A New Land in a New Season with New Promises 1-10-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Your mercies are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness. … “Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you’ ” (Genesis 12:1). As I leave last year and enter this new year, as I go from the last season and enter into this new season, I want to go only where You lead me and see only what You show me. Only You truly know the depth of all You have called me to leave behind and all You have prepared for me to receive. But no matter what, I know the promises of Your Word are true for me and for all who commit their way to the Lord: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9, NKJV). By Your grace, I am one of those who loves You. I love You because You first loved me. I have committed my way to You because I believe You are the Way. I have chosen to follow You wherever You lead me and to go wherever You send me because I know You know what is best for me, the purposes for which You have created me, and the unique ways You want to reveal Yourself and live Your life through me. When Abram let go of his old life to embrace his new life, when he left behind the last season to enter into his new season, he really had no idea where he was headed or who he would become. He didn’t know the sacrifices that would be asked of him or the steps of faith he would be asked to take. He just knew he was willing to trust You. And he believed Your promise to bless him there and to be a means of Your blessing to others (Genesis 12:2). And even when he arrived to the land of Canaan, to the promised land You showed him, “Abram journeyed on by stages” through the land (Genesis 12:8). Thank You for the stages and seasons of my life. Thank You for Your mercy to not change all of the circumstances of all of my life all at once. “Little by little” You lead me to advance into the places and provisions of Your promises, with breakthroughs along the way (Deuteronomy 7:22). And I would not go, but for the grace of God. But because You have lavished up Your grace upon grace – all the tender mercies of God I’ve never deserved – I will follow and I will go because I will trust You. I trust You because I love You. And I love You because You first loved me (1 John 4:19). In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays My friends, may the Lord bless you and He leads you into this new year of this new season. May He give you courage to follow where He leads and go where He sends. I'm praying for you and thank you for praying for me, as we journey in stages, with His breakthroughs along the way. Thank you for praying for me as I began this new year leaving Kentucky to the east and coming home from the west, literally going around the world to proclaim this gospel of the Kingdom of God and minister the healing love of God to the people of the nations where He has sent me. I'll fly home early tomorrow morning from the Philippines, where the Lord has refreshed me, renewed me, and I pray He has used me in the lives of others at the International Aldersgate Renewal Conference of the Holy Spirit here. We're hearing many stories of salvation, healing, deliverance, and renewal from those who came to join us -- over a thousand people. Thank you for your prayers and all your encouragement and support that allow me to minister at home and abroad with a passion for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And I pray for you an impartation of every blessing the Lord has poured into me (Romans 1:11). Be blessed in this new year of this new season in your life! Subscribe for free 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

Morning by Morning, Thursday 1-7-09 – Passion for His Name Good morning, Lord Jesus. Align my heart and soul with Yours. Fill my spirit with Your Spirit. Let my body be an extension of Your Body and my life be a vessel for Your Life. … “In the path of Your judgments, O Lord, we wait for You; Your name and Your renown are the soul’s desire. My soul yearns for You in the night, my spirit within me earnestly seeks You” (Isaiah 26:8-9). Your name and Your fame are my desire That the light of Your glory would fill my heart And set me ablaze with Your holy fire Let Your name be known Let the seeds of Your Word be sown That the people of all nations may see Your power The power of Your love is the glory of Your name The majesty of Your mercy is the fountain of Your fame The strength of Your might is my strong tower Come now in my heart and now in the earth Come now in the nations of all the world From generation to generation we have longed for this hour O Lord, give me this passion for Your name. Never left my love grow cold or my heart grow weary. Let Your mercies be new every morning and my encounters with Your Presence be fresh every day. I seek Your face and long for coming in my life and in the earth, never satisfied with anything less than all You have for me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I'm overwhelmed with the hunger and passion for the name of Jesus here at our Conference in The Philippines. Thank you for your prayers. May the Holy Spirit continually fill all our hearts with an ever-increasing passion for the name and renown of our God. God bless you! Subscribe for free 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

Bold Charge 1-5-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Anchor of my soul, I begin my day steadfast in the assurance of Your Presence and the power of Your love. … “I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). Yesterday we travelled from the plains at Manila up to the mountains at Baguio for the International Aldersgate Conference in the Philippines. On the way, we drove past San Juan Hill, reminding me of the site of Teddy Roosevelt’s bold charge up its slopes with his volunteer Rough Riders in the fight for liberation of these islands during the Spanish-American War. Taking heavy casualties against overwhelming odds, there was really no choice but to go up in a courageous advance to victory or turn and run in defeat. Teddy Roosevelt chose courage over cowardice, risking an uncertain fate over certain failure, and went up with a shout into the bloodiest battle of the war. They took that hill, stood their ground, and the battle was won. Lord, I pray for a spirit of courage and bravery to go where You send me, to fight the battles You set before me, to advance and never retreat, to charge forward in the victories of the Lord and never surrender. Be with me wherever I go, and let me only go where You send me. Give me holy boldness to charge up the heights to secure the strategic positions You’ve commissioned to me and those You’ve aligned with me in the advance of the gospel of the Kingdom of God. In the power of Your grace, without being frightened or dismayed, but only strong and courageous in the strength of the Lord, let us “go in to take possession of the land that the Lord (our) God gives (us) to possess” for the coming of Your Kingdom and the glory of Your name (Joshua 1:11). In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please keep us in prayer this week for the International Aldersgate Conference of the Holy Spirit beginning tonight here in The Philippines. I'll be preaching and ministering at the Pastor's Summit and the General Conference. Back home, I'll be leading our 4 Day Intensive Course at the end of January, The Fountain School of Spiritual Ministry again. Please contact Marilyn, our Director of Ministries, for details and please spread the word: DirOfMinistries@aol.com Subscribe for free 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

“Seize the Hope” 1-4-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Blessed are they who hunger, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are they are thirst, for they shall be filled. Lord, make me more hungry, more thirsty, for more of You this day and every day. … “Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope that is set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the Forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 6:17-20, NKJV). As we enter into this new year, we enter times and conditions we have never entered before. But we do have to enter into it in a way we’ve never entered before. We can enter in though the Way the leads to Life. We can enter in through the One who is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6). You’ve already gone before us into every struggle we will endure, every challenge we will face, every obstacle we will overcome by the grace of God. You’ve already entered into “the Presence behind the veil” to that we can always enter into that holiest of holy places of Your ever-abiding Presence. This is our certain hope, our sure and steadfast confidence in You, the only One who can anchor our souls in peace. For You are our High Priest of the Presence of God; You are our Melchizedek—our “King of Righteousness” and “King of Peace” (Hebrews 7:1-3). No doubt in this year, You will continue to fulfill Your prophetic promise to shake all things that can be shaken, so that only what cannot be shaken remains (Hebrews 12:27). And not all things that we think we have to have will make it through the shaking yet to come. But the One Thing we must have, will be the One Thing who will bring us through. We must “seize the hope set before us” and You alone are that hope (Hebrews 6:18). “One thing I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. For He will hide me in His shelter in the day of trouble; He will conceal me under the cover of His tent; He will set me high upon a rock. Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord. Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me! ‘Come,’ my heart says, ‘seek his face!’ Your face, Lord, do I seek” (Psalm 27:4-8). When I began the journey into what became this past year of my life, I had no idea of the heights of joy or the depths of pain I would encounter or endure. Some things are left better unknown. But what I do know is that You were with me through it all. And this is the anchor of my soul, my sure and steadfast hope, for this new year and every year to come. There’s nothing I will encounter that I will not overcome by the grace of my God, who redeems all things for my good, no matter their source or intent, as I seek Your face and entrust it to Your hands (Romans 8:28). That’s the hope I want to seize. That’s the Hope who has seized me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I've made it from Jerusalem to Manila, where I'll be ministering in The Philippines this week at the International Aldersgate Conference of the Holy Spirit in the mountains at Bagia. I'm thrilled to be invited to be a keynote speaker, preaching five times this week, before coming home on my journey around the world to begin this new year of ministry proclaiming the gospel of the Kingdom of God at home and abroad to the nations. Thank you for joining me in the journey! Back home, I'll be leading our 4 Day Intensive Course at the end of January, The Fountain School of Spiritual Ministry again. Please contact Marilyn, our Director of Ministries, for details and please spread the word: DirOfMinistries@aol.com Happy New Year, my friends! May our King of Righteousness and Peace favor you and prosper you in the abundance of His love for you this year. "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in good health, just as your soul prospers" (3 John 2). God bless you! Subscribe for free 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

