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Monday, August 19, 2013
Friday, August 16, 2013
Morning by Morning, August 16 - Let the Dry Bones Live!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Lord God Almighty -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- You are One and You are holy, mysterious and mighty, faithful and true, full of mercy and love, worthy of all honor and praise. I worship You and entrust myself to You as Lord of my life and every moment of my day. ...
"The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones.... And He said to me, 'Son of man, can these bones?" (Ezekiel 37:1-3, NKJ)
Lord, open my eyes to see the dry bones around me today. Let me see what is dead and lifeless, who is weary and discouraged, the ones whose lives seem scattered and strewn down in the midst of the valleys they were never about to get through.
You showed Ezekiel those bones. You wanted him to see the truth as it was -- dead, dry bones, down in a valley. You didn't want him to ignore them or give up on them. You didn't want him to merely accept them for what they were. You wanted him to see them both for what they were but also for what they were to become.
But instead of sending him on a mission to go gather them up, count them and organize them, try to fit them into some image of them he had formed in his own mind out of his own desires for them, You were teaching Ezekiel not to rely upon his power or plans for the transformation of those dry bones at all. Instead, You told him, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, here the word of the Lord!"
To prophesy is simply to hear and speak the word of the Lord. And as Ezekiel obeyed Your command with Your words in his mouth and Your compassion in his heart, the word of God went forth, carrying with it the breath of the very Spirit of God (v. 7-10). There was not only transformation, but resurrection into newness of life. Those dry bones became "an exceedingly great army" (v. 10). Then You promised to fill them with Your Spirit and establish them in the inheritance of their destiny for the glory of Your name (v. 14).
Lord, let me see with Your eyes what You want to transform and resurrect in my life and my world around me. Let me see what You're doing, hear what You're saying and speak it forth. Let me recognize the truth of things as they are, but also declare the truth of what they are to become. "Death and life are in the power of the tongue;" and You want our tongues and our words sanctified and submitted to Your will and Your ways, available for Your purposes to establish Your Kingdom by Your power through our lives on earth as it is in heaven (Proverbs 18:21).
Spirit of the Living God, fill my mouth with Your words so I can breathe life everywhere You send me today. Let me speak Your words of "edification and exhortation and comfort" into the valleys and the places of dry bones You want to transform into a different destiny today. Let that exceedingly great army of lovers of the Lord, filled with Spirit of the Lord, changed by the power of the Lord from the inside out rise up and fulfill her destiny. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
My Friend, I pray the Spirit of the Living God will fill you with His breath and His words to speak life everywhere He sends you today. May you see that army of the lovers of the Lord rise up around you! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257
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Thursday, August 15, 2013
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Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Morning by Morning, August 14 - Final Decree, Everlasting Dominion
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Put Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart. Order my steps and lead the way, as I seek to follow You through the adventures of my day. ...
"As I watched, thrones were set in place, and an Ancient One took His throne.... The court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.... I saw One like a human being coming with the clouds of heaven. And He came to the Ancient One and was presented before Him. To Him was given dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should server Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and His kingship is one that shall never be destroyed" (Daniel 7:9-14).
There is a heavenly court and a righteous Judge. There is an eternal judgment and an everlasting dominion. There is One who is the King of kings and Lord of lords whose kingdom shall not pass away. And despite every injustice and evil we endure for a time in our journey through this broken, fallen world, there will come a day when You set all things right. "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before You" (Psalm 89:14).
Your verdict will be true and Your decree will be final. Then all heaven and earth will declare, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Messiah, and He will reign forever and ever" (Revelation 11:15).
Give us grace to endure to that day (Matthew 24:13). Let us not doubt Your wisdom nor Your sovereignty. The enemy of our souls may have his day, but You will have the last say. You showed Your prophet Daniel the vision of the battle for the souls of men and the dominion of the earth. He said, "As I looked, (the evil one) made war with the holy ones and was prevailing over them, until the Ancient One came; then judgment was given for the holy ones of the Most High, and the time arrived when the holy ones gained possession of the kingdom" (Daniel 7:21-22).
Let us embrace Your encouragement and command: "Be alert at all times, praying that you many have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21:36). One day we will stand before You, from every tongue and tribe and nation throughout all generations. "For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God" and "each of us will be accountable to God" (Romans 14:1012). But in Christ, we will be declared innocent by Your blood and victorious by Your cross -- not guilty, set free, restored to righteousness and the everlasting dominion of the Kingdom of God (Colossians 1:20).
As for the arrogant and wicked enemy of our souls, "his dominion shall be taken away, to be consumed and totally destroyed" (Daniel 7:26). And at the same time, in the Kingdom of our God and decree of Your judgment, "the kingship and dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the holy ones of the Most High; their kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey them" (Daniel 7:27). "Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
My Friend, I pray God will give you grace to endure through every injustice and battle until the day we see Him fully establish the righteousness and justice of His dominion in all the earth. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257
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Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Morning by Morning, August 13 - My Vision and Voice
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart. Let me see what You're doing and hear what You're saying as I wait upon You in the communion of prayer. ...
