A forgiving spirit is worth striving for

by Barrett Vanlandingham
February 4, 2014

            The notion of having to sell your spouse and children in order to repay a debt is unthinkable.  Jesus told this parable in Matthew 18:21-35 about a servant who owed his master millions of dollars, but could not pay it back. 

            “The servant fell on his knees before him (the master). ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.”

            That would be such a nice story if that were the way it ended.  However, the servant who had just received mercy went out and had someone else thrown in prison who couldn’t repay a debt to him.  This seems outrageous. But isn’t this exactly how we behave sometimes?  We all like to receive mercy, and we love it when people are patient with us.  But how many of us embrace opportunities to show mercy and have patience towards others?   And if that doesn’t step on our toes enough, how many of us are deficient at showing God the proper commitment, even as we expect Him to stay committed to us, and show us great amounts of love and patience and mercy?

            I recently watched a YouTube video in the “I Am Second” series.  Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson was reminiscing about when he caught some thieves red handed as they were attempting to steal fish from Phil’s net.  The incident took place just after Phil had become a Christian and changed his lifestyle. So, instead of running the thieves off with his shotgun, Phil told them they could have whatever was in the net.  From that point on, Phil said those thieves stopped stealing fish all up and down the river.  Phil said that God knew what would work all along.  Matthew 5:40 says, “And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.”

            Some people look at forgiving others as a sign of weakness, especially if the one being forgiven gets away without being punished.  Please don’t get me wrong, the Bible does not promote thievery, laziness, or the carrying on of undisciplined lifestyles.  After all, “If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat (2 Thes. 3:10).”  But there are simply times that showing mercy and patience teaches a better lesson than harsh punishment. 

            The apostle Paul urges us to “Not repay anyone evil for evil (Romans 12:17).”   Forgiveness is proactive, gives peace of mind, and makes you no longer the victim.  Forgiveness takes the burden off your shoulders and allows God to take vengeance as He sees fit in his own time.  Have a great week!   

The Bible says Jesus is the only way to heaven

by Barrett Vanlandingham
January 28, 2014

            Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6).”

            The New Testament of the Bible has been questioned and doubted the majority of the time it’s been in print.  Even many of those who were alive during and right after Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection doubted or even flat out denied the miraculous events that rocked the world during this first century time frame and ever since.

            Jesus did some incredible miracles such as healing a demon-possessed man who was blind and deaf (Matthew 12:22-28).  But even then, one of the highly educated Jewish sects known as the Pharisees simply chose to believe that His miracles were the result of the devil’s power, a claim that as Jesus pointed out made no sense.  But even before they verbalized their skepticism, “Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.  If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself, how then can his kingdom stand?’”  The Pharisees were not ready to concede that Satan would attack himself.  But on the other hand, they were also not ready to concede that Jesus was able to cast out a demon by God’s power, either.

            Other desperate attempts to discredit Jesus came after His resurrection.  In Matthew 28:11-15, the chief priests paid the soldiers at the tomb a “large sum of money” to spread the lie that Jesus’ disciples stole His body from the tomb in the night while the soldiers were asleep.  Can you imagine how much commotion there would have been?   Imagine enough people to unseal a giant stone from a tomb, even if they tried to be quiet, sneaking up behind two sleeping guards, without waking anyone, and then proceeding to carry away Jesus’ body?  Of course, this is presuming that both of these highly trained fighting machines known as Roman guards fell asleep on the job, at the same time, after such a high profile execution as this.  Not likely.

            Paul had many challenges in keeping new Christians on track with the Lord’s teachings, since false teachers were all too eager to lead astray those immature in the faith.  He said, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned (Galatians 1:8).”

            Today, some people still try to discredit Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God.  Too many are eager to lure believers away from our only hope, Jesus Christ, in exchange for a false hope based on lies.  They try to convince people that Jesus is not the only way to eternal life with God.  In the end, their success at proving Jesus wrong will not be any greater than those who came before them.  And sooner or later, “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11).”

            For some, that will be a day of rejoicing!  Have a great week!

Blessings can even be found in a bad day

by Barrett Vanlandingham
January 21, 2014

            Did you ever have one of those days when you seem to be a minute or two late for everything, no matter how hard you try?  I had one of those days last week. 