New Jerusalem in the New Year 1-1-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the Prince of Peace, and I declared Your praise to begin this New Year from the city You have named for peace at the heart of the earth—Jerusalem. … “But You, O Lord, are enthroned forever; Your name endures to all generations. You will rise up and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to favor it; the appointed time has come. For Your servants hold its stones dear, and have pity upon its dust. The nations will fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth Your glory. He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and will not despise their prayer. Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet unborn may praise the Lord: That He looked down from Him holy height, from heaven the Lord looked at the earth, to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die; so that the name of the Lord may be declared in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem, when people gather together, and kingdoms, to worship the Lord” (Psalm 102:12-22). Jerusalem is the City of our God. Here set apart the holy place where Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only son, but You provided a lamb instead. And here, in the same place, You were willing to sacrifice Your only Son, who is the Lamb of Sacrifice. Here, You were crucified, dead, and buried. And here You were raised from the dead. Here, You ascended into heaven, and here You will return in the same way. Lord, let Your name be declared in Zion; let Your praise be proclaimed in Jerusalem. And one day, there will be a New Jerusalem. Here in this place in a generation to come, the broken will be healed, the bound will be free; there will be no more wars or sadness or sorrow, but only peace and joy in the reign of the King of Peace. “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne declaring, ‘See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be His peoples, and God himself will be with them; He will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.’ And the One who is seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new’ ” (Revelation 21:1-5). As the season of 2009 comes to a close and the season of 2010 begins, I “pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers. For the sake of my relatives and friends I will say, ‘Peace be within you.’ For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good’ ” (Psalm 122:6-9). Lord Jesus, Prince of Peace, at the beginning of the New Year, I pray for the peace of the New Jerusalem to come—here in my heart and here in the earth. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Happy New Year, my friends! May the Lord of Peace favor you and prosper you in the abundance of His love for you this year. "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in good health, just as your soul prospers" (3 John 2). God bless you! Subscribe for free 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

Spirit of Elijah at Mount Carmel 12-30-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. May Your Holy Spirit prepare the way of the Lord in my heart for a greater passion of the Holy Fire of Your Presence in my life every day. … “So Ahab sent to all the Israelites, and assembled the prophets at Mount Carmel. Elijah then came near to all the people, and said, ‘How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him” (1 Kings 18:20-21). Of all the holy places I wanted to see and all the holy encounters I wanted to experience on my second journey to the land of Israel, coming to the high place on top of Mount Carmel was my deepest burning desire. I wanted to stand where Elijah stood, preach what Elijah preached, and pray what Elijah prayed when You opened up Your heavens and rained down Your fire. And by the grace of God, who gives us the desires of our hearts, today I have. You anointed Elijah with boldness to proclaim the truth, courage to fearlessly stand firm in the face of governmental and religious compromise and persecution, and faith to believe that You are the God who confirms Your Word by Your Spirit with Your power. And on the rocks of the very mountain where I stood today, You moved in Elijah’s heart with a zealous passion to call the people to turn their hearts to You: “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel, that I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your bidding. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so that this people may know that You, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back” (v. 18:36-37). Elijah preached and prayed under the anointed mantle of God, with fire in his bones and passion in heart. “Then the fire of the Lord fell” (v. 18:38). They say for centuries this place was called by Arabs and Jews alike, El Muhraqa, meaning “the place of burning,” marked by the black stains of Your consuming fire on the rocks of this mountain. When Your fire fell that day, the hearts Your people turned to put their hope and trust in You alone as God. “When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, ‘The Lord indeed is God; the Lord indeed is God” (v. 18:39). O Lord God, let Your fire fall in my heart every day. Anoint me with the mantle of Elijah, the Spirit of the Sovereign Lord to preach and pray with a fiery zeal and burning passion to see hearts turn to You. Confirm Your Word in Your power by Your Spirit. I take up this mantle, by the power of Your grace, in trusting submission to Your will, because I believe You’ve put this on my heart to honor You with my life this way. I join my heart with Yours and with those You are anointing in our day, for our generation and those to follow, with “the Spirit of Elijah” (2 Kings 2:15). May You use the lives all You call to prepare the way of the Lord in the power of Your Spirit, turning the hearts of Your people to You and one another in the right relationship of love before the day of Your coming. “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse” (Malachi 4:5-6, NKJV). Yes, Lord. Let the fire fall. Let my heart and the hearts of all who are willing to be consumed by the fire of Your love for us. Prepare the way for the coming of Your Spirit in our hearts this day and every day, until the day You come as King of kings and Lord of lords in final glory. There is no God but You. You are “the God who answers by fire” (1 Kings 18:24). In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, thank you for your prayers for us on our journey through the Holy Land of Israel. I'm thrilled to have a chance to publicly share words and prayers of the love of Christ everywhere our little group goes, as we walk where Jesus walked and experience the historical sites of our faith and encounter the spiritual presence of our God. I pray for your encounters with God as you walk with him in your journey. Thank you for joining with me in mine. God bless you! Subscribe for free 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

Morning by Morning, Tuesday 12-29-09 – Baptized into Life Forevermore Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. You are my Lord and my Savior, my Father and Friend. And wherever I am, You are always with me. … “It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord ordained His blessing, life forevermore” (Psalm 133:3). Near the foot of Mount Hermon in the northernmost part of Israel, in the cold spring waters near the source of the Jordan River, You ordained Your blessing of life forevermore for Hanna and Kenny yesterday. I was so honored and excited to mark and seal their salvation in Christ, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit in these waters of the Jordan River. The water was cold, but our hearts were ablaze as they both exploded from the water in joy. Others joined in the joy to remember their baptism in these waters of Your Holy Land and in the Living Waters of Your Holy Spirit. When we turn away from our sins and turn to Your forgiveness, away from our pride and self-sufficiency and turn to Your provision and all-sufficiency, we are blessed by God with life forevermore in Christ. And You ordain Your blessing, continually cleansing our hearts in the waters of Your Word, renewed in Your Spirit, “so we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). Thank You for this gift and blessing of new life, available to all, from the very Source of the One who is the eternal author of all life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, thank you for your prayers for us on our journey through the Holy Land of Israel. I'm thrilled to have a chance to publicly share words and prayers of the love of Christ everywhere our little group goes, as we walk where Jesus walked. I pray for your encounters with Jesus as you walk with Him in newness of life. God bless you! Subscribe for free 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

“Into a Good Land” 12-27-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the King of Israel, and Zion is Your holy mountain. Today, as I enter into the land of Your life and ministry, Your death and resurrection, I welcome You to enter into my heart and this journey with my dear friends. … “For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land with flowing streams, with springs and underground waters welling up in valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, and land where you may eat bread without scarcity, where you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron and from whose hills you may mine copper. You shall eat your fill and bless the Lord your God for the good land that He has given you. Take care that you do not forget the Lord your God, by failing to keep His commandments, His ordinances, and His statutes, which I am commanding you today” (Deuteronomy 8:7-11). We enter into this good and ancient land today at Tel Aviv, on the Mediterranean coast of Israel. Truly You have brought us into a good land, a holy land, set apart for the people chosen by God to teach us Your nature and ours by the examples of their journey through this land for generations. In a sense, their journey began two thousand years before the birth of Christ, when You spoke to Abraham in his home far away from here in the city of Ur of the Chaldeans: “Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:1-3). Abraham was a seeker of God, one who was willing to seek You and hear You and obey You. When You first called him to this land, he hardly knew You. But You knew him, for You created him with purpose and calling and destiny. And along his journey and the journey of the generations of his seed to follow, they would come to know You—the chosen people of God—chosen for Your purpose of revealing Yourself as the One who desires to bless all the families of the earth, the One who is eternally the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And from the bloodlines of these who journeyed in the land, there would come One to born of a Jewish virgin named Mary, and step-fathered by a Jewish carpenter named Joseph, who would be the fulfillment of this Divine blessing of all the families of the earth to come. “That in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Galatians 3:14). Through the blessing of Abraham, fulfilled by faith in Jesus Christ as the Messiah of Israel, Jew and Gentile become one in the Sprit and one in the Lord” (Ephesians 2:15). Lord, let it be so for us on our journey through the good land of Your abundant blessings. May Your Holy Spirit come meet each of us wherever we are on our own spiritual journeys. May we come to know You and Your nature, and even our own, at a deeper level than ever before, as we come to understand this blessing of Abraham that rests upon this land and its people, finding its perfect fulfillment in a personal, spiritual relationship with You, Lord Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please join with me today to praise God and celebrate the fortieth birthday of Tammy Watts, my dear friend and deeply spiritual woman faith and prayer, for whom her awesome husband Mikal has arranged this unbelievably gracious blessing for the love of his life and included each of us. Praise God! Please keep us in your prayers as I travel in ministry through Israel and then to The Philippines, as a Keynote Speaker at the International Aldersgate Renewal Conference of the Holy Spirit. We will bring in the new year of this new season literally going around the world to proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, as I leave to the east and come home from the west. Thank You so much for all your love, encouragement, prayers, and support in so many ways as you've joined me in the journey of prayer and faith with God every day. If you would like to join our intercessory prayer team that receives frequent updates and joins in interactive intercession with our team and with me, please send Pastor Linda Dulin a note as our Messiah Ministries' Pastor of Prayer Ministries, PrayerLead@aol.com, who coordinates our team with Carol Arban of Kentucky and Heather Butler of Wales. This winter season is a very lean time for our ministry financially, so Please prayerfully keep Messiah Ministries in mind for your Year-end and Christmas giving to the ministries of the Kingdom of God. I hope you find our ministry to be good soil to sow your seeds for the growing maturity of the God's Kingdom on earth. I'll be glad to speak with you personally about our vision and calling in ministry if you'd like to join with us in your prayer and financial support: tommyhays@aol.com Thank You! to our Isaiah 35 Covenant Partners and other supporters in prayer and finances who make this ministry possible at home and abroad to the nations. "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14). We joyfully gratefully welcome your gifts of any size for Messiah Ministries on-line or by mail: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Subscribe for free 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

