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4 Reasons Why We Pray in Jesus’ Name
by Justin Gingrich|July 11, 2022July 20, 2022

4 Reasons Why We Pray in Jesus’ Name

If you’ve grown up in church, to pray in Jesus’ name might be second nature to you. Most of us don’t even remember who taught us to do it. Have you ever stopped to think about why you’re saying that, or what it really means?

If you’re new to Christianity and can’t figure out why everyone is saying this at the end of their prayers—it’s not just tradition. It’s the reality of who you are and who God is that you can step into. If you can grasp this reality it will completely change your life, prayer life, and the way you see God!

Praying in Jesus’ name is so much more than a tradition, it’s the very power of our prayers. Here are a few reasons why you should pray in this name.

  1. Jesus is our access in prayer
  2. Jesus is the name above every name
  3. God tells us to pray in Jesus’ name
  4. Jesus knows our weaknesses

 

Jesus is Our Access in Prayer

Jesus is the beginning and the end. The only way we are able to approach God is because of what Jesus did for us. When He died on the cross, He paid the price for our sin that separates us from God.

If you accept Jesus as your Savior and confess that He is Lord, Jesus will tear the veil that stands between you and God’s presence. As a result of what Jesus did on the cross, we are eternally accepted by the Father. Now, when the Father looks at you, He sees Jesus, not your sin. This is why we can confidently approach God.

As sons and daughters, we have the ability to ask the Father for what we need, and He will hear us, because Jesus paid the price.

But we come under the name of Jesus, not our own names. We come to the Father and ask for what we need THROUGH the name of Jesus—because Jesus is our access.

 

Jesus is the Name Above Every Name

There’s a lot of names out there today. People are influenced by names, whether it’s a president, actor, singer or athlete. And whatever these people do make a serious impact on those who follow them. Names in politics are especially powerful, as the decisions of our country hang in the balance.

There are also names given to us that can hold weight and influence over us. Maybe it’s the name of a sickness—cancer for example. This name can really affect how we live, and can cause immense fear. The names people call us, good or bad, can also have an effect on us if we choose to accept them.

So what kind of impact does the name Jesus have on the world?

Philippians 2:5-11 tells us that Jesus, who was with God in heaven, left His throne and humbled Himself to become a man. Not only that, but He “humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Because of His obedience, God the Father gave Him the highest position as King of the universe, and gave Him this:

“the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”

Instead of a rags to riches story, it’s a riches, to rags, to King-of-the-whole-world story. Now that Jesus is seated on the throne next to His Father, the Father gives Jesus the name above every other name. Above cancer, above Elon Musk, above Lebron James, above anxiety—above EVERY name.

The name Jesus actually means “Yaweh saves” or “God saves, delivers”. The name Jesus carries with it power, and a Kingdom. His Kingdom, as it invades earth, will change everything.

[Looking for a church? Visit Restore Houston!]

 

 

God Tells Us to Pray in Jesus’ Name

During Jesus’ ministry on earth, something He told His disciples to do repeatedly was to ask for things in His name, and He would give it to them. Too good to be true? Look at this:

Jesus says in John 14:13 “I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

Now of course, we can’t expect Jesus to do things for us that aren’t a part of His Kingdom or in His heart for us. But what an amazing truth, that we can just ASK! We don’t have to strive, worry, do it ourselves, or phone a friend. We can just ask.

After Jesus rose from the dead, He met with His disciples on His way back to His Kingdom in heaven. Jesus tells them that “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (Matthew 28:18) Meaning that when God gave Him the highest name, He also gave Jesus the highest authority. But catch this, His next sentence is a total game changer.

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

Basically, Jesus says, “I’ve been given all the power in the universe, and since you’re my followers—you can access that power too through my name.”

Mark 16:17 says it well:
“In my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues, they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Warning: bold prayers result in a call to bold action!

A lot of times, when we pray for something, God uses us as the vessel He to bring about the answer. So be ready to step up to the plate when you sense His leading.

 

 

Jesus Knows Our Weaknesses

When we pray in the name of Jesus, we are praying in the name of a suffering Savior. Jesus lived 33 years on earth, growing up as a human in a broken world. He knows what it’s like to be in pain, to suffer and to be tempted. We have a High Priest that sympathizes with the worst of our experiences.

But we also pray in the name of a Savior who has assured that our trials will result in celebration—our labor will result in overwhelming delight. Jesus holds the ability and deep desire to see our joy made complete. He both sees and holds our sorrow while working and molding toward our ultimate joy. This means there is no emotion, question, longing or desire that cannot be trusted in the name of Jesus.

 

Try it For Yourself!

Now it’s your turn! What are your needs? Bring them to the Father, and remember that if you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are coming to the Father under the name of Jesus.

Through the name of Jesus, you have access to a God who hears, sees and knows your pain. Ask the Father for what you need, and ask with faith believing that you will receive it. Don’t be surprised if He starts giving you opportunities to be the answer to your own prayers!

If you’re looking for a church community, we encourage you to visit Restore Houston! We built our church around connection in order to breed restoration. We gather on Sundays, in small groups and we serve our community. All with the goal to see Jesus restore all things. Bring your questions, doubts—all of YOU. There’s room for you here.

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How to Receive God’s Grace and Mercy
by Justin Gingrich|June 15, 2022July 25, 2022

How to Receive God’s Grace and Mercy

Whether you’ve been a Christian for a long time, or you’re new to this whole Jesus thing—learning how to receive God’s grace and mercy will radically change your life. Grace and mercy are the essence of God’s love. When you come to God and receive His grace and mercy in your needs, you will be restored emotionally, physically and spiritually.

Hebrews 4:16 gives us a great picture of mercy and grace, when it says,
“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace in our time of need.”

So how do you go about receiving those things? Let’s dive deeper into grace and mercy, what they are and how to receive them from God.

  • What is mercy?
  • What is grace?
  • Know Your Limits
  • Go to the Advocate
  • Be Transparent with Your Community
  • Find God’s Grace and Mercy at Restore Houston

 

What is Mercy?

Believe it or not, mercy and grace are two different things. However, they are both a side of the same coin: love.

“The Lord is gracious and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.” (Psalm 145:8-9)

The Greek word used for mercy is most often “eleos” which means pity or compassion. The act of showing mercy means withholding deserved punishment for wrongdoing. In His mercy, God did not give us the punishment we deserved for our sin: death. Instead, He sent His Son, Jesus. This is mercy on display, and because of Jesus’ death we can receive forgiveness for our sin instead of punishment.

 

What is Grace?

