Above the Sun: The beauty of Jesus is rises above the flood

by Barrett Vanlandingham

June 9, 2019

            In light of the flooding we have experienced in many of our communities, I couldn’t help but think about how people might have felt in the days of Noah in relation to today.

There is a good chance nobody had ever seen rain before the worldwide flood. Imagine their shock!  In addition, when the flood did happen, it wasn’t only rain that caused it. Genesis 7:11 says “On that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights” (Genesis 7). Yes, rain fell, but just like the swollen banks of the Arkansas River, springs far beneath the surface of the oceans welled up with such force that everything on earth was covered. Even the highest mountains were under at least 23 feet of water!

            The Bible neither proves nor disproves that rain had not fallen up until the time of the flood. Genesis 2:5-6 only says that there were no shrubs when the earth was created because God had not yet sent rain. This was because there was no one to work the ground since man had not yet been created. At some point, there were streams or mists to “water the whole surface of the ground.”  But even after man was created, Genesis 2:10 says it was a river that watered the Garden of Eden. The first recorded rainfall was at the time of the flood.

            Here in Fort Gibson and surrounding towns, we saw some rain, but not nearly the kind of rain it would take to cause the flooding we’ve experienced. To me, the weirdest thing was that even with clear sunny skies around here, rainfall elsewhere caused floodwaters to inundate our area to levels no one ever imagined.

            One of the major differences between the days of Noah versus today is that Noah warned people about the flood for 100 years while he was building the ark. No one listened to his message of righteousness. Only Noah and his family made it out alive, floating their way to safety. The rest of the population perished because their hearts continued to be inclined towards “evil all of the time.”  

Here in our area, the “hundred-year flood” came with much less warning than in the days of Noah. But in the midst of its destruction of homes, property, crops, and business, our community has pulled together like possibly never before. Messages of righteousness are not only being preached, but are being practiced in countless ways. Neighbors, strangers, businesses, paid rescuers, and countless volunteers are all pitching in to help one another during our time of crisis. The heart of Christ is being seen in every selfless act of service and every word of encouragement.

            There are a lot of things we may never understand about the flood and consequences we are dealing with today. But it is definitely one for the record books, both in the amount of property loss, and in the amount of servant-heartedness being shown.  God bless!

Above the Sun: Finding the right church is worth some serious effort

by Barrett Vanlandingham

June 2, 2019 (original version, May 27, 2008)

Since Lisa and I are empty nesters, and since her 2007 minivan has over a hundred thousand miles on it, we’ve been thinking about a getting a replacement vehicle of the non-minivan variety. It’s a shopping task that seems pretty easy at first, that is, until you start looking at all the possibilities. Even after weeding out the ones that have bad looking tail lights, there is still a mind-boggling assortment of makes and models to sift through.

The same is true in religion. Google lists 15 different churches in the Fort Gibson area, not counting a half dozen more outside of the area where people attend. But how can this be? I thought the Lord died for his church (Ephesians 5:25), not churches. The church is referred to as the Lord’s body, not bodies. One body with many members (Romans 12:5).

Jesus said in Matthew 16:13-18 that based upon the rock (or fact) that He is the Son of God, He would build His church.

There is a difference between the term church which is the body of Christ as a whole worldwide, versus the term congregation which is a group of church members (or church family) that meets at a specific location. When a group or congregation of the Lord’s church decides it wants to practice their faith or conduct worship in a way that is not consistent with the Bible, that group becomes a denomination of the Lord’s church. They are no longer following God’s word, but their own agenda. Each congregation must make sure it is doing Bible things Bible ways so as to not branch away from God’s will and form man-made denominations.

Paul said, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit-just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:3-6).

Neither Jesus nor Paul ever said anything positive about there being many different kinds of churches that teach different messages from the true Gospel. In Galatians 1:6-9 Paul told the Christians there “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 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.”

            Jesus earned the right of our respect and obedience when He came to this earth to suffer, die, and be raised from the dead so that we could have hope of eternal life in heaven.

