Many people overcome their past mistakes by God’s grace and become what God purposed for them. God is not interested in what we once were. He is interested in what we can become. Moses killed an Egyptian, yet God gave him a second chance to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Paul was a zealous persecutor, yet he got a second chance. Jonah had an encounter with God, but he chose.to run. He paid a dear price to resist God and do his own thing, spending 3 nights in a giant fish’s belly. Yet God gave him a second chance. He restored Jonah’s commission and He can restore all that was stolen in your life.

Here are 7 areas that God promises to restore:

1. Your health: In Jeremiah 30:17, the Lord says He “will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds.” The same Jesus that healed thousands in the Bible still has the power to restore your health today.

2. Your life: Ruth 4:15 tells about the way God provided for Naomi’s life to be restored after her husband and sons died. Through Ruth, God gave Naomi a grandson to be a restorer of life and a nourisher of her old age.

3. Your joy: David’s cry in Psalm 51: 12 is that God will restore the joy of His salvation. God is praised in the psalms as the Restorer of joy.

4. The wasted years: “I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten” (Joel 2: 25). God restores the time that we spent living contrary to His truth.

5. Your spiritual walk: Galatians 6:1 describes that if someone is caught in sin, the spiritual community is to restore that person in a spirit of gentleness.

6. Your paths: Both you and your spiritual family will rebuild the breach and fill the places that were once used for rubbish (Isaiah 58: 12)

7. Your damaged soul: The Shepherd’s psalm elegantly declares that God “restores my soul; He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” (Psalm 23: 3).

Have you done something in your past that you’re ashamed of? Have you ever felt that you disappointed God to such an extent that He could never love you again? God is a God of unlimited second chances. He is willing and ready to restore you to your former condition of health.

(FRANK DAMAZIO)

I love the taste of T-bone steak,
Delicious every bite,
But there’s nothing like the Word of God,
For my spiritual appetite.

The Word of God has milk and meat,
And even ice cream and cake.
Take a slice of the Bread of Life
And coffee to keep us awake.

Open your Bible and turn to Psalms,
For David’s famous buffet.
You can drink all the wine of the Word you want,
And still feel fine the next day.

There’s enough of the Word for everyone, and no one has to cheat.
The Word of God is a smorgasbord, so take all you are able to eat.

Let’s have a little long suffering, Job gives the recipe.
Patience is the main ingredient, self denial is the fee.

Wrap that up in temperance, it may not make much sense,
Cover that with contentment, then add some joy for strength.

Let’s have love for dessert, Jesus made this dish,
Cream of joy and peace together, sift out all selfishness.

Add some deeds of righteousness, enough to make it sweet.
Humility is the frosting that makes the dish complete.

Or are you on a diet, ‘cause the race seems hard to run.
For a weight losing menu, try Hebrews 12, verse 1.

Are you suffering from malnutrition, and don’t know what to do?
Your spiritual growth seems hindered – try 1 Peter 2, verse 2.

If when every time you battle, the enemy always wins,
Try some Holy Ghost Protein, and spiritual vitamins.

God’s Word can feed millions, and still have plenty left.
Because the Word of God is Soul Food, sent from the World’s Greatest CHEF!

(AUTHOR UNKNOWN)

. . . and a word of exhortation to all fathers (& also mothers) from John 15, where Jesus reminded us to abide in Him, and not focus on the fruit, but focus on abiding.

We need that word, especially those of us that are results oriented. I was talking with a buddy the other day about all the pressure we put on our kids to produce fruit in their lives. Get the A, get in that club or organization, be the best at your sport, get a scholarship, get into a better school…..We focus often on the fruit rather than what’s really important – their character before God, namely, abiding in Jesus. If our kids got that, they’d be the best they are supposed to be.

Jesus said the Gardener (God) will bring the fruit through the vine if the branch stay connected to the vine. God’s job is to prune us. Our job is to abide. So, let God prune some old branches from our lives – old ways of thinking, areas we don’t trust Him, unfruitful things we are doing, and focus on remembering Christ lives in you. Each day, as you start your day, remember Jesus wants you to abide in Him and leave the results to Him.

Ask your kids – “Are you abiding in Jesus”, rather than, “Are you getting that A?” “How is your relationship with Jesus going?” “What’s He saying to you?”

Students and parents, are you focusing on the results? That’s not our job. Abide. And as John says in 15:9, “Abide in My love.” In 15:10, “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love.” Abide in His love and in His commandments for your life. Leave the results to Him. What is His love and His word speaking to you about? Abide in that.

(SOURCE UNKNOWN)

In the ancient Greek games, a judge would stand at the finish line holding, in plain sight, the laurel leaves that would be rewarded to the victor. As runners came down the final stretch, they were exhausted, perhaps in agony, and feeling as though they couldn’t go another step. But suddenly there was the prize in sight, and a new burst of energy would kick in.

This is the picture behind the phrase “fix our eyes on Jesus” in Hebrews 12:2. We have to keep our eyes on Jesus Christ. And our prize is the privilege of standing before Him and receiving the crown of righteousness that He will give us.

That is why we try to live godly lives, and why we try to reach people for Him. It isn’t for brownie points. It isn’t for applause. It isn’t for notoriety. It’s so we can hear Jesus say to us on that final day, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” No, we can’t earn our salvation, because He has already provided it. But we want to please the One who laid down His life for us. Ultimately, we want to be able to say, “Lord, I took the life You gave me and tried to make a difference. Here it is. I offer it to You.”

THE KEY TO RUNNING THE RACE OF LIFE:

“Fix our eyes on Jesus…” That keeps you going, doesn’t it? After all, you can get discouraged at times. People will let you down. They will disappoint you. They won’t appreciate your hard work or notice your efforts. Not bothering to understand your real motives, they’ll criticize that which they don’t (or won’t) understand. And that is when you need to remind yourself, I am not running my race for this person or that person. I am running for You, Lord. And I will keep running … with my eye fixed on You.

(GREG LAURIE)

I heard a story once, of a chaplain who was speaking to a loyal soldier in the hospital. “Bless you son, you saved a fellow soldier’s life – and lost an arm in the great cause doing it,” the chaplain said. “No,” said the soldier with a smile. “I didn’t lose it … I gave it.”

We have so much. The Lord has blessed many of us with good health, the use of our eyes, ears, mouths, hands, feet and minds. He’s given us various talents of sorts. He’s blessed many of us with homes, cars and good paying jobs. Most importantly, He’s bestowed upon us the wonderful knowledge of His Son, Jesus.

We are all soldiers in God’s great army. In the same way this young soldier gave his arm to save a life, we should be offering our gifts toward God’s great cause of salvation for the world.

Let’s make it a point to start giving consistently of the gifts God has given us, whatever they may be. After all, Jesus did not lose His life – He gave it purposely for us, no strings attached. And there’s so much work to be done!            (Source Unknown)

“Lord, we have so much. Most of us have food, shelter, people who love us, jobs, nice clothes to wear, safety, and opportunities for growth and development. May we never take Your good gifts for granted. Help us to use our position of relative luxury to meet the needs of those less fortunate. Amen.”

(World Vision: Prayer For Christian Generosity)