Morning by Morning, July 1, 2026 — “Until Christ is Formed in You”
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I look to You and listen for Your leading to begin my day embraced by my Father, centered in Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit (John 10:27). …
“My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you” (Galatians 4:19).
Thank You for those who have labored in my life to seek Christ formed in me. Pastors and teachers, mother and grandmothers, father and grandfathers, spiritual mothers and fathers—each in their own way, each in their time, each for the season You influenced and shaped and formed my life through theirs, through Your life living through theirs.
Everything we experience and go through on our journey through this broken and fallen world is an opportunity for You form the character of Christ in us. We are being conformed to the image of the Son of God (Romans 8:29).
And that requires “labor.” Like a mother in the travail of labor birthing a child, like a mother carrying a child from the moment of conception to the time of birth with patience and love, with hope and prayer, with perseverance and tenacity of purpose. It’s not a gender thing; it’s a spiritual thing. It’s not an easy thing; it’s a laboring thing.
But the birth is worth the laboring. The child that comes forth is worth all the time and toil, the suffering and struggle. And just like the unspeakable joy that fills the hearts of a mother and father at the birth of the child, so Your heart is filled with fullness of joy when You see another child of God being formed into the image of God.
For us, our spiritual birth, when we’re born into newness of life when Christ comes into our heart, is just the beginning. Then You bring us to maturity. Our spiritual journey with You and with those who “labor” in union with You on our behalf “until Christ is formed in (us)” is our journey to spiritual maturity.
That’s what You’re doing in me. And at the same time, that’s what You’re doing through me. You’ve given me a passion to see the character of Christ formed in those You’ve entrusted to me in the various relationships You’ve established around me, each in its own way, each in its time, each for the season You’ve determined for each relationship.
Our labors are not alone. For apart from You, we can do nothing (John 15:4). But I praise You and thank You that we are never apart from You and all our labors are empowered by You, guided by You, formed and fashioned by You as we make ourselves available to You. And as we abide in You and You abide in us, as we keep turning to You, depending upon You to fulfill Your work and Your will in us, our labor shall not be in vain:
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).
By the grace of the power of God at work within us, at work through each one of us willing to labor with You with the heart of a spiritual father and mother and embracing the labors of those who have labored for us, may Your Word and Your will be fulfilled:
“Til we all come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that we should no longer be children … (that we may) grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ” (Ephesians 4:13-15).
In this way, according to Your will, confirmed by Your Word, I seek to be one who can say at the end of my journey with You through this time You’ve allotted to me in this world, that “Christ is formed in (me).” And at the same, may I experience the joy of knowing You’ve used my life in some way, despite all my faults and failures all along the way, to see that “Christ is formed in (those entrusted to me).” In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
My friend, may you experience the joy of your Father as He forms Christ in you by His Holy Spirit, together with those who labor for you in His power and love in your life, in Jesus' name. God bless you, my friend! And you have a great day!
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Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
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July 2 Prayer Ministry Team Retreat of Mid-Texas Conference of Global Methodist Church in Lampasas, TX
July 24-26 A Keynote Speaker at Aldersgate Renewal Ministries Regional Conference in Ollie, Iowa
Aug 25 Leading in Opening Prayer Invocation for Gillespie County Commissioner's Court
Aug 30 Preaching at Lake Toxaway Chapel in Lake Toxaway, Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina
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Sept 3 Speaking at Boerne, Texas Aglow Lighthouse at Kendall Inn Conference Center 7PM. All are welcome!
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