Morning by Morning, December 4 - Following the Star and the Spirit to Bethlehem

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. King of kings and Lord of lords, come rule and reign in my heart and my life today. ...

 

"Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 'Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him" (Matthew 2:1-2 NASB).

 

Before Your birth as Lord and Savior of all in the little town of Bethlehem, the magi from the east saw Your star in the heavens and followed it to find You. Through the traditions of the centuries since then, we've come to understand these magi as three kings who studied the stars in the ways of their culture -- a culture far away from Jerusalem and far different from the Jews. But something moved in their hearts and minds to move them to seek You. As they say, "Wise men still seek Him."

 

But what a picture this is of how You reveal Yourself even in creation to draw all people to You. "He has not left Himself without a witness" in all the nations and generations of the earth (Acts 14:17). "For what can be known about God is plain to (all), because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world His eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things He has made. So (we all) are without excuse" not to seek and know the God and Creator of all things" (Romans 1:19-20).

 

When the wise men made it to the place of Your Presence in Bethlehem, they fell down and worshiped You and offered You treasures from their hearts. "They went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy! After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshipped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh" (Matthew 2:9-11).

 

The wise men were willing to look and see Your star to follow it to Bethlehem. And in this season of turning our eyes and our hearts to You -- more deeply, more intimately -- may we follow Your Spirit to Bethlehem, to embrace the One who is not only King of the Jews but King of all. And may we fall down and worship You and offer You the treasure of our hearts. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My friend, may you follow the Holy Spirit to fall down and worship Jesus -- more deeply and more intimately -- as King of all and King of your heart in this season of seeking Him who is Lord and Savior of all, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

  

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

www.Messiah-Ministries.org 

  

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

www.RaphaGodMinistries.com 

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

Morning by Morning, December 3 - Draw Near in Deeper Intimacy with God

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. As the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs for You (Psalm 42:1). So I begin my day, pursuing Your Presence. ...

 

"Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you" (James 4:8).

 

Out of Your love for me and by Your grace for me, You invite me to draw near to You. And I do sense that stirring in my spirit to draw near to You, to draw nearer to You.

 

It's true that You're always with me (Matthew 28:20). It's true that You never leave me nor forsake me (Hebrews 13:5). It's true that no one can ever snatch me out of Your hand (John 10:28). And it's true that nothing can ever separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus my Lord (Romans 8:38-39). And at the same time, it's also true that You invite me to draw near to You -- to draw nearer still, to pursue a place of even deeper intimacy.

 

Lord, how do I do that? How do I draw nearer to You? How do I pursue a place of even deeper intimacy with You?  ...

 

As I watch and wait, as I listen and linger in Your Presence, I believe I hear You saying in my heart:  "Seek Me and You will find Me. Seek Me with all your heart and mind and soul and strength. Take time for Me. Come away with Me. Set aside your distractions. Close out the world for time away with Me alone. It's not a burden, but a joy. It's not an obligation, but an invitation. You were created for this. You were created for Me. Give yourself to Me and I will give Myself to you. Then your spirit will be in-tune with My Spirit and your heart will align with My Heart. That's how I lift you up into My embrace. You will sense the weightiness of My Presence and the freedom of My Spirit. Give yourself to Me and I will give Myself to you." ...

 

Yes, Lord. What comes to mind as I ponder Your words is the Scripture Story of the dedication of the temple when Your glory filled the temple and the priest couldn't even stand in Your Presence. "A cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of Lord" (1 Kings 8:10-11). In Christ, my heart is now Your house and my body is now Your temple (1 Corinthians 6:19). The Cloud of Your Glory is Your Holy Spirit within me (Isaiah 6:1; Ephesians 5:18).

 

Come, Holy Spirit. Come fill Your heart and Your temple with Your manifest Presence. My Father God, in the name of Jesus my Lord and Savior, I seek You, I draw near to You, I give myself to You, I pursue a place of deeper intimacy with You. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God, I want to "be filled with all the fullness of God" and more deeply embrace the ever-abiding Presence of God (Ephesians 3:19; John 15:4). I hunger and thirst for this, for I was created for this! (Matthew 5:6) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My friend, may you draw near to deeper intimacy with God, as the Glory Cloud of the manifest Presence of God fills His temple in your heart, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

  

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

www.Messiah-Ministries.org 

  

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

www.RaphaGodMinistries.com 

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

Morning by Morning, December 2 - Turning Our Hearts from Thanksgiving to Christmas

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I welcome You here in my heart and every moment of my day -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ...

