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

06/02/2026

God’s Word for You Today
June 2, 2026

Powerful Words from the Prophets

“Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.” – Isaiah 55:6 (NLT)

“Immediately Obedient”

One of the prayers I find myself praying these days is asking the Lord to help me be “immediately obedient” when He speaks. There are a few reasons why I’ve found this to be important on my own journey of faith.

One reason is that I’ve discovered how comfortable I can get with flaws in my life. God speaking to me about something that’s not as it should be is like walking into the bathroom and finding I’ve got a crack in the mirror. The first time I see it, I think to myself, “What an ugly crack! I need to do something about that!” But I don’t. The next few times I see it, it’s a bit distracting, but not as much as at first. After a while, I don’t notice the crack at all.

It’s the same with God’s correction. The longer I live with the flaws that God shows me, the more comfortable I become with them. I go from “I need to do something about that,” to “Yeah, I probably ought to change that,” to “What flaw?” The dangerous part of growing insensitive to God’s voice is that the stuff God points out is always stuff that will erode my soul, cause problems/pain for me and/or others, and create distance in my walk with Him.

Another reason it’s important to respond immediately to God is that some doors close or opportunities are missed, and you may not get another chance. Or at least, not without some pretty severe consequences. I’m thinking of a friend I had in high school whom I convinced to go to Youth Camp with me. He wasn’t a Christian, and one night, he was under pretty intense conviction in a service to give his heart to the Lord. But he didn’t. He went home unchanged. I ran into him some years later, and we had lunch together. He told me he was on his third marriage in ten years and confessed that he knew he drank a whole lot more than he should. Though a functional alcoholic, he admitted his life was pretty much a mess.

When I drove away, I remembered that camp and the window that God opened for him to surrender his heart. I thought about how different his life could have been if he had just said, “Yes,” to God in that service. His entire life could have gone in a whole different way. Sometimes the consequences of ignoring God are bigger than we can imagine. That’s why our verse from Isaiah is such an important reminder. “Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.” Become immediately obedient to the voice of God. The life you save may be your own. That’s God’s Word for you today.

06/01/2026

God’s Word for You Today
June 1, 2026

Powerful Words from the Prophets

“You also will command nations you do not know, and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey, because I, the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious.” – Isaiah 55:5 (NLT)

“Glorious”

I just got back from preaching at a Campmeeting in Southwest Ohio. Wanda and I had a fantastic time. The theme for the week was “Made for More.” So I unpacked that theme each evening, looking at it from several different angles. It was a blast! But the one thing we kept coming back to was critically important. Being “more” is about who God is and not who we are.

You see, even in our walk of faith or our work in the Kingdom of God, it’s easy to make it all about us. Our talent. Our giftedness. Our abilities. You fill in the blank. But it’s not about us. It’s about HIM. Yes, God allows us to partner with Him. Yes, there is a surrender on our part, and an exercise of faith on our part, and a commitment to growth and learning on our part. But GOD is the one who does the heavy lifting. It is HE working in us, and it is HE working through us. Our becoming “more” is by allowing Him to possess more of us!

Take a look at our passage today. God tells His People how other nations are going to come running to them and be ruled over by His People. But notice how carefully God explains how that happens. He says it’s “because I, the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious.” It wasn’t about THEM. It was about HIM.

“Glorious.” What a great word. When we spend time in the presence of God, seeking His will and His ways, He fills us with His Glory. And it shines through. When Moses came down from the mountain, He was glowing with the glory of God. It was the confirmation that God had His hand upon Him as the leader. When we preach or teach or counsel or sing or lead by letting God speak to us and through us, and it touches the hearts of people, it isn’t because we’re great at it. It’s because we’re “glorious”—God’s glory is coming through us. Only God can touch hearts. Only God can transform lives. Only God can bring conviction, save souls, or truly inspire. It’s God’s Glory that people are drawn to. And it’s that glory that makes us “more” than we could ever be alone.

Make this your prayer this week. “Lord, fill me with your glory!” Seek Him, surrender to Him, yield your will to His will, and ask His Spirit to fully consume you. It’s not more of you whom your family, your friends, or your church needs. It’s more of Him. So make sure when they see you, they see Him. Then you, too, will be GLORIOUS! That’s God’s Word for you today.

