Salvation: How Do I Know I’m Going to Heaven?
(Part 1)
by Barrett Vanlandingham

How do you know if you’re going to anybody’s home? You generally have to know that person, then be invited to their house, then follow the directions to get there. Then if you still can't get there on your own, call them and they'll come and take you there.
As a Christian, you can know you are going to heaven because God loves you enough to send his son to die for you as the ultimate sacrifice for your sins (ref: John 3:16). “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13-14)
In John 10:9-11, Jesus calls himself the good shepherd. He uses a figure of speech to reassure his followers (sheep) that he loves and protects them spiritually and in fact would lay down his life for them so they could live eternally in heaven.
The writer of Hebrews 12:2 says, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of God.”
This passage tells us that we didn’t write the Bible, and we cannot be perfect, but we can perfectly carry out God’s plan of salvation by partnering with Jesus who IS the author and perfecter of our faith. He takes into consideration the fact that “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:23-24) We just have to make sure we have a relationship with Christ Jesus since he said “…I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Here is how that is accomplished:
1) hearing God’s word, (Rom. 10:17; John 5:24)
2) believing that Jesus is God’s son (Mark 16:16; Heb. 11:6),
and acting on this belief by continuing a life of
3) repentance or turning from worldly ways, (Acts 2:38; James 1:21-22; 1 Tim. 2:19)
4) confessing (Matthew 10:32-33; 1 Tim. 2:19) with our mouth and attitude
what we believe about Jesus, and immersion or
5) baptism into Christ for the forgiveness of sins. (Gal. 3:26-27; Romans 6:1-11; Mark 16:16)
No matter how much we accomplish through obedience which demonstrates our faith and love for the Father (John 14:15), it is still God’s grace that saves us in the end (Romans 3:24) when we live our lives in obedience to him (James 2:24 & 26). Without God’s help and willingness to fellowship with us, we could not find our way to heaven since we continue to “fall short.” The good news about God is this: “But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Translation? Walking with God leads to heaven.

Salvation: How Do I Know I’m Going to Heaven?
(Part 2)
by Barrett Vanlandingham

Since the 1st century, the Apostle Paul’s words to the Christians in Ephesus have resonated loud and clear. This is still true today despite the growing cultural noise that at times can drown out Biblical instruction and words of encouragement such as these:
“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the head and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,” (Ephesians 1:17-20)
Three basics things are listed in these verses that Christians can KNOW: 1) hope of heaven, 2) riches to be found there, and 3) Christ’s power dwells in us.
Isn’t it reassuring to know that the same power that is in Christ and raised him from the dead is the same power that shows us the way to heaven?
The Apostle Peter tells us about the qualities of God, and says that by taking part in them we can “…escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” (2 Peter 1:4) He goes on in verse 10 to say “…be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things you will never fall.” Even though nothing we do can “earn” a spot in heaven, action is required on our part.
We know that God is patient and doesn’t want anyone to perish, but instead come to repentance or to know him (ref: 2 Peter 3:9). That requires action. The apostle John says, “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,” (John 1:12). Notice here that we have the “right” to become children of God. It’s not a guarantee for those who put forth no effort. But it is very assuring to KNOW that because of God’s grace (Romans 3:24), he gives us the right of being his children when we act on our belief in him (James 1:21-22; James 2:24 & 26). In Luke 6:46, Jesus begins the parable of the wise and foolish builders by saying, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”
So, how do you know if you’re going to heaven? God’s word is the complete instruction guide on how to get there (ref: 2 Timothy 3:16-17). If you believe in God at all, you must believe his word is inspired, and that Jesus meant it when he said in John 14:1-4 to trust in him, and that he has gone to prepare a place for us. The fact is, if God is at the top of your priorities (and only you know that), you are promised a reward. “For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels; and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.” (Matthew 16:27) In short, always do your best to obey his commands, and God takes care of the rest (ref: Matthew 10:22).

