"Near to the Brokenhearted" - October 15

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I lift up my eyes, open up my heart, and call out Your name. The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And I say, "Come." Come into my heart, into my thoughts, into every moment of my day. You are welcome here; You are welcome now. ...

"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit.... The Lord redeems the life of His servants; none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned" (Psalm 34:18-32).

Like the father who ran to embrace the return of his prodigal son, like Your example of mercy and love when You reached out with compassion to the thief who turned his heart to You as he hung on his cross of shame, You are a God who never stops loving and never stops longing to embrace Your hurting children. You always draw "near to the brokenhearted," and then You "heal the brokenhearted"- if we'll just turn to You and let You come close (Isaiah 61:1, fulfilled in Christ, Luke 4:18).

No matter how far away we've run, how deep a pit we've dug, or how much pain we've endured, You come after us; You reach out to us; You embrace us and hold us tight, like You'll never let us go. Because You never will.

Then in the mercy and power of Your grace, You even redeem it and somehow even cause good to come out of it. You never waste a moment of our sufferings or miss an opportunity to use our challenges, in Your undying passion to make us more like You (Romans 8:17). What an amazing God You are. You are worthy to be praised and worthy to be trusted with all that I am and all that I have. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

Friends, thank you for joining with me in this journey of prayer -- it's my life-line and power supply, to start the day embraced by the Father, centered in Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit. I pray the Lord will draw near to you, embrace and encourage you, and surround you with His tender mercies and steadfast love today and every day. Please pray the same for me, my friend. God bless you!

I sent out a note Friday to my friends and ministry relationships on my email list with a significant update in my personal life. Thank you for your prayers of God's grace for my family and this ministry through this coming season. I'm so grateful for the overwelming flood of kindness and prayers that came rushing in. The Body of Christ is a beautiful thing. (If you didn't get my note, it's because I din't have your current email on my list. Please send it to me and all add it to my list if you'd like: tommyhays@messiah-ministries.org )

I'm near Amarillo at Ceta Canyon for the next few days, speaking on prayer and my personal prayer journey at the Pastor's Retreat for the Northwest Texas Conference, United Methodist Church. I'm note sure about my access to internet for a few days. Please keep us in prayer, and may the Holy Spirit continue to draw you more deeply into intimacy with the Lord in your personal spiritual life.

Friends, please make plans to come join us for our 4 Day School of Spiritual Ministry in Lexington, Kentucky November 7-10, 2012.

Be equipped and empowered to fulfill your destiny in Christ! We are setting up an on-line registration, but please send me an email if you're interested. Several have already signed up. These are always very powerful and encouraging spiritual meetings.

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

2800 Tates Creek Road

Lexington, Kentucky 40502

www.messiah-ministries.org

Passionate and Impulsive - October 12

Good morning, Lord Jesus. We've been together on this journey of prayer every morning for a long time now. I thank You that You are always here when I settle in for a little time with You in these first moments of my morning, to start my day embraced by the Father, centered in Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit. Your Presence is worth more to me than all the treasures of all the kingdoms of this world. ...

"Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest's slave, and cut off his right ear. The slave's name was Malchus. Jesus said to Peter, 'Put your sword back into its sheath. Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given Me?' " (John 18:10-11)

Peter was passionate and impulsive. He loved You with all his heart. But he also, too often, was too quick to assume he knew Your heart and understood Your will. He often acted passionately and impulsively in his flesh, instead of taking the time to follow Your Spirit. Sometimes the very gifts of God that made him uniquely who he was were the very things that got him into trouble, causing harm to himself and to others.

But Peter never caused any harm You couldn't heal (Luke 22:51). And the power of Your blood can redeem and overcome every sin and failure we will humbly entrust to You through confession and repentance. You'll even use those, like everything else, to cause all things to work together for our good when we love You with all our heart (Romans 8:28).

Thank You for Your tender mercies and steadfast love, despite all my passions and impulsiveness. Thank You for Your forgiveness and redemption to clean up my messes and heal my damages. Thank You for never giving up on me, never turning away from me, never abandoning me. No, You never let go. "No, in all these things ... (nothing) will be able to separate (me) from the love of God in Christ Jesus (my) Lord" (Romans 8:37-39). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

Friends, I pray the Lord will heal your hurts and any hurts you've caused, trying to move in your gifts and the unique identity the Lord has given you. May He turn it all around and use it for your good and His glory, as you entrust it all to Him. Please pray the same for me, my friend. God bless you!