            First, I picked up my son from school promptly at 2:40 so we could go to the Public Safety office in Muskogee to get his driver’s permit before 3:00 when they often stop taking customers even though the office is “open” until 4:45.  But when we got there, the sign said “Closed, moved to 1806 N. York.” 

            So, on our way to the new location, I caught the green arrow at the intersection of Shawnee and York. But before I could get through the light, a funeral procession went through ahead of me.  My son and I could not help but laugh hysterically, not at the fact that someone died, obviously, but at the fact that we just couldn’t seem to catch a break.  Could be worse!

            We finally arrived at the DPS at 3:01pm. They said, “Sorry, we’re not giving out any more numbers (tickets) today.”  We did catch a break, though, since I had already called on my cell phone.  We sat waiting in the lobby with ticket #59.  The lobby sign stayed on customer #49 for over 45 minutes.  Half of those ten customers left before it was their turn. Eventually, the nice, hard-working examiner (the only person working the desk at the new and more efficient location), called out our number, #59 at about 4:10.  Hooray!   

            We finished up and left at 4:20 to go to the Fort Gibson Tag Agency for part 2 of the process. But since it closes at 4:30, and we arrived at 4:32, our task then became a two-day adventure.  I didn’t mind, since the Fort Gibson Tag Agency ALWAYS does a fantastic job with speedy and courteous customer service, and is well-deserving of going home on-time.  Anyway, we went home and ate a quick bite so I could get my son to music practice 20 minutes late.

            Then, I thought I would take my mind off the day, and do something nice for my wife who teaches second grade, and was still in her classroom at 6:45 (This is normal for teachers unless they want to come in on Saturdays and Sundays to get everything done).  She needed an ink cartridge for her classroom printer (which she supplies), and some printing labels.  I hopped in the car and headed from Fort Gibson to Office Depot in Muskogee, arriving at 7:01.  Unfortunately, they closed at 7:00.  Ugh!  Thank goodness those kinds of days are the exception!

            The other day, I read a Facebook post by one of my friends and graduated youth group member, Kinsey Dortch. Her quote from Solomon put so many things into perspective for all of us.  It says, “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails (Proverbs 19:21).”

            As much stress as I allow myself to feel, ultimately it is God’s will that I am seeking to accomplish, whether things are going “my way” or not.  God has His reasons for intervening. Who knows? Maybe God blessed me and my son with a day like that to help us with our patience, or maybe so my son could see how I react to stressful situations as a Christian dad.  Whatever the case, God is still GOOD.  And at the end of the day, I still have the assurance of heaven.  Have a great week!

Ancient evidence of Bible accuracy still being uncovered

by Barrett Vanlandingham
January 14, 2014

             The thing I like the most about the Bible is that it is true!  If it were not true, then none of the stories, no matter how compelling, would be life-changing, or give us any hope of anything beyond this life.  But since new proof is always an exciting faith builder, it is encouraging when evidence from archaeology, science, astronomy, or geology agrees with Biblical history.

            You may remember the Old Testament story from Joshua 6 of how the walls of Jericho fell, after God’s people, by faith, marched around the city for seven days at the Lord’s command.  This is a God-inspired story that took place about 3400 years ago, after Joshua took over for his mentor Moses in leading the Israelites to the land God promised, one military victory after another.  It’s a story of hope and motivation to side with God, and let Him break down the walls before you as He chooses.  It has been part of the Bible, and protected by Jewish scribes since it was written as far back as 1400 B.C.  Jews from then on, accepted the story, and believed it as truth.

            But in the 1950’s, British archaeologist Kathleen Kenyon meticulously excavated the ancient site of Jericho at the request of another British archaeologist named John Garstang in the 1930’s, who was hoping she would confirm his findings that the story of the Jericho wall happened just the way the Bible said.  Unfortunately, she came to the conclusion that the story “…so vividly described in the book of Joshua” did not happen.  O yes, Kenyon found a huge wall that had been destroyed, but her theory is that the Egyptians did it 150 years earlier, and that Jericho of the Bible did not exist during the time Joshua led the Israelites. 

            However, as with any statement contrary to God’s word, just because someone disagrees with the Bible, doesn’t mean their theory is true.  Kenyon based her ideas on the fact that she could not find a particular type of pottery that was very popular during that time.  The problem for her theory turned out to be that the pottery she was looking for was expensive and imported.  That is an important detail since her own evidence (and from other archaeologists) showed the area she was digging in was a poor section of the city.   

