Scripture:

Ezekiel 36:26-27

26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

Transformation

All of us before Christ had hard hearts; in fact, Romans 5 says we were enemies of God.   We did what was contrary to the Lords plan for our lives, we were living in full rebellion to Him.  I am not saying that the work that He began in me is complete, but it started with this transformation: a heart pliable to the work of Christ, a new spirit, when we give our lives to Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us, not just with us, to remind us of Jesus words, His way, transform us from the inside out.

I don't know about you, but when Jesus found me, I needed transformation; I needed a new heart, mine was polluted with the world, its passions, desires, its ways; it was corrupted by its lies and the only fix was Jesus transforming it. As I continue to give myself over to Him, that transformation makes its way into all the areas of my life.  

How about you?

Today the God-Shot is more of a question:   What area is God still at work in your life, transforming, do you still have hard parts of your heart, areas that you still have not surrendered to Him, allowed Him to transform, are you hearing the Holy Spirit in your life, are you listening?  

The more we allow the work of the Holy Spirit, the greater our walk will be. Today is a day to remember your location and surrender that to Him.

Lord, I pray that you would reveal to us any area that we have not surrendered to you and that today we would allow that to pass from our hands to yours, that we would allow the work of the Holy Spirit to fully transform that area, we pray in Jesus' name, Amen!

Scripture:

Ezekiel 33:11

As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?

Redeemed

Even from the beginning, this was always God's heart: that we would turn from sin, that we would repent (change our minds) that we would do what is right, and then He would restore us, redeem us from this virus (sin).   Again, we see that the pursuit of God of His children (2 Peter 3:9) reminds us that He desires that none should perish but that all would come to repentance.  This verse also reminds us of God's patience: He is not quick in judgment, wanting that all would turn back to Him. 

This is good news for those who are lost, our neighbors, our family, our friends who need Jesus in their lives; it's not too late; they can make the decision today to turn away from the world and give their lives to Him.

Today our God-Shot is more of a call than anything else: called to tell others our story, the good news of the gospel; how we were a whosoever; how we didn't deserve God's salvation; how God redeemed us from the pit; how they can know Him; it's not too late. 

Get this:  He desires that even the worst of us would save our lives by turning from sin and giving our lives over to Christ. This is the good news we share! 

Lord, help us to be bold, to not delay, you have called each of us to be watchmen, to pray, to share the good news, to warn others; let us not delay, but to share the good news that saved us, we pray in Jesus' name, Amen! 

Scripture:

Ezekiel 28:2

2 “Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, ‘Thus says the Lord God:

“Because your heart is lifted[a] up,
And you say, ‘I am a god,
I sit in the seat of gods,
In the midst of the seas,’
Yet you are a man, and not a god,
Though you set your heart as the heart of a god

The Lie of Pride

Today, throughout chapters 28-30, you see God dealing with pride.   See, pride says that I don't need anyone; I have what it takes to do whatever I like.   It is my strength, my power, my wisdom that I accomplished this.   God hates pride because it lies to His children and makes them think they don't need Him, but the truth is, we have nothing without Him.   

You have heard it said, "Pride comes before the fall."  (Proverbs 16:8). That is because every man/woman comes to a place where their (strength, ability, wisdom, understanding) is not enough; it will fail without Him

Pride's Lies:

•   I do not need help

The idea that I don't need anyone or anything to help me (self-reliance). 

• I'm always right

The idea that I've got it all figured out.

• I'm better than anyone else

The idea that no one is greater than me

Truth: God Supplies:

• Isaiah 40:31:         Strength
• Philippians 4:13    Ability
• Proverbs 2:6         Wisdom /Understanding
• Psalm 46:1            Protection

Today our God-Shot is to examine our lives: is there an area that we have allowed pride to sneak in, take residence, a place where we have excluded God from?   I would encourage you to invite God into that place, ask Him for wisdom and understanding, and strength to accomplish it.   He will meet you there.

Every journey starts with your current: "LOCATION" 

Lord, I pray that you would stomp out any area of pride in our lives, any place where we have allowed the lie of pride (self-reliance) to convince us that we don't need you.  This morning we declare our dependence on you, your presence in our lives, your strength, your wisdom, your understanding, your salvation. Lord, we declare, "We need you!"   In Jesus' name, Amen!

Scripture:

Ezekiel 22:30

I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one

Burn Up the Dross

In chapter 21:4, the Lord says He will destroy the righteous and the wicked with the sword, and as you read it, you think, well, that's not fair.   But let's understand some things about this statement, the wickedness of Jerusalem, Judah had gotten so bad, the priests were not teaching the word of God, but practicing witchcraft and the peoples sin so bad that other nations were disgusted by it, pagan nations.   God hates sin, that is what we have to get here, it's not His children, but the SIN, it's the work of sin in their lives that God cannot tolerate.    Here is chapter 22:21 we get a clearer picture of God's heart, He hates sin, but in His grace is looking for anyone who would stand in the gap, who would stand on the side of righteousness, who would interceded who would even build a haven for those who did not want to be part of the wickedness, God was looking for someone who would lead people away from the destruction they had brought on their lives, but found NONE.

Today our God-Shot is that God hates sin, not sinners, and He is looking for people like us to stand in the gap, to draw people out of the world, to draw them back to a place of worship, to be Christ to those who are lost. (2 Corinthians 2:15) To be the aroma of Christ, to represent Him. I love 2 Corinthians 2:15 because to be the aroma, we have to be close to Him; that is, our nearness to Christ, our passion for His mission. Again, that's the God's shot to draw people out of the world, out of sin, into His plan. 

Lord, I pray that you would use us, that you would help us to stand in the gap, to be passionate about what you are passionate about, saving people, reaching the lost, that we would draw the lost out of the world into your Kingdom, that we would be part of your plan to change and transform lives in Jesus' name, Amen!

Scripture:

Ezekiel 18:21-22

21 “But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die. 22 None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live.

I can identify with this verse because there was a time when I was wicked, lost without hope, headed for hell on a fast train.   But because of Christ, my life completely changed; it was His love, His sacrifice that changed my whole life (Romans 5:8).   Because of Him, I have hope; I have life.  This portion is good news; it means that your lost family member has hope, your neighbor who needs to know Christ has hope, your coworker, your longtime friends who need to know Christ, to turn their lives around CAN, and if they do, He will remember their sins no more.   Only God can do that; we should marvel that God desires to give you and me a clean slate.  

When the devil, who is the accuser, tries to remind you of your past, tell him that your God does not remember that, and neither will you live in it, but God has set you free from it, and it is for Freedom that you have been set free.

Listen to the Order:

• Repentance:A person must turn away from all past sins.
• Obedience:A person must follow God's laws and act fairly.
• Forgiveness:God wipes away the record of past wrongs.
• Life:True change brings spiritual life instead of punishment.

Today's God-Shot is a reminder that there is Hope for the lost. 

Your prayers for them matter; keep praying; pray that they would turn (repent), that they would come into relationship (obedience), and that they would receive forgiveness, and that would lead them to life.

Lord, thank you that you rescued me, that in even in the darkness you were able to pull me out, resurrect my life from the pit; you loved me when I was still lost and gave your life for mine that I could live in freedom, that I could live for you,  this is the hope I have for all that are lost, that they would turn, that they would walk with you, that they would receive your forgiveness and that they would have life and it more abundantly, I thank you that salvation is not just reserved for the deserving, but it was for people like me, I am a whosoever, in Jesus name, Amen!