Morning by Morning&#8212;Daily Prayer Journey with Tommy Hays

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

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Tuesday, December 02, 2014

Morning by Morning, December 2 - Conceive Christ

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Speak to my heart and guide my thoughts as I start my day looking to You. ...

"The angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son, and you will name Him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end' " (Luke 1:30-33).

I hear You writing these words as a prayer from my heart:

You came as a Child, conceived in a womb

Destined to reign as King after the cross and the tomb

Of Your kingdom there will be no end

Upon Your sacrifice our salvation depends

You set aside the glory of heaven to humble Yourself in human flesh

You call us to set aside our flesh to reign with You in all Your gloriousness

Come, Holy Spirit. Conceive the Spirit of Christ in me. Conform the nature of Christ in me.

"But (we) are not in the flesh; (we) are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in (us). Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him. But if Christ is in (us), through 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 (us), He who raised Christ from the dead will give life to (our) mortal bodies also through His Spirit that dwells in (us)" (Romans 8:9-11).

Morning by morning, step by step, empower me to grow up "to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13). Like Mary, let me not fear, but have faith to believe Your favor is upon me, You are with me, and Your Spirit is within me to empower me to live into my calling and destiny in Christ. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My Friend, I pray the Holy Spirit will conceive the nature of Christ in you in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

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Monday, December 01, 2014

Morning by Morning, December 1 - "Favored One"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Lead me in the way that leads to life in You today. ...

"In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, 'Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you' " (Luke 1:26:28).

Mary was a "favored one." The favor of God was upon her life. The Presence of God was in her life. She was chosen by God with calling and purpose and destiny.

So are we.

You are with us. We are favored by God, created and chosen with calling and purpose and destiny. Our calling will not be to carry the Messiah in our womb. Our purpose will not be to raise from birth the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world. But our destiny will be to live out the calling and purpose You've placed in our hearts to explore in Your grace and experience in Your power. "For we are what He made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life" (Ephesians 2:10).

By the grace of God, I am a favored one. By the grace of God, You are with me--speaking to my spirit, sending angels to watch over my steps. I may not always recognize Your voice and may not always recognize the helpers You send, but I can rest in the truth that You have plans and purpose for the journey of my life in the favor of God (Jeremiah 29:11).

"Let Your work be manifest to Your servants, and Your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and prosper for us the work of our hands--O prosper the work of our hands" (Psalm 90:16-17). Lord, let the work of our hands be a grateful expression of the confidence in our hearts that we live each day with the favor of God upon our lives. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My Friend, I pray you will experience the favor of God upon your life to live into your calling, purpose, and destiny in Christ. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

Friends, I hope you had a great time of Thanksgiving with family and friends. Thank you for joining with me in this journey of prayer, as we begin to turn our thoughts to the Christmas season celebrating the birth of Christ. God bless you!

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

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Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Morning by Morning, November 26 - Honoring Margaret Therkelsen

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Let this day be all for You. ...

"I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you" (2 Timothy 1).

Thank You, Lord for the spiritual mothers and fathers in the faith, the spiritual teachers and mentors You use to change our lives along our journey. Margaret Therkelsen was one of those spiritual mothers, one of those spiritual giants, for me. Together with those who deeply loved her and were deeply loved by her, we celebrated her life and her unspeakable impact upon our lives, entrusting her forever into Your eternal embrace. We'll always love her, because You loved us through her.

She was an accomplished pianist, powerful preacher, anointed teacher, spiritual director, and prayer warrior. Probably her most profound impact upon my life was through the weekly prayer group she led for over thirty-five years from the heart of the city in Lexington, Kentucky. I was honored and blessed to be a part of those vibrant, tender, mountain-moving, hell-shaking, passionately powerful times of prayer in the Presence of God through the years of my time in Kentucky.

I can truly say Margaret Therkelsen taught me to pray. And now she's taken her place in Your "great cloud of witnesses," cheering us on, full of the joy of knowing for sure all is well (Hebrews 12:1). She's praying those perfect prayers from certain victory and deep rest in the fulfillment of every promise, face to face with her Savior who "always lives to make intercession" (Hebrews 7:25). With all who knew her, I'll always hear her famous words to any of us who needed an answer, direction, healing, or hope--"Honey, you just gotta get to Jesus." Now, she truly has.