The Greek word for grace is “charis” which means favor. Through His grace and favor we receive all that Christ has paid for on the cross: healing, restoration, deliverance, sanctification, and righteousness to name a few.

Anyone who tries to gain righteousness or salvation through their own means is running circles on a hamster wheel. Grace is the power through which we are saved, and through which we are restored over and over again. We cannot attain righteousness on our own or by our own works—but only through God’s grace as a gift.

Looking for a church home? Visit Restore Houston

 

Know Your Limits

Before we can truly receive God’s grace and mercy, we have to admit our limits. Many of us are not good at accepting our limits, and we have an over-exaggerated view of ourselves. Puffed up in pride, we isolate ourselves from others and compete with them to feel better about ourselves.

On the other hand, some of us have such a low view of ourselves that we never feel good enough. Through self-hatred we shame ourselves and punish ourselves every time we come face to face with our limitations. Neither of these methods are from God, but used as tactics from the enemy to keep us from God.

You are not enough, and that is okay. Knowing our limits means we can come to God in our needs and allow Him to fill every void. There is joy and freedom in knowing that you are limited, because that means the limitless God can step in.

 

Go to the Advocate

One beautiful way that God’s grace and mercy is displayed is through being our Advocate. An advocate is a person who defends a cause.

Imagine you’ve broken the law and you’re in a courtroom as the court decides if you’re guilty and should receive punishment or not. As you sit in that seat, you see God as the Judge, and Satan, also called The Accuser of the Brethren, as the Prosecutor. But Jesus is sitting in the seat as the Defending Attorney. When God the Judge sees Jesus and the price He already paid, and the blood that speaks a better word than The Accuser, he judges you as not guilty.

When we sin, even in our lowest, dirtiest moments, God is not our accuser or condemner. He is our Advocate, giving us confidence and courage to keep walking forward.

 

Be Transparent with Your Community

Jesus is near to the broken hearted, and it’s in the middle of the mess where His presence can be found. Not only is He present, but He is working to heal those broken places with His love as we receive God’s mercy and grace. This is not something to be ashamed of, but to celebrate!

While we are working with God to overcome temptation by His Spirit and through His Word, we can share the testimony of our victories with others. When we share about our weaknesses, we are also sharing the presence of God that is in the midst of those things.

 

Find God’s Grace and Mercy at Restore Houston

We believe that through grace Jesus is restoring all things. And that includes you. That is why we are named Restore! Regardless of the sin that holds you or the shame that diminishes you, Jesus has come to restore every part of you.

Grace works most beautifully when we are connected and loved. For that reason, our goal every week is to experience the restorative presence of God and authentic, loving connection with one another. When this happens, we believe redemption can happen.

Bring your questions, doubts—all of YOU. We’re here to listen and walk with you along the journey. There’s room for you here.

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How to Find Inner Peace in God’s Presence
by Justin Gingrich|May 18, 2022July 12, 2022

How do you find inner peace, when life is out of control?

Maybe you’ve wondered this in the last two years, as the entire planet faced unexpected circumstances. From career and financial stress to illness and extreme changes—we’ve found ourselves lacking.

If you’re already feeling anxious just reading that—this is your sign to keep reading!

God’s peace is a constant reality that is available to you no matter what comes your way. Let’s talk about 3 practices we see in 2 of Jesus’ most famous miracles that will show us how to find inner peace in the midst of chaos.

1. Recognize Your Limits
2. Acknowledge God’s Presence
3. Believe and Feast on God

 

1. Recognize Your Limits

Most of our anxiety comes from this very realization: we are not enough. We’ve built our inner peace on our own abilities, and when they fail us—anxiety takes over.

John 6:1-15  shows us that Jesus’ disciples were faced with the same realization as He taught a crowd of 5,000 people in a remote area, far away from food and resources.

Jesus turns to Philip and asks, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?”

What a funny question, coming from the Son of God Himself! The Bible says Jesus was testing Philip.

You can see wheels turning his head. Philip answers Jesus quite logically: “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.”

The odds were stacked against them. Jesus was asking them to do the IMPOSSIBLE. But why would He even ask Philip this question if He knew the answer?

He wanted them to see their limits. Once they realize they can’t figure the situation out, Jesus responds by multiplying the bread so that it feeds all 5,000 people, plus leftovers!

Every single one of us has limits. That means you yourself do not sustain life, but you are given life. Here’s a secret: God created us with limits on purpose so we would need Him—the God of the impossible.

Isn’t this a relief? Let’s acknowledge that for a second; you have limits, and that’s a GOOD thing. This is your first step to finding inner peace in God, recognizing your limits.

 

Looking for a church in your area? Learn more about Restore Houston Church

 

2. Acknowledge God’s Presence

The second story we are looking at takes place in John 6:16-21.

It’s nightfall, Jesus had withdrawn to be by Himself. The disciples got into a boat to cross the sea, and the winds became so strong they could hardly make any headway.

They’ve been rowing for 3 or 4 miles in the middle of the night. They’re scared, frustrated, and tired. Their lives are at stake and they don’t know where Jesus is.

Chances are you’re not stuck on a boat with the fear of drowning, but life can often feel that way. When the storms are raging and the intensity is high, the idea of having inner peace sounds like a joke. You’ve probably wondered, “Where is God right now?”

He’s a lot closer than you think.

John 6:19 says the disciples saw Jesus walking on the sea towards the boat. The disciples see him, and like anyone would, they panicked and called it a ghost.

Jesus reassures them, “It is I; do not be afraid.”

In our most overwhelming moments, the presence of Jesus may not be recognizable to us. But if we stop long enough to listen, we will see Him there, walking toward us on the water and getting into the middle of our circumstances with us.

If you’re searching for inner peace in the middle of a storm, take a minute to stop and acknowledge God’s presence.

 

3. Believe and Feast on God

If you didn’t already guess, Jesus calms the storm, and He and His disciples made it to the other side of the sea. (John 6:25) They got out of the boat to see that the same crowd of 5,000 people they had just fed the day before followed them all the way there. Jesus had now reached celebrity status.

They immediately started asking Him questions. “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?”

Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

These people were trying to figure out what kind of work they must do. But Jesus was trying to tell them the only requirement for living a life of inner peace and abundance is to believe in God.

More than just loaves and fish, Jesus had revealed to them a promise to believe in: God ALWAYS provides. Believing in this truth will sustain inner peace in God.

Then comes the next question:
“What sign do you do, that we may see and believe you?” “Our fathers ate manna in the wilderness.”

