"Up with a Shout" 5-11-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Good morning, heavenly Father. Good morning, Holy Spirit. You are one God, revealing Yourself to us in three Persons. I worship You and welcome You to reveal Your will for my day in the way You choose. ... "Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout to God with loud songs of joy. For the Lord, the Most High, is awesome, a great King over all the earth.... God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm. God is King over the nations; God sits on His holy throne" (Psalm 47:1-8). I will clap and shout and sing loud songs of joy, for the Lord my God is awesome and worthy of all my praise. I will shout my praises to my King, the King of all the earth. Lord Jesus, You are the "King of kings and Lord of lords" (Revelation 19:16). "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to (You)" (Matthew 28:18). You rule and reign over all. And I shout with all the angels and all the "great multitude, like the sound of many waters," praising, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns!" (Revelation 19:6). Though the kings of the nations of the earth may plot and conspire to build the kingdoms of this world and set themselves against Your authority, they "plot in vain" (Psalm 2:1). They may seem to be in control, setting up their order to have their way; but "He who sits in the heavens laughs....saying, "I have set My King on Zion, My holy hill" (Psalm 2:4-6). Though they think they are in power and assert the authority they have in the season You've allowed, they will one day bow their knees before the One who is eternally King, confessing the absolute truth that Jesus Christ is Lord of heaven and earth, that He is Lord of all (Philippians 2:9-11). Lord God Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, You sit on Your holy throne. You are exalted and enthroned on the praises of Your people (Psalm 22:3). And as I praise You, shouting my praises to Your name, I shout down the kings of this world and "every proud obstacle raised up against the knowledge of God" (2 Corinthians 10:5). "Now, therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, with trembling kiss His feet, or He will be angry, and you will perish in the way; for His wrath is quickly kindled. Happy are all who take refuge in Him" (Psalm 2:10-11). O Lord, my God, You are awesome. You are the everlasting God and eternal "King of all the earth" (Psalm 47:7). You go up with a shout of my praises to You. You are Lord of all my life; and I take refuge in Your rule and reign, my King. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, we have a special guest from Israel coming to The Mountain this Monday Night, May 11, to speak on current issues and lead us in prayer for the peace of Jerusalem and the people of the land of Israel. Please come join us. Come to the Mountain! every Monday night at 7 pm to pray for Israel and the peace of Jerusalem led by Doris and Bob McCray of our ministry. Hosted at Southland Evangelical Methodist Church 2601 Clays Mill Rd (corner of Clays Mill and Hill n' Dale). Contact Doris & Bob at bndmccray@windstream.net All are welcome! Come to The Fountain! This Friday Night, on the 3rd Friday night of every month for our ministry's gathering of the body of Christ from every tradition and stream to worship the Lord in Sprit and in Truth. Come drink deeply from the Living Waters in the freedom of the Spirit. 7 pm in the chapel at Centenary (www.CentenaryLex.com). All are welcome. Call for details: 859-422-1794 or send a note to Marilyn at DirOfMinistries@aol.com Subscribe by email to me at Messiah Ministries --MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order our Ministry Resources or Contribute to our vision and calling: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

Moms Know 5-10-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, You embrace me in Your arms, cleanse me by Your blood, and fill me with Your Spirit. I am Yours and You are mine. ... "As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem" (Isaiah 66:13). O Lord my God, thank You for encouraging me and empowering me as a father blesses his sons and daughters. Thank You for comforting me and nurturing me with as a mother loves her children. On this Mother's Day, I thank You for all the ways You've encouraged me and loved me through her. Moms know When to smile and when to pray When to laugh and when to say Don't worry honey, it'll all be ok Moms know When to sing and when to cry When to look you in the eye We never have to wonder why Moms know When others can't seem to see your heart When they can't see how hurt you are They're always there and never part Moms know When you're really feeling down When you need their arms all wrapped around They know your needs before you make a sound Moms know When you never grow out of your need When you never want her to quit being The one who sees the best in you and never quits believing Thank You for mothers. Thank You for mine. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To all the mothers who join with me in this journey of prayer, Happy Mother's Day! God bless you and thank you for all the love you pour into us and all the prayers you pray for us. Great is your reward. We honor you this day in the name of Jesus. God bless you! Friends, we have a special guest from Israel coming to The Mountain this Monday Night, May 11, to speak on current issues and lead us in prayer for the peace of Jerusalem and the people of the land of Israel. Please come join us. Come to the Mountain! every Monday night at 7 pm to pray for Israel and the peace of Jerusalem led by Doris and Bob McCray of our ministry. Hosted at Southland Evangelical Methodist Church 2601 Clays Mill Rd (corner of Clays Mill and Hill n' Dale). Contact Doris & Bob at bndmccray@windstream.net All are welcome! Come to The Fountain! on the 3rd Friday night of every month for our ministry's gathering of the body of Christ from every tradition and stream to worship the Lord in Sprit and in Truth. Come drink deeply from the Living Waters in the freedom of the Spirit. 7 pm in the chapel at Centenary (www.CentenaryLex.com). All are welcome. Call for details: 859-422-1794 or send a note to Marilyn at DirOfMinistries@aol.com Subscribe by email to me at Messiah Ministries --MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order our Ministry Resources or Contribute to our vision and calling: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

The Place of Testing 5-9-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Lord of heaven and earth, be Lord of my mind and heart. ... "After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, 'Abraham!' And he said, 'Here I am.' He said, 'Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you'.... On the third day, Abraham looked up and saw the place far away" (Genesis 22:1-4). You "test the minds and hearts" of all people (Psalm 7:9). You don't look merely to the outward appearances, but look beneath the surface of vain words, religious actions, and empty promises to see our true hearts. "For the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7). We may say we will follow You wherever You lead; we may promise to obey You whatever You command; we may believe we have surrendered all of our hearts and souls to You, but the times of testing reveal the truth. You reveal it to us not to shame us or condemn us, but to remind us that apart from You we can do nothing (John 15:5). Your tests remind us that no matter how mature we think we are or how sanctified we think we have become, we have no righteousness apart from You; we are desperately dependant upon You and Your grace, every moment of every day. Abraham looked up and saw the place of his test from "far away." He could see it coming. And that's part of the test too. Will we keep going forward even when we know a time of testing lies ahead? Will we turn back or to the side? Will we make other plans? Will we say we cannot endure it or give in to the fear that we cannot survive it? Will we flee in the face of the problems, or stand firm in the power of Your grace and rely on the faithfulness of Your promises? "No testing will overtake you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing He will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it" (1 Corinthians 10:13). Though Abraham looked up and saw the place of his testing, even from far away, He pressed on. And You provided the way out with a sacrifice You provided by Your grace on his behalf, just as he knew in his heart You always would. "Abraham said, 'God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son' " (Genesis 22:8). Abraham was found faithful. He passed the test because he trusted You to always provide all we need. No matter what testing we may endure, no matter how clearly we begin to see the place where our testing will come, we can trust the One who provided the Lamb, the One who provided Your Son, Your only Son, so we will be able to endure it (John 3:16). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, we have a special guest from Israel coming to The Mountain this Monday Night, May 11, to speak on current issues and lead us in prayer for the peace of Jerusalem and the people of the land of Israel. Please come join us. Come to the Mountain! every Monday night at 7 pm to pray for Israel and the peace of Jerusalem led by Doris and Bob McCray of our ministry. Hosted at Southland Evangelical Methodist Church 2601 Clays Mill Rd (corner of Clays Mill and Hill n' Dale). Contact Doris & Bob at bndmccray@windstream.net All are welcome! Come to The Fountain! on the 3rd Friday night of every month for our ministry's gathering of the body of Christ from every tradition and stream to worship the Lord in Sprit and in Truth. Come drink deeply from the Living Waters in the freedom of the Spirit. 7 pm in the chapel at Centenary (www.CentenaryLex.com). All are welcome. Call for details: 859-422-1794 or send a note to Marilyn at DirOfMinistries@aol.com Subscribe by email to me at Messiah Ministries --MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order our Ministry Resources or Contribute to our vision and calling: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

National Day of Prayer 5-7-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Before I arise in my body to step into my day, I arise in my spirit to step into prayer. ... "May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in You" (Psalm 33:22, NIV). Today is our National Day of Prayer in America. No matter what our religion, as Americans we have the guaranteed constitutional right of freedom to express our faith and hope, whether in private or in public. I thank You for the founding principles of our nation that protect "the blessings of liberty," including the free expression of religion. And I thank You that our founding fathers and national leaders recognized the human need to humbly and faithfully acknowledge a Divine authority greater than ourselves and our government. Thank You that this undeniable truth is forever sealed in the written, historical documents of our national heritage: "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America" (United States Constitution).

