Morning by Morning, March 12 - The Lord Lifts Up His Banner Over Us

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I lift up my eyes and open up my heart to seek You and rest secure in You here at the beginning of my day -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ...

 

"When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit if the Lord will lift up a standard against him" (Isaiah 59:19 NJKV). 

 

The enemy of our souls and the Kingdom of God hates to see the army of the Lord advancing. So he pushes back and sneaks around, playing dirty, sowing strife, distorting truth, and telling lies. He comes "to steal and kill and destroy" (John 10:10), "like a roaring lion" that "prowls around, looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). And sometime he "comes in like a flood" trying to overwhelm us and knock us off our feet before we have a chance to "resist him, steadfast in (our) faith" and call upon the name of the One who stands ready to "restore, support, strengthen, and establish (us)" in victory against every attack (1 Peter 5:10).

 

But when the enemy comes in like a flood, You lift up Your standard, You raise up Your banner. Your flag of victory flies high over us. And on that flag is the sign of the cross. You lift high the cross over us and remind us of Your victory over the darkness and Your power over all the power and plans of the evil one. At the sign of Your cross that forever declares the authority and majesty of Your name, every knee must bow and every tongue must confess that "Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father!" (Philippians 2:9-10)

 

Your cross declares Your love, for "there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends" (John 15:13). And the banner of Your cross is the banner of Your love, for Your "banner over me (is) love" (Song of Songs 2:4 NKJV).

 

When You lift up Your banner, You rally the troops under our identity in You to send us forth together as one in You. And the flood of the enemy is turned back at the gate. Even what he intended for evil, You turned it around and use it for good (Genesis 50:20). Though our enemy comes at us one way, he will "flee before (us) seven ways" as You "command (Your) blessing upon (us)" and Your victory over us (Deuteronomy 28:7-8). "If God be for us, who can (stand) against us!" (Romans 8:31 NJKV) "Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!" (1 Corinthians 15:57)

 

Thank You for the victory of Your cross! Thank You for the glory of Your name! Thank You for the majesty of Your banner over us of love! Thank You that You have "disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public example of the, triumphing over them!" (Colossians 2:15). And thank You that "the God of peace will shortly crush Satan under (our) feet. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with (us)!" Romans 16:20) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My friend, may you be strong in the strength of the Lord, as He lifts up His banner over you and decrees His victory for you against every spiritual enemy coming against you, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

    

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

www.Messiah-Ministries.org 

  

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

www.RaphaGodMinistries.com 

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

Morning by Morning, March 11 - "Lean in to Listen" with "a Heart to Hear"

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Make me more like You today. ...

 

"O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. O that today you would listen to His voice!" (Psalm 95:6-7)

 

Lord, I'm seeking to listen in silence before You, as I worship and bow down, as I kneel in humility in my heart, watching and waiting for Your leading to begin my day focused on You. ...

 

It seems I hear in my heart the leading of Your Holy Spirit:  "Lean in to listen. Open up your heart to hear. Your Maker is making you more like Him. Allow His thoughts in your mind. Allow His desires in your heart. Allow His ways to become your ways, yielding to His will as your will. Surrender your self-will to His sovereign will and He will make your paths straight and set your heart right to live out this day growing in grace, growing in love, and growing up into Him who is your life." ...

 

Yes, Lord. I'm one of Your sheep seeking to hear Your Voice (John 10:4). I'm one of Your sons seeking to be led by the Your Spirit (Romans 8:14). I'm one of Your disciples seeking to grow up in spiritual maturity to be more like my Master (Ephesians 4:15).

