When hanging on is pure Joy

I've got the joy, joy, joy joy, down in my heart

Down in my heart, I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy 

Down in my heart to stay.*

What does it mean to be joyful in the middle sorrow? What does it mean to be joyful in the middle of a conflict? What does it mean to have joy when the world is going crazy? What in the world did James mean when he wrote, "Consider it all joy, brothers when you encounter all sorts of trials." He was the Pastor of the church in Jerusalem.

Everyone has gone through trials. Some are bigger than others, but none of them are pleasant at the time. When I was in the eighth grade, I had two horses. Blaze was a Morgan, and my other horse was Appaloosa. I had Blaze two years before my second horse (correct I can't remember his name. He wasn't with us that long). Blaze was a great horse, but he also had his moments. He could be headstrong and once in a while would bolt toward the stables. I didn't have the strength to reign him in. Through low hanging tree limbs, across paved roads, jumping over ditches, and all I could do was hang on. With my heart pounding and my arms wrapped around his neck, these words slipped through my lips, "this is pure joy!" 

On the contrary, the things I was screaming had little to do with joy. In the moment of trials, it is difficult to see through its fog and embrace the joy that God wants us to have. It is before the trial comes or afterward, that we prepare our hearts. No one likes talking about death or accidents. We whitewash life for our children, and the  result is that when trials come they think it should never happen to them. The reality isn't, "why do bad things happen, " but "why don't they happen more often."

I paid $100 for my second horse, and he was tall and proud. The horse never liked standing still, and when you put a bridle in his mouth, his feet began to move. He just wanted to run, and that's why he was so cheap. The prior owner couldn't control him,was knocked off and paralyzed. I knew going in that this horse had a greater potential to hurt me then Blaze ever did. I was prepared for the worse. When I mounted him, I never gave him a slack reign. He pranced and bucked, but I never lost control. As long as I held him under control, then he was a joy to ride. 

My brother didn't have the same kind of control, and when the horse wanted to run, he thought, "I'll let you." He ran the horse until it dropped dead. When you are unprepared for trials, your first reaction is critical, your emotions run away with you. "it's not fair." “God must not be living." "why is he doing this to me?" "I'm not going to believe in a God like that." Trials have shipwrecked many people's faith because they never thought it could happen to them.

When we believe that Christians are above feeling the pain of trials, we need to watch our faith. But trials are a part of living in a sin-cursed world. People get sick and die. Disease can infect our bodies. Economies can collapse, and we can lose our jobs. Babies can be born with a disability. Spouses cheat, children rebel, friends turn on us, and the church can fail us. When we grasp that conflict is a way of life and start to see how God uses them to shape our character, we can find joy.

"(ESV) Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." James 1:2-4.

Sit down with your children, your spouse, or your friends and talk about the hard things of life. Share with your children how God is good even through the roughest times. Then remember from where God has brought you rejoice. I'm just saying.

*(I've Got the Joy | Hymnary.org. https://hymnary.org/text/i_have_the_joy_joy_joy_joy_down_in_my_h)

*(James 1: 2-4 ESV - Testing of Your Faith - Count it all .... https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A+2-4&version=ESV)

Restoring Fratured Relationships

I said this past Sunday that restoring a brother caught in a sin is not an option for believers. When we act in gentleness, we are imitating the gentleness and grace of God. I said that restoration begins with confrontation, but I didn't go into very much detail. 

Two types of situations that call for reconciliation. First is the issue of sin. Sin breaks the relationship between the perpetrator and the offended. Sin also separates a brother/sister from the larger body if there isn't repentance. In both cases, confession and repentance are necessary.

Secondly, relationships go sour when people have strongly held convictions or opinions that conflict with someone else's closely held convictions and opinions. Sin is not at issue, but there is a temptation to become angry, frustrated, and selfish. When I hold my opinions tightly or confuse opinion with truth, friction, and division are inevitable. The right moment needs to present itself. So how do we restore relationships when opinions are the center of the divide?