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" (Declaration of Independence).

"...that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth" (President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address). In that freedom, I declare my hope and my faith is in You, O Lord. You are the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the God who created us and sustains us in Your unfailing love that always rests upon us, never leaving us nor forsaking; the God who humbled Yourself into the likeness of human flesh to walk among us and show us the nature of Your heart as Son of Man, yet Son of God; the God who is One, in three dimension of Your One Being as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. You are the God I freely honor today in the liberty I have. You are the God I will worship and praise today, as I gather with fellow Americans from various streams and traditions of the body of Christ, in the public freedom we have, to offer You our prayers and thanks for Your providence and provision. I'll gather with others at my church, but I also gather with others in our public, governmental institutions to openly and freely declare our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And we will pray that the heart of our nation will turn to You in the freedom we have to honor You or not, to seek You or not, to depend upon You or not. We have not governmentally established religion as a nation, but there is a vibrant, faithful people of this nation who have our faith in You, Lord Jesus Christ, firmly established in us. Though some have said we are not a Christian nation, we are a nation filled with followers of the Lord Jesus Christ in every community across this nation, who have the inalienable right and the unyielding allegiance to bow on our knees and call on Your name. And with all who call on Your name from every tribe and tongue and nation around our world and throughout our generations, together as one in Jesus Christ our Lord, we are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, in order that (we) may proclaim the mighty acts of Him who called (us) out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9). Together as the followers of Jesus Christ, One with the Father and One with the Holy Spirit, we are an eternal nation under God. It is this nation of believers and disciples from all nations, under God in Christ, that not even the antichrist or the new world order of a one world government will ever crush out of our spirits or completely destroy from the face of the earth. One day soon the seventh trumpet will sound and the voices of heaven will proclaim, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever" (Revelation 11:15). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please come join us for the National Day of Prayer at 6:30 pm Thursday Night May 7th for an ecumenical gathering I'll be helping lead at my home church, Centenary United Methodist, 2800 Tates Creek Rd, Lexington, KY (http://www.centenarylex.com/). This will be jointly hosted with our neighbor churches, Immanuel Baptist Church and Tates Creek Christian Church. Please come and spread the word. There are also gatherings in the Rotunda of the State Capitol in Frankfort and in downtown Lexington at noon, as well as other places across our nation. Let's join together in prayer for the people and leaders of our nation to turn to God and depend upon Him alone as our Hope.

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Presumption or Prayer 5-6-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I speak out Your name, listen for Your voice, and wait for the leading of Your Spirit. ... "Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name of was Tabitha.... She was devoted to good works and acts of charity. At that time she became ill and died. When they had washed her they laid her in a room upstairs.... Peter got up and went with them; and when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs.... Peter knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, 'Tabitha, get up.' Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up" (Acts 9:36-40). Peter was not satisfied to come to Tabitha's house and honor her for a life of devotion to good works and acts of charity. He didn't settle for a ceremony around her casket, remembering with her friends and family that she was a faithful disciple of Christ. He did not passively assent to the finality of illness and death as if it were the sovereign will of God. Instead, "Peter knelt down and prayed." Some might say, "What was there to pray about? If it were God's will that she be well, she would not have been sick. If it were God's will that she be healed, she would not have remained ill. If it were God's will that she live, she would not have died. Nothing happens without passing through the hands of God. Everything that happens is God's will. Just abandon yourself to the will of God and just accept everything that happens because God is doing something in you that you should just accept. Don't be rebellious. Don't be prideful or full of your self. Just submit to your circumstances. There's a time to live and a time to die, so when it's time to die, just die." But that wasn't Peter's theology. Or his faith. Or his sense of obedience to the will of God. "Peter knelt down and prayed." What we may think is humility and submission to the sovereignty of God and His will is often just presumption. Humility and submission is to kneel down and pray. To say, "Lord, what is Your will? What does Your Word say? What is Your word to me for this moment?" It seems to me when Peter humbled himself to seek Your will and Your word for that moment, You may have shown him Your will by reminding him of Your words, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10:10). You may have spoken to him by reminding him of what he saw You do when You were called to come to the bed of a little girl who became ill and died. You didn't accept her sickness and death as God's sovereign will; You didn't tell her parents to grow up in maturity through the experience and to be patient in their suffering because a lot of people would get saved at her funeral. Instead, You said, "Little girl, get up!" (Mark 5:41). That was Your theology about healing, death, and the sovereignty of God. That was Your sense of surrender and abandonment to the will of God -- the will of God to bring healing instead of sickness, life instead of death, victory instead of defeat. So Peter did what he would teach others to do, "You should follow in His steps" (1 Peter 2:21). You should pray and then obey. And when You move forward in obedience, by the gifts and graces of God, You should do so in faith, with the boldness that comes from a heart that seeks God's word first in prayer and then relies on His Spirit in power. "Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. Whoever speaks must do so as speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To Him belong glory and power forever and ever" (1 Peter 4:10-11). Your name was glorified when Peter, Your servant and Your son, prayed and obeyed. You were not glorified through Tabitha's sickness and death, You were glorified by her healing and life. Peter didn't honor You by abandoning himself to the circumstances; he honored You by submitting himself the One who is Lord of the circumstances. Only as he knelt down and prayed could he hear for himself that Your sovereign will was not to accept the circumstances, but to change the circumstances. Give me wisdom and grace to go and follow in his steps and in Yours. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please come join us for the National Day of Prayer at 6:30 pm Thursday Night May 7th at my home church, Centenary United Methodist, 2800 Tates Creek Rd, Lexington, KY (www.CentenaryLex.com). I will be helping lead our ecumenical gathering, jointly hosted with our neighbor churches, Immanuel Baptist Church and Tates Creek Christian Church. Please come and spread the word. (I mistakenly said 7pm in previous notes). Order our Ministry Resources or Contribute to our vision and calling: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Subscribe by email to me at Messiah Ministries --MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502

