God provides many reasons for giving thanks

by Barrett Vanlandingham

November 3, 2015

            Family, friends, food, and shelter are usually the answers I get when I ask teens to list some of the things for which they are thankful. That’s a great start, but that’s usually about the extent of it, at least when asked in a classroom setting. I guess it’s just an age issue, but when I start thinking about all the things for which I am thankful, it’s a near never-ending process, a little like what happens when you ask a 4-year old the same question. They just keep going!

            November is traditionally the time when people think more about being thankful. Many even look for opportunities to serve those less fortunate during this season. Once again, that’s a great start, but I kind of view November like I think about mission trips. The excitement and passion for thankfulness and serving others is not supposed to stop there. If anything, this month should be just the beginning or the spark for what we as Christians do year round. The obvious question to ask ourselves is whether we make it a practice to continually thank God for all the ways He blesses our lives. If the answer to that is yes, then the next question would be whether we let that thankfulness show everyday in the way we live and treat others.

            In speaking to Christians in Galatia, the apostle Paul reminded them to not only bear their own burdens, but to be ready and willing to bear one another’s burdens.

            “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith (Galatians 6:9-10).”

            At first glance, it might be easy to get the wrong impression about Paul’s message here. He is not trying to get Christians to be nicer to each other than we are to other people. I believe Paul’s challenge to us is to spread the good news of Jesus Christ to all people in hopes they will be baptized into Christ (Romans 6:1-11, Galatians 3:26-27, Matthew 28:19-20). In doing so, Christians are truly doing “good” to those who need it most, the unsaved.

            Of course, those newly saved who God has added to His family (Acts 2:47) will also experience the unity that one would expect of a team of spiritual warriors all pulling for each other, providing for one another’s needs, and fighting together against a common adversary.

            I think being added to God’s family is the greatest thing for which I have to be thankful. It is also the most important thing I could do for someone else. This week, let’s all make an effort to introduce someone to Jesus Christ.  They will be thankful now and forever. Have a blessed week!

The love of Jesus is sweeter than candy

by Barrett Vanlandingham

October 27, 2015

            This weekend, trick-or-treaters will be hitting the neighborhoods, knocking doors, and collecting as much candy as they can possibly carry.  It’s a fun tradition I always looked forward to as a kid, and one that still brings as many smiles to the giver as to the receiver.

            On a daily basis, we all come in contact with people who are looking for something to smile about. That’s why most of us appreciate a funny joke, a heart-warming story, or a song that just makes us feel good. For years, one of my favorite elderly friends at church, I.B. Branscum, has handed me a wintergreen Lifesaver when I shake his hand. It still makes this 50-year old kid smile! We all like to be around people like that any time of year!

             As Christians, we have the best treats of all to share, and you won’t find them on any grocery store shelf, or in any plastic jack-o-lantern! I’m talking about the love of Christ. This includes a lot of wonderful things people are looking for even if they don’t realize it. Sometimes people are simply looking for acceptance, but if the arms of Christians are not open wide to welcome them in, they will look in another direction, probably one that leads them away from God. Sometimes people just need for someone to show them compassion. This is not to be confused with approval. But unless we show people the love of Christ in the form of hospitality, kind words, notes of encouragement, a visit, a good deed, or just a kind smile, we will not likely get the opportunity to teach them the way of the Lord. That is why practicing patience is so important. After all, God is patient with us (2 Peter 3:9).

            There are many ways to bless the lives of the people we come in contact with every day.  As Christians, we are to keep in step with the Holy Spirit. The apostle Paul tells us the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

            If we let our light shine with those qualities in the way we live each day, it will be obvious to others that God really does make a difference and is worthy of our praise (Matthew 5:16).  God’s word is said to be “sweeter than honey to my mouth (Psalm 119:103).” To me, this is a challenge for Christians to share God’s message in a way that makes people want more.

            Jesus says, “A good person produces good from the good treasure of his heart, and an evil person produces evil from an evil treasure, because the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart (Luke 6:45)."

            This week, let’s all let our heart overflow with sweetness of God’s word, and the good that can only come from the love of Christ. It’s better than candy, and the smiles you get in return will be worth it.  God bless you!

Music is a gift from God

by Barrett Vanlandingham

October 20, 2015

            My son, Britton, plays baritone in the Fort Gibson High School Royal Regiment band. In fact, they are playing at a district contest today, and will defend their state champion status at the OBA (Oklahoma Bandmasters Association) competition on Saturday. I realize I might be a little biased, but as a minister, when I listen to live musical performances such as these, I can’t help but thank God for the gift of music. It is not only a gift to us, but God also likes it!

            In Revelation, John wrote, in part, about the future fall of Rome, but he also wrote about his vision of heaven. He sets the scene by describing a heavenly worship event that truly blows my mind!

            “² And I saw what looked like a sea of glass glowing with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name. They held harps given them by God ³ and sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb:  “Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the nations. ⁴ Who will not fear you, Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed (Revelation 15:2-4).”

            Not only will God give harps to at least some of his worshippers in heaven, but an instrument is precisely how Christ will announce his second coming, as He returns to bring His faithful home.

            ^“16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God (1 Thessalonians 4:16).”

            In both instances, the instrument is a tool to help or aid something else of much greater importance. In the first passage, even though the worshippers are given harps, it is the message of what the worshippers sing that is offered to God. In the second passage, even though the trumpet of God will aid in getting all of humanity’s attention whether alive or dead, it is the message of God on judgement day that all of creation will be longing to hear. On that day, many will sadly discover that things like tone, pitch, emotion, and memory re-call did not evolve by accident, but that everything in the universe and in heaven was created by God.