Walking in the Steps of Jesus 12-26-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. It’s been another year since Your birth in the likeness of human flesh and blood, both Son of God and Son of Man. And now it’s another year closer to Your coming again as King of kings and Lord of lords. Like Mary and Joseph yearned in their hearts for Your first coming, so I yearn in my heart for Your second. … “… you should follow in His steps … now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls” (1 Peter 2:21-25). Today I’m on my way to the Holy Land of Israel, to walk in the steps of Jesus. You’ve blessed me beyond measure, through my great friends, to join their family and a few friends, to help be a spiritual guide on a spiritual journey to walk where You walked and see where You spoke and be where You healed. May we experience You and encounter Your Spirit all along the way—from where You were conceived and born, taught and loved, live and died and raised to life again. May we be moved with tears and filled with joy, as we remember and encounter You and the Holy Spirit of the Living Christ deeply within our hearts. May those with us who do not yet know You come to the place of the Roman guard at the foot of Your cross, whose eyes and heart were opened to see You as You truly are, crying out, ‘Truly, this was the Son of God!’ (Matthew 27:54, KJV). May we all be forever changed, never the same, as we follow in Your steps. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Dear friend, please keep us in your prayers as I travel in ministry through Israel and then to The Philippines, as a Keynote Speaker at the International Aldersgate Renewal Conference of the Holy Spirit. We will bring in the new year of this new season literally going around the world to proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, as I leave to the east and come home from the west. Thank You so much for all your love, encouragement, prayers, and support in so many ways as you've joined me in the journey of prayer and faith with God every day. If you would like to join our intercessory prayer team that receives frequent updates and joins in interactive intercession with our team and with me, please send Pastor Linda Dulin a note as our Messiah Ministries' Pastor of Prayer Ministries, PrayerLead@aol.com, who coordinates our team with Carol Arban and Heather Butler. This winter season is a very lean time for our ministry financially, so Please prayerfully keep Messiah Ministries in mind for your Year-end and Christmas giving to the ministries of the Kingdom of God. I hope you find our ministry to be good soil to sow your seeds for the growing maturity of the God's Kingdom on earth. I'll be glad to speak with you personally about our vision and calling in ministry if you'd like to join with us in your prayer and financial support: tommyhays@aol.com Thank You! to our Isaiah 35 Covenant Partners and other supporters in prayer and finances who make this ministry possible at home and abroad to the nations. "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14). We joyfully gratefully welcome your gifts of any size for Messiah Ministries on-line or by mail: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Subscribe for free 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

Born of a Virgin, Merry Christmas to All ! 12-25-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. “O come, let us adore Him. O come, let us adore Him. O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.” I adore You this holy day that all the world celebrates the birth of the Christ, the long awaited Messiah, who would be and who is the salvation of our souls and the Lord of our lives. O come let us adore You! … “Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place this way. When His mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with Child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the Child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, ‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and they shall name Him Emmanuel,’ which means, ‘God is with us.’ When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a Son; and he named Him Jesus” (Matthew 1:18-25). Lord, before You called me into full time ministry to prepare the way of the Lord and minister the healing love of God wherever You would send me, You first led me through a season of being a trial lawyer. In those days, I learned to be an advocate for those who chose me to speak for them as their voice in the courts of law. There I learned the significant of evidence to convince the judges and juries of the truth. And when You called me to be one of Your advocates, to be an ambassador of Your voice to proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom of God in the name of Jesus, I needed to be certain in my heart that this Gospel and Your Word were true. If I were to give my life to You and this calling, I could only live it out if there was integrity in my heart first that You would inspire me impart to others. That’s just how You created me. I remember studying and praying through this Scripture of the account of the Virgin Birth so many times at much deeper level than ever before. In so many ways, it seemed so incomprehensible from a rational, logical analysis. And in those days, my mind still grappled greatly with the concept of the miraculous and the supernatural, spiritual realm. Now, thinking of the outpouring of your Presence and the flow of healing miracles and salvation I just saw with my own eyes in Pakistan just a week ago, I praise You for how You have set me free to see this awesome reality of Your spiritual realm, so conclusively proving the veracity of Your Word and the power of Your name. But in those days, as I began to take a deeper look at this story I had heard and believed all my life, it was, honestly, a great challenge to me. As You know and I’m sure You remember my days and nights of wrestling with You! And then one day, Your Holy Spirit opened the eyes of my heart to see with wisdom and revelation that this story of the Virgin Birth is actually one of the most convincing pieces of evidence that the Gospel of Your Word is true! Writers trying to manufacture a religion as an invention of men would never begin their message with such an outrageous, offensive story. They risked exposing their Savior and Hero of thier story to the shame and sin for which His mother could have been stoned to death for defiling her engagement to a righteous man and disgracing her family—unless people actually believed that an angel spoke to them and that God himself impregnated her by His Holy Spirit. Who would believe a story like that, so illogical, so irrational? What judge or jury would not run them out of court? No one would dare present such a case—unless it were true. And it is. And maybe it first takes an openness to Your Spirit to help us be willing to let the Creator God of this universe open our eyes to this truth and all spiritual truths. “Those who are unspiritual do not receive the gifts of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). But I praise You, Lord, that You used that revelation to convince me of Your truth in a deep way that I needed in my heart and mind to step out in faith for the rest of my life to proclaim this message of hope, love, peace, and joy of this Gospel of the Kingdom of God revealed in Jesus the Christ. And what an amazing journey it has been since taking that step of faith in the calling and destiny You had prepared for me. How You’ve given me such a love and passion to share the truth of Your mercy and love with all who will hear wherever You lead. So this holy day, I celebrate Your holy birth—conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary. As spoken by the Lord through Your prophet almost eight hundred years before the day of the coming of our Messiah: “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given. And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace, there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice, from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this” (Isaiah 9:6-7, NKJV). And so You have—here on earth at that moment in time of Your Virgin Birth and forever here in my heart. Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday, Lord Jesus the Christ—my Messiah, my Lord, and my Savior! Glory to God in the highest. Peace and goodwill to all! In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays My dear friends of the journey, Merry Christmas to you and your family this holy day we celebrate our Savior's birth from me and my family and our ministry. God bless you every one! Please keep me in your prayers as I leave for ministry in Israel tomorrow and then to The Philippines to bring in the new year of this new season literally going around the world to proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Thank You so much for all your love, encouragement, prayers, and support in so many ways as you've joined me in the journey of prayer with God every day. This winter season is a very lean time for our ministry financially, so Please prayerfully keep Messiah Ministries in mind for your Year-end and Christmas giving to the ministries of the Kingdom of God. I hope you find our ministry to be good soil to sow your seeds for the growing maturity of the God's Kingdom on earth. I'll be glad to speak with you personally about our vision and calling in ministry if you'd like to join with us in your prayer and financial support: tommyhays@aol.com Thank You! to our Isaiah 35 Covenant Partners and other supporters in prayer and finances who make this ministry possible at home and abroad to the nations. "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14). We joyfully gratefully welcome your gifts of any size for Messiah Ministries on-line or by mail: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Subscribe for free 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