This crowd of 5,000 people had just seen the miraculous. They saw bread and fish multiplied, more than enough for everyone to eat. Yet they still wondered why they should believe in Him.

Jesus answers them in John 6:35, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

The crowd responded saying, “Sir, give us this bread always!”

We think there’s a formula to solving our problems, but it’s actually so simple. Never stop feasting on the bread of Jesus. The things he provides: a job, a house, finances are great—but He is the true food. We can have everything we’ve ever wanted and still have no inner peace, because we were made to feed on Him alone.

 

Your search for inner peace is over. His peace is available to you no matter what you’re going through, and He will never leave or forsake you.

Take some time to be still and recognize your limits, acknowledge God’s presence, and pray this prayer: “Jesus, give me your bread always.” Enjoy this video of one of our favorite worship songs as you sit in God’s presence today.

 

A Theological Reflection On COVID-19
by Justin Gingrich|April 30, 2020September 11, 2020

When tragedy strikes in our lives, we often ask ourselves and other people questions like, “Why did this happen?” “Why did God do this?” These questions are natural and normal to ask but we should refrain from always demanding an answer that satisfies what we’re hoping to hear. If we’re not careful, we can let our anger, sadness, despair, and confusion blind us into believing things that are hurtful or even damaging to our souls, or the hearts of others.

A fiction book I really love, To Kill A Mockingbird, centers around the accusation and trial of a black man, Tom, who allegedly raped a young white woman in Alabama in the 1930’s. A local attorney, Atticus, is appointed to defend Tom in the trial, who it turns out was falsely accused. Atticus does his best to defend Tom, pitting him against the white townspeople, leading them to accuse him of being an enemy to white people. The towns people’s bigoted hatred for black people leads them to unsuccessfully lynch, but successfully convict Tom of the alleged rape. Sadly, Tom is imprisoned and is later killed while trying to escape for the crime he didn’t commit.

I see a lot of things in this story that are relevant to our current situation with the COVID- 19 epidemic. COVID-19, unlike the fake crime in To Kill A Mockingbird, is very real, but our natural responses to our tragedy can be misguided just like the responses of the townspeople were in To Kill A Mockingbird. The white townspeople let their fears, prejudices, and emotions rule them, and ultimately an innocent man died because of it. Unfortunately, this is all too real for us right now as hate speech and racial prejudice against Chinese and other eastern-Asian people has risen in the past couple of months.

Right now, we are all looking for answers to questions about the virus and all of the problems it is causing in every facet of our lives. As we desperately look for answers, the ones we want to hear are rarely, if ever, the truth. We want someone or something concrete to blame for this, but we may never really know that answer. Even if we did find an answer, it probably wouldn’t help that much. Even if we aren’t trying to necessarily blame someone, we attempt to justify the disease by saying that we or others deserved this as some form of cosmic or divine judgment. There’s really not much we can do about what’s happening and that doesn’t sit well with our culture and or the way we see the world. We are supposed to be productive, help others, and carry out justice on those who caused this. We are so desperate for satisfying answers that we will ignore the facts, warnings from health officials, and decrees from governmental leaders in order to get them. Whatever the desire, we can all find ways to satisfy our thoughts and feelings right now and completely ignore the truth in the process. Not only would we be living a lie, but we can cause a lot of trouble and damage by doing so. In the midst of all of this, God calls us to be mature; “no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ” (Ephesians 4:14-15 NIV).

Specifically, troubling to me are the claims that this disease is God’s punishment to a sinful and wicked humanity. Now, I understand how someone could make this claim. On the surface, there appears to be numerous relevant precedents in the Bible for God sending disasters against those who are sinful, wicked, or who oppose Him. There’s the flood God sends to destroy the whole earth except for Noah, his family, and a few pairs of every animal; the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah; the plagues of Egypt; the annihilation of any wicked tribe in Canaan that refuses to worship and follow the LORD down to the last woman and infant; the two Israelite exiles where God sends first the Assyrians and then the Babylonians to destroy them and take them out of Israel. Then there’s all the other smaller scale examples of God’s wrath and justice being brought against Him and Israel’s enemies. Though these examples may seem like perfect comparisons to our current calamity, there are several important reasons we shouldn’t use these as context for the current crisis from COVID-19.

Firstly, God always gave a warning to before He brought his wrath against people. God was merciful in not only extending warning far in advance of calamity, but also gave them chances to change their ways and follow His ways. God didn’t just give general warnings either, He always specified the sins of the group being warned and explained what would happen if they didn’t comply. Before the flood, all of humanity knew of God and His ways, but only Noah was found to be faithful and obedient to Him (Genesis 6:5–9). The violent and vile men of Sodom and Gomorrah refused to turn away after warnings from Lot and the angels (Genesis 18:20– 19:29). Pharaoh was warned and offered chances repeatedly to let the Hebrews go, but He stubbornly refused (Exodus 7:1–6). The tribes of Canaan and surrounding lands were offered a chance to follow God and join Israel, but they also refused (Deuteronomy 20:10-18). These tribes weren’t just good people minding their own business either. These were people that practiced cultic worship with religious sexual exploitation, child sacrifice, ritual scarring and other bodily mutilation, and more (Leviticus 19:28; Deuteronomy 18:9–12; 23:17; 1 Kings 14:24). God did not desire for any of the people in these cases to perish, they had a choice. Israel was sent prophet after prophet warning them of the calamity that would follow if they turned from God and followed after the same detestable practices as the tribes of Canaan. The northern Israelite tribes abandoned God and His love soon after they were settled in the promised land to seek the deceptive and fleeting pleasures of the pagan Canaanites. Their lust for sexual exploitation of the Canaanites and greed for their treasures lured them into bondage with the detestable practices. Eventually, every tribe of Israel was destroyed and exiled for disobeying God.

Secondly, God always sent a specific person that He had appointed to be His representative, prophet, or messenger on earth to speak God’s word to the people. The flood had Noah, Sodom and Gomorrah had Lot and the angels, the plagues of Egypt had Moses and Aaron, the conquest of Canaan had Joshua, and many prophets warned Israel of exile. God has always desired to work with humanity and elevated humans into places that offered us a chance at reconciliation with God. A prophet of God wielded a lot of potential power and God knew that false prophets would attempt to mislead the Israelites so He gave them measures for ensuring they were listening to His true prophets (Deuteronomy 13:1-5; 18:20-22). The northern tribes of Israel were destroyed and exiled long before the southern tribes partially because they listened to these false prophets and leaders. People today still blindly follow false teachers and doomsayers and refuse to reconcile with God because they reject His Son, Jesus Christ. Everyone who has set their faith in Christ needs not worry or concern themselves with doomsday predictions because at the end of the world as we know it Christ will come without warning and take care of His faithful followers.

