Happy Anniversary Sweetie! The Yoke’s on Us
by Barrett Vanlandingham
(June 3, 2008)
A wedding anniversary is one of those things you don’t want to miss. Mine and Lisa’s just happens to be June 3, 1989. This makes 19 wonderful years for us.
Being married to a “Proverbs 31” woman has made things quite enjoyable and entertaining over the years. Proverbs 31:10-12 says, “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.”
This passage goes on to talk about all the ways the virtuous woman watches over the affairs of her household. It says, “:23 Her husband is respected at the city gate…” “:28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.” :31 …let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”
Lisa and I work at our marriage. Nothing good, including a good marriage, comes without determination and team work. In fact, many of the things that make a woman of noble character could also be said of a noble man. The reason a husband would be respected at the city gate is because his wife has a good reputation in the community and regarding faithfulness to the marriage. The same can be said of the woman.
When it comes to team work, the Bible has plenty to say. The apostle Paul talks about this in the book of 2 Corinthians 6:14 through 7:2. He says, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?”
Any married couple can testify to the fact that arguments often take place over the strangest of things. It may be a big issue. But often, it’s something small or seemingly insignificant that sparks a HUGE fight. My point is that relationships are challenging enough without adding the element of religious differences. It would be worth the effort of any aspiring couple to look into their spiritual beliefs before being joined in holy matrimony. Overlooking issues of religion could result in a holy nightmare!
The picture Paul is painting in this passage is of the unity of two oxen that work well tied together under the same yoke. This would be in contrast to trying to force, let’s say, an ostrich and a kangaroo into the same yoke, and expecting them to successfully pull a plow through a field. It’s not going to happen because the partnership was doomed from the beginning.
The only way a marriage will be blessed by God is if both partners vow to put God (our Yoke) first, even above their spouse. And in doing so, the husband and wife will honor each other, and God will make sure everything else falls into place.
Lisa, thanks for being such a wonderful wife and mother to our children.
Happy Anniversary, Sweetie! Love, Barrett.
Should we shop for churches like we shop for cars?
by Barrett Vanlandingham (May 27, 2008)
My oldest daughter is now 15, and she’s had her intentions set on taking over my Jeep Grand Cherokee for quite sometime. Granted, my Jeep is 11 years old now, but I still like it and so I’m having a little trouble deciding whether to let her have my vehicle, or get a different car for her. One thing I’ve discovered lately, especially since I haven’t shopped for a vehicle in quite a while, is that there is a mind-boggling assortment of makes and models out there.
The same is true in religion. Here in Fort Gibson, there are 18 churches listed on the Chamber of Commerce website. But how can this be? I thought the Lord died for one church, not many.
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).”
Jesus said in Matthew 16:13-18 that based upon the rock or fact that He is the Son of God, He will build His church.
Neither Jesus nor Paul ever said anything positive about there being many different kinds of churches that teach different messages from the true Gospel. However, this is not a new problem.
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.”
Parents, more than anyone, should understand the concept of making sacrifices for their household, and then making rules for the family to keep. Parents have that privilege of making lawful rules, and children have a responsibility to abide by what parents say. The Bible says so.
It’s the same way with Jesus. He 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. But 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 are in line with Jesus Christ. Then, if we insist on being in separate buildings because of traditions, personalities, or convenience, then so be it.
Paul told a young Timothy in chapter 3:16 that “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.”
Hebrews 12:2-3 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 the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
May God bless us all as we continue to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12).
Blown down trees: Let’s get to the ‘root cause’
by Barrett Vanlandingham (May 20, 2008)
As soon as I saw the damages in our yard, the voices in my head were singing this old song loud and clear, “Just like a tree that’s planted by the water, I shall not be moved.” My yard retains water really well, so what was the problem?
In only a week’s time, Lisa and I lost two trees, one from the front and one from the back yard. Both trees were blown over by high winds, but for very different reasons that warranted some spiritual analogies to pass on to you.
The first tree that “got it” was one of those beautiful but smelly Bradford Pears I talked about in an earlier article. This tree was HUGE for a Bradford Pear. It was obviously thriving where it was planted. But anyone who’s ever had a Bradford knows that its limbs are a little on the brittle side, and the branch angles are narrow which make them susceptible to breaking in high winds. So, you’re supposed to keep them trimmed so that won’t happen, or at least as quickly. Well, that’s a rule I didn’t exactly keep. So, when the winds came, the very large and strong-looking tree snapped like a twig.
Spiritually speaking, it is also dangerous to have narrow branches or attitudes. As Christians, we must reach out with open arms to the unsaved as well as to our Christian family. Failure to be transparent with our faith can cause us to become a little on the brittle side, and it also deprives others of much needed encouragement. We ourselves may appear to have it all together, but when troubling winds blow our way, it’s nice to have the support of our Christian family. Hebrews 10:24 tells us that meeting together helps us stay strong in love and good deeds.
That’s why James 5:16 says, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”
Wider angles on your branches also helps fulfill the Great Commission of Jesus to “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19)…”
The second tree was a willow. So, it had no problem bending, swaying, or reaching out. Its problem was the shallowness of its roots. There was plenty of water for the willow to drink. But when it began to grow, its roots stayed too close to the surface, never diving deep into the soil where it could be anchored strongly.
Spiritually speaking, the lesson is that it’s not hard to be planted in Christ. Romans 6:1-14 says we get into Christ by being baptized and this frees us from our sins (Acts 2:38). But when we commit to God, we must also commit to growing in Christian virtues. 2 Peter 1:3-11 tells us about the nature of God. Verse eight says, “For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
So are we saved when we are planted in Christ? Yes. But unlike a tree, we have a choice as to how deep our roots grow. But just like a tree, we risk being pulled up by our roots when the winds blow if we do not increase in our knowledge and apply what we’ve learned just like the seed planted in good soil in Matthew 13:23.
God knows when we are giving Him our best, and He will reward each person according to what he has done (Matthew 16:27).
We Have A Lot To Croak About
by Barrett Vanlandingham (May 13, 2008)
Are you a frog? That’s an odd question! But the other night when I was sitting on my back porch here in Fort Gibson, my 12-year old daughter, Gracie, ran up to Lisa and I, jumping up and down, and revealed her newest treasure. It was a tree frog about as big as my thumb. Of course, it had big sticky hands and feet, and bulging eyes. But that’s not what I wanted to tell you about.
It was bedtime, so I told Gracie, “It’s a school night! Just put down the frog and go to your room.” So, with some resistance she carefully placed it on a water-covered stump in the backyard, about 7 feet from where I was sitting. I told Gracie, “Don’t worry! As soon as you go to bed, the frog will probably get its top hat and cane, and do a little jig for us.” Well, that didn’t happen. But what did happen sparked an idea for this article.
That little frog began to croak a medium high-pitch tone that was so loud I could barely carry on a conversation with my wife. What a disaster! Just one frog was making all that noise. And then I could hear what sounded like dozens of other frogs in the distance chiming in with this one. As soon as I got past the shock of how loudly one frog could croak, I thought to myself just how much like a tree frog are we as Christians supposed to be? Just think of the lessons we can learn from critters like this!
In the Bible, frogs are generally not represented in a very positive light. They are referred to as one of the plagues in the story of Moses and Pharaoh. And in Revelation, it is said that three evil spirits looked like frogs.
But I would like to submit a different view of frogs. Much like a frog that clings to a tree, we as Christians cling to a tree, also known as the cross of Jesus Christ. Remember the old song “I will cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it someday for a crown.” It is the fact that Jesus hung on a tree that empowers each of us to boldly proclaim (even when it seems like no one is listening) the Gospel story of Jesus Christ, and what He did for us.
In the case of Jesus, He would voluntarily cling to a cross to give us hope. He was the perfect sacrifice, and the very reason why we as God-following people no longer cling to the Old Testament way of doing things such as animal sacrifice.
“because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins (Hebrews 10:4).”
People who lived prior to the crucifixion of Jesus are also covered by His blood if they obeyed the Old Testament law.
You may never view yourself as a frog clinging to a tree, croaking out through the night. But that’s okay as long as you remember that Jesus hung on a tree, and that we as Christians should imitate Jesus and offer our bodies as living sacrifices to God (Romans 12:1). And just like that frog, we also have a message worth telling the world about, beginning in our own neighborhoods. Have a great day!
Welcome to my bulletin article site. What I do is minister to young Christians, their families, their friends, and others in the Fort Gibson, OK area. So check-in every now and then, and I'll try to have an encouraging word for you.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Mothers are Special
by Barrett Vanlandingham (May 8, 2008)
To imagine what life would have been like without my mother is almost too much to think about. I was one of those boys who would have married his mom, at least until I went to first grade and discovered there was such a thing as girls.
I remember just like it was yesterday. For the first few days of school, my mom would stand in the hallway outside my classroom door and occasionally look through the window. Eventually, I noticed she wasn’t there anymore, but that was okay because she still picked me up everyday for lunch at the city park in Tahlequah. I can still remember the giant shade trees, a gentle breeze, and the joy of opening my Hot Wheels lunch box she had packed for me which included a PBJ sandwich, grapes, and a thermos of milk. The best thing of all was just getting to look at my mom’s face for the whole lunch period before she took me back to school. Life could not have been sweeter! Then, one day I told my mom I wanted to eat lunch in the cafeteria with all the other kids. What a bitter-sweet moment that must have been for mom. But she just smiled and said, “Okay.” She had successfully completed her job of transitioning me into a school system that I would be a part of for the next twelve years.
From what I’ve observed, mothers have a difficult job. They fulfill so many needs in the family unit, I couldn’t even begin to list them all in one article. I know it might have been easier to pay the bills if mom would have worked outside the home. But there’s no amount of money that could have replaced the consistency in life, solid foundation, and confidence I received as a result of my mom choosing to be a stay at home mom at least until I was established in school.
Single mothers and wives of deadbeat husbands have even bigger challenges that I can’t even begin to adequately address here. There is one thing we can all agree on, and that’s the fact that the choices we make when we are young can follow us the rest of our lives. That’s why it is so important for mothers (and fathers) to teach their children about Christian priorities even when it appears they’re not listening. It’s just as important, if not more so, to follow through by practicing what we preach as Christian parents.
The virtuous woman is described in Proverbs 31:10-31 as being worth far more than rubies. “Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.” The passage goes on to teach that many women do noble things, but a “woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”
Once again, a lesson that teaches that when we put God first in our lives, everything else will fall into place. Successes and failures will continue to be a part of life on earth, but God rewards His faithful both in this life and the life to come.
by Barrett Vanlandingham (May 8, 2008)
To imagine what life would have been like without my mother is almost too much to think about. I was one of those boys who would have married his mom, at least until I went to first grade and discovered there was such a thing as girls.
I remember just like it was yesterday. For the first few days of school, my mom would stand in the hallway outside my classroom door and occasionally look through the window. Eventually, I noticed she wasn’t there anymore, but that was okay because she still picked me up everyday for lunch at the city park in Tahlequah. I can still remember the giant shade trees, a gentle breeze, and the joy of opening my Hot Wheels lunch box she had packed for me which included a PBJ sandwich, grapes, and a thermos of milk. The best thing of all was just getting to look at my mom’s face for the whole lunch period before she took me back to school. Life could not have been sweeter! Then, one day I told my mom I wanted to eat lunch in the cafeteria with all the other kids. What a bitter-sweet moment that must have been for mom. But she just smiled and said, “Okay.” She had successfully completed her job of transitioning me into a school system that I would be a part of for the next twelve years.
From what I’ve observed, mothers have a difficult job. They fulfill so many needs in the family unit, I couldn’t even begin to list them all in one article. I know it might have been easier to pay the bills if mom would have worked outside the home. But there’s no amount of money that could have replaced the consistency in life, solid foundation, and confidence I received as a result of my mom choosing to be a stay at home mom at least until I was established in school.
Single mothers and wives of deadbeat husbands have even bigger challenges that I can’t even begin to adequately address here. There is one thing we can all agree on, and that’s the fact that the choices we make when we are young can follow us the rest of our lives. That’s why it is so important for mothers (and fathers) to teach their children about Christian priorities even when it appears they’re not listening. It’s just as important, if not more so, to follow through by practicing what we preach as Christian parents.
The virtuous woman is described in Proverbs 31:10-31 as being worth far more than rubies. “Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.” The passage goes on to teach that many women do noble things, but a “woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”
Once again, a lesson that teaches that when we put God first in our lives, everything else will fall into place. Successes and failures will continue to be a part of life on earth, but God rewards His faithful both in this life and the life to come.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Spring and Summer Parenting Present Unique Challenges
by Barrett Vanlandingham
Fort Faith, April 29, 2008
Parenting seemed so much easier before I became a parent. It’s that time of year when good times are in the air. Spring and summer parties, outings, and events abound.
Having said that, another Fort Gibson Prom is already in the history books. And by now, a lot of parents and students who strive for a moral lifestyle have no doubt been wondering whether their money was well spent.
Students in Fort Gibson spent between $100 and $1000 on going to the prom depending on the cost of their tux, dress, transportation (car, limo, or helicopter), and where they go out to eat beforehand, flowers, and $100 for a ticket, or $200 if you’re taking a date (unless they sold candy to reduce their ticket cost).
