Go Through the Gates 8-28-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. All by Your grace, I want to begin this day and every day centered in Christ, embraced by our Father, and filled afresh with Your Holy Spirit. ... "Go through, go through the gates, prepare the way for the people; build up, build up the highway, clear it of stones, lift up an ensign over the peoples. The Lord has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to daughter Zion, 'See, your salvation comes; His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him.' They shall be called, 'The Holy People, The Redeemed of the Lord'; and you shall be called, 'Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken' " (Isaiah 62:10-12). We are not forsaken, we are beloved. We are not abandoned, we are sought out. We are not condemned, we are redeemed. With hearts turned to You and cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, we are holy and wholly Yours. With spirits hungry for Your presence and longing for Your coming -- in the skies one day and in our hearts every day -- we seek the fullness of our salvation in You, the reward of Your eternal embrace, and the recompense of Your justice, as You set all things right in both Your justice and Your mercy. By the courage You inspire and the faith You supply, we will go through the gates You set before us. The gates of the Kingdom of God are open to us and the gates of the kingdom of hell will not prevail against us (Matthew 16:18). Lift high the banner of Your cross over us, as You lead us on and lead us through every gate before us. Give us humility to allow You to expose and remove every stone of obstruction to our journey into the fullness of Your Kingdom -- coming here on earth and here in our hearts, as it is in Heaven. Let us be a people prepared, helping prepare the way for others to come along with us, and preparing the way of the Lord to come in the glory of Your presence now and forever. "Open the gates, so that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. Those of steadfast mind You keep in peace -- in peace because they trust in You.... The way of the righteous is level; O Just One, You make smooth the path of the righteous. In the path of Your judgments, O Lord, we wait for You; Your name and Your renown are the soul's desire" (Isaiah 26:2-8). We have no righteousness, personally or as a people or nation apart from You. But we are not apart from You. Through Christ, the Messiah and Savior of God, we are sons and daughters of God. "See I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious; and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.... You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, in order that you might proclaim the mighty acts of Him who called you out of darkness and into His marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy" (1 Peter 2:6-10). Yes, Lord. As we allow You to coming into the gates of our hearts and our land, we will keep going through the gates of Your righteousness You set before us. And even the gates of hell will not prevail against us. These are the mighty acts of Your marvelous light, overcoming the darkness in our souls, in our land, and in all the earth until the light of glory of Your coming covers the earth as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I'll be leading a Prayer Revival this coming Sunday through Wednesday at Westside Community United Methodist Church south of Danville, KY. If you're in the area, come join us if you can and pray for us if you can't. We're expecting a major spiritual breakthrough in Kentucky this year, and I pray the same for your region and nation. God bless you! Order my books, Free to Be Like Jesus and Morning by Morning and our other Messiah Ministries Resources or Contribute to Our Ministry on-line at:www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Please prayerfully consider joining us as Isaiah 35 Covenant Partners. I'll be glad to speak with you personally about our sense of calling and vision for purposes of God and His Kingdom. Subscribe 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 40502Devotional Archives at: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com