International Justice Mission 8-10-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Your name be exalted in all the earth and here in my heart. I turn my thoughts to You in these first moments of the day. ... "Learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow" (Isaiah 1.17). Yeshi prayed in the Spirit last night in our city-wide, intercessory prayer group Margaret Therkelsen faithfully and sacrificially has led every week for over twenty years. We turn our hearts to You in praise and then in the silence, then in the spirit of intercession we begin pray for our city and region and the nations as Your Spirit leads. Yeshi is one Your faithful intercessors, an Ethiopian woman, who has seen much and endured much through the brokenness of the world, yet prays with a purity of heart and fervency of Your Spirit with her eyes firmly fixed on You. Though her words were English, it was the voice of Your Spirit crying out for the oppressed, crying out for those who are crying out to You to be rescued from their oppressors. Through her, You were opening our eyes to the suffering and oppressed in Sudan and Ethiopia and throughout the earth who are suffering and tormented by abuse of power and cruelty of selfish greed, by hatred and racism, by the unimaginable evils of wicked men. I know You begin to move heaven and earth when You hear her pray, and I know You begin to move my heart. You were confirming in my heart a call to another depth of the ministry of deliverance. You've been teaching me and empowering me to teach us others how to take our authority in Christ to break the yoke of demonic oppression from the necks of Your children, that they may be free to fulfill their destiny in You. But lately You've been calling me as well to join others in the physical deliverance from oppression as well as spiritual deliverance. Just as You share Your gospel of salvation to others through Your people, just as You minister Your healing love through Your people, You also desire to rescue the oppressed through Your people. The oppressed are crying out to You, and You are crying out through Your intercessors, to send Your people to bring deliverance from physical and governmental oppression -- children sold into slavery, women forced into prostitution, widows cheated out of their security, and men bound by forced servitude for debts they will never be able to repay. They cry out to You to expose injustice and all the forms of oppression and cruelty, even in the face of laws intended for their protection, while law enforcers abuse their power for their own wicked gain and cruel lust. You look from heaven for someone to stand in the gap, to hear their cry, to answer Your call for deliverance, and to take up their cause. Though You could do it with a blast of Your power from heaven, You have chosen to do it through Your people, as in every other form of ministry on earth. You've been moving on my heart to take my part in obedience to Your call to answer the cries and prayers of the oppressed. In September, I will travel again to India, this time as a lawyer rather than as a deliverance minister -- or rather a different kind of deliverance minister. Our team will work with the base team of the International Justice Mission there to gather evidence and pled our case using the laws of their nation to expose injustice and set the captives free -- mostly women and children sold or forced into bonded labor. They have almost lost hope, yet You have heard their cries for freedom. They may not know it yet, but their hope is in You, Lord Jesus Christ. Though Your ministry of deliverance from oppression through this small team of Christian lawyers may only affect the lives of a few people, it will affect the lives of those people for all eternity. Here I am, Lord -- send me. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I'd appreciate your prayers as our team prepares for this mission to India August 31 through September 11 with this ministry of Christian lawyers, International Justice Mission: www.ijm.org Please be praying for my old law partner in Texas to answer the call to the mission the Lord is preparing for him at the right time. He knows who he is and so does God. To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Daily archives on the web at: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com and www.morningbymorning.injesus.com God bless you!

Fresh Wineskins 8-9-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Fill me afresh with the fullness of Your Spirit. ... "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins" (Mark 2.22). Father, You desire to fill us each day with the new wine of Your Holy Spirit. But to fill us afresh each day, we must turn afresh to You each day. You pour Your new wine into fresh wineskins -- the wineskins of our hearts. They are fresh because they are continually being filled up and poured out -- filled up with Your Spirit in the place of prayer, then poured out to others as we rise and go forth to be vessels of Your Spirit in the world. Some may not understand. Some may sneer that we are "filled with new wine" as they see the joy of the Lord on our faces and hear the words of the Spirit from our mouths. But it will be the fullness of Your Spirit that has filled us afresh with Your presence and power from on high each day (Acts 2.13). Let us "be filled with the Spirit" afresh each day as we open the new wineskins of our hearts to You afresh each day (Ephesians 5.18). In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our ministry address: 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Daily archives on the web at: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com and www.morningbymorning.injesus.com God bless you!

