Morning by Morning, February 26 - Holding Fast to Truth in Love

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Put Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart. Help me start my day embraced by my Father, centered in Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit. ...

 

"Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, 'You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow Me.' When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions" (Mark 10:21-23).

 

Lord Jesus, You look at us with the eyes of love even as You speak to us to Your words of truth. You know our hearts, You know our sins, You know our struggles and fears, our strongholds and failures. But You love us just the same. You love us no matter what, even though Your love does not excuse or condone what is less than Your truth.

 

Come, Holy Spirit. You are the Spirit of Truth, just as much as You are the Spirit of Love (John 14:17; 1 John 4:8). Search my heart and show me what are the "many possessions" that I hold so dearly that I would walk away "grieving" from the challenges of Your Truth and Your Love. Show me whatever may be holding onto me that would keep me from fully surrendering, fully trusting, and fully obeying Your leading into all Truth. That's what You do because You're my Comforter but also my Teacher who leads me into all Truth and reminds my of the ways and will of God revealed through the life of Christ (John 14:26).

 

My Father, I am Your child and I am loved, despite all that's in me that's not yet like You. You love me as I am and love me enough to never leave me as I am on my life-long journey to grow in maturity, to grow in Christ-likeness, to grow into the full measure of the stature of Christ (Romans 8:29; Ephesians 4:13). "For this is the will of God, (my) sanctification" (1 Thessalonians 4:3).

 

Lord Jesus, just like You looked at the rich, young ruler and loved him, even as You spoke the truth in love to him, You did the same with the woman who was exposed by her sexual immorality and sin. You looked at her and loved her; You didn't condemn her but spoke the truth in love to convict her of her need to repent and sin no more (John 8:11). In Your unfailing love for us, You convict us and speak Your truth to us -- not to shame us or condemn us, but to forgive us and free us. Who the Son sets free is free indeed! (John 8:36).

 

To grow up into all You've created us and called us to be, we must learn how to be full of love and full of truth -- "speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ" (Ephesians 4:15). And the love of Christ is not a counterfeit love, not a worldly love, but the very love of God in our hearts that does not walk away from Your truth, but humbly embraces it to allow it to lead and change us into Your image, more and more every day. As You said long ago, You're still saying today:  "Those who love me will keep My word, and My Father will love them, and We will come to them and make Our home with them. Whoever does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word that you hear is not Mine, but is from the Father who sent Me" (John 14:23-24).

 

As I search my heart, as I let You search my heart, to see if there's something wrong with me or my understanding of Your Word and Your will and Your ways in relation to all the talk of "love" and "hate" and "harm" and "injustice" I hear in these days, what comes to me in all honesty is this: "Hold fast to what is true."  ...

 

Yes, Lord. Your Word says, "Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil. May the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do this" (1 Thessalonians 5:19-24). And Your Word encourages us, "Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who has promised is faithful" (Hebrews 10:23).

 

So despite what hurtful names I may be called and hurtful ways my faith and hope may be judged, I'm choosing by the power of Your grace, as best as I can, to hold fast to what is true. If I'm mistaken, please convict me and change me. But in all honesty, what I sense in my heart is not conviction of sin or correction of my understanding of Your Word and Your Truth, but rather the courage of conviction to stand firm in my faith and the hope You've put in my heart "without wavering." As You said in Your Word:  "My righteous one will live by faith. My soul takes no pleasure in anyone who shrinks back.' But we are not among those who shrink back and so are lost, but among those who have faith and so are saved" (Hebrews 10:38-39).

 

So by the power of Your grace, as far as Your grace will go, may I live in love, speak the truth in love, hear the truth spoken in love, and keep growing in love every day. "Love rejoices in truth" and "Love never fails" (1 Corinthians 13:1-13). "And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:13). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

My friend, may you hold fast to truth in love, as you grow in the grace and love of God, becoming more like Jesus every day -- embraced by our Father, centered in Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. And please continue to join with me in prayer for the Holy Spirit to lead every momentous decision being made by the delegates about truth and about love at the special called session of General Conference for the world-wide body of the United Methodist Church currently taking place in St. Louis. God bless you, my friend! 

 

Ministry in England this Week.

Friends, please keep us in prayer as my wife, Rocio and I, travel to England in the morning where I'm excited and honored to be the keynote speaker at the annual European Conference of Aldersgate Renewal Ministries on Spirit-filled Living in the Wesleyan Tradition. They've asked me to speak on the theme of "Release for the Captives!" May we experience a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit's power and love, igniting revival and awakening in our hearts and our land, in Jesus' name! God bless you and thank you so much for all your prayers and encouragement, as we journey together in prayer Morning by Morning! 