05/31/2026

God’s Word for You Today
May 31, 2026

Powerful Words from the Prophets

“Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David.” – Isaiah 55:3 (NLT)

“Positioned to Listen”

This verse really challenged me today. I have to confess that I’m not always a good listener. If someone’s trying to talk to me while I’m doing something else, I don’t always hear what they’re saying, even if I’m nodding my head as if I am. The problem for me is that I don’t multitask well. I tend to lock my attention on one thing and tune out everything else. My wife, on the other hand, can be doing six different things and seems to be able to focus 1/6 of her brain on each one. I guess I just don’t have enough brain to go around to do that.

That’s why the first part of our verse hit me so hard. “Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life.” When I come to God with a distracted mind or with only a half-open heart, I’m not hearing all of what He has to say. And the stuff God has to say is REALLY important! The stuff He wants to share with us, point out to us, or have us spend some time with is stuff that brings us LIFE! It may be a promise that we really need to hear for the moment that we’re in. It may be the warning that we need for what we may be facing in the days or weeks ahead. It may be the correction that we need to receive to adjust an attitude or a behavior that’s not in line with His Character. It may be a person that He wants to lay on our heart to touch with a word of encouragement or comfort. If I miss THAT STUFF, I miss a LOT!

Process this with me today. What causes YOU to come to God with ears that are only half-open to Him? Is it when you are anxious or afraid? Is it when you’re busy and running at a hectic pace? Is it when you’re frustrated or angry with someone and you’re struggling to shift your mind from them to Him? Is it when you’re feeling a bit convicted, because you know there’s some stuff in your life that God’s not pleased with? Is it when you try to squeeze God into a busy or noisy time in your day when you’re surrounded by a bunch of distractions? All of these and more can steal an important moment that we may need with God. What’s really crazy is that these are the times we MOST need to hear from God!

I took a walk today in the woods. No phone, no people, no cars, no noise. Just me and God. And you know what? Not only could I express the deepest concerns of my heart without fear that someone else might hear, I was able to LISTEN. God confirmed His love for me. God confirmed His presence with me. God reminded me that I was His Beloved Child—flaws and all. As I shared some challenges, God gave me some scriptures and let me know that it was going to be okay. God has some AMAZING things to say. All we have to do is position ourselves to LISTEN. That’s God’s Word for you today.

05/30/2026

God’s Word for You Today
May 30, 2026

Powerful Words from the Prophets

Isaiah 53

“A Grateful Rebel”

Who has believed our message? To whom has the LORD revealed his powerful arm? 2 My servant grew up in the LORD’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. 3 He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. 4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows[a] that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins!

5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. 6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all. 7 He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.

8 Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people. 9 He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave.

10 But it was the LORD’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the LORD’s good plan will prosper in his hands. 11 When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. 12 I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels. – Isaiah 53

Sometimes you just have to let the Scripture speak for itself about Jesus. I am one of those grateful rebels He interceded for. How about YOU? That’s God’s Word for you today.

05/29/2026

God’s Word for You Today
May 29, 2026

Powerful Words from the Prophets

“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!” – Isaiah 52:7 (NLT)

“The ‘Beautiful Feet’ People”

Have you ever noticed how much bad news there is? We had the television on while I was checking my email, and it was one bad news story after another. The war in Iran. The Ebola outbreak in Africa. Another government official stealing millions of dollars. Even the commercials were political candidates taking shots at one another. It’s no wonder that the antidepressant drug industry is making billions.

That’s why I was so inspired by a story that was in my email about a woman in Vancouver, Washington, who did something incredibly kind. She saw an older man in her neighborhood who looked confused. So she went out to see if he needed help. She discovered that he was an 87-year-old DoorDash driver. As she talked to him, she found out that though he was retired, he had to have a part-time job to cover his medicine and pay off some debt. Her heart broke for the man, so she gave him $100 and told him to take the rest of the day off. She then started a GoFundMe account for him and is trying to raise enough money for him to truly retire. Are you getting this? She CARED. She SHARED. She ACTED IN LOVE. This woman’s story was a breath of good news in a bad news world.

