FEAR NOT LITTLE FLOCK
by George Kirkpatrick

Vital Words to the Body of Christ 
Freely We Have Received, Freely We Give
E-mail: vitalwords@aol.com
A Listing of All Books http://www.newfoundationspubl.org/titles.htm

 

God is working in all our lives preparing us physically, mentally and Spiritually, that we may be ready to enter into His Kingdom.

It is the Father's good pleasure that we receive the Kingdom. The Father has prepared the Kingdom for His people. Men have formed big organizations with large congregations under the headship of man and hoped God would accept it as His Kingdom.

A study of history reveals that this is what Constantine tried to do when he formed the Catholic church. He took all the idol worship and all religions and put them under the cross. They slaughtered thousands during the Crusades because people would not accept Catholicism.

The Moslem history reveals this same, sad situation. If the people did not accept their religion, they would kill them. This feeling exists today in the denominations. They may not put us to the sword, but their tongues are busy.

Religions want to bring all people under their banner. They say this would bring "unity". But they do not have unity now. If they had more people, they would only have more "disunity".

The church has one head, and that head is Christ. It has one headquarters, and that headquarters is His throne. Jesus spoke, 

If this was a vast multitude, I believe Jesus would have known it. He is going to give His kingdom to the few; His little flock, those who are led by the head, Christ, the Holy Spirit; not man.

The Jews had inquired of Jesus in verse 24. 

They knew He was Jesus, but they wanted to know if He was the Christ. Jesus said, 

They did not believe because they did not act on His Word.

They were not of His flock. Why? Because they did not believe in Jesus? No! They saw His works. They had already proclaimed He was from God. But they did not believe He was the "Christ". Today, the churches are full of people who know Jesus, but they do not know Him as the "anointing".

Jesus spake as the Holy Spirit (Father) spake through Him. He was not speaking of His earthly existence. Jesus spoke,

They cannot pluck you out of Jesus' hand or the Father's hand. Why?

So, when He says, "My sheep know My voice", Jesus was speaking of the Father's voice. 

How can we say we are of the Father, if we are not hearing His voice and acting upon His Word? All through the Bible, it speaks of the "few"; the "remnant". Not many will enter into the Kingdom.

Many shall be called, but few chosen. God has truly called many, but only a few will be chosen to enter into His Kingdom. The word for "few" and "little" has basically the same meaning. Many have been called to a Kingdom walk, but there are only a few who want to, or are willing to, walk in His ways.

Enter at the "strait gate". The word "strait" does not mean "straight". It has been taught that our walk is like the white line down the center of the road. Many have tried to make God's people walk in the way that seems to be a straight and narrow way to them; and if they get off man's straight and narrow way which he has set, they are declared lost and need to repent.

"Strait" means "narrow or close". The way we enter into the Kingdom is by a close or narrow walk with God; a walk that is directed by the Father's voice; that still small voice which says, 

The way to destruction is broad. The humanistic way of thinking says "If it feels good, do it. There is no such thing as sin. It's all in the mind. Take care of ole' number one." This thinking leads to destruction. Verse 14 says,

When we have our eyes on the light, our walk gets close to Him. Most choose the broad way with less restrictions. But we are exhorted to strive to enter at the strait gate. Strive also means "to labor and contend". If we are to enter at the strait gate, we must work at it.

Jesus said that Many will seek to enter. But they will not be able. Why? Because they will not walk! They are called, but they will not be chosen because they desire the broad way. Their cry is "It's too hard!"

Paul was not referring to ancient Israel, because "shall be saved" is future. He also stated,

Who is the stumbling stone? The Stumbling Stone and Rock of Offence is the Holy Spirit.

Today, the church system is trying to come into righteousness by denominational doctrine and church law; following man-made rules and regulations. These laws and doctrines are suppose to make these people righteous before God. But they do not come by faith.

They come by faith in the Stumbling Stone, the Rock of Offence, which is the Holy Spirit.

God has always had His remnant. Elijah cried out to God, "I'm the only one." God said, "I have 7000 men who have not bowed their knee to Baal." "Baal" is the god of plenty.

*** Joel 2:32 speaks of a remnant who will call on the name of the Lord and be delivered.

Zechariah also speaks of a remnant of righteousness. 

God will gather His people from the east and west. They will dwell in the midst of the true place of worship (Jerusalem). We will be His people and He will be our God. How many? Only a "remnant". 

The foundation of the house of the Lord will be built. Was He talking about a building made of gold, silver and cedar? No. He is speaking of His temple made out of the "living stones". God never wanted a permanent temple built because the people would worship the building more than God.

