An honest approach to scripture is vital

by Barrett Vanlandingham

June 7, 2016

            With so many life choices to make these days, it would be easy to make the mistake of including scripture in that list of things we can edit, amend, or delete as we see fit. The problem with that approach to Bible study is simply that God’s word not only provides the answers to all of life’s toughest problems, but it also supplies us with a road map to heaven.

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

            So, when we edit, amend, or delete portions of God’s word based on our personal preferences, we are not following God’s word anymore, but instead, our own version of what we want it to say. We are no longer thoroughly equipped because we have chosen to change the God-breathed words of the Bible in exchange for something way inferior. This means the answers to life’s toughest questions will not be correct, and neither will the road map to heaven. I don’t know about you. But if it weren’t for God’s word, I would not know the answer to many of life’s questions, nor would I know how to get to heaven. I am sure you’ve noticed that even when we try our best to follow God’s word, life is still full of trials. The difference is that when we follow God’s will, we can take joy in knowing that when this life is over, we have a home in heaven waiting for us, not because we’ve earned it, but because we trusted and obeyed God’s word. On top of that, if we teach others the Bible as God intended, that heavenly celebration we all look forward to will be even sweeter in the presence of those we introduced to Christ.

            Paul taught the Galatians the good news of Jesus Christ. But later, he found out that some of the church members had changed the details of Christ’s story, and were headed down the wrong path. Paul then delivered the sad news to them that those who turned to a different gospel would be under God’s curse (ref: Galatians 1:6-9).

            The writer of Revelation goes as far as to say that anyone who adds to or takes away from that scroll of prophecy will lose their heavenly reward (ref: Revelation 22:18-19).”

            Both of these examples are sobering reminders of just how important it is to let God be God, and to trust His word and no one else’s to bring us salvation.

            Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commands (John 14:15).”  That’s pretty simple.  Have a blessed week!

Christians should have good taste and glowing reviews

by Barrett Vanlandingham

May 31, 2016

            One of the hardest things for Christians to do, no matter what age, is to lead others to Christ. Even those who feel like they have a pretty good personal relationship with God often feel intimidated or inadequate when it comes to bringing others to Jesus.  At one of my summer camps we will be giving young Jesus followers some spiritual tools to help them bring others to Christ by being what Jesus calls “salt and light.”

            In the New Testament, we find Jesus sitting on a mountainside teaching his disciples. Before he was finished, large crowds had assembled to hear the One they had previously witnessed teaching and healing people with all kinds of diseases and demon possessions. They said Jesus was teaching and healing in a manner that was unlike anything they had ever seen.

            In explaining to the crowds how to bring honor to God, He said,

            “13 You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. 14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:13-16, ESV).”

            Jesus was a master at using whatever and whoever were around Him to better get His message across. No doubt, while sitting on a slope near the Sea of Galilee, His audience could relate perfectly to the importance of salt. After all, much of their food came from the water they were overlooking. And even though the Sea of Galilee is actually freshwater, they certainly understood the importance of using salt as both a preservative for their food, and to make it more flavorful.

            Jesus’ words apply to today’s Christians just as much as to the people who were listening to Him on that mountainside. A relationship without salt is doomed to fail because it has nothing to make the relationship tasteful, or make it last for the long haul. The salt of a Christian attitude includes things like selflessness, encouragement, love, honesty, patience, and loyalty.

            Jesus also spoke of the importance of his disciples being a light for others. No one knows for sure, but I imagine this gathering taking place after supper just before the sun went down. Maybe Jesus was pointing to lights coming from the nearby town of Capernaum, or possibly he was referring to torch lights from the crowds sitting on the hillside. Either way, his audience would understand when He said, “A city on a hill cannot be hidden.”

            We can be a light for Christ by being kind and helpful to those around us. The old saying, “Your reputation precedes you” applies to what Jesus is saying. A good reputation is priceless and hard to hide. When our attitudes and lives mirror the love of Jesus, people will naturally be more open to anything we have to say. Being salt and light will not only strengthen our spiritual walk, but also help others find Christ. Have a blessed week!

The greatest graduation gift of all is the Holy Spirit

by Barrett Vanlandingham

May 24, 2016

            Well, another Fort Gibson graduating class is already a few days into that long awaited “next chapter in life.” The graduation ceremony is over. They’ve walked the stage. There’s no more high school to attend, no more pep rallies, no more EOI testing, no more detention, no more AP classes, no more school bus rides, no more practices for extracurricular activities, and no more school lunches in the Tiger Cafeteria. So many things to miss!

            So what lies ahead now? Some will jump right in and start working full-time jobs, some will be off to the military defending our country, and some off to get a college education in hopes of landing their dream job someday. This is that time in life where there is not just a fork in the road, but more like a big rake in the expressway, with each point leading to a very different kind of life. For high school graduates, the pressure can seem overwhelming because they don’t fully know what experiences lie ahead depending on which direction, or inner dispersal loop on-ramp they choose.

            Even though a lot of things are uncertain, one thing is for sure. If you are a baptized believer, the Bible says that you have the gift of the Holy Spirit. You will never be alone. God’s Holy Spirit dwells inside you, and will go with you on every journey for as long as you are on this earth. That’s a BIG deal, because the Holy Spirit comforts us (Acts 9:31), guides us and identifies us as children of God (Romans 8:14), helps us talk to God (Romans 8:26-27), teaches us (1 Corinthians 12:8), challenges us to live better lives (Galatians 5:25), and marks us as saved for that final day (ref: 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 and Ephesians 1:13).

