Inner View

By Pastor Bob Kelly

The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest. Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. (Ezekiel 37:1-6)

These are days when the Spirit of the Lord is moving mightily and speaking about what He is doing on the earth. He is revealing His plan and purpose to His people as they yield themselves to Him. These are days of not only hearing the voice of God, but stepping out and obeying what we hear. James says "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." James 1:22 This calls for radical obedience, instant obedience, a boldness to hear and obey, NOW. God can do all things, but He desires to do them through a people who are submitted to Him and are willing to lay down their lives for His sake. It takes radical participation.

"So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army." (Ezekiel 37:7-10)

We are coming into times and seasons, and are here, where out of our secret place, God is speaking and we are listening, and as we obey, the moment we obey, we will begin to see the hand of God do exactly what He told us ahead of time would happen. This is where Peter and John were at the Gate Beautiful. They were going about the Father's business and all of a sudden they were caught away in the Spirit and began to prophesy... healing came and one more was brought into glory.

God is raising up a generation of Spirit-filled people that are not ashamed of the gospel, but are a blazing fire in the desert, with the words of God burning on the inside of them, just waiting for the Father to say, "Go! Go tell that one about Me!" "There, prophesy to that person, speak to those bones, breathe life into them."

"Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD." (Ezekiel 37:11-14)

He goes on to say that He is going to bring His people into their land and put His Spirit in them and settle them and that they will know that God has spoken.

The rest of the chapter talks about gathering the people of God from all around and bringing unity, and there will no longer be division. He says that no longer will the people defile themselves with idols and that He will save and cleanse them,and then He says: "I will be their God, and they shall be my people." (Ezekiel 37:27) He will make an everlasting covenant with them and put his sanctuary among them forever and all nations will know that it is the Lord who makes Israel holy.

We are a holy priesthood, a chosen generation, a peculiar people to show forth the praises of our God. To walk in and by His Spirit and to not shrink back from the call that is on His Church. I challenge you today to give yourselves completely to Him and His plan, to continue to walk worthy of the calling and begin to believe even more radically that is is you whom God has anointed as a people to prophesy to a lost and hopeless generation, as servants and witnesses of what you have seen and heard. "But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me." (Acts 26:16-18)

Explosion

RFC Youth Group

"Here I am, Lord!"

By Betsy C.

You could never imagine or describe the feeling you get when the Holy Spirit comes over you until you have experienced it for yourself. I experienced this realness for the first time a few weeks ago. As many people have told me, I am "a changed person," thanks to God's amazing grace and forgiveness. God never gave up on me in my rebellious life and that's why I am writing this today.

I grew up in a Christian home with Godly parents as models. We went to church every Sunday morning and I could tell you a lot about God and the Bible, but that never satisfied me and I didn't know why. Now I do. I was missing a personal relationship with Jesus. I couldn't or didn't want to see that, so I just fell deeper and deeper into sin and away from God.

When my parents decided we should start attending Restoration Church I was far from thrilled and I tried every excuse I could get out of going, but my parents didn't give in. Then I started to see something different in people there. I couldn't have told you what it was, but I had never seen it or felt it before in my life. When my mom asked me if I would go with her to the Women's Conference in Kirksville, I said yes, not even imagining it would change my life forever. I had no real intention of growing or changing from the trip; it was just a break from school. But it was really the breaking point of something wondrous. God had heard the prayers of the people around me and He melted away at my heart. I won't tell you every detail, but God opened my eyes and I couldn't fight Him any more. When a few of God's women took my hand and prayed with me at an altar call, God took my sin, filled my heart, and changed my life. My heart became alive and I felt like I would burst.

Now there is a passion and intensity inside of me that will burn forever. I have realized that I am a daughter of the most high God and I have been redeemed. I am a new creation and I dedicate my life to the will and the purposes of God. "Here I am, Lord!".

Home Groups

It's about the Kingdom

By Rick F.

"Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all." 1 Chronicles 29:11

So much at Restoration Church shatters the denominational systems of my past. The one hour Wednesday night Bible Study where the pastor spoke and the rest of us listened hoping we'd make it home for the 8:00 p.m. television show now seems so distant and shallow.

• Home groups are about relationship.
• They are about covenant.
• They are about anticipating the Word of God AS HE SPEAKS and not as we have prepared for Him to speak.

And in our Home Group, God is showing up! And He's speaking. And He's melting us together in relationship and covenant. I think that means Home Groups are accomplishing what leadership has designed them to accomplish. And it's all good.

In the last few weeks God has spoken to us about many things. At least three are highlighted in this article.

