Morning by Morning, July 15 - Hearing God’s Voice, Trusting God’s Leading, Receiving God’s Blessing
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Help me hear what You’re saying and follow Your leading, as I begin my day embraced by my Father, centered in Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit (John 10:3). ...
Yesterday in my morning prayer time, I believe You spoke to me some encouraging words for my nation, that I shared more broadly through my social media networks, about breakthrough and revival, despite all the darkness and evil. As I shared, I believe You said, from Your Spirit to my spirit, from Your Heart to my heart, rising up to my mind with this thought:
“The breach in the dam of darkness over this land will now burst open with a rushing flood of My light and power and love.”
So many let me know they were so encouraged. And at the same time, some let me know they thought this was foolishness. One man even sent me a little emoji of someone with schizophrenia -- as if to say, “You must be crazy if you think God speaks to people in their prayers.”
That accusation is nothing new. But from Genesis to Revelation, Scripture is full of those who listen for the leading of God, to experience You and Your Presence in our everyday lives. You said, “My sheep hear My voice. I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27). Your Word says, “All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God” (Romans 8:14). Your Word promises, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8).
Even when it’s hard to see what You’re doing and hard to hear what You’re saying through the darkness that surrounds us or hardness of heart within us, Your Word gives us hope and promises us to encourage us:
“O people in Zion, inhabitants of Jerusalem, you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you. Though the Lord may give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide Himself any longer, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it’” (Isaiah 30:19-21).
When we hear Your voice, we’re convicted to turn away from idols and turn to You -- to listen, to trust, to hear and obey, because we know we are heard and we know we are loved, no matter what:
“Then you will defile your silver-covered idols and your gold-plated images. You will scatter them like impure things; you will say to them, ‘Away with you!’” (v. 22).
Through repentance and forgiveness, You restore us to intimacy and the blessing of Your Presence and favor:
“He will give rain for the seed with which you sow the ground, and grain, the produce of the ground, will be rich and plenteous. On that day your cattle will graze in broad pastures, and the oxen and donkeys that till the ground will eat silage that has been winnowed with shovel and fork. On every lofty mountain and every high hill there will be brooks running with water--on a day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall. Moreover, the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, like the light of seven days, on the day when the Lord binds up the injuries of His people and heals the wounds inflicted by His blow” (v. 23-26).
As a people and a nation, we’ve often given into to the sin of idolatry -- giving place to other things besides You, giving place to other things that only You are to have. Whether false gods, false teachings, false beliefs, or mostly falsely trusting in ourselves as our own gods to rule and reign in our own lives in our way apart from You in idolatry of self-worship which You call the sin of pride, all of that keeps us from hearing You clearly and following You completely. All of that opens the door to “adversity” and “affliction” and even the “day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall” (v. 25).
But God. ... But God’s mercy and grace. ... But God’s promise to hear the cry of the humble and answer the call of the one, of the nation, who desperately cries out to You in humble repentance and sincere faith:
“He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you” (v. 19).
I believe You are hearing us! I believe You are answering us! I believe You are yet being gracious and merciful to us, even though we don’t deserve it, haven’t earned it, can’t be worthy enough for it. For it is “by grace” we are “saved through faith, and this is not (our) own doing; it is the gift of God--not the result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). And by the power of the grace of God, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved!” (Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13)
“For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength” (Isaiah 30:15).
Yes, I do believe You speak to us. I do believe You lead us. I do believe that in Your mercy and love, You move us to repentance so You can forgive us and heal us, You can restore us and redeem us (2 Chronicles 7:14). I do believe You desire to fulfill Your eternal purposes for us--both individually and as a people, for “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord!” (Psalm 33:12). And I believe You would even speak to us gracious words like this:
“The breach in the dam of darkness over this land will now burst open with a rushing flood of My light and power and love.”
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
My friend, may you draw near to God as He draws near to you (James 4:6) hearing God's voice, trusting God's leading, receiving God's blessing, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you!
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Messiah Ministries Mailing Address:
412 S. Adams Street #148
Fredericksburg, Texas 78624
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