I spoke with school officials beforehand about this year’s prom. They said they would do their best to make sure it was better in terms of students’ behavior than in past years. As a youth minister, I have spoken with parent sponsors and students over the last six years. Each year, I receive the same reports. “It’s expensive and immoral.” Others say, “It’s fun.”
This year’s comments regarding behavior have been all good, a stark contrast from previous years. One school official said this year’s graduating class has been a positive example all year, and did an outstanding job of setting a positive tone for the prom. He said the underclassmen followed the example of the seniors, and that made for a great prom. Plus, there was a well-supervised after-party at the old gym that provided fun entertainment including giant inflatables and a hypnotist.
A couple of years ago, one chaperon said he couldn’t believe “how nasty some of the kids were dancing.” School officials say chaperons make their presence known, but some kids are going to misbehave on the dance floor regardless. And the slow dances are not the problem anymore. Chaperons say it’s the other kind of dancing where students are all over each other if they’re not kept apart. School officials say that’s why we have only one dance the entire school year.
Chalk it up to good parenting, good luck, good DNA, good teaching, good prayer, but whatever it is, the problems associated with past proms are not at all representative of this year’s event, according to the adults and students I spoke with afterwards.
Spiritually speaking, I am not sure that going to the prom is any worse (and it might be better) than going to other activities where immorality occurs. For instance, pro-sports events where beer is free flowing and belligerent fans are usually within a few seats away (even if they haven’t been drinking!). Which is worse: dirty dancing, low-cut dresses and lust, or drunken and belligerent sports fans? One event exposes us to the sins of drunkenness and loss of self-control. The other exposes us to the promotion of sexual sins. How about taking your family to eat at restaurants that serve alcohol? Even people who oppose immoral dancing often find themselves at restaurants where our kids get to watch people knock back one pitcher of beer or margaritas after another.
So, what’s a Christian parent to do? Good question! It depends on their parenting philosophy. Some allow their kids to participate in an activity so they can test their faith and see close-up “what goes on” as long as they maintain Christian values. Other parents will provide an alternative so their children will not be tempted. Still other parents will state their disapproval, but tell their kids to do what they want.
One thing is for sure. Parenting begins at birth, not on the day of the prom, the date, the movie, the water park, and not when we send them off to college. If we haven’t taught our kids how to apply Christian values by the time they’re old enough to be tempted, we’re in for a rocky road. But that doesn’t mean we can ever stop being Christian parents. We have a responsibility to continue setting the example and offering biblical advice to our children all the days of our life, even though we ourselves have messed up and continue to make mistakes. Our children need to know that after they fail, we will be there to dust them off and help put them back on the right path even though there still may be consequences to deal with.
Make no mistake about it, there is a lot hanging in the balance of our decisions. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” The apostle Paul has this to say, “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose (Philippians 2:12-13).”
May God bless our efforts as we allow God’s Spirit to work within us as we seek His guidance in making decisions for our children.
by Barrett Vanlandingham
Fort Faith, April 29, 2008
Parenting seemed so much easier before I became a parent. It’s that time of year when good times are in the air. Spring and summer parties, outings, and events abound.
Having said that, another Fort Gibson Prom is already in the history books. And by now, a lot of parents and students who strive for a moral lifestyle have no doubt been wondering whether their money was well spent.
Students in Fort Gibson spent between $100 and $1000 on going to the prom depending on the cost of their tux, dress, transportation (car, limo, or helicopter), and where they go out to eat beforehand, flowers, and $100 for a ticket, or $200 if you’re taking a date (unless they sold candy to reduce their ticket cost).
I spoke with school officials beforehand about this year’s prom. They said they would do their best to make sure it was better in terms of students’ behavior than in past years. As a youth minister, I have spoken with parent sponsors and students over the last six years. Each year, I receive the same reports. “It’s expensive and immoral.” Others say, “It’s fun.”
This year’s comments regarding behavior have been all good, a stark contrast from previous years. One school official said this year’s graduating class has been a positive example all year, and did an outstanding job of setting a positive tone for the prom. He said the underclassmen followed the example of the seniors, and that made for a great prom. Plus, there was a well-supervised after-party at the old gym that provided fun entertainment including giant inflatables and a hypnotist.
A couple of years ago, one chaperon said he couldn’t believe “how nasty some of the kids were dancing.” School officials say chaperons make their presence known, but some kids are going to misbehave on the dance floor regardless. And the slow dances are not the problem anymore. Chaperons say it’s the other kind of dancing where students are all over each other if they’re not kept apart. School officials say that’s why we have only one dance the entire school year.
Chalk it up to good parenting, good luck, good DNA, good teaching, good prayer, but whatever it is, the problems associated with past proms are not at all representative of this year’s event, according to the adults and students I spoke with afterwards.
Spiritually speaking, I am not sure that going to the prom is any worse (and it might be better) than going to other activities where immorality occurs. For instance, pro-sports events where beer is free flowing and belligerent fans are usually within a few seats away (even if they haven’t been drinking!). Which is worse: dirty dancing, low-cut dresses and lust, or drunken and belligerent sports fans? One event exposes us to the sins of drunkenness and loss of self-control. The other exposes us to the promotion of sexual sins. How about taking your family to eat at restaurants that serve alcohol? Even people who oppose immoral dancing often find themselves at restaurants where our kids get to watch people knock back one pitcher of beer or margaritas after another.
So, what’s a Christian parent to do? Good question! It depends on their parenting philosophy. Some allow their kids to participate in an activity so they can test their faith and see close-up “what goes on” as long as they maintain Christian values. Other parents will provide an alternative so their children will not be tempted. Still other parents will state their disapproval, but tell their kids to do what they want.
One thing is for sure. Parenting begins at birth, not on the day of the prom, the date, the movie, the water park, and not when we send them off to college. If we haven’t taught our kids how to apply Christian values by the time they’re old enough to be tempted, we’re in for a rocky road. But that doesn’t mean we can ever stop being Christian parents. We have a responsibility to continue setting the example and offering biblical advice to our children all the days of our life, even though we ourselves have messed up and continue to make mistakes. Our children need to know that after they fail, we will be there to dust them off and help put them back on the right path even though there still may be consequences to deal with.
Make no mistake about it, there is a lot hanging in the balance of our decisions. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” The apostle Paul has this to say, “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose (Philippians 2:12-13).”
May God bless our efforts as we allow God’s Spirit to work within us as we seek His guidance in making decisions for our children.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Ever-changing Weather Patterns
vs.
Un-changing Hand of God
by Barrett Vanlandingham
Fort Faith - April 22, 2008
vs.
Un-changing Hand of God
by Barrett Vanlandingham
Fort Faith - April 22, 2008
Unless you’re someone like my brother who likes to brag about riding his motorcycle in the cold, wind, and rain, most of us “casual bikers” are looking forward to at least a few days of consistent weather of the drier variety.
Sometimes I wonder how such a consistent, dependable, un-changing God can be the God of such inconsistency, especially when it comes to Oklahoma weather. After all, the apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 14:33 “For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace.”
Those two ways of thinking seem to be at odds with each other until you think about you think about how big God really is. God created the heavens and the earth and everything in it (Genesis 1). So, who are we say that earthly inconsistencies are inconsistent at all? Isn’t it just possible that things that make absolutely no sense to us make perfect sense to our Creator who knows exactly what His creation needs?
God may test His people (1 Thessalonians 2:4, 1 Corinthians 3:13), and may send trials (James 1:2-4). But we can be assured that God does NOT send temptations (James 1:13-15) which can either come from us or from the devil as was the case when Jesus was fasting in desert before beginning His ministry (Matthew 4).
Matthew 5:45 says, “…He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
Remember the story of a very stubborn preacher named Jonah who was vomited onto dry land after being in the belly of a big fish for three days? That happened to get Jonah’s attention after he refused to obey God and go preach to the wicked city of Nineveh. So, after praying to God from inside the belly of the fish, and eventually unraveling the seaweed from his head, and probably having quite a clean-up job to do, Jonah finally agreed to go to Nineveh.
Upon hearing Jonah’s message of impending doom, the people there actually turned from their evil ways! Therefore, God changed His mind about destroying them. Then, believe it or not, Jonah became angry because of God’s great compassion (Jonah 4). After all, the Ninevites were extremely violent and cruel.
So, Jonah who was apparently a better preacher than a builder sat under a shelter he made for himself while waiting to see what God’s next move would be for Nineveh. Little did Jonah know that God was about to teach him another lesson. God provided a vine to give Jonah some shade to “ease his discomfort.” Jonah was happy about that, especially since the shelter he had made for himself apparently wasn’t doing the trick. But, the next morning, God sent a worm to eat the vine, then shortly thereafter a scorching east wind and sun that blazed on Jonah’s head. This made Jonah “angry enough to die.”
God said, “You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not make it grow…” God went on to tell Jonah of the importance of showing concern for Nineveh, a city of people who “cannot tell their right hand from their left…”
The fact is, we live in a broken world, the land of the dying. If earth were a perfect place, we would have nothing to look forward to. Just like Jonah, we created nothing, not even a blade of grass. God created everything. None of us here in Fort Gibson is qualified to give the final word on how God should operate. I, for one, would not like the idea of living on a planet in which the one in control was just another person. Yikes!
Let’s all pray today that God will help each of us have the kind of faith that will allow us to trust God even when the storms of life make no sense to us (Proverbs 3:4-5).
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Spiritual Deadline Approaching
More at Stake Than I.R.S. Penalties
by Barrett Vanlandingham
(for Fort Faith, April 15, 2008)
Hopefully, you made the April 15th deadline to file your taxes. If not, maybe you can file an extension. Unfortunately, that’s not the way it works spiritually. There are no extensions. But, there are a few things in which we should all be happy to pay a high rate of interest. The writer of Hebrews 9:27-28 has this to say about the end times:
“Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”
The Bible makes it clear that Jesus will appear one more time to bring his faithful home and give them a crown of life (Revelation 2:10). The first time He appeared was when he lived on earth, was crucified, and was resurrected. The second time will be judgment day.
Some people point to Matthew 24:4-8 as proof that the end is near. However, a close look at those passages show that the wars, rumors of war, earthquakes are only the beginning of “birth pains,” and that the “end is still to come.” Matt. 24:36 says, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Jesus goes on to say in the rest of the chapter that the final day will be like the story of Noah when the righteous were saved while the wicked were not.
1 Thessalonians speaks a lot about the end times. Paul says in 5:2 “…the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” That means there will be no warning, even from the “prediction experts.”
In 1 Thess. 4:16-17 we are told that those who are “…dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”
However it happens, I do know for sure that I have a responsibility to be ready when the Lord comes to take us home. It would make absolutely no sense at all to have 27 books of the New Testament that teach us the story of Jesus and how to live our lives, and then for Jesus to give us a second chance after He returns to take His faithful home. Seems to me that would kind of defeat the purpose of being prepared for the judgment. That is to say if He’s going to bring one boat-load of the faithful home to heaven and then give the unsaved a second chance. That might be good for them, but that would destroy the entire premise of the New Testament to live holy lives.
I don’t know about you, but whether I’m alive or dead when Christ returns, my soul plans on being in the first and only boat-load home to paradise. That is the only appointment in which we have a guarantee.
More at Stake Than I.R.S. Penalties
by Barrett Vanlandingham
(for Fort Faith, April 15, 2008)
Hopefully, you made the April 15th deadline to file your taxes. If not, maybe you can file an extension. Unfortunately, that’s not the way it works spiritually. There are no extensions. But, there are a few things in which we should all be happy to pay a high rate of interest. The writer of Hebrews 9:27-28 has this to say about the end times:
“Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”
The Bible makes it clear that Jesus will appear one more time to bring his faithful home and give them a crown of life (Revelation 2:10). The first time He appeared was when he lived on earth, was crucified, and was resurrected. The second time will be judgment day.
Some people point to Matthew 24:4-8 as proof that the end is near. However, a close look at those passages show that the wars, rumors of war, earthquakes are only the beginning of “birth pains,” and that the “end is still to come.” Matt. 24:36 says, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Jesus goes on to say in the rest of the chapter that the final day will be like the story of Noah when the righteous were saved while the wicked were not.
1 Thessalonians speaks a lot about the end times. Paul says in 5:2 “…the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” That means there will be no warning, even from the “prediction experts.”
In 1 Thess. 4:16-17 we are told that those who are “…dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”
However it happens, I do know for sure that I have a responsibility to be ready when the Lord comes to take us home. It would make absolutely no sense at all to have 27 books of the New Testament that teach us the story of Jesus and how to live our lives, and then for Jesus to give us a second chance after He returns to take His faithful home. Seems to me that would kind of defeat the purpose of being prepared for the judgment. That is to say if He’s going to bring one boat-load of the faithful home to heaven and then give the unsaved a second chance. That might be good for them, but that would destroy the entire premise of the New Testament to live holy lives.
I don’t know about you, but whether I’m alive or dead when Christ returns, my soul plans on being in the first and only boat-load home to paradise. That is the only appointment in which we have a guarantee.