Thirdly, as mentioned briefly before, God has always desired to resolve His problems with sinful people through peace and reconciliation rather than through judgement. However, He sometimes had to resort to wiping away the wicked in order to uphold His holiness and protect the righteous. He does not enjoy nor author pain and suffering for humanity. He humbled himself from His transcendent status as spirit to become a helpless baby as Jesus, which the early church described as ‘the condescension of God’. Jesus lived a life as we have lived, enjoying and suffering in all the same ways we do as humans. He then sacrificed himself in order to reconcile humanity with Himself, finally providing a way for people to cease their endless rebellion that has caused nothing but destruction and suffering. God’s ultimate plan for us is to live in harmony with Him and the rest of creation. The current influence of Satan over the world is temporary.

The story of Job is an excellent place to look as we struggle with wondering why evil and suffering happen in the world despite God’s love and desire for good for us. Job was a good man, one of the best really. He loved his family and friends, was fair and just, not greedy or deceitful. He cared for others and followed God. Satan knew all this and asked God for a chance to show that Job only worshipped God because his life was so good. If everything Job had was taken from him and made to suffer, he would cease to worship and love God (Job 1:1-12). Notice that this is Satan’s idea, God only allows it. Free will even exists to some extent in heavenly beings, which allowed ones like Satan and his fallen angels to rebel. God could eliminate Satan whenever He wants but He seems to have determined that any pain and suffering free will has caused is worth it for His plans. It’s vital to note that God does not desire or author our suffering. He knew that it would happen though and provided the free gift of salvation through Himself to humanity. He has allowed a degree of autonomy to his creations so that they may act against His desires. Satan sends destruction, plague, and suffering upon Job and his family, yet Job never stops worshipping God. Eventually, Job becomes angry, confused, and disrespectful, which is understandable after all that happens to him. The important part is that He still comes to God and desires to follow Him. God didn’t expect nor require Job to be stoic or even happy about his suffering. Instead, He rewarded Job for his confrontation and eventual acceptance after he gained a new perspective about life and the world far beyond his understanding (Job 42:1–10). As God works with humanity, He does desire a perfect world with us, but He doesn’t expect us to be perfect on our own. That’s why He sent Himself for us, so that we may be unified with Him in the future eternity where all is made new and right.

So no, God almost certainly did not send COVID-19 to punishment humanity, because it’s simply not in His character or personality to do so. We had no warning, no offer to avoid it, and no prophet sent to warn and lead us. This disease, though terrible, is not unprecedented. Unfortunately, it is a small part of the larger problem that affects the whole of creation. In fact, the bible tells us that creation itself groans, in a manner of speaking, for its renewal (Romans 8:20–23). Disease, drought, natural disasters, wildfires, climate problems, and more are all part of the problem humanity was left with after the fall from harmony with God in Eden. We have established that this disease is not something God would send, but let’s also touch on the fact that no nation or other group of humans are held to any set of rules or expectations that when broken, are dealt with by punishing them. The United States is not special or held in any higher or lower regard than any other nation or group on earth. We are deluding ourselves if we think some words on a piece of paper or the words of a leader somehow link us in a unique way to God. That kind of relationship only belonged to the Israelites before Jesus, and that has long passed. The United States, nor any other country on earth today, is not in a covenant relation with God. America’s sins mean no more or less to God than any other country’s sins. Attempts to create and enforce laws that supposedly follow Jesus’ desires may be well intentioned, but they will always be flawed and may even be carried out unjustly. We should acknowledge that we cannot view America as an entity that God sends blessings or curses upon in any kind of collective way. No pastor, bishop, pope, senator, president, or any other leader on earth speaks for any part of humanity to God or for God to humanity. This was the case for the biblical nation of Israel only, and that ended when Jesus Christ fulfilled the law.

God is certainly at work in this world and in our lives in ways we cannot comprehend, but He does not send blessing or calamity to any person or group based upon a simple process like karma. God is not obligated to bless or curse any person regardless of their actions; It is up to God alone how to interact with mankind. As such, we should not attempt to interpret specific events in our lives as God working in the world, especially when it comes to disasters. Personally, even when something good happens to me or around me that I believe to be in line with God’s will and desires, I do not claim to know how, why, or if God desired that it should happen. I simply praise God for the things in this world that are good and pleasing to Him to the best of my knowledge and ability, and then pray for everything else, including for His will to be continually done.

We cannot allow our emotions and limited scope of God and His creation to cause us to abandon sound teachings about God and His character, nor allow it to cause ourselves to act in immature and selfish ways. Instead of finding out who to blame or why it’s happened, we should develop our relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Bring Him your worries, frustrations, fears, prejudices, embarrassments, doubts, weariness, loneliness, joy, love, praise, and everything else you feel and experience. God has graciously given us examples of ways to express these emotions to God through the Psalms (e.g. Psalms 3, 13, 18, 20, 22, 30, 77, 146 & many more). He desires to hear from you and to connect with you. He does not desire that you or anyone else suffer.

Phill Coselli is currently a Teaching and Research Intern at Restore Houston. Phill graduated from Texas A&M University and served as an officer in the U.S. Army. Phill is currently completing his Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary and plans to pursue a teaching ministry role upon graduating.

I Had To Ask For Help This Week. Did You?
by Justin Gingrich|March 23, 2020September 11, 2020

I needed to ask for help this week. Did you?

I have a confession to make, I have found myself in a discouraging place – mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Even before social distancing was the new normal, I was already in a season of discouragement. Then, in what felt like a matter of a few hours, the city I love shut down. My favorite restaurants closed, my go-to coffee shop was now only to-go and six feet became the closest I could be to most of my friends.

I became disheartened. I was disheartened by the distance I now felt between my church, my friends, and my city. I was disheartened that gun stores across our nation were now as busy as the toilet paper aisles while so many were frantically purchasing the means to protect themselves from their neighbors, even if violently. I was disheartened to see so many Christians posting implications on social media that this virus was somehow some form of judgement passed on to humanity from God. Or others taking Old Testament verses far out of context and delivering false and naive promises of healing if we would return prayer to schools and become a “Christian nation” again (as if a nation can be “Christian” or as if we ever were). I was disheartened to see Christians, who should be among the first to surrender or give up their rights for the sake of others, complaining that their constitutional rights were being violated by the government forcing them to quarantine. But mostly, I became discouraged by the deaths of so many all around our world. God hates death, God is a God of light and life. God is deeply disturbed by death. I know that this current affliction humanity is enduring is not what He wants for us, I know He is hurting right now, too. (John 11:35-37; 1 Corinthians 15:20-26)

So I found myself discouraged and asking, along with the great 20th century Reformed preacher, Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones, “In this uncertain world, where we have already experienced two world wars within a quarter of a century, and where we may have to face yet another and things that are even worse, here is the question –How are you going to face it all, how can you meet it all?”