            Under the Old Law before Jesus came and died, God’s children could be obedient by following sets of rules and giving an animal sacrifice each year, but none of those things could save them. Perfection could not be found in any of those things. It wasn’t until Jesus came along, lived a perfect life, died on the cross as the perfect sacrifice, and ascended back to His Father that sins could actually be forgiven. Christ’s blood flowed backwards to cover those who were obedient in the Old Law days, and it flowed forward to cover those who are obedient to the New Covenant/Testament which Christians live by today.

             In Acts 2:38, Peter had just finished preaching the first Gospel sermon since the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus had taken place. Many Jews who had previously not believed that Jesus was God’s son now believed. They were cut to the heart (remorseful) for having had anything to do with the crucifixion. They asked what they needed to do.  Peter said, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).”

            A lot of gifts are given to high school graduates. But the gift of the Holy Spirit would be the best one of all. If you or someone you know would like to study the Bible with me about this blessed gift, I would be happy to visit in person, on the phone, or through e-mail.  Have a great week!    

A hopeful day is always ahead

by Barrett Vanlandingham

May 17, 2016

            “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I will hope in him (Lamentations 3:22-24).”

             Jeremiah, known as the “weeping prophet”, is traditionally thought to have authored the Old Testament book of Lamentations. You may have heard his words from the above text put to music. If you only read those verses, you wouldn’t know that the book as a whole is actually a despairing poem about the destruction of Jerusalem in about 586 B.C.

            God’s prophets were always telling His people to shape it up, or face some serious consequences. But even when the Jews obeyed God, it was never for very long. They always managed to fall away, disobey, follow other gods, or all of the above. So, in this case, the consequences were that Jerusalem was destroyed, and King Nebuchadnezzar took captive some of the best and the brightest of its young citizens such as Ezekiel, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. But whereas they were taken to Babylon, Jeremiah was left in Jerusalem where he had to face the destruction of his community every single day. On top of that, many people simply hated Jeremiah because he was the bearer of bad news of the destruction before it came.

            In our lifetimes, many things change. God’s word is not one of those things. Each generation worries about what’s happening in our world. We are thrown off balance. We wonder what God’s plans are for fixing things, and whether we will get to be a part of the solution, or a casualty of God’s wrath brought about by our own generation’s disobedience and rebelliousness. Instead of holding to God’s unchanging hand, our generation as a whole has chosen to fall into the devil’s ever-changing deceitful and alluring traps that adjust and morph to take advantage of each generation’s pride and weaknesses.

            Even with all of the destruction that Jeremiah and so many other prophets witnessed throughout the ages, they always remembered and credited God for being their only hope, if anyone would listen and obey. This is also true for us today even though, just like back then, there will be consequences we will all have to live with because of the choices we have made as a nation.

            Just like Jeremiah, we can always hope in this: God’s love is never-ending. His mercies for us never lose their power. They will be just as new and fresh tomorrow when you wake up, as today. We have a new opportunity every morning to draw nearer to God, His love, and His mercies. The choice is ours.  Have a blessed week!

God’s grace covers more than we will ever know

by Barrett Vanlandingham

May 10, 2016

            I am so thankful for the blessings of life.  Yes, we all have things in our lives we would rather do without. If we didn’t, we would already be in heaven. But a few days ago, I was sitting at my desk making my song list for Sunday when blessings began to flood my mind so much it was a little overwhelming.  If this has never happened to you, I encourage you to take some time out away from any distractions, and just think about all the ways you have been blessed, and then talk to God, and express to Him as best you can your thankfulness.

            My moment might have had something to do with the song I was reading through at the moment: “Grace Greater Than Our Sin.”  I had already been thinking of how grateful I was for the sunshine, the cool breeze, the green grass, and the church volunteers who were cutting the grass that day.  I had also been reading online the thoughtful sentiments so many had posted on Facebook about some of the beautiful qualities that make mothers so special.

            All that being said, it was the words of that song about God’s grace that truly blew me away. I think it was the line that said, “Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt.”  What a tremendous and indescribable gift we have in the form of God’s grace.

            Our pulpit minister, Dan Rouse, has been preaching for over forty years. He told me it has only been in the last several years that he has even begun to comprehend the role that grace plays in our salvation. Dan says that a good example of grace would be the fact that he was baptized into Christ as a boy. Since then, he has gained a lot more knowledge and has done a lot more things for the Lord. But he said that he is no more saved today (or in his words, “saved-er”) than he was back then, thanks to God’s grace.  

            I think most of us have a difficult time accepting or even understanding grace. It truly is hard to accept that no matter how hard we try to do everything right, we’re going to fall short (Romans 3:23). That is why we need God’s grace. If it weren’t for grace, none of us would have a chance to enter heaven.

            The apostle Paul, in one of his earliest letters, told the Galatians about the importance of believing in Jesus Christ, and putting Him on in baptism in regards to their salvation (Galatians 3:1-14 and 3:26-27). He also reminded the Romans of this several years later (Romans 3:22-31 and 6:1-11).  A few years after that, Paul told people in Ephesus who had already obeyed this same pattern, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).”  Still, Paul says it would not be right for us to purposely sin just so grace could bail us out (Rom. 6:1).

            When Paul wrote letters to local churches, he always had a purpose. Maybe the Ephesians were a little like me, unable to comprehend grace, so we stress out trying to do everything right, even though there is nothing we can do on our own to make it into heaven. Sure, I can obey as best I can. All of the New Testament writers talk about the importance of obedience, and God knows our hearts. But if I could earn my salvation, there would have been no need for Jesus to come to earth and die on a cross for my sins. So, today and always, I am grateful for God’s grace. Have a blessed week!