We are all students in the "Training School." As Pastor Dave has spoken in the last year about God's vision for a Training School, we have come to realize that the Home Groups ARE the Training School. Not to suggest that an actual Leadership Training School facility or curriculum is not going to be developed at some point. Just that the 100 or so of us that are a part of the Home Groups process are already being trained for leadership. It's not only about the pastors anymore. We are all ministers. And Home Groups are training and equipping us to grow the kingdom.

We are all "called" to Intercessory Prayer. The American Church mindset of the past says that certain people are "called" or "gifted" to be intercessors. God has been speaking to us that we ALL are to be engages in prayer for others. We ALL need to press in and get on our face interceding for the lost, the prodigals, the leaders of our city, and our region. He has set us on fire to push through boundaries and cross over thresholds through radical intercessory prayer.

It's not only about the "gift" of intercessory prayer anymore. We are all intercessors. And our Home Group spends time each week praying for the newly saved, for the prodigals, for marriages, for the Kingdom.

We are all to be Salt and Light. We have come to realize that to be a part of what God is doing in this House will require us to reconsider our roles at work, at school, in our families - even with our other church friends. We can't just act one way during the week and another at church on the weekend. We must be more bold and courageous, and as the Spirit leads, be willing to speak truth into the lives of those whose paths we cross. We must judge in love. We must always be seeking an opportunity to shine the light of Christ in a dark world and season the spoiled lives of sin.

In our Home Group God has spoken that we are all called to be ministers, all called to be intercessors, all called to be salt and light. It's not about the pastors anymore. It's about us. It's about the kingdom.

Kid's Church News

By Elijah M.

In Kid's Church we are experiencing a season of intimacy with God. Be aware that in Kid's Church our kids aren't just learning or being taught stories and principles that entertain, but the goal is to see them having experiences in God that draw them deeper into a life-long relationship with Him.

As we teach our kids how to know God, I am seeing and learning all over again how simple it is to know Christ. As a young adult, I am constantly battling the pressures of being legalistic and trying to "earn" my relationship with God. But Jesus prescribed a different approach to knowing God... to come like a child. (Matthew 18:1-5)

As our kids grow up and move through the teen and young adult years, having a correct relationship and understanding with Christ will mature them at a faster rate than when we grew up. Isn't this the goal of a Godly legacy?

I would encourage those of you who have children to understand that Kid's Church isn't a place where we "baby-sit" your kids, but a place where seeds of God are planted and watered for the future.

As we teach in Kid's Church, prepare to have encounters with your kids that are a result of their time in God's presence... "for of such is the kingdom of God." (Mark 10:14)

I am anticipating what God is going to do next in Kid's Church and to see that these kids are experiencing God in ever-increasing depths. Wow! With all that is going on, to Christ be the glory in the Church.

A Tribute to Fathers

The Responsibility of Fatherhood

By Bill H. - unedited

Fathers have many responsibilities. They need to meet the needs of their family in every area - physical, emotional, spiritual, etcetera. Sometimes fathers seem stretched to the breaking point today in trying to meet the needs of their family, attending to all the things that others want them to do, and still finding time to meet some of their own needs. As with mothers, there is never enough of a father to go around in the kid's eyes.

Fatherhood is so often only taken in the context of a father's relationship to his children. Yet, it is the example of a husband and wife loving each other that these kids see every day. If a father's daily example of love for his wife is poor, it will affect his sons and daughters in subtle and damaging ways. My hope for the next year is that all fathers reading this letter will show their love for their wives more often. Live each day as if it were your last.

I'm not suggesting that this alone will solve all problems in the family. There is too much time spent dedicated to personal pursuits in the country for that to be true. For fathers, these include work, commuting to work, travel for work, TV, TV sports, playing sports, church, fishing, hunting, and other time consuming activities that pull at the fabric of families. While our family is pretty well balanced with some of these, other activities like our website consume equally large shares of this father's time.

But, if you love your wife, and actively demonstrate it, there is a much better chance that your marriage will last. Having a father around who takes an active part in the family life and who is in a loving relationship with his wife is one of the biggest success factors for kids today. It is one that is under great attack as marriages dissolve and kids are left to pick up the pieces. It will help the kids out emotionally (even if you think fathers don't have much input in this area) and lend a stability that is critical to a kid's development. Kids need constants, and the family relationship between mom and dad is of paramount importance.

Many in the church have been hurt by fathers who didn't stick around - who let love die. Only God can heal breakups such as these, and then, only if both parties are willing to change. Most times today, either one or both parties can't change. In other cases, death has torn families apart. Many times the deaths have not been preventable, but there are times when the father was doing something he should not have been doing and an accident claimed him before his time. Take care of yourselves, fathers. Your kids are counting on you.

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;" Eph. 5:25

How do we show are love and make our marriages stronger?

