"Without Dread of Disaster" 9-18-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Less of me and more of You, less of my will and more of Yours. ... "But those who listen to Me will be secure and will live at ease, without dread of disaster" (Proverbs 1:33). These seem to be days filled with the potential for dread of disaster. Economic disasters, natural disasters, personal disasters -- there seems to be a perfect storm building for a disaster of faith. But You are not blind to our struggles and You are not indifferent to our needs. You are at work in ways we cannot see. And You are reminding us to turn to You in our times of crisis, trusting You to bring us through. Though we would like You to bring us around our troubles, You often seem to bring us through our troubles instead. Your goal is not that we live a life of ease and security without any challenges to our faith or our independence and self-centeredness. Your goal is our sanctification, the willing and trusting surrender of our lives into Your hands to conform us into the image of the Son of God. "For this is the will of God, your sanctification" (1 Thessalonians 4:3). And that doesn’t happen on a bed of ease, in world without suffering, in times emptied of the temptation to be consumed by dread of disaster. That happens in times just like these. So give us faith to turn to You, trusting in Your heart that is good toward us, trusting in Your promises that You are with us through it all (Isaiah 43:2). Our world is being shaken "so that what cannot be shaken remains. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks" (Hebrews 12:27-28). We give thanks for Your Presence in the midst of the shaking and Your peace in the midst of every dread of disaster. Let Your perfect love keep casting out our fear (1 John 4:18). Let Your perfect peace keep surpassing all our understanding (Philippians 4:7). As we look and listen to You through that comes, You will keep establishing us firm and secure in the ease of Your arms, even as You sanctify our souls in the process. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Come to the Fountain! This Friday Night 9/19 at 7 pm -- the 3rd Friday Night of every month -- for our ministry's monthly gathering of people from many different churches and streams of the body of Christ across our city for prayer, praise, and healing worship. Ann Peterson, my friend from the Healing Academy at Asbury Seminary, will be leading in prayer, while Brooke and Shannon Barrett lead us in worship. Hosted in the chapel of Centenary: 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY. Please come early for Intercessory Prayer at 6:15. Contact Marilyn at dirofministries@aol.com or 859-422-1794. All are welcome! Come to the Mountain! every Monday night at 7 pm to pray for Israel and the peace of Jerusalem led by Doris and Bob McCray of our ministry. Hosted in the upstairs community room of First Southern National Bank at 3060 Harrodsburg Rd in Lexington. Special Guest Stan Goodenough from Israel next Monday Night 9/22. Contact Vicky Welch at VickyWelch77@yahoo.com All are welcome! Subscribe free by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com Please Click Here to Order our Ministry Resources On-Line -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502