Holy and Whole 10-25-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are our Healer, our deliverer, our Savior and Lord. You are our Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, our All in All. ... You love to heal us and make us whole, to deliver us and set us free. You love to transform us by renewing our minds and to conform us into the image of the Son of God by sanctifying our spirit and soul and body. You love to redeem our suffering, break our pride, and comfort our broken hearts. Thank You for healing our hearts last night, for pouring in the oil of Your Spirit and binding up our wounds, as You held us in Your arms. Let it not be for an evening, but for an eternity. "May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and my your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do this" (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24). You are the God of peace, the God of shalom. As we humble ourselves in Your sight and entrust our hearts into Your hands, You release Your peace into our spirits and souls and bodies -- every dimension of our being. You bring us to the place of peace with You, peace with one another, and peace within ourselves. You make us holy and whole. Father, You have sent Your Holy Spirit to prepare the bride for the coming of Your Son. He is not coming for a wounded, bound, or dirty bride. But for a people who are holy and whole, healed and free, "rooted and grounded in love," and "filled with all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:14-19). This is the healing and freedom You desire. This the calling to which we are called. You are faithful and You will do this as we entrust our lives to You in spirit, soul, and body. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Thank you for your prayers for our revival and healing service in Georgia. The Lord is healing hearts and cleansing His bride at a deep level of surrender and trust. Let's pray the same for the body of Christ throughout the earth. To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on healing and wholeness, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

"Revival is the Restoration of Destiny" 10-24-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Help me be still and quiet. Help me watch and wait in the silence of surrender, as I listen for the leading of Your voice. ... Your voice is saying to my spirit, "Revival is the restoration of destiny." Yes, Lord. I have not seen revival quite like that before. But I believe I see what You are saying. We are created with calling and purpose and destiny. But along the way, that destiny can get distorted and defiled, crushed and consumed, by the world, the flesh, and the devil. We find ourselves frustrated, irritated, and unfulfilled. In time, we can grow numb and complacent, while our passions turn passive. The fire burns out. Instead of a burning flame, we become more like dead wood. What's true of ourselves, can be true of our churches. And what's true of our churches can be true of the body of Christ throughout the earth. Revive us, Lord. Restore us to our calling and destiny. You created us to live our lives in personal relationship with You for Your glory, in fulfillment of the purpose and hope You've placed in our souls. You placed all creation at our hands to steward and tend as an offering of praise. But in many ways, we've allowed our souls and Your creation to wither and die, without bearing the fullness of the fruit You've placed in our hearts. "For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies" (Romans 8:19-23). Revive the hearts of Your children, that all creation may be awakened to the glory of our destiny in Christ. Your glory is Your manifest presence. We welcome Your presence to manifest again and forever in our hearts, and in the body of Christ, and throughout Your creation. Revive us and restore us to our calling and our destiny in all the earth. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, we are having a wonderful revival at Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church in Rocky Face, Georgia. Please cover us in your prayers for our healing service tonight. May the Lord revive and renew you into the fullness of your calling and destiny in Him! To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on healing and wholeness, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

The Battle Line 10-22-05

Morning by Morning, Saturday Good morning, Lord Jesus. Take charge of my heart and soul again today. ... Today we'll travel to Rocky Face, Georgia to preach a series of revival messages at the church that one of my best friends pastors. We'll stay at their home on along the side of the ridge of a mountain that rises up to form the rocky face overlooking the valley below. That area is called Battle Line Road. Over a century ago, the Confederate Army lined up their canons along that ridge to guard the pass below from the Union Army marching to Atlanta in the Civil War. To this day, they still find the remains of war buried in the dirt along this road. There is a battle line road that runs through our soul. It's the place of civil war within each one of us between the spirit and the flesh, between the armies of the Lord and the armies of the world, the flesh, and the devil. It's the place where the lines of battle are drawn and fought every day for the life of our soul -- whether we will walk in victory or defeat in the decision of every moment. "So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:21-25). If the Apostle Paul could acknowledge this war within his own soul, let us humbly acknowledge the war within ours. As Paul found, let us find that we cannot will this war on our own. And we don't have to. "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" As we submit and surrender our hearts and souls to You, we are victorious to overcome every battle in the decision of every moment. As we entrust our lives to You afresh each day, the victory is won along every line of battle. And in time, even the remains of the battles will give you glory. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on healing and wholeness, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

"We do see Jesus" 10-21-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Before I lift my eyes to the world, I lift my eyes to the heavens. Before I turn to face the day, I first turn to seek Your face. ... You are restoring and redeeming all things into the perfection of Your will. You are using all things to accomplish Your purpose, from whatever source and by whatever motive. You use "everything" -- even sin and sinners, even the devil and destruction, even judgment and wrath, even ridiculously undeserved mercy and grace, "to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them" (Romans 8:28). We do not yet see the full restoration and redemption of all things with our natural eyes as we look and see the current reality of this physical dimension. But, at the same time, open our spiritual eyes of faith to see all things as You intended and all things as they shall be as we persevere through the process of redemption. We are not to ignore the realities of the natural realm, nor the realities of the spiritual realm. We are not to ignore the realities of the present, nor the realities of the future. Every word and promise You have ever spoken will come to pass, no matter what immediate realities we face. This is the essence of faith. And we choose this day, by Your grace, to continually put our faith in You. We do not yet see the heavens and the earth restored and redeemed into perfection as You have promised, but "we do see Jesus" (Hebrews 2:9). So when we look around us and see the realities of the consequences of sin and the destruction of the forces of darkness, let us also see Jesus. When we see injustice and oppression and suffering, let us also see Jesus. When we sickness and disease, famines and wars, let us also see Jesus. Let us not only see things as they are, but also how they shall be. You see "the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying My purpose will stand, and I will fulfill My intention" (Isaiah 46:8-11). Give us eyes to see as You see. Give us eyes to see Jesus with us in the midst of it all, redeeming it all into the purposes of God. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on healing and wholeness, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

The Day of the Breakthrough 10-20-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I submit my will to Your will, my thoughts to Your thoughts. Help me get quite and still as I watch and wait for the leading of Your voice. ... I see an image of an ancient battering ram relentlessly pounding the walls of a city. There are many strikes before any cracks form, but then finally the wall begins to crack. Then with each successive strike, the cracks explode in every direction from the pounding of the battering ram, weakening the walls of resistance. At last, the battering ram breaks through and the wall crumbles to the ground. It seems You are reminding us of the power of persistence. There are walls of resistance we face -- resistance to Your will and Your promises in our lives. We've been pounding against the walls in prayer and in faith and in obedience, but it seems like nothing is happening to some of those walls. But the truth is that with every blow, the wall is being weakened. Though we don't see it now, that wall is already destroyed. It will crumble and fall of the day of our breakthrough -- if we persist in obedience and faith. You released Your judgment against the ancient city of Tyre and its rulers, which speaks, at one level, of our spiritual enemies and their strongholds in our lives. At another level, it speaks of the sin of pride, arrogantly trusting in ourselves and our own strength, independent of trusting You. "They shall destroy the walls of Tyre and break down its towers.... He shall direct the shock of his battering rams against your walls and break down your towers with his axes" (Ezekiel 26:4-9). Give us faith to persevere against the walls of resistance. Give us faith to believe the walls are crumbling in the spiritual dimension, even before we see it happening yet in the physical dimension. "For we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7). In Your timing and in Your way, every wall raised up against the will of God will fall. Your Word will break through. The walls will fall down. But they will not fall down by themselves. You have chosen, in Your sovereignty, to release the power of Your Word -- like a battering ram -- through the obedience and persistence of the prayers of faith of Your people. Let us not let up until the day when faith becomes sight in the day of the breakthrough. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on healing and wholeness, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

