"Seek His Presence Continually" 2-12-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I press in to Your presence. ... "Seek the Lord and His strength, seek His presence continually" (1 Chronicles 16:11). David brought in the ark of the covenant and placed it inside the tent prepared to receive it. The ark speaks of Your presence -- the manifest presence of Your glory among us as we seek You and welcome You in our lives. "Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice" (v. 16:10). By Your grace and out of Your love, You humble Yourself to dwell in each of us by Your Spirit in "the earthly tent" of our human flesh and bone (2 Corinthians 5:1-5). I prepare my tent for Your ark this day. Cleanse me of my sins and awaken my desires to seek You and Your strength and Your presence now and continually throughout my day. Let my heart rejoice that my God in His glory dwells in me (1 Corinthians 3:16). Let that truth settle into my mind and clarify my mission throughout the encounters and experiences of my day. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Come to the Fountain! this Friday Night 2/15 at 7 pm -- the 3rd Friday Night of every month -- for our ministry's monthly gathering of people from many different churches and streams of the body of Christ across our city for prayer, praise, and healing worship. This month Sandra White of Bethlehem Farm Ministries will lead in prayer while Brooke and Shannon Barrett will lead in worship. Hosted in the chapel of Centenary: 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY. Contact Marilyn for details at dirofministries@aol.com All are welcome! Come to the Mountain! every Monday night at 7 pm to pray for Israel and the peace of Jerusalem led by Doris and Bob McCray of our ministry. Hosted in the upstairs community room of First Southern National Bank at 3060 Harrodsburg Rd in Lexington. Contact Doris at bndmccray@windstream.net All are welcome! Subscribe free by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order our Resources On-Line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

Leaning In and Listening 2-11-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Holy and anointed One, I seek Your face and praise Your name. ... "Pursue peace and strive for spiritual gifts, and especially that you may prophecy" (1 Corinthians 14:1). To prophecy is to hear and to speak the word of the Lord. Lord, teach me how to quiet my soul to listen for the leading of Your voice in the diversity of ways You desire to speak Your words to me. Teach me how to narrow the focus of my thoughts to You alone in simple surrender and active engagement of my spirit with Yours. The children of God are led by the Spirit of God (Romans 8:14). Your "Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God" (v. 8:27). And Your sheep hear Your voice (John 10:27). I am Your child, a son of God, and a sheep of Your fold. Help me hear Your Spirit interceding for Your saints. Help me speak what You would say to me and through me. And help me humble myself to listen to what You would say to and through those You bring to intercede for me and speak into my life. It seems I hear You say, "My son, listen for Me, leaning in to hear My still, small voice. As You lean in to listen, you lean in to Me, so that listening is a means of My intimacy with you." Yes, Lord. By the cleansing of Your blood and the power of Your grace, I'm leaning in and I'm listening. "Now go about Your day in the faith of knowing You are leaning into Me and listening for Me and believing I am speaking through You, interceding for My saints according to My will." Yes, Lord. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Come to the Fountain! this Friday Night 2/15 at 7 pm -- the 3rd Friday Night of every month -- for our ministry's monthly gathering of people from many different churches and streams of the body of Christ across our city for prayer, praise, and healing worship. This month Sandra White of Bethlehem Farm Ministries will lead in prayer while Brooke and Shannon Barrett will lead in worship. Hosted in the chapel of Centenary: 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY. Contact Marilyn for details at dirofministries@aol.com All are welcome! Come to the Mountain! every Monday night at 7 pm to pray for Israel and the peace of Jerusalem led by Doris and Bob McCray of our ministry. Hosted in the upstairs community room of First Southern National Bank at 3060 Harrodsburg Rd in Lexington. Contact Doris at bndmccray@windstream.net All are welcome! Subscribe free by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order our Resources On-Line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

At the Center 2-10-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I center my thoughts and my heart on You. ... "For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; and He will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes" (Revelation 7:17). Be enthroned at the center of all I am and all I do. Guide me with Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart. Be my strength and comfort, my peace and joy. Renew me and refresh me as I drink in the living waters of Your Presence now and throughout my day. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Subscribe free by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" http://www.messiah-ministries.org/ 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order our Resources On-Line: http://www.shop.messiah-ministries.org/