Christmas Season Forever 12-24-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Glory to God in the highest! And on earth, peace and goodwill toward all. The glory of Your presence among us and within us by Your Spirit brings us peace. The grace of Your favor and forgiveness brings us goodwill. I welcome Your peace and goodwill into my life today. … Christmas Eve is the height of anticipation of Your birth as the Child and Son of God on earth, as the coming of our Messiah, of our Christ. And every child of earth is thinking, “One more day! Tomorrow morning will finally be Christmas at last!” Many will find it hard to sleep tonight, tingling with anticipation and expectation. Though they may be thinking of the presents to open and gifts to receive, they will also be remembering deep down in their hearts our words and prayers and stories throughout this season of the reason why we celebrate this special day and give gifts in love to one another. What a gift You’ve given me with my children home for all of this week before Christmas. And the gift of my mom to come out and join us for a few days. Although I suffered through a hard day of fever and sickness, even that was just an opportunity to be showered in their gift of love to me, with tender care and soft prayers, back rubs and chicken soup, and space for time to rest. And I was so blessed with the gift of love from friends who prayed and who came by with meals and gifts and prayers. One of our friends took a moment to teach my kids a word of wisdom: “You know, Christmas is not just a day. It’s a season. And it’s a season that lasts a long time. And about the time we need to renew our heart for the season, we celebrate Christmas again.” We all entered into a new season in our lives, the moment we welcomed this Child of Christmas to enter into our hearts. We have received the gift of God’s love in Jesus the Christ. And though we have times when we need to renew our hearts for the season, Your Holy Spirit is always here to remind us of all the gifts of God our Father we have, all the time, not just on Christmas morning. “Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17). So I rise this morning refreshed and renewed, feeling again healthy and whole, by all the gifts of prayer and rest I’ve received and the amazing gift of the healing love of God. And I will gather up my children in my arms and look into their faces to see some of the greatest gifts You’ve given me. And we will remember the gift of love we have in our hearts comes from the gift of love we have from You. Lord, as we eagerly wait in expectant anticipation for this special day, remind us of Your truth that this special season in our hearts never has to end. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Merry Christmas my friends! Thank you for your prayers for me and my family. I feel so much better today! Praise God! And thank you for your prayers for our family throughout this hard time of painful transition. But God has been faithful to be with us through it all. He is Immanuel, God with us. And He has surely been, pouring out His blessings and assuring us of His Presence throughout our journey. Thank you for continuing to join in the journey with me. God bless you in your expectant anticipation of this special day to come! Please prayerfully keep Messiah Ministries in mind for your Year-end and Christmas giving to the ministries of the Kingdom of God. I hope you find our ministry to be good soil to sow your seeds for the growing maturity of the God's Kingdom on earth. I'll be glad to speak with you personally about our vision and calling in ministry if you'd like to join with us in your prayer and financial support. Thank You! to our Isaiah 35 Covenant Partners and other supporters in prayer and finances who make this ministry possible at home and abroad to the nations. "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14). You're welcome to give or sign up: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Subscribe for free 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

Dear Friends, Merry Christmas! I'm sorry to be out of touch for so long. First, the AoL server was down. Then, I was suddenly struck with severe fever and violent shaking and body aches one night. I praise God that He has given me breakthough and now I am resting. But please keep me in your prayer for complete victory and healing from this battle. My kids are with me this week before Christmas and I leave on Saturday for Israel, where some great friends have invited me to be a spiritual guide through the Holy Land for a week. Then, I fly from there to the Philippines where I will be a Keynote Speaker for the International Aldersgate Conference on the Holy Spirit, and fly home. So Messiah Ministries will literally be flying around the world to start off this new year of this new season. Thank you for joining me in the journey! And I pray impartation of a double portion and more for you who are joining with us of all the Lord is pouring into me and this ministry, to join with the gifts He has given you for ministry in the name of Jesus (Romans 1:11). God bless you and Merry Christmas! In the Love of Jesus! Your friend, Tommy www.messiah-ministries.org "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" Here's my last devotional I couldn't send the other morning: Morning by Morning, Monday 12-21-09 – Sharing Hope and Faith Everywhere Good morning, Lord Jesus. Son of God, Savior of man, King and Lord of all heaven and earth, I entrust my heart and this day to You. … “But in your hearts, sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an account of the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and in reverence” (1 Peter 3:15-16). The man next to me on the overseas leg of my flight from Abu Dhabi to Chicago was a Canadian science teacher, going home after his first year working abroad. In our casual conversations, Dave asked me what I had been doing in Pakistan. And I told him a little taste of the amazing things I had seen You do among the people there and in my own heart. I was telling him how the Christians there seem to see the miracles of God as almost normal Christian life because that seems to be one of the main ways Muslim people come to know Christ—when they see the love of God in the people and the power of God in the name of Jesus through the healing prayer. He was pleasant, but seemed a little skeptical and watched movies most of our trip. I wasn’t pushy in my faith, but I also couldn’t help but let a little of my joy and excitement bubble up from the past ten, extraordinary days of my life. At Chicago O’Hare, before catching my train to another terminal, I stepped outside to get a breath of some fresh air. The next door down, Dave had stepped out to smoke a cigarette before catching his train. We waved and I walked over. For some reason, he was suddenly full of questions about my idea of God and mentioned that I seemed to talk about God in a more specific way than he really saw things. He said I seemed to mention Jesus a lot, but he really saw God as more of a general force of energy in the world. I was trying to explain how I believed the energy force of God is the power of His love being constantly expressed in the world by His Holy Spirit, and that He reveals the nature of His love in Jesus. When we started talking about how love requires relationship and how God created us for a personal relationship instead of being distant, he asked me if I wanted to join him in the airport bar for a beer. I walked with him as we continued our incredibly deep discussion of faith. Pretty soon, he was asking about the miracles again. I showed him one of the testimony pictures on my lap top, and suddenly he was talking about the pain he’s had for ten years from a bulged disc in his lower back. I told him I was really excited to see if God was going to be continuing to heal people back in America like He was in Pakistan, and asked if he’d like to be the first person I prayed with since coming home. He said “sure” and the next thing I know, we’re standing up in the airport bar, with me laying hands on his back and praying for healing in the name of Jesus. His pain went down from a “6” to a “2” and he was really smiling as he bent over and twisted around in ways he couldn’t do before! I said let’s go for “0” and no pain at all. We prayed again—all in the very specific name of Jesus and by the power of His blood, out of God’s personal love for Dave. This time, he was ready for me to lead him a prayer to ask Jesus to completely heal him. And all the pain went completely went away! He laughed as he mentioned the cigarettes and bear and some other sins that had been in his life. I told him, “That’s the point. It’s not about the rules; it’s about the relationship. Then a changed heart starts to change our desires and habits.” That made it really easy to connect the dots about the very personal nature of this God and His energy and power of love, very specifically revealed and displayed in the name of Jesus! Thank You, Lord. I can already see You’ve given me a deeper faith and greater boldness to share the hope that is within me in gentleness and love, but with authority in the confidence of Your name, all by Your grace. As I begin to live out the faith and hope and love You’ve been pouring into me in these days, help me share it in ways that bring others to You in gentleness and reverence—whether in airport bars or anywhere else my journey with You will lead. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, thank you for your prayers for me in ministry to the people of Pakistan. It's amazing to see all the Lord is doing! As I've shared with our intercessory prayer team, we are hearing incredible testimonies of healing and deliverance from our healing revival meetings. By the grace of God, the Lord keeps increasing my personal faith and boldness to preach and to pray, as I'm surrounded by people so hungry and thirsty for an encounter with Jesus. Praise God! God is on the move in the earth in these days, and I join with you in crying out to Him to move in the power and glory of His name in our nations and all the nations of the earth. Come to The Mountain! Tonight, Monday, December 21st at 7PM, to hear special guest speaker Henri Haber, whose father is a well respected leader of our Jewish Community in Lexington, and a Holocaust survivor. Our weekly prayer meeting for Isreal and the peace of Jerusalem are led by Bob and Doris McCray and hosted at New Life Church, 2601 Clays Mill Rd (corner of Clays Mill and Hill n' Dale) in Lexington. All are welcome! Contact Doris for details at bndmccray@windstream.net Please prayerfully keep Messiah Ministries in mind for your Year-end and Christmas giving to the ministries of the Kingdom of God. I hope you find our ministry to be good soil to sow your seeds for the growing maturity of the God's Kingdom on earth. I'll be glad to speak with you personally about our vision and calling in ministry if you'd like to join with us in your prayer and financial support. Thank You! to our Isaiah 35 Covenant Partners and other supporters in prayer and finances who make this ministry possible at home and abroad to the nations. "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14). January 27-30, 2010: The Fountain School of Spiritual Ministry--Level 1 A focused time of teaching, equipping, discipleship and mentoring, personal ministry in a fun and spiritual atmosphere of worship and prayer led by Tommy Hays and our team at Messiah Ministries. We will study and experience a Biblical perspective of the ministry of healing and wholeness of spirit, soul and body, and apply the foundational principles of the Kingdom of God for prayer ministry. The course combines dynamic classroom teaching in a small group setting with personal hands-on experience as students receive personal ministry and are guided in ministry for others. For more information or to Register for The Fountain School of Spiritual Ministry please click on this link: Information/RegisterSchoolOfMinistryLevelOne Subscribe for free 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 Books, Free to Be Like Jesus and Morning by Morning, or our other Ministry Resources or Contribute On-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

