Merry Christmas & Year-End Praises 12-1-05

Dear Friends of Tommy Hays & Messiah Ministries, Merry Christmas! This is the season the Holy Spirit miraculously turns the EYES of people throughout the earth to Jesus the Christ, as He desires to turn their HEARTS to Christ as well. We celebrate together the birth of this Child who changes our HEARTS forever! I write at Christmas every year to praise God for the ways He has allowed us to be a part of His ministry of love and grace, doing our part in our generation to "prepare the way of the Lord." Along the journey, you have been a part of the life of Messiah Ministries and the family of Tommy and Tricia Hays—our blended family of six with one more on the way! Maybe you've prayed for us, invited us to your church, joined with us for a retreat, prayer revival, or spiritual direction, blessed us by your generous giving, trusted us with your burdens in prayer ministry, joined with us in my “Morning by Morning” journey of prayer, or encouraged us in other ways—letting us know you believe in what the Lord is doing through our ministry. Please know how grateful we are for you and pray abundant blessings upon your lives this year and in many to come. We pray your lives will be blessed with the Love, Peace and Joy of the Lord in this season as we celebrate the birth of our Messiah, Jesus the Christ. We thank God for your blessings, prayers, and encouragement to us. Our Father has called us to continue the ministry of Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit—to bind up the brokenhearted and set the captives free, preparing the way of the Lord for His coming in glory—first in our hearts and one day in the skies. We need to be set free from the wounds of the past and the bondage that hold us back, and set free to be fully released and empowered to live out our destiny in Christ (Isaiah 61; Luke 4). We are truly blessed to share in this process of healing of spirit, soul, and body, while equipping disciples to fulfill their calling and purpose in the peace and joy of God. The heart of our ministry is providing a safe place for people to be honest with God and themselves, to release to Him their pain and shame as He pours in His healing love—"Pain out, Love in." Many speak of life-changing experiences in these divine encounters as we help by following the simple pattern of ministry I teach: "Here's Jesus, give it to Him." Though I love to minister God's healing love in this personal way, I've been increasingly called to teach and equip others to minister in their own churches, small groups, and families. It's been an exciting year to go throughout the U.S. and abroad with this message and ministry. I'm very excited to provide our first teaching DVD set called "Preparing the Way of the Lord". The DVD’s teach Biblical, spiritual principles I've learned along the way for inner healing and deliverance in a prayer retreat setting. We believe the Lord is using this to multiply our ministry to people and places I'll never be able to go, as people receive these teachings and prayers in their own homes and churches. In September, I had the joy of my third ministry journey to India with International Justice Mission. Though I'm now in full time ministry, I continue to keep my law license to be available for special assignments as the Lord leads. This was one of them. I went to India as a lawyer to work with the IJM team to literally set the captives free from bonded slavery, using the laws of India to answer the cries of those who are impoverished and oppressed through the cruelty of the caste system and bonded labor crimes. Many come to know the Lord as they learn that He is their Deliverer who has heard their cries. I was honored to pray with one man, whose family was set free. He took his reparations money and built a house of prayer for his village before building his own house out of his joy and thanksgiving to Jesus Christ. He was living out the message of the book of Haggai before he ever read it! Also on that trip, we were able to rekindle my friendship with Brother Ghuna Kumar of Gospel Friends. Brother Kumar oversees many churches, a Bible School, an orphanage, and over 300 evangelists who go into the poorest villages where the gospel has never been preached. Gerry Calvert and I prayed for people in a village where people had never seen a white person. The Lord moved on our hearts to help establish a church there. As we were going through a village with the IJM team, I heard behind me, "Brother Tommy, Praise the Lord!" It was a man I had prayed with on my first trip to India several years ago for deliverance. Here he was, filled with joy and wearing a patch that said, "Jesus is Lord" boldly proclaiming the name of Jesus in an area where Christians are heavily persecuted with prison, beatings, and even death. What a small world to us, but not to a miraculous God! We never fully know the lasting fruit of our words and prayers in obedience to God's leading. It is thrilling to have a little glimpse every now and then! It's been a great joy this year to continue teaching and ministering on being filled with Holy Spirit among Methodist churches and other traditions. The Lord has given me a gift to explain this Biblically in a way that people are hungry to receive. I spoke on "The Purpose and Power of the Holy Spirit" at the national Aldersgate conference this year. Next year, I will speak on "Spiritual Freedom—Breaking the Chains of Your Past." My subject was "Prayer and Fasting for Missions" at the annual missions festival of UM Men in North Georgia—the largest men's group in the Methodist Church. And I've had the blessing of leading many retreats, prayer revivals, teaching conferences, and citywide gatherings for prayer and worship this year. This furthers our calling to lead people into deeper depths of intimacy with God. We continue to lead our citywide gathering for prayer, praise, and healing worship at The Fountain on the 3rd Saturday night of every month, where many experience healing of every form as we welcome the presence of God. The Lord has clearly spoken two very clear words to me at key times and confirmed them in many ways—“Teach My people to pray” and “Prepare the way of the Lord.” As we pray for others, we also model for them how to pray for themselves and others. As we see people set free from burdens and bondages, we also help them mature in their relationship with God. This prepares the way for His coming in deeper levels of intimacy in their hearts and in the world. We praise God for allowing us to be instruments of His grace preparing the Bride of Christ for the coming of the Lord—and we can’t do it without you! The Lord continues to be clear that we are not to charge a set fee for our ministries of prayer. So we obediently and joyfully depend upon His provision through your generous support. He has miraculously provided for our family every month for eight years of ministry now! Please remember us in your year-end charitable giving and long-term planned giving. Your gifts of any size are tax-deductible, truly needed, and gratefully appreciated. Please also prayerfully consider becoming a monthly supporter, or including us in a Christian Will or Trust. Through our relationship with the Kentucky Christian Foundation, we can provide free legal services to arrange gifts of property, stocks, and other assets. You will receive an immediate tax deduction for full value, as we receive the provision of God to continue sharing His love through the gospel and full salvation of Jesus Christ. We pray you will continue to join us in ministry through your faithful prayers and generous resources for the Glory of our King and His Kingdom. May the Lord richly and abundantly pour out His overflowing blessings upon you in this season of Joy! God bless you! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Rev. Tommy Hays Founder and Spiritual Director Messiah Ministries 2800 Tates Creek Rd Lexington, Kentucky, USA 40502 859-422-1794 MessiahMin@aol.com PS: Please forward this on to anyone you think would be interested.