Come together in humility. The need is to come together, and the attitude is humility. The lack of restoration is usually the result of the conflicting parties not coming together. They have given up and believe that restoration isn't possible. Often the reason restoration isn't possible is because there is confusion about what needs to be restored. When people have tightly held opinions, they believe that restoration is only possible if the other party agrees with them. Yet, it is possible to have different opinions and still find restoration if the parties move away from their opinions and focus on their relationship. Putting the other first can only happen if the parties come together in humility. Paul wrote, "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others." Philippians 2:3,4.

Give and Take. When strongly held opinions come into conflict, flexibility is hard. That is why it is essential to ask, "what do we have in common?" Even if the opinions are polar opposite, believers always have Jesus as their head, and the Holy Spirit has already broken down the dividing wall. It is our responsibility to maintain unity. For restoration to occur, each party needs to come to the table ready to give up something and take responsibility for their part in the conflict. This doesn't mean we compromise our integrity and beliefs, but it does mean that we acknowledge the broken relationship and confess where we have caused our brother/sister to sin. We may need to confess our attitude, curt answers, and unforgiving stubbornness.

Forgive and forget. Paul told the Colossians in 3:13 "bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive." We forgive because we are forgiven. The sin in this situation is the inability to live together in harmony. If not dealt with, strongly held opinions will create a divide that will blossom into full-grown bitterness. Each party needs to express confession and ask for forgiveness. Requests for forgiveness, Jesus said (Matthew 18:22), should always be granted. Then we need to forget. I know it is almost impossible to forget an emotionally charged situation. Both parties need to forget and not hold their position over the head of their fellow believer. I believe we often withhold forgiveness because, when accepted, it removes the power we may have had over our brother/sister. The complainants can no longer drudge it up in a subsequent disagreement. 

Lastly, kiss and make up, or hug, or shake hands. Resolving an issue with a kind physical touch breaks down barriers. It is a show of mutual respect and openness. 

The Apostle Paul penned, "We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves." Romans 15:1. If we can trust the Lord to move a mountain, we can surely trust him to restore broken relationships. That is why Jesus died and rose again. I'm just saying.

You who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness" Gal. 6:2

 

 

 

 

What saddens my heart

What makes my heart sad…I’m just saying

 

3^rd grade was a tough year. We moved from Tampa, Florida to Altas, Oklahoma. It was my dad’s new duty assignment. Settling into school was difficult and I responded by acting the clown. It made people laugh, but didn’t make them friends. My teacher, Mrs. Thompson tried hard, but was constantly disciplining me for bad grades and forged signatures. I wasn’t very good at it and every time I tried to forge my parents name I was caught. The worst part of 3^rd grade was when my brother turned to me and said, “quit following me. Find your own friends.” I was in the third grade, what did I know about making friends. It was hurtful and the disappointment was seared into my memory. Ever since then I have taken up the cause of those on the fringe, who don’t fit in, or who others might set aside. 

 

As a Youth Pastor I spent my time between the highly committed teens and the teens that no one wanted, literally. As a Senior Pastor Sunday Mornings were about connecting with the marginal, like the man whose dreadlocks reached his ankles or the ex biker gang member and ex drug addict. I wanted them to feel welcomed and hopefully make their way into the life of the church. It’s a hard ministry and I wish I could report a lot of success. There were too many obstacles for them personally and within the church. Our nice clean and sanitized religion gets in the way of our call to love. Church people were nice but no one  invited them over for Sunday lunch. There were no midweek get togethers that included an invitation for them. We were too nice to infringe on their time. This always saddens my heart.

 

In 2013 the Lord laid it on my heart to contact people who I could recall that were hurt by me, directly or indirectly. I had never intended to be a stumbling block to them, but the flesh has a way and will find every opportunity to fracture the body. I wrote, sent emails, and called to make amends. I was well received, confession was made and forgiveness received. A few didn’t remember a time that I had hurt them and felt it was just my perception. Either way their was healing. I have found that people, good church people let hurts fester, boil just under the skin, and then rupture into bitterness. Rifts between brothers and sister become evident and instead of confession and forgiveness people isolate and fade away. This is not what God intended, and it saddens my heart.

