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God's Word For You Today, Shartel Church of God, Moore, OK (2026)

09/07/2026

God’s Word for You Today
September 7, 2026

Powerful Words from the Prophets

“As they watch, lift your pack to your shoulders and walk away into the night. Cover your face so you cannot see the land you are leaving. For I have made you a sign for the people of Israel.” So I did as I was told. – Ezekiel 12:6-7 (NLT)

“I did as I was told.”

God asked Ezekiel to do some really strange things. Have you noticed that? God used him as a living sign to the people of the things to come. In our passage today, he’s acting out what it means to be an exile. So God has him pack up his stuff, dig a hole through the wall, and walk away without looking back. This wasn’t the first time God had him do stuff like that! How would YOU respond to such a request?

When I read the last part of our passage, it hit me hard. “So I did as I was told.” Ezekiel didn’t argue with God or tell the Lord what a dumb idea it was or how embarrassed he would be to do such a thing. He just DID IT. That’s the kind of single-minded obedience that I want to have with the Lord. Don’t you?

Process this with me for a moment. When God tells you to do something odd or off the wall, how do YOU respond? Such as when He tells you to go and apologize to the person you’re at odds with, even though you’re convinced THEY are in the wrong. Or when God tells you to take a role in the church that you are CONVINCED you will hate. Or when God calls you out of your comfort zone and asks you to go talk to someone, or text someone, or give some money to someone, and you are an introvert who is uncomfortable with such things. We don’t always know WHY God wants us to do the things He asks. But just as with Ezekiel, God has His reasons. He just needs someone who will do it.

When I read the passage today, I thought about how odd Ezekiel must have looked to the people. Some probably thought he was crazy. Some probably thought he was just eccentric and strange. Some probably pointed and laughed. But it didn’t matter to Ezekiel. He didn’t do it for applause or attention or notoriety. He did it so he could stand before God and say what every servant of God wants to ultimately be able to say. “I did as I was told.” That’s God’s Word for you today.

09/06/2026

God’s Word for You Today
September 6, 2026

Powerful Words from the Prophets

Again a message came to me from the LORD: “Son of man, you live among rebels who have eyes but refuse to see. They have ears but refuse to hear. For they are a rebellious people.” – Ezekiel 12:1-2 (NLT)

“Selective Senses”

Okay, this is one of those passages where I felt as if God was calling me out. I tend to have selective senses. I hear what I want to hear, and I see what I want to see. When I get locked in on something I’m doing, I become oblivious to what’s going on around me. Wanda can be sitting right next to me, talking loud enough for me to hear across the room, but if I’m preoccupied, it’s just white noise. If I’m looking for someone in particular on a Sunday morning, I can blow right by people without seeing them. They’re like blurred images faded into the background. I have ears, but don’t hear. And I have eyes, but don’t see. Sadly, my selective senses can even be in effect in my relationship with God.

I remember reading an old Peanuts cartoon one time where Lucy was diligently leafing through a Bible. When Charlie Brown asked her what she was doing, she said, “I’m looking for a scripture that can back up one of my preconceived notions.” I remember reading that and thinking, “I do that!” I have to confess that I’ve read the Bible before, not to see what God might want to say to me or to seek out new truth that I need to apply to my life, but to find something to justify myself or use to point a finger at someone else. THEIR sins are much more obvious to me than MY sins!

The same is true when it comes to hearing God speak to me. I remember one time hearing God speak to me and realizing in that moment that He has to work REALLY HARD sometimes to get my attention. I’d much rather simply live under the illusion that I’m okay and doing what God wants me to do than to truly listen for His voice of correction or instruction. That’s called Selective Spiritual Hearing.

When I read our verse today, I found myself praying, “Dear God, please let the selfish scales fall from my eyes that I might see what you want me to see. Please unstop my ears from all of the noise I use to block out your voice. Give me eyes to see and ears to hear. Take away my Selective Senses and give me senses that are tuned in to YOU!” That’s God’s Word for you today.

