Let Jesus handle your burdens

by Barrett Vanlandingham

May 2, 2017

         

          There are certain times of year that seem to throw more at us than other times. For my oldest sister, tax season is the most stressful because she is a C.P.A.

For retailers, Black Friday through the Christmas season would likely win hands down. If you’re a high school or college senior who is trying to figure out where to go for your next stage in life, you might be feeling a little anxious right now. For all you parents out there whose daughters go out on dates, I feel your pain! The list goes on and on.

          Before I even got out of bed last Monday morning, I counted in my head how many hours it would take to get everything done for the week, and came to the conclusion it was going to require burning a lot of midnight oil. But when I walked into my office, suddenly a calm came over me after I wrote out a list of things to do, and then thought about Jesus’ words.

          “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

          Those words should offer immediate comfort. But if you’re like me, the next question that comes to mind is, “So, how does this apply to you and me?” Bottom line, if you have a good relationship with Jesus Christ, the world could fall down around you and everything is still going to be alright. So, just stay focused and do the best you can.

          As I wrote this article, I messaged one of my former youth group members turned professional bull rider, Zane Cook. I asked him about stress and bull riding. He said, “I don’t really get stressed riding because I know God’s got my back. And the more stressed I get, the worse I ride. I just try to stay relaxed and enjoy it. You never know when it’s going to be the last time. If you’re grinnin’ you’re winnin’.”

          I agree! The same could be said of any of us.  Have a great week!

Coffee and tea are both blessings to me

by Barrett Vanlandingham

April 25, 2017

          Anyone who knows me knows how much I love coffee. I have a coffee bean grinder in my office and one at home. I always have a bag of freshly roasted coffee on the counter at home and one in my office, usually from Wise Owl Coffee Company, one of Fort Gibson’s best local shops.

          But this past Friday morning I tried something new.  I ran across a box of Lipton Tea bags in the church kitchen and decided to put one bag in a medium sized Styrofoam cupful of hot water.  After about five minutes I took a sip.  It was wonderful! I guess it was just what I needed at the time.

          Now, I realize there are people out there who are just as much tea snobs as I am a coffee snob, so I know I probably broke some sort of rule in fine tea sipping.  But on that stormy morning, it just really hit the spot. There are just some situations where one thing works better than another.

          On Wednesday evenings, our new Involvement Minister, Steve Parker, has been teaching a series of lessons on “Discovering You Spiritual Gifts”. We’ve learned to differentiate talents such as singing, playing an instrument, or cooking from spiritual gifts, such as hospitality, teaching, service, leadership, mercy, and discernment.

          These gifts are designed to help the church body function at its best. As Christians, we are all called to be Jesus to a world that is broken. But we don’t all have equal ability in every area of soul saving.  For instance, someone who has the gift of hospitality might not be best suited for leading or shepherding a church. Someone who is really knowledgeable of the Bible might not have the gift of mercy. And even though we are all supposed to give money to the work of the church, someone who has the spiritual gift of giving might not excel in teaching.

          As for last Friday, I still enjoyed a cup of coffee that day. I believe it is one of the God’s most wonderful creations. In fact, it serves me well just about every day. However, sometimes tea is what’s needed to get the job done.

          Have a great week!

Hey Parents! God’s got this!

by Barrett Vanlandingham

April 18, 2017

          I always told myself I wouldn’t be one of those parents who cry every time their high school senior completes another “last” event.

          Well, I have almost reached my goal, but I must admit there is at least a little bit of heaviness in my heart, and I can tell that my tear ducts always feel like they’re on standby mode. Graduation day? Let’s don’t think too much about that.  

          We all leave home eventually. I remember my dad and mom telling me from their perspective about the time I left home. It was the morning after high school graduation, and I was starting a summer job playing guitar and singing at Dogpatch USA, a theme park outside of Harrison, Arkansas. Mom said as she and dad and my Grandpa Van watched me through the living room window drive away on our country gravel road at 6:00am, Grandpa began to get teary eyed. When my mom asked why he was so emotional, Grandpa Van said, “It’s never the same after they leave home.  Even when they come back to visit, it’s just not the same.”  If anyone would know, he would since he and Grandma had seven sons and two daughters.