"Call to Me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known" (Jeremiah 33:3).
Lord, I receive Your invitation to call to You -- to call on Your name, to pour out my heart, to ask my questions, to hear Your voice, to be taught by Your Spirit. Remove every blinder from my eyes, every barrier from my heart. Remove every distraction and distortion that would keep me from hearing Your heart and knowing Your truth. Help me be humble and hungry, teachable and true to Your revelation and guidance as Lord of my life. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
My Friend, I pray you would see what the Lord is doing and hear what He is saying, with no barriers or distractions or distortions, as you call on His name, seek His face, and listen for His voice. May He show you great and hidden things you have not known, as you journey in ever-increasing depths of intimacy with our God. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257
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Monday, August 12, 2013
Morning by Morning, August 12 - "Tear Open the Heavens and Come Down!"
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Here I am, Lord -- watching and waiting for Your leading, as I join my spirit with Your Spirit in the morning embrace of my Father. ...
"O that You would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake 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 ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who works for those who wait for Him" (Isaiah 64:1-4).
As I open up my heart, would You tear open Your heavens? As I draw near to You, would You draw near to me? As I humble myself in the fear of the Lord, would You cause the mountains of my soul to quake in Your Presence until nothing stands between You and me?
You are the God "who works for those who wait for Him" (v. 4). We have no idea all that You do for us every day as we walk out our lives through the valleys and over the mountains, through the fiery trials and along the peaceful streams. Our ears can't fully hear, our eyes can't fully see, our minds can fully perceive all that You're doing on our behalf as we wait on You to go before us, come alongside us, and rise up within us.
You do awesome deeds we don't expect -- healing hurts we don't even know we have, breaking chains we're blinded from seeing, working miracles we'll never know until the day we see You face to Face in the heavenly places (v. 3). But every day heaven comes down; every day our God is at work. So I give You thanks and praise for all the ways You're moving in the power of Your Presence in my life -- all the ways I know, but also for all the ways I don't yet know. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
M Friend, I pray you would experience the power of the Presence of the God of Heaven coming down into your heart and every circumstance of your life today and every day. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Friends, thank you so much for your prayers for us Sunday at the ATT&T Center Gathering with Steven Curtis Chapman and Max Lucado. The arena (home of the Spurs!) was filled to overflowing with worship, as we all sensed the Presence of God moving in our hearts and our city. Our prayer ministry team from Rapha God Ministries joined the Oak Hills Prayer Team to cover the arena in prayer. One of our Spanish-speaking teams led eight people to the Lord as soon as they walked in the gates! And so many countless others experienced the love and power of God as we worshiped Him in spirit and truth. I pray for an outpouring of God's Spirit and Presence in your heart and your city! God bless you!
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257
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Friday, August 09, 2013
Morning by Morning, August 9 - Forever Steadfast in Unfailing Love
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Make me more like You today. ...
"My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make melody. Awake, my soul! ... For Your steadfast love is higher than the heavens, and Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds" (Psalm 108:1-4).
You know every need and every desire. You know everything that brings me low and everything that lifts my spirit high. You know my darkest sins and every selfless sacrifice. You know it all. You know me and everything about me. And yet You still love me, You're still for me, You're still at work within me and still at work through me. Your steadfast heart for me makes my heart steadfast in You. You're faithfulness toward me makes me long to be faithful to You.
So I will sing!
And I will shout!
Awake my soul in praise!
So I will run!
And I will dance!
Awake my soul in praise!
Forever faithful
Forever graceful
You're forever steadfast in Your unfailing love for me!
Yes, Lord. Thank You for this song You're singing in my spirit. "I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples, and I will sing praises to You among the nations" (Psalm 108:3). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
My Friend, I pray you would know deeply in your heart the steadfast, faithful, and unfailing love our Father God always has for you. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Friends, I'm excited to be sharing the morning devotional this Sunday morning with the prayer teams prior to the service at theATT&T Center Gathering with Steven Curtis Chapman and Max Lucado. This is the annual gathering in San Antonio of all the Oak Hills Church campuses, and the whole community is invited to join. Our prayer ministry team from Rapha God Ministries has been partnering with Oak Hills Church and was invited to join their prayer team to pray for salvation, healing, and any need for the people who come for prayer or respond to the worship and message. Everyone in the city is welcome this Sunday, August 11 beginning at 9:00 am. Please keep us in prayer for an outpouring of God's Spirit in our city, and I pray the same for yours (www.oakhillschurch.com/att2013) God bless you!
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257
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Thursday, August 08, 2013
Morning by Morning, August 8 - More than Enough for Me
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Awaken my soul with a hunger for God. ...
"I am my Beloved's, and His desire is for me" (Song of Solomon 7:10).