            In more recent years, an American archaeologist named Bryant G. Wood who specializes in Canaanite Late Bronze Age pottery has continued to lecture on this topic.  His findings have turned Kenyon’s theory upside-down. His work came about forty years after Kenyon’s research.  He visited the site and re-examined the evidence discovered by a German team in 1907, by Garstang in the 1930’s, by Kenyon in the 1950’s, and by an Italian-Palestinian team in 1997.

            Among other evidence, Dr. Wood reported these findings: 

1) large amounts of home-made pottery with red and black patterns common to the 1400 B.C. time frame.

2) large quantities of grain stored in ceramic containers. Joshua 2:6 indicates it was harvest time, as opposed to the pre-harvest time of year in which an Egyptian siege would have likely used to starve out their opponent.  Also, God commanded the Israelites to leave all valuables behind because it was to be devoted to God (Joshua 6:17).

3) Houses attached to the north section of the excavated Jericho wall were undamaged, and are close to the mountains as described in Joshua 2:15. The Bible says Rahab hid spies in her house in the wall with the assurance that she would remain unharmed. 

4) large amounts of mud brick that had fallen towards the outside, making the perfect incline for the Israelites to “go up” into the city (Joshua 6:5).

            So what do we do with this information?  I believe it is just one more thing to encourage all of us to be faithful to the Bible’s teachings, even when we don’t fully understand the details of how such amazing things happened.  Yes, being a Christian and believing in our creator God take faith.  Still, the mountains of evidence here on earth, and among the stars and planets, are more than enough to tip the scales of doubt and faith in favor of the Bible and all of its amazing accounts therein.  Have a great week!

Let Jesus Christ be your guide in 2014

by Barrett Vanlandingham
January 7, 2014

            As long as we live on earth, Christians will never be able to force morality on anyone, through more laws or any other means.  Sure, you can throw someone in jail for breaking the law.  Sometimes, that is what’s needed as a measure of public safety.  But that does not necessarily change a person’s moral stance on issues we face today.  It does not bring them salvation or even a better life. Only Jesus can.  That’s where we as Christians come in.  But even after telling someone the Good News story of Christ and what he has done for us, it is still up to the individual to believe and act on Biblical truths.

            Yes, I would love to say good-bye and good riddance to some of the immorality that saw an increase in 2013.  However, it looks like we are only in for more in the New Year.

            Morality in our country is suffering more and more as laws, policies, and rulings promoting habits, activities and lifestyles contrary to God’s word seem to be gaining steam. Here are just a few:

            1) Legalized gambling is addictive and promotes the love of money and the coveting of ill-gotten gain (Proverbs 10:2, 1 Tim. 6:9-10).  The fact is, when a gambler wins, the money comes from someone who lost.  The winnings on one end often result in tragic losses of finances, property and relationships on the other end.  So far, I haven’t found anything in the Bible that speaks well of gambling or getting rich without working for it.  In Proverbs, Solomon (the wisest man who ever lived) contrasts ill-gotten treasures with righteousness.

            2) Legalizing recreational marijuana will definitely get the drug into the hands of more people who want it for more than medicinal uses.  Common sense says legalizing marijuana will not promote sober-mindedness (1 Peter 5:8), and unlike alcohol, there is no way to tell if the driver of a vehicle has smoked too much until it’s too late.  God’s word condemns drunkenness over and over (Galatians 5:21).

            3)  Legalizing homosexual marriage conflicts with Old and New Testament teachings (Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, 1 Tim. 1:10, 1 Cor. 7:2, Genesis 2:19-23).  In Romans 1:18-32, God’s word condemns the acting out of both male to male, and female to female homosexual relations. 

             We ALL fight one sin or another.  Gossip, malice, slander, gluttony, covetousness, pride, drunkenness, and sexual sin are just a few that the Bible speaks of.  But just because we are tempted by a particular sin does NOT mean we have to give in to temptation and hopelessly embrace sin.  God simply would not create someone in such a way that they would not be able to obey His will and escape hell. 

            Spiritual war is a very real thing, and we are ALL involved in it, just as people have been for thousands of years.  Over and over, mankind has embraced God, and then turned its back on Him.  In speaking of judgment day, Peter said, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).”  Christians are also called to be patient, and love every sinner, even as we hate every sin.

