Christ brings direction to a world spinning out of control

by Barrett Vanlandingham

June 18, 2013

            My son, Britton, and I had a blast at the Fort Gibson Burnout Competition over the weekend.  The weather was perfect, the attendance was great, and the hotrods were impressive.

            It was amazing to watch these suped up cars with high performance engines sit absolutely still while the rear wheels spin full speed ahead, smoke billowing into a crowd of cheering fans.

            The pessimistic part of me kept wondering if one of those roaring speedsters was somehow going to get loose and rocket through the crowd.  Thank the Lord and some skilled drivers, that didn’t happen.

            And while this was no doubt a fun event to enjoy, the minister part of me could not help but make a comparison between someone whose life just seems to go around in circles and never really get anywhere, just like those spinning wheels. There may even be a smokescreen or other superficial evidence of progress, or even friends cheering them on in their endeavor, while in reality nothing of spiritual significance has occurred in that person’s life.  We see this happening all over the world as people continue to look for answers in the wrong places.

              It can be easy, even for Christians, to get so caught up in day to day life, and in our own projects, desires, and hobbies that we forget to spend time and effort on the important things.  The Israelites were constantly guilty of this behavior, and as a result, God let them circle through the wilderness for 40 years! The Bible warns Christians against wasting time.

            “¹⁵ Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. (Ephesians 5:15-17).”

            One important thing to remember is that even though physical growth happens without much effort, spiritual growth happens only by choice.  And God urges us to do so. He even lists specific areas to work on for those of us who wear the name Christian.

            “⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, ⁶ and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, ⁷ and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. ⁸ For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:5-8).”

            May God bless your spiritual journey, that you may not go in circles, but instead make forward progress as you work towards spiritual growth everyday.  Have a great week!

Running the Christian race is a worthy endeavor  
by Barrett Vanlandingham
June 11, 2013

          I could definitely stand to be in better physical shape.  A lot of my friends are constantly training for one race or another.  A 5-K here, a 10-K there.  Staying in shape is important.  The same can be said for our spiritual shape.

            Each of the New Testament writers (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, Paul, James, Jude, and the unidentified writer of Hebrews) talks about the importance staying faithful to God.

With so much attention given to this issue, the obvious question to ask would be, “Why is that important?”  After all, in the world we live in today, obeying the commands of God who we haven’t seen is not exactly the most popular way to spend our time.  In fact, most people could care less about walking a narrow path to a place they’ve only heard about (Matthew 7:13-14).

Even some Christians would go as far as to say that it is not important to even try to be good since we are saved by grace anyway.  And while it is true that God’s grace saves us, this does not give us a free pass to simply live life on our own terms and disregard God’s will for us as New Testament Christians.  The apostle Paul made that clear in Rom. 6:1-11 and Gal. 5:4.

Paul also warned Christians in Corinth that as they run the Christian race, they should run in a way to get the prize instead of running aimlessly.  He encourages Christians to not fight spiritual battles like a boxer who just swats at the air.  He says it is important for us to not only tell others about Christ, but to make sure we ourselves are also staying fit spiritually.

“No, I beat my body and make it a slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize (1 Cor. 9:27).”

Paul knew what it was like to butt heads with God.  It didn’t work very well for him (Acts 9) and it will not work very well for us either.  Maybe that’s why he wrote so much on this topic after he became a Christian.

The apostle Peter also encourages Christians to stay faithful til the end.  He goes as far as to say that we should be careful what we believe about Scripture because of how some people distort the meaning of the message.

“Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.  But grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen (2 Peter 3:17-18).”

God promises to reward your earnest efforts in running the race and seeking him (Hebrews 11:6).  This verse and many others in the New Testament disqualify half-hearted attempts to please God.  Spend some time in fervent prayer everyday, asking God to guide your steps.  You will surely notice a big difference in your life, and in the lives of those you come in contact with.  Have a blessed week!

 

Children are a blessing from God
by Barrett Vanlandingham
June 4, 2013

            Even after directing Junior Camp with a bunch of third through fifth graders this past week, I can honestly say that there is something extra refreshing and inspirational about children.

            During our worship time, we sang a song with these lyrics: “Holy Lord, most holy Lord, You alone are worthy of my praise. O holy Lord, most holy Lord, with all of my heart I sing. Great are you, Lord!  Worthy of praise!  Holy and true, great are You, Lord, most holy Lord.”