Power Present to Heal 2-9-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You increase and I decrease -- increase in my reliance upon Your strength and Your wisdom as I decrease in my reliance upon my own. ... "One day, while He was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting near by (they had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem); and the power of the Lord was with Him to heal (Luke 5:17). There are times when Your power is especially "present to heal" (Luke 5:17, NKJV). You are always the Lord our God and You are always the Lord who heals us (Exodus 15:26). But there are times and places when You choose in Your wisdom and Your strength to move in Your power to heal. That's a time to humble ourselves to hear Your teaching and embrace Your power. That's a time to bring our friends to You in faith to be forgiven and freed, healed and whole (Luke 5:18-26). Lord, increase those times in our day. Let us be "filled with awe" in our day, in our church, in our city, just as Your first disciples were "filled with awe" in theirs' (v. 5:26). They "glorified God" and so will we (v. 5:26). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I'd appreciate your prayers as I teach our School of Spiritual Ministry in Madisonville, Kentucky this weekend (2nd of 3 weekends in a row) and as I continue this School on Wednesday nights at my home church in Lexington where we have our ministry base anchored. May the Lord our Healer be present with power to heal in every dimension of our lives -- here with me and there with you. God bless you! Subscribe free by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order our Resources On-Line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

A City of "Abundance of Prosperity and Security" 2-8-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I'm willing to admit my need of You and find my security in the desperate dependence of trusting You for everything. Apart from You, I can do nothing; but -- praise God! -- I never have to be apart from You. ... "I am going to bring (the houses of this city) recovery and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security. I will restore the fortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel, and rebuild them as they were at first. I will cleanse them of all the guilt of their sin against Me, and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion against Me. And this city shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for them; they shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it" (Jeremiah 33:6-9). My friend Tommy Green had me on his radio program yesterday, "A City for God," to talk about our ministry's heart to see our city and region freed from the strongholds of darkness and sin and to be released into the destiny of Your calling and blessing for us and through us. Your heart is to restore, rebuild, and redeem. Your heart is to restore unto us the joy of our salvation as we experience Your "abundance of prosperity and security." But just like in our personal lives, in the life of our city we need the cleansing from sin by the blood of the Lamb that only comes through repentance and faith. We need the generational curses broken from our inheritance and the generational blessings released and increased. We need to break through the strongholds of darkness and the gates of hell, that You would be our Strength and Shield, establishing Your gates of righteousness, blessing, and peace. We need Jesus. So come into our city, Lord Jesus. We give you the key to our city and open the gates to our hearts, "that the King of glory may come in" (Psalm 24:9). Bless us with the fear of the Lord and the conviction of our sin, that we may turn to You in repentance and faith, in desperate dependence upon the power of Your grace. Deliver us from evil and cast down the strongholds of darkness. Let the holy fire of Your Spirit consume us and purify us; let the light of Your glory shine through us. In Your power and by Your grace, we will be the city for God we are destined to be as "a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth." I pray the same for Jerusalem and all the cities of the earth who will turn to You in humility and call on Your name in faith. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Last night at my home church of Centenary in Lexington, we joined in the one year birthday celebration of the Celebrate Recovery ministry at our church and heard many testimonies of changed lives from those in our city who have come to experience the healing love of God! www.CRLex.com I praise God for the committed team of people from our church who have experienced God's healing and deliverance and now want to see others free and whole. Thank you for joining with me in prayer for this dimension of our ministry and all the others where the Lord strategically positions us at different levels and in different seasons. Friends, as you and your churches make plans to budget your giving to the Lord's Church and the building of His Kingdom, please prayerfully consider joining with us as He would lead: Messiah Ministries; 2800 Tates Creek Road; Lexington, KY 40502 I would be thrilled to talk with you or your pastor about the vision and calling of our ministry -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" (Isaiah 61:1-11; Luke 4:18-19). www.messiah-ministries.org Subscribe free by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order our Resources On-Line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

