Wednesday, April 15, 2020

"Pure and Secure" through the "Sifting and Shaking" - Morning by Morning, April 15, 2020

Morning by Morning, April 15 - More "Pure and Secure" through the "Sifting and Shaking"
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Thank You for the grace that I can be on this journey with You every day -- looking to You (Hebrews 12:2), hearing Your voice (John 10:27), following in Your steps (1 Peter 2:21), as You make me more like You each day and each step of the way (Romans 8:29). ...
 
As listen for Your leading this morning -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God -- I believe I hear in my heart "sifting and shaking." ...
 
As I ponder what You're saying in my spirit, Scripture comes to mind:
 
"Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers" (Luke 22:31-22).
 
"See that you do not refuse the One who is speaking; for if they did not escape when they refused the One who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject the One who warns from heaven! At that time His voice shook the earth; but now He has promised, 'Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.' This phrase, 'Yet once more,' indicates the removal of what is shaken -- that is, created things -- so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe; for indeed our God is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:25-29).
 
Satan comes to "sift" and You come to "shake."
 
Right now, it seems like Satan is sifting the world and You are shaking the world. But whether it's Satan or whether it's You, let our faith in You be strengthened. Let all that's in us that's not yet like You be sifted out and shaken out so that what remains is pure and secure.
 
Yes, Lord. By the power of Your grace, make me more "pure and secure" through the "sifting and shaking." In all honesty and in seeking to come to a place of deeper humility, I have to admit there are some things in me that are not yet "pure" and some things in me that not yet "secure." But You're not judging me and condemning me; You're using all I'm going through to help me, to heal me, to free me, to mature me, to strengthen me and empower me to be all You've created me to be.
 
As I keep looking to You, listening for Your leading, seeking to follow in Your steps through all I go through, all this "sifting and shaking" -- no matter the source -- will make me more like You every day. You'll not waste a moment; You'll not miss an opportunity. You'll take it all and cause it all to work together for my good and for Your goal of conforming me into the image of the Son of God (Romans 8:28-29). As You are, so am I to be in my world (1 John 4:17). As I behold You, Your Spirit is changing me into Your image, from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18).
 
This is how I receive "a Kingdom that cannot be shaken" (Hebrews 12:28). This is how You're forming and shaping Your unshakeable Kingdom in me -- "For, in fact, the Kingdom of God is within me" (Luke 21:21). "For the Kingdom of God is ... righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:17). Lord, let it be so in me -- more pure, more secure, more and more like You every day. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My friend, may you become more "pure and secure" through all the "sifting and shaking" going on in your world, as you are being set free to be more like Jesus each day, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

 
Daily Prayer Journey with Tommy Hays



Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out ...
Preparing the Way of the Lord
  
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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Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Asking Our Questions Even After the Resurrection - Morning by Morning, April 14, 2020

Morning by Morning, April 14 - Asking Our Questions Even After the Resurrection
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I love You, Lord, and listen for Your leading -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ...
 
"But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping?' She said to them, 'They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.' When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?' Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, 'Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.' Jesus said her, 'Mary!' She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, 'Rabbouni" (which means Teacher).  Jesus said to her, 'Do not hold on to Me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to My brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.'' Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, 'I have seen the Lord!'; and she told them that He had said these things to her" (John 20:11-18).
 
Even after the resurrection, Mary Magdalene was still confused about all that was happening. Even after seeing with her eyes and knowing in her heart that the tomb was empty, she still had questions about what was taking place.
 
She wept and she wondered. She tried to fit the pieces together in a way that made sense in her mind, but she didn't yet see the bigger picture from heaven's perspective. She needed a personal encounter with the risen Lord. She needed to turn around and look to You. She needed to hear Your voice. She needed to hear You call her by name.
 
Just like Mary, we can all find ourselves in that place at times. We've been walking with You in a personal relationship with You as Your disciple. We believe the cross and the empty tomb are real and true. So it's not a matter of faith. But somehow in all the chaos and confusion of not understanding all that's going on and not knowing yet what it all means and worrying about all that will happen next, we can have questions.
 
Mary expressed her thoughts and asked her questions. The angels didn't rebuke her and You didn't rebuke her. Instead, You come near to her and spoke to her. At first, she didn't recognize Your voice. At first, she didn't even turn to You to acknowledge You -- still overwhelmed in her grief and consumed in her questions. 
 
But then she heard You speak her name! Then she turned to You and called out to You! Then everything in her wanted to take hold of You and never let You go!
 
When she heard Your voice, when she turned to You to speak to You face to face, everything became much more clear. There was still so much she didn't know, so much she didn't yet need to know, about all that would happen and all that was to come. She didn't yet fully grasp how things would never be the same -- or what a good thing that would be, even though there would be plenty of hard days ahead.  But one thing is clear -- she couldn't wait to go share the good news! She couldn't wait to go encourage Your other disciples with the great joy that filled her heart!
 
