Monday, January 13, 2020

Morning by Morning, January 13 - "Draw Near and Hear"
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Put Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart to make me more like You today. ...
 
"Joshua then said to the Israelites, 'Draw near and hear the words of the Lord your God'" (Joshua 3:9).
 
You draw us near to hear Your words.
 
We would like to hear Your words so loudly, so plainly, that there's no room for doubt, no room for questioning, no room for wrestling. And there are certainly times when You speak loudly and clearly with no room to wonder or waver.
 
But You also speak to us -- and for me, this is almost all the time -- in the "still, small voice" (1 Kings 19:12 NKJV). You speak to us in the whispers of Your Spirit -- Spirit to spirit, Heart to heart, Deep to deep. Like the voice where hear down in our hearts that comes up to our minds to lead us in the way You've set before us -- "Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it'" (Isaiah 30:21). "In returning and rest (we) shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be (our) strength" (Isaiah 30:15).
 
To hear like that, we must draw near. In deeper intimacy, we draw nearer to You. In deeper intimacy, we take time to listen, we welcome Your Spirit, we embrace Your Presence. We rest and make room to listen and truly hear Your heart. This is how Your sheep hear Your voice and learn to discern Your leading instead of the leading of another. As Your said to Your first disciples, You still speak to every disciple, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me" (John 10:27).
 
At Rapha God Ministries, You've called our leadership to a time to take a "pause" during the first two months of this year for a "semi-sabbatical" with significantly reduced prayer ministry sessions, limited engagements, and some personal time away with You during this time. I admit it's hard to slow down. And I admit I still have a few assignments to preach and teach and pray. But in returning and rest, in quietness and confidence, I want to draw near to hear, I want to dig deep and grow strong, I want to listen and linger in Your Presence.
 
Give me grace to not squander of moment of this precious time You've set apart for me. I set apart and consecrate myself and this time to You as holy unto the Lord. Protect me from all that would seek to distract me and draw me away from this deep place of Your Presence. And I pray the same for all Your disciples in the various means and moments You provide every day for spiritual intimacy -- that we all may draw near to hear You more clearly in order to follow You into the fullness of all You have for us. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays


My friend, may you draw near to hear, growing the grace of a deeper intimacy with God, in the means and moments He sets apart for you this day and every day to be embraced by your Father, centered in Jesus, and filled with the Holy Spirit, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!


Friends, I would really appreciate your prayers for my time of "semi-sabbatical" and for the few assignments I have this first part of the year, including our Skype Internet Ministry to Pakistan on Saturday and the Healing Academy the first week of February. I'm exciting to be completely getting away most of the last couple of weeks of January for solitude, prayer, and reflection. Thank you and God bless you!

My friend, I'm excited to be teaching the Healing Academy at Aldersgate Renewal Ministries again this year, the first week of February -- February 3-7, 2020 in Goodlettsville, TN just north of Nashville. Register today and come join us! Please spread to word to anyone who may be interested in this week-long equipping and experience of healing prayer ministry: 
 
 



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!