          Most parents don’t want our children to just stay at home forever. We actually dream of the day our children will grow up to be successful. I think what we really fear are threats to our children, or situations they might not know how to handle. Also, we will miss them.

          We may need to be reminded that our children were never ours to begin with. They are God’s. He’s the one who knew our children before they were born (Jeremiah 1:5). He’s the one who has numbered their hair (Matthew 10:30). He’s the one who had plans for them to prosper long before we did (Jeremiah 29:11).

          “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

          This was true for the children of Israel back then, and it’s still true for obedient Christians today.  Have a great week!

Easter season resurrects gratitude of nature and the empty grave

by Barrett Vanlandingham

April 11, 2017

          Springtime brings with it such incredible and much needed beauty, hope, and new beginnings. The scenes of spring are almost like getting to watch the third day of creation take place right before our eyes. What a gift!

          “Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds. And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning-the third day” (Genesis 1:11-13).

          As refreshing as spring is to us today, the aromas and colors of the very first growth of vegetation on that third day must have made quite a splash in God’s creation canvass. Remember, until the third day the universe only included light, darkness, sky, land, and seas.

          The creation of sun, moon, and stars on the fourth day must have been an incredible sight. Can you imagine the impact, even from the very beginning, that the creation of the sun had on the grass, flowers, and trees that God had created only 24 hours earlier?  You talk about kicking things into overdrive! All of this would set the stage for day five’s creation of birds and fish, and then the sixth day’s creation of animals and man. Thank You, God, for each part of your deliberate, planned, and thoughtful creativity!

          Any discussion of springtime and “day three” would not be complete without recognizing an even more significant “day three” that Christians think about especially in the spring. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ rose from the grave early on the third day following his death. It is the fulfilled prophecies of His death, burial, and resurrection that give proof that He really is the Christ (anointed One), the Son of God, and the Messiah (promised Deliverer)!  This fact that we can believe in Jesus is what supplies our lives with real beauty, hope, and the promise of new beginnings.

          “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Cor. 5:17).

          Happy Easter!

Take time to check your spiritual inventory

by Barrett Vanlandingham

April 4, 2017

          There is a little red plastic toolbox in my office marked “Camp First Aid.” It is full of items I would need to treat someone for minor scrapes, headaches, stomach aches and such while we’re on the road to various youth activities and camps. Every spring, I open it up and sort through all the items. I check expiration dates and see if I’m running low on anything.

          It is also good to conduct an occasional inventory of our spiritual toolbox.  It is important to know if we are missing any of the tools necessary for success in spiritual warfare, and we always need to make sure we are well stocked with spiritual first aid supplies. After all, Satan has many darts, traps, devices, and lies in his arsenal to deceive and injure us spiritually.

          In Ephesians 6, Paul tells us to put on the full armor of God so we can stand our ground when temptation comes our way. The belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of readiness, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, sword of the Spirit (God’s word), and prayer are necessary when it comes to both defending yourself and taking the offense in spiritual warfare.

          It is also important to grow and cultivate the Holy Spirit’s fruit in our lives. Those qualities include love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).  We know from 2 Peter 1:8 that we as Christians are supposed to increase our supply of Godly qualities so our faith does not become useless, just like those expired supplies in my first aid kit.

          Unless we continue to grow spiritually, we make ourselves vulnerable to Satan’s schemes. Even when we are fully stocked, that doesn’t mean the devil will stop bothering us. But commitment to God, consistent fellowship with our church family, regular Bible study, and a life of prayer does mean we have resources in place to help us get back on track as soon as possible. Spiritual injuries are sure to happen in life. We can either go through it with God, or without.  Have a blessed week!

The devil is in the detail

by Barrett Vanlandingham

March 28, 2017

            Fortunately, wisdom comes with experience. So, when I received an email Friday with more than a few suspicious clues, I knew not to click on the link unless I wanted a computer virus. There were just too many grammatical errors and misuses of the English language.

