Delmar answers, “come on in boys, the waters fine!"

[drmike]

Why the Closed Door?

Today's Scripture

My troubles turned out all for the best—they forced me to learn from your textbook. Psalm 119:71, MSG

One of the hardest things for us is to let things go. We fight closed doors, get discouraged over who walked away, bitter over the dream that didn’t work out. You have to realize that God stopped it, not to make your life miserable, but to take you into something bigger, better, more fulfilling. The trouble, the disappointment, the loss, or the rejection may not make sense right now, but later on you’ll see what God was up to. If He hadn’t closed that door, you wouldn’t have stepped into the new level. If He hadn’t caused that person to move on, you wouldn’t have met that divine connection. If that opportunity didn’t dry up, you wouldn’t have discovered the potential in you. Trust Him when you don’t understand. It’s not random. It’s a necessary ending.

God is your doorkeeper. He opens and closes doors to push us in our purpose and to learn lessons we wouldn’t learn any other way. Stay in faith. God’s ways are not our ways. Your troubles will turn out for the best.

A Prayer for Today

“Father, thank You that You are the doorkeeper of my life. Thank You that disappointments and troubles cannot keep me from what You have purposed for me. I believe that You are opening and closing the right doors, and I’m looking for Your best. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

COFA-Christian Outdoor Fellowship of America needs your help. COFA is looking for volunteers to help our growing ministry reach out to the unchurched outdoor enthusiast (locally and nationally). If you're retired or have extra time on your hands and can spare a few hours a week, we need you. Areas we need volunteers: Prayer team, Social media, church outreach, accounting, administrative work, IT, National women's director, National men's director, webpage design. If you have an interest in serving the Lord with your talents, we'd love to hear from you. You can email Leslie at lesliea@cofausa.org or call her at 303.909.3707 or Mike at mikeb@cofausa.org or call him at 303.880.9878

Mike Brooks is COFA's prayer coordinator. Please feel free to contact him anytime for prayer, and with your permission, pass it on to COFA's prayer team. You can contact Mike at 303.880.9878 or email him at mikeb@cofausa.org with your requests. Guidelines for all prayer requests, last names must be withheld due to privacy issues, no gossip, or slandering of people you want prayer for. If you have immediate prayer needs, you can call Mike at 303.880.9878

[drmike]

All Power

Today's Scripture

…being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience. Colossians 1:11, NIV

Too often we see ourselves as average, as limited. We hear the stories about Moses, David, and Daniel and think, “They were powerful and did amazing things, but they were called by God and anointed.” Can I tell you that you are called, chosen, and anointed as well? Yes, we need to honor who they are, but they were people just like you and me. They were chosen to live in their day; you’ve been chosen to live in this day. Why don’t you believe that you are a giant killer, a barrier breaker, a history maker?

The truth is that if you weren’t “being strengthened with all power according to God’s glorious might,” some of the things that you’ve been through—the sickness, the loss, the setback, the disappointment—would have defeated you. But you’re still standing and moving forward. You’re not bitter; you’re blessed. It wasn’t by your own strength; it was the Lord your God breathing on your life. If you’re going to reach your full potential, you have to believe you are powerful, that you have the favor of God.

A Prayer for Today

“Father, thank You that Your power is at work to strengthen me in order that I can have great endurance and accomplish great things. Thank You that I can put discouragement behind me and stir up my faith. I believe that I am called, chosen, and anointed to be an overcomer. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

COFA-Christian Outdoor Fellowship of America needs your help. COFA is looking for volunteers to help our growing ministry reach out to the unchurched outdoor enthusiast (locally and nationally). If you're retired or have extra time on your hands and can spare a few hours a week, we need you. Areas we need volunteers: Prayer team, Social media, church outreach, accounting, administrative work, IT, National women's director, National men's director, webpage design. If you have an interest in serving the Lord with your talents, we'd love to hear from you. You can email Leslie at lesliea@cofausa.org or call her at 303.909.3707 or Mike at mikeb@cofausa.org or call him at 303.880.9878

Mike Brooks is COFA's prayer coordinator. Please feel free to contact him anytime for prayer, and with your permission, pass it on to COFA's prayer team. You can contact Mike at 303.880.9878 or email him at mikeb@cofausa.org with your requests. Guidelines for all prayer requests, last names must be withheld due to privacy issues, no gossip, or slandering of people you want prayer for. If you have immediate prayer needs, you can call Mike at 303.880.9878

[drmike]

The Mighty God

Today's Scripture

Then he built an altar there and named it El-Elohe-Israel (Mighty Is the God of Israel). Genesis 33:20, MSG

After Jacob spent twenty years estranged from his brother, Esau, he decided to return home with his family. Jacob had deceived his father into giving him the family blessing that belonged to Esau, and Esau had threatened to kill him. Jacob didn’t know how Esau would react to his return, but when he saw Esau coming with four hundred men, I’m sure Jacob thought he was a dead man. But Esau hugged and kissed him. Both men had tears running down their cheeks, and Esau welcomed Jacob’s wives and children.