            If you are reading this and do not sense my sincerity and love for all people, please forgive me.  I am, like many of you, only a sinner who strives daily to obey God’s will, but in the end, saved only by grace.  Have a blessed week!

Spiritual blessings in the New Year come by choice

by Barrett Vanlandingham
December 31, 2013

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

            When I was baptized as a young man, the feeling of coming back up out of the water is something I will never forget.  My sins were washed away!  It was as if I was starting all over with not even a single sin attached to my soul.  It was like being a baby again… sinless.  A “new creation”!

            As I grew in my knowledge of scripture and awareness of God’s constant presence in my life, my faith and appreciation of God grew.  Once again God was right, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ (Romans 10:17).”

            I love verses such as 1 John 1:7 that remind me that as long as I continue to walk in God’s light where he is, the blood of Jesus will continue to cleanse me from all sin. 

            It’s like wearing a Jesus covering all the time.  Galatians 3:26-27 says, “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”

            Of course, the water itself has no supernatural properties (1 Peter 3:21).  The Bible describes what happens during baptism as God’s power at work. 

            “…having been buried with him (Christ) in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.”   

            It is not our power or works that save us.  It is God who does the work, and it is God who saves us by his grace, through our faith (Ephesians 2:8) in Jesus as our Savior, and when we allow our love for Christ to be shown in our obedience to him (James 2:24-26). 

            So, what are we supposed to do with this information in the coming year?  Well, according to scripture, if you want to turn over a new leaf, so to speak, and become a new creation, you must be “in Christ”, or clothed in Christ.  Paul says in Romans 6:3-4 that baptism "into Christ" makes it possible for Christians to live a new life.  He also says, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).”

            Anyone or anything can be dunked.  But baptism is different.  It involves a person who believes that Jesus is the son of God, and who is ready to begin a new life of obedience to him.  Have a great week!

The weeks after Jesus’ birth are fascinating, too

by Barrett Vanlandingham

December 24, 2013

            The birth of the Christ child immediately drew the attention and praise of nearby shepherds (Luke 2:8) who visited him in a manger, with Joseph and Mary there.  Then, up to 24 months later, Wise Men from the east came to worship and bring gifts to Jesus in a house. 

            But what happened in between?  Those were not the only significant appearances recorded in the Bible regarding the early days of our Savior.  On the eighth day, when the baby was circumcised, Joseph and Mary named him Jesus (Luke 2:21). This was the name the angel had given Him before He was even conceived.

            When Jesus was 41 days old, his parents brought him to the temple in Jerusalem to present Him to God, and also to offer a sacrifice to the Lord.  The 41 days is how long it took under Jewish law for a woman to be considered purified after giving birth to a son, or 81 days if she gave birth to a girl (Leviticus 12).

            To me, one of the most exciting parts of the day at the temple involves an elderly man named Simeon.  Luke 2:25 says that he was righteous and devout, and that God’s Holy Spirit prompted him to go to the temple.  He no doubt was very happy he listened to God that day, because when Joseph and Mary brought Jesus to the temple, Simeon was not only there, but the following verses tell us exactly what happened. They also quote his exact heartfelt words in the presence of the baby, Joseph, and Mary.  We can only dream of being so fortunate!

            “Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, now you dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel (Luke 2:28-32).”

            Can you even imagine the joy of this elderly man, Simeon?!  He is the only person recorded in the Bible as having held the Christ child in his arms while talking to Jesus’ heavenly Father, God?!  Even God himself did not get to hold his own son in the flesh. Other friends or family must have also held this child.  But Simeon is certainly in a small circle who can say they held the Christ child on the day he was presented to God in the temple.

            As always, the important part of the story is what our response will be today.  Will we, like Simeon, pay attention to where God’s Spirit is leading us?  Do we allow Jesus to be the Light for our path?  And do we lift up and glorify the King of Kings in the way we live?  Have a great week!

The mystery behind the three gifts may not be so mysterious

by Barrett Vanlandingham

December 17, 2013

                                 

            Unless we fall victim to a cleverly-timed, random, holiday infomercial, most of us try to buy or make Christmas gifts that either fit the personality of the one to whom we’re presenting the gift, or the gift is something the person needs.

            So, did you ever wonder about the choice of gifts brought by Wise Men in the Bible, also known as Magi or astrologers, to give to the probable toddler? 