Due to our travel and ministry schedule, I may not always be able to write and send out these morning devotionals every each day from my morning prayer time. But may we continue to hold each other up in prayer every day. God bless you!

 

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

www.Messiah-Ministries.org 

  

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

www.RaphaGodMinistries.com 

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

Morning by Morning, February 25 - Courageous Spiritual Leadership

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the King of kings and Lord of lords. Be King of my heart and Lord of my life as I entrust my day into Your will -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ...

 

"Then (King Josiah) directed that all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem should be gathered to him.... He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the Lord. The king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the Lord, to follow the Lord, keeping His commandments, His decrees, and His statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this Book. All the people joined in the covenant.... Moreover, Josiah removed all the shrines of the high places that were in the towns of Samaria, which kings had made, provoking the Lord to anger.... Moreover Josiah put away the mediums, wizards, teraphim, idols, and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, so that the he established words of the law that were written in the Book that the priest Hilkiah had found in the house of the Lord. Before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; nor did any like him arise him (2 Kings 23:1-25).

 

The leadership of King Josiah speaks to us of courageous spiritual leadership that speaks out and stands up to the spirit of the times. True spiritual leadership affirms the words of the Book and brings the people of the Book into remembrance, repentance, and even revival!

 

And the spiritual leadership of King Josiah points us to the authority of King Jesus and the Spirit of the One who is the "King of kings and Lord of lords" living in us (Revelations 19:16; Romans 8:9). The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us and can bring the dead things to life again through us if we will follow You and the words of the Book, living and loving in the power of Your nature and the authority of Your name (Romans 8:11; Matthew 10:8).

 

Come Holy Spirit! Give us courage to rise up and stand firm! Give us breath to speak life to the dead bones that will arise to be all You've created us to be in You! (Ezekiel 37:1-14) Through repentance and prayer, through turning to You and honoring Your Word and embracing Your Spirit, open a window of revival in our hearts and in our land! (2 Chronicles 7:14) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

My Friend, may you be stirred by the Holy Spirit to keep turning to the Lord, honoring His Word, and embracing His Spirit to experience great revival in your heart and in our land, in Jesus' name! May you be a courageous spiritual leader in every strategic position the Lord has placed you for such a time as this, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. And please continue to join with me in prayer for the Holy Spirit to lead every momentous decision being made by the delegates to the special called session of General Conference for the world-wide body of the United Methodist Church currently taking place in St. Louis. God bless you, my friend! 

 

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

www.Messiah-Ministries.org 

  

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

www.RaphaGodMinistries.com 

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

Morning by Morning, February 22 - Courage of Conviction

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Here I am, Lord. Send me. First, I'm here in prayer. Then, I'm sent into my world to live and love and minister from the overflow I receive here in my deeply intimate and personal time with You, where deep calls to Deep and I abide You as You abide in me -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God.  ...

 

"And the One who was seated on the throne said, 'See, I am making all things new.' Also He said, 'Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.' Then He said to me, 'It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be My children. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, the murders, the fornicators, the sorcerers, the idolaters, and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death'" (Revelation 21:5-8).

 

Lord, give me courage of conviction. These Words are "red letter Words" in my Bible, spoken from the mouth of Jesus. Forgive me for every way I've ever been cowardly. And at the same time, forgive me for every way I've ever joined in the sin or come into agreement with the heart and attitude of those who are faithless, polluted, murders, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, or liars. I know what it to sin. And I know what it is to confess it, repent of it, and be forgiven of it when I was willing to admit the sin for the sin that it was, instead of excuse it or explain it away. There's no greater joy than to be restored again to "the joy of (my) salvation" (Psalm 51:12), with "clean hands and (a) pure heart" (Psalm 24:4), and to be forgiven and cleansed "from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). 

 

But sometimes the fear of man makes me waiver. Sometimes the voices of intimidation make me step back. Sometimes the concern for my reputation makes me stand by in silence. And if I'm really being honest with You and with myself, I have to admit that's giving in to the heart and spirit of "the cowardly" (Revelation 21:8 in "red letter Words).

 

Lord Jesus, line up my heart with Yours, my mind with Yours, my will with Yours. Give me Your Heart and Spirit. Replace my cowardice with Your courage -- the courage of conviction. "For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline" (2 Timothy 1:7 NRSV) -- not "a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV).