His answer was simple. Follow and practice the way of Paul when he says, “I am strong, I am able for anything that may happen to me, whether it be the kind of life I have known for so long or whether it be entirely different, I am ready for it. For I am able for all things through the One who is constantly infusing strength into me.” (His interpretation of Philippians 4:10-13)

“I can therefore summarize the teaching like this,” Martin Lloyd-Jones went on to say, “the secret of this power is to discover what is possible for us in Jesus. What I have to do is go to Jesus. I must spend time with Him, I must get to know Him.” That was after all, the entire purpose of Paul’s life, the source of His strength, the fulfillment of His hope, the cultivation of his peace – to know Jesus (Philippians 3:10).

But knowing Jesus and spending time with Him in His presence can feel difficult, even intimidating or confusing. So how do we know Him, so that we, like Paul, are able to face any type of uncertainty with strength? Let me tell you how it happened for me just yesterday.

As a pastor, I believe the primary role of my job is to protect my own spiritual health and to continuously foster my own intimacy with my Jesus. I cannot beckon others to a place I have not been myself. Yet in this season, I found myself turning towards other things to deal with the uneasiness in my heart – alcohol, or lust or Netflix. As the weeks went by I felt my heart sinking deeper and deeper into an unhealthy, lonely place.

Then something happened.

I Facetimed a friend Sunday night, and I asked for help. I confessed that I had been feeling very discouraged, alone, and isolated. I admitted that I had been neglecting my own intimacy with Jesus for lesser things. He listened with compassion. He thanked me for being vulnerable with him.

We hung up. Then I experienced something I did not expect – closeness and intimacy with Jesus. I spent time with Him. I went to sleep that night feeling very near to the One who made me and loves me. As I drifted to sleep, I had a sense of peace for the first time in weeks. I wondered if it was really this simple. Could experiencing the presence of Jesus and His love for me be as simple as letting a Christian friend in on how I was struggling?

Theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer said that a Christian who has other Christian friends they trust, that they can be vulnerable with, that they can confess to, and ask for help from, “will never be alone again, anywhere.” Not only that, but our Christian friends can “break the cycle of darkness. When we confess our sin and brokenness in the presence of Christians, we know we are no longer by ourselves; we experience the presence of God in the reality of the other person.”

One of the primary ways we can know Him is through the love of our friends. Do you want to know Him? Getting to really know Jesus, to spend time with Him, to fall in love with Him, may actually start for you with a simple question to a friend – “Can I tell you what has really been going on with me? Can I let you in on how I’ve been struggling?” The presence of Jesus may be closer than you think. And with His presence comes power; power to face uncertainty.

Rest In Christ
by Justin Gingrich|March 10, 2020September 11, 2020

God is all about rest. He rests and wholeheartedly wants us to be able to rest as well. “But, Rest? Yeah, right. I’d love to but I just can’t”, “I’m trying but I don’t feel rested”, “I’m getting plenty of sleep, is that the rest He wants for us?”. God certainly wants us to have restful sleep and take a break to stop and smell the roses, but His idea of rest is so much bigger and beautiful than that. God gave us two main ideas for this, Shabbot (Sabbath) and Nuach, (related to Noah’s name): Shabbot is about ceasing or stopping from something. Shabbot is like when the whistle blows in a football game, or when a traffic light turns red. Nuach is like when you kick your shoes off at home and spend time with your friends and family. God has written these ideas into the very fabric of creation and is an intimate part of His plan for humanity.

In the beginning, God intended rest…literally. The first verse of the Bible, Genesis 1:1, has seven words in the original Hebrew. Seven is critical to God’s symbolic pattern for creation and His plans. The story of creation is told through seven days, the seventh being God resting (Genesis 2:2-3). Seven pairs of clean animals for the ark; seven years of labor for Jacob for the hand of Leah and then again for Rachel; Seven years of abundance and then seven years of famine in Egypt during Joseph’s tenure as advisor to the Pharaoh. A complete list of times the Bible makes literary use of the number seven to highlight God’s providence and character are too many remark on here, but one particular use is crucial to understanding God’s rest.

Once the Hebrews became the nation of Israel, God intended for them to use every seventh day, every seventh year, and the year following ‘seven sevens’ (49 years) to enact a period of rest, release, and realignment (Exodus 23:10-12; Leviticus 25:1-55). See, God wanted the Israelites to be reminded of His grace, compassion and generosity towards them every time they thought about the number seven. It was to invoke the idea of God’s kingdom, the garden of Eden, the messiah…in all, the way God always intended the world to be. The 50th year following the ‘seven sevens’ of years was called the Jubilee. This year was to be a greater and grander version of the rest that occurred every seventh year. During the Jubilee there was no working the land, all property that had been sold was to be returned to the original familial owners, anyone who become poor was to be taken in and cared for as a foreign guest working in your land, not as a slave, and all debts would be cancelled (as also happened every seven years). God reminded them that they were all strangers on earth and that God would provide for them.

Another key theme we see with Israel regarding to rest is their promised land. The promised land is the literal geographic piece of land that occupies most of modern Israel plus a little more (Exodus 23:20-33; 32:13; Leviticus 20:24–26). God provided this land for the Israelites and made it abundant with everything they needed. Here Israel would find rest from their slavery from Egypt and other nations. In setting themselves apart from the nations and resting in God’s provision they were then supposed to bless the nations with God’s love and overabundance. For most Jews, both rest in this life and the next would be connected to the promised land of Israel. This theme of the promised land (sometimes with Jerusalem used representing it) carried on with Christians, especially as the first Christians were Jews (Hebrews 11:8-16). Today we envision heaven and the physical resurrection to come as the promised land where all of humanity faithful to Christ will finally find eternal rest and release from hard work, toil, pain, suffering, loneliness, and death (Revelation 21:1-4).