I will be sending out a note to my friends and ministry relationships with a significant update in my personal life, so I would especially appreciate your prayers of God's grace for my family and this ministry today and through this coming season.

Friends, please make plans to come join us for our 4 Day School of Spiritual Ministry in Lexington, Kentucky November 7-10, 2012.

Be equipped and empowered to fulfill your destiny in Christ!

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

2800 Tates Creek Road

Lexington, Kentucky 40502

www.messiah-ministries.org

Boldness, Intimacy, and Peace in Prayer - October 11

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I am Yours and You are mine. As best as I can and all by Your grace, I surrender all to You and You are Lord of all of me. ...

"Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God; and we receive from Him whatever we ask, because we obey His commandments and do what pleases Him. And this is His commandment, that we should believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as He has commanded us. All who obey His commandments abide in Him and He abides in them. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit that He has given us" (1 John 3:21-24).

When we believe and when we love, we please You. It's not by our power, nor by our might, but by Your Spirit that we can desire this or do this. "For it is God who is at work in (us), enabling (us) both to will and to work for His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13). As we abide in You and You abide in us, Your Spirit changes our hearts and what we desire, just as Your Spirit changes our minds and how we think.

In that deep place of communion between Your Holy Spirit and our human spirit, where Deep calls to deep, we have peace and intimacy with You. That's the place where "there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus;" and that's the place where "the law of the Spirit of the life of Christ has set (us) free" (Romans 8:1-2). In that place of completely surrendered, un-condemning, intimate prayer, "we have boldness before God, and we receive from Him whatever we ask." There's where I belong, and that's where I want to be. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

Tommy, may the Holy Spirit of the Living God draw you deeply into the place of boldness, intimacy, and peace in prayer through communion with Him. May your heart know no condemnation as you abide in Christ and Christ abides in you, embraced by your Father in Heaven who loves you more than you can know. Please pray the same for me, my friend. God bless you!

I'm excited to be partnering in ministry this week in San Antonio, Texas with Rapha God Ministries, training and equipping for inner healing prayer ministry (www.RaphaGodMinistries.com). Please keep us in your prayers to see breakthroughs and transformation in spirit, soul, and body.

Friends, please make plans to come join us for our 4 Day School of Spiritual Ministry in Lexington, Kentucky November 7-10, 2012.

Be equipped and empowered to fulfill your destiny in Christ!

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

2800 Tates Creek Road

Lexington, Kentucky 40502

www.messiah-ministries.org

"Call to Me and I Will Answer You" - October 10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I love You, Lord; and I thank You for loving me first. ...

"The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still confined in the court of the guard: Thus says the Lord who made the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it - the Lord is His name: Call to Me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things, that you have not known" (Jeremiah 33:1-3).

Jeremiah was imprisoned for the boldness of his faith. His body was confined, but not his spirit. He continued to seek Your face and call on Your name. And in the darkness of the place he found himself, You answered him. There, You told him great and hidden things he had not known. There, You told him things that stirred his hope and confirmed his faith (v. 33:4-26).

No matter where we find ourselves, You are there. No matter how challenging our circumstances, how difficult our choices, how dark it seems before the dawn, You are there. And You are always inviting us to look to You, to call on You, to listen for the leading of Your still, small voice to tell us the things we need to know but have not known. You are faithful to be with us always. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

  I pray the Lord will answer you and speak to you about every word you need to hear from Him, no matter where you find yourself. Please pray the same for me, my friend. God bless you!

I'm excited to be partnering in ministry this week in San Antonio, Texas with Rapha God Ministries, training and equipping for inner healing prayer ministry (www.RaphaGodMinistries.com) I'll be teaching the weekly Bible Study today on using spiritual gifts in prayer ministry. Please keep us in your prayers to see breakthroughs and transformation in spirit, soul, and body.

Friends, please make plans to come join us for our 4 Day School of Spiritual Ministry in Lexington, Kentucky November 7-10, 2012.