Days of Preparation 8-8-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are my strength and shield, my strong tower. I put my faith and hope in You. ... "These are days of preparation." Yes, Lord. What we experience in small measure now, we will experience in full measure then. As much as we think we have known, we have known but a foretaste -- a foretaste of revival, of the harvest of souls, of the signs and wonders of God; and a foretaste of tribulation, of persevering in the face of persecution, of being Your light in the midst of the darkness. Prepare us now that we may prosper then. Purify our souls and quicken our spirits, hone our faith and teach us to pray. Help us learn to listen for the leading of Your voice and to respond in obedience to Your command. Align us and position us, teaching us to trust You and one another, as we look to You and cover each others' backs. Sharpen the weapons of our warfare and instruct us in the keys of Your kingdom. Let it be said of us in the day of Your coming, Your "bride has made herself ready" (Revelation 19.7). Though the seals be broken, the trumpets sound, and the bowls be poured out, yet will we shine as Your light in the midst of the darkness, yet will we stand firm under shadow of the Almighty, in the great harvest of souls at the end of this age. The world will look to those who are standing firm in the faith, fearless in the face of it all, because we have known and understood Your Word and Your ways, fully putting our faith and trust in You. Tribulation began in the garden when sin entered the earth, and it has increased, progressed, and even accelerated until it will grow into full maturity at the end of this age; yet so has faith, wisdom, and grace. Use the tribulations of today to prepare us for those to come tomorrow, and use those that come tomorrow to prepare us for those to come each day after that. Let us stand firm in the faith, trusting in You. Open the eyes of our heart to see Your plan and receive Your preparation. These are days of preparation -- let us not waste them, let us not fear them, but let us embrace them as we embrace You. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our ministry address: 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Daily archives on the web at: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com and www.morningbymorning.injesus.com God bless you!

Humility 8-7-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I open my heart to receive You and open my eyes to seek You, as I welcome You into my life again this day. ... It seems You are saying, "Humility is desperate dependence upon God. Pride is dependence upon yourself." Yes, Lord. Slay our pride and work Your humility into our hearts. Teach us how to humble ourselves in Your sight, so that You may lift us up (James 4.10). True humility is not self-deprecation or denying the gifts and favor of God on our lives, but an awareness and acknowledgment that You are the source of everything of worth in our lives. Pride is just the opposite -- acknowledging what is of worth without acknowledging that You are One who is worthy of the praise. Father, You have revealed Your heart and Your nature and Your will to us in Jesus Christ. And You work Your will into our nature by Your Holy Spirit, who is teaching us and changing us, to conform us into the image of Christ and to restore us to the image of God. Jesus taught us by His example the path and the power of humility. He "humbled Himself" in Your sight and in submission to Your will, so that You "exalted Him." This is the "same mind" that You desire that we have -- this "same mind" in us "that was in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2.5-11). This is the mind and the heart that is desperately dependent upon God. This is the place where we come to the end of ourselves, to only speak what we hear You speaking and only do what we see You doing. This is the place where we become more like You each day. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our ministry address: 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Daily archives on the web at: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com and www.morningbymorning.injesus.com God bless you!

Desperate for Your Love 8-6-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Shine the light of glory into the depths of my soul as I lift my face and open my heart to You this day. "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 4.6). ... You woke me with Your Spirit singing a new song in my spirit this morning-- a song of urgency and determination, a song of desperation. ... O Lord, I seek You O Lord, I need You I'm desperate for Your love For Your power from above I need to feel You To know that You're real too I'm desperate for Your love For Your power from above I'm need a breakthrough I need to get through I'm desperate for Your love For Your power from above And I will not give up until I know that You are here That You listen and You hear. And I will hold on tight on to the altar of Your love Until I know Your power from above I'm desperate for Your love. "When he heard it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!' Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even the more loudly, 'Son of David, have mercy on me!' Jesus stood still and said, 'Call him here.' And they called the blind man, saying to him, 'Take heart, get up, He is calling you' " (Mark 10.47-49). We are trained to be self-sufficient and independent, to not need anyone or anything. It's implied that we are to suffer in the silence, to not make a scene, to go with the flow and not make waves. But You call us to be desperate, to desperately need You, to be utterly dependent on You. You desire a people who are willing to make a scene in shameless desperation, crying out for Your presence and crying out for Your power. Lord, make us more desperate for You -- desperate for Your love, for Your power from above. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I'd appreciate your prayers for us. I'm teaching personal prayer ministry of inner healing and deliverance at Cornerstone Church in Paducah, Kentucky, teaching it by doing it with the prayer teams. Please pray for breakthroughs in the power of God's love. And I pray for breakthoughs of God's power in your life. God bless you! To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our ministry address: 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Daily archives on the web at: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com and www.morningbymorning.injesus.com God bless you!