This was something greater than Jacob ever imagined, and his response was to build an altar and name it El-Elohe-Israel, “the mighty God of Israel.” You have had times when you knew that what happened was the mighty God at work. It might have been freeing you from an addiction or a broken relationship. Build your altars of thankfulness for what He’s done, and be encouraged that the mighty God is still at work. He is still parting Red Seas, still defeating giants, still opening doors supernaturally.

A Prayer for Today

“Father, thank You that You are the mighty God who goes before me and fights for me. Thank You for all the great things You have done for me and for all the victories that You are about to bring me through. I believe that You are still at work opening doors. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

COFA-Christian Outdoor Fellowship of America needs your help. COFA is looking for volunteers to help our growing ministry reach out to the unchurched outdoor enthusiast (locally and nationally). If you're retired or have extra time on your hands and can spare a few hours a week, we need you. Areas we need volunteers: Prayer team, Social media, church outreach, accounting, administrative work, IT, National women's director, National men's director, webpage design. If you have an interest in serving the Lord with your talents, we'd love to hear from you. You can email Leslie at lesliea@cofausa.org or call her at 303.909.3707 or Mike at mikeb@cofausa.org or call him at 303.880.9878

Mike Brooks is COFA's prayer coordinator. Please feel free to contact him anytime for prayer, and with your permission, pass it on to COFA's prayer team. You can contact Mike at 303.880.9878 or email him at mikeb@cofausa.org with your requests. Guidelines for all prayer requests, last names must be withheld due to privacy issues, no gossip, or slandering of people you want prayer for. If you have immediate prayer needs, you can call Mike at 303.880.9878

[drmike]

Be a “Yet” Person

Today's Scripture

Yet will I rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation. Habakkuk 3:18, NLT

The prophet Habakkuk was saying, “My crops didn’t bloom, my fields are empty, and my cattle are gone. I am feeling discouraged, defeated, and depressed.” He didn’t deny what he felt, but he also didn’t let his feelings dictate his life. He added one little powerful word—“yet.” He was saying, “All that’s happened to me will not control my attitude. Yet will I rejoice. Yet will I be joyful, knowing that God is fighting my battles.”

Feelings can be very powerful. Overwhelming negative feelings may come to you but do as Habakkuk did and add the “yet.” Don’t let the feelings have the last word. “I had a bad break, yet will I rejoice.” “The medical report isn’t good, yet it won’t steal my peace and joy.” “Coworkers aren’t treating me right, yet I know God is my vindicator.” When you add the “yet,” angels go to work. When you choose to praise instead of complain, forces of darkness are broken. When you’re consistent, stable, always in a good mood, thanking God that He’s working, you’re a Habakkuk. You’re a “yet” person.

A Prayer for Today

“Father, thank You that I can rejoice in You, knowing that You are the God of my salvation and that victory is on the way. No matter what my circumstances look like, I know You are greater than my circumstances. I declare that I will yet praise You and keep rejoicing. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

COFA-Christian Outdoor Fellowship of America needs your help. COFA is looking for volunteers to help our growing ministry reach out to the unchurched outdoor enthusiast (locally and nationally). If you're retired or have extra time on your hands and can spare a few hours a week, we need you. Areas we need volunteers: Prayer team, Social media, church outreach, accounting, administrative work, IT, National women's director, National men's director, webpage design. If you have an interest in serving the Lord with your talents, we'd love to hear from you. You can email Leslie at lesliea@cofausa.org or call her at 303.909.3707 or Mike at mikeb@cofausa.org or call him at 303.880.9878

Mike Brooks is COFA's prayer coordinator. Please feel free to contact him anytime for prayer, and with your permission, pass it on to COFA's prayer team. You can contact Mike at 303.880.9878 or email him at mikeb@cofausa.org with your requests. Guidelines for all prayer requests, last names must be withheld due to privacy issues, no gossip, or slandering of people you want prayer for. If you have immediate prayer needs, you can call Mike at 303.880.9878