"Arise, My daughters, arise!" 10-19-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Let the light of Your Word guide my path; let the leading of Your Spirit guide my steps. ... Father, I believe I hear You saying, "Arise, My daughters, arise! Arise, My daughters, arise! Arise, My daughters, arise! My Word reveals My will for you. But look to the whole counsel of My Word to find My will. Seek out My will as you search out My Word. There you will find My calling and My command." Yes, Lord. I pray for Your daughters to arise to walk in the fullness of their calling -- in perfect submission and obedience to Your will as revealed in Your Word and in perfect fulfillment of their glorious destiny in Christ. With the coming of Your Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, the yoke of unjust oppression and the burden of ungodly submission was broken in the power of Your indwelling presence in their hearts. They were set free to be all You created them to be -- to take their rightful place in the body of Christ and in the ministry of the kingdom of God: "But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, 'Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: 'In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon My slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out My Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And I will show portents in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and smoky mist. The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day. Then everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved' " (Acts 2:14-21). We pray for revival and renewal. We pray for the moving of Your Spirit in power. We pray for the salvation of the souls and the coming of the day of the Lord. Let us also pray to see this first prophecy of Pentecost fulfilled -- that we affirm that Your Spirit has been poured out upon all flesh, that we honor and receive the word of the Lord spoken in authority through both Your sons and Your daughters. I have heard it said that the women of the church have had to rise up in the leadership of worship, prayer, and spiritual gifts to take the place of the men who won't. I believe You are showing us that is not fully true. It is true that men have not risen to fully take their place in these forms of godly leadership in our homes and in Your church. But the women are not rising up to take the place of the men, the women are rising up to take the place of women -- a place of honor and authority in Your kingdom, in accordance with Your will, revealed in Your Word. As this begins to happen in our generation, surely this will be a sign in the heavens above and on the earth below of the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day. "So the Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, 'Why do Your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?' He said to them, 'Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written, 'This people honors Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me; in vain do they worship Me, teaching human precepts as doctrines.' You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition. Then He said to them, 'You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition!' "(Mark 7:5-9). Forgive us where we have sinned through any misunderstanding of Your will and Your Word; and forgive us where we have known very well Your will and Your Word, but have chosen to disobey out of the fear of men and our own pride. Forgive us for rejecting the commandments of God in order to hold on to the traditions of men -- elders or otherwise. May the body of Christ be cleansed of our sin of the oppression of women in the leadership of the church. Who could dare say on that day when we will all give account before You that we didn't think "your daughters shall prophesy" meant spiritual authority in the church. May Your daughters be set free from the yoke of slavery and anointed with the honor Your will and Your Word commands in these long awaited days. Let Your daughters arise, as Your sons lift them up to their place of honor and respect in Your kingdom for Your glory. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on healing and wholeness, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

All I've Ever Needed 10-18-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. As the worship song says, "You're all I want; You're all I've ever needed." I seek You and I need You this day and every day. ... "My child, be attentive to My words; incline your ear to My sayings. Do not let them escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh" (Proverbs 4:20-22). Thank You for Your words, Father. Thank You for the sound of Your voice and the peace of the presence of Your Spirit. They are life to the hopeless and healing to the weary. But there is confidence and power and assurance in the steadiness of Your words and the strength of Your voice. I've not felt well for a couple of days, but You have been here by my side. When I was weak, You were my strength. When I was wavering, You were steady. At times when I was too tired to get up or open my eyes, I could still hear the voice of Your Spirit singing in my heart, lifting my spirit to You. You sustained me as You sang through my spirit this simple song of trust: "Draw me close to You; never let me go. I lay it all down again, to hear You say that I'm Your friend. You are my desire, no one else will do. 'Cause nothing else could take You place, to feel the warmth of Your embrace. Help me find the way, bring me back to You. You're all I want; You're all I've ever needed. You're all I want; help me know You are near" (by Kelly Carpenter). Thank You for helping us know You are near. You never leave us and never forsake us. You are here with us, bringing us through every hard time, being everything we need. You are life to our spirit and healing to our flesh. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

"Whatever you do" 10-15-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I turn my eyes and my heart to You. ... "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31). My oldest son, Zachary, and I are away this weekend for his soccer tournament. We will both have many opportunities to blend in with the world and its ways in our words and actions or to be faithful to Your ways and Your nature. Someone has said that your character is defined by what you do when no one is looking. And someone has said a Christian's character is truly revealed Monday through Saturday, rather than Sunday. Our character is our nature and You call us to have Your nature -- not just in church, but also in the marketplace; not just around our friends, but also around our enemies; not just when things are going well, but also when they're not. "Thus He has given us, through these things, His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature" (1 Peter 2:4). Give us grace to face the challenges and opportunities to reveal Your nature through our lives each day. Strengthen us when we are tempted; and convict us when stumble, that we may return to You in repentance -- learning and growing through every experience. Help us grow up into the full measure of the stature of Christ, to bring You glory with our lives in all that we do. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Lovc of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

"Knowing You, Jesus" 10-14-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Help me start this day well -- seeking Your face and receiving Your grace. ... "May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of our Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness" (2 Peter 1:2-3). To know Your power, we must know You. Through knowing You, we receive everything needed for life. You have not called us to merely know about You, but to know You. How can we know You unless we spend time with You -- not just with Your Word, but with You. Not just through reading of the experiences of others with You, but through having our own experiences of Your presence with us. Then we will not only have Your grace and Your peace, we will have it "in abundance." In the words of the worship song: "Knowing You, Jesus. There is no greater thing. You're my all, You're the best, You're my joy, my righteousness, and I love You, Lord...." We love You, Lord, and we want to grow more every day in knowing You. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, if you are in the Lexington area, please Come to The Fountain this Saturday night for our monthly, citywide gathering for prayer, praise, and healing worship -- 7pm in the chapel at Centenary, 2800 Tates Creek Rd. People come from all traditions and denominations for a time of intimate worship in the presence of the Lord as the Holy Spirit leads. Paul Cooper from Liberty Worship Center will lead in worship and Doris McCray will lead in prayer. Our prayer ministry team will be availble throughtout the evening. All are welcome! To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

