PRODIGAL SUN

                                                 December 2022

 

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

 

I saw a thought provoking sign a few day ago which read “How many deaths will your vote cause?” obviously referring to the recent elections. It matters not at all what you think, the simple fact is that you are an accomplice to whatever the crime is if you willingly participate. Unfortunately, for those who feel because the law is changed there is no crime, have neglected to recognize Who the real law giver is, and He is God. It is to Him and Him alone to whom we all will one day stand before and give account to for our actions while on earth. There are many today who are in prison, or the grave, because of their misspent loyalty to someone or some thing that violated man’s standard of law. How much more so will be the penalty for those who have flaunted God’s righteous standards? Be not deceived, if you plow, sow, or water you will reap the fruit of that labor; of life leading to life or death leading to death.

 

Thousands of years ago a family moved to Egypt during a famine in their own land. They had governmental favor and soon blossomed in the land. They multiplied and grew prosperous but as time passed the government changed hands they lost their favor and eventually became feared. They eventually found themselves in bondage/slavery to not just the government but to the Egyptians populace.

 

There are a lot of similarities there to us in America. Most of our ancestors came here hoping to have a better life free from totalitarian rule, famines, and religious persecution. Although the slave trade that went on was a terrible issue consider the long term benefits that have come from it. The poorest of their descendants here now are better off than most in their native lands at the present time. Their sacrifices, however unwilling, should be a source of pride and an encouragement to strive to be all that God created you to be; not what some man or woman tells you should be, or what you are entitled to. Just as a closing thought here are the thousands of Portuguese people that were enslaved and sent to the African Barbary Coast. I wonder how their descendants are faring now or the other million plus Europeans that were forced into slavery between 1600-1900? Have to put a personal closing note on this subject. I happen to be white but the best ‘proven’ friend of mine was black. When I sought him years later to tell him of Jesus I was told he had died. Not knowing where he went passing into eternity was one of the saddest days in my life. Nearly sixty some years ago he had stood beside me facing a group that wanted to kill me. I happened to be in the right, and he stood for me because of that.

 

NOW, because GOD IS RIGHT in everything He says and does we must stand representing Him in this world. Compromising, world culture, church culture, political structure, and cold feet no longer have a place in the work of the Kingdom. God’s shaking of the world’s kingdoms has already begun and progressing rapidly, but the real concern of ours should be the shaking of those professing to be a part of His Eternal Kingdom but aligning with Satan’s Kingdom and advocates. They are deceived.

 

If you take a stand for anything contrary to what is clearly defined in God’s Holy Word you are aligned against God’s Kingdom and will find yourself as Judas did after leaving Jesus. You will be  alone in a disintegrating world without anyone at your side to stand with you, except possibly some of those perishing also. We’ve probably all heard someone say he or she was going to hell with all of their friends as if it is some sort of party. It is an unending agonizing place of torment. Consider this parable found in Luke 16 starting in verse 19, “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 20 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21 desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. 26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to there cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’

27 Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore my father, that you would send him to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ 29 Abraham said to him, “They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.” 30 And he said, “No father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.” 31 But he said to him, “If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.” The last sentence is an interesting prophetic statement which proved accurate as the church leaders denied Jesus resurrection, even paying the soldiers to lie so the resurrection could be denied. Yet all of Jesus disciples, except John, were martyred for their faith in Jesus after the death, burial, and resurrection. Why would they die if it had not come true what Jesus had told them about rising again? John had a fate that many would consider worse than death but refused to deny Christ. Why?

 

Here we are back to the standard, God’s Holy Word. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

 

It is His light within us that we are to let shine. If you don’t have the true light, the Holy Spirit living inside you, what the world sees is just you. You may give good impressions etc but the light you emit is transitory, and has no lasting eternal value especially when it contradicts what the Bible says about any issue. Lukewarm professing Christians will be spewed from His mouth. Choose to be either hot or cold.

 

God is shaking His garment, currently in the form of His professing church, to see who will hold on to His truth and not deny the faith. For the most part our organizational churches are a farce as the churches were in Jesus day; just money and glory seeking entities, social clubs seeking pleasurable activities more than those hurting and perishing souls that are being blown to and fro in the tumultuous streams of life. They are deceivers, denying the truth, and hindering others from entering in with Jesus.

 

The preceding paragraph is not meant as an indictment against all churches. There are many faithful servants of the Lord across our land, and probably many more that desire to be but don’t know how. Only spending time with Him in His Word being guided by the Holy Spirit will mold you into His image and empowering you to be His light to this world. Those defying His Word shed only darkness.

 

kenhayesfleming9@gmail.com                                                               Kenneth H. Fleming

www.wbcis.com                                                                                       502 Market Street

(814) 687-3707                                                                                        Fallentimber, Pa. 16639