            The subject line read: “Important Notice From Yahoo.” The heading stated: “Your Mailbox Statements.”  Then came the body of the email: “Your incoming messages were placed on hold due to our recent upgrade. Kindly UPDATE your mail-box to receive new mails that are pending.  Mail configuration – CUSTOMER CARE.

I clicked reply so I could see who had sent the email.  Their address was “elsuida.kondo@unimelb.edu.au”.  Not exactly the address I would expect from Yahoo. So, I escaped, and inspected the body of the email a little more. 

First of all, the word “From” in the subject line should not have been capitalized. Second, the heading made no sense whatsoever. Third, the only link provided was the underlined word “UPDATE” in all caps. Suspicious, as is the reference to “mails”.  Also, my emails had not been placed on hold, otherwise I would not have received this one! No credible email would use the word “kindly” when giving instructions. Also, the word mailbox was misspelled (there is no hyphen).

As Christians, it is important to increase our Bible knowledge and keep our wits about us. The apostle Peter made a lot of errors in judgment during his time on earth. So, he could definitely speak with authority when he said, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

Peter knew that when we take a little more time to examine the evidence, we can tell when someone does not have our best interest at heart.

Jesus agreed. He said, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?  So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit” (Matthew 7:15-17, ESV).

Let’s all take time to pray before acting on our decisions. Have a great week!

Cherry picking scripture is dangerous

by Barrett Vanlandingham

March 21, 2017

          In one of Paul’s letters to the church in Corinth, he warns Christians concerning how they treat each other, and reminds them to not lose their salvation. Paul’s letters were specific to the audiences to which he was writing, as he addressed their spiritual struggles.

          “Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters. Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor the drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were.” (1 Cor. 6:8-11).

          Recently, Disney has come under fire for portraying LeFou as a homosexual character in its new children’s movie, Beauty and the Beast. But we as Christians should not only be concerned about the entertainment industry’s glamorization of this sin, a closer look at scripture reveals there are many things the world promotes that are against God’s will.

          You see, just because one particular sin is more of a hot button issue in our culture than another, the other sins listed in God’s word are still sin, and can still send us to hell if we willfully choose sin over obedience to God’s righteousness.

          Paul told Christians in Ephesus that “No immoral, impure or greedy person – such a person is an idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God” (Eph. 5:5). He even says, “Therefore do not be partners with them” (5:7).

          Paul explained to the church at Rome how so many people had found themselves at odds with God: “They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents;“ (Romans 1:29-30). 

          Paul not only lists those things as deserving of spiritual death, but also warns Christians to not give their approval to those who practice such things (Romans 1:32).

          Let’s be alert and avoid all the devil’s schemes. Have a blessed week!

Spend time with God on your spring break

by Barrett Vanlandingham

March 14, 2017

          Taking a few days off for spring break during a busy and challenging school year provides a much needed rest for families.

          It’s nice to get a break. Jesus thought so, too. But finding time alone, even to pray, often proved difficult for Him, though it didn’t stop Him from trying. In Luke 5, the writer tells about the miracles of Jesus, and the resulting crowds of people who came to Jesus in hopes He would also heal their sicknesses.  Luke 5:16 says, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

          In Matthew 14, we read about the beheading of Jesus’ cousin, John. Herod had John thrown in jail because John was persistent in trying to explain to Herod that it was wrong for him to have an affair with Herod’s brother’s wife, who eventually told her daughter to ask for John’s head on a platter.

          “When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat to a solitary place” (Matt 14:13).

          But as you can imagine, this did not deter the crowds. They still tracked Him down in hopes He would heal their sick, and He did. In fact, at the end of the day Jesus would not allow his disciples to send the crowds away, but instead, chose to feed all five-thousand of the men plus women and children. With full bellies, Jesus dismissed the crowd. “After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside to pray” (Matt 14:23).

          His alone time didn’t last long. He got up early, walked on the water out to where His disciple’s boat was being tossed around on the lake, convinced Peter it was okay to get out of the boat and walk to Him, and finally pulled Peter out of the water after he began to sink for lack of faith.

