Restoration

Restoration

The difference between a preacher and a pastor:

You might be a preacher if something you see or hear inspires a sermon

You might be a pastor if that same thing inspires a series

Why is restoration so important to a pastor?

A pastor’s heart: Rejoices: When he sees someone who is walking in and enjoying the fullness of a restored relationship with God.

Saddened: When he sees ‘Christians’ who are doing their own thing because they are not walking with God and therefor missing out on the fullness of a truly restored relationship with God.

Broken: When he sees someone who is not a Christian because he truly understands what they are missing, the emptiness they have inside and the eternal torment they face if they do not enter that relationship with Christ Jesus and receive the restoration that God offers.

The Restoration Process:

First: You must know the original state or condition of the building.

Second: You must know full extent of decay / disrepair of the current condition.

Third: Having an accurate picture allows you to know the true cost for the restoration project.

Final: After the price is paid and the work completed; the building is once again the beautiful building it was originally created to be.

Original State or Condition: walked and talked with God

Genesis 2:15-17 “And Jehovah God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And Jehovah God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it: for in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die” (Talked with God)

Genesis 3:8-9 “And they heard the voice of Jehovah God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Jehovah God amongst the trees of the garden. And Jehovah God called unto the man, and said unto him, Where are you”? (Walked with God)

Current State or Condition: the zombie, the living dead

Romans 6:13 “neither present your members unto sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves unto God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God”.

Romans 11:15 “For if the casting away of them is the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead”?

1 John 3:14 “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He that loves not lives in death”.

1 Timothy 5:6 “But she that gives herself to pleasure is dead while she lives”

Application:

Personal: Selfish attitude

Marriage: Strained, coming apart a the seams

Family: Dysfunctional

Point of Restoration:

The “ I Love You” Cross

Current Limited Restoration:

Spiritual

Mat 6:6 “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you”.

Jn 14:23 “Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him”.

Job 33:26 “He prays unto God, and he is favorable unto him, So that he sees his face with joy: And he restores unto man his righteousness”.

Psalm 23:3 “He restores my soul: He guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake”

Psalm 51:10-12 “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence; and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of your salvation; and uphold me with a willing spirit”

Possessions

Proverb 6:31 “But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; He shall give all the substance of his house”.

Joel 2:24-26 “And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil. And I will restore to you the years that the locust has eaten, the canker-worm, and the caterpillar, and the palmer-worm, my great army which I sent among you. And you shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and shall praise the name of Jehovah your God, that has dealt wondrously with you; and my people shall never be put to shame”.

2 Kings 8:4-6 “Now the king was talking with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray you, all the great things that Elisha has done. And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored to life him that was dead, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life. And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed unto her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now”.