"Tear Open the Heavens" 2-12-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Cleanse my heart and soul by the mercy of the blood of the Lamb, as I enter in to the holy place of Your presence in worship and prayer this morning. ... "O that You would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at Your presence -- as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil -- to make Your name known to Your adversaries, so that the nations might tremble at Your presence! When You did awesome deeds that we did not expect, You came down, the mountains quaked at Your presence. From ages past no one has heard, no eye has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who works for those who wait for Him" (Isaiah 6:1-4). Father, You are the God who works for those who wait for You. As we wait for You, we humble ourselves from the striving and straining of our own labors. As we wait for You, a longing for Your presence takes hold in the yearning of our souls. As we wait for You, we begin to desire You -- to hunger and thirst for You, to be filled by Your Spirit and the fullness of Your presence. And when You see hungry hearts yearning for Your presence, crying out to You more than we are crying out for food or entertainment or the praises of others or anything else but You, You tear open the heavens and come down! The mountains quake and the nations tremble at Your presence; the fire of heaven falls and sets our hearts ablaze. Our spirits bubble and burst like boiling water, purified and cleansed by the flame of the fire of Your Spirit. Then the awesome deeds of Your power are released as we embrace Your presence -- passion for God, salvation of souls, healing and deliverance of every dimension of our being, holiness of our hearts and lives, and transformation of our communities. These are the blessings of Your presence. Yet they will not come without a fight. Your adversaries are at work as well to keep heaven from touching earth in our hearts and souls. Your adversaries are our adversaries, doing all they can in the short time they have to keep us from waiting on You and seeking the fullness of Your presence above all else. The distractions and destructions of the spiritual forces of wickedness working through fallen flesh and fallen nature are all strategically intended to keep us from seeking Your face and waiting for Your presence. Lord, give me grace to press through and press in, to keep my eyes as fixed as the sun on Your face and insisting on the fullness of Your presence. "But as it is written, 'What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love Him' -- these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God" (1 Corinthians 2:9-10). I love You, Lord, and I am watching and waiting for You -- as best as I can and all by Your grace. Tear open the heavens and come down! May I receive the fullness of all You have prepared for me and all those who love You and wait for You. In Jesus' name I pray. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I would appreciate your prayers. I will be preaching at Faith in God Fellowship in Russellville, Ohio this morning -- my wife's hometown. The Lord has just given me my message and I pray there will be a release in Ohio of what the Lord is doing in Kentucky at the Asbury revival. I pray He will release a hunger and thirst for His presence with a persistence to press through all resistance everywhere our words and prayers touch by His grace. To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching and prayer dvd's for spiritual transformation through inner healing and deliverance, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Address: 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, Kentucky 40502.On the Web: http://messiah-ministries.orgCome to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month (the 3rd Friday starting in March) at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: http://morningbymorning.injesus.com

God is On the Move 2-11-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I turn my eyes upon You, as I watch and wait for the leading of Your Spirit and as I rest in arms of my Father. ... A revival is a move of God. Father, You are moving in our hearts and communities to fill us with Your Spirit and transform us into the image of Your Son. And wherever You are moving, the enemy will try to move. He will try to squelch Your move through our flesh through whatever means is available -- self-centered pride, rigid religion, traditions of men, fear of losing control, envy of the blessing of others, deception and confusion to distort discernment, ignorance of the ways of God, and arrogance that we think we know all the ways of God. In humility and faith, we must seek Your wisdom and discernment to take our place as watchmen on the wall. From our posts on the walls and at the gates, we must herald the coming of the Lord and be ready for the coming of the enemy (Isaiah 62:6-7). We need supernatural grace to overcome our supernatural foes. When we are tempted to judge one another, we need Your grace to release mercy to one another. When see our relationships strained with the temptation to turn away from one another, we must seek Your grace to embrace one another in the bonds of love. "Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8). Revival brings restoration of relationships -- both our relationship with You and our relationship with one another. So the enemy, who comes to steal and kill and destroy, will try to attack our relationships. We must guard our hearts and stand guard for the hearts of one another. "And we do this so that we may not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs" (2 Corinthians 2:11). Where You are sowing good seeds of life and the unity of the body of Christ, the enemy is sowing evil seeds of death and division to try to cripple and confuse the move of God to destroy or delay the harvest of Your kingdom (Matthew 13:36-43). Lord, give me the mind of Christ, the Father heart of God, and the discernment of the Holy Spirit. Give me grace to vigilant, courage to stand, and humility to seek You for Your leading in every moment -- not relying on the patterns of the past and not being caught up in the emotions of the moment. You use our emotions and our minds. You honor Your moves of the past and You call us to move with You in the present. Thank You that You are on the move. I want to move with You as You move in me. 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 and prayer dvd's for spiritual transformation through inner healing and deliverance, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Address: 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, Kentucky 40502.On the Web: http://messiah-ministries.org Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month (the 3rd Friday starting in March) at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: http://morningbymorning.injesus.com