Warfare Prayer 5-5-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29); and You are also the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Revelations 5:5). You are the Lamb who was slain and opened not Your mouth at the injustice (Isaiah 53:7); and You are also the King of kings and Lord of Lord, returning from heaven on a white horse, with eyes like a flame of fire, a robe dipped in blood, who judges and makes war, treading the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God (Revelation 19:11-16). I want to know You and worship You in every dimension of Your Being with every dimension of my being. ... "He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.... I pursued my enemies and overtook them; and did not turn back until they were consumed. I struck them down, so that they were not able to rise; they fell under my feet. For You girded me with strength for the battle ..." (Psalm 18:34-39). I went to bed last night, peaceful and content. Yet I awoke early this morning, trembling with a fierceness of Spirit. You brought to my mind the young daughter of some friends with such a tender heart, full of love and faith for You, who's been tormented with pain in her head and body for weeks. And I felt You stirring in me to go to war in the heavenly realm at Your leading and command. I wrote out my prayer of warfare as I prayed it, until the burden lifted; then I sent it to her parents, my friends. As I come to You in prayer this morning, I sense I am to share this prayer with others who might desire to use it as a plan of war for those they love, in the Spirit of intercession and spiritual warfare, as You lead. To keep her privacy, I feel I should change the name of my friends' daughter in my prayer to "Tabitha", named after the woman of love and faith Your disciples raised from the dead by Your power in the Book of Acts (Acts 9:36-41). Here is my Warfare Prayer for Tabitha, which I believe You led me to pray by Your Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus to the glory of our Father. Lord, would You magnify this out, as far as Your grace will go, for all those who need Your answer and Your power in their time of need, as we agree together in prayer: Lord God Almighty, You are the perfect Father, and I feel such a righteous, violent anger and wrath against the spiritual forces of wickedness and evil trying to steal the peace and mind of this precious, anointed, and chosen child of God, Tabitha. And I stand against this evil and war against it in the name of Jesus. "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints" (Ephesians 6:10-18). By the grace of God and in the name of Jesus, I stand firm against the wiles of the devil, every spiritual force of evil, and every satanic plan against Tabitha and her calling and destiny in Christ. The Lord my God has awakened me and I am alert, persevering in supplication for Tabitha, a saint of God through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth who came in the flesh and who has defeated Satan and all the kingdom of darkness by the victory of His cross and glory of His resurrection. I do not come in my own righteousness but in the righteousness and the name of the One who is righteous and holy and victorious. And by God's grace and in submission to His perfect will and timing, I take up the weapons of my warfare, in agreement with all who are called by God to take this stand with me for Tabitha and her family, to bind every attack against Tabitha's mind, spirit, and body. I command in the name of Jesus that every grip around her brain and body be broken and every tormenting spirit be bound and broken from her in the name of Jesus, consumed in the fire of the Holy Spirit. "Indeed, we live as human beings, but we do not wage war according to human standards; for the weapons of our warfare are not merely human, but they have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ. We are ready to punish every disobedience when your obedience is complete" (2 Corinthians 10:3-6). By these weapons of prayer and the name of Jesus and the Word of God and the blood of Jesus and prophetic intercession led by the Holy Spirit to pray the kingdom of God to come and the will of God to be done on earth and in Tabitha as it is in heaven, I destroy these strongholds in agreement with the divine power of God. I agree with God's punishment of every disobedient spirit and act of defiance against the will of God in Tabitha's life. God's will is that she be free from this torment, that she be at peace, that she be healed of every disease and freed from every satanic attack. "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits -- who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The Lord works vindication and justice for all who are oppressed" (Psalm 103:2-6). I agree with the wrath of God, punishing this wickedness and evil, that seeks to harm this child of God. I agree with the fury being unleashed against it from heaven in the fire of the Holy Spirit, consuming every act of rebellion and torment against this child. "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth" (Romans 1:18). I thank You, Lord God Almighty, that You have defeated the enemy's attacks and I stand in agreement with Your victory and power to crush this demonic strategy. Tabitha stands in You and You stand in her, over the enemy of her soul which You have crushed under her feet and mine in the name of Jesus. "The God of peace will shortly crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you" (Romans 16:20). Now, Lord God Almighty, come as a mighty warrior and unleash Your unrelenting wrath and fury against every spirit that dares to defy You and Your will of peace and healing and freedom for Tabitha. Your judgments are righteous and just and true. Consume Your enemy and break its power, as You heal Tabitha and set her free from this torment, healing her spirit, soul, and body through and through, restoring her and her gifts of wisdom, creativity, boldness, prophecy, evangelism, courageous writing, and faith. "I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, so I shall be saved from my enemies. The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of perdition assailed me; the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears. Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry. Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him. He bowed the heavens, and came down; thick darkness was under his feet. He rode on a cherub, and flew; he came swiftly upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness his covering around him, his canopy thick clouds dark with water. Out of the brightness before him there broke through his clouds hailstones and coals of fire. The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice. And he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; he flashed forth lightnings, and routed them. Then the channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils. He reached down from on high, he took me; he drew me out of mighty waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity; but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a broad place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me" (Psalm 18:1-19). Yes, Lord God Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, my Father and Tabitha's Father, (her parents') Father, this is what I have been feeling as I trembled and shook in prayer and intercession for Tabitha throughout this watch of the night. You are coming in power and might against this wicked and evil enemy of Your child. You are answering every prayer that been prayed for her healing and freedom. It is done in heaven and is being done on earth as it is already done in heaven. We will see Your victory and we thank You now for it. We thank You for the healing and peace that will come in the natural realm as it already has in the spiritual realm. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 1:3). Thank You, Lord God Almighty, our Healer and Deliverer, our Lord and Savior, who hears us when we cry and answers all who call on the name of the Lord. Redeem all that has happened, turn it all around against the enemy, as You increase Your authority and Your blessing upon Your child. May You bring forth a hundredfold and more for Your kingdom and Your glory from everything the enemy has tried to steal and destroy from Tabitha and her family, to the glory of Your name. "Jesus said, 'Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age--houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions--and in the age to come eternal life" (Mark 10:29-30). Our God reigns! And I know You will be faithful to bring to completion all You have begun, in Your perfect timing and in Your perfect way. And by Your grace, I commit to stand in agreement with You and Your will, by the power of Your Holy Spirit, in persevering faith, until all that You have prayed through me comes to pass. "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:26-28). With all those who are praying for Tabitha, I thank You now, my Lord and my God, for Your answers to our prayers. "Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them" (Matthew 18:18-20). Thank You, Lord, for Your peace as I entrust Tabitha and her family into Your nail-scared hands. Thank You that I sense Your burden of intercession lifting for now, as I rest in the victory of the cross and power of the blood of Jesus. "This very day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head; and I will give the dead bodies of the Philistine army this very day to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not save by sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and he will give you into our hand" (1 Samuel 17:46-47). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I believe there are many different facets to prayer, and spiritual warfare as led by the Holy Spirit is one. As the Lord would ever lead you to pray this prayer in whatever form or way the Holy Spirit may lead, I agree with you in Jesus' name. Please agree with me for breakthrough in the life of my friends' little girl; and I agree with you for breakthrough in the lives of those who are on your heart in prayer. God bless you! If you're in the Lexington area, please come join us for the National Day of Prayer at 6:30 pm Thursday Night May 7th at my home church, Centenary United Methodist, 2800 Tates Creek Rd, Lexington, KY (http://www.centenarylex.com/). I will be helping lead our ecumenical gathering, jointly hosted with our neighbor churches, Immanuel Baptist Church and Tates Creek Christian Church. Please come and spread the word. (I mistakenly said 7pm in previous notes). Order our Ministry Resources or Contribute to our vision and calling: http://www.shop.messiah-ministries.org/ Subscribe by email to me at Messiah Ministries --mailto:--MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" http://www.messiah-ministries.org/ 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502