          As Christians, our lives are filled with opportunities to serve as Jesus served. But we must pace ourselves. Breaks can improve our quality of life, especially when we use them to spend time alone with God to re-energize us, and get us ready for challenges that lie ahead.

          Remember Peter’s words: “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).  Have a great week!

Salvation is available for all people

by Barrett Vanlandingham

March 7, 2017

          We all know of a few cantankerous people, you know, those who are bad-tempered, argumentative, and uncooperative. But in spite of the conflict and disunity we see in the news and even in our own communities, it is nice to know that the Creator of our universe calls each of us to a higher standard.

          You see, God is not from a particular nation, and He wants to save all people.  It doesn’t matter to God that one person has more social status, money, or physical beauty than someone else, or that he or she is from America or somewhere else.

          One day the apostle Peter had a vision in which God made it clear to him. So, Peter (a Jewish convert to Christianity) took this message to the house of Cornelius (a Gentile Centurion - officer in the Italian army stationed in Caesarea) where there was a large gathering of Gentiles.

          Peter said, “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean” (Acts 10:28).

          Cornelius welcomed the news, and told Peter about a special messenger from God who had appeared to him a few days earlier while he was praying. The messenger had told Cornelius where to find Peter, and so he sent for him so that Cornelius and his guests could “listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us” (10:33).

          “Then Peter began to speak: I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right” (10:34-35).

          God had already communicated this message to Peter, but He also wanted to convince everyone else. So after Peter told the Gentiles about Jesus, God poured out His Holy Spirit on them so they could miraculously speak and praise God in other languages. Peter baptized them in the name of Jesus, and then spread this wonderful news to the other apostles and believers in Jerusalem.

          The story of Jesus and salvation for all people is a unifying message that still changes lives today. Have a great week!

God’s power is at work in His church today

by Barrett Vanlandingham

February 21, 2017

          God used his power to create the universe (Genesis 1).  A few thousand years later, God used His power again, this time in cooperation with some very unlikely first century partners to spread His church.

          Perhaps the most intriguing thing about the beginnings of the Lord’s church is that Christ’s followers were so bold in teaching about their friend, Jesus, when just weeks before, they had behaved so cowardly, deserting Jesus in his time of need. The Church would quickly come to be known for attributes that are still important for the Church today: 1) the instruction Christ’s followers could find there, 2) the power of God that people witnessed there, 3) an open invitation to a life of salvation and joy.

          Acts 1:1-5 tells us that in the 40 days between Christ’s resurrection and ascension back to heaven, Jesus interacted with His disciples, giving them “convincing proofs” that He was alive again. He spoke with them, ate fish with them, and even let them touch Him. Jesus knew His disciples would need to be fully convinced of His resurrection if they were to teach His message of love and hope while enduring persecution.

          Acts 2:1-11 tells us a huge crowd of Jews had gathered for a festival in Jerusalem known as Pentecost that took place 50 days after the Passover. But this Pentecost would prove to be a day to remember like no other. God’s Holy Spirit empowered the 12 apostles, allowing them to speak in tongues about “the wonders of God” so that everyone, no matter where they were from, could understand in their own language.

          In Acts 2:12-47 Peter takes it up a notch as he reminds the crowd about Jesus’ life, death, burial, and resurrection. Three thousand new believers were told to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins so that they could receive the gift of God’s Holy Spirit (2:38).  These new Christians were so excited about their new life in Christ that they met together everyday, ate together, praised God together, enjoyed each other’s company, and took care of each other’s needs.

          Three simple things made all the difference in the early church. The same is true today. Have a great week!

God wants imperfect people for His church

by Barrett Vanlandingham

February 21, 2017

          The very first Christians (church members) were taught by eye-witnesses to the miracles of Jesus. The church not only witnessed God’s supernatural power, but also his love, compassion, and mercy.

          God’s mercy is still a huge part of what makes Christ’s church special and appealing to us today. God made clear His desire for us to show mercy to others in the way He showed mercy to one of Jesus’ very first disciples. By studying about the apostle Peter, we get a close up encounter of God’s mercy, and one of the best reasons why our Lord is known as “The God of second chances.”

