Psalm 59 for Age 59 - June 10

Morning by Morning, June 10 - Psalm 59 for Age 59

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I speak out Your name and listen for Your voice, here at the beginning of my day. ...

 

An evangelist friend of mine on the other side of the world sent me a birthday greeting this morning inviting me to pray the Psalm numbered for my age. Today that would be Psalm 59. And my first thought is that's getting a little too close to Psalm 60! ...

 

Even so, as I pray through Psalm 59 this morning, I see it was a very challenging time of transition in David's life. He had many mixed emotions, surrounded by both friends and foes on his journey into his destiny. But through it all and in spite of it all, he turned his eyes and lifted his spirit to You, as his finished his Psalm with a flourish of heart-felt words of worship from a heart full of faith and trust and praise:

 

"But I will sing of Your strength,

in the morning I will sing of Your love;

for You are my Fortress,

my Refuge in times of trouble.

You are my Strength, I sing praise to You;

You, O God, are my Fortress,

my God on whom I can rely" (Psalm 59:16-17).

 

I like how he begins his final declaration of his trust in Your goodness and grace with the word "But." All that went before that "But" was his reality and the reality of the world he faced in his day. He didn't have his head buried in the sand. He wasn't afraid of reading the news. He wasn't detached from the challenges of local politics and the national turmoil of his time. "But" at the same time, he kept his eyes on You with his heart full of songs of praise.

 

In his songs, You strengthened him. In his prayers, You empowered him. And even to this day in what we now call "The Psalms" we're all encouraged by his heart of faith, despite all he went through -- both by all he brought upon himself and by all that was brought down upon him -- "But" as a man after God's own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). "When (God) had removed (Saul), He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, 'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will" (Acts 13:22).

 

By the power of Your grace, I want to be a man after Your own heart like that, like David. One who will be found faithful to do all Your will no matter what. Fully aware of all that's going on in my day, in my world, and not detached from all I've been through -- no matter the source of my struggles, whether my own or otherwise -- "But" trusting in You with a song in my spirit, full of faith in my heart. So Psalm 59 at age 59 is just fine with me, with You and my friends right here by my side! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My Friend, may you be found faithful as one after God's own heart, with your eyes on the Lord and your heart full of praise, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. Thank you for being my friend and joining with me on this journey of faith and prayer! God bless you, my friend! 

  

Listen and join me in today's Morning by Morning

Prayer Devotional Podcast

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New Mailing Address for Messiah Ministries:

Tommy & Rocio Hays

Messiah Ministries

17503 La Cantera Parkway

Suite 104407

San Antonio, Texas 78257

M Friend, we've updated our new ministry website. 

Take a look and tell us what you think!

Tommy & Rocio Hays | Messiah Ministries

Messiah-Ministries.org

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Turmoil in Our Cities, but not the City of God - June 9, 2020

Morning by Morning, June 9 - Turmoil in Our Cities, but not the City of God

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I welcome You here in my heart and every moment of my day -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ...

 

"When (Jesus) entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, 'Who is this?' The crowds were saying, 'This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee'" (Matthew 21:10-11).

 

Our whole cities may be in turmoil, but the City of God is never in turmoil. The kings and kingdoms of this world may be shaken, but the Kingdom of God is never shaken.

 

All the turmoil, all the shaking, is all an invitation to turn to You. And in the midst of the crowds and the clamoring, in the midst of the turmoil and the shaking, we're all invited to look to the One who is steady and firm in the midst of it all. 

 

As we cry out to You, like the crows of Jerusalem, as we look up to You and ask like them, "Who is this?", You speak to our hearts. Even now, I believe I hear You speaking by Your Spirit into my heart:

 

 "I AM. I AM He. I AM the Everlasting One, the Unfailing One, and I AM here with you to be Your Stability and Strength. I AM here with you that you may stand firm in Me with all who call upon My name." ...