 

The courage of conviction restores my heart and spirit to "the fear of the Lord" (Isaiah 11:2; 2 Corinthians 5:11). And in "the fear of the Lord" I grow in grace and Your Church grows in our world, just as You modelled for us in the early Church that turned the cultures of this world "upside down" in the power and authority of Your Word and Your Spirit (Acts 17:6). "Meanwhile the Church throughout Judea, Galilee, Samaria had peace and was built up. Living in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers" (Acts 9:32). That was Your plan for Church growth. That was Your plan for a way forward. That was Your plan for "making disciples of all nations" and "teaching them to obey everything that (You) have commanded (us)" (Matthew 28:19-20).

 

In humility and faith, in confession and repentance, in trusting obedience to You and Your Word, I pray for more courage of conviction. I pray that by the power of Your grace, I will "be strong and courageous," not "frightened or dismayed, for the Lord (my) God is with (me) wherever (I) go" (Joshua 1:9). Here I am, Lord. Send me (Isaiah 6:8). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

My Friend, may you be forgiven and free from all that would hold you back from walking faith and speaking the truth in love with the courage of conviction the Holy Spirit of God is awakening in you, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend! 

 

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

www.Messiah-Ministries.org 

  

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

www.RaphaGodMinistries.com 

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

Morning by Morning, February 21 - Holiness of Heart, Not Compromise with Culture

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are One with the Father, One with the Holy Spirit, and I welcome You to be One within me as I abide in You. "Anyone united to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him" (1 Corinthians 6:17; John 15:4).  ...

 

As I offer to You the first moments of my morning each day, to be watching and waiting in Your Presence, grounded in Your Word and filled with Your Spirit, I'm listening to see how You will lead. As I wait on You this morning, You're bringing to mind an image of the temple and a Scripture from one of the prophets about not compromising with the culture and religions around us. As I seek it out, I find this in Your Word:

 

"Then He brought me to the gate, the gate facing east. And there, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east; the sound was like the sound of mighty waters; and the earth shone with His glory... As the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east, the Spirit lifted me up, and brought me into the inner court; and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. While the man was standing beside me, I heard Someone speaking to me out of the temple. He said to me:  Mortal, this is the place of My throne and the place for the soles of My feet, where I will reside among the people of Israel forever. The house shall no more defile My holy name, neither they nor their kings, by their whoring and by the corpses of their kings at their death. When they placed their threshold by My threshold and their doorposts beside My doorposts, with only a wall between Me and them, they were defiling My holy name by their abominations that they committed: therefore I have consumed them in My anger. Now let them put away their idolatry and the corpses of their kings far from Me, and I will reside among them forever... When they are ashamed of all they have done, make known to them the plan of the temple.... This is the law of the temple:  the whole territory on the top of the mountain all around shall be most holy. This is the law of the temple" (Ezekiel 43:12).

 

As You taught on the walk to Emmaus, the law and the prophets of Scripture find their ultimate fulfillment in You, Lord Jesus (Luke 24:27). And all that happened to the people of Israel in their journey and experience of God in the Old Covenant is intended to speak to us as examples with spiritual principles under the New Covenant (1 Corinthians 10:11). So I'm listening to hear what You would speak to me from this ancient Word that's ever true for my life today.  ...

 

What comes to my spirit and up to mind is a renewed call to holiness and purity. "Pursue peace with everyone, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14). We are to pursue peace -- to seek to live at peace in the shalomof God with You and with one another. And at the same time, we are to pursue holiness -- holiness of heart and life, yielded to Your will and trusting in Your ways, with Your Word as our Authority and Your Spirit as our Guide. And we are not to pursue peace at the expensive of pursing holiness.

 

Forgive me for however I have compromised with my culture, settled for something less than Your best, given in to the fear of man rather than honoring You in the fear of the Lord -- setting up my own "threshold" by Yours and my own "doorposts" beside Yours. Forgive me for every way I have defiled Your "holy name" by misrepresenting Your Nature, by misstating Your Word, or resisting Your Spirit. I pray this for myself and as I "stand in the gap" of intercession on behalf of my Church and all You've entrusted to my care, as far as Your grace will go (Ezekiel 22:30).

 

Our Father God, I thank You for Your steadfast love and merciful heart, so ready to forgive and restore. "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!" (Lamentations 3:22-23)

 

Just as You spoke Your Word of forgiveness and mercy, of hope and healing, of restoration and redemption to the people of Israel and their kings who had sinned against You, You still speak Your Word to us and our "kings" today, always pursuing us and calling us to turn our hearts again to You: "If we say that we have fellowship with Him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the Blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:6-9).