It is no different today. They worship their palaces more than they do God. God does not dwell in temples made with hands. He is putting His foundation down in us that He may build His temple of living stones. Then we will be the temple of the living God.

He will cause the remnant of His people to possess all things. Paul was speaking of this in *** Romans 9:29, 

The vine will give her fruit, the ground her increase and the heaven will give the dew. The earth is going to come back into order and perfect balance. God is going to supply abundantly and the remnant, the little flock, will possess all things! Praise God!

The "few men" are the remnant; the Spirit-filled, God-fearing men.

*** Jeremiah 23:1-4 speaks of today's church system.

The pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep do this by drawing them unto themselves. This destroys the Body, and even though it is under the guise of the Body coming together, these pastors are guilty of scattering the flock. 

These pastors are above the flock. They have not humbled themselves nor are they involved with the flock. Shepherds are to care for the flock, not to be above the flock.

God spoke that He would gather the remnant of His flock out of all countries where He had driven them. He will bring them to His fold and they will be fruitful and increase. He will set shepherds over them who will feed them.

Pastors who have a pastor's heart are those who have suffered what the flock is going through. They may, by experience, guide and encourage the flock through their trials and tribulations to be good examples unto the flock through the overcoming Spirit of Christ. 

Many pastors have destroyed the one body concept of God. They destroy because they draw God's flock unto themselves and their respective denominations. They say this is the only way.

God has promised that He will give His people pastors at that time who will feed them; not rob them. They will fear no more, neither shall they be lacking. This is the "unlimited realm of God".

Revelation 11 speaks of the remnant also. 

This remnant will be on the earth at the blowing of the seventh trumpet.

So many today are talking about a "Rapture", but they are not hearing the Father's voice. The "remnant", the "little flock" is not going anywhere. God is preparing His little flock, His few, His faithful and righteous. These will be glorified with the Father. 

Zechariah states that God will bring one-tenth through the fire. This is not the destroying fire, but rather the cleansing fire. This fire is cleansing God's people of all unrighteousness. This will set them free! God is going to purify His people as pure gold is purified.

This is not something that God is dreading. This has been His plan before He laid the foundation of the earth. He has planned to have a people who will inherit His kingdom. These will know no lack.

Jesus went on to say,

The prosperity message teaches that we are to gather up and grab all that we can and hoard it, making it our security, to build bigger barns to hold it all. This is not God's message to His little flock. The world says, "Get all you can. You're only going to go through this life once, so you better get hold of that golden ring and hang on."

The Lord says, "Provide yourselves bags that do not get old because your treasures are laid up in the Spiritual realm" not the physical realm. When you have treasures in the Spiritual realm, the thieves are not going to break in and take it away from you. The moths are not going to destroy it.

In *** Matthew 19:16, Jesus was asked by the rich young ruler, 

Jesus told him to rid himself of all those earthly ties that he had; all the things that were holding him back from seeking the Kingdom of God! Verse 22 of Matthew 19 tells us that the rich young man went away sorrowful, not willing to give up the earthly, even for eternal life. 

The rich young ruler was told to get rid of those things that would keep him out of the Kingdom. All his possessions were before him. He looked at all his fancy houses, chariots, servants, gold, silver, fine furniture and bank accounts. He had to make a decision. He had to say, "What do I really want? Do I really want all of these things: or do I want to follow this man who has promised me a Kingdom? Do I want the little bit that I have now or do I want everything that He promised me? What is it that I desire?" Each one of us must make this decision.

It is easy for a poor man to make this decision. But this man was very wealthy. Jesus says he had great possessions. But he was required to make a decision between those earthly things and the things of God; the Spiritual realm. He turned from Jesus to go back to his earthly gods; his earthly possessions. He knew what he had given up. He had spoken face to face with Him that could give him eternal life. He chose to hang on to that which he had accumulated with his own hands.

What would have been your decision? Today, there are multitudes in this valley of decision. When Samuel told King Saul that God had taken the kingdom away and had given it to another, Saul asked Samuel if he would stand with him before the people. He did not want the people to know God had rejected him as king over Israel.

Churches are full of people who have made their decision and they still want to look good in the eyes of man. They have turned and walked away from the Man who has eternal life. They have gone back to their earthly possessions and made them their gods.

In *** Matthew 19:24, Jesus related that it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God. Yet, many today are still being taught to seek the wealth of the world. To seek it, desire it, pray for it, hope for it, beg for it and demand it from God. You are taught that however you get it, it is a blessing from God.