In this moment, I can't fully express in words all I feel in my heart, so I simply say, Lord Jesus, I honor this woman who powerfully impacted my life by always leading me to You. I love Margaret Therkelsen. But I know You love her even more. Thank You for sharing her with me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My Friend, I pray you will be encouraged and inspired by those the Lord brings into your life to pray for you and lead you to Jesus through their love and their lives. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

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Friday, November 21, 2014

Morning by Morning, November 21 - "Endued with Power from on High"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are my Lord and Savior, my Healer and Deliverer. You are my "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6). I call on Your name and wait in Your Presence to be "endued with power from on high" (Luke 24:49 NKJV). ...

Come, Holy Spirit. Apart from You, apart from the Spirit of Christ abiding in me, I can do nothing (John 5:5). And I thank You that I never have to spend a moment of any day apart from You. You are with me always (Matthew 28:20). With You in my heart, guiding my thoughts and ordering my steps, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13).

"For God all things are possible" (Mark 10:27). And with Your Spirit in me, "all things are possible to him who believes" (Mark 9:23). So I choose to believe. And I'm expectant to see what You will make possible in Your power today. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My Friend, I pray you will be endued with power from on high today, as you live into new possibilities in the Lord our God. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

Friends, please keep me in prayer for the Holy Spirit's leading and anointing as I continue to minister the healing love God in the name of Jesus in Franklin, Tennessee for these few days. I pray for breakthrough in the lives of those here and in yours. God bless you!

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

Share this word to encourage a friend!

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Morning by Morning, November 20 - Anointed and Empowered by the Holy Spirit

Good morning, Lord Jesus. As best as I can and all by Your grace, I humble myself before You and willingly choose to be desperately dependent upon You alone. ...

"You know the message He sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ--He is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus Christ 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 10:36-38).

Jesus, You are Lord of all--Lord of my life, Lord of my ministry, Lord every experience and encounter I'll have today. Empower me with Your Spirit to be Your disciple today.

With Your nature in my heart and Your name on my lips, let me see sickness bow and demons flee. Let me see injustice set right and what's been stolen restored. Let me see captive set free and the wounded made whole. Let me see You cause all things to work together for good as You continue Your ministry of going about going done through me and every one of Your disciples, throughout all the places who Your Spirit sends us today.

Father God, anoint me and remind me that the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is the Spirit at work in me and through me each day (Romans 8:9-11). For that reason alone, I am empowered to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Come, Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My Friend, I pray our Father God will anoint you and empower you with the Holy Spirit to be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ everywhere He sends you today, with the nature of Jesus in your heart and His name on your lips. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

Friends, please keep me in prayer for the Holy Spirit's leading and anointing as I continue to minister the healing love God in the name of Jesus in Franklin, Tennessee the next few days. I pray for breakthrough in the lives of those here and in yours. God bless you!

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

Share this word to encourage a friend!

Monday, November 17, 2014

Morning by Morning, November 17 - Trinity of Love, Grace, and Communion in God

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I lift up my heart to You and listen for the leading of Your Spirit. ...

"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of (us)" (2 Corinthians 13:13)

Lord God-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-how I need Your love, Your grace, and Your communion. In Your love, I am confident and secure. In Your grace, I am forgiven and free. In Your communion I am embraced and empowered.

Lord, let every dimension of my being be fully alive to fully receive every dimension of Your Being. Let me see You as You are and see myself as I am, every day, all the way, 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

My Friend, I pray you deeply in Your heart the Trinity of God in His love, grace, and communion with you. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

Friends, Thank You so much for all your prayers for us this past weekend at the Breakthrough Prayer Conference at Bear Creek United Methodist Church in Houston, Texas. The Holy Spirit moved mightily in our hearts all weekend. Please pray that all the seeds the Lord has sown of spirit and life for healing and freedom through prayer will grow into a great harvest for the Kingdom of God! I pray the same for your church and ministry.

