Thursday, November 19, 2015

Morning by Morning, November 19 - The Holy War for Hearts and Minds
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I speak out Your name and listen for Your voice.  ...
 
"Indeed, we live as human beings, but we do not wage war according to human standards; for the weapons of our warfare are not merely human, but they have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).
 
There is a holy war, but it's not called jihad. There are weapons of our warfare, but they are not suicide vests and butcher knives. It's a war for hearts and minds to hear the truth and embrace the grace of a loving God who's created us all to live in peace. His kingdom is not a worldwide caliphate of terror and fear under an oppressive and cruel form of law, but rather "the kingdom of God is ... righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:17).
 
According to Your Word, there is "a time for war," and I thank You for the men and women who courageously answer the call of duty to defend our lives, our land, and our freedom (Ecclesiastes 3:8). But at the same time, we must also wage war in the war room of prayer and in the war room of our own hearts and minds.
 
By the power of the grace of God, we must take negative and fearful thoughts captive. We must continually humble our hearts to allow Your Holy Spirit to uproot hatred or vengeance, arrogance or pride, self-righteousness or judgment. And we must also continually embrace the leading of Your Spirit to fill us with hope and persevering faith to courageously confront the evil unleashed in this world (James 4:7). 
 
Sometimes, You call us to take up a sword of steel, to fight for what's right, in the power of Your Spirit, rather than compromise and appease to settle for a false peace that only allows evil to grow. As You said, "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword" (Matthew 10:34). But at the same time, You always call us to also take up "the sword of the Spirit," the sword of the truth of the word of God, to speak the truth in love that true peace may be established in this world (Ephesians 6:17). As You also said, "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid" (John 14:27).
 
So come, Lord Jesus. Let Your Holy Spirit arise within us, as the sons and daughters of our Father God -- our God who is love and whose perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18). This is no time to cower or appease, paralyzed or numbed by the aftermath and effects of terror and fear, but to arise and fight in this holy war for every soul on this earth. You're "not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). With the weapons of our warfare, You "urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:2-4).
 
We are Your ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20). And we are Your warriors (2 Corinthians 10:4). In Your sovereignty and will, You have chosen to enforce the victory of Your cross through our lives and prayers here in our world (Matthew 16:18-19). Thank You for the promise that "the God of peace will shortly crush Satan under (our) feet" (Romans 16:20). "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!" (1 Corinthians 15:57) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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



I pray you will be empowered with courage to arise and fight in the power of the Holy Spirit and the name of Jesus as the child of our Father God you are to see the victory of the cross that makes way for the love and grace of our God to be poured into the hearts and minds of every soul in our world, 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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Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Morning by Morning, November 18 - Increasing Contrast of the Light and the Darkness before the Harvest

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Fill me with Your Spirit and lead me in Your ways, here at the start and throughout the moments of my day.  ...

“In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:4-6).

Your Word calls our spiritual enemy “the god of this world” who “has blinded the minds of the unbelievers” -- those who do not believe “the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” And “the god of this world” is at the source of the evil of this world. You called him “the ruler of this world” (John 14:30). Bur Your Word encourages us to not lose heart when we see his evil work of deception and destruction, but to rise up in faith:  “Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith...” (1 Peter 5:8-9).

One way we resist him, steadfast in our faith, is by letting Your light shine in our hearts. Give us a love for those who are deceived. Move us to intercede for them instead of condemn them, that their eyes will be opened to the truth -- “the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” Stir in our hearts to pray for those who persecute us, to bless those who curse us, to love those who hate us (Matthew 5:44). Break the blindness from their minds to know the truth who will set them free (John 8:32).

This is not a time to fear, but to arise in faith. This is not a time to lose heart, but to be stirred in our hearts to pray for great contrast between the light and the dark, between good and evil, between the kingdoms of this world and the Kingdom of God.

