“Listen to His Voice” 6-4-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Son of God, Son of Man, God with us, Immanuel, be with me, come live within me today. … “O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. O that today you would listen to His voice! (Psalm 95:6-7). I have a choice to listen to Your voice. I can choose to listen to the voices of men, and I can also choose to listen to the voice of the One who is the Maker of all men. I can choose to listen to the voice of my friends and counsel of others, and I can also choose to listen to the voice of my Best Friend and my Wonderful Counselor. I can choose to listen to the voice of the witnesses of Your written Word, and I can also choose to listen to the voice of the One who is the Word. I can even choose to listen to the voice of the world, the flesh, and the devil, but I can also choose instead to listen to the One who has overcome the world, who crucifies my flesh, and who has defeated the devil. By the grace You give me and in response to the choice You offer me, I choose to listen to You. Some say, “How can you hear God? How can you be sure you’re hearing God?” What do You say, O Lord, my God? … At this moment right now, I believe I hear You say, “Come, worship and bow down, kneel before Me, for I am your Maker. I am your God. You are a son of My pasture and a sheep of My hand. You are one of My little ones, one of My precious ones, one I created from My love in order for You to know My love for you. And if you will listen, I will speak. And every day You listen for the leading of My voice, you will grow in the knowing of My voice in your heart. Do not be afraid to test My voice, but also do not be afraid to believe My voice.” Yes, Lord. Your sheep hear Your voice (John 10:27). Your sons and daughters, Your servants and friends, hear You knocking at the door of our hearts, calling us to open the door in worship and humility, expectantly longing by faith to welcome You in to draw near to us in our everyday relationship of love with You (Revelation 3:20). Thank You, Lord, for speaking with me this morning. Please come in and keep speaking with me throughout my day. “Speak, for Your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10). 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 To order my books and our ministry resources or contribute to our ministry on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Messiah Ministries; 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 God bless you!

Sufferings into Songs 6-3-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Put Your thoughts in my mind; put Your desires in my heart. As best as I can and all by Your grace, I entrust myself and my day into Your will and into Your care. … “Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” (Romans 5:1-5). I saw an old friend yesterday whose life is a testimony of Your tender mercies and steadfast love through our darkest days, our deepest fears, and our broken dreams. In a frantic moment of desperate grief and overwhelming fear, she cried out to You from the depths of her heart. You reached down into her pit of despair and embraced her in power of Your Presence. And out of her unbearable sufferings You established in her spirit a renewed and steadfast faith. And in the season of healing of her heart and life to follow, You awakened her gifts of playing music by ear and singing the songs of Your healing love You would write in heart and share with others. You are the God who loves to turn our sufferings into songs and our desperation into faith. “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18). You love to turn our ashes into beauty and, our sufferings into joy, covering us in the garments of praise instead of the spirit of heaviness (Isaiah 61:3). Then You anoint us with Your Spirit and send us forth in the power of Your love to comfort others in the ways Your have comforted us and encourage others in the ways You have encouraged us (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). Thank You, Lord, for every time You’ve met me in my sufferings and reached down to me in every pit of despair. Thank You for never wasting a moment of my sufferings, redeeming them all as I entrust them to You. They are now part of my character and part of my hope—my confident trust in my God who hears me when I call and leads me through them all. 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 To order my books and our ministry resources or contribute to our ministry on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Messiah Ministries; 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 God bless you!

Drawn to the Greater Place 6-2-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Your name is the first word I speak and the first thought I think, as I begin this new day centered in Christ, embraced by our Father, and filled with Your Holy Spirit. Now I wait in the silence of surrender, watching to see what You’re doing and listening to hear what You’re saying. … “An argument arose among them as to which one of them was the greatest. But Jesus, aware of their inner thoughts, took a little child and put it by His side, and said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes this child in My name welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes the One who sent Me; for the least among all of you is the greatest’ ” (Luke 9:46-48). You gave Your first disciples unbelievable authority and power to go in Your name and proclaim the coming of Your Kingdom, changing lives and even the spiritual atmosphere of every place they went (Luke 9:1-6). They saw Your heart for all people, and saw the miracles of Your love and provision for all who drew near to You (v. 9:10-17). They were moved by Your Spirit to begin to understand more of Your nature (v. 9:18-20). They heard Your call willing lay down their lives so they could follow You into the freedom of Your will alone which would become their lives (v. 9:23-27). Those closest to You and hungriest for You went with You to the mountain to pray, where they beheld Your glory, lost in worship and heard the voice of God in their hearts in a deep encounter of Your Presence (v. 9:28-36). Yet, just a few days later, they find themselves moved by their flesh instead of Your Spirit, striving for the place closest to You and greatest in Your kingdom (v. 9:46-48). They did not yet understand that growing intimacy with You is the very thing that exposes what remains to be healed and freed in their hearts, so that they could keep growing in Your nature and be trusted with Your authority and power of Your calling for their lives (v. 9:37-43). They didn’t fully understand that the closer they came to You, the more their inner fears and insecurities, their unhealed hurts and unfulfilled desires, would be brought to the surface so they could release them to You and grow even closer still (v. 9:43-45). They wanted more. They wanted all You had for them, without realizing there’s always more You want from us. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6). Seeking Your face, hungering for Your Presence, longing to grow in wisdom and stature and favor in Your Spirit is a good thing, a God thing, needful to know our true identity and fulfill our destiny. But we must know that as we do, there will always be another layer of our flesh to be crucified, a deeper root that yet bears bad fruit to be dug up and cast into the fire, and another branch that does not yet bear good fruit that must be pruned back and prepared for the harvest to come. As we press on with You toward the goal of our prize, You are always pressing in even more deeply still. You see our hearts—both that part of our hearts that seek You above all else and also that part of our hearts yet blinded to the fullness of Your love and Your nature that remain to be healed and filled with the fullness of Your Spirit (Luke 9:47). “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings” (Jeremiah 17:9-10, NKJV). As we allow You to search our hearts, clarify our motives, heal our wounds, You pour in Your love, establish us in Your security, and change us into Your nature. Then we’re able to receive even more of all You have for us. “A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary” (Jeremiah 17:12, NKJV). You draw us closer still, lift us higher still, as we humbly, faithfully keep saying to You: “Behold, You desire truth in my inward parts, and in the hidden part You make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones You have broken may rejoice. Hide Your face from sins, blot out my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me…. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation” (Psalm 51:6-12). Because I love You and trust You, I say, “Yes, Lord. Keep revealing and purging everything in me that is not yet like You. Give me Your heart for all Your children. Give me the humility to take my place at Your feet so You can lift me to the place You have for me in Your heart. Let me be free from striving or competition, be healed from insecurities, fears, and hurts from my past, so that I can trust You to fulfill Your perfect plan for my life (Jeremiah 29:11). Put Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart, so You can lead me to the place where all Your dreams, instead of my dreams, are fulfilled in my life—exceedingly, abundantly far more than all I could ever ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). It’s always worth it to trust Your heart instead of mine, trusting in Your plan instead of my own. This is the heart that’s drawn to the greatest place in the intimacy of Your Presence. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please keep us in prayer in Corpus Christi, Texas this week. Each year I'm called to report to my bishop of the Southwest Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church where I'm an ordained elder and member under annual "appointment" to ministry by my overseeing bishop (www.umcswtx.org). Though Messiah Ministries is a non-denominational ministry all streams and traditions of the Body of Christ and reaching out to all people of all nations with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God, I personally am a Methodist minister. Rather than being "appointed" to pastor a local church, I have always praised God for allowing me to be "appointed" to Messiah Ministries as its founder and director to continue the vision the Lord gave me, "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" in fulfillment of ministry's founding Scripture, Isaiah 61 (www.messiah-ministries.org). And since I receive no financial support from the UM Church under my "extension ministry appointment" to Messiah Ministries, raising my own funds for ministry by the spiritual principles of sowing and reaping into the lives of others, I'm so grateful for all the ways You join with me and our ministry to fulfill the calling and vision the Holy Spirit causes to burn in my heart. Thank You and God bless you for joining me in the adventure! 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 To order my books and our ministry resources or contribute to our ministry on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Messiah Ministries; 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 God bless you!

