HOPE AND RESTORATION

By Miriam Wanjiru

EVERLASTING GOSPEL HERALDS April 2013

1

HOPE AND RESTORATION

For I know the plans I have for you says the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me; when you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from All the nations and all the places where I have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile. Jeremiah 29:11-14 As the days are passing by, the world is developing and growing economically, the church is growing weak, for her people are carried by the passions of this earth not knowing the responsibility that lies in their hands. The church has gone over the world in transgression of the law, when the world should have come over to the church in obedience to the law. Daily the church is being converted to the world. They are going to end up in hell because their god is their bodily desires. They are proud of what they should be ashamed of, and they think only of things that belong to this world.'' Philippians 3:19 The LORD is now calling unto His people to turn to Him and start doing the duty that He created them for; to stop serving the flesh and its desires, for this will drive them away from Him. He wants to restore back His people and bring the church to its feet. The question is, are people ready to answer His call? Are they ready to work according to their calling? The world today is full of many wicked people, those who do not want to hear the truth and would rather face a lie that would justify their sins. They do not like anybody who comes to preach to them the true word of God and despises them. ``With the whole world before them in need of the gospel, professed Christians congregate where they themselves can enjoy privileges. They do not feel the necessity of occupying new territory, carrying the message of salvation into regions beyond.'' They even go to an extent of mocking them not knowing that they mock God too. You therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that goes to war entangles to himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who has chosen him to be a soldier. 2 Timothy 2:3-4 Their iniquities drive them away from God. The prophet Isaiah acknowledges this; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you so that he does not hear.' Isaiah 59:2 `` they profess to be Christians, and lay claim to the blessings and privileges of the gospel; yet they feel no need of a transformation of character. They have never felt true repentance for sin. They do not realize their need of Christ or exercise faith in Him. They have not overcome their hereditary or cultivated tendencies to wrongdoing. Yet they think that they are good enough in themselves, and they rest upon their own merits instead of trusting in Christ.'' It's because of the world's sins that made the Son of God, even in His glory to come and suffer into this cruel world till His death. He left a beautiful world above that was more than a palace, degraded Himself and took the human nature, emptied Himself and took the form of a servant. He humbled Himself till they crucified Him and in this state He never sinned. In the days of His flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to Him who was able to save Him from death, and He was heard for His Godly fear. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered and being made perfect He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.'' Hebrews 5:7-9. He was destined before the foundation of the world but was made manifest at the end of the times for your sake. 1 Peter 1:20. This is how much Christ loved the human beings. As a Christian, are you following His footsteps? That is what you should ask yourself. The people have put a lot of confidence in themselves that they do not even realize that they have not reached to a point of being called `complete in Christ.'

The youths of the 'new world' no longer know God but please themselves in worldly pleasures that are ending in due time to come. They submit themselves to every evil deed and console themselves saying, ``There is still time, I can enjoy myself and will repent later!!'' The devil makes sure that he destroys their relationship with God by imposing every kind of pleasures that the youths wants. He introduces his works in everything, may it be; music, fashion, money, fame and many among others. He (the devil) enters into the hearts of the youths to bring an `identity crises' to them, such that they can do anything even if it would cost their lives to be among `the majority' and so they go on blinded and cannot see their lives are at hand. Many follow their friends because they do not want to be alienated for they fear to be saved because they will be given names! This and many more is the works of the evil one against the youth's salvation. ``The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.'' John 10:10 The youth should now be the first people who will give an account to everyone about God's love toward the world, they are in the first line held accountable for the people who are in darkness spiritually and on that fateful day, shall God ask them, ``How many did you preach to? Or how many did you enlighten when you knew the truth?'' The Bible says, rejoice O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes, but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. Ecclesiastes 11:9. The preacher encourages the youth to do everything they want and to rejoice in their youth but above all here's the warning, ...know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.'' So whatever a youth does, he/she will definitely beheld accountable for it, whether good or bad. Back in church, many men and women acknowledge that they know God and work according to His word more or less do they understand that Ezekiel spoke about them, And they come to you as my people, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with their lips they show much love, but their heart is set on their gain,'' Ezekiel 33:31. Those men and women stand on the grounds that they are faithful to God by attending the church every time, but what do they do? After getting the word of God, they prefer to keep it to themselves rather than to spread it! They hold it for their 'salvation' and condemn those who are not yet enlightened, they forget the words of the preacher, In the morning sow your seed, and at evening do not withhold your hand; for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike be good.'' Ecclesiastes 11:6. He tells the people not to withhold their hands from sowing the seeds which they have. The 'seed' here symbolizes the word of God. There is a stupor, paralysis upon the people of God which prevents them from understanding the duty of the hour. The duty of the hour is to enlighten those in the darkness. The message of restoration should be spoken out to everyone; every creature that God has created, the heaven and earth should learn that they should turn back to His love which they abandoned, But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love that you had at first. Remember then from what you have fallen, repent and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place, unless you repent.'' Revelation 2:4-5. We all don't want God to take us as His foes, therefore, we should take heed and listen to His soft voice that is tenderly calling to everyone that we should turn back to Him for He is merciful He will take us back. He tells the world, Do not conform to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.'' Romans 12:2. The will of God is to meet a sinless world, a world free from all evils, a world that proclaims He is the only supreme God and no other gods are above Him. But we have hardened our hearts and are not willing to change. It is up to you to ask yourself, Where will I be on the judgment day, when the son of God shall be coming back to the world to proclaim His reigning?' Behold, he whose soul is not upright in Him shall fail but the righteous shall live by faith. Habakkuk 2:4. This gives us hope that we can continue to live in His ways and He shall restore us back to Him for, you were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you.' Ezekiel 28:15.
3

Everyone should re-unite him/herself with God and He will clean you and restore your spirit back to Him, He says, I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleanness, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. Ezekiel 33:25 Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD; though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are like crimson they shall become like wool. Isaiah 1:18 A new heart will I give you, and a new sprit I will put within you, and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26. God gives all the human beings hope, He promises to give them a new life in Him, if only they stop serving the pleasures of the world, and follow His commandments. He requires the people that He created to praise Him and repent their sins; they should commit themselves to Him and follow Him to His steps. But woe to those who are not ready, for the world is coming to an end soon and the Son of man will bring His judgment on the earth, to judge each and everyone according to how they utilized their opportunities in this earth. The great day of the LORD is near, near and hastening fast the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter the mighty man cries aloud there. Zephaniah 1:14. Beware, pray and keep watching that the calamity of that day does not meet you unawares! MAY THE GRACE OF OUR LORD BE WITH YOU AS YOU MAKE A STEP OF FAITH.

Written by, MIRIAM WANJIRU (Church in Meru) April 2013

EVERLASTING GOSPEL HERALDS

P.O. Box 59461-00200 NAIROBI, KENYA everlastinggospelheralds@gmail.com
4