"I am the Gate" 1-22-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I seek You with all my heart; I welcome You into all my life. ... "I am the Gate. Whoever enters by Me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture" (John 10:9). You spoke to us last night at The Fountain. As we gathered in Your name alone from many different churches and traditions from across our community, as we lifted Your name in our praises and prayers, You drew us near and filled us with Your Spirit. You set before us a choice to rejoice in You -- to turn to You or to turn to our troubles and our past. You spoke into our hearts Your words of Spirit and Life. And You continue to release Your word as a call to arise and enter in to the fullness of Your provision through the gate of Your presence. You are saying to all who will come, "I am the Gate. Enter in to the fullness of My plans and My provision. Enter in to My yoke alone; come under My burden alone. Rest in Me; trust in Me; find your fulfillment in Me. Leave behind the bondage of the past. Arise into newness of life. I am your life. In Me, you are a new creation. Old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. Arise and enter in, press in, to the fullness of My plans and My provision for your life." "Go through, go through the gates, prepare the way for the people; build up, build up the highway, clear it of stones, lift up a banner over the peoples. The Lord has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to daughter Zion, 'See, your salvation comes; His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him.' They shall be called, 'The Holy People, The Redeemed of the Lord"; and you shall be called, 'Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.' " (Isaiah 62:10-12). Yes, Lord. I choose to rejoice in You. I choose to enter in to the fullness of Your plans and Your provision. You are the Gate of life. I choose for You to be my Way, my Truth, my Life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on healing and wholeness, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. www.messiah-ministries.org Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

"Victory Belongs to the Lord" 1-21-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. "I love You, O Lord, my strength. You are my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, so I shall be saved from my enemies" (from Psalm 18:1-3). ... Terror has no power unless I allow it to make me afraid. Deception has no effect unless I allow my mind to doubt the truth and believe the lies. Death has lost its sting if I am already dead to the holds of this world and alive to the calling of Christ. Life or death, heaven or earth, I stand secure and victorious in You. And in You, I stand firm against the forces of terror and deception and death. "For You girded me with strength for the battle; You made my assailants sink under me. You made my enemies turn their backs to me, and those who hated me I destroyed" (Psalm 18:39-40). This is a spiritual battle, won and fought on spiritual ground with spiritual weapons. And in the Spirit, the victory is won. "The wicked put on a bold face, but the upright give thought to their ways. No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel, can avail against the Lord. The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord" (Proverbs 21:29-31). Lord, make me ready for battle -- ready to stand firm in my faith in You; ready to fight with the weapons of our warfare that others may be secured in the stronghold of the faith that is not shaken by even the shaking of the earth itself. Make me ready to look with my eyes and behold Your victory -- the victory of the cross through the blood of the Lamb. By this, we shall overcome (Revelation 12:11). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, if you are in the Lexington area, please Come to The Fountain this Saturday night for our monthly, citywide gathering for prayer, praise, and healing worship -- 7 pm in the chapel at Centenary, 2800 Tates Creek Rd. People come from all traditions and denominations for a time of intimate worship in the presence of the Lord as the Holy Spirit leads. Our prayer ministry team will be available throughout the evening for prayer ministry. Come and bring a friend. All are welcome! To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on healing and wholeness, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." www.messiah-ministries.org Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

War in the Spirit 1-20-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I bow low, that You may lift me high. I choose to follow, that You may lead. I draw near, that You may draw me nearer. ... "For You deliver a humble people, but he haughty eyes You bring down. It is You who light my lamp; the Lord my God lights up my darkness. By You I can crush a troop, and by My God I can leap over a wall. This God -- His way is perfect; the promise of the Lord proves true; He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him" (Psalm 18:27-30). As we humble ourselves before You, You cleanse us and forgive us, You strengthen us and encourage us, You fill us and empower us. Then You send us forth into battle to war in the spirit in Your power. Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of wickedness of this present darkness, who come to steal and kill and destroy in our lives, our families, our communities, and our nations (Ephesians 6:12). But through our repentance and Your forgiveness, our enemies' power is weakened and his plans are exposed. His defenses are breached and his strongholds crumble. And You send us in like a flood to fight for the freedom of Your people. Forgiven and free, I choose to take up the sword of Your Spirit, the very Word of God. At Your command I will advance, taking my position to stand firm and to fight in the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:13). You have "trained my hands for war" -- this war in the spirit for the souls of those I love and for the people You've called me to defend (Psalm 18:34). Though the enemy may come in like a flood, You raise the banner of the cross to turn back the tide and enforce Your victory in the power of Your blood. There may be casualties and the grief of loss because the battles are real and the stakes are high, but the ultimate victory is secure. For the battle belongs to the Lord. I choose to fight in the battles where You lead, with the courage You have placed in my heart and the weapons You have placed in my hands. In Jesus name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays If you are in the Kentucky area, please come join us at the Governor's Prayer Breakfast next Tuesday morning 1/24 at 8:15 with Pat Day speaking. All are welcome. Friends, if you are in the Lexington area, please Come to The Fountain this Saturday night for our monthly, citywide gathering for prayer, praise, and healing worship -- 7 pm in the chapel at Centenary, 2800 Tates Creek Rd. People come from all traditions and denominations for a time of intimate worship in the presence of the Lord as the Holy Spirit leads. Our prayer ministry team will be available throughout the evening for prayer ministry. Come and bring a friend. All are welcome! To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on healing and wholeness, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." www.messiah-ministries.org Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Life or Death; Blessings or Curses 1-19-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the Alpha and the Omega. You are the Soon and Coming King. Come in to Your kingdom in my heart today. ... "For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope" (Romans 15:4). Hope is the purpose of the Scriptures -- even those that speak of the judgment and curses of God upon rebellion and disobedience. Because even Your judgments are for the purpose of turning our hearts back to You in repentance and faith to receive Your mercy once again. It seems You have led me to read again Your words of blessings and curses which set in place the spiritual principles that would govern the lives of Your people in the land of Your promises (Deuteronomy 27-30). Regardless of how literally we may believe they apply to us -- personally, as a people, as a nation -- there is at the very least the spiritual principle that obedience subjects us to blessing of Your protection and provision and disobedience subjects us to the lack of it, if they are to mean anything to us at all. How can we read these passages, even in the light of the Word of God revealed and fulfilled in the love of Christ, without a measure of the fear of God coming upon our hearts? Your judgments are severe, but so is Your mercy -- all dependent upon our heart of submission or surrender toward You. "See, I have set before you life and prosperity, death and adversity. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you today, by loving the Lord your God, walking in His ways, and observing His commandments, decrees, and ordinances, then you shall live and become numerous, and the Lord you God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you do not enter, but are led astray to bow down to other gods and serve them, I declare today that you shall perish; you shall not live long in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying Him and holding fast to Him; for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land the Lord your God swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob" (Deuteronomy 30:15-20). "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). "Note then the kindness and the severity of God" (Romans 11:22). By Your grace, I receive the blessing of the fear of God. By Your grace, I turn my heart to You in repentance of the sin of not fully loving You, not fully obeying You, and not fully holding fast to You. And by Your grace, I receive Your mercy and ask You to restore Your protection and Your provision. I pray this for myself, for my family, for my community, for my people, and for my nation -- as far as Your grace will go. Whether it offends us or not, Your spiritual principles apply to our lives. Our choices determine mercy or judgment, life or death, blessings or curses. As for me and my house, I choose the Lord. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I feel strongly led to ask you to join with me in these personal and corporate prayers of confession, repentance, and mercy today for our own nation and for the nations of one another. Let us then agree with the promise of God's mercy that comes by the power of the blood of Jesus, Who is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). God bless you with His protection and provision! Friends, if you are in the Lexington area, please Come to The Fountain this Saturday night for our monthly, citywide gathering for prayer, praise, and healing worship -- 7 pm in the chapel at Centenary, 2800 Tates Creek Rd. People come from all traditions and denominations for a time of intimate worship in the presence of the Lord as the Holy Spirit leads. Our prayer ministry team will be available throughout the evening for prayer ministry. Come and bring a friend. All are welcome! To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on healing and wholeness, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." www.messiah-ministries.org Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

