Monday, June 30, 2014

Morning by Morning, June 30  - Bethel--Our Hearts are God's House

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I worship You, Lord God, in spirit and truth, as I start my day focused on You.  ...

"God appeared to Jacob again when he came from Padan-aram, and He blessed him. God said to him, 'Your name is Jacob; no longer shall you be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.' ... Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He had spoken with him, a pillar of stone; and he poured out a drink offering on it, and poured oil on it. So Jacob called the place where God had spoken with him Bethel" (Genesis 35:9-15).

Bethel means house of God. Now that You have poured out Your Holy Spirit upon all Your sons and daughters of God, we are Your Bethel -- the place You dwell with our hearts as Your house. We are "a holy temple in the Lord, in whom (we) also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God" (Ephesians 2:21-22). "Do you not know that (we) are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in (us)?" (1 Corinthians 3:16)

So wherever I am, I can hear Your voice speaking to me. Wherever I am, I can sense Your Presence abiding within me. And wherever I am, You invite me to pour out my praise as a offering of my life and trust in You only as my pillar of strength, remembering every place and every moment where You've met with me and assured me that I am Your child and You are my God. You are my God who knows my name.

Even now, it seems I hear You say, "Tommy, My son. I am in you and you are in Me. Trust in Me to lead you today by your heart that you've entrusted to Me."

Yes, Lord. Abide in me as I abide in You (John 15:4). Put Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart. Remind me that Your Spirit is within me, guiding my path and ordering my steps, changing my heart into Your nature. Dwell in Your house, here in my heart, throughout the moments of my day. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays


My Friend,  I pray you will remember throughout the moments of your day that your heart is God's house. May you hear His voice and sense His Presence wherever you  are. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

Friends, please come join us if you can for the National Conference of Aldersgate Renewal Ministries held in Springfield, Illinois this summer, July 17-20. I'm excited to be teaching Equipping Sessions on How to Pray for Inner Healing and How to Pray for Physical Healing. (www.aldersgate2014.org)  I hope you can come, it's always a time of great spiritual refreshing and renewal for me!


Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
  
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257

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Thursday, June 26, 2014

Morning by Morning, June 26 -- I Will Arise into Life

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I will exalt You, Lord God Almighty -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Be high and lifted up in my heart and throughout the moments of my day.  ...

"God said to Jacob, 'Arise, go up to Bethel, and settle there. Make and altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled form your brother Esau.' So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, 'Put away the foreign gods that are among you, and purify yourselves, and change your clothes; then come, let us go up to Bethel, that I may make an altar there to the God who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone' " (Genesis 35:1).

I will arise in worship. I let my spirit soar up Your heavens, the house of God, in praise. You're always with me. And I always want to be with You. As I draw near to You, You draw near to me. As I lift up my heart to You, You pour Your heart into me. And I'm filled with courage and confidence to trust You and obey You and live my life for You.

Now I hear Your Holy Spirit writing a new song in my spirit.  ...

I will arise ... into life ...
I will arise ... into life ...
I will arise ... into life today

Open my eyes to Your life ...
Open my eyes to Your life ...
Open my eyes to Your life today

For I know You love me
I know You're for me
I know You're with me today

I will not fear
I'll seek to hear
As You draw me near today

I will arise  ...

Yes, Lord. I will arise into life today -- unafraid and filled with faith to trust the God who has brought me out of every distress and continues to bring me forth into my destiny in Christ. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays


My Friend,  I pray you will know the peace of contemned and the thrill of fulfillment, as you commit yourself to the Lord and His plans for your life.  Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

Friends, please come join us if you can for the National Conference of Aldersgate Renewal Ministries held in Springfield, Illinois this summer, July 17-20. I'm excited to be teaching Equipping Sessions on How to Pray for Inner Healing and How to Pray for Physical Healing. (www.aldersgate2014.org)  I hope you can come, it's always a time of great spiritual refreshing and renewal for me!


Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
  
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257

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Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Morning by Morning, June 25 - Peace of Commitment, Thrill of Fulfillment

Good morning, Lord Jesus. As I begin this new day, I begin by willingly choosing to put my heart and my life in Your hands.  ...