09/05/2026

God’s Word for You Today
September 5, 2026

Powerful Words from the Prophets

“Then the cherubim lifted their wings and rose into the air with their wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel hovered above them. Then the glory of the LORD went up from the city and stopped above the mountain to the east.” – Ezekiel 11:22-23 (NLT)

“Clinging to the Lord’s Glory”

This vision of Ezekiel in our passage today has to be one of the saddest images ever. The lifting and removal of the glory of God. The glory of God was what set Israel apart from all the other nations in the world. It was the glory of God that went before them through the wilderness. A cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. It was the glory of God that settled upon the Tabernacle whenever Moses went there to meet with God. That glory represented the Presence of God, the Power of God, and the Favor of God. In Exodus 33, when Moses was afraid that God’s Presence wasn’t going to go before them, He said to the Lord, “If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place. How will anyone know that you look favorably on me—on me and on your people—if you don’t go with us? For your presence among us sets your people and me apart from all other people on the earth.” Smart man.

Moses was wise enough to know that Israel without the Presence of God was just another people. They weren’t that strong, they weren’t that rich, and they weren’t that smart. It was God who fed them when there was no food. It was God who provided water when there was nothing to drink. It was God who broke the back of Pharaoh, parted the waters, drowned the Egyptian army, and conquered every foe for them along the way. It was God’s glory that gave them favor and blessing. It was God’s glory that gave them victory. It was God’s glory that made them Special.
Without God, they were like the rest of the world. Lost.

Wow, I hope this passage hits you as it hits me. I DESPERATELY need the glory of God in my life! I NEED His Presence. I NEED His Power. I NEED His Favor. I can’t be the husband, the father, the grandfather, the pastor, or man of God I need to be without the overshadowing of the Lord. I need His Anointing in every area of my life. Don’t you? May our prayer today be one of commitment and dedication. “O God, help us to cling to Your Glory! Never let us drift away from Your Presence in our lives. YOU are our all in all!” That’s God’s Word for you today.

09/04/2026

God’s Word for You Today
September 4, 2026

Powerful Words from the Prophets

“And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart.” – Ezekiel 11:19 (NLT)

“God Is There, But Is He NEAR?”

Not long ago, I received an anonymous prayer request from someone. They told me that they had become “disconnected” from God and that they desired to be close to Him again. It was a very tender and touching request, and I prayed for that person as I walked that day. As I did, I thought of the verse from James, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”

God desires intimacy with us. He wants closeness, not distance. He wants a relationship with us that is one of substance and not one that is superficial. And though God is always “right there” in one sense of the word, He can’t be truly close to our hearts and minds unless we open them to Him. That’s why I found the prayer request so touching. This person realized that they had become quite distracted in their life. They wanted the God who was “there” to be “near.”

It’s easy to get distracted, isn’t it? It’s easy to get fixed on our pursuits, our goals, our activities, and our desires and forget that there is a God who desires to journey with us. A God who wants to share a dream with us. A God who wants to do life with us. A God who wants our First Thoughts to be of Him. Sometimes we just get so consumed with other things that God gets left behind.

That’s why I love our passage today. As God is using Ezekiel to communicate His disappointment to the people, He shares with him His true desire. “And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart.” Reflect on that for a moment. God doesn’t want to punish the people. He has no desire for them to have to be in exile or go down the dark path they’re on. His desire is for love. His desire is for reconciliation. His desire is for closeness.

Is that YOUR desire today? I don’t know about you, but I’ve sure had times when my heart has grown thorny and stony. Times when I’ve become disconnected and distracted. I’m so thankful God’s arms are always open to draw us back and draw us near. No matter how far we’ve drifted away, He never stops loving us and wanting us close. If you find yourself disconnected and distracted today, turn back to the Lord. He’ll give you “singleness of heart and put a new spirit in you.” Let the God who is “right there” all the way in. “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” That’s God’s Word for you today.

09/03/2026

God’s Word for You Today
September 3, 2026

Powerful Words from the Prophets

Then he added, “Son of man, let all my words sink deep into your own heart first. Listen to them carefully for yourself.” – Ezekiel 3:10 (NLT)

“The Hardest Person to Lead”

In our staff meeting yesterday, I asked the team to do some self-assessment and share what they believed to be their greatest leadership asset or quality and their greatest leadership challenge or liability. It’s a harder exercise than you might think. Most of us struggle to “go deep” with ourselves. We know who we WANT to be. We’re probably even in touch with what our INTENTIONS are. But who we ARE—the good, the bad, and the ugly—is not something we like to really reflect on. That’s why I told the team that we must always keep in mind that the hardest person to lead is ourselves.