Mission trips are just one way to
“Go into all the world…”
(for Fort Faith, April 8, 2008)
by Barrett Vanlandingham
This is the time of year when youth groups everywhere including here in Fort Gibson are gathering prayers and financial support for their yearly mission trips. Whether a domestic or foreign trip, God will surely bless the efforts of those who faithfully and diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). It is my sincere prayer that if you’re not going on a mission trip, you would consider helping support someone who is going.
This idea of going on mission trips dates back to what’s known as The Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20. The conversation (one of His last) takes place after the resurrection when Jesus was talking to His disciples before ascending back to His Father.
“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”
This practice of teaching the life and message of Jesus Christ has been going on ever since.
One time my buddy Glen and I were on a mission trip at a church camp in Spearfish, South Dakota. We were talking about the difference between local evangelism and mission work. About the only thing we could come up with is where you begin and end. Think about it, even if you travel to the other side of the earth to teach the Gospel, to those people it’s a local work even though you are on a mission trip. The fact is, one soul is just as important as another.
In Acts 1:8, Jesus tells His disciples “…you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
In other words, we are to teach people locally, regionally, throughout our nation, and worldwide. In spite of the fact that we are amazingly blessed with technology, there are still many people here at home and far away who have either not heard the message of Jesus Christ at all, or who need to see Jesus living in you.
Our Lord’s words in Matthew 9:37 still ring true today. "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.”
What Jesus said next is something we can all do. “…ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Translation? Prayer! James 5:13 tells us that the “prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”
God’s word assures us that if we sincerely ask Him to use us to save souls, He will most certainly put us to work no matter who we are, no matter how young or old. As long as we live, we all have purpose here on earth. That purpose is to glorify God and bring souls to him through teaching His message, living out a Christ-like example, and helping support those who are called into the mission field, no matter where that may be.
“Go into all the world…”
(for Fort Faith, April 8, 2008)
by Barrett Vanlandingham
This is the time of year when youth groups everywhere including here in Fort Gibson are gathering prayers and financial support for their yearly mission trips. Whether a domestic or foreign trip, God will surely bless the efforts of those who faithfully and diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). It is my sincere prayer that if you’re not going on a mission trip, you would consider helping support someone who is going.
This idea of going on mission trips dates back to what’s known as The Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20. The conversation (one of His last) takes place after the resurrection when Jesus was talking to His disciples before ascending back to His Father.
“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”
This practice of teaching the life and message of Jesus Christ has been going on ever since.
One time my buddy Glen and I were on a mission trip at a church camp in Spearfish, South Dakota. We were talking about the difference between local evangelism and mission work. About the only thing we could come up with is where you begin and end. Think about it, even if you travel to the other side of the earth to teach the Gospel, to those people it’s a local work even though you are on a mission trip. The fact is, one soul is just as important as another.
In Acts 1:8, Jesus tells His disciples “…you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
In other words, we are to teach people locally, regionally, throughout our nation, and worldwide. In spite of the fact that we are amazingly blessed with technology, there are still many people here at home and far away who have either not heard the message of Jesus Christ at all, or who need to see Jesus living in you.
Our Lord’s words in Matthew 9:37 still ring true today. "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.”
What Jesus said next is something we can all do. “…ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Translation? Prayer! James 5:13 tells us that the “prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”
God’s word assures us that if we sincerely ask Him to use us to save souls, He will most certainly put us to work no matter who we are, no matter how young or old. As long as we live, we all have purpose here on earth. That purpose is to glorify God and bring souls to him through teaching His message, living out a Christ-like example, and helping support those who are called into the mission field, no matter where that may be.
April Fools and Showers
Bring Forth Thoughts of God’s Power
by Barrett Vanlandingham
(for Fort Faith, April 1, 2008)
Every month or at least every season of the year has characteristics that turn my thoughts to Scripture. For instance, ever since someone sent me an e-mail bringing this to my attention I can’t help but think of Psalm 14:1 when April Fool’s day rolls around. “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”
Except for the fact that passage hadn’t been written at the time of Noah, it would have probably been a favorite of his. Noah preached for as many as 100-years about the impending flood, and no one believed him. After all, people up until then had not experienced rain, much less a flood. The heavy rains that fell on Fort Gibson and elsewhere recently reminded me once again of God’s power.
Genesis 6-9 tells the story of the flood: 5 The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. 6 The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. 7 So the Lord said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them." 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:5-8).”
Of course, you know what happened next. God gave Noah specific instructions. The ark was to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, 45 feet tall, made of cypress (gopher) wood, and would be used by Noah’s family along with pairs of animals to survive for an entire year.
Can you imagine the ridicule Noah and his family must have been put through by people in his community? Just think of the people’s reaction when he would answer the question, “Hey Noah! What are you doing?” It must have been difficult to keep from being swayed by people’s opinions and the cultural mindset. Add to that the challenges Noah must have also faced within his own family. After all, just before this massive project began, Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth (Genesis 5:32). Do you think he ever went to the local bookstore to look for information on raising teenagers in a corrupt society? Of course, by the time the ark was built, he might have been reading books on how to complete long-term projects with your hundred year old children (pretty young compared to Noah’s 600 years).
So what’s the lesson in this for us today? The same as back then. The earth will never be flooded so badly again that it destroys all life. But more importantly, we know there is a God, and He always keeps his promises. This should be of great comfort for all of us, young and old, and especially parents of teenagers who no doubt have their hands full battling societal trends and norms. Just remember, if Noah could work with and teach his sons for a hundred years, maybe training our children for twenty years or so isn’t all that bad after all considering the prize at the end of the rainbow.
Bring Forth Thoughts of God’s Power
by Barrett Vanlandingham
(for Fort Faith, April 1, 2008)
Every month or at least every season of the year has characteristics that turn my thoughts to Scripture. For instance, ever since someone sent me an e-mail bringing this to my attention I can’t help but think of Psalm 14:1 when April Fool’s day rolls around. “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”
Except for the fact that passage hadn’t been written at the time of Noah, it would have probably been a favorite of his. Noah preached for as many as 100-years about the impending flood, and no one believed him. After all, people up until then had not experienced rain, much less a flood. The heavy rains that fell on Fort Gibson and elsewhere recently reminded me once again of God’s power.
Genesis 6-9 tells the story of the flood: 5 The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. 6 The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. 7 So the Lord said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them." 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:5-8).”
Of course, you know what happened next. God gave Noah specific instructions. The ark was to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, 45 feet tall, made of cypress (gopher) wood, and would be used by Noah’s family along with pairs of animals to survive for an entire year.
Can you imagine the ridicule Noah and his family must have been put through by people in his community? Just think of the people’s reaction when he would answer the question, “Hey Noah! What are you doing?” It must have been difficult to keep from being swayed by people’s opinions and the cultural mindset. Add to that the challenges Noah must have also faced within his own family. After all, just before this massive project began, Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth (Genesis 5:32). Do you think he ever went to the local bookstore to look for information on raising teenagers in a corrupt society? Of course, by the time the ark was built, he might have been reading books on how to complete long-term projects with your hundred year old children (pretty young compared to Noah’s 600 years).
So what’s the lesson in this for us today? The same as back then. The earth will never be flooded so badly again that it destroys all life. But more importantly, we know there is a God, and He always keeps his promises. This should be of great comfort for all of us, young and old, and especially parents of teenagers who no doubt have their hands full battling societal trends and norms. Just remember, if Noah could work with and teach his sons for a hundred years, maybe training our children for twenty years or so isn’t all that bad after all considering the prize at the end of the rainbow.
Looks can be deceiving
Flowering beauty doesn’t always mean pleasing aroma
by Barrett Vanlandingham
(for Fort Faith, March 25, 2008)
As I looked out my window this week, I immediately noticed the beautiful Bradford pear tree in our front yard in nearly full bloom. For a spring lover as myself, the white flowering branches sprinkled with green unopened blooms were a sight to behold. It was a fresh and welcome sign of new life. What a wonderful gift!
There was only one problem with this hallmark moment. When my daughter and I actually went outside to get into the car, both of us were hit smack dab in the sniffer with the horrible odor of rotten meat or something equally disgusting. She asked me, “Dad, why in the world would God create such a beautiful tree and make its blooms smell so badly?” I answered, “Maybe He did it to help parents explain to their kids how a person can be beautiful on the outside, and still have a stinky attitude.” She thought that was pretty funny. Who says God doesn’t have a sense of humor?
Some people are a little like Bradford pears, aren’t they? In fact, most of us probably have at least a few Bradfords in our life. You know, those people who on the surface seem to be just fine, but the minute you have any dealings with them you find out they have a “tude,” as in attitude?
So, what do you do about people like that? Well honestly, there’s not a lot any of us can do to change anyone, but God can. The Bible is full of quotes on this topic. For starters, “A soft answer turns away wrath (Proverbs 15:1).” Although sometimes this happens immediately, it doesn’t always. God may want that person to learn the consequences of being a hot head, and that can take some time, especially if a person is particularly thick-headed or stubborn.
Jesus used the highly visible Pharisees as examples of this topic many times. In one instance He said, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness, (Matthew 23:27)."
So, the next time you see a Bradford pear tree, a chrysanthemum, a geranium, or a marigold, be sure to thank God for the beauty He created, but also remember to ask Him to make you as beautiful on the inside as those creations are on the outside. You see, God loves us more than any of His other creations. In fact, He sent His one and only son, the Rose of Sharon, the Lily of the Valley (Song of Solomon 2:1), to die for our sins and be raised on the third day so that those who believe in Him could have hope of eternal life (John 3:16).
As for all the Bradfords out there? Let God, not us, worry about them. When we let God work on our inner self, the beauty He creates inside us will be evident to many. Then He, not us will receive the glory.
Flowering beauty doesn’t always mean pleasing aroma
by Barrett Vanlandingham
(for Fort Faith, March 25, 2008)
As I looked out my window this week, I immediately noticed the beautiful Bradford pear tree in our front yard in nearly full bloom. For a spring lover as myself, the white flowering branches sprinkled with green unopened blooms were a sight to behold. It was a fresh and welcome sign of new life. What a wonderful gift!
There was only one problem with this hallmark moment. When my daughter and I actually went outside to get into the car, both of us were hit smack dab in the sniffer with the horrible odor of rotten meat or something equally disgusting. She asked me, “Dad, why in the world would God create such a beautiful tree and make its blooms smell so badly?” I answered, “Maybe He did it to help parents explain to their kids how a person can be beautiful on the outside, and still have a stinky attitude.” She thought that was pretty funny. Who says God doesn’t have a sense of humor?
Some people are a little like Bradford pears, aren’t they? In fact, most of us probably have at least a few Bradfords in our life. You know, those people who on the surface seem to be just fine, but the minute you have any dealings with them you find out they have a “tude,” as in attitude?
So, what do you do about people like that? Well honestly, there’s not a lot any of us can do to change anyone, but God can. The Bible is full of quotes on this topic. For starters, “A soft answer turns away wrath (Proverbs 15:1).” Although sometimes this happens immediately, it doesn’t always. God may want that person to learn the consequences of being a hot head, and that can take some time, especially if a person is particularly thick-headed or stubborn.
Jesus used the highly visible Pharisees as examples of this topic many times. In one instance He said, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness, (Matthew 23:27)."
So, the next time you see a Bradford pear tree, a chrysanthemum, a geranium, or a marigold, be sure to thank God for the beauty He created, but also remember to ask Him to make you as beautiful on the inside as those creations are on the outside. You see, God loves us more than any of His other creations. In fact, He sent His one and only son, the Rose of Sharon, the Lily of the Valley (Song of Solomon 2:1), to die for our sins and be raised on the third day so that those who believe in Him could have hope of eternal life (John 3:16).
As for all the Bradfords out there? Let God, not us, worry about them. When we let God work on our inner self, the beauty He creates inside us will be evident to many. Then He, not us will receive the glory.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Racism: Would the First Century Jesus Be Accepted in Fort Gibson?
by Barrett Vanlandingham
(for Fort Faith, March 11, 2008)
Have you ever felt threatened by someone just because they looked or spoke differently from yourself? Sometimes I wonder whether Jesus would be accepted today in Fort Gibson or most towns, for that matter. After all, He was a Jewish man who lived between the Mediterranean and the Sea of Galilee. I’m thinking He probably didn’t look like most of us (no matter what his skin color), and definitely didn’t talk like us unless you happen to know Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic.
I was talking with my wife the other day about conversations with our children shortly after they learned to talk and had become aware of what they looked like. I remember one of our children telling a story about a classmate at pre-school, but she couldn’t remember his name. So, she described him as the “brown boy.” That was the first inkling we had that she had become aware of physical differences. Even so, how sweet it was to hear that innocent of a description of a person in that context. She was only using color to describe which classmate she was talking about. My wife and I have trained our children the same as I try to train kids in Bible class: “When you’re talking about a person, leave out their race.” The exception to that rule is if you need to describe a person you’re looking for.
One time I was teaching Bible class when a student began his story with “There’s this black guy…” I listened to the story which did not need a physical description. Then, I proceeded to ask him to re-tell the story without telling me the person’s color. He said, “What?” I said, “Was it necessary to tell me the color of the boy in your story?” He said, “No.” Point made. Since then, I have listened to many more stories from this young man and I have never again heard him use race as an unnecessary description. God is good.
