There is freedom for all in Christ

by Barrett Vanlandingham

July 4, 2017

          I love hearing the stories of those who participate in our church’s prison ministry. I think what moves me the most is the idea that even though the walls of the prison prevent earthly freedom for those inside, those same prisoners can be free in the most important way, spiritually.

          Our preacher, Dan Rouse, says he can’t even count the number of times he has baptized a prisoner who then came up out of the water weeping with joy and amazement at the fact that they are now free from the shackles of sin.

          In the story of Paul’s conversion to Christianity, we can only imagine his reaction when God worked through Ananias to give Paul, the great persecutor of Christians, back his sight. Then imagine Paul’s thoughts when Ananias said, “And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name” (Acts 22:16). Notice here that Paul’s sins were not forgiven before the baptism, but because he was baptized.

          The story of Philip and the Ethiopian is very similar. After Philip explained to him the good news of Jesus Christ, they both went down into the water so that Philip could baptize him. In this passage it is clear that the celebration took place not before, but after the baptism when the Ethiopian “went on his way rejoicing” (Acts 8:39).

           Paul reminded the new generation of Christians in Corinth that the bodies we have and the things we see and experience here on earth are not the end all. As Christians, we have something much greater ahead of us.  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Cor. 5:17).

          Paul told Christians in Rome that their baptism is what makes it possible to be raised like Christ, that “we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:3-4).

          In the Gospel book of John, Jesus said this to the Jews who believed him: “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples, Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).

          Have a great week!

Short term mission trips offer perspective

by Barrett Vanlandingham

June 27, 2017

          Two weeks ago I returned from a week-long mission trip to Honduras. Our team of teenagers and adults had mixed feelings about leaving. Like any poor third world country, the people there have so many needs.

          Half of our group conducted a Vacation Bible School at a church we helped plant in a little community known as Bethel. We painted three 16 X 16 sheds they use for worship and Bible class space. We also passed out food bags of rice, beans, spaghetti and sauce, sugar, coffee, and butter to church members and some visitors.

          I think the part we liked most was simply letting the children and their parents know that there are Christians in America who love them very much, and serve the same God as they do. We spent a lot of time singing with them in Spanish, playing lots of games, and getting lots of hugs (I know, tough assignment).  We left most of the Bible teaching to the local preacher and one of his Bible class teachers (since they actually speak Spanish!)

          The other half of our team, the construction crew, built two 20 X 20 houses about a mile from the church, for a couple of families who are members there.  And while the houses looked more like humble wooden storage sheds with flat tin roofs, they were nicer than anything those Christian brothers and sisters had ever lived in. It will be a change from their previous homes which were built with a collection of tree limbs, sheets of plastic, a few boards and pieces of tin.  

          By the way, there were no roads leading into the valley where the construction would take place, so our team spaced themselves out over about 100 yards starting at the top of a very steep hill where they would slide boards down the hill and through the trees from person to person until reaching the bottom.

          As always, we started our trip with the idea that we would brave the heat, fire ants, and flying insects to bless lives. But in the end, we once again left there feeling more blessed than ever to have spent such quality time with God’s family in Honduras.  Have a great week!

Clean Living Takes Planning

by Barrett Vanlandingham

June 20, 2017

    There's not much I don't like about barbeque ribs. I like’em fresh and hot, I also like’em leftover from the fridge. The fact that I have barbeque sauce all over my fingers when I'm finished eating? No problem, it's worth it.  

    Last weekend when my wife was out of town and I discovered something about barbeque I didn't like.  It happened when I decided that since nobody was around, I would skip doing dishes, and instead take a three hour nap. It seemed like a good idea at the time. But when I finally woke up, the caked on barbeque stuck to my serving bowl, plate, and silverware were still there staring at me as if I had abandoned them (which I had). So I grabbed the pan scrubber and began to chisel. I eventually got everything cleaned, but it dawned on me this task would have been a lot easier if I hadn't waited so long, ignoring a task that needed immediate attention.

    This scenario can also happen in our faith journey. In fact, we've all experienced it, and there are countless ways we can fall victim:  1. When you let a conflict go too long without making things right.

2. When you get so distracted by life you forget to pray to God.

3. When you stop making time to study God's word.

4. When you start making a habit of surrounding yourself with faithless friends who are not concerned about your spiritual life.

     

     James says “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin” (James 4:17).  

    In Romans 1:21-32, the apostle Paul talks about those who claimed to be wise but foolishly exchanged the glory of God for man-made idols.  This hardness of heart resulted in God giving them over to their sinful desires and the resulting consequences.

    In 2 Corinthians 6, Paul reminds Christians the importance of choosing believers as their closest allies because of the Godly fellowship with each other and with their Creator.

       Keeping a close walk with God's Holy Spirit is a good way to avoid spiritual laziness. He will help you keep your spiritual dishes clean both on the outside and on the inside where it really matters.  Have a great week! 

Don’t let life’s challenges drain you

by Barrett Vanlandingham

June 13, 2017

          Last week I dug what I thought was the perfect drainage ditch in my side yard to prevent water from pooling near my side garage door. I installed a drain, attached a pipe to carry the water from the drain to where it could disperse, and then filled the ditch back in with dirt. Seemed easy enough.

          The scene was set for success, or so I thought.  The heavy rains came. The storm drain and pipe filled up.  And then nothing! The water still pooled by the door, the drain didn’t drain, and the water did not flow through the pipe, or at least far enough. It became painfully obvious that I was going to have to do more digging. I thought to myself, “All that work for nothing!”

          Spiritually speaking, this scenario is very familiar to Christians. It’s our life. We read the Bible, pray, give to the church, attend worship, and try to live a clean life, so we think we should be able to win all of our spiritual battles. The only problem with that way of thinking is that it is not true.

          John says, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8).

          The apostle Paul says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

          So, not only have we all sinned, we continually find ourselves not living up to the standards set by God’s son who lived on earth and knows exactly what we go through.

          In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said that the Father “causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45).

          Preparing a good drainage system is not as easy as some might think. Preparing for the Christian life also takes a lot of work and faith (James 17-26). As for ditch digging, I think it is possible to finally get that perfect slope for drainage. Christians, on the other hand, will never be able to perfectly accomplish this life with all of its spiritual challenges. That’s what God’s grace and the love of Jesus is for.  Have a great week!