          In John 13:37, the day before Jesus was crucified, Peter expressed his commitment to Jesus, saying, “I will lay down my life for you.”

          Of course, we know how that turned out. While the high priest was questioning Jesus in the courtyard, Peter was there warming himself that cold night by a fire. Three times, Peter was asked by the opposition about whether he knew Jesus. Peter denied it three times before the rooster crowed.

          Peter failed his friend. But thankfully, Jesus did not give up on Peter.  Several days after Jesus’ resurrection, He and his disciples were on the seashore, eating fish around a fire early in the morning. Then Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love me?”     After each time Peter answered yes, Jesus told Peter, “Feed my lambs.”  Jesus was giving Peter a second chance to prove his commitment by reinstating him as someone He trusted to show His love to others and teach God’s truths.

          Peter made the most of his second chance. In Acts 2, He preached the first Gospel sermon. Three-thousand people obeyed the message and were baptized. “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47). 

          That number quickly grew to five-thousand, so members of the Sanhedrin (Jewish high court) commanded Peter and John to stop teaching the message of Jesus. This time, Peter’s response to the opposition was different, “We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20).

          Thank God He allows those who mess up the opportunity to repent and continue serving in His kingdom.  Have a blessed day!

Baptism is immersed in Biblical truths

by Barrett Vanlandingham

February 14, 2017

          The New Testament makes clear the necessity of baptism, and that baptism means immersion or burial in water (Romans 6:4), not sprinkling or pouring. Baptism symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. The Bible uses the Greek word for immerse (baptizo) at least nine times in telling the stories of Christian converts.

          In Acts 2, the apostle Peter preached to the crowd the good news of Jesus Christ and what He did for them. When the people asked what they needed to do, Peter said, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). The Lord added three-thousand people to His church that day who accepted Peter’s message.

          In Acts 8, Philip rode in a chariot with a government official identified in scripture as the “Ethiopian Eunuch.”  After Philip taught him the good news about Jesus, the man saw water near the road and asked to be baptized. Philip and the eunuch “went down into the water and Philip baptized him” (8:38). If immersion (burial in water) were not necessary, Philip could have simply sprinkled a few drops on his head without getting out of the chariot. One other note, Philip did not begin rejoicing (8:39) until after his baptism, even though he surely believed in the good news of Jesus before his baptism.

          In Acts 22:6-16 we read about the Apostle Paul’s conversion to Christianity on the road to Damascus. He encountered a blinding light, and heard a voice identify Himself as “Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.”  Paul spoke with Him and asked Him what he should do. Then Paul’s friends led him into Damascus where a man named Ananias said to Paul, “Receive your sight!”  And then he said, “And now, what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.”

          None of these souls was saved by saying a prayer, talking to Jesus, or asking Jesus into their heart. However, the NT does point out that believing (John 8:24), repenting (Luke 13:3-5), confessing (Romans 10:9-13) and baptism (Romans 6:1-11) are necessary to be saved.  Have a great week!

God’s love has always been in the air

by Barrett Vanlandingham

February 7, 2017

          If you’ve been to any major stores lately, you’ve probably noticed lots of red and pink hearts, cards, banners, flowers, and candy boxes! 

          Our culture tells us this is how we are supposed to express our love and admiration for those we care about.  And why wouldn’t expressions of love be engrained in our world? We were created by a loving God who invented love! In fact, 1 John 4:19 says, “We love because He first loved us.” 

          During creation, God said that it was “good.” But after he created man and woman, he referred to his creation as “very good” (Genesis 1:31).  We have always held a special place in God’s heart.

          Songwriter Matt Wertz expressed his thoughts about how God feels about us:

          “v1. I will not take my love away, when praises cease and seasons change. While the whole world turns the other way, I will not take my love away. I will not leave you all alone, when striving leads you far from home, and there's no yield for what you've sown. I will not leave you all alone.

          v2. I will give you what you need, in plenty or in poverty. Forever, always, look to me, and I will give you what you need. I will not take my love away.”

          Wertz’s lyrics, like so many other poems and songs that speak to our hearts, are based in scripture. His song reminds me of Paul’s letter to Christians in Rome.

