"For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds,
saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying,
This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after."
Jeremiah 30:17
saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying,
This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after."
Jeremiah 30:17
1. Restoration is when God begins to give us back and place us in a better state.
All of us - regardless if you have been a Christ follower for 40 years or 4 days will need restored at some point in our lives. Stuff happens - people leave us, turn on us, cause us pain. Marriages dont always seemingly work out, careers have chaos, families falter, and LIFE OCCURS. But when we allow God to restore our lives - it is a cleansing process of taking the broken, out of place pieces of the puzzle and renewing them to fit exactly into the will of God for our lives.
2. God specializes in Restoration.
It brings God great joy to take what others thought was done, over, insignificant, useless, no good anymore and REcreate something of great value, purpose, meaning, and destiny. Why did Jesus heal people -- HE WAS RESTORING them to allow them to continue the message of Christ! Why did he rebuild the temple on top of the ruins of the old one? Simply so everyone would not forget the past --- but remember that God took the things that seemingly were DEAD - and REstored it with something new, fresh, better, and STRONGER.
3. Restoration has to start in us!
It is vital that we take responsibility and accountability for OUR PART that got us to the point of restoration. When Restoration can occur it no longer is about WHO, WHAT, HOW we got to this point--but more about...OK I AM HERE - FIX ME GOD, RESTORE ME- RENEW ME---because I know if I will allow you -- the LATTER will BE GREATER ( Haggai 2:9)
So lastly - lets be real...RESTORATION IS NEEDED AND IT IS HELPFUL, but even after you go through it, even after God REPLACES, REPLENISHES, and RESTORES us - not everybody will celebrate or think you are different! Not everyone will accept your restoration, feel that the change is being made, or even that you are sincere. What to do? SIMPLY --LIVE! In restoration - FIRST we are to allow God to do what HE does -- then we are to live according to his purpose! When we FOLLOW HIM - HE takes care of the rest.
Matthew 7:16You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
There will always be "FRUITCAKES" who dont want to accept the fact that God can and is restoring you. Some people feel better about themselves - if you stay down and out. But remember- you tell a tree by the fruit that it bears.....And Fruitcakes dont grow on trees!
Be restored - be renewed - and watch God do great things..........WHATEVER IT TAKES!
