Over the Edge. From the Bunker Day 64

I don’t like heights. I’m not terrified of them, but if I am going to stand next to a ledge I want something to hang on to. We had just climbed a seventy foot wall, and instead of letting us walk around the mountain, where I am sure there was a path, the instructor explained to us exactly how we were getting down.

“Wrap the rope around your waist like this. Stand with your back toward the ledge and plant your feet shoulder width. Now lean back slightly to test your rope. If tied correctly it will hold.” A couple of people, including me, rechecked our knots. “Once you have confidence that your knots are secure, lean outward over and away from the rock face like this.” He leaned back to subdued groans of the crowd and tilted at a 90 degree angle to the rock face. He pulled himself upright and asked for a volunteer. Everyone diverted their eyes. “Perkins, why don’t you give it a shot?”

I was reminded of an old western where the colonel had his troops lined up. “It’s a dangerous mission. In all likelihood you won’t come back alive. All volunteers step forward.” In unison, all but one step backward. The unwitting volunteer stood there all alone. Obediently I stepped toward the ledge.

“Check and double check your knots,” the instructor said. He reached around me and adjusted my straps tight enough for me to sing soprano. “Make sure you are wearing your gloves. If the rope slips through your hands in a rapid descent it will burn the skin right off.” Rapid descent: that’s just another way to say falling.

I turned my back to the ledge, properly spaced my feet, and bending my knees…”Perkins, don’t bend your knees, it will make you unstable. Don’t lock them either.” It is an experience hard to explain. You are looking up toward the sky, and what’s behind you is a mystery. You are suspended backward and  a slight miscalculation could send you plummeting to your death. At the same time the adrenaline kicks in, your heart beats rapidly, and every muscle is tense with anticipation. As instructed I took my first step backward, and then another until I was lined up with the rock wall. The rest of the descent was uneventful. All the anxiety was tapped into that moment when you lean backward and take your first step.

“By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” (Hebrews 11:7).
“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.” (Hebrews 11:8).
“By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son.” (Hebrews 11:17).
“By faith, Don’t let the sun go down on your anger,” (Ephesians 4:26).
 “By faith, If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.” (Matthew 18:15).
“By faith, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist,” (2 Timothy 4:5). (Words in italics I added).

Taking the first step toward anything where the outcome is unknown, your heart rate accelerates, your palms sweat, and your throat goes dry. You are faced with a decision. Do you trust that God knows what He is doing and take the first step of faith? Or do you hesitate, ignore, turn aside, hide in the background or run from God? The passage, “God works all things together for good toward those who love Him and are called according to his purpose,” sounds good, but how do I I know for sure? How do I know this is His will? How do I know that I won’t be rejected? How do I know that I won’t be harmed? If I have learned anything over the years it is this. “Trust the rope and have faith in your instructor.” The rope is the word of God, and God is our instructor. If the Bible give a command we step out in faith knowing that God has our back. In that moment, right before you act, when the anxiety is at its height, and everything in your head says it won’t work, that is the moment of decision. The step into the unknown is faith. What is God calling you to do in faith? It might not make sense, but you know it’s what you need to do. Go ahead, take the step. I’m just saying…

From The Bunker Day 64.

On the Edge. From the Bunker Day 62

It was the first time I had ever gone backpacking in the deep woods. This training week would prepare me to take a group of teenagers on a backpacking excursion. If I made it through the training it  would my responsibility to teach them survival skills. But my week was turning out to be a mess, and one of the hardest experiences I had ever endured. I was so dehydrated that my companions had to carry my pack to give me the freedom to vomit when the urge hit. When the map and compass rotation fell to me, it took our leader a while to get us unlost. 

He was phenomenal in the woods, but when he took our birch bark and soaked it in water to show us that it would still light, we had about had enough. Not only was it raining but the bark wouldn’t catch the spark. The rest of the evening left us cold and hungry. Seven days seemed forever and when we met up with another team I was sure we had reached the end of our ordeal. That is when we were introduced to the wall. The wall stretched 70 feet into the air flat faced against the mountain. It was sufficiently high that a fall would be deadly. 

