"Good morning, Lord Jesus" 5-10-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I look to You and listen for the leading of Your Spirit. ... The apostle Paul called out to those who read his letters, "My little children, for whom I am again in pain of childbirth until Christ is formed in you..." (Galatians 4.19). Everything he wrote and said and did was for this purpose and to fulfill this calling -- to see Christ formed in the hearts of those entrusted to his care. That was Paul's heart because that is Your heart -- that we be conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8.29). We become like Christ as we behold Christ and offer our hearts to be filled with the Spirit of Christ (2 Corinthians 3.18). To behold You is to worship You, and we become like what we worship. We take on the nature of what we allow to possess our soul. As we abide in You and allow You to abide in us, we grow in Christlikeness. Together, "we must grow up in every way into Him, Who is the head, into Christ" (Ephesians 4.15). Growing in spiritual maturity is growing in Christlikeness. We look to You and follow You, helping one another become more like You, "until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ" (Ephesians 4.13). Though we may pray and minister and work in many different ways throughout the day, this is why it is good to start each day lifting our eyes to Your face and opening our hearts to Your Spirit. This is why it is good to let the first words on our hearts each day be "Good morning, Lord Jesus." In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I will be on my annual retreat with the MorningStar Fellowship of Ministries this week with limited internet access, so I may miss a few days of the devotional, depending on the circumstances. I'd appreciate your prayers as I receive mentoring and ministry. I pray the same for each of you. God bless you in your spiritual journey! To subscribe/unsubscribe/reply please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- "preparing the way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com Our mailing address: 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502. God bless you!