Humility and Faith 3-8-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I want to begin this day and every day centered in Christ, embraced by the Father, and filled with the Holy Spirit. … “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You” (2 Chronicles 20:12). Humility admits it when we don’t know what to do—when we are worried or afraid, when we are weak or ashamed, when we are confused or disappointed. But faith lifts our eyes to You—to the One who is greater than any of our circumstances, to the One who already sees the end the from the beginning and the beginning from the end, to the One who knows every choice that will be made by everyone involved, to the One who promises to redeem everything in our lives that we will entrust into Your hands so that You can cause all things to work together for good for those who love You and who are called according to Your purpose. Humility and faith are mighty weapons of spiritual warfare; they are powerful keys of the Kingdom of God. Lord, help me to grow in both humility and faith. Like the people of Judah who felt overwhelmed by an enemy who sought to destroy them and their destiny, help me admit it to You when I feel powerless or afraid in the face of the spiritual enemy of my soul, who comes to steal and kill and destroy (v. 20:3). Then let Your Spirit fall upon me to speak Your Word to me, as I turn to You, call on Your name, and seek Your face, in faith believing You hear me when I call (v. 20:13-14). And as You always do, You will remind me and encourage me to “stand still, and see the victory of the Lord on (my) behalf” (v. 20:17). “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You” (Psalm 56:3, NKJV). Whenever I humble myself in the sight of the Lord, You will lift me up (James 4:10). In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please come join for our yearly Celebration Evening March 19th in Lexington and bring some friends to learn more about all the Lord is doing through Messiah Ministries. Please spread the word. I've included our invitation below and attached it to share with friends. Come join the Celebration March 19th! Exciting Gifts are being contributed for our Silent Auction! For more information & to RSVP please click here: Information/RSVPCelebrationDessert Please Spread the Word, Invite some Friends, and Forward this on to Everyone who may want to join us! God bless you and see you there! Tommy Hays www.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

Dancing with Jesus 3-5-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I lift up Your name and lift up my heart in the communion of prayer. … “If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, O king, let Him deliver us. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods and we will not worship the golden statue that you have set up” (Daniel 3:17-18). My friend Ann’s wheelchair is finally empty today. Her hard-fought, long-fought battle with the symptoms of multiple sclerosis is finally won. Her dream of rising up to dance with Jesus is finally fulfilled. The victory of her healing came in the resurrection that she’s living now and forever in the glory of Your Presence. Until the moment of her last breath on this side of heaven, she kept trusting You, entrusting herself to You, seeking her healing but seeking You even more. And in amazing, spiritual stories of Your tender mercies and abiding Presence that I’ll leave for her husband and family to tell in their way and in their time, You made Yourself so real in the final, sacred days of her time on earth, so embraced in love. Ann knew her healing might not come on this side of heaven. She knew the Kingdom of God has invaded earth through the Presence and Spirit of Christ, but that the fullness of that Kingdom will not yet be fully manifested until Christ returns again. She knew her part was to believe, to pray, to agree with God’s Word, revealing God’s will. She would not bow down to the sickness, infirmity, and disease that sought to take her faith and her life. She would not bow down to death. She kept looking to You, worshipping You, bowing to You alone, walking with her family and friends in the grace and the faith You gave her every day. Death had no victory; death had no sting. “When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be finally fulfilled: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:54-57). The Author and Finisher of Life and Faith delivered her out of the grip of death and into the arms of our Father, who’s embracing her now and forever in the fullness of His love. There are no wheelchairs in heaven. And in heaven there is no death, but only life—life lived more abundantly than we could ever ask or imagine. So in the faith that Ann and Mike lived out before us all, never bowing to anything less than the fullness of the Word of God, she no longer has to walk by faith, for her faith has now become sight. We celebrate for her in heaven, even as we mourn the loss of her here on earth. And we take great delight in knowing Ann is now finally healed, whole, and fully free. In the glory of heaven, she’s dancing with Jesus. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please join me in covering the family of Ann & Mike Troutman in your prayers through this time of both celebration and mourning, tears and joy. 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

The Clash of Swords 3-4-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. “On Christ the Solid Rock I stand.” … I hear the clash of swords The thundering of horses and angels at war I hear the blast of the trumpet sound As the armies of kingdoms advance on the ground I hear a loud shout and the cry of command For the King has come and His Kingdom’s at hand Steady my spirit and strengthen my faith Remind me of my calling to prepare the way Your warriors are ready, healed and free Now it’s time to arise and follow Your lead I hear a loud shout and the cry of command For the King has come and His Kingdom’s at hand The battle’s begun and kingdoms are at war Nation against nation, ripped and torn But the battle was won before the first shot rang out Victory is ours and we give out a shout I hear a loud shout and the cry of command For the King has come and His Kingdom’s at hand Yes, Lord. Thank You for these words You’re writing on my heart and stirring in my spirit as I join in this spiritual battle through the watches of the night. Help me understand and grasp the truth of these paradoxes of faith: The Kingdom has come with the first coming of Christ, yet the Kingdom is not yet fully manifested until Your second coming. The Victory of the Cross is won, yet the battle is real as we enforce the Victory of the Cross every day in every decision and encounter of our lives. The enemy of our souls is defeated, yet every day we must allow You to crush him under out feet and conquer him in our minds, taking every thought captive to the obedience of the truth in Christ (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Lord Jesus, You are the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). And You freely give us Your peace (John 14:27). But at the same time, You also said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace but a sword” (Matthew 10:34). Your peace is not a peace of complacency, passivity, or compromise with evil. Your peace is the peace that comes with the Victory of Your Cross, the Victory of the Kingdom of Light over the kingdom of darkness (1 Peter 2:9). And as Your Word promises: “The God of peace will shortly crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you” (Romans 16:20). In the Spirit, I hear the clash of swords. I hear the cry of Your command. I hear Your call to engage the battle for the battle has begun. “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs” (Matthew 24:6-8). These are the birth pangs of the beginning of a great battle. And as in any battle, there will be casualties of war and pain that’s hard to bear, but it is a battle that must be fought and it is a battle that’s already won. “Blessed be the Lord, my Rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle; my Rock and my Fortress, my Stronghold and my Deliverer, my Shield in whom I take refuge, who subdues (the enemies of my soul, the spiritual forces of wickedness who comes to steal and kill and destroy) under me” (Psalm 144:1-2). In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays My friends, as I send out this word and prayer this morning, I'm reminded of the words of Winston Churchill in the face of great casualties and pain in the midst of a war being waged both on the ground and in the spirit: "You ask, What is our policy? I will say, “It is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us: to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy.” You ask, What is our aim? I can answer with one word: Victory—victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory there is no survival. ... We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and the oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender." By the power of the grace of God, Lord let it be so. Let our generation be found faithful in the war we must wage and the battle we must fight as we follow You in the Victory of the Cross. The battle belongs to the Lord (1 Samuel 17:47). God bless you in victory today! 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

"Know Him Who is True" 3-3-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. With an unveiled face, with unhindered eyes, I lift up my eyes, open up my heart, and behold Your glory. … “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:20). Jesus, You are the Vine and I am an extension of Your branches. You are One with the Father and I am one of the sons of God. You are the Head of Your Church and I am part of the Body of Christ. You are the soon and coming King of Glory and I am one of the willing servants of the Kingdom of God. You are the Commander of the Host of Heaven and I am one of Your spiritual warriors. You are the Bridegroom and I am one with Your Bride. You are the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and I am among those who tremble with delight and shake with awe in the fear of the Lord when You utter Your voice. You are the Lamb of God and I am one from whom You have taken away my sins and the sins of the world. You are the Good Shepherd and I am among the flock of those entrusted to Your care. You are my Savior and I am one of the names written in the palm of Your nail-scarred hand and sealed forever in the Lamb’s Book of Life. You are the King of kings and the Lord of lords and I am among those waiving the palm branches of my spirit in worship to welcome You as King and Lord into my heart and into the earth to rule and reign forever. Help me understand You. Help me know You. Help me seek You, turn to You, and entrust myself to You more and more each day. Let me never be satisfied with what I have learned, but always yearning to know You more. Let me come to know You in every facet and dimension of Your Being—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. “Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord; His appearing is as sure as the dawn; He will come to us like the showers, like the spring rains the water the earth” (Hosea 6:3). So by the power of the grace of God, by yearning desire You’ve placed in my heart, I will press on to know You, to "know Him who is true." And one day, in the glory of Your appearing—as sure as the dawn—“I will know (You) fully, even as I have been fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:12). In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I would appreciate your prayers this morning. It's early here. Sometimes I'm awakened in the night, bombarded with thoughts questioning who I am and any significance to my life. I know that's when it's time to just get up and pray and turn my eyes upon Jesus (Ephesians 1:17-19). He reminds me who I am as He reminds me who He is and who I am in Him. Then it becomes clear what is at the source of the bombardment of these doubting thoughts and Who is the Source of my security and peace. In case that ever happens to you, I'm praying for you right now in the name of Jesus to remember Who He is and who you are in Him. In all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us and nothing will ever separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 8:37-39). Thank you for praying the same for me. Thank you for joining with me in the journey of prayer. God bless you! -- Your friend and prayer partner, 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

