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“But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:20 NIV84).

Like Mary, Joseph’s first encounter with God was through an angel.  This time, the angel appeared to him in a dream.  Joseph already knew that Mary was pregnant, but he likely wanted to shield her from further gossip, so he had made plans to divorce her quietly, that is, until the angel showed up.

Joseph must have thought it was a strange dream, but it must have been real enough to convince him to obey. To avoid public ridicule for himself, he could have taken the easy way out by divorcing Mary, but he chose to do the hard thing and obey (Matthew 1:24). 

Joseph took Mary as his wife, despite the gossip that was sure to run rampant in the small village of Nazareth.  Most people probably knew the truth, as that would not have been an easy secret to keep in a small town.  The tongues wagging about Mary could not have been avoided, but negative comments about himself could have been avoided by distancing himself from her. Still, Joseph did the hard thing.  He stayed with Mary and raised Jesus as his own son.

We’ve all had to do hard things at one time or another.  The question is, have we ever been led by God to do a hard thing?  If so, how did we respond? 

When I was at the end of my rope in my law practice, after making most decisions without God’s input, I finally turned to Him for help.  There was nowhere else to turn, so I turned to God. His response was, “Sell it!”   The hard part was that I had no plans for my future.  There was simply a first step of faith—putting the practice up for sale.  I felt somewhat like Abraham when God told him to go to the land that he would show him (Genesis 12:1).  Thankfully, my encounter with God reaffirmed His “plans to give [me] hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11b NIV84). I encountered some bumps along the way, but ultimately, He led me to the best time of my life, and He’s still leading today.

Obedience when God calls us to do hard things is not easy.  That’s probably why we don’t have more missionaries taking the Gospel to hard places.  Yet, the journey is well worth the hardships.  Joseph may have received a lot of grief for his decision to marry Mary and raise Jesus as his own, but I’m confident that it was a decision that he never regretted.  After all, obeying God, even when the task seems outlandish, opens the door to blessings beyond our comprehension. 

What hard thing is God calling you to do?

Jeremiah 32:17

How should we respond to persecution?

“A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense” (Proverbs 19:11 NIV84).

We live in a world that finds it easy to judge and condemn.  However, if we are to win the world to Christ, as the old saying goes, “You catch a lot more flies with honey.”  Jesus displayed righteous anger when He cleansed the Temple.  However, when He was unjustly tried, beaten, and crucified, He kept quiet.  Our patience, lack of anger, and gentleness will be far more effective in reaching the persecutors than our anger would ever be.

How should we pray for the lost?

“As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you.  And I will teach you the way that is good and right” (I Samuel 12:23 NIV84).

Too often, we see prayer as a last resort, when the most important thing we can do in any situation is to pray.  That is especially true as we attempt to reach the lost.  Pray that we will be walking examples of the love of Christ.  Pray that we will learn to teach them the way that is good and right with love.  Pray that God will give us the words and the boldness to pursue the loss.

Leadership Prayer Focus This Week: U. S. Senators

“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.  The authorities that exist have been established by God” (Romans 13:1 NIV84).

The United States Senate has the exclusive power to approve Presidential nominations, ranging from Cabinet Secretaries, Judges, and a host of other positions.  Since each state is represented equally in the Senate, it is often perceived as the more deliberate body of lawmakers.

Pray that: They will recognize that they serve at God’s pleasure, not their own.

They will seek God’s guidance in each decision that they make.

They will deliberate carefully and thoughtfully, serving their constituents well.

They will serve with honesty and integrity.

For all our leaders, pray that if they do not already know Christ, they will accept Him as Lord.  For those who do know Christ, pray that they will stand firm on His Truth and His Word, never compromising it or minimizing it.

“Pray continuously” (I Thessalonians 5:17 NIV84)

“³⁰ But the angel said to her, …  ³¹You will be with child and give birth to a son, … ³⁵The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.  So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God’” (Luke 1:30, 31, & 35 NIV84).