Finding Stuff in Your Bible Can Be A Workout!
(but well worth your effort for the sake of others and self)
by Barrett Vanlandingham (October 18, 2007)

Did you ever wish you could find that scripture you were looking for, but you just couldn’t seem to track it down? It always seems to happen when you’re in a conversation and someone asks you a question. You know that feeling, don’t you? The one that makes you say to yourself, “Uh Oh. I wish I were better prepared.”
Well, this year I bought a new larger print Bible to replace my old smaller print Bible. Please, no jokes about getting older! But, I love the size of the words. The only problem is that its concordance is a lot smaller than in my old Bible. And let’s face it, we’re all human, and none of us has the entire Bible memorized. Even Jesus was handed the Scroll of Isaiah (Luke 4:14-20) to read, as opposed to reciting it from memory. I presume that without using his special powers, He had to read it just like the rest of us, although in many instances Jesus did recite scripture from memory.
So, last week I embarked upon a mission to transfer all my old notes and cross-references to my new Bible, and to mark my new Bible for any topic likely to come up in conversation, or any topic I’m likely to teach in a class or sermon to fulfill 1 Peter 3:15. And guess what? I’m STILL not finished. The fact is, I don’t think we ever get finished with such a worthy endeavor. But it is very much a project worth our time. We may never complete the task, but just think of all the things we will learn, and all the time our mind will spend thinking holy thoughts, and our actions demonstrating holy behavior (Matthew 16:24-27 and Ecclesiastes 12:14).
It’s kind of like the story of the weak and sickly man who had a dream that God told him to push against a giant boulder in order to get better. He loved pushing against the boulder because it gave him purpose. But, after months of pushing, the man became angry that the rock had not even moved one bit. Then, God reminded the man that he was only supposed to push against the rock, not move it. God told the man to look in the mirror, and to his surprise, he had grown muscular, and he realized that he hadn’t coughed or wheezed in months, and that he really did feel better. Improvement had taken place, just not with the boulder, but instead with the man.
We may never get our Bibles completely marked and have ready answers to every question by pushing our way through page after page of scripture. But we will find that our personal walk with God makes much more sense the more we understand the will of our Creator. Joy, even in the face of adversity will take up more and more space in our hearts which will overflow (Luke 6:43-45) and affect people around us. Also, the spiritual muscles we receive by exercising our minds with personal Bible study will leave us better prepared to answer those questions posed by others or ourselves.

I Trust You, Lord… I Think
by Barrett Vanlandingham
(September 20, 2007)

A young person recently wrote these words on a public diary on the internet: “I love God, I really do. I will never stop loving him. Do I trust him? That is where I am having a problem. I want to trust. I try so hard to not question. In the end I am only human.”
The following is some of what I wrote back: Trusting in the Lord is difficult at times because just we don't understand everything, yet. For instance, we really don’t have the full picture of what our life on earth will seem like after we get to heaven. Yes, we know heaven is a worthy goal, and we know life on earth is nothing compared to the joys of heaven. But because we’re human and not spirit, we really cannot comprehend our reward in relation to our struggles.
It's easy to read about trust in the Bible (Proverbs 3:5-6), “5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”
but living it is one of the most difficult challenges we face as Christians.
Lots of great men and women in the Bible had difficulty with trusting God:
1) Esther was afraid the king would kill her if she stood up for God's chosen people.
2) Gideon always wanted God to give him a sign that He was really with him.
3) Peter actually walked on water but then sank when he took his eyes off Jesus.
4) Sarah and Abraham laughed when God told them they would have a son at age 90 and 100.
5) Moses tried to talk God out of choosing him, and later got frustrated and struck the rock instead of speaking to it as he was commanded.
6) Thomas knew Jesus, and still doubted the Lord’s identity.
The list goes on. Don't you think Noah probably had some doubts as he built an ark for 100-years while people laughed at him? The people had never even experienced rain, and Noah was telling them the earth would be flooded.
Stories like these are written to help grow our faith (John 20:30-32). To this day, God places a rainbow in the sky to remind us that He always keeps his promises (Genesis 9:16). God is glorified in our weaknesses. It is only when we acknowledge dependence on God that we are at our strongest, spiritually. Everyday, we should look for ways that God takes care of us, and thank Him for it. God is good and loyal to us, even when we're not. He's worthy to be praised, He's worthy of our respect and loyalty. Some day, everything will make sense. The writer of 1 John 3:2-3 possibly struggled with issues of trust and doubt.
“2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.”
The fact is, if we believe in God at all, we must trust Him. We can either go through life’s struggles and into eternity with Him, or without. That is one choice we get to make.