Sharing Hope and Faith Everywhere 12-21-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Son of God, Savior of man, King and Lord of all heaven and earth, I entrust my heart and this day to You. … “But in your hearts, sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an account of the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and in reverence” (1 Peter 3:15-16). The man next to me on the overseas leg of my flight from Abu Dhabi to Chicago was a Canadian science teacher, going home after his first year working abroad. In our casual conversations, Dave asked me what I had been doing in Pakistan. And I told him a little taste of the amazing things I had seen You do among the people there and in my own heart. I was telling him how the Christians there seem to see the miracles of God as almost normal Christian life because that seems to be one of the main ways Muslim people come to know Christ—when they see the love of God in the people and the power of God in the name of Jesus through the healing prayer. He was pleasant, but seemed a little skeptical and watched movies most of our trip. I wasn’t pushy in my faith, but I also couldn’t help but let a little of my joy and excitement bubble up from the past ten, extraordinary days of my life. At Chicago O’Hare, before catching my train to another terminal, I stepped outside to get a breath of some fresh air. The next door down, Dave had stepped out to smoke a cigarette before catching his train. We waved and I walked over. For some reason, he was suddenly full of questions about my idea of God and mentioned that I seemed to talk about God in a more specific way than he really saw things. He said I seemed to mention Jesus a lot, but he really saw God as more of a general force of energy in the world. I was trying to explain how I believed the energy force of God is the power of His love being constantly expressed in the world by His Holy Spirit, and that He reveals the nature of His love in Jesus. When we started talking about how love requires relationship and how God created us for a personal relationship instead of being distant, he asked me if I wanted to join him in the airport bar for a beer. I walked with him as we continued our incredibly deep discussion of faith. Pretty soon, he was asking about the miracles again. I showed him one of the testimony pictures on my lap top, and suddenly he was talking about the pain he’s had for ten years from a bulged disc in his lower back. I told him I was really excited to see if God was going to be continuing to heal people back in America like He was in Pakistan, and asked if he’d like to be the first person I prayed with since coming home. He said “sure” and the next thing I know, we’re standing up in the airport bar, with me laying hands on his back and praying for healing in the name of Jesus. His pain went down from a “6” to a “2” and he was really smiling as he bent over and twisted around in ways he couldn’t do before! I said let’s go for “0” and no pain at all. We prayed again—all in the very specific name of Jesus and by the power of His blood, out of God’s personal love for Dave. This time, he was ready for me to lead him a prayer to ask Jesus to completely heal him. And all the pain went completely went away! He laughed as he mentioned the cigarettes and bear and some other sins that had been in his life. I told him, “That’s the point. It’s not about the rules; it’s about the relationship. Then a changed heart starts to change our desires and habits.” That made it really easy to connect the dots about the very personal nature of this God and His energy and power of love, very specifically revealed and displayed in the name of Jesus! Thank You, Lord. I can already see You’ve given me a deeper faith and greater boldness to share the hope that is within me in gentleness and love, but with authority in the confidence of Your name, all by Your grace. As I begin to live out the faith and hope and love You’ve been pouring into me in these days, help me share it in ways that bring others to You in gentleness and reverence—whether in airport bars or anywhere else my journey with You will lead. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, thank you for your prayers for me in ministry to the people of Pakistan. It's amazing to see all the Lord is doing! As I've shared with our intercessory prayer team, we are hearing incredible testimonies of healing and deliverance from our healing revival meetings. By the grace of God, the Lord keeps increasing my personal faith and boldness to preach and to pray, as I'm surrounded by people so hungry and thirsty for an encounter with Jesus. Praise God! God is on the move in the earth in these days, and I join with you in crying out to Him to move in the power and glory of His name in our nations and all the nations of the earth. Come to The Mountain! Tonight, Monday, December 21st at 7PM, to hear special guest speaker Henri Haber, whose father is a well respected leader of our Jewish Community in Lexington, and a Holocaust survivor. Our weekly prayer meeting for Isreal and the peace of Jerusalem are led by Bob and Doris McCray and hosted at New Life Church, 2601 Clays Mill Rd (corner of Clays Mill and Hill n' Dale) in Lexington. All are welcome! Contact Doris for details at bndmccray@windstream.net Please prayerfully keep Messiah Ministries in mind for your Year-end and Christmas giving to the ministries of the Kingdom of God. I hope you find our ministry to be good soil to sow your seeds for the growing maturity of the God's Kingdom on earth. I'll be glad to speak with you personally about our vision and calling in ministry if you'd like to join with us in your prayer and financial support. Thank You! to our Isaiah 35 Covenant Partners and other supporters in prayer and finances who make this ministry possible at home and abroad to the nations. "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14). January 27-30, 2010: The Fountain School of Spiritual Ministry--Level 1 A focused time of teaching, equipping, discipleship and mentoring, personal ministry in a fun and spiritual atmosphere of worship and prayer led by Tommy Hays and our team at Messiah Ministries. We will study and experience a Biblical perspective of the ministry of healing and wholeness of spirit, soul and body, and apply the foundational principles of the Kingdom of God for prayer ministry. The course combines dynamic classroom teaching in a small group setting with personal hands-on experience as students receive personal ministry and are guided in ministry for others. For more information or to Register for The Fountain School of Spiritual Ministry please click on this link: Information/RegisterSchoolOfMinistryLevelOne Subscribe for free 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 Books, Free to Be Like Jesus and Morning by Morning, or our other Ministry Resources or Contribute On-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