The Gift of Mothers 10-13-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Let Your Living Waters flow through my soul. ... " 'Honor your father and mother' -- this is the first commandment with a promise: 'so that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth' " (Ephesians 6:2-3). Since I was a little boy, my mother's favorite gift from me was for me to write a few words in a poem from my heart. I see now that You were teaching me then to listen for the leading of Your voice and write the words You would give me to touch the heart of another. Thank You for teaching us and equipping us in the journeys of our lives to find our place in the body of Christ and to share the gifts You've given us with one another. Let these words You have given me touch the hearts of our mothers today: You conceived me and carried me Before I breathed my first breath of life. You held me and nurtured me Before I could crawl. You sang to me and played with me Before I could speak a word. You laughed with me and cried with me Before I could understand what it meant. You corrected me and disciplined me Before I could choose for myself. You encouraged me and taught me Before I could think for myself. You blessed me and released me Before I could bless the children of my own. You lived your life in as an example of love before me Before I could honor you by trying to live out my life in the example of your love. Thank You for the gift of mothers. Thank You for the gift of my mother. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

We will Overcome 10-12-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I worship You and call upon Your name. ... As my alarm clock went off this morning, I was in a dream, standing before the people of a church. I was saying: "Turn in your Bibles to Revelation 1, verse 1. The Apostle John was writing this letter to the Christians of the first generation, but God was writing the letter through John to the Christians of every generation. He was encouraging them and encouraging us to take courage in Him through every tribulation. We need not fear, for God is with us. God will not leave us, no matter what we face. We will endure, we will persevere, we will overcome -- through Jesus Christ our Lord." Thank You, Lord, for Your words of encouragement. You are Faithful and True. And You are preparing Your people to stand firm in the faith and the courage You give by Your grace. You are deepening our revelation of the person and nature of Jesus Christ, deepening our dependence upon our Father in heaven who is perfectly revealed in Christ, deepening our intimacy with the Holy Spirit of God who fills us with the heart of the Father and the mind of Christ. We will stand firm in You when everything around us is shaken. "We must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22, KJV). But by Your grace, we will not fear, for You are with us (Isaiah 43:1-7). Neither the trials nor tribulations that we will ever face "will be able to separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 8:39). In Christ, we are more than conquerors; we are overcomers. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, if you are in the Lexington area, please Come to The Fountain this Saturday night for our monthly, citywide gathering for prayer, praise, and healing worship -- 7pm in the chapel at Centenary, 2800 Tates Creek Rd. People come from all traditions and denominations for a time of intimate worship in the presence of the Lord as the Holy Spirit leads. Paul Cooper from Liberty Worship Center will lead in worship and Doris McCray will lead in prayer. Our prayer ministry team will be availble throughtout the evening. All are welcome! To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

"Yielded and Still" 10-11-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I choose to please you and not people, to submit to Your will and not mine. Form Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart. I entrust my life to You intentionally, deliberately because You are worthy of my obedience and my trust. ... "Yet, O Lord, You are our Father. We are the clay, and You are our potter; we are all the work of Your hand" (Isaiah 64:8). When the clay is centered on the potter's wheel, there is no wobbling or bending. The clay is yielded and still. All resistance is smoothed away, as the shape of the vessel and the will of the potter become one. Water us with Your Word, Lord. Center us in Your Spirit. Shape us into the vessels of Your choosing for the purposes of Your will. Turn us through the challenges and struggles of this broken, fallen world as You smooth away our resistance and mold us into the work of Your hand. Give us courage to embrace Your hands without resistance, sensing the gentle pressure of Your Word and Your ways. Let the old hymn be our prayer: "Have Thine own way, Lord. Have Thine own way. Thou art the Potter; I am the clay. Mold me and make me, after Thy will, while I am waiting, yielded and still." In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, if you are in the Lexington area, please Come to The Fountain this Saturday night for our monthly, citywide gathering for prayer, praise, and healing worship -- 7pm in the chapel at Centenary, 2800 Tates Creek Rd. People come from all traditions and denominations for a time of intimate worship in the presence of the Lord as the Holy Spirit leads. Paul Cooper from Liberty Worship Center will lead in worship and Doris McCray will lead in prayer. Our prayer ministry team will be availble throughtout the evening. All are welcome! To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Frequency and Intensity of Birth Pangs 10-9-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. My rock and my refuge, my strong tower and strength. I rest in You and trust in You -- secure in the power of Your presence. ... "For God alone my soul waits in silence; for my hope is from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my deliverance and my honor; my mighty rock, my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us" (Psalm 62:5-8). What a picture of this age we have seen this weekend: Earthquakes in India and California, mudslides in Mexico, devastation from hurricanes in the Gulf Coast, famine in Sudan, war in Iraq, terror in Israel, and the global threat of a world-wide plague of avian flu. All the earth is groaning in the pangs of birth for the revealing of the glory of God (Romans 8:18-25). All that can be shaken is being shaken, so that only what cannot be shaken remains (Hebrews 12:25-29). Your presence is Your glory. Faith in You is our hope. While all that can be shaken is shaken, You are teaching us to stand firm in the power of Your strength, upon the Rock of our refuge in You. As each day passes and as the earthquakes and famines and wars and plagues increase in the frequency and intensity of the pangs of birth, the eyes of the world and the eyes of our hearts are being opened to the truth of our only Hope. Our hope is in You, and in You alone. Everything else will tremble and crumble and fall -- everything else but the mighty Rock and Refuge of our God. We pour out our hearts before You and find our refuge in the peace and the power of Your presence in our hearts through it all. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