 

When you preach or write the by product is that your words are open for everyone’s scrutiny. Just recently a well known pastor said some troubling words about leadership and obedience. It set the Christian social media a blaze with profunctories and opinions. Some of them well thought out and others harsh and without substance. I believe that every Christian has a responsibility to evaluate every word that comes from a preacher’s mouth. That can makes Pastors squeamish. They might tailor their messages in such a way to appeal to everyone. Every Sunday morning is a Pastor’s moment of evaluation and the pews are full of willing critics. I welcome feedback. Just recently someone sent me an email challenging me on a specific point. It was a good point and a different perspective. But people (and this is not directed at anyone I know) can be cruel. They will speak highly of so and so, and not so much on someone else. Usually it is because either it agrees with their position or it doesn’t. We can be quick to correct and condemn without consideration of the affect on the body of Christ. And if the Pastor hurts someone’s feeling during the week, then their Sunday message falls on deaf ears. I get it, I am the same way, but it still saddens my heart.

 

I appreciate people who muster their courage and come talk to me. We might not agree, but restoration of relationships are what matter. The only way restoration can happen is for people to confess to one another and forgive one another as God in Christ has forgiven us. 

 

Who do you need to go see? If it is me my door is always open and if you walk in to restore a broken relationship….my heart will be full of gladness….I’m just saying.

Waisting Away....I’m just saying

Remember the Atkins diet? I do. In fact I lost quiet a bit of weight. It was an awesome weight loss plan. Basically you could eat all the protein you wanted. Then there were the few carbohydrates you could eat. The idea was to put the body into ketosis (starvation) and let it begin to eat its own fat. It worked. But Rebecca remembers it not so awesomely. She saw my face become drawn, my skin looked pale, and my obsession on weight loss was borderline anorexic. The only negative I saw was that everything I ate tasted like protein. I was literally wasting away.

 

The truth is that we are all wasting away. From the moment we are born our DNA is coded for only so many years. Our body stops growing around the age of 25. From there the DNA structure is continually healing itself until around the age of 55. From then on our bodies can’t hold themselves together and we begin to waste away. Aging is God’s way of weaning us from this life.

 

But the Apostle Paul tells us not to lose heart. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 says, “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

 

The momentary pressures of this life do not compare to the eternal pressure of glory. In other words the moments that seem inconvenient, that cause frustrations, anger, resentment, and pain will last for just a short time. But the weight of glory, the crown of life, the reward of the Father will last eternally. So we endure. No, we more than endure, we overcome!

 

As one person put it, “God has not made us who we are in spite of our trials, but because of them.” Nothing catches God off guard, therefore everything is allowed in order to produce in us greater grace, and more glory for God. So, though our outward body wastes away our inner self is being renewed daily. Each day that I allow God to teach me grace, the greater the weight of glory. Each day that I allow God to teach me forgiveness, the greater the weight of glory. Each moment that I allow God to teach me to love my enemies, do good to those who speak ill of me, and to pray for those who persecute me, the greater the weight of glory.

 

It is contradictory because the world says that to overcome we must push each other aside, climb our way to the top, and live in a dog eat dog world. But a world like that produces anxiety and depression. And to all who wear those bonds Jesus says, “come to me all who are weary and heavy laden (wasting away), take my yoke upon yourself for it is light and I will give you rest.”

 

I will not waste away silently. Instead I will lift my voice and declare the wonder of my God, His mighty work of reconciliation, and His life giving Spirit. One day I will be ushered into His presence to receive a crown of life whose weight comes through the eternal glory of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…I’m just saying.

Happy Father’s Day...I’m just saying

I have been a father for 37 years. It was an extraordinary feeling to hold my first son for the first time. It was a mixture of marvel and trepidation. How would I be able to raise this boy to be a godly young man? Each time a son was born that sense of wonder and caution played through my mind. Holding each of them and realizing that each of my boys was different made the task all the more awesome.