Be equipped and empowered to fulfill your destiny in Christ!

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

2800 Tates Creek Road

Lexington, Kentucky 40502

www.messiah-ministries.org

"Steady as She Goes" - October 9

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I speak Your name and listen for Your voice. ...

It seems I hear You say, "Steady as she goes" - like the captain of a ship, navigating through unchartered waters.

I can be steady, because You are steady. "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:22-23). I don't know what challenges lie ahead. I don't know what jagged rocks like below the surface or what storms are brewing around the bend. I but I know You will be with me through it all.

Your abiding Presence inspires me with confidence to keep moving forward, to keep trusting the One who knows my journey - from beginning to end, even with every detour, distraction, and delay in between. In You, "My heart is steady, God; my heart is steady" - steady as I go on with You, morning by morning, one day at a time (Psalm 57:6, NCV). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

Tommy, may the Holy Spirit steady your heart and guide your journey. Please pray the same for me, my friend. God bless you!

I"m excited to be partnering in ministry this week in San Antonio, Texas with Rapha God Ministries, training and equipping for inner healing prayer ministry (www.RaphaGodMinistries.com) Please keep us in your prayers to see breakthroughs and transformation in spirit, soul, and body.

Friends, please make plans to come join us for our 4 Day School of Spiritual Ministry in Lexington, Kentucky November 7-10, 2012.

Be equiped and empowered to fulfill your destiny in Christ!

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

2800 Tates Creek Road

Lexington, Kentucky 40502

www.messiah-ministries.org

Feast of Tabernacles - October 8

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I worship You in spirit, soul, and body. I honor You in every dimension of Your Being and entrust to You every dimension of my being. ...

"You shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles seven days, when you have gathered from your threshing floor and from your winepress. And you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant and the Levite, the stranger and the fatherless and the widow, who are within your gates. Seven days you shall keep a sacred feast to the Lord your God in the place which the Lord chooses, because the Lord your God will bless you in all your produce in all the work of your hands, so that you shall surely rejoice" (Deuteronomy 16:13-15, NKJ).

This weekend, I was honored to come speak and minister among a gathering of families come together to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles every year. They take their tents, their "tabernacles," and set up camp, just as the Lord commanded the Hebrew people to go out into their tents to remember the season of their wilderness and to celebrate the joy of their harvest. There was much joy and celebration and dancing. And there was much praise for the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who brings us through our wildernesses into our harvest.

Thank You, Lord, for bringing us through every wilderness. Thank You for reminding us of the days of harvest to come. Like the Hebrew people who dwelled in their tents through the years of the wilderness, they came to know how desperately dependent they were upon You. And later in the land of Your promise, when You called them out into the harvest of Your promises, they remembered and celebrated Your faithfulness and abundant provision. And Your Word says there will come a time again when the people of the nations of the earth shall "go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles" (Zechariah 14:16).

In You, our Messiah, no matter what wilderness we go through, there is always a harvest to come. No matter how long our wilderness may last, You are always with us. You are the God who comes to "tabernacle" among us (John 1:14). So even in the wilderness, there's always time for celebration and joy. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

Tommy, may the Lord bring you through every wilderness and remind you of His harvest for you to come. May you know the joy of His Presence, even in the midst of the wilderness times. Please pray the same for me, my friend. God bless you!

Friends, please make plans to come join us for our 4 Day School of Spiritual Ministry in Lexington, Kentucky November 7-10, 2012.

Be equiped and empowered to fulfill your destiny in Christ!

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

2800 Tates Creek Road

Lexington, Kentucky 40502

www.messiah-ministries.org

Death in the Fall for Life in the Spring - October 5

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Help me abide in You, as You arise in me. Help me start my day emptied of myself and filled with Your Spirit. ...

"Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit" (John 12:24).

The leaves on the trees die in the fall so new life can come in the spring. The ways of our flesh die when we are crucified with Christ so we can live a new life in the Spirit. And the hopes and plans of yesterday's dreams that came from our own desires instead of Yours must die so we can begin to live into the fullness of Your hopes and plans for us today.