The Well-Worn Path 10-8-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Teach me Your ways, reveal to me Your truth, live Your life through me. ... As I close my physical eyes to wait on You, the eyes of my spirit are opened to see a man walking down a path. It winds through a field and a forest, over a hill and through a dry creek bed. Then it rises up to cross an open plain of green grass before ending at the porch of his home. Then I see the same man going down the same path, but this time it is dark. His pace is a little slower but still steady as he confidently moves along the path to his home. It seems You are saying, "Learn to walk in My paths while it is light. Then you will know how to walk when it is dark. Let your feet learn to follow the well-worn paths of righteousness in the light of the day, then they will not fail you during the darkness of the night. As surely as there is day, there is night. Yet my path remains the same through both the darkness of night and the light of day." Yes, Lord. "Make me to know Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth, and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all day long" (Psalm 25:4-5). Lead us in the paths of righteousness until they become well-worn and familiar beneath our feet. We don't have to travel this journey alone. You are with us and You are within in -- our Way, our Truth, and our Life. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Cleans Hands and Pure Hearts 10-7-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. As the song says, "Give us clean hands, give us pure hearts, let us not lift our souls to another." I lift my soul to You and to You alone, my Lord and my God. ... "Who will ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in His holy place? Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully. They will receive blessing from the Lord, and vindication from the God of their salvation. Such is the company of those who seek Him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob" (Psalm 24:3-6). We have no righteousness apart from You. We have clean hands and pure hearts only by the washing of Your Living Water, only by the cleansing of the Blood of the Lamb. "In Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So, we are ambassadors of Christ, since God is making His appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake He made Him sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:19-21). In Christ, we "become the righteousness of God." In Christ, we have clean hands and pure hearts. In Christ, we ascend the hill of the Lord to worship the Lord our God in spirit and in truth. This is our blessing and vindication, this is our hope and our peace, as we seek You and find You in this holy place of prayer. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Holy Spirit of God 10-6-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Good morning, Heavenly Father. Good morning, Holy Spirit. ... "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:30-32). Bitterness grieves You, but kindness welcomes You. Wrath and anger push You away, but tenderness and gentleness draw You near. Wrangling and slander and malice resist You, but forgiveness embraces You. Holy Spirit of God, we need You. Forgive us for all the ways we have grieved You and resisted You, rejected You and dishonored You -- often with the theologies of our minds and more often with the hardness of our hearts. Your nature is holy. You are the Spirit of Holiness and You come into our minds and hearts to correct us and convict us, so that You can make us more like You. You are the Spirit of God in Christ; and You desire to be the Spirit of God in us --"the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27). "Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God" (Ephesians 5:1-2). As we confess and repent of our unholy ways, we receive Your Holy Spirit and embrace Your holy ways. We surrender our lives to You as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God, to live our lives for the hope of Your glory. In Jesus' name we, pray. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please let me know if you would like to order my new teaching dvd's called "Preparing the Way of the Lord -- Prayer Ministry of Inner Healing and Deliverance." This is my most recent teaching on the biblical principles of healing and deliverance in the context of the Holy Spirit preparing the bride of Chirst and empowering the people of God to shine as lights in the midst of the darkness in these days before the return of Christ. Please send a check or credit card information to "Messiah Ministries" for $50 plus $3 shipping, and spread the word to those who might be interested. I'm very grateful to Mikal and Tammy Watts of Corpus Christi, Texas for helping make this possible. God bless you! To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Fill Me with Your Spirit 10-5-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Fill me with Your Spirit and fill me with Your Life. I listen for Your leading at the dawn of a new day. ... Fill me with Your Spirit, Fill me with Your Life. Lead me through the darkness, Lead me to Your Light. Let me taste the Living Waters, Let me drink deeply from Your Well. As You strengthen me in Power, As You storm the gates of hell. Teach me Your holy Wisdom, Teach me Your holy Ways. I will live for You forever, I will live for You today. Yes, Lord. Thank You for this song You are writing on my heart. Sing it through our souls and declare it through our lives this day. "Be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:18-20). Thank You, Father. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

The Song of Moses 10-4-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Arise in my heart and arise in my thoughts. Let the glory of Your presence and the peace of Your power fill my life. ... "Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord: 'I will sing to the Lord for He has triumphed gloriously; horse and rider He has thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my might, and He has become my salvation. This is my God and I will praise Him, my father's God, and I will exalt Him. The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is His name' "(Exodus 15:1-3). We sing the song of Moses over our enemies of stress and strain, worry and fear, discouragement and depression. We sing the song of Your deliverance over our spiritual adversaries who pursue us to torment us to the death -- death of our vision, our hope, our calling, our lives. But You have triumphed in the victory of Your cross and the glory of Your resurrection. You are our might, our strength, and our salvation. You are a warrior, mighty in battle, casting our enemies into the sea of Your wrath, consuming them in the fire of Your fury. And we sing Your praise even now in the midst of the battle, for the battle in won and the victory assured. "Your hand, O Lord, glorious in power -- your right hand, O Lord, shattered the enemy. In the greatness of Your majesty You overthrew Your adversaries; You sent out Your fury, it consumed them like stubble" (Exodus 15:6-7). Send the fire of Your fury. Send the waters of Your wrath. Shatter the enemy of our souls, the pursuer of Your people. Deliver us into the safety of Your mighty arms as in the days of Moses. There is no safety, no security, apart from Your presence and Your power. So we praise You and thank You for the peace You bring in the knowledge of Your power and the arms of Your presence. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Happy Day 9-29-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. When the earth and all that can be shaken is being shaken, You are the Rock on which I stand. My hope is not in my government, my possessions, my power, or my wisdom; my hope is in You. In the words of the old hymn, "On Christ the solid Rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand." ... "I waited patiently for the Lord; He inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a Rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord. Happy are those who make the Lord their trust...." (Psalm 40:1-4). My youngest son, Elijah (youngest so far -- our fifth child in our blended family is now on the way!), has been starting his mornings with a little phrase that no one could have taught him but You, Lord. He will poke his head in the door and declare with his little three-year old voice, "It sure is a happy day!" If I'm not careful, sometimes the thoughts will come to mind, "Son, haven't you been watching the news? Don't you know about all the earthquakes and hurricanes and famines and terrorism and wars?" Then I realized the other day, he does sit down with us and watch the news. He does hear us, and everyone around us, talking about the upheaval of all creation in these days. But his little eyes are not on all of that. His eyes on are You. In the midst of it all, there's Your Holy Spirit rising up in his little human spirit to declare to the world, "It sure is a happy day!" He's not deceived; he's just full of the Holy Spirit. He's not confused, he's just confident that the little prayers he prays before he goes to bed at night are that same prayers that You've answered when he gets up in the morning. Lord, lift us up out of the miry bog of worry and fear, out of the desolate pit of our "pit-i-ful" attitudes of pessimism and doubt. Keep us compassionate for the hurting and honest with our own pain, but keep our eyes fixed on You. Keep our feet steady in the faith on the solid Rock of Your love. Happy are those who trust in the Lord. No matter what the day holds, every day that begins and end with You by our side sure is a happy day. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Pressing On 9-28-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. In the dawn of a new day, I commit my life and this day to You. It belongs to You now. I give You permission to guide my thoughts and plans, as I embrace Your will for this day, as best as I can by Your grace. ... "Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord; His appearing is as sure as the dawn. He will come to us like the showers, like the spring rains that water the earth" (Hosea 6:3). You call us to know You, but then call us to press on the know You more, as we grow in the intimacy of a personal relationship of trust and love. You bring us to salvation, but then call us to press on to sanctification, as we continually submit and surrender every area of our lives to Your will and ways. If we seek You, we will find You (Jeremiah 29:13). If we call to You, You will come. If we commit to You, You will receive our commitment. If we embrace You, You will embrace us. Your answer is sure -- as sure as the dawn of a new day. Give us the will and the power to press on in our relationship with You. Let us be like the seed that finds good soil and grows up into the fullness of maturity. Let our lives bear fruit for Your glory. Deliver us from complacency and compromise. Free us from settling for anything less than Your best for our lives. Then we will know the satisfaction and fulfillment of a life completely surrendered and submitted to Your purpose and plan. We will be refreshed and renewed in the spring showers of Your pleasure, the spring rains of Your peace. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Living Icons of Christ 9-27-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I choose to live my life in the power of Your strength and in submission to Your will, as best as I can. Help me humble myself enough to ask for it and help me rise up in faith enough to receive it. ... An icon is something that points us beyond itself to the reality that it represents. We don't worship the cross, but it points us to the One who was crucified for us. We don't worship the bible, but it points us to the One who gives us the words of life and truth. As the body of Christ, we are icons. We point others to the One we represent. Remind us of our responsibility to represent You well, but also remind us of our identity that we are only the representatives. We are "ambassadors for Christ," but we are not Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). We are no one's savior or messiah, no one's healer or deliverer, no one's answer to every question and need; but You are. You are the Reality that we represent as Your body -- submitted to Your will, filled with Your Spirit, committed to live for Your glory. Let us not forget who we are; let us not forget Whose we are. "Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it" (1 Corinthians 12:27). "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). "And He died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died and was raised for them" (2 Corinthians 5:15). We have chosen in humility and in faith to be dead to the ways of the world and alive to the will of God, all by Your grace. In Christ, we now belong to You -- "to Him who has been raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God" (Romans 7:4). Let our lives bear the fruit of pointing others to You as faithful ambassadors and living icons of the true nature of Christ, who lives in us. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