            “And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh (Matthew 2:11, ESV).”      

            Did they just have a weak moment and randomly purchase these items from a traveling salesman or maybe a bi-vocational sheep herder?  Not likely.  After all, these visitors “from the east” had plenty of time to think about what kind of gifts they would bring, since it would have taken several months to get to Jerusalem from any number of places east of the Euphrates River, after having seen Christ’s star.  In fact, since the paranoid King Herod ordered the slaughter of all males in the area who were two years old and under “in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi (Matt. 2:16),” we can be reasonably certain that Jesus was not still a newborn in a “manger”.  As verse 11 points out, the Wise Men actually went “into the house.”  It was earlier that the “shepherds” visited the “baby” in a manger (no room in the inn).

            There are more than a few explanations for the choice of gifts.  One is that they were expensive, and Joseph could have easily carried these items to be used as barter during their trip to Egypt where they stayed until Herod’s death. 

            Another explanation is that the Wise Men, however many there were (the Bible doesn't say) brought three gifts fit for a king!  In the Old Testament, the Queen of Sheba and many others brought gifts to King Solomon including gold, spices, and jewels (1 Kings 10). 

            A third possible explanation has more to do with symbolism.  In Exodus 30:22-38, a recipe is given for anointing oil that included myrrh, and another recipe for incense that included frankincense.  Both recipes were considered holy, and to be used only on burnt offerings by priests, or on other holy items used in some way to honor God, but not to be used simply for anyone’s enjoyment, under the penalty of being cut-off from God’s people.

            For those reasons, one tradition says the gold was given in recognition of Christ as King, the frankincense in recognition of Jesus as High Priest, and myrrh to symbolize the anointing oil that would be needed after his sacrificial death.

            The most important gift we can give to Christ today is that of our love and obedience.  God bless you, and have a great week!

Is God really listening?

by Barrett Vanlandingham
December 10, 2013

            As I write this article, I am on hold with AT&T while a customer service representative is trying to figure out why my cell phone can receive text messages but it cannot send them.

            I was thinking to myself that there has to be a spiritual parallel here somewhere, and then it hit me!  Why does God get to tell us everything He wants us to know through the Bible, but when we communicate to God through prayer, many of us wonder if our message actually gets there?  And if He does hear our thanksgivings and pleas for help, what does He think about them, and how are we supposed to know His time frame for answering?  Wow! Serving an invisible God can be frustrating sometimes!  Any other relationship would probably be doomed from the start if it were modeled after this kind of communication. 

            Thankfully, our relationship with God is not like any other relationship, nor is the ultimate outcome.  While we do have a personal relationship with God, He is also the Savior to the masses who believe and obey Him.  He has already proven His love to us by coming to earth in the form of Jesus, a 100-percent human and 100-percent God being.  And just so people would believe in His message and His identity, Jesus did miracles, A LOT OF MIRACLES.  In fact, Jesus regularly performed miracles seen by thousands of people during His ministry. Those were in addition to the crucifixion and resurrection which fulfilled prophecy from a thousand years before those events happened.

            John said, “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.  But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name (John 20:30-31).”

            God threw us a lifeline when He sent His Son, Jesus, to save us from sin and its consequences.  But the bottom line is that we still must believe in a God we haven’t personally seen, and we must believe in a story that we did not personally witness.  The same could be said of other historical figures who no one doubts existed.  However, none of this means we are somehow relegated to worshipping a God we have never experienced.  He impacts our lives everyday if we will just take notice of what He has done and continues to do, and all of those “little” coincidences that simply cannot be explained in the absence of a living God. 

            Many first and second century writers from outside of the Bible quote scripture and even talk about Jesus in ways that are consistent with the Bible’s description.  They include Josephus, Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Polycarp, Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, Tacitus, Pliny the Younger, Lucian, and even the Babylonian Talmud (a collection of writings by Jewish rabbis from 70-200 A.D.).  With each generation, more overwhelming evidence continues to surface in science, history, archaeology, geology, and astronomy that supports the Bible’s teachings.

            Yes, we would all like immediate audible answers when we talk to God, and we want them in our preferred time frame.  But the evidence of God’s existence and His love for us is overwhelming.  His word already gives us all the information we need to make it to heaven (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The least we could do is to have faith that He has our best interest at heart, even if we don’t always understand his reasons or timing.  His grace gives us something more than worthy of our belief and obedience.  And in the end, the reward of heaven will be more than worth it.  Have a great week!

