Hidden Faults and a Cleansed Heart 8-5-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Lead me in the way that leads to everlasting. ... "But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults" (Psalm 19:12). Many years ago, I asked You to help me craft the words of a simple and powerful prayer that I could teach my children to pray every day. As Your Spirit formed the thoughts in my mind and shaped the words of my prayer, it came out like this: "Dear Lord Jesus, make me more like You each day." In the years since then, their prayer has been my prayer. In one way or another, every one of my morning prayer is some variation of that same theme and heart's cry. But as I've found with every passing day, the way You answer that prayer is often to reveal to me in the course of my day another area of my soul that is not yet like You. Our hearts are deceitful, but in Your mercy You reveal our self-deceit and so You can cleanse our hearts (Jeremiah 17:9-10). In my words, my actions, my encounters with others, my moments left alone to my own thoughts, You reveal to me another hidden fault. Not to condemn me, but to cleanse me; not to shame me but to show me that You're still answering my prayer -- my version of David's prayer: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24). Some days are better than others, some faults are more not all that hidden, but in Your way and in Your time, You are bringing all things out of darkness and into light, cleansing my soul, and purifying my heart. Yes, I have so far to go on one hand. But, at the same time, the truth of Your Word is being worked out in me: "For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21). Help me see myself as the righteousness of God -- cleansed, holy, and pure, by the blood of the Lamb who has taken away all sins -- while not being too blind or too proud to let You cleanse me of all unrighteousness every day (1 John 1:9). Thank You Lord Jesus, keep making me more like You each day. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, here is a note from Doris & Bob McCray with our ministry who lead a time of prayer for Israel every Monday night about an important event this Saturday Night: "Everyone wants to know what is happening in Israel and where we are in prophecy being fulfilled in our day. This Saturday, August 9 at 7 p.m. at First Southern National Bank, 3060 Harrodsburg Rd., Messiah Ministries' “Come To The Mountain” has invited Barry Wagner from Ezra International to share an evening of prophecy of God’s end time plan for Israel, the Jewish people and the church. Barry will share from Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos, Daniel and many other prophets who wrote of a day just prior to the return of Messiah, when God would gather His chosen people from the four corners of the earth. Jeremiah tells us that this exodus would be so large it would eventually overshadow the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. Come hear Barry Wagner share about Ezra’s International's work in the former Soviet Union of rescuing the Jewish people and enabling them to make aliyah back to Israel. Barry will help us, the church understand how to pray and how we can help in Israel’s final return. Please contact Bob &Doris McCray at: bndmccray@windstream.net Subscribe free by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com Please Click Here to Order our Ministry Resources On-Line -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com