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

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Friday, November 14, 2014

Morning by Morning, November 14 - "Listen from Your Heart"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I entrust this day into Your hands and my life into Your will. ...

"Morning by morning He wakens -- wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught" (Isaiah 50:4).

I'm listening, Lord. Teach me Your truth; lead me in Your ways. ...

As I watch and wait and listen, it seems I hear You singing a simple song to my heart:

Listen from your heart

I will tell you who you are

Listen for My voice

Come away from all the noise

Wait awhile with Me

And I will show you who I Am

Set aside this time

Seek Me and you will find

I've been waiting here for you

Longing to speak with you

Wait awhile with Me

And I will show you who I Am

Yes, Lord. As I wait upon You this morning, its seems You're revealing to me a dimension of Your gentleness. Waiting in Your Presence, I don't feel anxious; I don't feel hurried. I feel at peace in Your embrace. Though I have much to do, all of that can wait a little while, while I wait awhile with You.

Now Your Spirit is bringing Your Words for this Scripture to mind: "Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light" (Matthew 11:20-30).

Yes, Lord. I take Your yoke upon me. I seek to learn from You and Your ways. Thank You for this gift of waiting awhile with You in these first moments of my day in the gentleness and peace of Your embrace. Now I can rise and go about my day knowing I gave You my best part. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My Friend, I pray you will hear the voice of God as you set aside time to watch and wait and listen for Him. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

Breakthrough Prayer Conference! For my friends in the Houston, Texas area, please come join us this weekend, Nov 15-16, at Bear Creek United Methodist Church where I'll be teaching on Healing Prayer Ministry Saturday and Sunday and preaching all three services Sunday morning. All are welcome.

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

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Thursday, November 13, 2014

Morning by Morning, November 13 - Power Words

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Put Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart. Align my will with Your will and my ways with Your ways as I choose to follow You today, as best as I can and all by Your grace. ...

"Then the Lord put out His hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me, 'Now I have put My words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant'" (Jeremiah 1:9-10).

You put Your words in Jeremiah's mouth so that the words he spoke came from Your heart. They were power words because they were Your words.

You sent Jeremiah to the people and the places where You wanted to make a difference through his life. You gave him the responsibility and the authority he would need to do Your will with his life. And the same is true for each of us.

Come, Holy Spirit. Put Your words in my mouth. Let it be "the Spirit of (my) Father speaking through (me)" (Matthew 10:19-20). With the Spirit of Christ living through me, let me "speak just as the Father has told me" (John 12:49). Let my life make a difference in someone else's life today, because You speak Your heart through my words (1 Peter 4:11). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My Friends, I pray the Holy Spirit will put our Father's power words in your mouth to make a difference in someone's life today. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

Friends, please keep us in prayer tonight for our final session of our Level 2 School of Ministry in San Antonio. If you're able please come join us for our next School in January, 2015 www.RaphaGodMinistries.com

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

Share this word to encourage a friend!

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Morning by Morning, November 12 - "We Wait for the Blessed Hope"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I wait in Your Presence and watch for Your leading -- Father, Son and Holy Spirit. ...

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for Himself a people of His own who are zealous for good deeds" (Titus 2:11-14).

Jesus, You are our Blessed Hope. You are the manifestation of the glory of God. And we wait and long for Your coming.

One day You will come in Your glory in the clouds (1 Thessalonians 4:16). But every day between now and then, You want to come in Your glory in our hearts. This is also our hope and manifestation of the glory of God, alive and at work in us -- "the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in (us), the hope of glory. It is He whom we proclaim" (Colossians 1:27-28).

Come manifest Your glory in my heart and through my life today. You are my Hope and all my hope is in You. "Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort (our) hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word" (2 Thessalonians 2:16). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My Friend, may God manifest His glory through your life today as You embrace the One who is your hope. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

Share this word to encourage a friend!

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Morning by Morning, November 11 - "Participants of the Divine Nature"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Let the light of the glory of God shine in my heart and shine on my face throughout the moments of my day. ...

