morganaureliashelton.com
morganaureliashelton.com
God Is A God of Restoration
Read Jeremiah 30
2 Kings 4
2 Kings 8
God is a God of restoration. No, matter what we are currently going through whether good or bad God will restore us. Restoration may come in many forms. It may be God solving the problem in the way we wanted, or it can be God not solving our problem(s) and us having to grow through the problem(s) that have arisen, and take a new avenue or approach to overcome our circumstance(s).
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In 2 Kings 8:5-6 NIV, God (restores through King Jehoram of Israel) does in fact restore a woman who left her home during famine, to only come back after the famine was over to find that her home and property were taken over and inhabited by someone else. She then proceeds to go before the king and he proceeds to restore the woman’s property back to her and give her all of the profits from her property while she had be gone during the famine. God also restored this woman miraculously by having the prophet Elisha bring her son back to life in 2 Kings 4:35 NIV.
In the passage of Jeremiah chapter 30, God promises to restore the Israelites from their captivity in Babylon. God goes on to tell Jeremiah “Though I completely destroy all the nations among which I scatter you, I will not completely destroy you. I will discipline you but only with justice; I will not let you go entirely unpunished.” (Jeremiah 30:11 NIV)
God was punishing the Israelites for their sins. Here God was chastising them as a father does a child when they are bad.
God promises to destroy all of the Israelites’ enemies and to completely plunder all of the nations that plundered the Israelites, and to completely wipe out/destroy all of the nations that he scattered the Israelites to.
God does not promise to restore everyone. An example of this would be when King Ben-Hadad was prophesied over by Elisha and told that he would recover from his sickness and be healed, yet the King’s trusted advisor, Hazael, plotted against the king and killed him and proceeded to take over the kingdom as the new king of Aram (2 Kings Chapter 8 NIV). King Ben-Hadad of Aram health was supposed to be restored, yet Hazael killed him before he could recover.
It is my belief that most people will be in fact restored from their troubles just as long as they put their faith in God, and do what the Lord tells them to do. This is not a blanketed belief, sometimes things do not go as we have prayed and yearned for, even with out best thoughts and actions put to use.
Sometimes, we lose our loved ones through sickness, our dreams do not go as planned, or our dreams do not come true, sometimes we become ill and do not get well, and yet even more often than not we are wronged by others.
As, I said earlier I personally believe more often than not, God does restore us. Yet, we must also adhere and try our best to accept God’s will especially when things do not go as we would like them.
Living The Good Life
Read Jeremiah 28-30
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Jeremiah 29:11 NIV (New International Version)
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11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
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When we are facing problems in life, we have to remember that God has plans to prosper us and not to harm us, and He wants to give us hope and a future.
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To better understand this passage, it is best to read the verses and the chapters surrounding Jeremiah 29 to gain a better understanding.
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The Israelites were in captivity and God told the prophet Jeremiah to tell the Israelites that they were to be in captivity for seventy years from the Babylonian Empire.
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During that time they were to prosper where they were planted, Jeremiah 29:5-6 NIV says to 5 “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease.” The Israelites were to also “…,seek the peace and prosperity of the city…Pray to the LORD for it,…” (Jeremiah 29:7 NIV).
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I take this direction from God to mean, that even when we are going through hard times we should not give up or quit. We are to prosper where we are planted and to do our best in spite of our hardships. We need to keep focusing on our dreams, beliefs, and the expectations that God has uniquely given to us, and continue to perform our purpose.
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It may be difficult, yet like the Israelites in captivity prospered where they were planted, we too can fulfill our goal(s) and purpose(s) in life to achieve the life that God wants for us. I believe that life consists of restoration, fulfillment, hope, prosperity, happiness, love, and joy.
Things may not be perfect, and in this world that is sometimes full of turmoil and dismay, we have to push through, continue to survive and remember to keep on keeping on, and prosper where we are planted. Keep in mind that God has plans to prosper you and not to harm you. God has planned an amazing life for us!
Faith Works
Faith Without Works Is Dead
Read James 2:14-26 New King James Version (NKJV)​
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14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
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In life we go through various circumstances, some good, bad, mediocre, and lots of unexpected circumstances. I am a planner, and I most almost always plan for perfection.
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As, I have gotten older and matured, I now know that we must plan for the unexpected, and that not everything will go as planned, and not continuously be perfect. I have made the decision to hold onto my faith in God, and trust him in all circumstances.
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It is easier to type the previous sentence than actually live with that line of thinking as a goal.
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When I read James 2:14-26 NKJV, I take this passage in the Bible to mean that you must put action to your faith. Meaning that it is good to have faith and in addition to that faith you have to put works (actions that help your faith come true).
Say you have a dream to become an accountant. That dream is nice in theory. And, you have faith (the belief) that you can become an accountant to be true.
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You, then have to put works (actions that help your faith come true), such as finishing high school, continuing to college, graduating from college with your undergraduate’s degree. Obtaining your accounting degree, then proceeding to write and complete your résumé . Applying for jobs as an accountant. Going to interviews to obtain you future job as an accountant.
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If offered a job, taking the action to accept that job offer. Then, going to your job as an accountant and performing the necessary work required of your job.
Next, you may decide that you like your job as an accountant and decide to take your actions (works) further and obtain a graduate degree that will help you to obtain a higher accounting position, say a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
That is an example of taking God’s Word and applying faith with works to achieve your dreams and goals.
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One, can have the belief (faith) to accomplish something, yet without actions (the work needed to accomplish your goal) the action/work is dead.