PRODIGAL SUN

 

                                          AUGUST 2022

 

Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

 

The insanity rages on as mankind seeks to be his own god, his own deliverer.

 

Consider this most recent occurrence; On Saturday, July 23, 2022 the World Health Organization declares the international monkey pox outbreak a global emergency. They want new funding to fight the some 16,500 reported cases in 74 countries with the majority of them in Europe where the outbreak ignited in the spring.

 

Mr. Tedros, the WHO director general, said one of the reasons he moved to declare a global health emergency is the potential for stanching the outbreak, which is overwhelmingly concentrated in men who have sex with other men.

 

He goes on to say, “That means that this is an outbreak that can be stopped with the right strategies in the right groups.” He also emphasized that any containment measures should respect the ‘human rights and dignity’ of gay and bisexual men. Stigma and discrimination can be as dangerous as any virus.”

 

WHO officials also said higher rates of “health seeking behavior’ among gay and bisexual men and a culture of public health in the community shaped by the AIDS crisis can help end the outbreak.

Some of the WHO committee members did not want to issue the emergency because it could fuel discrimination against the LGBT community.

 

Few deaths have been reported in the latest outbreak although some men have been hospitalized with excruciating pain linked to lesions near the genitals. Hopefully, the excruciating pain felt now will lead to an exposure to Jesus, repentance and the avoidance of the excruciating pain to be felt for all of eternity.

 

A final note in their findings is that the disease can be transmitted through other forms of skin-to-skin contact, sharing of contaminated items, and prolonged respiratory spread. (That means you don’t need a mask to walk down the street! (My comment!)

 

During the course of typing this I was considering the events as God judged Egypt and the boils that came upon man and beast. (Exodus 9:10) That was a warning to submit to God’s sovereignty which we know was not heeded. The final outcome was death and destruction, except for those who willing followed God’s direction for deliverance, spiritual and physical.

 

America has the second highest number of confirmed cases of this monkey pox with some 2,900 cases most of which are in New York and California with NYC literally a hotbed according to news sources for our latest plague.

 

The whole world is being judged by God’s standards and falling far short of His blessings, the most important of all is eternal deliverance from sin’s consequences available only through a relationship with His Son Jesus. We will submit or succumb, unfortunately for most the latter.

 

Consider the demoniac In Mark 5 (mentioned also in Matthew 8 and Luke 8), who when seeing Jesus from afar ran and worshiped Him. Matthew mentions a second demon possessed man but apparently he didn’t go to Jesus. After the man had been delivered from the demonic control we read the following about the crowd who came from the man’s hometown. Verse 15 “Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon possessed sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind.” WOW! Although being in your ‘right’ mind is the theme of this month’s Prodigal it is worth going on with the other two attributes of coming to and worshiping the Son.

 

Sitting means to be at rest, even relaxed. Think of the former state of the man above. The Word tells us he was ALWAYS, NIGHT and DAY, in the tombs crying and cutting himself with stones. A state of constant mental and physical turmoil/control suddenly set free from it all. The gift of sitting is offered to each of us as well.

 

Clothed means to be covered/dressed. Clothing is often a reflection of the character of a person, his or her inner self. It is interesting to note how as we a people become more and more wicked our clothing becomes less and less. According to scripture modest apparel is a reflection of a Godly character. Provocative clothing has become so ‘fashionable’, even in religious circles, that our youth have few moral compasses to set their course by.

 

We know that the ‘clothed’ in the passage above refers to literally clothes but the most important one is by accepting Jesus as his Savior is the promise of being clothed in the righteousness of Christ. From that day on God viewed him through the Blood of Christ’s sacrifice, not through his past actions – they are forever forgiven.

 

Consider now what that can hold for us now. We can be witnesses for Christ in our everyday life walking in peace with a sound mind whatever the day may bring. 2 Timothy 1:7 promises “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

 

This is an absolute must for us to be overcomers in this life and effective witnesses for the One who redeemed us. The destruction of this nation and the world will continue but He wants us to be His Light in the darkness. If we don’t shine His light many will be as the demon possessed man wandering among the tombs crying day and night.

 

kenhayesfleming9@gmail.com                  w.w.w.wbcis                                      (814) 687-3707