"Listen to Him!" 1-18-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I look to Your face and seeking the leading of Your voice. Your sheep know Your voice. I am one of Your sheep and You are my Shepherd. ... You led Peter, James, and John "up a high mountain apart, by themselves" and You were "transfigured before them." They saw "Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus." Peter said something, but really "did not know what to say, for they were terrified." Then the voice of God the Father spoke to them from the midst of the cloud the came and overshadowed them, "This is My beloved Son; listen to Him! Suddenly they looked around, they saw no one with them anymore, but only Jesus" (Mark 8:2-8). Yes, Father. You speak to my spirit from the cloud of the Spirit of Your presence covering the mountain of prayer. In this place apart with You, let the fear of God come up me to humble me in the silence of surrender before You. The words of Your law and the words of Your prophets are perfectly fulfilled in Jesus the Christ, Your beloved Son and my beloved Lord. He is Your Word. Give me the wisdom and humility to obey Your command and "listen to Him." As I do, Your Spirit will focus the eyes of my heart to see no one else, "but only Jesus." In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays www.messiah-ministries.org Friends, if you are in the Lexington area, please Come to The Fountain this Saturday night for our monthly, citywide gathering for prayer, praise, and healing worship -- 7 pm in the chapel at Centenary, 2800 Tates Creek Rd. People come from all traditions and denominations for a time of intimate worship in the presence of the Lord as the Holy Spirit leads. Our prayer ministry team will be available throughout the evening for prayer ministry. Come and bring a friend. All are welcome! To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on healing and wholeness, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

The Work of Your Hands 1-17-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I call upon Your name and commit my life to You today. ... "The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims His handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard, yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world" (Psalm 19:1-4). All creation speaks of Your glory by its very existence. So it is with us. We are Your creation and even though we may not speak a word, our lives speak a message. Let the message of my life be a good message today. Let it tell of the glory of God. Remind me throughout the encounters of my day that the world is watching -- watching to see who the God of creation has made me to be. My life is my voice. By Your mercy and grace, let my voice be an offering of praise to You. "The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of Your hands" (Psalm 138:7). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, if you are in the Lexington area, please Come to The Fountain this Saturday night for our monthly, citywide gathering for prayer, praise, and healing worship -- 7 pm in the chapel at Centenary, 2800 Tates Creek Rd. People come from all traditions and denominations for a time of intimate worship in the presence of the Lord as the Holy Spirit leads. Our prayer ministry team will be available throughout the evening for prayer ministry. Come and bring a friend. All are welcome! To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on healing and wholeness, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Pray the Psalms 1-16-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the Word of God. Speak Your Word to my heart and give life to my spirit today. ... The Psalmist writes out his prayer from the depths of his soul in the experiences of his life, saying, "Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet unborn may praise the Lord" (Psalm 102:18). The Psalms of Your Word are the cries of the heart of Your people -- sometimes they are cries of pain and sometimes cries of joy. But they are always cries to You. We have come to You with our sorrows and struggles, our celebrations and thanksgivings throughout the ages. We need You. We are lost and alone without You. One of my mentors in prayer was Maxie Dunnam. He only taught one class while I was at Asbury Seminary and he was President for a season. I made sure I was in it, as he shared from his heart of the lessons he learned in ministry. One of those lessons was to "pray the Psalms." He would start with one and read through the songs and prayers until he came to one that touched the place of his soul where he was living at the moment. I find myself doing that often. There is always one that touches the place of my soul where I'm living at the moment. Thank You, Lord, for the generations of Your people who wrote of their pain and their joy, that the generations yet unborn might praise the Lord. And thank You for our fathers and mothers in the faith who have taught us to come to You in the communion of prayer with all of our soul. You are faithful and You are true. And as John Wesley said in his dying words, "The best of all, You are with us." You are with us in Your Word and You us in Your Spirit. Thank You for being with me in the depths of my soul today. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays www.messiah-ministries.org Friends, if you are in the Lexington area, please Come to The Fountain this Saturday night for our monthly, citywide gathering for prayer, praise, and healing worship -- 7 pm in the chapel at Centenary, 2800 Tates Creek Rd. People come from all traditions and denominations for a time of intimate worship in the presence of the Lord as the Holy Spirit leads. Our prayer ministry team will be available throughout the evening for prayer ministry. Come and bring a friend. All are welcome! To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on healing and wholeness, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Think Snow! 1-15-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I love You, Lord, and I thank You, for loving me. ... Last night, I saw a sign outside a lodge in this little mountain town that said, "Think Snow!" Up here, snow is good for business and good for the soul. There's something about crisp, clean snow that seems refreshing and pure, as it covers everything in white. Everything seems fresh and new when the sun shines on a fresh blanket of snow. I love to hear my kids squeal with delight as they run out to play. In the spirit, the snow speaks to me of the cleansing of the sins of the past and the brisk, fresh air of the freedom and joy of Your mercy. David said, "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow" (Psalm 51:7). You said through Isaiah, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow" (Isaiah 1:18, NKJV). Thank You for blanketing my soul in Your mercy and filling my spirit with the brisk, fresh air of Your Holy Spirit. Let me squeal with delight in the faith and joy of little child. "Everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!" (2 Corinthians 5:17) In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on healing and wholeness, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. www.messiah-ministries.org Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