Children of Glory 8-5-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Your name be exalted in all the earth and here in my heart. ... "It was fitting that God, for whom and through who all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For the One who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason, Jesus is not ashamed to called them brothers and sisters" (Hebrews 2.10-11). You know our sufferings because You have endured the sufferings of this world, as You humbled Yourself in the likeness of human flesh and blood (Philippians 2.5-8). In all that we face, in all that we endure, You have gone before us and You are now going through them with us, as You bring us to glory. The refiner's fire of the sufferings and ordeals of this age becomes the fire of Your glory, as You sanctify us and perfect us through all that we endure in the brokenness of this age. "We are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ -- if, in fact, we suffer with Him so that we may also be gloried in Him. I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us" (Romans 8.16-18). You are bringing many children to glory -- not wasting a moment of our sufferings, but using every opportunity to make us more like You. Though in our flesh and earthly wisdom, we would choose another means, but this is means You have chosen, for Yourself and for us. Give us faith and give us courage to look to You, to hold on to You, and to follow You, as You bring us through. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our ministry address: 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Daily archives on the web at: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com and www.morningbymorning.injesus.com God bless you!

Spirit of Zerubbabel 8-4-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Wake me each morning with Your Word in my spirit. Let Your Word by a lamp for my feet and a light to my path to guide the steps of my day. ... "The word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai, on the twenty-fourth day of the month. Speak to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, saying I am about to shake the heavens and the earth, and to overthrow the throne of the kingdoms; I am about to destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations, and overthrow the chariots and their riders; and their horses and their riders shall fall, every one by the sword of a comrade. On that day, says the Lord of hosts, I will take you, O Zerubbabel my servant, son of Shealtiel, says the Lord, and make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you says the Lord of hosts" (Haggai 2.20-23). In these days, You are shaking the heavens and the earth, and all that is not built upon the foundation of Your truth will crumble and fall, so that only what is true remains (Hebrews 12.25-29; Matthew 7.24-27). The false kingdoms of this world and the evil one who sits on the throne of these kingdoms will be destroyed (Revelation 2.13; Luke 1.52; Isaiah 14.1-23). You entrusted dominion of this earth to the sons of man -- speaking of male and female alike, throughout all the generations (Genesis 1.26-31). Yet we, as a people, relinquished our authority through the disobedience of our sin (Genesis 3.1-24). Since that time, the "ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient" sits enthroned in the false temple of our praise every time we sin in our pride and rebellion against Your word and Your will, "following the course of this world" (Ephesians 2.1-3). 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" (2 Corinthians 4.4). Through his deception and our sin, the "king of Babylon" has stolen our birthright and snatched away the signet ring of our authority, to establish the throne of his government among the nations and kingdoms of this world who submit to his authority by rejecting Your authority (Isaiah 14.3-21). But in these last days, You are stirring the spirit of Zerubbabel, the governor of Your people, to establish the government of Your Kingdom again in the earth and throughout eternity. Even his name means "children of Babylon," which speaks of the reversal of the curse and the redemption of our souls. Though we were children of the evil one as sons of disobedience, blinded by his deception, we are being restored and redeemed by the light of Your truth and the blood of Your Lamb. We are rising in the power of Your Spirit to receive the signet ring of Your authority, to rule and "reign on earth" as Your kingdom of priests and kings, once again enthroning You in the temple of our praise (Revelation 5.9-10). The government of this world will rest again upon Your shoulders, and of Your kingdom there shall be no end (Isaiah 9.6-7). "The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our God and of His Messiah, and He will reign forever and ever" (Revelation 11.15). In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Praying friends, I would appreciate your prayers as I travel to Conerstone Church in Paducah, KY for a series of personal prayer ministry appointments to minister inner healing and deliverance with their prayer teams and then preach on Sunday. The Lord is cleansing and purifying His bride for His coming. God bless you! To subscribe/unsubscribe contact me at Messiah Ministries -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com Join us at The Fountain on the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7pm. Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502. God bless you!Daily archives of my devotional at: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com and at: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Our Shepherd and Shelter 8-3-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You strengthen me as I rest in You. You teach me as I seek Your wisdom. You make me more like You as I behold You. ... In the Revelation of Jesus that You showed to John to encourage Your disciples of all generations, he saw "a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying, 'Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!' " (Revelation 7.9-10). And all the heavenly beings fell on their faces and worshiped God. We fall on our faces and worship, Lord God -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You are the source of our salvation -- salvation from sin, from fear and terror, from sickness and infirmity, from all the power of the wickedness of the world, the flesh, and the devil -- as we turn our eyes to You and open our hearts to You and fall down in worship before You. John asked who these where, who were gathered from every people and language of the earth in the worship of God for the gift of salvation. One of the heavenly beings answered, "These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship Him day and night within His temples, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them....For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd...." (Revelation 7.13-17). Shepherd us and shelter us, Lord. Lead us through every ordeal we may ever face in a broken, fallen world that is shaken and purged under the consequences of the sins of the generations of the earth. Teach us how to "live in the shelter of the Most High" and how to "abide the shadow of the Almighty" as we trust in You alone as our "refuge" and "fortress" in the days of trouble (Psalm 91.1-2). May we join those from every nation who are thankful and safe, worshiping You for our salvation before Your throne forever, washed clean in the blood of the Lamb. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe contact me at Messiah Ministries -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com Join us at The Fountain on the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7pm. Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502. God bless you!

