Yesterday we discussed a little about the “Full Atonement of Jesus” and today I’d like to venture a little further into those often, uncharted waters.  My singular desire is to inspire us to press into God more and be open to whatever God desires to do in our midst.  I have encountered a philosophy in ministry that severely limits God in today’s world.  I believe that we are to be agents of change in our world impacting them with the message and person of Jesus and thereby bringing into reality the Lord’s Prayer of Matthew 6, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven…”

We all know or have known some who were diagnosed with ‘incurable diseases’ and felt powerless in the presence of that killer.  The only Hope is the Stripes Jesus bore in His body for our healing as referenced in Isaiah 53 and 1 Peter 2:24.  I am confident that part of what God desires to ‘restore’ to the Church is the miraculous, as well as effectively return the guidance of the Church to the Holy Spirit.  I am not speaking of some legislative thing but a supernatural thing where the Holy Spirit guides our steps in the church as well as in our lives.  When that happens, it will get the attention of the world and will be severely opposed by some in various religious circles.  Every new move of God is often opposed by those of the previous move.  Those following God in the new revival are often branded as heretics and called people of wildfire to be avoided.

God is, in a very real way, is ‘transforming minds’ so that we no longer categorically reject things we thought of a bygone era but recognize the sovereignty of God and the authority of His word.  We will see the dismantling of man-made traditions and sacred cows of religion being offered on the altar of sacrifice.  We have the most highly educated and well-trained technological world that has ever been and that is visible in the church as well.  Yet, what God is about to do and promised to do in the Last Days cannot be accomplished by education and technology alone.  It will be supernatural and that will cause many to be incredibly uncomfortable because our ‘safe spaces’ and ‘comfort zones’ will be shredded.

In the world, today the “movers and shakers” in the world of finance teach that “Joe Average” can become wealthy and make a lot of money.  They teach that success can be the experience of anyone willing to take the risk, put in the labor, and persevere.  In too much of the Church, there is the idea that only a few can have wealth.  Yes, there are some who push the idea of prosperity out of bounds in both the world of worldly finance and in the church but the idea of prosperity is a biblical truth.

One thing the Hebrews had that we sometimes lack and a truth that has been stolen or lost in much of the church is the truth that “In Christ” there is no sense of lack.  What brought about the “Doctrine of Insufficiency”?  One reality that I have learned is that anything that man cannot reproduce he will seek to disprove, deny, or discredit.  The Commission of Jesus to His Disciples in Luke 9:1-6 seems to have led to a misunderstand and misinterpretation in the church that we are to go with nothing and go unprepared financially.  Jesus did give that commission but if we consider the big picture and the whole context that followed and the Commission that followed we realize that Jesus was not advocating lack but trust. Consider Luke 22:35-36 – “And He said to them, ” When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?” They said, “No, nothing.” 36 And He said to them, “But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one.”

Do you hear the LORD?  His direction is powerful.  Let me suggest that he was saying, “The last time, you went out to the lost sheep of the House of Israel, but now you are going to the wilderness of the heathen and when you go there you must have money and possessions.  You will have to pay your own way to win them. Therefore, do some commerce and get the finances and then go!”  The first commission was a teaching session and an exercise in trust, this time the Marching Orders are to go into ALL THE WORLD and that world is a Hostile World.

God does not want His soldiers to run around looking like a mile of bombed out runway or a fugitive from the Goodwill Store.  You are representing the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  I am not suggesting ‘lavish living’ but I am suggesting that we take pains in how we appear before the world and be presentable, clean, not unkempt, and unwashed.  No, your suit or tie won’t anoint you and you do not have to wear them but don’t go ragged and dirty either.  Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves but most of all Go in the Name of the LORD and EXPECT Him to go with you!

I have more to discuss and hopefully, you will join me next time as we dig a little deeper in the Truth of the Atonement.  I know that some are saying, “Roy, you haven’t talked about the Atonement yet.”  BUT, I have and you have not connected the dots yet, but you will.  So, until next time, Go with God and He Will Go with you! 