Steady and Secure in His Steps 2-7-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Blessed be Your name. At Your name, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that You are Lord. ... "Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is Your custom toward those who love Your name. Keep my steps steady according to Your promise, and never let iniquity have dominion over me" (Psalm 119:132-33). My steps will be steady today as I seek to follow in Yours'. My thoughts and desires will be holy today as I seek to have Yours. I submit to the Lordship of Your dominion in every area of my life, as best as I can and all by the power of Your grace. You draw near to me as I draw near to You (James 4:8). You turn to me as I turn to You; and I turn to You because You first turned to me (1 John 4:19). With You at my side and Your Spirit in my heart, I am "steady" with my focus and my faith "firm, secure in the Lord;" I will "not be afraid" (Psalm 112:7-8). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, as you and your churches make plans to budget your giving to the Lord's Church and the building of His Kingdom, please prayerfully consider joining with us as He would lead: Messiah Ministries; 2800 Tates Creek Road; Lexington, KY 40502 I would be thrilled to talk with you or your pastor about the vision and calling of our ministry -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" (Isaiah 61:1-11; Luke 4:18-19). www.messiah-ministries.org Subscribe free by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order our Resources On-Line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com

Ashes of Humility 2-6-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I humble myself in Your sight, that You may lift me up. ... "Then I turned to the Lord God, to seek an answer by prayer and supplication with fasting and sackcloth and ashes" (Daniel 9:3). Daniel humbled himself in ashes as He turned to You to seek Your face and hear voice for the burdens of his heart. Many within the body of Christ will celebrate this day as Ash Wednesday to mark the beginning of the season of Lent, leading up to the season of the cross. This day is marked by humility more than joy and by repentance more than celebration. Before the joy of the resurrection comes the humility of the Cross. And so it is in the journey of the Christian soul. There are times to be quiet and humble before our God. There are times to set aside the celebration of joy to remember that our joy had a price. We draw near to You only through the blood of Your sacrifice for us. "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep. Let you laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you" (James 4:8-10). Lord, I am humbled by Your sacrifice of love for me. And in the ashes of the day, I remember the price Your paid to cleanse my hands and purify my heart so that I could know the joy of intimacy with You. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Subscribe free by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order our Resources On-Line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

Call upon the Name of the Redeemer 2-5-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Your name is above every name. And Your name is first name I speak today -- Jesus. ... "Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, for she said, 'God has appointed for me another child instead of Abel, because Cain killed him.' To Seth also a son was born, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to invoke the name of the Lord" (Genesis 4:25-26). People began to invoke Your name -- to speak out and call upon Your name -- as they began to see Your redeeming nature and power. You took the brokenness and pain of a mother and father's grief over the loss of their son and began to redeem their pain with the life of another son. You didn't deny their pain or replace their pain. You redeemed their pain. For You are a redeeming God (Psalm 31:5). Even the things You do not will and desire, but that we experience in a broken and fallen world, You will redeem -- causing all things to work together for good as we give them to You and call on Your name (Romans 8:28). "For, 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved' " (Romans 10:13). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Subscribe free by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order our Resources On-Line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

Peace Will Prevail 2-4-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. The storms of thunder and rain have not ceased through the night. But make them cease in my soul as I settle in to listen for the leading of Your Spirit this day. ... Through the night And through the storm Through the torrent That rages on. I will hold on to the hand Of the One in whom I stand. You are near to my side You are here and You're alive. So I will not be afraid I will never be dismayed. I will rise and take my stand As You stretch out Your mighty hand. Demons flee and storms subside On Your words angels ride. Peace, be still, in my soul. Peace, arise, because I know My God reigns through every storm, My God reigns for ever more. "He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, 'Peace! Be still!' Then the wind ceased and there was dead calm" (Mark 4:39). Even as I'm journaling my prayer, the winds have ceased this morning. Mighty are You, O Lord. The wind and sea obey You. I hear nothing now but dead calm. Though the wind and storm may be raging just miles from here, You've commanded them to be still here in the peace of Your Presence with me. Though You hold all heaven and earth in Your hands -- Your nail-scarred hands -- You also know every hair on the head on every child and every desire in every heart. You're amazing and You're love is unfailing. And though the winds and the rains may return on the outside, Your peace will prevail in my soul this day by Your power and grace. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Subscribe free by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order our Resources On-Line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

"Surpassing Value of Knowing Christ" 2-1-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the One who is and who was and who is to come. Come into my heart and every moment of my day. ... "Yet whatever gains I had, I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" (Philippians 3:7-8). Compared to knowing You, it's as if nothing else matters. And, while of course, all the people and relationships of my life matter beyond measure, knowing You is of surpassing value and of infinite significance. That is not to diminish everything and everyone else. It is to emphasis the paramount importance of my relationship with You (Luke 14:26). Without You, literally nothing else matters. But by Your grace and the power of Your love, I am not without You. And I never will be. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Subscribe/unsubscribe by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order our Resources On-Line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