Safety helmets and gear were supplied. A professional climber gave us instructions. The first couple clamped in and the rest watched as the climber slowly made his way up the wall with barely a handhold to give him support. The second and third climber made their way up the wall and to safety. All looked well until the fourth climber slipped her roped through the belay pin. She climbed no further than ten feet and froze. No amount of encouragement from her friends helped. She was paralyzed with fear. The instructor gently talked with her, but to her persistent pleas he wouldn’t let her come down. Once we started up there wasn’t any turning back. She slipped and fell and the rope stretched under her weight. The instructor spoke softly, reassuring her that he was with her and that if she listened to him she would make it to the top. She cried, pleading with him to let her down.

Minutes turned into hours as we waited for the young lady to move, but her fear kept her clinging to the wall. Finally, the instructor clipped his harness to the rings in the wall and made his way next to her. In muted tones he instilled a little confidence in her and told her to focus on him. “Can I go down?” She cried. “No,” he answered, “but you can let me place your hands and feet where they need to go.” He demonstrated his intention and she accented. The instructor took her hand and placed it on a small ridge. Dropping down he took her foot and guided it to an outcropping. Painstakingly he continued the process until she stood at the top of the mountain weeping for joy. She had done it! The instructor stepped back and let her bask in the victory. Everyone knew that the instructor did all the work, but he didn’t need the praise. It was her time to shine because through it all it was her faith in the instructor that gave her strength to finish the climb.

“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25,26.

The greatest wall that we face is death. It could be physical death, emotional loss, the death of a marriage or other family relationships. Any great loss feels like a death and in the darkness, despair edges itself in making the wall look overwhelming. It paralyzes us and we cling against the hard cold stone. It is then that Jesus whispers in our ear, “do you trust me?” He takes our hand and places it on an outcropping and we feel a tinge of hope. Each time Jesus directs your step, the greater your confidence until you pull yourself up and onto flat ground. In your celebration you look to see the one who brought you through, only to find him gone. With your new courage you step, closer to the edge and look over, and there he is, patiently guiding the next soul to the finish line. 

By the way, we had to descend too. That’s another story. I’m just saying…

On edge From the Bunker Day 62

Through the looking glass. From the Bunker Day 62

 A conversation between Alice and the Cheshire Cat.

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”

“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.

“I don’t much care where—” said Alice.

“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat.

“—so long as I get somewhere,” Alice added as an explanation.

“Oh, you’re sure to do that,” said the Cat, “if you only walk long enough.” —Chapter 6, Pig and Pepper, Alice and Wonderland.

I often hear people ask that very question, “which way should I go?” Life is full of change, things happen, people lose their jobs, a spouse, a child, a ministry and all of a sudden up is down and down is up. Humans like certainty, but that’s the problem, because change is inevitable. “It’s no use going back to tomorrow,” Alice said. “I wasn’t the same person then.” As you get older you reminisce over the good ole days. But we can never take who we are now back to yesterday.  Often those days weren’t as good as we remember. The point is, we can’t go back anyway. So we press on and wonder where we are to go from here.

The Cat responds to Alice’s question with his astute grin, “it depends on where you want to go.” Who would have thought that knowing our destination would drive the direction we should take to get there. Instinctively we know this. None of us walks out of the front door without an idea of where we want to go, and how we will get there. We get in the car, roll down the window, and drive down the street with the wind blowing through our hair, but our destination is set squarely in our mind. We turn left at the right moment. Pause at the light. Stop in front of the store. All of this before we even have time to think about it. The person who is traveling nowhere without directions is lost.

Have you ever asked yourself where your marriage is going, or your family, or even your career? Kneeling before the Father feeling empty or lost, you plead for Him to show you where you are to go and how to get there. In faith I close my eyes and hear the Holy Spirit whispering in my ear, telling me, “follow me!” 

Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.

Follow me and I will teach you to love your wife sacrificially.

Follow me and I will show you how to do everything for the Father’s glory.

Follow me and I will help you forgive others just like I have forgiven you.

Follow me and I will reveal to you the power to love your enemies.

Follow me and I will give you a new heart that is meant to love The Father wholeheartedly.

Follow me and I will bear your burdens so you can bear the burdens of others.

Follow me and I will speak words of life to you so you can speak encouragement to those who need it.

Follow me and I will demonstrate oneness so you can live in harmony with your brothers and sisters.