I feel compelled to challenge you at the outset and hopefully not lose readers in the process.  I am concerned that the Christian Church of today does not believe in the “Full Atonement” of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Let me venture further out on that limb and suggest that it appears some do not truly believe in the Atonement.  Hopefully, I am wrong but it appears certain that there are those who hold a concept in their minds but do not embrace that truth or reality in their hearts.

Some years ago, the Holy Spirit began challenging me regarding my ‘Mindset’ and began to nudge me toward embracing things I had not yet seen or experienced in God.  That has been a richly rewarding and a terrifying and difficult journey at the same time.  One of the problems when we answer the call of God to move beyond our comfort zone and venture into the unknown we are introduced to trouble like we have never encountered.  I know personally, that the costs are seldom fully appreciated at the time we embark on the journey.  We are exposed to the wrath of hell and religiousness in a most disturbing way.  Although there is ‘nothing new under the sun’ there are things ‘new’ to us.  When we venture out into those uncharted waters (uncharted in our experience) we realize a new dependence on God.

We are living in ‘Troubled Times’ and in the midst of ‘Times of Trouble,’ God has promised to bring about Full Restoration to the Church.  It is exciting, will be difficult, but incredibly rewarding if we persist and pursue Him and His purposes.  I hope you will be stirred to venture a little deeper into the things of God and move outside your spiritual comfort zone.

Acts 3:19-21 – “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; 20 and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, 21 whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.”  NASU

             If we take the Bible as the inerrant and infallible Word of God (I do) and resist the temptation to make scriptures mean what we want them to mean, we will find some challenging passages in the Bible.  This is one of those for it says that our Lord Jesus would be ‘held in heaven’ or “whom heaven must receive UNTIL…”  Until What?  The Restoration of All Things which God spoke by the mouth of His prophets from ancient time.  Let me ask a probing question, “Is there anything that the Church had but is not experiencing or practicing today?”  I believe that the fulfillment of this passage of scripture and to facilitate the return of Jesus is why we have the ministries of Ephesians 4 listed and detailed.  God wants us ‘equipped’ for service and ministry so that we can walk in His Restoration and reap His Harvest of these last days.  There are wonderful things coming to the church and difficult times as well.  We will have times and rejoicing and weeping but God is building His Church and will keep His word fully.  I contend that the issue is not “IF” God will bring about Restoration but “WHAT” our position and participation will be.  Will we embrace what He is doing or will we resist and label it heresy, apostasy, or something else and fail to ‘discern our times’ and miss the visitation of God?  I pray not!

Hoping to quell your concern about whether I’m drifting into a heretical place, let me say that RESTORATION is a “time of change.”  It is a resurgence, in my mind, of the gifts and power of God.  It is a return to the church local and universal being run by the Holy Spirit not boards, committees, or denominational headquarters.  It is a return to God being the Lord of the Church in reality and truth.  The Holy Spirit is preparing His Body for the “New Wine” and in the process, will destroy the “Old Wineskins”.  Much of the church today is experiencing the Isaiah 61 ministry or effect.  God is shaking that which can be shaken and is pruning the trees so that which is rigid, inflexible, and dry is pliable, flexible, moldable, and filled with the Oil of the Spirit of God.  We are seeing and will see a resurgence of the Anointing of God which breaks all yokes and the Harvest is going to be reaped in these last days. We are God’s instruments to effect change in our world and help bring about the reality of the Prayer of Matthew 6 which we call the Lord’s Prayer.

I use a takeoff on the catch phrase of the NFL’s Monday Night Football, “Are you ready for some Restoration?”  Are you ready for the shaking that is coming and the outpouring of God’s Spirit on mankind and the resulting harvest of souls?  God is about to do a work in our day that even if someone told many, they would not believe, but soon they will see.

I want to discuss this a bit further so I pause for now and say, “May the Lord bless you and keep you, make His face to shine upon you, be gracious unto you, and give you peace!”  Until next time blessings abundantly!