Worry or Peace: We Get to Choose 3-2-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I choose You—I choose to trust You, to obey You, to walk with You. I choose to love You and let You love me. … “So do not worry about tomorrow…” (Matthew 6:34). “Don’t worry about tomorrow”—that’s sounds like the name of a nice little song. But it’s a powerful principle of the Word of God. It’s a choice, really. And it’s a choice we make in obedience to Your command: “Don’t worry.” Those are red letter words of Jesus, straight out of the Sermon on the Mount and sent straight for the jugular of all the worries, anxieties, and fears that try to mount up and weigh us down and steal our peace. But as someone has said, “Worry and peace cannot occupy the same space. You get to choose.” So by the power of the grace of God, I choose peace. And I reject worry in the name of Jesus. Worry must go. And peace is welcome to come in its place. You are my Peace, Lord Jesus (Isaiah 9:6; John 14:27). So I choose to “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving. (I will) let (my) requests be known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard (my) heart and mind through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7, NKJV). That’s the way I choose to live, one choice at a time, one victory at a time of peace over worry. And that choice, made faithfully and persistently, will make all the difference. By the grace of God, I get to choose. And so I do. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays My friend, may the Lord our God, who is our Prince of Peace, fill you with the abiding peace of His Presence in your heart and mind every day. Be free from the tyranny of worry, doubt, and fear in the name of Jesus. May God's perfect love cast out all fear and fill you with His faith to trust Him and rest in His abundant provision for your every need. Let your choices always be made out of faith, never out of fear. And please pray the same for me. God bless you! For yourself or for a friend, please consider ordering my books, Free to Be Like Jesus --Transforming Power of Healing & Deliverance or Morning by Morning, A Prayer Journey with Tommy Hays or other our other resources from our resources web-site: 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

Purim Joy 3-1-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Align my heart with Your heart, my mind with Your mind. Help me begin this day well because I begin this day seeking You and Your will. … “Haman son of Hammedatha the Agite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur—that is “the lot”—to crush and destroy them; but when Esther came before the king, he gave orders in writing that the wicked plot that he had devised against the Jews should come upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. Therefore these days are called Purim, from the word Pur” (Esther 9:24-26). Throughout the generations since the days of Esther, Mordecai, and Haman, the Jewish people celebrate the days of Purim in this season to remember how You turned all the evil and destruction intended by Haman against the Jews back on his own head. You reversed the curse and released a blessing. You took what was intended for evil and used it for good. And the days intended for their humiliation and destruction became “days of feasting and gladness” for You turned their “sorrow into gladness and (their) mourning into a holiday” (v. 9:22). You redeem all things we will entrust into Your hands; You answer our prayers of distress when we call on Your name in our time of need. You are a covenant-keeping God—mighty to save and merciful to deliver. You are never blind to the schemes of the enemy of our souls or the wicked choices formed in the minds of men led astray by their own arrogance, prejudice, and pride. One day, the spirit of Haman will stir again in the hearts of wicked men to destroy the Jewish people in a final attempt to break the covenant of God. But just as the days of Esther foreshadow and the days of Purim celebrate, You will turn that day intended for humiliation and destruction into a day of great victory and rejoicing, reversing the curse and releasing a blessing (Zechariah 14:1-21). On that day, they will look up and see You coming again as Messiah and Savior. And You will “pour out a Spirit of compassion and supplication on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that when they look on the One whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for (You) as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over (You) as one weeps over a firstborn” (Zechariah 12:10). In their grief, they will look up and see their redemption drawing near, their Redeemer coming in great glory and power, declaring to You at last, “Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord” (Matthew 23:39). “And on that day, (You) will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem” (Zechariah 12:9). Even today, the spirit of Haman stirs in the hearts of the nations of the earth. It brings hatred and prejudice against the Jewish people to attempt to break Your covenant. And this will only increase as the Day of the Lord approaches. Yet even as evil and darkness increase on the face of the earth, so will Your light and Your glory upon Your people even in the midst of that darkness (Isaiah 60:1-7). And no matter what may come as that day approaches, You will give us grace to keep trusting in You, believing Your Word, and praying for Your people, as we see You honor Your covenant. On the coming Day of the Lord, You will turn all that was intended for evil into good; You will break every wicked curse; and You will release Your great blessing of Your glorious Presence (Revelation 19:11-16). As in the days of Purim, we celebrate with great joy and gladness. “And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Isaiah 35:10). In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays 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 and our resources on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

Morning by Morning, Saturday 2-27-10 – “Renewal of All Things” Good morning, Lord Jesus. Into Your hands I commit my spirit, soul, and body—in this age and in the age to come. Put Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart, as You help me learn to live in Your ways. … “Then Peter said in reply, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed You. What then will we have?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man is seated on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields, for My name’s sake will receive a hundredfold, and will inherit eternal life” (Matthew 19:27-29). At the renewal of all things, You will set all things right. Every wound will be healed, every bondage will be broken. We will be emptied of ourselves and filled with You, freed from our will and our ways and committed to Yours. There will at last be peace on earth and peace in our souls. You are already in the process of renewing all things—all things we will now entrust into Your hands and surrender to Your will, as we welcome Your Spirit into the depths of our lives. “So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16). And in that process, You are shaking everything that needs to be shaken, breaking everything that needs to be broken, and restoring everything that needs to be restored. Sometimes it’s fun and sometimes it’s not; sometimes it breaks Your heart as much as it breaks ours; and sometimes the joy You have in Your Spirit of all we will become overflows into our spirits as well. “For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen, but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:17). No matter what we lose now in this age for the sake of our commitment to Christ, it will not even be worth comparing to all we will gain that really matters in the age to come. You give us room to grieve our loss, but You also give us grace to keep looking up, keep pressing in, and keep pressing on. Day by day, You’re still creating us, always renewing us, and forever making us into the image of our God. “Restore us to Yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored; renew our days as of old” (Lamentations 5:21). “You send forth Your Spirit, (we) are created; and You renew the face of the ground”; and You renew the hearts of Your people (Psalm 104:30). So let this be my prayer—morning by morning and day by day: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10, KJV). It will be worth it forever. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays 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 and our resources on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

Morning by Morning, Friday 2-26-10 – Hope is a Direction, not a Dream Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are steadfast, faithful, and true. So I trust You and entrust myself and my day to You. I love You, Lord. Thank You, Lord, for first loving me. … “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, therefore I will hope in Him” (Lamentations 3:22-23). Some say “to hope” is “to dream,” that’s it hoping and wishing and dreaming that what you want to happen will happen. I think of it as more of a choice. It’s more a decision to consciously, deliberately set my face and my heart in the direction I choose to go forth in faith. In that sense, hope is a direction, not a dream. And it’s not empty hope any more than it’s blind faith. It’s a hope based the evidence of Your steadfast love, Your abounding mercy, and Your faithful presence with me through every battle and blessing of my life. In that sense, hope is not wishful thinking; it’s choosing to align myself with the hope You’ve put in my heart and settled in my mind as the right course for my life. “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7, NKJV). So by the power of the grace of God, I will hope in You. I will trust in You. I will entrust every burden and battle, every worry and care, every struggle and question, every doubt and fear to the One in whom I have consciously, deliberately put my hope and trust. My hope is founded on Your love for me, knowing You desire Your best for me—even when I can’t see it, can’t feel it, can’t even hardly believe it. In that place of trust, Your perfect love casts out all fear (1 John 4:18). “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You” (Psalm 56:3, NKJV). And in that place, with my face and heart set toward You, I have the peace of Your abiding presence with me on my way to wherever You’ve leading and whomever I’m becoming. I don’t have to worry or fear, question or doubt, but simply choose to put my hope in You. And so I do. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please save the date of March 19th for our Celebration Evening in Lexington of all the Lord has been doing through Messiah Ministries this exciting season. Come and see; come and hear our vision and calling; come and be a part! I'll be sharing stories of God's glory from my adventures in Pakistan, Israel, the Philippines, Estonia, and here at home. Come and bring some friends to share the evening of celebration with us. Consider contributing for our Silent Auction to support our ministries. Please send me a note if you'd like to help. 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 and our resources on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