Wise Men Still Seek You 12-1-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. As they say, wise men still seek You. I seek You this day. I lay down before You the gold of my heart, and the frankincense of my prayers, and the myrrh of my worship in the trusting surrender of my soul. ... "When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh" (Matthew 2:9-11, NKJV). Morning by Morning and day by day, lift my eyes to the heavens to behold the sings of the glory of Your presence and open my heart to Your Spirit to welcome the glory of Your presence in my soul. This is "the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God will to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:26-27). My riches are what I treasure; and where my treasure is, there my heart will be also. I am rich at heart because I treasure You more than anything else. With the exceedingly great joy that I have found You, I lay down all my riches at Your feet in worship again this day. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching and prayer dvd's on spiritual principles of 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

"In Due Season" 11-30-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the Tree of Life. Live in me and bear Your fruit for Your kingdom. Fill my life with Your Life again today, as much as Your Holy Spirit has prepared me to receive and as much as I can handle by Your grace. ... In a moment, I'll join the small group men and women from ministry and marketplace You've joined together to pray out over our city from the top floor of the tallest building in the center of our city early on Wednesday mornings. Since we've been meeting for prayer, we've seen You move in different ways in different seasons. Lord, what will this season hold for our city? What will this season hold for my life? What we see in the natural realm often speaks to us of Your principles in the spiritual realm. With seasons, there are different times for different purposes -- a time for sowing and for reaping, a time of fallowness and a time of fruitfulness. "For everything there is a season" (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Release us from the false belief that all seasons are supposed to be the same. Deliver us from the discouragement that comes when our expectations are fixed on the wrong season. Each season has its purpose. Lord, work Your purpose in me. Work Your purpose in my family, my church, my community, and my world. Give me eyes to see the seasons of fruitfulness to come even when the fields seem to lie fallow. Give me eyes to see the seasons of reaping to come even in the seasons of sowing. You come with Your power in the measure of grace we need "in due season" -- not too early and never too late (Genesis 18:14). Like a tree planted by the "streams of water" of Your Spirit, let my life yield the fullness of Your fruit "in its season" (Psalm 1:3). In Jesus' name I 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

All for You Alone 11-29-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Let me be consumed with the passion of Your Flame, as I welcome the Fire of Your Spirit and the embrace of my Father's arms. ... Let me be consumed With the passion of Your Flame Set my heart ablaze, Burning in my soul. I live for You alone, All for You alone. Fill me with Your love With Your power and Your grace As I seek Your holy face, And learn Your holy ways. I live for You alone, All for You alone. Thank You for the gift of this song You are writing on my heart and singing in my soul. "For God alone my soul waits in silence; from Him comes my salvation. He alone is my Rock and my Salvation, my Fortress; I shall never be shaken" (Psalm 62:1-2). I choose again this day by Your grace to live my life all for You alone. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, as you know, the Lord gives me these new songs sometimes in my morning prayers. I'm not a songwriter or publisher, but I've had the blessing of hearing some of these songs put to music and sung over us at my meetings from some of my morning friends, like Heather from Wales and Don from western Kentucky. Feel free to use these in any way the Lord leads to minister to others, and if you can, come sing them over us sometime! To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching and prayer dvd's on spiritual principles of 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 Soul, Arise!" 11-28-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Steady my soul and focus my thoughts, as I watch and wait for Your leading at the beginning of a new day. ... Charles Wesley wrote a song called, "Arise, My Soul, Arise!" That is my prayer today. Your Word says, "Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you" (Isaiah 60:1). Awaken my soul this morning. Fill me afresh with Your Holy Spirit. Draw me up into the arms of my Father. Stand up in me as I stand in You, Lord Jesus. Each day is a new day. I choose to arise and follow, as You lead the way. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on Biblical, Spiritual principles of inner healing and deliverance, 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

Dreamer 11-27-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. It's good to slip away from friends and family for a few moments alone with You. ... We went to see the movie "Dreamer" last night -- based on a true story and filmed here in Lexington and Versailles, Kentucky with all the familiar scenes of rolling green hills and horse farm fences. It was really about a little girl -- who reminded all of us of my little girl Maddie -- whose hopes and dreams became real, despite all the brokenness and discouragement that surrounded her. That's a lot like our lives too. You have created each one of us with hope in our spirit and a dream of fully becoming who You created us to be to fulfill the calling You created us to live. "For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not your harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon Me and come and pray to Me, I will hear you. When you search for Me, you will find Me; if you seek Me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:11-13). You are the fulfillment of my hopes and dreams. You draw me to seek You, You open my eyes to find You, and You open my heart to receive You. As I learn to abide in You and allow You to abide in me, You fill my mind with Your dreams and lead my heart into my destiny in You. This is the dream of "a future with hope" -- despite all the brokenness and discouragement that ever surrounds me in a fallen world. You are the ultimate dreamer, and You've put that dream in my spirit and in the spirit of all who call upon Your name. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on inner healing and deliverance, 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

Generations of Faith 11-26-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. As I settle in for our time together this morning, I remember the song my grandmother used to sing as she went about her day: "And He walks with me and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own. And the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known." ... Thank You for the blessings You desire to pass down through the generations -- the blessings of faith, of an awareness of our need for intimacy in relationship with You, of knowing that You are personal and You want to be personally involved in our lives. As Paul said to Timothy, "I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you" (2 Timothy 1:5). Thank You for the blessing of faith from my mother and grandmother. Thank You for those who have gone before me to help prepare the way of the Lord in my heart. That is a gift of grace I received before I ever made my first choice of sin or obedience. I pray for those who didn't have mothers and grandmothers in the faith. Let the prayers of the family of God as spiritual mothers and grandmothers prepare the way of the Lord in their hearts. You desire to walk with them and talk with them and call them Your own. You are patient and full of grace for those who were blessed with a legacy of godly faith and for those who were not, for those who have been steadfast in their faith and for those who wandered from the roots of their faith. You are "not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance" before "the day of the Lord" (2 Peter 3:8-10). Draw us all near to You as the song of the Lord rises in our hearts as we go about our day. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching and prayer dvd's on inner healing and deliverance, 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

"Early in the Morning" 11-25-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Early, before the house begins to stir and thoughts begin to whirl, I come to You to offer my mind and heart to You alone. ... "Early in the morning He came again to the temple. All the people came to Him and He sat down and began to teach them" (John 8:2). Come again to Your temple this morning, Lord Jesus. Let my body be Your temple; let my heart be Your altar (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). Teach me Your ways and impart to me Your nature. Cause Your thoughts to be my thoughts and Your will to be my will. There is a spiritual principle that as I lift my face and my heart to You, to behold You in worship and prayer, I become more like You, as Your Spirit fills me and conforms me to Your nature, a little more each time -- "from glory to glory" (2 Corinthians 3:18, NKJV). In these early moments of the morning, I look to You alone and listen for the leading of Your voice alone. You are my teacher and Your Holy Spirit is my guide. "If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit" (Galatians 5:25). Let Your glory fill Your temple -- the temple of my soul -- as You are high and lifted up in my worship and prayer, in communion with You (from Isaiah 6:1-3). ... In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching and prayer dvd's on inner healing and deliverance, 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

Thank Offerings of Praise 11-24-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Thank You, Lord God -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- for Your goodness and mercy in my life, especially in the times when I deserved it the least. "O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever!" (Psalm 107:1) ... In the days of King Hezekiah, the land and hearts of the people were restored to You. The temple had become filled with unholy things, but You moved on the heart of Hezekiah to cleanse the temple and cleanse the hearts of the people. When the temple was cleansed, the people and priests and king began to worship You throughout the nation and bring offerings of thanksgiving in praise of Your name (2 Chronicles 2:1-30). "Then Hezekiah said, 'You have now consecrated yourselves to the Lord; come near, bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the house of the Lord.' The assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings; and all who were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings. ... And Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced because of what God had done for the people; for the thing had come about suddenly" (2 Chronicles 2:31-36). Lord, You seek those who are "of a willing heart" to come and offer thanks and praise to You. It is a choice to have a thankful heart and a choice to praise You in the temples of our hearts. I choose today to thank You and to praise You. I choose today to offer my life to You as a living sacrifice. Cleanse my heart from all that is unholy, and fill my heart with the holiness of Your presence. Let it even "come about suddenly" in a fresh baptism of Your Holy Spirit, as I lift my heart to You in praise and thank You for Your goodness in my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Happy Thanksgiving, my friends! Click on this link to a wonderful presentation of praise to God on this National Day of Thanksgiving from The Presidential Prayer Team: 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