Racism is nothing new. The Bible makes several points regarding this topic. After all, Jews and Gentiles hated each other. Scripture makes it clear that racism, bigotry, and prejudice are not tolerated. Ever heard of the Golden Rule? “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 7:12).” And that’s just scratching the surface of how God views how we treat and think about each other. He has loved all of mankind from the beginning.
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27).” Then in verse 31 “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good…”
The Jews, not the Gentiles, were considered God’s chosen people because Jesus would come into the world through this line. That was God’s sovereign choice just as it is God’s sovereign choice today under the new covenant (New Testament) to save people of all races who choose to obey God’s word. Ephesians 2:11-22 makes it clear that Christ’s purpose was to preach peace to both groups and “create in himself one new man out of the two.”
So, what does this mean to us today? It means the same thing as it did to those to whom Peter was preaching in the first century.
“Then Peter began to speak: ‘I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right (Acts 10:34-35).’”
As Christians, we are to be imitators of God. We are to love others selflessly like God loves us.
“If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother (1 John 4:19-21).”
We are told to love everyone increasingly, and to be kind to all people, and to respect others (1 Thessalonians 3:11-12, 5:15, 1 Peter 2:17).
I don’t know what Jesus looked like while He was here on earth. But if He were born in Fort Gibson and looked like one of us (again, no matter what His skin color), would we have anything to do with him, even then? Would we want Him to listen to our music, or watch our favorite movies and TV shows? Would we want Him to listen to our jokes? Would we invite Him to be in on our conversations and business dealings? The answer may lie in just how much you have to do with Him now.
May we always remember and act on these words of Jesus spoken two-thousand years ago: “…Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life (Rev. 2:10).”
Talking to Teenagers about Drinking and Drugs
by Barrett Vanlandingham
(for Fort Faith, March 4, 2008)
Our town is no stranger to tragedy: car crashes, train accidents. Fort Gibson has seen its share of tough times. And although natural death cannot always be prevented, the man-made variety can be. Such is the case with alcohol and drug related deaths. Fort Gibson police and school officials both tell me there has been a drug and alcohol problem among local teens for years, much like the national scene. They say this year is no different, except the biggest problem these days is that kids are stealing prescription drugs from their parents’ medicine cabinets and passing them out to their friends. The sad thing is that only about ten-percent of these occurrences are being reported.
Occasionally, I am asked to teach a Bible class on the topic of alcohol, drugs, and teenagers. Aside from all of the other Biblical reasons not to drink alcohol when you’re a teenager is the fact that it’s a sin. And not only that, it’s a “willful sin.” Unless you’re at least 21-years old, the law of the land says you cannot lawfully drink alcohol. And, adults cannot legally purchase alcohol for anyone under the age of 21. As for illegal drugs and illegally obtained prescription drugs, do I really even need to go there?
Romans 13:1-7 says that we as Christians must submit to the governing authorities. Colossians 3:22-25 echoes this idea and says that we should obey authority and work as if working for the Lord. You see, if we choose to continue living in America we must go by the rules our governing bodies have created as long as those rules do not conflict with God’s rules. So, the issue of illegal drugs and teenage drinking should be a “no-brainer” since it’s a violation of both God’s law and government’s law.
Now, back to that idea of “sin” versus “willful sin.” An example of sin for a man might be the thoughts that come into his head after he accidentally sees a woman whose skirt is too high or the neckline too low. It becomes a willful sin when he chooses to take a second or third look at her in a lustful way. Willful sin for a woman could also include lust. It could also mean going to the mall knowing her checking account is too low, and then choosing to purchase a cute purse while knowing the check will bounce or at the very least she will not have money to buy groceries or diapers. I knew a young lady who couldn’t afford diapers, but managed to pay for a $300 tattoo and a monthly trip to the nail salon.
So, while Romans 3:23 says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 6:1 says that we should not intentionally sin just because we know that God’s grace saves us in the end. Yes, we all continue to sin simply because we are human and are not capable of being completely perfect. However, to use this as an excuse for willful sin puts us in grave danger since the Lord doesn’t listen to those who do evil (1 Peter 3:12).
We know from the story of the lost son (Luke 15:11) that our heavenly Father will always accept us back when we truly repent. We also know that God is patient and does not want anyone to perish, and wants us all to turn to Him (2 Peter 3:9). But make no mistake about it, God know your heart.
Nevertheless, there are consequences in this life, and in the life to come for those found intentionally not walking on God’s path. 1 John 1:7 says, “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.”
There’s no getting around it, teenage alcohol and illegal drug use are examples of willful sin, and in some cases with approval of parents. These behaviors can lead to lifetime chemical dependency, rape, pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, death, and other tragic consequences such as car collisions with innocent victims.
But more importantly, even though nothing can separate us from the love of God that can only be found in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:28), we ourselves can turn our backs on God and choose to commit willful sin which results in spiritual death (Romans 8:13, Hebrews 3:12-13, James 5:19-20, 1 Corinthians 10:12, 2 Timothy 2:16-18).
We can rationalize all we want. One thing is for sure: If you never start drinking or taking drugs, you will never have to quit. Just how close to the edge are you willing to go, and is it really worth the eternal risk?
Complaining: What a way to waste a good life!
by Barrett Vanlandingham
(Fort Faith, February 19, 2008)
A man came into my office with a smile and I asked him, “What do you think should be the topic of my article?” Without hesitation, his smile turned to a frown as he said, “Complaining!” “Too many people complain about EVERYTHING!” he said. “Just the thought of a complainer is enough to turn a good day into a bad one.”
The Bible says quite a lot about this negative quality of complaining possessed by so many people these days (and apparently even in the first century and before). The Apostle Paul talked about it in the book of Philippians 2:14-15.
He said, “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe…”
What’s he talking about? The entire second chapter of Philippians is a note of encouragement to the local church. Paul is reminding them and us to imitate the humility of Christ, to stay away from selfish ambition, and to know that God is working in us as we work out our own salvation. And then he immediately tells us that if we’re going to represent God like Paul does, we need to have a good attitude even when things don’t go our way. He says, “So you too should be glad and rejoice.” Scripture tells us that Paul was beaten, shipwrecked, hungry, and needy. But because he was looking beyond his present circumstances, he was able to remain joyful and not turn into a habitual complainer. If Paul was able to keep from complaining, well, you get the picture.
Two chapters later in 4:8 Paul tells us, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.”
That description of a Christian hardly resembles that of a complainer. Paul goes on to say in the next verse that if we think on positive things and put them into practice, “the God of peace will be with you.” That’s one big reason to dwell on the positive.
Here’s another reason: Ephesians 5:15-16 tells us to “Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” The writer is simply saying to not waste your time with things that are unproductive (like complaining) when there are so many other positive things you could be doing.
A few verses earlier in 4:29 Paul says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” He even says in verses 31-32 to “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every kind of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Now there’s a slice of reality. Jesus could have seen the world’s behavior as an opportunity to grumble or complain, or just destroy it immediately. But instead, He chose to come to this Earth to show us how to live, and how to get to Heaven. He demonstrated the heart of a servant in everything from washing his disciples’ feet, to even submitting to His Father’s will of becoming the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of mankind. And He did it without grumbling or complaining.
May God bless you as you bring honor and glory to Him with your positive attitude.
Prayer: It’s Not Only A Good Habit
It’s a Command Worth Obeying
by Barrett Vanlandingham
(Fort Faith-February 12, 2008)
When you think about all the privileges we have in this life, what comes to mind? Freedom of religion? Freedom of expression? Freedom of family and friends? These are all wonderful things to be able to enjoy. But did you ever think about just how incredible of a gift it truly is to be able to pray to the Creator Himself? Did you ever think about just how awesome it is to be able to approach God with your thoughts, concerns, and thankfulness? Most of us will never meet a President, a King, or a Prime Minister. But have you ever thought about the fact that we all have the opportunity to meet with the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Creator of the Universe, the God who fashioned each of us in His own image?
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”
You may be thinking, “What in the world would I say to God all day long everyday?” Something tells me that today’s fast paced, high stressed culture may not be all that different from what a lot of people experienced in the first century. The Apostle Paul knew that well. He encouraged Christians in Thessalonica to focus on their blessings. That message applies to us today as well.
The writers of the Psalms must have spent much time contemplating the privilege of getting into the mind of God and communicating with Him. It was no doubt important during the days of so many false gods to have as much time alone with God as possible and to stay in His word.
Psalm 1 says, “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.”
It has been said that it takes 21 days to make a habit. My challenge to each of us is this: Talk to God continuously for 21 days, not just when you wake up, not just when you go to sleep, not just at meal time, and not just when you have a crisis. Talk to Him continually. Ask His advice on everything. Thank Him for everything. Express your joy to Him in everything. See if it changes how you approach life. See if praying continually helps your behavior while watching a basketball game, or while you’re conversing with a restaurant worker. See if having a prayerful attitude gives you more patience in your homelife. Just like holding hands with your wife while arguing is next to impossible, so is misbehaving while talking to God.
Romans 8:26 says, “…the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.”
Talking to God continually will obviously take lots of practice. There will likely be many times you will get side-tracked and forget to include Him in your thoughts. But just like any other goal worthy of accomplishing, having a good relationship with God is worth the effort.
Christian Leadership
There is enough work for all men and women to do.
But there are defined roles even in spite of political correctness.
by Barrett Vanlandingham (Fort Faith, February 5, 2008)
I recently fielded a concern from someone who took exception to my use of the phrase “Christian leadership” when referring to spiritual responsibilities of men and women, boys and girls. The person was afraid that I was violating the Bible’s commands, in particular, the sections that deal with women’s roles in the church.
Let me first say that if it were not for Godly women, there would be a lot fewer Godly men to lead Christian familes, and to lead churches. I am so thankful for my mother and for all the women who taught me in the ways of the Lord starting at a very young age. Even as I matured, I learned so much from them by the way they conducted themselves and continued to exhibit the Spiritual fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
It is possible for families to serve God with a woman as the spiritual leader, but how much more effective is God’s word when the husband also places God as his top priority? The fact is, God created everything with purpose and order. And when we are in step with God's purpose, things always work much more smoothly than when we allow culture to dictate order and morality.
When Jesus washed the disciples’ feet (John 13:1-16), He showed us how to lead others to Christ through serving.
In reading Biblical examples of women who took the lead in various circumstances, it is easy to conclude a few simple things about women in the Bible: They not only took seriously their feminine and submissive roles as wives and nurturing mothers, but they also possessed great leadership skills and were encouraged to use them.
In fact, the role of a Christian woman, wife, or mother requires great leadership skills and wisdom. Proverbs 31 says that the wife of noble character is worth far more than rubies. It goes on to describe her as having a good reputation for making wise household and business decisions for her family. Titus 2 says that older women are to teach the younger women in the ways of God. The book of Judges tells of a female judge named Deborah. The prophetess Miriam led a group of women in song after the Pharaoh’s army drowned in the Red Sea that Moses and the Israelites had just crossed. Esther saved God’s people from destruction by risking her own life by approaching the King on their behalf. The Apostle Paul wrote about Timothy’s sincere faith that was passed down from his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. In Acts 18:26, we’re told of a great preacher named Apollos who apparently didn’t have his facts straight until Priscilla and her husband Aquila invited him to their home and taught him the “way of God more adequately.”
It would be difficult to count the number of instances in the Bible where women took-on extremely important leadership roles in furthering the cause of Christ or helping God’s people accomplish certain tasks.
This does not mean that it would be appropriate for a woman to go against 1 Timothy 2:11-15 or 1 Corinthians 14:33-35 which require submission to the man’s role during a worship service that includes men and women. Conversely, it would also be inappropriate for a man to barge in to a situation that requires leadership skills possessed by a woman. Men who have tried this would know all too well.
It is just as important today as it was in Bible times for men and women of all ages to recognize the urgency of using our God-given talents to carry out His will. Men are to lead in worship, as well as be spiritual leaders in the church and at home. The overseers or elders of a congregation are to be the husband of one wife, manage his own family well, and possess Godly qualities listed in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1:5-9. That being said, men and women are to share in Godly responsibilities as Bible history points out time and time again.
1 Corinthians 11:11 says, “In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of women.” Ephesians 5:25 says, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”
In a marriage, when men shirk their responsibilities as spiritual leaders, the entire family suffers. When women fail spiritually, the same is true: the children and the husband are adversely affected.
As for spiritual leadership in general, Christian men and women, boys and girls are all called to lead through service, the same way Jesus did. We are all called to teach the world everything God has commanded (ref: Matthew 28:18-20). Not everyone has to do the same exact job, but every job leads towards the same goal and is of equal importance in the church (ref: Romans 12:4). As the Apostle Paul said, “If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?... As it is, there are many parts, but one body.” (ref: 1 Corinthians 12:12-27)
May God bless each of us as we bring honor to Him with whatever talent God has given us and expects us to use in accordance with His plan.
by Barrett Vanlandingham
(for Fort Faith, March 11, 2008)
Have you ever felt threatened by someone just because they looked or spoke differently from yourself? Sometimes I wonder whether Jesus would be accepted today in Fort Gibson or most towns, for that matter. After all, He was a Jewish man who lived between the Mediterranean and the Sea of Galilee. I’m thinking He probably didn’t look like most of us (no matter what his skin color), and definitely didn’t talk like us unless you happen to know Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic.