"His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Thus He has given us, through these things, His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:3-4).

Lord, how can we, as participants of the human nature, also "become participants of the divine nature?" How can we embrace Your "precious and very great promises" such as "As He is, so are we in this world?" (1 John 4:17)

It's only by the grace of God. It's only because the Holy Spirit of God is "at work in (us), enabling (us) to will and to work for His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13). It's only because of "the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in (us), the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27).

"Do (we) not know that (we) are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in (us)?" (1 Corinthians 3:16) Do we not believe that "the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in (us)"? (Romans 8:11) Do we not truly embrace the eternal truth "For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn within a large family. And those who He predestined He also called; and those whom He called He also justified; and those whom He justified He also glorified"? (Romans 8:29-30).

So with the Spirit of Christ within us, we can cry out "Abba! Father! (for) it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ--if, in fact, we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him" (Romans 8:15-17).

Come, Holy Spirit. Spirit of the Living God, Spirit of Christ within me, come make me more like Jesus today, as the child of God that I am. Come change me from the inside out, that by the divine power of the grace of God at work within me, according the precious and very great promises of God, I may partake of the divine nature. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My Friend, by the divine power of the grace of God at work within you, may you come a participant of the divine nature today, with the Spirit of Christ in you, the hope of glory. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

Share this word to encourage a friend!

Monday, November 10, 2014

Morning by Morning, November 10 - Lord of My Heart

Good morning Lord Jesus. I want to start my day in a good place -- here in Your embrace -- embraced by my Father, centered in Christ, filled with Your Holy Spirit. ...

"But in your hearts, sanctify Christ as Lord" (1 Peter 3:15).

Here's my heart, Lord Jesus Christ. I set it apart to You; I open it up to You; I surrender it over to You. As best as I can and all by Your grace, I yield to Your authority and submit to Your Lordship. Be Lord of my heart and Lord of all.

I renounce my control and put You in complete control. I give You permission to rule and reign as Savior and Lord in my mind and all my thoughts, in my heart and all my desires, in my will and all my choices. Be sanctified as Lord; be sanctified in me. Make me more like You. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My Friend, may our Lord Jesus Christ be sanctified as Lord of your heart today. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

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Friday, November 07, 2014

Morning by Morning, November 7 - "The Sun of Righteousness Shall Arise"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Let Your Word come alive in my heart, as I watch and wait in Your Presence and welcome Your Spirit into the moments of my day. ...

"But for you who revere My name the sun of righteousness shall arise, with healing in its wings" (Malachi 4:2).

After the rains the sun will rise. Thank You for the blessings of Your cleansing rains and thank You for the hope that arises in the dawning of each new day.

As I look out at the light of this new day and rest in this calm after the rains have gone, I hear Your Spirit writing a song of praise rising up from my heart ...

After cleansing rains Your sun will rise

After stirring storms there's peace inside

You lead us through the darkest night

You go before us with guiding light

All that we need You will provide

You're always there right by our side

With waves of grace in flowing tides

And arms of love that hold us tight

You give to us our heart's delight

And stand up for us in every fight

You display Your glory and Your might

And clothe our souls with robes of white

You say Walk by faith and not by sight

You say Trust in Me and it'll be alright

So with all my heart and all my mind

I trust in You with all my life

In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My Friend, may the sun of righteousness arise in your heart today with a song of praise to our Lord. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

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Thursday, November 06, 2014

Morning by Morning, November 6 - "The Sound of Abundance of Rain"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I lift up my eyes, open up my heart and call out Your name to come into every moment of my day. ...

"There is the sound of abundance of rain" (1 Kings 18:41 NKJV).

Rain speaks of Your blessings. Drought speaks of Your judgments. Yesterday morning I woke to the sound of abundance of rain. And all day long it continued to pour. It felt to me like a shifting of the spiritual atmosphere and cleansing of the land.

Last night I shared that word with the First Wednesday worship and healing service at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, where one of the prophetic voices from our city came and confirmed You had given him the same word the same morning. In our worship and prayer and proclamation, You were shifting the spiritual atmosphere over our hearts and our city.

