It always amazes me that we as pastors get up in the
pulpits every week and bring the same Word every time. God’s Word
hasn't changed but the Voice of the Lord changes all the time. He will use anyone and anything in which to convey
His will and purposes for us. John the
Baptist was a Voice in the Wilderness, Jesus was the Word of God made flesh
voicing God’s will. We
today, have the ability to become the Voice of God in the earth. It really just depends on what you are saying
and who you are saying it to that determines if it’s your voice or God’s.
God is generally saying three
things at any given time to three distinct people groups.
God is
speaking to you
God is
speaking to the Church
God is
speaking to the World
God says one thing to the world
and a different thing to the Church. We
have know who He is talking to when we hear His voice or we could misuse the
word of the Lord. He is telling the world it is unstable, “be afraid”.
This is not what He is saying to the Church. He is saying “Arise my beloved and be one as We
are one. Repent! Carry the banner of My glory and fulfill your
calling”. Imagine if His
servants got the messages crossed. This
is why we hear so mean in the church today are teaching we are going to be
destroyed. They are hearing the Word of
the Lord, but telling it to the wrong people group. God is telling the world there is no hope
without Him.
What God is saying to you is
always a confirming word that will aid the Church in its mission to bring the
gospel to all. Now the word itself
maybe corrective sometimes, but God’s
purpose and heart is for repentance. Repentance can be misunderstood if we aren't
careful and can be taken as we need to ask for forgiveness for our past
sin. While this is an similar in nature
it does not fully reveal the truth nature of repentance. We see that King Saul, misunderstands God’s true nature at Gilgal when he tries to reason with
Samuel on God’s appreciation for sacrifice. Saul gives a “I’m sorry” thinking
it will be ok with God without ever addressing the state of his heart in
dealing with how he thinks. This shows
us a picture of a unchanged heart. (1 Samuel 15)
Have you ever heard someone say
“Well, I’d do it
again” when it involved a bad decision? They haven't realized they were wrong for
thinking, feeling, or acting in a certain way.
They justify their reasons as good enough and think “oh well, God will forgive me”. This is Saul’s approach that cost him the kingdom. The reason is because God sees that type of
heart as rebellious and arrogant. Let’s read it together:
1 Samuel 15:22 But
Samuel replied:
“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as
in obeying the Lord?
To obey is
better than sacrifice,
and to heed
is better than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is like the sin of
divination,
and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
• Repentance
We sometimes unknowingly, can
be in rebellion to the Word of God. This
can be fixed easily by repentance. This
word means to turn from what’s been done wrong and
immediately begin doing right. I don’t know for sure, but I could imagine that God would
have forgiven Saul if he would have had the right heart that didn't justify his
actions, but would have admitted his sin for the right reasons and righted the
wrong himself. We see him admitting
guilt, but why? He was worried about
losing his position in the people’s
eyes. True
repentance comes when we admit to ourselves and God that we have done wrong and
are in need of forgiveness. This affords
us the motivation needed to change and start a new path. It doesn't mean we are immediately restored,
but without repentance there can be no restoration.
God is speaking Restoration
to the you today. His heart is, has, and will be for us to
restore and be restored. The Cross
epitomizes the restoration of all things.
In a single act, God was able to reconcile the world and heaven back to
Himself. It shows us that restoration
comes at a price, but thankfully, God has already paid it. We as believers are called to be bring
restoration to all that will accept it.
To those who don't believe, we are to offer the gospel message. Jesus died, was buried, and rose to life for
us. This is the primary message of the
Gospel showing restoration.
There is another message of
restoration that God deals with in our lives.
It’s how to have it when you find yourself robbed of
life, health, wealth, and relationship.
The biggest mistake we can make
when it comes to restoration is to think that we aren't in need of God.
Isaiah 9:10 “The bricks have fallen down,
But we will
rebuild with hewn stones;
The sycamores
are cut down,
But we will
replace them with cedars.”
Arrogance is a direct affront
to God. He resists the proud. This passage shows the heart of the people
who think they aren't in need of God’s
help. They use the word, “we” to show they have
enough. The new testament illustrates
this in the book of Revelation with John’s
letter to the Laodicean Church.
I know your
works; you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot! So,
because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my
mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing; not
knowing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Therefore I
counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may be rich, and
white garments to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being
seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. Those whom I love, I
reprove and chasten; so be zealous and repent. (Rev. 3:15-19)
Here is one of the most misused
scriptures in the bible. In 60 A.D.
after an earthquake, the city rebuild itself without any assistance from
Rome. The city boasted of its wealth from
trade and the “black wool” made
from its sheep needing of nothing except water.
This water had to be ducted in from miles away and in doing so, became
tepid. Hierapolis, a competitive city
for trade, was known for hot water springs used in healing, while Colossae, a
sister city, had nature cold waters that were refreshing. Lukewarm water was only used at the time to
induce vomiting. Jesus was not saying
that He would rather them be bad than lukewarm, but rather be good for
something instead of good for nothing.
Restoration has to come from
and through God.
