Where Else Would I Go? Who Else Would I Trust? 8-17-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I lean on You as You lead me into the light of this new day. ... "Peter began to say to Him, 'Look, we have left everything and followed You.' Jesus said, 'Truly I tell you there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for My sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age -- houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions -- and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first' " (Mark 10:28-31). Lord, I have chosen to trust You and follow You with my life. We've been on this journey for quite awhile -- this journey of choosing by Your grace to trust You and follow You as best as I can. I've stumbled many times, maybe even been tempted to turn back or turn away at times when the road seemed almost too hard. But, like Peter, I say, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life? Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God" (John 6:68-69, NKJV). I've made my choice and You've set my course. By the grace of God, I will continue to follow as You lead. You never promised me this journey would be easy or without pain. Instead You said up front there would be deep losses and even persecutions along the way. Yet You also said I would see one day as I look back that it all was worth it. What is sown in tears will be reaped with joy. You redeem all things -- a hundredfold now in this age and also in the age to come. Some days it may seem like I'm finishing in last place, while those who don't trust You and follow You seem to finish first. But You have Your way of making all things right. You are a just Judge and merciful King, a perfect Father and a faithful Friend. So again this day, I choose to keep following You, to keep surrendering all, in faith believing and trusting in You. Where else would I go? Who else would I trust? You alone are worthy, faithful, and true. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I'm excited to be preaching at my home church at Centenary United Methodist in Lexington at two of our services, the 11:15 and 5:15 today, on trusting God, Proverbs 3:5-6 www.centenarylex.com I would appreciate your prayers. I'll be preaching at the First Methodist Church in Winchester, Kentucky next Sunday as part of our School of Spiritual Ministry and Prayer Revival there, Thursday through Sunday. Please contact Marilyn if you'd like to come DirOfMinistries@aol.com Order my book, Morning by Morning, and our Ministry Resources at: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Come to The Fountain! 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! every Monday night at 7 pm to pray for Israel and the peace of Jerusalem led by Doris and Bob McCray of our ministry. Hosted in the upstairs community room of First Southern National Bank at 3060 Harrodsburg Rd in Lexington. Contact Doris at bndmccray@windstream.net All are welcome! 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