Walking Through the Open Door 6-1-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Be at the center of my heart and life. … “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of the holy One, the true One, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens: ‘Look, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept My word and have not denied My name’ ” (Revelation 3:7-8). I’ve seen Your power to change my life and the lives of so many others—the power of salvation and sanctification, the power of healing and deliverance, the power of forgiveness and redemption—all expressed through the power of Your grace and Your love. And I’ve seen You entrust Your power through the anointing of Your Spirit to those who commit themselves to seek to live by Your word and be known by Your name (Luke 9:1-2; 10:1-12). As the Father sent You, so You send us in the abiding Presence of Your Holy Spirit and the authority of Your name to continue Your ministry of changing lives in the power of Your love for the glory of Your name (John 20:21). Yet even this is “but little power” compared to what is to come in the days ahead. There will be even “greater works than these” as we are found faithful to allow You to prepare the way of the Lord in us and in all the earth (John 14:12). In this hour, You set before each of us an open door. It is a door of identity and destiny, vision and calling, the fullness of our salvation and our significance as the sons and daughters of God, as servants of our King and Your Kingdom. You hold the key to that door. But through the sacrifice of the power of Your blood poured out for us at the Cross and through the anointing of Your Holy Spirit poured out upon us as Your Church at Pentecost, that door is unlocked and open before each one of us. Lord, give us eyes to see that door. Give us eyes to see You, Lord Jesus, for You are that door—“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved…” (John 10:9, NKJV). As I look to You alone, Lord Jesus, as the open door of my identity and destiny, give me courage to enter into the fullness of my salvation in You. Don’t let me turn to the left or the right, but only move forward into the way You’ve set before me. Don’t let me get ahead or behind, but move right in line and right on time with all You have for me. Shut every door that’s not in complete alignment with Your timing and Your will, and open every one that is (Isaiah 22:22). Make me increasingly sensitive to the leading of Your Spirit and increasingly full of faith to believe You’re answering this prayer because I’m praying Your will. “Now this is the confidence we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we will have the petitions asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15, NKJV). So by the power of Your grace and Your love, I’m looking to the One who is my Open Door. And I’m walking through. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please keep us in prayer to walk in obedience and faith with God through some opportunities that seem to be opening up for the longer term vision and calling of Messiah Ministries. And I pray the blessing of the Lord's leading to open and shut the doors of His will for you, as you entrust yourself to Him. 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 To order my books and our ministry resources or contribute to our ministry on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Messiah Ministries; 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 God bless you!

Awesome and Able 5-28-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. As I humble myself in Your sight, would You lift me up into Your Presence. … “And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough for everything, you may share abundantly in every good work…. He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us; for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God” (2 Corinthians 9:8-12). O Lord, my God, You are awesome and You are able. … He is awesome He is able He is always secure and stable He’s my God and He’s all that I need Every blessing Every abundance Every provision and all sustenance He’s my God and He’s all that I need He is faithful He is forever He breaks the power of nothing and never He’s my God and He’s all that I need Thank You, Lord. As I read Your Word and trust in Your promises, Your Spirit is stirring my spirit with these new words of this new song You’re writing on my heart today. It’s a new song from ancient words that have stood the test of time. So will not fret and I will not fear. I will thank You and praise You. I will trust You and believe You. For You are my God and You are all that I need. You are awesome and You are able. Thank You for this “indescribable gift” of the “surpassing grace of God” that You pour into my life every moment of every day (2 Corinthians 9:13-15). In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, thank you for joining with me in the journey of prayer and faith, growing in the intimacy of communion in prayer with our faithful God who loves us and who's for us. Please share these morning prayers with anyone who may need a word of encouragement 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 To order my books and our ministry resources or contribute to our ministry on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Messiah Ministries; 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 God bless you!

The Tabernacle and Key of David 5-27-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Good morning, Father. Good morning, Holy Spirit. Lord God Almighty, I worship You in every dimension of Your Being and I welcome You into every dimension of my being, as we begin this day together. … “On that day I will raise up the Tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, and repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old” (Amos 9:11, NJKV). “The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder; so he shall open, and no one shall shut; and he shall shut, and no one shall open. I will fasten him as a peg in a secure place, and he will become a glorious throne to his father’s house” (Isaiah 22:22-23). Many of the Scriptures of Your Word speak of Your first coming as the Messiah—the anointed One of God—translated “Messiah” in the Hebrew language of the Old Testament and “Christ” in the Greek language of the New Testament. The Spirit of the sovereign God anointed You as Messiah—both Son of God and Son of Man—to proclaim the coming of the Kingdom of God, to heal the broken and free the captives, to restore and rebuild the devastations of generations and the ruins of fallen creation in the power of the Word of God (Isaiah 61:1-11; Luke 4:18-19). Everywhere You went during the ministry of Your life on this earth as God with us in the flesh, You proclaimed that message of the Kingdom of God and demonstrated it in the power of God. “That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him” (Acts 10:37-38). And now, in the mystery of the wisdom and sovereignty of God and in the astounding grace of the power of God, You anoint us as Your people with Your same Holy Spirit. “But you are not in the flesh, you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit if life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through His Spirit that dwells in you” (Romans 8:9-11). You anoint us and empower us as Your people with Your Spirit to continue Your ministry through our lives in the flesh here on this earth, proclaiming the same message of the coming of Your Kingdom and Your demonstrate the power of Your Kingdom through our lives. You display the glory of Your Presence and Your power through Your people, anointed with the Spirit of Christ with us—“Christ in (us), the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). Lord, in this hour, You are revealing to us more of what this means—more understanding of the responsibility and authority You have entrusted to Your children to display both Your nature and Your power in the earth. “The heavens are the Lord’s heavens, but the earth He has given to human beings” (Psalm 115:16). Through the Spirit of Christ within us, we are the tabernacle of David; we have the key of David—because the Spirit of the Son of David, the Spirit of the Son of God, dwells within us to make us more like You (1 Corinthians 3:16). By the anointing of the indwelling Presence of Your Spirit, You are conforming us into the image of the Son of God (Romans 8:29). You are changing us into Your image (2 Corinthians 3:18). You are calling us into Your nature (2 Peter 1:4). You are imparting Your Word and Your Spirit to live within us and express Yourself through us (Colossians 3:16). By the grace of the power of God upon us to anoint us, empower us, and change us, we are to be Your “oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display (Your) glory, (to) build up the ancient ruins, (t0) raise up the former devastations, (to) repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations” (Isaiah 61:3-4). In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, thank you for your prayers for me and our team at the leadership retreat this week with the MorningStar Fellowship of Ministries (www.morningstarministries.org) At the close of a message by Ray Hughes on worship yesterday morning, the Lord was doing something very deep inside of me, as He humbled me on my face at the foot of the altar. Please pray I will live into all He has imparted into me and our ministry, by the great power of the great grace of our God (Acts 4:33). May we become oaks of His righteousness to display His glory in our generation throughout the earth. God bless you! Please share these morning prayers with anyone who may be interested. Subscribe by email to Tommy Hays at Messiah Ministries: MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org To order my books and our ministry resources or contribute to our ministry on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Messiah Ministries; 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 God bless you!

Boast Only in the Cross of Christ 5-26-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I seek Your face, listen for Your voice, and desire Your nature. Help me watch and wait for the leading of Your Spirit as I begin this day intentionally, deliberately entrusting myself to You. … “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Galatians 6:14, NKJV). What is it to “boast in the cross of Christ, Lord?” As I lay these words of Your Word before You, You’re bringing to mind these words: “But God proves His love for us in that while we were sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). To boast is to brag. And it’s good to remember that I don’t have anything to brag about in this world that really matters but You. If I’m proud of my children, it’s only because of the grace You’ve given me to love them as they are and to try to lead them to You to grow up in Your ways. If I’m proud of the ministry You’ve entrusted to me, it’s only because You’ve been bringing me to a place of ever-increasing desperate dependence upon You for the fulfillment of a vision of things that only You can do. In Your mercy and love, You gently remind me that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17, NKJV). Everything good thing I have and every good thing within me is all from You. I haven’t earned it; I don’t deserve it. It’s all a gift of God. And You give me Your good gifts just because You love me. You’re a good Father who loves to give good gifts to Your children (Luke 11:13). And You love to give me the gift of the forgiveness and peace that comes only through repentance and faith. While I was still a sinner, You died for me. And whenever I still sin, You remind me that You died for me so that You could forgive me and cleanse me from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). And then You remind me that through Your mercy and love, only on the basis of what You have done for me and all that You are doing in me, I have even “become the righteousness of God” through Jesus Christ my Lord (2 Corinthians 5:21). And that’s something to brad about. That’s bragging about how much my Daddy loves me. “… For God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent His only Son into this world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:8-10). In Jesus name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Please share these morning prayers with anyone who may be interested. Subscribe by email to Tommy Hays at Messiah Ministries: MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org To order my books and our ministry resources or contribute to our ministry on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Messiah Ministries; 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 God bless you!

