Morning by Morning, December 11 - Hope, Patience, and Prayer
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I welcome You here in my heart and every moment of my day. ...
"Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer" (Romans 12:12).
You Word invites me to "rejoice in hope." My joy is grounded in hope. And my hope is grounded in the unwavering truth of Your Word and the unfailing work of Your Spirit, confirming my faith and trust in You. Knowing what You've done gives me hope to look and see what You will do. "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1).
Your Word invites me to "be patient in suffering." You may not directly will everything I suffer, for You never will what is evil or what is sinful. But we all suffer the consequences of the evil and sinful choices made throughout the generations that set up the circumstances of our afflictions and sufferings on our journey through this broken and fallen world as You carry on Your plan of redemption of all things (Acts 3:19-21). And You don't waste a moment of our sufferings. You use them all, no matter the source, to make us more like You, to teach us to learn to love, to help us understand who we are and who You are in us. That's how You cause "all things (to) work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).
And Your Word invites me to "persevere in prayer." In that sense, prayer is a choice. Prayer is an act of my will, empowered by Your Spirit, to persist, to press in, to press through, to "p-u-s-h" -- "pray-until-something-happens." Too many times, we give up too soon. We lose heart, we lose hope, we lose patience, and we don't "persevere in prayer" to press through our challenges and prevail over our circumstances and pass our test to be promoted in the Spirit. "In this (we) rejoice, even if now for a little while (we) have had to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of (our) faith -- being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire -- may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed" (1 Peter 1:6-7).
Joy, suffering, perseverance, along with faith, hope, and prayer -- I wish it all wasn't so intertwined. But then, my thoughts are not yet like Your thoughts and my ways are not yet like Your ways -- Yours are higher and Yours are better (Isaiah 55:8-9). So my part is to keep learning to trust You, as You keep showing Yourself faithful -- to keep rejoicing in hope, being patient in suffering, and persevering in prayer -- as best as I can and all by Your grace. That's all part of how You are making me more like You each day (Romans 8:29; 1 John 4:7). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
My friend, I pray you are empowered by the Spirit and encouraged on your journey today -- rejoicing in hope, being patient in suffering, and persevering in prayer, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Morning by Morning. Order my 365 Day Prayer Devotional for yourself or a friend to begin the New Year starting off each day embraced by the Father, centered in Jesus, and filled afresh with the Holy Spirit.
Register for the Healing Academy.
Friends, I'll be teaching at the Healing Academy on Healing and Deliverance Prayer Ministry this coming February 5-8, 2019 in the Nashville area at the Aldersgate Renewal Ministries Center. Please come join us if you're being called to healing prayer ministry! Sign up today: Healing Academy
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!