Purify my soul
Come and make me whole
So fill me with Your love
You're more than enough
Be all that I need
And all that I seek
You're more than enough for me
Lord I need to know
That You love me so
So fill me with Your love
You're more than enough
Be all that I need
And all that I seek
You're more than enough for me
For I am Yours
And You are mine
Nothing that there is
In all of this world
Is as real as Your love for me
Hear my hungry cry
Thirsting for Your life
So fill me with Your love
You're more than enough
Be all that I need
And all that I seek
You're more than enough for me
Lord I yearn for You
Nothing else will do
So fill me with Your love
You're more than enough
Be all that I need
And all that I seek
You're more than enough for me
For I am Yours
And You are mine
Nothing that there is
In all of this world
Is as real as Your love for me
Holy Spirit, thank You for waking me up to write this song from a hungry heart for the love of God. "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us" (Romans 5:5).
Now I can rest in my soul because my heart is full. "For He satisfies the thirsty, and the hungry He fills with good things" (Psalm 107:9). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
My Friend, may your soul hunger and thirst for our God who longs to fill you with His Spirit and His love and let you know He is more than enough for you. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Friends, I'm excited to be sharing the morning devotional this Sunday morning with the prayer teams prior to the service at theATT&T Center Gathering with Steven Curtis Chapman and Max Lucado. This is the annual gathering in San Antonio of all the Oak Hills Church campuses, and the whole community is invited to join. Our prayer ministry team from Rapha God Ministries has been partnering with Oak Hills Church and was invited to join their prayer team to pray for salvation, healing, and any need for the people who come for prayer or respond to the worship and message. Everyone in the city is welcome this Sunday, August 11 beginning at 9:00 am. Please keep us in prayer for an outpouring of God's Spirit in our city, and I pray the same for yours (www.oakhillschurch.com/att2013) God bless you!
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257
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Tuesday, August 06, 2013
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Monday, August 05, 2013
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Friday, August 02, 2013
Morning by Morning, August 2 - Hands, Knees, and Feet
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I open the door of my heart in the deep communion of prayer and welcome Your Holy Spirit into my thoughts and desires and every moment of my day. ...
"Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed" (Hebrews 12:12-13).
I lift high my hands in praise; I bow low my knees in humility; and I set my feet on the path of Your righteousness. Let the posture of my body reflect the posture of my heart. I welcome You to be at work in me to align all that's out of order and heal all that's not yet whole. Lord Jesus, make me more like You today. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
My Friend, may you be aligned and empowered in body and spirit to live your life to honor God today. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257
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Thursday, August 01, 2013
Morning by Morning, August 1 - "Be Imitators of God"
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Be high and lifted up in my life today. ...
"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God" (Ephesians 5:1-2).
Abba! Father! You are my Daddy Abba, my Father God; and I am Your child, a son of God, through the blood of Christ (Romans 8:15). I want to grow up to be like You. Sometimes I think too much coffee or something has stunted my growth. But I do desire to answer Your call to each one of us to "be imitators of God." And I know that's Your desire for me as well, "to be conformed to the image of (Your) Son" (Romans 8:29).
In Your mercy and love, by the power of Your grace, cleanse my soul and purify my heart "by the washing of water by Your word" (Ephesians 5:26). I have no power, or even desire, in my flesh alone apart from the leading of Your Spirit moving in my spirit to cause me to seek Your nature as my goal. "For it is God who is at work in (me), enabling (me) both to will and to work for (Your) good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13). But I am not alone; and Your Spirit is within me to enable me with the desire and the power to grow up in spiritual maturity toward the image of Christ.
Like a good Father, who wants the best for his children, You'll correct me and encourage me, as You direct me and empower me to live into Your purpose for my life (Hebrews 12:5-6). And Your purpose is to make me more like You. Lord, let it be so, all in Your time, all in Your way, all by Your grace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
My Friend, may the Holy Spirit of God living in you enable you with the desire and the power to be conformed to the image of Christ, growing up in spiritual maturity as an imitator of God. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257
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Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Morning by Morning, July 31 - Immovable, Unshakeable
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I am Yours and You are mine -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Let me begin my day rooted and grounded in the truth and experience of Your tender mercy and steadfast love. ...
"Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people, for this time on and forevermore" (Psalm 125:1-2).
Ground me and surround me, O Lord. Ground me in Your love, surround me in Your Presence. Forgive me in Your mercy and strengthen me in Your Spirit.
You're never shaken by circumstances or moved by fear. You're never stuck in the past or anxious about the future. You are unshakable, immovable, steadfast and sure. And You invite us to drink deeply of Your Spirit and be conformed to Your nature. So by the power of the grace of God at work within me, "I keep the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved" (Psalm 16:8). And by that same power of Your grace, "(God) alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken" (Psalm 62:6).
You already know every challenge I'll face today. You already know every measure of Your grace I'll need to overcome and come through. So I willingly choose to be desperately dependent upon You alone. And I thank You now for all the goodness and grace You'll show to me all day long. I embrace Your invitation to declare this truth: "On God rests my deliverance and my honor; my mighty rock, my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.... Once God has spoken; twice I have heard this: that power belongs to God, and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord" (Psalm 62:7-12). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
My Friend, may you be immovable and unshakable in the power of the grace of God through every challenge you may face today. May you be grounded in His love and surrounded by His Presence. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257
Share this word to encourage a friend!
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
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