The Ministry Of Restoration...

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THE MINISTRY OF RESTORATION

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (I do this in two parts)

HOW ABOUT SOME LOGICAL ADVICE TO START THE LESSON? Be the change you want to see!

TEXT: Psalm 23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

***LET US SEARCH FOR THE MEANING OF RESTORE USING ENGLISH WORDS FROM THE HEBREW WORDS. 1. BE COMPLETED, READY, TO REMAIN HEALTHY, UNHARMED, KEEP PEACE, DELIVERED UP. TO TURN BACK. 2. TO BRING BACK, TO REPAIR. 3. TO RECOVER, TO RETURN TO LIFE, REVIVE. 4. TO REPAY. TO BE ALIVE, STAY A LIVE. 5. TO ARISE OR ASCEND. 6. RENEW. 7. REESTABLISH. 8. TO GAIN MORE, TO BE IMPROVED.

The word restore is in the Bible 136 times. 60 of those 136 are bringing very powerful words of great encouragement.

MOTIVATION? HOW FAST CAN YOU RUN? YOU CAN CHANGE IF YOU ARE HIGHLY MOTIVATED.

I heard a question: HOW FAST DO YOU THINK YOU CAN RUN? The old man was quick to answer. He said: It depends? Depends on what? They asked him to explain his answer. He said that is easy. For exercise I can’t run very fast. But if there was a BIG BLACK BEAR behind me I could run a whole lot faster.

The answer to how fast can you run might depend ON MOTIVATION! Seems the Moabites were hot and heavy on the trail of the Israeli soldiers. They were going to bury their friend in the graveyard with the OLD PREACHER. When the enemy was closing in on them they decided: LET US JUST PITCH HIS BODY ON THE PREACHER’S (ELISHA’S) GRAVE. They were motivated by the enemy chasing them.

THE SOLDIERS HAD A NEW MOTIVATION TO RUN MUCH FASTER. They let down the DEAD MAN when his body touched the bones of ELISHA, the dead man stood up. I THINK AFTER HE WAS RESTORED HE COULD RUN VERY FAST. But I think his friends saw the DEAD MAN JUMP UP… I THINK AFTER THE MAN WAS RESTORED THE OTHER SOLDIERS WERE HIGHLY MOTIVATED--- My opinion, they out ran everyone and maybe set a new world speed record.

2 Kings 13:20 And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year. 21 And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.

GOD HAS A PLAN OF RESTORATION THAT IS UTTERLY IMPOSSIBLE… GOD CAN RESTORE LITTLE THINGS. THERE IS A RESTORATION ANTIDOTE!

The church has been thriving and there is a historic growth in a great time of drought. The young preachers in training and were remodeling the students dormitory. They had a food shortage and the food was scarce. SO ELISHA SAID LET US MAKE A GREAT POT OF POTTAGE.

2 Kings 4:38 And Elisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a dearth in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: and he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot, and seethe pottage for the sons of the prophets.

The great pot of soup smelled good as the young men were donating what they had. There was one young preacher that must not have been too smart. His momma must have done all the cooking. The young man had a HEART larger than his brain…

2 Kings 4:39 And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds his lap full, and came and shred them into the pot of pottage: for they knew them not.

I understand RESTORATION, but the Antidote worked before they ate it, not just afterwards. GOD’S RESTORATION WORKED ON THOSE THAT ALREADY ATE THE POISON… AS WELL AS THOSE THAT HADN’T. THE RESTORATION IN GOD’S PLAN WORKED ON THOSE THAT ALREADY ATE AS WELL AS RESTORED THE GREAT POT TO BE EDIDABLE. Talk about THE RESTORATION PLAN OF GOD.

2 Kings 4:41 But he said, Then bring meal. And he cast it into the pot; and he said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat. And there was no harm in the pot.

WE NEED A SPIRITUAL REVELATION TO UNDERSTAND GOD’S PLAN OF RESTORATION: THERE ARE OPTIONS TO OUR CHOICES. WE MUST UNDERSTAND IN LIFE THERE ARE TWO MOTIVATING EXPERIENCES.

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.