God's Great Restoration | Part 5

And so I wanna encourage you that the groaning is not the end of the story. We see all this upheaval, how the oil prices oh, god. Oil's gonna a barrel of oil is gonna get to $200 a barrel. Wars, the death, the destruction, brokenness, we see all of that. None of it means God has abandoned his plan. It means something new is being born. Ain't that a different way of looking at it? If we I would just wanna challenge you in that. Maybe you've not heard that. Maybe you heard totally opposite. I mean, I grew up. I grew up in, you know, anytime this apocalyptic ending is coming. And that meant for me, I'll just throw it back in the seventies, I'm never gonna get married. [00:30:02] (46 seconds)  #NotTheEndButBirth

The Greek word kenos, new, it actually means renewed or restored. Now watch this. This is what Jesus said in revelation. New will restore. Transformed. Made different in quality. So this word carries the idea and a deeper sense of redemption and transformation. So when he said, behold I make all things new. I'm transforming. I'm redeeming what was stolen. I'm redeeming what was taken away from my rightful inheritance. Can I get an amen? That's what new is. You know it's the same word interesting in second Corinthians five seventeen and I love this it says, if any man or woman be in Christ they are a new creation. [00:21:22] (44 seconds)  #NewMeansRestored

Today that we are to make a decision. I believe this is the challenge as I conclude. Make the decision to live faithfully in the space between, not in fear, not in despair, but as living signs and wonders that the restoration of God has already begun. It's right at hand. It's right at the door. That's God's restoration. But every head bowed here this morning, he said pastor, and maybe you're watching on the line and your life has been filled with fear what's going on in the in the world globally. You are filled with fear. Taking medication and drugs, try to silence that fear, maybe alcohol. I don't know. But your life is full of fear. [00:33:10] (45 seconds)  #FaithOverFear

And I've said this that every time a Christian, a believer, watch this, chooses obedience and sometimes we don't. Amen. But resists sin, walks in love, and praise Lord your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. I believe creation moves one step closer to freedom and we see more of God's presence here in work on earth. And so from the beginning I've said this also that that God chose to work through his people and that hasn't changed. In other words, if I could say it this way, God is sovereign in his kingdom. [00:05:25] (42 seconds)  #ObedienceMovesCreation

The cross, if you would've looked at it in the natural like the early disciples did after the crucifixion, they were hiding in the upper room, hiding from the Romans. It looked like it was a loss but it actually became the doorway to renewal. And so so if I could say it this way, what looks it may look like you to the end is often the moment God begins to do something new and different. And I believe that even in The Middle East is chaotic as it is. Oil prices, everything crazy. People wondering, you know, people full of anxiety and fear, wondering what's gonna happen. [00:24:21] (36 seconds)  #FromDeathToRenewal

Actually, God might be on the cusp of something and doing something we've never experienced before. Doing something new especially even in the nation of Iran. Can somebody say amen? So I just wanna encourage you if you're in a season where you're confused and maybe fearful, you're waiting to hear the spirit of God speak to you, trying to discern the season. Maybe you're suffering. There's certain pain in your life, in your marriage, or in your family or work. It could be a new creation moment happening, birthing, God birthing something wonderful for this new season in your life. Can you say amen? [00:24:57] (35 seconds)  #NewSeasonIsBirthing

God says he has not given us a spirit of fear but of power of love in soundness of mind. That's the God we serve. So in the space between, in the midst of the chaos, you can still walk in peace of mind. You can still walk in hope. You can still walk in trust that God is moving on behalf of his people in your life. You've never surrendered your life to Christ. I wanna lead you in a very simple prayer, but it's a very powerful prayer. And it's the prayer where you give your life a fresh and a new. You say, Lord, take control of my life. Lord, come into my life. Save me. This is redemption in this moment. [00:33:55] (42 seconds)  #PowerLoveSoundMind