Good morning all!

Father, today we see that You alone can create and destroy because all power belongs to You. We know You create moments for glory and destroy anything that comes against them, and for those moments we think we’ve lost restore them O’ Lord just like the years the locust have eaten, Amen. You ever wish you had a time machine? Maybe change some things? God has one, it’s called restore.

Psalm 80

1 Hear us, Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock. You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth.
No matter where we find ourselves we know we need a Shepherd to guide us through this life, we present are harmless and defenseless in His sight.

7 Restore us, God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.
And though we’re unsure of all His plans for our life we know like most sheep we go astray so RESTORE us God back to You that we might see You again.

13 Boars from the forest ravage it, and insects from the fields feed on it.
On this journey of life we have been attacked by a wild beast and even the little pest have tried to consume us.

14 Return to us, God Almighty! Look down from heaven and see! Watch over this vine.
So we cry Lord maker of ALL things look down from Your place of comfort and security and protect us.

19 Restore us, LORD God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.
Restore our relationship Lord; we know Your favor is always upon, in You alone we find salvation.

Bottom line

Let me encourage you to read all of Psalm 80 this week, I promise You will not only find something new but I believe you will HEAR something new. In this passage the Lord calls us to pray the words RESTORE us, in the KJV it reads “turn us again”. I find this to be significant, of course God is a God of restoration. The whole Bible is filled with stories of restoration, Jacob and Esau, the story of Job and my personal favorite Hosea and Gomer. In this passage we open with our Shepherd the One who will lead JOSEPH like a flock, why Joseph? Remember Joseph’s family hated him, they made up a bunch of lies and valued his life so little they sold him for a few bucks, BUT that’s NOT how the story ends. What happened when the were reunited?

[Gen 45:15,20 NIV] And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers talked with him. 20 Never mind about your belongings, because the best of all Egypt will be yours. How did God restore the family? First with love and then he says NEVER MIND whatever you left behind because I’m going to give you the very BEST!! Call me crazy but that sounds like a Great Shepherd that knows how to care for His sheep and when He restores us we get better NOT worse. Now notice after we ask God to restore us the next request is for Him to make His face shine on US. A couple of things to point out, first the prayer is US not me, we should always be inclusive in our prayers to include the family of God…it’s called sharing…it’s what our mother taught us growing up as a child, make sure you share that with your brothers. Second, the request for God’s face to shine as He looks down on us, what do you think that is?

[Pro 16:15 NLT] When the king smiles, there is life; his favor refreshes like a spring rain. Is there anything else that could possibly refresh you more than God Himself looking down on you right now and smiling? His face shinning is confirmation of His presence, His promise and His passion for YOU!! The smile tells us that no matter what others might say about you or what we might even say or think about ourselves, God smiles because He sees His best, He sees His promise, He sees His crowning creation. We are never without hope knowing OUR God sits in heaven today and smiles down on us and because He does He gives us great purpose even in the simple and small things either way you will get His smile. So what is restoration? First it’s God smiling at US and second, is US believing He does.

Point to Ponder

And what happened to the hard headed child that yelled at his dad and said I’m outa here? [Luk 15:20 NIV] So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. News flash we’re all a long way off just make sure you’re heading in His direction…He’ll run to US…true love.

Let’s all turn again, In Him Phil

Faith – Family – Friends