Worthy is the Lamb 8-2-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Holy are You, Lord, and worthy is Your name. You are worthy of "honor and glory and blessing" (Revelation 5.12). ... Your Word speaks about tremendous judgment to come upon the earth in the last days. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, written through John, speaks of these judgments being written on a scroll sealed with seven seals. John "saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, 'Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?' And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it" (Revelation 5.1-4). "As it is written, 'There is no one who is righteous, not even one;' " for "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3.10 and 23). Yet, as John wept that there was no one worthy to take up and open the scroll, his eyes were turned to You, as one of the heavenly beings declared, "See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that He can open the scroll and its seven seals" (Revelation 5.5). Lord Jesus, You are worthy to release the judgments of God, for You have paid the price through the sacrifice of Your sinless life for us, that we might know mercy in the day of judgment. All who call upon Your name, in repentance and in faith, will know Your mercy instead of Your judgment on that day. "The Scripture says, 'No one who believes in Him will be put to shame.' For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on Him. For, 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved' " (Romans 10.11-13). For all who call upon Your name, in humble repentance and trusting faith, Your "mercy triumphs over judgment" (James 2.13). As You open the seals and release Your judgments, Lord, "in wrath may You remember mercy" (Habakkuk 3.2). Prepare our hearts now that we can join in the "new song" of those who fall down in worship before You: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for You were slaughtered and by Your blood You ransomed for God saints from every tribe and language and people and nation; You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to God, and they will reign on the earth" (Revelation 5.9-10). "Worthy is the Lamb" (Revelation 5.12)! In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I have been writing a book this summer on principles of inner healing and deliverance in the Holy Spirit's preparation of the bride of Christ for the coming of the Lord. Please pray for me to get this finished and published, while not neglecting the rest of the ministry, all in the way the Lord plans. And I pray for you to fulfill all He is calling you to do in this hour, all in His way and all to His glory. God bless you! To subscribe/unsubscribe contact me at Messiah Ministries -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com Join us at The Fountain on the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7pm. Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502. God bless you!Daily archives of my devotional at: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com