Give Thanks 11-23-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I sing to You this song of praise: "Give thanks with a grateful heart; give thanks to the Holy One; give thanks, because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son...." "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit" (1 Thessalonians 5:17-19). There is an attitude that welcomes the Spirit and an attitude that quenches the Spirit. In one our eyes are fixed on You, and in the other our eyes are fixed on our circumstances. We have a choice to give thanks to You through the hardest of times or grumble and complain through even the best of times. Hard times reveal our true heart. Will we trust You and thank You that You are with us no matter what, or will we ignore You or even curse You as we are swallowed up in self pity and self focus? This call to be thankful in all circumstances is not a call to embrace evil or tragedy, sickness or pain. It is a call to embrace You as we are confronted by these struggles, trusting that You are with us and You will help us, as You bring us through, holding tight to Your hand and fixing our eyes on Your face. Though You do not cause or will all the evil and tragedy we face in this broken, fallen world in rebellion to Your will, You do use it all to draw us to You, as we persevere in humility and faith through prayer. You don't waste a moment of our sufferings, but use it all as grist in the mill to change our hearts and make us more like You. Forgive me Lord, when I cease to give You thanks in all circumstances. Forgive me when I forget that these are commands and not options, when You tell me to "rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances." You command it because You know the power of a thankful heart and a praying spirit that rejoices in You no matter what. That's how You make me victorious and not my circumstances. That's how I become a conqueror instead of a victim, a worshipper instead of a complainer. That's how I become more like You each day. In Jesus' name I 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

A Thankful Nation 11-22-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Thank You for loving me. Thank You for setting aside the glory of heaven to humble Yourself in the likeness of human flesh and blood to live Your life as an example to us and lay down Your life as a sacrifice for us. Thank You for making a way for us to be reconciled and restored in relationship with God through the blood of Your cross and the victory of Your resurrection, despite our sin. I give thanks with a grateful heart, as I begin this day with You. ... Thank You for the blessing that our nation continues to celebrate a day of thanksgiving every year. Though many think it may be a day of thankfulness in general, it has always been a day of thanksgiving to God. From the time President George Washington decreed a national day of thanksgiving in 1789, then becoming a celebrated day throughout the nation when President Abraham Lincoln decreed the last Thursday of every year as Thanksgiving Day in 1863, we have given You thanks as a nation. May the heart of Abraham Lincoln's "Proclamation Establishing Thanksgiving Day" of October 3, 1863 be the heart of our personal and national prayer every day, as we confess the sins of our nation in our own generation, seeking Your mercy, and giving thanks for our blessings to "Almight God," "our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens," and "the Most High God:" The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe had enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years, with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. Done at the city of Washington, this third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-eighth. /s/ A. Lincoln "It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your steadfast love in the morning, and Your faithfulness by night" (Psalm 92:1-2). Thank You, Father. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Special thanks to Gerry Calvert for passing along this reminder of our history. To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on inner healing and deliverance, 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

"Follow Me" 11-21-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I give You the offering of these first moments of the morning. As I begin, may I continue throughout the day -- looking to You and following Your lead. ... Praying with a friend the other night, he prayed these words that have remained in my spirit -- "It's really pretty simple, Lord. You said, 'Follow Me.' " That really does sum up Your call and our responsibility as Christians -- followers and disciples of Christ. You said, "My sheep hear My voice. I know them and they follow Me" (John 10:27). Of course, we cannot follow unless we are looking to You to see where You are going. We cannot obey You unless we are spending time in the silence of surrender to know the leading of Your voice. So the key to following is waiting -- waiting and watching for Your leading. If we are Your sheep, You will know us and we will know You because we spend time with You. If we are Your sheep, we will hear Your voice because we spend time listening for Your voice. Lord Jesus, open my eyes to see You as the first sight of the morning, so I can watch You lead throughout the day. Open my ears to hear You as the first sound of the morning, so I can listen for Your leading throughout the day. The more I choose to spend my time waiting and watching, then following as You're leading, the more this will become the walk and way of my life. Your ways will become my ways, and You walk will become my walk. Then where You are leading, I will be following. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please cover Brother Ghuna Kumar of Gospel Friends in your prayers as he begins his travel back home to Tamil Nadu, India this morning. The Lord has touched many lives through him in our country and now He will continue touching many lives through him in his own. Gerry Calvert and I were deeply moved by the people who came to the Lord in a little village when we were there in September. We committed to establish a church there and will be sending Brother Ghuna home with the funds this morning. If you would like to join with us in the joy of this blessing, please send any contribution to "Messiah Ministries" marked "Gospel Friends, India" to us at 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502, and every dollar will go to them. 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 Lord's House 11-20-05

Morning by Morning, Sunday 11-20-05 -- The Lord's House Good morning, Lord Jesus. Fill me afresh with Your Spirit today. ... It was wonderful to have my friend, Brother Ghuna Kumar from Tamil Nadu, India with us at The Fountain last night. What passion and power You have given him to share Your Word and minister Your love. You've called him to send evangelists into the villages of India where the gospel has never been preached. He has baptized over thirty thousand souls now, helped them become established and healed in Christian fellowships, taught them a trade that can sustain their families, and stood by them through the inevitable persecution that comes when someone chooses to be called by Your name. He spoke to us from Haggai last night. "Thus says the Lord of hosts: these people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord's house.... Consider how you have fared. Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored, says the Lord. You have looked for much, and lo, it has come to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? says the Lord of hosts. Because My house lies in ruins, while all of you hurry off to your own houses" (Haggai 1:2-9). Forgive us, Lord, for all the ways we have focused on ourselves rather than You. Forgive us for the ways we have placed the priority on our needs and desires rather than Yours. You care for us and You know our every need before we ask it, yet You call us to seek You for our needs and to seek first Your kingdom so that then all these things will be added to us. Above all, You desire relationship with us, a relationship that comes and grows only as we seek You and depend up You, placing You first above all else. We do not fare well when we live our lives trying to build our own houses -- our own plans and desires apart from You. In Your mercy, You blow it all away so that we will know something is wrong in our relationship with You. Let me no longer hurry off, but hurry home -- home to You. Let my heart be Your house, the house of the Lord. I join my heart with the hearts of all those throughout the earth who are called by Your name. Together, we are the house of the Lord. It is time to rebuild the Lord's house. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, today is a day of prayer for the persecuted church. I stand with you in agreement in prayer for God's sustaining mercy and deliverance for all who are suffering persecution for the name of Christ throughout the earth. May we be convicted of our calling to stand with them in the power of prayer, that their commitment in life and undying faith through death, my bring glory to God and many souls in His kingdom. And my they stand with us in prayer in the days of our persecution -- for as Jesus promised, all who are called by His name will be persecuted. If we are not being persecuted, maybe we are building our own houses instead of His. 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