Together in Love, We Press On 5-4-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are a great God, a loving Father, and my Best Friend. Help me trust You more, honor You more, and welcome You more into my life every day. ... "But this is the one to whom I will look, to the humble and contrite in spirit, who tremble at My word" (Isaiah 66:2). As we flooded the altar with our tears and on our knees at my home church yesterday, I knew You were near. Maybe more near than I've ever sensed Your presence in our hearts as one body before. As we confessed our sins of hurting one another and holding on to our offenses and failing to see the good of God in the motives of one another's hearts no matter the decisions that are made or how much we disagree, You drew near. You looked upon our humble and contrite spirits, trembling at Your word and welcoming You into our hurts and our hearts as a church family. By Your grace, we let go of the past so we could arise and go forth into the fullness of our purpose and destiny in You -- together in love. Truly, forgiveness breaks the power of the past and love covers a multitude of sins. Maybe nothing draws the manifest presence of Your glory more than when we humble ourselves before You and one another in forgiveness and love. "The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise" (Psalm 51:17). "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit" (Psalm 34:18). Thank You for reminding us and empowering us to love one another even when we disagree with one another. Right or wrong, we can choose to think the best of one another and go forward together. Like You, we can choose to look at the heart and not merely the outward appearance (1 Samuel 16:7). And as we give it all to You as we go, what we choose rightly, You will confirm and prosper; and even what we choose wrongly, You will correct and redeem and use for our good and Your glory. But choosing to walk together in love through the journey, seeking You together, is a priority we cannot forget or neglect: "Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaining. Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, server one another with whatever gift each of you has received. Whoever speaks, must do so as though speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To Him belong the glory and the power forever and ever" (1 Peter 4:8-11). So in love, we let go of the past; and we "press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, thank you for praying for us at my home church yesterday. The Lord gave me the grace to share his Word and my heart in Spirit and truth and love. With testimonies, worship, and prayer that honored Him and His will for us, it was an awesome day! Please pray we will keep walking this out by God's grace. I pray the same for you and your home church and for all of the Lord's Church. God bless you! If you're in the Lexington area, please come join us for the National Day of Prayer at 6:30 pm Thursday Night May 7th at my home church, Centenary United Methodist, 2800 Tates Creek Rd, Lexington, KY (http://www.centenarylex.com/). I will be helping lead our ecumenical gathering, jointly hosted with our neighbor churches, Immanuel Baptist Church and Tates Creek Christian Church. Please come and spread the word. Order our Ministry Resources or Contribute to our vision and calling: http://www.shop.messiah-ministries.org/ Subscribe by email to me at Messiah Ministries --mailto:--MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" http://www.messiah-ministries.org/ 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502

Reconciliation and Healing of a Broken Family 5-2-09

Good Morning, Lord Jesus. You are full of mercy and grace, both merciful and just. Make me more like You each day. I seek Your face and need Your grace. … "Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming …. But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept" (Genesis 33:1-4). Jacob and Esau were two brothers in a dysfunctional family who didn't get along. One betrayed the other's trust; one hated the other's guts. One was always controlling, deceiving, manipulating; one was always despising and neglecting the blessings he had. One was the favorite son of the mother; one was the favorite son of the father. Neither favored the other. Neither trusted the other. Certainly, they didn't love one another as they should. Instead, they resented and judged one another. Finally they did with their feet what they had long since done in their hearts -- they walked away from relationship with one another. Actually, Jacob ran away as fast as he could because Esau was ready to kill him (Genesis 27:41-45). Yet even through all their sin and resentment, bitterness and hardness of heart, You never let go of them or changed Your plans for them. Even as Jacob ran away from his family as fast as he could, You spoke to him of his calling and destiny, Your plans for his future with hope (Genesis 28:13-14). You reminded him that You would always be with him, no matter how far away he ran; and You promised him that one day You would bring him home (v. 28:15). Yet You allowed him the freedom to make his choices and follow the journey of his heart, even as bitter and broken as it was. Through his journey, he would meet his wife (actually, his wives), who would bear him the children who would become the twelve tribes of Israel. One of them would be named Judah, which means the praise of God, out of whose lineage would come the birth of the Messiah. Truly You redeem all things, even our brokenness and sin and hardness of heart. But it was never in Your heart to allow these brothers to keep their hearts hardened toward one another. It was Your desire to restore and redeem their family. So You kept speaking to Jacob about returning to Esau and to the land of his family and destiny (Genesis 31:3). You used the hardships of Jacob's life away from home to turn his heart back towards home, and one day he was ready to return. Yet the closer he came to his reunion with Esau, the more afraid he became as he remembered his sins and his brother's resentment. "Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed" (v. 32:7). He didn't trust Esau's heart to be willing to forgive and let go of the offenses and hurts of the past. So Jacob humbled himself to call on Your name, seeking Your mercy and Your help for his heart and for Esau's heart to be changed and for his destiny to be fulfilled in the land of his family (v. 32:9-12). And that was the night he spent wrestling with God until he saw You "face to face" (v. 32:22-32). There You changed his name to Israel and blessed him with the Father's blessing he had so longed to receive (v. 32:28-29). Because he saw Your face, he was able to face his fears and face his brother. You empowered them both by Your grace to forgive and embrace one another again (v. 33:4). In Esau's heart of forgiveness and willing desire for reconciliation and healing of their hearts and their home, Jacob was able to see Esau in a way he never could before. Through the eyes of forgiveness, having released the past to God, seeing Esau was now "like seeing the face of God" (v. 33:10). Lord God, give me eyes to see those who have hurt me, betrayed me, resented me, failed to forgive me, with the eyes of Your heart. Give them eyes to see me that way too. In my marriage, my family, my church home, in all my relationships that are so vital to the fulfillment of my destiny and theirs', move mightily in our hearts to bring us to the place of forgiveness, healing, and reconciliation. As You give us grace to humbly and fervently seek Your face in prayer, give us grace to see Your face in one another. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I'm excited to be preaching all three services at my home church in Lexington, Kentucky this Sunday, May 3rd, Centenary United Methodist Church at 2800 Tates Creek Rd, where we have our Messiah Ministries office as well ( http://www.centenarylex.com/ ). I pray it will be a time of healing and reconciliation for some deep hurts in our church family, as we choose by God's grace to let go of the past and press on into our destiny, personally and a church (Philippians 3:13-14). Please keep us in your prayers as we thank God for a mighty move in our hearts. If you're in the Lexington area, please come join us for the National Day of Prayer at 6:30 pm Thursday Night May 7th in our main sanctuary at my home church, Centenary United Methodist, 2800 Tates Creek Rd, Lexington, KY (http://www.centenarylex.com/). I will be helping lead our ecumenical gathering, jointly hosted with our neighbor churches, Immanuel Baptist Church and Tates Creek Christian Church. Please come and spread the word. Order our Ministry Resources or Contribute to our vision and calling: http://www.shop.messiah-ministries.org/ Subscribe by email to me at Messiah Ministries --mailto:--MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God"http://www.messiah-ministries.org/ 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502

