He's a God of Restoration (2)

'...You shall surely...recover all.' 1 Samuel 30:8 NKJV

One day the Amalekites swept down on King David's home town, burning it to the ground and taking its families captive.

In this scene of devastation, David and his men '...lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep.' (1 Samuel 30:4 NKJV)  

Now, God will let you grieve your losses because that's healthy, but He won't allow you to stay there too long. So God said to David, 'Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.' (1 Samuel 30:8 NKJV) 

Did David and his men get back everything they had lost? 

Yes, and much more besides, for our God is not only a God of restoration but a God of abundance. You say, 'I feel so ashamed of the years I have wasted.' The God Who created time can give you more of it. 'I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten... the consuming locust...You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the Name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; and My people shall never be put to shame.' (Joel 2:25-26 NKJV) 

Notice the word, 'plenty'.

When God blesses you, it will not come from an eyedropper or from a rationed supply. No, you'll be able to sing, 'His love hath no limit; His grace hath no measure, His power no boundary known unto men. 

For out of His infinite riches in Jesus, He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.' Ever since Adam and Eve 'blew it' in Eden, God's desire and plan has been to restore to us all that we have lost. 

So come to Him today and let the restoration begin.

SoulFood: Gen 42-43, John 18:19-40, Ps 148:1-6, Ecc 5:1-3

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Monday, 09 December 2013 00:06

APPS available here

He's a God of Restoration (1)

'I will restore to you...' Joel 2:25 NKJV

Whatever life has taken from you, God can restore. 

He may not give you exactly what you want, but He will give you what's best. And even when you fall under 

His corrective hand through disobedience, if you repent, He will reinstate you to a place of blessing. 

You say, 'But what about the time I've wasted, the opportunities I've squandered, and the mess I've made of my life? Sometimes I wonder if I've fallen so low that even God cannot reach me.' No, there's hope for you. 

The Bible says, 'Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear' (Isaiah 59:1 NKJV).  

After wasting all that he'd inherited from his father, the Prodigal Son returned home, penniless and embarrassed. All he wanted was three square meals and a job in the servants' quarters. But the moment he said, 'Forgive me,' his father called for the best robe, the fattest cow, the newest shoes, and a ring of sonship restoring him to his rightful place as a member of the family. 

Even under the crushing weight of the Old Testament Law, with demands that no one could live up to.

God said, 'If a man steals an ox or a sheep...he shall restore five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep' (Exodus 22:1 NKJV).

Now if God would do that for those who lived under the Law and on the wrong side of the cross, how much more will He do for those He has redeemed? 

So you can go to Him today with confidence, knowing He's a God of restoration.

Soul Food: Matt 4:21-22, Matt 17:1-9, John 19:25-27, John 21:20-24 (Faith hero: John)

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Sunday, 8 December 2013

APPS available here

He's a God of Restoration (3)

'...That you through His poverty might become rich.' 2 Corinthians 8:9 NIV

Are you saying, 'If only I hadn't said, or done...'?

You're not unique; we all have our regrets.

But God wants us to learn from them, not live in them. 'For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.'

Jesus wore the crown of thorns so you could wear the crown of righteousness, and be in right standing with God.

'Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ' (Romans 5:1 KJV). 

Being justified gives you the right to stand before God and claim His best. 

Is your business struggling or failing? 

Peter the fisherman experienced that too. So Jesus, the Restorer, said to him: '..."Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net." And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink' (Luke 5:4-7 NKJV).

Just one word from Jesus, and you can go from the threshold of bankruptcy to adding a second boat. Jesus actually gave Peter back more than he lost.

So the word for you today is:

'Believe for more than you expected, because our God is a God of restoration.'

Soul Food: Gen 44-46, John 19:1-24, Ps 148:7-14, Ecc 5:4-6

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Tuesday, 10 December 2013

APPS available here

He's a God of Restoration (4)

'Your God will come with...recompense [restoration].' Isaiah 35:4 NKJV

What you give up in order to serve God is nothing compared to what you will get back. 

'Peter answered and said to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You"...So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you...you who have followed Me...And...left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life"' (Matthew 19:27-29 NKJV). 

That means God can give you back a hundred times more than what you've sacrificed in order to serve Him.

Are you feeling weak and ineffective today? Read these words and stand on them:

'Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are fearful-hearted, "Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense [restoration]...He will come and save you"' (Isaiah 35:3-4 NKJV). 

You say, 'But I have lost my joy.'

God can give it back to you in overflowing measure: 'And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away' (Isaiah 35:10 NKJV). 

You say, 'But I have so little to show for my efforts.' Then stand on this promise: 

'...And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose; it shall blossom abundantly...' (Isaiah 35:1-2 NKJV).

Rejoice; your God is a God of restoration, so your best days are ahead of you!

Soul Food: Gen 47-49, John 19:25-42, Ps 150, Ecc 5:10-12

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Wednesday, 11 December 2013

APPS available here