When we complain, we talk about what we lack. We complain because we lack comfort—our income level isn't high enough, the work environment isn't pleasant enough, the kids don't behave well enough, the person near us in church doesn't sing well enough. We complain because we lack control—the weather ruins our plans, the homeowner's association changes the rules against our votes, our spouse simply refuses to meet our needs. And we complain because we lack what we want, which is the umbrella concept for everything else that we complain about.

On the other hand, when we give thanks, we think about what we have. Especially as Christians, we ponder what God gives and what God is. God gives comfort—the kind of comfort that motivated those who died for their faith and expected greater rewards after it was over. God is in control—the Scriptures are replete with reminders that no king, no disaster, & no lesser law can keep God from accomplishing what he has promised to do. God is what we need, and if our hearts are right, he becomes more and more what we want.

"Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving."  (Col. 2:6-7)

- Dan Lankford, minister

One of my preaching mentors wrote: “I have been with my current congregation for 18 years. On my first Sunday in the pulpit, I promised the church that I would never stand before them unprepared. I believe I can say with integrity that I have kept that promise. Could I ‘wing it’ after three and a half decades of preaching? Yes, I could. But I would know, and God would know…”

How does he do that? He simply works diligently enough all the time to be prepared at any time. That perspective is one which he did his best to instill in me, and I am willing to make the same promise to my church family at Eastland. I will never stand before them unprepared.

That perspective is obviously noble when it applies to preaching. It also makes for a great perspective on living. Jesus said, “the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matt. 24:44). In the course of the next chapter, he went on to give five reasons why his followers must work diligently enough all the time to be ready at any time. He asks us not to stand before Him unprepared.

I think sometimes we imagine that the end of our time will come like the end of Paul’s time. We will see our end on the horizon and be able to calmly say, “I have fought the good fight… there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness” (2 Tim. 4:7-8). But Paul’s circumstance was unique. He was a prisoner, facing the death penalty. Paul could see his end coming. We are not likely to find ourselves in that same situation, but we can live with such diligence that we are ready even today to say, “I have fought the good fight… there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness.”

That same preaching mentor was wont to say, “Sunday will come every week, whether you’re ready or not.” It only took about 1 month of full-time preaching before I realized how right he was.

Take this simple reminder to heart: The final day will come once (Heb. 9:27), whether you’re ready or not.

Be diligent to be ready… today.

- Dan Lankford, minister

When it comes to our desires to do the will of God, I believe most believers wish for the kind of devotion of which the psalmist spoke:

“I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.” 
(Ps. 40:8)

But it would not surprise me to learn that many believers more frequently do what is right out of a sense of duty—because we have committed to follow Christ and want to keep our commitment. Or out of a sense of fear—because we are afraid to be lost. While I do not believe either of these motivations is inherently wrong (there are times when they are both used as motivators in the NT), I do believe that as we mature, our motivations for serving God should also mature. As we grow in our faith and our character improves, our desires for what is right should grow as well.

A preaching friend of mine recently commented on the idea that a shepherd “has to desire the position.” He said, “The first qualification is not that a man wants it. If you are a mature Christian… If you’re convicted… You’re supposed to want this. We are in an army, and if you have the ability to lead, it is cowardice to say, ‘Oh, I don’t want to do that.’ Please understand that maturity means I am willing to step up and fulfill the role that the congregation needs. If you’re not qualified, work toward stepping into this role. This is mature Christianity.”

The same principle applies across the whole of a Christian’s character. Whether they are young or old, whether they are male or female; mature Christians desire to do the good that others need, and they desire to serve God from the depths of the heart. We should be the kind of people who long to serve God, who enjoy what is good, and who delight in making choices that honor God whether anyone notices or not. This kind of "want to" is what we hope to accomplish.

But, it is almost always an excercise in futility to tell others how they should feel. The reality is that it so rarely actually works. We don't usually just decide to feel happy and then feel it. However, we do learn to feel more inclined toward the characteristics & activities of maturity when we think mature thoughts. For example, when we think about the benefits of managing our money well, we learn to desire the choices that get us out of debt or build our portfolios. When we think about the benefits of staying healthy, we learn to desire more healthy food and a more active lifestyle. When we think about the benefits of having a thriving family, we learn to desire the time we spend reading our children's favorite stories or playing with them.

