Come out of the Cave....I have a Remnant In the Land

In my devotional time I read today from 1 Kings 19. The story is of Elijah running from Jezebel after slaughtering 400 prophets of Baal. After a heroic act and the mighty display of the strong hand of deliverance from the Lord, Elijah is on the run from a wicked queen who has signed his death warrant. Fearing for his life Elijah's journey takes him to Horeb the mountain of the Lord. He hides in a cave and the Lord has promised to come. There is a strong wind shattering the rocks, earthquake and fire but the Lord was not in any of them.

Finally Elijah hears the Lord in a soft whisper and gets instructions about anointing Hazael king over Aram and Jehu King over Israel. The Lord reveals the strategy that these kings will be used to destroy the followers of Baal and then tells Elijah to anoint his successor Elisha to the office of the prophet. Finally the Lord reveals to him that there are 7000 still left in the land who are the remnant and have not bowed their heads to Baal.

What is the definition of a remnant? A remnant is a generation that chooses to live life contrary to culture and norms of the world but follows whole heartedly in intimacy the walk prescribed by the Holy Spirit of God. Though they are in the world, they are not of the world. Though they are are part of the authority and structure of the world their hearts are devoted to the purposes and the mind of the Yeshua Ha Messiah, the King of the universe. They go about doing the ordinary as part of the massive work of the Kingdom of god.

So in that light these are my observations for learning or applications to all believers.

Those believers who wish to continue to follow God must therefore swim upstream against the mainstream current of the professing religious majority. Godly men and women need to take care to (a) carefully remain separated and unstained by the world (James 1:27), yet, remain "in the world but not of the world;" (b) maintain a solid personal prayer life (1 Thess. 5:17) and a life-long habit of studying all of God's word (2 Tim. 2:15, 3:16), (c) regularly seek out the fellowship and wisdom of other believers (Heb. 10:25).

Love of the world competes with the love of God (1 John 2:15,16; James 4:4). Normal Christian living will bring persecution, (2 Tim. 3:12) suffering, and pressures from the flesh, the world, and the devil (Gal. 5:17-26). Spiritual warfare is a life-long reality (Eph. 6:12, 2 Cor. 10:4). Christ demands our undivided attention, our submission to Him and a path of demanding discipleship (Luke 14:26-35).

Nominal religious belief does not suffice! The reminder is the remnant in any age is small. Yeshua Himself said:

Not every one who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.' "Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it." And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes." (Matthew 7:21-29)

So this was the prayer I prayed, I record it here because as the eyes of the Lord go back and forth to look after the ones who worship Him and have given their hearts to Him:

O Lord blessed are you for you leave a remnant in the land, a people who will not bow or kiss to fallen and false gods. O Lord I pray today that your servant and your servant's family will have the heart and courage to follow you. O Blessed Lord God of Israel , God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, hear your servan'ts cry today, Yeshua the King of the Universe, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Holy and anointed one of God and Holy Spirit strenghten your servant to be among the remnant of the Lord. Let your servant's heart be circumcised to you, let your servant live in the faithfulness and goodness of the Lord. O Lord your servant is no better than his fathers, I am a mere speck on the face of the earth so hear your servant's prayer and your child is asking. I will not leave until you have blessed me, because you have promised that your servant will remain in the land of living, praising God in the highest for you are the God who deserves all honor, glory and praise. May your kingdom come and Marnatha Lord!

Amen Amen.  Shalom & Blessings,

Sam Kurien