          “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:37-39).

          There are so many things in this life we have absolutely no control over. Thankfully, God’s love for us is one of them. He loves us no matter what!  In return, we are compelled by His love, to love Him and others. Valentine’s Day is almost here, but I am so happy that God shows his love for us more than once a year! 

          Have a great week!

The first day of the week happens each week

by Barrett Vanlandingham

January 31, 2017

          The question of when and how often to partake of the Lord’s Supper is often debated. But for New Testament Christians, the answer is clear about when we are authorized to “break bread” or participate in the Lord’s Supper (unleavened bread and grape juice to remember the death of our Savior Jesus Christ).

          In Acts 20:7, Luke says, “On the first day of the week we came together to break bread.”

          When we look at the context of this occasion in the city of Troas, we find that Paul talked until midnight because he was leaving the next day (Monday). But one other important find is in the previous verse (Acts 20:6) where Luke says that Paul stayed there in Troas seven days (leading up to the first day of the week). By staying seven days, Paul would be able to address new Christians there, and partake in the Lord’s Supper with them.

           Sunday was the day Paul and everyone else in Troas knew the church would be meeting to take the Lord’s Supper. This might also be the reason Paul instructed Christians to set aside money “on the first day of every week” (1 Cor. 16:2), since they already met on that day.

          In 1 Corinthians 11:18-34, Paul scolded some of the wealthy Corinthian Christians for dishonoring the Lord’s Supper when they met “as a church”. They were eating all the bread and wine they brought, even to the point of drunkenness. They didn’t even save any for the hungry and poor Christians who were also part of the church family.

          Sunday is the only day New Testament writers point out specifically as the day Christians came together for the purpose of breaking bread. In the book of Hebrews 10:25, the writer tells Christians to “not give up meeting together”.  For first century Christians, the first day of the week was that special day of meeting together. It still is, and it comes around each week. All Christians, regardless of race or social status, there for the purpose of encouraging one another, honoring God, giving to the work of the church, and remembering the Lord’s death “until He comes”.

          Have a great day!

It really matters what the Bible says (part 2)

January 24, 2017

by Barrett Vanlandingham

          It really matters what the Bible says about the identity of Jesus, that He is our Creator, our Savior, our only hope, and our example of how to live a selfless life of service and a life of obedience and submission to God. The reason it matters is because the words of the Bible are true.

          Geographically, the Bible is always right. The Pool of Siloam (John 9:7) and the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-15) are places that actually exist as described in God’s word. Archaeology confirms the accuracy of John’s writings right down to the five columns (aka: porticoes or colonnades) at the Pool of Bethesda. There’s more.

          On a map, Jericho is northeast of Jerusalem. But Luke 10:30 quotes Jesus as saying, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho”?  Well, just check the elevation. Jerusalem is 2582 feet above sea level while Jericho is 846 feet below sea level. Therefore, a traveler would have to go down from Jerusalem to get to Jericho even though Jericho is up from Jerusalem on a map. 

          As for the question of “Did Jesus Christ really live?”  Yes. We know this not only from the Bible. The Babylonian Talmud was a collection of writings by Jewish rabbis from 70-200 A.D. Here is one excerpt:

          “On the eve of the Passover, YESHU (Hebrew spelling of Jesus) was hanged. For 40 days before the execution took place, a herald went forth and cried, ‘He is going forth to be stoned because he practiced sorcery and enticed Israel to apostasy. Anyone who can say anything in his favor, let him come forward and plead on his behalf.’ But since nothing was brought forth in his favor, he was hanged on the eve of the Passover.”

          This was obviously written from a Jewish point of view. But at least Jesus WAS accused by the Jews of sorcery (Matthew 9:34). Jesus was also mentioned in the writings of ancient historians and officials. Josephus (37-101 A.D.), Tacitus (55-117 A.D.), Pliny the Younger (61-113 A.D.) and Lucian (120-180 A.D.) were not all fans of Jesus, but they still wrote about him as a legitimate historical figure.

          The study of Christian evidences is a deep well.  Have a blessed week!