December distractions can disrupt the Christian mindset

by Barrett Vanlandingham
December 3, 2013

            Now that we have made it through Thanksgiving, it’s on to Christmas!  What a most wonderful time of the year.  Gift-giving, families reuniting, beautiful decorations, joyful music, and of course the fact that so many people think about the coming of Christ also makes this season very special.

            As Christians, we should be thinking about the very special gift of Jesus all year long. And even though December has traditionally become the time that many people celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ on earth, oddly enough, it is also the time that the stresses of the holiday season can squeeze our thoughts of Jesus right out of the picture if we’re not careful.

            If anyone had an excuse to not make room for Jesus, it would be Joseph and Mary.  They took on the responsibility, even though it wasn’t easy.  Just think about all the distractions and difficulties they faced in order to make room in their lives for Jesus.  First off, when most of us wake up in the morning, we never imagine that an angel is going to personally greet us with an unexpected message that is about to turn our life upside down. 

            Can you imagine what this teenage Mary must have thought when she was informed of her new assignment to give birth to the Christ child even though she was still a virgin?  You talk about a stressor!  How would she explain to her soon to be husband, her family, and her friends that she is pregnant?  We already know most of what Joseph was thinking, not to mention what everyone else probably thought as soon as she started showing still out of wedlock.

             Joseph and Mary accepted the challenge, but that didn’t mean the difficult days were over.  They had to travel from Nazareth about 100 miles to Bethlehem for a census of the entire Roman world, without the benefit of fast, reliable, and comfortable transportation.  It would have been at least a weeklong walk one way, and even if Mary was riding on a donkey with Joseph walking, they would still have to endure weather conditions, danger from robbers, and exhaustion.  These would have been factors no matter what month of the year.  By the way, it is unlikely that the shepherds and their flocks were outside in the winter and it also unlikely that a census requiring everyone to travel would have taken place in the winter.

            As soon as they arrived, imagine the crowds, and the lack of places to stay as evidenced by the fact that there was no room at the inn for them.  So, the baby was born in a cattle stall, and placed in a feeding trough instead of whatever accommodations they had prepared back home.  Joseph and Mary certainly had to adjust their schedules to make room for the challenges surrounding the birth of Jesus.  Let us all take a closer look at the things that are taking our minds and commitment away from our Christian walk during the holidays and the rest of the year, too.  Always remember to make room Jesus. Have a great week! 

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

by Barrett Vanlandingham
November 26, 2013

            I guess there’s a good reason why I have a hard time teaching lessons about God’s grace even though we are all dependent on it whether we know it or fully understand it.  The apostle Paul talks about grace and its connection to the good news of Jesus Christ and what He has done for us. But ultimately, Paul says in 2 Corinthians 9:15 “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”

            During this month of remembering to give thanks for so many things, oddly enough, the one thing we cannot adequately describe is the very thing for which we should be most grateful, grace. Songwriters for thousands of years have tried to craft and string together words, phrases, sentences, and notes in such a way to help worshippers reflect and celebrate our bountiful blessings and our Creator who made them. 

            One song written by Johnson Oatman in 1897 is titled “When Upon Life’s Billows.” It describes the burdens we bear and the challenges we face in contrast to the thankfulness and joy a person should feel when you “count your many blessings, (and) see what God hath done.”

            Another of my favorites was written by Dennis Jernigan in 1990 titled “Thank You, Lord!”   The lyrics of this song are simple and powerful as they say, “For all that you’ve done I will thank You, For all that You’re going to do. For all that You’ve promised, and all that You are is all that has carried me through, Jesus I thank You.  And I thank You, thank You, Lord. And I thank You, thank You, Lord!  Thank You for loving and setting me free, Thank You for giving your life just for me. How I thank You.  Jesus I thank You, gratefully thank You. Thank You.”

            The task of making clear the meaning of grace and just how thankful we should be for grace is something many have tried.  But just as with life itself, the important thing is not whether we write the perfect song, or live the perfect life.  That is just not going to happen this side of heaven, although, in speaking about grace, Paul says that we are to not use grace basically as a convenient excuse for disobedience and choosing to sin (ref: Romans 6:1).  Jesus even said that he will reward each person for what he has done (ref: Matthew 16:27).