Mary’s first encounter with God was through an angel.  If that wasn’t enough to frighten her, surely his message must have been terrifying.  She had a “first encounter” like no other.  Yet, the Scripture tells us that her only reaction was, “I am the Lord’s servant” (Luke 1:38a NIV84).  That is childlike faith!

I can’t remember my very first encounter with God, but I am very sure that it was nothing like Mary’s first encounter.  I do remember learning about faith the size of a mustard seed.  My teacher gave us necklaces with that tiny seed, so small that you could barely see it, and explained that just that little bit of faith could move mountains.

Mary had no way of knowing what the future would hold.  She didn’t stop to consider how Joseph would respond.  She may have had thousands of questions, yet she trusted God completely.  Mountain-moving faith was what Mary showed when faced with the moment that would change, not just her life, but all eternity.

 When I first heard about mustard seed faith, I most likely anticipated giant mountains literally moving.  It was only years later that I literally saw God move mountains in my life.  They weren’t mountains of dirt and stone.  They were career challenges and family crises.  Some were mountains of my own creation.  Others were mountains of circumstances.  God showed up as I approached each mountain, and the more that I trusted Him, the more those mountains moved. 

I don’t know what your first encounter with God was, but if you haven’t seen Him move a mountain, then it’s time to trust Him more.  The desperate father in Mark’s gospel responded like most of us do when confronted with mountains.   Jesus told him that healing was possible if he believed. He said, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24b NIV84).  Faith is a growth process, and every time God moves a mountain, your faith will grow stronger.  Trust Him!

Mary’s faith moved a mountain that changed all of eternity.  What kind of mountain do you need to move?

“I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move.  Nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20 NIV84).

How should we respond to persecution?

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9 NIV84).

When one is threatened or beaten or unjustly imprisoned, the human response is to fight back, and in many cases, that approach may be justified.  However, when one is persecuted for the sake of Christ, the goal is to reconcile the persecutor back to God.  That won’t happen in a combative relationship.  Christ desires us to build relationships with others, even our oppressors, just as He desires a relationship with us.  Love, compassion, and peace will go farther in building relationships than anger and hatred.

How should we pray for the lost?

“Therefore [Jesus] is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them” (Hebrews 7:25 NIV84).

Jesus is not only the atoning sacrifice for our sins, but He is also the one who intercedes on our behalf with the Father.  It is our responsibility to also intercede on behalf of those who are lost.  Pray for encounters with Christ, through His Word, through other believers, and through dreams and visions.  May they realize that they have One who will speak to the Father on their behalf. (I John 2:1,2)

Leadership Prayer Focus This Week: Members of the House of Representatives

“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.  The authorities that exist have been established by God” (Romans 13:1 NIV84).

The persons elected to the House of Representatives hold the power to initiate revenue bills, impeach government officials, and, in the event of a tie, elect the President of the United States.  Since they represent a small portion of their state, they should be more willing and able to respond to a citizen’s needs.

Pray that: They will recognize that they serve at God’s pleasure, not their own.

They will seek God’s guidance in each decision that they make.

They will avoid political expediency and serve their constituents well.

They will be fiscally responsible and serve with honesty and integrity.

For all our leaders, pray that if they do not already know Christ, they will accept Him as Lord.  For those who do know Christ, pray that they will stand firm on His Truth and His Word, never compromising it or minimizing it.

“Pray continuously” (I Thessalonians 5:17 NIV84)

“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again” (II Corinthians 5:14, 15 NIV84).

Two weeks ago, I attended a missions conference.  The theme was “Driven,” and the first night, the speaker asked the question, “What drives you?  What compels you?”

I once asked a similar question of a missionary whom I met in Southeast Asia.  It was a place where the women were/are treated as second-class citizens.  They walk behind their men, eat at separate tables, and wear clothing that we would find excessive.  Yet, she continued to live among the people and share the Gospel message.  I asked, “How do you do this?”  Her answer was not what I expected.  She said, “You can’t love these people enough to do this.  You can only do it because you love God enough.” In other words, she was “driven” by the love of God to do hard things in hard places.