I was talking with my wife the other day about conversations with our children shortly after they learned to talk and had become aware of what they looked like. I remember one of our children telling a story about a classmate at pre-school, but she couldn’t remember his name. So, she described him as the “brown boy.” That was the first inkling we had that she had become aware of physical differences. Even so, how sweet it was to hear that innocent of a description of a person in that context. She was only using color to describe which classmate she was talking about. My wife and I have trained our children the same as I try to train kids in Bible class: “When you’re talking about a person, leave out their race.” The exception to that rule is if you need to describe a person you’re looking for.
One time I was teaching Bible class when a student began his story with “There’s this black guy…” I listened to the story which did not need a physical description. Then, I proceeded to ask him to re-tell the story without telling me the person’s color. He said, “What?” I said, “Was it necessary to tell me the color of the boy in your story?” He said, “No.” Point made. Since then, I have listened to many more stories from this young man and I have never again heard him use race as an unnecessary description. God is good.
Racism is nothing new. The Bible makes several points regarding this topic. After all, Jews and Gentiles hated each other. Scripture makes it clear that racism, bigotry, and prejudice are not tolerated. Ever heard of the Golden Rule? “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 7:12).” And that’s just scratching the surface of how God views how we treat and think about each other. He has loved all of mankind from the beginning.
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27).” Then in verse 31 “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good…”
The Jews, not the Gentiles, were considered God’s chosen people because Jesus would come into the world through this line. That was God’s sovereign choice just as it is God’s sovereign choice today under the new covenant (New Testament) to save people of all races who choose to obey God’s word. Ephesians 2:11-22 makes it clear that Christ’s purpose was to preach peace to both groups and “create in himself one new man out of the two.”
So, what does this mean to us today? It means the same thing as it did to those to whom Peter was preaching in the first century.
“Then Peter began to speak: ‘I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right (Acts 10:34-35).’”
As Christians, we are to be imitators of God. We are to love others selflessly like God loves us.
“If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother (1 John 4:19-21).”
We are told to love everyone increasingly, and to be kind to all people, and to respect others (1 Thessalonians 3:11-12, 5:15, 1 Peter 2:17).
I don’t know what Jesus looked like while He was here on earth. But if He were born in Fort Gibson and looked like one of us (again, no matter what His skin color), would we have anything to do with him, even then? Would we want Him to listen to our music, or watch our favorite movies and TV shows? Would we want Him to listen to our jokes? Would we invite Him to be in on our conversations and business dealings? The answer may lie in just how much you have to do with Him now.
May we always remember and act on these words of Jesus spoken two-thousand years ago: “…Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life (Rev. 2:10).”
Talking to Teenagers about Drinking and Drugs
by Barrett Vanlandingham
(for Fort Faith, March 4, 2008)
Our town is no stranger to tragedy: car crashes, train accidents. Fort Gibson has seen its share of tough times. And although natural death cannot always be prevented, the man-made variety can be. Such is the case with alcohol and drug related deaths. Fort Gibson police and school officials both tell me there has been a drug and alcohol problem among local teens for years, much like the national scene. They say this year is no different, except the biggest problem these days is that kids are stealing prescription drugs from their parents’ medicine cabinets and passing them out to their friends. The sad thing is that only about ten-percent of these occurrences are being reported.
Occasionally, I am asked to teach a Bible class on the topic of alcohol, drugs, and teenagers. Aside from all of the other Biblical reasons not to drink alcohol when you’re a teenager is the fact that it’s a sin. And not only that, it’s a “willful sin.” Unless you’re at least 21-years old, the law of the land says you cannot lawfully drink alcohol. And, adults cannot legally purchase alcohol for anyone under the age of 21. As for illegal drugs and illegally obtained prescription drugs, do I really even need to go there?
Romans 13:1-7 says that we as Christians must submit to the governing authorities. Colossians 3:22-25 echoes this idea and says that we should obey authority and work as if working for the Lord. You see, if we choose to continue living in America we must go by the rules our governing bodies have created as long as those rules do not conflict with God’s rules. So, the issue of illegal drugs and teenage drinking should be a “no-brainer” since it’s a violation of both God’s law and government’s law.
Now, back to that idea of “sin” versus “willful sin.” An example of sin for a man might be the thoughts that come into his head after he accidentally sees a woman whose skirt is too high or the neckline too low. It becomes a willful sin when he chooses to take a second or third look at her in a lustful way. Willful sin for a woman could also include lust. It could also mean going to the mall knowing her checking account is too low, and then choosing to purchase a cute purse while knowing the check will bounce or at the very least she will not have money to buy groceries or diapers. I knew a young lady who couldn’t afford diapers, but managed to pay for a $300 tattoo and a monthly trip to the nail salon.
So, while Romans 3:23 says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 6:1 says that we should not intentionally sin just because we know that God’s grace saves us in the end. Yes, we all continue to sin simply because we are human and are not capable of being completely perfect. However, to use this as an excuse for willful sin puts us in grave danger since the Lord doesn’t listen to those who do evil (1 Peter 3:12).
We know from the story of the lost son (Luke 15:11) that our heavenly Father will always accept us back when we truly repent. We also know that God is patient and does not want anyone to perish, and wants us all to turn to Him (2 Peter 3:9). But make no mistake about it, God know your heart.
Nevertheless, there are consequences in this life, and in the life to come for those found intentionally not walking on God’s path. 1 John 1:7 says, “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.”
There’s no getting around it, teenage alcohol and illegal drug use are examples of willful sin, and in some cases with approval of parents. These behaviors can lead to lifetime chemical dependency, rape, pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, death, and other tragic consequences such as car collisions with innocent victims.
But more importantly, even though nothing can separate us from the love of God that can only be found in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:28), we ourselves can turn our backs on God and choose to commit willful sin which results in spiritual death (Romans 8:13, Hebrews 3:12-13, James 5:19-20, 1 Corinthians 10:12, 2 Timothy 2:16-18).
We can rationalize all we want. One thing is for sure: If you never start drinking or taking drugs, you will never have to quit. Just how close to the edge are you willing to go, and is it really worth the eternal risk?
Complaining: What a way to waste a good life!
by Barrett Vanlandingham
(Fort Faith, February 19, 2008)
A man came into my office with a smile and I asked him, “What do you think should be the topic of my article?” Without hesitation, his smile turned to a frown as he said, “Complaining!” “Too many people complain about EVERYTHING!” he said. “Just the thought of a complainer is enough to turn a good day into a bad one.”
The Bible says quite a lot about this negative quality of complaining possessed by so many people these days (and apparently even in the first century and before). The Apostle Paul talked about it in the book of Philippians 2:14-15.
He said, “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe…”
What’s he talking about? The entire second chapter of Philippians is a note of encouragement to the local church. Paul is reminding them and us to imitate the humility of Christ, to stay away from selfish ambition, and to know that God is working in us as we work out our own salvation. And then he immediately tells us that if we’re going to represent God like Paul does, we need to have a good attitude even when things don’t go our way. He says, “So you too should be glad and rejoice.” Scripture tells us that Paul was beaten, shipwrecked, hungry, and needy. But because he was looking beyond his present circumstances, he was able to remain joyful and not turn into a habitual complainer. If Paul was able to keep from complaining, well, you get the picture.
Two chapters later in 4:8 Paul tells us, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.”
That description of a Christian hardly resembles that of a complainer. Paul goes on to say in the next verse that if we think on positive things and put them into practice, “the God of peace will be with you.” That’s one big reason to dwell on the positive.
Here’s another reason: Ephesians 5:15-16 tells us to “Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” The writer is simply saying to not waste your time with things that are unproductive (like complaining) when there are so many other positive things you could be doing.
A few verses earlier in 4:29 Paul says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” He even says in verses 31-32 to “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every kind of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Now there’s a slice of reality. Jesus could have seen the world’s behavior as an opportunity to grumble or complain, or just destroy it immediately. But instead, He chose to come to this Earth to show us how to live, and how to get to Heaven. He demonstrated the heart of a servant in everything from washing his disciples’ feet, to even submitting to His Father’s will of becoming the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of mankind. And He did it without grumbling or complaining.
May God bless you as you bring honor and glory to Him with your positive attitude.
Prayer: It’s Not Only A Good Habit
It’s a Command Worth Obeying
by Barrett Vanlandingham
(Fort Faith-February 12, 2008)
When you think about all the privileges we have in this life, what comes to mind? Freedom of religion? Freedom of expression? Freedom of family and friends? These are all wonderful things to be able to enjoy. But did you ever think about just how incredible of a gift it truly is to be able to pray to the Creator Himself? Did you ever think about just how awesome it is to be able to approach God with your thoughts, concerns, and thankfulness? Most of us will never meet a President, a King, or a Prime Minister. But have you ever thought about the fact that we all have the opportunity to meet with the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Creator of the Universe, the God who fashioned each of us in His own image?
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”
You may be thinking, “What in the world would I say to God all day long everyday?” Something tells me that today’s fast paced, high stressed culture may not be all that different from what a lot of people experienced in the first century. The Apostle Paul knew that well. He encouraged Christians in Thessalonica to focus on their blessings. That message applies to us today as well.
The writers of the Psalms must have spent much time contemplating the privilege of getting into the mind of God and communicating with Him. It was no doubt important during the days of so many false gods to have as much time alone with God as possible and to stay in His word.
Psalm 1 says, “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.”
It has been said that it takes 21 days to make a habit. My challenge to each of us is this: Talk to God continuously for 21 days, not just when you wake up, not just when you go to sleep, not just at meal time, and not just when you have a crisis. Talk to Him continually. Ask His advice on everything. Thank Him for everything. Express your joy to Him in everything. See if it changes how you approach life. See if praying continually helps your behavior while watching a basketball game, or while you’re conversing with a restaurant worker. See if having a prayerful attitude gives you more patience in your homelife. Just like holding hands with your wife while arguing is next to impossible, so is misbehaving while talking to God.
Romans 8:26 says, “…the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.”
Talking to God continually will obviously take lots of practice. There will likely be many times you will get side-tracked and forget to include Him in your thoughts. But just like any other goal worthy of accomplishing, having a good relationship with God is worth the effort.
Christian Leadership
There is enough work for all men and women to do.
But there are defined roles even in spite of political correctness.
by Barrett Vanlandingham (Fort Faith, February 5, 2008)
I recently fielded a concern from someone who took exception to my use of the phrase “Christian leadership” when referring to spiritual responsibilities of men and women, boys and girls. The person was afraid that I was violating the Bible’s commands, in particular, the sections that deal with women’s roles in the church.
Let me first say that if it were not for Godly women, there would be a lot fewer Godly men to lead Christian familes, and to lead churches. I am so thankful for my mother and for all the women who taught me in the ways of the Lord starting at a very young age. Even as I matured, I learned so much from them by the way they conducted themselves and continued to exhibit the Spiritual fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
It is possible for families to serve God with a woman as the spiritual leader, but how much more effective is God’s word when the husband also places God as his top priority? The fact is, God created everything with purpose and order. And when we are in step with God's purpose, things always work much more smoothly than when we allow culture to dictate order and morality.
When Jesus washed the disciples’ feet (John 13:1-16), He showed us how to lead others to Christ through serving.
In reading Biblical examples of women who took the lead in various circumstances, it is easy to conclude a few simple things about women in the Bible: They not only took seriously their feminine and submissive roles as wives and nurturing mothers, but they also possessed great leadership skills and were encouraged to use them.
In fact, the role of a Christian woman, wife, or mother requires great leadership skills and wisdom. Proverbs 31 says that the wife of noble character is worth far more than rubies. It goes on to describe her as having a good reputation for making wise household and business decisions for her family. Titus 2 says that older women are to teach the younger women in the ways of God. The book of Judges tells of a female judge named Deborah. The prophetess Miriam led a group of women in song after the Pharaoh’s army drowned in the Red Sea that Moses and the Israelites had just crossed. Esther saved God’s people from destruction by risking her own life by approaching the King on their behalf. The Apostle Paul wrote about Timothy’s sincere faith that was passed down from his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. In Acts 18:26, we’re told of a great preacher named Apollos who apparently didn’t have his facts straight until Priscilla and her husband Aquila invited him to their home and taught him the “way of God more adequately.”
It would be difficult to count the number of instances in the Bible where women took-on extremely important leadership roles in furthering the cause of Christ or helping God’s people accomplish certain tasks.
This does not mean that it would be appropriate for a woman to go against 1 Timothy 2:11-15 or 1 Corinthians 14:33-35 which require submission to the man’s role during a worship service that includes men and women. Conversely, it would also be inappropriate for a man to barge in to a situation that requires leadership skills possessed by a woman. Men who have tried this would know all too well.
It is just as important today as it was in Bible times for men and women of all ages to recognize the urgency of using our God-given talents to carry out His will. Men are to lead in worship, as well as be spiritual leaders in the church and at home. The overseers or elders of a congregation are to be the husband of one wife, manage his own family well, and possess Godly qualities listed in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1:5-9. That being said, men and women are to share in Godly responsibilities as Bible history points out time and time again.
