The Heart Of The Remnant

The Heart Of The Remnant By Andy Zoppelt Word given 7:30 pm, June 9, 2000

What fills the space between defeat and victory? How is Christ the answer? What can be taught that man can hear and henceforth walk in victory? What force is moving the hungry and broken forward to become more violent in their quest for more of Him? What drive is in those who want to see Christ exalted and His word reestablished? What discontent drives those who cannot be satisfied with anything less than God Himself? What is in those that will not let them stop, not let them quit? Why do they take the abuses of men, their faultfinding, their criticism and their betrayal. Why can't they live like others who live in this vapor of a life span as though "this is all there is?" Why do they weep over injustice and cry over the wounded and the downcast? What is it that will not let them go? Oh they see others go, they see others take the path of pride and least resistance, but why can't they? They feel the desire to quit and run just as much as the others…. Why do they stand? They look the fool, the crowd is not on their side, even God seems to be against them at times, but there is something higher than the powers of sin and suffering that try to hold them. there is something greater than their weakness and emptiness that drives them forward. What is it? Can it be taught, can it be claimed by faith?. I am convinced the mystery is hidden somewhere in His presence and with those who will settle for nothing less than Himself. It is birthed in brokenness and flourishes in humility. God looks down and says, "Yes! Yes! Yes! I can wound Him, and he will draw near to me. He will drink the cup that my Father has prepared for him." Oh, their eyes are on restoration, reformation, the outpouring, the standard, the knowledge of the of the Lord covering the earth as the water covers the sea, the spirit of Elijah, the awakening of the five wise virgins, the return….. only the Glory, yes, only the Glory will satisfy them. Moses cried out after every experience that a man of God could experience, "Show me Your Glory." They are not going to make it because they are special, because they are successful, because they are anointed or brilliant. No! In fact, it is because they are nothing… only one thing separates them from the others…. they paid the price and drank the cup that the Father has given them. All the pain, the rejection, the failure has only driven them deeper in their desperation to behold Him. The shaking we are seeing from the hand of God. He is separating the few from the many, the wheat from the tares and the sheep from the goats. Those who remain will be the remnant. They will endure affliction, they will endure conflict in relationships, they will endure God's word and they will follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They will be open to the truth at all cost. They will be peacemakers, they will bring his body into unity where God will bless them. They will not seek knowledge, but life. They will not be offended in their brother, God will grant them grace in times of trouble. They will be driven by simplicity, unity and love. They will endure hardship as a faithful soldier. They will be faithful at all times. They will be responsible and dependable. They will be led by God and His word. They will make up the church in the last days. They will come out of the false church of easy-believism, indifference and lethargy. They will be separate and holy. Their love for one another will be a testimony of God's love to the world. There will be no blood on their hands from wounding their brothers. They will do to others what they would want others to do to them. Love and compassion will separate them from the religious. THEY WANT HIM!!!! The pathway of the righteous is like the morning sun, that grows brighter and brighter until it reaches the high of the day. It is the DAY of the Lord. "Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?" John 18:11, NIV