            Whether you know the tune of the song is not important.  But I will say that I have sung this song probably hundreds of times, and the only two times that tears have actually come to my eyes is when I have heard children sing it by themselves with no adult voices.  This was the case at Junior Camp. Of course, there were more missed notes without the adult voices to guide them, but that didn’t matter.  It was almost as if we were listening to baby angels praising God.  What a blessing.

            Yes, children are high maintenance.  Yes, children can be annoying.  (Weren’t we all?)  But for some reason, hearing them sing praises to God at the top of their lungs makes children’s ministry all worth it.  They are not worried about what anyone else thinks of them.  They are not worried about saying all of the words correctly or hitting all of the notes perfectly.  They just sing and offer pure praise, and God just listens to their hearts, just like He listens to ours.  They have their whole lives ahead of them, so much potential.  And already they minister to adults daily without evening knowing it.  God is so good.

            Jesus held a special place in his heart for children. Remember this passage in the New Testament book of Matthew?

            “Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.’” (Matthew 19:13-14)

            Whether we remember it or not, we’ve all been children.  Sometimes we forget that in God’s eyes we are still children in many ways, stumbling and making mistakes on a daily basis.  But one thing is for sure.  As Christians, God is our Father, He is always there for us, guiding, comforting, giving, and forgiving as we repent.  May God bless each of us with the sincere desire to be innocent and pure like little children.  Have a great week!

Be Jesus to someone everyday

by Barrett Vanlandingham

May 28, 2013

            Just when you think the world’s priorities are so far out of whack things could never get back in line, there always seems to be some sort of crisis that causes people to re-think life.

            Our state and much of our nation are no doubt going through that right now as tornado damage here in Oklahoma is causing people everywhere to re-focus.

            Many of us have close friends or family members who were affected by nature’s recent wrath. It is hard to make it through an entire day without having a conversation or hearing news about what is going on in Moore and other towns that were in the path.    

            One giant blessing that is coming out of all of this is seeing and hearing about so many acts of compassion, selflessness, kindness, and love being shown towards victims and volunteers.  This is truly inspiring.  There is probably not a town in Oklahoma that is not doing something to help.  Here in Fort Gibson, churches, schools and many other kind-hearted people have unified for a very important cause.  Suddenly, things that used to seem so important have taken a back seat to offering aid, hope, and hugs to those whose world was turned upside down in a matter of minutes.

             The Bible says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).”

            Christians have a vital job to do during this very difficult time.  While it is certainly important to help others by giving money and any supplies that are needed, we also must model the definition of love as stated by the apostle Paul in his letter to the church in Corinth.  This is something we need to do not only in times of crisis, but especially after things get back to normal and people have forgotten to have a Christ-like attitude. 

            There may not be a natural disaster every week to cause people to unite and be Jesus to those who are hurting, but tragedy and crises do occur year round, even here in our small town.  It may be on your block or even in your family.

            May we all work towards making a difference for someone in our community today and everyday.  God bless and have a great week!

Flowers teach lessons that help us grow in spirit
by Barrett Vanlandingham
May 21, 2013

            One of the things I love about this time of year is beautiful flowers everywhere!  I really appreciate all of Fort Gibson’s very talented and persistent green thumbs. 

Glen and Betty Hopfer have a spectacular purple Clematis vine with hundreds of blooms that have climbed and decorated the corner of their house several feet high! 

As I took some pictures of their flowerbed, I couldn’t help but be in awe of God’s handiwork in partnership with the Hopfer’s.  But as colorful as this scene was, the words of the prophet Isaiah came to mind.  “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever (Isaiah 40:8).”

While I do not like the thought of eventual doom for these blooms, it is encouraging that God loves mankind much more than grass and flowers (Matthew 6:28-30).  But with that love comes great responsibility.

The role of Christians has become more important than ever as people are being influenced by an ever-increasingly wicked world, and need something and someone to trust in. It is a daunting task as the statistics show people acting on their feelings of hopelessness.

A recent study by Julie Phillips of Rutgers University shows that more people now die of suicide than in car accidents!