"He Must Increase" 8-1-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. By Your grace, You are calling me to come spend these moments of the morning with You. By our grace, I come. ... "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3.30). Yes, Lord Jesus, increase. Increase as the focus of my life. Increase as the source of security and strength, of wisdom and provision, of calling and destiny, in every area of my life. As You increase, help me to decrease. To decrease from dependence upon my own strength and wisdom and direction apart from You. In thankfulness, I know You have brought me a long way down the path of surrender and trust; and in humility, I know I have so much further to go. Lead me further each day down this path to the place of complete surrender and complete trust -- the place where You increase and I decrease. I hear You calling, and I choose to come. ... In Jesus' name, I pray. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe contact me at Messiah Ministries -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com Join us at The Fountain on the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7pm. Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502. God bless you!

The Flesh or the Spirit 7-31-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. My eyes are on You, Lord. Let everything else fade out of view in these moments of contemplative prayer, as Your Holy Spirit opens my heart and focuses my thoughts on You. ... "For those who live according to the flesh, set their minds of the things of the flesh. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law -- indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; you are in the spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is life because of righteousness" (Romans 8.5-10). Spirit of God, You are the Spirit of Christ, who dwells in us. You are One with Christ and One with the Father; and You are the Spirit of Christ living in us, "the hope of glory" (Colossians 1.27). You lift our eyes off of the things of the flesh and set our minds on things of the spirit. You come to crucify our flesh, that our spirits may rise in resurrected power into the presence of God. You lift our eyes off of things below and lift them to things above (Colossians 3.1-4). "The flesh" is the unsanctified area of our soul, that part of us that is not yet fully submitted to the Spirit of Christ, not yet conformed to the fullness of the image of Christ. To the degree we are crucified in the flesh with Christ, to that degree we are alive in our spirit. This is Your process of sanctification, as You expose the flesh of our soul -- our mind, will, and emotions -- and bring us to place where we have sanctified Christ as Lord in our hearts, step by step and from glory to glory (1 Peter 3.15; 2 Corinthians 3.18). Like Isaiah, the more we behold of Your glory, the more of our flesh is exposed (Isaiah 6.1-8). Yet this is the blessing of Your conviction, that leads to repentance, that leads to Your mercy. Then we can receive our commission to fulfill our calling, in ever increasing measures of Your power through the presence of Christ in us. This is the hope of glory -- Your glory being manifested through our lives. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe contact me at Messiah Ministries -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com Join us at The Fountain on the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7pm. Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502. God bless you!

"In Christ" 7-30-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I commit this day into Your hands. Be my wisdom and my leading, my power and strength, my light and my path. Let me follow in Your steps. ... "But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, in order that, as it is written, 'Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord' " (1 Corinthians 1.27-31). We would be foolish to try to live a day under the burdens of this world without Your wisdom. We would be crushed under the weight of the worries of this world if we tried to stand in our own strength. And so many are -- those who do not yet know Christ, and those who should know better. You are our wisdom and our strength when we look to You and welcome You to be our source of life. Each day of life is a series of choices, which really comes down to making one choice, over and over -- "Do I choose to live this moment in Christ or not?" To live the moment in Christ is to have the perspective of the mind and the attitude of the heart that I am listening for You to be my wisdom and looking to You to be my strength. Then I will be committing my life into Your hands by committing each moment of the day to Your wisdom and Your strength. This is more than claiming I am a Christian or believing in the teachings of Christ, this is living my life in Christ and allowing Christ to live His life in me. Come live in me, Lord Jesus Christ. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe contact me at Messiah Ministries -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com Join us at The Fountain on the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7pm. Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502. God bless you!