Be Not "Found Fighting Against God" 2-1-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I steady my soul and quiet my spirit as I simply come to speak out Your name and seek out Your face. ... "Then the word of the Lord came to me: Mortal, your kinsfolk, your own kin, your fellow exiles, the whole house of Israel, all of them, are those of whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, 'They have gone far from the Lord; to us this land is given for a possession.' Therefore say: Thus says the Lord God: Though I removed them far away among the nations, and though I scattered them among the countries, yet I have been a sanctuary to them for a little while in the countries where they have gone. Therefore say: Thus says the Lord God: I will gather you from the peoples, and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel" (Ezekiel 11:14-17). One day, "all Israel will be saved" (Romans 11:26). One day, they will look to their Messiah, they will "look on the One whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over Him, as one weeps over a firstborn.... On that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity" (Zechariah 12:10 - 13:1). In that day of repentance and faith that will come through the brokenness of pride and the pain of judgment by a loving God who cannot bear to ever let Your people go from Your heart or Your covenant, You have said, "I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back because I have compassion on them, and they shall be as though I had not rejected them; for I am the Lord their God and I will answer them" (Zechariah 10:6). So until that day, let us pray for fulfillment of the salvation of Israel. Though she may experience brokenness and judgment and even a great measure of destruction according to the many prophecies of Your Word, one day she will be restored and redeemed in fulfillment of her destiny. "On that day the Lord their God will save them for they are the flock of His people; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on His land" (Zechariah 9:16). Gentile and Jew together will embrace You, Lord Jesus, as Messiah, Lord, and King when "the full number of Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved; as it is written, 'Out of Zion will come the Deliverer; He will banish ungodliness from Jacob.' And this is My covenant with them, when I take their away their sins" (Romans 11:25-27). "And even those of Israel, if they do not persist in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again" (Romans 11:23). And let us not enter in to the sin of judgment against Israel. "They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand only through faith. So do not become proud, but stand in awe" (Romans 11:20). For on the day of her great salvation will also be the day of great judgment for all who accused her and condemned her in their arrogance and pride. As You have also warned and proclaimed in Your Word, "And on that day I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem" (Zechariah 12:9). Though You may even use the arrogant actions of prideful nations as an instrument of Your judgment of the sin of Israel in order to restore her to her place of honor and blessing through fulfilled faith in You, there will be a day of judgment for all the nations who accused her, condemned her, and violated her. "Therefore, as I live, says the Lord God, I will deal with you according to the anger and envy that you showed because of your hatred against them; and I will make Myself known among you, when I judge you. You shall know that I, the Lord, have heard all the abusive speech that you uttered against the mountains of Israel, saying, 'They are laid desolate, they are given us to devour.' And you magnified yourselves against Me with your mouth, and multiplied your words against Me; I heard it. Thus says the Lord God: As the whole earth rejoices, I will make you desolate. As you rejoiced over the house of the inheritance of Israel, because it was desolate, so I will deal with you; you shall be desolate, Mount Seir, and all Edom, all of it. Then they shall know that I am the Lord" (Ezekiel 35:11-15). There is a movement within my stream of the body of Christ of the United Methodist Church discussing proposals to judge, condemn, and punish Israel as an occupying force in the land of her Biblical inheritance. And while all Israel is not yet saved, all her actions are not right, and the fulfillment of the promise of Your covenant to take away her heart of stone and fill her with Your Spirit has not yet fully come to pass, You have not rejected her or replaced her; You still love her and honor her and fight for her (Ezekiel 36:22-38). So let us not "be found fighting against God" (Acts 5:39). Let us seek You and the leading of Your Spirit in humility, in faith, and in obedience to Your Word. Let no one speak for me who speaks against You. Lord, convict us of every sin of failing to know Your Word and Your will for Israel. Let us not speak out of our own emotions or wisdom or under the pressure of world opinion and the fear of man. Let us not be found uttering abusive speech and words of condemnation and judgment, seeking to punish those who take a stand for Your people and the inheritance of hope and land You have given them according to Your Word and Your plan and Your covenant. Who are we to think we know better than You? Will not Your Word and Your warning come to pass for all who fail to know It and obey It? "I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed" (Genesis 12:3). Let us repent of our sins and turn our hearts to You. Let us seek the leading of Your Holy Spirit and not give to the leading of merely human emotions. Let us be found fighting for Your people not fighting against God, agreeing with the Redeemer and no longer agreeing with the accuser. As You have commanded us and promised us: "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you" (Psalm 122:6). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I believe these are very significant issues of faith in God and submission to the authority of His Word. Please pray for me and for my part of the body of Christ to have the right heart and spirit in our discussions and decisions. I pray the same for you and every part of the body of Christ. Subscribe/unsubscribe by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order our Resources On-Line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