Awakened to Worship 2-10-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I worship You, Lord, in spirit and truth. You are the Spirit of Truth and I welcome You here in my heart afresh today. ... There is an awakening of worship in the land. And what is worship but the willing surrender of our lives into Your hands. It's not only singing songs or praying prayers -- no matter how personally or intimately or prophetically -- it is entrusting and abandoning ourselves to You, without hesitation and without limitation. It is a death to self and self-consciousness and life to You and God consciousness. As the worship song says, it is the place where "the things of earth grow strangely dim in the light of Your glory and grace." The move of Your Spirit in the revival of hearts at Asbury College is an awakening of worship. There are no famous speakers, no famous worship leaders, no famous prophets or evangelists or pastors or teachers or apostles. There are just the "blessed" ones -- those who are "poor in spirit," who "mourn," who "hunger and thirst for righteousness." They are being "filled" with the fullness of "the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3-11). Yesterday morning I joined with the students and those from the community who came to watch and wait in the stillness of Your presence and in the trusting surrender of intimate worship. I spoke with a friend from one of our citywide prayer groups who is a seminary student who came to the revival the night before with an eye infection. A twelve year-old boy who had just been baptized with Your Holy Spirit a couple of nights before prayed for his healing. When he woke up yesterday morning, his eyes were healed! He said You were teaching him there can be a sickness of our souls manifested in our bodies when we spend too much time looking to ourselves. But healing comes as we turn our eyes toward You. Lord, I choose to take my eyes off of myself and turn my eyes toward You -- as best as I can and all by Your grace. I worship You in spirit and truth. As the song says, I turn my eyes upon You and look full in Your wonderful face; and the things of earth grow strangely dim, in the light of Your glory and grace. You have awakened me to worship. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Here's a link to Breaking News at Asbury College Web Site: http://www.asbury.edu/press/chapeldaytwo06 To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching and prayer dvd's on personal transformation through inner healing and deliverance, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Address: 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, Kentucky 40502.On the Web: http://messiah-ministries.org Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month (the 3rd Friday starting in March) at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: http://morningbymorning.injesus.com