More Than Words Can Say 1-14-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I thank You for the grace and mercy through the blood of Your sacrifice that allows me to come into Your presence in the communion of prayer, despite all the sinful things of my past. Let me never take that for granted. ... "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed. For you were going astray like sheep, by now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls" (1 Peter 2:24-25). For some reason, I remembered some of those sinful things of my past in a restless night last night, and for a moment I started to linger on regret. But then, You moved in my heart to get up early and come spend some time with You in prayer. Little by little, You have been lifting from me the thoughts of regret and shame, and somehow in Your grace and Your power, You are bringing me a sense of peace and actually a measure of joy -- joy to know the depths of Your mercy and forgiveness and love. Not joy that I sinned, but joy that even though I sinned, You wanted to forgive me when Your love convicted me, and You wanted me to receive the fullness of Your forgiveness. You gave me the choice to receive it or not. And through the years, You have taught me how to receive it with a thankful and grateful heart. You have taught me how much it breaks Your heart in the times when I don't. This is the freedom You sacrificed so much -- more than words can say -- for me to have. You can’t get that in a book or a bar, not anywhere in the world, not even in a church, unless you get that in your heart. Thank You, Lord, for getting that in my heart. Thank You, Lord, for reminding me of Your mercy, as You welcome me into Your presence again today, forgiven and free. ... I can’t really put this into words. It seems like more than words can say. So I won’t try. I’ll just sit here for a while and receive Your undeserved mercy and Your unbelievable love. ... In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on healing and wholeness, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. www.messiah-ministries.org Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Renewed and Restored 1-13-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. As best as I can and all by Your grace, I embrace Your purpose and plan for my life this day. ... "For surely you have heard about Him and were taught in Him, as truth is in Jesus. You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:21-24). At home, I have an old, handmade rocking chair where I come to meet You morning by morning in the communion of prayer. It used to be painted white when was sitting in the living from of dear friends, Greg and Connie. Greg was one of the pastors at our home church before You called them to ministry in Cambodia last year. Before they left, they gave away most of what they owned. This old rocker seemed to fit me just right, so its where I always sat when we went to their home. A few days before they left for Cambodia, they brought it over and gave it to me. But it wasn’t painted white anymore. Greg had stripped away all the layers of paint, sanded it down, varnished it, and restored it to its natural beauty of solid oak. Connie said it took Greg a long time, especially sanding away all the tight places around the carved spindles on the back. But he said it was a labor of love and we were all thrilled to see what beauty was hidden beneath all that paint. What a gift! Thank You, Lord, for Your labor of love. It hurts at times, as You strip away all the layers of the old self that people have put on us and we have received onto ourselves -- our pride and ego, our insecurities and fears, and all the other ways we've allowed ourselves to become somebody different than who we really are inside. But in Your patience and love, You take time with us, even in the places where we make it the hardest to reach. You renew us and restore us into the true self You created us to be -- according to Your likeness, but in a uniqueness of beauty made by Your hands, like no one else in the world. What a gift! In Jesus' name, I pray. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on healing and wholeness, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. www.messiah-ministries.org Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

"Where Righteousness is at Home" 1-12-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Thank You for the gift of Your constant presence. ... "But, in accordance with His promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home. Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by Him at peace, without spot or blemish, and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation. So also our brother Paul wrote to You according to the wisdom given him, speaking of this as he does in all his letters" (2 Peter 3:13-16). This week, You have called me to get away from my daily duties and write down some spiritual principles and stories of Your healing love in the lives You have touched through our ministry. May all that I write be according the wisdom You have given me. As I write, I continue to see how every story of Your healing and deliverance in someone's life, including my own, is a story of striving to be found by You at peace, without spot or blemish. Healing is wholeness, and wholeness becomes the holiness of heart and life in our spirit and soul and body, where righteousness is at home (1 Thessalonians 5:23). This is the experience of the kingdom of God in our hearts and souls being manifested in our bodies and relationships. This the fullness of our salvation in You, as we watch and wait for the fullness of Your kingdom to be established here on earth as it is in heaven. Continue to teach me Your Word and Your ways, that I may continue to live and serve others in Your healing love and power, according to the wisdom You give me. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please cover me in your prayers to hear and write as the Lord leads these principles of inner healing and deliverance through the process of sanctification of spirit, soul, and body. God bless you! To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on healing and wholeness, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our Website: http://messiah-ministries.org Our address: 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Available to You Today 1-11-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Like the old hymn says, "This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior, all the day long." Let the story of my life today be a song of praise to You. Let me begin this day well, that I may finish it well -- walking with You all the day long. ... Some old friends invited me to have lunch at their cafe up on the mountain in Alto, New Mexico yesterday. They probably have the best chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, and gravy anywhere outside of Texas. Pete and Cheryl are the real thing. You've taken the pain and struggles of their past, cleansed it all in Your blood, and given them a joy to share Your love and grace with everybody who wanders in to their cafe. On Thursday nights they serve a free meal and a message of hope to anybody who will come eat and listen. And many do. Sitting at the counter, Pete was telling me how they try to start every day saying, "I'm available to You today, Lord. Use me however You see fit." He said it's a really dangerous prayer, because that's just what happens. How thrilling it was to hear some of the stories of salvation and deliverance since the last time I saw them, as You answered their prayers. What an adventure to just give every day to You and see what You do with it! Lord, give me the courage and grace to be available to You every day. "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). I belong to You, Lord. May the story of my life today glorify You. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on healing and wholeness, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." www.messiah-ministries.org Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

"Sing to God" 1-10-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the song in my heart and the joy in my spirit. ... "Sing to God, sing praises to His name; lift up a song to Him who rides upon the clouds -- His name is the Lord -- be exultant before Him!" (Psalm 68:4). My grandfather Hays -- we call him PaPa -- will turn ninety-seven this week. It's been good to see him on my trip out west. We've been very concerned about him since he almost died last summer from continual bouts with pneumonia. Amazingly, he has adjusted to receiving his meals through a tube by a hole in his belly going directly into his stomach. He's not very active any more, spending most of his time sitting in his recliner; but he still desires to live every day, one day at a time. I think he has it in his mind that he wants to live to be one hundred. He used to lead the singing in the little country church near their farm in west Texas, back in the days when "worship leader" mostly meant that you sang a little louder from your hymn book than everybody else. He can't hear very well or talk very well these days, but I bought him some headphones and a CD player, with some old gospel songs I knew he had sung a million times. When I left him yesterday morning, he had a broad smile across his face, with the volume turned up on his headphones about as high as it goes, waiving his arms in the air like a music conductor. We could barely hear, but we could make out the song of praise being released from his heart -- "This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior, all the day long..." Thank you, Lord. There is no telling what happens in the spiritual realm when a ninety-six year old man, barely alive on a feeding tube, is still singing praises to Your name. Heaven must rejoice and hell must tremble as they behold the sight of a frail human still praising You to the end of our final breaths. Like PaPa, give me the grace to never take the gift of my breath and the songs of the Lord in my heart for granted. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I will be at my mom's in the New Mexico mountains this week working on a book on prayer ministry. I would appreciate your prayers. God bless! To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on healing and wholeness, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com; website: www.messiah-ministries.org

"A Lamp to My Feet" 1-9-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Saturate my mind in Your Word and fill my heart with Your Spirit, as I narrow my thoughts upon You alone. ... "Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105). Let Your Word become the way that I think, let it be the guide for the choices I make in the twists and forks in the paths before me. Let Your Holy Spirit bring it to life with wisdom and understanding, with discernment and truth. I pray for the "spirit of wisdom and revelation" that comes from knowing You, spending time with You, and listening to You as Your Spirit reveals Your Word. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on healing and wholeness, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. http://messiah-ministries.org Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