Ray Bringham, A Heart for Revival 1-31-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Worthy is the Lamb, worthy to be praised. ... "From that time Jesus began to proclaim, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand' " (Matthew 4:17). My good friend, Rev. Ray Bringham, passed on to glory last Saturday, January 26, 2008, in San Marcos, California. His son Lonnie told me of the gentle and sacred moment of that last gaze from Ray's deep blue eyes with the love of God as he crossed over into eternity. The world will miss him. He had a heart for revival and unbounded energy even as a man of eighty-eight years old to keep praying through for Your kingdom to come 'til the day he died. He was the president and founder of Prayer Summit Ministries and everywhere he went around the world, he prayed for revival, for the coming of the kingdom of heaven. Whenever I was honored to join him in ministry, the heart of his message was the same -- repentance is the key to revival. Turning away from ourselves, away from our sins, and turning to God in humility and faith is what opens our hearts as You open Your heavens to release Your revival fire and transforming power in our land (2 Chronicles 7:14). Now Ray's "perishable body must put on imperishability, and (his) mortal body must put on immortality" as You welcome him home into Your eternal embrace (1 Corinthians 15:53). Now with the "great cloud of witnesses" who have gone before us in the faith, Ray will be praying those perfect prayers for Your great revival more powerfully than ever -- praying onsite with insight from his strategic assignment at heaven's throne (Hebrews 12:1). As we honor him with repentant hearts turned to You, would You honor him with revival in the hearts and lands wherever he preached and prayed throughout the earth. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please keep Ray's wife, Mid Brigham and their family in your prayers. There will be a memorial service February 10, 2008 in San Marcos, California. We praise God for the influence of His sons and daughters in our lives and pray we can each be a godly influence in the lives of others for His glory. Subscribe/unsubscribe by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order our Resources On-Line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

"But Only Jesus" 1-30-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Simply and deliberately, I turn my thoughts and lift my worship to You. ... "Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, 'This is My beloved Son; listen to Him!' Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them anymore, but only Jesus" (Mark 9:7-8). Father, as I settle in to my prayer chair each morning, as I pull my prayer cover over my head, let the glory cloud of Your Holy Spirit overshadow me. Through the blood of the Lamb that cleanses my soul, draw me in to the holy of holies of prayer. In the surrender of silence before You, let Your voice be the only voice I hear and Your face be the only face I see -- no one else, "but only Jesus." These first moments of the morning in prayer are my mount of transfiguration. They are my daily encounter of transformation. "And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:18). Then throughout the moments of my day, may I continue in prayer -- being transformed by Your Presence, being transfigured into Your image, looking and listening to You alone. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Subscribe/unsubscribe by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order our Resources On-Line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Happiness of Holiness of Heart 1-29-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Be high and lifted up, exalted in my heart and throughout my day. ... "Happy is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways" (Psalm 128:1). To fear You is to walk in Your ways -- not out of religious duty, but out of trusting relationship; not out of an unholy fear of punishment and judgment, but out of a holy fear of honoring You with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength. This kind of holiness of heart brings happiness and peace in every dimension of our lives -- our work (v. 2), our families (v. 3), and our health (v. 5). In every way, "(we) shall be happy, and it shall go well with (us)" (v. 2). Lord, teach me how to fear You in this way. Teach me how to look to You and honor You, to trust You and obey You out of my respect and love for You. Teach me by Your Word and empower me by Your Spirit to live my life, moment by moment, in trusting surrender to Your unfailing love. "Let those who fear the Lord say, 'His steadfast love endures forever' " (Psalm 118:4). "And may He so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints" (1 Thessalonians 3:13). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, we have 2 New CD series available from my week of ministry at Christ for the Nations in Dallas, Texas ( www.cfni.org ) : 1) Spiritual Warfare -- Fighting the Good Fight of Faith (4 cd's) ; and 2) The Father's Blessing Through Our Brokenness (1 cd) These are not yet on our web site, so please contact us at MessaiahMin@aol.com to order them for personal or group studies. Though we need time to edit and process the video, please let us know if you'd like to be on the list for the dvd's from our School of Spiritual Ministry one week intensive course I taught in Lexington last week. Subscribe/unsubscribe by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order our Resources On-Line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