It’s a cliché to say that I have the best boys ever to have been born, but I would have to say in my case it is true. That’s not to say they haven’t had their challenges, but overall God has blessed me with boys who have grown to be godly men. My oldest is the steady rock, my middle son is the carefree musician, and my youngest is the adventurous spirit. Yet, they all are a mix of each. I could go on with a litany of their personalities, but I want to highlight what I believe is the bedrock of the moniker “son.”

When Rebecca and I found ourselves in Wisconsin, unemployed and homeless, we weren’t sure what we were going to do. As soon as my middle son heard the news, he called me and said, “dad if you need a place you can live with us until you get back on your feet." We moved in with he and his wife for 5 months. They have a small two bedroom, one bathroom, home. With Rebecca and me, and our dog, it was a tight fit. For the entire time they were gracious and never complained.

Our oldest Son invited us to come live with them for a couple of months. Living over seas made it a little more difficult, but with the internet I was able to continue to seek employment while 2000 miles away. In fact it was while in Bahrain I began discussions with the church where I now serve. Our time we them and our grandchildren was precious and humbling.

We never lived with our youngest, but when we moved to Ohio they are only a couple of hours away. And though we wished all of our boys were within the same proximity, having one is wonderful. He and his wife graciously come and visit us, making the two-hour drive without ever complaining. 

All of them call without being asked. They call to see how we are doing, seeks our advice, and when the winds are favorable all them came for Christmas last year. That was as close to heaven as we will ever get. To top it all off they have married wonderful godly women who love Jesus!

I know not everyone has the privilege of being a father, or a father of children like mine. Those men who do not have children I want to thank you for being friends to my children, surrogates who have stepped in and befriended them when I couldn’t be there. You have, in many ways, been as much a father to them as I have, and to you I say happy father’s day. If the opportunity to have your own children never comes, I pray God will bless you with the opportunities to help other fathers who need your kindness and compassion.

For fathers who have children that are not walking with the Lord, are rebellious, or estranged from you, I pray that our merciful Heavenly Father will heal your wounded heart, that your children will one day be reconciled. I believe God has a special place in His heart for you because you have endured the curse of sin and have carried the title “Father” even when it hurts so much. Our heavenly Father understands.

On this commercially minded, card selling, product pushing day I want to thank the Lord for being my Father and teaching me how love my boys. Happy Father’s Day ….I’m just saying…

Running from the beast...I’m just saying

The acrid stench stung my nostrils. Instinctively they curled in some primal flight reflex. If they could run away my face would be absent of it’s ability to smell. If odor could take a form, the creature that barred my path stood as tall as a weavers beam and twice as stout. But when flight wasn’t an option the odor kicked in another primal urge — fight. 

 

My feet spread apart shoulder width and my body turned slightly sideways giving the creature less mass to assault. Reaching to the sheath at my side, I fumbled to release the latch and swing upward my only weapon. The handle was smooth and cool to the touch and the release from the sheath made a slight swipe sound. The creature cocked its head at the sound and for a moment diverted its eyes from mine to the weapon. It curled it’s lip and a low rumble rolled out of its mouth.

 

Moisture dripped. It dripped from my armpits, dripped from my brow, and beaded across my lip. Yet my mouth went dry. Swallowing couldn’t quench the thirst that my body screamed for, it only served to remind me of my dyer situation. How could I have let this happen? What dark forces were at work that called this beast out of its pit and into my path? The questions trailed off as a waft of the beast’s breath sent a shiver down my spine. 

 

When I woke, Porthos, my dog, was sticking his face in front of mine, and the acrid stench of the before mentioned beast was real, only the bared teeth were replaced by the happy go lucky “smile” of my faithful friend. He wanted to go out.

 

In that split second before waking, when REM sleep gives way to consciousness, my neurons fired a dream in response to real life. The fascinating part is the nature of the interpretation. Why did I imagine my cuddly golden doodle as a ferocious beast? Freud would have a field day with that.

