Friday, June 10, 2016

Morning by Morning, June 10 - The Spirit of Love
 Good morning, Lord Jesus. I love You, Lord. And I thank You for the joy of knowing You love me. Wow, sometimes it's good to just stop and take a moment and say those words out loud. "I am loved by God. ... My God loves me.  ... O, Lord, my God, You love me. Wow, let those words sink into my soul a little deeper today, as I begin my day in the communion of prayer with You -- the God who loves me.  ... "Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God's love was revealed among us in this way:  God sent His only Son in to the world so that we mighty live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and His love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent His Son as the Savior of the world. God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in God, and God abides in them. Love has been perfected among us in this:  that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as He is, so are we in this world" (1 John 4:7-17).  God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit -- You are God and You are Love. And You have given us Your Spirit -- the Spirit of Love, who abides in us. By Your Spirit within us, You are making us more like You. As You are, so are we in this world (v. 17). You long for Your Spirit of Your Love to be in us and in our world:  "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved" (John 3:16-17). Thank You for reminding of Your love for me. As You said long ago, "I have loved you with an everlasting love" (Jeremiah 31:3). Thank You for pouring Your Spirit of Love into me. Now let Your Spirit of Love flow through me and touch the lives of those in the world around me who desperately need to know Your saving love, Your everlasting love, Your Spirit of Love today. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays



I pray you will be know how deeply you are loved by God today allow his Spirit of love to flow through you and change the world around you, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

     

Friends, please keep me in prayer as I teach and minister in Athens, Georgia near the campus of the University of Georgia at the 2016 Athens College of Ministry Transformed! conference.  I'll be speaking on Free to Be Like Jesus! -- Transforming Power of Inner Healing & Deliverance. I'll also be preaching and ministering at St. James United Methodist Church in Athens this weekend. All are welcome. Please come join us!  


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, June 08, 2016

Morning by Morning, June 8 - Learning to "Abide," Living in Christ
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Welcome into my heart and the moments of my day.  ...
 
"Abide in Me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither an you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in Me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:4-5).
 
What could be more important than learning to abide in You? You said if I abide in You, You would abide in me, and I would bear much fruit.
 
So much of the time, we get that so wrong. We tend to focus on the fruit, when You said to focus on You. We tend to focus on what we're doing for You instead of how we're living in You. It's like seeking first to build the kingdom of God instead seeking first You and our right relationship with You (Matthew 6:33). It's like trying to do so many good things instead of seeking the One Thing that makes all things work together for good. It's like trying to do it all ourselves instead of letting You do it all through us. And ultimately, all that we do apart from You, no matter how good or helpful it may seem at the time, amounts to nothing of eternal significance. Just like You said long ago, "Apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).
 
So teach me to abide in You. Teach me to seek You first and focus most on my relationship with You.
 
Lord Jesus, as I seek to abide in You right now in the beginning of my day, what do You want me to hear or see or sense in this moment? ...
 
It seems I hear You saying in my heart:  "You abide in Me as you open your heart to Me, allowing Me to abide in you. That's the key. Allow Me to abide in you. Welcome my Spirit within you. Embrace my life within your life. Allow Me to put My thought in your mind and My desires in your heart. Allow Me to express My words, My power, My heart, My nature through your life. I am the Vine. You are one of My branches. Seek to be one with Me, one in the Vine, and My Spirit will flow through your life. Then I will cause My fruit to be borne through you. Let your focus and your passion be upon abiding in Me. Then trust Me to bear My fruit through your life. Not by your power, not by your might, but by My Spirit."
 
Yes, Lord. That's sounds like You speaking to me, as I seek to discern Your voice from my own thoughts, the leading of Your Holy Spirit from the merely the desires of my own human spirit. As I test these words first against the Word of God, these Scriptures come to mind:  "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts" (Zechariah 4:6). "In Him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28). "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21 NKJV). "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:19-20). "Christ in (me), the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27).
 
