Morning by Morning, December 6 - O Little Town of Bethlehem

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I call on Your name and listen for Your voice to begin my day embraced by my Father, centered in Christ, and filled with Your Holy Spirit. ...

 

"But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a Ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past will come from you on My behalf" (Micah 5:2 NLT).

 

Seven hundred years before the birth of Jesus, Micah prophesied the place of the birth of Christ in Bethlehem. What a precise prophecy! What an unexpected prophecy! The Messiah of Israel and Savior of All would be born in "a small village" and not a significant city, in a simple manger and not an extravagant mansion. And Your Word went forth and came to pass, just as You said.

 

Yes, this Child to be born as "Ruler of Israel" with "origins in the distant past" would be none other than God Himself, humbling Himself in the likeness of human flesh and blood -- Immanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:23 fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14, also spoken seven hundred years before the birth of Jesus).

 

Your precise prophecies fulfilled in Christ are one of the ways we know the Bible is true as the very Word of God. All time and space is ever present before You. Only You can know and declare the beginning from the end and the end from the beginning. "Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish" (Isaiah 46:10). In fact, You are "the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End" so that all time and space, all that was and is and is to come, is completely in Your hands (Revelation 22:13).

 

You took the humble place of Bethlehem and lifted it up so that all the world knows it's name. And as Immanuel, born in Bethlehem, You humbled Yourself to born in the womb of a woman in the likeness of human flesh and blood to life a sinless life and die a Savior's death, that one day all the world will bow its knee at Your name lifted high above every name (Philippians 2:6-11). And You invited us into that same spirit of humility (Philippians 2:5), that as we humble ourselves in Your sight, You will lift us up, secure in our identity to live out our destiny in You (James 4:10). 

 

You chose Bethlehem for the place of the birth of Christ. And You've chosen every heart for the place of the birth of Christ in us (John 3:16). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. 

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

My friend, may you believe and know the Bible is true and that every precise prophecy sent forth as the word of God for your life will be fulfilled by the One who declares the end from the beginning and the beginning from the end, 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, December 5 - "Eagerly Waiting for the Messiah"

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I'm listening for Your leading and resting in Your Presence to begin my day in the communion of prayer with You -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ...

 

"At the time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah" (Luke 2:25-26 NLT).

 

Simeon was full of expectant faith. He was "eagerly waiting for the Messiah." He knew the Written Word of the Scriptures that spoke of the One who would come as God's anointed Son to be the Salvation of Israel and a Light to the nations (Isaiah 9:6; 42:1; 61:1-3 and many more). But he also knew the prophetic word that had been spoken into his spirit that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah. 

 

Simeon held on in expectant faith and pressed through in persistent prayer all through the years, by the Word and by the Spirit. And then the day finally came when his prayers were answered and his prophecy was fulfilled. Before he died, he not only saw the Messiah with his eyes but embraced the Messiah in his arms. "That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the Child in his arms and praised God, saying, 'Sovereign Lord, now let Your servant die in peace, as You have promised. I have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared for all people. He is a Light to reveal God to the nations, and He is the Glory of your people Israel!'" (Luke 2:27-32)

 

As we "eagerly wait for the Messiah" in this season of preparing our hearts for the coming of Christ, remind us of Your written Word and prophetic words to each one of us. Give us the grace of expectant faith and persevering prayer to see Your promises and purposes fulfilled in us.

 

Lord Jesus, You are the Anointed One of God -- "Messiah" or Mashiach in the Hebrew of the Old Testament Prophecies of Your coming and "Christ" or Christos in the Greek of the New Testament fulfilment of those Prophecies. You are the Light of the World and the Savior of All. You rewarded Simeon for his faith as he embraced You in his arms, and You reward us for our faith as we embrace You in our hearts. I welcome You with expectant faith into my heart today, and I join in prayer for many souls throughout our world to embrace you in their hearts this Christmas season. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My friend, may you be stirred your spirit to eagerly wait for the Messiah with expectant faith and persevering prayer, to embrace Him in your heart and see God's written Word and prophetic promises fulfilled in your life, 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, December 4 - Following the Star and the Spirit to Bethlehem

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. King of kings and Lord of lords, come rule and reign in my heart and my life today. ...

