Musings from My Sun Porch

                 Now that we have all stuffed ourselves and enjoyed time with our families and friends, let’s not forget the reason that we celebrated.   Giving thanks and showing gratitude is not a “one-and-done” event.   It should be a way of life.               When it comes to giving thanks to God, Psalm 100 is a great reminder of who God is and what He has done.             “ 1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth”                         Christians should exhibit joy for all the earth to see.             “ 2 Worship the Lord with Gladness; come before him with joyful songs.”          ...

                    In two days, we will celebrate Thanksgiving.  For many of us it has become a day when we overindulge in all the delicious food that is served, enjoy time with family and friends, watch football and/or old movies, and generally have a day of laughter and enjoyment.  In many ways, it’s not much different from any other holiday.               That’s a far cry from why it was originally established.   The first Thanksgiving was a harvest celebration.   The Pilgrims and Indians came together to give thanks for a bountiful harvest.   Later, George Washington called for a day of thanks when the Revolutionary War ended, and President Abraham Lincoln was the first to recognize it as a national holiday, giving thanks for Union victories during the Civil War.             ...

                 What distinguishes Christians from all the other people on the face of the earth?   Have you ever thought about that?   What makes us different?   What makes us stand apart from the crowd? Moses asked a very similar question after the Israelites sinned by making a golden calf and worshipping it.   Needless to say, God was not pleased with them.   In Exodus 33, He told Moses to take the people and go into the land that He had promised them.   He said He would send an Angel before them to drive out the people that were there but then He added, “But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people, and I might destroy you on the way” (Exodus 33: 3b NIV84).   After the Israelites cried and mourned, Moses went to God and asked, “What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” (Exodus 33:16b NIV84). Moses knew that without th...

                 This past Saturday, we celebrated “Veterans Day”.   According to the Federal Government, a veteran is “a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable.”   That’s only the tip of the iceberg.   A veteran is so much more! Since the American Revolution, men, and now women as well, have been trained to defend freedom on the field of battle.   In those early days, the men of the New England colonies were ready to defend their homes at a moment’s notice, hence the name “Minute Men”.   While they were not victorious in all their battles, they fought tirelessly, knowing that the cause was too great to abandon.   Ultimately, their determination and courage prevailed and their efforts to “form a more perfect union” came to fruition through the adoption of the U. S. Constitution. Since that tumu...

                 A lady in England has been arrested twice for praying silently in a “buffer zone” outside an abortion clinic.   She didn’t carry signs or attempt to speak to people going inside.   She didn’t even pray out loud.   She simply stood quietly and silently petitioned the God of the Universe to stop the evil that was going on inside the clinic.   She prayed for changed hearts and changed lives, and that babies would be spared the death that awaited them there.             It wasn’t a crime to stand in the “buffer zone”.   She was only arrested when she admitted to the police officer that she had been praying.   While she was ultimately released and received an apology from the police department, think about the potential repercussions of her arrest.   She wasn’t charged with starting a riot or harassing people or even trying to convert ...

                 Today, I read about a man who spent 13 days undergoing intense interrogation in North Korea.   Why?   Because he dared to share the Gospel message in that “closed” country.             There is another man, who despite being shot three times, refuses to leave his post as the only Christian pastor in a Muslim city.   Why?   Because God called him there, and He hasn’t told him to leave yet.             The wives of each of these men stand firmly behind their husbands’ decisions.   One prays that God will provide another opportunity for her husband to go back to North Korea, and if He does, she wants to go with him.   The other wife testifies to the comfort and strength God provided her in the hours before and after her husband was shot.   Like him, she realizes that they must ...

                 The next two Sundays have been designated as Days of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.  While we live in a land that allows us to worship our God freely without fear, millions around the world do not have the same freedom.  According to one report, worldwide, 13 Christians are killed every day for their faith and 12 Houses of Worship are attacked.  1 in 7 Christians worldwide experience some form of persecution every day. Yet, despite the persecution, Christianity is growing in places like China, Afghanistan, and even Iran, some of the most persecuted places on the planet.             Why is Christianity growing?   Perhaps because it offers hope amid untold suffering.   It reveals a Savior who understands injustice and pain.   It offers a peace that only Christ can provide.   It provides comfort, strength, and courage from a Savio...