Restore One Another 5-25-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Be exalted in the heavens and here in my heart. … “My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted” (Galatians 6:1). How tempted we are to judge the transgressions of others. How tempted we are to be offended by the unrighteous actions of others and then blinded to the self-righteous actions of ourselves. If someone in a relationship of accountability and trust with us stumbles or falls in transgression, we should speak the truth in love as You lead (Ephesians 4:15). We shouldn’t sweep the sin under the rug, but we also shouldn’t shout it from the mountaintops. If we “have received the Spirit,” You call us to “restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness”—not accuse and condemn such a one in a spirit of judgment and self-righteousness. You call us to humbly remember that none are righteous, no not one, and but for the grace of God go I, not excusing their sin or our own, but remembering we all need a Savior full of mercy and grace who never stops loving us and reaching out to us even when we sin. Some of our ministry leaders have been with me at our annual MorningStar Fellowship of Ministries leadership retreat. You led Rick Joyner and Bob Jones to reach out to Todd Bentley in his journey of restoration to ministry. All three have been speaking with us this week about that journey. I was deeply moved by the prophetic dream You gave Rick Joyner about the ministry of restoration: He saw one of his own children in a deep ditch filled with raw sewage, struggling to get out, but helpless to do it on their own. Then a man came and reached down into all the mess and lifted his child up and out of the pit. His heart was so filled with overwhelming joy and love for the man who helped his child that he’d gladly be willing to give the man anything he asked. And then You said to Rick, “That’s My heart toward those who are willing to restore My children.” Father, give me Your heart for restoration of Your children. Help me be willing to reach out to them, to reach down to them, to want to see them freed and cleansed and restored through repentance and healing to the image of God they were created to express. Thank You for sending those with Your heart who have been willing to reach down to me. Deliver us from the spirit of offense and self-righteousness. Impart to us the Spirit of mercy and grace, not blinded by the fault sins of those in relationship with us, but also not hardened to Your desire to see each of us redeemed and restored, revived and renewed to overcome our transgression by the power of Your blood and the mercy of Your grace. Thank You for doing that for Todd; thank You for doing that for me. Those who are forgiven much, then love much (Luke 7:47). Freely do we receive from You, and freely are we to give to one another (Matthew 10:8). And whatever we sow into the lives of others, so we will reap in our own lives as well (Galatians 6:7). I want to sow mercy, because as You know, I need it. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please keep our team in prayer this week at this leadership retreat with other ministry leaders to share prophetic perspective on world events, while being further equipped for ministry in our MorningStar Fellowship of Ministries (www.morningstarministries.org). Restoration is a key part of our ministry and vision at Messiah Ministries. Thank you for sowing seeds into our ministry and into the lives of those the Lord is restoring and renewing though His ministry of healing, deliverance, and spiritual transformation. God bless you with all that He is imparting to us in these days. Thank you for praying for us at The Fountain last Friday Night. The Lord's Presence was incredible, as the Holy Spirit sang over us corporately and personally through the ministry of Heather Butler from Wales. There was tremendous healing and encouragement for us all! Please come join us in person or in prayer whenever you can! Please share these morning prayers with anyone who may be interested. Subscribe by email to Tommy Hays at Messiah Ministries: MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org To order my books and our ministry resources or contribute to our ministry on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Messiah Ministries; 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 God bless you!

Power of Praise 5-21-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Come rule and reign on the earth; come rule and reign in my heart. … “Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him. And Saul’s servants said to him, ‘See now, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. Let our lord now command the servants who attend you to look for someone who is skilful in playing the lyre; and when the evil spirit from God is upon you, he will play it an you will feel better.’ … And David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer…. And whenever the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand, and Saul would be relieved and feel better, and the evil spirit would depart from him” (1 Samuel 16:14-23). In Your sovereignty, according to Your spiritual principles of creation, You give us each freedom to open our hearts to what is holy or to what is evil, to “make room” for Your Holy Spirit or to “make room for the devil” (Ephesians 4:27). You lead us and want us turn to You and willingly embrace Your Holy Spirit to lead us in Your holy ways. But at the same time, the enemy of our souls also want to use Your same spiritual principles against us, tempting to lead us because he wants us to embrace his unholy spirits to lead in his unholy ways. Our choices of rebellion and sin are taken as our permission in the spiritual realm for whatever spirits are associated with our behavior to have access to our lives, just our choices or obedience and faith are taken as our permission for Your Holy Spirit to have access in our lives. We can “submit (ourselves) therefore to God; resist the devil and he will flee,” but by the same principle, we can also resist God, submit ourselves to the devil, and he will have access through the gates of hell we’ve opened wide to him to torment us (James 4:7). You want us to have life and have it abundantly, in Your peace and grace, but our enemy comes through the permission and access we give him to steal and kill and destroy (John 10:10). In Your sovereignty, You set before us the choice of life or death, blessing or curse, peace or torment, embracing Your Holy Spirit or the enemy’s unholy spirits (Deuteronomy 30:19). Saul, through his choices, embraced evil and the spirits associated with it. But even in the torment of our rebellion, Your heart is to send a Savior. Your heart is for our deliverance and not our bondage, for our peace and not our torment. And through the love of David and his gift of worship, You were reaching out to Saul to draw him back to You. As David worshiped, evil departed. As he welcomed the Presence of God, the tormenting spirit had to flee. Darkness is always overcome by the light. So when we choose to embrace You and Your Holy Spirit, darkness has to flee, as You deliver us out of the kingdom of darkness and establish us in the kingdom of Your light in Christ (Colossians 1:13). And worship is a mighty “weapon of our warfare” to overcome the tormenting power and presence of our spiritual enemy (2 Corinthians 10:4). Praising You and welcoming the abiding Presence of Your Holy Spirit in one of the “keys to the kingdom of heaven” You’ve placed in our hands to open the gates of righteousness and slam shut the gates of hell (Matthew 16:19). Lord, draw me into deeper places of worship. Lift me high above my enemies into Your Presence through praise. Let the tormenting enemies of my soul be scattered as I worship You in spirit and truth. You are my Savior and my Deliverer. And You are the God who even sings over me, to set me free from everything that would try to torment me, as Your Holy Spirit comes to draw me close to the One who loves me (Zephaniah 3:17). In the freedom You’ve given me by the sovereignty of Your spiritual principles of creation, I willingly worship You and welcome You into my heart and my life this day and every day. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Come Tonight! Welsh Revival at The Fountain this Friday Night May 21! at 7 pm. Our good friend Heather Butler from Wales, a greatly anointed prophetic psalmist will share her ministry of singing prophetically over the people and the land. Please come join us and spread the word. The Fountain is our Messiah Ministries' monthly citywide gathering for prayer, praise, and healing worship, as we come together from the various streams and traditions of the Body of Christ in our city to experience and encounter the Presence of the Lord together to worship God freely in spirit and truth. Come drink deeply from The Fountain of His Living Waters and be refreshed and renewed in His Living Presence. Hosted by Messiah Ministries in the chapel of Centenary Church in Lexington, Kentucky, where our ministry home is located, 2800 Tates Creek Rd. Contact Marilyn Walker, our Director of Ministries for details: DirOfMinistries@aol.com or 859-317-1591 All are Welcome! Come and Spread the Word! Please share these morning prayers with anyone who may be interested. Subscribe by email to Tommy Hays at Messiah Ministries: MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org To order my books and our ministry resources or contribute to our ministry on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Messiah Ministries; 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 God bless you!