I love how Isaiah describes “good news” people as having “beautiful feet.” In other words, they are the people you love to see coming. They are the people who bring you hope and encouragement. They are the people who lift and inspire you. They are the people who want to listen to you, pray for you, and help you if they can. They are the people who remind you that there is a God who loves you, a Savior who died for you, and a Holy Spirit who is there to guide you. They are the people whom you long to have with you, and you hate to see leave. They are the Beautiful Feet people.

You know what’s so cool about Beautiful Feet people? Any of us can be one! Any one of us can be bearers of Good News. Any one of us can be encouraging and uplifting. Any one of us can remind people that there is hope, help, and healing. Any one of us can share that there is a God who cares, loves, and saves. Any one of us can make someone’s day by reminding them that they are not alone. And do you know what else? Every single one of us has people in our world who need to hear these things. So what are you waiting for? Go out today and be one of God’s Beautiful Feet people. You don’t even have to take off your shoes! That’s God’s Word for you today.

05/28/2026

God’s Word for You Today
May 28, 2026

Powerful Words from the Prophets

“Will you remain in constant dread of human oppressors? Will you continue to fear the anger of your enemies? Where is their fury and anger now? It is gone! Soon all you captives will be released! Imprisonment, starvation, and death will not be your fate! For I am the LORD your God, who stirs up the sea, causing its waves to roar. My name is the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. And I have put my words in your mouth and hidden you safely in my hand. I stretched out the sky like a canopy and laid the foundations of the earth. I am the one who says to Israel, ‘You are my people!’” – Isaiah 51:13-16 (NLT)

“Our Destiny Belongs to the Lord”

Have you ever felt trapped? It’s funny how often I hear people use that word to describe their circumstances. I remember a guy talking with me some time ago using that word to describe his job situation. He had been trying and trying to get promoted to a higher level, but to no avail. He had become really discouraged. Finally, he decided to look for another job. One became available that he applied for. He so desperately wanted to get out of the job he was in that he BEGGED God to let him get it. He didn’t. And he plunged into despair.

He called me after the new job fell through and wanted me to tell him why God didn’t give him that job. I told him that I wasn’t privy to that kind of information. It was above my pay grade. But I did assure him that God knew where he was, how he felt, and what he needed. I prayed with him and simply asked God to guide, lead, and comfort him. I didn’t hear back from him until about six months later. That’s when he called to tell me that God had opened the door for him to get his “dream job.” It was a better job, a better environment, doing what he loved, for more money. He decided that maybe God knew what He was doing after all!

We sometimes forget that though people and circumstances can cause us distress and difficulty, only God controls our destiny. Read that last sentence again. What God says to His People in our passage today is an understanding that can help us rest and trust in His leading and His process. We don’t have to be afraid or discouraged. The same God who can free His People from Egypt and free His People from the Babylonians can free us as well. God is greater than the people who may be against us, greater than the circumstances that surround us, and greater than the chains that may bind us. My friend felt as if he was trapped in his job. He was wrong. He discovered that what we call a “struggle” is just a stepping stone that God uses to get us to where we need to be. People may control our jobs, but only God controls our destiny. That’s God’s Word for you today.

05/27/2026

God’s Word for You Today
May 27, 2026

Powerful Words from the Prophets

“The LORD will comfort Israel again and have pity on her ruins. Her desert will blossom like Eden, her barren wilderness like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found there. Songs of thanksgiving will fill the air.” – Isaiah 51:3 (NLT)

“The Other Side”

Every once in a while, Wanda and I will struggle with each other. I know that’s hard for you to believe, seeing as how I’m so perfect in every way, but we do. There are times when one of us will do something or say something that hits the other person the wrong way. Sometimes we hurt each other’s feelings. Sometimes we just get frustrated with life and get short or edgy. There are also times we get into fairly intense conversations that feel as if they will have no resolution. But there’s a truth about our relationship that we hold onto in those challenging moments. We always get to the Other Side.

