No Fear, No Shame 8-20-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are always revealing the heart of the Father, the Father is always pouring out His heart through His Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit is always opening our hearts to You. Lord God, You are One; and in every dimension of Your Being, You are drawing my heart and changing my nature to Yours. ... "I sought the Lord and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. Look to Him and be radiant; so your faces shall never be ashamed" (Psalm 34:4-5). You answer those who seek You. You embrace those who long for Your embrace. You enter into hearts who are open to You. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled" (Matthew 5:6). Our sure promise and certain hope is that all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved, will be answered, will be embraced by in the power of Your love and the fullness of Your Presence. "And hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us" (Romans 5:5). As Your perfect love comes flooding into our hearts by Your Spirit, all fear must go -- fear of unworthiness, fear of rejection, fear of abandonment, fear of trusting, fear of intimacy, fear of losing control, fear of man and what others may think, fear of failing and not living up to Your expectations or those of others or those of ourselves, fear of all that is less than the faith of fully trusting You and Your love for us. "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:18). In Your love, there is no shame. There is only acceptance and knowledge of the truth that You love us and embrace us just as we are, while at the same time, loving us enough to change us into who You created us to be. You renew us in our minds and conform us in our nature, because You love us and want to fulfill us with the desires You've planted in our hearts (Romans 8:29 and 12:2). "Trust in the Lord, and do good; so you will live in the land and enjoy security. Trusting You is entrusting all of my life to You -- my heart, my sins, my needs, my hopes. Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act" (Psalm 37:3-5). Whom then shall I fear? Why then should I ever be ashamed? (Psalm 27:1). If God be for me, who can be against me? (Romans 8:31). For as I look to You, by the power of Your grace, You make my heart pure and my face radiant -- no fear, no shame -- only the truth that nothing "in all creation will be able to separate (me) from the love of God in Christ Jesus (my) Lord" (Romans 8:39). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I'll be leading our School of Spiritual Ministry in Winchester, Kentucky this Thursday night through Saturday night, hosted by Rapha Ministries and First United Methodist Church. I'll be preaching there Sunday. Please keep us in your prayers. Contact Marilyn for details: DirOfMinistries@aol.com Here's a note from Laura Beach, a Spiritual Director with our ministry, about upcoming women's retreats she's leading. Please come if you can and you'll be blessed: For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit… Isaiah 44:3 You are invited to day retreats of spiritual refreshment for women of faith led by Laura Beach, Equipping Lydia, in Association with Messiah Ministries 2008 Dates: August 26, September 24, October 16, November 17, and December 19 Like Lydia coming to the river for prayer (Acts 16), these day retreats are for women of faith who need to experience spiritual refreshment through prayer and communion with the saints. A love offering will be received each time we gather to help sustain this ministry. The location will be “A Quiet Place,” a beautiful Christian Retreat Center in Bryantsville, Kentucky, Located 26 miles from Lexington, http://www.aqpretreat.org/ Contact Laura Beach at LauraBBeach@insightbb.com or 859-523-3219 / cell 859-533-7257 for more information or to register your attendance and coordinate carpooling. 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" http://www.messiah-ministries.org/ 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502