 

Yes, Lord. ... Your Word comes to mind from Psalm 46: "There is a river whose streams make glad the City of God. The holy dwelling place of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns" (Psalm 46:4-5).

 

Let all troubled hearts find refuge within the walls of the City of God. As You said long ago, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me" (John 14:1).

 

Trusting in You, You will steady our troubled hearts. You will even use the turmoil to turn it all around to good (Romans 8:28; Genesis 50:20). Even the turmoil in our cities, across our land, and throughout our world, You will use to shake what needs to be shaken, to change what needs to be changed, to establish what needs to be established (Hebrews 12:27). And through it all -- You will draw all people closer to You than ever before (John 12:32).

 

We stand on the promise of Your Word: "My Spirit abides among you; do not fear. For thus says the Lord of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land; and I will shake all the nations, so that the Treasure of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts..." (Haggai 2:5-7).

 

Treasure of all nations, Treasure of Heaven, come fill our hearts and our land with Your glory! As our cities and our hearts turn to You and ask, "Who is this?" we will hear from Heaven and hear in our hearts, "This is the King of Glory! Lift up your heads and open up your gates, that the King of Glory may come in! Who is this King of Glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, He is the King of Glory!" (from Psalm 24:7-10) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My friend, may you be steady and firm in One who is unshakable, steadfast, and true through it all, secure in the Treasure of Heaven, in the King of Glory, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. May we join together in our prayers for America and the nations of our world to experience God's Spirit and power and love, in His righteousness and justice, and even in great revival and awakening in these days. God bless you, my friend! 

  

Listen and join me in today's Morning by Morning

Prayer Devotional Podcast

https://anchor.fm/morningbymorningtommyhays

New Mailing Address for Messiah Ministries:

Tommy & Rocio Hays

Messiah Ministries

17503 La Cantera Parkway

Suite 104407

San Antonio, Texas 78257

Friends, we've updated our new ministry website. Take a look and tell us what you think!

Tommy & Rocio Hays | Messiah Ministries

Messiah-Ministries.org

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

"Not That Way, but My Way" - June 5, 2020

Morning by Morning, June 5 - "Not That Way, but My Way"

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. First things first. And the first thing I want to do today is look to You and listen for Your leading -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ...

 

What I believe I hear in my heart this morning is You saying, "Not that way, but My way." ...

 

Yes, Lord. If we're willing to wait and listen for You, You will show us the right way. "Though the Lord may give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide Himself any more, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it'" (Isaiah 30:20-21).

 

There's a right way and a wrong way to do everything. Even when we seek to do the right thing, we can do it in the wrong way. Then even what was right becomes wrong. The ends do not justify the means. Both the ends of what we desire and the means of how we get there must be right. And You're the One who determines what is right -- both the right ends and the right means.

 

You're our Teacher and our Leader. Teach us Your ways that lead to life. Teach us Your ways that are right and true.

 

I'm remembering the scene of Peter taking up the sword in the Garden of Gethsemane to protect You from being arrested on the night You were betrayed. He cut off an ear of the temple guard. His heart was to protect You. He loved You. He wanted to stand up and speak out and take action on behalf of You. He was willing to fight and die for You (John 18:10).

 

But You rebuked him. The ends did not justify the means. Peter's way was the wrong way, even though his heart was in the right place to want to love You and protect You and stand up for You against all that was wrong coming against You and the injustice that awaited You.

 

You were teaching him, "Not that way. There's a better way. Trust God to teach you and lead you in His way." You told him, "No more of this!" (Luke 22:15) You commanded him, "Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword!" (Matthew 26:52)

 

Then You healed the guard's ear and also rebuked the actions of the authorities, scolding them as well, "Have you come out with swords and clubs as if I were a bandit? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on Me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness!" (Luke 22:52-53)

 

Lord Jesus, in this hour of the power of darkness seeking to cover our land, our hearts, and our minds, let there be Light. You are the Light in our world (John 8:12); and at the same time, You call us to be Your light in our world with the nature of Your character and Your Spirit in our hearts, our words, and our actions (Matthew 5:14).