In His own words, Jesus said a rich man could hardly enter into the Kingdom of God. How foolish man has become! Churches need a big flock. It is the only way they can support their man-made palaces. They continue to tickle their ears because, without their big flock, they cannot fleece them out of enough money to keep their system going. How God's heart must break at this system!

Big flocks and big buildings are directly against the Word of God. There is not one scripture in the Bible that supports this idea.

Jesus told the rich young man in verse 21, "If thou be perfect..." The word perfect means "to have reached an end, to be complete, finished". This is when you have come into completeness and God's work is finished in you. It is when we have learned to depend upon God's supply and not our own ability. When we are complete, mature, grown up, we will have put on Christ as our head. We will have come into the place in God where He can bless us with all Spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus.

When the church first began, the people had all things in common. Jesus' words were still fresh in their minds. When trouble came, they put their trust in His words. The book of Acts reveals that the church grew by thousands. In those early days, when they accepted Jesus Christ, they lost everything. All their needs were met by the flock; and God blessed them abundantly.

Where your heart is, or what your mind is upon, those are your treasures. We all need to ask ourselves, "Where is our mind? What is it on? Is it on earthly possessions or is it on the things which are above? Is it on gathering or is it on giving?"

Are you a river or a sea? Is everything flowing in and nothing flowing out? Or is everything that flows in, flowing right back out? A river has no pockets, no place where it reserves water. It keeps right on flowing. Whatever flows into the river, flows out. A sea has no outlet and a sea gets rancid and stinks. It continues to get saltier and more stagnant because nothing ever flows out! All the fresh, all the good is evaporated out. Everything that is stagnant and rotten stays. This describes many people's lives today. They become stagnant and rotten because they have become seas instead of rivers. Rivers flush themselves clean.

Is your supply coming from your job? Your bank account? Maybe it is from interest, which God hates, or your earthly possessions. Or is it coming from the Father? If you are depending upon yourself, then you do not need God; if you are able in yourself, you do not need the Father. But, if you are not able in yourself, then it is the Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.

God wants to be our everything. If He is not our everything, then He is nothing. *** John 15:5 

We need to make Him the Lord of our lives. Lord means "supreme in authority". If God is NOT supreme in authority in our lives, He is then nothing in our lives. If He is nothing, then we cannot be part of His flock. Are you hearing the Father? Is He supreme in authority in supplying your needs, or are you self-sufficient in yourself?

So many today, call themselves by His name, but look to their wealth. They have their security in money, stocks and bonds.

Paul says we are to trust in the living God who has given us, richly, all things to enjoy; ready to distribute, ready to give. This goes for everyone; not just the rich but everyone who is in the little flock. Only those who hear the Father's voice will inherit the Kingdom. If you do not hear His voice you are not His sheep.

Those who are ready to communicate, ready to talk, ready to take time, ready to sit down and share, ready to take time to be a friend, a listener, be able to console and counsel, be ready to care for any need God puts before you. Those will inherit the Kingdom.

We have come to the time of entering into the Kingdom of God. God's little flock, a few here and a few there, who have been brought through the fire; the tried, these are the ones who are going to inherit the Kingdom.

Lay hold on a sure foundation. That sure foundation is based on the apostles and prophets. That sure foundation is the Bible with Jesus Christ as the cornerstone.

The growing up into the headstone is the Spiritual realm and the Spiritual realm is the Holy Spirit realm; the realm of the Father.

The Headstone is the stumbling stone, the rock of offense. But it is the Father's good pleasure to give the Kingdom unto His little flock. Jesus spoke in *** John 14:4

He did not hide the way He was going. He did not hide the way so that we could not follow. Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth and the life." You know the way. It is not a way that is hidden. The only way is Christ Jesus. The vehicle that we are going to use to get there is the Holy Spirit. There is no other way. There is no other vehicle.

God has a few who are searching for His way and His life. Many try the worldly way, the religious way, the self-abased way, the pay-as-you-go way, the name-it-and-claim-it way. But there is only one way, and few there be that find it.

The only way is to die to the flesh and put on the headship of Christ. For in Him we live and move and have our being. *** Acts 17:28 

The inheritors are the little flock. You can be an inheritor. Jesus has shown us the way.

 Back to New Foundations Home Page

 Vital Words to the Body of Christ 

Freely We Have Received, Freely We Give
E-mail: vitalwords@aol.com
A Listing of All Books http://www.newfoundationspubl.org/titles.htm