The Calm of the Silence 7-29-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Here I am, Lord -- watching and waiting for the leading of Your Spirit. Help me get quiet, help me listen, help me be still in these first moments of the morning and know that You are God. ... Sometimes Your words and images come with clarity and direction. Sometimes Your Scriptures rise in our hearts and the stories of faith unfold before us. Sometimes we sense the thickness of the glory of Your presence or the swelling of Your love in our hearts. But sometimes there is the quiet calm of silence, as if You are almost whispering, "Shhhh....just be still, just know that I am here, just know that I am God. I have a plan and a purpose. I am redeeming all things in My time and in My way. Just trust Me. Don't get ahead; don't get in a hurry; don't get left behind. Just be still and I will surround you and saturate you with the fullness of My presence. Be at peace and rest in the knowledge that I care for you more than you can imagine. This is the peace I am working into your souls; this is the faith that cannot be shaken; this is the blessing of the children of God. You are My children, and I am your God. Know that in the calm of the silence, I am here." Yes, Lord. Thank You for the truth of Your constant presence. You never leave us and never forsake us. We thank You for the times we experience You in the fullness of all our senses; and we thank You for the times when we rest in the knowledge of the truth that You are always with us, no matter what we sense or feel or hear or don't. "But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; my soul within me is like a weaned child" (Psalm 130.2). A weaned child is a more mature child, who is learning to trust that every need will be satisfied in the constancy of Your presence and the consistency of Your love. There is no need to beg and cry, but only trust in the security and power of Your love and Your plan. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe contact me at Messiah Ministries -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com Join us at The Fountain on the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7pm. Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502. God bless you!

"Choose Well Each Day" 7-28-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I welcome You into my heart and my home, into every moment of my day. ... "As it goes in the morning, so it will go throughout your day. In the first moments of the morning, you lay the foundation for the day. You choose whether you will rise and go about your way, thinking about your problems and all the things you want to do or need to do -- or whether you will first wait and watch and pray, letting Me fill your spirit with My life and your thoughts with My plans. This first choice will set the course for the rest of Your day. Choose well each day." Yes, Lord. Help us choose well, help us choose to look to You first, to seek You first, to humble ourselves in silence before You in the first moments of the morning. Help us allow You to form Your thoughts in our minds and Your desires in our hearts. Then we will be lead by Your Spirit and not our flesh, by Your plans and not our agendas. And all the provision and power of heaven will be available to us on earth. Then we will be instruments of Your grace and vessels for Your purpose -- all because we choose to humble ourselves from the self-centered pride that makes us think we already know what to do and how to do it, that we already have all the power we need, without pausing in prayer to welcome Your presence and receive Your provision. "But those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not be faint" (Isaiah 40.31). "O Lord, be gracious to us; we wait for You. Be our arm every morning, our salvation in time of trouble" (Isaiah 33.2). "I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I hope; my souls waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning" (Psalm 130.5-6). This is how You give us each day our daily bread -- the bread of Your presence, of Your power, of Your provision (Mathew 6.11). We can only receive it if we choose to humble ourselves to acknowledge we need it. To start off our day without first watching and waiting in prayer is a way of saying to You and to ourselves we don't need Your help, Your power, or Your presence. Forgive us, Lord. Stir up the desire to seek You first and Your kingdom, then all these other things will come into order, in Your timing and in Your way (Matthew 6.33). Give us Your wisdom and Your grace to choose well each day, to choose You first each day. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe contact me at Messiah Ministries -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com Join us at The Fountain on the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7pm. Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502. God bless you!

Light of the World 7-27-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Your Holy Spirit is singing the song of worship in my heart to You: "Light of the world, You stepped down into darkness. Open my eyes; let me see. ... Here I am to worship; here I am to bow down; here I am to say that You're my God...." You are my God, in every dimension of Your being -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You are the Light of my world. You push back the darkness of doubt and confusion, and enlighten my mind and my heart with the glory of Your presence. ... Holy Spirit, You are writing a new poem of praise to God in my spirit: I worship and adore You In humility before You Open my eyes to seek Your face. I long to be near You To love and to fear You Open my heart to receive Your grace. The Light of Your glory Pushes back all worry All darkness flees without a trace. No more doubt or confusion I'm in perfect communion As the glory of Your presence fills this place. "And Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life" (John 8.12). You are the Light of the world; You are the Light of life. "By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace" (Luke 1.78-79). Lord, let Your light break upon us. Lift us from the darkness of doubt and confusion; set our feet upon the path of peace as we choose to rise and follow You. We have a choice each day -- to welcome Your light into our lives or to sit in the darkness. You said, "I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me should not remain in darkness" (John 12.46). In the power of Your grace, we choose the Light. In the power of Your name, we renounce the darkness and rise to follow You this day. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe contact me at Messiah Ministries -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com Join us at The Fountain on the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7pm. Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502. God bless you!