Morning by Morning, Monday 1-28-08 -- Out of the Depths Good morning, Lord Jesus. Good morning, Abba my Father. Good morning, Holy Spirit of the Living God. I greet You and beseech You in every dimension of Your Being from every dimension of my being. ... "Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord" (Psalm 130:1). Let my spiritual life grow in depth. Let my understanding of Your Word and experience of the power of Your grace grow in depth. Thank You for the milk when I couldn't handle more, but You've made me hungry for the meat of Your Word. "For everyone who lives on milk, being still and infant, is unskilled in the word of righteousness. But solid food is for the mature" (Hebrews 5:13-14). You meet us where we are but never desire to leave us there. Instead, You desire we grow in depth, grow in wisdom, and grow into maturity. "Deep calls to deep" (Psalm 42:7). And I'm crying out of the depths of my being to go deeper still. And I know You will satisfy the desires of my heart because You have put these desires there. You move me to pray in line with Your promises for the fulfillment of Your purposes in me and through my life. . "Take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart" (Psalm 37:4). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I will be taking the School of Spiritual Ministry on the road to western Kentucky at Madisonville the first 3 weekends of February (Friday night and Saturday teaching, equipping, and ministry). Please contact Marilyn Walker, our Director of Ministries, to register if you're able to come. All are welcome! DirOfMinistries@aol.com My Wednesday night series on Spiritual Ministry at my home church in Lexington continues. And please let us know if you would like to order the dvd from our week-long intensive School of Spiritual Ministry from Lexington last week. I sense an intense urging to do my part in helping prepare God's people to minister in their calling with their gifts for the days ahead. With the economic battles of our nation, please keep our ministry finances in prayer. We are a faith-based ministry depending completely on the Lord and the generosity of His people who believe in what He is doing through us. Subscribe by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order our Resources On-Line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

I Have Been to the Mountain Today 1-27-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Take my hand, fill my heart, lead the way, as I start this new day together with You. ... "Be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai and present yourself there to Me, on the top of the mountain. No one shall come up with you ..." (Exodus 34:2-3). Before I speak to anyone else, I want to speak to You. Before I go anywhere else, I want to come to You. Through the veil of Your blood, I present myself to You in humility and faith, as best as I can and all by Your grace. Draw me up into the mountain of Your Presence. "But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which He has loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ -- by grace you have been saved -- and raised us up with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:4-6). Anything good that I will do, anything wise that I will say, will begin here in my time of communion in prayer with You. You are my vine and I am one of Your branches, abiding in You that my life will bear Your fruit (John 15:4-5). So I come up to this mountain to set my face and open my heart to abide in You. And here, on the mountain of Your Presence, I "wait upon the Lord" as You align heaven and earth to order my steps and set Your path for my day before me today (Isaiah 40:29-31). As I face the challenges and opportunities of my day, I can remember in my spirit that I need not worry or fear or falter, for I have been to the mountain today. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I will be taking the School of Spiritual Ministry on the road to western Kentucky at Madisonville the first 3 weekends of February (Friday night and Saturday teaching, equipping, and ministry). Please contact Marilyn Walker, our Director of Ministries, to register if you're able to come. All are welcome! DirOfMinistries@aol.com And please let us know if you would like to order the dvd from our week-long intensive School of Spiritual Ministry from Lexington last week. Subscribe by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order our Resources On-Line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