I thought of that when I read our passage for today. God is reminding His People of that truth. He will get them to the other side. Yes, beautiful Jerusalem will lie in ruins. Yes, the Holy Temple will be ransacked and destroyed. Yes, they will live in exile and have to endure horrible treatment. But God assures them that their time of struggle will end. Their city will be rebuilt. They will worship once again in their temple. They will return to their homeland and plant again, harvest again, LIVE again. God will comfort their souls and heal their broken hearts. Their days of struggle will one day be over. He will see them through to the Other Side.

That may be a word of hope and encouragement that some of us need to hear. Maybe your world has recently fallen apart. Perhaps you're dealing with a death that has left you feeling lost and alone. Maybe you’re going through a long-term illness or struggle that has sapped you of all your energy, and you’re struggling just to put one foot in front of the other. Maybe you’ve been going through a relational crisis, financial crisis, or job crisis that has made you feel stuck with no way out. And maybe, in all of this, God has felt a million miles away.

Well, He’s not, My Friend. He’s right there with you every step of the way. He’s been helping in ways that you can’t even see and working in ways that you’ll never even know. And though He doesn’t promise you a quick fix or an easy road, He does promise you this: He’ll get you to the Other Side. One day, you’ll find comfort. One day, you’ll find relief. One day, this horrible moment you’re going through will just be a bad memory. One day, healing will come, life will be easier, and you’ll feel joy, peace, and gladness again. That’s when you’ll know you’re in that land God promised. That place of restoration, renewal, and rest. The place we like to call “The Other Side.” That’s God’s Word for you today.

05/26/2026

God’s Word for You Today
May 26, 2026

Powerful Words from the Prophets

“Listen to me, all who hope for deliverance—all who seek the LORD! Consider the rock from which you were cut, the quarry from which you were mined. Yes, think about Abraham, your ancestor, and Sarah, who gave birth to your nation. Abraham was only one man when I called him. But when I blessed him, he became a great nation.” – Isaiah 51:1-2 (NLT)

“What’s In YOUR Quarry?”

My father used to love to tell us stories of how God showed up in amazing ways in his life. One story I remember was from when my dad was at work one day, and they had a crisis in his shop. They had a certain part that they needed to make, but there was a particular adapter piece that fit on the machine that was needed to make it. It was nowhere to be found. They were sure they had it, but after looking in all the places it could be, they gave up and decided that they were going to have to order a new one, which would take days to come in. That would delay the job they were being paid to do, and that would NOT make the company they were making the parts for happy.

My dad said that after they had all given up, he walked back into the shop by himself to pray. Going into an area of shelves of various parts, he bowed his head and asked for God’s help. He said, “Lord, I’m sure that part is here somewhere, and though we don’t know where, YOU do! It’s just a part for a job and not of any eternal consequence, but if you could help me find that part, I will give you all the glory.” My father said that when he said “Amen,” for some reason, he reached his hand up on a shelf where he couldn’t even see what was up there. He felt around and touched what he knew was the part they were looking for. When he walked out with it, he was the hero of the day. But Dad gave God all the credit, because God did what he could never have done.

That’s just one of many of the “stories from the quarry” of which I was mined. Those stories of faith, deliverance, and miraculous provision, along with the treasure trove of stories from the Bible that I learned, are from the “rock from which I was cut.” They became the foundation for my faith. They gave me a place to stand. They steadied me when I was fearful, overwhelmed, or when my heart began to doubt. God reminds us in our passage today to CLING to those stories. Recall them again and again. Hold onto the testimonies that have been shared with you. Saturate your heart and mind with the Word of God. That way, when life becomes a struggle, you’ve got a quarry of your own to mine to give you the nuggets of faith you need to stand strong. Thank your father and Father for the blessing of your stories of faith! That’s God’s Word for you today.

05/25/2026

God’s Word for You Today
May 25, 2026

Powerful Words from the Prophets

“Who among you fears the LORD and obeys his servant? If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the LORD and rely on your God. But watch out, you who live in your own light and warm yourselves by your own fires. This is the reward you will receive from me: You will soon fall down in great torment.” – Isaiah 50:10-11 (NLT)

“Beware of Smoke and Mirrors”

Here’s a riddle for you: When is light not light and when is warmth not warmth? Answer? When the light you see is just an illusion, and when the warmth you feel is when you’re actually freezing to death. The crazy thing is that both of these actually happen!