It really matters what the Bible says

by Barrett Vanlandingham

January 17, 2017

          When it comes to matters of faith and doctrine, most people would likely argue that it’s just whatever anyone wants it to be. It was that way in the first century as well as today. But for all this time, the Bible has remained unchanged. That’s important.

          It matters that the Bible says Jesus, the Son of God, was given a mock trial, but a very real beating, and was then crucified for the sins of the world. It matters that the Bible says Jesus rose on the third day, and spent the next forty days visiting and eating with His disciples and 500 others before ascending to His Father in heaven. The Bible says Thomas even got to feel Jesus’ scars from the crucifixion. It matters that the Bible says Jesus did all of this because He loved us, and that God knows we love Him when we obey Him. 

          It matters that the Bible says those who are faithful will be saved because of the grace of Jesus Christ. It matters that the Bible says those who believe in Jesus Christ and are baptized into Him, have been clothed in Him, and can live a new life now, a life that continually points to God in everything we do. It matters that that the Bible says Jesus has gone to prepare a place for those who do the will of the Father.

          You see, if none of these things were true, it would not matter at all what the Bible says about Jesus or how we should live our lives. But the evidence we have today proving the credibility of the Bible is overwhelming, making God’s word difficult to ignore and impossible to disprove.

          The New Testament has been preserved more than any other ancient work. There are about 5800 Greek NT manuscripts (ancient handwritten partial copies). The oldest fragment (John 18.31-33; 37-38) dates back to about 125 A.D. which is no more than 50 years after John originally penned the original. Even if there were no fragments, the NT could be re-created (minus 11 verses) using only the writings of non-Bible authors who quoted it extensively between 100-300 A.D.  More next week.

          Have a blessed day!

Choose Jesus in 2017

by Barrett Vanlandingham

January 2, 2017

    As happy as I am to begin the New Year, I have one more story to relate from the holidays.  

    It happened while I was chauffeuring my wife, kids, and in-laws in the minivan looking at Christmas lights in Tulsa. We had turned into a brightly decorated neighborhood. Up one street, down another, winding around corners this way and that, all in hopes of seeing more colorful holiday scenes.  

    Problem is, I changed direction so many times I didn't know which way to turn when I wanted to go back home. I had been focused more on the lights than on direction.

    It occurred to me that this scenario is not unlike some of Satan's strategies he uses on us in spiritual warfare.  He or possibly his demon helpers study and know our weaknesses. They set traps for us disguised as things that appeal to our senses: things that on the surface might look good, feel good, sound good, or taste good.

    Remember the mean old “Child Catcher” in the classic movie “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”?  His horse-drawn cage was disguised as a candy wagon. It's driver dressed in bright colors as he drove through town, then danced around and called out to children, offering “free candy today.” But after the children were lured inside the wagon, the decorations disguising the mobile cage fell to the ground revealing the two helplessly captured kids.

    God’s children and anyone else are also vulnerable to being spiritually captured by dark forces when we take our eyes off Jesus in exchange for the bright lights, earthly lures that appeal to us like money, power, hobbies, or even relationships. Eventually, we lose our way home.

    The writer of Hebrews stresses the importance of “fixing your eyes on Jesus” in order to successfully run the Christian race (Hebrews. 12:1-2). The apostle Peter took his eyes off Jesus while walking on water. His fear of the storm caused him to pay more attention to the strong winds than to Jesus. He sank until Jesus responded to Peter’s cry for help (Matthew 14:29-30).

    In 2017, let's strive to replace spiritual distractions with all things Jesus and the assurance of our heavenly home. Have a blessed week!

Jesus grew, and we should too

by Barrett Vanlandingham

December 27, 2016

          Now that the Christian world has celebrated Jesus’ birth, where do we go from here? The answer is easy. Just do what Jesus did. 

          “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man (Luke 2:52).”