 

Everyday our minds transform simple events into adversarial situations. I was in the checkout line at Hobby Lobby . The register to my right had a customer at the counter and a gentleman in line. At some point the manager said, “this line is closed.” The gentleman was not happy. “It would have been nice if someone had told me.” I offered for him to get ahead of me, to which he was appreciative.

 

In that split second the courteous clerks had become the man’s adversaries. It doesn’t take much to turn our smiles to snarls, and our imagination produces monsters that were never there. Our flesh is bent on taking every opportunity and making it into something ferocious. For example:

 

1.     The wind catches the door and it slams. Your spouse turns around with a scowl, “why are you so mad?”

2.     A coworker doesn’t hold the door for you as he leaves the building and you think, “how rude, just wait till I go out in front of him.” Little did you know that his mind was preoccupied with an emergency at home.

3.     You receive an email from a church member, “I noticed that your baby was crying in church. Did you know we have a nursery?” How dare they stick their nose in where it doesn’t belong and judge you. But in the church member’s mind they were trying to be helpful. When their children were little there was no question about where babies went during church.

 

Our imagination partners with our flesh to conceive the worst in people and we lash out, ignore, hold grudges, and protect ourselves at all cost. What if we took every thought captive, submitted them to Jesus, and then reacted in love and grace? 

 

2 Corinthians 10: 3-7, “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete. Look at what is before your eyes. If anyone is confident that he is Christ's, let him remind himself that just as he is Christ's, so also are we.”

 

We are all in Christ, not monsters, both brothers and sisters in the faith. I’m just saying..

Magnetic Repulsion.....I’m just saying

A headline in the newspaper read “An internal Facebook analysis found that the platform was helping polarize the country.” Apparently Facebook advertisers lean toward a certain political spectrum. Their ads have sensational headlines in order to attract readers. The more clicks on their page the more money Facebook makes from advertisers. Is it real news or news to generate revenue? The old adage “buyer beware” or rather “reader beware” should be added to the link’s description. It goes along with the other headline, “Trump Vs. Twitter.” It would seem that the President tweeted a malicious message about the death of someone famous that wasn’t true. Instead of taking down the tweet Twitter placed links on the message to sites that debunked the accusation.

 

The common denominator between the two articles is the idea of truth. Whether false accusations or sensational headlines for money, the truth gets trampled in the process. What’s sad is that no one seems to care as long as the message supports their preconceived idea of reality. Are you suspicious of big business? Then Wall Street is corrupt and taking over the world. Are you distrustful of government? Then Covid19 is a conspiracy to control the masses. Have you been hurt by religious people? Then churches and pastors are only in it for the money. When we hold these positions then every news article, every rumor, or every failure confirms our suspicions whether they are true or not. Like a protester once said, “well they may not have done it this time, but I’m sure they have at sometime.”

 

Polarization is when two objects are pushed away from each other by a force in the middle. That’s why the saying, “never talk about government and religion” is invoked at family gatherings. If you want to stir up conflict in our home just say something bad about the Green Bay Packers. Strong attachments produce strong feelings regardless of the connections validity. 

 

As followers of Jesus we have the high calling to maintain the unity of the spirit. Our unity isn’t something we produce. Christians are unified by the Holy Spirit who indwells us. Therefore, it is a reality that we are to maintain. How do we maintain something as fragile as unity? First I think you identify the cause of the fracture between individuals. Here are a few:

 

1.     Different opinions

2.     Sin

3.     Heresy 

4.     Theology

5.     Preference

6.     ____________

 

What if our opinions are different? Let’s take something simple. One Sunday morning you walk into the sanctuary and see a video playing that highlights the theme for the day. One person might think, “that was really meaningful.” Another person might chide, “it detracts from the silence that I like to prepare for worship.” It isn’t a moral issue, but our preferences and opinions can fester to a point that wedges break into division. And what if the issue is more volatile like immigration, Christians in the military, women issues, or who should be president? It is easy to let our imagination turn friends into monsters.