The root of the problem is really nothing new, and has been around since the beginning of mankind.  It is just that these days, people increasingly seem to embrace taking on more distractions and more financial risks in their lives instead of seeking advice from God on experiencing peace, hope, and assurance.  He’s been an expert on this for a very long time.

God created all of nature for us to enjoy. He also created us with the ability to have fun, laugh, accomplish our goals, and experience a full range of emotions that comes with daily life.  But where we tend to mess up is when our lives become unbalanced, and we forget to just simply spend time being in awe of God, studying the truths of his word, and praising Him for all the ways He blesses our lives, and for the hope we have through his son Jesus the Christ. 

For thousands of years, God’s Holy Spirit has made sure that God’s word in written form would stand the test of time.  These truths will still be here to guide all of humanity long after the thrills of this world wilt and let us down.

May God bless you this week with the desire and confidence to simplify your life, let go of distractions that hinder your relationship with God, and to simply get re-acquainted with the joys that come from knowing that we serve an eternal God who has an eternal purpose for us.

Save room for Jesus on your summer vacation
by Barrett Vanlandingham
May 14, 2013

            Summer is when most people try to squeeze in some vacation time. And why not? School age kids will be out of class in little more than a week.  And besides, everyone needs a break now and then.

            But one thing Christians must keep in mind is that summer break does not mean a vacation from God.  After all, what if God took a vacation from us?  We would be in a world of hurt!  For me, it would be unthinkable to go on a vacation to relax the body He created, or admire His handiwork in nature, while leaving Him at home or penciled-in somewhere in my weekly planner until I am ready to continue our walk.

            In one of Jesus’ parables, he said, “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes (Luke 12:35-37).”

            Jesus teaches that we must always be ready for his return, “because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him (v 40).”

            This advice does not sound like Jesus thinks it’s a good idea to separate ourselves from God, even for a minute.  Remember what happened to Peter when he was allowed to walk on the water but then took his eyes off of Jesus?  He sank, just like the ark probably would have if Noah would have chosen to use his own blueprints instead of God’s.

            We have the choice everyday to walk with God or not.  If we choose not to, there will be consequences, either for ourselves or someone else, possibly a friend or family member who looks to you as an example of righteousness.

            Whether your break hits in the summer, fall, winter, or spring, it is important for Christians to use whatever time you have to grow closer to our heavenly Father, not farther away from Him. We must constantly seek to spiritually renew our minds (Romans 12:1-2) by spending more time with Him in prayer and Bible study.  This will not only give us helpful knowledge, but will help us to be better prepared to carry out His instruction (2 Timothy 4:2).  This may mean something as simple as modeling the servant-heart of Jesus in your own neighborhood, or even when you go on vacation.  Have a blessed week!

A little known name in the Bible teaches important lessons
by Barrett Vanlandingham
May 8, 2013

            Just when you thought you knew all of the names in the Bible, someone like Cleopas comes along.  And even though you may not have heard of Cleopas, you may have heard the story of what happened on the road to Emmaus.  Luke tells the story in Luke 24:13-35, and it is of great importance to all Christians. I will explain why, later.

            The story takes place on the Sunday after the crucifixion of Jesus.  Cleopas and another follower of Jesus were walking from Jerusalem to a town called Emmaus which was about seven miles away.  The men were very sad that such a great teacher had been put to death. 

The events of the weekend were so horrific that some of Jesus’ followers, including Cleopas, either forgot or didn’t understand the prophecies that Jesus would not only die on a cross, but that he would rise again (Psalm 22, Isaiah 53, Psalm 16:9-10).  The Lord himself had also prophesied his own resurrection when he told the Jews, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days (John 2:19).”

Women who visited the site where Jesus’ body was laid and guarded told Cleopas and several other disciples about the empty tomb, but most did not believe the news (Luke 24:11).  It was only on the road to Emmaus when Cleopas unknowingly shared his doubts and uncertainties with the resurrected Jesus that things became clearer.

“As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him (Luke 24:15-16).”

When Jesus asked them what they were discussing, they presumed he was a visitor to the area.  So they sadly told him about the crucifixion and how they had hoped that Jesus would bring Israel back into power (instead of the Romans), and about the reports that Jesus’ body was missing.

Jesus took this opportunity to remind them of the things spoken by the prophets long before, and that the Christ would suffer and ascend back to his father.  Jesus had supper with them and allowed them to recognize who he was for a brief moment after he gave thanks for the bread and handed it to them, and then he disappeared.  The men quickly began to tell others about their experience.

