Tuesday, January 24, 2012

A City for God - January 24

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I am Yours and You are mine. Abide in me as I abide in You. You are the Vine and I am one of Your branches; let the life of Your Spirit flow into me and through me to bear fruit of Your Spirit through my life today. ...

"But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you ..." (Jeremiah 29:7).


You've sent me to different cities in the different seasons of my life. When I think back on the events I've experienced, the encounters I've had, and the relationships I've known, I often relate them to the cities where I've lived. Each has been very different. And so are the things You accomplished in me and through me in each of those cities. And of course, Your Holy Spirit was not the only spirit trying to accomplish things in me and through me in those cities either. But You have caused it all to work together for good, as You've given me the grace to keep responding to Your love and following Your call, according to Your purposes (Romans 8:28).


For a long season now, You've had me here in the city of Lexington, Kentucky and the surrounding region. Here I've grown in the Spirit and battled in the flesh; here I've mourned times of great sorrow and sadness and experienced great heights of joy; here I've received great ministry of healing and freedom, and You've taught me how to minister that same healing and freedom to others in Your name and by Your power.


Several years ago, You gave me a great burden for this city and the unction of the Holy Spirit to call others to pray "for the welfare of the city" where You have strategically positioned us for this season of our lives. We put out the word to the intercessors and prayer warriors and watchmen on the walls of the city to come together at the beginning of the year to seek Your face and listen for Your voice to hear Your heart for our city in the coming year. We've been doing this for five years now, as we come together in unity, stand firm in the faith, and move forward in the Spirit to advance Your Kingdom in these spheres of influence You've entrusted to us.


Be with us this weekend for our 2012 Greater Lexington Strategic Prayer Summit. Help us humble ourselves to seek Your face, call on Your name, and return to Your ways on behalf of ourselves and our city, as far as Your grace will go, as You come to strengthen our hearts and heal our land (2 Chronicles 7:14). Together, let us fulfill our calling to be a city for God, with the Father's heart of mercy and love, shining forth the light of Christ through the hearts of Your people (Matthew 5:14). As this city where You have sent us for this season prospers in Spirit, so will we; "... for in its welfare (we) will find (our) welfare" (Jeremiah 29:7). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

5th Annual Greater Lexington Strategic Prayer Summit
January 27-28, 2012 in Lexington, Kentucky
"Contend for the Faith" -- A regional gathering to seek the Word of the Lord for our city and region for 2012, hosted this year at East Second Street Christian Church in downtown Lexington, Kentucky. Margaret Therkelsen, author and spiritual mother in our city, will be speaking and leading us in prayer Friday Night. Bishop Morton of Frankfort and the State-wide Prayer Movement, with other prayer leaders and worship leaders throughout the weekend. All are welcome! Please spread the word! (Flyer Below)
www.messiah-ministries.org/calendar

Messiah Ministries' School of Spiritual Ministry - Level 2
February 1-4, 2012 in Lexington, Kentucky
Equipping and empowering leaders for healing prayer and prophetic ministry to heal the brokenhearted and set the captives free in the name of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. Led by Tommy & Sylvia Hays of Messiah Ministries. Request the dvd's to watch from Level 1 and you can still attend Level 2. Some partial scholarships are available so all can attend and be trained.
www.messiah-ministries.org/calendar