 

Teach us the right way. Not the ways of our flesh, not the ways of our world, but the ways of God. Empower us in Your ways to stand up, to speak up, to love and to lead in the ways that honor Your name and draw all people to You. For as You are, so are we to be in our world (1 John 4:17). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My Friend, may you be led by our Teacher and empowered His Spirit love and lead in His ways in the midst of this hour and power of darkness seeking to come upon our land and our world, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. May we join together in our prayers for America and the nations of our world to experience God's Spirit and power and love, in His righteousness and justice, and even in great revival and awakening in these days. God bless you, my friend! 

  

Listen and join me in today's Morning by Morning

Prayer Devotional Podcast

https://anchor.fm/morningbymorningtommyhays

New Mailing Address for Messiah Ministries:

Tommy & Rocio Hays

Messiah Ministries

17503 La Cantera Parkway

Suite 104407

San Antonio, Texas 78257

Tommy & Rocio Hays | Messiah Ministries

Messiah-Ministries.org

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

Stand Up, Speak Out, by the Right Spirit - June 4, 2020

Morning by Morning, June 4 - Stand Up, Speak Out, by the Right Spirit

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Your sheep hear Your voice (John 10:3). Father, Your children are led by Your Spirit (Romans 8:14). I'm listening and waiting for Your leading, as I seek to begin my day embraced by my Father, centered in Christ, and filled with Your Holy Spirit. ...

 

I join with my brothers and sisters across our country to stand up and speak out in protest against cruelty and injustice, against authoritarian abuse and societal neglect of foundational principles of equality and justice in our times. We're to be a nation under God, where all men are created equal, where there's liberty and justice for all. In the words of David, both shepherd and king, humbled by Your conviction of sin in his heart and exposed need of correction in his ways, "Create in me a clean heart, O God. And renew a right spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10).

 

As a nation, convict us and correct us, O God. Open our eyes to see, open our ears to hear the cries for justice and the demands for change. Give us the courage to act with clarity of vision and determination of spirit. Let us set our faces like flint toward making America a city on a hill and a light to the nations, where we honor our heritage and fulfill our calling with equality and justice for all.

 

Take away our heart of stony indifference and callous disregard of the injustice we see or pretend not to see. Give us a new heart, renewed by Your Spirit, awakened and alive in a revival of honor and respect, of righteousness and justice, of unity and equality as one nation under God.

 

As You spoke through the prophet Ezekiel to the heart of the nation of Israel to remember her destiny and fulfill her calling as a people of God and a light to the nations:  "A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you, and make you follow My statues and be careful to observe My ordinances. Then you will live in the land that I gave to your ancestors; and you shall be My people, and I will be your God" (Ezekiel 36:26-28).

 

Come, Holy Spirit of the Living God. Come change us and revive us. As we stand up and speak out in the power and authority of Your Spirit and Your name throughout our land -- speaking the truth in love and standing up for one another in unity and solidarity of commitment to what is right and what is just -- there will be no need nor tolerance of criminal violence and self-destruction. There will be no need nor tolerance of professional mobs, opportunistic crime, or murderous rage. The fires that burn will not be businesses, synagogues, churches, or cities but the fire of the Holy Spirit burning in the hearts of every American who boldly, fearlessly, faithfully stands up and speaks out for all Americans -- regardless of whatever.