Where do we want to go? To the heavenly kingdom. How do we get there? By following Jesus. We don’t need directions; we just need to call on the name of Jesus. After all Jesus said, “I am the way. Follow me and you will have life and have it in abundance.” I’m just saying…

From the Bunker Day 62

"It would have made a dreadfully ugly child; but it makes rather a handsome pig."

WORD. From the Bunker Day 61

I like to consider myself a wordsmith. Anyone can write, but a wordsmith organizers words in such a way that grabs attention and draws people into the story. Alas, as much as I desire to be that kind of writer I fall short of mastering the art. I will read what I have written and think, “not bad.” Then I will read someone with the gift and I am blown away. I don’t feel bad at all. God gifts each of us differently, and even within a specific gifting there are levels. So I continue to write and perfect the craft and appreciate those who can bring their words alive.

Of course, that’s what sets Jesus apart from everyone else. John writes in his gospel, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:1-3). In John 14:23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” Revelation 19:13-16, “He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”

The power of the written and living word of God is far greater than any order of words that I might be able to formulate. His words have the power to create and to destroy, to give life or to judge. He could speak to the wind and calm the storm. Jesus called the demons by name and they fled from his presence. He called the name of Lazarus and his lungs filled with life giving air bringing a dead man to life. It is this very Word of Life who said, “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”(Matthew 12:36,37).

Our words have power. We can speak life into people with words of encouragement and love. We can speak heartache and death with profane words that cut deep into the soul. That’s why James described the tongue in the harshest of terms. “So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.” (James 3:5,6).

Our danger is when we are faced with situations, positions, philosophies, strategies, personalities, and actions that are different than our own. In the tension that follows disagreement we can give words of life or words that set the ground ablaze.

Our challenge is to rise above the flesh and live by the Spirit. We are to  leave judgement to God and speak life into those around us. If we do this the body of Christ will be built up, the world will see our love, and the name of a Jesus will be exalted. These are the kind of words we need to speak. I’m just saying…

Word. From The Bunker Day 61

My Favorite Conspiracy. From the Bunker Day 60

Conspiracies can be funny/sad. They can be sad when the conspiracy hurts those who are the object of the false accusations, but they can be funny when the reality of a conspiracy is so ridiculous that the belief in it is only possible if you believe that Saturday Night Live isn’t satirical. The following are my 2 top interesting conspiracies.

Denver Airport
Some theorists believe that Denver International Airport stands above an underground city which serves as a headquarters of the New World Order. 

Flat Earth
Flat-earther conspiracy theorists hold that planet Earth is not a sphere, and that evidence has been faked or suppressed to hide the fact that is instead a disc, or a single infinite plane. The conspiracy often implicates NASA. Other claims may include such allegations as that GPS devices are rigged to make aircraft pilots wrongly believe they are flying around a globe.[253][254]

A conspiracy is a plot by an unknown group of people who plan to do harm to another group of people. When it comes to research the researchers found that reasons for believing in conspiracy theories can be grouped into three categories (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/talking-apes/201801/why-do-people-believe-in-conspiracy-theories):

The desire for understanding and certainty
The desire for control and security
The desire to maintain a positive self-image

With the present pandemic conspiracy theories have started to come to the surface. Two of my favorites are: “Planes spray the city at night with Covid19.” “The rollout of faster 5G internet is either causing or accelerating the spread of the coronavirus.”

As believers in Jesus we are children of the truth, and though there are true conspiracies, we need to be careful not to be sucked into needless pursuits. Paul told Titus “The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.” (Titus 3:8,9).

It is easy to get caught up with the Covid19 hype, whether you are conservative about the restrictions or liberal. The arguments and claims pull at our heart strings. Our feelings range from deep sympathy to angry passion. How should we respond to people with whom we disagree?

1. Love and respect. Loving someone means working toward their best interests. When you passionately disagree with someone it is hard to look after their best interest. Love demands you find a way. Respect is protecting their character, whether it is from your own words or the words of others.
2. Empathy. Why does the person believe the way they do? Put yourself in their shoes and try to understand their position. Then temper your response.
3. Let go. Let go of your “so called rights.” Hear me out. Our citizenship is not of this world, and the “rights” we have as Americans are actually blessings. As Christians our only true right is to love others. So,  protecting your “right” at the cost of another person’s well being is sin. 
4. Appreciate the blessing of U.S. freedoms, participate at every level, and let the Holy Spirit shine through the fruits of the Spirit.  As a believer our attitudes a actions are dictated by Scripture, not the the constitution.