"A Lamp to My Feet" 1-9-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Saturate my mind in Your Word and fill my heart with Your Spirit, as I narrow my thoughts upon You alone. ... "Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105). Let Your Word become the way that I think, let it be the guide for the choices I make in the twists and forks in the paths before me. Let Your Holy Spirit bring it to life with wisdom and understanding, with discernment and truth. I pray for the "spirit of wisdom and revelation" that comes from knowing You, spending time with You, and listening to You as Your Spirit reveals Your Word. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on healing and wholeness, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. http://messiah-ministries.org Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

"Listen to Him in the Temple" 1-8-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I lift up the eyes of my heart to seek You and open the ears of my spirit to hear You, watching and waiting for Your leading. ... "And all the people would get up early in the morning to listen to Him in the temple" (Luke 21:38). My body is a temple of Your Holy Spirit. As Your Word says, "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple" (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). So I welcome You into Your temple to listen for Your voice, as You teach me and lead me, now and throughout my day. ... It seems You are saying, "Seek to have My thoughts. Seek to have My desires. Believe by faith that I am answering your prayers, for I am. This is My will and you are asking as I lead you to ask in accordance with My will, so it will come to pass. Only believe." Yes, Lord. Now You are leading me to Your written Word to conform the living word You have spoken into my spirit: "And this is the boldness we have in Him, that if we asking anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of Him" (1 John 5:14-15). Seeking to have Your thoughts and Your desires is according to Your will. So I know that I have obtained the answer to my prayers, as I ask believing in faith that I have received it. I know this is a process -- the process of Your transformation of my soul as You are renewing of my mind. "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God -- what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2). Continue Your process of my transformation, as You continue to fill Your temple with Your Spirit. Continue to speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays http://messiah-ministries.org To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on healing and wholeness, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Through Many Tribulations 1-7-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I entrust my life and this day to You. ... "We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of everyone of you for one another is increasing. Therefore we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith during all your persecutions and the afflictions that you are enduring" (2 Thessalonians 1:3-4). The faith and love of the believers at Thessalonica were growing abundantly and increasing, despite persecutions and afflictions. They were steadfast and unwavering in their commitment to press through every challenge as they continued to look out for one another in their bond of love. In their afflictions, Paul encouraged them by reminding them that God was not the sources of their pain and that "the righteous judgment of God" would come with "vengeance" upon those who were (verse 1:5-8). Even so, God would not be wasting a moment of their suffering as they continued to look to Him in faith and stand by one another in love through every challenge. God used the opportunity of their suffering to make them "worthy of the kingdom of God" (verse 1:5). Lord, use the challenges of my life to make me worthy of Your kingdom. Though I have not yet faced anything like the persecutions and afflictions that they endured in Paul's day and that many more endure in our day, I pray You would use these that I do face to prepare me for those that may come. Teach me how to be steadfast in the faith. Give me grace to look to You in the midst of every struggle, no matter how small or large, as you are making me worthy for the kingdom. "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22 NKJV). Let me not waste any my tribulations, but see every challenge as an opportunity to advance in Your kingdom, by Your grace. In Jesus name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, thank you for praying for laptop yesterday. I didn't have any more trouble and was able to work on my book all day. Please continue to keep us in prayer. I pray for victory through every challenge you are facing in Jesus' name! To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on healing and wholeness, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Our New Website: http://messiah-ministries.org Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Remember Your Roots 1-6-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the Vine and I am one of Your branches. Let the Life in You flow through me as I abide in You and You abide in me. ... It's good to remember your roots and the dirt where you were planted. The dirt out here is mostly red sand in the cotton fields and cattle ranches of west Texas, where I've come home for a few days to see my family and work on a book. I supposed remembering where we're from helps us to understand a little better where we are and where we're going. It has a way of humbling our pride and adjusting our perspective, maybe even reminding us of what's important and the ones who inspired us to begin the journey in the first place. "Remember the long way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, in order to humble you, testing you to know what is in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commandments. He humbled you by letting you hunger, then feeding you with manna, with which you nor your ancestors were acquainted, in order to make you understand that