Faithful Friend 2-25-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You and my Father are One. And in the power and mystery of the grace of God, You seek to draw me close to You, to make me one with You by Your Holy Spirit living within me. I worship You and welcome You into the moments of my day. … “It is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a very special place in my heart. We have shared together the blessings of God, both when I was in prison and when I was out, defending the truth and telling others the Good News” (Philippians 1:7, NLT). Thank You that we can share the blessings of God with one another. And it seems we share the greatest blessings with those with whom we share the greatest commitment, those who keep walking with us through the full range of all our experiences and encounters. They stand with us and keep pressing on with us on our good days and bad days, whether we’re full of faith or full of fear, riding high or falling low. They seem to have a grace to keep loving us no matter what, keep standing beside us no matter what comes. And You give us grace to do the same for them. These are the ones we find to have a very special place in our hearts. Sometimes they are our family, sometimes not. Sometimes they are our spouse, sometimes not. But always they are our closest friends. They listen to us, grieve with us, rejoice with us, endure with us. They never leave us or forsake us, but always go forward in the journey with us. We may not see them every day, but think of them often, and always enjoy their presence, even on the hardest of days. Thank You for some of those closest of friends in my life. Help me to be a closer friend for each of them. Give me eyes to see those You’ve already brought into my life and eyes to see those You will bring. The journey of life is too hard and too long to walk through it alone. I hear Your Spirit forming the words of a new song in my heart: Faithful Friend The journey is long And the way is not easy So take me by the hand And remind me Who to believe in I’ll keep waking with Him No matter what others do But I’d rather not walk there alone I’d rather walk there with You You are my friend And I am your friend I’ll be your strength And you’ll be mine too I’ll remind you of Him Whenever you fear You’ll remind me of Him Who knows every tear We’ll praise His name And we’ll sing for joy We’ll keep pressing on Through all that’s in store He is our Faithful Friend And you are my friend too Thank You, Lord Jesus. You are my Savior and my Lord, my Father and my Best Friend. Thank You for revealing Yourself and Your heart to me through my friends. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Thank you, my faithful friends in the journey of prayer through the moments and days of my life in this adventure with God, our Faithful Friend. Thank you for the honor of allowing me to be a daily friend with you in your journey of prayer. God bless you! Friends, please save the date of March 19th for our Celebration Evening in Lexington of all the Lord has been doing through Messiah Ministries this exciting season. Come and see; come and hear our vision and calling; come and be a part! I'll be sharing stories of God's glory from my adventures in Pakistan, Israel, the Philippines, Estonia, and here at home. Come and bring some friends to share the evening of celebration with us. Consider contributing for our Silent Auction to support our ministries. Please send me a note if you'd like to help. 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 and our resources on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

A Rare Sight 2-24-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Open the eyes of my heart to a greater revelation of the glory and power of Your name every day. … “When He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, ‘When will this be and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?’ ” (Matthew 24:3). This morning I see the remnants of a rare sight—a snow day in the Texas hill country. Very rare, indeed. Those that dared to venture out had wide eyes and broad smiles, like little children in a winter wonder land. Maybe snow’s no big deal in most of the country north of here, but it’s a big deal here. And the sign of snow falling from heaven and covering this part of the earth is a sign and a wonder. Signs and wonders are signs that make you wonder. They get our attention. And as the day of Your coming approaches, we will see more signs in the heavens and on the earth. Some will be rare signs, indeed, as we continue to enter into “the beginning of the birth pangs” (v. 24:8). This age that began with Your first coming and the coming of Your Holy Spirit will end with Your second coming, as our human spirits arise to meet You in the clouds of Your glory (1 Thessalonians 4:17). So let us be prepared in our hearts now for the seasons of birth pangs to come, as the contractions on earth and in the heavens increase in frequency and intensity. Give us wisdom and grace to prepare the way of the Lord, that we will be a people prepared to look up and see one day the greatest sign and wonder of all—“the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30). That will be a rare sight, indeed. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please save the date of March 19th for our Celebration Evening in Lexington of all the Lord has been doing through Messiah Ministries this exciting season. Come and see; come and hear our vision and calling; come and be a part! I'll be sharing stories of God's glory from my adventures in Pakistan, Israel, the Philippines, Estonia, and here at home. Come and bring some friends to share the evening of celebration with us. Consider contributing for our Silent Auction to support our ministries. Please send me a note if you'd like to help. 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 and our resources on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

Ministry of Encouragement 2-23-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. My Lord and my God, yet also my Best Friend—there is no God like You; there is no God but You. And I gladly entrust my life and my day to You. … “Each one helps the other, saying to one another, ‘Take courage!’ The artisan encourages the goldsmith, and the one who smoothes with the hammer encourages the one who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering, ‘It is good’; and they fasten it together with nails so that it cannot be moved” (Isaiah 41:6-7). Before going home to Kentucky, You’ve opened up some time to spend with old friends in Texas. How good it is to speak honestly and freely of the deeper things of life and the goodness of our God, in the full range of the experiences of our journeys. These are times when Your ministry of encouragement flows freely in the love and power of Your Spirit. We see things in one another that we can’t always see in ourselves. We call forth the good of God in one another in ways we find hard to call forth in ourselves. We are shaped and strengthened by one another’s words and love in the power and presence of Your Holy Spirit expressing Yourself uniquely through one another. We need community. We need each other. We need true friendships and honest talks, speaking the truth in love and loving one another in the truth of who we really are. It seems You have created us this way so we don’t become so self-dependent and self-sufficient that we become isolated and self-focused. It’s part of Your process of growing us up into Christ-likeness—“to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13). It’s just not good for us to be alone (Genesis 2:18). So thank You for the gift of good friends and honest talks. Thank You for the gift of the ministry of encouragement to “encourage one another and build each other up” so we can be fitted together to know our identity and fulfill our destiny in this life together (1 Thessalonians 5:11). And yet, I also thank You for the times apart when we go and grow into our unique and diverse callings, only making these times of renewed friendship and mutual encouragement that much more powerful and rich with the true treasures of life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please save the date of March 19th for our Celebration Evening in Lexington of all the Lord has been doing through Messiah Ministries this exciting season. Come and see; come and hear our vision and calling; come and be a part! I'll be sharing stories of God's glory from my adventures in Pakistan, Israel, the Philippines, Estonia, and here at home. Come and bring some friends to share the evening of celebration with us. Consider contributing for our Silent Auction to support our ministries. Please send me a note if you'd like to help. 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 and our resources on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