As You explained long ago, both light and darkness, both good and evil, are all growing to full maturity at the end of this age -- “to grow together until the harvest” (Matthew 13:24). Let us be encouraged when we see these things coming of age in our day -- the time of a great harvest is near! (Mathew 13:39)

You are “not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). And You will use this ever-increasing contrast of the light and the dark, the good and the evil, to expose the deception of the ruler of this age so that all can see the truth and know the One who is the truth -- “the Way, and the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6).


So give us Your harvest perspective. Give us Your kingdom perspective. In the midst of this darkness, as we hold fast to our faith and let the light of Your glory shine through our faces and move powerfully through our prayers, “the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of (our) Father” (Matthew 13:43). In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
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Monday, November 16, 2015

Morning by Morning, November 16 - Prevailing Hope Against Terror and Fear
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Put Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart, as I intentionally choose to begin my day centered in You.  ...
 
"As for me, Daniel, my spirit was troubled within me, and the visions of my head terrified me. I approached one of the attendants to ask him the truth concerning all this. So he said that he would disclose to me the interpretation of the matter:  'As for these four great beasts, four kings shall arise out of the earth. But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever -- forever and ever'" (Daniel 7:15-18).
 
Like the visions in Daniel's head, the visions in our daily news terrify me. Like Daniel, my spirit is troubled within me. Daniel's visions were of a time to come. My visions are before my eyes every day.
 
From Paris this weekend, we saw more of the senseless slaughter and callous cruelty of what increasingly seems like a world gone mad. Somehow terror has become commonplace.
 
But in the midst of this horror, we have hope. We hold on to the promises of God -- the promises that You will be with us through all we endure and that in the end, no matter how dark the days may grow, Your light will always ultimately prevail against the darkness. "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it" (John 1:5). The light of "the One who is in (us) is greater than the one who is in the world" (1 John 4:4).
 
Let us not be discouraged. Let us not lose hope. Rather, let us arise and take our place in prayer and praise, with a renewed sense of Your call to arms in the war room of intercession. "For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon (us), and His glory will appear over (us)" (Isaiah 60:2). By the power of the grace of God at work within us, we will "Arise, shine; for (our) light has come, and the glory of the Lord has rise upon (us)," as we hold fast in faith, persevere in prayer, and unify as one in the Spirit and in action against this evil of our day (Isaiah 60:1).
 
This truth will never change:  "Perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:18). This promise will never be broken:  "God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV). 
 
And no matter what battles we face in the face of terror and fear in this broken and fallen world until You return, we can confidently trust in the assurance of Your unshakeable, unchangeable Word:  "No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, not life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:37-39). 
 
Like the people of God in every generation before us, by the power of Your grace and Your love that casts out all fear and overcomes all terror, we are "the holy ones of the Most High" that will prevail (Daniel 7:22). And we look forward to the day that will surely come, when all the evil of this world will "strike terror no more" (Psalm 10:18). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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



I join with you in the war room of intercession to pray and to prevail in hope against the terror and fear, in Jesus' name. May you always know you will always be more than a conqueror in the Christ Jesus our Lord. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend! 
               
 


Friends, I join with you in prayer for the people of Paris and everywhere innocent lives are under siege from this evil of our day. 
 


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 13, 2015

Morning by Morning, November 13 - Free to Be Like Jesus
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Make me more like You today.  ...
 
"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).
 
Come, Holy Spirit. Set me free to be like Jesus. Unveil my face. Remove the blinders from my eyes. Soften any hardness of my heart.  Sanctify the sin from my soul. Heal my brokenness. Break off the chains of bondage to the world, the flesh, and the devil, that I can live in the freedom of the Spirit. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
 
And in the freedom of the Spirit, let me see the glory of the Lord -- the glory of God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit -- more clearly each day. By the power of Your grace and the fire of Your Spirit, let me be conformed to the image of the Son of God (Romans 8:29).
 
We become like what we worship. And as I worship You, You make me more like You, transformed into Your image from glory to glory, day by day. Make me more like You today. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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



I pray the Spirit of the Lord with move in the power of His fire in your soul to set you free to be like Jesus today, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend! 
               