 

"The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, 'See, I am sending My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:  'Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight!'" (Mark 1:1-3)

 

As we turn the page from Thanksgiving to Christmas on our calendars, we turn our attention to "prepare the way of the Lord" in our hearts. To be clear, it's not a one-time decision or an "advent season" decision, but an every-day decision to continually be turning out attention to You and to preparing the way of the Lord in our hearts. But at the same time, there is something about this season of time when the attention of the world is drawn to Jesus in a unique way.

 

Though I'm enough of a student of history to be aware of all the discussions and debates about the actual day of the birth of Jesus and all the cultural influences and the Roman calendar upon the day we call "Christmas," but I'm also enough of an evangelist to be aware that this is a more tender time to talk about the One who is the Light of the World and the Savior of all. And I'm also enough of a God-chaser and passionate pursuer of the Spirit of the One in whom I live and move and have my being that I won't miss this seasonal opportunity to turn my attention and open my heart to a deeper encounter with You -- the One who is the Christ in Christmas.

 

Come, Holy Spirit. Prepare the way of the Lord in this season and right here in my heart. Make His paths straight in me. Give me a deeper hunger to encounter the One who is the Light of the World and the Savior of all. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My friend, may you turn your heart from Thanksgiving to Christmas, expectantly seeking a deeper encounter with the One who is the Christ in Christmas, the Light of the Word and the Savior of all, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

 

Friends, I was away from ministry and off with family last week for Thanksgiving, but glad to be back with you now on our daily journey of prayer. Thank you so much for doing with me! God bless you!

Pakistan Ministry Report. I did have the opportunity to preach  for our monthly outdoor evangelistic meeting through our Skype Internet ministry to another village in Pakistan! 285 souls saved and reports of over 75 healing testimonies! Though it was very cold and some even came without shoes to hear the love of God revealed in Jesus Christ! 

Thank you so much for all your prayers, support, and encouragement, as I have the great blessing of preaching in a different village each month around Lahore, Pakistan with our team -- Pastor Fazal and Interpreter Brother Suleman! We will be distributing clothes and blankets next month. God bless you!

 

 

    

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

www.Messiah-Ministries.org 

  

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

www.RaphaGodMinistries.com 

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

Morning by Morning, November 22 - Both Thankful and Expectant

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I welcome You here in my heart and every moment of my day. ...

 

"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful" (Colossians 3:15).

 

While I'm hungry for more of You, I'm also thankful for every way You've already filled me up. While I'm thirsty for revival of my soul and a great awakening of my spirit to arise and shine and live into all You have for me, I'm also thankful for all You've already done in me and every way You've already saved me and sealed me, raised me up and healed me, and set me free from so much of what was holding me back from being all You created me to be.

 

There's a divine tension between peaceful contentment and holy hunger. There's a precious paradox between being grateful for all You've done and expectant for all You'll do. And You give us the grace to live in that tension and to sort out that paradox. It brings to mind the tension and the promise of Your Word that on our adventure of faith and journey to spiritual maturity, we "have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come" (Hebrews 6:5). We can be thankful for all the goodness of Your word and all we have already experienced, while at the same time, we can be excited and expectant, even thanking You now, for all that is yet to come.

 

"As it is written:  'Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him'" (1 Corinthians 2:9 NKJV). You're the God who promises us "I will fill this temple with glory.... And the glory of this latter temple will be greater than the former.... And in this place I will give peace" (Haggai 2:7-8). And You're the God who saves His best wine for last! (John 2:10) In You, the best is yet to come! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My friend, may you be both thankful for all God has done and expectant of all His going to do in and through you life, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

    

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

www.Messiah-Ministries.org 

  

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

www.RaphaGodMinistries.com 

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

Morning by Morning, November 21 - Holy Hunger and Passionate Pursuit for More from My Life

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I turn to You first, to fill my heart with Your Spirit and Your Word, to begin my day grounded and centered in You -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ...

 

As I listen and wait this morning, there's a surprisingly strong sense of "discontent" stirring in the depths of my soul. This is not peace like river. This is more like a raging river that's ready to break through the dam and rush over the banks of all that would hold me back from all You've created me to be.

