7/22
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| In loving memory of my father Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023 |
In our previous message we shared about the Tabernacle of Moses as a type of the true restoration that is in process today. In this message we want to share some thoughts about restoration in reality.
As we stated in our first two messages on restoration, the majority of the Church in America today is in bondage to many foul spirits and does not know it.
Let us note in Verse 29 that it is the Lord who gives us the bread of adversity and the water of affliction. Bread and water is the food of prisoners ... those who are in captivity ... in bondage. But God offers a way of deliverance! Where there is no way, Jesus is THE Way! From Verse 21 we see that we must walk by faith. There is a stirring in the mulberry bushes! God will have His way, despite all of the failures of men! But we must distinguish between commandments of the Lord under the New Covenant and the customs and traditions of men. More on that later.
Historically, ever since the "dark ages," which lasted 1000 years, God has gradually been using chosen vessels to light the fires of revival. If we think about all of the major revivals in history, the last revival of any significance began about 60 years ago with what some have called the "charismatic" movement. The New Testament house church in Northern Virginia that we were part of from the late 1960's until the early 1980's was part of that. But historically almost every revival started by God through a few good men quickly started downhill as man tried to take control of what God wanted to do. But God is on the verge of one final restoration! The Lord Jesus Christ is searching for a people in the earth today ... a people to complete the work of restoration of His glorious Church! Whenever God desires to restore the Church, the eyes of the Lord begin to search the earth for a suitable vessel. The suitable vessel is always a man (or men) whose heart longs for the fulfillment of God's purposes upon the earth.
What happens as God ushers in more revelation about Himself and His word and brings the Church, through human vessels, closer to full restoration to what was always in His heart and mind before the foundation of the earth? It is a scriptural and historical fact that each major step of restoration is accompanied by more persecution, more misunderstandings, more confusion, division, riots and revolution, wars and rumors of wars, torture, and many other problems. Further, the persecuted in one generation or move of God eventually become the persecutors of a future generation. The Roman Catholics persecuted the Lutherans, the Lutherans persecuted the Anabaptists, the Anabaptists persecuted the Puritans, the Puritans persecuted the Wesleyan churches; many denominations, as well as the Roman Catholics persecuted those who were baptized with the Holy Ghost and spoke in tongues. History is on the verge of repeating itself! Who will (or perhaps we should say have) the charismatics persecute? The overcomers, those chosen vessels who have been selected to usher in the final restoration of truth. Yes, there will be an end to the process! The last-day remnant, which I believe is in the earth right now.
Around 1972, Ken Bennett, a solid man of God, began to see, with his natural eyes, "spiritual rain." At one point he told me that he had seen that spiritual rain for 75 consecutive days. When my wife and I stayed with them at a beach house in South Carolina in the late summer of 2002, both of us also saw that spiritual rain. We know that there were at least a handful of other believers who saw that same spiritual rain. Only the Lord knows how many others around the world saw the spiritual rain. It looked exactly like a gentle, slow drizzle or mist of rain, except that no water ever hit the ground. It was easier to see on a clear day. I now believe that was the beginning of God's restoration of the spiritual golden pot that had manna. In the past few years, we have experienced a further acceleration of revelation coming down from above. I have talked with a few believers who have told me the same thing has been happening with them.
Now we must remember that Aaron's rod that budded was laid up before the ark of Testimony some 20 years AFTER the golden pot that had manna. That means that the Lord will bring true prophetic revelation to the Church before raising up and manifesting true apostolic authority in the earth. We are convinced that prophetic revelation is beginning to come forth now, but to a much greater degree than what we have seen in previous years. Undoubtedly those who will receive such anointing are even now in the earth, being prepared for their ministry in these end times.
However, there will be one final removal of these two items from the ark ... namely when Jesus returns to the earth at His second coming. And yes, despite some claims to the contrary, Jesus Himself will return to the earth. When that happens, there will no longer be a need for apostolic authority through men or for raining down revelation from heaven. When that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away (1 Corinthians 13:10). That will leave only the Word of God in the ark for eternity. The trumpet is sounding! The trumpet no longer is giving an uncertain sound (1 Corinthians 14:8). It is time to prepare ourselves for the battle! I don't know about you, but I would like to be on this earth when all of these things shortly come to pass!
Based on the light we have received from the Holy Spirit concerning scripture, as well as some understanding of the ways of God, plus our own personal experience, we believe that the following steps are important (but not all-inclusive) on our part to prepare for the realization of the mind of God concerning the restoration of the Church. God always requires something from us. Our God is not a God of cheap grace (grace that does not cost us anything). He requires a step of faith on our part. He requires us to agree with His Word and to take certain actions on our part in response to His Word.
