God's Gifts Make Room 9-7-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I turn my thoughts to You in the first moments of this day. Be my strength and my wisdom; order my steps and my thoughts; use my words and my prayers. Accomplish Your will in my life and through my life this day. All of that begins here in these first moments of trust and surrender. ... Under the law of India, when a family is set free from forced labor in bonded slavery, they have the right to receive a plot of land and some government funds to begin to build a new life. Without an advocate, the families are never set free and the land and funds are never received. Under the injustices of the Hindu caste system, the inevitable attitude is that this is as it should be -- to live out life in one's caste without hope of change and in payment of the sins of the past lifetime is to be embraced as the means of moving up to the next caste in the next life. So when someone arises to speak up for the victim, the governmental system is slow to respond and justice is delayed. Justice delayed often becomes justice denied. Yesterday You called us to speak for a family set free over a year ago, yet still living in the crowded hut of friends who had no room to begin with, because the promised land was not yet released. But You were the Advocate for this family. As we came into the governmental building in Your Spirit in our hearts, this time was different. There was incredible favor. For a year, phone calls and letters had gone unreturned at the hands of lower officials in the chain of command, in the absence of the grease that is traditionally used to move the wheels of justice in the form of bribes. But the Kingdom of God was in our hearts; and when we walked into the building, the Advocate in our spirits rose to speak on behalf of this family. In a crowed governmental building, we were advanced to the front. Chairs of honor where brought to the desk for us to wait to see the highest official. Within moments we were brought into the highest office to be greeted with respect and honor. As our Indian brother Selvan with the local International Justice Mission team began to speak for the victims we were sent to represent, the highest official began to sign papers and stamp documents. This family will have their land within ten days. Praise God! "A man's gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men" (Proverbs 18.16, NKJV). Your Presence in our hearts is our Gift. Your Holy Spirit living in us is the Advocate who speaks for the victim and pleads the cause of the oppressed to establish Your justice. As You said to Your first disciples, "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, He will testify on My behalf" (John 15.26). On Your behalf, this family is now not only free from bonded slavery, but they are free to begin a new life. And they will come to know the Advocate who came to seek their justice and speak on their behalf. Thank You for the honor of being Your vessels to bring Your justice. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Thank you for your prayers for our team and our families as we continue our mission in India through September 11th. God bless you! To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com andwww.morningbymorning.injesus.com