 

Evil will be confronted in every form. Righteousness and justice will be demanded and exalted and finally received in the hearts of a people and of a nation who has turned again to God. "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord" (Psalm 33:12). Healed is the land who humbles her heart to pray and repent and then acts in persistent determination, obedient faith, and unrelenting pursuit until the job is done and the victory is won (2 Chronicles 7:14). Not by our own might, not by our own power, but all by Your Spirit, O Lord our God (Zechariah 4:6). Lord, let it be so -- here in my heart and here in our land. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My Friend, may you be empowered and led by the Holy Spirit of the Living God to stand up and speak out, to turn to God in prayer and step out with God in faith until the job is done and the victory is won in our hearts and in this land, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. May we join together in our prayers for America and the nations of our world to experience God's Spirit and power and love, in His righteousness and justice, and even in great revival and awakening in these days. God bless you, my friend! 

  

Listen and join me in today's Morning by Morning

Prayer Devotional Podcast

https://anchor.fm/morningbymorningtommyhays

New Mailing Address for Messiah Ministries:

Tommy & Rocio Hays

Messiah Ministries

17503 La Cantera Parkway

Suite 104407

San Antonio, Texas 78257

Tommy & Rocio Hays | Messiah Ministries

Messiah-Ministries.org

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

Overcoming in the Character of Christ - June 3, 2020

Morning by Morning, June 3 - Overcoming in the Character of Christ

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the One who is "named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6). Fill me and my land with Your Peace today. ...

There's nothing we'll ever face that You've not already faced. There's nothing we'll ever face that You've not already faced for us. Whatever we face, whatever we endure -- we face it with You, we endure it with You, we overcome it with You, because You've already overcome it for us.

Injustice. Riots. Murder. Oppression. Violence. Rage. Senseless Destruction. Rejection and temptation to despair. You faced it all. You endured it all. You overcame it all. And now You call us to give it all to You (1 Peter 5:7).

"Now that we know what we have -- Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God -- let's not let it slip through our fingers. We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He's been through weakness and testing, experienced it all -- all but the sin. So let's walk right up to Him and get what He is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help" (Hebrews 4:14-16 from The Message).

O Lord, our God -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- we need You. We need Your mercy. We need Your help. We need You to come show us the way, to come show us how to pray, to come show us how to stay true to Your character and nature in our hearts as we overcome what we face in these days. We need You to come as our Christ in the midst of our chaos, to come as our Messiah in the midst of our mess.

Even as we ask, we know You hear (1 John 5:14). Even as we seek, we know we'll find (Jeremiah 29:13). You'll provide all the wisdom we need (James 1:5) and all the courage we lack (Joshua 1:6).

By the power of Your Spirit empowering Your people, in the anointing of Your abiding Presence and grace, we will be found faithful in You instead of fearful in our world, courageous to speak up and stand firm, bold to confront and overcome -- all in the power of Your truth and Your love. For the power and the character of Your love in us "does not rejoice in in iniquity, but rejoices in truth; (it) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails" (1 Corinthians 13:6-8).

With You by our side (Matthew 28:20), with Your Spirit filling us up inside (Ephesians 5:18), we will keep our character, we will hold fast to our love, we will speak out in truth, and we will overcome whatever we face and whatever confronts us in our hearts and in our land in the power and authority of Your name (Philippians 2:10). Whatever we overcome in Your name develops Your character in our hearts: 

"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (Romans 5:1-5). 

Fill us with Your hope and form Your character in us, as we overcome and stand firm in Christ today. The Spirit and the character of "Christ in (us), the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My Friend, may you be empowered by the grace and the Spirit of God to overcome in the character of Christ all that you face in your heart and all that we face in our land, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. May we join together in our prayers for America and the nations of our world to experience God's Spirit and power and love, in His righteousness and justice, and even in great revival and awakening in these days. God bless you, my friend! 

  

Listen and join me in today's Morning by Morning

Prayer and Proclamation Podcast

https://anchor.fm/morningbymorningtommyhays

New Mailing Address for Messiah Ministries:

Tommy and Rocio Hays

Messiah Ministries

17503 La Cantera Parkway

Suite 104407

San Antonio, Texas 78257

Tommy and Rocio Hays | Messiah Ministries

Messiah-Ministries.org

Please share this word to encourage a friend!