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Meteor Showers
This is only one of God’s finest hours
by Barrett Vanlandingham (August14, 2007)

What an amazing display of God’s creation over Fort Gibson early Monday morning. The Perseid meteor shower was there for all to see. My children and I were up at one-thirty in the morning to witness this natural light show that happens every year as the Earth passes through a comet, and we get to see little pieces of sparkling debris passing into the earth’s atmosphere. What a blessing! That was my first time to stay up and watch the spectacle. During a one hour period, my children and I ooooed and aaaawed as we saw about 25 shooting stars one at a time glowing through the night sky right above my backyard (and yours, too). As incredible as the site was, it’s even more inspiring to think about the fact that God’s creation of the meteor showers is barely a thimble-full of the breath-taking phenomenons listed on His resume (Genesis 1:16), and that even each star is unique. 1 Corinthians 15:41 says, “The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.”
It’s also important for us to remember to worship the Creator and not the creation. Deuteronomy 4:19 says, “And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.”
For thousands of years, people have fallen into worshiping God’s creations instead of God Himself. Angels, stars, the sun, moon, animals, and nature. Each of these things is spectacular in their own way. Jesus obviously saw great value in His creations as He even referred to Himself as “the bright and Morning Star” (Revelation 22:16). But we as Christians must remember that none of these things deserves the respect and awe that our Creator (Genesis 1:26) deserves. After all, it is not God’s creation that offers us hope of eternal life, but rather God Himself. When it comes to important things in our lives, nothing glows more radiant than Jesus. Not sports, not jobs, not hobbies. Even our spouses and children are supposed to take a back seat to the importance of God in our lives. You see, when God is at the top of our priority list, everything else including family, jobs, hobbies, and sports will fall into place in just the right way. Jesus truly is our bright and Morning star.

Below: Pics of "rail grinder" re-surfacing train tracks in Fort Gibson on August 9, 2007. See bulletin article below.

Family Adventures in Fort Gibson
Can Lead to Meaningful Spiritual Conversations
by Barrett Vanlandingham (August 14)

Before last week, I had never heard of a rail grinder (back to that in a minute). But thanks be to God for His sense of humor and timeliness, a normal ole’ day out with my three children turned into something even more special. While my wife was getting her classroom ready at school, I took the kids (ages 14, 12, & 9) out for a day of adventure. I never know where we’ll wind up when we set out like this, but it’s always fun. We always run into something or someone interesting in Fort Gibson.
First, we went to the “Fort” area and toured around the Garrett house where the officer’s quarters were back in the 1800’s. It’s for sale. But since I can’t afford the $295,000 asking price, I decided to at least take some pictures of my kids on the front and back porch areas of the 7,000 square foot mansion and dream about how I would use this place for God if it were in my possession.
Then, went down the hill and across the tracks to the park and the old river bridge. Of course, if you read my previous article you know what I think of when I see bridges (Jesus is our support and bridge to heaven).
At some point while in the fort area things got really interesting. One of the kids said, “Here comes the train, let’s go take some pictures!” Yes, but it wasn’t the normal train that barrels through town. This one had two passenger cars, and about four other cars that I had never seen, and had tons of sparks flying out from under a couple of them. There were giant black metal protective flaps or shields attached to the sides just outside of the wheels. The next cars had huge sprinklers that appeared to cool down the rails and the areas on either side of the tracks. The caboose had a manned water sprayer on the back of it which appeared to be dousing any potential leftover sparks.
For a family of picture-taking fanatics, all of this was quite a spectacle, and made for some great photo ops as you can imagine. When the train stopped near the post office, we took that as an opportunity to find out exactly what they were doing. One worker who was shoveling dirt and rock away from the rails told us the train was a rail grinder. He said that rails have to maintain a certain shape in order for trains to continue running on them safely. He said that’s the job of the rail grinder. When you see the sparks coming out from under the train, the rail grinder is transforming the rails back into the shape they’re supposed to be.
For any Christian, it shouldn’t take a whole lot of creativity to see the spiritual applications here. In Romans 12:2a, the apostle Paul says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
Jesus is our “Rail Grinder.” You see, life and all its stresses and burdens have a way of disfiguring our spiritual thought processes. The path we travel can become unsafe when we allow worldly influences to dictate what’s normal, chiseling away at our spiritual values. Satan spends a lot of time trying to convince us that things like gossip, malicious talking, drunkenness, gambling, marital unfaithfulness, fornication, unwise use of time, and even poor prayer and study habits are okay as long as we don’t let it go “too far.” I have one word to say to that: “What?!”
Here’s the bottom line, you know, where the “train meets the tracks.” We must become more dependent on Jesus to renew and re-shape our minds. It won’t happen automatically over time any more than the train tracks will re-shape themselves. Jesus is the only way this will ever happen. If we are to make it safely to heaven, we must have a relationship with Him that continually transforms us because of His grace through prayer, Bible study, and obedience by applying His truths to our lives. May God bless us all as we strive daily to find those teachable moments with our children and grandchildren, and let Jesus be our spiritual “Rail Grinder.”