 

How do you maintain unity if one party is living in sin? Jesus said we go to that person, if he doesn’t listen, take two people, and if he still won’t listen take it to the church. If a person is caught up in heresy we should follow the same principle. The purpose of these meetings is not to cast blame but to restore relationships between the offending party and God, and between the offending party and his brother/sister in Christ. Yet, with each of these I believe that the best way to maintain unity begins with Philippians 2:1-5, “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.”

 

We disarm our polar opposite when we hold loosely the force between us that divides. Usually that is the force of our will. There are enough windmills to chase in this world, but in the church we are called to be unified in our love for one another. Ephesians 4:3 “be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Why should we strive for this? Because we are the Church, the bride of Christ. I’m just saying…

 

Magnetic Repulsion

Moving to CHAZ. I’m just saying

Moving to Chaz…..I’m just saying

 

From front line Black Lives Matters to vacation destination for fringe, hippi, millennial wanna be protestors, people are moving to CHAZ.  A lot of people have joined the chorus of change but nobody has a single voice. From there we move to Minneapolis where the city council voted to eliminate the police department for, well, something else. Capital hill legislators kneel in silence to show their solidarity with Black lives Matter. All across the country a bizarre wave of protest and pandering is blowing in the wind. From rioting to Rochus to rolling over and playing to the crowd. What once might have been a voice of change is increasingly becoming a free for all agenda cooping. 

 

2 Peter 2:19 They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.

 

Anarchy is a state of disorder that arises when people overthrow an unrecognized government. It is an illusion of political freedom because something will fill the vacuum. Even in Chaz order is maintained by roaming neighborhood…what should we call them? The satirical site “Babylon Bee” described the situation, “Seattle protesters abolish police, replace with squads of armed individuals tasked with enforcing a set of agreed upon rules.” But what will happen when the same populace who disarmed the police refuse to listen to the new “rule enforcers.” The danger is that trained men and women who have developed protocols to protect the disenfranchised, will be replaced by untrained and unrestrained individuals. They promise freedom but their own corruption will be their own undoing. It is the Wild West in reverse.

 

Dodge city was lawless. Rich cattle barrens did as they pleased, roaming thugs terrorized the city. It was a microcosm of true Anarchy. U.S.Marshals stepped into bring order through law. Corruption fought back but in the end lost because people longed for true freedom.

 

From what I have read the statistics don’t warrant wide spread absolving of our police force. We are in danger of stepping back into lawlessness where another system will fill the void, and though it offers us freedom, it comes with its own set of bias, values, and rules. I can hear it, “you’re ignoring the problem and the reality of institutional racism, and the disproportionate targeting of blacks by police.” Yes there are individuals and maybe even precincts that are corrupt, but the over all, the large view paints a different picture. Just as the black community doesn’t want to be painted with a broad brush highlighting the disproportionate number of black crime,  it does a disservice to the men and women who risk their lives to protect ours to use the same broad brush.

 

2020 will be known as the year when a small virus shut down the world, and the actions of a few threatened to tear apart a country. “They promised them freedom, but they themselves are slaves to corruption.” Jesus said, “if the son of man sets you free you are free indeed.” In Christ we are free from sin and death. In Christ we are freed from the law of cold stone and alive to love and forgive. In Christ we are free from condemnation. In Christ we are free to walk in a new life. In Christ we are free to hope for a better future. In Christ we are free to offer mercy and grace when others seek to do us harm. Christ in us the hope of glory. I’m just saying…

My lot in life.....I’m just saying

Have you ever said a word over and over again until it sounded ridiculous or strange? “Lot” is a word like that. You can have a lot. Stand in a lot. You can drive a lot. Climb a lot. Cry a lot. Take a lot. Give a lot. Waste a lot. Throw a lot. Pick up a lot. Walk a lot. But the most famous lot of all was a woman whose name is never shared. She is merely referred to as the wife of Lot. 