"Be Thou my Vision" 9-26-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. The ancient words of the Irish hymn rise up in my spirit as my prayer this morning, as I settle in to my prayer chair to seek Your face and listen for Your voice: "Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart." ... It seems every moment counts in these days. Open the eyes of our hearts to see where You are leading, and open the ears of our spirits to hear where You are calling. Time is short and we can't afford to do what is merely good or helpful or even biblical -- we must do only what You command us, follow only where You lead us, and go only where You send us. Anything else is wasted time that we can't afford to waste. How gracious that You redeem all things, even our mistakes and missteps, if we commit them to You; but how much better to trust and obey to begin with? Paul thought he was doing a good thing by wanting to spread the gospel to Asia -- surely that was good and helpful, certainly that was biblical. But that was not the leading of Your Holy Spirit for him and his team at that time. You had a different direction to send him with the same message. He thought doing the obvious was Your perfect will; but in Your mercy and grace, You closed the doors of the direction he was headed and open the door of Your will through Your vision. "They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. When they had come opposite Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them; so, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, 'Come over to Macedonia and help us.' When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convicted that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them" (Acts 16:6-10). Holy Spirit of Jesus, we need You to direct our lives into the perfect will of our Father. We need the mind and vision of Christ, that we may be the obedient body of Christ, led by the Spirit of Christ, to follow Your heart in Your timing and Your way, and not merely our own. You must be our Vision and our true Light. "Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art. Though my best Thought, by day or by night, Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my Light." In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

The Name of the Lord 9-25-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I speak Your name as the first word from my mouth this day. I turn my thoughts and heart to You and welcome the communion of Your Holy Spirit in the arms of my Father. ... As I scan through the passages of the gospels for Your name, I see that so often they speak Your name as they describe what You did: "Jesus said, Jesus went, Jesus healed, Jesus taught." When they would address You, they most often spoke to You by Your titles, "Rabbi, Teacher, Messiah, Master, Lord." As I look more closely, there are just a few times where someone spoke to You directly and simply called You by Your name, "Jesus." Bartimaeus, the blind beggar, shouted out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" (Mark 10:47). The thief on the cross cried out, "Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom" (Luke 23:42). The man tormented with an unclean spirit who lived among the tombs ran to You and bowed down before You, "and he shouted at the top of his voice, 'What have You to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?' " (Mark 5:6-7). It seems desperation of circumstances and unquestioning faith in who You are mark the times when You become the most personal to us -- when we focus on You and not just Your title or what You do. Awaken within us a deeply personal relationship with You, Jesus. Draw us beyond the impersonal titles we use at times to keep a little distance, even if we think that is from our sense of reverence or the fear of the Lord. Lord Jesus, You are a deeply personal God -- not a distant deity or an impersonal force. You have a name and it seems there are times when You want us to just speak Your name -- "Jesus" from the Greek, "Yeshua" from the Hebrew. You are the God who calls us Your "friends" (John 15:15). Though we reverence You and honor You in the fear of the Lord, we also worship You and adore You in the intimacy of a personal relationship of trusting faith. Let us not wait for desperate times to know You this way and to call You by name. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

The Shelter of the Most High 9-24-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Good morning, Father. Good morning, Holy Spirit. I want to know You and receive You, to welcome You, to trust You, and to worship You in every dimension of Your Being. You are the Lord my God, my Refuge and Strength and Shield. I put my hope and trust in You, and in You alone. ... "You who live in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the Lord, 'My refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.' For He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence; He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, or the arrow that flies by day, or the pestilence that stalks in darkness, or the destruction that wastes at noonday" (Psalm 91:1-6). Lord, You warn us that there will be times of snares and pestilence, times of terror and darkness and destruction. Yet You call us to fear not, but to trust in You. We do not have immunity from the consequences of the sins of the generations in a broken and fallen world that has given access to the kingdom of darkness and destruction in our lives and our nations. There is a community nature and generational dimension to all things that causes us to be bound together in all humanity and in all creation. And within the body of Christ, "if one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it" (1 Corinthians 12:26). Our Father "makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" (Matthew 5:45). But You are the God who has willingly suffered all that we suffer in this world, taking upon Yourself all the consequences of the sins of the world. "Since therefore the children share flesh and blood, He himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death" (Hebrews 2:14-15). From the whole counsel of God, Your promise is clear -- You have promised to shelter us with Your peace in the midst of the turmoil, to hold us tight in the embrace of Your arms in the midst of the shaking of the kingdoms of this world. Though the floodwaters and fires of destruction may come, they will not overwhelm us nor consume us (Isaiah 43:1-5). And You use it all and redeem it all, from whatever source it may come, to bring us near to You in trusting surrender and persevering faith. We draw near to You this day, under the shelter of the Most High, into the arms of the Almighty. We pray that for ourselves and for those we love. And we pray that for those You love, but who do not yet know how to trust in You through every dark day. Use even the dark days to teach us all to trust in You, how to entrust ourselves to You. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Standing Firm in Faith 9-23-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Steady my soul upon the Rock of my salvation. By Your grace, I put my hope and my trust in You. ... "There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among the nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in a cloud' with power and great glory" (Luke 21:25-27). The powers of the heavens are being shaken. The ancient strongholds of the spiritual realm are beginning to crumble under the siege ramp of prayer and the battering ram of repentance. No matter how it may appear in the natural realm, darkness is being overcome by the Light. But our enemy, who is "the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient" will fight and retaliate with his last gasps of breath (Ephesians 2:1-2). "Rejoice then you heavens, and those who dwell in them. But woe to the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to you with great wrath, because he knows his time is short" (Revelation 12:12). Strengthen us to stand in these dark days where the darkness is growing darker, but at the same time, the Light is shining brighter in the midst of the darkness. "Finally be strong in the Lord. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm" (Ephesians 6:10-13). As we stand firm in the strength of Your power, no matter what distress and destruction we face in these days, the light of Your glory will shine as a beacon of hope through Your people of faith. "Now in all these things we are more than conquerors, through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:37-39). Give us faith to stand firm in You to the end of days and throughout eternity. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com and www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

