerns that were weighing so heavily on his heart to God in prayer. God opened doors of opportunity for Paul to step through, and he did. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Paul healed the lame, raised the dead, and cast out demons. His faith in God’s power was so contagious that people even took Paul’s handkerchiefs and other pieces of clothing away from him so they could heal others.

It was Paul’s beautiful heart that resulted in his beautiful feet. It is important for us to do the same, to make sure our hopes and dreams match up with God’s word, and to let the beauty of Jesus be seen in us.

Have a great week!

Above the Sun: Choose freedom in Christ

by Barrett Vanlandingham
July 4, 2021 

            After 14 years, this is the last week I will be writing my column. Youth ministry has become more demanding and I will be using more of my time in that area. Our Family Life Minister, Steve Parker, will be taking my place as a columnist. He is a very experienced minister and counselor, whose column I hope you will find in the days ahead. Steve is a very creative writer who I know you will enjoy reading.

For my final article, I will be focusing on the word “freedom.” It is unlike any other because of the way it makes us feel when we hear or say it.

Today, July 4, the word “freedom” takes our minds to 1776, when the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. It made clear that the 13 colonies were no longer under the control of Great Britain.

For Christians, the word “freedom” is also important and life-changing because we are free from sin. It no longer has mastery over us. This freedom came at a high price. Jesus Christ was the perfect sacrifice, and it was by the shedding of His blood that we can be free from sin. Sadly, some people choose to live their lives in such a way that results in the forfeiture of their earthly freedoms and rights. The same is true spiritually.  In John 1, Jesus is described as the Word and a light that came into a world that did not recognize or accept Him as the Savior.

“He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:11-12).

As Americans, we have been given a lot of hard fought rights and freedoms thanks to our nation’s military. But it is possible for a U.S. citizen to reject those rights and wind up losing their freedom. This also applies to Christians. John said that by believing and receiving Jesus, Christ himself gives us the right to become God’s children. But as with any freedom or right, the receiver must do something to receive it, at the very least, show up. For instance, if the bank called and said they decided to give you a million dollars, you now have the right to become a millionaire. You did not earn it. It was a free gift. But you still have to go and get it. You had to do something. Spiritually, we have two choices: to be a child of God, or a child of the devil. Look at what John said:

“7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning… 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother” (1 John 3:7-10).

Paul told Christians in Rome that in Christ, they are no longer slaves to sin that leads to death, but to righteousness which leads to eternal life (Romans 6). Jesus reassured those who had chosen to follow him that their commitment to his teachings will bring true freedom in this life and the life to come. “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).

Thank you, and as always, have a great week!

Above the Sun: God can help us with our secret struggles

by Barrett Vanlandingham
June 27, 2021 

            As soon as Lisa and I opened the big cardboard box sitting in our living room floor, we could plainly see that the new back porch table we had just begun to unwrap was severely damaged.

So, we took it back to the store and wheeled a replacement box up to the customer service desk. We made sure we found the nicest looking box with no visible damage. But when the store employee opened it to make sure the table was okay, we were disappointed to see it was worse than the first! So, we picked out another one. This time we chose the box that looked worse than the others. Amazing!  The table and chairs on the inside were in perfect condition. Lisa said, “Isn’t that the way life is!"

You just never know by looking at someone on the outside how damaged they may be on the inside. On an average day, this could apply to any of us. Life is filled with mountain-tops, valleys, and everything in between.

Years ago, when I managed our family’s restaurant, occasionally a job applicant would come in with bright eyes, enthusiastic, and ready to work. But in some instances, the great attitude they had just a few days before turned into someone I hadn’t seen as they caved-in to the inner turmoil they had been secretly struggling with.

In spite of the fact that Paul’s writings have had a tremendously positive impact on the work of Christ, His letters to Christians in Corinth indicate that on the inside he struggled in many ways. He describes himself with words such as “weakness and fear, with much trembling” (1 Corinthians 2:3)   “…conflicts on the outside, fears inside” (2 Corinthians 7:5).