So as best as I can and all by Your grace, I seek to abide in You, Lord Jesus Christ. You are the Vine and I am one of Your branches. As I begin this day and life out the moments of my adventure of faith, I want to be embraced by my Father, centered in Christ, and filled with Your Holy Spirit -- abiding in You as You abide in me. Let this be more than a moment, but a lifestyle of living in You and allowing You to live through me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays



I pray you will be stirred by the Spirit of God to abide in Christ in a lifestyle of abiding and living in Him, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

     


Friends, please keep me in prayer as I travel to Georgia to teach and minister at the 2016 Athens College of Ministry Transformed! conference.  I'll be speaking on Free to Be Like Jesus! -- Transforming Power of Inner Healing & Deliverance. I'll also be preaching and ministering at St. James United Methodist Church in Athens this weekend. All are welcome. Please come join us!  


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, June 07, 2016

Morning by Morning, June 7 - An "Open and Shut Case"
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the King of kings and Lord of lords. Be King and Lord of my life and all the moments of my day.  ...
 
"I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and no one shall shut; he shall shut, and no one shall open" (Isaiah 22:22).
 
When I was a trial lawyer, we dreamed of what we called "an open and shut case." All the facts would be so clear and undisputed that there would be nothing left to argue about. Admittedly, even then, I'm sure some lawyer would find something to argue about even with "an open and shut case" -- and it would probably be my hard-earned, well-deserved fee.
 
That old phrase of "an open and shut case" comes to me this morning. And I'm thankful that every case is under Your jurisdiction (Matthew 28:18). Every matter is open and shut before You, according to the authority of Your judgment and Your justice. You are the One "who stands ready to judge the living and the dead" (1 Peter 4:5). And You are a "righteous Judge" (Psalm 7:11)."Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before You" (Psalm 89:14). 
 
We can trust in Your judgments and Your justice. We can trust in the sovereignty of Your authority to judge what is right and true. "For the Lord will not forsake His people; He will not abandon His heritage; for justice will return to the righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it" (Psalm 94:14-15). "Let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream" (Amos 5:24 NKJV).
 
At the same time, we can be so thankful for Your grace when we'd so much rather receive Your mercy instead of pray for Your justice, because all of us always keep finding ourselves falling short of Your glory and always keep finding ourselves in need of our Savior (Romans 3:23). So we thank You for Your justice and Your mercy. 
 
We thank You for setting things right in the Court of Heaven and setting things right in the court of our hearts. So by the power of the grace of God, we "so speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment" (James 2:12-13). "What does the Lord require of (us) but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with (our) God?" (Micah 6:8)
 
As I begin this day, let the case of my salvation be an open and shut case. Let the case of my trust in You and Your righteousness, Your justice, and Your mercy be an open and shut case. Let the case of my my faith that no matter what happens in this broken and fallen world, You'll be at work on my behalf to cause it all to work together for good be an open and shut case (Romans 8:28). And let the mouth and the judgments of my accuser who always stands ready to accuse and condemn be shut forever by the victory of the cross and the power of the blood of Jesus. It's my only defense, because You're the only Defense I need. It's an open and shut case. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays



I pray the voice and judgments of your accuser be silenced and shut forever by our righteous Judge in your open and shut case before the Court of Heaven, in Jesus' name. 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, June 06, 2016

Morning by Morning, June 6 - Fierce Love
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I begin my day in the assurance of Your embrace -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  ...
 
"In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry to Him reached His ears. Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because He was angry. Smoke went up from His nostrils, and devouring fire from His mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from Him. He bowed the heavens, and came down; thick darkness was under His feet. He rode a cherub, and flew; He came swiftly upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness His covering around Him, His canopy thick clouds dark with water. Out of the brightness before Him there broke through His clouds hailstones and coals of fire. The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered His voice. And He sent out His arrows, and scattered them; He flashed forth lightnings, and routed them. Then the channels of the seas were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at Your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of Your nostrils.... He reached down from on high, He took me; He drew me out of mighty waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from those who hate me; for they were too mighty for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity; but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me, because He delighted in me" (Psalm 18:6-19).
 
O how fierce is Your mighty love for those who fear You and call on Your name in their distress. You hear and You act. You come in power and might. You destroy the destroyer and consume the accuser in the glory of Your coming. Your fierce love for us is "terrible as an army with banners" (Song of Solomon 6:10). Your "love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging flame" (Song of Solomon 8:6).
 