[drmike]

Patiently Endure

Today's Scripture

Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. Hebrews 10:36, NLT

We’re all waiting for something. Perhaps it’s for a dream to come to pass, for our health to improve, for a child to turn around. When it’s taken a long time, and we don’t see anything happening, it’s easy to get discouraged and think that it’s not meant to be. But today Scripture is saying, “Don’t get talked out of what God put in your heart. Just because it hasn’t happened yet doesn’t mean it’s not going to happen.”

God is faithful. He heard your request. He sees you standing in faith. He hears you thanking Him when you could be complaining. What you’re believing for is on the way. When you prayed in faith according to God’s will, He put the promise on the schedule. He already set the time to bring it to pass. You may not see any sign of it yet, but God is working behind the scenes. He’s lining up the right people, arranging the good breaks, the healing, the freedom, the abundance. It’s just a matter of time before you receive what He promised.

A Prayer for Today

“Father, thank You that You have established set times to bring Your promises to pass in my life. Help me to be patient, to accept Your timing, and rest in the fact that it’s all part of Your process. I believe that I am right where You want me and the promise is right on schedule. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

COFA-Christian Outdoor Fellowship of America needs your help. COFA is looking for volunteers to help our growing ministry reach out to the unchurched outdoor enthusiast (locally and nationally). If you're retired or have extra time on your hands and can spare a few hours a week, we need you. Areas we need volunteers: Prayer team, Social media, church outreach, accounting, administrative work, IT, National women's director, National men's director, webpage design. If you have an interest in serving the Lord with your talents, we'd love to hear from you. You can email Leslie at lesliea@cofausa.org or call her at 303.909.3707 or Mike at mikeb@cofausa.org or call him at 303.880.9878

Mike Brooks is COFA's prayer coordinator. Please feel free to contact him anytime for prayer, and with your permission, pass it on to COFA's prayer team. You can contact Mike at 303.880.9878 or email him at mikeb@cofausa.org with your requests. Guidelines for all prayer requests, last names must be withheld due to privacy issues, no gossip, or slandering of people you want prayer for. If you have immediate prayer needs, you can call Mike at 303.880.9878

[drmike]

In the Ordinary Days

Today's Scripture

A faithful person will be richly blessed. Proverbs 28:20, NIV

Sometimes we’re frustrated because we know we have more in us but we’re not seeing it happen. David was anointed to be the king, then God sent him back to the shepherds’ fields to care for sheep. Your anointing will supersede where you are right now. But David didn’t slack off or have a sour attitude in the mundane when no one was watching him. Thirteen years later, after being faithful in the shepherds’ fields and going through all kinds of unfair situations with King Saul, David suddenly took the throne. Passing the test in the ordinary days is what leads to exceptional days.

As with David, you may know you have more in you. You can feel the seeds of greatness, but you’re doing something menial, something below your training. Are you being excellent where God has you now? Be faithful in the routine. Be faithful when nothing exciting is happening or changing. If you are being your best where God has you now, serving and giving with a good attitude, God will take you from the background to the foreground.

A Prayer for Today

“Father, thank You for calling me to be faithful in the routine, knowing that You are preparing me for the new things You have in store. Thank You that You will take me from the ordinary to the exceptional. I’m going to keep being my best, serving and loving right where I am. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

COFA-Christian Outdoor Fellowship of America needs your help. COFA is looking for volunteers to help our growing ministry reach out to the unchurched outdoor enthusiast (locally and nationally). If you're retired or have extra time on your hands and can spare a few hours a week, we need you. Areas we need volunteers: Prayer team, Social media, church outreach, accounting, administrative work, IT, National women's director, National men's director, webpage design. If you have an interest in serving the Lord with your talents, we'd love to hear from you. You can email Leslie at lesliea@cofausa.org or call her at 303.909.3707 or Mike at mikeb@cofausa.org or call him at 303.880.9878

Mike Brooks is COFA's prayer coordinator. Please feel free to contact him anytime for prayer, and with your permission, pass it on to COFA's prayer team. You can contact Mike at 303.880.9878 or email him at mikeb@cofausa.org with your requests. Guidelines for all prayer requests, last names must be withheld due to privacy issues, no gossip, or slandering of people you want prayer for. If you have immediate prayer needs, you can call Mike at 303.880.9878