“Increase Our Faith!” 12-18-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are my King. You are the Creator and the Center of everything. … “The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’ The Lord replied, ‘If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea, and it would obey you’ ” (Luke 17:5-6). I’m flying home now, after ten days full of nightly healing revival meetings in Pakistan, sharing the love of God revealed in Jesus Christ with the people of this land who were hungry to come and hear. And what amazing sights I’ve seen, as You stretched out Your mighty right hand to save and to heal in ways I’ve only dreamed. These may have been the most exciting ten days of my life. Down inside, I’ve always yearned to be one of Your evangelists who would go to the nations and proclaim the gospel of Your Kingdom, even risking my life, to see souls saved, bodies healed, and demons cast out just in the name of Jesus just like Your first disciples (Luke 9:1-3). And by the grace of God, with the heart of the Father, the power of the Holy Spirit, in the name of Jesus, I have. Praise Your holy name! I saw a blind man healed to see, a mute man delivered to speak, a crippled woman strengthened in her muscles, a demon-possessed man of another religion delivered from evil and set free of his tormented thoughts, a man begin to praise You in tongues for the first time, a kidney stone dissolved on the spot, many ask Jesus to come as Lord into their hearts, and so much more. And those were just some of the things I saw in front of me with my own eyes. I’ve heard more every day and expect to hear of even so much incredibly more. All by power of the grace of God, I loved to encounter Your Presence and experience Your power in these ways that You displayed Your love for Your people who humbled themselves to call on Your name in faith. And now as I fly back and transition to another world, I wonder if I will find this kind of faith at home. I wonder if I will still find this kind of faith in me. I’m remembering Your words, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8) What comes to mind is and rises in my heart is “Lord, increase our faith!” (v. 17:5) You are the same God in America that You are in Pakistan. We need as much salvation, healing, and deliverance as they do—maybe more. And Lord Jesus, You are the same “yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). You are the God who never changes, no matter our nation, no matter our inclination (James 1:17). So Lord, all by Your grace, I choose to believe. Keep delivering me from any of my unbelief. Keep increasing my faith. And in the faith that pleases You, let me expect to see more of You and more Your love and more of Your power in every area of my life and every life and every place You send me. I prayed to never be the same after this ministry trip—I’m not; and You are. Hallelujah! Praise You Jesus! In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Morning by Morning, Wednesday 12-16-09 – Blessed are the Poor; Mighty is their God Good morning, Lord Jesus. Your name is the name above every name—in every land in all the earth and here in my heart. … “May all kings bow down before Him, all nations give Him service. For He delivers the needy when they call, the poor and those who have no helper. He has [compassion] on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence, He redeems their life, and precious is their blood in His sight” (Psalm 72:11-14). A few nights ago was a holy night to me. In the evening we went outside the city of Lahore, Pakistan in the Punjab region to a village far off the main road, down a dark and rutty road. From our vehicle we walked through the winding corridors by flashlight until we came to the big tent in the center of the village. All the electrical power was out. But the night sky was crisp and clear, filled with the sparkling lights of the stars above us, reminding me of the millions of mighty warring and worshipping angels of heaven’s host, ready to join us in the praise and the battle to come. And the closer we came to the tent, the louder we heard the songs of worship and praise to the glorious One before whom all kings must bow and all nations must serve. After we worshipped in the dark and I shook hands with those who had come to look and see in the back of the tent, the lights came on. Smiling faces of children covered us with rose petals and danced before the Lord. The hands of the people were waving high in hallelujahs of praise to the King of kings and Lord of lords as the name of Jesus was lifted high over this village and proclaimed into the spiritual realm. As I received their welcome and gave my greetings to the Christians and Muslims who had come to experience this healing revival meeting, I noticed so many were wearing no shoes. This was a very poor village, full of very needy and hurting people. Yet here they were, singing praises to God in the dark and the cold, excited to see what God would do in their lives, while praising Your name for all You have already done and all that You are. You have a heart for the poor. And Your compassion began to swell in my heart with Your Father heart as I looked out with tears at Your sons and daughters, longing for each one there to know Your love and experience Your power. And so they did. By the grace of God You moved by Your Holy Spirit in the power of Your love through the preaching and praying, boldly proclaiming healing and deliverance in the name of Jesus. So many wanted prayer in such an atmosphere of Your Presence. We all knew that surely the Presence of the Lord was in this place, and Your power was present to heal (Luke 5:17). I could see the joy on their faces after we prayed, and we are hearing so many reports from the pastors of all that You are continuing to do among these hungry hearts of the poor and needy who had come seeking Your face and embracing Your grace: A young girl came up for prayer and to say she received Jesus in her heart; a little boy with a fractured arm was able to move it again; a little boy who could not hear or speak began to talk the next day; many were freed of joint, body pain, and head pain instantly; a tumor on the shoulder of woman shriveled away; a man in his customary Muslim attire who was tormented by demonic spirits in his mind was set free and restored to his right mind; and so much more! Some things happened instantly and others over the next day or so, but we were all touched and moved by the Presence of God and outpouring of Your Spirit as we proclaimed the name of Jesus. Many joined in prayers asking Jesus into their hearts. And all our lives will never be the same! I don’t always understand Your ways and why it seems You move so mightily in the lives of so many in some cultures and places for Your purposes. But I do know You have a great heart for the poor who have no help but You. And I do know that there is some kind of spiritual dynamic that is released when hungry desperation and undoubting faith collide in an atmosphere of Your Presence. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6). So I desperately, faithfully pray that by the grace of God what I’ve seen You do in Pakistan, You will continue to do in the cultures and nations, the cities and villages, the hearts and minds of all people of all nations of the earth in our generation and those to come. But for this day, I praise the name of Jesus for what I’ve seen You do in my heart and in the hearts of so many who are so hungry for so much more of You. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, thank you for your prayers for me in ministry to the people of Pakistan. It's amazing to see all the Lord is doing! As I've shared with our intercessory prayer team, we are hearing incredible testimonies of healing and deliverance from our healing revival meetings. By the grace of God, the Lord keeps increasing my personal faith and boldness to preach and to pray, as I'm surrounded by people so hungry and thirsty for an encounter with Jesus. Praise God! God is on the move in the earth in these days, and I join with you in crying out to Him to move in the power and glory of His name in our nations and all the nations of the earth. Come to The Fountain! This Friday Night December 18th at 7PM, the 3rd Friday Night of every month, for our Messiah Ministries monthly gathering for prayer, praise, and healing worship. Led by Messiah Ministries and hosted at Centenary United Methodist Church, 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky. Come drink deeply from The Fountain of Living Waters as we worship Jesus in the freedom of His Holy Spirit. Pastor Linda Dulin will be leading in Prayer and Kerry Dorrell will be leading in Worship. All are welcome and spread the word! Contact Marilyn Walker for details: DirOfMinistries@aol.com 859-422-1794 Many thanks to our Isaiah 35 Covenant Partners and other supporters in prayer and finances who make this ministry possible at home and abroad to the nations. "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14). Please prayerfully keep Messiah Ministries in mind for your Year-end and Christmas giving to the ministries of the Kingdom of God. I hope you find our ministry to be good soil to sow your seeds for the growing maturity of the God's Kingdom on earth. I'll be glad to speak with you personally about our vision and calling in ministry if you'd like to join with us in your prayer and financial support. Subscribe for free 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 Books, Free to Be Like Jesus and Morning by Morning, or our other Ministry Resources or Contribute On-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

Blessed are the Poor; Mighty is their God 12-16-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Your name is the name above every name—in every land in all the earth and here in my heart. … “May all kings bow down before Him, all nations give Him service. For He delivers the needy when they call, the poor and those who have no helper. He has [compassion] on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence, He redeems their life, and precious is their blood in His sight” (Psalm 72:11-14). A few nights ago was a holy night to me. In the evening we went outside the city of Lahore, Pakistan in the Punjab region to a village far off the main road, down a dark and rutty road. From our vehicle we walked through the winding corridors by flashlight until we came to the big tent in the center of the village. All the electrical power was out. But the night sky was crisp and clear, filled with the sparkling lights of the stars above us, reminding me of the millions of mighty warring and worshipping angels of heaven’s host, ready to join us in the praise and the battle to come. And the closer we came to the tent, the louder we heard the songs of worship and praise to the glorious One before whom all kings must bow and all nations must serve. After we worshipped in the dark and I shook hands with those who had come to look and see in the back of the tent, the lights came on. Smiling faces of children covered us with rose petals and danced before the Lord. The hands of the people were waving high in hallelujahs of praise to the King of kings and Lord of lords as the name of Jesus was lifted high over this village and proclaimed into the spiritual realm. As I received their welcome and gave my greetings to the Christians and Muslims who had come to experience this healing revival meeting, I noticed so many were wearing no shoes. This was a very poor village, full of very needy and hurting people. Yet here they were, singing praises to God in the dark and the cold, excited to see what God would do in their lives, while praising Your name for all You have already done and all that You are. You have a heart for the poor. And Your compassion began to swell in my heart with Your Father heart as I looked out with tears at Your sons and daughters, longing for each one there to know Your love and experience Your power. And so they did. By the grace of God You moved by Your Holy Spirit in the power of Your love through the preaching and praying, boldly proclaiming healing and deliverance in the name of Jesus. So many wanted prayer in such an atmosphere of Your Presence. We all knew that surely the Presence of the Lord was in this place, and Your power was present to heal (Luke 5:17). I could see the joy on their faces after we prayed, and we are hearing so many reports from the pastors of all that You are continuing to do among these hungry hearts of the poor and needy who had come seeking Your face and embracing Your grace: A young girl came up for prayer and to say she received Jesus in her heart; a little boy with a fractured arm was able to move it again; a little boy who could not hear or speak began to talk the next day; many were freed of joint, body pain, and head pain instantly; a tumor on the shoulder of woman shriveled away; a man in his customary Muslim attire who was tormented by demonic spirits in his mind was set free and restored to his right mind; and so much more! Some things happened instantly and others over the next day or so, but we were all touched and moved by the Presence of God and outpouring of Your Spirit as we proclaimed the name of Jesus. Many joined in prayers asking Jesus into their hearts. And all our lives will never be the same! I don’t always understand Your ways and why it seems You move so mightily in the lives of so many in some cultures and places for Your purposes. But I do know You have a great heart for the poor who have no help but You. And I do know that there is some kind of spiritual dynamic that is released when hungry desperation and undoubting faith collide in an atmosphere of Your Presence. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6). So I desperately, faithfully pray that by the grace of God what I’ve seen You do in Pakistan, You will continue to do in the cultures and nations, the cities and villages, the hearts and minds of all people of all nations of the earth in our generation and those to come. But for this day, I praise the name of Jesus for what I’ve seen You do in my heart and in the hearts of so many who are so hungry for so much more of You. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, thank you for your prayers for me in ministry to the people of Pakistan. It's amazing to see all the Lord is doing! As I've shared with our intercessory prayer team, we are hearing incredible testimonies of healing and deliverance from our healing revival meetings. By the grace of God, the Lord keeps increasing my personal faith and boldness to preach and to pray, as I'm surrounded by people so hungry and thirsty for an encounter with Jesus. Praise God! God is on the move in the earth in these days, and I join with you in crying out to Him to move in the power and glory of His name in our nations and all the nations of the earth. Come to The Fountain! This Friday Night December 18th at 7PM, the 3rd Friday Night of every month, for our Messiah Ministries monthly gathering for prayer, praise, and healing worship. Led by Messiah Ministries and hosted at Centenary United Methodist Church, 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky. Come drink deeply from The Fountain of Living Waters as we worship Jesus in the freedom of His Holy Spirit. Pastor Linda Dulin will be leading in Prayer and Kerry Dorrell will be leading in Worship. All are welcome and spread the word! Contact Marilyn Walker for details: DirOfMinistries@aol.com 859-422-1794 Many thanks to our Isaiah 35 Covenant Partners and other supporters in prayer and finances who make this ministry possible at home and abroad to the nations. "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14). Please prayerfully keep Messiah Ministries in mind for your Year-end and Christmas giving to the ministries of the Kingdom of God. I hope you find our ministry to be good soil to sow your seeds for the growing maturity of the God's Kingdom on earth. I'll be glad to speak with you personally about our vision and calling in ministry if you'd like to join with us in your prayer and financial support. Subscribe for free 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 Books, Free to Be Like Jesus and Morning by Morning, or our other Ministry Resources or Contribute On-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