At the top of our action list is repentance! Repentance is not just for those who do not know the Lord. It applies to all of us today. To repent means to turn around, to change one's mind, to go in a different direction, to feel sorrow, regret, or contrition. Repentance is the first principle of the doctrine of Christ. The first word of the kingdom is repent.
Let us remember that the verse above is written to Christians, not heathens. Dead works are works of the flesh. We must repent from anything that is not led by the Spirit. If we cannot get through that first principle, there is no reason to try going any further.
That verse in Hosea is current events. Why has the Lord smitten us? because we have strayed from Him and His ways. The prerequisite for healing is to return unto the Lord.
The first message preached by Jesus was, "repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." The first message preached by John the Baptist was, "repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." The major word spoken in the first half of the book of Joel is repentance. The message preached by all of the prophets was "repentance."
True repentance does not consist of superficial words or thoughts that are "short lived." Shallow, sentimental tears will not suffice. A mere admission of guilt will not solve the problem. Neither will an outward performance of ritual satisfy the demands of a holy God. Unfortunately, this is why many of us go around the same mountain for years and are never able to walk in the victory which is found in Christ. Something must happen in the heart which will reflect itself in the way of life. John the Baptist put it correctly when he told the Pharisees and Sadducees who had come to his baptism:
True repentance requires our ability to sense the grief of the Lord as a result of our own ungodly thoughts, words, or actions. If we really love the Lord, we don't want to HURT or GRIEVE HIM. So often, we superficially repent because our words or actions backfired on us or we have harmed another person or persons. However, our grieving the Lord must affect us deeply and supercedes all other reactions which lead us to repentance.
When our heart is broken because we let the Lord down, only then can we earnestly hate our "sinful nature" and desire only to please the Lord. At this point, we are able to turn in the direction of the Holy Spirit and be "born" into the victory which is in Christ. This may be a long process and painful to the flesh, but the Lord is able to complete that which He has begun.
These principles apply also on a corporate level as the Lord allows us to see an aspect of the state of His Body, the true Church, that grieves the Lord. Weeping, travail, and intercession should spring forth as we identify with the wrong in our midst and cry out to the Lord for mercy, healing, and restoration.
Repentance is NOT a popular word! We believers like the "good" part, but we don't care too much for the suffering, travail, denying of one's self, etc., that must precede that "good" part.
Let us consider Job. The Lord was proud of Job, when He said,
After 40 more chapters of carnal reasoning between Job and his three "friends," the Lord gave Job a revelation, such that Job said,
Now let us look at Isaiah, Chapter 6.
When a word is repeated three times in the same verse, we best take notice, because that emphasizes the great importance of that word. It indicates a state of completion or absoluteness. For example, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts" in Isaiah 6:3 and Revelation 4:8; "O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord" in Jeremiah 22:29; "I will overturn, overturn, overturn" of Ezekiel 21:27; "The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord" of Jeremiah 7:4. I am not aware of any other such repetition, but there could be more.
We should note that the only such repetition in both the Old and New Testaments is "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts." That is the only characteristic of God that is repeated three times in succession. His holiness is so far beyond human thought that a super-superlative has to be used to express it. If you and I want to sense the manifest presence of the Lord and bathe in His Light and Glory, we must first receive a revelation from the Lord of His holiness.
If the posts of the door move at a voice, that is a sign of great power. I have experienced two times in my life when the room I was in was filled with smoke.
The word "undone" can be translated as "lost" or "cut off." But there is NOTHING in the previous five chapters of Isaiah that indicates that Isaiah had done anything wrong or said anything wrong. Isaiah saw that his very being was unclean, in comparison to the Lord. We need to be quick repenters, like David. Many believers might say, "repent? of what?" Perhaps for starters, we could repent of any self-seeking attitude. We must repent of any sin that we are aware of in our life; and repent of any and all fleshy desires, such as self-pity or ANY needs of self.
We must repent from our two-way thinking and life style, with one foot in the kingdom and one foot in the world. Repent of any obsession to fulfill some lower-level goal. Repent of any attitude that falls short of, "Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God." Repent because of our human nature.
One word of caution ... there is a price to be paid for saying, "Here am I, Lord, send me." That price is the same price that Paul and many others paid. It costs our self life.
The Lord has always had a remnant. His remnant today is largely hidden but soon will be made manifest. Lord, bring forth your elect, your Bride. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.
As we stated in our first two messages on restoration, the majority of the Church in America today is in bondage to many foul spirits and does not know it.