You are I Am -- Revival at Asbury Continues! 2-9-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I worship You in every dimension of Your Being -- God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. You are One; You are Holy; You are Faithful and True. You are not I was or I will be. You are I AM. ... "But Moses said to God, 'If I come to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is His name?' what shall I say to them?' God said to Moses, 'I Am Who I Am.' He said further, 'Thus you shall say to the Israelites, 'I Am has sent me to you.' ' God also said to Moses, 'Thus you shall say to the Israelites, 'The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, has sent me to you': This is My name forever, and this is My title for all generations' " (Exodus 3:13-15). Lord God Almighty, You are "the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). Your presence is not a relic of the past, as the deists teach. Your power is not a relic of the past as the dispensationalists teach. Wherever You are, so is Your power. You are I Am. Your name is Your nature. Your presence and Your power is for right now and "forever" and "for all generations." You are sufficient for every need in the moment of my need. You are worthy of my worship in every moment of my life. You are the eternal God who rules and reigns in the power of Your presence throughout all eternity. "For thus says the high and lofty One, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with those who are contrite and humble in spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite" (Isaiah 57:15). Though You dwell in the highest heaven, You also dwell in my heart -- to the very degree that I come to You and call upon Your name with a humble spirit and a contrite heart. This is the heart You revive and renew in the transformation of the power of Your eternal presence. By Your grace, let this be my heart and my revival this day and every day, forever and for all generations. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Praying Friends, the revival at Asbury continues. We are going down to Wilmore, Kentucky again this morning to watch and wait for the Lord as watchmen on the wall to pray for the protection of this revival and experience the presence and power of God transforming humble hearts. Here's a link to Breaking News at Asbury College Web Site: http://www.asbury.edu/press/chapeldaytwo06 To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching and prayer dvd's on personal transformation through inner healing and deliverance, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Address: 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, Kentucky 40502.On the Web: http://messiah-ministries.org Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month (the 3rd Friday starting in March) at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: http://morningbymorning.injesus.com

Revival Fire at Asbury 2-8-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Kindle the embers of my soul. Let the wind of Your Holy Spirit set my heart ablaze with a fresh passion for You. Let the flames of fire fly touch everything that dead and dry in the world around me. Let the rising smoke confirm for all to see that souls are being consumed by the fire of Your glory. ... "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled" (Matthew 5:6). Lord, You are moving again the hearts of the students at Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky, about fifteen miles south of Lexington. Your Spirit has set the world ablaze with revival fires that were kindled there several times in the past. But You send fresh fire to fall on the altars of prepared through repentance and prayer, worship and praise, hungering to be filled with the fullness of Your presence. Some students came back from an encounter with You in Kansas City at the International House of Prayer -- a furnace of prayer in an atmosphere of worship twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week that began over six years ago with the commitment to continue until You return to gather Your bride. The student-led chapel that began with their simple testimonies on Monday is still continuing. All the angels of heaven rejoiced as six students gave their hearts to You the first day and all who come sense the holiness and majesty of Your presence in Hughes Auditorium. I would say this is a revival more characterized so far by a tremendous hunger and thirst for Your presence, rather than signs and wonders. But really, that is revival -- faces turned to seek You and hearts opened to receive You in desperate cries for Your coming and confident faith to believe You will. You drew me there yesterday morning to join in worship and prayer -- to join in hunger and thirst for Your righteousness and to be filled. I sensed that I was not only there to receive but also to stand as a watchmen on the wall -- to watch for the glory of Your coming and to watch for any advance of the enemy. Wherever You are moving in glory, the enemy tries to move as well (Matthew 24:13-30). It amazes me that You recently called us to purchase a home in Wilmore where we went to Asbury Seminary and we will be moving there next week. We will be moving in to a revival of Your presence and taking our place on the wall in a very real way. Lord, awaken Your watchmen to guard the hearts of these students and all who will be touched by these revival fires of Your glory. Continue to pour out Your Spirit to fan into flame these embers of hungry hearts desperate for Your presence. Let this revival become a transformation of our hearts, our families, our communities, and even the nations. Let this not be just a visitation of Your glory, but a habitation of Your presence. Release the anointing to seek You without reservation and to pray without ceasing until Your return in the fullness of Your glory in our hearts and throughout the earth. In Jesus' name I pray. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please join with me in prayer for this revival. There is no particular person who is leading this but the Holy Spirit. God bless you as the Lord releases the revival of His transformation in your hearts! 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