That's why the Bible's perspective on Christianity is more than just saying, "You should want to be godly." The Holy Spirit essentially tells us, "When you think about how good this gospel plan truly is, you can't help but want it!"

I understand that it rarely does much good to tell someone how to feel, but it does do good to tell us how to think. “Let those of us who are mature think this way” (Phil. 3:15). I believe that the more we learn to align our thinking with God's thinking, the more our desires will fall in line with his. The more we think about holiness, the more we will desire to live holy lives. The more we think about salvation, the more we will desire to teach the gospel to the lost. The more we think about service, the more we will desire to be servants—not bosses—in our families, our communities, and our churches.

Let us think often about how good it truly is to serve God! And let us be glad for the opportunity to glorify him and bless others!

DL

When he came home from the war zone due to combat injuries, US naval officer LtCdr. Eric Greitens started talking to other wounded troops in the military hospital where he was recovering. He asked his fellow wounded soldiers, "What do you want to do next?"

The answer was always the same: "I want to go back to my unit." Despite some of them having suffered truly debilitating injuries that prevented them from ever serving in the armed forces again, their determination to serve their country remained undaunted. All these men had volunteered, and their love for country permeated their attitudes so deeply that they wanted to continue to serve.

In our modern American culture, it is very common and polite for us to tell a soldier or a Marine, "Thank you for your service." LtCdr. Greitens would tell the men, "Thank you for your service... and we still need you." He told them this because their countrymen DO still need them. We need these soldiers as leaders in the workforce, in our schools, in our local governments, in our neighborhoods, in our big government, and in their own families.

If you've been wounded by unbelievers in the service of the Lord's army, can I say, "Thank you for your service... and we still need you"? If you've grown older and become tired in your service of the Lord's army, can I say, "Thank you for your service... and we still need you"? If you've been wounded by friendly fire—fellow Christians' bad choices—in the service of the Lord's army, can I say, "Thank you for your service... and we still need you"?

The church needs the leadership, the example, the teaching, and the fellowship of those who are tired and yet continue to press on... of those who are wounded and yet continue to press on... of those who are discouraged and yet continue to press on. Your brothers and sisters still need you to fight against the devil alongside us. And in fact, sometimes you are the ones whom we need most because you have the most direct and long-term experience with our great enemy.

That's why we need you to teach us in our Bible classes, to mentor us in our family lives, to encourage us in our battles with temptation, to love us in our weakness and show us God's grace to overcome, to be our leaders in our churches, and to share the lessons you've learned from walking the path of the faithful. 

You can be the ones who show us that God always wins! You can be the ones who show us not to grow weary in doing good (2 Thess. 3:13)! You can be the ones to show us what it means for God to be "all in all" (1 Cor. 15:28).

Thank you for your service, beloved brothers and sisters... and we still need you.

- Dan Lankford, minister

___________________________________________________

The Mission Continues is an organization developed by officer Greitens to help soldiers continue serving their country in powerful ways as civilians when they retire from the military. The organization's efforts have helped a great many soldiers overcome the struggles of PTSD by focusing their skills on the greater good of serving others.

In an election season, it is certainly prudent for believers to be aware of our country’s political climate. This past week, many believers were sorely disappointed by Dr. Ben Carson’s surprising decision to endorse a presidential candidate who so obviously resists his political ideals and his moral standards. Since a great deal has already been said in the news this week, I will not repeat it here. But I would like to offer this piece of biblical perspective:

“Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not 
turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after a lie!” (Psa. 40:4)

In any season of life, it is crucial that God’s people put their trust in God above all others. That we find our assurance in God above all others. That we seek peace and security in God above all others. Because the harsh reality is that people will let us down. It has always happened, and it will continue to happen as long as we have weaknesses.

