Burning Hearts with the Fire of God! - Morning by Morning, May 18, 2020

Morning by Morning, May 18 - Burning Hearts with the Fire of God!

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. King of Kings and Lord of Lords, be King of my heart and Lord of my life this day and every day, as I begin my day embraced by my Father, centered in Christ, and filled afresh with Your Holy Spirit. ...

 

"Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing Him. And He said to them, 'What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?' They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered Him, 'Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days? He asked them, 'What things?' They replied, 'The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed Him over to be condemned to death and crucified Him. But we had hoped that He was the One to redeem Israel...'" (Luke 24:13-21).

 

In the days between Passover and Pentecost, these two disciples of Yours on their walk to Emmaus were trying to figure out all that had happened. On the one hand, they were "looking sad" and felt deep disappointment because they "had hoped" things were going to turn out differently than they had. On the other hand, at the same time, they had heard great news that great things had happened in ways they didn't yet fully understand. They were expressing this to You as well, before they recognized You was the very One they who was so patiently waking with them on their journey all along, saying: "It is now the third day since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find His body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive! Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said..." (v. 21-14).

 

As we walk out these days between our Passover and Pentecost on our Biblical calendar of this powerfully prophetic year of 2020, there's so much going on in our hearts as well. Things that make us sad for what it seems we have lost. Things that haven't worked out in the way we had hoped according to what we had planned. Yet, at the same time, hearing and seeing amazing things in our midst. Words we've heard from You in our hearts keep bubbling up to the surface, almost ready to burst forth like a wellspring of hope and a fountain of life from deep down inside.

 

And as it turns out, You've been with us all along! You've been at work in our hearts and in our hopes and in our dreams preparing the way for what You have next, for what You've known and planned all along!

 

You drew near to those disciples of Yours on their walk to Emmaus, between their Passover and their Pentecost, speaking Your words of spirit and life and truth, reminding them of what You had said, encouraging with what was to come, and even lovingly correcting them in their lack of faith and trust in the words You had said and the Scriptures of the Word of God: "Then (Jesus) said to them, 'Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into His glory?' Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He interpreted to them the things about Himself in all the Scriptures" (v. 25-27)

 

As You spoke to them, their hearts burned within them! (v. 32) As they took hold of You in their burning hearts and in the breaking of bread in communion with You, "their eyes were opened, and they recognized (You)!" (v. 30-31)

 

You removed their sadness and filled them with joy! You gave them such comfort in the midst of all the changes and imparted courage to step into their future. You opened the eyes of their hearts to see You and Your plans more clearly than ever before -- like 2020 vision! 

 

They couldn't wait to go spread the news! "That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, 'The Lord has risen indeed! And He appeared to Simon!' Then they told what had happened on the road, and how He had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread!" (v. 33-35)

 

In these days between our Passover and Pentecost, between the day of Your Resurrection and the day of the great outpouring of Your Holy Spirit, You are preparing our hearts. We're Your disciples on the road of our journey with You. And though You've been with us all along, You are also drawing near in deeper ways to manifest Your Presence, to burn in our hearts by Your Spirit, to open our eyes to Your Word, in invite us to encounters with You in the breaking of the bread of the Word of God and the abiding communion of Your Presence.

 

Father, we long for a great outpouring of Your Holy Spirit! Yes, on the Day of Pentecost at the end of this month, but also on every day as we come to the end of ourselves and anything we understand or planned apart from Your perfect plan.

 

Come, Holy Spirit! Give us burning hearts with the Fire of God! We pray for revival and awakening--here in our hearts and here in our world! Let our hearts burn within us, as You set us ablaze as the body and bride of Christ, filled afresh with the Spirit of Christ, to go forward boldly and passionately in the great ministry of Christ in world, whether at home or abroad, whether face to face or through the airways of the internet! Like those disciples on the walk to Emmaus, we can't wait to go share the Good News of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God! He is risen! "The Lord has risen indeed!" In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. 

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

My friend, may you be consumed with a burning heart in the Fire of God, filled afresh with the Holy Spirit and embraced by the arms of our Father to go share the good news of Jesus in the power and love of God everywhere He sends you, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend! 

         

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"Sent Out by the Holy Spirit" - Morning by Morning, May 15, 2020

Morning by Morning, May 15 - "Sent Out by the Holy Spirit"

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the Good Shepherd, my Lord and Savior, and I want to seek Your face, hear Your voice, and follow Your steps, this day and every day, as best as I can and all by Your grace -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ... 

"Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the ruler, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went...." (Acts 13:1-4). 