The Law Fulfilled in Love 2-22-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I give You my thoughts and my desires, here at the beginning and throughout this day. … “And He said to the man who had the withered hand, ‘Come forward.’ Then He said to them, ‘Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to kill?’ But they were silent. He looked around at them with anger; He was grieved at their hardness of heart and said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out, and his hand was restored” (Mark 3:3-5). You are more loving than legalistic. You care much more about honoring people than honoring the rules. It’s not that You were lawless, for You came to perfectly fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17). But Your way of fulfilling the law was fulfilling the heart of our Father expressed through the law—the law of God intended to help us, not harm us; to bless us, not curse us; to free us, not enslave us. That way of honoring the law of God while living it out in love infuriated those with legalistic mindsets and religious spirits. They looked for ways to accuse You (Mark 3:2). And then they looked for ways to destroy You (Mark 3:6). But You were never intimidated or afraid. And You never backed down from doing good and ministering love—whether on the sabbath day or any day. You used the principle of the rule of sabbath to express the principle of the heart of the Father in the sabbath: “And He said unto them, ‘The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath. Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath’ ” (Mark 2:27-28). Lord, teach me Your law, but also teach me Your ways of fulfilling Your law in love. Help me have our Father’s heart even as I honor our Father’s law. Let me know what is written but also let me hear what You say. Your ways are much more about relationship than religion. You call us to “be ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Corinthians 3:6). Teach me what that means. Teach me how to live my life and minister Your love in that way, in Your way. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, thank you for your prayers for us in Austin this weekend at our Healing Prayer Conference with Dan Van Nice Ministries. The Holy Spirit moved deeply in our hearts, especially in the deep places of our spirits, souls, and bodies through inner healing and deliverance, which will manifest itself in every area of our lives. I pray the same for you! Please save the date of March 19th for our Celebration Evening in Lexington of all the Lord has been doing through our ministry this exciting season. Come and see; come and hear our vision and calling; come and be a part! Consider contributing for our Silent Auction to support our ministries. Please send me a note if you'd like to help. 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 and our resources on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

“Lacking in Nothing” 2-19-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Make me more like You. Teach me Your ways, conform me to Your nature. Help me grow up in spiritual maturity. … “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). Last night in worship at our healing prayer conference, Your Holy Spirit gave us an image of a man with his pockets pulled out and his hands opened up, as if to say, “I have nothing but You.” We must be emptied of everything in us that is not yet like You, so that we “may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19). We have to let go everything we depend up that would keep us from completely depending upon You. We need to release the things that want to have a grip on us and entrust them all to Your care. “Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you” (Psalm 55:22). As we worship, I began to wonder what was in my pockets—both physically and spiritually. In my left pocket, I felt my iPhone. I seemed to hear You say to my heart, “Release to Me every distraction. Tonight I want You to hear My voice. Let My Text be the text you read.” In my right pocket, I felt my driver’s license, my credit card, and a little cash, and a couple of breath mints. It seemed You were saying, “Find your identity in Me; I am Your authority and power; I provide all you need according to My riches in glory; let Me be your breath of life and release through you the sweet fragrance of Christ.” Blessed are we when we humble ourselves to admit our need. Blessed are we when we come hungering and thirsting for more of You. For then ours is the kingdom of heaven. For then the King of the kingdom of heaven comes to fill our emptiness with Your Presence and exchange all our nothingness with all Your fullness of everything that really matters. Then by the power of Your grace, we will become “mature and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:4). In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Come to The Fountain! This Friday Night February 19th at 7PM, the 3rd Friday Night of every month, for our Messiah Ministries monthly city-wide 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. Linda Dulin will be leading in Prayer and Jeff Centers will be leading in Worship this month. All are welcome and spread the word! Contact Marilyn Walker, our Dir. of Ministries for details 859-317-1591 or DirOfMinistries@aol.com Feb 18-20, in Austin, Texas This Weekend, Join Tommy Hays and Dan Van Nice for a Healing Prayer Conference at Bethany United Methodist Church (www.bethany-umc.org) Thurs and Friday Night 6-9PM; Saturday 9AM-4PM. No Cost; Offering for the ministries will be received. All are welcome to join us.Call Jill: (512) 656-7789 For more information click here 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 and our resources on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

Morning by Morning, Thursday 2-18-10 – Always Ready to Rescue Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are faithful and true, mighty in power, and steadfast in love. … “Some wandered in desert waste places … hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them…. Some sat in darkness and gloom, prisoners in misery and irons, for they had rebelled against the words of God and spurned the counsel of the Most High…. Some were sick through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities endured affliction; they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death…. Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the mighty waters…. They mounted up to heaven, they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their calamity; they reeled and staggered like drunkards, and were at their wits end. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress” (Psalm 107:3-28). No matter where we are, no matter how we got there, You are always listening for our call for help, You are always ready to rescue, to come to our aid and bring us out of our distress. You are the God who satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with every good thing (v. 107:9). You lift us out of all darkness and gloom, shattering the doors of our prisons and cutting in two our bars of iron (v. 107:16). You send forth Your word to heal our hurts and deliver us from destruction (v. 107:20). You still the storms and steady the seas that would overwhelm us and overtake us if we were left to drift alone (v. 107:29). This is “the steadfast love of the Lord” for all who humble themselves to call on Your name in our desperate times of need (v. 107:33). “O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, those He redeemed from trouble” (v. 107:1-2). You redeem all the circumstances and troubles of our lives we will entrust into Your care, causing good to come out of them all in Your timing, in Your ways, in response to our prayers. So give us a heart to thank You for Your Presence and Your love even as we endure our struggles and give us a heart of praise when we look and see the mighty deliverance of Your great salvation (v. 107:8, 15, 21, 31, 42). In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Feb 18-20, in Austin, Texas This Weekend, Join Tommy Hays and Dan Van Nice for a Healing Prayer Conference at Bethany United Methodist Church (www.bethany-umc.org) Thurs and Friday Night 6-9PM; Saturday 9AM-4PM. No Cost; Offering for the ministries will be received. RSVP here or call Jill: (512) 656-7789 For more information click here Come to The Fountain! This Friday Night February 19th at 7PM, the 3rd Friday Night of every month, for our Messiah Ministries monthly city-wide 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. Linda Dulin will be leading in Prayer and Jeff Centers will be leading in Worship this month. All are welcome and spread the word! Contact Marilyn Walker, our Dir. of Ministries for details 859-317-1591 or 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 Order my books and our resources on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

Upcoming Events w/ Messiah Ministries & Tommy Hays

Come Join Us for these Upcoming Messiah Ministries Events and Please Spread the Word! March 19 Celebrate… Passion, Power & Purpose (Messiah Ministries Annual Celebration Event) Come & See! Come & Celebrate! Come & Be a Part of what God is Doing! Stories and Testimonies from Tommy’s recent overseas ministry trips to Pakistan, Israel, the Philippines &Estonia and the exciting moves of God at home and abroad Please RSVP For more information & to RSVP please click on the link below… Information/RSVPCelebrationDessert March 26-28 Healing Prayer Retreat at Asbury Inn on Campus of Asbury Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky A worshipful setting in a safe atmosphere of God's healing Presence and Power, with times of personal prayer ministry and Biblical teaching: Spiritual Principles of Deep Healing— Explore and Encounter God’s order in every dimension—spirit, soul, and body. Past hurts require healing to realize true freedom. It’s only God’s redemptive power that can bring us back to God’s created plan. Hindrances To Healing— Scripture provides principles that reveal possible barriers that hinder healing, freedom and wholeness. These given over to God, prepare the way for God’s powerful healing love. for more information and to register click on the link below… Information/RegisterHealingRetreat Apri 28 – May 1 The Fountain School of Spiritual Ministry--Level II A focused time of teaching, mentoring, discipleship, personal ministry, equipping, worshipping and prayer led by Tommy Hays and his teaching team of experienced prayer ministers. We will continue to 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. Level II gives deeper experience, opportunity, and practice in healing ministry. For more information or to Register for The Fountain School of Spiritual Ministry… Information/RegisterSchoolOfMinistryLevel2 Intercessory Prayer Team The Lord is gathering His army for such a time as this. If you'd like to be part of our intercessory prayer team with interaction and updates, please send a note to our Pastor of Prayer Ministries, Linda Dulin at PrayerLead@aol.com We are trying to establish Linda in a full time position with Messiah Ministries, as we advance in this season, so I've you would like to assist with this, please contact me at MessiahMin@aol.com right away. Feb 18-20, in Austin, Texas This Weekend, Join Tommy Hays and Dan Van Nice for a Healing Prayer Conference at Bethany United Methodist Church (www.bethany-umc.org) Thurs and Friday Night 6-9PM; Saturday 9AM-4PM. No Cost; Offering for the ministries will be received. RSVP here or call Jill: (512) 656-7789 For more information click here God bless you! --Tommy Hays Spiritual Director & Founder, Messiah Ministries "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 and our resources on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