          It’s perfectly natural for a child to grow physically (or in stature), and Jesus was no exception. It’s the other ways Jesus grew that we could all use a little help with. Have you ever met someone who had a whole lotta smarts, but was dumber than a bag of hammers? It is possible to have more knowledge than wisdom. We’ve all met that person who has a plethora of academic credentials attached to the end of their name (just after the comma). But depending on whether that person also made the choice to grow in wisdom (as well as knowledge), they may always be in a state of “not getting it” when it comes to the important things in life.

          To become a Jewish Rabbi, Jesus would have had to memorize vast amounts of scripture and commentary even as a boy, and understand how to apply them to real life. Luke writes that Jesus (at age 12) was found by his parents in the temple courts listening to the teachers and asking them questions. “Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers (Luke 2:47).”  At age 30, Jesus used scripture to combat the temptations Satan presented him in the wilderness at the beginning of His official ministry (Luke 4).

          None of us will know and understand scripture like Jesus did. But that doesn’t relieve us of our Christian duty to grow in our faith, and to become more Christ-like.

          Peter said it is important to add into our lives the divine qualities of faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love. Peter even says that if we grow in these qualities, “they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:8).”

          Peter says this way we can be sure of our destiny. “And you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:11).”

          Have a blessed week!

They gave special gifts for a special King

December 20, 2016

by Barrett Vanlandingham

We may not know how many wise men (aka: kings, magi) there were who came to deliver gifts to the young Christ and King, but we do know they chose carefully three things of great value to present to this very special family on behalf of Jesus’ birth.

“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem (Matthew 2:1).”  “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifs of gold, frankincense and myrrh (2:11).”

The wise men presented the gift of gold as a tribute to the One who was born to be King. Israel’s leaders gave and received gold as a symbol of their position. The Queen of Sheba once gave King Solomon four tons of gold because she was so impressed with his God-given wisdom (ref: 1 Kings 10). Since Jesus was never known for his earthly wealth, the amount of gold given to Jesus was probably not a lot.

The wise men’s second gift was frankincense. It is an aromatic resin from the bark of the Boswellia tree. It is still used in perfumes, oils, and incense. The aroma of burning incense represents the prayers of God’s people. Priests burned incense at an altar in the tabernacle in the morning and again in the evening. The gift of frankincense was appropriate because it represented the future work of Christ as priest as He related to God the Father on our behalf.

The wise men’s third gift was myrrh, which was used to embalm dead bodies. This gift symbolized that Jesus would die for the sake of others. This must have seemed like a strange baby gift for these young parents. But considering the fact that Joseph and Mary had already had conversations with the angel Gabriel before Jesus was born, the gift of myrrh likely reinforced the idea that this was no ordinary child. This Jesus, born of a virgin, was theirs to raise for a much greater purpose than just to be a good citizen or even a wise rabbi. He was sent to save you and me!

Merry Christmas!

Alone time with God can cure holiday stress

December 13, 2016

by Barrett Vanlandingham

Have the holidays turned your mind every which way but loose? Sometimes, we just need a mental break, don’t we?

I was working on my computer this past week when I noticed I had no access to the Internet. I asked everyone else in the office if they had Internet service. They all did. It was just my computer, bogged down.  So, I turned it off and back on again. IT WORKED.  All it needed was a little time to re-set.

    People sometimes need to unplug, and a little time to reset emotionally, spiritually, and prioritize thoughts. This was the case for God’s prophets. Habakkuk is the eighth of twelve Minor Prophets (starting with Hosea and ending with Malachi) listed in the Old Testament.  

He said, “I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint (Habakkuk 2:1).”

Habakkuk just needed some time alone with God. He needed to listen for instructions from God, and he also needed to get some things off his chest. It is still important for us to spend time with God today. We must make time for the One who can help us reset our priorities, and help us unload stress both from outside and from within.

In Luke 5, crowds of people had heard about the miraculous healings that had been taking place in the presence of Jesus. They sought him out to ask him to heal them, too. “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed (Luke 5:16).” What the writer, Luke, is saying here is that even though Jesus’ work as Healer was important, it was also important for him to unplug from those around him, spend time alone with God, and reset so that he could be more effective for the long haul.

The apostle Paul spells out the benefits of making time to be alone with God in prayer. “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).”

Have a blessed week!