I am looking forward to getting back together, seeing your faces again, and celebrating our great and awesome God. I’m just saying…

From the Bunker Day 60

When it rains it pours From The Bunker Day 59

“When it rains it pours” means that something happens in abundance, good or bad, in a short span of time. The last couple of days is a perfect example of the saying. It literally poured rain. That’s good if all your crops are planted and the ground is dry. That’s good since I just planted an area of grass and now it is popping out of the ground. It’s bad when it causes a mud slide and you can’t get through. It’s bad when the water level in your sump keeps rising. That is why I put in a new sump pump system. It sends me texts and a loud beep when the pump loses electricity or gets stuck. Like right now. That little annoying beeper has been going off almost every 15 minutes. I have to go down and manually push the float so it will unstick and let the pump start working again. There are three ways to deal with the beeping. First, I could push the mute button so I can’t hear it anymore. Second, I could unplug the whole thing and let the smaller back-up pump do all the work. Third, like I said, go down and unstick the float. I guess there is a fourth remedy. I could get it fixed.

Unplugging it and pressing the mute button merely ignores the problem. In fact the problem will get much worse as the water rises and fills the basement, destroying everything (that happened last year). Unsticking the float works, but it doesn’t fix the problem. It’s only a bandaid, and if I am not careful will result in forgetting about it and flooding the basement again. Fixing it is the real remedy, but it costs money, hurts the pocket book, and is inconvenient. Excuse me I have to go stop the beeping….I’m back. It is annoying but the beeping and text serves a specific purpose. It reminds me of some impending problem.

Life is like that, “when it rains and pours,” and usually refers to something negative. Relationships are hard enough, but when your spouse is argumentative or your children fight you at every step, and tempers fly and feelings get hurt, the damage is done. Covid19 has brought on a flood of issues that cause people to be at each other’s throats. Just recently I was told that there were people taking pictures of others not following the rules of social distancing or congregating. Follow that up with the extreme opinions about how far the government should or should not invade our rights to assemble and social media explodes with dissent.

Relationships are the same as my sump pump system. When things start to go wrong there are annoying warning signs that something is wrong. A couple of warning signs are gossiping and complaining, and they are close sisters to dissent and division. In the church unity is the mark that everything is going well, but when tensions grow, feelings are hurt, or opinions clash our call to love one another flies out the window. Our high call of unity takes a back seat to selfishness and fear.

The Apostle Paul said, “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together,” 1 Corinthians 12:26. He also said, “And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble,” 1 Corinthians 8:11-13.

How can we love one another on an issue that can deeply divide? 1. Love demands protecting the weak among us. If you know people in the at risk category and they feel you should be six feet away and wear masks they should be respected and accommodated. Accommodation can either be wearing masks or staying away. 38 percent of the families taking our poll said that they would feel comfortable attending church if everyone wore masks. For that reason we will designate a space for masks only, social distancing, and sanitizing stations. 
2. Love demands that we respect one another’s position. If a position isn’t immoral or heretical then even if it is different than my deeply held conviction, you still deserve respect. If you think wearing a mask is responsible and I think it is restrictive and unhealthy for me, each of us needs to respect the other. That might mean we don’t interact during this time, but the deeper issue is how I treat others when they are not around. Do I speak ill of them in public? Do I go to social media to expose them and their uncaring attitude or their cowing to government intrusion? Respecting your brother and sisters in Christ means protecting their character even if you disagree.

3. Love demands we do everything we can to unite our body, listening to the annoying sounds that alert us to the harmful affects of disunity. We will eventually open the church doors and there will be different ideas of how that should be done. As a staff we will do everything in our power to create environments where people feel safe and respected. The question each us must ask is, “how do I love better and deeper?”

Tomorrow I need to have my pump checked out. It will take time and cost some money, but the effort will eliminate the annoying beeping the next time it pours, and the rain will come again…I’m just saying.

