Good morning, Lord Jesus. Steadfast and sure, mighty and majestic, You the One I totally trust. Welcome into my heart and every moment of my day. …
“Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose” (1 Corinthians 1:10).
Last night we met to plan with our diverse team to plan our annual Greater Lexington Strategic Prayer Summit that You’ve called our ministry to lead for several years now. It seems You’ve led us to unite together in prayer, from across all the diverse streams and traditions of our city-wide church and region to seek Your face, as we encounter Your Presence together in prayer, praise, and proclamation. And every year, You’ve come to speak to us and impart into us Your vision and purposes for Your Church in our region in the coming year in a way that stirs our hearts and revives our souls to seek to fulfill our commission with renewed passion for You and the people You’ve called us to love and serve.
We’ve never seen such racial diversity and unity of Your Body coming together for this Prayer Summit. And the fervent expectancy of encountering Your Presence and experiencing Your power, as we hunger and thirst to welcome and embrace Your Holy Spirit to transform us and our communities is higher than I’ve ever known. “How good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!… For there the Lord commanded the blessing—Life forevermore” (Psalm 133, NKJV).
In all our planning and preparation, in every moment of this Prayer Summit, may Your name, Lord Jesus, be high and lifted up. Your name is the cry and creed that unites us as Your Body in this city and region and throughout all the earth. And when Your name is high and lifted up, when we exalt You alone and the sacrifice of love You’ve poured out for us upon the cross, You draw all people to You (John 12:32). When we come together in the bond and unity of Your Holy Spirit as the Body of Christ, You move in power to draw the souls of men and women to You as Lord. As You prayed long ago in Your time on this earth as both Son of Man and Son of God, “I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in Me through their word, that they may all be one. As You, Father, are in Me and I am in You, may they also be in Us, so that the world may believe that You have sent Me” (John 17:20-21).
Last night, as we listened together for Your voice, I believe I heard You say, “Bringing down the walls of division, raising up a wall of prayer.” Lord, let it be so. Let our unity in the Spirit bring down the spiritual walls of division among us in the spiritual realm of our city and region. Raise up Your wall of prayer around us, opening up Your heavens over us. As You spoke Your Word through two of our leaders: “See, I have inscribed you upon the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me” (Isaiah 49:16). “A day for the building of your walls! In the day the boundary shall be far extended” (Micah 7:11).
Yes, Lord. Bring down our walls of division; raise up Your wall of prayer—here and around the world, throughout the Body of Christ. Let us be one in Your Holy Spirit as You and our Father are One. Let our prayers and praise be continually before You. Extend the boundary of our hearts with love for You and the people of our land You’ve entrusted to us to love and serve. Let Your Kingdom come within us and through us, “because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” (Romans 5:5). In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
Friends, please keep us in prayer the weekend of February 4-5, 2011 for our 4th Annual Greater Lexington Strategic Prayer Summit. This year our ministry will be leading this gathering hosted with Pastor Richard Gaines at Consolidated Baptist Church on the northwest side of Lexington, Kentucky ( http://www.consolidatedbaptist.org/ ). If you're in our region, please come and spread the word--it will be Friday night, Saturday and Saturday night. A flyer with tentative schedule will be available soon. May the Lord move in the power of His Presence for revival and awakening in your city and region, as well as ours! God bless you!