Father, send Your Holy Spirit to make us more sensitive to the voice of Jesus. Even in the midst of all our questions and concerns about what's going on in our world and what's to come, help us to see from heaven's perspective and listen for the voice of Jesus in the midst of all we're experiencing and all we're about to go through.
 
Lord Jesus, we believe in the victory of the cross and joy of the empty tomb. We praise You for all that You done and all You're going to do. And at the same time, we need a fresh and deep and intimately personal encounter with You. 
 
So Lord, let us hear Your voice. Let us hear You call us by name. And let us turn to You to encounter You face to face. Give us a deeper desire to take hold of You and never let You go. And fill us with a joy to go share the good news with all who so desperately need to hear! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. 

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

My friend, may you be free to ask your questions and express your concerns to God, along with a growing desire to turn to Jesus and hear His voice and be filled with His joy to go share His good news, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

   

 
Daily Prayer Journey with Tommy Hays



Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out ...
Preparing the Way of the Lord
  
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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Monday, April 13, 2020

"Fear and Great Joy" after the Resurrection - Morning by Morning, April 13, 2020

Morning by Morning, April 13 - Both "Fear and Great Joy" after the Resurrection
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Put Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart, as I begin my day centered in You. ...
 
"So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word" (Matthew 28:8).
 
At the empty tomb, the angel spoke to the women seeking Jesus, "Do not be afraid" (v. 5). He declared those famous words to them, "He is not here; for He is risen!" (v. 5). And he invited them to come and see for themselves the empty tomb of Jesus (v. 6). Then he spoke to them the words You gave him to speak to their hearts about what was to come next (v. 7).
 
Surely they were so excited and so expectant of all that God had done and all that God was about to do. Surely they were filled with great joy! And they were. But at the same time, Your Word says they left the empty tomb that day "with fear and great joy" even as they "ran to bring (Your) disciples word" of this great news (v. 8).
 
What about us? In these days of great joy in celebrating Your resurrection, great joy in knowing Your Word will not fail and You're at work in whatever we face, can we also struggle with fear at the same time? Even as Your disciples who have witnessed the victory of the cross and the celebration of the empty tomb? Even as those who are hearing Your words, even experiencing angelic encounters, full of joy for what God has done and expectantly excited about what God is about to do? Even as we "run" with the words You've given us to encourage Your disciples with the good news that fills our hearts?
 
The joy is from You, but the fear is not. "My heart is glad and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure.... You show me the path of life. In Your Presence there is fullness of joy!" (Psalm 16:0-11) "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" (1 Timothy 1:7). But even if we feel afraid in the face of all the shock and awe of what's going on around us, even in the face of the unknown of what will come next, the fear doesn't have to steal our joy. We can fully acknowledge both our struggles with fear and our exuberance of joy, for You are with us through it all, for Your resurrection power is real!
 
The promises and the power of the Word of God never grow old:  "If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you" (Romans 8:11). "For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry, 'Abba, Father! The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs -- heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together!" (Romans 8:15-17).
 
As we "run" with the word of Your good news in the joy of the resurrection of Jesus, we cry out "Abba, Father!" as we remember we are children of God. By the power of Your grace, fear will not steel our joy and not knowing all the details about what lies ahead and what You're about to do will not keep us from trusting in the One who already sees every day to come. As children of God, filled with the Spirt of God, we're excited and expectant to look and see what You will do! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My friend, may you be filled with great joy, even as you face any struggles with feelings of fear in all the uncertainty that surrounds us because the One who surrounds you with His Presence holds your days in His hands and holds you in His heart, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

   
Daily Prayer Journey with Tommy Hays



Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out ...
Preparing the Way of the Lord
  
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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Sunday, April 12, 2020

He is not Here, for He is Risen!" - Morning by Morning, April 12, 2020

Morning by Morning, April 12 - "He is not Here, for He is Risen!"
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I wake up this morning of the Resurrection Sunday of Holy Week, during these days of the remembrance and celebration of Passover, to come close to You with excitement and expectancy to hear what You'll say and see what You'll do -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. 
 
"Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. But the angel answered and said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know you seek Jesus who crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said! Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that His is risen from the dead! ..." (Matthew 28:1-7)
 
God's not dead. He is alive!
 
Death and the devil didn't win. Hell couldn't hold You down. The grave couldn't keep You hidden away. The stone couldn't seal You up. You overcame it all in the victory of the cross and the power of the resurrection!
 
And because You overcame, we can overcome. Because You had victory, we can have victory. Because hope and faith won the day by the power of God in You, hope and faith by the same power of God in us will win the day for us!
 
"If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you" (Romans 8:11).
 
Father, You sent Your Spirit to raise Jesus from the dead. And You send that same Spirit in that same power to raise us from the dead -- to give is the victory of life over death, of hope over despair, of faith over fear. By the power of Your grace at work in us, at work in our world, hope and faith will win the day! You are our Hope. You are our Faith. You are our Answer and only Hope for all we face, as we put all our faith in You alone.
 
