The times of refreshing

Acts 3:19

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

Peter preaches one of his most powerful messages in Acts 3. He was preaching this message to those who had gathered in the temple as a result of the healing of the lame man at the Beautiful gate. The people saw that the man who had been lame from his mother’s womb had been fully healed. And therefore, they looked on the apostles to see where this power had come from. But Peter immediately deflected all glory to the Lord. He preached the name of Jesus! He told the people that it was through faith in the name of Christ that this man now had perfect soundness before everyone.

Peter here preaches about the man whom they had just killed, the Prince of life whom they delivered up and desired a murderer to be granted instead. But Peter tells them it was through ignorance that it was done, and that they could themselves be saved! Only repent! Be converted! Anyone could be converted, even the very murderers who killed our Lord. Christ could be their Savior just the same. Repent and be converted, Peter says, that your sins may be blotted out. How we praise God that He blots out our sins through the blood of Christ! And this is to be fully realized when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. What a time this will be! How we long for it! The times of refreshing! The times of restitution of all things! Which has been promised since the world began! All things shall be refreshed, renewed, and restored! This world shall be done away, and another ushered in in its place of perfect peace and joy. Sin shall be destroyed, death shall be brought to subjection, and Christ shall rule forever! All things shall be refreshed!

Now, dear friend, think today on this great truth. Think on how there shall be a great restitution of all things. We must not fixate our eyes upon the deterioration and degeneracy of this world. It has, no doubt, been degraded and derogated to the lowest level imaginable. But think today! This is not how it will stay! All shall be restored! Yea, we ourselves shall be restored to the sinless, incorruptible state that God first designed us to be. All things, during the rule of Christ in His second coming, shall be restored. What a glorious day this shall be! A great refreshing! Let us long for this with great anticipation, and look to the One who shall make all things new. Every thing bad shall be gone, and every thing good shall be revealed. Praise His name for this!

“Father, we thank you for this promise—the promise of the restoration and restitution of all things. The refreshing of all things back to their original state. Remind us when we become somewhat downcast that all things will be made new one day. We look for this day. Oh Lord Jesus, come quickly! And we ask and pray these things in Jesus’ name, Amen.”