Take a deep breath and sit with that for a few minutes. How good of a handle do you feel like you have on YOU? Honestly. Most of us find it infinitely easier to see the flaws in other people’s lives than we do our own. THEY have bad attitudes. We just have rough mornings sometimes. THEY are mean. We’re just firm. THEY are selfish and narcissistic. We just have boundaries. You get the point. We tend to see others through the eyes of judgment. We mostly see ourselves through the eyes of grace.

God was sending Ezekiel to deliver a hard message to His People. It was a message of confrontation. But notice what God says to Ezekiel in our passage today: “Son of man, let all my words sink deep into your own heart first. Listen to them carefully for yourself.” Boom! In other words, God says, “Before you preach it to them, preach it to YOU! Let My Word prick YOUR heart. Let My Spirit move in YOU. Look in the mirror and ask yourself if YOU are living up to all that I am asking of you. Lead YOU before you try to lead them!”

God’s Word to Ezekiel was a powerful reminder to all of us. We need to spend a lot more time examining ourselves than we do picking apart other people. We need to do regular, deep-soul reflection, rather than telling ourselves that we’re “fine.” We need to let the Spirit of God wrestle with US more than we pray for the Spirit of God to deal with others. David said it this way in Psalm 139: “Search me, O Lord, and know my heart. Test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any wicked thing in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” And I’m going to add that if you’re not finding a “wicked thing” every once in a while, you’re not looking deep enough. Remember, the hardest person for you to lead is YOU. That’s God’s Word for you today.

09/02/2026

God’s Word for You Today
September 2, 2026

Powerful Words from the Prophets

Then he said, “Son of man, go to the people of Israel and give them my messages. I am not sending you to a foreign people whose language you cannot understand. No, I am not sending you to people with strange and difficult speech. If I did, they would listen! But the people of Israel won’t listen to you any more than they listen to me! For the whole lot of them are hard-hearted and stubborn.” – Ezekiel 3:4-7 (NLT)

“Don’t Take It Personally”

One of the things that’s hard in doing God’s work is when people respond negatively. A lot of people have shared with me that they’ve worked hard for many years at their churches and never really felt appreciated for it. People have talked about how they gave their all to a task or a committee or a position, only to be criticized or ridiculed for it. Like many pastors, I’ve poured my heart out in messages on Sundays before, only to have someone pull me aside in the lobby to show me a typo in the bulletin or complain about some petty issue. It’s easy to ask yourself, “Why am I doing this?”

If it’s for praise and applause, good luck with that. If it’s so people will think you’re wonderful, you might want to consult a psychologist. We’re dealing with PEOPLE. And people can be difficult, stubborn, narcissistic, and rude. This is true no matter who you are or how good you are at what you do. You can be the BEST representative of God and still have people throw it back in your face. You know how I know this? They did it to Jesus. He was PERFECT. And they ended up crucifying Him!

That’s why I love how God prepared Ezekiel in our passage today. As He sends him forth to do His work, God reminds Ezekiel of who he is going to be dealing with. People. And those people, in God’s words, are
“hard-hearted and stubborn.” Ezekiel needed to know that his responsibility was simply to be obedient to God’s instructions. Then God said, “The people of Israel won’t listen to you any more than they listen to me!” In other words, don’t take it to heart, Ezekiel. It’s not about you.

That’s my encouragement to you today. Do your job, follow your calling, and be obedient to what God has assigned you to do. But don’t let people get under your skin. People will be PEOPLE. Some will be mean. Some will be rude. Some will criticize and pick apart every little thing you do. But all of that is about THEM, not about you. Make sure whatever it is you’re doing, you’re doing it for God. No matter how bad you have it, keep one thought in mind. Jesus had it worse. That’s God’s Word for you today.

