Morning by Morning, October 29 - Flourishing Faith through Fiery Trials
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Align my heart with Your desires and my will with Your ways, as I begin my day grounded in Your Word and filled with Your Spirit. ...
"Dear brothers and sisters, we can't help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing. We proudly tell God's other churches about your endurance and faithfulness in all the persecutions and hardships you are suffering. And God will use this persecution to show His justice and to make you worthy of His Kingdom, for which you are suffering.... So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of His call. May He give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with Him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ" (2 Thessalonians 1:3-12 NLT).
Where faith flourishes, love abounds. And where love abounds, faith flourishes. In the midst of persecutions and hardships, when we endure the sufferings and injustices of the kingdoms of this world and all the global and generational impacts of our fallenness and sin, You never waste a moment of our sufferings. You even take what was intended for evil and use it all for good, as we persevere in faith and live out love (Genesis 50:50; Romans 8:28).
You're making us "worthy of (Your) Kingdom, for which (we) are suffering." You're empowering us to "live a life worthy of (Your) call." And by the power of Your grace at work within us, we will "accomplish all the good things (our) faith prompts us to do" and "the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way (we) live."
Keep giving me that eternal perspective, Lord. "These trials will show that (our) faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold -- through (our) faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when (our) faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring (us) much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world" (1 Peter 1:7).
Keep my eyes on the prize, Lord -- "I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling (me)" (Philippians 3:14). As Your Word encourages every one of Your persevering disciples throughout the ages, "Don't be surprised at the fiery trial (we) are going through, as if something strange were happening to (us). Instead, be very glad -- for these trials make (us) partners with Christ in His suffering, so that (we) will have the wonderful joy of seeing His glory when it is revealed to all the world.... For God will never fail (us)" (1 Peter 4:12-19).
Nobody has a testimony unless they've been tested. Nobody's an overcomer unless they've overcome something. Nobody's more than a conqueror unless they conquered what stood between them and their destiny in You -- all by the power of Your grace at work within us.
So keep using my trials to make me more like You, Lord. Your Word promises us that You will: "Dear friends, we are already God's children but He has not yet show us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He really is" (1 John 3:2). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
My friend, may you flourish in faith through whatever fiery trials you're enduring, with your eyes on the prize of your heavenly calling, as the Holy Spirit makes you more like Jesus and reminds you our Father will never fail you through them all, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Thank you for joining with me on this daily journey of prayer, seeking to begin each day embraced by the Father, centered in Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit. I hope these prayers are a blessing and encouragement to you!
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!