For death is swallowed up in victory! ... Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! (1 Corinthians 15:54)
 
We're not overcomers unless we've overcome something. We don't have a testimony unless we've been tested. We can't be more than conquerors unless we've had something to conquer. And the empty tomb is the eternal witness of the power of God to empower us to overcome whatever we're going through in our world today and in our world to come!
 
"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love" (Romans 5:3-5).
 
Let the same Power that raised Jesus from the dead stir up the hearts of God's people around the world to release Your power of hope and faith to overcome as never before! Let everything we're going through develop endurance and character and hope in us that can be held down or sealed off or shut up. Let Your resurrection life and power arise in us to shine in our world as we remember and celebrate what You have done!
 
Around the world, as we remember the victory of the cross and the empty tomb, let us receive and embrace Your promise and power of faith and hope:  "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit!" (Romans 15:13) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My Friend, may you be filled afresh with hope and faith in the One who overcome the grave and the devil so that we can overcome all that we face in the resurrection power of the risen Christ, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

   
Daily Prayer Journey with Tommy Hays



Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out ...
Preparing the Way of the Lord
  
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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Saturday, April 11, 2020

Silent Saturday before Resurrection Sunday - Morning by Morning, April 11, 2020

Morning by Morning, April 11 - Silent Saturday before Resurrection Sunday
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. On this Saturday morning -- during the days of Passover, on this day between Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday -- I wait and listen for Your leading in our communion of prayer together -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ...
 
"The next day, that is, after the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, 'Sir, we remember what that impostor said while he was still alive, 'After three days I will rise again.' Therefore command the tomb to be made secure until the third day; otherwise his disciples may go and steal him away, and tell the people, 'He has been raised from the dead,' and the last deception would be worse than the first.' Pilate said to them, 'You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can.' So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone" (Matthew 27:62-66).
 
They sealed Your tomb. Between the stone and the guards, they thought surely You would be silent now. They judged You as an imposter. They were still calling You a liar and lunatic and anything else but Lord of All. And Yet, they were afraid of what might happen, as they remembered Your words of just exactly what You said would happen -- that after three days, You would rise again!
 
To the world it looked like this one who claimed to be God in the flesh as one with the Father -- Emmanuel, God with us, Jesus the Salvation of God, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the Light of the World, the Living Water, the Bread of Life, even declaring "before Abraham was, I Am" -- had finally received his just reward. But what they didn't know, but what was true all along, is this:  God's not dead. He is alive!
 
That silent Saturday, that silent Sabbath, when Your dead body was sealed in the tomb, Your spirit was not dead; and Satan would not have the last word. What looked like a day when there was only silence from heaven was only a dramatic pause for what was to come! It looked pretty dark on Friday. It sounded pretty quiet on Saturday. But Sunday was on the way!
 
In so many ways, that's where we find ourselves today in our world of this global pandemic and plague of Biblical proportions. Here in our homes, "sheltered in place," quarantined in quiet, silenced in solitude, hidden away and out of commission from our everyday world, it can feel like we're sealed off in a dark tomb behind a big stone.
 
But I was so encouraged last night during the Worldwide Good Friday service, connecting our world in the Spirit with the potential to reach a billion souls on our planet, with trusted spiritual leaders leading us in worship and words of hope. America's Pastor spoke as the world's pastor last night, as Max Lucado reminded us, "God's silence is not His absence." As he encouraged us by Your Holy Spirit, "You'll get through this. It won't be painless. It won't be quick. But God will use this mess for good."
 
During these days when we're tempted to give in to fear and anxiety over our health, our finances, and even the future of our world, it may seem like You're silent. It may feel at times like our prayers are not heard, like our hopes have been dashed, and like the life of our faith is dead and buried, sealed shut and under guard behind a stone that can never be rolled away.
 
But Good News is on the way! As it turns out, and as all the world will see, God's not dead. He is alive! And because my God is alive, at work in me and at work in my world, even when it's hard to see it at the moment, in Him the best is always yet to come. He always saves His best wine for last (John 1:10); the glory of the latter house will always be greater than the glory of the former house (Haggai 2:9); there's a worldwide revival and great harvest of souls that's on the way like we've never seen (Matthew 13:39), and the knowledge of the glory of the Lord will soon cover the earth as the waters cover the sea! (Habakkuk 2:14)
 
Though Friday looked pretty dark and Saturday seems pretty silent, Sunday is on the way! By the power of Your grace, I believe it even before I see it; and I'm proclaiming it with resurrection faith in my resurrected King! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My friend, may you believe it and proclaim it by the power of God's grace and resurrection faith at work with in you -- God's not dead; He is alive! and He is powerfully at work in our world to bring us through this and turn it all around for good, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

   
Daily Prayer Journey with Tommy Hays



Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out ...
Preparing the Way of the Lord
  
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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