My wife Rocio and I have been so honored to be part of a ministry so much like the gathering of the people of God at Antioch these past seven years -- Rapha God Ministries.  It's a vibrant, loving, powerful ministry called to minister and teach the healing love of Jesus Christ. Like Antioch, it's a ministry of prophets and teachers, saturated in a spiritual atmosphere of worship and prayer, seeking the leading of the Holy Spirit to be faithful and obedient to God. It's led by my life-long friend of over thirty years, Tammy Watts as its founder and executive director. We have been so honored to be so loved and saturated in such a rich and deep, authentic and genuine, atmosphere of our Father's love. 

Now, throughout the body of Christ today, the Holy Spirit is speaking to us all about the next season in the Kingdom of God and the unfolding plans of God in our world and in our lives. In different ways and step by step, the Holy Spirit is aligning and realigning, directing and redirecting our steps to fulfill His mandate and commission of the body and bride of Christ in our day. 

When Saul and Barnabas were sent out from Antioch, they carried with them the prophetic and teaching anointing that the Lord had done in them, but also went out in what was evangelistic and even became apostolic in time to go forward as they were led, in agreement with the leading of the same Holy Spirit moving in the hearts of all the leaders at Antioch. No doubt Antioch was different after that, just as Saul and Barnabas were different after that. Nothing went back to the old normal or how things were. Instead everything was becoming new and springing forth into what it was always intended to be. It wasn't denying or regretting the past; it was taking all that was learned and developed to go forward into the present and future in right alignment and fulfillment all the plans and purposes of God. 

While at Rapha God Ministries, I've also continued aspects of the ministry the Lord entrusted to me over twenty years ago called Messiah Ministries, called to "prepare the way of the Lord" in the hearts of His people, at home and to the nations. Several months ago, the Lord called us each to be fasting and praying about the original roots of what has grown into the tree of life and ministry for both Rapha God Ministries and Messiah Ministries. 

In obedience to this directive, like the leaders at Antioch, we've been fasting and praying and worshipping the Lord for several months about all this, each in our own way. The Lord has been speaking to all of us in different ways and providing different parts. It's all been in deep prayer and preparation for what He's about to do, in and through all of us. We see in part; we prophesy in part; we each share the parts we sense are from the Lord with testing and discernment to seek God's will and leading. He's the One who sees all the parts together and shows us what we need to know, when we need to know it. And now we believe the Lord is showing us how He is putting the parts together in exciting ways that stir up great joy and expectant faith for what is to come; while at the same time, there is also deep sorrow that comes from true hearts letting go of what has been so nurturing and beautiful in order to take hold of what lies ahead. 

Rocio and I seek the blessing of the Lord and loving release from our friends who have become our forever family at Rapha God Ministries to now go forth into what we believe the Holy Spirit is calling us to in the season ahead as we fully reengage the calling of Messiah Ministries. We know the Lord will continue to lead both of these ministries of His, step by step into the fullness of all He has always intended. With each ministry, separately led but both led of the Holy Spirit, just as the ministry of Antioch and the ministry of Saul and Barnabas were separate but blessed in their obedience to the Lord, both were able to grow and mature and expand the Kingdom of God in different ways. Both ministries were eternally connected in the bond of the Spirit, in the bonds of encouragement and love, with deep honor and respect for the Lord and for another. We desire the same.  

Rocio and I thank You, Father, for all You have done in us through our time of being deeply loved and growing deeply in the good soil of Rapha God Ministries. So much of who we are is what we have become through all the love and prayers, the nurture and growth, the healing and freedom You have done in us through our loving family at Rapha God Ministries. We honor them and we honor You for all You have done through them in our lives that will never be the same. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My friend, may you be blessed in all your Holy Spirit-filled relationships whether those of your past, your present, or your future, as the Lord aligns you, empowers you, and sends you out in His love by His Spirit for His Kingdom, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend! 

        

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"Endued with Power from on High!" - Morning by Morning, May 14, 2020

Morning by Morning, May 14 - "Endued with Power from on High!"

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I speak out Your name and seek Your face to draw near in the deep communion of prayer to begin my day embraced by my Father, centered in Christ, and filled afresh with Your Holy Spirit. ...

 

"Then (Jesus) said to them, 'Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high!'" (Luke 24:46-49)

 

There's coming a day soon when we will again be "endued with power from on high!"' 

 

Even as I write out these words from Your Word, I have a strong sense in my spirit of You saying, "Wait for it. Wait for it. Wait for it. It's on the way. More than you've seen. More than you can imagine. This is My Promise, this is My Spirit, to be poured out in great measure upon My people." ...

 

Yes, Lord! Let it be so! 

 

Your Word is fulfilled in measures, as we journey through the unfolding of Your glorious and sovereign plans for our lives and our world. The prophet Joel spoke of this day of a great outpouring of Your Spirit (Joel 2:28-32). The apostle Peter spoke of this day of a great outpouring of Your Spirit (Acts 2:14-21). Each were speaking of the Promise of the Father. Each were speaking of great outpouring of Your Spirit. Each were speaking of a time when Your people would be "endued with power from on high!"

