5-14-07 -- "Like a Solider" Morning by Morning

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are both the gentle Lamb of God, slain in silence for our sins (Isaiah 53:7); and You are the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5), coming again to judge the earth with fire in Your eyes and a sword in Your hand (v. 19:11-16). And You are so much more. You and the Father and the Holy Spirit are One, living in me and calling me to live for You. I want to know You and worship You in every dimension of Your Being, in spirit and in truth. ... "The Lord goes forth like a soldier, like a warrior He stirs up His fury; He cries out, He shouts aloud, He shows Himself mighty against His foes" (Isaiah 42:13). By Your words and Your example, You teach us there are times to turn the other cheek to those who wish us harm (Matthew 5:39), but You also teach us there are times to boldly confront wickedness and injustice and drive out the perpetrators (John 2:13-17). You said, "In Me you may have peace" (John 16:33) and You also said, "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword" (Matthew 10:34). In the moments and decisions of our lives in a broken, fallen world living among broken, fallen people -- including ourselves -- Your Word says, "There is a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace" (Ecclesiastes 3:7-8). So if it is to be Your will and not our will in the decisions of the times and moments of our lives, we must be prayed-up and prepared to trust You and obey You. We must look to Your Word and Your nature; seeking Your leading and following Your lead -- not just in general, but also in the specifics. We must know You, so we can know Your voice. We must know Your ways, so we can obey Your will. "For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you and example, so that you should follow in His steps" (1 Peter 2:21). Lord of the Hosts of Heaven, I thank You for the times You have stirred up Your fury like a warrior in battle against the enemy of my soul and for laying down Your life for me like a soldier willing to lay down his life for his country. And whether we agree with the wars of our nations or not, we can all be thankful for the men and women who are willing to fight and die for us -- some on the battlefields of the nations and some in the neighborhoods of our own. And we can all be thankful for the One who was willing to die and is now willing to fight for us -- that we can know Your freedom and have Your security. "The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shied and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised, so I shall be saved from my enemies" (Psalm 18:2-3). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I know there are many views about when, if ever, war or confrontation is an appropriate answer in a broken, fallen world. But no matter our view, it seems it would always be appropriate to pray for those who are willing to fight for us and for their country. If you would be interested, I'm passing along a song and a prayer sent to me from my Uncle Wes, a United States Marine: http://www.flashdemo.net/gallery/wake/index.htm Come to The Fountain! this Friday Night -- on the 3rd Friday night of every month for our ministry's gathering of the body of Christ from every tradition and stream to worship the Lord in Sprit and in Truth. Come drink deeply from the Living Waters in the freedom of the Spirit. 7 pm in the chapel at Centenary. All are welcome. Call for details: 859-422-1794 Come to The Mountain! on Monday Nights for our ministry's weekly prayer for the peace of Jerusalem led by Doris and Bob McCray. 7 pm in the upstairs Community Room at First Southern National Bank on Harrodsburg Rd. in Lexington. All are welcome. Call for details: 859-422-1794 To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Ministering the Healing Love of God ... Preparing the Way of the Lord." 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 www.messiah-ministries.org Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com