Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Morning by Morning, May 27 - Both Faithful and Fulfilled

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I seek You first as I seek to begin the moments of my day in trusting faith and humble submission to You, my God -- embraced by the Father, centered in Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit.  ...

"See, I am coming soon; My reward is with Me, to repay according to everyone's work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End" (Revelation 22:13).

Lord, let my work be a reflection of my heart. And let my heart be a reflection of my faith and trust in You as my Lord and Savior. Let the moments of my life make a difference, not wasted in selfishness or squandered away on the things that don't matter. 

"For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw -- the work of each builder will become visible, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done. If what has been build on the foundation survives, the builder will receive a reward. If the work is burned up, the builder will suffer loss; the builder will be saved, but only as through fire" (1 Corinthians 3:11-15).

One day soon, You will come again. And I thank You that I'm saved because You are in my heart. Words can't express the joy of the assurance of salvation in Christ. And at the same time, I don't ever want to settle for merely living like a survivor, just barely saved from the fires of hell (Jude 1:23). No, I want to live like a son, living into the fullness of my inheritance as a child of God, filled with the Spirit of God, living my life for the glory of God. "For all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil" (2 Corinthians 5:10). As You said long ago, "The Son of Man is to come with His angels in the glory of His Father, and then He will repay everyone for what has been done" (Matthew 16:27).

We're saved through faith alone, by the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8). And as I grow in my faith, I grow in my desire to seek You and please You and live my life for You (2 Peter 3:18). As I do, it doesn't make me more saved or make me more loved. But I do find it makes me more fulfilled (Philippians 1:9-11). "Without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6).

In some of his final words at the end of his life on this earth, the Apostle Paul said, "As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only me but also to all who have longed for His appearing" (2 Timothy 4:6-8).

Lord Jesus, I long for Your appearing. And though I believe have many more good fights of the faith to fight between today and the Day of the Lord, I want every day to count. I want to seek You first and Your kingdom and Your righteousness, with all my heart, as best as I can, and all by Your grace (Matthew 6:33). And like Paul and all those who put all their hope and faith fully in You alone as Lord and Savior, I want to be able to say, "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is not longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now life in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:19-20). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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


I pray you will be faithful and fulfilled, all by the power and the grace of God at work within you to make you more like Jesus each day, in Jesus' name.  Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

 
 


Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
  
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257

Please share this word to encourage a friend!