            God knows our heart.  God knows the challenges we face.  After all, Jesus came to earth partly to experience them first hand so he could understand why we have such a hard time getting it right (ref: Hebrews 4:15-16).  Bottom line?  He knew we could not do enough things right to be in the presence of God one day.  And so Jesus, the perfect sacrifice, died for us, giving us a roadmap to follow, and extending grace to all of us who are undeserving of eternal life in heaven, and that would be all of us.  Have a great week!

Kindness, grace, and thanksgiving have much in common

by Barrett Vanlandingham
November 17, 2013

            What goes through your mind when you give away money, time, or other things of value to someone in need, or maybe for a good cause?  Do you feel joy and cheer, or are you irritated that you feel guilted or pressured into giving?

            The apostle Paul reminded Christians in Corinth of the importance of generous giving by basically saying that you reap what you sow.  In return for being a cheerful giver, Paul says, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work (2 Cor. 9:8).”

            The Bible never says that I will have a forever blooming money tree in my back yard just because I did a kind deed or two.  In fact, James 4:3 explains that people sometimes don’t get what they pray for because of impure motives.  But still, when I hear the words “all grace” my ears perk up for sure!  Paul is simply saying that when we give generously and cheerfully to the work of the Lord, God will take care of us.  In other words, if we show wisdom in how we spend our time and money to make a difference, God will continue to bless us so that we can continue to help others. 

            But the blessing doesn’t stop there.  Paul says in 2 Cor. 9:13 that when we supply the needs of God’s people, men will praise God!  Why? Because the attitudes and actions of the givers are in step with the good news of Christ they have proclaimed. In short, people praise God when they see that a Christian’s walk matches his or her talk of God’s grace.  And then it would only be natural that someone would want to be a part of that.

            Even when a late night television talk show host known for off-color humor encourages America to pray for victims of the typhoon in the Philippines, the attention of millions of viewers is suddenly focused on our dependence on God.  You see, when people incorporate Godly character traits into their speech and actions, good things happen, not just for those being served, but even more so for those providing the service. 

            Paul often speaks of giving in terms of it being a benefit to the giver as well as bringing praise and thanks to God both from the recipient and those watching from afar, sometimes with an eye of skepticism.  November is a great time to spend with family and friends, and to be reminded of our blessings for which we should be thankful.  May we also look for opportunities to serve in ways that will bring glory to the One who is the giver of all good things.  Have a great week!

A 3000 year old song finds reason to be thankful

by Barrett Vanlandingham
November 12, 2013

            One of the most famous Bible passages used during Thanksgiving is Psalm 106:1. It says, “Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”  The writer of this Psalm was evidently so excited about the awesomeness of his God, he could not even wait to tell us the why’s first.  So he immediately begins by telling us what our response should be to God, even before telling us what all of the excitement is about, wetting our appetite for a glorious explanation.

            What follows next are two of the most simple, easy to understand, yet powerful and meaningful statements that could have been written. “For he is good; his love endures forever.”         People back then, same as today, have managed to find a thousand and one people, places, and things to idolize.  Most of them are NOT good, and certainly nowhere near as good as what the writer of this Psalm has experienced in his own life in his relationship with God. 

            But even with life full of chaos and uncertainties, the writer says, “for he is good.”  That statement alone is like calm in the middle of a storm.  When you think about the word “good”, and just how important that quality is in anyone you have a relationship with, and then apply that quality to the One you worship, it brings about a sense of peace and hope and security for the writer and anyone today who has submitted their life to this Lord who is “good”. 

            The only quality I can think of that could out-do “good” is in the second of those two statements, “his love endures forever.”  You talk about burying the lead story!  This is the greatest news of all!  Our Lord is not only good, but he proves it by how much he LOVES us, not just a little, but a LOT, and for a very long time as is punctuated by the last word, “forever”.

            The writer then spends the rest of the chapter recapping history, and how God continued to love his people, and try to convince them to stay faithful, even though they continued to rebel.  Near the end of the chapter, the Psalmist pleads to God for salvation so that thanks may be given. Finally, the writer bookends his opening statement with these words, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, “Amen!”  Praise the Lord.”

            We have an amazing God who is forever full of goodness and love, two wonderful things we can always give thanks for.  Have a great week!