From the Bunker Day 59

Prestidigitation From The Bunker Day 58

Abracadabra, and Uncle Bob opened his hand to reveal a folded wad of twenty dollar bills. Too bad I had picked the other hand. It was empty. Uncle Bob wasn’t really our uncle, but the military made for an odd assortment of family members. Uncle Bob was in charge of the NCO club on base, and my father and he had struck up a friendship. Uncle Bob would come over to the house and prestidigitate for us boys. We were always wide eyed and Uncle Bob always walked away a little poorer; of his own design, of course. The height of His gamesmanship was the night he manipulated the games so that we all ended up winning a trip to Six Flags over Texas. He was generous to a fault, and the best fake uncle we ever had.

I have always wanted to be a prestidigitator. The hat and cloak hide the marvels of Magic. Every great magic trick consists of three parts or acts. The first part is called "The Pledge". The magician shows you something ordinary (the pledge). Then he takes the ordinary something and makes it do something extraordinary (the turn). Now you're looking for the secret... but you won't find it. You don't really want to know. You want to be fooled. Because making something disappear isn't enough; you have to bring it back. That's why every magic trick has a third act, the hardest part, the part called "The Prestige.” The prestige is the moment when the magic happens, when wonderment becomes awe.

God is not a prestidigitator, because He doesn’t engage in illusion. He is, however, involved in a mystery, one that has been in the works before the creation of man. At the exact moment of His will He made His mystery known, and is now a beacon of light to all who would stand in awe and wonder.

 Ephesians 1:7-10, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”

Let’s put it into the language of the prestidigitator:

The Pledge. God takes something ordinary, and in this case the human body. He wraps it around his nature and the two become one. He exhibits His son for all the world to see. He is fully man and fully God, but that’s not the mystery.

The Turn. His son stirs a jealous reaction among the Jews and is handed over to the Romans to be crucified. The turn is his death. Jesus had promised the coming of the kingdom. He had promised a renewal of mankind. He had promised. Now it was all lost, and his body was laid in a tomb.

The Prestige! When the disciples’ future turned dark, when their anticipation waned, and when all their hope was forgotten the reveal happened — the tomb was empty! Jesus rose from the dead and His followers stood in awe and wonder.

Nothing remained secret, the mystery was made known, and in fact we are told to spread the word. 1 Timothy 3:16, “Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world,
taken up in glory.” Now that is a mystery worth knowing. I’m just saying.

From The Bunker Day 58

We’ve been this way before. From the Bunker Day 57

Deja Vu is when you have an impression that you are experiencing something for the second time. That happened to me the other day. Rebecca and I were in the kitchen, where I was preparing a brisket for the smoker, and she was rehydrating from working in the garden. We had a specific conversation that made me think that we had been in that moment, saying the same thing, before. It was an eerie feeling that quickly passed. 

I have a habit that when a conversation goes full circle and we start talking about the same thing again, the meeting is over. It’s fruitless to rehash the same topics unless there is something new to add that will take us into a different direction. That’s the way I felt in the kitchen. My experience had gone full circle and was beginning to repeat itself. I start looking for new information, a new experience, or a fresh outlook on life so that the circle doesn’t keep repeating itself.

I used to call that my three year anxiety. Growing up in a military family we moved on average every three years. After Rebecca and I were married the pattern persisted. We lived in Columbia S.C. for about three years, Cedar Rapids, IA for three years, Dallas, TX for about three years and then we hit Manitowoc, WI. When our third year rolled around I became anxious. It was time for us to leave. But when we didn’t, our tenure there lasted 17 years. But then it began again. Houston, TX for three years, Aledo, IL for three years. Back to Houston, TX for about three years. A short interlude of unemployment and now in Pandora/Bluffton, OH. We have made it past our three year mark, and that bodes well for longevity. Yet, this even feels like part of the larger cycle. It reminded me of Ecclesiastes that says, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven (3:1)”, and “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun” (1:9)”

Our culture encourages the “I need it new, want it now” attitude about life. New and shinny. Fresh and edgy. Even in the church we look for what is the next new thing, but when it comes down to it, it’s a rehashing of something already past. We’ve been this way before, but the extreme of complacency’s isn’t any better. We lose hope and motivation. Our outlook is soured and the future colored.

Given the right circumstances “been that way before” can be enjoyable. Looking at old photos of the family, walking past the house you grew up in and revisiting the place he proposed are great places to visit. But they are terrible places to get stuck. I am a strong proponent of two verses in the Scripture.