All the More 1-26-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I'm hungry for more of You. ... "But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread, so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites" (Exodus 1:12). The king of Egypt feared the people of Israel, that they were growing "more numerous and more powerful" (v. 9). So he set out a strategy to enslave them and oppress them to discourage and defeat them (v. 10-11). But his schemes for their bondage only served to bond them more closely together. His plans to divide and conquer them only served to multiply and motivate them to resist him and hold on to their faith and their God all the more. "The people multiplied and became very strong" (v. 20). This was a foreshadow of things to come in Christ. "More than ever believers were added to the Lord, great numbers of both men and women" (Acts 5:14). As the people of Israel began to receive and embrace You as Messiah and Lord, the religious leaders feared the faith of Your people and envied the power of God displayed through them (v. 5:12-18). But the more they were persecuted, the more they grew in the boldness of faith. "They rejoiced that they were considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name. And every day at the temple and at home they did not cease to teach and proclaim Jesus as Messiah" (v. 5:41-42). As the enemy of our souls seeks to oppress us, discourage us, and defeat us, to bind us and break us out of jealousy and fear, let his attacks only bond us together and strengthen our faith. Let the Gospel of Your Kingdom multiply and spread all the more. Let the displays of Your power manifest the glory of Your Presence all the more. Let persecution make us all the more persistent and oppression make us all the more stronger and bolder in You. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I will be taking the School of Spiritual Ministry on the road to western Kentucky at Madisonville the first 3 weekends of February (Friday night and Saturday teaching, equipping, and ministry). Please contact Marilyn Walker, our Director of Ministries, to register if you're able to come. All are welcome! DirOfMinistries@aol.com Subscribe/unsubscribe by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order our Resources On-Line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org

Beauty of Diversity 1-25-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I center my thoughts and my day in You. ... "For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members of one another" (Romans 12:4-5). Thank You for the diversity of the body of Christ, an expression of Your creativity. Thank You for the freedom to be ourselves, in the unique way You have created each of us. "We have gifts that differ according to the grace given us" (v. 6). And every gift, expressed differently in every one, is necessary for the health of the body and for the ministry of the body to others. While the false religions, confused and deceived by the enemy of our souls, teach that we are to become one with the universe in nothingness, You teach the opposite. We are "fearfully and wonderfully made" for live forever with You in the closest union but not uniformity. You've created us individually and uniquely with such incredible diversity as a means of display Your the beauty of Your glory forever. I thank You for role models and mentors, for spiritual fathers and brothers, mothers and sisters, from whom I can learn. But I am not to be just like them; I am to be just like You -- conformed to the image of the Son of God (Romans 8:29). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Subscribe/unsubscribe by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" http://www.messiah-ministries.org/ 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order our Resources On-Line: http://www.shop.messiah-ministries.org/

Sonshine of the Glory of God 1-24-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Son of God, Son of Man, Sonshine of the Glory of God, let Your light shine on me and in me and through me today. ... "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace" (Numbers 6:24-26). Through Moses, You told Aaron and the priests to speak Your words of blessing over Your people. You said, "Put My name on the Israelites, and I will bless them" (v. 6:27). Lord, put Your name on me today. Lift up Your countenance upon me today. Let me be unashamed to be seen and known as a Christian today -- one of Christ's own -- a son of man, but also a son of God (1 John 3:1). Wash me in Your Word, cleanse me in Your blood, fill me with Your Spirit. As people see me, may they see Christ in me, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). "For it is the God who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6). "Let Your face shine upon Your servant" (Psalm 31:16). Let Your face shine upon Your son. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, our one week intensive School of Spiritual Ministry in Lexington ends tonight. It has been an glorious week! Thank you for your prayers! The Lord is equipping us and empowering us for ministry in His Spirit as He strategically positions us for His purposes. This course is being filmed for dvd, so please let us know if you'd be interested in ordering a copy of the dvd. This builds upon our the foundational principles of our earlier dvd, Preparing the Way of the Lord -- Biblical, Spiritual Principles of Healing and Deliverance, which you can also order: MessiahMin@aol.com or http://www.shop.messiah-ministries.org/

Equipped for Ministry 1-23-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Make me more like You each day, conforming my nature, my thoughts, my desires, to Your's. I have so far to go, but You are so patient and You are so persistent. ... "The gifts He gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to a unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ" (Ephesians 4:11-13). Thank You for the gifts You have given me. Help me know them and use them for You, doing my part in Your power to build up the body of Christ as we grow up to maturity in You. By the blood of the Lamb we are the saints of God. We are to equip and be equipped, taught and trained in Your Word, empowered and anointed by Your Spirit, and commissioned to the work of ministry. Let us no longer settle for drinking milk and playing with childish things, but let us grow up into the full stature of Christ we are created and destined to become, doing the works we were created and destined to do. Let us get about the business of "turning the world upside down" in our generation for Your glory (Acts 17:6). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Subscribe/unsubscribe by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order our Resources On-Line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org