In the New Testament we see God move forward with His plan for humanity with the most pivotal and important act of His story. God came in the flesh as a child and grew into a man, Jesus of Nazareth, who would fulfill all that He had promised. God knew that we could not bring ourselves rest and that He would show and do for us what He had always intended. Jesus would bring humanity rest since all of the past Old Testament leaders, priests, and kings ultimately fell short in being able to fulfill that promise. Jesus, as God, is lord over the laws of Israel and could show Israel His love and how He would bring them rest (Isaiah 61:1-2; Luke 4:14-21). The sabbath, the seventh day of the week was a day for all of Israel to cease from their striving and rest in God’s overabundant provision and to spend time loving others. God’s people had forgotten its true purpose and as humans often do, they created unnecessary complications and rules that took away from God’s true purpose for the sabbath. Jesus intentionally went out of His way to publicly heal people on the Sabbath to do two main things: to show that He is God and the true lord of the Sabbath, and thus the one who reveals the true intent of the sabbath, and to show that He was inaugurating the kingdom of God, and the eternity that would follow. He healed and forgave others to show them the true meaning of rest and renewal that God wanted for Israel, and ultimately all of humanity (Luke 6:1-11).

God didn’t want His people to simply stop working and cease to do anything, especially things He called good. God calls love, healing, mercy, and forgiveness good things, and thus were not only allowed on the sabbath, but encouraged. Any act that brings rest, reconciliation, healing, and community is an act in the true spirit of the sabbath. Jesus gave them a taste of the eternal sabbath that He would return and bring to the world. Israel was always supposed to be His human partners on earth that would act as priests to the nations, bringing them blessings (Exodus 19:5-6). This mission is carried on by any person who follows after Christ and has dedicated their lives to continuing Jesus’ inauguration of His kingdom here on earth. Christians pray and work towards the expansion of the kingdom of God, bringing rest to all nations in joyful hope of the day when God makes all things new, and gives us rest. Christians should not only be agents of rest to the world, but receivers of rest. We should encourage and cultivate a release from past burdens and guilt. A rest from constant worry and anxious planning. An abandonment of self-reliance and worldly success. Our struggles and weariness don’t magically disappear when we start following Christ. As we continue to trust Christ and offer over our pain, struggles, weariness, anxiety, we will find rest in Him more and more. The more we find rest in Christ, the more we can help bring His rest to others.

 

WRITTEN BY PHIL COSELLI

How A Disney Princess Defined True Love
by Justin Gingrich|February 7, 2020September 11, 2020

In the Princess Diaries, Mia (Anne Hathaway) is a socially awkward high school girl who is kind of a major dork. Her hair is so frizzy that comb handles literally snap off in the snarls, she runs into trash cans on her scooter, and she routinely gets sat on at school. People find her so invisible that as they begin to sit down on a chair, they don’t even notice that she is already in it! Then Mia’s life changes one afternoon when she is invited to have tea with her mysterious grandmother from Europe. It turns out that Mia is the long-lost princess of Genovia and her country needs her to return home and rule. The high school dork must transform herself into a stately princess. Instead of just letting it go or building a snowman, she forces herself to learn all the appropriate princess behaviors: sitting up straight, combing her hair, wearing a crown with heels, and dancing like royalty. Everyone notices her. She goes from being invisible to being the star in everyone’s eye.

Soon however, Mia begins to realize that most of the love and affection she begins receiving is shallow. Now, people love her because she is a princess, not for who she is. But there was one person who has loved Mia from the very beginning: Michael. He’s a boy from Mia’s old high school and he’s had a crush on her from the very beginning – while she was still invisible, while she was still a total dork. At the end of the movie, Mia invites Michael to be her date at the royal ball and the two share a romantic, heartfelt, Disney choreographed kiss. Then Michael asks Mia, “Why me?” Afterall, he’s just a high school nerd and she is a princess. Why did she pick him when she could have had anyone she wanted? She is certainly not short of admirers now. And Mia replies, “Because you saw me when I was truly invisible.”

Mia understood something – true, deep, authentic, real love comes from seeing someone while they are “invisible”; in their least impressive state, and loving them still. Michael had loved Mia while she was still getting sat on in the school cafeteria, while comb handles were breaking off in her frizzy hair, while her only mode of transportation was an awkward scooter instead of a princess motorcade. That’s how she knew Michael’s love was real. Michael loved her regardless of whether she was an invisible dork or a princess.

Paul tells us in Romans 5 that “when we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.” Many of us feel we must earn God’s love, or at least maintain a certain moral or spiritual level to keep from losing it. But Paul tells us that God loved us while we were helpless. Paul doesn’t say that God loved us when we came to our senses, or stopped making so many mistakes, or got our act together, or once we could actually bring something to the table. He doesn’t even say that God loved us once we started loving Him. In fact, he says just the opposite – our friendship with God was restored by the death of His Son while we were still his enemies (Rom. 5:10). Michael loved Mia when she was truly invisible. God loved us when we were His helpless enemies.

This is good news for all of us! It reassures those of us who have anxiety or fear of losing God’s love after we’ve made a mistake that we can’t lose it. God loved us way before that mistake, and He’ll love us way after it, too. Fortunately, that mistake was not a condition of God’s love and care for us.
Those of us who struggle with perfectionism can also find rest here. If God loved us as His helpless enemies, then no amount of perfection or spiritual discipline (or lack thereof) will change the overwhelming love God has for us. It can’t. Our pursuit of perfection had no bearing on God’s love for us before, and it never will.

I know that doesn’t sound right, but that’s who God is and that’s how God loves. John reinforces this idea when he tells us, “this is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins” (1 John 4:1). When we start to believe that God will only love us when are good enough, or when we pray enough, or are spiritual enough, or have overcome our character defects enough, we are actually cheapening God’s love. We see God’s love more like the paparazzi’s love for Mia – only interested in us when we are presentable and stately. We make His love out to be superficial and shallow when it isn’t. Love that loves only when it’s easy to love, isn’t really love, its superficial, just like Mia discovered. Michael had affection for her at all times, even when she was invisible to most people around her. Love that loves when we are invisible, when we are helpless, when we are objectionable, when we don’t have it all together, is real love – it is who God is and the kind of love He has for us.

Do We Have to Talk About It?
by Justin Gingrich|February 7, 2020September 11, 2020

Whenever Christians start talking about “sin” many of us cringe. We have seen Christians “decrying” the evils of sin, when really they’re just expounding upon their own personal prejudices or sensitivities. Often those who talk about sin are far less interested in actually discussing the dangerous reality of sin, and far more interested in shaming or excluding others. This leaves many of us wishing we could just not have the conversation. Yet, the Bible talks about sin often – Jesus warned against it (Matt 5:29), God says it’s dangerous and destructive (Gen 4:7), Paul claims it even leads to death (Rom 6:23). So why does the Bible talk about sin? And why is it so dangerous?