Your spouse will let you down. Your dream car will break down. Your favorite coach will make a mistake. Your favorite TV star will fail at some point. Your perfect church family will eventually face disappointment from some source—maybe you. The greatest doctor money can buy will not save everyone. Your insurance company cannot always be there for every eventuality you face. And the leaders of the country’s government—an organization instituted by God (Rom. 13:1) but run by mankind—will let you down.

There is one hope that truly provides the “Blessed Assurance” written about long ago. That one hope is the Lord God. While people are too finite to be perfectly dependable, God is simply too big to fail. Everything else that promises absolute security—no matter how bold the claims may be—is, at best, a well-intentioned lie. “Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie!” (Psalm 40:4)
 

- Dan Lankford, minister

"Rejoice with those who rejoice..." (Rom. 12:15a)

"Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice." (Eph. 4:31)

When good things happen in our brethren's lives, it can be exceedingly easy to slip into jealousy or bitterness toward their good things. When we see fellow Christians who are blessed with a beautiful family, instead of rejoicing with them in the blessings of God, we envy them for their happiness. When we see other churches that are teaching the gospel and growing, instead of rejoicing for the lost souls being brought to God, we envy them for their growth. As a preacher, I fight the temptation to look at the good work of preachers who are far more wise and more skilled than myself and to be threatened by them, rather than rejoicing that God has given someone the ability to share his word so powerfully!

The two verses you see above are simple commands, but putting them into practice will force us to wrestle with the complexities of our emotions and our attitudes toward others. Are we harboring bitterness toward others' good blessings? Even if it isn't the primary emotion we have toward them, is it there? If so, it must be removed from our hearts. If left alone, it will poison our view of others, our view of God, and our view of self. That's why we must put "all bitterness..." out of our hearts.

How do we do that? Well, at the very least, it begins with truly rejoicing with others who are rejoicing. Simply—and only—enjoying the good things they are enjoying without any thought given to self.

- Dan Lankford, minister

Showing love is a risky endeavor. What if it is rejected? What if I do it wrong? What if it is accepted, but not returned? It is much easier to play it safe and choose not to show any love, but not to show any rejection either. If we are reserved with our efforts to love another person, then at least we risk less disappointment and pain. And so perhaps we do not speak too highly of our loved ones for fear they may think it strange. Perhaps we do not show physical affection to our spouses because we fear it is the wrong timing. Perhaps we decide not to give up our free time for other members of the church because they may not appreciate the sacrifices we’re really making.

But is this the Christian way? Is it our responsibility to watch out for ourselves and keep ourselves insulated from risk and from pain? Quite the opposite, Christian love is meant to mirror the love of Christ—a man who did not insulate himself in any way from damage that others could do to him by rejecting his passionate attempts to help. Even in his earliest teachings, he told that those who show love to the world will be persecuted (Matt. 5:11-12). There is an inherent risk in the way that we love others, and there must be a risk or it is not the kind of true, sacrificial love of which Jesus spoke. Only that kind of love—love without reserve—truly imitates him in his nature and his purpose.

Practically speaking, this means if you know the best way to love someone, do it. Say the words they most desire to hear, go to the places they need you to go, make the sacrifices they need you to make… even if you’re putting yourself at risk of rejection by all of it. This is the very definition of humility. It is not just that we think of ourselves as lowly, although there is that aspect of humility, to be sure. More than that, it is that we make the decisions necessary to risk—and even sacrifice—self in whatever situation we can for the sake of someone else! Can you love the people in your life like Christ loves us?

- Dan Lankford, minister

After Sunday night's Super Bowl win, I wasn't that surprised to hear Peyton Manning's comment that he was planning to talk to "the man upstairs" later that night. That's a definite misunderstanding of who God really is, and a lot of people have that same philosophy of Him. That because He once became and man and dwelt among us, He really is, after all, just like us: a man. Maybe He's different because He lives in Heaven and has some extra powers, but He's essentially still just a man upstairs.