Recent Bridge Tragedy Catches National Attention
But Demands Spiritual Inspection for Every Individual
by Barrett Vanlandingham (August 9, 2007)

Times of loss such as the recent bridge collapse in Minnesota often force many of us to conduct a spiritual inspection of sorts, just as engineers there are doing physical inspections to see what went wrong. Those people who perished in that accident had no warning of their impending deaths. That’s the way life’s end often comes.
I couldn’t help but draw a parallel between the bridge in question, versus our spiritual bridge. Jesus is our bridge. You see, we have no way of getting to our heavenly destination without Him.
. As Jesus spoke to some of His disciples in the Gospel of John 14 he was giving a brief description of heaven as he was reminding them to trust in God and to have hope in the place where He was going. One of his disciples, Thomas, said he didn’t know the way to where Jesus was going. But verse 6 says, “Jesus answered, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” That’s also why we pray to God through the name of Jesus.
No matter how strong we build bridges, roads, buildings, and houses, things in this life are only temporary. Sooner or later, everything on earth will come to an end. Such will not be the case for the truths of our Savior. Matthew 24:35 quotes Jesus as saying, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”
There are a lot of things in life that are not certain. Who of us could even take one single breath without God’s help? And if we could, who of us could create the elements necessary to create the air we breath? Who of us could take a single step without God’s power? And if we could, who of us could create the ground we walk on?
One thing is for sure: that if we follow Jesus’ teachings, we will gain a reward in heaven. I don’t know anyone else who has ever promised me the gift of eternal life in heaven besides God, and I don’t know of anyone else who can take me to God except His Son, Jesus.
Now, back to that spiritual bridge inspection. If your support beams seem a little rusty or stressed, it’s not Jesus who’s supporting you. It’s always good to take frequent looks at where your strength is coming from. If you are feeling burdened by life’s load, chances are, you may be trying to be your own support and your own bridge. I don’t know of anyone who can successfully carry themselves down life’s messy roads. But Jesus can carry us! His shoulders are plenty broad enough. In fact, just imagine yourself standing on one side of a valley, and heaven is on the other side. Now imagine a big wooden bridge connecting the two. Now look closer, and notice that the wooden bridge is actually the blood-stained cross that Jesus died on. What a bridge! What a support! (Romans 6:1-5, 1 John 1:7, John 14:6). And He did it for you and me. God bless you.