A City of God 11-19-05

Morning by Morning, Saturday Good morning, Lord Jesus. I love You, Lord. I lift my face and open my heart to seek Your face and know Your heart. You and the Father and the Holy Spirit are One. As I seek You with all my heart, You and the Father come and abide in my heart by Your Spirit. ... We gathered together in fasting and prayer for our city yesterday -- a gathering of ministers and business people, of watchmen and intercessors, of Black, White, and Hispanic, of those coming from many traditions and streams of the body of Christ with a heart for the souls of our city. We worshiped and sought Your face. We joined our prayers with the prayers of all those who have prayed and who are praying throughout our city throughout the generations. We humbled ourselves in confession and repentance for the sins in our hearts and in the heart of our city. We wailed in travail for the coming of the mature church of Jesus Christ in our city -- that we would be a "city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High" (Psalm 46:4). And Your Holy Spirit came to lift our hearts in prayer with You, as You ever live to intercede at the right hand of the Father for the fullness of salvation of every soul (Hebrews 7:25). In the Spirit, You showed us a square foundation of Your church, which speaks of divine order. You moved on our hearts to pray for the breaking away and removal of the false foundations built by human hands for human plans through confession and repentance, receiving Your mercy and redemption as far as Your grace would go. And You moved on our hearts to pray for the established of Your true foundation, rooted and grounded in Your love, one in the unity of Your body. We affirmed You as our Cornerstone of the foundation of the one church of Your one body, of which You are the Head, in our city. "For through You, Lord Jesus, we have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then we are no longer strangers and aliens, but we are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Yourself as the Cornerstone. In You the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple of the Lord; into whom we also are built together in the Spirit into a dwelling place for God" (Ephesians 2:18-22, personalized). Let our city be "a holy temple of the Lord." Cleanse our hearts and the heart of our city that we may be Your church and Your light, as a city shining on a hill that cannot be hid (Matthew 5:14). By Your grace, may "all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ" (Ephesians 3:13). Let us continue in humility and faith, "making every effort to maintain the unit of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as we were called to the one hope of our calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all!" (Ephesians 4:3-6, personalized) As we become one with each other as Your body, we become one with You as our Head. Then the souls of our city will know that the Father has sent His Son to dwell in our hearts and in the heart of our city by Spirit and out of Your love (John 17:20-26). Lord, let it be so. In Jesus' name I 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 -- 7 pm 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. My friend Ghuna Kumar from India, who oversees many churches and ministries will be preaching and ministering. Paul Cooper from Liberty Worship Center will lead in worship and I will lead in prayer. Our prayer ministry team will be available throughout the evening. All are welcome! 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

Your Wisdom and Ways 11-18-05

Morning by Morning, Friday Good morning, Lord Jesus. Before I speak, I will listen. Help me settle in to the silence of surrender as I watch and wait for You. ... "Wisdom is better than weapons of war" (Ecclesiastes 9:18). By the tainting of original sin passed down through the generations and by the confusion and deception of a world trying to exist independently from You, our minds are carnal and our thoughts are impure. There is a wisdom of the world that determines the ways of the world -- ways that ultimately lead to destruction and chaos apart from Your truth. But there is hope. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is the beginning of insight" (Proverbs 9:10). To fear You is to submit to You and the wisdom of Your ways, trusting in You rather than in ourselves apart from You. As we open our minds to You and Your Word, You are changing the way we think, which changes the way we live. Since You created the world and every spiritual principle that determines the quality of our lives as we choose to obey Your principles or not, what could be more wise than to fear You in the submission of trusting faith? There is great power is that kind of wisdom. Lord, I entrust my mind to You. Cause Your thoughts to be my thoughts, Your will to be my will, and Your ways to be my ways. Teach me Your spiritual principles revealed in Your Word and demonstrated in Your ways. Like Solomon, I ask for Your wisdom to live in Your ways (2 Chronicles 1:10). But unlike Solomon, draw me to You every day to continually entrust my mind to You so that my ways demonstrate Your wisdom. In Jesus' name I 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 -- 7 pm 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. My friend Ghuna Kumar from India, who oversees many churches and ministries will be preaching and ministering. Paul Cooper from Liberty Worship Center will lead in worship and I will lead in prayer. Our prayer ministry team will be available throughout the evening. All are welcome! 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 Safety of Goshen in the Days of Tribulation 11-17-05

Morning by Morning, Thursday 11-17-05 -- The Safety of Goshen in the Days of Tribulation Good morning, Lord Jesus. Let me see You with spiritual eyes and hear You with spiritual ears. Fill my spirit with Your Spirit, as I watch and wait for Your leading. ... "And the Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt; there was hail with fire flashing continually in the midst of it, such heavy hail as had never fallen in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. The hail struck down everything that was in the open field throughout the land of Egypt, both human and animal; the hail also struck down all the plants of the field, and shattered every tree in the field. Only in the land of Goshen, where the Israelites were, there was no hail" (Exodus 9:23-26). At one level of interpretation and application of Your Word, it seems that Egypt speaks of the places of our souls in the rebellion of pride against You. And Goshen speaks of the places in submission to You, under the covering of Your hand of protection. Out of Your love for us and Your desire for us to be whole and holy, You release Your judgments against the flesh of Egypt in our souls, so that the life of the Spirit of Goshen may arise and fill our souls with Your Spirit (1 Peter 2:11; Romans 7:23; Ephesians 5:18). Judgment begins with the household of God (1 Peter 4:17). You send Your judgments to bring us to our knees in humility, to turn to You in repentance and faith, that You may destroy our flesh and breathe the newness of Your life into our spirits. Then Your judgments become Your mercy, and Your "mercy triumphs over judgment" (James 2:13). And another level, Egypt speaks of the nations and people of the earth in rebellion against You; and Goshen speaks of the nations and people in submission to You. "Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them" (Ephesians 5:65-7). When Your judgments rain down "hail and fire, mixed with blood" on the earth at the sound of Your trumpet call to repentance in those last days to come, let us find our place of refuge in submission and trusting faith in You -- in the land of Goshen where there is "no hail" of Your wrath (Revelation 8:7; Exodus 9:26). "For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thessalonians 5:9). So we need not fear the judgments and wrath of God in our souls and in the places of the earth where we submit the lordship and receive the salvation of Jesus Christ. We need not fear the days of tribulation to come, nor these that are coming in some measure even now. Those who turn to You in repentance and faith will bring their lives under the hand of Your protection. And the world will have one last chance to see that the only place of safety and peace is to "live in the shelter of the Most High" and to "abide in the shadow of the Almighty" (Psalm 91:1). Out of every tribe and tongue and nation, there will be a people who enter in to the land of Goshen -- the place of safety and shelter even in the days of judgment, tribulation, and wrath. This is the place of the kingdom of God -- the place of submission and faith in the Lord our God. "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22, NKJV). But by Your grace and in Your mercy, "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give it's light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory!" (Matthew 24:29-30) I choose this day to bring every area of my life under the lordship of Jesus Christ in humble repentance and trusting faith -- as best as I can and all by Your grace. I ask you to continue to put to death the things of my flesh that I may live in the life of Your Spirit. Give me courage to embrace Your judgments, that I may have grace to embrace Your mercy. Through the tribulations of Your judgments against my flesh, may I enter in to the fullness of the kingdom of God. In Jesus' name I 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 -- 7 pm 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. My friend Ghuna Kumar from India will be preaching and ministering. Paul Cooper from Liberty Worship Center will lead in worship and I will lead in prayer. Our prayer ministry team will be available throughout the evening. All are welcome! 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 Safety of Goshen in the Days of Tribulation 11-17-05