Disciple of Love 5-20-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I call upon Your name and I depend upon Your grace. I welcome You into my thoughts, into my desires, and into the moments of my day. ... “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). Jesus, I want to be Your disciple. I want to follow You, learn from You, live for You. A long time ago I opened my heart to Your Spirit and entrusted my life into Your hands. Thank You for reminding me this morning that the mark of my discipleship is love. Let love be my aim in all I do today. Some situations will be harder in which to express and experience Your love than others. Some people will be harder to give love to and receive love from than others. But by the power of the grace of God, help me let Your love lead me in every encounter of my day. If I don’t, I can’t be Your disciple. If I don’t, I won’t be following You, learning from You, or living for You. It’s as simple as that. “God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them” (1 John 4:16). In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Welsh Revival at The Fountain this Friday Night May 21! at 7 pm. Our good friend Heather Butler from Wales, a greatly anointed prophetic psalmist will share her ministry of singing prophetically over the people and the land. Please come join us and spread the word. The Fountain is our Messiah Ministries' monthly citywide gathering for prayer, praise, and healing worship, as we come together from the various streams and traditions of the Body of Christ in our city to experience and encounter the Presence of the Lord together to worship God freely in spirit and truth. Come drink deeply from The Fountain of His Living Waters and be refreshed and renewed in His Living Presence. Hosted by Messiah Ministries in the chapel of Centenary Church in Lexington, Kentucky, where our ministry home is located, 2800 Tates Creek Rd. Contact Marilyn Walker, our Director of Ministries for details: DirOfMinistries@aol.com or 859-317-1591 All are Welcome! Come and Spread the Word! Please share these morning prayers with anyone who may be interested. Subscribe by email to Tommy Hays at Messiah Ministries: MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org To order my books and our ministry resources or contribute to our ministry on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Messiah Ministries; 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 God bless you!

Spirit of Christ and Antichrist 5-19-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Give me Your grace to start this new day centered in Christ, embraced by my Father, and filled with Your Holy Spirit. … “Children, it is the last hour! As you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. From this we know that it is the last hour…. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and all of you have knowledge…. Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; everyone who confesses the Son has the Father also…. And this is what He has promised us, eternal life. I write these things to you concerning those who would deceive you…. But as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, abide in Him. And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He is revealed we may have confidence and not be put to shame before Him at His coming” (1 John 2:18-28). There is only an antichrist because there is first the true Christ. There is only a counterfeit because there is first the Truth. The enemy of our souls comes to confuse and deceive. He even “disguises himself as an angel of light” and “his ministers also disguise themselves as ministers of righteousness” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15). He tells us what we want to hear. He offers us his false promises to our perceived needs to subtly lure us away from the Truth and the One who is the Answer to all we need and the fulfillment of every true promise of God. He comes to distort the truth and disrupt the timing of the plans and purposes of God, while seeking to defile and defame the name and the nature of our One True God (Daniel 7:25). And though he may seem to prevail against us and our God for a season, he will not prevail forever (Daniel 7:26-27). The antichrist spirit is the opposite of the “Spirit of Christ” (Romans 8:9). He tempts us to grow impatient for Your promises and skeptical of Your truth, confusing us and causing us to forget that “through faith and patience (we) inherit the promises” of the Kingdom of God (Hebrews 6:12). So he comes to offer his false promises, tempting us to compromise with the truth and accept without discernment the “blessings” of his false “power and signs and lying wonders” which are always out of Your true timing and never of Your true nature (2 Thessalonians 2:9). In this last hour of this final season of this age before Your coming to receive Your Bride, we must have Your discernment. Open our eyes to see what is real as well as what is false. Sensitize our spirits to sense what is righteous and true as well as what is unholy and wrong. Strengthen us in our resolve to settle for nothing less than all that You have for us, but always in Your time and in Your way, with the faith and patience You provide to all who will humble themselves to ask and to wait. “And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will destroy with the breath of His mouth, annihilating him by the manifestation of the glory of His coming” (2 Thessalonians 2:8). Come, Lord Jesus. Abide in me this day and every day. One day You will come again in Your glory in the clouds (1 Thessalonians 4:16). But every day between now and then, You want to come in the glory of Your manifest Presence in our hearts by Your Spirit. As we abide in You and You abide in us, You make us sensitive to the leading of Your Holy Spirit and You teach us the spiritual discernment we must have to not only endure, but to flourish, into the fullness of all You have prepared for us in these last days before Your coming. Whether we have seven years or seventy years to wait for Your coming in Your glory to receive Your pure, spotless Bride, may we be found faithful and ready to receive You (Ephesians 5:27). On that day, we will praise and shout with all of heaven: “ ‘Let us rejoice and exult and give Him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His Bride has made herself ready; to her it has been granted to be clothed with fine linen, bright and pure’—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints” (Revelation 19:7-8). By the power of Your grace, we will be ready then because the true Spirit of Christ is at work within us, making us ready now. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Welsh Revival at The Fountain this Friday Night May 21! at 7 pm. Our good friend Heather Butler from Wales, a greatly anointed prophetic psalmist will share her ministry of singing prophetically over the people and the land. Please come join us and spread the word. The Fountain is our Messiah Ministries' monthly citywide gathering for prayer, praise, and healing worship, as we come together from the various streams and traditions of the Body of Christ in our city to experience and encounter the Presence of the Lord together to worship God freely in spirit and truth. Come drink deeply from The Fountain of His Living Waters and be refreshed and renewed in His Living Presence. Hosted by Messiah Ministries in the chapel of Centenary Church in Lexington, Kentucky, where our ministry home is located, 2800 Tates Creek Rd. Contact Marilyn Walker, our Director of Ministries for details: DirOfMinistries@aol.com or 859-317-1591 All are Welcome! Come and Spread the Word! Please share these morning prayers with anyone who may be interested. Subscribe by email to Tommy Hays at Messiah Ministries: MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org To order my books and our ministry resources or contribute to our ministry on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Messiah Ministries; 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 God bless you!

Music City 5-18-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are Emmanuel, God with us, always with us. You are my God, always with me in every dimension of Your Being—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. … “Sing to God, sing praises to His name; lift up a song to Him who rides upon the clouds—His name is the Lord—be exultant before Him” (Psalm 68:4). They call Nashville, Tennessee “Music City.” We’ve come here for a few days with my friend Heather Butler and her family and friends from Wales. You’ve gifted her as a prophetic psalmist, who sings spontaneously the words You stir by Your Spirit in her heart over people and over the land. And she wanted to come to this city that’s known around the world for the songs that are sent forth to the nations from this place. Many are drawn here to find their voice and that their voice may be found. And many are drawn here to hear the sound of the songs that are birthed here and timelessly honored here. Even the building that became the Grand Ole Opry has its roots in revival, worship, and prayer in the heart of this city. And we join with the prayers of many that this city’s redemptive gifts of worship, praise, and creative song be sanctified, purified, and released in power to proclaim Your name in all the earth. Music is a gift to stir our hearts in songs of praise. Music is a gift that helps us express our deepest emotions, declare our highest hopes, and literally change the atmosphere around us. And music is a gift You give us as You sing Your songs of Spirit and Truth over us to minister Your healing, comfort, and encouragement. “The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17, NJKV). Thank You, Lord, for singing over us. And thank You, Lord, for singing through us to change our hearts and change the atmosphere around us. May You release new waves of creative song and powerful worship in this city and in our hearts throughout the earth. We sing praises to Your name. And we praise Your name for singing over us. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Welsh Revival at The Fountain this Friday Night May 21! at 7 pm. Our good friend Heather Butler from Wales, a greatly anointed prophetic psalmist will share her ministry of singing prophetically over the people and the land. Please come join us and spread the word. The Fountain is our Messiah Ministries' monthly citywide gathering for prayer, praise, and healing worship, as we come together from the various streams and traditions of the Body of Christ in our city to experience and encounter the Presence of the Lord together to worship God freely in spirit and truth. Come drink deeply from The Fountain of His Living Waters and be refreshed and renewed in His Living Presence. Hosted by Messiah Ministries in the chapel of Centenary Church in Lexington, Kentucky, where our ministry home is located, 2800 Tates Creek Rd. Contact Marilyn Walker, our Director of Ministries for details: DirOfMinistries@aol.com or 859-317-1591 All are Welcome! Come and Spread the Word! Please share these morning prayers with anyone who may be interested. Subscribe by email to Tommy Hays at Messiah Ministries: MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org To order my books and our ministry resources or contribute to our ministry on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Messiah Ministries; 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 God bless you!