Lord, give me eyes to see what must die and what must live. Give me ears to hear the leading of Your still, small voice. And give me courage to make the hard choice to press in and move forward to the life that will bear the fruit that pleases You. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

Tommy, may the Lord give You grace to embrace all He is doing in you this season so your life in His Spirit can bear much fruit. Please pray the same for me, my friend. God bless you!

Friends, I'll be speaking in Harrodsburg, Kentucky this weekend of Oct 5-7, hosted by Prodigal Ministries, Hebrew Roots Fellowship at the Mercer County Fairgrounds ( www.ProdigalMin.org ):

Tabernacles 2012 - Spiritual Empowerment

"Equipping the Saints for the Season of His Return"
Friday Oct. 5th 7:00 pm; Sat Oct 6th Times TBA; Sun Oct 7th 7:00 pm
Please come join us if you can!

Please make plans to come join us for our 4 Day School of Spiritual Ministry in Lexington, Kentucky November 7-10, 2012.

Be equiped and empowered to fulfill your destiny in Christ!

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

2800 Tates Creek Road

Lexington, Kentucky 40502

www.messiah-ministries

Praising God for Bob McCray's Healing!

Dear Friends,

We are all praising God for healing Bob McCray of our Messiah Ministries' Board of Directors. Doris and Bob are excited to share this inspiring testimony of the Lord's answers to all our prayers:

Doris & Bob McCray

        On August 5th Bob was awakened by his defibrillator shocking his heart. His first cry woke me and I ran for the phone to call 911. The shocks came repeatedly as we both cried out for God to help us. My husband was near death as his cry became weak, his face ashen. As the 911 crew very quickly and skillfully started oxygen and an IV. Others of the crew brought in the stretcher and again with great care and skill placed him on it for the ride to the hospital.

During our wait for 911 to arrive I had called our close intercessors friends to pray for Bob. By the time I got to see Bob in the emergency room he was somewhat comfortable and talking to me. We began our wait for a room to open in the critical care unit.

For years Bob and I have read the 91st Psalm as a prayer the last thing before going to bed. As Bob was quietly resting, I began to read Psalm 91 for us. My eyes were drawn across the page to Psalm 92:14: "And he shall still bear fruit in old age. And shall be fresh and flourishing." I knew we had heard from our Heavenly Father. From that point, as Bob slept, I continued to read His Word and marvel at the peace He was giving me. Little did I know that within hours the word He had given me would be tested and my faith would be tried as in a furnace.

Bob was asking for and given a light breakfast the next morning, and our hopes were high as all signs were pointing to his coming home after being checked out thoroughly. He and I decided I needed to go to our house to cancel appointments we had for that afternoon.

Within minutes of walking into our house the hospital called that my husband was critical and I needed to return to the hospital right away. I knew that satan was contending to take my husband's life. It was as though the Holy Spirit placed a restraint in my spirit and said, stay calm, do not panic, drive slowly to the hospital, do not give in to fear. I made a couple of calls for prayer for Bob.

The scene at the hospital was not good. Bob's room was filled with doctors and nurses who all seemed baffled at what to do with a heart that was out of control. When I looked at my precious husband the Holy Spirit moved me and I walked to his bed, placed my hand on his head and commanded satan to take his hands off my husband in Jesus Name. And placing my hand over his heart spoke peace and normal function into his heart. His peace came into the room. With a confidence not my own I moved over and doctors came to the bed conferring with one another. They placed Bob on a ventilator and an induced coma. In the natural nothing looked good....but God had given me His word for my husband.

That first night with Bob in the induced coma the nurse asked if I wanted to stay the night in his room and my answer was yes. She moved his bed and equipment over and brought in a recliner for me. I understand it was unusual for this particular nurse. She told me she was known as running her shift like an army sergeant. With her patients settled for the night she turned lights out and only the lights from all the monitors gave me light to pray the 91st Psalm for us. As I quietly read the Psalm I heard footsteps enter the room and the nurse held a flashlight over my Bible. Not only had God given me His promise for Bob, but favor for me to be near him and to read the Word by flashlight. My heart sang out with praise to the wonder of such a God who indeed would see us through this.

Tommy came and prayed for Bob and sent the word to Heather Butler with our intercessory prayer team. Now intercessors at home and abroad were praying for him.