Prophetic Message of The Swine Flu: "What is Unclean Will Make You Sick" 5-1-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Open the eyes of my heart to see You as You are, to see myself as I am, and to see how much I need You and Your mercy every moment of every day. … "They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons; they poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; and the land was polluted with blood. They became unclean by their acts, and prostituted themselves in their doings" (Psalm 106:37-39). The eyes of all the earth are on the immergence of what is said to be an immanent, global pandemic of swine flu -- some kind of infectious, contagious mixture of swine flu, bird flu, and human flu. Swine was unclean under the commandments of the Old Covenant (Deuteronomy 14:8). And as You brought the prophetic image of a sick pig to mind this morning, I sensed Your Holy Spirit say to my heart, "What is unclean will make you sick." Under the New Covenant in Christ, what we eat or drink does not make us unclean (Colossian 2:20-23; Romans 14:14). Through the sacrifice of the blood of Christ, we are no longer to call an animal or anything else profane that You have called clean (Acts 10:9-16). "For the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:17). "(Jesus) said to them, 'Then do you also fail to understand? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile, since it enters, not the heart but the stomach, and goes out into the sewer?' (Thus He declared all foods clean.) And He said, 'It is what comes out of a person that defiles. For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person' "(Mark 7:18-23). Sometimes sin makes us sick. Just because we are sick, does not necessarily mean we have sinned; but we must also acknowledge that it is a biblical, spiritual principle that sin can make us sick. "Some were sick through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities endured affliction; they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to gates of death" (Psalm 107:17-18). But even in our sickness and sin, Your heart is always that we would cry out to You in repentance and faith for forgiveness and healing. "Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress; He sent out His word and He healed them, and delivered them from destruction" (Psalm 107:19-20). Our heart is not be hardened against You that there are consequences for our actions and that sometimes our sin opens the door for sickness. Instead our heart is to be full of thanksgiving and praise for Your mercy and power to forgive us and cleanse us and heal us in Your steadfast love for us (Psalm 107:21-22). One way I believe You desire to redeem this plague of disease attempting to now cover the earth in sickness, is to move us to search our hearts as You open our eyes to see any ways we have opened the door to sickness through sin, personally or as a people of our nations. "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24). There is no sin You will not forgive, if we will admit it and repent of it, allowing You to cleanse it in the blood of the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. But we have to be willing to humble ourselves from our pride, our wisdom, our will, our ways, and submit ourselves to Yours. Then You forgive us and cleanse us of all our unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Under the principles of Your kingdom, healing and restoration often flow from the forgiveness of sin (Luke 5:20-26). "Jesus answered, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance' " (Luke 5:31-32). But "if we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us" (1 John 1:10). Sin is not always the reason for sickness, but we need to be willing to humble ourselves and ask when it is -- whether as a people or as a nation or as the nations of the earth. You moved on the heart of Daniel to intercede and pray on behalf of his nation and his ancestral generations in confession and repentance of the sins that opened the door to devastation and destruction, blocking Your forgiveness and redemption of his people and their land (Daniel 9:1-19). And in response to his intercession for himself and on behalf of his nation and their generations, You sent Your word with Your angel to bring encouragement, forgiveness, healing, and restoration (Daniel 9:20-23). You did the same in the days of Nehemiah and Ezra (Nehemiah 1:1-11 and 9:2). You do the same today to forgive us of our sins and the sins of our generations and nations that open the door to destruction when we plead and apply the blood of the Lamb (1 Peter 1:18-19). Lord, if what is unclean will make us sick, what is unclean in my heart and the hearts of my people? As I pray for my sins and the sins of my nation and the nations of the earth in the face of this plague seeking to consume our land, it seems You are leading me to this passage of Your Word from Psalm 106 about sacrificing to idols the innocent blood of our sons and daughters (Psalm 106:37-39). Though I know many in the leadership of our government and among the people of our nation and the nations of the earth disagree, I believe abortion is wrong. It is the shedding of the innocent blood of our sons and daughters. It is bowing down to idols of culture or convenience or even what may seem to be good and wise by the standards of human reasoning rather than submission to the wisdom and authority of the Word of God. And the sons and daughters we don't destroy through the sin of abortion, we dishonor through the sin of disobedience, setting before them a devastating example of the sin of "licentiousness" -- living our lives as if we have a license to do whatever we want to do for whatever reason we think is best for us, with no recognition of our God or His Word. And I believe "the anger of the Lord is kindled" against our sin (Psalm 106:40). I believe the heart of the Lord is broken over this loss of life and the destructive sense of shame and regret it brings deep down inside for those involved, whether they acknowledge it as sin or not. Yet there is no sin You do not desire to forgive, no sickness or disease You do not desire to heal, no bondage You do not desire to break, and no crushing burden You do not desire to lift (Psalm 103:1-5). "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always accuse, nor will He keep His anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far He removes our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion for His children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear Him. For He knows how we were made; He remembers that we are dust" (Psalm 103:8-14). So while Your heart burns and breaks over our sin and sickness, Your Father heart of God also yearns for our forgiveness and healing that comes through repentance. Despite the blood on their hands and the idols in their hearts, You were moved to compassion by the suffering of Your people and the consequences of their sin. "They were rebellious in their purposes, and were brought low through their iniquity. Nevertheless, (You) regarded their distress when (You) heard their cry. For their sake, (You) remembered (Your) covenant, and showed compassion according to the abundance of (Your) steadfast love" (Psalm 106:43-45). By the blood of our New Covenant in Your blood, cleanse the blood of our hearts, the blood of our children, and the blood that defiles our land and all the earth (Matthew 26:28). Move our nation and the nations of the earth to repentance that draws Your compassion and mercy. "Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to Your holy name and glory in Your praise" (Psalm 106:47). In Your mercy and steadfast love that never ceases, remove all that is unclean from our hearts and from our land. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I join with you in prayer for protection from sickness an end to this plague in our nations and in the earth. I will be helping lead our ecumenical gathering on the National Day of Prayer at my home church, Centenary United Methodist at 6:30 pm Thursday Night May 7th in our sanctuary, jointly hosted with Immanuel Baptist and Tates Creek Christian Churches, 2800 Tates Creek Rd, Lexington, KY (http://www.centenarylex.com/). I'm excited to be preaching all three services at my home church in Lexington this Sunday, May 3rd, Centenary United Methodist Church at 2800 Tates Creek Rd, where we have our Messiah Ministries office as well ( http://www.centenarylex.com/ ). I pray it will be a time of healing and reconciliation for some deep hurts in our church family, as we choose by God's grace to let go of the pits of the past and move forward into our destiny, personally and a church. Please keep us in your prayers. Order our Ministry Resources or Contribute to our vision and calling: http://www.shop.messiah-ministries.org/ Subscribe by email to me at Messiah Ministries --mailto:--MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" http://www.messiah-ministries.org/ 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502

Pits of Our Souls, Purposes of God 4-30-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. My Lord and my God, my Rock and my Refuge, my Father and my Friend, You are my All in All. … "So Joseph went after his brothers, and found them at Dothan. They saw him from a distance, and before he came near to them, they conspired to kill him. They said to one another, 'Here comes this dreamer. Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; then we shall say that a wild animal has devoured of him, and we shall see what will become of his dreams' " (Genesis 37:17-20). Did Joseph's brothers hate him or hate his dreams? Did they hate who he was or who he might become? Or did they just hate their own sense of insecurity and lack of significance, purpose, and destiny in their own lives that they were driven by jealousy, envy, and spite into self-righteous judgment and wrath. They throw Joseph into a pit because they were already stuck in their own -- the dark abyss of self-pity. Perhaps Joseph was not as wise and mature as he should have been in how he handled his dreams. Maybe he was a little too eager to share his hopes and plans and his sense of purpose, calling, gifting, and destiny. He may have been guilty of casting his pearls before swine, sharing the treasures of his heart with those who weren't ready to hear it and didn't know how to handle it. The penalty for dreaming your destiny should not be rejection and abandonment, but often it is in our broken, fallen world in such need of Your redemption and power to change our hearts and nature. As You teach in Your wisdom, "Do not give what is holy to dogs; and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you" (Matthew 7:6). Enraged by jealousy they didn't even know they had, driven by deep insecurities they were blinded from seeing, they trampled Joseph's dreams and turned on a brother of their own family. Then they tried to hide their sin and bury their shame in a pit in the ground and a pit deep down in their souls. But You had others plans. You are the God "who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's" (Psalm 103:3-5). You are the God who even works through the sinful choices of human beings made in free will, influenced by spirits of wickedness seeking to destroy and devour. There would come a day of healing, forgiveness, and reconciliation, when tears of grief would be turned to tears of joy (Genesis 45:1-15). Joseph's dreams and destiny came true, and he was even able to see Your hand through all his hardships, causing great good to come out of such evil. With a heart of mercy and a spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation that only You can give, Joseph chose by Your grace to come into agreement with the Spirit of his Redeemer instead of the spirit of the accuser: "Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good" (Genesis 50:20). Lord, give me courage to dare to dream the destiny You have for me. Give me Your wisdom and let me grow in maturity of how to share it when I should, how I should, and to whom I should. Give me mercy for those who hurt me, misunderstand me, reject me or abandon me along the way. Give me faith to believe You will redeem me out of every pit of discouragement, disappointment, and despair to cause all things to work together for my good and Your glory in Your time and in Your way. And give me eyes to see the self-pity, insecurities, jealousies, and pride down in the deep pits of my own soul, so I can release them to You and let You fill them with the peace and love of Your Spirit. That's how You turn our tears of grief into tears of joy. That's how You redeem our lives from the pit and crown us with steadfast love and mercy to satisfy us with good as long as we live. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I'm excited to be preaching all three services at my home church in Lexington this Sunday, May 3rd, Centenary United Methodist Church at 2800 Tates Creek Rd, where we have our Messiah Ministries office as well ( www.CentenaryLex.com ). I pray it will be a time of healing and reconciliation for some deep hurts in our church family, as we choose by God's grace to let go of the pits of the past and move forward into our destiny, personally and a church. Please keep us in your prayers. Order our Ministry Resources or Contribute to our vision and calling: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Subscribe by email to me at Messiah Ministries --MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502

