Scheduled posts have been delayed, and for good reason…

During this month of Elul I’ve found myself praying for things I did not anticipate. And the LORD has said things I did not expect to hear, hence this post. He’s called me to write this for anyone who has ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church. With that I remind you of this passage:

What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops,” (Matthew 10:27, KJV).

Here is what the LORD said:

“There will be few. There will be few. Tell them.”

Immediately, I sensed a grief as the Holy Spirit quickened my remembrance of His word on the following:

• That there will be great weeping on the Day of the Lord.
• Christ told us that narrow is the Way, and few there be who find it.
• Many will come to Him on that day and hear the words, “I never knew you, depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.”

This is where it landed: The many.

The many versus the few.

Who are the many? Who are the few? This is what He says:

Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it,” (Matthew 7:12-14, KJV).

And again He says:

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity,” (Matthew 7:21-23, KJV). 

The Many

It’s interesting that He did not highlight the few. Instead, I found Him highlighting the many. This juxtaposition was key. The Church has been deceived. We somehow have bought the line that anyone who believes in Jesus is going to heaven, effectively ignoring very clear passages in the scripture which define what that “belief” looks like. James tells us that even the devils believe, and tremble. The epistles define true faith (belief) over and over again for us with passages that demand holiness, repentance, love, and walking in the fruit of the Spirit which enables us to live a holy life with power. But the Church has declined to preach that message. The Church has brought thousands to the altar to receive Christ as Savior without any intention of making Him their LORD.

That is not true salvation. And we are going to be surprised to find that message to be a false Gospel. It will not work.

Until Jesus Christ is your LORD, any salvation you may experience will be limited to this life — not the next. Christ ministered to many people in the Gospels, offering them the deliverance and healing that only He could bring. Yet surprisingly, they did not follow Him. Why? They were not willing to lay down their lives, take up their cross, and follow Jesus. They wanted to be lord of their own lives.  They wanted what could only be gained in this life, not the next. They wanted Him as Savior. But making Him LORD? That was NOT on their agenda.

The Church has done the same. We have condoned sin. We have made the pews comfortable. We have neglected to preach the full Gospel message that demands repentance and holiness, while neglecting to institute the discipleship Christ commanded. The command Christ gave to make disciples was very clear. But we’re not interested in making disciples of Christ. Instead, we make followers of men who line their pocketbooks with the money from starving souls who are dying for the truth, convincing them that these are “tithes and offerings” to God. The live in wanton pleasure in palaces. They don’t even know their own sheep. And why? Because they are NOT true shepherds.

Any leader or minister in the so-called “Church” who is willing to compromise the Gospel of Christ to make people comfortable and fill the pews is in grave danger. Any pastor who has no interest in knowing his sheep by name; any pastor who does not make himself available to the flock; any pastor who has made a business of Christ’s Church; any pastor who has neglected to feed the sheep the Word of God while touting his own opinions and ideas; any pastor who has made a marketing strategy off of God’s Holy Spirit — this is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. And we all know what becomes of the wolves in sheep’s clothing.

God has one word for you:
Flee. Flee fast. And don’t look back.

We are living in a time when the words of Apostle Paul are more true than ever:

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth,” (2 Timothy 3:1-7, KJV).

This is where “the many” congregate. Many pastors today have treated the ministry as an opportunity for monetary gain. They have robbed the people of God while asking for their tithes and offerings. They have lived in wanton pleasure. Like the Pharisees that Christ condemned, they love the praises of men. They love their position of power and prestige that is so full of the pomp surrounding them. They are on billboards and TV. They are wolves in sheep’s clothing that are ever ready to make merchandise of you. They are what Peter calls, “wells without water” and “clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever,” whose end has been prophesied (see 2 Peter 2:1-22, KJV).

They are very ready to take from you. But giving? You won’t likely find them in your hour of need. They will serve you coffee, and that’s about it.