1 Corinthians 11:11 says, “In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of women.” Ephesians 5:25 says, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”
In a marriage, when men shirk their responsibilities as spiritual leaders, the entire family suffers. When women fail spiritually, the same is true: the children and the husband are adversely affected.
As for spiritual leadership in general, Christian men and women, boys and girls are all called to lead through service, the same way Jesus did. We are all called to teach the world everything God has commanded (ref: Matthew 28:18-20). Not everyone has to do the same exact job, but every job leads towards the same goal and is of equal importance in the church (ref: Romans 12:4). As the Apostle Paul said, “If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?... As it is, there are many parts, but one body.” (ref: 1 Corinthians 12:12-27)
May God bless each of us as we bring honor to Him with whatever talent God has given us and expects us to use in accordance with His plan.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Supernatural Miracles: Do They Still Happen? (part 1)
Let the Bible Speak for Itself
by Barrett Vanlandingham
(January 22, 2008)
As with any Bible issue, it is always best to let the Bible speak for itself when questions arise. Keep in mind, the kinds of miracles to which I am discussing are the supernatural kind. I am not referring to instances in which God blesses us in one way or another with good health, wealth, good days, intervention in a situation, and other good things that could possibly occur naturally because of God’s goodness, or as an answer to prayer which can be powerful and effective (James 5:13-16).
There are two Mentions of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament.
1) Indwelling of the Holy Spirit (gift of Holy Spirit mentioned in Acts 2:38) that comforts, guides, and helps us to grow spiritually.
2) Empowerment of the Holy Spirit (which gave people in the first century the ability to do supernatural miracles)
Jesus performed supernatural miracles. He also passed this miraculous empowerment of the Holy Spirit on to those he chose to give it to, such as the apostles and others. Those people could pass on this miraculous empowerment of the Holy Spirit to yet others. But those people could not pass it on, even though they were empowered to do miracles like Jesus, the apostles, and other disciples or followers of Christ. In short, the third generation of those who received this ability to do supernatural miracles could not pass it to a fourth generation. Therefore, after the third generation of “miracle-doers” passed away, so did the ability to perform miracles.
In the first century, there were no Bible studies like we have today because the Bible was in the process of being written. So, the story of Jesus was told by disciples who would then do miracles so people would believe. The last books of the Bible were written by John in about 90-100 A.D. Shortly after that, collections of the Bible began to appear, and people began to write down or make copies of the writings that had been passed to them. By the 2nd century there were lists of books of the Bible written by people of the day.
Hebrews 2:3-4 tells us that miracles confirmed the truth of the message being preached, but only as the Spirit enabled (1 Corinthians 12:11).
Luke 9:1 Jesus called together the twelve apostles. He gave them power and authority to drive out demons and to cure diseases. Then he sent out the twelve to preach and heal the sick.
Luke 10:1 and 9, Jesus appoints 72 others to teach and heal.
Acts 6:5-6 the apostles appointed seven men to take care of widows and oversee the distribution of food. Philip was one of the seven who the apostles laid their hands on.
Acts 8:4-8 Philip preached and did miracles in Samaria.
How can Philip prove the truth of his message of salvation? After all, the books of the Bible had not been written. Truth was proven by doing miracles.
Acts 8:9-13 Simon the Sorcerer believed and was baptized. He saw the miracles of Philip. He was astonished by the genuine thing.
Acts 8:14 Peter and John went to Samaria and placed their hands on the people in Samaria so they could receive the miraculous empowerment of the Holy Spirit. (which is something Philip apparently could not do because he was in that third generation of people who had the miraculous empowerment of the Holy Spirit, but could not pass it on).
Everything has purpose in Scripture. The purpose of miracles was
1. So that we may believe (John 20:30-31)
2. To confirm salvation (Hebrews 2:3-4)
3. To edify and strengthen the early church. (1 Corinthians 14:26)
(special thanks to pulpit minister Dan Rouse for help with research for this article)
Supernatural Miracles: Do They Still Happen? (part 2)
Let the Bible Speak for Itself
by Barrett Vanlandingham
(January 29, 2008)
This is a continuation of last week’s article in which I am discussing the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to do supernatural miracles. This is not to be confused with other blessings from God such as good health, wealth, running into a good friend at just the right time, intervention in a situation, or receiving an answer to a prayer the way you wanted.
In last week’s article, we looked at Biblical examples and how they show the purpose of the supernatural miracles we read about to be the following:
1. So that we may believe (John 20:30-31)
2. To confirm salvation (Hebrews 2:3-4)
3. To edify and strengthen the early church. (1 Corinthians 14:26)
The Bible also indicates the following about the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to do miracles:
1. Jesus performed miracles and gave the apostles and others the ability to perform miracles. (Luke 9:1 and 10:1)
2. The apostles could give others the ability to do miracles. (Acts 8:14)
3. The others could not pass on this ability. (Acts 8:4-8 Philip did miracles, but Peter and John had to come to Samaria to lay their hands on people so they could receive the empowerment of the Holy Spirit).
A Few Things to Think about:
The Corinthian church was “gifted” but...
1. they still had problems.
2. they were not very spiritually minded.
3. Paul still had to write letters to answer their questions.
4. These gifts (abilities to do miracles by the miraculous empowerment of the Holy Spirit) were limited... otherwise why did the Corinthians have to write Paul?
5. These gifts did not make them mature.
6. The job of the Spirit was to protect the basic Gospel message by allowing the teachers to do miracles.
7. Paul could not heal Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25-30)
8. Miracles or healing could only happen as the Spirit enabled. (1 Corinthians 12:11 and Hebrews 2:4)
God knows the ripple effect of supernatural miracles (miracles that upset the balance of nature, or supersede nature or push nature aside). We live in a world of choice and consequences. (not a robotic world with no choices).
The world would be in total chaos if God did miracles all the time and answered every prayer in the way we wanted. Why? Because we would never know what to expect. If there were NEVER consequences for our actions, then there would be no need for a plan of salvation, no need to live right, no need to love our neighbor, and no need to have faith.
If God did supernatural miracles today such as the parting of the Red Sea, more people would be angry at God than happy, because we could never get enough. Examples: 1) Two babies get sick, one is healed and one is not. 2) God chooses to prevent a bus from hitting a 3-year old, but next time He doesn’t.
Even in the first century, God did not behave like Santa Claus. If God did everything for us, then we would no longer need to be of service to others.
There were even consequences for miracles in the first century just like there would be today. If you could have lived in the town of Bethany after Lazarus died in John 11, what do you think you might have seen?
a. Grieving
b. People taking off work to mourn
c. If Lazarus had a business, it might have shut down.
d. Competing businesses begin to thrive.
What are some things that might have happened when Jesus raised him from the dead?
a. Joy
b. Lazarus’ theoretical business re-opens.
c. Other businesses fail.
What would happen if God were to dump enough grain on Africa to feed the entire country. How long would people praise Him? Is there enough food and medicine in the world right now to help Africa? Yes, but people won’t work together and distribute the food. What if God cured the world of AIDS? How long would people praise Him?
We serve an AWESOME God who is capable of doing anything He wants. Let’s just praise God for making decisions based on what is best, instead of what we think is best. He may choose allow something to happen or not to happen, or to use someone to carry out His will in a certain instance, but unless someone lived in the first century and made contact with Jesus or an empowered disciple, they don’t even have a chance of performing a miracle of the supernatural variety.
(special thanks to pulpit minister Dan Rouse for help with research for this article)
Spiritual Decision-Making: How do I know if I’m right?
The answer has already been written down for us.
by Barrett Vanlandingham (January 15, 2008)
According to the Bible, the wisest man who ever lived is Solomon, King of Israel. This is how he got that way. About 970 years before the time of Christ, God appeared to Solomon in a dream and said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” (1 Kings 3:5)
Solomon asked for a discerning heart to govern God’s people (v. 9). God was so pleased with Solomon’s request for wisdom instead of a long life or wealth, that he granted the request and said, “…there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.” (v. 12)
Then, God proceeded to give him even all the things he did not ask for such as wealth. Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom (v.34).
In Ecclesiastes 1:12 Solomon says he devoted himself to study and explore the meaning of life. He experienced everything in life, many times, in excess. He had more cattle, gold, silver, fruit trees, servants, entertainers, and more of everything else than anyone else. He went so far as to say, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” (Eccl. 1:9)
He not only applied himself to wisdom, but also to madness, folly, and pleasure! Eventually, he learned that those kinds of things were only “…a chasing after the wind.” (Eccl. 1:17) When all was said and done, Solomon said, “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” (Eccl. 1:2)
He finishes the book by saying, “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” (Eccl. 12:13-14)
So what does this mean to us? We’ve all heard the saying that some of the best things in life can be found right under your nose. That is so true. Most of us have a copy of God’s word, the Bible. But, when problems and difficult decisions arise, how many times do we consult scripture for the answer? If we’re wise, the answer should be “everytime!”
In this “One Nation under God…” the snag is usually not that we didn’t know how or where to find the answer to life’s questions. It’s simply that we too often refuse to obey what God has to say on these matters. And instead, we look to Dr. Phil, Oprah, Jerry Springer, or Montel Williams to give us wisdom and set our paths straight.
When it comes to spiritual decision-making, God’s word will either give you a direct answer, or sometimes it gives us general principles to think about. Marriage and dating relationships, alcohol, gambling, cursing, gossiping, adultery, fornication, peer pressure, friends, materialism, selfishness, you name it, the Bible has something to say about it.
Our willingness to find out God’s will and obey His word shows two very important things: 1) that we are wise enough to pay attention to the wisest man who ever lived, and 2) that we love God. In John 14:15, Jesus is quoted as saying, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.”
Thought-Provoking Questions to Help Get Your New Year Re-Focused
A Call to Build the House of the Lord
by Barrett Vanlandingham (January 1, 2008)
Haggai 1:5-7 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: Give careful thought to your ways! You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but you never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”
In case you’re a little behind on setting goals for 2008, here are some thoughts that will challenge you to build your spiritual house to please God? The above passage is a statement from God through the prophet Haggai after God’s people had become lax in their spirituality. The people were very busy and very successful at improving their own standard of living. But while they were taking time to build nice houses for themselves, they were ignoring the fact that the Lord’s house lay in ruin. In short, God’s people had lost focus. They had allowed their enemies to intimidate and discourage them from honoring God in their daily lives.
God’s people were obviously getting a lot accomplished by the world’s standards. But nothing they did gave them true joy or satisfaction. God had called them to do some work for Him. Yet, they simply allowed other things, other less important things get in the way of what God wanted them to do.
Sound familiar? It should. This same old struggle has gone on for thousands of years, and it’s not any easier for us today than it was back then. The devil and those he has influenced are very skilled at providing distractions for us. And the more we resist, the harder satan tries to find ways of tricking us into turning our backs on God.
At the beginning of this new year, we should all take a time to reflect on our commitment to God. We all need to think about where we are spiritually compared to where we ought to be. And we need to re-evaluate what kind of spiritual construction is taking place in each of our lives, and on whose foundation we are building.
Ask yourself these questions:
1) What’s one thing you could do this year to build a better relationship with God? With your church family?
2) What is the biggest time-waster in your life?
3) For whose salvation will you pray for?
4) What’s the most important way you will try to make this year different from last year?
5) What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in ten years? In eternity?
6) Which part of your spiritual life do you most want to make progress in this year?
7) What’s the most important decision you need to make this year?
8) If those who know you best gave you one piece of advice, what would they say?
9) Who do you most want to encourage this year?
10) What area of your life most needs simplifying?
May we ever strive to be God’s people in a very committed way. May we strive to make every word, action, and thought something that would be approved by God. May we always remember Philippians 4:13. “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
Spiritual Gift Wrapping
by Barrett Vanlandingham
(December 18, 2007)
When it comes to wrapping Christmas gifts, sometimes it is fun to fool the one on the receiving end by putting a small gift in a big box, or maybe labeling the wrapping paper with someone else’s name on it until time for opening gifts.
When it comes to who we are spiritually, there is no room for joking. So, who we are on the outside must be the same person we are on the inside. Paul was worried about this very thing in 2 Corinthians 11 where he was talking about false apostles.
There are no false apostles and no real apostles for that matter among us today because apostles must be chosen directly by God, like Paul, or called by Jesus, like the original twelve. But that doesn’t mean that in our day and time, there can’t be people who refer to themselves as Christians while their motives are less than holy.
In 2 Corinthians 11, we read that Paul was afraid that some in the church in Corinth might be led astray from their pure and sincere devotion to Christ by those “super-apostles” or possibly pseudo-apostles who were masquerading as apostles of Christ. These were apparently well-trained speakers, unlike Paul, who may have appeared to do all the right things, while their motives were deceitful. We are not told exactly what they were doing wrong, only that their righteous appearance was a fraud.
It has been said that the greatest weapon the devil has in his arsenal to test us is praise and flattery. That is not to say that it is wrong to give a compliment to a Christian brother or sister. It is only to say that Satan is a master at using our egos to destroy us spiritually if we start believing that we, apart from God, are able to accomplish anything.