Endure Through the End 4-29-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. More of You, less of me. More of Your Spirit, less of my flesh; more of Your ways and Your will, less of mine. … "Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live upon the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21:34-36). Wars, famines, and earthquakes, increasing in severity and intensity, are "but the beginning of the birth pangs" (Matthew 24:7-8). Persecution for faith in Christ and a unification of "all nations" who hate the followers of Jesus Christ will even cause many to "fall away," while "false prophets will arise and lead many astray" (v. 24:9-11). Disrespect for the rule of law and dishonor of the Word of God will increase and "the love of many will grow cold" (v. 24:12). Yet, You give grace to all who will receive it, to all who humble themselves to call upon Your name and entrust themselves to You alone to be our strength and shield in the midst of whatever tribulation may come. And in the security and power of Your love and the measure of grace we need to endure each day of each season as it comes, "the one who endures to the end will be saved" (v. 24:13). In spite of all that comes -- and probably because of all that comes -- "this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to the nations; and then the end will come" (v. 24:14). Some think the followers of Christ will be raptured out of this earth before tribulation begins in order to "escape all these things." Others think we will endure much more of the tribulation times than we could ever imagine we could, all by the grace of God enabling and empowering us to stand firm in the faith as light in the midst of the darkness and as witnesses of the grace of God who will use even the judgments of tribulation to draw every last soul He can into eternity with Him. We will "escape these things" because we will endure these things, standing in Christ as Christ stands in us. As I understand Your timetable and teaching of the end times, rather than my wishful thinking, it's "after the suffering of those days" that "the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then 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 24:29-31). If Your words and Your warnings are true, then we need to spend more time getting prepared to endure than getting prepared to escape. Build within us the kind of persevering faith You gave the three young men who had the courage to endure the fiery furnace they faced in their day. "If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, O king, let Him deliver us. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods …" (Daniel 3:17-18). As we hold firmly to You with the measure of faith You freely supply, whatever tribulations of fire we must endure, it will have no power over us and we will not even smell of the smoke (v. 3:27). "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22, NKJV). So by the power of Your grace, we will be on guard, we will be prepared, will endure, and we will stand, boldly and triumphantly, before the Son of Man. "Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, 'For Your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the Love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:35-39). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I'm excited to be preaching all three services at my home church in Lexington this Sunday, May 3rd, Centenary United Methodist Church at 2800 Tates Creek Rd, where we have our Messiah Ministries office as well ( www.CentenaryLex.com ). Please come join us if you're in the area or looking for a home church. Order our Ministry Resources or Contribute to our vision and calling: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Subscribe by email to me at Messiah Ministries --MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502

Our Goshen, the Place of Protection 4-28-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Father and Son, abide in me by Your Holy Spirit as I abide in You by my spirit. ... "The hail struck down everything that was in the open field throughout all 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 9:25-26). There is a place of protection, where destruction doesn't come. Though plagues and pestilence, darkness and destruction may sweep across the land, there is place of protection under the blood of the Lamb, in the place God has already prepared. Whatever we endure, with persevering faith, we can endure it in You. "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed by not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed" (2 Corinthians 4:8-9). For the Israelites in their generation, it was a physical place in the land of Goshen, with the physical blood of an earthly lamb over the door of their homes (Exodus 12:7). For us in our generation, it is a spiritual place in Christ, with the spiritual blood of the Lamb of God over the door of our hearts, opened wide to You and the abiding presence of Your Spirit (Hebrews 9:13-14). Though we may endure "the suffering" of many things through the unfolding of these end times, we will endure them from the place of protection You've prepared in our hearts, as we await the day of Your coming in glory to redeem all things (Matthew 24:29-31). And though You will come in glory in the clouds one day soon, You want to come in glory in our hearts every day now by Your Holy Spirit, who already abides within us in the place of protection (Romans 8:11). "You who live in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, will say the Lord, 'My refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust'…. Because you have made the Lord your refuge, the Most High your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, no scourge come near your tent" (Psalm 91:1-10). You are our Goshen. You are our dwelling place of shelter and our city of refuge. In You alone is our place of protection. In Jesus' name I pray, amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays My good friends at Kentucky Christian Foundation ( www.kentuckychristianfoundation.org ) asked me to pass along this invitation to our Lexington area friends for breakfast May 8th to hear Howard Dayton, co-founder of Crown Financial Ministries speak on financial peace in troubled times through Christ. Information is attached. Order our Ministry Resources or Contribute to our vision and calling: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Subscribe by email to me at Messiah Ministries --MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502

Faith Overcomes Fear 4-27-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Let me begin this day grounded in Your Word and filled with Your Spirit. … "When Jesus entered Peter's house, He saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever; He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she got up and began to serve Him. That evening they brought to Him many who were possessed with demons; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and cured all who were sick. This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah, 'He took our infirmities and bore our diseases' " (Matthew 8:14-17). Reports of sickness and even death from a contagious swine flu continue to spread from Mexico and throughout North America. Fear of the potential of a world-wide pandemic of the disease seems to be spreading even faster. So these are days of preparation -- not only preparation with physical precautions and proper hygiene, but also spiritual preparation and precaution, aligning our hearts and minds with Your Word and Your Spirit. Sickness and disease, infirmities and infection are part of the consequences and experiences of life in a broken, fallen world, "subjected to futility" and "bondage to decay," but longing "in hope" for the "redemption" of all creation (Romans 8:18-25). And we can put our hope and our faith in the truth of Your redemption, because You've made perfect provision for our "fallenness" and our brokenness through the suffering of Your cross and the sacrifice of Your love (1 John 4:10). There, You "took our infirmities and bore our diseases," fulfilling Your Word through the prophet Isaiah. There, You were "wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities," taking upon Yourself "the punishment that made us whole" so that "by (Your) bruises we are healed" (Isaiah 53:4-6). Your Word expresses Your will and Your nature in all these matters: "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all His benefits -- who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's" (Psalm 103:2-5). So let us come into agreement with Your Word, revealing Your will, by the power of Your Spirit. Let us not passively accept infirmity and disease, but actively remember and believe that You have already taken them all and borne them for us. We must possess by persevering faith the promises You've provided for us. So let faith overcome fear and truth overcome confusion. No matter what we may encounter or endure through the long process of redemption, You always give us all the grace we need to go through it in Spirit and in truth. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, thank you for praying for our Celebration Dinner last Friday night. The Lord our God was glorified in every testimony, word, song, and prayer in spirit and in truth. Thank you for joining with us in prayer and ministry "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God," to see His kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. How Great is Our God! God bless you! Order our Ministry Resources or Contribute to our vision and calling: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Subscribe by email to me at Messiah Ministries --MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502