There were many struggles and battles daily, sometimes hourly, that presented themselves. With each struggle I would send a text and Heather would send the requests to intercessors. We had love and support from our local church that was constant and powerful. Many friends in many places were praying. Our children were praying scriptures and placing Bob on prayer lists everywhere.

We learned that Bob did not have a heart attack and the specialist determined why the defibrillator had shocked his heart. Adjustments were made and we waited as Bob was monitored so very carefully. He began to improve, was taken off the ventilator and assigned to a regular room.

In follow up visits the doctors are amazed and obviously pleased that Bob looks and feels so good. He is quick to say that prayers brought him through. He is living out Psalm 92:14. "And he shall still bear fruit in old age. He shall be fresh and flourishing." To God be the glory. Great things He has done. He watches over His Word to perform it.

We praise God,

Doris McCray

Yes, Lord! We praise God with Bob & Doris and all who love them and trust You throgh every stuggle and battle of our lives!

In the Love of Jesus,

Tommy Hays

Be empowered, equipped, and encouraged to fulfill your destiny in Christ!

Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

2800 Tates Creek Rd.

Lexington, Kentucky 40502

www.messiah-ministries.org

United as One with the Lord - October 3

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. You're with me at the beginning and through the end of this day and every day. ...

"But anyone united to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him" (1 Corinthians 6:17).

Lord God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - unite my spirit with Your Spirit, my heart with Your Heart, my mind with Your Mind. Remove every barrier and bring down every wall. Heal every hurt; forgive every sin; correct every belief; break every chain. Let nothing ever separate me from the fullness of the love of God You have for me (Romans 8:35-39).

You're always inviting me to be more closely united as one with You, always calling me to keep pressing in, closer to You: "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you" (James 4:8). That's my desire; that's my choice, here in these first moments of my morning. Now let that continue to be my desire and my choice throughout the moments of my day. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

Tommy, may you be united as one with the Lord today and every day. Please pray the same for me, my friend. God bless you!

Friends, I'll be speaking in Harrodsburg, Kentucky this weekend of Oct 5-7, hosted by Prodigal Ministries, Hebrew Roots Fellowship at the Mercer County Fairgrounds ( www.ProdigalMin.org ):

Tabernacles 2012 - Spiritual Empowerment

"Equipping the Saints for the Season of His Return"
Friday Oct. 5th 7:00 pm; Sat Oct 6th Times TBA; Sun Oct 7th 7:00 pmPlease come join us if you can!

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

2800 Tates Creek Road

Lexington, Kentucky 40502

www.messiah-ministries

"All Your Ways Will Be Sure" - October 2

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I lift up my eyes to Your face and open up my ears to Your voice. Lead me in the paths of righteousness today - the paths that lead to what is right with You, right with others, and right within myself. ...

"Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Keep straight the path of your feet, and all your ways will be sure. Do no swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil" (Proverbs 4:25-27).

If my eyes are on You, my feet will follow. If my heart is on You, my desires will follow. If my mind is on You, my thoughts will follow. Then all my ways will be sure.

So help me set my eyes on You, to seek You first and Your kingdom and Your righteousness above all else (Matthew 6:33). Then my path with be straight - no detours, no distractions, no delays.

Yet all the while, You are so full of grace for every failure. In loving kindness, You convict me; in steadfast love, You correct me; in tender mercies, You forgive me. Your kindness leads to repentance (Romans 2:4). Then You move in my spirit to lift my eyes back to You and set my feet back on Your path. What an awesome God, what a perfect Father, what a merciful Savior You are. Praise Your holy name. Thank You for the wisdom and grace of Your righteous ways. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

Tommy, may the Holy Spirit guide your paths and make all your ways sure today. Please pray the same for me, my friend. God bless you!

Last night, we worshipped God in an open-air praise and prayer gathering under a giant cross on a high ridge overlooking Kerrville, Texas and the Hill Country. I was humbled to be invited to pray a prayer of blessing and fulfillment over the vision of the ministry there by the leadership (www.thecrossatkerrville.org).

