"Right Sacrifices" 9-17-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Be the center of my thoughts, be the foundation of my day. ... "When you are disturbed, do not sin; ponder it on your beds and be silent. Offer right sacrifices and put your trust in the Lord" (Psalm 3:4-5). When my circumstances disturb my peace and controversies try to could my sense of direction and purpose, give me grace to seek Your face. Settle the emotions of my soul and breathe Your life and peace into my spirit. Lead me to be silent before You. Let me pause to give You time to form Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart. Let Your nature overcome my nature. "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always accuse, nor will He keep His anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.... For He remembers how we are made; He remembers that we are dust" (Psalm 103:8-14). The right sacrifices You desire are that I would trust in You, surrendering my will to Yours, allowing You to use every challenge of every circumstance to keep conforming my nature to Your nature (Romans 8:29). Show me how to speak the truth in love, how to see the heart beneath the surface of those who hurt me or offend me, how to allow You to set the boundaries of relationship You know are best for me instead of the boundaries I think are best for me, how to wait for Your wisdom, and how to walk in Your ways. "Let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger, for your anger does not produce God's righteousness" (James 1:19-20). Apart from You, I can't do any of that. But by Your grace, I am not apart from You. And as You abide in me and I abide in You, every disturbance only becomes an opportunity for me to grow in grace and maturity of spirit. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Come to the Fountain! This Friday Night 9/19 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. Anne Peterson, my friend from the Healing Academy at Asbury Seminary, will be leading in prayer, while Brooke and Shannon Barrett lead us 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! 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. Special Guest Stan Goodenough next Monday Night. Contact Doris at bndmccray@windstream.net All are welcome! 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