In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry is wandering around Hogwarts when he comes across the Mirror of Erised (which is “desire” spelled backwards). When he looks into the mirror he sees “the deepest, most desperate desires of his heart” fulfilled and reflected back at him. Which of course for Harry means seeing himself reunited with his long-deceased parents whom he has never really known. When Harry’s pal Ron looks into the mirror, he sees himself outshining his older brothers to whom he has always felt inferior. But alas, the reflections are only an illusion! They aren’t real. The mirror will never actually produce what their hearts desire, it produces only an illusion. Dumbledore eventually warns Harry about spending too much time in front of the mirror. He tells Harry that the mirror must be hidden because “men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen”.

Dumbledore recognized the dangerous, destructive nature of the Mirror of Erised, that is why he chose to hide it. He knew it would never actually bring about what one desired. It could only bring about an illusion. It could only drive “men mad from not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible”. Sin operates very similarly to the Mirror of Erised. Sin forces us to live in an illusion. When the serpent deceived Adam into eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he did it by suggesting that Adam would be “like God” (Gen 3:5). Unfortunately, that was a lie, an illusion. Disobeying God by eating the fruit did not give Adam the result he wanted.

But that’s how it works, sin starts in the imagination and tricks us into thinking we can get what we desire by indulging in it. It tricks us into thinking we can get – justification through revenge, security by ignoring our neighbor in need, contentment from a life of greed, satisfaction through manipulation and dishonest gain, peace by way of war, happiness by always putting ourselves first, self-worth by putting others down, or sexual and relational fulfillment through extramarital affairs or pornography.

Revenge, manipulation, greed, bloodshed, violence, selfishness, pornography and slander, just like the Mirror of Erised, will never actually give us the results we want. We only think they will. But that is a lie. James tells us in 1:14-15, “Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.” And so like those in front of the Mirror of Erised, like Adam in front of the tree of good and evil, we live in a fantasy with the illusion that indulging in sin will bring about what we desire. When we do this, we are “enticed and dragged away” as sin brings death to our souls and our hearts.

So why is sin dangerous? Because it tricks us. It forces us to live in an illusion – to live a lie. But praise God that when there is sin, there is even more grace (Rom 5:20)! The grace of Jesus saves us from our sin and its lies. The early Christians had a beautiful word for this – recipiscentia – which literally means “coming to one’s senses again.” When Christians were saved by grace, or recipiscentia, they were freed from the illusions that sin had brought about in their lives. As they came to their senses, they realized life and salvation could not be found in the places they were accustomed to looking for them in – power, control, wealth, domination, imperialism, sex, male superiority, classism. Life and salvation came to them through Jesus. He was now their source of life. And as John tells us, He is the source of all life. He is not an illusion. So when our hearts are directed towards Him, they are directed towards the Truth, towards the Light, towards Life (Jn 1:3-4).

Why Are We Named Restore?
by Justin Gingrich|January 21, 2020September 11, 2020

Want to Know Why We Are Named Restore?

To understand why our church is named Restore, it is helpful to understand where we are in God’s story. Such a story can be roughly summarized into three different chapters (Yes, I’m about to try and summarize the story of the Bible in this email. But don’t worry! It’s not as lengthy as one might fear!).

Chapter One: Creation
The beginning of this story that we are a part of starts in Genesis (Gen 1 & 2). God builds Himself a home in the Garden of Eden and then, in an act of love, He places us at the very center of it (Gen 2:8;15). What this tells us is that from the very beginning God wanted to be with us, to share His life with us, to love us, to be close to us, to walk with us, to be our friend (Gen 3:8). He invited us into His home.

Chapter Two: Brokenness
We were created and placed in the garden to live in harmony and peace with one another and with God. But then something happens, in the famous story, Adam and Eve listen to the serpent who deceives them into eating fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Gen 3:1-6) – something God had told them not to do because they would certainly die (Gen 2:17). God knew that if humanity chose its own path by eating the fruit, evil, death and brokenness would inevitably follow for everyone (Rom 5:12-19). Immediately Adam and Eve begin to blame each other for their mistake, mistrust between people began that day (Gen 3:12-13). Yet, even here God was graceful. He comes to talk to them about their decision, not as an angry, vengeful God, but as a caring and concerned friend (Gen 3:8-11). He covers their shame (Gen 3:21). Then in a beautiful promise to Adam and Eve declares that He will undo what they have done that day (Gen 3:15). Someone will come. Someone who will redeem, renew and restore.

Chapter Three: Restoration
After death and brokenness enter the world, God in His love for us and for this earth, begins to work things together to restore all things (Jn 3:16). We know from Chapter One that this earth is His home and that He built it to be with us. We know from Chapter Two that humanity chose a path that was not part of God’s plan for them, and so brought in death, destruction, abuse, conflict, mistrust and sin. But remember that promise from Chapter 2? That promise was fulfilled when Jesus was killed on a cross and three days later rose from the dead. He went from death to life. A change, a reversal, a renewal has started in Jesus first and is now beginning to spread to the rest of creation. When death was forced upon Him, Jesus overcame it with life. But it was not just death that Jesus came to reverse – Jesus came to reverse the values of our hearts. Jesus showed us how to pursue compassion instead of self-preservation (Matt 5:38-42), sacrifice instead of power (Jn 13:1-5), humility instead of pride (Jn 6:38), love instead of hate (Matt 5:43-48), and acceptance instead of judgement (Jn 8:9-11). Jesus is called our “cornerstone” or “first fruit” because a cornerstone is the first stone that is laid down when constructing a building before all the rest of the bricks are laid (Eph 2:19-22), and the first fruit is the very first to be reaped from a harvest where many more will follow (1 Cor 15:20-26). Jesus was the first to reverse the process of death and to bring compassion peace, love and humility to people around Him. The restoration of all things started with Jesus.

And that’s where we come in to the story. We are in the middle of Chapter Three – the restoration! The work of Jesus continues in us, His church. He will eventually return to complete the work that He started all the way back in Chapter One, but until then He has tasked His church with bringing about the restoration of all things and of all people.

And that’s why our church is named Restore! Our church name reminds us of where we are in the story and that we are a part of the story, this story of restoration. It reminds us that He is restoring all things, and all people – the guilty to grace, the shamed to dignity, the doubters to discovery, the abused to justice, the outsiders to embrace, the addicted to freedom, the hopeless to purpose, the anxious to stillness. He has tasked us with doing this great work (Matt 5:13-16). Eventually the world will be restored (Rev 21 & 22). Love and peace will once again rule and we will live with God and in harmony with one another.