Three quick lessons we can learn from Cleopas:

1) It is a good thing to discuss your struggles and doubts with other Christians, and to go to God in prayer (James 5:16). 

2) It is good to seek information from God’s word that will shed light on your questions. Romans 1:20 says that we can even learn some things about God from examining what He has created.

3) It is good to share information with others about matters of faith you have discovered.  This will be an encouragement to you and to those you share Jesus with.

            Have a blessed week and remember, whether in times of peace or stress, to allow Jesus to share his word, the bread of life, with you!

The devil can be a bit like the weather
by Barrett Vanlandingham
May 1, 2013

As I’m sure you’ve noticed, spring flowers have been blooming for over a month and a half now in Fort Gibson and elsewhere. During that time, we’ve experienced sunshine, snow, hail, high winds, clouds, and temperatures in the 80’s! 

Probably half the people on my block are either having their roof replaced, or need to because of the pounding we taken this spring.  For those of us who grew up in Oklahoma like I did, we know this is normal.  Others are no doubt quickly learning. We don’t always like this kind of normality, but hey, we just try to stay on top of things best we can and be prepared for the unexpected.

It’s a lot like doing battle with the devil, isn’t it? We never know exactly how he will tempt us, but we know without a doubt that he will strike and constantly changes strategies.

As Christians, we just have to stay ready for whatever is thrown our way. It has been this way since Adam and Eve were banned from the Garden of Eden when the only thing they had to worry about was staying away from the fruit of one particular tree.  You have to wonder how long it would have taken any of us to fall for the same lie Satan told them. 

After all, we too know there are certain things we need to stay away from.  But just like Adam and Eve listened to the devil’s twisted version of God’s instructions, we also can fall for the schemes of darkness if we get too close to the enemy.  That is why God uses the term “flee from” (not flirt with) when instructing us on how to deal with temptations and sin.

Today, preparedness for spiritual disaster begins with the Holy Spirit. He is our insurance policy.  He guides and comforts us.  He provides opportunities for us to grow in the Godly qualities of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).  Scripture tells us that as Christians, we need to not only take on these kinds of qualities, but grow in them to avoid becoming ineffective (2 Peter 1:7).

Keeping our hearts in tune with Jesus not only helps us grow spiritually, but also helps us explain to others about the hope we have because of Christ (1 Peter 3:15).  The Bible encourages Christians to boldly go about the work of the Lord (2 Timothy 1:7-14 and Romans 1:16).  When we use God’s word and his Holy Spirit as our guide, we should never be afraid of the uncertainties of life, or of being inadequate to talk with others about joys of living for Jesus.  It is truly an honor to serve the King.  Have a great week!

Jesus Christ brings light to a dark world

by Barrett Vanlandingham
April 24, 2013

So what are we supposed to think and how are we supposed to feel about the last several days? Acts of terrorism at the Boston Marathon and an unrelated massive and deadly explosion at a fertilizer plant in Waco have left an entire nation emotionally numb. And those are just a couple of things (yet very significant) that have captured our attention.

Those two examples do not even include things that happen every day in the lives of people everywhere, things that are not aired in the news, but may be just as devastating. One thing we do know is that Jesus knows exactly how we feel because he was tempted in every way that we are (Hebrews 4:15). One comforting thought is that our time here on earth is very short in comparison with the eternal life in heaven that we should be preparing for.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you (1 Peter 5:7-8).”

As Christians, we must not only keep our eyes focused on God, but also remember to encourage those around us to do the same. To do otherwise puts us at odds with the very one who loves us the most and gives us real hope. Being at odds with the Creator will not work for us today any better than it did for the Israelites in the Old Testament times who rejected Him and abandoned His commands in exchange for false gods. (1 Kings 18:18).

King Ahab of Israel was known as one who did more evil in the eyes of God than any other king before him. His reaction to God’s prophet Elijah is a prime example of how people have always reacted when they suffer the consequences of their own rebellion towards God. Ahab blamed Elijah for Israel’s troubles such as a three-year drought that had stricken the land.