Hola! Time for a ministry update
by Barrett Vanlandingham

Hello, that is. As you know, I usually write a devotional thought for my bulletin article. But once or twice a year I think it’s fitting to give you an update of my family’s work here in Fort Gibson.
By the time you read this, I will very likely be headed to the “border.” I thank you all so much for allowing me and my family to minister to the families here in our congregation, in the community, and even across the U.S. border into Mexico. What a blessing it is to be able to raise a family in such a wonderful place as Fort Gibson. My 14-year old daughter, Ashton, and I are the only ones of my family who are going on the mission trip to Saltillo with our congregation’s team of 34. Ashton and I are very grateful to make this trip which is about four hours across the Mexican border. Lisa is staying home with the two younger ones. Gracie turned 12 in May and will get to go in a couple of years. 9-year old Britton is not very happy that he doesn’t get to go, but I guess his time will come soon enough. Lisa continues to enjoy teaching the pre-schoolers after having taken a quarter off to teach the 7th-9th grade girls Wednesday night class. The day after we return from Mexico on July 30, my family minus Gracie will be headed to mini-camp July 1-4 at Burnt Cabin for the 7-9 year olds. Gracie will be staying with grandparents while Lisa, Ashton, and I help staff Britton’s last year as a mini-camper.
After that, I have about a week to finish getting ready for the full-week at Burnt Cabin for those who’ve completed 6th-12th grades. Our theme for July 15-21 will be “Looking to Heaven in 2007. We will take a look at five things Jesus offers us that should keep our eyes looking to that heavenly goal.
Next, I will be speaking at Claremore’s summer series on July 25 on the topic of “What Jesus taught about the poor, hurting, and afflicted.” Then, the youth group will go to Chandler Road’s youth Rally.
After that, I have a few days to make final preparations for Junior Camp at Burnt Cabin for those who’ve completed 3rd-5th grades. Our theme for the August 5-8 Junior Camp will be LIFE, which stands for Love, Identity, Father, and Eternal life. We will be looking at the world’s version of how we should view ourselves, versus how God says we should view ourselves, and how special each child is because of Jesus.
After that, the next big thing is after school starts. On August 24-26, I will be taking a large group of teens to the high energy Jumpstart Youth Rally in Neosho, Missouri where the theme for the 1000-participant weekend is “Ignite.” The church there has asked me to be one of the Bible class teachers. I always look forward to taking the kids to Jumpstart.
Our house is open every Thursday all summer from 7-9pm for teens to come by for an indepth Bible study, question and answers, and prayer time. Also, every Sunday night this summer we will have devotionals in various homes. There are six “Fun Days at the Farm” on the calendar. These have been a blast so far... Three for teens, and three for 3rd-5th grades. We go to Vanlandingham Farms in Tahlequah to ride horses, go fishing, play basketball, softball, and croquet, and have lunch.
Other than that… it’s a pretty quiet summer, ha. Thanks again for the continual encouragement in so many ways, the thoughtful notes, kind words, and smiles. You are truly a wonderful church family for my family to be a part of.

Teaching the Bible: A Worthy Calling
Are you willing?
by Barrett Vanlandingham (April 26, 2007)

The following are words to a song I wrote that express thankfulness to all of those who dedicate their lives to teaching children… and yes, those who taught us when we were children.
What a privilege it is to even have the same title as those teachers I remember from my childhood. Each of us owes a debt of gratitude to those who were the first to teach us about creation, and the great stories of Noah, Ruth, Jonah, Esther, Gideon, Moses, Elijah, and Abraham… just to name a few characters from the 39 books of the Old Testament.
And what would our lives be like if someone hadn’t taught us stories from the 27 New Testament books… stories about people like the twelve ordinary men Jesus chose to be His apostles, stories about Jesus’ life as a young boy all the way through to the beginning of His ministry, stories of His agonizing journey to the cross, and the greatest story of all… when Jesus overcame death, and returned to His Father to prepare us a place in heaven to live for eternity.
The will of God revealed in His word, delivered by teachers is something to be thankful for, and something that should inspire others to want to teach children, too.
Romans 10:15b “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.”
The song begins by looking into the eyes of children.

A Teacher’s Song (BV, April 1996)

You look into their eyes and see His wondrous creation.
They’re looking to you for what they need, but only He can give. (to chorus)

They call it the Great Commission, to “go into all the world.”
It starts here at home, teaching the little ones, to grow up strong. (to chorus)

A teacher's job is never done. There's always more to do.
You finish one task, then starts another one. It seems it's all on you. (to chorus)

Those same little children, you taught long ago, are grown up and teaching too.
Though years have flown by, it feels good inside, to know God worked in you.(to chorus)

So, thank you teachers, for what you do, for showing us the way.
For teaching God’s word, week after week, in what you do and say. (to chorus)

(chorus) So Lord, please speak through me, and do what is Your will.
For those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled.

Listening to God’s Voice
What would Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego say today?
by Barrett Vanlandingham (March 29, 2007)

Fort Gibson is a wonderful place to live and raise a family, but even here, there's probably not a sin under the sun that hasn't been committed. In a lost and broken world where the prince of this world (aka: the prince of darkness) thrives on alcohol abuse, gambling addictions, marital unfaithfulness, dishonesty, the love of money, cultural peer pressure, or maybe spending too much time with our hobbies and not enough time with our families and with God, it is more important than ever for us to pay close attention to what God is trying to tell us. Most of us have faced or currently face spiritual challenges and temptations that seem larger than life. The question of “Who do we listen to?” during those times plays an important role in our quality of life here on earth, as well as our eternal destiny.