Want to Know Why We Are Named Restore?

To understand why our church is named Restore, it is helpful to understand where we are in God’s story. Such a story can be roughly summarized into three different chapters (Yes, I’m about to try and summarize the story of the Bible in this email. But don’t worry! It’s not as lengthy as one might fear!).

Chapter One: Creation
The beginning of this story that we are a part of starts in Genesis (Gen 1 & 2). God builds Himself a home in the Garden of Eden and then, in an act of love, He places us at the very center of it (Gen 2:8;15). What this tells us is that from the very beginning God wanted to be with us, to share His life with us, to love us, to be close to us, to walk with us, to be our friend (Gen 3:8). He invited us into His home.

Chapter Two: Brokenness
We were created and placed in the garden to live in harmony and peace with one another and with God. But then something happens, in the famous story, Adam and Eve listen to the serpent who deceives them into eating fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Gen 3:1-6) – something God had told them not to do because they would certainly die (Gen 2:17). God knew that if humanity chose its own path by eating the fruit, evil, death and brokenness would inevitably follow for everyone (Rom 5:12-19). Immediately Adam and Eve begin to blame each other for their mistake, mistrust between people began that day (Gen 3:12-13). Yet, even here God was graceful. He comes to talk to them about their decision, not as an angry, vengeful God, but as a caring and concerned friend (Gen 3:8-11). He covers their shame (Gen 3:21). Then in a beautiful promise to Adam and Eve declares that He will undo what they have done that day (Gen 3:15). Someone will come. Someone who will redeem, renew and restore.

Chapter Three: Restoration
After death and brokenness enter the world, God in His love for us and for this earth, begins to work things together to restore all things (Jn 3:16). We know from Chapter One that this earth is His home and that He built it to be with us. We know from Chapter Two that humanity chose a path that was not part of God’s plan for them, and so brought in death, destruction, abuse, conflict, mistrust and sin. But remember that promise from Chapter 2? That promise was fulfilled when Jesus was killed on a cross and three days later rose from the dead. He went from death to life. A change, a reversal, a renewal has started in Jesus first and is now beginning to spread to the rest of creation. When death was forced upon Him, Jesus overcame it with life. But it was not just death that Jesus came to reverse – Jesus came to reverse the values of our hearts. Jesus showed us how to pursue compassion instead of self-preservation (Matt 5:38-42), sacrifice instead of power (Jn 13:1-5), humility instead of pride (Jn 6:38), love instead of hate (Matt 5:43-48), and acceptance instead of judgement (Jn 8:9-11). Jesus is called our “cornerstone” or “first fruit” because a cornerstone is the first stone that is laid down when constructing a building before all the rest of the bricks are laid (Eph 2:19-22), and the first fruit is the very first to be reaped from a harvest where many more will follow (1 Cor 15:20-26). Jesus was the first to reverse the process of death and to bring compassion peace, love and humility to people around Him. The restoration of all things started with Jesus.

And that’s where we come in to the story. We are in the middle of Chapter Three – the restoration! The work of Jesus continues in us, His church. He will eventually return to complete the work that He started all the way back in Chapter One, but until then He has tasked His church with bringing about the restoration of all things and of all people.

And that’s why our church is named Restore! Our church name reminds us of where we are in the story and that we are a part of the story, this story of restoration. It reminds us that He is restoring all things, and all people – the guilty to grace, the shamed to dignity, the doubters to discovery, the abused to justice, the outsiders to embrace, the addicted to freedom, the hopeless to purpose, the anxious to stillness. He has tasked us with doing this great work (Matt 5:13-16). Eventually the world will be restored (Rev 21 & 22). Love and peace will once again rule and we will live with God and in harmony with one another.

Advent
by Justin Gingrich|January 21, 2020September 11, 2020

Advent Can Be Celebrated Only By Those Whose Souls Give Them No Peace

Those words were written by German theologian and pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer from his prison cell only months before he was hanged by the Nazis for his involvement in an attempt to assassinate Hitler. Bonhoeffer’s life was full of unexpected turns that never worked out the way he hoped – he lived out twelve years of his life in constant conflict with the Gestapo after being cutoff mid-sermon for warning his congregation about the “Fuhrer concept”, many of his theology students were killed in the war, his parents’ house was destroyed in an allied bombing raid, he only saw his fiancé one hour a month while in prison (and never had a chance to marry her), his orchestration of an attempt to assassinate Hitler had failed, and he was executed only ten days before the Third Reich collapsed.

And yet, Bonhoeffer lived with an unshakable peace. During Advent, in one of his final letters to his fiancé, he wrote, “I used to be very fond of thinking up and buying presents, but now that we have nothing to give, the gift God gave us in the birth of Christ will seem all the more glorious.”

He compared the Christmas season to life in prison by noting that in both “one does this, that, or the other – things that are really of no consequence” while waiting with hope to be rescued. He realized the “emptier our hands” and “the poorer our quarters” the “more clearly we perceive what is truly essential” – that is Christ has come for us, He lives in our hearts and nothing can take that away.

This holiday season many will find themselves discouraged. We are barraged with Christmas stories and Hallmark movies with happy endings full of “Christmas miracles”– families are reconciled and reunited, love is found, the illness is cured, Santa is real, Buddy Elf finds his dad, McClane rescues his wife and knocks the bad guy off a roof (See what I did there? It is a Christmas movie.), Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree was the right one after all – and it’s easy for us to feel like we should be happier, our life should be more complete, our relationships more whole, our work more meaningful. It’s easy to be more aware of our own incompleteness because pictures and stories of completeness abound everywhere (most of which are not actually true or exaggerated, by the way). All the ways we have tried “this, that or the other” in life and found them to be of no consequence may be fresh on our minds.

Bonhoeffer would say that the more incomplete we feel, the more our hearts are driven towards our ultimate hope – life in Jesus. When we are broken, waiting, or helpless, we can see and know His love most clearly. When that happens, we realize that it is Jesus and His love for us that really truly matters. This Christmas, let our ultimate unshakable peace be found, not in “Christmas miracles”, our accomplishments, health, progress or even family (although those are all things to be grateful for), but rather let it be in the fact that we are #neveralone. That Jesus has come and lives in our hearts. That He has gone to any length to be with us. He is our unshakable hope. Being loved by Him, sought by Him, and restored in Him is something that can never be taken away, even if nothing else in our life has worked out the way we thought it would.

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