• Put the problems of the past behind you. Obviously, consequences may continue for some time, but dwelling on the problems or mistakes of the past doesn't do any good. Don't keep score. Let bygones be bygones. Forgive and forget. I've run out of well worn cliches, but you get the point. You've got better things to remember - like your wife's birthday, your anniversary, her favorite colors, etcetera.

• If you bicker and spat with your wife, stop it. She is the woman you loved and married. Every argument you have, every criticism, and every fight makes a lie of the love you say you have for your wife. The kids need to see your love for your wife demonstrated each day. Don't think they don't know what is going on just because you try to keep your arguments out of sight and earshot. Kids have great hearing and are great at reading parents mood swings.

• Demonstrations of love don't involve just kisses and hugs, although these are very important for your kids to see.

  Help your wife out around the house. Find several things around the house you can do to make her life easier, and do them without being asked. Helping with the kids, picking up after yourself, helping with the dishes, vacuuming, dusting, and other household chores aren't magic or particularly tough. They are work. If you help out, your wife will have more time to spend with you, and the time she does have will be more special. If she works outside the home - even part time - this is an especially important point.

  If your sons see you doing these things, it will be easier for them to overcome the macho tough guy image everyone wants to instill and will make their marriages better. If your daughters see you, they might be more willing to ask for help from their husbands when they need it in their marriage.

• Love your kids, spend time with them, play with them, read to them, train them up in the way they should go. You will enjoy each one's development, but try to keep your love for each balanced. Don't play favorites. Along the way, find some special time for just you and your wife on a routine basis. Put her first in your heart, and put her needs and desires above yours often. She deserves no less...

Some Duties of Fathers

• Bring kids to Christ; Mt. 19:13,14
• Train them; Eph. 6:4
• Instruct them in God's word; Isa. 38:19
• Tell them of God's judgments; Joel 1:3
• Tell them of the miraculous works of God; Ps. 78:4
• Command them to obey God; 1 Chr. 28:9
• Bless them; Heb. 11:20
• Pity them; Ps. 103:13
• Provide for them; 1 Tim. 5:8
• Rule them; 1 Tim. 3:4
• Correct them; Pr. 29:17
• Don't provoke them; Eph. 6:4; Col. 3:21

Pray for your kids

• For their spiritual welfare; 1 Chr. 29:19
• When in temptation Job 1:5
• When in sickness 2 Sam. 12:16; Mk. 5:23

Fathers to be Honored

By Delane B.

As Mother's Day came I recalled the wonderful memories of my mother during my youth. I believe I have been quite blessed with my mother and the memories that I have of her. She was patient with me, not quick to anger, loved me through all the stages of my life. It was always so easy to love my mother as she had a gentle and kind spirit even when I was in trouble.

Father's Day, however, I look inward. How are my wife and my children going to remember me? What am I teaching them and what am I standing for? Project the perfect image of Jesus in your mind. To name only a few: Truthful, gentle, loving, dedicated, forgiving, understanding, faithful, teacher. Now put an overlay of yourself up. How close do you come? I wish it would appear as only one image but my image distorts the picture. TO notice imperfection and to desire for an image like Christ is the start to becoming more like Him. Are your family, parents, and grandchildren important enough to you that you desire to be a holy example to them? Children tend to desire to be like you or despise you.

"Lord, I want to be just like You, 'cause
  he wants to be just like me.

I want to be a holy example, for his
  innocent eyes to see.

Help me be living by the Lord, that my
  little boy can be,

I want to be just like You, 'cause he
  wants to be like me."

Jesus came to be a holy and living example because He wants us to be just like Him. Is Jesus important enough to you that you desire to live holy before Him? Let us not make today a day for us fathers, but fathers, let us make it a day to be more understanding, forgiving and gentle; that by honoring Him, who created and saves us, we be honored.

"For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:" 1 Peter 2:21

Mission Vision

Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15

By Karen F.

On Saturday, a missionary couple visited us. The man's heart for the people of his country, Nepal, was evident through his humble demeanor and passion for the Word of God. Nepal is predominately Hindu which worships approximately 330 million idols. The caste system and belief in "karma" results in little to no concern for the hundreds of thousands of widows, orphans and poor. Because of their desperate situations, many women turn to prostitution to support themselves; families sell their young female members to the illegal prostitution market.

You can understand the hopelessness of these oppressed people. He and his fellow believers offer hope in the Lord Jesus to these women. The opposition to Christianity in Nepal seems enormous, but through the power of the Holy Spirit, the believers of Nepal can and will make a difference. They are ministering to the physical needs of the people and preaching the gospel of Christ.

What I appreciated about him was his simple belief in the Word of God. Concerning evangelism, he said, "We don't have to pray about it. The Word of God says, "Go," so we should go. It is my personal prayer and the prayer of others in this house to return to that kind of faith. If the Word says it, it is true, and we should believe it.