The second biggest mistake we
can make in restoration is when it comes to naming who has robbed us. We can take many paths and point many
fingers, but only one will lead to our restoration. Let’s look
at the Word of God and see if we can find a roadmap to restoration.
Isaiah 42:22
But this is a people robbed and plundered;
All of them
are snared in holes,
And they are
hidden in prison houses;
They are for
prey, and no one delivers;
For plunder,
and no one says, “Restore!”
In this passage, God is
lamenting over His people who have been taken captive. They are pretty bad off, but God is more
concerned with what He is hearing… Silence. No one is saying anything to Him about
it. Prayers are not going up to
Him. It’s
like the people have become use to the troubles they are in or they don’t think God cares about it or even worse, God wants
them to suffer. This is why so of God’s children today sit in darkness. We think it’s just life, or someone has wronged us, or God wants
us suffer, or we made our mess and have to just live with it. God
is looking for us to come to Him and claim His word, naming the enemy who has
robbed us.
• Restoration
Naming the True Thief
Others?
Paul says that “we do
not wrestle with fresh and blood”. We need to stop blaming others for our
problems. We are not at war with
others even if they are at war with us. The Word says do good to your
enemies, love them.
Ourselves?
While we may have gotten ourselves into situations
that have cost us, we are not the enemy that robs from us. We are to repent, meaning to look into the
future and see ourselves not continuing in our sin. This will often times cause us more trouble
in the moment when the enemy realizes it has lost its hold on our lives. We can blame ourselves seeing something that
God does not see, our sin. It’s covered by the blood of Christ. Stop blaming yourself. It doesn't bring restoration.
God?
God is always getting blamed by seemingly humble
christians. We don't understand God’s being and in doing so think He wants to eternally
punish us for our sin. This isn't the
case. God doesn't want to punish
anyone. That includes the
unbelievers. This is why He made a way
through His Son. It is we who punish
ourselves by not receiving this free gift of grace.
Satan?
It’s Satan who comes to steal,
kill and destroy. God gave His Son to
bring life. We can’t say “the devil made me do it”. Don't
misunderstand me, we all have a choice and God judges even those who have not
heard the gospel by their conscience which convicts them. Sin is and will alway be a choice, but we can
choose Jesus who covers our sins and destroys Satan’s power over us.
Did you know that God is a
Judge? Not just that, but a righteous
Judge that has a law He wrote and enforces.
If we are going to break free from the bondage we are in, we need to
know God and His Word. Let’s read what He has to say in Exodus.
Exodus 22:7 “If a man delivers to his neighbor money or
articles to keep, and it is stolen out of the man’s
house, if the thief is found, he shall pay double.
God will make
the enemy pay back double
There’s the key. We have to correctly name the enemy in our
lives. It’s not your husband, wife, brother,
father, mother, employer, pastor, president etc. It’s
the demonic powers that seek to capture you in bondage and keep you tided up in
misery. Break free from those chains by
repenting and going boldly into the thrown room naming the enemy. When we do this, God’s word says the enemy will repay double. This is
the Word of the Lord; “There’s coming double for your Trouble”.
This is why we see Job doubly bless at the end,
because God tells Job to stop blaming himself and God for his troubles. Satan is the thief. The same it true today.
If you’re doing wrong and don’t know it, read the Word and ask godly people to be
honest with you about your life. This is
why we need accountability, because sometimes we don't know we are doing wrong,
or are deceived, thinking we are doing right.
Those the hardest people when it comes to repentance, those who think
they are doing right. If you are doing
wrong, thinking “oh well, God will forgive me” STOP IT! God
says it’s rebellion and is like unto witchcraft. Repent truly and wholly. God will forgive the person who comes with a
broken heart and a contrite spirit. Be
like David, “against You alone have I sinned O’ Lord”.
Repentance sets the stage for Restoration. Be reconciled to both God and others. This life is too short to go through it hurt,
angry, lonely, and wrong. We will close
with this scripture on restoration.
Psalm 126 Zion’s Restoration
1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of
Zion,
we were like
those who dream.
2 Our mouths were filled with laughter
then,
and our
tongues with shouts of joy.
Then they said
among the nations,
“The
Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord had done great things for us;
we were
joyful.
4 Restore our fortunes, Lord,
like
watercourses in the Negev.
5 Those who sow in tears
will reap with
shouts of joy.
6 Though one goes along weeping,
carrying the
bag of seed,
he will surely
come back with shouts of joy,
carrying his
sheaves.
•
Restoration
is a Dream Come True
•
Restoration
is a Source of Joy
•
Restoration
is Hope For the Lost
•
Restoration
Releases
Revival
•
Restoration
Ushers in the Harvest
There is a point to God wanting
repentance. It’s so He can restore us to Himself and each other, but
restoration has a purpose as well. It’s there to spark revival. When we see Restoration, it brings a revival
in our hearts. These are more just a set
of terms and words, but also have an order to them.
•
Revival
starts with Repentance
•
Revival
ends with a Harvest
We Repent, God
Restores, Revival ensues, the Harvest is Reaped