Friends, Thank You! for all your prayers for our Level 2 School of Ministry at Rapha God Ministries. We celebrated our final night with graduation and great joy last night. I pray the Holy Spirit will continue to equip you and anoint you, as He empowers you and sends you to be an expression of God's love and power through your life. Please pray the same for me. God bless you!

DVDs of our Schools of Ministry and my book, 
Free to Be Like Jesus, on the Biblical principles of inner healing and spiritual freedom are available through our website 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

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Thursday, November 12, 2015

Morning by Morning, November 12 - "With a Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power"
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Come into my heart and every moment of my day.  ...
 
"When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that you fight might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God" (1 Corinthians 2:1-5).
 
Come, Holy Spirit. Demonstrate the power of God through my life today. Demonstrate the power of Your love, the power of Your joy, the power of Your peace. Demonstrate the power of Your Word, the power of healing, the power of Your freedom. Demonstrate the power of the name and the blood of Jesus. Demonstrate the power of Your all-consuming fire and Your ever-abiding presence.
 
Your power confirms Your word (Hebrews 2:4). And Your power expresses Your heart. Give me Your heart, give me Your words today. Not merely my words or human wisdom or soulful desires, but instead, put Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart. Guide my steps by the leading of Your Spirit to demonstrate more of Your power through my life today. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

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



I pray you will experience more demonstrations of God's Spirit and power through your life every day, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend! 
               

Friends, please keep us in prayer for our final night of equipping, graduation, impartation, and celebration for our Level 2 School of Ministry at Rapha God Ministries tonight. I pray the Holy Spirit will continue to equip you and anoint you, as He empowers you and sends you to be expression of God's love and power through your life. Please pray the same for me. God bless you!

DVDs of our Schools of Ministry and my book, 
Free to Be Like Jesus, on the Biblical principles of inner healing and spiritual freedom are available through our website 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

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Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Morning by Morning, November 11 - In the Court of Heaven
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I'm looking and listening for Your leading.  ...
 
"As I watched, thrones were set in place, and an Ancient One took His throne, His clothing as white as snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool; His throne was fiery flames, and its wheels were burning fire. A stream of fire issued and flowed out from His presence. A thousand thousands served Him, and ten thousand times then thousand stood attending Him. The court sat in judgment, and the books were opened" (Daniel 7:9-10).
 
Father God, You are the Ancient One. You are the Ancient of Days who has no beginning and no end. All eternity is eternally present before You. You see the end from the beginning and the beginning from the end. In the brilliant light of Your glory and the holy fire that flows forth from Your presence, the books of life and the hearts of men are always open and bare before You. And from the court of heaven, You are the One who judges all.
 
The only plea I have is the blood of Jesus.
 
And by the mercy of Your grace, that's the only plea I need. "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29 NKJV).
 
Daniel saw the court of heaven and the authority of the judgment of God, but he also saw the One who has already taken every sin to satisfy every judgment against us in His unspeakable mercy and grace:  "As I watched in the night visions, I saw One like a human being coming with the clouds of heaven. And He came to the Ancient One and was presented before Him. To Him was given dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and His kingship is one that shall never be destroyed" (Daniel 7:12-14).
 
O Lord, my God -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- You both our eternal Judge and our eternal Savior. You are both holy and merciful. You desire what's right, but You also set things right within us, "so that in (Christ our Savior) we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:16). "For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him God was pleased to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross" (Colossians 1:19-20). 
 
In the court of heaven, it's our humble and honest plea of guilty as charged that allows You to proclaim us innocent and free by the blood of the Lamb. "If we confess our sins, He who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). So my only response to Your unfathomable grace can only be Thank You, Jesus. I plead Your blood and embrace Your grace. In response to all You've done for us, "Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays



I pray you will boldly embrace all the grace of God through the blood of Jesus, as you honestly and humbly open your heart bare before Him each day, 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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Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Morning by Morning, November 10 - Worship in Spirit and Truth
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Awaken my soul and fill me afresh with Your Holy Spirit.  ...
 