City of Prophetic Destiny 9-22-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Let Your Word come alive in my heart, as I watch and wait for the leading of Your Spirit to focus my thoughts on You this day. ... Jerusalem is a city of prophetic destiny. And the destinies of the cities of the world are intertwined and even determined by our hearts and our prayers toward this city that is eternally on Your heart. We may disagree in our politics, in our perspectives of history, in our theologies of understanding of Your Scripture, but we dare not disagree with the clear and certain command of the Word of God: "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you" (Psalm 122:6). "Now the Lord said to Abram, 'Go from your country ('Ur of the Chaldeans' -- modern day Iraq) and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you ('Canaan' -- modern day Israel). I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed' " (Genesis 12:1-3). This is why thousands of years later the eyes of the world remain on this region. This is why the religions and the governments of the world stand or fall, whether we like it or not, based upon our heart and our obedience to Your command to pray for, to bless, and to love this city and this nation. To love does not mean to agree with all that the leaders and people of this nation do or say -- like each of us, they are human beings consumed and bound by the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Like us, they need Jesus. Like us, they need deliverance from the deception and destruction of the devil. That's why You've called us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. There is no peace without the Prince of Peace. And our prayers that You have placed on our hearts for Your people will be answered. As Your Word declares, there will come a day of a city-wide, nation-wide revival when Israel receives her Messiah: "And so all Israel will be saved; as it is written, 'Out of Zion will come the Deliverer; He will banish ungodliness from Jacob.' 'And this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins' " (Romans 11:26-27). "And I will pour out a spirit of compassion and supplication upon the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that, when they look upon the One whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over Him, as one weeps over a firstborn" (Zechariah 12:10). But the sorrow and mourning of repentance will turn to the joy and deliverance of salvation! "On that day, a Fountain shall be opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity" (Zechariah 13:1). Open the seals of understanding about these things in our generation, that we may take our place as watchmen on the wall of Your Word. Put Your prayers on our hearts and Your vision in our spirits to stand with You and fight for Your people. As we fight in prayer for them, You fight as the Lord of hosts in the heavens for us. And through this means of grace, "all the families of the earth shall be blessed." In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, we join in prayer for the people and cities of the Texas coast as we stand against the forces of destruction and death being focused in Huricane Rita. We join in the declaration of Jesus against the wind and waves of destruction, "Peace. Be still!" We pray for mercy in any way the door for destruction to the one who comes to steal, and kill, and destroy has been opened by the sins of the generations of our nation. We pray for Life to prevail over death, and Peace to prevail over destruction, and mercy to triumph over judgment. Father, we ask You now to redeem all things, to bring good out of evil, and life out of death, for Your glory and Your ultimate purposes, in the name of Jesus. To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com and www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

"Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem" 9-21-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the Prince of Peace. As I entrust my life to You, You entrust Your peace to me. ... "For a Child has been born for us, a Son given to us; authority rests upon His shoulders; and He is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and His kingdom. He will establish it and uphold it with justice and righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this" (Isaiah 9:6-7). There is a peace that only the Prince of Peace can give. There is a kingdom of peace that only You can establish. There is a "City of Peace" named "Jerusalem" that only You can build in the millennial reign of Your Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. Then the city of bloodshed and war, division and strife, will become the City of God, the dwelling place of God in our midst on earth (Psalm 46). "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the seas was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'See the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be His peoples and God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more, for the first things have passed away' " (Revelation 21:1-4). This day will come as Your Spirit continues to put the prayers for the coming of this day on our hearts. As John Wesley said, "God does nothing except through prayer." Jerusalem will be the City of Peace -- the City of God, the Holy City of the throne of David, which will have no end but will be eternally established and upheld with justice and righteousness forevermore -- through the power of "the zeal of the Lord of hosts" in response to the prayers of Your people. Therefore, You have commanded us, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you" (Psalm 122:6). This is a command with a promise. As we pray for the peace of Jerusalem, we will prosper. We will prosper throughout all the ages of eternity, for obedience brings blessing. There is no greater blessing of peace than the peace of God through faith in the Prince of Peace established in our hearts and in our midst, on earth as it is in heaven. This is the hope and the promise of an eternal kingdom of Your peace that You have placed in our hearts and called us to pray forth on the earth as You lead. Teach us how to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, that we may know the fullness of Your peace on earth. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, Lexington was chosen as one of the host cities in America for the 2006 Jerusalem Prayer Summit. Yesterday I agreed to serve as chairman for our city and would appreciate your prayers for our team that will be forming soon. Please let me know if you would like to help with prayer or any other way as we discern the leading of the Lord and obey His call to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com and www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