            Every denomination of the one true church most likely believes that what they are doing in the name of Jesus is right. One thing we can all agree on is this: We owe it to ourselves, our families, our friends, our acquaintances, and most of all to Jesus to go back to the Bible. We must make sure that our beliefs and practices are in line with Jesus Christ and the inspired word He has preserved for us to follow. Then, if we must worship in separate buildings because of tradition, personalities, or convenience, then so be it.

            May God bless us all as we continue to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12).  Have a great week!

Above the Sun: The greatest battle was won at the cross

by Barrett Vanlandingham

May 26, 2019

            As an American, I am extremely grateful for all those dedicated men and women who have died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. Their bravery and sacrifice make it possible for the rest of us to enjoy the freedoms we have in this country. Freedom of religion is at the top of the list of things we should be thankful for, since the result of it is the only thing that extends beyond this life. It is good and appropriate that we have a special holiday called Memorial Day set aside to honor these exceptionally committed Americans who make our freedoms possible.

            In the book of Daniel 6, we’re told about a time in Babylon when people were only free to pray to king Darius. It was a trap set for Daniel by those who were jealous of his position in the kingdom. They tricked king Darius into signing a law stating that if anyone prayed to any other god or person in the next 30 days, they would be thrown into a den of lions. Daniel had faith in His God, so he continued praying three times a day with his window open as had always done before. Sure enough, he was thrown into the den, and sure enough, God saved him.

Daniel knew God had a plan, not just for that day, but for every day in the future. Jesus was that plan. The prophet wrote about kingdoms that would rise and fall such as the Babylonian Empire, the Medes and Persians, the Greeks, and the Romans. But he also wrote about a very different kingdom that God would create, like a rock cut out of a mountain that would become huge, fill the whole earth, and never be destroyed. The kingdom of Christ. That includes the church He died for, and everything Jesus is about.

The reason Christ’s kingdom would last forever is because He defeated sin and death at the cross. As the perfect sacrifice for sin, He gave us a path to heaven. As Christians, the Bible instructs us to remember the death of Jesus each time we partake of the unleavened bread and fruit of the vine (1 Corinthians 11:26). The early church met and “broke bread” on the first day of each week (Acts 20:7). That is also the time they set aside money to help with the mission of the church.

So, as we remember those who have died while in service to our country, let’s also remember that Jesus Christ is at the center of the freedoms we all hold dear. Without Him, these hard fought freedoms would have no value in the long run.

Have a great week!

Above the Sun: Church family watches out for each other

by Barrett Vanlandingham

May 19, 2019

            When I think of a mighty oak tree, I think of strength, maturity, and longevity, practically indestructible. But just a few days ago when I turned into my parents’ driveway, I could hardly believe my eyes. The recent storms had saturated the ground near a large oak tree. The high winds did the rest, toppling what otherwise appeared to be a very healthy tree. It was now lying flat across their fence, roots pulled completely out of the ground, leaving a huge hole about the size of a ’92 Lincoln filled with stormwater.

            I don’t know about you, but I am sometimes guilty of assuming that just because a Christian brother or sister appears to be strong and mature, that they are not vulnerable to Satan’s attacks like anyone else. If there is one lesson in spiritual warfare that surprises me every single time, it’s that the devil hardly ever strikes where you expect.

            “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12).

As Christians, some of our most precious resources that can help us in the fight against darkness are those people who have lived long enough to gain valuable wisdom. A mature Christian is often better equipped to handle the storms of life than someone who is younger and immature in their faith. Their advice can be priceless. But even they can topple emotionally and spiritually if not given proper amounts of encouragement from the rest of the church family. This is true for anyone. You do not always know from the outside if someone is struggling.

Mature Christians are sort of like well-made automobiles. They can help carry us safely where we need to go, but we must do our part in making sure their tanks have plenty of fuel to get us there. Sometimes, a mature Christian might need to take a little time off from teaching, so they can re-charge and avoid burn out.

            The Bible has a lot to say about how to treat those Christians whose shoulders we stand on, and what we stand to gain when we listen to those who have invested many years in aligning their lives with God’s will.

            “Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity” (1 Timothy 5:1-2).

            “Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future” (Proverbs 19:20).

            “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you” (Hebrews 13:17).

            The harsh winds and heavy rains are sure to come. We would all do well to strive to protect the mighty oaks in our lives. They are a treasure. Have a great week!