 

So search my heart. Show me what needs to be uprooted and removed, what's holding me back, what the enemy of my soul would use to get me out of Your will or defile my witness. Show me what to repent of, and I will; show me what to take hold of, and I will -- all by the power of Your grace at work within me.

 

I don't want to merely live and not die.

I don't want to merely survive, but thrive.

I don't want to wither, but flourish.

I don't want to while away my days, but live each day to its fullest.

I don't want to lean on my own understanding, but lean into Your will, embrace Your wisdom, encounter Your Presence, and experience Your power.

 

So I pray for revival! I pray for more! I pray for it all -- all that's in Your heart for my life and for Your life to be fully expressed through my heart. Like broken bread and poured out wine, I want to live my life in communion with You, serving You, living my best life for You, holding nothing back from You, and completely fulfilled in You.

 

There's a holy hunger burning in my soul. In all honesty, I'm feeling a little frustrated, a little irritated, a little unsettled; and at the same time, I honestly believe it's You who's doing it! And I honestly believe You love me enough to never let me settle for less!

 

I've come too far, left behind too much, fought too many battles, suffered too many losses to settle for anything less than all You have and all You desire for me. Let the world, the flesh, and the devil have no victory over me and no say over my life. Let the Lamb have the full measure of His reward in my life!

 

Come, Holy Spirit!

Come, Holy Fire!

Come revive me! Come awaken me! Come stir up within me this holy hunger and passionate pursuit for the fullness of the Kingdom of God in me and my world in my generation!

 

I take You at Your Word -- "When you search for Me, you will find Me; if you seek Me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13). "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled" (Matthew 5:6). "Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat!" (Isaiah 55:1) "The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!' And let everyone who hears say, 'Come!' And let everyone who is thirsty come! Let anyone who wishes take the Water of Life as a Gift!" (Revelation 22:17) 

 

Lord, I'm hungry. Lord, I'm thirsty. Lord, I'm not settling for anything less than more of You! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My friend, may you be stirred in your spirit with a holy hunger and passionate pursuit for all God has has for you and your life in Him, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

   

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

www.Messiah-Ministries.org 

  

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

www.RaphaGodMinistries.com 

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

Morning by Morning, November 19 - Fire Follows Prayer!

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are One with the Father, One with the Holy Spirit. Come be One within me today, as You put Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart to make me more like You today, for "anyone united to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him" (1 Corinthians 6:17).

 

"When Solomon had ended his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the temple!" (2 Chronicles 7:1)

 

Fire follows prayer!

 

I pray for Your Fire to fall in me today! Lord, let Your Fire come down from heaven into my heart today! Let the glory of Your manifest Presence fill my temple! My body is Your temple; my heart is Your home; my prayers are Your offering; and my life is Your living sacrifice! (1 Corinthians 6:19)

 

Fire follows prayer, and I'm praying without ceasing in my spirit until Your Fire falls. I'm settling for nothing less than revival in my soul and awakening in my land -- here in my church, here in my city, here in my nation, here in my generation when You have called us and honored to be alive for such a time as this! By the power of Your grace and the Fire of Your Spirit, I'm pressing in and praying through!

 

I may not see it made manifest in front of my eyes just yet, but You've already made it manifest in my heart. I join my heart with the hearts of Your sons and daughters who are pressing in and pressing through, praying for revival, expecting an awakening, settling for nothing less than the fullness of Your Spirit and Your Fire to fall! "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled!" (Matthew 5:6) 

 

Fire follows prayer! And I'm not going to stop praying 'til the Fire falls! As You said to the watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem, so the Spirit is saying the body and bride of Christ in our day -- "O Jerusalem, I have set intercessors on your walls who shall cry to God all day and all night for the fulfillment of His promises. Take no rest, all you who pray, and give God no rest until He establishes Jerusalem and make her respected and admired throughout the earth!" (Isaiah 62:6 TLB) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My friend, may you experience the Fire of God in your heart, your church, your city, and your land as you press in and press through in prayer, in Jesus' name. As we proclaim in worship, "Let the Fire fall, let the Wind blow, let Your glory come down!" Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

   

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

www.Messiah-Ministries.org 

  

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

www.RaphaGodMinistries.com 

Please share this word to encourage a friend!