"Messiah -- The Anointed One" 9-20-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are "the Anointed One" -- "Messiah" (from the Hebrew) and "Christ" (from the Greek). Anoint me afresh this day with the oil of Your Spirit, which speaks of the presence and power of God, anointing our lives to release the fragrance of Christ, in us and through us, for Your glory. ... As Isaiah prophesied of You eight hundred years before Your coming to the earth in the flesh, and as You affirmed that he was writing of Your coming, You said: "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" (Luke 4.18-19 and Isaiah 61.1-2). Thank You that the same Holy Spirit that anointed You is the same Holy Spirit that anoints all who call upon Your name. We are saved by the grace and love of our Father who pours out His Spirit upon His children through Jesus Christ our Lord, the Anointed One of God. You are the Messiah the Jews are seeking to bring salvation to Israel, and You are the Christ the Gentiles are seeking to bring salvation to the world. As Your name declares -- "Jesus" (from the Greek) and "Yeshua" (from the Hebrew), You are "the Salvation of Yahweh." You are the salvation of God for all, whether Jews or Gentiles know it yet or not. On behalf of all who do not yet know the fullness of Your salvation, release us from the captivity of confusion and heal us from the blindness of deception, that we may be free to hear and to receive the year of the Lord's favor, this year and every year for the rest of our lives. "Then Peter (a "Messianic Jew" because he was a Jew who received Jesus the Christ as his Messiah) began to speak to them: 'I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation everyone who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him. You know the message He sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ -- He is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea ("the West Bank"), beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. We are witnesses of all that He did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree; but God raised Him on the third day and allowed Him to appear, not to all people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He is the One ordained by God as Judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about Him and everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.' While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word" (Acts 10.34-44). Come, Holy Spirit. Fall upon all who hear the word. Anoint us with the word You are speaking to the hearts of all who are willing to hear and receive the truth and the love of God revealed in Jesus the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One of God. Then let us be His witnesses of all He has done in us and through us to the glory of God by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, who anoints and empowers our lives. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, this passage from Luke 4 and Isaiah 61 is the founding Scripture the Lord gave us for the name and calling of our ministry: "Messiah Ministries" -- to proclaim the coming of the Messiah and to do our part in the power of His Spirit to prepare the way of the Lord in our generation. All that we do is centered around this calling and vision. Please cover us in your prayers and join us with your giving as the Lord leads, as we do our part by His grace, for His kingdom, and in His power. I pray the same for you and the ministry of your calling. To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com and www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit 9-19-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I worship You in spirit and in truth in every dimension of Your Being. You are God the Father, my creator, who calls me Your son. You are God the Son, my Savior, who has forgiven me of my sins and called me Your disciple and Your friend. You are God the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of Truth and Life, Comforter and Advocate, the Spirit of Christ living in my heart. You are the Lord our God, faithful and true, worthy of our faith and praise. You are holy and You are One. I turn my first thoughts to You, my first desires to You, at the beginning of this new day. ... "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you" (2 Corinthians 13.13). We need to know You and be known by You in every dimension of the Trinity of God. We need the sacrificing grace of the Son, the unfailing love of the Father, and indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. We need to fear You and respect You in honor and submission through obedience to Your authority in our lives; and at the same time, we need to seek You and receive You in the intimacy of worship and the communion of prayer as we grow in Your nature and soak in Your presence. Because of Your indescribable grace toward us, we must "not become proud, but stand in awe" as we behold both "the kindness and the severity of God" (Romans 11.20-22). Though You desire intimacy, You still desire obedience. Though You release mercy, You also release judgment. Let us not grow complacent, prideful, or disrespectful in our relationship with You. Let us never take for granted the privilege and blessing of the desire of our holy God for intimacy and communion with an unholy people, made possible only by Your grace and Your love. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, if you are in the Lexington area, please join us tonight 9/19 to worship and hear the vision for the Jerusalem Prayer Summit 2006 to be held in Lexington, one of 30 cities selected. We will meet in the conference room of First Southern National Bank on Harrodsburg Road at 7 pm tonight with the representative of this international ministry. All who have a burden to pray for the people of Israel are welcome. To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com and www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

"To Rejoice is a Choice" 9-18-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. In the words of the old hymn, "I come to the Father through Jesus, the Son, and give Him the glory; great things He has done. Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Let the earth hear His voice. Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Let the people rejoice!" ... We come to You, Father. You are One with the Son and One with the Spirit. You desire to be one with us in the mystery of the communion of prayer and praise. Open our ears to hear Your voice. Open our spirits to praise and rejoice. "O give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known His deeds among the peoples. Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wonderful works. Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Seek the Lord and His strength, seek His presence continually" (1 Chronicles 16.8-11). I hear You saying, "To rejoice is a choice." Yes, Lord. We choose this day to rejoice in You -- no matter what circumstances we face. We rejoice that You are with us to strengthen us, encourage us, empower us to overcome every obstacle and challenge of the world, the flesh, and the devil. They are all defeated in the power of praise, because praise reminds us and reminds our spiritual enemies of Your presence and Your promises that we will prevail in Your power. As You arise in our hearts and in our praise, our enemies are scattered and our challenges are overcome (Psalm 68). Praise the Lord! Let the people rejoice in the victory of the power of Your presence enthroned in our praise! In Jesus' name we praise, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com and www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Our Eyes are on You 9-17-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are my strength and my shelter, my rock and my refuge. I am steady and secure in You. ... "To You I lift up my eyes, O You who are enthroned in the heavens" (Psalm 123.1). So much more happens than we realize in these first moments of the morning, when we turn our eyes and our hearts to You in a direct and deliberate way. Even in the moments when we don't hear a word, see a vision, or remember a Scripture, something is happening in our hearts and souls. Silently but powerfully, we are being strengthened and nourished in the depths of our being. Fears and worries, confusion and doubt, begin to submit to faith and peace, encouragement and strength. You steady our hearts and secure our minds as we sense the power of Your presence with us and within us. Then when we arise to engage the challenges of the day, we arise in the power of Your silent strength and in the certainty of Your steadfast love. As the praise song says, "Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace." Yes, Lord. We turn our eyes upon You, You who are enthroned in the heavens and who are established in our hearts. Fill our lives with the light of Your glory and grace. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, if you are in the Lexington area, please Come to The Fountain this Saturday night 9/17 for our monthly, citywide gathering for prayer, praise, and healing worship -- 7pm in the chapel at Centenary, 2800 Tates Creek Rd. People come from all traditions and denominations for a time of intimate worship in the presence of the Lord as the Holy Spirit leads. Paul Cooper from Liberty Worship Center will lead in worship and I will lead in prayer. Our prayer ministry team will be availble throughtout the evening. All are welcome! To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com and www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