09/01/2026

God’s Word for You Today
September 1, 2026

Powerful Words from the Prophets

“Son of man, do not fear them or their words. Don’t be afraid even though their threats surround you like nettles and briers and stinging scorpions. Do not be dismayed by their dark scowls, even though they are rebels. You must give them my messages whether they listen or not.” – Ezekiel 2:6-7 (NLT)

“The Fear Bandit”

As God calls Ezekiel to do His work, He warns him about who his greatest enemy will be: Fear. He tells Ezekiel not to be afraid of what people are going to say. He encourages him not to be afraid of their threats. He prepares him for the fact that he is likely going to be rejected, but he’s not to be afraid of that either. God promises to be with him and to see him through. Success will be simply completing the task as God has assigned it, not how the people respond. The only thing that can stop him is fear.

Fear robs so many of us of the calling of God. We’re afraid we’ll fail. We’re afraid that people won’t like us. We’re afraid we’re not smart enough, educated enough, or experienced enough. We’re afraid of rejection. We’re afraid of criticism. We’re afraid people won’t like how we do it. There is something strong in our human nature that wants assurance that we’ll be affirmed, liked, and experience profound results. The fear of NOT receiving those keeps most of us from stepping up and stepping out.

Do a study sometime of how many times the phrase, “Don’t be afraid,” or the positive spin on that, “Be courageous,” is used in scripture. Abraham would have never left his home if he let fear control him. Moses and the people would never have left Egypt. Joshua and the people would never have gone into the promised land. Joseph, David, Daniel, Gideon, Peter, Paul, and every other character in Scripture would have stayed home if they let the Fear Bandit rob them. And history would have been very different.

God is calling many of us to roles, tasks, and assignments, and we’re balking because of fear. I want to challenge us today to obey the voice of God rather than the voice of fear. Let’s stop hiding behind the “There’s somebody better,” or “I’m not qualified,” or “I don’t know if I have the time,” excuses that fear is drumming up for us. What God may be calling us to might not be easy. It might not go as we want it to. And yes, not everyone will like us. But if God is nudging us, He has a reason. Let’s not let fear steal one more blessing from our lives. That’s God’s Word for you today.

08/31/2026

God’s Word for You Today
August 31, 2026

Powerful Words from the Prophets

“Son of man,” he said, “I am sending you to the nation of Israel, a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me. They and their ancestors have been rebelling against me to this very day. They are a stubborn and hard-hearted people. But I am sending you to say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says!’ And whether they listen or refuse to listen—for remember, they are rebels—at least they will know they have had a prophet among them.” – Ezekiel 2:3-5 (NLT)

“Speak the Truth”

One of the discoveries I’ve made in leadership along the way is that it’s really hard for many people to speak the truth. Especially if they think that someone is going to be mad or hurt. I’ve sat in meetings where everyone knows what the problem is or WHO the problem is, but no one wants to say it. I’ve had people come to me with “concerns” and dance around the issue until I’ve had to stop them and say, “Can you please just tell me what your concern is?” Have you ever experienced that? One of my favorite Bible verses is Proverbs 24:26, which says, “An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.” Yes, it is!

Please hear my heart on this. I’m not saying we are to be rude, intentionally offensive, or insensitive. But I do believe we are called to “speak the truth in love.” People who speak the truth help us grow. People who speak the truth keep us from making big mistakes. People who speak the truth sometimes help us hear what God is trying to tell us, but we are not hearing. In the end, people who speak the truth are respected a whole lot more than people who simply tell us what they think we want to hear.

Truth-telling was the command that God gave Ezekiel as he sent him out to be His Spokesperson. God was going to say some hard things through Ezekiel. They wouldn’t be things that the people wanted to hear, but it would definitely be things they NEEDED to hear! God told Ezekiel on the front end that people can be tough, and they may not heed a word he says. But Ezekiel’s responsibility wasn’t to make the people obey. His job wasn’t to get the people to agree or to commit to change. His job was simply to speak the truth as God gave it to him. After that, it was between the people and God.