 

Thank You for Your patience with me. I'm one who's had a lot of grace. I've needed it all! And I need it every day! So I just thank You for never giving up and never letting go. I thank You that as I learn to listen and seek to obey, You're right here with me to keep speaking to my heart and guiding my steps to lead me in the way of life in You. As best as I can and all by Your grace -- morning by morning and step by step -- I want to "put on (my) new nature, and be renewed as (I) learn to know (my) Creator and become like (You)" (Colossians 3:10 NLT). In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

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

My friend, may you lean in to listen with a heart to hear the Voice of the One who loves and makes you more like Him each day by the power of His grace at work within you, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

   

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

www.Messiah-Ministries.org 

  

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

www.RaphaGodMinistries.com 

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

Morning by Morning, March 8 - "All is Well"

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. King of kings and Lord of lords, be King of my heart and Lord of my life.  ...

 

"Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, just as it is well with your soul" (3 John 2:2).

 

As I watch and wait for Your leading this morning, I believe I hear in my heart "All is well." As I think on these things, what comes to me is that "all is well" because I am in You and You are in me, that all is well" because my life is in Your hands and I'm willingly yielding my plans to Your will as best as I can and all by Your grace.

 

You're not saying "all is well" because everything around me is well. Though I'm full of faith, I'm not naive. My problems are real, my battles are intense, and my questions are immense. But none of that defines the wellness of my soul. None of that has the right or the permission to take from me my peace and my joy in the security of who I am in You and Who You are in me.

 

So in these first moments of my morning -- before I go out into all the battles of my day and all the challenges I'll face -- I first come to You in trusting surrender, peaceful rest, and expectant hope. You already see every step I'll take along my journey today and You're already reminding me You'll be with me every step of the way. And that's why I can say in confidence and truth "all is well." In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My friend, may you rest in the confidence and truth that all is well with your soul, no matter what battles and challenges you face, as you abide in Jesus and allow Jesus to abide in you, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

 

Praising God for an awesome time of ministry in England last week! Friends, thank you so much for all your prayers for Rocio and me this past week as we travelled to speak and minister at the  European Conference of Aldersgate Renewal Ministries. The theme was "Release for the Captives!" And that's what we saw and heard through many beautiful testimonies of God's power and love! I pray the Lord continues to pour out His power and love in you and through you everywhere He positions you and sends you each day to display His glory! God bless you!

Powerful Artwork by our brother Peter in England inspired by the theme of our conference "Release for the Captives!"

 

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

www.Messiah-Ministries.org 

  

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

www.RaphaGodMinistries.com 

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

Morning by Morning, March 7 - The Glory of the Lord Covers the Earth

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Put Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart, as I begin my day entrusting my day to You -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God.  ...

 

"The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea" (Habakkuk 2:14).

 

We made it home about midnight last night from a week of ministry in England. Though I'm tired, it's a "good tired" -- tired from a week of making new friends and renewing bonds with old ones, from seeing Your Holy Spirit move in power and love to heal the brokenhearted and set the captives free, from crying alongside wounded souls letting go of the pain buried down deep inside and laughing with joy in the freedom of Christ when the chains are broken and the prison doors are open, from seeing that sin is great everywhere we go but celebrating that Your grace is always greater for all who turn to You and call on Your name to embrace all You've done for us. And maybe I'm a little tired that I still have to travel by man-made means in a little narrow seat across oceans instead of flying in the spirit through the heavens like I will one day on the other side of eternity!

 

But wherever we go on this earth, Your glory fills hearts with a holy hunger and insatiable spiritual thirst for more of You. The Father has sent His Holy Spirit to prepare a bride for His Son (Ephesians 5:25-33). And one day we will rejoice and be glad "for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready!" (Revelation 19:7). Wherever we go, You are forgiving our sins, healing our hearts, and breaking our chains. And wherever we go, You are filling us with Your Spirit, sending us forth in Your love, and displaying Your glory so that "the earth (is) filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea!" (Habakkuk 2:14)

 

Come,AbbaFather! Come, Lord Jesus! Come, Holy Spirit! Come into our hearts and into our world and into every moment of our days! "The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!' And let everyone who hears say, 'Come!' And let everyone who is thirsty come!" (Revelation 22:17) "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled!" (Matthew 5:6)  In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My friend, may you be filled afresh with the Holy Spirit of the Living God, with the glory of the manifest Presence of God in you and changing your world -- "Christ in (you), the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27) -- in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

 

Praising God for an awesome time of ministry in England last week! Friends, thank you so much for all your prayers for Rocio and me this past week as we travelled to speak and minister at the  European Conference of Aldersgate Renewal Ministries. The theme was "Release for the Captives!" And that's what we saw and heard through many beautiful testimonies of God's power and love! I pray the Lord continues to pour out His power and love in you and through you everywhere He positions you and sends you each day to display His glory! God bless you!