The question we must each ask ourselves is, “What drives me? What is compelling me to do what I do?”

That is a question that requires some thought, and the answer may change depending on your stage of life.  When I was practicing law, I was “driven” by the desire to represent my clients well and make a decent living.  When I became the Business Administrator at my Church, I was “driven” by the desire to handle the business affairs with integrity and ensure that the Church reduced risks while still pursuing the lost with boldness. 

Now that I’m retired, I am “driven” by the need to use the talents, abilities, and experiences that God has given me to share the Good News with others.  I firmly believe that God has prepared good works for me to do (Ephesians 2:10), and I desire to complete them according to His will and His timing.

I encourage you to pause in your daily routine and take some time to reflect on what drives you, considering your calling in Christ.  His love should be compelling each of us to serve Him, no matter what stage of life we are in.  The message is still the same.  Christ died so that we no longer live for ourselves but for Him (author’s paraphrase of II Corinthians 5:15).  What does that look like in your life? What should it look like?

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14 NIV84).

How should we respond to persecution?

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8 NIV84).

As Christians, we sometimes assume a superior attitude toward those who persecute believers.  It is too easy to forget that we were once just like the persecutors.  We were also sinners in need of a Savior.  It doesn’t matter that we may have never persecuted someone.  Without Christ, we are all the same.  Pray that they will receive the same saving grace that has already blessed our lives.

How should we pray for the lost?

“My prayer is not for them alone.  I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.  May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you sent me” (John 17:20, 21 NIV84).

Shortly before His death, Christ prayed for those who would come after Him.  He prayed that you and I and all the lost souls would believe in Him through the message of the Good News.  Pray that we will continue the work His disciples began so that everyone will believe!

Leadership Prayer Focus This Week: Governors

“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.  The authorities that exist have been established by God” (Romans 13:1 NIV84).

Except for the President of the United States, our Governors are probably the most well-known government leaders.  They become the spokesperson for our States, and they often set the vision for the State Legislatures.

Pray that: They will recognize that they serve at God’s pleasure, not their own.

They will turn away from political expediency and instead determine what is best for all their constituents.

They will be fiscally responsible.

They will serve with honesty and integrity.

For all our leaders, pray that if they do not already know Christ, they will accept Him as Lord.  For those who do know Christ, pray that they will stand firm on His Truth and His Word, never compromising it or minimizing it.

“Pray continuously” (I Thessalonians 5:17 NIV84)

A little over three years ago, I began my blog with those words.  I had retired a few months earlier and was searching for renewed purpose in my life.  Unlike most people who live for the day when they can say goodbye to their boss, I hated retirement.  I had no structure, no daily schedule, and seemingly no purpose.  I know that sounds like heaven to many of you, but for me, it was torture.   

 At first, I read a lot, but even when you love reading as much as I do, you can only read so many books.  Then, I began a Bible Study and Fellowship time in my home.  That went well and continued to grow, but it only happens twice a month. 

 Writing has always been something that I enjoy, so finally, I decided to start a blog.  I think God planted the seed, and I’ve tried to follow His guidance every step of the way. 

  Of course, not being tech-savvy, I had no idea what I was doing, and my “Blogging for Dummies” book wasn’t a lot of help, but somehow, I muddled through.  I named it “Musings from my Sun Porch” since I spend most of my time there.  Thankfully, God has continued to prompt me with Scripture and events that have formed the basis of my blog postings over the years. 

 Now, it’s time to expand this ministry to a website.  Www.Sunporchlady.com includes my blog, links to my books, recommendations for books that I have read, and a little info about me. 

 I know that I have grown spiritually because of my time in the Word and in prayer, seeking the message that God wants me to present each week.  My prayer is that at least one life has been touched by each post.  As we move to the next chapter of this “retirement journey”, I hope you will check out my website and let me know what you think.  I’m still praying to touch lives by encouraging each of us to dig deeper into His Word and develop that intimate relationship with Him. 

If you have questions, you can email me at thesunporchlady@gmail.com.  Now, back to my sun porch!