PRODIGAL SUN
MAY 2022

 

Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:17)

 

         AND THEN HE LAUGHED…..

 

Scripture is full of directives throughout both Old & New Testaments to rejoice. Consider the following;

Exodus 23:14-17 This was a commandment from God for all men to keep a feast before the Lord three times each year. These feasts were all joyous occasions with much feasting and dancing. Laughter was surely a part of the festivities.

 

Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit driers the bones.

 

Genesis 21:6 And Sarah said, “God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me.” This was spoken after the birth of Isaac, a joyous laughter after the fulfillment of a physical impossibility. What God promised He truly and literally delivered.

 

2 Samuel 6:14-15 Then David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet. As in the account in Exodus above it would be safe to assume much laughter accompanied the procession to Jerusalem as that which represented the Presence of Gad was taken to it’s rightful place.

 

I chose these few verses just as examples of joy/laughter and also one of the benefits of it as mentioned in the Proverbs passage above. Most of us probably think of laughter in the context(s) above.

 

However, this month I want us to look at and consider another aspect of laughter. For that we need to turn to the book of Psalm.

 

Psalm 37:1-8 Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.

2. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb.

3. Trust in the Lord and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.

4. Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

5. Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.

6. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday.

7. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.

8. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; it only causes harm.

 

Three times in this short passage we are directed to fret not due to the schemes of the wicked and the apparent success of them. How appropriate and applicable for this time in world history. I have heard more fretting coming from professing Christians during the past two years than at any time prior. We, who should be bearers of Light are joining in with the rest of the world fretting. (Quick definitions of fret; to be vexed, annoyed, troubled. To become worn, chafed, or agitated.) What is occurring today is not the temporary frustrations we all encounter, but is becoming a lifestyle due to our inability to rise above the mental and physical onslaughts of wickedness.

 

Let’s go on in Chapter 37; (Due to space limitations I’ll use references towards the wicked only.)

 9. For evil doers shall be cut off.

10. For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more.

15. Their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows (weapons)shall be broken.

17. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken.

 

Let’s back up to verses 12-13 for the meat of this message. 12 The wicked plots against the just, And gnashes at him with their teeth. 13. The Lord laughs at him, For He sees that his day is coming. I had wrestled with this message since getting the title. Some time ago I was under some sort of spiritual attack and the Holy Spirit told me to ‘laugh.’ Thankfully I did and immediately the attack ended. Years later I was listening to a news broadcast and they mentioned the first man on the moon being a Christian. The thought of God’s favor being so great towards His children that He even put him on the moon first caused me to laugh. Immediately I heard in the spirit realm a voice saying, “we are going to have trouble with this one.”

 

God’s laughing was not the mocking we usually associate with laughing at someone. God’s very nature wouldn’t allow Him to mock anyone. Just yesterday a very dear friend shared two simple words and they were, ‘spiritual warfare.’ I cannot clarify this beyond that but I am absolutely convinced there are situations, spiritual and natural that we will find laughter is the remedy/key for deliverance. Not a mocking laughter but an expression of thankfulness and joy towards the One who bought and paid for us.

 

kenhayesfleming9@gmail.com                                              Kenneth H. Fleming

www.wbcis.com                                                                      502 Market Street

(814) 687-3707                                                                       Fallentimber, Pa. 166639