We Celebrate How Great is Our God 4-24-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. By Your ever-present and Holy Spirit, come Lord, live in me today. … Savior of my soul, Healer who makes me whole, Deliverer who sets me free, come Lord live in me. One who knows my heart, One who's been there from the start, No one else can ever be, come Lord live in me. Take all my brokenness, hold it in Your faithfulness, There for all to see, come Lord live in me. … "With joy they celebrated … for the Lord had made them joyful" (Ezra 6:22). Tonight is our ministry's yearly Celebration Dinner, to celebrate how great You are and how good You've been to us. We'll share stories of Your glory and testify to the power of Your love to change our lives. We'll worship the One who breaks our chains, heals our wounds, and calms our fears. And we'll remember that You restore and redeem because You love us and also because You want to love through us. Through the healing of our brokenness, You'll heal the brokenness of others; through the freedom of our bondage, You'll break the bonds of others. Freely have we received, and freely are we to give (Matthew 10:8). As You have comforted and cared for us, we are to comfort and care for others (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). You're still binding up the brokenhearted and setting the captives free. And You love to do it in the power of Your Spirit through the lives of Your people You have healed and freed "to display (Your) glory" (Isaiah 61:1-4). These are the ones who "shall be called priests of the Lord" and "shall be named ministers of our God," because they have been in Your presence and seen Your power and want to take it and share it with all who will hear it and receive it (Isaiah 61:6). "Everlasting joy shall be theirs" (v. 61:7). "One generation shall laud Your works to one another, and shall declare Your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works I will meditate. The might of Your awesome deeds shall be proclaimed, and I will declare Your greatness. They shall celebrate the fame of Your abundant goodness, and shall sing aloud of Your righteousness" (Psalm 145:4-7). With everlasting joy, we will celebrate how great is our God! In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, thank you for joining with me in the journey of prayer and all the ways you've encouraged and prayed for me and Messiah Ministries. You are a part of all we will celebrate tonight. Tonight we'll be sharing our calling and also inviting others to join in our vision through prayer and financial support. I invite you to join with us, especially as Isaiah 35 "Streams in the Desert" Covenant Partners, committing to contribute $35 per month to Messiah Ministries and our part in the kingdom, "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God." We believe the Lord showed us this plan for His "steady streams" of provision from our ministry partners to make our ministry available to all. Some information is attached, and I will be glad to talk with you about our vision and calling. More information is included below. God bless you and thank you! Order our Ministry Resources or Contribute to our vision and calling: http://www.shop.messiah-ministries.org/ Subscribe by email to me at Messiah Ministries --mailto:--MessiahMin@aol.com

-- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God"

http://www.messiah-ministries.org/ 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Isaiah 35 -- Streams in the Desert

"For waters shall break forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert"

— Isaiah 35:6 Dear Friend, Thank you for your friendship and relationship with me and our ministry. These are exciting days in the Kingdom of God! We are thrilled with all the Lord seems to be doing in the life of Messiah Ministries. He has called us to do our part in our generation to proclaim the coming of the Kingdom of God, to bind up the brokenhearted and set the captives free, to prepare the way of the Lord and minister the healing love of God. Thank you for every way you have been a part of fulfilling our calling and vision. Though doors of opportunity for ministry continue to open wide and we continue to work hard in the strength of the Lord to fulfill the vision He has given us, this economic desert season is causing us to be even more desperately dependent upon the Lord alone in faith for all our provision. In seeking His wisdom and answers in prayer, we believe He gave us a strategy for our ministry finances in this wilderness time -- Isaiah 35 Streams. In humility and faith, we are inviting you to partner with us in ministry, spiritually and financially, by contributing $35 a month to the work of the Kingdom through Messiah Ministries this year. We believe the Lord has shown us this will provide "a steady stream" of His provision through these desert days. We praise God for His faithfulness! And we thank God for you, as you join with us as a significant part of His provision for His ministry for the glory of His name and His Kingdom. Please prayerfully consider our invitation. And if this stirs in your spirit with joy to join us as the Lord's answers to our prayers, please covenant with us this year to be a part of Isaiah 35 Streams. I will be very glad to talk with you about this or describe more of our vision and calling in ministry. I pray you see our ministry as good soil in which to sow your seed for God's harvest. May the Lord bless you and pour out His exceedingly abundant blessings and provision for you this year -- "... A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap ..." (Luke 6:38). All contributions, of any amount, are very welcome, tax deductible, and greatly appreciated. We've had a very positive response already. Praise God!

In answer to questions that have come, here are some ways to consider joining with us as the Lord's Streams in the Desert for steady provision: 1) You can contribute on-line at our shopping cart or go to: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

2) You can let us get you set up for automatic withdraw by sending a note to Marilyn Walker at dirofministries@aol.com or calling her cell at 859-317-1591

3) You can send in a check for "Messiah Ministries" to our office at: Messiah Ministries 2800 Tates Creek Rd. Lexington, KY 40502

4) You can set up an account on-line and contribute to "Messiah Ministries" and other ministries or churches through the Kentucky Christian Foundation ( www.kentuckychristianfoundation.org ). They can also help with any stock or asset transfers, as well as planned or long-term giving. Please let me know any way I can help or answer questions. Please feel free to introduce me to come have a conversation with anyone who may be interested. Thank you and God bless you, my friend! Tommy Hays Founder and Executive Director Messiah Ministries 2800 Tates Creek Rd. Lexington, Kentucky 40502

Angels Sent to Protect and to Serve 4-23-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Be at the center of my life and the foundation of my day. … "Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him, saying, 'Get up quickly.' And the chains fell off his wrists. The angel said to him, 'Fasten your belt and put on your sandals.' He did so. Then he said to him, 'Wrap your cloak around you and follow me' " (Acts 12:7-8). Thank You, Lord, for Your holy angels, "spirits in the divine service, sent to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation" (Acts 1:14). Thank You for sending them to watch over us, to walk with us, to protect us, and fight for us in so many ways we never know (Psalm 91:11-13). In some ways, they are like holy policemen, here "to protect and to serve." You've sent them to be with us from the beginning. And they live and move and have their being both here with us in this earthly dimension, while, at the same time, there with You in the heavenly dimension (Matthew 18:10). Yet most of the time, we're unaware of their presence and their mission (Hebrews 13:2). Peter had a hard time realizing that the supernatural realm had invaded his natural realm, that the heavenly dimension had invaded his earthly dimension. "He did not realize that what was happening with the angel's help was real; he thought he was seeing a vision" (Acts 12:9). But the light that surrounded him was no dream; the breaking of his chains was not wishful thinking; the opening of his prison bars was not his imagination. His chains were gone and he was set free by Your power, at Your direction, through Your holy angel. It was time to fasten his belt and get going. Lord, You seem to be sending Your holy angels to protect and to serve, in Your power for Your purposes. You seem to be opening our spiritual eyes and increasing our spiritual sensitivity to Your spiritual realm. You are setting us free from our chains and prisons to fasten our belts and get going with the work of the kingdom at hand. "Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress; He brought them out of darkness and gloom, and broke their bonds asunder. Let them thank the Lord for His steadfast love, for His wonderful works to humankind. For He shatters the doors of bronze, and cuts in two the bars of iron" (Psalm 107:13-16). With Your holy angels and filled with Your Holy Spirit, Your light is shining all around us. By Your grace, we will arise from our prisons and go forth in Your power to fulfill Your purpose. As it was in Peter's generation, let it be so in our generation. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Order our Ministry Resources or Contribute to our vision and calling: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Subscribe by email to me at Messiah Ministries --MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502