Setting the Stage
The Bible text: Daniel 3. It was about 607 B.C. King Nebuchadnezzar set up an image of gold, ninety feet high and nine feet wide.
The Order?
Everyone in Babylon must worship the great image everytime the king’s royal music was played throughout the land. The king expected everyone, including Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who had been taken captive from Jerusalem to serve in the king’s palace, to bow down to the golden image.
The Consequences?
For those who didn’t bow down, they would immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.
The Problem? (at least for the king)
…is that those three young men being held captive for service to the king, were dedicated to God, and would not bow down to the golden image when they heard the sounds of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other music.

The Outcome?
As is always the case, God’s people won! Yes, the three were thrown into the fire, but God saved them.

What would Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego say today?
The application is simply that no matter what our culture is telling us, we must listen to God, and serve Him only. Did the three young men get cold chills when they heard the music? If they were human, I’m sure they did. Who would not get at least a few butterflies? They certainly knew how they would stick out when they just went about their business when the music was played, while everyone else was bowing to the statue. I think the young men would remind us today that like every good habit, serving God takes practice. They had already proven that by eating a simple diet of vegetables instead of the king’s royal food, they would look healthier and better nourished than others who were also captured for service to the king. I think the three would also tell us to stand firm in God’s word no matter how the world turns up the heat on us. People may make fun of Christians and their beliefs, but in the end, the Bible points out that the reward is much greater than the persecution. May we all renew our commitments to God daily as we continue to face challenges in this life.

Who do you listen to when there’s so many choices?
Your decision has eternal significance.
by Barrett Vanlandingham (March 08, 2007)

Recently, at Detour Zone (after school program for 6th-12th graders), I noticed how captivated a roomful of teenagers had become by just listening to each other’s ring tones on their cell phones. Some of the ring tones they have downloaded through the internet and from each other’s cell phones are “pretty interesting.” Everything from the sound of laughing babies, to the screech of a rock-n-roll guitar, to the clucks of chickens can be used as a ring tone. The more bizarre the sound, the more laughs you get from your friends when your cell phone rings. All of this started me to thinking about spiritual applications, since the world is full of sounds competing for our ears’ attention.
Matthew 13:1-9 tells the story of a farmer who was sowing seed. Some of it fell on hard ground where birds ate it up, some on rocky ground where the plants were scorched because of shallow roots, some on thorny soil which caused the plants to be choked out, and some on good soil which resulted in a very successful crop. Then Jesus said, “He who has ears, let him hear.” In this story, it’s easy to tell which soil (or life) was turned out the best… the one that accepted the message.
Jesus has given the same New Testament message to us for nearly two-thousand years. The question today is whether we are listening to the voice of truth, or to the messages being sent by the world. It can be confusing as Christians living in the world, yet being separate from it. It’s not an impossible task at all if we keep our ears in tune with the Gospel message of Jesus and the salvation He brings. It’s a irresistible message that we must help Jesus deliver to all.
Luke 10:38-41 tells the story of Jesus and his disciples visiting the home of Mary and her sister Martha. Preparations had to be made for the guests, but Mary chose to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to what he had to say. This didn’t go over very well with Martha who was busy getting things ready… and when Martha asked Jesus to tell her sister to start helping out, Jesus wouldn’t do it because he said Mary had made a better choice. What this means to me and you is that we need to constantly re-evaluate what’s important in life. Sometimes, we get so bogged down in the daily stresses of life and meeting deadlines, we forget about the importance of listening to what Jesus is trying to tell us in his word.
In Luke 10:16, Jesus had just chosen 72 people to go ahead of him to every town and place he was about to go. He told them, “He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” It’s so important for us to realize the consequences of not accepting and applying God’s word. True hearing, just like true believing, involves obedience, not just the accumulation of knowledge. God knows the difference.
1 John 4:1-6 echoes this thought, and states further that whoever knows God listens to God’s message, while those who are from the world do not. This becomes extremely important in light of what 1 Peter 3:12 has to say about who God listens to… “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
May God bless us all as we strive to hear Godly messages in a noisy world.

