Scripture:

Ezekiel 40:5

5 I saw a wall completely surrounding the temple area. The length of the measuring rod in the man’s hand was six long cubits,[a] each of which was a cubit and a handbreadth. He measured the wall; it was one measuring rod thick and one rod high.

Sometimes you get to portions, and you ask the Lord, like today, why do I need to know this, Lord?   But as you read through chapters 40-42, it outlines a vision that Ezekiel has of God measuring out the temple, and as we get to verse 5 of chapter 40, we read about this detail about the wall around the temple; this wall is about 11' tall.   This is an important detail, as this wall would not be meant to keep people out, or it would have been 40' tall; it is meant to differentiate between that which is Holy and that which is not, or common. In addition, there is a gate, and that tells us that there is a way in.     Maybe you're still wondering why this is important; well, it is because there is a place for you, a place in His presence, and for you and me, Christ represents the gate through which we pass to get into the Holy place; He is the door through which we enter.   

There is a place for you; let that simmer...

Today our God-Shot is that we have always had a choice to separate ourselves from the world, to intentionally step into the presence of God, in the place of His covering. It is because of Christ that we have entrance: His sacrifice; we have access to the peace, the power, the joy, to the refuge that is found in His presence; we just have to step in... That's today's God-Shot, soak in that.

Lord, thank you that you built a place for me in your presence, through your Son, that you made a way to meet your righteous requirements, to bring me into a place that I could never have made it to without you, without your sacrifice. Today we praise you that your grace and mercy have brought us into the Holy of Holies, in Jesus' name, Amen!

Scripture:

Ezekiel 37:1-6, 11

The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. 2 Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. 3 And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.” 4 Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. 6 I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.” ’ ”

11 Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!

If you are human, you have more than likely had a season of hopelessness, where everything was dead, no movement, no life in your situations, and your hope seemed lost, where your bones were dry.   Sometimes it's sin that brought us there; other times it's circumstances beyond our control; sometimes it's others; and at other times it's just bad choices that kill our connection.    Israel was in this place; notice verse 11: "Our bones are dry, our hope is lost."    But here the Lord speaks into their situation, brings life into the dead things, puts flesh back on it, puts His spirit in them.

There is something so deep here:

The Lord is telling Israel, "I CAN" breathe life even into your dead situation, into where you are, where it seems hopeless. Just like in the natural, you need muscles for strength, breath for life, a heart/blood to live; I can give you strength to walk in my way, my spirit to give you breath/life so that you can hear and comprehend my ways, and I can give you a new heart to put away the failures of the past.

            In the Natural:                           In the Spiritual Life

• Strength (I need muscles)      -- Without His strength, walking in His way is impossible;                                    
• Breath (I need breath/spirit) --  Without His Spirit, I cannot hear/comprehend His voice.

• Life (I need a heart)               -- Without the transformation Christ brings (a new heart), my life will never be fully transformed into the life I am intended to live.. 

Today's God-Shot is a question:  Where are you at?   What dead bones, dry valleys are in your life, what has caused your senses to be dulled and what area does God need to speak into and bring back to life: (Strength, Breath & Life).

Lord, I pray for us today that you would breathe into the dead areas, things that have become dry and distant from you; restore us to life; restore our hearts to a right place; cause our sensitivity to your leading to be restored; put your Spirit in us; revive us into your plan, your purpose, in Jesus' name, Amen!

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!