God can restore broken relationships!

GOD RESTORES BROKEN RELATIONSHIPS. PEOPLE CAN CHANGE THROUGH GOD'S RESTORING, MIRACLE WORKING POWER. Read 2 Corinthians 3:7-18. So, it is another early morning in which the Lord has awaken me to pray. At 4:00 am through sleepy eyes, I begin to listen to the Lord, and I knew what He was wanting me to pray about. 45 minutes later comes this word. Yes, it is long but if you are praying for a broken relationship to be restored, especially between parents and a child, please take the time to read and let it minister to you this day. People can change! Most people believe people can change in a general sense, but then they have the certain people in their life (or themselves) and it seems impossible. The message today: Never give up. Never give up. Never give up. People can change. If you get in a fight with somebody, and nothing ever changes, reconciliation is hard, maybe even impossible from the human mindset but with God ALL things are possible. But when there are changes, the most amazing things happen. Never give up on hope of a broken relationship. Do not doubt God's power to restore. "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (freedom)." 2 Corinthians 3:17 KJV ...Freedom to be obedient to God, freedom to do that which is right, freedom to change, freedom to live as a redeemed person who lets God mold and transform them. People can change. You want to know how to be more like Christ? As God never gave up on you, never give up on others. Some of you have a story of personal transformation. You are a “trophy of grace,” a living testimony that when the Spirit of God gets hold of you there is a transformation. Reading the Scripture from 2nd Corinthians... This is using the metaphor of Moses, to show us the veil has been lifted. This means you can change. This means the possibility of a transformed life is real. Never give up on anyone. Pray for God to change your view on the situation. Pray for the veil to be lifted, pray for the glory of the Lord to shine upon your family, your friends, and those in the community that are hurting and struggling. Pray for those who are angry over a broken relationship, bitter. People can change.  Believe it. Expect it. Pray for it. Pray for the veil to be lifted. Not only can people change, but God can and will use you to change them. Never give up on people to change, and let the Lord use you as an instrument of His glory. Let people see the Lord through you. You want to know how to restore a broken relationship: reflect the Lord’s glory and believe that people can change. The hardest heart can melt. The most stubborn person can soften. And if it happened to you, it can happen to others… The change we are looking for in others, a new behavior might be good, new patterns, new commitments, those are all good, but the lasting change is a relationship with Christ. It’s a sobering truth: the only Christ some people may see is you. Not that you are Christ, but that you reflect His glory. You want to restore a broken relationship, sure, others can change, but more importantly, you can change. Perhaps this is the greater insight. When I read this scripture, what I am hearing is that I can become more and more like Christ. The process of transformation is entirely the Lord. God sent his son, Jesus Christ, because we have no power to change ourselves. Salvation is an incredible gift, but the transformation of your life does not stop. The Lord will continuously mold you and change you; if you let him. People can change. Never give up on them. And so can you. Never give up on yourself. The Lord doesn’t. Do you think you are already as good as you are going to get? The Lord hasn’t given up on you, so don’t be so foolish as to give up on yourself. The Lord will continuously change you. Your age makes no difference. Your background does not matter. Your past is of no consequence. You cannot be so bad that there is no hope. With the Lord there is always hope. You can become that trophy of grace, a model of what the Lord can do to change a person. Change is possible. Transformation is necessary, if there is to be full restoration. The book of 2nd Corinthians is written by Paul to people who used to like him but now are troubled by him. Paul does not give up, he is saying you can be changed by the Spirit of God, and so can I. When a broken relationship is healed, it does not mean going back to the way things used to be; isn’t that what we so often have in mind?  If restoration means one or both people in the relationship have changed for the better, then the relationship will be better.  It means there will be more depth. I am reminded of that old saying, "absence makes the heart grow fonder". When God changes people, and relationships are healed, he never says, “as good as new.” God’s motto: “Better than ever." If you are going to go through all the heartache of fighting with somebody, or they being out of your life at this point with no communication, the reward when you come out the other side is depth. Somehow God will give you a new strength, a hope, a faith. I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. I am a firm believer that what the devil means for evil, God will make it good. I have had broken relationships restored in my life, but looking back I realize it was to change me, to make me stronger. Have you ever stopped to think, maybe God is changing you. Maybe it wasn't your fault that you have been cut out of someones life, but God has a reason. I am reminded of 2 Corinthians 12:9 KJV "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me". This Scripture was referring to the thorn in Paul's side. We know the Lord didn't remove it, but it humbled him (Paul), and the Lord gave him continued strength to live with it. That broken relationship surely must feel like a thorn in your side that will never be removed, but God will give you continued strength to deal with it. It hurts but God knows what He is doing. Never give up, because people can change. The transformation is a gift from the Lord. The Lord will use you to reflect his glory. Never give up on others, and never give up on yourself, because you can change too, becoming a trophy of grace. And the most amazing things happen when God changes people, the transformation is from bondage to freedom. And freedom is a gift from God, freedom to be different, freedom to choose right, freedom to live. When the Lord gives you his spirit, the Lord will pronounce, “Better than ever.” Broken relationships can be healed because God, through his spirit, has the power to change people. Even me. Even you. Even them.