Even today, people who distance themselves from God while embracing evil practices of the world often look for someone to blame besides themselves. Sometimes, unbelievers even blame Christians for their problems, especially when we try to bring the love of Christ and the light of God’s word into situations dominated by darkness. How much more calamity must our world endure before humanity chooses to acknowledge Jesus Christ as the son of God, and obey the will of God. That would not wipe out all problems. But it would cause people to understand the concept of true joy and hope in spite of very temporary trials.

Peter says, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).” James says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

God bless you as you bring honor to him. Have a great week!

Temptations are real even if invisible

by Barrett Vanlandingham
April 17, 2013

The day after I wrote last week’s article about the challenges of starting a spiritual fire with wet wood, God dropped another campfire-related lesson in my lap. Actually, unbeknownst to me, it floated in through my back window screen.

The Saturday night I built the campfire, I forgot to shut the back window I had opened earlier that evening for some fresh air. So, the night went on with smoke from the fire-pit slowly wafting its way past the window screen throughout the house. But because it happened little by little, my sense of smell didn’t pick up on it.

The next morning my family got ready for Sunday worship just like normal. But when we returned home for dinner, the entire house smelled like smoke! We couldn’t see any smoke, but it was obvious that smoke (and I mean a lot of it) had found its way into our house even though it was no longer visible.

At first, I asked myself, “Why didn’t any of us smell anything this morning? Was the smell not there?” But it dawned on me that the smell of smoke had actually been there since the night before. The only thing that changed was that we left the house and breathed regular air for a few hours before coming back home to the invisible surprise.

This whole scenario reminds me of how the Satan works. Typically, a temptation doesn’t hit you head-on. It most often finds a way to attack your blindside, or maybe sneaks in when you are busy or stressed and off your spiritual game for some reason.

The temptation I hate the most is the one that takes place when my guard is down. Sometimes I feel spiritually comfortable and confident that the devil couldn’t get to me even if he tried. That should probably be my first clue that I need to watch out!

The apostle Paul said, “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall (1 Corinthians 10:12. ESV).”

Many good Christians have fallen for that very reason. Little by little, pride (the bad kind) enters in to the picture. We may not even notice because it first appeared while we were doing a great job serving the Lord. We can put ourselves in danger if we think we are too strong and have too good of a relationship with God to fall for any schemes from the dark side. We can also allow ourselves to become too cozy with sin until we no longer sense it.

May you never get so used to the smell that you forget to shut your window. Have a great week!

Re-kindling a spiritual fire with wet wood takes patience

by Barrett Vanlandingham
April 11, 2013

Late Friday night I was on my back porch enjoying some mild weather when I got the idea to start a fire. I didn’t think it was a bad idea, at least for about the first half hour of trying. The next hour, however, was just sheer stubbornness that I was not going to be outdone by a pile of inanimate objects posing as firewood.

There were many problems with my plan. First of all, I only had a couple of sticks of old wood and lots of green wood. Second, even the old wood didn’t want to catch fire because it had been soaked by the recent rains. And third, the lighter fluid I had sprayed on the wood was ineffective. It burned up into the night air before it could even get past the surface of the uncured logs stacked in the fire pit.

But after I realized what I was up against, I found some old newspapers and magazines I could part with. I wadded them up one page at a time and began to shove them under the logs in hopes that the fire would take right off. And there they were! FLAMES. But as soon as I stopped feeding them small handfuls of dry paper wads, the fire died back down almost to nothing. So I continued the process and occasionally re-positioned the wood for maximum airflow. One quick hour later, the fire began to burn on its own, a little. It took another half hour of constant attention before my Friday night production actually looked like a real campfire. I’m glad I wasn’t in a hurry!

Have you ever known anyone whose faith was immature or uncured? How about a “formerly” mature Christian, who let go of their Anchor when the storms of life blew in, and became spiritually waterlogged with a “don’t care” attitude? The weeks, months, and years of apathetic Christianity were too big of a challenge for the occasional half-hearted attempts to grow in faith, only to see it float away into the night air.

It is very easy to become impatient with our friends, family, and others when they fit this description, especially if you happen to be doing well spiritually. But take heart, your consistent love, attention, and prayer will eventually re-kindle the struggling Christian and even the non-Christian. This week, show someone how the warmth of Jesus has made a difference in your life. Have a great day!