 

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

www.Messiah-Ministries.org 

  

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

www.RaphaGodMinistries.com 

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

Morning by Morning, February 26 - Holding Fast to Truth in Love

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Put Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart. Help me start my day embraced by my Father, centered in Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit. ...

 

"Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, 'You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow Me.' When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions" (Mark 10:21-23).

 

Lord Jesus, You look at us with the eyes of love even as You speak to us to Your words of truth. You know our hearts, You know our sins, You know our struggles and fears, our strongholds and failures. But You love us just the same. You love us no matter what, even though Your love does not excuse or condone what is less than Your truth.

 

Come, Holy Spirit. You are the Spirit of Truth, just as much as You are the Spirit of Love (John 14:17; 1 John 4:8). Search my heart and show me what are the "many possessions" that I hold so dearly that I would walk away "grieving" from the challenges of Your Truth and Your Love. Show me whatever may be holding onto me that would keep me from fully surrendering, fully trusting, and fully obeying Your leading into all Truth. That's what You do because You're my Comforter but also my Teacher who leads me into all Truth and reminds my of the ways and will of God revealed through the life of Christ (John 14:26).

 

My Father, I am Your child and I am loved, despite all that's in me that's not yet like You. You love me as I am and love me enough to never leave me as I am on my life-long journey to grow in maturity, to grow in Christ-likeness, to grow into the full measure of the stature of Christ (Romans 8:29; Ephesians 4:13). "For this is the will of God, (my) sanctification" (1 Thessalonians 4:3).

 

Lord Jesus, just like You looked at the rich, young ruler and loved him, even as You spoke the truth in love to him, You did the same with the woman who was exposed by her sexual immorality and sin. You looked at her and loved her; You didn't condemn her but spoke the truth in love to convict her of her need to repent and sin no more (John 8:11). In Your unfailing love for us, You convict us and speak Your truth to us -- not to shame us or condemn us, but to forgive us and free us. Who the Son sets free is free indeed! (John 8:36).

 

To grow up into all You've created us and called us to be, we must learn how to be full of love and full of truth -- "speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ" (Ephesians 4:15). And the love of Christ is not a counterfeit love, not a worldly love, but the very love of God in our hearts that does not walk away from Your truth, but humbly embraces it to allow it to lead and change us into Your image, more and more every day. As You said long ago, You're still saying today:  "Those who love me will keep My word, and My Father will love them, and We will come to them and make Our home with them. Whoever does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word that you hear is not Mine, but is from the Father who sent Me" (John 14:23-24).

 

As I search my heart, as I let You search my heart, to see if there's something wrong with me or my understanding of Your Word and Your will and Your ways in relation to all the talk of "love" and "hate" and "harm" and "injustice" I hear in these days, what comes to me in all honesty is this: "Hold fast to what is true."  ...

 

Yes, Lord. Your Word says, "Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil. May the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do this" (1 Thessalonians 5:19-24). And Your Word encourages us, "Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who has promised is faithful" (Hebrews 10:23).

 

So despite what hurtful names I may be called and hurtful ways my faith and hope may be judged, I'm choosing by the power of Your grace, as best as I can, to hold fast to what is true. If I'm mistaken, please convict me and change me. But in all honesty, what I sense in my heart is not conviction of sin or correction of my understanding of Your Word and Your Truth, but rather the courage of conviction to stand firm in my faith and the hope You've put in my heart "without wavering." As You said in Your Word:  "My righteous one will live by faith. My soul takes no pleasure in anyone who shrinks back.' But we are not among those who shrink back and so are lost, but among those who have faith and so are saved" (Hebrews 10:38-39).