Friends, I'll be speaking in Harrodsburg, Kentucky this weekend of Oct 5-7, hosted by Prodigal Ministries, Hebrew Roots Fellowship at the Mercer County Fairgrounds ( www.ProdigalMin.org ):

Tabernacles 2012 - Spiritual Empowerment

"Equipping the Saints for the Season of His Return"
Friday Oct. 5th 7:00 pm; Sat Oct 6th Times TBA; Sun Oct 7th 7:00 pm
Please come join us if you can!

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

2800 Tates Creek Road

Lexington, Kentucky 40502

www.messiah-ministries

"Telling the Glory of God" - October 1

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I begin my day looking to You, speaking Your name, listening for Your voice. ...

"The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims His handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world" (Psalm 19:1-4).

All the heavens and all the earth are the work of Your hands. They are a manifestation of Your creativity and an expression of Your desires. You thought; You spoke; and so they are. As we see the beauty and intricacy and wisdom of what You have done, we see a measure of who You are.

And so it is with us. The things we do are an expression of who we are. The choices we make and what we create is a manifestation of what comes from within. As You have said: "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit; for each tree is known by its own fruit.... The good person out of the good treasures of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of the evil treasure produces evil; for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks" (Luke 6:43-46).

Lord, renew my mind and cleanse my heart. Change me from the inside out to make me more like You each day. Let the words I speak and the things I do come from a place that's completely surrendered to You and being conformed to Your image (Romans 8:29). Let my life be a good tree that bears good fruit.

I want the handiwork of my hands and spheres of influence around me that I help shape to display Your goodness and Your glory, because my heart and soul and are aligned with Yours. I know I have far to go and I still fail far too often, but as best as I can and all by Your grace, I entrust myself to You and Your plan for my life. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

Tommy, may Your life tell of the glory of God today, expressing what He has done in you and now does through you. Even if you have to make difficult or painful choices, may you live them out in such a way that honors God, despite the cirucmstances. Please pray the same for me, my friend. God bless you!

I'm excited to be sharing the morning devotional today with the prayer team at Rapha God Ministries in San Antonio, Texas, led by great friends of mine, and joining in some prayer ministry with them while I am here (www.RaphaGodMinistries.com).

 

Friends, I'll be speaking in Harrodsburg, Kentucky this weekend of Oct 5-7, hosted by Prodigal Ministries, Hebrew Roots Fellowship at the Mercer County Fairgrounds ( www.ProdigalMin.org ):

Tabernacles 2012 - Spiritual Empowerment

"Equipping the Saints for the Season of His Return"
Friday Oct. 5th 7:00 pm; Sat Oct 6th Times TBA; Sun Oct 7th 7:00 pmPlease come join us if you can!

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

2800 Tates Creek Road

Lexington, Kentucky 40502

www.messiah-ministries.org

Fearlessly, Faithfully, Trusting God - September 28

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Good morning, Heavenly Father. Good morning, Holy Spirit. Lord God, You are One, in all the fullness of every Dimension of Your Being, and You are holy. You are Love and You love me. You love me and You are for me. So I begin my day in the unwavering knowledge of that perfect truth. ...

"But now thus says the Lord, He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire, you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I Am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior... Because you are precious in My sight, and honored, and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life. Do not fear, for I Am with you" (Isaiah 43:1-5).

Yes, Lord. I embrace Your truth and Your love. I thank You that Your perfect love casts out all fear (1 John 4:18). I thank You that knowing Your love for me fills me with faith to trust in You through every fire and flood that I pass through in this broken, fallen world, full of broken fallen people, including me.

You are always with me; You never leave me nor forsake me, but continue on in the journey with me - morning by morning and moment by moment. You are a good God, worthy of all my trust. So by the power of the grace You've given me, I am fearlessly, faithfully trusting You. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

Friends, I'll be speaking in Harrodsburg, Kentucky the weekend of Oct 5-7, hosted by Prodigal Ministries, Hebrew Roots Fellowship at the Mercer County Fairgrounds ( www.ProdigalMin.org ):

Tabernacles 2012 - Spiritual Empowerment

"Equipping the Saints for the Season of His Return"
Friday Oct. 5th 7:00 pm; Sat Oct 6th Times TBA; Sun Oct 7th 7:00 pmPlease come join us if you can!