The Bible says to serve God like a thief
by Barrett Vanlandingham
April 3, 2013

            It’s a strange thought at first.  But when you think about how thieves operate, it makes sense that the Bible would devote an entire parable to the idea of serving the Lord with at least as much effort as a dishonest person puts into getting ahead.

            In Luke 16:1-13 we are told the parable of the shrewd manager (aka: dishonest steward).  His master found out that he had been wasting his possessions, so the master was going to fire him.  The unrighteous manager was too ashamed to beg for a living, and was not strong enough to dig.  So he told one man who was in debt to the master to cut half off the bill before paying it. He told another debtor to cut twenty percent off his bill. This, he felt, would cause those people to welcome him into their houses after he lost his job. In the end, the dishonest servant got the majority of the debts repaid to his master, and even better, he probably got to hold on to his job!

            In this parable Jesus says, “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light (Luke 16:8).”

            So why in the world would the Bible include such a story?  As with all parables, they are not meant to be dissected to assign special meaning to every word, but rather take the overall meaning or point that Jesus is trying to make.

For Christians, there is a very good message that we can apply to our daily walk.  A thief is constantly scheming and thinking of strategies to rip people out of their hard earned possessions. They watch, wait, & listen for opportunities.  They network and get help from friends to accomplish their task.

Christians should be just as diligent in matters of spiritual warfare.  “Therefore be shrewd as snakes and innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16).”

Jesus is definitely not telling us to be deceptive in winning souls and serving people for the wrong reasons.  In fact, Jesus warns strongly against those types of practices and against doing things for our own glory (ref: Matthew 6).

One thing you can be sure of is that the devil has a well thought out plan for your life.  Do you?  God does.  But just like the dishonest manager, Christians must be determined and persistent.  Constant prayer and trusting God with our decisions is a great place to start.  Daily Bible study provides a great foundation for your faith.  And finally, putting your faith into action will be encouraging to you, to others, and shows obedience to God.  Have a great week!

The resurrection of Christ is still a big deal

by Barrett Vanlandingham
March 27, 2013

Mark 16:1-6 says, “When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” 4 And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. 6 And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him.”

What a wonderfully mind-blowing story! Imagine Jesus waking in the grave, as the Spirit of God rolled the stone away from the tomb. The risen Christ, experiencing the warmth of sunshine on his face and resurrected body after three days of separation from his father. Death was now defeated. The prophecies fulfilled.

Obviously, the resurrection of Jesus is just one of the things people think about at Easter. But the fact that there is an empty grave brings countless blessings for which we can be thankful, not the least of which is our hope of a life in heaven.

As I think about some of my fondest Easter memories, everything from coloring and hunting eggs as a kid, to seeing everyone all dressed up for Easter worship services come to mind. But I think the blessing of family during any holiday always ranks at the top of things for which to be thankful.

No matter what Easter means to you, all good things are made possible because of God’s love, mercy, and grace whether we realize it or not. The fact that Jesus came from heaven to earth to live as one of us gives him a unique perspective.

Jesus has always gone to the extremes to show his love for us. And even after dying on a cross, he chose to keep the scars in his hands, feet, and side after the resurrection. He would use these battle wounds to convince a doubting Thomas that this was indeed a face-to-face encounter with the Messiah. Thomas certainly experienced life differently from that day forward, as did dozens of other people Jesus appeared to including a crowd of 500 (1 Corinthians 15:6). Even today, we can experience a new life in Christ (Romans 6:1-11 & 2 Corinthians 5:17).

I pray that you have a happy Easter and much joy everyday because of a risen Savior.

A partnership with God is unstoppable

by Barrett Vanlandingham
March 20, 2013

One of the most famous verses Paul ever wrote is Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (NKJV)

Many of you have probably already seen spring break photos of friends headed to the slopes for a little snow skiing. The last time I tried it was several years ago. It was fun. You could even say that I felt unstoppable that day. But that feeling soon ended when I fell down a slope and wondered if I would ever stop sliding. Eventually, I did, but carried with me a few more bruises, aches, and pains than I started with.

I had a similar experience in college when I tried bodysurfing for the first time at Laguna Beach, California. I had everything under control. But evidently, I did not seek enough instruction before jumping in to the ocean. I found myself under a wave (yes, under the water) that spun me head over heels repeatedly, pummeling me against a thankfully sandy ocean floor until I was able to drag myself back onto the beach to recover.