Paul told the church in Rome that even in the midst of his continual striving to live like Christ, he was bothered by the fact that he often chose sin. But much like King David who was also very flawed emotionally, yet still goes down in history as “a man after God’s own heart,” Paul praised God for being his only hope.

“What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin” (Romans 7:24-25).

Who knows, maybe Paul’s lack of self-control was the thorn in his flesh he prayed for God to remove (2 Corinthians 12:6-10). God did not remove Paul’s affliction, but He did promise a grace that was sufficient for Paul and for us.

In Hebrews 4:15 the writer says, “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.”

It is important for us to remember that God has always used flawed people to do his will. Life on earth will always be challenging. But a life with Jesus comes with peace of mind and hope for tomorrow.

In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Have a great week!

Above the Sun: Hypocrites are at odds with God

by Barrett Vanlandingham
June 20, 2021 

            In today’s article, I want to explore a few of different levels of what it means to be a hypocrite, a form of lying.

I remember when our kids were little and someone would drive past us in a souped-up car that cost way too much. From all appearances, life could not be any sweeter! The conversation would always be something like “Wow dad, what a neat looking car!”  Then I would say, “True, but I would not want to have their debt.” Eventually, the kids could finish my sentence and then we would have a talk about the debt, stress, relationship problems, and insecurities that are hiding behind those expensive purchases.

“Putting on airs” is the term for when someone is pretending to be superior to others, looking down their nose at others, or acting snobby, especially when behind the scenes their life is an absolute wreck. Anyone who spends much time on social media is well acquainted with hypocrisy and all the blow hards who try to make themselves look so smart, or their lives seem so grand or perfect. The fact is, nobody is better than anyone else. We all have our issues to deal with.

            We’ve probably all said or done something that made us look better than we deserved.  Sometimes we get lucky and it just happens by accident. Other times, we say or do something out of convenience such as throwing everything in the closet before company arrives to make a room look less cluttered than it normally is. I may have done that more than a few times. But I think the worse version of hypocrisy is the practice of expecting or demanding high standards of others when secretly we don’t even make an attempt at reaching those standards.

Jesus condemned the practice of hypocrisy. His words were especially harsh towards those who were considered to be the religious elite of the community. They pretended to have it all together, and even worse, they pretended to be more important than everyone else around them. They acted like it, spoke like it, and dressed like it.

Matthew devotes an entire chapter to Jesus’ warnings against hypocrisy. “Do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach… Everything they do is done for people to see… They love the place of honor… They love to be greeted with respect” (Matthew 23:3-7).

Jesus condemned the lifestyles of hypocrites who are full of greed, self-indulgence, and wickedness even as they portray themselves outwardly as clean and pure. Jesus compared them to “whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones.”

In Numbers 20:9-12, Moses disobeyed God by striking a rock to get water out of it for the thirsty grumbling crowd of Israelites he and Aaron were leading. Moses was supposed to have spoken to the rock as God instructed. But God allowed water to pour out of the rock anyway, and Moses and Aaron no doubt came across looking like superstar saviors, especially when they did not give God the credit as they should have. This act of disobedience to God and hypocrisy resulted in neither Moses nor Aaron being allowed to lead the people into the promised land. Moses expected the Israelites to be obedient to God even though he had just committed an act of disobedience.

May we all strive to live Godly lives both in public and private, and use all of our blessings and talents for His glory, not ours. Have a great week!

Above the Sun: We are not saved like the thief on the cross

by Barrett Vanlandingham
June 13, 2021 

            In Luke 23:39-43, we read about a conversation that took place between Jesus and the two criminals who were being crucified on either side of Jesus, one of whom had a better eternal outcome than the other.

“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

            Even though this story is found in the New Testament, Jesus and the criminals and everyone else were still living under Old Testament law because Jesus had not yet died. Baptism was not yet required. The New Testament covenant along with the baptism we read about starting in Acts 2 had not been enacted yet. So, believers in Jesus Christ could not become Christians and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38) until Peter preached the first Gospel sermon at the Jewish festival known as Pentecost where God added 3000 people to their number (the church) that day (Acts 2:41, 47).