Choose Well: The Heart of Mary or Judas 5-17-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Take me by the hand and lead me by the heart. … “Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples (the one who was about to betray Him), said, ‘Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?’ (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of My burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me’ ” (John 12:3-8). Your Word says Judas was “one of (Your) disciples.” Can we be disciples of Christ, those who follow the Master to learn Your ways and grow in Your nature, yet have such weeds of wickedness and seeds of betrayal sown into the same heart? (Matthew 13:24-25) Can we come to a place of such double-mindedness to follow You one day and betray You the next? Can we say the right words with all the self-righteousness we can muster and all the religious piety we can project, while having all the wrong motives with all the wrong heart? Judas was called to walk with God, but the longer he continued in the journey, the more his true heart revealed. Some would say Judas was destined for destruction from the beginning (John 17:12). They would say he was an object of wrath, prepared and made by God for destruction to make known God’s glory for the objects of His mercy (Romans 9:22-24). But I don’t believe that’s the whole counsel of God for how it works. I believe Your Word when You say You are not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance in the knowledge of the truth (2 Peter 3:9). I believe Your Word when You say that whoever believes in You will not perish, but will have everlasting life (John 3:16). Though You see the end from the beginning and the beginning from the end, though You see every choice we will ever make by the grace You give us, the choices are ours to make. You set before each of us life or death, blessing or curse, for each of us to choose whom we will serve and how we shall live (Deuteronomy 30:19). And with every choice we make, our hearts become more yielded in obedience or more hardened in rebellion. Though You know our destiny, it’s our choices we make in the freedom of You give that determine it. You create us and call us to be fulfilled in Your destiny for us, but You also warn us that the consequences of our choices are real. True obedience requires the freedom to choose to obey or not; true worship requires the freedom to choose to worship or not; and true love requires the freedom to choose to love or not. Judas was called to be a son of God, one of Your disciples (Matthew 10:1). But his persistence in his choices of corruption and betrayal revealed his heart to be a “son of perdition” rather than a son of God (John 17:12, NKJV). He could have chosen life, but he chose death; he could have chosen the blessing, but he chose the curse; and with every choice, the path of his destiny was determined. Finally, even though Judas was one of Your disciples, Satan himself entered into him through the door of his heart consistently opened to deception and betrayal (Luke 22:3). Mary chose well, but Judas did not. Mary knew the needs of the poor and the call to sacrifice in discipleship. But above all, she consistently offered You the best she had to give, the sacrifice of her willing heart opened to You and poured out before You. In the power of Your grace, Mary persistently chose “the better part, which will not be taken from her” (Luke 10:42). She chose life and blessing in every moment she had to spend with You, revealing the truth of the love of God sown deeply within her heart. Lord, in the power of Your grace, help me cultivate the heart of Mary, not the heart of Judas. Help me choose well, consistently and persistently. May the Spirit of God enter my heart every day, not the spirit of perdition. As You set before me each day life or death, blessing or curse, help me choose the better part, as You seal my destiny into Your hands and my heart. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Welsh Revival at The Fountain this month! Friday Night May 21 at 7 pm our good friend Heather Butler from Wales, a greatly anointed prophetic psalmist will share her ministry and a word for Kentucky with us, A Leap of Faith. Please come join us and spread the word. The Fountain is our Messiah Ministries' monthly citywide gathering for prayer, praise, and healing worship, as we come together from the various streams and traditions of the Body of Christ in our city to experience and encounter the Presence of the Lord together to worship God freely in spirit and truth. Come drink deeply from The Fountain of His Living Waters and be refreshed and renewed in the His Living Presence. Hosted by Messiah Ministries in the chapel of Centenary Church in Lexington, Kentucky, where our ministry home is located, 2800 Tates Creek Rd. Contact Marilyn Walker, our Director of Ministries for details: DirOfMinistries@aol.com or 859-317-1591 All are Welcome! Come and Spread the Word! Please share these morning prayers with anyone who may be interested. Subscribe by email to Tommy Hays at Messiah Ministries: MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org To order my books and our ministry resources or contribute to our ministry on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Messiah Ministries; 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 God bless you!

Both Resurrection Power and Real-life Pain 5-14-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I worship You, Lord God, in spirit, soul, and body. And now I listen for Your leading in the silence of my surrender before You in these first moments of my morning. … “Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped His feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill” (John 11:2). Mary was a worshipper. She loved You deeply with all her heart. And You loved her and her sister and her brother (v. 11:5). Yet all her love, all her worship, all her intimate times of her personal relationship with You did not shelter her from encountering real-life suffering, pain, and disappointment at times in her life. There are battles we will face with sickness, sin, and death in this broken, fallen world in the process of being redeemed and transformed by the coming of the Kingdom of God. And even though there would come a day when Mary’s brother Lazarus would soon overcome the very power of death in the name of the One who is the very power of life, her worshipping heart still had to endure a time of grief and sorrow (v. 11:31). But in those times, You gave her room to ask her questions and express her grief and disappointment (v. 11:32). And her pain moved Your heart. “When Jesus saw her weeping … He was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved…. Jesus began to weep” (v. 11:33-35). All the resurrection power of God to come, all the certainty of faith even in the heart of the Son of God and Son of Man, did not take away those moments of pain for both You and for Mary. The power of God and the coming of the Kingdom of God do not exempt us with some kind of magical immunity from the brokenness and pain we often encounter in our broken, fallen world. But You are the God who is always with us through our brokenness and in our pain. You are the God who’s there to hear our questions and comfort us in our doubts and encourage us in our faith. And though we face suffering, sin, and death in so many ways so much of the time until Your Kingdom fully comes and Your will is completely done here on earth as it is in heaven, we never have to face it alone. So Your Spirit lifts our eyes to the hills from where our help comes from and opens our hearts to the One who is “the resurrection and the life.” With our hope and faith in You, as we continue to seek You and worship You through it all, even though we may suffer or sin or die, yet shall we live (v. 11:25). This is one of the ways You cause all things to work together for our good and for “God’s glory” (v. 11:4). And this is the hope and assurance we have through everything we encounter and endure in our journey through this world with You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays My friend, I pray you'll always know the Lord's deep compassion, tender mercies, and mighty strength with you always through anything you endure. Thank you so much for all your prayer for me through those times I've encountered. The best of all, God is with us through it all. And God redeems it all as we entrust it all to Him. God bless you! Welsh Revival at The Fountain this month! Friday Night May 21 at 7 pm our good friend Heather Butler from Wales, a greatly anointed prophetic psalmist will share her ministry and a word for Kentucky with us, A Leap of Faith. Please come join us and spread the word. The Fountain is our Messiah Ministries' monthly citywide gathering for prayer, praise, and healing worship, as we come together from the various streams and traditions of the Body of Christ in our city to experience and encounter the Presence of the Lord together to worship God freely in spirit and truth. Come drink deeply from The Fountain of His Living Waters and be refreshed and renewed in the His Living Presence. Hosted by Messiah Ministries in the chapel of Centenary Church in Lexington, Kentucky, where our ministry home is located, 2800 Tates Creek Rd. Contact Marilyn Walker, our Director of Ministries for details: DirOfMinistries@aol.com or 859-317-1591 All are Welcome! Come and Spread the Word! Please share these morning prayers with anyone who may be interested. Subscribe by email to Tommy Hays at Messiah Ministries: MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org To order my books and our ministry resources or contribute to our ministry on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Messiah Ministries; 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 God bless you!

The God Who Humbles Himself to Hear 5-13-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. As I sit before You in prayer this morning, set things right before me throughout my day. … “Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of His people. He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children. Praise the Lord!” (Psalm 113:5-9). Though You are high above all things, there’s nothing that escapes Your attention. You are transcendently beyond every dimension of our existence; and at the same time, You are also intimately involved in every detail of our lives. You know every hair on our heads and You know every sparrow that falls to the ground (Matthew 10:29-30). Somehow in the sovereignty of Your majesty and the infinite power of Your might, You are the God “who humbles Himself to behold the things that are in the heavens and the earth” (Psalm 113:5, NKJV). And when You humble Yourself to behold us, You are not merely observing; You are actively engaged in the unfolding of our days. You not only hear our prayers from on high, You bend down low to hear our heart’s cry, to feel our passion and our pain, our thanksgiving and our joy (Psalm 116:2). In mystery of Your sovereignty and our freedom, You respond in the power of Your love to the needs and desires of Your people. You raise up the poor; You lift up the needy; You cheer up the discouraged; You break up the fallow; and You build up the downtrodden. You hear us when we cry and respond to us when we pray (Psalm 116:1). And then You remind us that as we live out our lives on earth in this earthly dimension, we are also already seated up there with You in Your heavenly dimension (Ephesians 2:6). You make us to “sit with princes” at Your table in the heavens on high because we are sons and daughters of the King even here on earth. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Welsh Revival at The Fountain this month! Friday Night May 21 at 7 pm our good friend Heather Butler from Wales, a greatly anointed prophetic psalmist will share her ministry and a word for Kentucky with us, A Leap of Faith. Please come join us and spread the word. The Fountain is our Messiah Ministries' monthly citywide gathering for prayer, praise, and healing worship, as we come together from the various streams and traditions of the Body of Christ in our city to experience and encounter the Presence of the Lord together to worship God freely in spirit and truth. Come drink deeply from The Fountain of His Living Waters and be refreshed and renewed in the His Living Presence. Hosted by Messiah Ministries in the chapel of Centenary Church in Lexington, Kentucky, where our ministry home is located, 2800 Tates Creek Rd. Contact Marilyn Walker, our Director of Ministries for details: DirOfMinistries@aol.com or 859-317-1591 All are Welcome! Come and Spread the Word! Please share these morning prayers with anyone who may be interested. Subscribe by email to Tommy Hays at Messiah Ministries: MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org To order my books and our ministry resources or contribute to our ministry on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Messiah Ministries; 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 God bless you!