In the face of the fierceness of Your love, let my spiritual enemies tremble and flee. For my God hears and my God acts. "Let God rise up, let His enemies be scattered; let those who hate Him flee before Him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before the fire, let the wicked perish before God" (Psalm 68:1-2). "Let the oppressed see it and be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive! For the Lord hears the needy, and does not despise His own that are in bonds" (Psalm 69:32-33). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays



I pray you experience the power and might of the fierce love of our passionate God -- passionate to consume your spiritual enemies, to revive your spirit, and set you free to be all He created you to be, in Jesus' name. 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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Friday, June 03, 2016

Morning by Morning, June 3 - "Even So, Come, Lord Jesus!"
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Come into my heart and every moment of my day. Rule and reign in Your power in every area of my life.  ...
 
"Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" (Revelation 22:20 NKJV)
 
I gave my heart to You in the surrender of salvation long ago. Even so, come Lord Jesus, come!
 
I was lost, but now I'm found. I was dead, but now I'm alive. I was once without hope in this world spinning hopelessly out of control, but now I'm confident in the One who holds the world in His hands. Even so, come Lord Jesus, come!
 
Even today as I look around, I see so much chaos and confusion, so much wickedness in a world that seems headed to darker places still, yet I trust in Your promise that You're always with me and will never forsake me. Even so, come Lord Jesus, come!
 
In the midst of the struggles and the battles, whether in the spirit or in plain sight, I find myself growing more desperately dependent upon You each day. I find myself growing in the grace of Your truth that when I am weak, You are strong and Your grace is sufficient for me. Even so, come Lord Jesus, come!
 
Together as one in this world, we are the body and the bride of Christ. We've given our hearts to You because You've given Your heart to us. You've filled us with Your Spirit; You've called us into Your kingdom; You've invited us to embrace our calling as Your ambassadors of hope and life in a world that so desperately needs it, that so desperately needs You. Even so, come Lord Jesus, come!
 
You came into our world as Son of God and Son of Man to show us the heart of God and to save us from the sinful hearts of men. And You promised You'd come again (Acts 1:11). You said "Occupy till I come" (Luke 19:13 KJV). One day You'll come again in the skies (1 Thessalonians 4:16). And every day between now and then You come again in our hearts (John 15:5). 
 
We are Your bride and You are our King (Ephesians 5:27). Even so, come Lord Jesus, come! "The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!'" (Revelation 22:17) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays



I pray you welcome Jesus into our world every moment you welcome Him into your heart, as we join with the Spirit and the bride throughout the earth to pray and to say, "Come, Lord Jesus, come!" Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend, and thank you for joining with me in this daily journey of prayer!

   

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, June 02, 2016

Morning by Morning, June 2 - "Need of Only One Thing"
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Help me start this day and every day embraced by my Father, centered in Christ the Son, and filled with Your Holy Spirit.  ...
 
"Now as they went on their way, He entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha, welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what He was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to Him and asked, 'Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.' But the Lord answered her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:38-42)
 
Martha was so sure of Your answer she didn't even wait to her it. She asked, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself?"  But she didn't wait to hear what You would say. She assumed You would be saying, "Yes. You're right. Mary is wrong and you are right. Mary, get to work and quit wasting your time sitting at My feet and listening to Me." No, she just went right on with her assumption to say, "Tell her then to help me."
 
But You didn't tell Mary to help Martha. No, You defended Mary. In fact, You insisted that what she had in those moments of waiting and listening in the intimacy of Your Presence would "not be taken away from her." Incredibly, You didn't just say it was the best thing she could be doing or the most honoring or most effective thing she could be doing. You said "There is need of only one thing."
 
So before I go about the work that surrounds me today, before I get busy doing all the things that need to be done, I choose to embrace Your truth that "There is need of only one thing." And by the grace of God, it was not be taken from me. In fact, I believe You insist upon it.  ...
 
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays



I pray you will embrace the truth and the invitation of Jesus that there is need of only one thing, as you begin your day in the intimate Presence of the Lord, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. I have to smile as I write these words this morning. I had several unexpected challenges that almost convinced me I didn't have time to pray and write my devotional to send out this morning. But I heard, "One thing" in my heart and knew I needed to take the time -- that it was a gift of God that would not be taken from me. Thank you for joining with me in the daily journey of prayer, morning by morning. 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, June 01, 2016

Morning by Morning, June 1 - Marvelous Light, Merciful Love
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I breathe in Your Spirit, rest in Your embrace, and wait for Your leading to begin the journey of my day with You, O Lord, my God -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
 
"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy" (1 Peter 2:9-10).
 