Bold Words, Mighty Signs 12-15-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Son of God, Savior of all, You are the Healer of our hearts, minds, bodies, and sprits. And I freely choose to give my life daily in trusting submission to Your love and Your will. … “And now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak Your Word with all boldness, while You stretch out Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of Your holy servant Jesus” (Acts 4:29-30). In this nation of Pakistan, there is great pressure against proclaiming the name of Jesus on many levels, both in the natural realm and the spiritual realm. But there is no containing the joy in the hearts of those who come to know Your mercy and love and the power of Your name. Each night as You give me grace to boldly proclaim the salvation and glory of Your holy name in the power of Your Holy Spirit, I am amazed at all I see before my eyes. Many are so ready to open their hearts to You, as they see and experience Your power and love. The people here are so hungry for Your truth and an encounter with Your Presence. Their faith and expectancy of Your Word going forth with confirmation in Your power is so amazing. They expect to be saved when they welcome You into their hearts and they expect to be healed when You touch their bodies. And they are! Then they tell their testimonies and impart their faith to all who will hear, and then those who have heard want to come and see all that You have done and all that You will do. As You said of the Centurion’s faith who completely believed in the power of Your authority to save and to heal, never “have I found such faith” (Luke 7:9). I praise You, Lord God. You are the Savior and Healer of all who will call on Your name and trust in Your love. And You are increasing my faith as I see such hunger and faith in the hearts to the people of the land who are experiencing such an encounter with You and awakening of their lives. Thank You for allowing me to come and join in what You are doing in them and in me. Thank You for all those You’ve called to join me in prayer for Your kingdom to come and Your will to be done here in Pakistan and in our hearts and in all the earth as it in heaven. May Your Word continue to be proclaimed here and in every nation with all boldness, as You stretch out Your mighty hand to save and to heal with mighty signs of the glory and power of Your name. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, thank you for your prayers for me in ministry to the people of Pakistan. It's amazing to see all the Lord is doing! As I've sharing with our intercessory prayer team, we are hearing incredible testimonies of healing and deliverance from our healing revival meetings. By the grace of God, the Lord keeps increasing my personal faith and boldness to preach and to pray, as I'm surrounded by people so hungry and thirsty for an encounter with Jesus. Praise God! He is moving in the nations of the earth, and I join with you in crying out to Him to move in the power and glory of His name in our nations and all the nations of the earth. Many thanks to our Isaiah 35 Covenant Partners and other supporters in prayer and finances who make this ministry possible at home and abroad to the nations. "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14). Please prayerfully keep Messiah Ministries in mind for your Year-end and Christmas giving to the ministries of the Kingdom of God. I hope you find our ministry to be good soil to sow your seeds for the growing maturity of the God's Kingdom on earth. Subscribe for free 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 Books, Free to Be Like Jesus and Morning by Morning, or our other Ministry Resources or Contribute On-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

We Have Seen a Great Light 12-12-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Let your light shine in me. By the grace of God, let Your light shine through me. … “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined. You have multiplied the nation, You have increased its joy; they rejoice before You as with joy at the harvest…. For a Child has been born for us, a Son given to us” (Isaiah 9:2-3). I’m moved to tears with the joy that You would allow me to come and share this gospel of the Your Kingdom and minister Your healing love to help prepare the way of the Lord in hearts and land of the people of Pakistan. Thank You for the simple message of mercy and love You’ve given me to share with hungry hearts, Muslim and Christian alike, almost overwhelmed with the darkness of our broken, fallen world, where all hurt and we all sin and we all need the love of God revealed in Jesus the Christ. But You are Light in the midst of darkness. And You perfectly reveal the heart of God toward all who need hope and peace through the forgiving, freeing, healing love of God. For God is a good Father. And He has a Son. And His name is Jesus! Thank You, Jesus, for coming into our hearts and changing our lives. Thank You for cleansing our souls, setting us free, and making us whole. Thank You for shining Your light in our lives and through our lives to others. Though we are a people who live in great darkness—whether in our own hearts or in the heart of the world—we have seen a Great Light in You. Let the light of Your glory shine in Pakistan and America and in the nations of the earth. Let the light of Your glory shine in me and in all who will call on Your name and be saved from their sins and for Your glory. “Arise, shine! For your Light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you!” (Isaiah 60:1). In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, the Love was moving among us in a deeply personal and loving way by the glory of His Presence last night at our first revival meeting among Christian and Muslim people seeking the peace that only Christ can offer. Many are coming and putting their faith and hope in the Lord! Tonight I will begin preaching a series of healing revival meetings in public and in churches in the Lahore, Punjab region of Pakistan. Please keep us in your prayers and thank you for joining and sharing with me in the journey of proclaiming the good news of the gospel of the kingdom to the nations. "For the share of the one who goes down into battle shall be the same as the share of the one who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike" (1 Samuel 30:24). Many thanks to our Isaiah 35 Covenant Partners and other supporters who make this ministry possible at home and abroad to the nations. "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14). Subscribe for free 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 Books, Free to Be Like Jesus and Morning by Morning, or our other Ministry Resources or Contribute On-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