Lot was the nephew of Abraham, and after moving to the promised land they parted ways. Lot moved to the big city where he met a beautiful woman who loved city life. They fell in love, were married, had children, and lived the good life. But the city of Sodom was known not only for its night life, but it’s debauchery, and God was not going to put up with it any longer. He sent a couple of angels to remove Lot and his family before destroying the city. The depth of the city’s sin was realized when the men of the city demanded that Lot send out the visitors so they could molest them. Lot refused and the mob grew angry. The angels revealed themselves, saved Lot and told him to pack. They were headed to the mountains. There was one caveat. They were not to look back.

What is it about being told not to look. “Do not look behind you but_____,” and all you want to do is look back. I feel sorry for Lot’s wife. What was it that the angels didn’t want her to see? Then again, maybe curiosity wasn’t what drew her attention back to her home town. Maybe she wasn’t ready to leave. Maybe her family was calling for her. Maybe she was as much a part of the party scene as the rest of the towns people. Whatever caused her to look back, the result was devastating. She became a permanent fixture of the landscape. Lot’s wife was transformed into a pillar of salt. 

The Apostle Paul put it this way, “ 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, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13,14.

Remember the old hymn? “The world behind me, The cross before me. The world behind me, the cross before me. No turning back, no turning back.” The world wants us to turn around and long for the past. Satan places the idea in our minds that the good old days were the best days. The reality is that Christ  makes every day new and His mercies refresh us. We are called to press onward toward our heavenly calling. 

What in your past keeps calling you to look behind you? Is it a past hurt? Maybe it’s a past betrayal. It’s possible that you never achieved your dreams and you keep looking back hoping for a past glory. Maybe they were better days and instead of facing your trials today, you live in the past wishing to repeat those days.

We can’t change the past. We can’t make it better or recapture lost joys.  What is ahead is a prize rooted in our relationship with Jesus. The future calls for us to look ahead, focus, and run with endurance. Whatever heaven is like, it is of greater value and joy than this world could ever offer.

As I poke my head out of the bunker I don’t plan on looking back. The bunker was cozy, but it was empty of all my friends. Covid19 is still around, but it doesn’t determine the future, or what kind of person I should be. I am of Jesus, His body, His family, and His future. There is no better place to be. 

There is a lot of joy, in seeing a lot of faces, as we drive into the parking lot on Sunday morning. We will sing lots of songs, hear lots of words, raise up lots of prayers and praise to our glorious Father. The world can call my name as loud and as long as it wants, but I throw my lot in with Jesus. I’m just saying…

When I Don’t Feel Safe. From the Bunker Day 67

 I had left the military base by bus when I was supposed to have waited for my parents. I thought I knew where they were, at a friends house downtown. I got off the bus and started walking down the street when I realized I was in the wrong place, and the bus wouldn’t be back again until morning. So I started to walk home in the direction I believed our hotel was located.

The sun quickly descended behind the horizon and a cool breeze made me regret not wearing a light jacket. The dark made everything look more sinister, and the distant bark of a dog sent a chill down my back. I was in the 7th grade living on the island of Crete and had no business walking downtown at night. The Greeks in general were nice people, but we were told not to walk alone because there were those who resented Americans. There I was, young, alone, and lost in a society I didn’t know anything about. Surely, I would be treated with respect. Why would anyone want to hurt me? 

That moment of fear is as close as I get to understanding what my black brothers and sisters feel on a regular basis. The differences are many. They are suspect in their own country if they venture out of their own neighborhoods. As much as I have resisted the idea, white privileged does exist and I am a benefactor. In most cases I am given the benefit of the doubt, and if I reach in my pocket it isn’t assumed I am reaching for a weapon. My motives aren’t immediately impugned. It is even hard to wrap my head around what people of color go through because it is totally outside my experience. Yet to deny that people are treated differently because of their skin color, religion, ethnicity or sex is to bury my head in the sand. 