Heart of Jesus, Not Jonah 4-22-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. As best as I can and all by Your grace, I give my life and this day to You. … "In fury You trod the earth, in anger You trampled the nations. You came forth to save Your people, to save Your anointed. You crushed the head of the wicked house, laying it bare from foundation to the roof. You pierced with their own arrows the head of his warriors, who came like a whirlwind to scatter us, gloating as if ready to devour the poor who were in hiding. You trampled the sea with Your horses, churning the mighty waters" (Habakkuk 3:12-15). There are many passages of Scripture about Your judgment and wrath, Your destruction and triumph over wickedness and evil. In reading Your Word and listening for Your Spirit to know Your heart in these warnings and prophecies, You often remind me of two key biblical, spiritual principles: First, You do not desire the destruction or death of anyone, but that all would turn to You in humility and repentance. "Say to them, 'As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from their ways and live…' " (Ezekiel 33:11). Second, though Your Word speaks of wrath against nations and people, our battle, our hearts, and our prayers are not to be against the people, but against the spiritual forces of evil deceiving, manipulating, and destroying those people and others through the wicked choices they make under the influence of evil. "For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12). There will be judgment of people and nations. There are consequences for rebellion, sin, wickedness, and evil. But our call is to "overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:21). Our command is to pray for those who persecute us, bless those who curse us, love those who hate us, even as we speak the truth in love and confront evil and injustice wherever it may be found, in the way You lead, not always in the way we want. Your Word says You "will shortly crush Satan" and the spiritual forces of evil of this present darkness "under (our) feet," -- not the human beings he has deceived and manipulated, despite their wicked ways (Romans 16:20). You're "not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). So even the days of judgment and wrath are also, ultimately, days of Your mercy, as You use even that out of Your heart of love for all people, willing to do whatever it takes to save every soul possible. All will not repent and turn to You, but our calling is to pray that they do. If anyone is blinded to the truth and hardened to Your grace and love, it is the wicked work of Satan and the power of darkness. But the good news is: "The Son of God was revealed for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil" (1 John 3:8). Give us wisdom to understand Your Word and the whole counsel of God, as we agree with Your heart, Your purpose, and Your Spirit even the days of judgment and wrath (Luke 9:51-55). Give us the heart of Jesus, not the spirit of Jonah (Jonah 4:1). May we pray for repentance and mercy, not wrath and destruction. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, if you're thinking of joining us this Friday Night for our Messiah Ministries Celebration Dinner with worship, inspiration, and stories of God's great power and love to change lives and empower His people for these days to come, please let us know right away. Over 250 people are already coming! We'll be sharing our heart and vision with encouragement to join our calling. You're invited so please come join us and bring some friends, but we need an RSVP for planning to Marilyn right away at DirOfMinistries@aol.com or 859-317-1591 If you can't come but would like to support us and help provide for our celebration, please send a contribution on-line or by mail. All help will be greatly appreciated! Order our Ministry Resources or Contribute to our vision and calling: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Subscribe by email to me at Messiah Ministries --MessiahMin@aol.com- - "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502

Trembling and Shaking 4-21-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. As the sun of God arises in my day, let the Son of God arise in my heart. … "At this also my heart trembles, and leaps out of its place. Listen, listen to the thunder of His voice and the rumbling that comes from His mouth. Under the whole heavens He lets it loose, and His lightning to the corners of the earth. After it His voice roars; He thunders with His majestic voice and He does not restrain the lightnings when His voice is heard. God thunders wondrously with His voice; He does great things that we cannot comprehend" (Job 37:1-5). I believe these are anointed days -- between Passover and Pentecost, between the time we mark and remember Your death on the cross for our sins as a people and the pouring out of Your Holy Spirit for our destiny as Your church. These are days of preparation, days of watching and waiting for Your coming glory. These are days of purification and sanctification, days of the crucifixion of our flesh and the restoration of our spirits. These are days of shaking and trembling, of thunder and lightning, as the great Lion of the Tribe of Judah "thunders with His majestic voice." You are shaking all that can be shaken so that only what cannot be shaken remains. "At that time His voice shook the earth; but now He has promised, 'Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.' … Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks" (Hebrews 12:26-27). You've been waking me in the night with trembling and shaking, moving me into prayer for breakthrough and awakening in our land. I know there is much You are shaking in me, sifting out of me, so that I can stand firm in the strength of the Lord in the days ahead. I know You are doing the same in different ways to all who are called by Your name. You are preparing us, purifying us, empowering us as Your people to shine as Your light in the midst of the darkness and stand firm in Your faith in midst of the great shaking and great awakening to come. As You utter Your voice and do "great things that we cannot comprehend," You also remind us that You are with us, giving us all the grace we will need as each day comes. As in the days of Job, we may not comprehend all that we may endure, but we can trust You and Your goodness through it all. "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" (Job 13:15, NKJV). Though the heavens and the earth may tremble and shake, we will stand secure in the Lord our strength. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I join with you in agreement in prayer for God's great awakening of His people in your city and region. As in the Great Awakening before the Civil War, He often prepares His people to be able to stand steadfast in faith through troubling days to come, using every opportunity to bring many souls into His kingdom and many sons and daughters of God to glory (Hebrews 2:10). Please Come Join Us This Friday Night, April 24th for our annual Messiah Ministries Celebration Dinner in Lexington to celebrate all the Lord is doing through our ministry and share our vision and calling with all our supporters and friends. You are invited and Dinner is Free! Please make plans to come and bring some friends who may have a heart for what we are doing. For planning, we will need an RSVP right away to Marilyn or a table host: DirOfMinistries@aol.com or 859-317-1591 Subscribe by email to me at Messiah Ministries --MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order My Book, Morning by Morning, and our Ministry Resources or Contribute to our vision and calling: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

Great Awakening 4-20-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, You are One and You are with me. … "Awake, my soul! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn. I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to You among the nations. For Your steadfast love is high as the heavens; Your faithfulness extends to the clouds" (Psalm 57:8-10). I spent some time yesterday with a prayer group in the little community in central Kentucky where I was speaking at the church on prayer. They come together most every week to allow You to blend together the spiritual gifts You've given them, as Your Holy Spirit leads them and empowers them to pray down heaven. They're preparing the way of the Lord for Your kingdom to come and Your will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. They're vessels of praise touching Your heart and weapons of warfare wielded by Your hand. They each "know in part, and prophecy in part" as Your Spirit wills (1 Corinthians 13:9). But then You weave their parts of revelation and inspiration together through their diversity of gifts to pray and proclaim Your will through their prayers (Romans 8:26-27). You gave one of them a very detailed and colorful dream recently that was simple and comical, yet deeply profound, stirring our spirits in prayer. She saw a giant, old-fashioned coffee pot vigorously percolating and releasing the aroma of fresh coffee as it came spinning and dancing down the street. As soon as my friend, the seer, saw this in her dream she immediately started shouting, "It's here! It's here!" When she prayed for the interpretation and guidance to turn Your prophetic word into intercession and proclamation, You immediately said to her heart, "A great awakening is coming." Yes, Lord. From the Red River Meeting House and the Cane Ridge Revival, You birthed a great awakening from this region of Kentucky before that touched the nation and the nations of the earth. Many of us believe You are re-digging those ancient wells and breaking open those buried springs for another great awakening in our day. You are calling Your people to awaken and arise from our spiritual slumber and be prepared for the great harvest to come. "Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you…. be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:14-18). As we gathered at the altar of the church Sunday morning to pray for the people, my right arm and hand was trembling and shaking. I shared that I thought it spoke of Your mighty right arm stretching out through the prayers and hearts of Your people, hungry and desperate for Your Presence. And I see this morning in Your Word that this also speaks of a great spiritual awakening: "Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord! Awake, as in days of old, the generations of long ago!" (Isaiah 51:9) Lord, let it be so. Stretch out Your mighty right arm. Awake and arouse Your people to pray and proclaim the coming of Your kingdom -- here in our hearts and here in our land. Would You move again mightily in our day "as in the days of old, the generations long ago." Let the glory of Your manifest presence once again fill the earth as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I join with you in agreement in prayer for God's great awakening of His people in your city and region. As in the Great Awakening before the Civil War, He often prepares His people to be able to stand steadfast in faith through troubling days to come, using every opportunity to bring many souls into His kingdom and many sons and daughters of God to glory (Hebrews 2:10). Please Come Join Us This Friday Night, April 24th for our annual Messiah Ministries Celebration Dinner in Lexington to celebrate all the Lord is doing through our ministry and share our vision and calling with all our supporters and friends. You are invited and Dinner is Free! Please make plans to come and bring some friends who may have a heart for what we are doing. For planning, we will need an RSVP to Marilyn or a table host: DirOfMinistries@aol.com or 859-317-1591 Subscribe by email to me at Messiah Ministries --MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order My Book, Morning by Morning, and our Ministry Resources or Contribute to our vision and calling: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org