Dust and Ashes 2-17-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Come live in me, come live through me today. … “As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear Him. For He knows how we were made; He remembers that we are dust. As for mortals, their days are like grass; they flourish like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep His covenant and remember to do His commandments” (Psalm 103:13-18). Many streams and traditions of the Church will mark today as Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, the beginning of a season of preparation for the days that mark the death, burial, and resurrection in glory of Christ. In prayers throughout the world today, people will kneel at altars in humility before God and be marked with ashes to remind them of their mortality and need of a Savior—“Dust you are and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). But though we are but dust, created by God from the very soil of this earth, we are also filled with the very breath of God—living souls with purpose and calling and destiny to fulfill in this short span of years we’ve received as the gift of life (Genesis 2:7). That’s a gift of our resurrection life we have only because of the gift of Your sacrificial death for us. So this day marks both humility and hope, repentance from sin but also repentance toward God, death to ourselves and resurrection in Christ. And if we are to have “the same mind in (us) that was in Christ Jesus,” we must first humble ourselves in complete dependence upon God so that He may lift us from our humility, fill us with His Spirit, and position us for His purposes in the days of life He has entrusted to us, “to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:5-11). Prepare my heart today and throughout this season, O Lord, my God. Remind me of my humanity in humility. But also remind me of Your Deity in hope. There is no transformation of the caterpillar to a butterfly without the season of chrysalis. There is no transformation of the human soul from dust to our destiny without the season of humility. And the heart of humility is taking my eyes off of myself and lifting them to You, willingly submitting my will to Your will in the trusting surrender of faith in You and Your heart for me. But You are a good God, a compassionate Father, and a faithful Friend; Your steadfast love endures forever. And as I entrust myself to You in this season of humility and hope, looking to You, beholding Your glory, embracing the breath of Your Spirit, You will be changing me—transforming me “from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18, NKJV). Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Come to The Fountain! This Friday Night February 19th at 7PM, the 3rd Friday Night of every month, for our Messiah Ministries monthly city-wide 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. Linda Dulin will be leading in Prayer and Jeff Centers will be leading in Worship this month. All are welcome and spread the word! Contact Marilyn Walker, our Dir. of Ministries for details 859-317-1591 or DirOfMinistries@aol.com Feb 18-20, in Austin, Texas This Weekend, Join Tommy Hays and Dan Van Nice for a Healing Prayer Conference at Bethany United Methodist Church (www.bethany-umc.org) Thurs and Friday Night 6-9PM; Saturday 9AM-4PM. No Cost; Offering for the ministries will be received. RSVP here or call Jill: (512) 656-7789 For more information click here Come Join Us for these Upcoming Messiah Ministries Events and Please Spread the Word! March 19 Celebrate… Passion, Power & Purpose (Messiah Ministries Annual Celebration Event) Come & See! Come & Celebrate! Come & Be a Part of what God is Doing! Stories and Testimonies from Tommy’s recent overseas ministry trips to Pakistan, Israel, the Philippines &Estonia and the exciting moves of God at home and abroad Please RSVP For more information & to RSVP please click on the link below… Information/RSVPCelebrationDessert March 26-28 Healing Prayer Retreat at Asbury Inn on Campus of Asbury Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky A worshipful setting in a safe atmosphere of God's healing Presence and Power, with times of personal prayer ministry and Biblical teaching: Spiritual Principles of Deep Healing— Explore and Encounter God’s order in every dimension—spirit, soul, and body. Past hurts require healing to realize true freedom. It’s only God’s redemptive power that can bring us back to God’s created plan. Hindrances To Healing— Scripture provides principles that reveal possible barriers that hinder healing, freedom and wholeness. These given over to God, prepare the way for God’s powerful healing love. for more information and to register click on the link below… Information/RegisterHealingRetreat Apri 28 – May 1 The Fountain School of Spiritual Ministry--Level II A focused time of teaching, mentoring, discipleship, personal ministry, equipping, worshipping and prayer led by Tommy Hays and his teaching team of experienced prayer ministers. We will continue to 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. Level II gives deeper experience, opportunity, and practice in healing ministry. For more information or to Register for The Fountain School of Spiritual Ministry… Information/RegisterSchoolOfMinistryLevel2 Thank you for joining in prayer. The Lord is gathering His army for such a time as this. If you'd like to be part of our intercessory prayer team with interaction and updates, please send a note to our Pastor of Prayer Ministries, Linda Dulin at PrayerLead@aol.com We are trying to establish Linda in a full time position with Messiah Ministries, as we advance in this season, so I've you would like to assist with this, please contact me at MessiahMin@aol.com right away. 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 and our resources on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

I Dare to Dream 2-15-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Great and mighty God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I honor You, worship You, and entrust myself to You. May Your will and Your purpose for my life be made fully manifest by the end of my days on this earth. … “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not your harm, to give you a future with hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). I do not yet fully know what is the fullness of my purpose and the fulfillment of Your plans for my life. Yet I do pray that You will yet have Your way. And I do seek that You will grant me the courage and faithfulness to trust and obey the leading of Your Spirit, no matter the cost, and grant me the patience to tenaciously endure every moment of delay, no matter the time it takes. Let me not ever think more highly of myself than You have created me to be. But let me also never think more lowly of myself than the son of God that I am, by the mercy and power of Your grace (Hebrews 2:10). “For it was You who formed my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works, that I know very well…. In Your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed” (Psalm 139:13-16). This is true for each of Your children. And this is true even for one such as me. I Dare to Dream… O how can I doubt Yet how can I believe How can I dare to dream Yet it was You who conceived Am I created for significance For greatness of life Or destined for disappointment Mere misery and strife Do I dare think of myself With destiny and calling Or settle for less Accepting my failures and fallings But what if it’s true We’re each created to be Someone magnificent And each one unique What if the world Would not be the same Without the full measure of my life And every moment of my days What if history itself Could not speak its heart If it failed to record Every act of my part Is it too vain Full of arrogance and pride To think I’ve a part to play That none can play but I I leave it to my God My Creator and King To determine if it’s so Or just a foolish dream Lord, give me the humility to know that I can do nothing apart from You (John 15:50). And at the same time, give me the faith to know that I am never apart from You and that through Christ, I can do all things for Your glory and Your name (Philippians 4:13). Lord, let me do my part in my generation to fulfill my destiny for Your glory, in both humble faith and courageous boldness in a way that honors You with all You have entrusted to me. Let me dare to dream. And if it is true, let me believe in faith that it’s You who gave me these dreams. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Come to The Fountain! This Friday Night February 19th at 7PM, the 3rd Friday Night of every month, for our Messiah Ministries monthly city-wide 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. Linda Dulin will be leading in Prayer and Jeff Settles will be leading in Worship this month. All are welcome and spread the word! Contact Marilyn Walker, our Dir. of Ministries for details 859-317-1591 or DirOfMinistries@aol.com Thank you for joining in prayer. The Lord is gathering His army for such a time as this. If you'd like to be part of our intercessory prayer team with interaction and updates, please send a note to our Pastor of Prayer Ministries, Linda Dulin at PrayerLead@aol.com We are trying to establish Linda in a full time position with Messiah Ministries, as we advance in this season, so I've you would like to assist with this, please contact me at MessiahMin@aol.com right away. 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 and our resources on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

