Musings from My Sun Porch

                 In a recent interview, the new Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, was asked what he thinks about any issue under the sun.   In response, he said “Well, go pick up a Bible off your shelf and read it. That’s my worldview." Jen Psaki, former White House Press Secretary, was appalled at that statement.   She said, “The Bible doesn’t just inform his worldview, it is his worldview."   She then commented “It’s not just his political ideology that should scare us. Johnson is basically a Christian fundamentalist."   What is a worldview?   According to one definition, it is the attitudes and values about the world around us, that form our every thought and action.   What better guide to lead our every thought and action than the Bible? What is a fundamentalist? This is a person who “ believes that what is written in a holy book is completely true .”   A Christian fundame...

                 Wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, and other natural disasters, fearful events, and great signs from heaven, perhaps like partial eclipses of the sun.   All of these were things that Jesus predicted would occur as the end of time approaches (Luke 21: 10 – 11).   Paul said that in the last days, “people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money…without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (I Timothy 3: 2 – 4).   Sounds like this morning’s news, doesn’t it?             Many people sincerely believe that the end is near.   Any day, they expect Christ to return.   I know that there are many theories of how the “end times” may play out but the only thing we can be absolutely certain of is that Christ is coming again!...

                 This past weekend, I had the privilege of teaching at Louisville Bible College.   It was a small class, ranging in age from early twenties to 85.   Some were working on their first Bible College Degree, one was working on a master’s degree, and one was retired but still wanted to keep learning.   They all had two things in common:   they loved God and they wanted to serve Him.             As I taught them about some of the legal risks and potential dangers that the Church faces today, we all agreed that regardless of the risk, the Mission must be supreme.   We may mitigate or reduce risks throughout our lives by being “shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matt. 10: 16) but there will always be those times when we must choose to do what we know is best for the Mission, regardless of the consequences.   I think that’s what Peter me...

                 Forty-seven years ago tomorrow, I was sworn in as an attorney.   I still remember the day well as I took the oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the State of Kentucky.   I still chuckle every time I recall the part where we had to swear that we had never fought a duel.   I guess no one ever thought that the oath might need a little updating.             It was a magical day until I stepped up to the Clerk’s desk to receive my certificate showing that I was a licensed attorney for the State of Kentucky.   I gave the clerk my name, and she looked at me with a scowl and said, “So, you are Elaine Duncan!”.   I sheepishly said, “Yes”, not having a clue what she meant by that.   When I returned to the Capitol Rotunda and shared the story with my family, it became all too clear.       ...

                 We are living in a world where good and evil seem to be turned upside down.   Victims are considered wrongdoers while those who commit wrong are treated as victims.   Speaking truth, which is God’s Truth, is often condemned as bigoted or hateful.   The values that our nation was once founded on are now seen as small-minded or deplorable.             So, what’s the answer?   How do we live in a world where even God’s Word is often condemned?   I think we must decide whether we will follow the world’s ungodly view or whether we will truly be God-followers and adhere to His view of all things.   That’s what is known as a Christian Worldview.   So, how do we achieve a worldview that looks at everything through God’s eyes? First, we must strive to take on the attitude of God.   That requires us to allow God to direct our lives...

                 In the beginning, God created man in His own image or likeness (Genesis 1: 26 – 27).   That doesn’t mean that we look like God, but it does mean that we reflect His attributes.   Unlike every other living creature, we have a soul, and we are called to be righteous and holy just as He is righteous and holy.               Unfortunately, all too soon after man was created, man used the free choice that God gave him to bring sin into the world.   With that sin, man became corrupted, no longer able to achieve righteousness or holiness on his own.   Thankfully, God wasn’t through with us.   He sent His only Son to pay the price so that through Him we might once more achieve righteousness and holiness.               So, what does all that mean in a world filled with hatred and corr...

                 This past weekend, I had the pleasure of joining ten of my girlfriends at a cabin at Lake Cumberland.   While the weather was not quite what we had anticipated, we were still surrounded by the beauty of God’s creation.   As one of my friends put it, “It’s so quiet and peaceful here.”   She was right, aside from the leaves blowing in the wind and the laughter coming from our cabin, it was very quiet, peaceful, and joyful.             Then, I made the mistake of checking the news, only to discover that Israel was under attack.   Problems in the Mideast always take my mind to end-times prophecies, and especially as our world falls further and further into sin, we can’t help but wonder “Is the end near?”   When I heard the Israeli Prime Minister say, “We are at war”, I knew that the situation had moved to a whole new level of hostility.   ...

                 Have you ever considered how many times people in the Scripture were called by God for seemingly impossible tasks and they came up with excuses?   Abraham laughed when God told him he would be a father in his old age.   Moses said he wasn’t a good speaker when God called him to be His spokesman before Pharoah.   Jonah ran away when God called him to take a message to his enemies.   Zacharias didn’t believe a word when the Angel told him that he and Elizabeth would have a child in their old age.               On the other hand, there were several who didn’t doubt God’s calling for a moment.   Noah built a boat even though he had never seen rain.   David never questioned his anointing as king, even though it meant running for his life for several years.   Hosea didn’t question God when He told him to marry a prostitute to symbo...

                 Recently, while rereading the book of Acts, I came across verse 25 in chapter 8.   To set the stage, the verses before 8 say that the Apostles sent Peter and John to Samaria after hearing that the Gospel had spread there.   Then, in verse 8, we find Peter and John preaching in many Samaritan villages as they returned to Jerusalem.               So, what’s the big deal?   Consider the bad blood between the Jews and the Samaritans.   These two groups hated each other so much, they would often go out of their way, regardless of how much extra travel time it took, to avoid each other.   As Jesus and the Disciples made their way toward Jerusalem one final time, Jesus purposely traveled through Samaria.   When the Samaritans refused to be welcoming hosts to Jesus and His party, James and John lived up to their names as the “Sons of Thun...