Roots of Relationship 7-26-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Let the roots of our relationship sink deeply into the soil of my soul. Water them in Your Word, and nourish them with Your Spirit. Let them grow strong and steady, unwavering and secure, through the constant communion of prayer. ... "Let me hear what the Lord God will speak, for He will speak peace to His people, to His faithful, to those who turn to Him in their hearts. Surely His salvation is at hand for those who fear Him, that His glory may dwell in our land. Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky. The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before Him, and will make a path for His steps" (Psalm 85.8-13). As we seek You and listen for You, turning our hearts open to You in the intimacy of prayer, we are soaking in the glory of Your presence. Like a slow rain that settles down into the soil of our souls, we are nourished and strengthened by the life of Your Word -- Your written Word and Your living Word. You are the Word; and in the communion of prayer, the Spirit of Your Word seeps down into our souls, conforming our will and our ways to Your Word, a little more each day. By the abiding presence of Your Holy Spirit, Your Word becomes flesh and lives within us. Our tree of life grows into maturity to bear fruit for Your glory, as we are being continually rooted and grounded in this relationship of love by the Spirit of Christ dwelling in our hearts through faith (Ephesians 3.16-17). This is the good ground You desire -- the ground that is prepared and open to receive the seeds of life, the seeds of Your Word (Matthew 13.3-9). These are the seeds that produce a harvest for Your glory, the seeds that are nurtured and nourished in the soaking of Your presence in prayer. "Ground that drinks up the rain falling on it repeatedly, that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God" (Hebrews 6.7). Your constant presence, continually dwelling in our hearts through intimate relationship with You is our blessing beyond belief. Though we have not deserved it, we do thank You for the gift of blessing the ground of hearts and the soil of souls. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouarged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe contact me at Messiah Ministries -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com Join us at The Fountain on the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7pm. Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502. God bless you!

Heirs of the Promise 7-25-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I choose this day to think of You first, to seek You first, to live for You first. By Your grace, You give me the desire to will it and the power to walk it (Philippians 2.13). You lift me back up when I stumble and forgive me when I fail, as I continue to turn to You as my inspiration and my strength. Apart from You, I can do nothing of any lasting value or eternal significance, but as I abide in You and You in me, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4.13). ... "Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of Your possession? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in showing mercy. He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities under foot. You will cast all our sins into the depth of the sea. You will show faithfulness to Jacob and unswerving loyalty to Abraham, as You have sworn to our ancestors from the days of old" (Micah 7.18-20). You are faithful when we are not. Yet You use even our times of failure and sin to teach us Your ways and work into us Your will. We inherit the promises of Your covenant through trusting faith and willing obedience, all by the grace of Your love -- Your covenant of unfailing love and unswerving faithfulness, in the mercy of Your grace. You have made covenant with us as Your people -- all people who will call upon Your name in humility and in faith. "For in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, heirs according to the promise" (Galatians 3.26-29). Father, through our inheritance in Jesus the Christ, we are Your children and You are our God. By the faith of Abraham, we are the seed of Abraham, the remnant of Your possession, the heirs of Your promise (Galatians 3.6-7). Hold us tight and never let us go. Give us Your grace to grasp the gift of Your life in the blessings of Your promise, and never let go. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe contact me at Messiah Ministries -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com Join us at The Fountain on the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7pm. Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502. God bless you!

