"Strength for Today, Bright Hope for Tomorrow" 1-30-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. There is none like You, faithful and true, ever present through every struggle, ever near through every fear. … "They spoke against God, saying, 'Can God spread a table in the wilderness? Even though He struck the rock so that the water gushed out and torrents overflowed, can He also give bread, or provided meat for His people?' " (Psalm 78:20). Yesterday was a hard day. At my home church, our leaders had to let several people go from their jobs, from their ministries in the life of our church. With a few others, we were praying for most of the day -- praying for those who had to share the bad news and praying for those who had to hear the bad news. As best we could and all by Your grace, we helped each one who came for prayer grieve the loss and disappointment of today but also look forward to the hope of tomorrow. Bad news is bad; we need not pretend otherwise. But we know the One who is good. And we know You are there, walking with us through whatever bad news we face, filling us with the peace and hope of the good news of the new day to come. When one door closes, You always open another. When one season ends, it's time for the next season to begin. "Great is Thy faithfulness … Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow." You are our strength through the bad news we endure and You are hope for the good news to come. "But the Lord is faithful; He will strengthen you and guard you…. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ" (2 Thessalonians 3:3-5). I know what's happened at our church is happening in many churches, ministries, businesses, industries, homes, and families across our land in these desert days of economic wilderness. And many may be tempted to test You in our hearts and question You in our minds. But the God who brings forth water from the rock is able to prepare a table in the wilderness. As we turn to You in honesty with our grief and our questions, You will keep turning to us in Your peace and Your answers. You will set a table before us even in the presence of our enemies of worry, fear, stress, and anxiety. You will fill our cups with Your living waters and provide for us our daily bread. We will not be unchanged in the process or through the trials, but we were never intended to be. These are opportunities for our faith to stretch and grow, to find our priorities and our peace aligned in You alone. And You will be faithful to give us grace for all we need -- strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow. "Yet He commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven; He rained down on them manna to eat, and gave them the grain of heaven" (Psalm 78:23-24). If we will look to You instead of to ourselves, if we will celebrate what we see You are doing instead of complaining about what we think You're not doing, if we will let our hearts be filled with faith and hope instead of discouragement and fear, we will stand back and see the salvation of our God. "Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me." In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, let's keep one another in prayer through this season of layoffs and reordering of lives for ourselves and for many we know and love. Let's keep reminding ourselves and one another of our faithful God who will cause it all to work together for good, as we keep looking to Him and trusting in Him. I'm praying for you. Please be praying for me. God bless you! For all who have been part of the 31 Days of Prayer for Revival in Kentucky, please come join us for a Declaration Service this Saturday, January 31 at 4:00 hosted at Victory Christian Fellowship, 1150 Oak Hill Road, Somerset, KY. Ray Hughes, R.T, Kendall, and Kentucky bluegrass musician Ricky Scaggs will be there to pray, praise, and proclaim over Kentucky with representative from all 120 counties of "the upper room state." (Many may not know outside of Kentucky may not know how Spirit-filled and prophetic Ricky Scaggs and his family are!). Come join us if you can and please keep praying for breakthrough revival in Kentucky and in your region. God bless you! 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 Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com Order our Ministry Resources or Contribute On-line atwww.shop.messiah-ministries.org