PRODIGAL SUN

 

  MARCH 2023

 

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

 

                                                     LEGACY

Our subject last month was an Obituary. This month could be referred to as a follow up, a spin off, from that. Our legacy started at birth, maturing at the time of our obituaries, and hopefully bearing good returns/fruit into eternity.

 

Legacy may simply be defined as that which you leave behind, what you are remembered for. You may then break it down into two categories. One which is temporary/perishable, the other is eternal, one that cannot pass away. Proverbs 3:35 tells us, “The wise shall inherit glory but shame shall be the legacy of fools.” The only antidote for foolishness is found in Psalm 111:10 which tells us “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Then in Psalm 112:1. “Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, Who delights greatly in His commandments.”

 

We are living at a time in history where God is being mocked at a level never before seen here in America. I was watching some congressional hearings a couple of days ago when one of those speaking mentioned an accountability to God. The response from the chairman was that “God has no place in this chamber!” Yet, In God We Trust was displayed on the wall before them. The horrors awaiting that chairman, unless he repents and turns to Christ, is terrifying to think about.

 

The earthquakes in Turkey and Syria have weighed heavy on my heart. As of this writing over forty-five or forty-six thousand people have passed from this life and are now awaiting the resurrection(s) of which all human beings will be a part of. Let’s read Jesus’ words taken from John 5:22-29, “For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father Who sent Him. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him Who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death unto life. Most assuredly I say to you, the hour is now coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this for the hour is coming in which all who are in the grave will hear His voice, and come forth, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation.” Can you begin to grasp the magnitude of this? ALL of mankind will be raised into a body that can never again die, but live throughout all of eternity. This is the legacy of all men, women, and children. What they do with the Gospel of Jesus in this life will determine their eternal legacy. Their final ‘residence’ is either heaven or hell. The only ‘good’ we can do is to first ask Jesus to save us from our sin nature for the Bible clearly says, “For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) We have inherited that cursed propensity to sin from Adam and Eve. No amount of money or good deeds can cleanse us from that sin nature. Millions of deceived people think their good deeds and bad deeds are placed on some sort of spiritual scale. If there is more good than bad the thought is that I’m ok and will go to heaven. There is no Godly sorrow for our part in the crucifixion of Jesus. A good reminder of this is that every sin we commit placed additional weight on Jesus as He hung on the cross. He paid for it all if we will just believe and accept His payment for our sin by faith (simply put-believing in what He promised.) Then the Holy Spirit will take up residence within you and continue the transformation process. If nothing changes day by day, month by month, and year by year something is wrong with your salvation experience.

 

Another earthquake has struck in the same area as the two mentioned on the first page of this issue. I want to encourage all of you to pray for boldness for the Christians alive in these areas to reach out to those in need. Pray for miraculous recoveries of those trapped in the wreckage, and opportunities for the Gospel to be shared.

 

The chaos that is happening around the world will continue to envelope all nations, and will eventually sweep across our land. Wars, famine, pestilences, droughts, fires, crazy weather patterns are all signs of the war going on in the spiritual realm. It all boils down to a single goal, the eternal souls of all human beings. Jesus came to bring eternal life and hope to all. Satan is on a rampage to destroy any and all of God’s creation with people at the top of his priorities. Even those followers who have willingly sold out to Satan and his schemes will one day find him destroying them when no longer of any use.

 

Jeremiah 12:5 came to mind this morning. It reads, “ If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, Then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, In which you trusted, they wearied you, Then how will you do in the floodplain of Jordan?” This was a warning for Jeremiah to sound that the situation was about to get worse for the people and himself.

 

Lately it has been a real struggle for me as I see the scenarios playing out in different areas such as the litter boxes placed in some schools for the children that identified themselves as furries or some such thing. I had heard of this before but it was not until I found out that it was occurring in nearby schools that the reality struck home. Jesus had a special warning for those who ‘offend’ one of these little ones speaking of children. (Luke 17:1-2) He said it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea. Those enacting and enforcing these demonic practices will have a special place in the pits of hell I’m sure. Joining them will be those who are part of the ‘choose your own sex’ perverts. Causing children, made in the image of God, to doubt His wisdom in the fashioning of them while yet in their mother’s womb. Psalm 139:13-14 reads “For you formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made..” It is interesting to note that a key element in this passage is praise, the very thing that Satan desired from even Jesus. (Matthew 4:5) So all involved in this perverted practice of sexual identification confusion are in reality giving praise/worship to Satan.

 

Even though I made some awful mistakes in my youth I was always proud to be an American. I am ashamed of what this nation has become just in my lifetime. We, especially the church, have lost our way. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6. Only He has the answers for how we can endure the trials that are coming to America.

 

Be faithful to HIS call on your life, not the worlds, and you will be eternally blessed.

 

kenhayesfleming9@gmail.com                                                            Kenneth H. Fleming

www.wbcis.com                                                                                    502 Market Street

(814) 687-3707                                                                                     Fallentimber, Pa. 16639