Unashamed 2-7-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I open my heart and lift my hands in worship and praise, in humility and faith, in the trusting surrender of intimate love. ... "Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees, they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God" (John 12:42-43, NKJV). Lord, continue to deliver me from the fear of man and continue to impart to me the fear of God. Let me live for Your praise and not theirs, for Your glory and not mine. Convict me of the sin of pride manifested in self-consciousness that is more concerned of what others think of me than what You think of me. Let me not be ashamed to seek Your face and praise Your name, to let my life be a witness of Your love and Your power wherever I am and whoever I am with. As Paul said with words, let me say with my life, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16, NKJV). 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 and More" 2-6-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. More of You and less of me. More of Your Spirit and less of my flesh; more of Your will and less of mine. ... "And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God" (Philippians 1:9). There is always more. As the worship song says, "More love; more power; more of You in my life." Let me never be satisfied with how much I have grown in spiritual maturity or how far I have come in the journey of faith -- there's always more and it's always by Your grace. To be made "pure and blameless" is not a day to mark on the calendar or even a destination along the journey, but a choice of complete surrender and submission -- a choice You continually set before me every moment of every day. This is the life through Christ that produces a "harvest of righteousness" and glorifies God. By Your grace, I choose to continually give as much of me as I can and to continually receive as much of You as I can. As I do, Your love and Your power will overflow in me and through me "more and more." 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

Delivered for Worship 2-5-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I bow my head before You in prayer and lift my heart to You in praise. ... "Then the Lord said, 'I have observed the misery of My people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey...' " (Exodus 3:7-8). Father, You have observed our misery and You know our sufferings. You hear our cries for deliverance. As You sent Moses to deliver the Hebrew people from the hand of Pharaoh, so You have sent Your Son to deliver us from the oppression of the enemy of our souls. As You confirmed Your word of deliverance to Moses, so You confirm Your word of deliverance to us, saying, "I will be with you; and this shall be a sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain" (Exodus 3:12). We are delivered for worship. Our enemy knows that hearts that are weary and oppressed are too heavy to be lifted up in worship and praise. So he brings every form of misery and suffering to crush our spirits and steal our joy. But You are with us to bind up the brokenhearted and set the captives free. "The Lord is near to brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit" (Psalm 34:18). Hearts that are set free are free to worship. Lord, set me free to worship You. Cast off every spirit of heaviness and cloak me with the garments of praise (Isaiah 61:3). This is the purpose of deliverance -- to "worship God" (Exodus 3:12). This is what our enemy hates and fears the most -- hearts set free from the chains of oppression and filled with the praise of worship for You. Bring me out of Egypt and into the good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey of worship and praise from a heart that is free. 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

Friend of God 2-4-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Draw me close to You, as I watch and wait with anticipation in the silence of surrender. ... "You are My friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made know to you everything that I have heard from My Father" (John 15:14-15). This personal relationship with You is one of both intimacy and obedience. You call me friend, while You also call me to obedience. You make known to me the depths of the nature and will of my Father, for You and the Father and the Spirit are One, but this is for the purpose of both intimacy and obedience. As You dwell in my heart, You shape my will, and direct my actions. You immerse me in Your nature so that in the fullness of our friendship, Your nature becomes my nature. It is by yielding to Your will as Master that You draw me to Your side as friend. Give me the humility to obey and the courage to come. 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

Costly Grace 2-3-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I wait for Your leading and watch for Your appearing. One day, You will appear in Your glory across the skies. Today, I ask You to appear in Your glory in my heart. ... "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments" (John 14:15). "They who have My commandments and keep them are those who love Me; and those who love Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love them and reveal Myself to them" (John 14:21). "Those who love Me will keep My word, and My Father will love them, and We will come to them and make Our home with them" (John 14:23). There is a connection between loving You and obeying You. At times we are tempted to give in to the idea of cheap grace -- that somehow we can come into relationship with You and then live our lives for ourselves alone, however we desire, as if we had never surrendered our lives to You. But this love You call us to is a love of You and Your ways. To love You is to obey You. This kind of love and this depth of love is impossible apart from Your grace, but Your grace is available to all who will ask and receive. Someone has said, "Grace is free, but it's not cheap. It will cost you everything You have." Yes, Lord. This is the grace I ask for. This is the grace I receive. The grace of Your power to love You and to obey You, to live my life for You and not for myself. As I lose my life, then I will truly find it. As I die daily to my self apart from relationship with You and obedience to You, to that degree I will truly live the life You have created me to live. To that degree, You and the Father by Your Holy Spirit, will come to me and make Your home in me, according to Your Word (John 14:3). As You said to Your first disciples, so You say to me and all Your disciples today, "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love" (John 15:10). Any understanding of grace that does not understand this call to obedience is merely a vain philosophy of the traditions of men. I ask for Your forgiveness for my disobedience and I ask for Your grace to obey You more completely and to love You more deeply -- more today than yesterday, more tomorrow than today. I welcome You Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to come make Your home in my heart, abiding in me continually and abounding in me thoroughly -- more and more each day. 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