The serpent offered the promise of special knowledge that was to allow Adam and Eve to become like God. The Corinthians wanted to become rich and reign as Kings (1 Cor. 4:8). They were susceptible to a false gospel possibly put forth by slick talking, diamond studded apostles that appealed to the Corinthians’ human pride and desire to be special.
Way too often, we fall into the trap of thinking that if we do this or that, God will somehow reward us on earth with health or wealth, and that these blessings are a confirmation of our faith. But as Paul so pointedly brings to the attention of the Corinthian Church in regards to the false apostles, “Their end will be what their actions deserve.” The same holds true for those who follow after them. Read John 15:18-25, and 2 Corinthians 11:16-33 and tell me if you think we are guaranteed an abundance of material wealth and physical health if we follow Jesus. We must remember that as Christians, we are citizens of Heaven, and the recipients of spiritual rewards both in this life and the life to come.
Please pray today for God to help us stay humble and know that all good things come from Him, the One in Whom we serve and have our hope. Let us also seek to be spiritually genuine inside and out as we encourage one another daily on the path to Heaven.
What I Want For Christmas?
…to continue letting the light of Christ shine in Fort Gibson…
and to shed a little light on some Christmas myths
by Barrett Vanlandingham (Fort Faith-December 11, 2007)
It’s so refreshing to see all of the beautiful Christmas decorations donning the streets, homes, and yards of Fort Gibson. It’s also a beautiful thing to see nativity scenes here and there, and to hear Christmas caroling as Christians in our little town enjoy the extra emphasis put on Jesus Christ, the Messiah, God’s son, and our Savior, for at least one month out of the year. The very name of the holiday “Christmas” is a heartwarming reminder to me and all Christians of our Savior and His servant-hearted example that it is more blessed to give than to receive. It is also good to have at least a yearly reason to encourage us all to do more acts of service for those who are less fortunate.
There are at least a few myths associated with the religious part of Christmas. Namely, we really don’t know in which month Jesus was born. Also, we really don’t know how many wise men there were who delivered the three gifts to the house, not to a manger (Matthew 2:11). And finally, we don’t know whether the angels were singing or not when they praised God and said, “Glory to God in the highest” while announcing Jesus’ birth to shepherds in a field (Luke 2:13). By the way, to my knowledge, shepherds tended their flocks outside during the warmer months, not winter.
Religiously speaking, December should be no different than any other month. The fact that our wallet is much thinner because of gift-buying and our waist much fatter because of over-eating is really a man-made thing.
It’s not that I don’t appreciate that more people think about Jesus in December, because really, I do appreciate it. But if there were three gifts I could give to an entire town on Christmas, it would be the gift of helping us all remember Jesus all year round, and placing Him at the top of our priority list, and letting our actions prove it in our attitude towards our fellow citizens.
So, with that being said, I would like to thank Renee’ Fite and the Fort Gibson Times for asking me to be a guest writer and publishing this Fort Faith column for almost an entire year now. Not once, that I know of, has an editor changed the meaning or content of what I have written. Fort Gibson is a very diverse town in many ways, but with a very strong Christian base. So I, for one, appreciate the Fort Gibson Times for paying attention to the interests of its town in a time when God’s name is being taken out of many venues on the national scene.
In writing this column, I always do my absolute best to make every word agree with Bible teaching since the Bible is God’s inspired word and gives us everything we need to know (2 Timothy 3:16). And as always, please, check it out for yourself.
Thanksgiving is Over, but Giving Thanks Is Not
Don’t let your faith stay zipped up like frozen leftovers
By Barrett Vanlandingham (Nov. 27, 2007)
Thanksgiving meals are kind of like revivals or Gospel meetings. They’re great when consumed fresh, but the taste and even the nourishment diminishes unless fresh recipes are applied throughout the year. The great thing about spiritual nourishment is that God makes sure we can never get tired of His Cookbook (the Bible) when the right ingredients are prepared and consumed. A healthy diet of Galatians 5:22-23 is a great place to start. The Fruit of the Spirit listed here includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
The Bible gives Christians and non-Christians alike many great recipes that not only help sustain us while on earth, but also show us the way to that great banquet in the sky hosted by Jesus Christ Himself. It does take effort on our part. Even though all believers are invited to the banquet, we must follow God’s plan and enter through the right door so that He can “…reward each person according to what he has done.” (Matthew 16:27)
James 2:24, 26 says, “24.You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. 26.As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”
In God’s wisdom, He knew that man could never save himself from spiritual death. That’s why He gave us a plan to follow. So, even though we are saved by God’s amazing grace, it is only because of His grace (unmerited favor) that He provides us direction, and covers our sin through the death of His son, providing the ultimate hope through Jesus’ resurrection. Romans 6:4 says, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father we too may live a new life.”
The fact that we serve a risen Savior is reason to celebrate and be thankful continually. The awesomeness of His love should be enough to bring us to our knees, literally. May God bless each of our efforts to study His word on a regular basis, and apply recipes from God’s book as we “live a new life” everyday because of His son. Thank You, Jesus. From each of Your dedicated followers here in Fort Gibson.
Thanksgiving: Turkey or Ham Is Good
but spiritual food for family, friends and others is most important
by Barrett Vanlandingham
(November 20, 2007)
Here in Fort Gibson, we all have so much to be thankful for this time of year. One of those things is that our community is small enough that it’s fairly easy to keep up with each others’ spiritual needs. With not much effort, we know when someone is struggling with their faith. Certainly within our own families we should know when the devil is luring our loved ones away from the straight and narrow path (Matthew 7:13-14).
In Philippians 1:3, Paul was writing from prison when he said, “I thank my God every time I remember you.” We should all strive to be the kind of people that others thank God for when they think about us.
We all have special memories of loved ones or events that we like to think about. The gift of remembering things is special in itself. We need to remember to thank God for special memories.
To Paul, the saints or Christians in Philippi were special. He had good feelings towards them because they partnered with him in teaching the good news of Jesus Christ. His Christian brothers and sisters were constantly in is heart whether he was in chains or out evangelizing. He longed to be with them because they shared a common mission, and shared in God’s grace. Paul tells his dear friend, Titus, in Titus 2:11-12 that the grace of God not only brings salvation, but also “teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives...”
During those times that you are tempted to sin, it would be wise to think about God’s grace and whether you are sharing in it, or separated from it. Part of the reason Paul was able to stand firm in the faith is because he had a wonderful support system consisting of his Christian family for whom he was thankful.
We’ve all seen other Christians who appear weaker than ourselves. Sometimes, that weaker Christian IS ourselves. Sometime, we think our only spiritual obligation is to self. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth.
Ephesians 4:11-16 paints a picture of a body of Christ that grows in knowledge and faith so it can be unified. We should all continue to be thankful as we grow in love and support for each other as we share a common mission that is dependant on God’s grace.
Let us all encourage one another over and over again with the good news of Jesus Christ which is the greatest thing any of us could be thankful for. Romans 10:15 echoes the thoughts of the prophet in Isaiah 52:7 with these words: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
Let the Bible Speak for Itself
by Barrett Vanlandingham
(January 22, 2008)
As with any Bible issue, it is always best to let the Bible speak for itself when questions arise. Keep in mind, the kinds of miracles to which I am discussing are the supernatural kind. I am not referring to instances in which God blesses us in one way or another with good health, wealth, good days, intervention in a situation, and other good things that could possibly occur naturally because of God’s goodness, or as an answer to prayer which can be powerful and effective (James 5:13-16).
There are two Mentions of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament.
1) Indwelling of the Holy Spirit (gift of Holy Spirit mentioned in Acts 2:38) that comforts, guides, and helps us to grow spiritually.
2) Empowerment of the Holy Spirit (which gave people in the first century the ability to do supernatural miracles)
Jesus performed supernatural miracles. He also passed this miraculous empowerment of the Holy Spirit on to those he chose to give it to, such as the apostles and others. Those people could pass on this miraculous empowerment of the Holy Spirit to yet others. But those people could not pass it on, even though they were empowered to do miracles like Jesus, the apostles, and other disciples or followers of Christ. In short, the third generation of those who received this ability to do supernatural miracles could not pass it to a fourth generation. Therefore, after the third generation of “miracle-doers” passed away, so did the ability to perform miracles.
In the first century, there were no Bible studies like we have today because the Bible was in the process of being written. So, the story of Jesus was told by disciples who would then do miracles so people would believe. The last books of the Bible were written by John in about 90-100 A.D. Shortly after that, collections of the Bible began to appear, and people began to write down or make copies of the writings that had been passed to them. By the 2nd century there were lists of books of the Bible written by people of the day.
Hebrews 2:3-4 tells us that miracles confirmed the truth of the message being preached, but only as the Spirit enabled (1 Corinthians 12:11).
Luke 9:1 Jesus called together the twelve apostles. He gave them power and authority to drive out demons and to cure diseases. Then he sent out the twelve to preach and heal the sick.
Luke 10:1 and 9, Jesus appoints 72 others to teach and heal.
Acts 6:5-6 the apostles appointed seven men to take care of widows and oversee the distribution of food. Philip was one of the seven who the apostles laid their hands on.
Acts 8:4-8 Philip preached and did miracles in Samaria.
How can Philip prove the truth of his message of salvation? After all, the books of the Bible had not been written. Truth was proven by doing miracles.
Acts 8:9-13 Simon the Sorcerer believed and was baptized. He saw the miracles of Philip. He was astonished by the genuine thing.
Acts 8:14 Peter and John went to Samaria and placed their hands on the people in Samaria so they could receive the miraculous empowerment of the Holy Spirit. (which is something Philip apparently could not do because he was in that third generation of people who had the miraculous empowerment of the Holy Spirit, but could not pass it on).
Everything has purpose in Scripture. The purpose of miracles was
1. So that we may believe (John 20:30-31)
2. To confirm salvation (Hebrews 2:3-4)
3. To edify and strengthen the early church. (1 Corinthians 14:26)
(special thanks to pulpit minister Dan Rouse for help with research for this article)
Supernatural Miracles: Do They Still Happen? (part 2)
Let the Bible Speak for Itself
by Barrett Vanlandingham
(January 29, 2008)
This is a continuation of last week’s article in which I am discussing the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to do supernatural miracles. This is not to be confused with other blessings from God such as good health, wealth, running into a good friend at just the right time, intervention in a situation, or receiving an answer to a prayer the way you wanted.
In last week’s article, we looked at Biblical examples and how they show the purpose of the supernatural miracles we read about to be the following:
1. So that we may believe (John 20:30-31)
2. To confirm salvation (Hebrews 2:3-4)
3. To edify and strengthen the early church. (1 Corinthians 14:26)
The Bible also indicates the following about the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to do miracles:
1. Jesus performed miracles and gave the apostles and others the ability to perform miracles. (Luke 9:1 and 10:1)
2. The apostles could give others the ability to do miracles. (Acts 8:14)
3. The others could not pass on this ability. (Acts 8:4-8 Philip did miracles, but Peter and John had to come to Samaria to lay their hands on people so they could receive the empowerment of the Holy Spirit).
A Few Things to Think about:
The Corinthian church was “gifted” but...
1. they still had problems.
2. they were not very spiritually minded.
3. Paul still had to write letters to answer their questions.
4. These gifts (abilities to do miracles by the miraculous empowerment of the Holy Spirit) were limited... otherwise why did the Corinthians have to write Paul?
5. These gifts did not make them mature.
6. The job of the Spirit was to protect the basic Gospel message by allowing the teachers to do miracles.
7. Paul could not heal Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25-30)
8. Miracles or healing could only happen as the Spirit enabled. (1 Corinthians 12:11 and Hebrews 2:4)
God knows the ripple effect of supernatural miracles (miracles that upset the balance of nature, or supersede nature or push nature aside). We live in a world of choice and consequences. (not a robotic world with no choices).
The world would be in total chaos if God did miracles all the time and answered every prayer in the way we wanted. Why? Because we would never know what to expect. If there were NEVER consequences for our actions, then there would be no need for a plan of salvation, no need to live right, no need to love our neighbor, and no need to have faith.
If God did supernatural miracles today such as the parting of the Red Sea, more people would be angry at God than happy, because we could never get enough. Examples: 1) Two babies get sick, one is healed and one is not. 2) God chooses to prevent a bus from hitting a 3-year old, but next time He doesn’t.
Even in the first century, God did not behave like Santa Claus. If God did everything for us, then we would no longer need to be of service to others.
There were even consequences for miracles in the first century just like there would be today. If you could have lived in the town of Bethany after Lazarus died in John 11, what do you think you might have seen?
a. Grieving
b. People taking off work to mourn
c. If Lazarus had a business, it might have shut down.
d. Competing businesses begin to thrive.
What are some things that might have happened when Jesus raised him from the dead?
a. Joy
b. Lazarus’ theoretical business re-opens.
c. Other businesses fail.
What would happen if God were to dump enough grain on Africa to feed the entire country. How long would people praise Him? Is there enough food and medicine in the world right now to help Africa? Yes, but people won’t work together and distribute the food. What if God cured the world of AIDS? How long would people praise Him?
