Thursday, July 02, 2020

"Sharing in the Spirit" to Regard, Honor, and Esteem Each Other - July 2, 2020

Morning by Morning, July 2 - “Sharing in the Spirit” to Regard, Honor, and Esteem Each Other

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Here I am to listen as You lead -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ...

“If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus…” (Philippians 2:1-5)

Forgive us, Lord, for the ways we sin in our hearts, in our land, in our culture, by failing to “regard others as better than ourselves.” Instead, we tend to do just the opposite.

Rather than “sharing in the Spirit,” we’re stingy in our flesh. Rather than building up one another, we suppress one another. Rather that desiring the best for each other, we compete against each other. Jealousy and pride rise up to puff us up, while we pull one another down and put one another down.

Then we reap what we have sow -- prejudice, pride, racism, judgment, self-righteousness, division, violence, and ultimately utter destruction. We gather in the harvest of division instead of unity, pride instead of humility, judgment instead of mercy, self-centeredness and selfishness instead Christ-centeredness and Christlikeness. We suffer the loss of our inheritance of peace and joy and love; and so does the world around us.

Forgive us, Lord. Through repentance and prayer, through surrender of our flesh to Your Spirit, our desires to Your Heart, and our thoughts to Your Mind, “let the same mind be in (us) that was in Christ Jesus.” Restore us and revive us to “be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.” In that kind of unity of Spirit and honor and love, the world will know the Father has sent His Son as Savior of all (John 17:20-23).

As that change begins in us, that change will begin to happen in our land (2 Chronicles 7:14). As we allow You to change our hearts, our minds, our attitudes, our perspectives to turn our selfish and self-centered ways upside down, Your Holy Spirit will be at work within us to turn the world around us upside down (Acts 17:6) and to exalt the name of Jesus above every name, including our own -- here in our hearts, here in our land, and to the ends of the earth (Philippians 2:5-11). In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

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

My friend, may you be strengthened in the Spirit with the same mind in you that was in Christ Jesus to regard, honor, and esteem those around you in the love and Spirit of Christ that the world around you may be turned upside down for God's glory and His name, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

New Mailing Address for Messiah Ministries:

Tommy & Rocio Hays
Messiah Ministries
17503 La Cantera Parkway, Suite 104407
San Antonio, Texas 78257

Tommy & Rocio Hays | Messiah Ministries

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

Posted by at

Wednesday, July 01, 2020

Desperately Seeking God’s “Wisdom and Power” - July 1, 2020

Morning by Morning, July 1 - Desperately Seeking God’s “Wisdom and Power”

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I turn my eyes upon You, as I begin this day seeking to be embraced by my Father, centered in Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit. ...

At a time of national turmoil, with the leadership seeking guidance and even supernatural direction, the prophet Daniel “went to his home and informed his companions ... and told them to seek mercy from the God of Heaven” (Daniel 2:17-18).

We need Your guidance today, Lord. Our leadership and all of Your people need to hear Your voice to lead us through these times.

As Daniel and his companions prayed, You answered. “The mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision in the night, and Daniel blessed the God of Heaven” (Daniel 2:19).

“Daniel said:
‘Blessed be the name of God from age to age,
    for wisdom and power are His!
He changes times and seasons,
    deposes kings and sets up kings;
He gives wisdom to the wise
    and knowledge to those who have understanding.
He reveals deep and hidden things;
    He knows what is in the darkness,
    and light dwells with Him.
To you, O God of my ancestors,
    I give thanks and praise,
for You have given me wisdom and power,
    and have now revealed to me what we asked of You,
    for You have revealed to us what the king ordered.” 
(Daniel 2:20-23).

O God of Daniel, God of Heaven -- God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; God of Peter, James, and John; God of our present, our past, and our future; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- how we need Your “wisdom and power” today! How we need to understand “the times and seasons” that are in Your hands and in the midst of our days. How we need You to reveal to us the “deep and hidden things” that are only revealed by Your light shining into our darkness, as we seek Your face and listen for Your voice in the humility of prayer and humble acknowledgement of our desperate dependence upon You alone. For apart from You, we can do nothing (John 15:5).