 

O Father! We are excited! We are expectant! We are tarrying here in the Jerusalem of our hearts, so hungry, so thirsty, for this fresh outpouring of Your Holy Spirit in our day. 

 

In these days of our generation, of our journey through the days of this Biblical year, we're between "the third day" of the Resurrection and the Day of Pentecost. As each day passes, You're pouring out a hunger and thirst upon Your people. You're preparing the way of the Lord in our hearts, preparing the way for the Promise of the Father, that we may be "endued with power from on high!" What You've done in great measure in the past, may You do in even greater measure now!

 

We have truly have no idea of all that means, apart from the measures of insight You've given us in Your prophetic Word and in Your prophetic words. "Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7). And so many of Your prophets are sensing a great fulfillment of another great measure of Your Word to pour out Your Spirit, the great Promise of the Father, that we may be "endued with power from on high!"

 

Come, Holy Spirit! Come fill our hearts with the fullness of Your Presence, even as never before! A fresh encounter, a fresh outpouring, a fresh filling, a fresh anointing, a fresh awakening! All to proclaim the name of Jesus in Your power, in the truth and love of our Father, in the repentance of our hearts to embrace the mercy of God, wherever we are and "to all nations" of the earth! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My Friend, may you embrace the Promise of the Father and be endued with power from on high to proclaim the name of Jesus wherever you are and everywhere you're sent, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend! 

        

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Hungry for Revelation - Morning by Morning, May 13, 2020

Morning by Morning, May 13 - Hungry for Revelation

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I welcome You here in my heart and every moment of my day. ...

 

"Then (Jesus) said to them, 'These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.' And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures" (Luke 24:44-45).

 

After the Day of Your Resurrection and before the Day of Pentecost, You were speaking to Your disciples. You spoke of what had been and what was to come. And You were speaking from the Scriptures of the Word of God -- the Law of Moses, the Prophets, the Psalms. But You were not speaking to them from these Scriptures in general, You were speaking specifically from these Scriptures about You. You were expressing and explaining how what was written was coming to life and being "fulfilled" in You.

 

As they listened in, You "opened their understanding." As they leaned in, You helped them "comprehend the Scriptures." And what You were helping them hear and understand and comprehend was that the Word of God is fulfilled in You. You are the Word of God (John 1:1). You are the Word made Flesh, to come and dwell among us and open up the Word of God to us (John 1:14).

 

In these days for us, between the Day of the Resurrection and the Day of Pentecost, draw me nearer to You, Lord Jesus. With all Your disciples around the world in every tribe and tongue and nation, I am eagerly waiting with expectant faith for the Day of Pentecost soon to come. Like so many around the world, I'm stirred with great desire for a fresh outpouring of Your Holy Spirit in our day.

 

So between now and then, give me greater hunger for Your Word, a deeper thirst for Your Presence. Give me a passionate desire to seek You and see You in the Scriptures of the Word of God all that is written of You. Give me "spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of (You)" (Ephesians 1:17). Then "with the eyes of (my) heart enlightened, (I) may know what is the hope to which (You) have called (me)" in these unprecedented, unfolding days (Ephesians 1:18).

 

With all Your disciples yearning to be awaked and come alive in a fresh outpouring of Your Spirit in these days, open my understanding, that I might comprehend. I open my spirit, that I might receive, all that You desire to pour into me and into Your disciples around the world in the days to come. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My Friend, may you be stirred with great hunger for revelation of Jesus, yearning with expectant faith for a fresh outpouring of His Holy Spirit in the days to come, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

                     

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Sometimes He "Makes" Us Get Into the Boat to Cross Over to the Other Side - Morning by Morning, May 12, 2020

Morning by Morning, May 12 - Sometimes He "Makes" Us Get Into the Boat to Cross Over to the Other Side

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You're my Lord and Savior, and I surrender my life and every moment of my day into Your hands --You're nail-scarred hands that remind me every morning of all Your mercy and love for me. ...

 

"Immediately (Jesus) made His disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd. After saying farewell to them, He went up on the mountain to pray. When evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and He was alone on the land. When He saw that they were straining at the oars against an adverse wind, He came towards them early in the morning, walking on the sea. He intended to pass them by. But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out; for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke to them and said, 'Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid!' Then He got into the boat with them and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded..." (Mark 6:45-51).

 

Your Word says You "made" Your disciples get into the boat to "go on ahead to the other side."

 

You weren't being mean or controlling. You weren't forcing them to do something they didn't want to do, because each one of them already made the choice before this day to let go of the lives they had and take hold of the life You offered to get up and go on and follow You. This was just another step of obedience, just another step of faith, just another step of surrender to keep learning to fully trust You and fully depend upon You to lead them into all You had for them and all You would do through them. You were making disciples of them.