"See Jesus" 7-24-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. As the worship song says, I turn my eyes upon You. I look full in Your wonderful face, as the things of earth grow strangely dim, in the light of Your glory and grace. ... "... but we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God, He might taste death for everyone" (Hebrews 2.9). We see You, Lord Jesus. Open our eyes to see You in every dimension of Your nature. You are the Son of Man and the Son of God. You are the Lamb of God who was slain for our sins upon the cross, and You are the Lion of the Tribe of Judah who roars from heaven in the victory of resurrected and ascended glory. You are to be feared in awe and honor, respect and obedience; and You are to be loved in trusting surrender and intimate prayer. You stretched out Your arms upon the cross, that You might stretch our Your arms around the earth. Let us not only know about You, let us know You. Let us not only seek the gifts of Your hands, but first seek the glory of Your face. Open the eyes of our hearts to seek You and see You, to know You and be known by You. Sometimes our eyes are blinded to Your glory and Your faithfulness through the struggles and pain and trials we face in this broken, fallen world engulfed in the darkness of this age. But You are here with us in the midst of it. You know our sufferings because You endured our sufferings, even the suffering of death in the cruelty of the cross as You tasted death for everyone. You don't waste a moment of our sufferings; You don’t miss any opportunity to draw us nearer to You, to open our hearts to receive Your comfort, to lift our eyes to behold Your faithfulness. As Job found near the end of his journey of suffering, "I had heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes see You" (Job 42.5). Suffering has a way of bringing intimacy with You. The struggles and trials of a life we can't possibly bear in the power of our own strength have a way of lifting our eyes to You -- to the One who is faithful and true, crowned with glory and honor forever because of Your willingness to suffer it all out of love for us. Lord Jesus, we see You and love You and honor You. Help us see You more clearly each day. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen . Be encouarged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe contact me at Messiah Ministries -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com Join us at The Fountain on the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7pm. Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502. God bless you!

Preparation for Your Presence 7-23-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Rekindle the flame of Your Spirit in my heart this day. As I prepare the altar of my soul, watching and waiting for Your leading, let the glory of Your presence fill my spirit and soul and body. ... "The Lord said to Moses, 'Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and prepare for the third day, because on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of the people" (Exodus 19.10-11). There is a consecration that comes before the visitation. Our part is to choose, by the grace You give us, to embrace the cleansing of the garments of our flesh by the blood of the Lamb, that washes away our sins (1 John 1.7). You remove every barrier between us, calling us to You, drawing us to You, in the intimacy of Your presence. As we humble ourselves in Your sight, You lift us up into Your arms and hold us tight in Your love (James 4.5-10). Father, You've put a longing in our souls for the third day -- the day You come down to the places and people prepared for Your coming. We dedicate and consecrate our lives to You, to live for Your glory, as best as we can by the grace that You give. Prepare our hearts for the coming of the day of the Lord. Teach us how to live our lives in these days -- the first day of preparation, the second day of perseverance in prayer, and the third day of the power of Your presence. Let Your glory come down and fill the hearts of a people prepared for Your presence. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe contact me at Messiah Ministries -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com Join us at The Fountain on the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7pm. Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502. God bless you!Daily archives of my devotional at: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com

The Place of Your Presence 7-22-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Open the heavens above my heart. Let my spirit ascend and Your Spirit descend until heaven meets earth in my soul. Let it not be a moment, but a lifestyle. Continually cleanse the soil of my soul in Your blood and purify me in the fire of Your Spirit, pouring into my heart the love of our Father. By Your mercy and grace, let my life be holy ground, for wherever You are is holy. ... At Bethel, You opened the eyes of Jacob's spirit to You in a dream. He saw angels ascending to heaven and descending to earth. You stood beside him and assured him that You were the Lord God, saying, "Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." As he woke, he realized this was more than a dream -- he had had an encounter with the living God. "Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, 'Surely the Lord is in this place--and I did not know it!' And he was afraid, and said, 'How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate to heaven" (Genesis 28.10-22). Where You are is holy ground, the house of God, the gate to heaven. "Bethel" means "house of God." Let our hearts be Bethel; let our lives be holy ground -- the place of Your presence -- because we have sought You and encountered You and welcomed You. Let us know and never doubt that You are with us and You will keep us wherever we go, that You will not leave us until You have done all that You have promised. That is the place where You have called us, that is the place of Your promise and Your power -- the place of Your presence. Let that place be in our hearts -- in Bethel, the house of God. Let our bodies be the temples of the presence of Your Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3.16-17). Then we will know, and everyone around us who needs to know You and power of Your presence will know, "Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place. And how awesome is this place!" In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe contact me at Messiah Ministries -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com Join us at The Fountain on the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7pm. Our address for ministry and contributions: 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502. God bless you!Daily archives of my devotional at: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com