Lord, let the seasons of drought in our lives be broken by the sound of abundance of rain. Let Your healing rains fall! Let Your living waters flow! Let repentant hearts break the power of darkness and drought upon our land (v. 18:39).

In the spirit of Elijah, let us persist in prayer at the word of the Lord spoken to our hearts until we see the abundance of Your blessings restored to our land and to our lives (v. 18:42). You are the God who loves to do exceedingly, abundantly more than all we could ever ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My Friend, may the Lord's healing rains fall and living waters flow in your life to break every drought with abundance of God's blessings for you. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

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Wednesday, November 05, 2014

Morning by Morning, November 5 - Blessings of a Nation that Repents

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Come rule and reign as King and Lord of my life today. ...

"When the rule of Rehoboam was established and he grew strong, he abandoned the law of the Lord, he and all Israel with him. In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, because they had been unfaithful to the Lord, King Shishank of Egypt came up against Jerusalem.... A countless army came with him from Egypt.... Then the prophet Shemiah came to Rehoboam and to the officers of Judah, who had gathered at Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, 'Thus says the Lord: You abandoned Me, so I have abandoned you to the hand of Shishak.' Then the officers of Israel and the king himself humbled themselves and said, 'The Lord is right.' When the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemiah, saying: 'They have humbled themselves; I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance, and My wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. Nevertheless they shall be his servants so that they may know the difference between serving Me and serving the kingdoms of other lands" (2 Chronicles 12:1-8).

When Israel's king and people abandoned Your laws and Your ways, they removed themselves from Your hand of protection and opened themselves up to the invading armies of their enemies. They suffered the consequences of their choices. But then they humbled themselves, the king and the people, in repentance. So You stretched out Your hand with deliverance and held back from stretching our Your hand in judgment. Then You opened their eyes through the circumstances they created through their past choices to begin to see the difference between living as a nation under God and a nation that abandoned their God.

Come, Holy Spirit. Open the eyes of my heart to see that You are right in the ways You convict me of turning away from the ways of the Lord. Open the eyes of the people of my nation and our leaders to see that You are right in the ways You convict us of turning away from the ways of the Lord. May we humble ourselves and pray. May we humble ourselves in repentance to call upon the name of the Lord that we may be delivered from our enemies and saved from the consequences that our choices of the past command.

Thank You for the gifts of humility and repentance. They are a means of Your grace for our deliverance and salvation through Christ our Lord and Savior and King. Thank You for the gift of opening our eyes to see the consequences of our choices so that we will continue to return to You in our own hearts and in the heart of our nation.

Thank You for the promise of deliverance and healing that comes to the people of a nation who will humble themselves to repent and pray as a nation returning to be a nation under God: "If My people who are called by My name humble themselves, pray, seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land" (v. 7:14). These are the blessings of repentance.

Lord, let our repentance continue so Your blessings can continue. Let it be so in our hearts and in our land, all by the power of the grace of God. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My Friend, may you receive all the blessings of God that come through repentance. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

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Tuesday, November 04, 2014

Morning by Morning, November 4 - Time to Choose and Vote our Hearts

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Come live in my heart and live through my life. ...

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance" (Psalm 33:12 NKJV).

As our nation votes today, may Your Holy Spirit move in our hearts to exalt You with our choices. In the freedom of choice that a relationship of love requires, You invite us and empower us to choose life rather than death, to choose blessings rather than curses so that You can bless us in the inheritance of our land (Deuteronomy 30:19). Then You honor our choices and give us over to the kind of nation we choose (Romans 1:24-25).

We're not to run from the world or hide our heads in the sand. We're to be salt and light in the midst of the world. So our voices must be heard and our votes must be counted, as we choose Godly leaders to lead our nation in Godly ways. And we will be blessed as the hearts of the people of our nation declare our God is Lord as we choose this day whom we will serve (Joshua 24:14). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My Friend, may you choose well and exalt our God as Lord of all with your choices today. Please pray the same for me. As a famous Texas politician used to say, "Vote early and vote often!" (just kidding :) God bless you, my friend!

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257