Lionheart! 2-13-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the Lion of the Tribe of Judah as well as the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. You are the Commander of the Army of the Lord as well as the Lamb who was led to slaughter and opened not Your mouth. Lord, let me know You as You are in every dimension of Your Being, so that I can learn to know myself in every dimension of my being. … “Once when Joshua was by Jericho, he looked up and saw a Man standing before him with a drawn sword in His hand. Joshua went to Him and said to Him, ‘Are You one of us or one of our adversaries?’ He replied, ‘Neither; but as Commander of the Army of the Lord I have now come.’ And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and he said to Him, ‘What do You command Your servant, Lord?’ The Commander of the Army of the Lord said to Joshua, ‘Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy.’ And Joshua did so” (Joshua 5:13-15). Lord, You woke me up this morning with my right arm stretched out, violently shaking. In my spirit, I saw a sword in my hand. I knew You were calling me to get up and pray. You’ve been speaking to my heart for several days about calling together the men of our city to prepare for war in the days to come. Men of faith must arise! We must know how to love and to lead, how to stand firm before men and how to bow low before our King. We must know how to walk in honor and authority, how to speak with dignity and power, how to listen with compassion and wisdom, how to act with decisiveness and confidence. We are the Army of the Lord and You are our Commander in Chief. We are to be lionhearted leaders of our families and of our city because we have the heart of the Lion who is our King. “See, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered…” (Revelation 5:5). It seems I hear You say: “Gather My men, my mighty men, whom I will train for war. I will teach them My ways and give them My heart, My Lionheart. I am He who sits in the heavens and I have uttered My voice in the earth. I am assembling My men to prepare their fingers for battle and their hands for war. This is a spiritual war, which must be fought with the heart, with My heart. And so I will give them My Lionheart.” Yes, Lord. Let it be so, according to Your word, in Your timing and in Your way. You bring to mind the fulfillment of Psalm 18, David’s song of great victory and praise for Your mighty deliverance: “I love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, so I shall be saved from my enemies…. The Lord also uttered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered His voice…. For You deliver a humble people, but the haughty eyes You bring down. It is You who light my lamp; the Lord, my God, lights up my darkness. By You I can crush a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall…. He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have given me the shield of salvation, and Your right hand has supported me; Your help has made me great…. I pursued my enemies and overtook them; and did not turn back until they were consumed. I struck them down so that they were not able to rise; they fell under my feet. For You girded me with strength for the battle; You made my assailants sink under me. You made my enemies turn their backs to me, and those who hated me I destroyed… I beat them fine, like dust before the wind; I cast them out like mire in the streets…. Foreigners lost heart, and came trembling out of their strongholds. The Lord lives! Blessed be my rock, and exalted by the God of my salvation…. For this I will extol You, O Lord, among the nations, and sing praises to Your name. Great triumphs He gives to His king, and shows steadfast love to His anointed, to David and his descendants forever” (Psalm 18:1-50). This is a spiritual war against spiritual enemies to be fought with the spiritual “weapons of our warfare” (2 Corinthians 10:4). This battle is not against enemies of flesh and blood, “but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). So we must know our victory because we know the Victorious One. We must know the weapons of our warfare and the nature of our battle and our enemy, as You enforce the victory of Your Cross through Your crucified ones (Galatians 2:20). We must hear the call to our battle and the cry of Your command uttered from the heart of the Lion King stirring the spirits of those You have given Your Lionheart. “Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle!” (Psalm 144:1) Let the men of faith arise! Impart to us Your Lionheart! “Bow Your heavens, O Lord, and come down; touch the mountains so that they smoke…. Stretch out Your hand from on high; set me free! … May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, out daughters like corner pillars, cut for the building of the palace…. May there be no breach in the walls, no exile, and no cry of distress in our streets. Happy are the people to whom such blessings fall; happy are all the people whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 144:1-15). Lord, let it be so in my heart and in my city, for the glory of Your name. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, if this word this morning rings true in your spirit, please pray and pass word on to every man the Lord puts on your heart. Pass this on to every woman of prayer to rise up and pray for the men of faith to rise up and be prepared for the battles in the days to come. Men and women alike have a significant role in the battle plans of God as He enforces the victory of His Cross through His people. Our ministry has been planning a conference to affirm the essential role of women in spiritual leadership we're calling "Breaking the Silence" and this morning, I believe the Lord is also calling us to affirm the essential role of men as well, maybe in a conference or weekly gathering called "Lionheart." Please join me in prayer and I discern this with our leadership team in the days ahead. I also feel led to make our resource cd series available free of charge, as we're able, on Spiritual Warfare -- Fighting the Good Fight of the Faith -- available to any man free of charge or for any contribution to the cost who would commit to listen. This is my teaching on this topic, taped live at Christ for the Nations in Dallas, Texas. Send me a note for this or order it from our web site www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Thank you for joining in prayer. The Lord is gathering His army for such a time as this. If you'd like to be part of our intercessory prayer team with interaction and updates, please send a note to our Pastor of Prayer Ministries, Linda Dulin at PrayerLead@aol.com 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 Order my books and our resources on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

Morning by Morning, Saturday 2-13-10 – Lionheart! Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the Lion of the Tribe of Judah as well as the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. You are the Commander of the Army of the Lord as well as the Lamb who was led to slaughter and opened not Your mouth. Lord, let me know You as You are in every dimension of Your Being, so that I can learn to know myself in every dimension of my being. … “Once when Joshua was by Jericho, he looked up and saw a Man standing before him with a drawn sword in His hand. Joshua went to Him and said to Him, ‘Are You one of us or one of our adversaries?’ He replied, ‘Neither; but as Commander of the Army of the Lord I have now come.’ And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and he said to Him, ‘What do You command Your servant, Lord?’ The Commander of the Army of the Lord said to Joshua, ‘Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy.’ And Joshua did so” (Joshua 5:13-15). Lord, You woke me up this morning with my right arm stretched out, violently shaking. In my spirit, I saw a sword in my hand. I knew You were calling me to get up and pray. You’ve been speaking to my heart for several days about calling together the men of our city to prepare for war in the days to come. Men of faith must arise! We must know how to love and to lead, how to stand firm before men and how to bow low before our King. We must know how to walk in honor and authority, how to speak with dignity and power, how to listen with compassion and wisdom, how to act with decisiveness and confidence. We are the Army of the Lord and You are our Commander in Chief. We are to be lionhearted leaders of our families and of our city because we have the heart of the Lion who is our King. “See, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered…” (Revelation 5:5). It seems I hear You say: “Gather My men, my mighty men, whom I will train for war. I will teach them My ways and give them My heart, My Lionheart. I am He who sits in the heavens and I have uttered My voice in the earth. I am assembling My men to prepare their fingers for battle and their hands for war. This is a spiritual war, which must be fought with the heart, with My heart. And so I will give them My Lionheart.” Yes, Lord. Let it be so, according to Your word, in Your timing and in Your way. You bring to mind the fulfillment of Psalm 18, David’s song of great victory and praise for Your mighty deliverance: “I love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, so I shall be saved from my enemies…. The Lord also uttered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered His voice…. For You deliver a humble people, but the haughty eyes You bring down. It is You who light my lamp; the Lord, my God, lights up my darkness. By You I can crush a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall…. He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have given me the shield of salvation, and Your right hand has supported me; Your help has made me great…. I pursued my enemies and overtook them; and did not turn back until they were consumed. I struck them down so that they were not able to rise; they fell under my feet. For You girded me with strength for the battle; You made my assailants sink under me. You made my enemies turn their backs to me, and those who hated me I destroyed… I beat them fine, like dust before the wind; I cast them out like mire in the streets…. Foreigners lost heart, and came trembling out of their strongholds. The Lord lives! Blessed be my rock, and exalted by the God of my salvation…. For this I will extol You, O Lord, among the nations, and sing praises to Your name. Great triumphs He gives to His king, and shows steadfast love to His anointed, to David and his descendants forever” (Psalm 18:1-50). This is a spiritual war against spiritual enemies to be fought with the spiritual “weapons of our warfare” (2 Corinthians 10:4). This battle is not against enemies of flesh and blood, “but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). So we must know our victory because we know the Victorious One. We must know the weapons of our warfare and the nature of our battle and our enemy, as You enforce the victory of Your Cross through Your crucified ones (Galatians 2:20). We must hear the call to our battle and the cry of Your command uttered from the heart of the Lion King stirring the spirits of those You have given Your Lionheart. “Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle!” (Psalm 144:1) Let the men of faith arise! Impart to us Your Lionheart! “Bow Your heavens, O Lord, and come down; touch the mountains so that they smoke…. Stretch out Your hand from on high; set me free! … May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, out daughters like corner pillars, cut for the building of the palace…. May there be no breach in the walls, no exile, and no cry of distress in our streets. Happy are the people to whom such blessings fall; happy are all the people whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 144:1-15). Lord, let it be so in my heart and in my city, for the glory of Your name. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, if this word this morning rings true in your spirit, please pray and pass word on to every man the Lord puts on your heart. Pass this on to every woman of prayer to rise up and pray for the men of faith to rise up and be prepared for the battles in the days to come. Men and women alike have a significant role in the battle plans of God as He enforces the victory of His Cross through His people. Our ministry has been planning a conference to affirm the essential role of women in spiritual leadership we're calling "Breaking the Silence" and this morning, I believe the Lord is also calling us to affirm the essential role of men as well, maybe in a conference or weekly gathering called "Lionheart." Please join me in prayer and I discern this with our leadership team in the days ahead. I also feel led to make our resource cd series available free of charge, as we're able, on Spiritual Warfare -- Fighting the Good Fight of the Faith -- available to any man free of charge or for any contribution to the cost who would commit to listen. This is my teaching on this topic, taped live at Christ for the Nations in Dallas, Texas. Send me a note for this or order it from our web site www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Thank you for joining in prayer. The Lord is gathering His army for such a time as this. If you'd like to be part of our intercessory prayer team with interaction and updates, please send a note to our Pastor of Prayer Ministries, Linda Dulin at PrayerLead@aol.com 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 Order my books and our resources on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