"Listen and Hear My Voice" 9-16-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Focus my thoughts on You alone; open my heart to You alone, as I wait in the silence of surrender for the leading of Your Spirit. ... "Listen and hear My voice; pay attention and hear My speech. Do those who plow for sowing plow continually? Do they continually open and hallow their ground? When they have leveled its surface, do they not scatter dill, sow cummin, and, and plant wheat in its rows and barely in its proper place, and spelt as the border? For they are well instructed; their God teaches them" (Isaiah 28.23-26). You are our Teacher, Lord. Even the things we think we know how to do out of our own wisdom are really a gift of God. When we go about the tasks of our daily lives, we think the thoughts that come to us are our natural thoughts. But if we have entrusted our minds to You and if we have begun and continued our day seeking You and listening for You, to hear the leading of Your voice, Your supernatural thoughts become our natural thoughts. The more we entrust our minds to You, the more we submit our lives to You, the more we can trust the leading of Your voice as the thoughts in our minds. This is the renewing of our minds, the receiving of the mind of Christ, the slow and steady process of the transformation of our souls (Romans 12.1-2). Little by little, Your thoughts become our thoughts, Your heart becomes our heart, Your ways become our ways, as we grow in wisdom and maturity in Christ, because we have entrusted and submitted our minds and hearts to You. In trusting faith and humble obedience to the leading of Your voice, we "become participants of the divine nature" by the daily miracle of Your grace (2 Peter 1.4). Teach us Your voice, to pay attention and hear Your speech, that we may learn and live in Your ways a little more each day. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, if you are in the Lexington area, please Come to The Fountain this Saturday night for our monthly, citywide gathering for prayer, praise, and healing worship -- 7pm in the chapel at Centenary, 2800 Tates Creek Rd. People come from all traditions and denominations for a time of intimate worship in the presence of the Lord as the Holy Spirit leads. Paul Cooper from Liberty Worship Center will lead in worship and I will lead in prayer. Our prayer ministry team will be availble throughtout the evening. All are welcome! To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com and www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Blessings of Obedience 9-15-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Help me be still, as I watch and wait for Your leading this day. ... "He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then He sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, 'Put out into deep water and put down your nets for a catch.' Simon answered, 'Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if You say so, I will let down the nets.' When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break" (Luke 5.3-6). Lord, it seems it is Your way to lead us step by step. First You lead us "a little way from the shore" before leading us out to the "deep water." We often want to go straight out to the deep waters, when You still have so much to teach us first a little closer to shore. Give us the patience to wait until You have finished speaking all that You desire to teach us at each step of the journey, before insisting that we move on ahead of Your leading. Free us from hurriedness that gets ahead of Your leading; and deliver us from hesitation when its time to move on. Then we will be overwhelmed with the blessings that come from obedience to Your timing and submission to Your ways. In Jesus' name we pray. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, if you are in the Lexington area, please Come to The Fountain this Saturday night for our monthly, citywide gathering for prayer, praise, and healing worship -- 7pm in the chapel at Centenary, 2800 Tates Creek Rd. People come from all traditions and denominations for a time of intimate worship in the presence of the Lord as the Holy Spirit leads. Paul Cooper from Liberty Worship Center will lead in worship and I will lead in prayer. Our prayer ministry team will be availble throughtout the evening. All are welcome! To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com and www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Sweet Hour of Prayer 9-14-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. We honored the life of Mary Williams yesterday, my friend and fellow prayer warrior. She passed away "in the twinkling of an eye" in the service of Your Kingdom, helping the victims of hurricane Katrina finding refuge at our church. The words of her favorite hymn, "Sweet Hour of Prayer," still move in my spirit as I picture her singing them to You now face to face, where her faith has become sight. ... "Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!The joys I feel, the bliss I share,Of those whose anxious spirits burnWith strong desires for Thy return!With such I hasten to the placeWhere God my Savior shows His face,And gladly take my station there,And wait for Thee, sweet hour of prayer!" The hour of prayer in the presence of God -- this is where You strengthen us, empower us, encourage us, and comfort us. This is where You order the steps of our day, where You form Your desires in our hearts and Your thoughts in our minds. Your Holy Spirit draws us near to this holy place "where God my Savior shows His face." Mary, like all of us, knew but a foretaste of the fullness of Your presence on earth. But that foretaste was enough to keep her coming to the well of Your Spirit and Your Word every day, to drink deeply of the living waters of Your presence. The hardness of her life only served to strengthen her faith and embolden her witness in the perseverance of a saint. But today she is healed and whole, perfected in love, praying the prefect prayers of one who has fought the good fight and finished her course, found faithful in Your sight. "For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known" (1 Corinthians 13.12). Like Mary, let us be relentless in seeking Your face until the day we find it -- smiling as You speak the words, "Well done, My good and faithful servant. Come and receive Your reward, the reward of the fullness of My presence." In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, if you are in the Lexington area, please Come to The Fountain this Saturday night 9/17 for our monthly, citywide gathering for prayer, praise, and healing worship -- 7pm in the chapel at Centenary, 2800 Tates Creek Rd. People come from all traditions and denominations for a time of intimate worship in the presence of the Lord as the Holy Spirit leads. Paul Cooper from Liberty Worship Center will lead in worship and I will lead in prayer. Our prayer ministry team will be availble throughtout the evening. All are welcome! To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com and www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Receiving the Mind of Christ 9-13-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I seek Your face; I need Your grace. I turn my heart and my thoughts to You as an offering of the first fruits of my day. ... "For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2.16). Father, Your Word says, "we have the mind of Christ." Your Word calls us to "let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2.5). How can we already have the mind of Christ, yet at the same time, we need to receive the mind of Christ? It seems You are saying, "This is both a completed reality and a work in process. Because You have entrusted Your hearts and Your minds to Me, they are Mine and you are a new creation in Christ. All things -- even your heart and your mind -- have become new. This is already true in heaven -- in the heavenly realm where all things, all time, and all space is already present to Me; this is in the process of becoming true on earth as it is in heaven -- in the earthly realm where all things unfold in time and space moment by moment and day by day. As You continue to entrust your heart and mind to Me, I continue to form My heart and My mind in you. I give you My grace to desire this and I give you My grace to do this, but the choice is yours, moment by moment and day by day." Yes, Lord. As we worship You by seeking You and submitting to You, You are changing us into Your nature -- forming Your desires in our hearts and Your thoughts in our minds. You are making us more like You each day as we entrust ourselves to You each day, that we may become who You have created us to be. As we continually choose by Your grace to present our lives to You in faith as "a living sacrifice," this is our "spiritual worship;" and we are being "transformed by the renewing of our minds" (Romans 12.1-2). Father, as You transform our hearts and renew our minds by Your Holy Spirit, we receive the mind of Christ in the process of life on earth, as it already is in the eternity of heaven. Give us the grace and the desire to keep on choosing, that we may keep on receiving Your gift of the mind of Christ. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, if you are in the Lexington area, please make plans to join us Saturday night for our monthly, citywide gathering for prayer, praise, and healing worship at The Fountain. People come from all traditions and denominations for a time of intimate worship in the presence of the Lord as the Holy Spirit leads. Paul Cooper from Liberty Worship Center will lead in worship and I will lead in prayer. All are welcome! To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com and www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

At Home and Away in Our Hearts 9-12-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. It is good to wake up in my home and find my way in the morning to my familiar chair for our time of prayer. It's good to be home and it's good to have You at home in my heart. ... "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1.8). Thank You for the joy of sharing my faith and Your love in the power of Your Holy Spirit to the ends of the earth in these past ten days, as both a Christian lawyer and minister of Your gospel. We saw Your hand of mercy and justice, of compassion and wrath, as You fought against the darkness that tries to consume the light of hope in the hearts of people through the evil of physical and spiritual oppression. But You came to proclaim the coming of the Kingdom of God -- to bind up the brokenhearted and to set the captives free, to demonstrate both the favor of God and the vengeance of God, in the power of the Spirit of God (Isaiah 61.1-2; Luke 4.18-19). Thank You for letting us be a part of Your ministry of love and power in the lives of Your people. Thank You for letting others be a part of Your ministry in our lives. Day by day, empower us all to witness Your glory and to be witnesses of Your glory at home and away and to the ends of the earth. Water the seeds of life and love that You have planted in our hearts and through our hearts into the hearts of others until all the world knows the glory of Your name and the power of Your love. In Jesus' name we pray. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Dear Praying Friends, thank you for joining with me in ministry in India as you covered us in prayer. We are healthy and home and could not have done it without the prayers of God's people. You share in the fruit of all the Lord did for the glory of His name. Please continue to hold in prayer the ministries of Intnernational Justice Mission (www.ijm.org) and Ghuna Kumar with Gospel Friends. The Lord is using them mightily to touch the hearts and change the lives of the people of India. God bless you! To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com andwww.morningbymorning.injesus.com