Jeremiah 6:16 (ESV) Thus says the LORD: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths,
where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

Philippians 3:13 (ESV) Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,

The first verse grounds us in God’s will and plan. The second keeps us looking forward. The balance is essential. So, when you see life coming full circle embrace the lessons you have learned. Then, when the reminiscing is over, break free and go on to another adventure. I’m just saying…

From the Bunker Day 57

I’v got to get out of here! From the Bunker Day 56

The days seem longer now. The minutes tick by and the sound of the clock is hypnotic. The routines that gave order to our lives have changed and we either adapt or we are driven to complacency. Work is part of the creative gift of God. We were never meant to stay at home without purpose or creativity. We are all meant to have an impact on our culture through the gifts God has given us. God has created us for three things. One, to have a relationship with Him. Two, to have relationships with others. Three, to have significance through the work of our hands.

It has been a joy these past three months to spend time in the word and developing my relationship with the Father. It’s also been nice to spend extra time during the day interacting with Rebecca. It has also been fulfilling writing my blog and recording my sermons. BUT…..

I’V GOT TO GET OUT OF HERE!

Rebecca and I went to Lowes on Sunday, and she remarked how good it felt to get out of the house. Incrementally I have been having more meetings in person, and it’s great. Several people from the church have dropped by to say hello, and it was so good to see their smiling faces. We were not created to be isolated.

It has been good to hear people talk about meeting again and the joy that will come when we can worship together. We have a drive in worship service this Sunday at 10 am (weather permitting), and the social interaction (even separated by car doors) is priceless. The extra work to make it happen is worth it (thank you Jason and Marcia).

“For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” Romans 8:22,23.

Literally the whole earth has been groaning under Covid19. But as believers we are not without hope. There is a redemption coming, “But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” Romans 8:25. We don’t see it yet, so therefore we patiently wait. We wait for the taste of what is to come. When we get together again to worship we will celebrate, not only for the opportunity now, but for the expectation of worshiping before the throne of God at the redemption of the world!

The pandemic will pass, a new normal will be established, and life will go on. What I hope we won’t forget is the craving we have right now to be together as a family of believers. I pray that the time between Sundays will always be an interlude for our fellowship and worship. May we always groan with a deep longing for our Father and our brothers and sisters in Christ. For right now the brief moments we have are like the dew on the morning grass. They will refresh us until the life giving showers come. I’m just saying…..

From the Bunker Day 56

Tensions are High From the Bunker Day 55

A story was related to me last night that I found interesting and sad. It is a story of how fragile we are and how that impacts our behavior. Let me back track to give you perspective. This past year I found myself on the Bluffton Soccer train. Our foreign exchange student was on the team which meant we were at most games. As the season progressed, the already enthusiastic fans swelled in numbers. We (I say that vicariously) were headed to state. I remember sitting in the stadium and seeing all the people from Bluffton sitting as one people cheering on their team. The other team, a private school, had a smattering of spectators, while it was estimated that most of Bluffton had come out to see their team play. We lost but the enthusiasm for a well played season didn’t die. Businesses and individuals sponsored buses, paid for tickets, and offered scholarships to their home town heroes. I had never seen anything like it having lived in bigger cities most of my life. Now to the present story.

A small town shut down by a virus. People self quarantined in their homes. Social distancing will be the new phrase in our lexicon. Gloves, sanitizer, and masks are the outward evidence of a growing concern, if not fear. Almost three months have passed since the pandemic hit the U.S. The nation, states, and communities are trying to figure out how to establish a new normal where businesses can open and people begin to gather again. So when the community farmers market opened for the first time, visitors found fewer stalls spaced further apart and signs encouraging social distancing of six feet. All seemed well until a masked customer took offense at someone who didn’t don their mask. Words were were exchanged, tempers flared, accusations of murderous intent were hurled, and the once united community showed the tension and fear that can rip a community apart. People parted, no one was hurt, but the seed of “those” and “us” was planted. I’m glad we are not like that, because we are better then that, whatever side you are on.

In a few weeks we are going to open the doors of the church for worship services. We will have instructions that will impose moderate protocols for peace of mind and safety. We take the pandemic seriously while trusting the Lord’s sovereign grace over us. To be sure there will be people who will wear masks and those who don’t. There will be those who will stringently adhere to six feet social distancing and others who invade that space. There will be those who forget to use the sanitizer stations and others who are hawkish. There will be those who are busting out of their seams waiting for Church to reopen, and others who are more cautious and will choose to worship with us at home a while longer. The common bond between us all is the Spirit of God who calls us to love one another.