"We can make our own plans, but the Lord give the right answer. People may be pure in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their motives. Commit you actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed" (Proverbs 16:1-3).

Lord, I want my plans to be Your plans; I want my dreams to be from Your desires. And if my plans come to pass, if my dreams are fulfilled, I want to know they have honored You from a pure heart.

So as best as I can and all by Your grace, I commit myself to You. Put Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart. Order my steps and direct my paths in the way that leads to life -- a life that honors You. Then I will know the peace of contentment and the thrill of fulfillment. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays


My Friend,  I pray you will know the peace of contemned and the thrill of fulfillment, as you commit yourself to the Lord and His plans for your life.  Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

Friends, please come join us if you can for the National Conference of Aldersgate Renewal Ministries held in Springfield, Illinois this summer, July 17-20. I'm excited to be teaching Equipping Sessions on How to Pray for Inner Healing and How to Pray for Physical Healing. (www.aldersgate2014.org)  I hope you can come, it's always a time of great spiritual refreshing and renewal for me!


Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
  
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257

Share this word to encourage a friend!  Blue 

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Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Morning by Morning, June 24 - Possessing Our Inheritance

Good morning, Lord Jesus. As humbly as I can, I willingly choose to be desperately dependent upon You alone today.  ...

"Thus the Lord gave to Israel all the land that He swore to their ancestors that He would give them; and having taken possession of it, they settled there. And the Lord gave them rest on every side just as He had sworn to their ancestors; not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the Lord had given all their enemies into their hands. Not one of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass" (Joshua 21:35).

Lord Jesus, You are my Joshua -- my Yeshua. You are the fulfillment of every promise of God. In You, every promise of God is Yes and Amen. "For in Him every one of God's promises is 'Yes.' For this reason it is through Him that we say the 'Amen,' to the glory of God" (2 Corinthians 1:20).

By faith in You -- by entrusting all that I am and all that I have to You, as best as I can and all by Your grace -- I take possession of all You've already done for me and embrace all You've already entrusted to me. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 1:3).

Help me learn to rest in the finished work of the cross, in the infinite power of the blood of Jesus, in the steadfast love of God. Help me rest by embracing all You've done, coming into agreement with the fullness of the truth of all You've given to me by Your grace as my eternal inheritance in You. "In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of Him who accomplishes all things according to His counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of His glory" (Ephesians 1:11-12). You are my Father and this is Your will. This is my inheritance in You (Joshua 1:6). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays


My Friend,  may you take possession by faith of all your inheritance in Christ, resting in Him all all He has done for you. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!


Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
  
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257

Share this word to encourage a friend!  Blue 

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Morning by Morning, June 24 - Possessing Our Inheritance

Good morning, Lord Jesus. As humbly as I can, I willingly choose to be desperately dependent upon You alone today.  ...

"Thus the Lord gave to Israel all the land that He swore to their ancestors that He would give them; and having taken possession of it, they settled there. And the Lord gave them rest on every side just as He had sworn to their ancestors; not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the Lord had given all their enemies into their hands. Not one of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass" (Joshua 21:35).

Lord Jesus, You are my Joshua -- my Yeshua. You are the fulfillment of every promise of God. In You, every promise of God is Yes and Amen. "For in Him every one of God's promises is 'Yes.' For this reason it is through Him that we say the 'Amen,' to the glory of God" (2 Corinthians 1:20).

By faith in You -- by entrusting all that I am and all that I have to You, as best as I can and all by Your grace -- I take possession of all You've already done for me and embrace all You've already entrusted to me. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 1:3).

Help me learn to rest in the finished work of the cross, in the infinite power of the blood of Jesus, in the steadfast love of God. Help me rest by embracing all You've done, coming into agreement with the fullness of the truth of all You've given to me by Your grace as my eternal inheritance in You. "In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of Him who accomplishes all things according to His counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of His glory" (Ephesians 1:11-12). You are my Father and this is Your will. This is my inheritance in You (Joshua 1:6). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays


My Friend,  may you take possession by faith of all your inheritance in Christ, resting in Him all all He has done for you. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!


Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
  
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257

Share this word to encourage a friend!  Blue 

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Monday, June 23, 2014

Morning by Morning, June 23 - Honoring William Walusimbi in the Victory of Life over Death

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I seek Your face, call on Your name, and listen for Your voice.  ...

"For Christ must reign until He humbles all His enemies beneath His feet. And the last enemy to be destroyed is death" (1 Corinthians 15:24-25).

My heart is sad this morning as they lay to rest my friend, Pastor William Walusimbi in Kampala, Uganda. My heart breaks for his devoted wife and best friend, Jane, and their children and all who love this Godly family who have given their lives to serve the Lord. His death was too sudden and he was too young, with so much more to do and so much to enjoy with his easy smile, tender heart, and passionate spirit. He was a gifted teacher and apostolic leader, overseeing such powerful ministry throughout a nation and inside his home. I pray for Your strong arms of comfort around the hearts of all who know him and love him.

But though our enemy of death, "the last enemy to be destroyed," would boast to have won this battle, coming to steal and kill and destroy with as much damage as possible, death will have no victory here. The Author of Life has snatched our brother William out of the grip of death and delivered him in the hands of our Father through Jesus Christ our Lord. "For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled:  'Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" (v. 15:53-55) With all of heaven, I look forward to that day to come with "Death and Hades (are) thrown into the lake of fire" forever (Revelation 20:14).

So as my heart celebrates my friend William's victory of life over death and the victory of the One who has conquered the grave, my heart also grieves the anguish of those who'll always love him but never hold him again on this side of heaven. But even in our grief, we do "not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have died.... Therefore encourage one another with these words" (1 Thessalonians 4:18).

Our brother William has left a legacy of hope, an eternal blessing for his wife and family, a harvest of souls for the Kingdom of God, and a name that will never be forgotten, as he lived a life to glorify Your name. His passion will live on forever as he now joins the One who ever lives to intercede for the saints and takes his place in the great cloud of witnesses with the heroes of faith who have gone before us (Hebrews 12:1). Death has no victory here. For it's in this way, and only in this way, that we can say with Your Word at a time like this, "Precious is the sigh of the Lord is the death of His faithful ones" (Psalm 116:15). And truly William Walusimbi was and always will be one of Your faithful ones. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays


Pastor William & Jane Walusimbi in Uganda


My Friend,  please join with me in praying for Jane and her family and all who have loved and been touched by Pastor William Walusimbi. I'm so glad my friend Mike Scalf, out team leader from our recent Uganda ministry trip, is able to go and share our love and comfort with Jane and her family. God bless you, my friend!


Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
  
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257

Share this word to encourage a friend!  Blue 

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Friday, June 20, 2014

Morning by Morning, June 20 -- "Like His Son"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Make me more like You today.  ...

"For God knew His people in advance, and He chose them to become like His Son, so that His Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, He called them to come to Him. And having called them, He gave them right standing with Himself. And having given them right standing, He gave them His glory" (Romans 8:29-30, NLT).

Before I was, You were. And You've always known You would create me and call me and cleanse me and crown me with the glory of a son of God. You've always known every choice I'd ever make, every struggle I'd ever have, every sin I'd ever commit, and every cry of repentance I'd ever lift up to You from the depth of my heart to give my heart completely to You.

By the power and the mystery of the grace of God, I'm forgiven and I'm loved and I'm in right standing with You -- standing with You because You've lifted me up from my knees and lifted me out of my pits and embraced me firmly and forever in Your arms. How could I help but embrace such a gift of Your grace? How could I dare begrudge that same gift of grace to the many brothers and sisters You love and forgive and embrace just as much as me. I love You, Lord. And I thank You for first loving me and desiring to me make more like You every day. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays


My Friend,  may you know in the depths of your heart you are a child of God, crowned in His glory and deeply loved by the One who conforms you into the image of the Son of God. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!


Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
  
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257

Share this word to encourage a friend!  Blue 

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Thursday, June 19, 2014

Morning by Morning, June 19 - "I Awakened You"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I praise You, Lord God -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I seek Your face and embrace Your Presence in these first moments of my morning to start my day deliberately abiding in You.  ...

"Who is that coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved? Under the apple tree I awakened you. There your mother was in labor with you; there she who bore you was in labor. Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging flame" (Song of Solomon 8:5-6).

Awaken me, Lord. Awaken me to know just who I am in You and who You are in me. Awaken me to live out the life You've birthed in me.

Awaken me from the weariness of every wilderness You've brought me through. Awaken me to the fullness of the destiny You've established in me. Awaken me to the fullness of the identity You've created in me as a son of God, conceived in Your love, cleansed by Your blood, filled with the fire of Your Spirit, and sealed with Your promise of my eternal inheritance.

I hear Your voice calling out from Your Word:  "Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you" (Ephesians 5:14).

Yes, Lord. I'm awake. I'm alive. I ready to arise into the fullness and newness of the life You've birthed and awakened in me this day. Let me live into the fullness of all I already am in Christ, my Lord (Ephesians 1:3). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays


My Friend,  may the Holy Spirit of God awaken you to live into the fullness of all you already are in Christ. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!


Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
  
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257

Share this word to encourage a friend!  Blue 

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Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Morning by Morning, June 18 - The Will of the One Who Sent Me

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Help me start this day and every day centered embraced by the Father, centered in Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit.  ...

"For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I should lose nothing of all that He has given Me, but raise it up on the last day" (John 6:38-39).

Father God, give me the heart and humility of Jesus. Fill me and guide me with Your Holy Spirit to fulfill Your will through my life. Inspire me and empower me to go wherever You send me and to do whatever You command me.

Let me use well all You have entrusted to me, losing nothing of all You've given me. Let me understand and embrace all You've created me to be as one of the sons and daughters of God on this earth. And when it's all been said and done, on the last day let me know in my heart I fully gave my heart to live my life for You -- as best as I could and all by Your grace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays


My Friend,  I pray you will know the joy of fulfilling the will of the One who sent you with all your heart and all by His grace. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

Friends, thank you for all your prayers on my time away with family the past couple of weeks. I had a wonderful time and now it's time to get back to work :)   I hope you're having a great summer. Thank you for joining with me in this journey of prayer.


Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
  
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257



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Tuesday, June 03, 2014

Morning by Morning, June 2 - Days of Sabbath Rest, Even from Spiritual Disciplines

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are my Lord and Savior, my God and King, my Best Friend, my All in All. I worship You, Lord God -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- and I welcome You into every moment of every day of my life.  ...

"Jesus said to them, 'The wedding guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day' " (Mark 2:19-20).

I've come away for a couple of weeks from my daily routine -- if anyone can say I have a daily routine -- of life and ministry for some time apart with my family at my mother's house in the mountains of New Mexico. And though my daily life is normally filled different forms of spiritual discipline, along with my spiritual occupation, intermingled with my personal spiritual life, I'm not really planning on being so spiritually disciplined while I'm away with my family.

In fact, as they say, sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is to lay down and take a nap. The Bible calls this the spiritual discipline of "rest" (Hebrews 4:1). "So then, a sabbath rest still remains for the people of God; for those who enter God's rest cease from their labors as God did from His. Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest..." (v. 4:9-11).

So if it's ok with You, Lord, I would like to practice a lot of that spiritual disciple of sabbath rest for about two weeks. Maybe You can even teach me and empower me to hold on to my spirit of sabbath rest even when I return to the daily routine of my everyday life. But for now, as best as I can and all by Your grace, I entrust myself to Your sabbath rest. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays


My Friend,  I pray for seasons and rhythms of sabbath rest for you. May you be refreshed and renewed as you rest in the Presence of God. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

Friends, I doubt that I'll be getting up early to write and send out my morning devotional while I'm away. Please forgive me. Here are some pics of my family:

 
 
 
The Lord has blessed me with an awesome family and some time to enjoy them! God bless you as you enjoy yours and rest in Him!


Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
  
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257



Share this word to encourage a friend!  Blue 

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