My experiences with God’s creation, in particular with snow covered mountains and the ocean, still bring to mind the word “unstoppable”, but not necessarily in a good way.

Thank goodness, the same God who created nature for us to enjoy and yes, challenge sometimes unsuccessfully, is the same God who really can lead us on an unstoppable, joyous, and victorious journey even when our earthly circumstances are less than desirable.

In about 450 B.C. after Nehemiah successfully organized the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem which lay in ruin thanks to the Babylonians, Nehemiah told the people, “…the joy of the Lord is your strength (Neh. 8:10).”

Those words must have rang true for the Jews who were present. They had not only just finished the wall in spite of enemies who were trying to distract them from their work, but the Jews had also just been let out of Babylonian captivity, and were getting to hear the word of the Lord being read by Ezra and Nehemiah.

“And all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground (Neh. 8:6).”

Remember, whether in good times or bad, going through life with God on your side always results in the best possible outcome both here and the life to come. Have a blessed week!

Jesus is the Key to Life

by Barrett Vanlandingham
March 13, 2013

A few days ago I had one of those days where nothing seemed to go my way. I had a long list of things I needed to get done, but somehow other things kept getting in the way.

At one point I accidentally locked the key to church’s storage building inside it because I had put my key chain in a “safe place” while I was rummaging around and I didn’t want to lose my keys. I guess I should have left them in my pocket.

I wouldn’t have been in the storage building in the first place, but I needed an extension cord for a charger to revive the battery in the church bus. It had gone dead because the bus’s wheelchair lift slipped out and caused a warning light to stay on for days which drained the battery the day before I had to leave on a weekend trip with my youth group! Yes, that was a run-on sentence. But that’s kind of how my day went, on and on and on.

As I stood there outside the door unable to get in the building and unable to drive my car, it became clear to me again just how important it is to have the right key.

Life can be challenging enough without those unexpected hurdles, locked doors, worries, and uncertainties. In a conversation between Jesus and the man who would go down in history as “doubting Thomas”, Jesus offers reassurance.

5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:5-6)

Jesus is the Key to our salvation. In the book of Revelation, John wrote the words of Jesus, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”

Keys are symbolic of power and authority. Jesus had the ability to defeat death because He is the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus is our key, and if we hold on to Him, we will defeat death and experience life everlasting.

As I closed the door to the storage building, I quickly realized I had made the mistake of turning loose of my keys, and also the mistake of putting a separation (a locked door) between me and something I desperately needed. This was an inconvenient lesson to learn, and I’m sure it won’t be the last.

I pray that today finds you holding on to Jesus, the Key who opens the door to joy in this life and the life to come (ref: 2 Peter 1:5-11 and 1 Timothy 4:8). Have a blessed week!

Our time is really God’s time

by Barrett Vanlandingham
March 6, 2013

20 years seems like a long time, that is, until your first-born child turns twenty! Then you’re wondering where all that time went. Our daughter Ashton turned the big two-zero this past Sunday while away at Oklahoma Christian University. She is now preparing for a mission trip into Anahuac, Mexico where she and several others will work at a children’s home during spring break. This summer, she will be doing a youth ministry internship at Crosstown Church of Christ in Tulsa. Okay, Okay! Enough bragging about my kid!

Anyway, an important birthday is just one of dozens of time-based milestones we all cross in this life. Last Saturday, two of my former youth group members, Brady West and Katie Coombes, took marriage vows with their sweethearts (not each other). While at one of the weddings, I met an old college friend who not only has three adult children now, but also just became a grandfather! Every so many years I just shake my head at how fast time flies.

By the way, remember to set your clocks forward one hour for Daylight Savings Time before you go to sleep Saturday night, March 9.

The Bible has a lot to say about time, but more importantly how we should use it. One of my favorite passages comes from the apostle Paul in Ephesians 5:15-20.

He says, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

We have a lot to accomplish during our time here. Trusting God is a great place to start. But we must also follow through in obedience to Him, keeping our minds pure (ref: Philippians 4:8). This is of highest importance since Christ will judge us according to how we have spent our time (ref: 2 Cor. 5:10). But it is only because of what Jesus has done that any of us has the assurance of salvation. Are you willing to give Christ ALL of your time? I pray that your answer is yes. Have a great week!