Romans 8:15, For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” Fear should not be a part of our lexicon. We are the adopted children of God and love for one another is the driving characteristic of His children. As we reengage as a community we can be an example to the world of the love and grace we share in Christ. Therefore, watch what you post on social media. Don’t spread rumors or gossip. Give grace and mercy to those who disagree with you. Above all else, let’s glorify our Father in every possible way, because we are better than that. I’m just saying….

From the Bunker Day 55

House Rules From the Bunker Day 53

Rebecca and I have some good friends who we used to play cards with for endless hours. They were really good and it took a lot of effort to stay in the game (losing is no fun). Inevitably there were “house rules.” Rules that we played with, but didn’t originate with the game. It might include taking out the lowest two cards or adding in Jokers. House rules, I believe, are designed to help the “house” to have a better chance of winning. It gives them an edge. But house rules are not only about games. When our kids were young we had house rules that were different than other families.

If their friends stayed the night they had to submit to house rules. We limited tv and computer time. We spoke to each other with respect. A prayer of thanksgiving was given before we ate. Everyone goes to church on Sundays, and lights out for bed were at a certain time. There were times when we adjusted the rules, but for the most part everyone knew them. It made everything easier when we all understood the house rules and agreed to them.

Churches are a family and there are house rules as well. Our Heavenly Father wrote them down for us so that we can refer back to them.

·       James 5:16 (ESV)

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

·       1 Thessalonians 5:11 (ESV)

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

·       1 Peter 3:8 (ESV)

 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.

·       Hebrews 10:25 (ESV)

not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

·       Ephesians 4:25 (ESV)

PTherefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

·       Galatians 6:2 (ESV)

Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

I am so glad we are family, and I praise God for you and all you contribute to sustaining our welfare. Every week we meet is like a family reunion, and I can’t wait until we are all together again. Until I can be with you in person know that my heart is with you every day in spirit. I’m just saying…

House Rules from the Bunker Day 53

Squirrel. From The Bunker Day 52

                                                  Squirrels are members of the family Sciuridae, a family that includes small or medium-size rodents. Now, when I think of rodents I think mice, or worse, rats. But, I can’t help it, I think squirrels are the cutest little critters God has ever made. In Houston we would watch them out our front window. They would try and climb our bird feeder. Determined, they jumped and swung in the most awkward positions. Never reaching their goal.

In The Grand Canyon I suffered from heat exhaustion, and as I tucked myself into the crevice of a rock for shade a squirrel joined me. He laid as flat as he could and panted in order to dissipate the heat. Like me, I think he was looking for a little solace. Each side of the canyon had different colored squirrels. They’re tricksters, sneaking up behind you to snatch a morsel of food. They chip and chatter at you if you disturb their nests, and they have been known to throw nuts as people passed by.

Porthos is constantly trying to chase them down. If you want to distract him you say, “squirrel,” and off he runs trying to find one of the little guys. Even my grandchildren will say squirrel over Skype just to see Porthos perk up his ears look around, and bound off in search of the elusive creatures. I think that is one of the funniest parts about squirrels. They have become synonymous with distraction. Whenever a person gets off topic someone cries, “squirrel.” 

That happens to me. I will go out to my workshop to do a very specific task and come out an hour later never accomplishing it. There is always something more shiny to catch my attention. People who have a difficult time focusing for any length of time are labeled ADD. Attention deficit disorder can be frustrating, especially if you are suppose to be the focus of someone’s attention. Being  distracted easily can leave a lot of projects undone. 

“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:2,3. Set your minds, focus, don’t be distracted from seeking after the things of God. Often people think that setting their minds on heavenly things will lead  to neglect or the setting aside of jobs, friends, hobbies, etc. In fact the opposite is true. When we set our minds on things above we see the activities and people around us in a different light. With a proper perspective family is broadened to include all believers, work is done for the sake of God not prestige, hobbies can reflect the creativity of God, and the people around us are loved without expectations. “Whatever you do, do it to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31

Squirrels are cute, but they can lead us away from what is important. The things of the earth center around self, greed, licentiousness, and hatred. Take some time today to get reacquainted with the things of heaven, and don’t get…Squirrel. I’m just saying….