 

Come, Holy Spirit. Convict us of our sins that we may be cleansed form all unrighteousness, in the power of Your grace and the mercy of Your love. John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Movement that ignited a great revival said to his preachers, "Expect no revival unless you preach repentance." We repent, Lord (2 Corinthians 7:14). Create in us a clean heart and renew a right spirit within us, that we would not be cast away from Your Presence but restored to the joy of our salvation (Psalm 51:10-12). "Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and of spirit, making holiness perfect in the fear of God" (2 Corinthians 7:1). This is "the plan of the temple" (Ezekiel 43:11) -- Let this be the plan for our Church.

 

Together as Your Church, together as one, we are Your Temple (1 Corinthians 3:16). And we welcome Your Spirit to come fill Your Temple with Your Glory -- the Glory of the manifest Presence of God. Come like a rushing Wind! Come light the Fire again! Awaken us! Revive us! Set us ablaze with Your Holy Spirit to be Your witnesses and make Your disciples -- not compromising with our culture but proclaiming Your Cross and Your Resurrection in the power of Your love. There is only true "peace through the Blood of the Cross" (Colossians 1:20). In the great awakening and revival that begins with each one of us, "(We) will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon (us); and (we) will be (Your) witnesses ... to the ends of the earth!" (Acts 1:8) Thank You for the power of both the Cross and the Flame! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

My Friend, may you be stirred in a renewed passion and pursuit of holiness of heart and life, looking to the Cross of Christ and consumed in the Flame of the Holy Spirit, to be a part of God's great awakening and revival in our hearts and in our land , in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend! 

 

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

www.Messiah-Ministries.org 

  

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

www.RaphaGodMinistries.com 

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

Morning by Morning, February 20 - God's One Church Plan

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Take me by the heart and lead me in the path that leads to the fullness of life in You today. ...

 

"Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matthew 6:33 NKJV).

 

We all come from different streams of the Body of Christ. We are to flow together as one in a River of Life to bring salvation and peace, hope and healing, grace and mercy in the love of God our Father, revealed in Jesus Christ, and offered freely to all through the Holy Spirit to a world desperately in need of You. Together as one, out of our hearts that are seeking Your heart "flow Rivers of Living Water" (John 7:38). Together as one, the world will know that the Father has sent His Son in mercy and love (John 17:23).

 

And we long for that Living Water of Your heart flowing through our hearts to be pure -- holy and clean, full of life and love, untainted and undefiled. We long to honestly, sincerely represent You and Your heart with integrity and clarity, with humility and kindness, with courage and boldness, with truth and love, grounded in Your Word and filled with Your Spirit. "All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making His appeal through us" (2 Corinthians 5:18-20).

 

I've come from the stream of the Methodist Church, being ordained for ministry when You called me out of my career as a trial lawyer to be a servant leader in the Body of Christ. Rather than pastoring a local church, You called me into healing prayer ministry to minister Your healing love and power in the authority of Your Name, to heal the brokenhearted and set the captives free across denominational lines and throughout the broader Body of Christ, at home and abroad. I've been seeking to faithfully live out my calling in fulltime ministry now for twenty-two years -- all in Your power and all by Your grace.

 

In the coming days, leaders and delegates from my stream will be meeting at a special-called General Conference in St. Louis to make huge decisions that will influence the direction and flow of our stream. And every stream affects all the streams of this River of Life that flows through this world-wide Body of Christ, no matter our denominational or non-denominational identity. We are "one Body" (1 Corinthians 12:12) and we have one Head of this Body of Christ, for "Christ is the head of the Church, the Body of which He is Savior" (Ephesians 5:23). "There is one Body and one Spirit, just as (we) were called to the one hope of (our) calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all" (Ephesians 4:4-6).

 

Along with other spiritual leaders in my stream, I received a call to fasting and prayer for the delegates and decisions that will be made at this upcoming General Conference. For us, our stream is flowing into "the Valley of Decision" (Joel 3:14). And as I turn my heart to prayer, I believe I hear You speaking this Scripture in my heart:  "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matthew 6:33 NKJV). It actually came to me in the form of the old song, sung in the old King James, "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. And all these things shall be added unto you. Hallelu, Hallelujah...." 

