Morning by Morning, January 23 - Immediate Obedience to Cross Over into the Promises of God
Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are welcome here in my heart and every moment of my day -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ...
"So the priests who bore the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan until everything was finished that the Lord had commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua; and the people hurried and crossed over" (Joshua 4:10 NKJV).
When You made a way for the people to cross over the Jordan and into the Promised Land, when You cut off the waters so they would cross over on dry ground, "the people hurried and crossed over" (NKJV). They "crossed over in haste" (NRSV). They did not hesitate or delay. "No one dawdled" (MSG).
When You say, "It is time," it is time. It's time to hear and act. It's time to trust and obey. It's time to advance, to move on, to press in, to take hold, to cross over.
"Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon Him while He is near" (Isaiah 55:6). "Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves" (James 1:22).
The generation that crossed over was different than the generation that held back in their doubt and disobedience, in their laziness and lukewarm-ness, in their complacency and compromise, in their passivity and self-pity. Their unbelief left them unfulfilled. And so they never entered into to their Promised Land of all the promises and goodness of God You had planned and purposed for them.
Your Holy Spirit speaks to us -- not to condemn us, but to encourage us, to prompt us and inspire us to trust and obey, quickly responding to what we hear, so we don't miss out on the blessings of obedience.
"Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, 'Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, as on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your ancestors put Me to the test, though they had seen My works for forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation, and I said, 'They always go astray in their hearts and they have not known My ways. As in My anger I swore, 'They will not enter My rest.' Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you may have an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the Living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called 'today,' so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partners of Christ if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end. As it is said, 'Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion'" (Hebrews 3:7-15).
The generation that crossed over was of "a different spirit" than the generation that failed (Numbers 14:24). This generation trusted and obeyed; they heard and they acted; they "crossed over in haste" with immediate obedience into the Promised Land.
Come, Holy Spirit. Make me more sensitive to my Father's heart, to my Savior's voice, to the leading of the Spirit. I want to step through the doors You open and take hold of the opportunities You provide. I want to be on my way through the way You've prepared. I want to be rested and ready to cross over in immediate obedience when I hear You say in my heart, "It is time." In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
My friend, may you become increasingly sensitive to the heart of our Father, the voice of our Savior, and the leading of the Holy Spirit to respond with immediate obedience and cross over into all the promises and purposes of God He has for you, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Friends, I would appreciate your prayers. Our healing prayer ministry at Rapha God Ministries is on a "semi-sabbatical" the first part of this new year and part of that is for the leadership to get away with the Lord in a place and for a time of personal prayer and reflection. I'm in the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming for my private time. Please pray that I will go deep into the Presence of God, to be refreshed and renewed. And I pray that you'll be "practicing the Presence of God" wherever you are and in the moments He provides. God bless you!
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:
I will be teaching based on my book Free to Be Like Jesus-Transforming Power of Inner Healing and Deliverance, which I'm so honored to be endorsed by Max Lucado, Randy Clark, and Andy Reese.
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!