From The Bunker Day 52

What if From the bunker Day 51

What if you had been born the opposite sex?

What if your parents were less loving (more loving)?

What if your first love (crush) ended up being the one you married?

What if you lived in the same place all your life? What if you didn’t?

What if your name was Omar Caliph, and not a “Midwest, European decent” name?

What if you grew up in a home where Jesus was never mentioned?

What if you never accepted Jesus as your Savior?

What if tomorrow never comes?

What if?

Have you ever sat around and asked questions like the ones above? There are times where my thoughts begin to wander into introspective daydreaming. What ifs can be fun, but they can also be filled with regret. “What if I chose the wrong path in life?” Regrets are a dangerous minefield. They make you question your identity, your choices, and your future. They can be devastating to the people around you. Regret is a pit, better filled and left behind. 

 The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:13, “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.” He knew what could happen if you look behind. Just like Lot’s wife, if we regret what is left behind we could turn into a pillar of salt. In order to get past the “what ifs” we have to come to appreciate the “what is now”. It’s hard if you are stuck in your regrets. That is why the Apostle said he strained to leave the past behind. It takes effort, and it takes both the will and the want to. Forgetting the “what ifs” of our past is painful if they have become chains. But forgetting them is a rush of freedom and a breath of fresh air. We step out from under the past and realize the gift of today.

Therefore, set your minds on things above, and contemplate on this verse, “Philippians 4:8 — Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” What if we thought on these things every day. I’m just saying….

From The Bunker Day 51

Im seeing stars from the Bunker Day 50, again

I can’t help myself….”May the fourth be with you.” There, the science fiction geek in me was just released. Of course, I am more of a Star Trek guy myself. Pitted against one another the space cowboy Captain James Tiberius Kirk would win over the swashbuckling captain of the millennium Falcon any day. However, since Star Wars is in a distant galaxy (far, far away), and we know from Star Trek there is an impenetrable barrier at the edge of galaxies, there is no way the two worlds could meet. Unless they happen upon a Star Gate. 

Imagination is a wonderful and complex thing. We can create worlds that are so different from each other that interchange between them is impossible. Yet, their basic structures are the same. The main characters all look like us. Even the monsters are similar to what is found in nature. We get our creative ability from our Heavenly Father. God’s creative imagination is based only on Himself. We were imagined in His image, and He spoke and the universe came into being. He sculpted man, breathed into his nostrils and he became alive. But sin crept into the world and separated the creation from its creator. But God had already imagined a solution. Revelation 13:8, “and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.”

Now, for us who repent and believe, the recreating power of God pours over our lives. 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”  Now we patiently “wait for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” 2 Peter 3:13. Can you imagine all of this? Can you put words to what only God can describe?

The “fourth” May be with us today, but we will be with God forever. May the Spirit be with you. I’m just saying…

I’m seeing stars. From the Bunker Day 50 again.

Yackety Yack From the Bunker Day 50

“What’s the good word,

Everyone has something to say,

Have you heard,

The latest gossip of the day?

(Author Unknown)

l

Words. Everyone has a certain number of them that they have to say each day. Some are people of few words, and others never seem to run out. I remember when my boys were little. There were times when all they wanted to do was talk. “Daddy, why is the sky blue?” “Daddy, why are people mean?” “Daddy, daddy, daddy.” During the endless questions I had to be careful not to teach my sons that men don’t talk, they grunt. They trotted off and within the hour they were back. Children are relentless.

Our heavenly Father wants us to be relentless in our pursuit of a conversation with Him. Sometimes it may seem one sided. Yet, He has spoken to us in His Word, 807,361 words to be exact. In one year that’s approximately 2,200 words a day. Not much when you think the average man and woman speak 15,000 words a day each. But if you compact Gods word by focusing on reading His 2,200 words in Scripture, God speaks to you a whole lot more than you realize.

The reason we don’t think God speaks is because we are not listening. And as relentless as God wants for us to pursue him, he wants us to be quiet and let Him speak. Consider Solomon’s wisdom.  “Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few.” Ecc. 5:2. The key is silence. Solomon also said, “Ecclesiastes 9:17 The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.

As you go to the Father in prayer, spend more time listening to Him than you do asking from Him. You will be surprised how much He has already said to you. I’m just saying…

From the Bunker Day 50