 

And I believe I hear You speaking in my heart: "Seek Me first. Not unity for the sake of unity, but the unity of your spirit with My Spirit as you yield your will to My Will. Not your kingdom but My Kingdom. Not your ways but My Way. Not your plan but My Plan. If you seek Me with all your heart, you will find Me. Be willing to hear My voice. Be willing to obey My Word. Be willing to be led by My Spirit. I am the Head and you are My body. I am the Vine and you are My branches. You are My ambassadors, sent to represent My heart, revealed through My Word by My Spirit. Seek Me first. Seek My Kingdom. Seek My righteousness. Have no other gods, no other agendas, no other motives, no other desires before Me. Humble yourselves, seek My face and pray. If you are willing to listen, I will speak and I will lead. But do not tell Me what you want to hear. Listen to Me and I will speak. I always speak from My Heart and according to My Word. So test everything you believe you hear by the Plumb Line of my Word and hold fast to what is True." ...

 

Yes, Lord. ...

 

I pray for humility and faithfulness in my own heart and in the hearts of all who will be making these major decisions. I pray the same for every brother and sister in Christ in every stream throughout Your Church throughout the earth. May we seek You first and Your Kingdom and Your Righteousness. May we not waiver or compromise. May we not shrink back or give up. But may we listen and trust and obey. May we awaken and arise to stand firm in the Faith as we seek Your face and love in Your grace. May we represent Your heart to our world with integrity and courage. May we be like Christ -- for as You are, so are we to be in our world (1 John 4:17; 2 Peter 1:4; Romans 8:29). And may we be Your witnesses in Your power and Your love to the ends of earth, together as one (Acts 1:8). Seeking Your Face, listening for Your Voice, trusting Your Will, and obeying Your Word should be our one church plan because this is Your Pan for Your Church. This is our way forward -- "for there's no other way but to trust and obey." In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

 

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

My Friend, may you seek the Lord's Face, listen for His Voice, trust in His Will, and obey His Word, as He sends you forth in the power of His love to be His witness in your world, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. And please join with me in prayer for all who are making momentous decisions upon behalf of the United Methodist Church in these coming days. I pray for God's wisdom and guidance in your stream and in the world-wide Body of Christ. God bless you, my friend! 

  

Pakistan Internet Ministry Report. Friends, I had another opportunity to share a message of hope and healing in a remote village in Pakistan on Saturday Night through our Internet Ministry. I preach though an interpreter and a large screen in a different village each month, as our resources permit. I just received this praise report from Pastor Fazal who coordinates these meetings for us -- 287 Salvations and 98 Reports of healing and freedom from pain and sickness of different kinds! Praise God! Thank you for all your prayers and encouragement for us!

 

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

www.Messiah-Ministries.org 

  

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

www.RaphaGodMinistries.com 

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

Morning by Morning, February 18 - A New Thing Springs Forth Now

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Put Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart. Make me more like You today. ...

 

"I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.... I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to My chosen people, the people whom I formed for Myself so that they might declare My praise!" (Isaiah 43:19-21)

 

Come, Holy Spirit. Open the eyes of my heart to perceive what You are doing (Ephesians 1:18). Set me free from any fear of the "new thing" that "springs forth." For "now" is the time. "Now it springs forth."

 

Sometimes the past is the greatest enemy of the present. Sometimes our memory of how it was always done is the greatest enemy of allowing our imagination to see how You're doing things now. But in the refreshing, renewing waters of Your Spirit, the wilderness places become a well of salvation and the desert places become an oasis of hope. When we take hold of You and allow You to take hold of us, "there is a new creation; everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!" (2 Corinthians 5:17)

 

By the power of Your grace, hope deferred will not hold me back. Disappointment and discouragement of unfilled dreams will not stifle my faith for what is yet to come. Regret over mistakes made and opportunities lost will not throw a wet blanket of the fire You're kindling in my spirit. "This one thing I do:  forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus! Let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind!" (Philippians 3:13-15)

 

Yes, Lord. I do perceive it! I do receive it! And I'm excited to see what You will do, as I let go and take hold of this new thing that You're springing forth in me now -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God! In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

My Friend, may you perceive and receive the new thing the Lord is springing forth in you, not holding back but taking hold of all He has for you, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend! 

  

Pakistan Internet Ministry Report. Friends, I had another opportunity to share a message of hope and healing in a remote village in Pakistan on Saturday Night through our Internet Ministry. I preach though an interpreter and a large screen in a different village each month, as our resources permit. I just received this praise report from Pastor Fazal who coordinates these meetings for us -- 287 Salvations and 98 Reports of healing and freedom from pain and sickness of different kinds! Praise God! Thank you for all your prayers and encouragement for us!

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries

Healing from the Inside Out

www.Messiah-Ministries.org 

  

Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries

4 Dominion Drive, Building 1

San Antonio, Texas 78257

www.RaphaGodMinistries.com 

Please share this word to encourage a friend!