We find mercy in Your marvelous light. And we find our identity and our destiny in Your merciful love -- "God's own people," created and called to experience and "proclaim the mighty acts of Him who called (us)."
 
Let Your marvelous light shine through me. Let Your merciful love flow through me. "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness (does) not overcome it" (John 1:5). "(We) are from God, and have conquered (the darkness at work in this world); for the One who is in (us) is greater than the one who is in the world" (1 John 4:4).
 
Lord Jesus, You are the marvelous Light. You said, "I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life" (John 8:12). You said, "I have come as Light in to the world, so that everyone who believes in Me should not remain in darkness" (John 12:46). And You also said of all who follow You and allow Your light to shine through us, "You are the light of the world.... In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:14-16).
 
By the power of the grace of God, let darkness flee from my presence today because the Presence of the One who is the Light lives in me. "For it is the God who said, 'Let light shines 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). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays



I pray you will shine with the marvelous light and flow in the merciful love of our mighty God today, in Jesus' name. 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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Friday, May 27, 2016

Morning by Morning, May 27 - Repent and Return to Our First Love
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I'm excited to see where You'll lead me today on our adventure of faith.  ...
 
"I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance. I know that you cannot tolerate evildoers; you have tested those who claim to be apostle but are not, and have found them to be false. I also know that you are enduring patiently and bearing up for the sake of My name, and that you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember then from what you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Yet this is to your credit; you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To everyone who conquers, I will give permission to eat from the tree of life that is in the paradise of God" (Revelation 2:2-7).
 
Lord Jesus, You didn't speak these words to the world. You spoke them to us. You were speaking to all who are called by Your name to "listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches" -- in the generation of John at the time of his Revelation, but also to every generation of believers since that day You first spoke those words.
 
Thank You for the good things You see in me and my church -- the hard work, the patient endurance, the discernment and desire to seek what is true and reject what is false. But I also thank You for loving us enough to all call out the things in me and my church that are not right, where we've lost our way, where our faithfulness and love for You and Your ways have grown cold. Thank You for the grace that reminds us in love "from what (we) have fallen" and invites us to "repent" and return.
 
There can be no revival without repentance. There can be no awakening without awareness of where we have fallen. But just as a deeply loved child is both encouraged and corrected by a loving Father, You're always encouraging us by Your Spirit to take a look at our hearts, to test our ways against the plumb line of Your Word, and embrace the invitation of Your grace to fully return to You and "the love (we) had at first."
 
As we do, we will overcome. As we do, we will conquer the deadening of our consciences and the hardening of our hearts from our compromises with the ways of our world. "To everyone who conquers, (You) will give permission to eat from the tree of life that is in the paradise of God." In fact, "in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:37-39). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays



I pray we will hear in our generation what the Spirit is saying to us and our church, that we will repent of all that's not right and return to the Lord and our first love, in Jesus' name. May we overcome and conquer by the power of the grace of God at work within us to be all He created us to be, knowing our identity and fulfilling our destiny in our generation of making disciples of Jesus Christ in all the world. Please join me in that prayer. 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, May 26, 2016

Morning by Morning, May 26 - Urges of Love
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I want to begin well and end well, this day and every day. So I want to begin and end my day with You and welcome You into every moment in between.  ...
 
"For the love of Christ urges us on" (2 Corinthians 5:14).
 
Make me more sensitive to Your urges. Open my eyes to see what You see around me, who You see around me. And let Your love urge me on.
 
Forgive me from the times I've held back, from the times I've turned away, from the times I've not been willing to wait and listen for the leading of Your Spirit when Your love was urging me on. Thank You for Your grace that forgives me and cleanses me from every failure and all unrighteousness so that I never have to remain in regret from my past mistakes (1 John 1:9). 
 
I embrace Your grace and receive Your forgiveness. Now I'm free to be moved again by the prompting of Your Spirit and the urges of Your love. "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God" (Romans 8:14). "And when (I) turn to the right or when (I) turn to the left, (my) ears shall hear a word behind (me), saying, 'This is the way; walk in it" (Isaiah 30:21). Let me walk in the urges of Your love today. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays



I pray the Spirit of Christ will urges you on in His love throughout the encounters of your day, in Jesus' name. 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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