Good to the Last Drop... Jesus
by Barrett Vanlandingham

As I was brewing my morning coffee, a commercial jingle from probably thirty years ago wafted through my mind like the aroma I was taking in at the moment. As the deadline for my bulletin article was fast approaching, I couldn’t help but make the connection between a fresh pot of coffee and... Jesus. Do you remember the saying, "Good to the last drop?" It is certainly one of the most successful advertising campaigns ever.
Jesus is also "good to the last drop." In our world today, there are so many uncertainties. By that, I mean people, places, and things you cannot depend on. There is, however, someone you can always depend on... no matter how confused our culture becomes. That someone is Jesus. You never have to wonder whether he has changed his mind on anything. The answer is always no. He is the ultimate constant in the life of every Christian. He is an eternal compass because he always points us in the right direction. You never have to wonder whether he still loves us. The answer is always yes.
In coffee talk, Jesus is...
1) the most satisfying blend. He is the Savior to all kinds of people.
2) the perfect roast. He stayed on earth long enough to experience every temptation.
3) the richest aroma. Just one whiff and your eyes are opened to a whole new life.
4) the smoothest brew. He never changes and always tastes the same.
5) the boldest flavor. He lived with confidence and wants us to do the same.
6) the best ground. His word gives us everything we need. Not too much; not too little.
If you’re not a coffee drinker, thank you for indulging in this article anyway. I guess the most important lesson that any of us could gain from this little exercise, is simply that lessons about Jesus can be found anywhere if you will just look for them. So, why not sip a cup of creativity today and think about ways of including Jesus in everything you think, say, and do.

Holding Unswervingly
by Barrett Vanlandingham

It may have been a beautiful day today (Wednesday) weather-wise, but memories of the ice-storms of 2007 still linger in our minds. And for me, a wealth of spiritual applications have also stuck in my mind in the same way the freezing rain stuck to the roads, power lines, and trees.
One morning on my way to the church building, I re-discovered some things about winter driving: 1) Ice should always be respected. It never pays to be over-confident in your driving abilities. 2) Never have the attitude that you are all-knowing when it comes to sensing exactly the location of all those slick spots that can cause your car to be thrown off track. 3) Keep plenty of space between your car and everyone else's by thinking ahead.
So what does this have to do with our spiritual lives? 1) The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:12 "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!" Sometimes, we forget just how sneaky the devil really is in his ability to cause us to sin. There's nothing that makes satan happier than spotting someone who thinks they have it all figured out.
2) Arrogance opens the door to many opportunities to fall hard. The mature Christian knows to remain humble, no matter how much Bible knowledge he or she has attained. In other words, it always pays to be on the lookout for "ole Scratch" himself, since he has seemingly countless demons in his army with which to wage a war of evil against good. Remember, God always provides us a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13).
3) We as Christians sometimes like to ride the fence in matters of faith. We often think that as long as whatever we are doing, thinking, saying, or feeling isn't technically a sin, then it must be okay. In other words, let's just live as close to the edge as possible. But, it's good to keep more than a little distance between you and trouble. This makes it easier to stay on the right path when we are in constant fellowship with God and our Christian brothers and sisters (1 John 1:7).
May God bless each of us as we strive to travel on the pathway of righteousness, and “Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” (Proverbs 4:27)

Lessons from Nature
by Barrett Vanlandingham

It is amazing how God’s written word and God’s creation are a reflection of each other. Take for instance lessons on unity. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 teaches about the advantages of teamwork when it comes to getting a job done, and when it comes to taking care of each other when times get tough. Verse 12 says, “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
We’ve all seen firsthand the devastation that has taken place because of the ice-storm. Even trees that had been there for 100-years were no match for the freezing rain. But look closely at the picture below taken by Terry Hackworth. It’s a grove of tall pine trees planted and grown closely together. Despite the fact that many other strong and beautiful trees which stood nearby, proud and alone, were destroyed, these trees were able to bear the burden. What made the difference here? Unity.
Galatians 6:2 says, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” You see, when we help each other, good things happen. Ephesians 4:11-16 tells us that service leads to unity, and that unity leads to spiritual maturity, and that maturity brings us closer to the fullness of Christ. Verse 14 says, “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.” We learn here that making the mistake of unifying under the doctrines of men inevitably leads to a spiritual shipwreck. Let us all strive to follow the one and only Gospel (Galatians 1:6) and as we keep the unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:3).

Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy;
they will sing before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.
Psalm 96:12b