Come Fill Me Afresh 2-2-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I worship and adore You. I want to live for You. Come fill me afresh with Your Presence today. ... I worship and adore You. I want to live for You. Come fill me afresh with Your Presence today. You are the Father and the Son, The Spirit of the Holy One, Come fill me afresh with Your Presence today. You must increase, And I must decrease, Come fill me afresh with Your Presence today. I give you my life, A living sacrifice, Come fill me afresh with Your Presence today. I am Yours and You are mine, Let our lives be intertwined, Come fill me afresh with Your Presence today. Let Your Fire fall from above, Baptize me in Your love, Come fill me afresh with Your Presence today. Set me ablaze with the passion Of the heart You have fashioned Come fill me afresh with Your Presence today. May my life tell a story Of Your power and glory Come fill me afresh with Your Presence today. When all is said and done I want to be Your faithful son Come fill me afresh with Your Presence today. Yes, Father. These words of surrender and trust Your Holy Spirit has written on my heart this morning is my worship and prayer. You have put Your words to the longing of my heart. What more could I want than the fullness of Your Presence in every dimension of my life. In Your grace and by Your power, may I continually "be filled with all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:19). 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

Word of Christ 2-1-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I embrace You and Your Word. You are Spirit and You are Life. ... "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sign psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God" (Colossians 3:16). As I read Your written Word in the Scripture and listen for Your living word in my spirit, I can choose to let it linger or let it leave. I can receive the teaching and admonitions You speak into my life through the accountability of trusting relationships or not. I can embrace an attitude of gratitude in thanksgiving and praise for Your presence in my life or decide to keep it all to myself, deciding to somehow privately worship You and thank You in the hidden places of my soul. But if I were silent, even "the stones would shout out" (Luke 19:40). The Word of God cannot be contained. It will rise up and it will go forth. I will change whatever it touches. Your Word is "alive and active," and it is dwelling in me (Hebrews 4:12). You are the Word of God and You are dwelling in me -- changing me, and therefore, changing everything around me. Let my life be a psalm and a song of praise to You today as the Word of Christ dwells in me and changes me today. 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

The Sacrifice that Satisfies 1-31-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Let the peace of Your presence fill my soul. ... Let the peace of Your presence fill my soul. Let the life of Your Spirit make me whole. Open my ears to hear, as You come and draw me near. Come make my heart Your home. Let the joy of the Lord be my strength As I lift my hands and bow my knees. Open my eyes to behold the glory of Your throne. Come live Your life through me. Let Your Holy Spirit fill me afresh. I want all of You and nothing less. Open my spirit to be possessed by the fullness of Your righteousness. Come fulfill in me Your promises. Let my life be hid with You in Christ. The Spirit must live and my flesh must die. Open my heart to receive the full measure of the One who never leaves. Come lead me in Your path of life. Yes, Lord. Thank You for these words of surrender and submission Your Spirit is speaking through my heart. Let me die daily the death to self apart from You, let my "life be hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3). This is the death that leads to life. This is the sacrifice that satisfies the longing of my soul. By Your grace, I offer my life as a sacrifice of praise to You this day. 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

