Morning by Morning, September 16 - Dead to Self, Alive in Christ
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I want Your name to be my first word, Your praise to be my first thought, Your glory to be my first desire, as I begin my day centered in You. ...
"By faith Enoch was taken so that he did not experience death; and 'he was not found, because God had taken him.' For it was attested before he was taken away that 'he had pleased God' " (Hebrews 11:5).
Like Elijah, Enoch never died. He was taken up to heaven without ever tasting death. And one day there will be a generation on this earth that will never taste of death; they'll be taken up into Your Presence without ever dying: "For the Lord Himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel's call and with the sound of God's trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and the so will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words" (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).
But I also believe You are speaking a message to us through the life and faith of Enoch beyond looking forward to being part of the last generation who will never die. "We will not all die, but we will all be changed" (1 Corinthians 15:51). I believe You are encouraging us to life our lives in this world, being changed into the image of Christ, dying daily to self so we can truly live in Christ (Romans 8:29).
"Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him" (Genesis 5:24). Perhaps Enoch experienced the fullness of life because he was truly dead to himself and to this world, as he learned to walked with You in the intimacy of Your Presence and the full surrender of his life to You in trusting faith. Perhaps the message to us is that Enoch was no more a part of this world because he was fully dead to this world and fully alive in You.
With the heart of Enoch, fulfilled through faith in Christ, Paul said many centuries later, "It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I know live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). Enoch walked with God; Paul lived in Christ. And so can I.
Lord, teach me and empower me to walk with You in my journey of faith, dead to myself and alive in Christ. Let the grip of the world, the flesh and the devil have no hold on me. But fill me with Your Spirit every day until I walk so closely with You that I, in my flesh, am no more. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
My Friend, I pray you will walk with God, dying to self and living in Christ, more and more every day by the grace of God. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Friends, thank you so much for all your prayers for us last week when I was speaking at the Men's Retreat at Living Waters in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Brevard, North Carolina. On the first night, two of the young men received Jesus in their hearts for the first time! All of us were greatly encouraged by the moving of the Holy Spirit to restore us, encourage us and strengthen us for battle in the intimacy of God. I've had the honor and joy of ministering to the men there for several years now, where I'm always deeply moved by this powerful ministry that makes all their retreats and youth camps available to all free of charge. Then we experienced great joy together at Joy Outreach Fellowship in Brevard where I was preaching on Sunday morning. I pray the same for you! And I'm so grateful for all you prayers and encouragement that allow the Lord's ministry to flow in this way. God bless you!
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257
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