[drmike]

The Wrong Voices

Today's Scripture

“You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” Genesis 3:4–5, NLT

The enemy knows that if he can deceive you into listening to wrong voices, he can keep you from your destiny. This started in the garden of Eden. Satan came to Eve and said that she should just go ahead and eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Eve responded, “No. God said if we do, we will die.” Satan said, in effect, “Are you kidding? Do you really believe you’ll die? Of course not. God knows you’ll become just like Him. That’s why He doesn’t want you to eat that fruit.” Instead of recognizing the wrong voice, Eve started thinking about it more and more, and finally gave in.

The enemy has no new tricks. He’s going to bring voices that try to stop your purpose. Sometimes it’s an outside voice, saying, “It’s okay to compromise a little. No one cares.” Other times it’s an inner voice, saying, “You can’t forgive them. Look what they did to you.” If you’re not disciplined to tune out the wrong voices, then as with Eve, you’ll start making wrong choices.

A Prayer for Today

“Father, thank You for making me aware of the enemy’s deceptive ways to get me to doubt and question what You have said. Thank You that I can tune out the wrong voices that lead to compromise. I declare that I will not allow Your Word to be challenged in my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

COFA-Christian Outdoor Fellowship of America needs your help. COFA is looking for volunteers to help our growing ministry reach out to the unchurched outdoor enthusiast (locally and nationally). If you're retired or have extra time on your hands and can spare a few hours a week, we need you. Areas we need volunteers: Prayer team, Social media, church outreach, accounting, administrative work, IT, National women's director, National men's director, webpage design. If you have an interest in serving the Lord with your talents, we'd love to hear from you. You can email Leslie at lesliea@cofausa.org or call her at 303.909.3707 or Mike at mikeb@cofausa.org or call him at 303.880.9878

Mike Brooks is COFA's prayer coordinator. Please feel free to contact him anytime for prayer, and with your permission, pass it on to COFA's prayer team. You can contact Mike at 303.880.9878 or email him at mikeb@cofausa.org with your requests. Guidelines for all prayer requests, last names must be withheld due to privacy issues, no gossip, or slandering of people you want prayer for. If you have immediate prayer needs, you can call Mike at 303.880.9878

[drmike]

Heals Your Diseases

Today's Scripture

Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases. Psalm 103:2–3, NIV

One of the names of God in the Scripture is Jehovah Rapha, which means “the Lord your healer.” Some believers believe for their healing, that “by Jesus’ stripes you were healed,” and receive a divine touch as my mother did with her cancer when there was nothing the doctors could do medically speaking. Others get healed with the help of medicine, doctors and experts, which we’re grateful for. But God is the healer. Medicine can help you get well, but only God can heal you. It’s not God or medicine; it’s God and medicine. Where else did the doctors and medical experts get the wisdom to invent such amazing medicines, procedures, and devices that help us get well? Where did they get the insight, the knowledge, and the creativity? That didn’t come from the enemy. Every good thing comes from the Father above. That is the hand of God.

Ultimately, we get healed through death. The healing didn’t get manifest here, but in heaven there is no heart trouble in our new body, no cancer, no pain, no tears, and there never will be.

A Prayer for Today

“Father, thank You that I can know You as my provider, as my miracle maker, as Jehovah Rapha, the Lord my healer. Thank You for making it so clear that it is Your will to heal and restore me from all diseases. I will live from a place of faith, with no doubting or wondering. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

COFA-Christian Outdoor Fellowship of America needs your help. COFA is looking for volunteers to help our growing ministry reach out to the unchurched outdoor enthusiast (locally and nationally). If you're retired or have extra time on your hands and can spare a few hours a week, we need you. Areas we need volunteers: Prayer team, Social media, church outreach, accounting, administrative work, IT, National women's director, National men's director, webpage design. If you have an interest in serving the Lord with your talents, we'd love to hear from you. You can email Leslie at lesliea@cofausa.org or call her at 303.909.3707 or Mike at mikeb@cofausa.org or call him at 303.880.9878

Mike Brooks is COFA's prayer coordinator. Please feel free to contact him anytime for prayer, and with your permission, pass it on to COFA's prayer team. You can contact Mike at 303.880.9878 or email him at mikeb@cofausa.org with your requests. Guidelines for all prayer requests, last names must be withheld due to privacy issues, no gossip, or slandering of people you want prayer for. If you have immediate prayer needs, you can call Mike at 303.880.9878