one does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord" (Deuteronomy 8:2-3). I've been on the journey through the wilderness of this world for forty-four years now. In my lawyer days many years ago, I remember one of my adversaries reminding me of my roots from the other side of his fancy conference room table in his downtown Houston office, "You're a long way from Lamesa, boy." He was right. Along the way, I've spent time in the slums of sin where I should have never been; and by Your grace, I've spent time in the heights of the heavens where even angels fear to tread. But through the times when I was bound-up back in Egypt and the times when I crossed over into Jordan, You were with me, sustaining me and leading me -- whether I knew it or not -- by Your Word and Your Spirit. I had the gift of a family, as broken as we were, who loved me and disciplined me, trying to ground me in Your Word and Your ways out here in this country where everything that's not rooted and grounded gets blown away in the sandstorms that will strip the paint right off your pickup. As they say, hard country makes for hearty people. As I look back and remember, I thank You for the struggles that made me more strong, for the brokenness that made me more humble, and for the discipline that made me Your son. Keep leading me through this wilderness and give me grace to keep following. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, come see our new website: http://www.messiah-ministries.org Please pray for my laptop -- it kept shutting down on me this morning -- so surprise since I am writing a book on healing and deliverance ministry. Greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world by the power of the Blood of the Lamb! Thank you for covering my back in prayer! To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on healing and wholeness, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

False Fears of Mephibosheth 1-5-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. My eyes are on You, Lord. ... Mephibosheth was the crippled grandson of Saul and the son of Jonathan. He must have been living in fear of his life after David became king of Israel in Saul's place. When David sent for him, he "fell on his face and did obeisance" trembling in fear before David, probably expecting the worst for himself and the worst from the king. But David's heart was one of mercy and grace, not wrath and revenge, saying, "Do not be afraid, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan; I will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul, and you yourself shall eat at my table always" (2 Samuel 9:1-7). How many times do we fear the worst when You desire for us only Your best? How many times do we tremble in fear of what we think is going to happen or what we think someone thinks of us? We fear a reality that is not reality at all. Someone taught me long ago that "F-E-A-R" is "False Evidence Appearing Real." But Mephibosheth was not only crippled in his body, he was crippled in his spirit as well. Even in light of the mercy and kindness of the king, he would still bound by his wounded and distorted self-image. He responded to David, "What is your servant, that you should look upon a dead dog such as I?" (v. 9:8) But the king backed up his promise with his power, and honored him with favor, restoring and redeeming all that was lost. "Mephibosheth ate at David's table, like one of the king's sons" (v. 9:11). Lord, deliver me from the oppression of fears that will never come to pass, that are based on assumptions of the experiences of the past, but are not founded upon Your promises of my future. Heal me from the wounds of rejection or shame that try to cripple my identity and my destiny. Give me the humility and the courage to receive the gift of Your grace and Your favor. You have not created me and called me to eat from the scraps under the table, but sit at the place You have prepared for me at Your table as a son of the King. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please join me in praising God for my alma mater -- the University of Texas Longhorns who won the National Championship of college football last night! I will be flying back to Texas today to see my family in Texas and New Mexico and to get away to work on a book on prayer ministry. I would appreciate your prayers. With the earlier time zones, my devotional will be coming out a little later for the next week and a half. Thank you and God bless! To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on healing and wholeness, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

"Be Holy" 1-4-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You perfectly reveal the heart of my Father. Father, You and Your Son abide in my heart by Your Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit, You are always turning my heart to Jesus, who is always perfectly revealing the heart of my Father. Lord, You are One and You are holy. Make me more like You each day as I become more one with You each day. ... "His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Thus He has given us, through these things, His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and my become participants of the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:3-5). "As He who has called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; for it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy' " (1 Peter 1:15-16). Lord, give me courage and grace to embrace Your "divine power" to become a participant of Your "divine nature" in the humility of surrender and in the faith of commitment to which You are calling me by Your Word. You are everything I need "for life and godliness." I want to grow in holiness of heart and life. I want my nature to become more like Your nature. Though I have so far to go, this is the journey I choose by Your grace. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching dvd's on healing and wholeness, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com