            When my 20-year old daughter was about four, she asked me if I thought she was an angel. Haha. I told her no, I didn’t think she was an angel, but that she was definitely a gift from God. As for the high school band. It’s the same thing. Their performances are simply magnificent!  I know many of the band members, and they are no angels!  But I truly believe the music they perform is a good thing, made possible by our Creator, a blessing to those who hear it, and I suspect God likes it too. Good luck Royal Regiment!   Have a great week!  

Pray about everything everyday!

by Barrett Vanlandingham

October 13, 2015

            Since I told you in last week’s column about my dad and the chest pains he had been dealing with, I am very happy to tell you things are just fine now after his doctor installed a stent in a vein on the left side of his heart. Thanks for the prayers of righteous people. God is so good.

            My “O ye of little faith” question to God would be this: Was my dad’s heart already healthy, or did prayer really make a difference?  When I was a young Christian, if something I prayed for turned out to be nothing, I probably would have thought my prayers were not needed after all.  I do not think that way now. As I have matured in my faith, I have come to realize there are some things we will never know this side of eternity. However, I will say that God has answered prayers, God does answer prayers, and He will again. We often don’t get the answer we wanted, or maybe in the time frame we wanted it. But God does answer prayers in the best way, even though we may not understand His reasoning.  Humanity must learn to have faith in Him, and trust that God will make all things work for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28) whether in good times or bad.

            My heart and prayers go out to those families who have lose loved ones because of situations that just don’t make sense. 16-year old Ben Hamm of Bartlesville died last month from a head injury he received in a football game. His dad, Steven, is the youth minister at the nearby Dewey church of Christ, and continues to encourage others to draw near to God, just as Ben did, and was known as a fine Christian young man. I have never met Steven or his wife Misti, but their continued faith has become a huge inspiration for me and so many others. Please pause and pray for the Hamm family.

            One thing is for sure, God cannot be tempted, nor will He ever tempt us (James 1:13).

As far as when it is appropriate to give God the glory for things?  It is good to give praise and honor to God anytime we receive good news, or even when we simply receive no bad news since God is the giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17).  Even when you have an average or boring day, it could be because a prayer warrior brought your name before the Lord to be blessed that day?  Just think of all the days that go by that God might have had a direct hand in causing a happy ending when it could have easily ended differently.

            We can all live in the peace and comfort of knowing that ultimately God is in control. The New Testament says Christ not only created everything, but he also holds all things together (Colossians 1:17), and is the only path to God (John 14:6).  Even ancient writings outside of the Bible confirm Jesus’ existence and his miracles, which the Bible says were performed so people would believe that Jesus is God’s son, and the giver of eternal life (John 20:31).

            Today, talk to God often, and give Him credit for all of life’s little “coincidences” that are a blessing.  Have a great week!

Health concerns are great reminders of Biblical truths

by Barrett Vanlandingham

October 6, 2015

            We all have those days we could live without. For me, one came last week when I received a text from my mother saying my dad had suffered chest pains and shortness of breath. A trip to the ER in Tahlequah helped, but then a week later as I sat down to write this Fort Faith column, I received another message that he had yet another attack overnight. He took nitro pills to settle things down, and then worked on setting up an appointment with a surgeon. We all have friends and family who are going through life challenges of one kind or another. I write these things not just as emotional therapy for myself, and not even to inform the world about my dad’s health, but simply to bring attention to a spiritual truth the apostle Paul wrote about long ago.

            He said, “1 Our bodies are like tents that we live in here on earth. But when these tents are destroyed, we know that God will give each of us a place to live. These homes will not be buildings that someone has made, but they are in heaven and will last forever.

            2 While we are here on earth, we sigh because we want to live in that heavenly home.

            3 We want to put it on like clothes and not be naked. 

            4 These tents we now live in are like a heavy burden, and we groan. But we don’t do this just because we want to leave these bodies that will die. It is because we want to change them for bodies that will never die.

            5 God is the one who makes all of this possible. He has given us his Spirit to make us certain that he will do it.

            6 So always be cheerful! As long as we are in these bodies, we are away from the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:1-6, CEV).”

            I love Paul’s perspective. After living the first part of his life as a persecutor of Christians, he lived the rest of his life being persecuted as a Christian evangelist. Everything he dished out to Christians like Stephen, he was on the receiving end of it later. Paul lived through beatings, hunger, imprisonment, homelessness, and exposure to cold. At some point, it became clearer than ever to Paul that these bodies we live in are temporary, like tents that can only be patched up for so long. They were never meant to last forever. While in a Roman prison being held for preaching the Gospel, Paul was trying to decide if it would be better to live or die. He decided it would be a win-win, but with the edge actually in favor of death.

            “If I live, it will be for Christ, and if I die, I will gain even more (Philippians 1:21).”

            We should never wish our lives away, since we are partners with God in bringing souls to Christ. But the fact is, if people like Paul, John the Baptist, Stephen, Job, and Jesus himself suffered while in the body, we will too. The important thing to remember is that God is with us on the mountaintops and in the valleys of life. And no matter what happens here, faithful Christians will be rewarded, and will be re-united one day in heaven. So, it’s best to always be prepared.  Have a blessed week!