Morning by Morning, Thursday Good morning, Lord Jesus. Let me see You with spiritual eyes and hear You with spiritual ears. Fill my spirit with Your Spirit, as I watch and wait for Your leading. ... "And the Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt; there was hail with fire flashing continually in the midst of it, such heavy hail as had never fallen in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. The hail struck down everything that was in the open field throughout the land of Egypt, both human and animal; the hail also struck down all the plants of the field, and shattered every tree in the field. Only in the land of Goshen, where the Israelites were, there was no hail" (Exodus 9:23-26). At one level of interpretation and application of Your Word, it seems that Egypt speaks of the places of our souls in the rebellion of pride against You. And Goshen speaks of the places in submission to You, under the covering of Your hand of protection. Out of Your love for us and Your desire for us to be whole and holy, You release Your judgments against the flesh of Egypt in our souls, so that the life of the Spirit of Goshen may arise and fill our souls with Your Spirit (1 Peter 2:11; Romans 7:23; Ephesians 5:18). Judgment begins with the household of God (1 Peter 4:17). You send Your judgments to bring us to our knees in humility, to turn to You in repentance and faith, that You may destroy our flesh and breathe the newness of Your life into our spirits. Then Your judgments become Your mercy, and Your "mercy triumphs over judgment" (James 2:13). And another level, Egypt speaks of the nations and people of the earth in rebellion against You; and Goshen speaks of the nations and people in submission to You. "Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them" (Ephesians 5:6-7). When Your judgments rain down "hail and fire, mixed with blood" on the earth at the sound of Your trumpet call to repentance in those last days to come, let us find our place of refuge in submission and trusting faith in You -- in the land of Goshen where there is "no hail" of Your wrath (Revelation 8:7; Exodus 9:26). "For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thessalonians 5:9). So we need not fear the judgments and wrath of God in our souls and in the places of the earth where we submit to the lordship and receive the salvation of Jesus Christ. We need not fear the days of tribulation to come, nor these that are coming in some measure even now. Those who turn to You in repentance and faith will bring their lives under the hand of Your protection. And the world will have one last chance to see that the only place of safety and peace is to "live in the shelter of the Most High" and to "abide in the shadow of the Almighty" (Psalm 91:1). Out of every tribe and tongue and nation, there will be a people who enter in to the land of Goshen -- the place of safety and shelter even in the days of judgment, tribulation, and wrath. This is the place of the kingdom of God -- the place of submission and faith in the Lord our God. "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22, NKJV). But by Your grace and in Your mercy, "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give it's light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory!" (Matthew 24:29-30) I choose this day to bring every area of my life under the lordship of Jesus Christ in humble repentance and trusting faith -- as best as I can and all by Your grace. I ask you to continue to put to death the things of my flesh that I may live in the life of Your Spirit. Give me courage to embrace Your judgments, that I may have grace to embrace Your mercy. Through the tribulations of Your judgments against my flesh, may I enter in to the fullness of the kingdom of God. In Jesus' name I 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 -- 7 pm 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. My friend Ghuna Kumar from India will be preaching and ministering. Paul Cooper from Liberty Worship Center will lead in worship and I will lead in prayer. Our prayer ministry team will be available throughout the evening. All are welcome! 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

My Hiding Place 11-16-05

Morning by Morning, Wednesday Good morning, Lord Jesus. As the old hymn says, "Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee." You are my Rock and Refuge. Let me be hidden in Christ and Christ be found in me. ... They said forty tornados came churning across our region last night. We made preparations to get ready to hide in the most secure place in the center of our home, as we prayed together for protection and stood against the storm in the power of Your Word and Your Name. It's as if "the ruler of the power of the air" is mustering his forces of destruction in a furious rage to turn our hearts from God in the face of adversities and calamities (Ephesians 2:2). No doubt some will blame You and curse You, as our spiritual enemy is always whispering through the voices of those who are weak in their faith and hardened in their hearts, to just "curse God and die" (Job 2:9). Yet You intend every force of destruction -- from whatever source -- to turn our hearts to You, to call upon Your name, that we may be saved. You desire "that we may have life and have it abundantly," while "the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy" (John 10:10). You are patient with us and You are persistent with us, using even the tragedies and travesties of our lives -- whether the vengeance of the enemy or the judgments of God -- to draw us to You. "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). Let destruction drive me into the cleft of Your Rock. "You are my hiding place and my shield" (Psalm 119:114). You are "like a hiding place from the wind, a covert from the tempest" (Isaiah 32:2). You are the place of security and protection for all humble themselves in trusting faith to "live in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, who say to the Lord, 'My refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust' " (Psalm 91:1-2). Make me more secure in You each day, that I will be able to stand securely in You as You stand securely in me in the days of destruction. In Jesus' name I 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 -- This Saturday Night with Ghuna Kumar from India -- at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Faithful God, Steadfast Friend 11-15-05

Morning by Morning, Tuesday 11-15-05 -- Faithful God, Steadfast Friend Good morning, Lord Jesus. In dark days, You are my Light. In seas of confusion, You are my steadfast Rock. Though the darkness increases across the face of the earth, Your light shines brighter still. Though the mountains tremble and the seas roar, the stronghold of Your security stands out like a rugged cliff at the edge of the waves. You are my Light and my Strength. ... "The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their refuge in the time of trouble. The Lord helps them and rescues them; He rescues them from the wicked, and saves them, because they take refuge in Him" (Psalm 37:39-40). We have no righteousness on our own or apart from You. But the righteous are those who trust in You by faith. "Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, 'Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,' and he was called the friend of God" (James 2:23). As we trust in You, we abide in You and You abide in us (John 15:4). This is our security and safety; this is our guiding light in the midst of the darkness. Give me wisdom to continually find my refuge in You. Then, by Your grace, I will not fear the times of darkness or the times trouble. They will only draw me closer to You -- my faithful God and my steadfast Friend (John 15:14). In Jesus' name I 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 -- 7 pm in the chapel at Centenary, 2800 Tates Creek Rd. My Friend Ghuna Kumar, who oversees many churches and ministries throughout southern India will here to preach and pray with us! 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. Our prayer ministry team will be available throughout the evening. All are welcome! 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 Armor of Light 11-14-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Draw me near to You as I exalt Your name in praises and prayer. ... "Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires" (Romans 13:11-14). To "put on the armor of light" is to "put on the Lord Jesus Christ." It is the choice to submit my thoughts to Your thoughts and my desires to Your desires. It is the choice to allow Your Holy Spirit to convict me of sin, to crucify my flesh, to empower me by Your presence, and to lead me in the ways of Your truth and life. The call is not to merely see the Light, but to put on the Light; not merely to know about the Light, but to know the Light. This Light is the shining armor that pushes back the darkness, and that overcomes the battles of the world, the flesh, and the devil. But we have the choice to put on the armor each day or leave it hanging in the closet. By Your grace, I choose to put on the armor today and suit up for battle. I choose to embrace the Light of the glory of Your presence and put on Jesus Christ as my Lord. Now Your Light in my heart will overcome the darkness -- first in my own soul and then wherever I go. In Jesus' name I 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 -- 7 pm 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. My friend from India, Ghuna Kumar, who oversees many churches and ministries on the front line of the battle, will join me in leading our time together. Paul Cooper from Liberty Worship Center will lead in worship and I will lead in prayer. Our prayer ministry team will be available throughout the evening. All are welcome! 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. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