The Bible says Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist, came to prepare the way for Jesus, and was baptizing people during Jesus’ ministry even before Jesus died. Mark 1:4 says, “And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”

We still have no way of knowing whether the thief on the cross had received John’s baptism or not.

The verses from Luke indicate the criminal at least knew about Christ’s kingdom, and that it was not of this earth. The criminal also knew he deserved to be punished on earth, but called out to Jesus to save him in the after-life. So, the criminal at some point, if not during the crucifixion process, had heard about Jesus, and at that moment believed, repented, and confessed his belief in Jesus as the Son of God.          

            But whether the thief was baptized or not, people at that time were still living under the Old Law that required animal sacrifice as a means of gaining access to the forgiveness of sin that would come later with the perfect sacrifice of Jesus. Although the Hebrew writer said there is no forgiveness of sin without the shedding of blood (Hebrews 9:22), the writer also says, “It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” So, ultimately it took the perfect sacrifice of Jesus to forgive the sins of people in the past who obeyed the Old Testament law as well as those in the future who would obey the commands of the New Testament (Hebrews 9:28, 10:4). Simply put, the blood of Jesus flows backwards and forwards to forgive the sins of those who are obedient.

            So, yes, we are saved by the grace of God just like the criminal on the cross. But for those who are trying to obey the pattern of New Testament Christianity, baptism for the forgiveness of sins is essential. It is how believers receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38) and live a “new life” in Christ (Romans 6:3-5 and Galatians 3:26-27).  Have a great week.

Above the Sun: It takes more than prayer to save us

by Barrett Vanlandingham
June 6, 2021 

            This may surprise you, but the popular “Sinner’s Prayer” that is practiced by a lot of denominations is found nowhere in God’s word. Yes, you heard it right. The “Sinner’s Prayer” is not in the Bible. There are no examples of anyone becoming a Christian by saying a prayer.

            This is a problem for a lot of reasons including that many people over the years have gone to their graves believing that they were saved when they said this prayer. They had been told by well-meaning teachers that if they really believed the words, they had just prayed from the bottom of their heart, they were now saved.

God’s instructions still remain unchanged by anything or anyone including new religions, politics, cultural changes, or personal preferences. The apostle Paul is very clear on this issue.

“But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8).

            In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Paul says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

            So, if we can find everything we need in the Bible to be thoroughly equipped to serve God, there is no need or justification for looking elsewhere or coming up with our own recipes for salvation other than that which is found in the Bible.

The same New Testament author, Paul, told the church in Rome that their “new life” in Christ could begin after (not before) they were immersed/baptized (Romans 6:1-11).  In this passage, he compares baptism to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, and the “new life” that follows.

In the story of the Ethiopian who was immersed by Philip, it was after (not before) they came up out of the water that the Ethiopian “went on his way rejoicing” (Acts 8:39).

            Peter said in Acts 2:38 that baptism is the point at which your sins are forgiven. This is also when God adds the “saved” to His church (Acts 2:41, 47).

In the story of Saul’s (Paul’s) conversion to Christianity, Jesus appeared to Paul as a bright light from heaven. They had a conversation (Acts 22:6-10). Imagine talking/praying to God and actually hearing Him respond! No wonder Paul repeated his conversion story so many times! Paul even asked Jesus, “What shall I do, Lord?”  You see, even a direct conversation with Jesus did not save Paul or forgive his sins. Several verses later, Jesus commanded a man named Ananias to tell Paul: “And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name” (Acts 22:16, also Acts 9:1-19).

Many people have called on God for help, but as Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).

            A sincere prayer of repentance or turning to God is always a good thing. But from the beginning of Christianity, prayer alone does not save. Neither does confessing sins alone or even belief in God if you’re not willing to obey (1 John 1:5-10 and James 2:14-25).

            In the end, it’s all about committing our lives to God, trusting Him, and obeying what His word says is required for salvation that gives us access to God’s amazing grace (Titus 2:11-14). Have a great week!