 

So sometimes in Your mercy and love You have to "make" us take the next step. It's the only way we'll ever "go on ahead" to what You have next. You know our nature. We can get too comfortable with how it's always been. We can get too secure in what we think we have now. We can get too resistant to the nudges of Your Spirit and the sensing of Your calling to get up and come on because it's time to go on ahead to the next season of the journey to maturity in Christ.

 

There were some "adverse winds" they were about to encounter. There was some "straining at the oars" that was set before them. There were some scary things Your disciples were about to face. But the scariest thing turned out to be You all along! 

 

You were not a ghost coming to scare them. You were their Savior coming to get them to the other side. So in the midst of their fears and confusion, You once again spoke Your words of spirit and life into their hearts -- Spirit to spirit, Heart to heart, Deep to deep -- saying, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid!"

 

There's so much in this Word You are speaking to me today. I feel like I could preach a sermon right now! But I know I'm the one who needs to hear Your sermon right now. I'm the one who needs to hear Your words of spirit and life in my heart -- Spirit to spirit, Heart to heart, Deep to deep. ...

 

I believe I hear You speaking in my heart, "Don't be afraid. Get in the boat. We're going to the other side. I'll be with you. I'll come and meet you were you are. And as you know by now, I'll never leave you as you are. I'm making you into a faithful disciple who will make many disciples, all in My name and all by the power of My grace." ...

 

Yes, Lord. Yes, my Lord and my Savior. Give me grace to hear Your voice and follow You. Give me courage and grace to get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side into all You have next. Even if You have to "make" me. Because I do trust Your mercy and love for me. And I do trust Your work within me to make me Your disciple -- step by step, morning by morning, day by day, from glory to glory in You.

 

I do notice, as I peak ahead just a moment, that when those disciples of Yours got to the other side, amazing things started to happen! Probably even exceedingly, abundantly more than they could ever ask or imagine!

 

"When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized (Jesus) and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard He was. And wherever He went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might touch even the fringe of His cloak; and all who touched it were healed!" (Mark 6:53-56)

 

Praise God! But that sounds like a sermon for another day. Today, just help me get into that boat. ...

 

In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My Friend, may you hear in your heart the words of spirit and life of Jesus speaking Spirit to spirit, Heart to heart, Deep to deep, to give you courage to get into the boat, to follow Him, to cross over to the other side into all He has for you, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

                  

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Worship the One Who Wears the Crown and Holds the Key! - Morning by Morning, May 11, 2020

Morning by Morning, May 11 - Worship the One Who Wears the Crown and Holds the Key!

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. From praise to worship to deeply abiding intimacy with You, I want to come close and hear what's on Your heart and follow where Your leading -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ...

 

"And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:

These are the words of the Holy One, the True One,

who has the key of David,

who opens and no one will shut,

who shuts and no one opens:

 

I know your works. Look, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet have kept My word and have not denied My name.... Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches" (Revelation 3:7-13).

 

Like the church in Philadelphia in the days You spoke Your words of Revelation to John, let us be faithful to keep Your word and never deny Your name. Even when it seems we've had little power in the face of all that's come against us, even when it seems it's increasingly harder to stand firm in Your Word without compromise and in faith, give us courage to be faithful, give us power to persevere.

 

There's great promise for those who overcome in the power and authority of Your name (v. 12). There's great victory over the kingdom of darkness that would seek to overwhelm us and force us to bow down to it and the ways of the world, the flesh, and the devil (v. 9). But in the face of it all, You encourage us hold fast and stand firm: "Because you have kept My word of patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. I am coming soon; hold fast to what you have, so that no one may seize your crown!" (v. 10-11).

 

Right now, corona wants to wear the crown. In the next wave of darkness to come, something else will want to wear the crown. But You are the One who wears the Crown! You are the King of kings and Lord of lords! You are the King of glory! You are the King who holds the Key to the of David, the Key of the Kingdom of God! You are the One who is sovereign over all! And You are the One who will have the final say and the last word over all we go through in our world until the kingdoms of this world have become the Kingdom of our God and of His Christ!

 

Lord Jesus, we crown You with many crowns! We crown You Lord of All! In the authority of Your Word and the power of Your name shut the doors of darkness and open the doors of Heaven in this hour! By the power of Your grace, You'll provide all the power we need! And by the power of Your grace will hold fast, we will overcome, we will keep Your word with patient endurance and victorious faith! And the knowledge of the glory of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen!

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

My friend, may you be encouraged and empowered hold fast and stand firm, to rise up and overcome, as you worship the One who wears the crown and holds the key of the Kingdom of God, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

      

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