"But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth" (John 4:23-24).
 
As I worship You in spirit, my human spirit arises into communion with Your Holy Spirit. And as my spirit arises, my soul yields. The mind and will and emotions of my soul yield to the leading of my spirit, which yields to the leading of Your Spirit. First the spirit, then the soul, then the body, as the muscles and nerves, the organs and systems of my physical being also yield to the leading of my spiritual being. And You bring my life into alignment -- "spirit and soul and body"   -- as I worship You in spirit and truth (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
 
So from deep down inside, I seek to worship You in every dimension of Your Being -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- from every dimension of my being -- spirit, soul, and body. In the devotion and the freedom of worship in spirit and truth, I experience Your promise of "the communion of the Holy Spirit" within me (2 Corinthians 13:13).
 
Teach me more. Free me more. Lead me more to learn to worship You more deeply in spirit and truth. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, You are One and You are God and You are worthy of all my worship and all my love "with all (my) heart, and with all (my) soul, and with all (my) might" (Deuteronomy 6:5). You are "the God to whom I belong and whom I worship" (Acts 27:23). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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


I pray you will be deeply moved and passionately freed to worship the Lord our God in spirit and truth, more deeply each day, with all your heart and soul and might, 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, November 09, 2015

Morning by Morning, November 9 - Nothing's Too Mighty for Our God
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I look to You, Lord God -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- and I listen for Your leading to begin my day embracing Your presence and Your guidance.  ...
 
"I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, so I shall be saved from my enemies.... He reached down from on high, He took me; He drew me out of mighty waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me.... He brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me, because He delighted in me.... The Lord lives! Blessed by my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation" (Psalm 18:3-46).
 
Every day we are at war in "our struggle ... against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12). Every day we are engaging our spiritual enemies with the spiritual "weapons of our warfare" (2 Corinthians 10:4). Every day we are surrounded by the spiritual enemies of our souls, coming to steal and kill and destroy (John 10:10). Some days we are very aware of the fierceness of the battle. Other days we have no idea of the battles that rage in the spiritual realm of the unseen dimension of our lives. 
 
But even if You opened our eyes to see our spiritual enemies, as Elisha prayed for his servant, there would be no need to fear, "for there are more with us than there are with them" (2 Kings 6:16). And though they may seem too mighty for us, they will never be too mighty for You. You are our "Mighty God" (Isaiah 9:5). And You are always "mighty to save!" (Isaiah 63:1) Nothing's too mighty for our God! (Matthew 19:26)
 
So as I arise and go into the battles before me today, I go in the faith of the One who has already won every victory for me (Colossian 2:15). I go proclaiming the mighty name of our mighty God, "the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, of those on earth, and of those under the earth and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:9-11). In Jesus' mighty name I pray. Amen.

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


I pray you will be filled with faith in our mighty God who's gone before you to win the victory over your spiritual enemies in the mighty power of the name of Jesus, 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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Friday, November 06, 2015

Morning by Morning, November 6 - "Confident of This"
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I'm watching and waiting, listening for Your leading to begin my day seeking and following You. ...
 
"I am confident of this, that the One who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.... And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God" (Philippians 1:6-11).
 
By the power of the grace of God, may You have Your harvest in me. May every seed You've planted grow up to maturity. When I forget, may You remind me of Your faithfulness. When I waiver, may You empower me with Your encouragement. And when I question, may You restore me in confidence.
 
"Shall I open the womb and not deliver? says the Lord; shall I, the One who delivers, shut the womb? says your God" (Isaiah 66:9).
 
By no means, Lord. You will deliver; You will fulfill. You will be faithful to complete the good work You've begun in me. Not by my righteousness, but by Yours. No according to my promises or my power or my plans, but by Yours. "I am confident of this." I'm confident of You and I'm confident of Your word. Like "the little engine that could," "I think I can" because I know You will.
 
