From Doubt to Faith in India 10-21-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are Lord of all nations, God of all creation, my Lord and my God. ... "Thomas answered Him, 'My Lord and my God!' " (John 20:28). In a unholy but understandable mixture of confusion, fear, doubt, and unbelief, Thomas said he wouldn't believe in the glory of Your resurrection, declaring, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in His hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in His side, I will not believe" (v. 20:25). And about "a week later" there You were, standing before him, offering Your hands and side for him to touch and see (v. 20:26). You turned his fear into faith and his declaration of doubt in to the declaration of "my Lord and my God!" You don't always respond immediately, or even in a week to all of our doubts and unbelief. Sometimes You let our questions linger for a season to make us more hungry for the truth of Your answers, for the One who is Truth and the Answer. But in Your perfect timing and way, perfectly suited to our personal journey of faith, You always respond to true spiritual hunger and honest questions. "When you search for Me, you will find Me; if you seek Me with all your heart, I will let you find Me, says the Lord" (Jeremiah 29:13-14). Yesterday, we went to place upon a mountain in India where they say Thomas gave his life for the faith he came to belief. At the place where they buried him, there's a sculpture of his body with the place in his side where he, like You, was pierced by a spear in his side. He was willing to declare his faith with his life. "The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple, that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord" (Matthew 10:24-25). "Doubting Thomas" became a man of faith from a moment in Your presence. And then he lived his life, always ready and willing to lay it down for You, sharing the good news of Your love and mercy with even those who hated to hear it and hated those who came to share it. Today I'll be speaking at a conference of pastors, evangelists, teachers, and their families who have given You their lives to share You love to the people of India. Some in this ministry of Gospel Friends have faced literal threats of death and severe persecution in recent weeks. Yet they keep seeking You, keep serving You, keep being willing to lay down their lives for You. I will be humbled in their presence, and we will all be humbled together in Yours. "We know love by this; that He laid down His life for us -- and we ought to lay down our lives for one another" (1 John 3:16). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please pray for our family and ministry team while we're in the Tamil Nadu province of southern India, where I'll be preaching at 2 pastors' conferences and teaching at a Bible School on healing and deliverance for my friend Ghuna Kumar, who leads Gospel Friends Ministry ( http://www.fishhook.org/ghuna/gospelfriends.html ) These kinds of ministry opportunities are only possible through all your prayers, support, and encouragement. These are troubled days of much persecution of Christians in India. Some of the pastors and families coming to these conferences have recently escaped severe persecution, so please keep us all in prayer. Thank you and God bless you! Our schedule and travel will likely limit my ability to send my morning prayers by email. Thanks for joining with me in the journey through prayer! 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 or send a note to Marilyn at DirOfMinistries@aol.com 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. New Location for "Come To The Mountain" Israel prayer! Starting Monday October 6th we will begin meeting at Southland Evangelical Methodist Church 2601 Clays Mill Rd (corner of Clays Mill and Hill n' Dale). All are welcome! Subscribe free by email to me at 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 Ministry Resources: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org