The problem with that way of thinking is that in Psalm 50, God is getting ready to come on his people in judgment for their sins. His people are shocked by this, but God says they shouldn’t be surprised. He essentially tells them, ‘Your problem is that’ “you thought that I was one like yourself” (Psa. 50:21). But God is NOT just a man, and we should not think of Him as just a man.

In the midst of all of his suffering and agony, Job understood the fact that God is not just a man. He even said as much in Job 9:32. “For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him, that we should come to trial together.”

In Numbers 23, as Balaam is compelled to prophesy in favor of God’s people rather than against them as he intended, he says, "God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” (Num. 23:19)

And in Isaiah 55, God simply states, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isa. 55:8-9)

Let us remember the simple truth that although he condescended to become a man and be like us, he also ascended back to his rightful place—high and lifted up! He is not just a man upstairs—he is the great God of the universe! Grander and more glorious than we can imagine him. And rather than passing references to him as “the man upstairs,” let us instead “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.” (Psa. 29:2)

- Dan Lankford, minister

In just six days, God brought the universe into existence by the power of his words. On the seventh day—the very first Saturday, God himself took a day of rest. This Saturday of rest became a pattern for the people of God through the time of Moses, David, and into the time of Christ.

However, when Christ rose from the dead on the first day of the week, Sunday suddenly became an exceedingly special day to Jesus’ disciples—those who believe the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy in him. His resurrection makes every Sunday a day of crucial importance for Christians.

On Sunday, we honor Christ. Above all else. We celebrate the coming of God's light into this world. We rejoice in the power of his light that could not be overcome by the darkness of death. We worship God as the source of all creation and the source of our new creation in Jesus Christ. We listen intently for his word; wanting to know all we can about his nature and our responsibility toward him. We honor him as our Lord with adoration and song and humble obedience from the heart. On Sunday, we honor Christ.

On Sunday, we spend time with family. When Jesus was told that his mother and brothers had come, he plainly taught that his true family are those who need him, who follow him, and who obey him. The same is true of us. We are brothers and sisters with each other because of our common connection with him. Christians of all eras have understood the tremendous value of fellow Christians in their lives. Especially in view of the facts of Sunday—that Christ was raised and that we will be raised together with him. We need these connections, and we get to enjoy them on Sunday.

And on Sunday, we look forward to heaven. Because of the resurrection of Christ—because light was not overcome by darkness, we have hope firmly set in the presence of God in heaven. And it is not the kind of hope that world gives. That kind of hope can disappoint. The kind of hope we have is an anchor for our souls. It keeps us focused. It reminds us to be joyful. It gives us strength to see the light even when it seems most dim. This hope makes us long for more Sundays here, but even more than that, it makes us long for our own resurrection—when we can forever be with the Lord!

- Dan Lankford, evangelist

As a year begins, we inevitably make resolutions to make the new year better than the old one. Whether your resolutions have to do with money, health, family, or spirituality, I would like to offer a piece of advice which I believe will help you accomplish more: Just do one thing.

Choose one thing that you want to accomplish in each area of your life, and center all of your focus on that one thing. If your goal is to be more fit, then make sure all of your decisions contribute to that one thing. If your goal is to have more financial freedom to help other people, make sure all of your decisions contribute to that one thing. If your goal is to draw closer to the Lord, make sure all of your decisions contribute to that one thing.

This concept — the one thing — is modeled for us in the life of Paul. In a letter to the Philippians, he said, “…one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14). Every decision had to be filtered through the lens of drawing closer to the prize of God’s upward call in Christ. His devotion to God was not one segment of his life or one division of his time, it was the entirety of how his thoughts and actions. 

A professor at a Bible college assigned his class to graph the uses of their time on a pie chart. Assign the portion of each week that you devote to being a student, a parent, a neighbor, a civic leader, etc. “But,” he said, “Don’t put ‘Christian time’ on your graph. Because ‘Christian’ is what defines the whole graph.”

I hope that whatever your goals are for this year, that you can definitively say they fit into the singular idea of being a better Christian. And I hope that we can all take Paul’s view of the transition from an old year to the new one. “…one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14).

- Dan Lankford, minister