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

2800 Tates Creek Road

Lexington, Kentucky 40502

www.messiah-ministries.org

Spirit Cry - September 27

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Help me abide in You as You abide in me. My spirit cries out to You and calls on Your name for Your presence, Your perspective, and Your peace. ...

"With my soul I have desired You in the night. Yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early. For when Your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness" (Isaiah 26:9, NKJ).

Lord, I want to seek You with my spirit. Let the deep of my human spirit cry out to the deep of Your Holy Spirit (Psalm 42:7). Draw me close to You; help me hear Your voice and follow the leading of Your Spirit. Allow the principles of Your kingdom and the judgments of Your righteousness to guide my steps and show me the way.

I don't want to assume what is right or rely on my own thoughts to know what is best. I want to know Your desire, because it is my desire to know You. I want to know You, even as I am known. And I can only know You, as I seek You and spend time with You and willingly choose to yield to You - not just in these quiet moments of the morning, but throughout the moments of my day. Help me do that, Lord, as best as I can and all by Your grace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

Friends, I'll be speaking in Harrodsburg, Kentucky the weekend of Oct 5-7, hosted by Prodigal Ministries Hebrew Roots Fellowship at the Mercer County Fairgrounds ( www.ProdigalMin.org ):

Tabernacles 2012 - Spiritual Empowerment

"Equipping the Saints for the Season of His Return"
Friday Oct. 5th 7:00 pm; Sat Oct 6th Times TBA; Sun Oct 7th 7:00 pmPlease come join us if you can!

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

2800 Tates Creek Road

Lexington, Kentucky 40502

www.messiah-ministries.org

"Keep Your Eyes on the Horizon" - September 24

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You're my Savior, my Lord, my Best Friend. I welcome You into my morning and every moment of my day. ...

"Those of steadfast mind You keep in peace - in peace because they trust in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in the Lord God you have an everlasting rock" (Isaiah 26-3-4).

I'll always remember the boat captain shouting through the chaos, "Keep your eyes on the horizon." I wasn't sure if the swirling chaos was a raging sea around me or inside of me, as I hurled more of my breakfast over the bow of the boat. We were going out to sea, against the waves, on my first offshore fishing trip when I was a young man. They didn't have waves and seas and massive splashes of salt water crashing over boats where I grew up on the dry, flat plains of west Texas. So it was a new adventure for me.

Somehow the wisdom of keeping my eyes on the steady horizon, instead of the tossing waves and see-sawing boat, helped steady my stomach and my nerves. And the storm inside of me began to subside. By the end of the day, we caught a lot of fish and had a lot of fun. Then I was glad we had gone too far to turn back and had no place to go but forward.

I often think of that story in the midst of the storms and unnerving waves that come crashing across the bow of my boat on this adventure of my life. But You're still the Captain of my boat, and I can always hear Your Spirit cry out, "Keep your eyes on Me!"

You're my constant horizon, my everlasting rock. You always steady my fears and calm my nerves and encourage me to keep pressing on and moving forward. You remind me that when it's all said and done, if I can just weather the swirling storms, I'll be able to look back and say it was a good day and a great adventure. And we even had lots of fun, despite losing my breakfast every now and then! Thank You for the gift of a steadfast mind that You keep in peace, helping me always to keep trusting in You. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

Friends, God bless you, my friend, as you keep your eyes on the Lord and keep moving forward into your destiny in Christ. Please pray the same for me, and thank you for going with me in the journey of prayer.

Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

2800 Tates Creek Road

Lexington, Kentucky 40502

www.messiah-ministries.org

Show Me the Way to Choose - September 21

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I speak out Your name and open up my spirit to seek Your face and listen for Your voice. ...

"Good and upright is the Lord; therefore He instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way. All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep His covenant and His decrees. For Your name's sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt for it is great. Who are they that fear the Lord? He will teach them the way that they should choose" (Psalm 25:8-12).

O Lord, You know me even more than I do and more than anyone else. You know every thought of my mind, every yearning of my spirit, every desire of my heart, every weakness of my soul. Yet You still love me. Yet You're always for me. And You're always reaching out to me to help me hear Your voice, follow the leading of Your Spirit, and walk in way that I should choose.