Speak to our leaders. Speak to us all. In humility and faith, we seek Your guidance and supernatural direction. As we humble ourselves in Your sight, You will lift us up (James 4:10). As we seek You as our Father, You will lead us as Your sons and daughters by Your Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14). Your sheep will hear Your voice (John 10:4). And with the faith of Daniel, we believe You will answer, You will lead, and You will provide all the “wisdom and power” we need to survive and even thrive through these days if we humble ourselves to seek You and obey You (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 filled with God's wisdom and power, as you seek Him and hear Him and obey Him in humility and faith, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me, for our leaders, and for our world. God bless you, my friend!

   
Listen and join me in today's Morning by Morning
Prayer Devotional Podcast

New Mailing Address for Messiah Ministries:

Tommy & Rocio Hays
Messiah Ministries
17503 La Cantera Parkway, Suite 104407
San Antonio, Texas 78257

Tommy & Rocio Hays | Messiah Ministries

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

Posted by at

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Rise and Roar with the Voice of the Lord! - June 30, 2020

Morning by Morning, June 30 - Rise and Roar with the Voice of the Lord!
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. King of Kings and Lord of Lords, rise and rule in my heart and my world today. ...
 
"Woe to those who devise iniquity, and work out evil on their beds! At morning light they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand. They covet fields and take them by violence, also houses, and seize them. So they oppress a man and his house, a man and his inheritance.... (But the Lord says), "I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob, I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together like sheep of the fold, like a flock in the midst of their pasture; they shall make a loud noise because of so many people. The One who breaks open will come up before them; they will break out, pass through the gate, and go out by it; their King will pass before them, with the Lord at their head" (Micah 2:1-13).
 
In these days of demands for equality and justice, we desperately need the One who determines what is just and what is true to form our thoughts and direct our steps. In these days of lawlessness, we desperately need the One who writes Your Law on our hearts to conform our desires to Your desires so our ways will follow Your ways. In these days of confusion, intimidation, violence, and destruction, we desperately need to know the voice of the One who speaks to our spirits, saying, "This is the way, walk in it ... not by your own power, not by your own might, not by your own ways apart from My ways, but by My Spirit."
 
With the confidence that comes to a people who humble their hearts before You to seek Your face and hear Your voice to obey Your will and walk in Your ways, let the "remnant" of Your people arise and give voice to the words You're putting in our hearts, You're releasing through our prayers, and You're speaking forth through our mouths. Let "the One who breaks open" come break our hearts open with Your love that we can "make a loud noise" with Your truth that breaks the threats of intimidation and cancels the curse demanding our silence. Speaking the truth in love, may our voices be heard and Your Light in our hearts be seen.
 
As You "break open," we will "break out." As You "pass before (us)," we will "pass through the gate." As we yield to Your will and follow Your ways as our King, Your Kingdom will come and Your will will be done -- here in our hearts and here in our world. This is not time to sit back in silence, but to rise and roar!
 
So purify our hearts that we rise in Your strength, not our own. Purify our thoughts that we have the mind of Christ, not the mind of the world. As we humble ourselves in Your sight to seek Your face, Your voice, Your will, Your ways, You will lift us up to stand firm in our place and to give no place to the one who seeks to silence our voices, steal our hope, and shutter our world in darkness and gloom, confusion and despair.
 
Yes, Your ancient Words are true and unfolding before our very eyes in our days: "Darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon (us), and His glory will appear over (us)... Then (we) shall see and be radiant; (our) heart shall thrill and rejoice" (Isaiah 60:2-5). So by the power of Your grace at work within us, we will "Arise (and) shine; for (our) Light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon (us)!" (Isaiah 60:1) By the power of Your grace, we will rise and roar with the voice of the Lord! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. 


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

My friend, may you be strengthened and encouraged to rise and roar as part of the remnant of the Lord who seek His face to hear His voice and speak His words in our world, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend! 

 
        
Listen and join me in today's Morning by Morning
Prayer Devotional Podcast

New Mailing Address for Messiah Ministries:

Tommy & Rocio Hays
Messiah Ministries
17503 La Cantera Parkway, Suite 104407
San Antonio, Texas 78257

Tommy & Rocio Hays | Messiah Ministries

Please share this word to encourage a friend!
Posted by at

Friday, June 26, 2020

Riots and Mobs just Make More Room for the Message of Jesus - June 26, 2020

Morning by Morning, June 26 - Riots and Mobs just Make More Room for the Message of Jesus
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Put Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart. Make me more like You today. ...
 