"Know Me and Trust Me" 11-13-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Establish my soul securely in the knowledge of Your love for me and in the certainty of Your plan for me. Give me the wisdom to know I don't need to know the details. All I need to know is You. ... It seems You are saying, "This is wisdom, my son -- to know Me and to trust Me. Choose to entrust your thoughts and desires to Me, and I will shape them into My thoughts and desires. Be patient with Me in this process, for I am patient with you." Yes, Lord. Forgive my impatience and anxiety and doubts. Help me trust You more completely and trust that You are working in the details of my thoughts and desires to lead me into the fullness of Your plans. "My child, if you accept My words and treasure up My commandments within you, making you ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; if you indeed cry out for insight, and raise your voice for understanding; if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures -- then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God" (Proverbs 2:1-5). Thank You, Lord. I receive the peace that comes with choosing to look to You and trusting by faith that You will give me Your wisdom and understanding in the measure I need it. In Jesus' name I 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. My friend Ghuna Kumar from India will preach and minister this Saturday! Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

My Map and Compass 11-12-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Help me focus my thoughts on You. ... "The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them" (Matthew 21:6). Yes, Lord. That's what Your disciples do -- they go and do as You direct. I need Your direction, Lord. Focus my thoughts and direct my paths. Open my eyes to see where You are going. Open my spirit to sense Your leading. Give me a more specific sense of Your direction in this season of my life. Help me focus my thoughts in the direction of the path of Your plans for me. Free me from distractions and detours. Deliver me from the tyranny of good plans, that I may pursue only Your best plan. "The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps" (Proverbs 16:9). If I were to direct my own steps, then I would be my own lord. I renounce my lordship and submit to Your Lordship. I renounce my own plans apart from Your leading and submit to Your plan and Your leading. Let Your Word be my map and Your Spirit be my compass. Lead on O King Eternal in the journey of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Important Note: Dear Praying Friends, from time to time some have suggested that I personalize these prayers with "I" instead of "we," in the style I prayed today. In the past, I've always started off with my personal prayer to get centered on Jesus, then waited on the Lord for His leading (the "..."), then prayed a prayer as if all of us were praying it together. To me, this was less presumptuous but some feel it is less personal. I've been told many change the "we's" to "I's" as they pray this devotional. As I try out this other style for awhile, I would appreciate your feedback on whether this style is more or less helpful as a devotional prayer. By the way, as I click "send" every morning, it is my joy to pray for each one of you! God bless you and thank you for joining me in the journey! Your friend and prayer partner, Tommy. To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on biblical principles of inner healing and deliverance, 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. My friend Ghuna Kumar from India will lead this Saturday night! Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Revelation of Light and Glory 11-11-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the Light of the world and the Glory of God. Let the light of Your truth shine in my soul; let the glory of Your presence fill my heart. ... When John saw You in the vision of Revelation, You were wearing a "golden sash" across Your chest and Your face was "like the sun shining with full force." You were standing in the midst of the seven lampstands, which represented seven churches. At the sight of Your presence, John fell at Your feet as though dead. But You touched him and comforted him, saying, "Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last, and the living one" (Revelation 1:12-20). Open our eyes to see You as You are, Lord -- living among us in the golden glory of Your presence and in the shining light of Your truth. You are touching us, comforting us, encouraging us, as we look to You in faith and bow before You in humility. We need not fear, for You hold all things in Your hands and know the end of all things from the beginning. You are the Living One and You are living in us, here in our hearts. "Christ in us, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27). Continue the revelation. Reveal Yourself more to us each day as we seek Your face and welcome Your light and Your glory in our hearts and lives throughout the earth. 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

Follow Joshua 11-10-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Be the Lord of my life and the leader of my soul. ... As the Israelites gathered together at the edge of the wilderness before crossing over the Jordan in the land of Your promise, they were to look to Joshua, listen to his command, and follow his lead. You are our Joshua -- "Yashua" in the Hebrew -- the Salvation of Yaweh -- the salvation of God. "Then Joshua said, 'sanctify yourselves; for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you" (Joshua 3:5). Before we can cross over into the land of our promise, we must be sanctified -- be cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, be purified in the fire of the Holy Spirit, be surrendered and submitted to follow You wherever You lead. Only You can sanctify us; Your Holy Spirit is the sanctifier who purifies us and burns out of us the dross and chaff of sin and flesh. So how do we obey the command to "sanctify yourselves"? Your part is to do it, but our part is to choose it. It is Your will to sanctify us, to that we can experience the fullness of the presence and power of God in our lives, to experience the fulfillment of the promises of Your Word in our lives. "For this is the will of God, your sanctification" (1 Thessalonians 4:3). You want to conform us into the image of Christ, to fill us with the nature of Your Spirit -- to make us holy as You are holy. But we must choose to embrace it, to embrace the process of Your purifying fire. And fire burns, but it is through the fire that lesser metals purified into gold. Your part is to do it, but our part is to choose it. Give us grace to choose well this day and every day, as You sanctify us and lead us into the land of Your promise. 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 in western Kentucky. As we followed Jesus to kneel at the altar in surrender and submission of our lives, the fire of the Holy Spirit burned in our hearts to sanctify us for the glory and promises of God. I pray that He would burn in your hearts and your churches as the Holy Spirit purifies the glorious bride of Christ in golden glory. 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

Miracles of Glory 11-9-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. All glory and honor and praise are Yours, now and forever -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. ... Someone asked me last night what I thought about the gold teeth miracle from our meeting Saturday night. I had already said Sunday morning that it seemed to me that the gold speaks of Your glory -- that You want our hearts and our mouths filled with the praises of the glory of God. But I can identify with the skeptical, the analytical, the doubters. I used to be one. My name is Thomas after all. But it was Thomas who saw the miracle of Your glory up close and personal when You invited him to put his finger in Your nail-scarred hands and his hand in Your wounded side. You said, "Do not doubt, but believe." And as his doubt changed to faith, he said, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:27-29). That's really the bottom line. You are God and we are not. You are the author of miracles -- You alone determine their timing and their nature. Perhaps a miracle we need sometimes if for You to change our pride into humility. You changed water into wine, mercury fillings into gold. You are the God who changes things. Change our hearts, O God. Let us know the miracle of Your love and the power of Your grace however You choose to manifest the presence of Your glory to us. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please continue to cover us in prayer for our last night of revival in Sebree, Kentucky tonight. May the Lord continually revive our hearts with a hunger and thirst for the fullness of His presence 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

The Coming of the Messiah 11-8-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the Messiah -- the Anointed One of God, the Holy One of Israel. In You, Jew and Gentile are one in the Spirit and one in the Lord (Ephesians 3:5-6). You are the Messiah who has come and Your are the Messiah who will come again. I welcome the witness of Your Word in my heart and I welcome the anointing of the oil of Your Spirit over my head. As best as I can, and all by Your grace, I choose again this day to surrender and submit my heart and life to You. ... As we were praying before I preached at our revival last night, someone said the news was filled with the word that Israeli soldiers were uncovering an inscription on the floor of what may have been the oldest church building ever found in Israel. Among the symbols of two fish, the inscription declared something like, "This temple is dedicated to the glory of Jesus Christ." What immediately came to mind as we prayed was the image of Jewish men on their knees brushing away the dust and debris that covered the floor of this ancient temple. I heard this word in my heart, "Israel will discover her Messiah." Yes, Lord. Let it be so. Your Word declares there will come a day when the eyes of Israel will behold You and their hearts will receive You. "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). You have not forgotten Your people and You have not forgotten Your covenant. Your Spirit is still moving on the hearts of Your people throughout the earth to "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; may they prosper who love you" (Psalm 122:6). It is no coincidence that the eyes of all the world are fixed upon this tiny nation of a tiny population of people who have endured endless waves of persecution and destruction at the hands of countless nations throughout the generations. Yet Israel remains. The world was shocked to hear just the other day the President of the major Muslim nation of Iran declare his heart that Israel should be wiped off the face of the earth. Yet You were not shocked. Your Word prophesied of these days long ago, when the nations of the earth would gather against Israel for her destruction. But the day of her planned destruction would become the day of her promised salvation. "On that day the Lord will shield the inhabitants of Jerusalem so that the feeblest among them on that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the angel of the Lord at their head. And on that day I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. And I will pour out a Spirit of compassion and supplication on 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. ... 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 12:8-13:1). In fear and trembling, but also with confidence and joy, we pray for the peace of Jerusalem -- the peace that will come on that day the Prince of Peace will come again to the City of Peace. On that day, the evil one manifested in the evil of the hearts of men and the armies of the nations gathered to destroy the people of Your covenant, will be consumed in the coming of the fire of Your glory. "And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will destroy with the breath of His mouth, annihilating him by the manifestation of His coming" (2 Thessalonians 2:8). Come Lord Jesus, our Messiah and Christ, in the fullness of Your glory to establish Your kingdom on earth and in our hearts. 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

