Incarnation 1-16-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are One with the Father, One with the Holy Spirit; and by the mystery of faith and Your unfathomable love, You want me to be one in You. ... "I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in Me through their word, that they may all be one. As You, Father, are in Me and I am in You, may they also be in Us, so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. The glory that You have given Me I have given them, so that they may be one, as We are One, I in them and You in Me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that You have sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me" (John 17:20-23). Though I have read these verses of Your Word many times, this morning You are sending them deep into my soul. Like an armor piercing bullet, it seems You are firing this Truth through every layer of religious thinking, traditions of men, false humility, false doctrines, self-conscious pride, timidity, and the fear of man. Let Your Word hit its mark and explode inside of me. Let me be forever changed by the light and glory of Your Word of Truth to me. You really do desire this holy, intimate, communion -- that I may also be one in You -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- as You are One in One Another (v. 21). "But anyone united to the Lord becomes one with Him" (1 Corinthians 6:17). Let this not be my theory or my theology, let this be my true thoughts of myself and the reality of my experience in You. "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7, NKJV). And this is not only for me and for each of Your children, it is for "the world" -- "so that the world will know that (the Father) has sent (His Son)" (John 17:21). This is the key to world-wide evangelism -- "Christ in (us), the hope of glory" -- the glory of the manifest Presence of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit living as One in us, shining as Light and flowing as Love through us (Colossian 1:27). Our Father humbled Himself in human flesh as the Son (Philippians 2:5-11). "The Word became flesh and lived among us" (John 1:14). And now You want Your Word to become flesh in me and through my life -- totally surrendered and completely submitted to the will of my Father in Christ by the Holy Spirit of the Living God living in me. Together, we are "the body of Christ" in and to this world by Your Spirit living in us (1 Corinthians 12:27). This is not self-centered pride, this is Gospel Truth. This is not self-delusion, this is self understanding. This is not becoming God (as in the false teachings of New Age and Mormonism), this is embracing the Incarnation of God living in me and in each of us who are in Christ and allowing Christ to live in us. "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16). Yes, Lord. By Your grace, I do know this truth this moment more deeply than ever before. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Come join us Tonight for my Wednesday Night teaching series on Spiritual Ministry at 6:15 at my home church: www.CentenaryLex.com and also sign up for our School of Spiritual Ministry in Western Kentucky next month in Madisonville. Contact Marilyn Walker: dirofministries@aol.com or 859-317-1591 (And please keep us in prayer and for everyone to arrive safely for our one week intensive School of Spiritual Ministry in Lexington next week -- a pastor is trying to come from Nepal!). Come to The Fountain! this Friday Night, the 3rd Friday night of every month for our ministry's city-wide gathering of the body of Christ from every tradition and stream to worship the Lord in Sprit and in Truth. Sandra White and I will lead in prayer and Jeff Green will lead in worship. Come drink deeply from the Living Waters in the freedom of the Spirit. 7 pm in the chapel at Centenary in Lexington. All who are thirsty are welcome. Call or write for details: 859-422-1794 Subscribe/unsubscribe by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order our Resources On-Line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org