A Good Land with Flowing Streams 7-14-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Put Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart, as You lead me by Your Spirit throughout the moments of my day. ... “For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land with flowing streams, with springs and undergrounds waters welling up in valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, a land where you may eat bread without scarcity, where you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron and from whose hills you may mine copper. You shall eat your fill and bless the Lord your God for the good land that He has given you” (Deuteronomy 8:7-10). My friend Tim pastors a growing and thriving church plant at the Flying J Ranch. I knew he’d know just the right place up some trail beside a mountain stream for a day apart in Your Presence. And he sure did. “Follow this dry creek bed up the mountain. Nobody’s likely to wander up there because they’ll all think it’s a dry creek. Keep going ‘til you find the stream. But watch out for the stinging nettles along the way. It’ll be worth it.” And it sure was. I like the places off the beaten path. And I love to search out the treasures that are often hidden away for the ones who are willing to push past the outward appearances and press in to find the places where fountains of living water spring up from dry creek beds and mountain streams flow from deserted ravines. “It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out” (Proverbs 25:2). And it’s usually wise to humbly listen to those who have been there before. You are a good God. You’ve given us a good land. And the land of promise and potential You’ve set before us is already ours in Christ. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:3). What may be a dry creek bed by sight in a fallen world, being redeemed from the curse of sin, can become a stream of living water if we believe Your Word by faith and follow the leading of Your Spirit. It doesn’t mean we won’t get stung by a few nettles or scratched up by a few thorns along the way, but You promise the destiny of our journey will be well worth the hike. “If it were not so, would I have told you that I go and prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, so that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2-3). Thank You, Lord, for the good land and place of Your Presence that’s already and always mine. It’s prepared and ready to be received, embraced, and celebrated every moment of every day, by grace through faith in You (Ephesians 2:8). In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, Laura Beach, a spiritual director associated with our ministry will be leading The Fountain this Friday Night, July 17th in Lexington, while Brooke and Shannon Barrett lead in worship. Please come and spread the word. 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. Hosted at Southland Evangelical Methodist Church 2601 Clays Mill Rd (corner of Clays Mill and Hill n' Dale). Contact Doris & Bob at bndmccray@windstream.net 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 Daily Archives at: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com Order our Ministry Resources: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org