Reflection  ·  June 30, 2026

Bible Course & Prayer Meeting  ·  6:00 PM

Citizens of HEAVEN · Living on Earth

“GOD’s eyes are not on your past. HE’s on your future.”

Pastor Angel Luis Rosa opened this session of the Restoration Series by reminding the family at The Gathering Church that GOD always has a word — not just information, but revelation. Week 1 and Week 2 of this study traced when and how restoration begins. This session, Week 3, turned to the next question every restored believer eventually asks: now what?

It is the plan of GOD to restore His people to their rightful place — to give each of us an assignment and the grace to carry it out. Pastor Rosa outlined seven concrete steps for discovering and living out a GOD-given purpose, drawn directly from Scripture and from his own forty years of ministry.

Revelation 12:11

The first step is simple but costly: testify. Pastor Rosa reminded the congregation that the last thing the enemy wants is for a believer to give GOD the glory for what HE has done. The enemy wants your testimony suppressed — buried under shame, guilt, or fear of what people will say. But Revelation 12:11 (NKJV) makes it plain: believers overcome by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. Whether your story involves prison and addiction, or simply GOD’s keeping hand over a life spent inside the church, both are powerful testimonies of what HE has done.

The second step follows naturally: practice ways to comfort others. GOD does not comfort us so the comfort stops with us. As Pastor Rosa read from Scripture, GOD is the FATHER of compassion and the GOD of all comfort, 2 Corinthians 1:3–4 (NKJV) explains, “who comforts us in all our troubles, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by GOD.” Purpose often begins in the most ordinary conversations — a listening ear at work, a kind word to someone who is hurting, a simple “I’m praying for you.”

1 Peter 4:10

— Pastor Angel Luis Rosa

Step three is to leverage your spiritual gift. GOD equips every believer with unique abilities — some are dramatic, some look ordinary. Sales, hospitality, cooking, encouragement, even talking too much — Pastor Rosa reminded the room that whatever GOD has given you is meant to be used, not left dormant. “Use it or lose it,” he said, urging the congregation not to serve GOD with complaint but with joy and gladness.

Step four is embracing your calling as an ambassador of CHRIST. Anyone who is in CHRIST is a new creation — the old has passed away, and GOD has given every believer the ministry of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) is the anchor here: “Therefore, if anyone is in CHRIST, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” Pastor Rosa pointed out that reconciliation and restoration are the same word lived out — GOD reconciled us to HIMSELF, and now sends us to do the same for others.

The remaining three steps bring purpose down to daily obedience. Step five is to follow the primary command — Matthew 22:37 (NKJV), to love the LORD your GOD with all your heart, and your neighbor as yourself. Pastor Rosa was honest that this is a daily surrender, not a one-time decision, and that loving yourself as a child of the King is part of learning to love others well.

Step six is mentorship — a deeper walk with GOD, modeled by CHRIST HIMSELF, who did not preach a complex message to HIS twelve disciples but simply said, “Come and follow ME.” Step seven is to study biblical examples, and Pastor Rosa closed with the restoration of Peter in John 21:15–17 (NKJV). After Peter’s failure and denial, JESUS did not discard him — HE asked him three times, “Do you love ME?” and gave him a new, specific purpose: feed MY sheep. JESUS was not looking for polite affection; HE was looking for agape, unconditional love, and once HE had it, HE commissioned Peter anyway.

Psalm 37:23

Whatever you have done, whatever you have been through, your past does not disqualify you from the purpose GOD has for you. HIS eyes are not looking backward at your failures — they are fixed on your future. The invitation this week is simple: write down your testimony, find one person to comfort, and take the next step HE is showing you.

Reflect & Respond