RESTORE

We went to a seminar taught by the VP of International Association of Biblical Counselors this past week.  The seminar was actually about assigning homework to counselees.  As he discussed the importance of work done by the individual outside of meeting times, I was so encouraged by the work we’ve been doing on our own outside of gospel group meeting times.  In short, the purpose of personal reflection time is so that we keep preaching the gospel to ourselves in different ways even when we aren’t meeting together.  The questions you’ve gone over with the Lord in private and then in community are invaluable to gospel growth.  Meditation of Scripture, prayer and music also have played a vital part in my spiritual gospel journey.  Many of us, growing up in the Bible belt have been “over-churched” and “under-gospeled”.  Small group homework in the past has been just one more item on my to-do list as I sought to sanctify myself.  Now I see it as a one on one counseling time with the Maker of the Universe and also the Maker of me!  I’ve learned the unbelievable value of searching for more gospel in the Word and with other resources.  It’s truly a rescue to my soul....finding that the deeper He leads me into the gospel the deeper there is to go.  So, be encouraged with the individual journey....the day to day...secret places you go to with God.  Don’t neglect.  As soon as I neglect the fight I sense myself running back to those broken cisterns...forgetting that the Well is there. Life quickly becomes about me. 

The benefit of individual reflection time with God was that it brings continual restoration to the soul in between meeting times.  The word RESTORE keeps coming up in my life over and over so my ears perked up as the speaker shared about this word.  He told us that the word RESTORE in the Greek and Hebrew in the Bible was a word that was commonly used for the repairing of torn fishing nets or the setting of a broken bone for proper healing.  The definition being that of helping something that is broken get back to the way it was originally designed to function.  Of course, I remembered Eden....pre-fall....I wasn’t made for this broken world.  I am broken and need to be RESTORED.  Sanctification is the process in which God is restoring me to my original design and one day, upon eternity, we will all be there.  To Him be all the glory.

How do you need to be RESTORED today?  Our lists are a mile long.  Who will rescue me? Deliver me? Redeem me?  Save me?  RESTORE me?  My loving heavenly Father is doing that in you right now, even as you read this blog.  

Acts 2:21  “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 

This is not only to be saved upon the day of our salvation but to be saved daily from running to my idols and false saviors.  

Run to your Father for rescue even now.

Listen to the following song, “You Bring RESTORATION”.  Close your eyes and pray as you beg the 
Father to RESTORE your soul in Jesus.

For Reflection in your journal:

1.  What idols and false saviors exist in your life today?  How do these false saviors manifest themselves on a daily basis?  What emotions are exposed as you process this? (left side of the chart)

2.  Recount how Christ provides deliverance from Satan, sin, death and idols.  Write down how this good news plays out in your life personally? (right side of the chart)

3.  What “evidence of grace” do you see in your gospel relationships?  How did you speak the gospel into someone else’s life this past week and how will you relate to                                  someone on a gospel level in the week to come?

4.  Go ahead and read Isaiah 61 this week reflecting on the word RESTORE.  We will  revisit this next week on the blog.