 

"Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 'Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him" (Matthew 2:1-2 NASB).

 

Before Your birth as Lord and Savior of all in the little town of Bethlehem, the magi from the east saw Your star in the heavens and followed it to find You. Through the traditions of the centuries since then, we've come to understand these magi as three kings who studied the stars in the ways of their culture -- a culture far away from Jerusalem and far different from the Jews. But something moved in their hearts and minds to move them to seek You. As they say, "Wise men still seek Him."

 

But what a picture this is of how You reveal Yourself even in creation to draw all people to You. "He has not left Himself without a witness" in all the nations and generations of the earth (Acts 14:17). "For what can be known about God is plain to (all), because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world His eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things He has made. So (we all) are without excuse" not to seek and know the God and Creator of all things" (Romans 1:19-20).

 

When the wise men made it to the place of Your Presence in Bethlehem, they fell down and worshiped You and offered You treasures from their hearts. "They went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy! After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshipped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh" (Matthew 2:9-11).

 

The wise men were willing to look and see Your star to follow it to Bethlehem. And in this season of turning our eyes and our hearts to You -- more deeply, more intimately -- may we follow Your Spirit to Bethlehem, to embrace the One who is not only King of the Jews but King of all. And may we fall down and worship You and offer You the treasure of our hearts. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My friend, may you follow the Holy Spirit to fall down and worship Jesus -- more deeply and more intimately -- as King of all and King of your heart in this season of seeking Him who is Lord and Savior of all, 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, December 3 - Draw Near in Deeper Intimacy with God

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. As the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs for You (Psalm 42:1). So I begin my day, pursuing Your Presence. ...

 

"Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you" (James 4:8).

 

Out of Your love for me and by Your grace for me, You invite me to draw near to You. And I do sense that stirring in my spirit to draw near to You, to draw nearer to You.

 

It's true that You're always with me (Matthew 28:20). It's true that You never leave me nor forsake me (Hebrews 13:5). It's true that no one can ever snatch me out of Your hand (John 10:28). And it's true that nothing can ever separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus my Lord (Romans 8:38-39). And at the same time, it's also true that You invite me to draw near to You -- to draw nearer still, to pursue a place of even deeper intimacy.

 

Lord, how do I do that? How do I draw nearer to You? How do I pursue a place of even deeper intimacy with You?  ...

 

As I watch and wait, as I listen and linger in Your Presence, I believe I hear You saying in my heart:  "Seek Me and You will find Me. Seek Me with all your heart and mind and soul and strength. Take time for Me. Come away with Me. Set aside your distractions. Close out the world for time away with Me alone. It's not a burden, but a joy. It's not an obligation, but an invitation. You were created for this. You were created for Me. Give yourself to Me and I will give Myself to you. Then your spirit will be in-tune with My Spirit and your heart will align with My Heart. That's how I lift you up into My embrace. You will sense the weightiness of My Presence and the freedom of My Spirit. Give yourself to Me and I will give Myself to you." ...

 

Yes, Lord. What comes to mind as I ponder Your words is the Scripture Story of the dedication of the temple when Your glory filled the temple and the priest couldn't even stand in Your Presence. "A cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of Lord" (1 Kings 8:10-11). In Christ, my heart is now Your house and my body is now Your temple (1 Corinthians 6:19). The Cloud of Your Glory is Your Holy Spirit within me (Isaiah 6:1; Ephesians 5:18).