The Few

The life Christ called us to live is marked by these primary things:

• Servanthood (He taught us to serve)
• Sacrifice (He commanded us to lay down our lives, and to take up our cross and follow Him)
• Suffering (He called us to be longsuffering, to forgive, and to embrace persecution for His name’s sake)
• Sanctification (He called us to repent and live holy lives in the power of His Spirit)

Conversely, the Church has taught us:

• Being Blessed (self-centered gain)
• Highly Favored (an emblem of pride)
• Prosperity (the pursuit of wealth)

Interestingly, I don’t find the Gospel of Christ teaching any of these things the Church has slickly promoted. I don’t remember Jesus calling to the crowds and saying, “follow Me and I will make you prosperous and wealthy”. No, I find Him preaching repentance, humility, servanthood, and holiness — all which are very costly. I remember Him telling us to be ready to forsake all, even unto death. I remember people giving up everything to follow Him. And He made sure we understood counting the cost before doing so. I find Him teaching us to be ready to die to self, to lay down our lives, to be ready to encounter tribulation in this world, to be ready to forsake all in order to follow Him, to be willing to die for Him, to be persecuted and killed, and to go and make disciples in His name, teaching all He has taught us, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

I remember Him proclaiming that He is LORD, and that He will come to judge the living and the dead. I remember Him telling us to fear Him, who has all power and authority in heaven and earth.

When I look at the early Church I see believers devoted to prayer, fasting, and self-sacrificial living. I see them devoted to each other and to the works of God by pursuing His will on earth as it is in heaven — and then braving the enemies of God to see it happen. I see them joyfully embracing persecution. I see them bold and courageous in the face of tyrannical government. I see them taking an invested interest in the well-being of others, especially those who are of the household of faith, extending the gift and power of Christ to all who were willing to hear. I see them challenging those who don’t believe. I see them issuing rebuke when needed, as well as the grace of God which is the power for holy living.

Christ made it clear that the blessing we receive is not merely for ourselves. It’s so we may be a blessing to others. Any favor He gives us is so we can promote His message to a lost and dying world and fulfill our individual calling in Him as a member of His Body. Prosperity is not necessarily monetary gain — it’s spiritual wealth; the kind money can’t buy. It means being full of joy. It means having a peace that surpasses all understanding. It means living a life where fear has been eradicated. It means being of eternal mind and heart. It means loving others and walking in the LORD’s power when the world is unraveling. Christ made it clear that if He cannot trust us with unrighteous manna, how will He trust us with  the true riches of His kingdom?

The few are those who actually follow Jesus Christ according to His Word — and not the doctrines of this world. They are the ones who bear the testimony of Jesus — the Word of God, and who do not love their lives unto the death. They are of eternal mind and heart. They are sold out, fully committed, shunning friendship with the world.

Who Are You?

Are you one of the many or the few?

The LORD compelled me to write this, and I’ve tried very hard to accurately put forth the message He’s given me.

If you’re in a church that is telling you anyone can go to heaven; that is preaching a soft message that lulls to sleep; telling you that we must be inclusive; that sin can be smoothed over with sloppy grace; that there are many ways to get to God; that repentance is not needed; that love is all about tolerance; that we can’t offend others with the Gospel; that we can’t rebuke and confront sin in the lives of professing believers; using the power of the Holy Spirit to entertain; manipulating others for monetary gain… all the while:

They are more invested in a physical building than the people, investing thousands of dollars in an effort to campaign for millions. Why? Because monetary gain invested in the lives of individual people is not profitable. It yields no monetary return in their personal bank account. It does not gain equity.

They want to entertain you, but not serve you. They will practice for hours to perfect the performance, but when your hour of dire need comes, they are too busy.

They want your money, convincing you that your tithes and offerings are unto God while they pad their investment accounts.

GET OUT! FLEE! TURN AWAY!

Now, I have told you, just as He commanded me: “There will be few. There will be few.”

What will you hear on that Day? Who are you? One of the many, or one of the few?

Cheers & Shalom,

Image Credit: sciencefreak | Pixabay

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