Forgive me for every time I felt I knew Your voice and sensed the leading of Your Spirit that was my own desire out of my own sense of need or my own wisdom, instead of Yours. Help me learn from my mistakes, my missteps, and my sins. Help me grow in wisdom and maturity of spirit. Thank You for the wisdom that comes by living through the humiliation and pain of our mistakes. And thank You for the grace that comes when we earnestly repent and entrust ourselves completely to You. "The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; and broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise" (Psalm 51:17).

Help me make right choices in the circumstances I face today and every day. Help me truly hear Your voice and truly sense the leading of Your Spirit. Help me surrender my lordship to Your Lordship of every hurt, every wound, every fear, every failure, every confusion, every battle -- everything.

As best as I can and all by Your grace, I want to live my life for the sake of Christ. I want to choose what is right and then live it out by the power of Your grace. And if I misunderstand and choose what is wrong, I want You to convict me and correct me and then help me live it out by the power of Your grace. "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.' So I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). 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. Please pray for me to make the right decisions in every area, looking to the Lord, but especially in some areas that are esepecially painful and difficult, along with the Godly counsel and steadfast love of those closest to me. I pray the same for you in every area of your life, my friend.

Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

2800 Tates Creek Road

Lexington, Kentucky 40502

www.messiah-ministries.org

Seeking to Know God - September 20

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. I welcome You into the beginning of my day, and throughout every moment, until the end. ...

"Thus says the Lord: Do not let the wise boast in their wisdom, do not let the mighty boast in their might, do not let the wealthy boast in their wealth; but let those who boast boast in this, that they understand and know Me, that I am the Lord; I act with steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, says the Lord" (Jeremiah 9:23-24).

I want to be one who understands You, who knows You. I want to be one who seeks You, who spends time with You, who yields and surrenders completely to You. When all is said and done, Lord, let this be my boast - that I was one who sought You above all else.

Even though this is my desire, I know it's not yet true. I know there are still other things that I find myself seeking or needing or wanting. And even though these may be good things, even things You've created me to need, there is only one thing that is the best thing - to seek and know You above all else.

The more I seek You, the more I will find You (v. 29:13). The more I seek You, the more I will find the fullness of Your nature - that You are full of steadfast love, justice, and righteousness. These are the things that delight You. And as I seek You and allow You to cause me to become more like the One I seek and worship, I will delight in these things as well, more and more every day. 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. Please pray for me to make the right decisions in every area, looking to the Lord, but especially in some areas that are esepecially painful and difficult, along with the Godly counsel and steadfast love of those closest to me. I pray the same for you in every area of your life, my friend.

Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

2800 Tates Creek Road

Lexington, Kentucky 40502

www.messiah-ministries.org

Healing the Hungry and Hurting - September 19

Morning by Morning,

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I seek Your face and call on Your name. Help me start this day and every day embraced by my Father, centered in Christ, and filled with Your Holy Spirit. ...

"When the crowds found out about it, they followed (Jesus); and He welcomed them, and spoke to them about the Kingdom of God, and healed those who needed to be cured" (Luke 9:11).

As You walked this earth as the Son of Man, fully surrendered to the will of our Heavenly Father, and fully anointed with the Presence and power of the Holy Spirit, crowds of people followed You. They were spiritually hungry and desperately hurting. You looked at them and loved them. You reached out to them to welcome them, to teach them about the Kingdom of God, and to heal them. And Your Word says You've never changed (Hebrews 13:8).

Today, You're still welcoming hungry and hurting people; You're still teaching about the Kingdom of God; and You're still healing those who humble themselves to seek Your face and call on Your name. Your Church is now the expression of Your Body, filled with Your Spirit, continuing Your ministry of welcoming, teaching, and healing. As the Father sent You, so You send us (John 20:21). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

Tommy, I'm very excited and honored to be teaching on the healing ministry of Jesus and His Church with the leaders and pastors at theAnnual Clergy School for the West Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church this week. They are desiring that their pastoral leaders be equipped and trained in healing prayer ministry. Praise God! Please keep us in prayer and please pray for other doors of opportunity like this to open.

Thank you for all your encourgement and support that make this ministry possible! God bless you and favor you in every area of your life, my friend.

Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

2800 Tates Creek Road

Lexington, Kentucky 40502

www.messiah-ministries.org