20 And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers.21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. Isaiah 30:20-21
Let us note in Verse 29 that it is the Lord who gives us the bread of adversity and the water of affliction. Bread and water is the food of prisoners ... those who are in captivity ... in bondage. But God offers a way of deliverance! Where there is no way, Jesus is THE Way! From Verse 21 we see that we must walk by faith. There is a stirring in the mulberry bushes! God will have His way, despite all of the failures of men! But we must distinguish between commandments of the Lord under the New Covenant and the customs and traditions of men. More on that later.
Historically, ever since the "dark ages," which lasted 1000 years, God has gradually been using chosen vessels to light the fires of revival. If we think about all of the major revivals in history, the last revival of any significance began about 60 years ago with what some have called the "charismatic" movement. The New Testament house church in Northern Virginia that we were part of from the late 1960's until the early 1980's was part of that. But historically almost every revival started by God through a few good men quickly started downhill as man tried to take control of what God wanted to do. But God is on the verge of one final restoration! The Lord Jesus Christ is searching for a people in the earth today ... a people to complete the work of restoration of His glorious Church! Whenever God desires to restore the Church, the eyes of the Lord begin to search the earth for a suitable vessel. The suitable vessel is always a man (or men) whose heart longs for the fulfillment of God's purposes upon the earth.
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him.2 Chronicles 16:9
What happens as God ushers in more revelation about Himself and His word and brings the Church, through human vessels, closer to full restoration to what was always in His heart and mind before the foundation of the earth? It is a scriptural and historical fact that each major step of restoration is accompanied by more persecution, more misunderstandings, more confusion, division, riots and revolution, wars and rumors of wars, torture, and many other problems. Further, the persecuted in one generation or move of God eventually become the persecutors of a future generation. The Roman Catholics persecuted the Lutherans, the Lutherans persecuted the Anabaptists, the Anabaptists persecuted the Puritans, the Puritans persecuted the Wesleyan churches; many denominations, as well as the Roman Catholics persecuted those who were baptized with the Holy Ghost and spoke in tongues. History is on the verge of repeating itself! Who will (or perhaps we should say have) the charismatics persecute? The overcomers, those chosen vessels who have been selected to usher in the final restoration of truth. Yes, there will be an end to the process! The last-day remnant, which I believe is in the earth right now.
Around 1972, Ken Bennett, a solid man of God, began to see, with his natural eyes, "spiritual rain." At one point he told me that he had seen that spiritual rain for 75 consecutive days. When my wife and I stayed with them at a beach house in South Carolina in the late summer of 2002, both of us also saw that spiritual rain. We know that there were at least a handful of other believers who saw that same spiritual rain. Only the Lord knows how many others around the world saw the spiritual rain. It looked exactly like a gentle, slow drizzle or mist of rain, except that no water ever hit the ground. It was easier to see on a clear day. I now believe that was the beginning of God's restoration of the spiritual golden pot that had manna. In the past few years, we have experienced a further acceleration of revelation coming down from above. I have talked with a few believers who have told me the same thing has been happening with them.
Now we must remember that Aaron's rod that budded was laid up before the ark of Testimony some 20 years AFTER the golden pot that had manna. That means that the Lord will bring true prophetic revelation to the Church before raising up and manifesting true apostolic authority in the earth. We are convinced that prophetic revelation is beginning to come forth now, but to a much greater degree than what we have seen in previous years. Undoubtedly those who will receive such anointing are even now in the earth, being prepared for their ministry in these end times.
However, there will be one final removal of these two items from the ark ... namely when Jesus returns to the earth at His second coming. And yes, despite some claims to the contrary, Jesus Himself will return to the earth. When that happens, there will no longer be a need for apostolic authority through men or for raining down revelation from heaven. When that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away (1 Corinthians 13:10). That will leave only the Word of God in the ark for eternity. The trumpet is sounding! The trumpet no longer is giving an uncertain sound (1 Corinthians 14:8). It is time to prepare ourselves for the battle! I don't know about you, but I would like to be on this earth when all of these things shortly come to pass!
Based on the light we have received from the Holy Spirit concerning scripture, as well as some understanding of the ways of God, plus our own personal experience, we believe that the following steps are important (but not all-inclusive) on our part to prepare for the realization of the mind of God concerning the restoration of the Church. God always requires something from us. Our God is not a God of cheap grace (grace that does not cost us anything). He requires a step of faith on our part. He requires us to agree with His Word and to take certain actions on our part in response to His Word.
At the top of our action list is repentance! Repentance is not just for those who do not know the Lord. It applies to all of us today. To repent means to turn around, to change one's mind, to go in a different direction, to feel sorrow, regret, or contrition. Repentance is the first principle of the doctrine of Christ. The first word of the kingdom is repent.
Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works. Hebrews 6:1
Let us remember that the verse above is written to Christians, not heathens. Dead works are works of the flesh. We must repent from anything that is not led by the Spirit. If we cannot get through that first principle, there is no reason to try going any further.
Come and let us return unto the Lord: for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up. Hosea 6:1
That verse in Hosea is current events. Why has the Lord smitten us? because we have strayed from Him and His ways. The prerequisite for healing is to return unto the Lord.
The first message preached by Jesus was, "repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." The first message preached by John the Baptist was, "repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." The major word spoken in the first half of the book of Joel is repentance. The message preached by all of the prophets was "repentance."
True repentance does not consist of superficial words or thoughts that are "short lived." Shallow, sentimental tears will not suffice. A mere admission of guilt will not solve the problem. Neither will an outward performance of ritual satisfy the demands of a holy God. Unfortunately, this is why many of us go around the same mountain for years and are never able to walk in the victory which is found in Christ. Something must happen in the heart which will reflect itself in the way of life. John the Baptist put it correctly when he told the Pharisees and Sadducees who had come to his baptism:
7 O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance. Matthew 3:7-8
True repentance requires our ability to sense the grief of the Lord as a result of our own ungodly thoughts, words, or actions. If we really love the Lord, we don't want to HURT or GRIEVE HIM. So often, we superficially repent because our words or actions backfired on us or we have harmed another person or persons. However, our grieving the Lord must affect us deeply and supercedes all other reactions which lead us to repentance.
Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance. Romans 2:4
When our heart is broken because we let the Lord down, only then can we earnestly hate our "sinful nature" and desire only to please the Lord. At this point, we are able to turn in the direction of the Holy Spirit and be "born" into the victory which is in Christ. This may be a long process and painful to the flesh, but the Lord is able to complete that which He has begun.
Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6
These principles apply also on a corporate level as the Lord allows us to see an aspect of the state of His Body, the true Church, that grieves the Lord. Weeping, travail, and intercession should spring forth as we identify with the wrong in our midst and cry out to the Lord for mercy, healing, and restoration.
Repentance is NOT a popular word! We believers like the "good" part, but we don't care too much for the suffering, travail, denying of one's self, etc., that must precede that "good" part.
Let us consider Job. The Lord was proud of Job, when He said,
6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered My servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Job 1:6-8
After 40 more chapters of carnal reasoning between Job and his three "friends," the Lord gave Job a revelation, such that Job said,
5 I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth Thee.6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. Job 42:5-6
Now let us look at Isaiah, Chapter 6.
1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple.2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory.
When a word is repeated three times in the same verse, we best take notice, because that emphasizes the great importance of that word. It indicates a state of completion or absoluteness. For example, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts" in Isaiah 6:3 and Revelation 4:8; "O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord" in Jeremiah 22:29; "I will overturn, overturn, overturn" of Ezekiel 21:27; "The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord" of Jeremiah 7:4. I am not aware of any other such repetition, but there could be more.
We should note that the only such repetition in both the Old and New Testaments is "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts." That is the only characteristic of God that is repeated three times in succession. His holiness is so far beyond human thought that a super-superlative has to be used to express it. If you and I want to sense the manifest presence of the Lord and bathe in His Light and Glory, we must first receive a revelation from the Lord of His holiness.
Job 11:7, "Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?"Deuteronomy 29:29, "The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law."
Ephesians 1:16-17, "Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him:"
Continuing in Isaiah, Chapter 6,
4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
If the posts of the door move at a voice, that is a sign of great power. I have experienced two times in my life when the room I was in was filled with smoke.
5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
The word "undone" can be translated as "lost" or "cut off." But there is NOTHING in the previous five chapters of Isaiah that indicates that Isaiah had done anything wrong or said anything wrong. Isaiah saw that his very being was unclean, in comparison to the Lord. We need to be quick repenters, like David. Many believers might say, "repent? of what?" Perhaps for starters, we could repent of any self-seeking attitude. We must repent of any sin that we are aware of in our life; and repent of any and all fleshy desires, such as self-pity or ANY needs of self.
We must repent from our two-way thinking and life style, with one foot in the kingdom and one foot in the world. Repent of any obsession to fulfill some lower-level goal. Repent of any attitude that falls short of, "Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God." Repent because of our human nature.
Back to Isaiah, Chapter 6,
6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
One word of caution ... there is a price to be paid for saying, "Here am I, Lord, send me." That price is the same price that Paul and many others paid. It costs our self life.
9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
11 Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,12 And the LORD have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.13 But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.
The Lord has always had a remnant. His remnant today is largely hidden but soon will be made manifest. Lord, bring forth your elect, your Bride. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.
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