First Responder 4-16-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I speak Your name, seek Your face, and listen for Your voice. ... "The Lord protects the simple; when I was brought low, He saved me" (Psalm 116:6). My heart was racing when I woke this morning, with vivid images of the closing scene of a bad dream in my mind. By Your grace, that doesn't happen very often. So I began to ask whether this was from You or from the enemy. Sometimes the enemy tries to terrify us and sometimes You show us something terrifying to move us to intercession against it. And either way, I want to know what You would say and show me through this experience no matter what the source. As I prayed, the idea of vulnerability came to mind -- extreme, radical vulnerability. And not that somehow this was something new or that this was a warning of something to come and to prepare. Instead, what comes this morning is a profound sense of just how incredibly vulnerable we are every moment of every day. Apart from You, I simply have no protection at all. Any sense of protection and peace I ever experience is a gift of God from You. Any thought that somehow I can protect myself or my alarm system can protect me or my nation's military can protect me is foolish folly and false pride. You bring me low to the humble place to realize that apart from You, I simply have no protection at all. But I thank You that I am not apart from You. I thank You that I "live in the shelter of the Most High" and "abide in the shadow of the Almighty" (Psalm 91:1). I can call 9-1-1 anytime I need to -- Psalm 91:1 -- and You will always be my First Responder. In You, I "will not fear the terror of the night, or the arrow that flies by day, or the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, or the destruction that wastes at noonday" (v. 91:5-6). My God is with me; whom then shall I fear? (Psalm 27:1). You never leave me and never forsake me. And the more I realize the simple truth of my complete vulnerability apart from You, my total dependence upon You, the more I can rest in the peace and security of Your presence. "Those who love Me, I will deliver; I will protect those who know My name. When they call to Me, I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue them and honor them. With long life I will satisfy them, and show them My salvation" (Palm 91:14-16). No matter what may ever come, nothing can ever take that away from me; nothing can ever take You away from me. As I choose in humility and faith to abide in You and allow You abide in me, nothing "will be able to separate (me) from the love of God in Christ Jesus (my) Lord" (Romans 8:38-39). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Come to the Fountain! this Friday Night 4/18 at 7 pm -- the 3rd Friday Night of every month -- for our ministry's monthly gathering of people from many different churches and streams of the body of Christ across our city for prayer, praise, and healing worship. This month Sandra White of Bethlehem Farm Ministries and I will lead in prayer while Phil Jackson will lead in worship. Hosted in the chapel of Centenary: 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY. Please come early for Intercessory Prayer at 6:15. Contact Marilyn at dirofministries@aol.com or 859-422-1794. All are welcome! Come to the Mountain this Monday Night 4/21 to Celebrate Passover Seder at 6:30 pm First Southern National Bank Community Room(Corporate Center on Harrodsburg Road)Vicky Welch from "With A Heart For Israel" will be leading. Reservations are necessary as seating is limited.Contact Marilyn Walker with Messiah Ministries: DirOfMinistries@aol.com or Bob and Doris McCray: bndmccray@windstream.net Subscribe free by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order our Resources On-Line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org