Tag: Joel 1:11

Restoration, Part 7

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And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. – Joel 2:25-26

As I was turning my heart and my life back to the Lord, I had some shame to deal with. Actually, there are times when it is appropriate to be ashamed for our actions, words, and thoughts (Joel 1:11). But God did not want me to stay ashamed forever. He forgave me, and restored me.

What was restored? The Lord restored great things to me. I developed a prayer life again, one that was deeper than it had been before I left the church. My  understanding of the Word improved, because I sought to gain more knowledge of God and His ways and did not treat the Holy Bible as a self-help book. I submitted myself to my spiritual leaders again, and to their authority. Then God kept a wonderful promise of His Word when I turned back to Him.

Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. – Jeremiah 3:14-15

Moral strength and purity were restored to me as well. Of course, we need to continually work at maintaining our purity, but God does gives us moral strength. If you are afraid that you can no longer live a pure, morally strong life, do not believe it because that is a lie! Here is another great promise from the unshakable Word of God.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. – 2 Timothy 1:7

A sound mind can make the right moral decisions. God gives us power, and a powerful capacity to love, through His Holy Spirit. Let God restore you to a place that is better than you have ever experienced before!

Prayer for today: Lord Jesus, I accept your restoration today. Let the shame pass from me, and help me to move forward without looking back. Put spiritual leaders in my life according to your heart. I ask you to restore what has been lost in me, and in my life. Grant me your power, your love, and a sound mind. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen!

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Restoration, Part 3

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The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth. Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished. The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men. – Joel 1:10-12

God wants us to be alive! When I left church, I was gradually drying up spiritually. My health was okay, thankfully, but I was rotting away inside. The passage above in Joel 1 describes a harvest that is dying. While I was away from God, I was not producing much fruit. How could I, when I did not live the new life He had provided me through His Gospel? “The oil languisheth” in Joel 1:11 is symbolic of the Holy Spirit having little impact on me. I was not trying to live a holy life, consecrated unto a Holy God.

But notice that the reason given for these things drying up and dying is joy being “withered away” (Joel 1:12). The Word says that “the joy of the LORD is our strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). Where can we get joy? We receive joy from God, and from serving Him.

Prayer for today: Lord Jesus, in this moment I worship You for who You are. You are the Giver of life, and joy, and all good things. I ask You to renew me in in the Holy Spirit, and fill me to overflowing. Help me to stop dying, and start living again. In the Name of Jesus Christ, amen.

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