[drmike]

The Promise of Good Things

Today's Scripture

“Sovereign LORD, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant.” 2 Samuel 7:28, NIV

If you have a child who’s off course, you can live worried and believe the lies that he’s never going to do right. Or you can say, “God, You reign over him. You promise that my seed will be mighty in the land. He will fulfill his destiny.” Let God reign over your circumstances. Keep Him on the throne. Business may be slow and discouraging, but turn it around and say, “Father, You reign over my business. You say that no good thing will You withhold because I walk uprightly. You promise that whatever I touch will prosper and succeed.” That’s not just being positive; that’s putting God on the throne. That’s letting Him reign. Or with your dreams and goals, you don’t have the connections, the funding, or the experience you think you need. Instead of giving up, you have to say, “Father, You reign over my dreams. Thank You that Your favor is opening doors no man can shut, You’re sending divine connections, the funding I need.” If you want God to reign, you have to keep Him on the throne.

A Prayer for Today

“Father, thank You for being on Your throne, for reigning as sovereign over my health, my finances, my family, and my circumstances. Thank You that You are my provider, my healer, my way maker, my deliverer. The throne of my life is reserved for You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

COFA-Christian Outdoor Fellowship of America needs your help. COFA is looking for volunteers to help our growing ministry reach out to the unchurched outdoor enthusiast (locally and nationally). If you're retired or have extra time on your hands and can spare a few hours a week, we need you. Areas we need volunteers: Prayer team, Social media, church outreach, accounting, administrative work, IT, National women's director, National men's director, webpage design. If you have an interest in serving the Lord with your talents, we'd love to hear from you. You can email Leslie at lesliea@cofausa.org or call her at 303.909.3707 or Mike at mikeb@cofausa.org or call him at 303.880.9878

Mike Brooks is COFA's prayer coordinator. Please feel free to contact him anytime for prayer, and with your permission, pass it on to COFA's prayer team. You can contact Mike at 303.880.9878 or email him at mikeb@cofausa.org with your requests. Guidelines for all prayer requests, last names must be withheld due to privacy issues, no gossip, or slandering of people you want prayer for. If you have immediate prayer needs, you can call Mike at 303.880.9878

[drmike]

Break Out of the Compromise Rut

Today's Scripture

Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the LORD. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths. Psalm 119:1, 3, NLT

Sometimes when we compromise and do something we know is wrong or questionable, we think we’re gaining an advantage with people, we’re getting their approval and acceptance. But that’s all we’re getting. When you walk in integrity, when you live by what God says in His Word and don’t lower that standard, you’re gaining an advantage with God. His favor on your life will take you much further than having an advantage with people.

We may cut corners here and compromise there, but it’s only going to hurt us in the long run. You may have made mistakes in the past and lacked integrity in certain areas. The good news is that it’s not hard to correct. It just takes effort. It takes being open to change. It takes being willing to dig down deeper and do the right thing. It means breaking out of ruts where we’ve gotten used to compromise and being less than our best. Let today be a new beginning. When you prove you’re a person of integrity, there’s no limit to how high God will take you.

A Prayer for Today

“Father, thank You for challenging me to come up higher and be my best, especially when no one is watching me. Show me if there is anything I’m doing that is keeping me from becoming a person of integrity. I want to change, and I believe You have the power to change me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

COFA-Christian Outdoor Fellowship of America needs your help. COFA is looking for volunteers to help our growing ministry reach out to the unchurched outdoor enthusiast (locally and nationally). If you're retired or have extra time on your hands and can spare a few hours a week, we need you. Areas we need volunteers: Prayer team, Social media, church outreach, accounting, administrative work, IT, National women's director, National men's director, webpage design. If you have an interest in serving the Lord with your talents, we'd love to hear from you. You can email Leslie at lesliea@cofausa.org or call her at 303.909.3707 or Mike at mikeb@cofausa.org or call him at 303.880.9878

Mike Brooks is COFA's prayer coordinator. Please feel free to contact him anytime for prayer, and with your permission, pass it on to COFA's prayer team. You can contact Mike at 303.880.9878 or email him at mikeb@cofausa.org with your requests. Guidelines for all prayer requests, last names must be withheld due to privacy issues, no gossip, or slandering of people you want prayer for. If you have immediate prayer needs, you can call Mike at 303.880.9878