 

So by the power of Your grace, as far as Your grace will go, may I live in love, speak the truth in love, hear the truth spoken in love, and keep growing in love every day. "Love rejoices in truth" and "Love never fails" (1 Corinthians 13:1-13). "And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:13). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My friend, may you hold fast to truth in love, as you grow in the grace and love of God, becoming more like Jesus every day -- embraced by our Father, centered in Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. And please continue to join with me in prayer for the Holy Spirit to lead every momentous decision being made by the delegates about truth and about love at the special called session of General Conference for the world-wide body of the United Methodist Church currently taking place in St. Louis. God bless you, my friend! 

 

Ministry in England this Week.

Friends, please keep us in prayer as my wife, Rocio and I, travel to England in the morning where I'm excited and honored to be the keynote speaker at the annual European Conference of Aldersgate Renewal Ministries on Spirit-filled Living in the Wesleyan Tradition. They've asked me to speak on the theme of "Release for the Captives!" May we experience a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit's power and love, igniting revival and awakening in our hearts and our land, in Jesus' name! God bless you and thank you so much for all your prayers and encouragement, as we journey together in prayer Morning by Morning! 

Due to our travel and ministry schedule, I may not always be able to write and send out these morning devotionals every each day from my morning prayer time. But may we continue to hold each other up in prayer every day. God bless you!

 

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

www.Messiah-Ministries.org 

  

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

www.RaphaGodMinistries.com 

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

Morning by Morning, February 25 - Courageous Spiritual Leadership

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the King of kings and Lord of lords. Be King of my heart and Lord of my life as I entrust my day into Your will -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ...

 

"Then (King Josiah) directed that all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem should be gathered to him.... He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the Lord. The king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the Lord, to follow the Lord, keeping His commandments, His decrees, and His statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this Book. All the people joined in the covenant.... Moreover, Josiah removed all the shrines of the high places that were in the towns of Samaria, which kings had made, provoking the Lord to anger.... Moreover Josiah put away the mediums, wizards, teraphim, idols, and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, so that the he established words of the law that were written in the Book that the priest Hilkiah had found in the house of the Lord. Before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; nor did any like him arise him (2 Kings 23:1-25).

 

The leadership of King Josiah speaks to us of courageous spiritual leadership that speaks out and stands up to the spirit of the times. True spiritual leadership affirms the words of the Book and brings the people of the Book into remembrance, repentance, and even revival!

 

And the spiritual leadership of King Josiah points us to the authority of King Jesus and the Spirit of the One who is the "King of kings and Lord of lords" living in us (Revelations 19:16; Romans 8:9). The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us and can bring the dead things to life again through us if we will follow You and the words of the Book, living and loving in the power of Your nature and the authority of Your name (Romans 8:11; Matthew 10:8).

 

Come Holy Spirit! Give us courage to rise up and stand firm! Give us breath to speak life to the dead bones that will arise to be all You've created us to be in You! (Ezekiel 37:1-14) Through repentance and prayer, through turning to You and honoring Your Word and embracing Your Spirit, open a window of revival in our hearts and in our land! (2 Chronicles 7:14) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My Friend, may you be stirred by the Holy Spirit to keep turning to the Lord, honoring His Word, and embracing His Spirit to experience great revival in your heart and in our land, in Jesus' name! May you be a courageous spiritual leader in every strategic position the Lord has placed you for such a time as this, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. And please continue to join with me in prayer for the Holy Spirit to lead every momentous decision being made by the delegates to the special called session of General Conference for the world-wide body of the United Methodist Church currently taking place in St. Louis. God bless you, my friend! 

 

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

www.Messiah-Ministries.org 

  

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

www.RaphaGodMinistries.com 

Please share this word to encourage a friend!