“Increase Our Faith!” 12-18-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are my King. You are the Creator and the Center of everything. … “The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’ The Lord replied, ‘If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea, and it would obey you’ ” (Luke 17:5-6). I’m flying home now, after ten days full of nightly healing revival meetings in Pakistan, sharing the love of God revealed in Jesus Christ with the people of this land who were hungry to come and hear. And what amazing sights I’ve seen, as You stretched out Your mighty right hand to save and to heal in ways I’ve only dreamed. These may have been the most exciting ten days of my life. Down inside, I’ve always yearned to be one of Your evangelists who would go to the nations and proclaim the gospel of Your Kingdom, even risking my life, to see souls saved, bodies healed, and demons cast out just in the name of Jesus just like Your first disciples (Luke 9:1-3). And by the grace of God, with the heart of the Father, the power of the Holy Spirit, in the name of Jesus, I have. Praise Your holy name! I saw a blind man healed to see, a mute man delivered to speak, a crippled woman strengthened in her muscles, a demon-possessed man of another religion delivered from evil and set free of his tormented thoughts, a man begin to praise You in tongues for the first time, a kidney stone dissolved on the spot, many ask Jesus to come as Lord into their hearts, and so much more. And those were just some of the things I saw in front of me with my own eyes. I’ve heard more every day and expect to hear of even so much incredibly more. All by power of the grace of God, I loved to encounter Your Presence and experience Your power in these ways that You displayed Your love for Your people who humbled themselves to call on Your name in faith. And now as I fly back and transition to another world, I wonder if I will find this kind of faith at home. I wonder if I will still find this kind of faith in me. I’m remembering Your words, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8) What comes to mind is and rises in my heart is “Lord, increase our faith!” (v. 17:5) You are the same God in America that You are in Pakistan. We need as much salvation, healing, and deliverance as they do—maybe more. And Lord Jesus, You are the same “yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). You are the God who never changes, no matter our nation, no matter our inclination (James 1:17). So Lord, all by Your grace, I choose to believe. Keep delivering me from any of my unbelief. Keep increasing my faith. And in the faith that pleases You, let me expect to see more of You and more Your love and more of Your power in every area of my life and every life and every place You send me. I prayed to never be the same after this ministry trip—I’m not; and You are. Hallelujah! Praise You Jesus! In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Morning by Morning, Wednesday 12-16-09 – Blessed are the Poor; Mighty is their God Good morning, Lord Jesus. Your name is the name above every name—in every land in all the earth and here in my heart. … “May all kings bow down before Him, all nations give Him service. For He delivers the needy when they call, the poor and those who have no helper. He has [compassion] on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence, He redeems their life, and precious is their blood in His sight” (Psalm 72:11-14). A few nights ago was a holy night to me. In the evening we went outside the city of Lahore, Pakistan in the Punjab region to a village far off the main road, down a dark and rutty road. From our vehicle we walked through the winding corridors by flashlight until we came to the big tent in the center of the village. All the electrical power was out. But the night sky was crisp and clear, filled with the sparkling lights of the stars above us, reminding me of the millions of mighty warring and worshipping angels of heaven’s host, ready to join us in the praise and the battle to come. And the closer we came to the tent, the louder we heard the songs of worship and praise to the glorious One before whom all kings must bow and all nations must serve. After we worshipped in the dark and I shook hands with those who had come to look and see in the back of the tent, the lights came on. Smiling faces of children covered us with rose petals and danced before the Lord. The hands of the people were waving high in hallelujahs of praise to the King of kings and Lord of lords as the name of Jesus was lifted high over this village and proclaimed into the spiritual realm. As I received their welcome and gave my greetings to the Christians and Muslims who had come to experience this healing revival meeting, I noticed so many were wearing no shoes. This was a very poor village, full of very needy and hurting people. Yet here they were, singing praises to God in the dark and the cold, excited to see what God would do in their lives, while praising Your name for all You have already done and all that You are. You have a heart for the poor. And Your compassion began to swell in my heart with Your Father heart as I looked out with tears at Your sons and daughters, longing for each one there to know Your love and experience Your power. And so they did. By the grace of God You moved by Your Holy Spirit in the power of Your love through the preaching and praying, boldly proclaiming healing and deliverance in the name of Jesus. So many wanted prayer in such an atmosphere of Your Presence. We all knew that surely the Presence of the Lord was in this place, and Your power was present to heal (Luke 5:17). I could see the joy on their faces after we prayed, and we are hearing so many reports from the pastors of all that You are continuing to do among these hungry hearts of the poor and needy who had come seeking Your face and embracing Your grace: A young girl came up for prayer and to say she received Jesus in her heart; a little boy with a fractured arm was able to move it again; a little boy who could not hear or speak began to talk the next day; many were freed of joint, body pain, and head pain instantly; a tumor on the shoulder of woman shriveled away; a man in his customary Muslim attire who was tormented by demonic spirits in his mind was set free and restored to his right mind; and so much more! Some things happened instantly and others over the next day or so, but we were all touched and moved by the Presence of God and outpouring of Your Spirit as we proclaimed the name of Jesus. Many joined in prayers asking Jesus into their hearts. And all our lives will never be the same! I don’t always understand Your ways and why it seems You move so mightily in the lives of so many in some cultures and places for Your purposes. But I do know You have a great heart for the poor who have no help but You. And I do know that there is some kind of spiritual dynamic that is released when hungry desperation and undoubting faith collide in an atmosphere of Your Presence. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6). So I desperately, faithfully pray that by the grace of God what I’ve seen You do in Pakistan, You will continue to do in the cultures and nations, the cities and villages, the hearts and minds of all people of all nations of the earth in our generation and those to come. But for this day, I praise the name of Jesus for what I’ve seen You do in my heart and in the hearts of so many who are so hungry for so much more of You. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, thank you for your prayers for me in ministry to the people of Pakistan. It's amazing to see all the Lord is doing! As I've shared with our intercessory prayer team, we are hearing incredible testimonies of healing and deliverance from our healing revival meetings. By the grace of God, the Lord keeps increasing my personal faith and boldness to preach and to pray, as I'm surrounded by people so hungry and thirsty for an encounter with Jesus. Praise God! God is on the move in the earth in these days, and I join with you in crying out to Him to move in the power and glory of His name in our nations and all the nations of the earth. Come to The Fountain! This Friday Night December 18th at 7PM, the 3rd Friday Night of every month, for our Messiah Ministries monthly gathering for prayer, praise, and healing worship. Led by Messiah Ministries and hosted at Centenary United Methodist Church, 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky. Come drink deeply from The Fountain of Living Waters as we worship Jesus in the freedom of His Holy Spirit. Pastor Linda Dulin will be leading in Prayer and Kerry Dorrell will be leading in Worship. All are welcome and spread the word! Contact Marilyn Walker for details: DirOfMinistries@aol.com 859-422-1794 Many thanks to our Isaiah 35 Covenant Partners and other supporters in prayer and finances who make this ministry possible at home and abroad to the nations. "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14). Please prayerfully keep Messiah Ministries in mind for your Year-end and Christmas giving to the ministries of the Kingdom of God. I hope you find our ministry to be good soil to sow your seeds for the growing maturity of the God's Kingdom on earth. I'll be glad to speak with you personally about our vision and calling in ministry if you'd like to join with us in your prayer and financial support. Subscribe for 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 my Books, Free to Be Like Jesus and Morning by Morning, or our other Ministry Resources or Contribute On-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org