PRODIGAL SUN

 

                                                MARCH 2024

 

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

 

As Winter gives way to Spring our thoughts turn to warm weather activities; gardening, swimming, mowing the grass, possibly a vacation, or fishing. These, and many more, are our plans but are being made with the assumption that we will be here to do them. Psalm 49:10-11 reads “For he sees wise men die; Likewise the fool and the senseless person perish, and leave their wealth to others. Their inner thought is that their houses will last forever.” Our upcoming departure from earth is far more of a sure activity than any of the ones mentioned above. Following is another guarantee that is inevitable. It is from a song written well over a hundred years ago by L.L. Pickett and/or Rev. Bert Shadduck.

 

It reads, “I dreamed that the great judgment morning had dawned, and the trumpet had blown; I dreamed that the nations had gathered to judgment before the white throne; From the throne came a bright shining angel and stood on the land and the sea, And swore with his hand raised to heaven that time was no longer to be. And oh, what a weeping and wailing, as the lost were told of their  fate; They cried for the rocks and the mountains, They prayed, but their prayer was too late.” The second verse reads, “The rich man was there, but his money had melted and vanished away; A pauper he stood in the judgment, His debts were too heavy to pay; The great man was there, but his greatness, when death came, was left far behind. The angel that opened the records, Not a trace of his greatness could find.” Verse three, “The widow was there with the orphans, God heard and remembered their cries; No sorrow in heaven forever, God wiped all tears from their eyes; The gambler was there and the drunkard, And the man that had sold them the drink; With the people who gave him the license- Together in hell they did sink.” Verse four, “ The moral man came to the judgment, But his self-righteous rags would not do; The men who crucified Jesus had passed off as moral men too, The soul that had put off salvation, “Not tonight; I’ll get saved by and by; No time now to think of religion! At last they had found time to die. And oh, what a weeping and wailing, As the lost were told of their fate; They cried for the rocks and the mountains, They prayed, but their prayer was too late.”

 

How sobering that song! The church for the most part has lost the truth, the reality of the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What is written in God’s Holy Word will be. All scripture will one day be fulfilled and WE WILL ALL be there to witness the consummation of mortal history and the final unveiling of the eternal destiny of all men and women.

 

The very first song in this old hymnal is an encouraging directive for us. It is the only antidote for all of the poison we have consumed throughout our lives. It too dates back to the 1800’s and the writers were E.E. Hewitt, and John R. Sweney. Verse One, “More about Jesus I would know, More of His grace to others show; More of His saving fullness see, More of His love who died for me.” Verse Two, “More about Jesus let me learn, More of His holy will discern; Spirit of God, my teacher be, Showing the things of Christ to me.” Verse Three, “More about Jesus in His word, Holding communion with my Lord, Hearing His voice in every line, Making each faithful saying mine.” Verse Four, “ More about Jesus on His throne, Riches in glory all His own; More of His Kingdom’s sure increase; More of His coming, Prince of Peace.” Must not miss the refrain, “More, more about Jesus, More, more about Jesus; More of His saving fullness see, More of His love who died for Me.

 

If we plant the spiritual seeds found in the above two hymns we will reap a bountiful crop for His glory. We are promised in Isaiah 55:11 God’s Word will not return void but will accomplish His purpose.

 

His Word must first take up residence in our lives and be the catalyst for our personal transformation. If our lives do not conform to His Word we may not even be His. Paul stressed the need to examine ourselves to see if we were in the faith. (2 Corinthians 13:5) Sincerely walking in the faith causes the things of this world to grow increasingly dim and unappealing. Walking with Jesus waters down our passions for the lusts of this world weakening their destructive hold. On the opposite spectrum, walking in the ways of the world will weaken and possibly destroy our faith and witness for Christ.

 

Recently I heard an interview with Kevin Oleary, a major corporate investor. He called the states of New York and California loser states due to taxes, other financial issues, and lack of wise leadership. The latter is actually the cause of the other two. Without proper leadership all endeavors will eventually fail. Jeremiah 10:23 reads, “O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.” Compare that to Proverbs 3:5,6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.” Joshua in Joshua 24:15 challenged Israel to choose this day whom you will serve. That same choice is as valid today as at any other time. The first song mentioned had a short sentence about one who would deal with his salvation by and by but delayed until too late.

 

Now is the time to choose whom you will serve. We, here in America, are all living in ‘loser states.’ Our nation crossed the line of no return spiritually when Clinton was elected president with his agendas of gay rights and abortion while ‘fixing’ our economy. America sold out for the promise of mammon, and the downward spiral of America heading into third world status continues. It will not be reversed.

 

We should be thankful to see the chaos coming, to hear the trumpets blasting out their warnings, to know that the fulfillment of all scripture is fast approaching. Not that we should be thankful for the terrible events that are yet to unfold, but that we know and believe the One who sets all in order; that He has opened our spiritual eyes to understand why these events must occur., and given us peace that whatever may come He will walk with us through it.

 

God has a mighty remnant in China, in North Korea, the Sudan, Russia, Mynamar, Iran, and all other  countries where sharing the Gospel of Christ is forbidden. The true church is also arising in America despite the enemies advances. True freedom has always had a terrible price tag, and will continue to do so until the return of Christ.

 

After Isaiah had his encounter with God and realized his total unworthiness( in contrast to the holiness of God) he experienced his iniquity being taken away and his sin atoned for. Then God asked him, “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Isaiah’s response, “Here I am! Send me.”

If your sins have been atoned for by the Blood of Christ, your only rightful response should be the same.

kenhayesfleming9@gmail.com                                                                  Kenneth h. Fleming

www.wbcis.com                                                                                          502 Market Street

(814) 687-3707                                                                                           Fallentimber, Pa. 16639