Some  lacks demand that Caucasians constantly feel guilty for past (or even present) atrocities, even if they did not perpetrate them. However, the majority expect nothing except equal respect and a safe place to live. When I say a safe place I’m not necessarily speaking of physical harm, but emotional safety as well. I have been in countries where people look at westerners with derision. Walking into a store you receive stares and looks of disgust. I have quickly moved away from certain areas because just the stares are intimidating. How much worse if you live in a country where the people you share your allegiance with look at you with the same kind of disgust.

The scripture says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus,” Galatians 3:28.

As believers in Jesus we are to stand shoulder to should with those who are oppressed. We are to speak out against injustice and break down the barriers that divide us. We should welcome with open arms people of color and not expect any less of them, because they are equal in every sense of the word. But what can I do in my little corner of the world?

1. Acknowledge that there is a problem even if you don’t completely understand how people of color feel.

2. Learn to push back prejudice and engage in conversation with people who are not like you.

3. Treat people of color with respect. They don’t want our pity or our money. They just want equal opportunities.

4. Don’t join in conversations that are prejudice in nature. Gossip and slander are sin no matter who it applies to.

5. If you have the opportunity publicly take a stand. It may feel uncomfortable, but you in the you will have an impact on bringing people together.

”Whatever we do,” The Apostle Paul said, “do unto the glory of God.  I’m just saying….

From the Bunker Day 67

I have no power! From the Bunker Day 66

I have sleep apnea, so at night I wear a machine that helps me to breath. It’s essential for getting a good nights sleep. But when the power goes off (like it did early this morning) my machine stops. Creating a vacuum, it sucks the nasal pillows tight and cuts off the air supply. Fortunately God created us with two ways to breathe and the back up system kicked in and my mouth opened. I knew right away the electricity had gone off. That and the fact I was getting emails from AEP that the power had gone down and it would be resolved at 10:30 am.

It was getting close to 10:30 and still  no response from Alexa (my smart house interface). Rebecca reminded me that we have a freezer full of beef and if we didn’t want to lose it we should do something soon. We have a generator! I’ve never used it but I can read instructions. I got everything set up, breakers switched off and the power cable plugged in. The gas tank was half full, so I pressed the ignition switch. Nothing. I tried again. Same result. I knew that any attempt to get a different result by applying the same action was futile. So I decided to jump the battery with the lawn mower.

There is nothing more frustrating than not being able to find the right tool for the right job. No jumper cables. But Joe Suter was driving down the drive way, and he was gracious enough to let me borrow his (Thanks Joe). After Joe left I drove my lawnmower around to the generator, plugged everything in and walla, it worked like a charm. I poked my head into the breakfast nook and said, “Alexa.” The blue light swirled to my delight. Then it struck me. Maybe the electricity came back on. I went to the generator and turned it off, poked my head into the breakfast nook, and Alexa’s blue light swirled her typical greeting. I don’t know if my generator works or not, but I do know I have power.

It is amazing how dependent we are on electricity, and when it is gone we feel helpless. What do I do with my frozen food? How do I get water into the house? I won’t be able to email anyone. And I will have to watch TV in the dark!

Life can be overwhelming when we don’t have power. Power comes in lots of forms and it usually has to do with control. There is power of governments, bosses, parents, and spouses. People can exert physical power and emotional power. There is power in manipulation and power in forgiveness. Power can be used for good and it can be used for evil. In the Bible the word power is used 229 times, showing how power is used and misused. We are told in 1 John 5:19 “ We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” All the misuse of power in the world is because people lie in the hands of the devil. But we are not of the devil, and are not subject to him. Instead we are from God, and as his children we have a specific set of powers.

Power of Prayer: James 5:16 “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.”

Power of Courage: 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

Power of inner strength: Ephesians 3:16 “That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,”

Power of Hope: Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

Power of Witness: Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Power to overcome: Colossians 1:29 “For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.”

Power of renewal: Isaiah 40:29 “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.”

For us the best power doesn’t come from ourselves but, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,” 2 Peter 1:3. It is a power that has called us out of darkness and into the light. It is a power that will never go out. I’m just saying….

From The Bunker Day 66