Sunday September 8, 2019
I Love Leftovers
There is something going on in the Church today. People who were once strong in faith are falling away, going back in to sin, leaving empty pews behind. Many churches are experiencing dwindling attendance and weakening faith. More and more we are hearing a watered-down Gospel from the pulpit. What is happening? Exactly what God said would happen in the last days.
And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. (Matt.24:10-12)
Throughout Bible history, after a divine judgment, the Lord has always left a remnant of the righteous to restore His plan, His purpose, and His people. Humanistic eyes and human reasoning consider a remnant to be something of very little use and very little value. It is usually thrown away with no thought to it’s possible worth. But God sees an immeasurable treasure and ascribes great honor to the remnant. We are that remnant.
The word remnant means, “what is leftover, the rest, residue, one who escapes, a survivor.” Isaiah calls it a “holy seed.” (Is.6:13) John describes the remnant as those “who keep His commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.” (Rev.12:17) This is who we are…and it’s not an easy calling.
But we are in in good company. Noah was a remnant…Lot was a remnant…so were Jacob and his family. The one hundred and twenty in the upper room were a remnant. God built mighty nations out of these remnants. They were nations that changed the world! Today, the Church is His remnant that can affect and influence all of humanity and bring restoration to a rebellious world! Whew…seems very daunting, doesn’t it? I’m not sure many of us are up for such a seemingly overwhelming task.
But if we endure, and allow God to use us in this last day, there are amazing blessings awaiting the remnant:
They become His crown (Is.28:5)
They will be pardoned (Jer.50:20)
They will be saved (Rom.9:27)
They WILL become a strong nation (Mic.4:7) and,
They will preserved (Gen.45:7)
(See WORD WISDOM for a deeper study of preserved)
Why does the world need a remnant?
Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah. (Is.1:9)
I believe God is going to use His holy remnant in these last days to stir multitudes, revive pastors and awaken churches. This army will turn people’s hearts back to God by bringing them to repentance…through the power of prayer and godly reproof for sin.
Your neighbors and coworkers are all going to want answers. They already know you by your peace and calm…and one day they’ll come running to you, crying, “What’s the Word of the Lord? What is God saying?”
God doesn’t want a professional army trained in man’s methods. He wants men and women who are trained in prayer by the Holy Ghost! He is seeking believers who are shut in with Him, preparing their hearts before Him, learning to hear His voice.
Does this describe you? Is your life right now a witness to a scared and shaken world? I urge you, get alone with God and let Him begin to speak to you. Forsake all that the Holy Spirit convicts you of. And make yourself available to Him by giving yourself to prayer. Then you will be a ready soldier in His great, last-day remnant army. Hallelujah!
Isaiah was so sure of God’s love and faithfulness to the remnant that he named his son Shear Jashub, “The Remnant Shall Return.” With that confidence and boldness, let us proclaim that this last day remnant, you and I, will accomplish great and mighty things for the Lord who graciously chose us. I love being the leftover! Amen!
But now for a brief moment grace has been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us an escaped remnant and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our bondage. (Ezra 9:8)