Another point of view that was clear on Saturday night was the financial abundance we have in this country. I was convicted by the thought, "What good is our money if we cannot help those whose lives and souls have been trampled by the enemy?" As he presented a need to move an orphanage from one district in Nepal to another, the believers present were obedient and gave generously for our brothers and sisters in Nepal. God enabled our body to give $3,900, which more than met his need.

Praise God that even though the enemy has stolen much from these precious people, the Lord Jesus can bring freedom and restoration.

Pray for Nepal:

• Pray for continued finances to flow to Barnabas and his fellow laborers.
• Pray for the believers in Nepal to stand strong in the face of persecution.
• Pray for opportunity and increased freedom to preach the Gospel.
• Pray that the devotion directed toward idol worship would be turned into devotion to the Living God.

RFC Body Life

Dear Restoration Church:

Thank you Bob K., Joe W., Bernie and Mary T., Kris K., Ryan and Aaron L., David D., Dan K., Jennifer W., and Raul G. so much for helping us move on Saturday, May 18. Also thanks to Pastor Dave and Scott S. for the loan of their trucks, and to the women who organized and fed Derek and Victorya, as well as the movers. We appreciate you all so much and could not have done it without you.

God bless you for giving up part of your day to help us! Thanks again.

Love,

Derek, LaurieSue, Victorya, and Noah

Thanks was directed to Restoration Church from Tom R. for all the help he and Young received as they prepared to move to Denver. To each of you who helped them pack boxes, clean the house, load the truck, and feed them lunch, Thank You very much. Your help was an encouragement and a blessing.

Thoughts about Giving

By Karen F.

A few weeks ago I was convicted by the Lord as I read 2 Corinthians 8:1-7. In this text, Paul is talking about the Macedonian believers giving a financial gift to the believers in Jerusalem. I imagine the Macedonian church was smaller in comparison and vs. 2 says they were extremely poor. I can imagine Paul excusing them from giving. But listen to the heart of these Macedonian believers... "For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God." 2 Corinthians 8:3-5.

These Macedonians were radical! They were under "severe tribulation and extreme poverty," yet they were insistently begging Paul and the leadership to let them give to the saints in Jerusalem! And not only that, they purposed to help and do whatever else needed to be done. I believe I saw some of that heart when the missionary spoke to us. I believe our eyes are being opened to know that we are knit together with all believers across the globe. We are blessed financially in this country. May we have the heart to give relief and support to our brothers and sisters in need.

Special Report

River Bend Ranch Retreat and Conference Center- not just the place where the Limmer's live.

By Rick F.

"There is a river that flows that makes glad the people of God."

River Bend Ranch Retreat and Conference Center is an outreach of Restoration Ministries - which is us.

Many people in the church know that a ranch exists where the Limmer's live. Some understand that there is a sort of retreat there as well. In truth, the River Bend Ranch Retreat and Conference Center is a sleeping giant of Restoration Ministries. No longer!

God has been revealing to us that this is a timer of His favor. He has been challenging us to be bolder, pray harder, reach further than we ever have before. And we're obeying. And the River Bend Ranch has a role to play in the unfolding of this Kingdom-building drama. It's not just the place where the Limmer's live.

• It's a place of restoration and renewal.
• It's a place of rest and prayer.
• It's four fully furnished guest rooms, a central kitchen and dining area, a spacious living room, and laundry facilities.
• It's situation on 300 acres of Wyoming range land with two miles of river frontage.
• It's a ranch with breath-taking scenery where wildlife might show up, where fishing, hiking, horseback riding, canoeing, float trips, and tons more can occur year-round.
• It's an outreach of Restoration Ministries.
• It's a place where we, as ministers in this House, can serve and pour out.

The sleeping giant is waking up! For several years bits and pieces of the Retreat have been built through the passion of Dave and Beth Limmer. Many sacrifices of finances and time have been put into the vision. Now it's time for this House to move it forward in power and might to reach the ministers of the Gospel. And we're getting started.

A new web page (Existing page) marketing the Retreat is in process and should be up by June. The financial infrastructure and ranch operation plan is almost complete. Matt and Winnie S. are serving as managers for the Retreat. It's on its way!

But it's not complete. There is still some construction that needs to be done. A sun room needs to be built, a sign on the roadside needs to be constructed. Showers, a gym and other amenities need to be built. And, perhaps more than anything, we need to get the word out that it exists. In the near future, brochures will be available for you to mail to friends and display at your place of business. BOTTOM LINE: We need to develop further resources to further develop this property.

If you haven't ever been out there, plan to come out. Rick F. or Matt or Winnie S. will be glad to lay out the vision of the River Bend Ranch Retreat and Conference Center - an outreach of Restoration Ministries.

By the way - that's us!