Return to the Lord (July 19)
A plague of locusts hits Judah
with the fury of an invading army, destroying vegetation and turning
the countryside into a lifeless desert.
Fields of grain disappear and grape
vines are stripped bare, fruit trees
and gardens are wiped clean. The prophet Joel seizes the occasion
to preach God’s message to Judah:
The present calamity is only warning.
An even greater devastation awaits
those who continue to live in sin
and rebellion. The day of judgment
is coming, and only those who
sincerely repent and return to God
will be sheltered from the terrible
force of His righteous wrath.
Father God, You are in control, with
justice & restoration in Your hands.
Thank You Lord for Your gracious
patience and that You prefer to
bless us rather than discipline us.
Lord, we Seek Your Forgiveness;
Lord, we Seek Your Restoration;
Lord, we Seek Your Blessings
as we purpose to align to Your ways.
Grant us grace as we place our lives
under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
In Jesus’ mighty name we pray.
Lord, we Seek Your Forgiveness:
Wake up, you drunkards & weep!
All the grapes are ruined and all
you new wine is gone! A vast army
of locusts has invaded my land…
The grapevines and the fig trees
have all withered.The pomegranate
trees, palm trees and apple trees
– all the fruit trees have all dried up.
All joy has dried up with them.
Dress yourselves in sackcloth…
Wail, you who serve before the altar!
Come, spend the night in sackcloth,
ministers of God (Joel 1:5-6, 12-13)
Lord, Thank You for being gracious
and merciful, not easily angered
but filled with lovingkindness
and deep longing for Your people.
Grant us the gift of repentance
so that we can return to you with
all our hearts. Thank You for hearing
our cries for help and bringing restoration to our life. Amen.
Lord, we Seek Your Restoration:
Return to the Lord your God for
He is gracious and merciful…
He is filled with kindness and is
eager not to punish you…Perhaps
even sending u a blessing instead…
So I will Restore to you the years
that the swarming locust has eaten.
You shall eat in plenty and be
satisfied… And My people shall
never be put to shame. Then you
shall know… I am the Lord your God
and there is no other… I will pour
out My Spirit on all flesh… And
whoever calls on the name of the
Lord shall be saved (Joel 2:13-32)
Lord, Thank You that it’s not
too late to turn to You and see
restoration happen in my life.
Even though there has been time
wasted when I didn’t live fully for U,
pray that You will redeem the time
and help me to make up for it.
Restore anything that has been
lost, wasted or ruined so that
I can give You the glory. Amen.
Lord, we Seek Your Blessings
and we Align ourselves to You:
Then you will know that I the Lord
your God live in Zion… Jerusalem
will be holy forever and foreign
armies will never conquer her again
In that day the mountains will drip
with sweet wine and the hills will
flow with milk. Water will fill the
dry streambeds of Judah and
a fountain will burst forth from
the Lord’s Temple, watering the
arid valley of acacias (Joel 3:17-19)
Lord, we note from scripture that
blessings come from God and
those who attach themselves to
Him will be fruitful. But all evil in
the world will one day be destroyed
Glad we are aligned to You and glad
that You are on our side. Amen.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FSAFk2N4H9E