An Unfinished Life 2-11-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I speak out Your name and welcome in Your Spirit. … “(The Lord) heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds…. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; His understanding is beyond measure. The Lord lifts up the downtrodden…” (Psalm 147:4-6). Julie was a young woman with her life half finished. This morning, I’ll join with her family and friends, as together in prayer we commit and commend her spirit to You. You give us grace to mourn and weep, to grieve the loss of life, even as we celebrate the memories of the life of one we love. And how we need the comfort of Your Presence and the assurance of Your awareness of our sufferings in moments like these. But You are near and Your grace is sufficient. There is no death that Your life cannot overcome. There is no wound that Your love cannot heal, as we cast our heavy burdens upon You and entrust our heavy hearts to You. “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18). It could be said that You too lived a life that was half finished. At only thirty-three years old, Your days on this earth as Son of Man came to an end. Yet at the same time, as You bowed Your head and committed Your spirit into the eternal arms of our Father, You declared forever, “It is finished” (John 19:30). Even now, we truly have no idea of all You accomplished for each of us in those short years of what seemed to be such an unfinished life. But we know our lives have been forever changed by Your life and death. And the same is true of every life that will gather today to say goodbye to this one whose life is also now finished on earth. It is the nature of life and love in this world You created that our lives can’t help but be changed by the lives of those we love. So it is into the hands and heart of the One who is Love that we commit her spirit and ours today. This is the way our unfinished lives are finished in Yours. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please keep the family of Julie Lansill Cameron in your prayers as they grieve her loss and untimely death. I'll be leading her memorial service this morning in Lexington. And I pray the comfort of our Savior and Father with you in the losses you grieve in our journey together in the love of 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 Order my books and our resources on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

Green Pastures and Still Waters 2-9-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I lift up my eyes to Your hills and wait in the silence of surrender to Your will and listen for the voifce of Your Spirit. … “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul; He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. Thou prepares a table for me in the presence of mine enemies; Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23, KJV). I guess these were the first words of “the Old Testament” I ever learned and memorized. Nanny’s Bible and Nanny’s prayers were in the King James. But I remember my grandmother Hays teaching me these ancient words while she worked out in the chicken house on the edge of our west Texas cotton farm. They were hard workers, and they instilled in us a strong work ethic. But they also knew when it was time to take their Sabbath rest—when it was time to let the Lord make them to lie down in the green pastures and settle down for awhile beside the still waters, while You restored their souls. I remember seeing PaPa, my Grandfather Hays, stretch out on the couch every day after lunch before he went back to the field. There was time for work, but there was also time for rest. When I get a little too extended from being a little too busy and start to feel a little too overwhelmed by the work of my day, even what I believe is the work of the Lord, I still hear these ancient words begin to rise up in my heart and try to settle down in my soul. I know it’s time to find some time for some Sabbath rest. As a friend of mine gently said, “Even you have to get tired sometime.” And I knew that her words were Your words, calling me to come lie down for awhile in Your green pastures and settle down for awhile beside your still waters. There, You’ll restore my soul, renew my spirit, and revive my passion. There will still be plenty of hard work to do, but I’ll be able to get it done with more joy in the power of the strength that only comes from a sincere Sabbath rest. Instead of worrying about what won’t get done if I do, help me realize what can’t get done if I don’t. “So then, a Sabbath rest still remains for the people of God; for those who enter into God’s rest also cease from their labors as God did from His. Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest …” (Hebrews 4:9-11). In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays 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 and our resources on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

Austin, TX Healing Conf. w/Tommy Hays & Dan Van Nice Feb 18-20

Please come join us in Austin, Texas for this Healing Conference with Dan Van Nice and Tommy Hays February 18-20, 2010! Please join us for this three day event as Rev. Tommy Hays teaches on inner healing and Dan Van Nice teaches on physical healing. There will be a limited number of private sessions available with both Tommy and Dan. There is no charge for this event, however an offering will be taken to cover costs and support both of these ministries. Come with an open heart and expect to receive from God the promises that He has for His children! When: February 18th and 19th, 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm and February 20th,9:00 am to 4:00 pm Where: Bethany UMC (map) Cost: $0.00 a love offering will be taken RSVP here or call Jill: (512) 656-7789 For more information click here You may bring your own lunch on Saturday or there will be an opportunity to order lunch. Details including cost will be announced at the conference. We look forward to seeing you there! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Friends, Van Nice Ministries has an exciting year ahead and we are thankful that you are a part of it. God's Holy Spirit continues to work signs and wonders in the earth, Van Nice Ministries continues to proclaim the glory and grace of our Lord in all we do! We have several events already planned in the upcoming months, so if you would like to schedule a conference or speaking event this year, please contact us asap. You may also contact us regarding bringing Tommy Hays to your church. God Bless- Dan & Giana Van Nice Servants of the Most High God

Next Steps 2-8-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I praise You as You are that You love me as I am. … “Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. Let Your good Spirit lead me on a level path” (Psalm 143:10). Thank You for Your mercy to meet me where I am. Thank You for Your insistence to never leave me here and Your determination to always lead me on to more. Give me a teachable spirit that knows I’ll always have more to learn and more to un-learn. You are my Creator, and I am Your created. You see all things—the end from the beginning and the beginning from the end. You know all things—every challenge I’ll ever face, every obstacle I’ll ever overcome. So I would be foolish to insist on my own way, my own wisdom, my own will. I would be wise to remember You are God and I am not. So come, Holy Spirit. Lead me on a level path, lead me in Your paths of righteousness for Your name’s sake. You know the right path for my next steps. And my next steps always need to begin with looking for the path where Your good Spirit leads. In these days, those steps will rarely be popular and rarely be easy, but they will always be right. But as I remember to humble myself in trusting faith to seek and obey Your leading as best as I can and all by Your grace, surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life (Psalm 23). In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please mark your calendars for the evening of March 19th to come join our yearly Celebration of all the Lord has done and is doing through Messiah Ministries. I'm especially excited to share stories of my adventures in Pakistan, Israel, the Philippines, and Estonia as well as the exciting things the Lord is doing in our midst at home in Kentucky and America. Please let us know if you'd like to help. Please make plans to come and bring a friend to explore our ministry and celebrate God's glory. How great is our God! We want you to be a part of all He is doing through Messiah Ministries! Our team is gathering prizes for a Silent Auction at our Celebration to raise funds for our ministry. If you'd like to contribute something, please let us know: MessiahMin@aol.com Friends, please prayerfully consider joining our ministry this year as an Isaiah 35 "Streams in the Desert" Covenant Partner, as we proclaim the message of the coming of the Kingdom of God at home and abroad to the nations, preparing the way of the Lord, and ministering the healing love of God. I would be glad to speak with you or your group personally about the vision and calling of Messiah Ministries (www.messiah-ministries.org). 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 Order my books and our resources on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

