God's Good Plans, Restoration & Rest by John Belt

Oklahoma City, OK

God Will Restore Things From the Past in the Present

Jeremiah 29:11-13 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."

We are creating memories every moment. The past is moving by and we are stepping into the future. God desires us to be people of the present, not of the past or even the future. He is ready to invest in us right now. This is what will make our impact in the future bright! (Photo via Pixabay)

In our lives we need to be intentional about where we spend our thoughts. God wants us to be connected to what He is ready to do currently. There are both good things and bad things in the past, but both can be a distraction to what God wants to do right now.

Just as we cannot spend our time worshipping at the altar of yesterday, there are also things that we are just not able to fix. This is not to say that there aren't some things that we can do. But once we've done what we know we need to do, it is time for us to leave it and let God do His work.

The good news is that God will restore things from the past in the present. That should give us great comfort and peace that we can rest, leave things alone, pursue Him and watch Him do His work. As we take care of His business, He takes care of our business. He is faithful, perfect in all of His ways, and will do what He has promised.

This next verse is a word for right now:

Joel 2:25-27 "So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you. 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. Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the Lord your God And there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame."

Planted in His Presence

God wants us to begin to create powerful moments that have their roots in His Presence. We've heard it said that, "muscles have memory." It is true. Everything about us memorizes events whether positive or negative. When we are creating memories that have their source in the Presence of God, then we are training ourselves after a life that is in sync with righteousness, peace and joy in His Spirit.

There will be hard things that come against us. It is all part of having a life surrendered to God. But when our lives are planted in His Presence then the things that come against us don't have the same impact. He is a shield to us, a fortress where we can be safe.

Outside of living in His truth and Presence we are vulnerable to the arrows that come against us. We can be secure in God knowing that if He is for us... then who can be against us? When our hearts are yielded to His Spirit, we yield the fruit of that life which is peaceable and filled with His joy.

Rest and Total Surrender

Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

We need to make every effort to experience the rest that God has for us.The only place we find this is in a place of total surrender and worship before Him. When we find solace in His Spirit there is flow in our lives that is effortless. God wants to take away the strain of worry and fear and replace it with His grace, faith and peace. (Photo via Pexels)

As we yield to Him He fills us with an unfailing faith that takes hold of Him and overcomes all. Keep on the path of making memories with God. Continue training your senses to His Presence, goodness, mercy and truth.

John and Brandi Belt
Overflow Global Ministries
Email: office@overflowglobal.com
Website: www.overflowglobal.com