Comfort and Compassion in the Wilderness 5-12-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Your name is above every name. My knees bow and my tongue confesses that You are Lord. … “Listen to Me you who pursue righteousness, you that seek the Lord. Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you; for he was but one when I called him, but I blessed him and made him many. For the Lord will comfort Zion; He will comfort all her waste places, and will make her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and voice of song” (Isaiah 51:1-3). Zion failed You, yet You will comfort her. Israel forgot the covenant of Your promises, yet the promises of Your Word are everlasting. And like the people of Your covenant, we all have gone astray, we all have fallen short of Your glory, and we all have failed to always walk in Your ways. We reap what we sow and we journey to the places where we have set our faces. There are consequences for our choices and punishment for our sins. But You are faithful even when we are faithless. You are merciful and loving even when we are judging and condemning—of others and of ourselves. And even when we find ourselves in the waste places and wildernesses of our choices and the choices of those around us, both personally and as a people—You do not forget us; You do not forsake us; You do not fail us. Even there and even then, You say, “Listen to me…. Look to Me…. Remember Me and My promises to you. For in the desert places, I will come to You. In the wilderness, I will comfort you. Regardless of your current circumstances, I will come to you and comfort you, for I have compassion for you. I will come and remind you that you are Mine. I have created you and called you. I have purposed My plans for you. And my plans shall come to pass for all who will continue to call on My name. So wherever you are, pursue Me, for I am your righteousness. Wherever you find yourself, seek Me, for I will lead you home, for I will make My home in your heart even in that place. Then My joy and gladness will fill your soul and your songs of thanksgiving will fill your mouth.” Yes, Lord. Even the wilderness is like Eden when You are with me. Even the challenges of difficult circumstances cannot steel my peace and my joy when I embrace Your Presence and remember Your promises. So as best as I can and all by Your grace, I will listen to You and look to You; I will remember You and pursue You. And You will be with me to meet me and encourage me and embrace me wherever I’ve gone, whatever I am. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Morning by Morning, Tuesday 5-11-10 – “Stretch Out Your Hand to Heal” Good morning, Lord Jesus. Be exalted today on the throne of my heart; be present today at the center of my life. … “ ‘And now, Lord, … grant to Your servants to speak Your Word with all boldness, while You stretch out Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through Your holy child Jesus.’ When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the Word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:29-31). Yes, Lord. Just as it was the cry of the heart of Your first disciples in the beginning of this age of Your Church, so You are reawakening that cry in the hearts of Your disciples here at the end of this age of Your Church. We are Your servants, Your sons and daughters. We are Your Body of Christ, yearning to be filled with the Holy Spirit of Christ, that we many glorify the Name of Christ. In the power of Your Spirit, living in us, would You stretch out Your hand through Your Body to heal. Would You speak forth Your Word through our mouths to bring forth Your life in the final harvest of the earth (Luke 10:2). O Lord, shake us from our slumber. Awaken us to our destiny. Empower us for Your glory. Give us boldness to advance in obedience to Your command and Your commission. Increase the anointing of Presence for healing throughout the earth in this hour. Heal us, so You can use us in Your healing of others. Free us, so You can use us in the freedom of others. May the glory of these latter days be even greater than the glory of the former days (Haggai 2:9). May Your glory be displayed through Your people, proclaiming Your Word and moving in the power of Your Spirit (Isaiah 61:3). And may Your glory cover the earth as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14). Yes, Lord. Like the cry of the heart of Simeon, let us see Your glory displayed mightily in this earth before we die (Luke 2:26). In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please cover us in prayer this week. Our ministry is receiving the core training for the International Association of Healing Rooms ministry, which will be an additional component of Messiah Ministries as The Healing Rooms of Lexington (www.healingrooms.com) Ben & Pam Ellis, the statewide advisors are with us this week. And please be praying for Heather Butler and her family and friends from Wales to arrive safely later this week to minister to us at The Fountain this month on May 21st in Lexington. God bless you! Please share these morning prayers with anyone who may be interested. Subscribe by email to Tommy Hays at Messiah Ministries: MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org To order my books and our ministry resources or contribute to our ministry on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Messiah Ministries; 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 God bless you!

“Stretch Out Your Hand to Heal” 5-11-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Be exalted today on the throne of my heart; be present today at the center of my life. … “ ‘And now, Lord, … grant to Your servants to speak Your Word with all boldness, while You stretch out Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through Your holy child Jesus.’ When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the Word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:29-31). Yes, Lord. Just as it was the cry of the heart of Your first disciples in the beginning of this age of Your Church, so You are reawakening that cry in the hearts of Your disciples here at the end of this age of Your Church. We are Your servants, Your sons and daughters. We are Your Body of Christ, yearning to be filled with the Holy Spirit of Christ, that we many glorify the Name of Christ. In the power of Your Spirit, living in us, would You stretch out Your hand through Your Body to heal. Would You speak forth Your Word through our mouths to bring forth Your life in the final harvest of the earth (Luke 10:2). O Lord, shake us from our slumber. Awaken us to our destiny. Empower us for Your glory. Give us boldness to advance in obedience to Your command and Your commission. Increase the anointing of Presence for healing throughout the earth in this hour. Heal us, so You can use us in Your healing of others. Free us, so You can use us in the freedom of others. May the glory of these latter days be even greater than the glory of the former days (Haggai 2:9). May Your glory be displayed through Your people, proclaiming Your Word and moving in the power of Your Spirit (Isaiah 61:3). And may Your glory cover the earth as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14). Yes, Lord. Like the cry of the heart of Simeon, let us see Your glory displayed mightily in this earth before we die (Luke 2:26). In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please cover us in prayer this week. Our ministry is receiving the core training for the International Association of Healing Rooms ministry, which will be an additional component of Messiah Ministries as The Healing Rooms of Lexington (www.healingrooms.com) Ben & Pam Ellis, the statewide advisors are with us this week. And please be praying for Heather Butler and her family and friends from Wales to arrive safely later this week to minister to us at The Fountain this month on May 21st in Lexington. God bless you! Please share these morning prayers with anyone who may be interested. Subscribe by email to Tommy Hays at Messiah Ministries: MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org To order my books and our ministry resources or contribute to our ministry on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Messiah Ministries; 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 God bless you!

“Full of Gladness with Your Presence” 5-10-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Wait for You and watch for You and welcome You into my heart and my day. … “For David says, concerning Him, ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for He is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced; moreover my flesh will live in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let Your Holy One experience corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of gladness with Your Presence’ ” (Acts 2:25-28). I am not holy, but You are. I am not almighty, all-knowing, always faithful, but You are. And somehow, by the grace of God, You not only dwell high in the holiest of the heavens, but You also humble Yourself to condescend to dwell in me and each of Your children who are called by Your name. By the Spirit of Christ, dwelling in me, You are always before me, always near me, always within me. You are always making known to me Your ways of life, leading me in Your paths of righteousness, establishing me in the security of Your love and empowering me to live in Your hope. Even when I falter, even when I fail, even when I faithlessly doubt, You are with me to correct me, forgive me, encourage me, embrace me, and make me again “full of gladness with Your Presence.” In the strength of Your mercy and grace, “I will not be shaken,” but only become more convinced of Your steadfast love and Your unfailing mercy that’s new every morning, in Your faithful quest to make me more like You each day by the power of Your Spirit. “But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through His Spirit that dwells in you” (Romans 8:9-11). So my heart will be glad, my tongue will rejoice, and my spirit will thank You, my God, for being ever-present with me this day and forevermore. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Please share these morning prayers with anyone who may be interested. Subscribe by email to Tommy Hays at Messiah Ministries: MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org To order my books and our ministry resources or contribute to our ministry on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Messiah Ministries; 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 God bless you!