A person who is dying of thirst walking through the desert can sometimes “see” an oasis just ahead. But it’s not an oasis. It’s an image that’s created by a combination of the reflection of the sun off the sand and the brain reacting to the body’s dehydration. In the same way, as crazy as it seems, people who are freezing to death can suddenly feel a burst of heat. It’s caused by the warm blood from the core of the body suddenly rushing back to the surface skin. Some people who experience this actually start pulling off clothes because it feels like they're having a hot flash, and their brain is delusional from the lack of oxygen. You can’t always trust how you think and feel.

That’s the point God makes in our passage today. The Enemy is a deceiver. In fact, Jesus tells us that when the Enemy lies, he speaks his native language. So the Enemy tells us to “trust our instincts” or to “follow our hearts.” But our “instincts” aren’t always healthy or good. How many of us have followed our own paths to find that they are dead-end roads? Or how many people do you know that have tried “get rich quick” schemes and ended up a lot poorer than when they started? “Instincts” sometimes just STINK.

And “following our hearts” is often not really following our hearts. It’s following our feelings. Following our emotions. Following our infatuations. I’m willing to guess there are a bunch of us who tried to “build our own fire” with someone trying to find the warmth of love, only to end up with a broken heart. Some of us have “followed our hearts” right into absolute disasters.

Isaiah reminds us to “trust in the Lord” and to “rely on God.” Make sure the path you're on is a God-led path. Run your “instincts” by the Holy Spirit and some good godly counsel before running toward your “oasis.” And make sure your heart is in tune with the Lord and that you’re seeking after Him BEFORE you follow it. Warmth that isn’t godly warmth could end up leaving you lost and lonely and out in the cold. So beware of the smoke and mirrors of the Enemy. Let God be your light and the fire of your heart, and you’ll be sure to stay safe and warm and on the right path. That’s God’s Word for you today.

05/24/2026

God’s Word for You Today
May 24, 2026

Powerful Words from the Prophets

“Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like a stone, determined to do his will. And I know that I will not be put to shame.” – Isaiah 50:7 (NLT)

“Set Your Face Like A Stone”

Let me pull a sentence out of our passage today for you. “I have set my face like a stone, determined to do his will.” Does that statement describe you and your walk of faith? Resolve is a characteristic that we desperately need. Resilience is the determination and faith to hold on and keep going—no matter what we’re going through!

Yesterday I shared about Jesus’ suffering and crucifixion. He KNEW it was coming. Yet He went to Jerusalem anyway. When He came into the city, there were palm branches, coats laid on the ground, and people shouting, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” But as the week went on, things went south. Betrayal happened. Abandonment happened. And the adoring crowd became an angry mob shouting, “Crucify Him!”

But Jesus “set His face like a stone.” He didn’t come to just enjoy the good times. He was here for the long haul. He was determined with the very depth of His being to endure whatever He had to endure to carry out His Father’s will. Even when palm branches and praises turned to whips and jeering. Jesus was resolved to see it through.

I believe someone needs to hear this today. What I’ve discovered as a Christ-follower, and especially as a pastor, is that it takes commitment to keep going. It’s easy to follow Jesus when life is good, our bodies are strong, our bank accounts are solid, and our relationships are calm. But how do we do when the wheels come off in life? When our relationships are filled with drama, there’s no money in the bank, or our bodies are filled with pain? Can we keep going THEN? It’s easy to teach and preach and serve when everyone is nice, people are appreciative, and you see the fruit of what you’re doing. But how about when people start complaining or when we don’t see the return for our effort? Can we still be faithful and committed to our jobs THEN?

I want to encourage you to “set your face like a stone” today. I want to challenge you to lift your hands before God and tell Him that you will walk the path of His Son. That you will follow Him faithfully, serve Him wholeheartedly, and stay resilient in your walk with Him. Tell Jesus that you are as committed to Him as He is to you. All the way to the end. That’s God’s Word for you today.

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