"So Great a Salvation" 11-7-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. There is no salvation apart from You -- everything else is something less. The experiences of our lives teach us that there is no true peace, no true joy, no true fulfillment apart from a living and intimate relationship with You. This is the relationship we were created for, that we long for, that we are to live for. In fact, we cannot live in any true sense of the word "live" without it, for You are life. There is no true life apart from life in You. ... "How can we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? It was declared at first through the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard Him, while God added His testimony with signs and wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, distributed according to His will" (Hebrews 2:3-4). O, how much of the fullness of this salvation that we neglect, that we waste, that we squander away. Like Esau who despised his birthright, we settle for so much less than the fullness of our inheritance and throw away what we should treasure above all. We can see You, hear You, know You. We can grow in the intimacy of relationship with You. We can experience Your signs and wonders and miracles. We can live our lives as instruments of Your graces in the gifts of Your Holy Spirit that You distribute to each of us as You release the power of Your love through us to others. O, how much we fail to receive and O, how much we fail to give away. Forgive us for neglecting so great a salvation. Restore within us a hunger and thirst for a living experience of the living God in every moment of our lives. Let us settle for nothing less, let us be satisfied with nothing less than the fullness of the salvation You long for us to have. We renounce our complacency and compromise, our lukewarmness and cold love, our fear of disappointment, and our spiritual laziness in the name of Jesus. Awaken within us a desire to encounter You afresh each day in the signs and wonders of Your presence. Let the gift of Your Holy Spirit be the gift of a heart set ablaze with a passion for You and a passion for the life we were created to live in the fullness of our salvation. "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us" (Romans 5:5). This is our great salvation. This is our great gift. Let us receive it in the all the fullness You have intended. 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

King of Glory 11-6-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are glorious. You are the King of glory. I open up the gates of my heart and soul -- that the King of glory may come in. ... "Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in. Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle. Lift up your heads O gates! And be lifted up O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory" (Psalm 24:7-10). They say that the color gold speaks of Your glory, and that Your glory is Your manifest presence. You manifested Your presence in our hearts in amazing ways last night during our altar ministry training for our revival at the Methodist Church in Sebree, Kentucky. Though it's hard to fully understand it yet, You manifested Your presence in some of our mouths last night. The gold of Your glory was manifested in golden teeth and fillings that miraculously appeared where only mercury and silver had been before! These are amazing days of Your glory being manifested upon the earth in amazing ways. It's almost hard to do church decently and in order while people are getting flashlights to look in each others mouths and others are jumping up and down in the pews with joy. But its Your church, Your gold, and Your glory. As we behold You, You are changing us into Your image from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18) -- even by the skin of our teeth. What an amazing promise we have, and what amazing days of the fulfillment of Your promise -- "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27). As we welcome the King of glory into our hearts and souls, we will "Arise and shine for our light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon us!" (Isaiah 60:1). In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please cover us in prayer for our prayer revival in Sebree, Kentucky this week. May the King of glory fill your hearts and mouths! 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 Faith of a Child 11-5-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Fill me afresh with Your Holy Spirit as I lift my face and open my heart to You. ... You call us to a simple, trusting faith -- the faith of an obedient child who does not doubt the truth of Your words. As You said, "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3-4). There is a simplicity of devotion and a boldness of faith in the heart of a child who knows Your love. Before the world begins to whittle away our faith and pepper our mind with doubt and unbelief, there is a gift of trusting, unwavering child-like faith. Restore our hearts and minds to that faith. Humble us when our pride makes us think we know more than You and that our word is more true than Your Word. These are the barriers that block our way into the fullness of the kingdom of God. Lord, break through these barriers and restore us again to the simplicity of devotion to You. Then we will enter in to the fullness of Your kingdom and the fullness of Your kingdom will enter in to our hearts. 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

"Many Sons unto Glory" 11-4-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You've taught me how important it is to start my day with You -- to offer to You my first thoughts and words as a living sacrifice. These first moments of the morning will set the course for the rest of my day. As the worship song says, "Lord I give You my heart, I give You my soul. I live for You alone. Every breath that I take, every moment I'm awake, I live my life for You." ... As Tricia began her morning with You yesterday before going to have the ultrasound of her womb, Your Holy Spirit led her to Psalm 45. These words spoke to her heart: "In the place of ancestors You, O King, shall have sons; You will make them princes in all the earth" (Psalm 45:16). Though we had been thinking we would have a daughter, she said yesterday morning, "I think the Lord is telling me we're going to have a son." As it turns out ... that's what the doctor said too. Father, we thank You for the gift of children. We thank You for the gift of this son. We dedicate and consecrate his spirit and soul and body to You as a holy, living sacrifice. He is a prince of the King. Cleanse him continually in the blood of Jesus, purify him always in the fire of the Holy Spirit, forever fill his heart with the love of the Father heart of God. May Your peace rest upon his shoulders and may Your joy fill his spirit. May You sanctify him by the washing of Your Word and anoint him in the power of Your Spirit. You are "bringing many sons unto glory," those "'who are being sanctified" for Your purposes and Your glory (Hebrews 2:10-11). With his mother and our family, I entrust this son to You to be one of Your sons -- a son of God, a prince of the King, a man after God's own heart -- in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Give us all humility and faith, wisdom and courage, to raise up our children -- both natural and spiritual -- in the way they should go, to live their lives for You (Proverbs 22:6). As Your sons and daughters, keep training us and raising us up in the way we should go. Let our lives be living sacrifices of praise that bring joy to Your heart. 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

