“Revival or Restoration”… that is the ‘Question?’ Many times when Christians’ speak of ‘Revival’, they confuse it with the term, ‘Restoration’. Revival has to do with the ‘Spiritual Condition’… of a nation or peoples. Here in America, some ‘Christians’ think that we are “God’s People and God’s Nation”. Why else would one say…“God Bless America?” Sorry, but America is “NOT” a Christian nation and has ‘Never’ been such; even though it was founded only on ‘Some’, of the “Judeo Christian Ideals”.
*** (2Chronicles 7:14) if My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
*** (Ephesians 5:9-10) for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and Truth,
(Eph 5:10) Proving what is acceptable to the Lord.
*** (Acts 17:11) And these were more noble than those of Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily to see “IF” those things were so.
In ‘Reality’… only the “Jews or Hebrews”… are “God’s Chosen People!” There is ‘NO’ other nation called by God and no other city called His, anywhere on this earth. Some have mistakenly taken the promises given to Israel, and made then applicable to the NT Church. God, the God of the Bible is calling out a “Peoples”… for Himself… out of every Kindred, Nation and Peoples. Those that by Faith… have trusted in the Finished Work of Christ Jesus the Messiah, and are Born again by His Holy Spirit are truly His!
*** (Romans 9:25-26-27) As He also says in Hosea, "I will call those not My people, My people; and those not beloved, Beloved."
(Rom 9:26) And it shall be, in the place where it was said to them. "You are not My people; there they shall be called sons of the living God."
(Rom 9:27) Isaiah also cries concerning Israel, "Though the number of the sons of Israel is as the sands of the sea, a remnant shall be saved.
*** (John 7:37-38-39) And in the last day of the great feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.
(John 7:38) He who believes on Me, as the Scripture has said, "Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."
(John 7:39) But He spoke this about the Spirit, which they who believed on Him should receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
*** (Romans 8:9-10-11) But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.
(Rom 8:10) And if Christ is in you, indeed the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
(Rom 8:11) But if the Spirit of the One who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the One who raised up Christ from the dead shall also make your mortal bodies alive by His Spirit who dwells in you.
“Restoration”… is simply a restoring of the social agendas that provides a prosperity and a social conscience for a particular peoples or nation. Often people speak of the Good Old Days… when bread was ‘25-cents’ a loaf and gasoline was ‘25-cents a gallon’. There was “NOT”… the ‘four billion dollar’ a year… “Illegal Drug trade”… that zaps the moral and cultural strength of a nation. When a divorce took place it was a rare thing… but today it is as common as, the ‘common cold’. “Blushing and Shame” have been replaced with “Profanity and Nastiness”… and no one thinks it strange?
*** (Isaiah 5:20) Woe unto them = that call evil good, = and good evil; = that put darkness for light, = and light for darkness; = that put bitter for sweet, = and sweet for bitter!
*** (Matthew 24:12) And because iniquity shall abound, = the love of many will become cold.
*** (Proverbs 14:12) There is a way which seems right to a man, = but the end of it is the ways of death.
*** (Judges 21:25) In those days there was no king in Israel. = Every man did the right = in his own eyes.
Something as simple… as driving the ‘Speed Limit’ has been replace with ‘each one’… driving as fast as they want. Up to “25%” of the budget of Law Enforcement is made up by ‘Traffic Violation’ fines. That ‘Trickle Down’ effect is reflected in ‘Higher’ vehicle insurance premiums. Once I asked my insurance agent why my rates were as high as I had a ‘safe driver’ rating. She told me, “You are paying for everyone else!” Here in Florida the FDLE stated that upwards of 35% of the drivers did not have the State mandated insurance. Why do you think there is “Uninsured Motorist” insurance required?
*** (Proverbs 14:34) Righteousness lifts up a nation, =but sin is a shame to any people.
*** (Son 2:15) Take us the foxes, =the little foxes =that spoil the vines; =for our vines have tender grapes.
*** (Isaiah 28:13) But the Word of Jehovah was to them = precept on precept, = precept on precept; = line on line, = line on line; = here a little, = there a little; = that they might go, = and fall backward, = and be broken = and snared = and taken.
“LIFE is Not”… made up of ‘two or three’ big decisions. Nor is it a ‘cereal’ that you buy from your grocers’ cereal aisle. It is made up of those… “Hundreds of Thousands of Little Decisions”… one makes throughout their lifetime. It is that which we call… “Character or Morals”… and it comes from inside the person. It is a responsibility and a life… given over out of ‘Love’… to someone greater than ourselves. To those of us that “Know & Love Christ Jesus”… it is ‘His Love’ and ‘His Life’… living in us.
*** (Colossians 3:23) And whatever you do, = do it heartily, = as to the Lord and = not to men;
*** (Luke 17:10) So likewise you, when ye shall have done = all those things which are commanded you, say, “We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.”
*** (James 1:22) Keep on being doers of the Word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.
*** (2Peter 1:2-to-9) May grace and peace be yours in abundance through the full knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord!
(2Pet 1:3) His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the full knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and excellence.
(2Pet 1:4) Through these he has given us his precious and wonderful promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, seeing that you have escaped the corruption that is in the world caused by evil desires.
(2Pet 1:5) For this very reason, you must make every effort to supplement your faith with moral character, your moral character with knowledge,
(2Pe 1:6) your knowledge with self-control, your self-control with endurance, your endurance with godliness,
(2Pet 1:7) your godliness with brotherly kindness, and your brotherly kindness with love.
(2Pet 1:8) For if you possess these qualities, and if they continue to increase among you, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in attaining a full knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(2Pet 1:9) For the person who lacks these qualities is blind and shortsighted, and has forgotten the cleansing that he has received from his past sins.
Simply PUT… “Check Yourself!” You check your bank account to see ‘IF’ you can afford this or that. You check your pantry or refrigerator… to see what your next meal with be. And of course you check your vehicle gas… to make sure you buy it at the best price. All these things and many more about life; are under your ‘constant scrutiny’. But what about you… and who you are… and ‘why you do’… what you do?
*** (2Corinthians 13:5) Keep examining yourselves to see whether you are continuing in the faith. Test yourselves! You know, do not you, that Jesus Christ lives in you? Could it be that you are failing the test?
*** (Matthew 7:21-22-23) Not everyone who says to Me [Jesus], Lord! Lord! Shall enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven.
(Matt 7:22) = MANY = will say to Me in that day, Lord! Lord! Did we not prophesy in Your name, and through Your name throw out demons, and through Your name do many wonderful works?
(Matt 7:23) And then I will say to them I = NEVER = knew you! Depart from Me, those working lawlessness!
*** (Luke 6:46) "Why do you keep calling Me [Jesus] 'Lord, Lord,' but don't do what I [Jesus] tell you?
*** (John 12:48-49-50) He who rejects Me [Jesus] and does not receive My Words has one who judges him; the Word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
(John 12:49) For I have not spoken of Myself, but the Father [God] who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say, and what I should speak.
(John 12:50) And I know that His command is life everlasting. Therefore whatever I speak, even as the Father said to Me, so I speak.
*** (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14) Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God, and keep His commandments. For this is the whole duty of man.
(Eccl 12:14) For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it is good, or whether evil.
There will “NEVER”… be any revival or restoration… till those ‘WHO’… really ‘know & love’… JESUS… get their lives in ‘obedience’ to His Holy Word… and start walking in His Spirit… in that ‘True Obedience’… that comes out of Love to and for Him… “Lord of Lords” & “King of Kings!”
Thanks, In Christ, Roger.
Ende…!