Above the Sun: Be a seed planter

by Barrett Vanlandingham
May 30, 2021 

            Corn, beets, melons, squash, peppers, various herbs and flowers, just to name a few things gardeners are planting right now. I am far from being an expert in this field, but it’s easy to find charts and lists that help novices like me know the when’s, what’s, and where’s of planting. Thankfully, there is no chart that limits Christians from planting God’s word any time of year into the hearts of lost souls.

            You may remember John’s story of Jesus talking with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well at noon, in the heat of the day. When it became clear to her that this man who spoke of “living water” might just be the Messiah, she went back into town and told people about this man, Jesus, who was able to tell her about “everything she ever did.”

            Jesus’ disciples had just returned from buying food in town and offered him some. But he took this opportunity to plant spiritual seed, explaining to them that his food was “to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” 

If His disciples were still wondering why he was talking with a Samaritan woman (John 4:27), Jesus made it clearer with more seed planting: “Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest” (John 4:35).

Jesus was letting his disciples know that the kind of good news he was about was not limited by tradition, cultural prejudices, or barriers of any kind. The townspeople no doubt had a lot of questions to ask Jesus based on what they’d heard from the Samaritan woman. She had planted the seed of faith in them that was now in her. This evidently resulted in them also wanting to have conversations with Jesus about “living water”, which they did, and then believed in Him as the “Savior of the world” (John 4:42).

            To me, part of what makes this story so great is that earthly logic went out the window once Jesus entered the picture. The chances and circumstances for success were just all wrong. Jews and Samaritans didn’t have anything to do with each other. It was also the wrong time of day to have a conversation like this because it was noon, the heat of the day, Jesus was tired and probably hungry, and this woman who was living in sin may very well have chosen this time of day to avoid people. There were a lot of things going against this meeting.

            I think most of us have experienced God’s involvement in our life in ways that we cannot understand or explain, and often when we least expect it. The fact is, we can make plans, do the work, but in the end, it is God who decides when or if it should be blessed. The apostle Paul said it best:   

            “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).

“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor” (1 Corinthians 3:6-8).

Have a great day!

           

Above the Sun: Be a blessing today

by Barrett Vanlandingham
May 23, 2021 

            “Encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

            Most of us would rather be around others who make us feel good instead of those who suck every bit of the air out of the room as soon as they walk in.

You know the type, those who try to make every conversation about themselves. For instance, one person says, “It sure is a beautiful day!” The other person says, “Yeah, maybe for you. But nobody ever talks to me or visits me, so that’s why I’m always depressed.”  

Or one person says, “Let’s go do something nice for somebody today.” The other person says, “Why? Nobody ever does anything nice for me!”

And then there’s the person who says, “I am NOT donating clothes to homeless people because they might be on drugs.”

Obviously, these are bad attitudes that everyone should strive to avoid. If there is anyone who deserves to be in a bad mood and looking for reasons to take it out on somebody it is God. But he is not that way in spite of how we treat Him.

“…He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

 Our Lord is a blessing and he wants us to be a blessing to others.

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10).

We’ve all heard the following famous words of Jesus from His Sermon on the Mount: “Treat people the same way you want them to treat you” (Matthew 7:12).

He goes on to say that those few words sum up everything that is said in the Law and the Prophets, basically what we call the Old Testament. In other words, Jesus is saying that if we all loved others the way God wants us to, the Bible could have been a lot shorter! (Matthew 22:36-40).

Americans have it really good, and I am happy about that. But it does cause me to stop and think about how even the poorest person in the U.S. is rich in comparison to most of the world’s population. Jesus had a lot to say about what we do with our blessings including our time, talents, and earthly possessions. In the book of Luke, Jesus makes a powerful statement on this topic:

“Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required” (Luke 12:48).

It is not as if Jesus is asking something of us that he was not also willing to do.

“…the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).

The apostle Paul said, “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (2 Corinthians 9:6).

Solomon said, “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered” (Proverbs 11:25).

With so many things to be worried and stressed about, it is a challenge for any of us to keep from being negative or making everything about us. But scripture clearly teaches that those who give their anxiety to God (1 Peter 5:7) and commit to seeking God’s kingdom first (Matthew 6:33), and that includes being a blessing to others, will find it well worth their efforts. 

Have a great week!