The Throne of Your Glory 1-30-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You open the door of heaven and call me up into Your presence through the spirit of worship and prayer (Revelation 4:1). I accept Your invitation and enter in to the Holy of Holies of Your presence through the blood of the Lamb. ... As You drew John up into Your presence through the open door of heaven, You opened his spiritual eyes to see beyond the veil of the earthly realm into the heavenly realm. At the center of all he saw was the "One seated on the throne" (verse 4:2). He saw each the three dimensions of Your Being -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He saw God the Father in the glory of precious jewels and the light of a glorious rainbow (verse 4:3). He saw God the Son as the Lamb of God and the Lion of the tribe of Judah (verse 5:5-6). He saw God the Holy Spirit as the seven flaming torches of the seven-fold Spirit of God (verse 4:5). Lord God, You are One and You are holy. You are Spirit and those who seek You must seek You in spirit and truth (John 4:24). And in the spirit of worship and prayer, I join with all creation around Your throne to bow low as You lift me high, singing, "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they existed and were created" (verse 4:11). Thank You for the gift and the invitation of Your open door. You are the open door, Lord Jesus. We enter in to this heavenly realm of Your presence and bow before the throne of the glory of God through the sacrifice of the blood of the Lamb. "For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened" (Matthew 7:8). You may not always pull back the veil and let me see in the spirit into the heavenly realm, but I know You are there and I know You are worthy of my worship and prayer. So I come asking, searching, knocking -- knowing I will find You here in all Your glory, welcoming me to come up with You in Your presence through the blood of the Lamb. 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

Paradise of Your Presence 1-29-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the King of the kingdom of God. You are the "King of kings and the Lord of lords" (Revelation 19:16). You are my King. You are my Lord. Come in to Your kingdom in my heart this day. ... One of those crucified with You turned to You in humility and faith, saying, " "Jesus, remember me when You come in to Your kingdom." You replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise" (Luke 23:42-43). You come in to Your kingdom wherever we bow our hearts to the King of the kingdom of God. Heaven touches earth in our hearts, and we experience a measure of Paradise -- the eternal restoration of all things. Let my heart by Your kingdom. Let my body by Your temple. For wherever You are, the kingdom of God has drawn near. The fullness of Your presence in my heart is my Paradise. 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

Prepared and Protected 1-28-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Help me focus on Your face and listen for Your leading. ... You see the end from the beginning. All time and space throughout the past and the future is present and eternal to You. You know every decision that will be made, every consequence of every action -- both good and evil, both those in obedience to Your will and those in rebellion against Your will. And You are there. You are working in ways we do not see in Your persistent, unfailing love to redeem all that happens for our good and Your glory as we entrust it to You. Before the days of the flood, You commanded Noah to be prepared. You knew his heart and You knew he would choose to obey. "And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him" (Genesis 7:5). Through his obedience, You prepared a place of protection for all who would hear and receive Your call to come into the ark of Your presence. In these days, not many will seek You, not many will obey You, not many will be prepared. But Lord, I want to be among those who will. Help me to hear what the Spirit is saying to Your people in this hour. Let me not only be a hearer of Your word, but also a doer. Give me Your grace to do my part in our generation to be prepared. There is no greater preparation than to make provision for Your presence in our hearts through humble obedience to Your call and trusting faith in Your 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

Worship on Eagle's Wings 1-27-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. In these first moments of the morning, I watch for Your leading and wait in the silence of surrender before You. Come make me to lie down in Your green pastures as You lead me beside Your still waters. Restore my soul -- bring my body into submission to my soul, my soul into submission to my spirit, and my spirit into submission to Your Holy Spirit. Let my cup be filled in these moments of worship and prayer with the fullness of Your presence, that You may pour me out as You will throughout this day. ... A friend coming for spiritual direction gave me a tape of simple, but powerful, songs of worship, and Your Spirit keeps singing one of them in my spirit. This song of worship called "Eagle's Wings" is my prayer of willing submission and trusting surrender in the intimacy of true worship to You -- my Lord, my Shepherd, my Best Friend: "Here I am waiting. Abide in me I pray. Here I am longing for You. Hide me in Your love. Bring me to my knees. May I know Jesus more and more. Come live in me, all my life. Take over. Come breathe in me. And I will rise on eagle's wings" (by Reuben Morgan). Yes, Lord. This is my worship; this is my prayer. Let me know You more and more every day -- as I watch and wait for Your presence, then rise and follow Your lead. "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 faint" (Isaiah 40:31). 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