Womb of Life 11-3-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. This is a day You have made. I choose to rejoice and be glad -- glad that You are with me, watching over me, leading the way. ... Today, we'll have an ultrasound to see the life You are forming in Tricia's womb. Life is one of Your most amazing gifts, and we thank You for breathing this gift of life into our lives. We pray for Your covering of protection at this most vulnerable place in the journey of life for this child and all the children You are calling forth in the earth for these amazing days. You would not choose to breathe life into their mothers' wombs in these days of both great darkness and great light unless You had a very special calling and purpose for each one. "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you. I appointed you a prophet to the nations" (Jeremiah 1:5). Lord, You are the giver of life. You scooped up the dust of the earth from the generations of Jeremiah's father and mother into Your hands and then breathed life into the womb of his mother. He became a living soul with purpose and calling and destiny. Even before You formed him, You knew him and the lives You would form through him. Even before he breathed his first breath, You consecrated him and set him apart for his place in Your plan. You placed desires in his heart that would guide his steps and thoughts in his mind that would teach him Your ways. You knit him together with deliberate purpose and the wisdom of that sees the end from the beginning (Psalm 139:13). But though the human spirit You created and breathed into existence was holy and pure, the dust of the earth from his earthly parents was both blessed through generations of obedience and cursed through generations of sin. Even Jeremiah would have to overcome the tainting of original sin and the sins of the generations, while receiving the blessings from obedience and faithfulness of those who had gone before him. These are the opportunities and challenges we all face. We are all created with godly purpose and destiny (Jeremiah 29:11); but we are also created in human bodies tainted with human sin (Psalm 51:5). We all have need of a Savior -- One who will call forth the blessings and overcome the curses, as we entrust our lives to You. This trusting and overcoming is not just one moment of our lives, but a daily journey. Give us grace for the journey, that we may fulfill the purpose and calling in the destiny of our lives for Your glory in Your plan. 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

Nehemiah's Prayer 11-2-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Put Your desires on my heart to guide my thoughts and my paths this day. ... Nehemiah cried out to You to for Your favor and grace to be upon him before he went in to meet with the king: "O Lord, let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who delight in revering Your name. Give success to Your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man" (Nehemiah 1:11). Though Nehemiah was a broken man living in broken times under Your judgments for his sins and the sins of his nation, You heard his cry and gave him favor in the sight of the king. Though he lived with his people in the bondage of captivity in a foreign land, where they had been driven away from their promised land as a consequence of their actions and in accordance with their choices of sin and rebellion against You, You poured out Your mercy upon his humble and repentant heart. Lord, humble our hearts. Lead us by Your Holy Spirit in prayers of repentance from our sin and of faith in Your mercy. Forgive us, cleanse, and then anoint us with Your favor and mercy and grace. Lead us in the paths that will be Your means of deliverance for us and for our nation. Put those kinds of prayers on our hearts and that kind of faith in our spirits. Restore us and redeem us in the fullness of our calling and the fulfillment of our destiny. 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

Rays of Hope and Light 11-1-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Open my eyes to see You; open my ears to hear You; open my spirit to know You. ... I see the red and orange rays of light shining in the sky above the horizon, awaiting the burst of light from the rising of the morning sun. There will come a day when the "sun of righteousness" will rise over the earth on the Day of the Lord (Malachi 4:1-6). All the earth will see You appear in glory. And the light of the glory of Your coming will overcome and displace all darkness (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12). But before the day You come in glory on the earth, You desire to come in glory in our hearts. King of Glory, we open up the gates of our hearts and welcome You in (Psalm 24:7-10). Let the light of Your glory overcome and displace the darkness in our hearts and the darkness in the earth. Even now, let us see Your rays of hope breaking across the sky of our souls. "And may He so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints" (1 Thessalonians 2:13). Rays of hope, rays of light Shining across the morning sky You're coming. Darkness flees before the light The King of Glory fills my life You're coming. Come fill the earth with Your glory Come fill our hearts with You only You're coming. Come Lord Jesus, here in our hearts and here in the earth. 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 Saints Eve 10-31-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the Lord of Life. Come live Your life in me this day. ... Many will celebrate Halloween tonight. As I understand it, the name comes from All Saints' Eve, the night before All Saints Day, in the Catholic tradition. This was to celebrate the death and eternal life of the saints, especially those who died as martyrs for their faith in You. Your Word says "we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses" (Hebrews 12:1). The "witnesses" are those who "were commended for their faith" and "of whom the world was not worthy" (Hebrews 11:38-39). Now they are away from the body and at home with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). Now they behold You face to face, as they are one with You in Your ministry of intercession at the right hand of the Father for those who remain in the world to fulfill our calling in our generation (Hebrews 7:25). Somewhere along the path of history, this day of the Feast of All Saints was set for November 1st, which also coincided with the Celtic celebration of Samhain, named for their pagan deity known as "the lord of death." As I understand it, the eve of Samhain at the beginning of winter, was a time of the pagan sacrifice to this spirit of death that allowed the souls of the dead to return to the earth, tormenting those who had tormented them during life. Many of the images witches, ghosts, cats, and things we commonly see associated with Halloween are associated with this pagan tradition, along with other traditions blended in through the years. But You have suffered death for us that we might live in You. "It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ... No in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:34-37). You are the Lord of Life and You have conquered death. We need not fear death, or any tormenting spirit of death or fear. You perfect love casts out all fear and Your life has overcome the power of death (1 John 4:18; Hebrews 2:14-15). Death and fear are defeated through the victory of Your cross and the glory of Your resurrection. As the great cloud of witnesses join with You in cheering us on in our generation, let us live our lives for Your glory in the victory of Your life over all death, on earth as it is in heaven. 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 Rain of Your Word 10-30-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Let me hear Your words of life. Let them be life to me. ... You are the Word. You're the Word of Life. Speak Your Word to me. Lord let me hear, Hear Your Word of Life, Hear Your Word for me. Let Your Word come down. Come down in my heart, From Your heart to me. Thank You for this new song of Your Spirit that You're singing in my soul this morning. As You sing, I see little children running outside laughing in a sprinkle of rain. Their faces are turned to the sky with their arms opened wide. Their mouths are open and they're sticking out their tongues to catch the drops of rain. Give us the joy of tasting Your Word and drinking it in. Give us open hearts and open arms to embrace Your Word to us. You are the Word, and You are the Life (John 1:1 and 14:6). You are the Word of Life to us; and we embrace You this day. 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

Lord of All 10-28-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. As the old hymn declares, "All hail the power of Jesus' name; let angels prostrate fall. Bring forth the royal diadem and crown Him Lord of all." I bow before You as Savior in surrender and crown You as Lord in praise as we begin another day of the journey of faith together. Let the power of Your nature and Your name be released in me and through me this day. ... "Jesus Christ -- He is Lord of all!" (Acts 10:36). "On His robe and on His thigh He has a name inscribed, 'King of kings and Lord of lords' " (Revelation 19:16). Lord Jesus, You are "the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords" (1 Timothy 6:15). "Lordship" is a relational term. To say You are Lord is to say You are in charge, that You have my willing permission to form Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart. It is a choice of trusting surrender to Your will and Your ways. Help us to choose to submit to Your Lordship and surrender to Your will -- in every area of our lives and a little more each day. Cause our nature to be more like Your nature. A "Christian" is a follower of Christ. Let it be more than a name, let it be our nature. Let us join the angels of heaven in the depths of our hearts, falling prostrate before You to crown You Lord of our lives and Lord of all. 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

See the Lamb of God 10-27-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. My first choice today is to think of You. ... "The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, 'Look, here is the Lamb of God!' The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus" (John 1:35-37). John the Baptist was like the Holy Spirit -- leading others to look to Jesus. As we look to You, we cannot help but follow You. That's why the enemy of souls tries so hard to fill our lives with so many things to draw our attention away from the most important thing we need to see. To see You is to see our Father, for You "are One" (John 10:30). You are "the exact imprint of God's very being" (Hebrews 1:3). Holy Spirit, turn our eyes toward Jesus. Open the eyes of our hearts to see Him more clearly every day. As we see Him, we cannot help but follow Him. Fill our hearts with the desire to seek Him and conform our wills with the desire to follow Him every day. Let this be the first thought and the first choice of each day of our lives, so that we can continue to make that choice throughout the day -- the choice to see the Lamb of God and to follow Him. 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