Like Father, Like Son 11-11-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You ever live to intercede at the right hand of the Father. Father, You are always sending the Gift of Your Holy Spirit to dwell in my heart. Holy Spirit, You are always lifting my eyes to Jesus. You are a holy picture of perfect love. Thank You, Lord, for loving me. ... "And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!' So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God" (Galatians 4:6-7). By the grace of God, I am a child of God. Though I serve You and honor You, worship You and obey You, I also draw near to You in the trusting, tender faith of the happiest child who has the best Dad. That's Your heart for me. That's at the heart of who I am and who You created be to be. Keep freeing me from every thought and every spirit that would ever say I'm anything less (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). After You filled him with Your Holy Spirit, John Wesley was able to fully embrace his true identity in the grace of God, declaring with his mouth what he came to know in his heart: "I have exchanged the heart of a servant for the heart of a son." By the mercy of Your grace, Your heart is to change our hearts to know this truth. You long to lead us to fully embrace our true identity as sons and daughters of the living God. "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, 'Abba! Father!' it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ -- if, in fact, we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him" (Romans 8:14-17). To suffer with Christ, to be gloried with Christ, is to fully identify with Christ in every way, as I allow the Spirit of Christ to speak to me and show me who I am in Christ and who Christ is in me. "Christ in (me), the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27). This is the Spirit of Adoption, the Spirit of Sonship, the Spirit of my Father living in me. This is the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead and now lives in me, making me more like You each day. Like Father, like Son. Like Father, like son. As a child of God, I'm no longer enslaved by the flesh and a servant of sin, but alive in the Spirit of the One who calls me Your Son. "But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through His Spirit (who) dwells in you" (Romans 8:9-11). Whatever else I may be at any time in this world, at the very core of my being, through Christ my Lord, I am a son of God (John 1:12). I choose by Your grace, to declare this truth with my mouth and believe it from my heart -- this day and every day. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Please keep us in prayer for The Fountain School of Spiritual Ministry this week, beginning Wednesday Night. May we be freed, healed, equipped, and empowered as spiritual leaders by the Spirit of God. It's not too late to register and join us. The Fountain School of Spiritual Ministry - November 12-15, 2008 hosted by Messiah Ministries in Lexington, Kentucky. Wednesday 6-9pm; Thursday 6-9pm; Friday 9am-9pm; Saturday 9am-9pm "The Fountain School of Spiritual Ministry" is a focused time of healing, deliverance, and impartation for spiritual ministry led by Rev. Tommy Hays of Messiah Ministries. We will study and experience a biblical perspective of the ministry of healing and wholeness of spirit, soul and body, and apply the foundational principles of the Kingdom of God for spiritual ministry. The course combines dynamic classroom teaching in a small group setting with personal hands-on experience as students receive personal ministry and are equipped and empowered in ministry for others. For more information or to register Please Click RegisterNow or contact Marilyn Walker at 859-317-1591 or DirOfMinistries@aol.com Invitation for our Inspirational Caribbean Cruise with Tommy Hays, hosted by "The Haven" Ministries Feb 23-28, 2009 Some additional cabins have just become available! If you would like to join us for the cruise at a great price, please contact Jeannie at The Travel Authority (937-684-9046 or 800-727-7277 OR Jeannie.Anderson@thetravelauthority.com) to receive further information. 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