SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES (2)
Our All-seeing, All-knowing God knew in eternity past that His creation would go through periods of backsliding, even apostasy down through the generations, so He decided amongst many things that He would be the GOD OF RESTORATION, and would speak through His servants and tell His people that He would restore them from their backslidings, and restore truths that had been lost.
At the end of “Search the Scriptures (1) I suggested to my readers that you look at Acts 3: 19-21, which is part of Peter’s second Pentecostal Sermon. Taken from Kevin Conner’s book Restoration Theology he notes that in the Amplified in these verses :
THE EIGHT “R”s OF RESTORATION
Below is the AMP TRANS. So REPENT (change your mind and purpose); turn around and RETURN [to God], that your sins may be erased (blotted out, wiped clean), that times of REFRESHING (of RECOVERING) from the effects of heat, of REVIVING with fresh air) may come from the presence of the Lord;
And that He may send [to you] the Christ (the Messiah), Who before was designated and appointed for you—even Jesus,
Whom heaven must RECEIVE [and RETAIN] until the time for the complete RESTORATION of all that God spoke by the mouth of all His holy prophets for ages past [from the most ancient time in the memory of man]. I am going to simply list them and let you personally meditate on each of these important aspects to the truth of RESTORATION.
- Repentance A Change of Mind verse 19
- Return A Change of Direction verse 19
- Refreshing A Change of Seasons verse 19
- Recovery A change of Climate verse 19
- Reviving A Change of Condition verse 19
- Receive A Change of Place verse 21
- Retain A Change of Position verse 21
- Restoration A Change of Ownership verse 21,
Restoration both personal and for the Church always begins with REPENTANCE , unless there is firstly a change of mind nothing can change. True repentance always produces a change of direction, a Return, once we were blind to truth and change, but repentance produced REVELATION that changed our direction, which produced such Refreshing and blessing.
The refreshing produced Recovery from the effects of the heat, the summer season was hot and dry, then the rain came hallelujah, both the Former and the Latter Rain, that produced Revivall, from a dying condition back to a state of life.
After Jesus ascended (Received) back to heaven, where He must remain (or be Retained) until Restoration (of all truths found in the Word of God) is complete. Is there still truth to be restored and that is why the Lord has not returned ???
Repentance, Return, Refreshing, Recovery, Reviving and Restoration is the portion for the Church, while the heavens have Received and Retain the Lord Jesus Christ.
In the next blog we will look at SEVEN MAJOR TRUTHS that God has restored beginning at what we call the Reformation. I am glad I am alive today, and can look back and see truth restored and that I am personally a participant in these truths today Amen.
I do pray you have a blessed weekend in worshipping and serving the Lord.