“Surely I Am Coming Soon” 2-5-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Bright Morning Star, Son of David, Son of God, Savior of All, I worship You and welcome You as Lord of my life and Lord of my day (Revelation 22:16). … “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let everyone who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift…. The One who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I Am coming soon’ ” (Revelation 22:17-20). Over two thousand years ago, You stood before John in a revelation of Your glory to encourage Your people and prepare Your bride in that day and for the days to come. He fell to his face in the fear of the Lord, trembling at the Presence of the Living Word of God (Revelation 1:17). But You comforted him with Your touch and encouraged him with Your words as You commanded him to write of “what is, and what is to take place” (v. 1:19). And all that You spoke to his spirit and revealed to his eyes began to take place and has been taking place and will have taken place in the fulfillment of all things. Soon, You will come again to stand in the glory of Your Presence upon this earth, and like John, all people of all nations will fall to their faces and tremble in the fear of the Lord. First, You will descend from the heavens “with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). Then, You will set Your feet upon the Mount of Olives overlooking Jerusalem, as the very mountain itself is split in two and all the earth You created trembles at Your coming in glory (Zechariah 14:4). And all rebellion against Your Word and Your will shall be destroyed and consumed in the glory of “the manifestation of (Your) coming” (2 Thessalonians 2:8; Revelation 16:16). But all who turn to You, Jew and Gentile alike, even at that last moment of this age, will shout out these long awaited words, “Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Matthew 23:39). And all who do “will be saved” (Romans 11:26; Zechariah 12:10). For though we are impatient for that day of Your coming, You use every moment of our waiting and longing to draw as many souls to You as will come, “not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9; John 3:16). One day You will come again in the clouds and to the earth. But every day between now and then, You want to come into our hearts. One day when we die—if we are not part of that last generation of this age who will never die—we will go to heaven. But every day between now and then, You want heaven to come into us. For You said, “Behold, the Kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21, KJV). It’s not only living in a place with You when we die, it’s giving You a place to live within us now. This is the place You have gone to prepare for us and this is the place You long to come and fill within us now (John 14:3). “For the Kingdom of God is … righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). So we who are hungry to hear Your Word and thirsty to encounter Your Presence, we who long for the day our Redemption draws near and we can look up and shout out “Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord!”, we who yearn to drink deeply of the free gift of Your living waters say “Come!” Those who have prepared the way of the Lord in their hearts and on this earth say “Come!” May it be so in that day that Your “bride has made herself ready” (Revelation 19:17). The Spirit and the bride say “Come!” And we hear by Your Spirit in our hearts say, “Surly I Am coming soon!” In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please mark your calendars for the evening of March 19th to come join our yearly Celebration of all the Lord has done and is doing through Messiah Ministries. I'm especially excited to share stories of my adventures in Pakistan, Israel, the Philippines, and Estonia as well as the exciting things the Lord is doing in our midst at home in Kentucky and America. Please let us know if you'd like to help. Please make plans to come and bring a friend to explore our ministry and celebrate God's glory. How great is our God! We want you to be a part of all He is doing through Messiah Ministries! Our team is gathering prizes for a Silent Auction at our Celebration to raise funds for our ministry. If you'd like to contribute something, please let us know: MessiahMin@aol.com Friends, please prayerfully consider joining our ministry this year as an Isaiah 35 "Streams in the Desert" Covenant Partner, as we proclaim the message of the coming of the Kingdom of God at home and abroad to the nations, preparing the way of the Lord, and ministering the healing love of God. I would be glad to speak with you or your group personally about the vision and calling of Messiah Ministries (www.messiah-ministries.org). 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 Order my books and our resources on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

Strategically Positioned for God's Greatness 2-4-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. My Lord and my Savior, I give You my all. … “Now Esther was admired by all who saw her … the king loved Esther more than all the other women; of all the virgins she won his favor and devotion …” (Esther 2:15-17). Sometimes we can tend to think of Esther’s story as a love story—a night with the king. We can forget that she was a young girl, forcefully taken away from her family and friends to satisfy the pleasures and the vengeance of a pagan king (v. 2:1-4). She was chosen not by the love in his heart, but by the beauty of her skin, to be among the harem of virgins in the parade of nights in the bedchambers of the Persian king (v. 2:12). She had to hide her true identity as a Jew, one of the chosen people of God, as she entered into a new identity as one of the chosen concubines of the king (v. 2:10). Your Word does not reveal what emotions she had to hide or what thoughts she had to bury, to endure and survive in the adjustments of her new life that were suddenly thrust upon her. But we know she prospered and that she was highly favored even in the darkness and tragedy of her new circumstances forced upon her by the will of others (v. 2:8-9). And we know You gathered those around her, who were watching out of her, with love and counsel, through her experiences and encounters of this new season of her life (v. 2:11). But though Esther found herself in a situation she never chose, out of the choices of others for their own purposes and plans to satisfy their own desires, You didn’t waste a moment of her suffering. You didn’t waste an opportunity to turn the choices of men into the purposes of God. In those very circumstances that began with the sinful choices of man’s desires, she found herself strategically positioned to be used for Your desires—“for such a time as this” (v. 4:14). Because of Esther’s courage and faithfulness in the face of choices and circumstances beyond her control and desires, the lives of many were spared and the destiny of a people was preserved (v. 8:1-17). By her obedience to Your leading and trust in Your faithfulness to cause all things to work together for good, the day of appointed destruction of her people became a day of great “gladness and joy” (v. 8:17). Esther’s story is not a story of love; it’s a story of redemption. It’s a story of how You took the abuse and shame of a tragic story of broken dreams for “a normal life” and positioned Your child for greatness in the redemption of her pain for Your purposes. The plans and purposes of the Persian king were transformed and redeemed into the plans and purposes of the King of kings. “The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps” (Proverbs 16:9). “The human mind may devise many plans, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established” (Proverbs 19:21). Thank You, Lord, for taking all our plans and the plans of those around us to redeem all the circumstances of human choices into Your holy purposes for our good and Your glory. Thank You for surrounding us with those who encourage us and guide us to keep looking to You, keep trusting You, no matter what. As we entrust ourselves and our circumstances to You, You are the God who always redeems our pain in your plans (Romans 8:28). Your ways are higher than our ways and Your thoughts are higher than our thoughts, but they are good toward us, just as and You are faithful for us (Isaiah 55:9). After all, You chose to create us and strategically position us in this earth in this generation, knowing ahead of time all that we would encounter and endure for such a time as this. And one day—a day of great gladness and joy—we will be glad You did. “The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please mark your calendars for the evening of March 19th to come join our yearly Celebration of all the Lord has done and is doing through Messiah Ministries. I'm especially excited to share stories of my adventures in Pakistan, Israel, the Philippines, and Estonia as well as the exciting things the Lord is doing in our midst at home in Kentucky and America. Please let us know if you'd like to help. Please make plans to come and bring a friend to explore our ministry and celebrate God's glory. How great is our God! We want you to be a part of all He is doing through Messiah Ministries! Please prayerfully consider joining our ministry this year as an Isaiah 35 "Streams in the Desert" Covenant Partner, as we proclaim the message of the coming of the Kingdom of God at home and abroad to the nations, preparing the way of the Lord, and ministering the healing love of God. I would be glad to speak with you or your group personally about the vision and calling of Messiah Ministries (www.messiah-ministries.org). 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

“Gird Up Your Loins” and Speak the Word 2-2-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Be high and lifted up in my heart and throughout my day. … “Now the word of the Lord came to me saying, ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations…. You shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you…. Now I have put My words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant…. I am watching over My word to perform it…. But you, gird up your loins; stand up and tell them everything that I command you. Do not break down before them, or I will break you before them…. They will fight against you; but they shall not prevail against you, for I Am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you’ ” (Jeremiah 1:4-19). Yes, Lord. Give us courage in this hour to see what You see, to hear what You hear, to say what You say. Give us humility to first seek Your face and listen for Your voice. Give us faith to always trust You, no matter what we endure in our journey through a broken, fallen world, surrounded by broken, fallen people, including ourselves. Give us a spirit of repentance to first turn to You with all our own hearts, minds, souls, and strength, away from our own thoughts and desires apart from Yours. And give us boldness to obey, no matter the opposition and no matter the cost. Let there be a remnant of a generation “found faithful” to trust You and obey You (1 Corinthians 4:2, KJV). And let me be part of that remnant, one of “those who keep the commandments of God and hold fast to the faith of Jesus” all by the power of Your grace and fulfillment of Your will (Luke 21:10-19; Matthew 24:9-14; Revelation 14:12). In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please prayerfully consider joining our ministry this year as an Isaiah 35 "Streams in the Desert" Covenant Partner, as we proclaim the message of the coming of the Kingdom of God at home and abroad to the nations, preparing the way of the Lord, and ministering the healing love of God. I would be glad to speak with you or your group personally about the vision and calling of Messiah Ministries (www.messiah-ministries.org). 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