"Heaven and earth will pass away, but (Your) words will not pass away" (Matthew 24:35). And every word of spirit and life You've ever spoken over me and spoken into me will come to pass and will not return void, but will accomplish all to which You have purposed it -- all in Your way, all in Your power, and all in Your time (Isaiah 55:11). I am confident of this. In Jesus' name I pray.

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

I pray you will be confident of this, that the Lord our God will be faithful to bring to completion every good work in He has begun in You, in Jesus' name. You can because He will. 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 05, 2015

Morning by Morning, November 5 - Trusting His Control Down in My Soul
Good morning, Lord Jesus. It is well with my soul, as I trust You to have control.  ...
As I begin to pray, I hear Your Spirit writing a new song, and singing it from my heart back to Yours.  ...
 
With my soul in Your hands
I trust You with all my plans
Where You lead I will go
For Your voice I will know
Take me heart
Take me far
To wherever You are
You know best
Help me resist You less
Down in my soul
I trust You to have control
 
Yes, Lord. I trust You to have control, because I trust You to know what's best. By the power of the grace of God, I embrace Your promise that You've proved to be true to me over and over again:  "For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope" (Jeremiah 29:11).
 
As someone said to me at the healing service last night, "I know God has a plan for me, He just hasn't shown me yet." Sometimes I feel the same. With that same faith, I know that this day and every day You have a plan for me. And by Your character and Your faithfulness that You've made so real and so true to me, I know it will be a good plan with a good future that's worthy of my hope because You're worthy of my trust.
 
So it is well with my soul. Down in my soul I trust You to have control. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

I pray you know the peace of God down in your soul as You trust Him to have control in all His plans for your life today and every day, 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

Please share this word to encourage a friend!
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Wednesday, November 04, 2015

Morning by Morning, November 4 - Seeking God
Good morning, Lord Jesus. As I settle in to my prayer chair and open up my spirit and speak out Your name, I begin my day embraced by the Father, centered in Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit. ...
"Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near" (Isaiah 55:6).
On the one hand, we can always seek You and You can always be found; we can always call upon You, because You're always near. But at the same time, there are certain times when we are moved more deeply to seek You more passionately.
For me, those times are often the times of personal brokenness, heartache, or failure. They're often the times when I'm worried, lonely, or afraid. And they're the times when it's hard to hope and keep on expecting something good is going to come out of something so bad. Those are the times like Psalm 107 when they "cried to the Lord in their trouble and He saved them from their distress" (Psalm 107:13, 19, 28). 
It's those times when I need to know the most, deep down in my soul, that You will never leave me and never forsake me (Hebrews 13:5). That's when I need You to remind me, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?" (Hebrews 13:6). "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31 KJV)
But it's also these early morning times, when I do my best to start my day deliberately, intentionally seeking Your face and listening for Your voice and the leading of Your Spirit. I feel You're already here, just waiting for me, ready to be found. As soon as I can get quiet and still in my soul to say from my heart, "Here I am, Lord," You're already saying, "I'm already here."
You invite us to "search for (You) and perhaps grope for (You) and find (You) -- though indeed (You are) not far from each one of us" (Acts 17:27). And You promise us "When you call upon Me and come and pray to Me, I will hear you. When you search for Me, you will find Me; if you seek Me with all your heart, I will let you find Me" (Jeremiah 29:12-14).
So whether from heartache, hardship, or just hunger for Your presence, I'm seeking You, Lord, while You can be found. I'm calling out to You while You are near. I'm taking hold of You with all my heart, because You're the One who takes hold of me and never lets go (John 10:28). You're the One who always says I'm already here -- "Before (you) call I will answer, while (you) are yet speaking I will hear" (Isaiah 65:24). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

I pray you will feel the loving embrace and presence of the Lord right now, as you seek Him with all your heart and find Him so ready to be found by you, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend! 
             

Friends, I'm excited to be sharing a message Hope and Healing with Max Lucado this Wednesday Night, Nov 4, at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio. Please come join us for the First Wednesday Worship and Healing Service. Our Rapha God Ministries team will be joining the Oak Hills Church Prayer Team to offer personal prayer ministry for everyone. 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

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

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