Found Favor -- 1-26-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I need Your wisdom and I need Your grace. I need You. As best as I can, I give You all my heart and mind and soul and strength. I ask for the peace that comes from trusting You with all I have and all I am. ... "The Lord saw the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually... But Noah found favor in the sight of the Lord" (Genesis 6:5-8). Lord, purge the wickedness from my soul -- the wickedness of self-centeredness and self-pity, the wickedness of trusting in my own power and strength instead of humbling myself to desperately depend upon You, the wickedness of my pride that causes me to be in control instead of entrusting control to You. Deliver me from the evil inclinations of my thoughts and the unholy desires of my heart that are drawn to the sin of the culture around me, rather than boldly shining as a light in the midst of the darkness. Purify me and sanctify me by "the washing of water by the Word" (Ephesians 5:26). Let a flood of Your Spirit wash through my soul, and draw me up into the ark of Your presence. Let me find favor in Your sight. You favor those who seek Your wisdom with wisdom and You favor those who seek Your grace with grace. Noah found favor in the sight of the Lord because "Noah walked with God" (Genesis 6:9). I want to walk with You, Lord. Guide my steps in the path of Your presence. 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

Word Made Flesh 1-25-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I open my heart to Your Spirit and open my mind to Your Word. Come, Lord Jesus, come. ... "And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen His glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). Your Word reveals Your will and Your nature, for You are the Word of God made flesh. Your Word and Your will are already done in heaven, and they are in the process of being done on earth as they are in heaven. Your kingdom comes and Your will is done in the hearts to those who embrace Your kingdom and Your will. Today I join my words in agreement with Your Word and I join my will in agreement with Your will, as best as I can and all by Your grace. Let Your kingdom come and Your will be done here in my heart and here on earth as it is already is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). In heaven, Your Word and Your will is for our protection and security. I agree with Your Word of Psalm 91, revealing Your will for those who love You and call upon Your name: "You who live in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the Lord, 'My refuge and my fortress, My God in whom I trust.' For He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence; He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, or the arrow that flies by day, or the pestilence that stalks in darkness, or the destruction that wastes at noonday." "A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only look with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. Because you have made the Lord your refuge, the Most High your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, no scourge come near your tent." "For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the adder, the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot." "Those who love Me, I will deliver; I will protect those who know My name. When they call to Me, I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue them and honor them. With long life I will satisfy them, and show them My salvation" (Psalm 91). Lord, let it be so on earth as it is in heaven -- here in my life and family and community, and as far as Your grace will go. Let Your Word be made flesh in my heart and in my prayers today. 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

"A Strong Tower" 1-24-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I call upon Your name and I choose to be called by Your name -- "Christian," one who follows Christ. ... "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe. The wealth of the rich is their strong city; in their imagination it is like a high wall. Before one's destruction one's heart is haughty, but humility goes before honor" (Proverbs 18:10-12). There is safety, provision, and protection in Your name. Your name speaks of Your nature -- "Jesus" from the Greek, "Yeshua" from the Hebrew -- The Salvation of Yaweh. "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Salvation is living the fullness the life You have given each of us to live, eternally -- now and forever. Not just now, but forever. No just forever, but also now. To be alive to Christ and the fullness of this life for which we were created is to be dead to our own desires apart from You. To the degree we are, the world, the flesh, and the devil have no power over us. To the degree we are, we trust not in earthly riches or power or security, but in the heavenly name of the One who holds our lives in His hands -- now and forever. As best I can and all by Your grace, I choose to humble myself before You, to desperately depend upon You alone as my safety, my provision, and my protection. Here in the strong tower of Your name, I am safe and I am saved -- no matter what happens. Earth has no power over me, for I belong to Heaven. I will not fear man, but fear the Lord my God; I will not trust in my riches of my own strength or wisdom, but trust in the Lord alone (Luke 12:4-7). 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