Come Live in Me 5-7-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Be exalted, O God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. … “The God who made the world and everything in it, He who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things” (Acts 17:24-25). Lord of heaven and earth, Creator of all, Ruler of everything, I bow my knees and my heart before You, admitting Your authority in my life. You are the Source and Supply of every good thing. I can’t build for You a temple with my hands or even a church building with my money that can contain You or control You, appease You or influence You. I can only make room for You here in my heart. My heart is Your temple; Your people are Your church. And the glory of Your Presence comes to fill the temples of the hearts of those who lift up their faces to seek You and open up their hearts to embrace You. “For in (You) we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). No one call fully understand You, fully explain You, fully experience You. You are the Creator and we are the created; You are so infinite and we are so finite. But You have placed deep within the hearts of us all a desire to seek You and know You. “From one ancestor He made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and He allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for Him and find Him—though indeed He is not far from each of us” (Acts 17:26-27). So when I don’t understand, I will seek You. When I yearn to encounter You and experience You, I will seek You. When I question my purpose, doubt my inheritance, admit my impatience, I will seek You. Seeking You, searching for Your, groping for You is part of Your plan to open my heart to receive You and embrace You. And all the while You are not far from me; You’re just ahead of me, drawing me closer to You. This si the way You fulfill Your promise to me and to all who seek You: “When you search for Me, You will find Me; if you seek Me with all your heart, I will let you find Me, says the Lord” (Jeremiah 29:13-14). So as best as I can, all by Your grace, with all of my heart, I seek You. I make room for You. I embrace You. I choose again today to live and move and have my being in You. Come live in me. Come fill Your temple with the glory of Your Presence. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Please share these morning prayers with anyone who may be interested. Subscribe by email to Tommy Hays at Messiah Ministries: MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org To order my books and our ministry resources or contribute to our ministry on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Messiah Ministries; 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 God bless you!

Isaiah 35 Streams in the Desert--Pls Join with Us in Ministry

Isaiah 35 Streams in the Desert "For waters shall break forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert" --Isaiah 35:6 Dear Friend, Thank you for your friendship and relationship with me and our ministry. These are exciting days in the Kingdom of God! We are thrilled with all the Lord seems to be doing in the life of Messiah Ministries. He has called us to do our part in our generation to proclaim the coming of the Kingdom of God, to heal the brokenhearted and set the captives free, to prepare the way of the Lord and minister the healing love of God. Thank you for every way you have been a part of fulfilling our calling and vision. Though doors of opportunity for ministry continue to open wide and we continue to work hard in the strength of the Lord to fulfill the vision He has given us, this economic desert season is causing us to be even more desperately dependent upon the Lord alone in faith for all our provision. In seeking His wisdom and answers in prayer, we believe He gave us a strategy for our ministry finances in this wilderness time -- Isaiah 35 Streams. In humility and faith, we are inviting you to partner with us in ministry, spiritually and financially, by contributing $35 a month or more to the work of the Kingdom through Messiah Ministries this year. We believe the Lord has shown us this will provide "a steady stream" of His provision through these desert days. We praise God for His faithfulness! And we thank God for you, as you join with us as a significant part of His provision for His ministry for the glory of His name and His Kingdom. But even a regular, monthly contribution of $10/ month makes a huge difference along with the help of everyone to provide a sense of peace from worry about our ministry finances and fulfillment of our calling. Please prayerfully consider our invitation. And if this stirs in your spirit with joy to join us as the Lord's answers to our prayers, please covenant with us this year to be a part of Isaiah 35 Streams. I will be very glad to talk with you about this or describe more of our vision and calling in ministry. I pray you see our ministry as good soil in which to sow your seed for God's harvest. May the Lord bless you and pour out His exceedingly abundant blessings and provision for you this year -- We pray "a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap ..." (Luke 6:38). In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Messiah Ministries 2800 Tates Creek Rd. Lexington, Kentucky 40502 www.messiah-ministries.org online contributions: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org 859-422-1794 (All contributions, of any amount, are very welcome, tax deductible, greatly needed and greatly appreciated)

America’s National Day of Prayer 5-6-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I lift up my voice and call on Your name in the communion of prayer at the start of this day. … “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares those who trust in Him” (Nahum 1:7). Across America today, Your people who are called by Your name will humble themselves and pray. This is our National Day of Prayer. Some may say, “Well, every day should be a day of prayer.” And so it should. But this day is not like any other day. On this day, as the Body of Christ in our nation, we come together in the unity of the bond of the Holy Spirit, as sons and daughters of our Father in Heaven through the blood of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. In so many ways, we will come together without regard for doctrinal and denominational differences. We will come together on courthouse steps, public parks, capitol rotundas, in courtyards and around flagpoles, by the water coolers and in cafeterias, at churches and at homes, and wherever two are more will gather in in the name of Jesus. We will come together under the name that is above every name, that unites us as one in the Spirit and one in the Lord (Philippians 2:9). Together as one, we will pray “will all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as (we) were called to the one hope of (our) calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:2-6). Today in prayer, we turn to You alone and trust in You alone as our stronghold and refuge. In You alone do we put our hope and faith—not in our politicians, not in our government, not in the laws, not in our own sense of goodness, self-sufficiency, or pride. In God we trust, as one nation under God. Some may challenge our faith that You will hear our prayers as a nation: “What about your political leaders? What about your national sins? What about your watered-down faith, left-behind values, and compromising witness? Who are you to pray and expect God to hear? You may be a nation with a few Christians, but you are no longer a Christian nation.” But this is what I hear You say, “Did I not say I would spare even Sodom if I could find but ten righteous? Are there not yet ten righteous, not of their own but by the blood of My Son, who yet bow their knees and their hearts to humble themselves on behalf of this nation to call on My name? I am not a man to see as others see. I am the Lord your God. And I look upon the heart. And when I look upon the heart of America, I see a remnant of My people who are called by My name who still humble themselves to pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, that I may hear and forgive and heal this land. Even in My judgments, My correction, and My discipline shall I remember mercy because of the heart I see in My people. Do not despair. Do not doubt. For I am the God who holds the hearts of kings in My hand, who holds the destinies of nations in My will. There is yet a destiny for this nation. Persevere in prayer. Trust in Me. For I am good and I am God. I am your Refuge in times of trouble. I care for those who trust in Me.” Yes, Lord. All of this that is Your word will go forth, not returning void, but accomplishing all to which You have purposed in Your heart to do (Isaiah 55:11). Any that’s not will fall to the ground and die, but all that is will arise in a word of hope, breaking the power of disillusion and doubt, restoring us to faith in the power of Your redemption of our hearts and our land. May You look down from Heaven today and see again one nation under God. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays My friends in America and abroad, please join with us in prayer to God for America today. May we turn to God and call on His name and yet fulfill our destiny. Together with our brothers and sisters from every tribe and tongue and nation in the earth under the banner of Christ, may we be together "a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation" (1 Peter 2:9). I would welcome your prayers for me today at noon, as I speak for the National Day of Prayer gathering in the business marketplace at the Corporate Headquarters of Lexmark International. In the Lexington, Kentucky area, please join the group downtown at Phoenix Park at noon across from the Courthouse for the National Day of Prayer public gathering outdoors to pray for our nation. Please share these morning prayers with anyone who may be interested. Subscribe by email to Tommy Hays at Messiah Ministries: MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org To order my books and our ministry resources or contribute to our ministry on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Messiah Ministries; 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 God bless you!

