PRODIGAL SUN

 

AUGUST 2024

 

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

 

It is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment. (Hebrews 9:27) There is no avoiding either of these events. All are born once naturally, but dead spiritually, eternally separated from the life once given to man. However, God in His mercy, made a way for man to re-enter into that eternal life he had forfeited thousands of years ago in the Garden. That is through the shed blood of Jesus, His death, burial, and resurrection.

 

A person I had met some thirty-eight years ago recently died in a vehicle crash. Although I had not seen her in years my heart sank at the news. With that came the thought that she had passed through the ‘portal.’ Looking up the definition in Funk and Wagnall’s dictionary I read, “An entrance, door, or gate, especially one that is grand and imposing.”

 

I can think of nothing more imposing than the gateway into eternity. It is an entrance that we must all traverse, and alone. It’s a one way entrance with no return. But, will your/my entrance be grand? Back in May I shared the experience I had coming back from taking care of the fire at the shop. One in which I experienced extreme horror, the likes of which I’d never had before and a darkness so oppressive you couldn’t breathe. Will your portal be a fiery one or one that leads into the glories of heaven. There are no second chances. Our choice today determines our destiny for all of eternity. Very few of us walking or driving around think we may well die today. If laid up in a hospital bed, the thought may cross our minds, but for the most part we think we’ll be around tomorrow, next week, or next month.

 

The choice of a grand entrance or an imposing one is ours to make. Choose you this day whom you will serve. One day your ‘tomorrow’ will not come. The person mentioned above rounded a curve and her portal sat there opened and waiting. I’m sure there was no thought that this was her day to cross into eternity leaving all these temporal circumstances and concerns behind.  In a single moment all her earthly plans ended. I have no idea what her entrance was, where she is now, but we do know that it is forever. A final note is that I just heard a fellow passenger died. She had lived for a couple of weeks so hopefully someone reached her with the Gospel of Jesus Christ if she hadn’t heard before.

 

In Matthew 24:12 Jesus states that because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. The lawlessness Jesus speaks of might well be summed up as anything that goes against God’s standards. When thinking of lawlessness it is hard not to consider the recent assassination attempt against Donald Trump. The last political issue that I remember writing about was in November 1991. When a person objectively looks at all of the events that occurred for over 30 minutes at that rally the only conclusion that can be reached is that every opportunity was afforded the shooter to kill Trump. Security either delayed or ignored all warnings about him. The only conclusion that can be reached is that it was an attempted political assassination by the opposing party. This is what our country has fallen to in joining the methodology of other countries attempting political takeovers. Because we have forsaken “One nation under God” we now wrestle with the Prince of this world – Satan and his schemes. When he is permitted to rule, hatred takes the upper seat and love’s benefits are negated.

If we, as the Church, do not arise and confront the works of the enemy we may be found liable for the loss he causes. The most precious and valuable of these treasures are the souls of men, women, and children. Jesus came to save people not personal belongings.

 

Here is an appropriate hymn for the subject;

 

Am I a soldier of the cross, a follower of the Lamb, and shall I fear to own His cause, or blush to speak His name?

 

Must I be carried to the skies on flowery beds of ease, While others fought to win the prize, and sailed through bloody seas?

 

Are there no foes for me to face? Must I not stem the tide? Is this vile world a friend to grace, To help me on to God?

 

Since I must fight if I would reign, increase my courage Lord; I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain, supported by thy Word.

 

It was on my heart awhile ago to ask if you had ever made a covenant with God. We know God’s covenant with us corporately is through Jesus, accepting His payment for our sin by His free gift- For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Romans 2:8-9)

 

If you try to earn your salvation in any manner you forfeit your right to it. No man made method will ever replace God’s formula. Jesus accomplished it all, now we must just accept that we are bankrupt and unable to pay the price for our sin.

 

After accepting Jesus free gift we now have access to God and need to be communicating with Him through His Word, the Bible. Ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit Who will teach you out of the Word how to walk victoriously in these perilous times, and to assist others in doing the same.

 

Making a covenant with God is born out of intimacy with Him, not to be equated with your initial salvation experience as going from Savior to truly Lord of your life. There are more levels to our relationship with Him than can be experienced in a lifetime if we would just pursue Him.

 

Blessings to all of you and peace.

 

                                                                                                             Love,

                                                                                                                       Ken

 

 

 

 

kenhayesfleming9@gmail.com                                                                Kenneth H. Fleming

www.wbcis.com                                                                                        502 Market Street

(814) 687-3707                                                                                          Fallentimber, Pa. 16639