O people, speak the truth — to your spouse, to your team, to your family, to your church, or to your friends. If God gives you insight and understanding, speak it. Say it with love. Say it with humility. Say it with concern and conviction. They don’t have to accept it. They don’t have to believe it. They don’t have to act on it. None of that is up to you. But your job as a messenger of God who loves them is to say it. Oh yes, and one more thing. If someone speaks the truth to you, do yourself a favor and LISTEN. It may be God trying to get your attention. That’s God’s Word for you today.

08/30/2026

God’s Word for You Today
August 30, 2026

Powerful Words from the Prophets

“Stand up, son of man,” said the voice. “I want to speak with you.” The Spirit came into me as he spoke, and he set me on my feet. I listened carefully to his words. – Ezekiel 2:1-2 (NLT)

“Fill Us, O Spirit of God!”

Yesterday we talked about how we need the strength of God to do the work of God. But how do we receive that strength? Our passage today answers that question. It comes by the empowerment of God’s Spirit. Ezekiel had a powerful vision from God that caused him to fall face down in humble worship. In that moment of understanding and surrender, God spoke to Ezekiel. And the Lord filled him with His Spirit to accomplish the work that was ahead of him.

We have access to that same Spirit of God! In the Old Testament, God’s Spirit settled upon one person at a time to do the work of God. On the Day of Pentecost, after Jesus ascended to heaven, God’s Spirit was made available to all followers of Christ. The Holy Spirit was the Key to how those disciples and early followers were able to thrive in the midst of horrible persecution.

In Acts 4, Peter and John were arrested for preaching the gospel. They were told to stop, or what happened to Jesus might happen to them. When they were released, they went back to the other followers and told them what had happened. When they realized the serious opposition they were up against, they fell on their faces before God. They knew it was going to take strength they didn’t have to accomplish what God was calling them to do. This was their prayer and God’s response: “’Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.’ After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.”

Today, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by all that’s ahead of you, follow the lead of Ezekiel and the Disciples. Hit your knees before God and cry out for His Presence and His Power. Ask Him to fill you to overflowing with His Holy Spirit. The day before you may be bigger than you, but it is not bigger than the Spirit of God. What you can’t do on your own, God CAN do through you. Pray with me, “Fill us, O Spirit of God!” That’s God’s Word for you today.

08/29/2026

God’s Word for You Today
August 29, 2026

Powerful Words from the Prophets

“On July 31 of my thirtieth year, while I was with the Judean exiles beside the Kebar River in Babylon, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. This happened during the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity. (The LORD gave this message to Ezekiel son of Buzi, a priest, beside the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians, and he felt the hand of the LORD take hold of him.)” – Ezekiel 1:1-3 (NLT)

“They Need HIM”

“The work of God requires the strength of God.” You might want to commit that statement to memory. It’ll save you a lot of frustration, failure, and heartache. I know it sounds like a simple truth, but it’s truly quite profound. And it’s one that we frequently forget.

Take another look at our passage today. Ezekiel, probably in his very first year of being a priest, has these visions of God. That can be a pretty overwhelming event for a new guy. God is giving him a glimpse of what’s coming. He’s giving him a look at the incredible future he has ahead of him. It would have been very easy for Ezekiel to get caught up in it all and say, “God picked ME!!” He wouldn’t have been wrong about that, but he could have easily missed the point. It wasn’t about who got picked. It was about The One doing the picking!

Let me point out a couple of things. First of all, Ezekiel’s name. It means “God strengthens.” Camp on that a second. Ezekiel’s name didn’t mean, “This guy’s a Strong Man.” It was a name pointing to God. As it should. Second, take a look at the last line of our passage. “And he felt the hand of the LORD take hold of him.” This reflects where Ezekiel’s strength, insight, and success come from. They come from the Lord. Just like Joseph, Moses, David, Gideon, and every other person before him whom God used, Ezekiel’s ability to accomplish God's work will have to come from God's strength.

Same for us. Sometimes God gives us visions of what He wants to do through us. Sometimes God calls us to certain places, to certain people, and to certain ministries to serve Him. Sometimes God opens doors and opportunities that absolutely blow our minds. But we always have to keep in mind that God doesn’t call us to these things because of who WE are. He calls us because of who HE is. These people, these ministries, these opportunities don’t need us. They need Him. The day we forget that, we’re dead in the water. That’s God’s Word for you today.

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