We serve an AWESOME God who is capable of doing anything He wants. Let’s just praise God for making decisions based on what is best, instead of what we think is best. He may choose allow something to happen or not to happen, or to use someone to carry out His will in a certain instance, but unless someone lived in the first century and made contact with Jesus or an empowered disciple, they don’t even have a chance of performing a miracle of the supernatural variety.
(special thanks to pulpit minister Dan Rouse for help with research for this article)
Spiritual Decision-Making: How do I know if I’m right?
The answer has already been written down for us.
by Barrett Vanlandingham (January 15, 2008)
According to the Bible, the wisest man who ever lived is Solomon, King of Israel. This is how he got that way. About 970 years before the time of Christ, God appeared to Solomon in a dream and said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” (1 Kings 3:5)
Solomon asked for a discerning heart to govern God’s people (v. 9). God was so pleased with Solomon’s request for wisdom instead of a long life or wealth, that he granted the request and said, “…there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.” (v. 12)
Then, God proceeded to give him even all the things he did not ask for such as wealth. Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom (v.34).
In Ecclesiastes 1:12 Solomon says he devoted himself to study and explore the meaning of life. He experienced everything in life, many times, in excess. He had more cattle, gold, silver, fruit trees, servants, entertainers, and more of everything else than anyone else. He went so far as to say, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” (Eccl. 1:9)
He not only applied himself to wisdom, but also to madness, folly, and pleasure! Eventually, he learned that those kinds of things were only “…a chasing after the wind.” (Eccl. 1:17) When all was said and done, Solomon said, “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” (Eccl. 1:2)
He finishes the book by saying, “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” (Eccl. 12:13-14)
So what does this mean to us? We’ve all heard the saying that some of the best things in life can be found right under your nose. That is so true. Most of us have a copy of God’s word, the Bible. But, when problems and difficult decisions arise, how many times do we consult scripture for the answer? If we’re wise, the answer should be “everytime!”
In this “One Nation under God…” the snag is usually not that we didn’t know how or where to find the answer to life’s questions. It’s simply that we too often refuse to obey what God has to say on these matters. And instead, we look to Dr. Phil, Oprah, Jerry Springer, or Montel Williams to give us wisdom and set our paths straight.
When it comes to spiritual decision-making, God’s word will either give you a direct answer, or sometimes it gives us general principles to think about. Marriage and dating relationships, alcohol, gambling, cursing, gossiping, adultery, fornication, peer pressure, friends, materialism, selfishness, you name it, the Bible has something to say about it.
Our willingness to find out God’s will and obey His word shows two very important things: 1) that we are wise enough to pay attention to the wisest man who ever lived, and 2) that we love God. In John 14:15, Jesus is quoted as saying, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.”
Thought-Provoking Questions to Help Get Your New Year Re-Focused
A Call to Build the House of the Lord
by Barrett Vanlandingham (January 1, 2008)
Haggai 1:5-7 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: Give careful thought to your ways! You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but you never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”
In case you’re a little behind on setting goals for 2008, here are some thoughts that will challenge you to build your spiritual house to please God? The above passage is a statement from God through the prophet Haggai after God’s people had become lax in their spirituality. The people were very busy and very successful at improving their own standard of living. But while they were taking time to build nice houses for themselves, they were ignoring the fact that the Lord’s house lay in ruin. In short, God’s people had lost focus. They had allowed their enemies to intimidate and discourage them from honoring God in their daily lives.
God’s people were obviously getting a lot accomplished by the world’s standards. But nothing they did gave them true joy or satisfaction. God had called them to do some work for Him. Yet, they simply allowed other things, other less important things get in the way of what God wanted them to do.
Sound familiar? It should. This same old struggle has gone on for thousands of years, and it’s not any easier for us today than it was back then. The devil and those he has influenced are very skilled at providing distractions for us. And the more we resist, the harder satan tries to find ways of tricking us into turning our backs on God.
At the beginning of this new year, we should all take a time to reflect on our commitment to God. We all need to think about where we are spiritually compared to where we ought to be. And we need to re-evaluate what kind of spiritual construction is taking place in each of our lives, and on whose foundation we are building.
Ask yourself these questions:
1) What’s one thing you could do this year to build a better relationship with God? With your church family?
2) What is the biggest time-waster in your life?
3) For whose salvation will you pray for?
4) What’s the most important way you will try to make this year different from last year?
5) What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in ten years? In eternity?
6) Which part of your spiritual life do you most want to make progress in this year?
7) What’s the most important decision you need to make this year?
8) If those who know you best gave you one piece of advice, what would they say?
9) Who do you most want to encourage this year?
10) What area of your life most needs simplifying?
May we ever strive to be God’s people in a very committed way. May we strive to make every word, action, and thought something that would be approved by God. May we always remember Philippians 4:13. “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
Spiritual Gift Wrapping
by Barrett Vanlandingham
(December 18, 2007)
When it comes to wrapping Christmas gifts, sometimes it is fun to fool the one on the receiving end by putting a small gift in a big box, or maybe labeling the wrapping paper with someone else’s name on it until time for opening gifts.
When it comes to who we are spiritually, there is no room for joking. So, who we are on the outside must be the same person we are on the inside. Paul was worried about this very thing in 2 Corinthians 11 where he was talking about false apostles.
There are no false apostles and no real apostles for that matter among us today because apostles must be chosen directly by God, like Paul, or called by Jesus, like the original twelve. But that doesn’t mean that in our day and time, there can’t be people who refer to themselves as Christians while their motives are less than holy.
In 2 Corinthians 11, we read that Paul was afraid that some in the church in Corinth might be led astray from their pure and sincere devotion to Christ by those “super-apostles” or possibly pseudo-apostles who were masquerading as apostles of Christ. These were apparently well-trained speakers, unlike Paul, who may have appeared to do all the right things, while their motives were deceitful. We are not told exactly what they were doing wrong, only that their righteous appearance was a fraud.
It has been said that the greatest weapon the devil has in his arsenal to test us is praise and flattery. That is not to say that it is wrong to give a compliment to a Christian brother or sister. It is only to say that Satan is a master at using our egos to destroy us spiritually if we start believing that we, apart from God, are able to accomplish anything.
The serpent offered the promise of special knowledge that was to allow Adam and Eve to become like God. The Corinthians wanted to become rich and reign as Kings (1 Cor. 4:8). They were susceptible to a false gospel possibly put forth by slick talking, diamond studded apostles that appealed to the Corinthians’ human pride and desire to be special.
Way too often, we fall into the trap of thinking that if we do this or that, God will somehow reward us on earth with health or wealth, and that these blessings are a confirmation of our faith. But as Paul so pointedly brings to the attention of the Corinthian Church in regards to the false apostles, “Their end will be what their actions deserve.” The same holds true for those who follow after them. Read John 15:18-25, and 2 Corinthians 11:16-33 and tell me if you think we are guaranteed an abundance of material wealth and physical health if we follow Jesus. We must remember that as Christians, we are citizens of Heaven, and the recipients of spiritual rewards both in this life and the life to come.
Please pray today for God to help us stay humble and know that all good things come from Him, the One in Whom we serve and have our hope. Let us also seek to be spiritually genuine inside and out as we encourage one another daily on the path to Heaven.
What I Want For Christmas?
…to continue letting the light of Christ shine in Fort Gibson…
and to shed a little light on some Christmas myths
by Barrett Vanlandingham (Fort Faith-December 11, 2007)
It’s so refreshing to see all of the beautiful Christmas decorations donning the streets, homes, and yards of Fort Gibson. It’s also a beautiful thing to see nativity scenes here and there, and to hear Christmas caroling as Christians in our little town enjoy the extra emphasis put on Jesus Christ, the Messiah, God’s son, and our Savior, for at least one month out of the year. The very name of the holiday “Christmas” is a heartwarming reminder to me and all Christians of our Savior and His servant-hearted example that it is more blessed to give than to receive. It is also good to have at least a yearly reason to encourage us all to do more acts of service for those who are less fortunate.
There are at least a few myths associated with the religious part of Christmas. Namely, we really don’t know in which month Jesus was born. Also, we really don’t know how many wise men there were who delivered the three gifts to the house, not to a manger (Matthew 2:11). And finally, we don’t know whether the angels were singing or not when they praised God and said, “Glory to God in the highest” while announcing Jesus’ birth to shepherds in a field (Luke 2:13). By the way, to my knowledge, shepherds tended their flocks outside during the warmer months, not winter.
Religiously speaking, December should be no different than any other month. The fact that our wallet is much thinner because of gift-buying and our waist much fatter because of over-eating is really a man-made thing.
It’s not that I don’t appreciate that more people think about Jesus in December, because really, I do appreciate it. But if there were three gifts I could give to an entire town on Christmas, it would be the gift of helping us all remember Jesus all year round, and placing Him at the top of our priority list, and letting our actions prove it in our attitude towards our fellow citizens.
So, with that being said, I would like to thank Renee’ Fite and the Fort Gibson Times for asking me to be a guest writer and publishing this Fort Faith column for almost an entire year now. Not once, that I know of, has an editor changed the meaning or content of what I have written. Fort Gibson is a very diverse town in many ways, but with a very strong Christian base. So I, for one, appreciate the Fort Gibson Times for paying attention to the interests of its town in a time when God’s name is being taken out of many venues on the national scene.
In writing this column, I always do my absolute best to make every word agree with Bible teaching since the Bible is God’s inspired word and gives us everything we need to know (2 Timothy 3:16). And as always, please, check it out for yourself.
Thanksgiving is Over, but Giving Thanks Is Not
Don’t let your faith stay zipped up like frozen leftovers
By Barrett Vanlandingham (Nov. 27, 2007)
Thanksgiving meals are kind of like revivals or Gospel meetings. They’re great when consumed fresh, but the taste and even the nourishment diminishes unless fresh recipes are applied throughout the year. The great thing about spiritual nourishment is that God makes sure we can never get tired of His Cookbook (the Bible) when the right ingredients are prepared and consumed. A healthy diet of Galatians 5:22-23 is a great place to start. The Fruit of the Spirit listed here includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
The Bible gives Christians and non-Christians alike many great recipes that not only help sustain us while on earth, but also show us the way to that great banquet in the sky hosted by Jesus Christ Himself. It does take effort on our part. Even though all believers are invited to the banquet, we must follow God’s plan and enter through the right door so that He can “…reward each person according to what he has done.” (Matthew 16:27)
James 2:24, 26 says, “24.You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. 26.As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”
In God’s wisdom, He knew that man could never save himself from spiritual death. That’s why He gave us a plan to follow. So, even though we are saved by God’s amazing grace, it is only because of His grace (unmerited favor) that He provides us direction, and covers our sin through the death of His son, providing the ultimate hope through Jesus’ resurrection. Romans 6:4 says, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father we too may live a new life.”
The fact that we serve a risen Savior is reason to celebrate and be thankful continually. The awesomeness of His love should be enough to bring us to our knees, literally. May God bless each of our efforts to study His word on a regular basis, and apply recipes from God’s book as we “live a new life” everyday because of His son. Thank You, Jesus. From each of Your dedicated followers here in Fort Gibson.
Thanksgiving: Turkey or Ham Is Good
but spiritual food for family, friends and others is most important
by Barrett Vanlandingham
(November 20, 2007)
Here in Fort Gibson, we all have so much to be thankful for this time of year. One of those things is that our community is small enough that it’s fairly easy to keep up with each others’ spiritual needs. With not much effort, we know when someone is struggling with their faith. Certainly within our own families we should know when the devil is luring our loved ones away from the straight and narrow path (Matthew 7:13-14).
In Philippians 1:3, Paul was writing from prison when he said, “I thank my God every time I remember you.” We should all strive to be the kind of people that others thank God for when they think about us.
We all have special memories of loved ones or events that we like to think about. The gift of remembering things is special in itself. We need to remember to thank God for special memories.
To Paul, the saints or Christians in Philippi were special. He had good feelings towards them because they partnered with him in teaching the good news of Jesus Christ. His Christian brothers and sisters were constantly in is heart whether he was in chains or out evangelizing. He longed to be with them because they shared a common mission, and shared in God’s grace. Paul tells his dear friend, Titus, in Titus 2:11-12 that the grace of God not only brings salvation, but also “teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives...”
During those times that you are tempted to sin, it would be wise to think about God’s grace and whether you are sharing in it, or separated from it. Part of the reason Paul was able to stand firm in the faith is because he had a wonderful support system consisting of his Christian family for whom he was thankful.
We’ve all seen other Christians who appear weaker than ourselves. Sometimes, that weaker Christian IS ourselves. Sometime, we think our only spiritual obligation is to self. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth.
Ephesians 4:11-16 paints a picture of a body of Christ that grows in knowledge and faith so it can be unified. We should all continue to be thankful as we grow in love and support for each other as we share a common mission that is dependant on God’s grace.
Let us all encourage one another over and over again with the good news of Jesus Christ which is the greatest thing any of us could be thankful for. Romans 10:15 echoes the thoughts of the prophet in Isaiah 52:7 with these words: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Salvation: How Do I Know I’m Going to Heaven?
(Part 1)
by Barrett Vanlandingham
(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).
Monday, October 22, 2007
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.
(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.
Monday, September 17, 2007
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.
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.
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