"As was Paul's custom, he went to the synagogue service, and for three Sabbaths in a row he used the Scriptures to reason with the people. He explained the prophecies and proved that the Messiah must suffer and rise from the dead. He said, 'This Jesus I'm telling you about is the Messiah.' Some of the Jews who listened were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with many God-fearing Greek men and quite a few prominent women. But some of the Jews were jealous, so they gathered some troublemakers from the marketplace to form a mob and start a riot" (Acts 17:2-5).
 
Mobs and riots didn't keep Paul and Silas from preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and spreading the Message of hope and healing, freedom and grace in Jesus Christ everywhere they went! While all the country was in an uproar, they just keep using every opportunity to point people to Jesus.
 
The crowds accused Paul and Silas of "causing trouble all over the world" and feared that "now they are here disturbing our city, too" (v. 6). The mobs demanded them to be silent and tried to intimidate them into sitting back and shutting up about their Message and their Messiah and this talk about God's mercy and grace through Jesus Christ. They screamed and shouted that these followers of Jesus were "guilty of treason against Caesar, for they profess allegiance to another King, named Jesus" (v. 7).
 
But all the while, the Message went forth. Hearts and minds were changed. And this Good News of the Gospel of the Kingdom kept going forth to the ends of the earth. One day, It got to me. And since that day, It's been changing my heart and my mind every day. 
 
While the mobs and riots of my day seem to want to turn my world upside down, there's a Spirit who's moving in me with increasing desire to see my world turned upside down for Jesus. Just as in the days of Paul and Silas, riots and mobs just make more room for the Message of Jesus. So Lord, help me not waste my moments of spreading your Message of hope and healing, freedom and grace in Jesus Christ everywhere I am and everywhere You send me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My Friend, may you be empowered with the Spirit of Christ to spread the Message of healing and hope, freedom and grace in the mighty name of Jesus everywhere you are and everywhere He sends you, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend! 

 
        
Listen and join me in today's Morning by Morning
Prayer Devotional Podcast

New Mailing Address for Messiah Ministries:

Tommy & Rocio Hays
Messiah Ministries
17503 La Cantera Parkway, Suite 104407
San Antonio, Texas 78257

Tommy & Rocio Hays | Messiah Ministries

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

Posted by at

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

"Confident of Better Things" - June 24, 2020

Morning by Morning, June 24 - "Confident of Better Things"
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Rule and reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords in my heart and my life and every moment of my day. ...
 
"Beloved, we are confident of better things in your case, things that belong to salvation. For God is not unjust; He will not overlook your work and the love that you showed for His sake in serving the saints, as you still do. And we want each one of you to show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope to the very end, so that you may not become sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises" (Hebrews 6:9-12).
 
Even with all that going on in the bitter days of our world right now, we can be "confident of better things" to come. Even when it seems our world is being tossed to and fro on the seas and ready crash hard on the rocks, You steady our hearts with Your "full assurance of hope to the very end."
 
You don't "overlook" us; You see us. You're not ignoring us; You're at work within us. You see our work; You know our love; You remind us to remember that You're the One who is at work within us and the One who loves through us by Your Spirit to be "imitators" of You.
 
Looking to You, taking hold of You, letting You take hold of us, we find our security and strength to withstand the turmoil and turbulence of our days. "We who have taken refuge (in You are) strongly encouraged to seize the hope set before us. We have this hope, a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus, a Forerunner on our behalf, has entered..." (from Hebrews 6:17-20).
 
By the power of Your grace, I choose to "seize the hope" that is set before me today. I "seize" the One who is my Hope, the One who is my Rock, my Refuge, my Strong Tower, and my Strength forever. And in that Hope, in my hope in You, I am "confident of better things" to come and better days ahead. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My Friend, may you be confident of better things to come and better days ahead, as You keep looking to the One who is your Hope and letting Him take hold of you, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend! 

        
Listen and join me in today's Morning by Morning
Prayer Devotional Podcast

New Mailing Address for Messiah Ministries:

Tommy & Rocio Hays
Messiah Ministries
17503 La Cantera Parkway, Suite 104407
San Antonio, Texas 78257

Tommy & Rocio Hays | Messiah Ministries

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

Posted by at
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)