PRODIGAL SUN
MARCH 2022
Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and
glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)
The above scripture has
been central to the Prodigal since the first issue. A couple of times I’ve
desired, for a change, to use others but have not had the peace to do so.
Some will say I have the liberty to do so but our liberty asserted does not
always have the Lord’s blessing on it. Thinking back on the times my
‘liberty’ was applied without His peace attached, noticeably missing even,
just my desires pushing the agenda, has never turned out in my best
interest. At least not until the consequences were suffered.
I’d like to back up a
couple of scriptures to Matthew 5:13. Jesus is saying, “You are the salt of
the earth, but if the salt loses it’s flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It
is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by
men.” Have we, professing followers of Christ, lost our saltiness? It is
interesting to note that at one time in history salt was as equally valuable
as gold. How much more so is the saltiness of which Jesus is speaking?
In the very next verse
(14) Jesus says, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a
hill cannot be hidden. We have all seen an assortment of verses referring to
light. Most notability, in John 8:12 and John 12:46, Jesus spoke of Himself
as being the Light that has come into the world. Many plaques, cards, and
paintings we are familiar with have the caption that Jesus is the Light of
the world. Yet in this verse Jesus is telling His followers that they are
the light of the world. We have been called as His emissaries to represent
Him here on earth walking as He walked doing what He did.
A couple of months ago I
wrote a quote from a modern day martyr, Watchman Nee. He was kept in a
Chinese prison for five years after his release date because he would not
renounce his faith in Christ. What he wrote was, “Prayer is the church
knowing God’s heart and opening it’s mouth to ask for what is in God’s
heart. If the church does not do this, it does not have much use on earth.”
Most churches today are locked into a format, and rarely is the Holy Spirit
allowed to disrupt it, especially the time frame.
Being obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit is as foreign to
many Christians as snowstorms in the Sahara desert. What is a leading cause
of this? Could it be because man has intruded into, and attempted to
control, that which is holy? Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1) were killed by
God for offering profane fire before Him even though it was part of their
duties at prescribed times. Irreverence towards God and Godly issues invites
divine judgment.
We should be terrified
at what we see going on in churches today, especially so if you are in
attendance there. Perverted persons fill pulpits across our land and we
permit them to instruct us? Homosexuals, drunks, and greedy individuals
control church administrations.
False apostles oversee some of them and false prophets say it is all right,
that God is going to bless them.
People and finances roll in to many but few have the discernment to
see that the enemy of their souls is the provider and the ‘falling away’
continues. Yet often, when people do see, they stay and support the
organizations, fearing man and the unknown more than God.
Truth cuts and offends
as does the true Gospel, but it is Good News! True healing only comes after
the Word of God lays us bare, exposing our wickedness, and the power of the
Blood of Jesus is applied to wipe away the penalty, guilt and shame of it.
Consider this passage
found in Ephesians 3:8-12; “To me who am less than the least of all the
saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the
unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of
the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God Who
created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold
wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and
powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He
accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord in Whom we have boldness and access
with confidence through faith in Him.
Jesus gave simple
instructions; to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:19), preach the gospel
(Mark 16:15), repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His
name to all nations (Luke 24:47), but the most concise and inclusive are the
words spoken to Peter in John
21:19 and 21:22 when He says a simple, “Follow Me.”
The last two paragraphs
above should be a challenge and encouragement for us to pick up the baton
and enter the race, or re-enter for some of us.
Scriptures, (Ephesians
6:12) make it clear we wrestle against principalities, powers, rulers of
darkness, and spiritual hosts of wickedness in high places. We, as we are
obedient to the instructions of Jesus listed above, are displaying to all
the hosts of wickedness the manifold wisdom of God in His entrusting the
message of the Gospel to frail humanity.
Adam and Eve did it
their way(s) ushering in death. Let us do our part in ushering in the Way
(Acts 9:2, 19:9, and 19:23 to mention a few references) for a new lease on
true Life. As the Way caused a great commotion in Acts 9:23 it may well
cause even more so in this era and for similar reasons. Then, as now, the
true Gospel will affect the finances of the purveyors of evil devices,
flesh-pleasers, and various charlatans seeking fame or fortune. But with the
tumult there also came a wave of righteousness as a multitude turned to
Christ and destroyed the works of darkness found in their own homes.
As Watchman Nee, and a
multitude of others, have found the presentation of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ often comes at a very high cost. Salvation is free for us, but
sanctification and service may come at a terrible expense, BUT, He will
equip if we will commit!
kenhayesfleming9@gmail.com
(814) 687-3707
Ken Fleming
www.wbcis.com
502 Market Street
Fallentimber,
Pa. 16639