 

Come, Holy Spirit. Come fill Your heart and Your temple with Your manifest Presence. My Father God, in the name of Jesus my Lord and Savior, I seek You, I draw near to You, I give myself to You, I pursue a place of deeper intimacy with You. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God, I want to "be filled with all the fullness of God" and more deeply embrace the ever-abiding Presence of God (Ephesians 3:19; John 15:4). I hunger and thirst for this, for I was created for this! (Matthew 5:6) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My friend, may you draw near to deeper intimacy with God, as the Glory Cloud of the manifest Presence of God fills His temple in your heart, 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, December 2 - Turning Our Hearts from Thanksgiving to Christmas

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I welcome You here in my heart and every moment of my day -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ...

 

"The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, 'See, I am sending My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:  'Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight!'" (Mark 1:1-3)

 

As we turn the page from Thanksgiving to Christmas on our calendars, we turn our attention to "prepare the way of the Lord" in our hearts. To be clear, it's not a one-time decision or an "advent season" decision, but an every-day decision to continually be turning out attention to You and to preparing the way of the Lord in our hearts. But at the same time, there is something about this season of time when the attention of the world is drawn to Jesus in a unique way.

 

Though I'm enough of a student of history to be aware of all the discussions and debates about the actual day of the birth of Jesus and all the cultural influences and the Roman calendar upon the day we call "Christmas," but I'm also enough of an evangelist to be aware that this is a more tender time to talk about the One who is the Light of the World and the Savior of all. And I'm also enough of a God-chaser and passionate pursuer of the Spirit of the One in whom I live and move and have my being that I won't miss this seasonal opportunity to turn my attention and open my heart to a deeper encounter with You -- the One who is the Christ in Christmas.

 

Come, Holy Spirit. Prepare the way of the Lord in this season and right here in my heart. Make His paths straight in me. Give me a deeper hunger to encounter the One who is the Light of the World and the Savior of all. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My friend, may you turn your heart from Thanksgiving to Christmas, expectantly seeking a deeper encounter with the One who is the Christ in Christmas, the Light of the Word and the Savior of all, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

 

Friends, I was away from ministry and off with family last week for Thanksgiving, but glad to be back with you now on our daily journey of prayer. Thank you so much for doing with me! God bless you!

Pakistan Ministry Report. I did have the opportunity to preach  for our monthly outdoor evangelistic meeting through our Skype Internet ministry to another village in Pakistan! 285 souls saved and reports of over 75 healing testimonies! Though it was very cold and some even came without shoes to hear the love of God revealed in Jesus Christ! 

Thank you so much for all your prayers, support, and encouragement, as I have the great blessing of preaching in a different village each month around Lahore, Pakistan with our team -- Pastor Fazal and Interpreter Brother Suleman! We will be distributing clothes and blankets next month. 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, November 22 - Both Thankful and Expectant

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I welcome You here in my heart and every moment of my day. ...

 

"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful" (Colossians 3:15).

 

While I'm hungry for more of You, I'm also thankful for every way You've already filled me up. While I'm thirsty for revival of my soul and a great awakening of my spirit to arise and shine and live into all You have for me, I'm also thankful for all You've already done in me and every way You've already saved me and sealed me, raised me up and healed me, and set me free from so much of what was holding me back from being all You created me to be.

 

There's a divine tension between peaceful contentment and holy hunger. There's a precious paradox between being grateful for all You've done and expectant for all You'll do. And You give us the grace to live in that tension and to sort out that paradox. It brings to mind the tension and the promise of Your Word that on our adventure of faith and journey to spiritual maturity, we "have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come" (Hebrews 6:5). We can be thankful for all the goodness of Your word and all we have already experienced, while at the same time, we can be excited and expectant, even thanking You now, for all that is yet to come.

 

"As it is written:  'Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him'" (1 Corinthians 2:9 NKJV). You're the God who promises us "I will fill this temple with glory.... And the glory of this latter temple will be greater than the former.... And in this place I will give peace" (Haggai 2:7-8). And You're the God who saves His best wine for last! (John 2:10) In You, the best is yet to come! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My friend, may you be both thankful for all God has done and expectant of all His going to do in and through you life, 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!