Overcoming Principalities and Powers 5-5-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Good morning, Heavenly Father. Good morning, Holy Spirit. Lord God Almighty, You are One and You are holy and You are worthy of all praise and honor and glory. … “To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the Church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him” (Ephesians 3:8-12, NKJV). When we unite as one among all the scattered streams and fractured identities of Your Church, we are a witnesses together of Your manifold wisdom and Your mighty power to the world, to ourselves, and even “to the principalities and power in the heavenly places” (John 17:21). Those “principalities and powers” are often the evil territorial spiritual entities ruling and reigning from their thrones over their dominions, assigned and strategically positioned over our cities, regions, nations, and all spheres of community influence (see Daniel 10:10-14). They only have dominion where we, as a people throughout generations, have forfeited our dominion, giving them permission to influence our minds and our cultures in the unholy ways they desire by our choices in rebellion and disobedience to the ways of God. Our choices enthrone them and empower them to influence us and reign over us to the degree we continue to submit to their thoughts in our minds and their desires in our hearts. We reap what we sow, both in our generation and in the generations to come, defiling our lives and defiling the land (Galatians 6:7). This battle is spiritual battle, raging in the heavenly places by our choices and actions every day on earth, giving permission to either the Holy Spirit or these unholy spirits to have tremendous influence and dominion in our lives. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12, NKJV). This battle is real, being waged every day, and being manifested here on earth as it is in the heavenly places. But in the victory of the cross and the glory of resurrection, You have “disarmed principalities and powers, (having) made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:15, NKJV). In the power of the blood of the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, You have defeated the claim of those evil entities to continue to rule and reign over us in our lives and our land, “having forgiven (us) all trespasses” and “having nailed it to the cross” (Colossians 2:11-14). Our part is to agree with what You have done, declaring and enforcing the victory of the cross—the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness, the ways of the Spirit over the ways of the flesh—every day in every area of our lives and our land. The victory is already won! “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ, with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before Him in love” (Ephesians 1:3-4). When we live out Your victory by the power of Your grace in our choices and actions every day, we enforce the victory of the cross You’ve already won in our lives. Principalities and powers are pushed back and displaced by the light of the glory of God over our lives and over our land. Your Kingdom comes, Your will is done, here on earth as it is in heaven through Your Church. Together in You, we “make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery” so that the “manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the Church” and the “unsearchable riches of Christ” are declared and established on earth as it is in heaven. As we do, “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39, NKJV). Together in You, as Your Church around this world, from every tribe and tongue and nation, we will take our place in You, “far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come” (Ephesians 1:21 and 2:6). True unity in the bond of Your Spirit, submitted to Your ways and Your dominion is the key to enforcing the victory as overcomers in Christ to possess the land of our inheritance and embrace the blessings of our God in our lives. “Behold how good and pleasant it is when brethren dwell together in unity…. For there the Lord commands the blessing—Life for evermore” (Psalm 133:1-3). In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, if you would be interested in my teaching on this topic that stirred up in my prayer today, please consider ordering my book, Free to Be Like Jesus--Transforming Power of Healing & Deliverance, where I cover much of this in the section on generational blessings and curses. www.shop.messiah-ministries.org or www.amazon.com I would welcome your prayers for me tomorrow as I speak for the National Day of Prayer gathering in the business marketplace at the Corporate Headquarters of Lexmark International. In the Lexington, KY area, please join the group downtown at Phoenix at noon across from the Courthouse at noon for the National Day of Prayer public gathering outdoors to pray for our nation. Please share these morning prayers with anyone who may be interested. Subscribe by email to Tommy Hays at Messiah Ministries: MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org To order my books and our ministry resources or contribute to our ministry on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Messiah Ministries; 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 God bless you!

At the Center of the Throne 5-4-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are my Savior and the Center of my life. … When I feel alone, You are my Companion When I feel afraid, You are my Comforter When I feel amiss, You are my Counselor When I feel attacked, You are my Champion You are the Savior and the Center of my life “For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship Him day and night within His temple, and the One who is seated on the throne will shelter them. They will hunger no more and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor will any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and He will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:15-17). When Graham Cooke came to speak to us and encourage us for the battles to come in Kentucky last year, I remember him saying, “The book of Revelation is my devotional book.” Everyone laughed because it’s filled with so much imagery of persecution and destruction to come in the final season at the end of this age. But as he was pointing out, all of that is centered around the message of the steadfast love and mighty power of Christ to comfort and encourage Your people to overcome, as we look to You and trust in Your plan and Your Word to bring victory in the end and strength through every battle. The Lamb of God is seated at the center of throne—no matter what may come, no matter how all things may unfold. O Lord, today and every day, be seated on the throne at the center of my life. Draw me close to You, under the shelter of the Almighty and into the secret place of the Most High, where Your angels watch over me and Your Holy Spirit encourages and empowers me (Psalm 91). As I worship You in spirit and truth, as I entrust to You my heart and my mind, I will not hunger or thirst for anything but You. As the Good Shepherd of my soul, You will guide me to Your springs of the water of life, providing in abundance all that I need (Ephesians 3:20). You are the Savior and the Center of my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Please share these morning prayers with anyone who may be interested. Subscribe by email to Tommy Hays at Messiah Ministries: MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org To order my books and our ministry resources or contribute to our ministry on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Messiah Ministries; 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 God bless you!

Rain or Shine 5-3-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. As best as I can and all by Your grace I give all that I am and all that I have into Your hands. … “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise and the evil and on the good, and send rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:43-45). The sun has burst forth this morning after two days of torrential rains over our region. The sun can be such a sign of Your blessing when the days have been soggy and dark and dreary. But for those in the desert places where all is exposed and nothing is hidden from the scorch of its blaze, it can seem more like a curse of Your judgment rather than the favor of Your blessing. Likewise, the rain can be such a sign of Your blessing, calling us to “be glad and rejoice in the Lord (our) God; for He has given the early rain for (our) vindication; He has poured down for (us) abundant rain, the early and the later rain as before. The threshing floors shall be full of grain, the vats shall overflow with wine and oil…. (We) shall eatin plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord (our) God, who has dealt wondrously with (us)” (Joel 2:23-26). But those overwehelmed by the waters or dealing with the destruction that can come in the flash of a moment, can find it hard to find the silver lining in the dark clouds that rise in the abundance of rain. In my own experience, the first day I was praising Your name for the breakthrough in the heavenlies as a sign of Your breakthrough in our hearts. And the second day, I was calling on Your name for wisdom and mercy in response to river beginning for flow from my ceiling and through my walls in my garage. This morning I welcome “the sun of righteousness” to “rise with healing in its wings” and dry of the abundant blessings of the rain. So what are we to say in all these things? What are we believe You are saying to each of us in all these things? It seems You would say, “Now in this day and in the days to come, look to Me in all things. Seek My heart of redemption and My hand of favor in all that you may endure alongside all those who live and endure around you. Endure the seasons of blessing with glad hearts and rejoicing spirits, knowing I delight to give good gifts to My children. Endure the seasons of sorrow with patience and persistence, knowing I am always with you to bring you through every fearful time and every painful place. Even in My judgments, I always remember mercy. Even the discipline of My correction is from My love for you as My children. Even the plagues and judgments of the final season of this age will be from My heart of redemption, longing to bring every last soul who will call upon My name into My arms to spend all eternity with Me.” Yes, Lord. Help me keep looking to You, trusting in You, seeing Your good hand at work to redeem all things through this journey of life to make me more like You. Bring me to place in my spiritual maturity that I can say, “I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:11-14). So whether it rains or shines, come hell or high water, I will keep lifting my eyes and looking to the One from whom my help comes from (Psalm 121:1). I will choose by Your grace to be glad and rejoice, content to endure all things this world may hold with You by my side and Your Spirit in my heart. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, thank you so much for covering us in prayer at our School of Spiritual Ministry, Level 2 last week. The Lord met us in amazing ways, even with miraculous healings of spirit, soul, and body, as He was equipping us and imparting into us His Spirit for His ministry into the lives of others here and abroad. One friend of ours attending couldn't wear her wedding ring for years after a terrible accident leaving great pain and swelling her hands. She wore her wedding ring around her neck as a declaration of faith that as the Lord healed her in spirit, soul, and body, by the end of the School she would be wearing it on her finger. And she was! Praise God! That's just one of many testimonies to the Healing Love of God He was pouring out in our hearts by His Spirit. Thank you for joining with us in your prayers and your support that make this ministry possible! I pray that all the Lord has been pouring into us, He would pour into you in Jesus' name. DVD's of our teaching on Level 1 and Level 2 of our Schools of Spiritual Ministry are available for order for personal or group study if you're not able to come but may be called to this area of ministry or interested in learning more. This follows the teaching in my book Free to Be Like Jesus--Transforming Power of Healing & Deliverance www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Please share these morning prayers with anyone who may be interested. Subscribe by email to Tommy Hays at Messiah Ministries: MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org To order my books and our ministry resources or contribute to our ministry on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Messiah Ministries; 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 God bless you!