Peace for Isaac and Ishmael 12-11-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Lord of the stars of the heavens, Lord of the nations of the earth, be Lord of my life this day. … “Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpalah, in the field of Ephron so of Zohar the Hittite, east of Mamre, the field that Abraham purchased from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried, with his wife Sarah” (Genesis 25:8-10). Both the sons of Abraham—Isaac and Ishmael, the son of Sarah and the son of Hagar—came together to honor their father at the end of his days. Perhaps the pain and resentment of their broken family were set aside in respect for the one who gave them life. Perhaps this speaks of the healing and reconciliation that can come to all when we turn our hearts to honor our Father who gives us life. And we can only truly know life when we know the One who is Life—the Way, the Truth, and the Life—for “no one comes to the Father, except through (You, Lord Jesus)” (John 14:6). And when we come to know You, we come to know our Father also (v. 14:7). For You and the Father are One (v. 14:11). In You, there is healing and reconciliation for all—even for all the descendants of Isaac and Ishmael. “For in Christ Jesus (we) are all children of God through faith. As many of (us) who were baptized into Christ have clothed (ourselves) with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male or female; for all of (us) are one in Christ Jesus. And if (we) belong to Christ, then (we) are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise…. And because (we) are children, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So (we) are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God” (Galatians 3:26-4:7). You are the “Prince of Peace” for Isaac and Ishmael and for all people of all nations and generations (Isaiah 9:6). You alone are our only true Source and only true Hope of true peace. “For in (You) all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through (You) God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of (Your) cross” (Colossians 1:19-20). “But now in Christ Jesus, you who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He is our Peace; in His flesh He made both groups into and has broken down the diving wall, that is, the hostility between us… So He came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through Him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father” (Ephesians 2:13-18). In Jesus Christ alone, will the sons and daughters of Isaac and Ishmael, of all tribes and tongues and nations of the earth, know the peace our Father longs for us to have by Your Spirit. So come, Lord Jesus, reveal Your truth and Your peace, as we turn our hearts to honor our Father. Then in You, we will be healed and reconciled to God and to one another. There is no other Way. “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved” and by which we may have peace (Acts 4:12). In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, tonight I will begin preaching a series of healing revival meetings in public and in churches in the Lahore, Punjab region of Pakistan. Please keep us in your prayers and thank you for joining and sharing with me in the journey of proclaiming the good news of the gospel of the kingdom to the nations. "For the share of the one who goes down into battle shall be the same as the share of the one who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike" (1 Samuel 30:24). Many thanks to our Isaiah 35 Covenant Partners and other supporters who make this ministry possible at home and abroad to the nations. "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14). Subscribe for free 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 Books, Free to Be Like Jesus and Morning by Morning, or our other Ministry Resources. They make great Christmas presents! or Contribute: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

The Wilderness of Hagar and Ishmael 12-9-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Wherever I go, You are there. Wherever I am, You are here. … “The angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. And He said, ‘Hagar, slave-girl of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?’ She said, ‘I am running away from my mistress Sarai.’ The angel of the Lord said to her, ‘Return to your mistress, and submit to her.’ The angel of the Lord also said to her, ‘I will so greatly multiply your offspring that they cannot be counted for multitude.’ And the angel of the Lord said to her, ‘Now you have conceived and will bear a son; you shall call him Ishmael, for the Lord has given heed to your affliction. He shall be a wild ass of a man, with his hand against everyone, and everyone’s hand against him; and his shall live at odds with all his kin.’ So she named the Lord who spoke to her, ‘You are El-roi,’ for she said, ‘Have I really seen God and remained alive after seeing Him?’ Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; it lies between Kadesh and Bered. Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael” (Genesis 16:7-16). Right now, I’m flying over the wilderness. I don’t mean any wilderness. I mean, “The Wilderness”—where Moses led the children of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt, where Moses took off his shoes on the holy ground of the burning bush, and where Hagar fled from her harsh mistress, Sarai, who had grown bitter and jealous from the delay of the promises of God in her life (v. 16:1-6). Somewhere beneath the wings of this plane lie both Mount Horeb and Mecca, the land where the descendants of both Isaac and Ishmael have walked and lived, as revealed and recorded in the Word of God. In this wilderness, You appeared to Hagar, the mother of Ishmael, the mother of the Arabic nations, who would later follow a religion called Islam. And here in this wilderness, You spoke to Hagar a command to return to Abram and Sarai, with her son in her womb. And, at the same time, You spoke a blessing over her, that the descendants of her son would be greatly multiplied, even though they would also experience contention and strife with all people all around them. Even before Isaac was born under the blessing of Your covenant with Abraham, You first called Abraham and his son Ishmael to be circumcised as a mark and seal of their place in Your heart (v. 17:23-27). And before Abraham and Sarah held Isaac in their arms, the son of the covenant of Your promise, You first spoke a blessing over Ishmael: “As for Ishmael, I have heard you; I will bless him and make him fruitful and exceedingly numerous; he shall be the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this season next year” (v. 17:20-21). Sadly, Sarah seemed to be jealous of Hagar and her son Ishmael, concerned for the inheritance of Sarah’s son Isaac. And though “the matter was greatly distressing to Abraham on account of his son,” Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael away into the wilderness, but with the promise of God to “make a great nation of him also” (v. 21:9-14). But there in the wilderness, through their sense of rejection, abandonment, and shame, You did not forget Hagar and her son, Ishmael. You spoke to her through Your angel in the desert: “Do not be afraid; for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. Come, lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him” (v. 21:15-19). Though it seemed Ishmael was cast away by his earthly father along with his mother, You did not leave him nor forsake him. And Despite what he must have thought and what his descendants of the nations and generations since him may think, You were always with him: “God was with the boy, and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness of Paran; and his mother got a wife for him in the land of Egypt” (v. 21:20-21). O Lord, as I continue on in my journey across this ancient wilderness and on to ministry among the sons and daughters of Ishmael in Pakistan, give me Your heart for each of them and for their land. With Your heart and Your words, with Your message of hope and love, and Your prayers for restoration of peace in their souls and toward their neighbors, let me be a light in the midst of darkness. In the healing love of God, let me lead them to the One who is the Light, to the One who has never forgotten them, never rejected or abandoned them, and never forsaken them. Though these sons and daughters of Ishmael, through the brokenness, confusion, and devastation of generations dating back to their first father, may believe that God is no Father and He has no Son, let them hear Your heart and know Your truth. Continue to reveal Yourself to them in their dreams and through the mercy and power of Your grace as Issa—Jesus who is their healer and prince of peace. And let them come to know that God is a Father, that God has created them for a personal relationship of love, for “God is love” (1 John 4:8). And that God loves them so much He gave His only begotten Son for them so that they would never feel Fatherless, rejected, abandoned, or ashamed (John 3:16). They are welcome home into the arms of the One who promised to bless them and make a fruitful and mighty nation of them, as sons and daughters of Abraham and Ishmael (Genesis 17:20). In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I have now made it to Pakistan safely into the home of my host pastor and his family for a day to visit and rest. Tomorrow night I will be preaching my first revival meeting. Please keep us in your prayers and thank you for joining and sharing with me in the journey of proclaiming the good news of the gospel of the kingdom to the nations. "For the share of the one who goes down into battle shall be the same as the share of the one who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike" (1 Samuel 30:24). Subscribe for free 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 Books, Free to Be Like Jesus and Morning by Morning, or our other Ministry Resources. They make great Christmas presents! or Contribute: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

Equal Share of Joy 12-8-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Into Your hands I commit my spirit, my soul, and my body, all that I am and all that I have, this day and every day. … “For the share of the one who goes down into the battle shall be the same as the share of the one who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike” (1 Samuel 30:24). I’ve boarded my plane and begun my journey to the nation of Pakistan, going down into the battle to carry the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the people of this land. May they see the nature of Christ in my heart, the love of God in my eyes, and the power of the Holy Spirit in my prayers. May Your holy angels surround me and Your Holy Spirit go before me to prepare the way of the Lord in my heart and theirs. May every plan and scheme of the enemy of our souls be exposed and cancelled by the blood of the Lamb; and may all that is intended for evil be used for good, as the love of God and glory of Your gospel is proclaimed to all. And thank You so much for the army of prayer warriors You have raised to cover my back and open the way through the intercession of these saints. These who stay behind on their knees in prayer are just as significant as the one who goes down into the battle on the ground. We are all on the front lines of this battle—in the heavens and on the earth. Our reward is the same—the joy of knowing You and obeying Your will so that all who come to a knowledge of the truth of God revealed in Jesus Christ through the sacrifice of Your love for us on the cross is bolding, lovingly share with all people of all nations. For it has always been in Your heart to be patient and merciful with us all, of every culture, nation, and generation, “not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). “For God so love the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16, NKJV). Thank You for this calling upon my life, and thank You for calling so many others to come along with me in the journey and down into the battle. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays My friends, thank you so much for joining with me in the journey and down into the battles as the Lord leads. Please pray for my flight to leave out of Chicago on time tonight through this snow storm that is delaying many flights, and for safe travel and ministry all along the way for these 10 days of ministry in Pakistan. I'll be preaching and ministering at revival meetings in public and in churches. "And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations; and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14). I couldn't do my part in my generation without you! We do it together with the gifts God alone has given each of us. God bless you! Great is your reward (Matthew 6:4). And great is my thanks to you! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Subscribe for free 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 Books, Free to Be Like Jesus and Morning by Morning, or our other Ministry Resources. They make great Christmas presents! or Contribute: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org