Fragrant Incense of Prayer 1-11-05

Tuesday, January 11, 2005 -- Morning by Morning Good morning, Lord Jesus. I come before You, worship and adore You, and listen for the leading of Your voice. ... I come before You, worship and adore You I lift my heart in praise. I lay down my burdens, pull back the curtains And enter Your holy place. Here in Your presence, my prayers are like incense Rising to Your heart. I feel Your pleasure, You receive my treasure The gift of my time with You. I am renewed now, centered on You now I rise to greet the day. Filled with Your Spirit, surrendered and yielded To live this day for You. Thank You, Lord, for writing this new song on my heart this morning. Thank You for reminding us of how much You treasure our time with You. It is amazing how much a difference it makes to offer You the first fruits of our day, so that we start off our day refreshed and renewed in the fullness of Your presence. "Let my prayer be counted as incense before You, and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice" -- Psalm 141.2. We pray you would receive the offering of our prayers and the surrender of our lives as a fragrant offering of worship and adoration. Be glorified in our hearts from morning to evening and throughout every moment of our lives. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe/reply please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- "preparing the way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com God bless you!

Prayer Revival of Holiness 1-10-05

Monday, January 10, 2005 -- Morning by Morning Good morning, Lord Jesus. As the worship song says, I turn my eyes upon You, looking full in Your wonderful face. Let the things of earth grow strangely dim, in the light of Your glory and grace. ... It was good last night to humble myself on my knees at the altar in a little Nazarene church. You are releasing a revival of prayer in our city and throughout the earth. You are moving in every tribe and tongue, every denomination and nation, where people gather who are desperately hungry for You. You are breaking through the traditions of men, the religions of rules, the doctrines of demons, with the power of Your presence that calls us to humble ourselves before our God and call upon Your name. You are cleansing our thoughts and purifying our hearts in the holiness of heart and life, that we may stand out from the world and shine as Your lights in these dark days. We can't stand out if we are as compromised by sin as the world around us. "For God did not call us in impurity but to holiness. Therefore, whoever rejects this rejects not human authority but God, who also gives His Holy Spirit to you" -- 1 Thessalonians 4.7-8. Convict us of our sin, call us to deeper levels of repentance, that we may receive more of Your mercy and be filled with more of Your Holy Spirit. We become like the nature of the spirit we receive -- let it be more and more of Your Holy Spirit that we receive and less and less of the spirit of this fallen world. We don't have to question Your will for us in these matters, You have made it plain in Your Word: "For this is the will of God, your sanctification" -- 1 Thessalonians 4.3. As Your Spirit prayed through Paul, so Your Sprit is praying for us in our generation: "And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. And may He strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints" -- 1 Thessalonians 3.13. In the twinkling of an eye, You are coming suddenly with all Your saints, Lord Jesus, let us be ready, let us be continually cleansed by the Blood of Jesus, purified by the Fire of Your Holy Spirit, receiving the love and mercy of our Father in heaven. Let our hearts be holy and our lives be blameless before You that we may be able to rejoice at the glory of Your coming. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe/reply please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- "preparing the way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com God bless you!

Fire Alarm 1-9-05

Sunday, January 9, 2005 -- Morning by Morning Good morning, Lord Jesus. I welcome Your Holy Spirit to draw me near to our Father through You. ... Father, we are Your children -- created in Your image for relationship with You. Sometimes we are obedient, sometimes we are rebellious; but we are always Your children. Your Word tells us, "for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith" -- Galatians 3.26. "See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him" -- 1 John 3.1. In my spirit I see a school playground covered with children scattered in every direction. Many are laughing and playing, having fun with each other. Some are lurking around to play mean tricks on others. Still, some are standing or sitting off alone to themselves. Suddenly, an alarm goes off and every one stops in their tracks, stunned by the shock for a moment. Some are frightened or anxious for just a moment. Then they realize this is a fire drill, and they begin to come into order and line up behind their teachers. The teachers listen for the directions from the principal. The order begins to bring a peace as they wait for instructions. "This is a picture of My children, My church. They are scattered; many are divided. Some are living in the joy of obedience, some creating trouble and strife in disobedience. Some gather together in friendship and community, others stand off to themselves -- rejected and hurt or prideful and rebellious. Yet the alarm will sound and they will be come. I am releasing instruction through My teachers, and My teachers are looking to Me. I am the Principal Who overcomes the principalities of fear and anxiety, of chaos and disorder, of division and strife. Learn now how to respond, learn now how to find your places in the order of My Kingdom that you may be ready when I sound the alarm." Yes, Lord. Give us a teachable and humble spirit. Thank You for the blessing of the practice alarms and drills of the struggles of life. They prepare us to overcome the real fires of destruction when they come. Increase our discernment to recognize Your call and wisdom to know what to do and where to go. Give us eyes to see those who are isolated and alone that we may welcome them in to find their place in You. Bring us into the unity in submission to You. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, please come if you can and pray if you can't for the prayer revival in our city of Lexington at Lafayette Church of the Nazarene this week. It is a call to repentance, holiness and prayer led by evangelist Elaine Pettit. May revival break out in our hearts, in our cities, and throughout all the earth. There is no revival without repentance and faith. To subscribe/unsubscribe/reply please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- "preparing the way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com God bless you!

Holiness unto the Lord 1-8-05

Saturday, January 8, 2004 -- Morning by Morning Good morning, Lord Jesus. I look to You in singled-minded devotion in the simplicity of contemplative prayer, as I watch and wait for Your leading. Cleanse my thoughts by the blood of the Lamb, purify my heart by the fire of Your Holy Spirit, draw me close to hear the whisper of Your still small voice. ... "Holiness unto the Lord. You are cleansed by the blood of the Lamb as You receive the conviction of My Spirit and the grace I give for you to turn to Me and receive My mercy. You are purified in the fire of My Spirit as you yield to My correction and discipline in the trusting surrender of every area of your lives to Me. You draw close to Me as you seek Me with child-like faith as young children eagerly wait for their father to come home. I am home in the hearts of My children who seek Me with all their hearts and long for the nearness of My presence. I am their loving Father and they are My devoted children. I am their God and they are My people." "Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am the Lord your God" -- Leviticus 20.7. "For it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy' " -- 1 Peter 1.16. Yes, Lord. You are our true Father and we are your children. Help us embrace this cleansing and purification that we may have no barriers between us, that we may know the depths of intimacy in relationship with You. Give us courage to embrace Your correction and the faith to know it comes out of Your love for us, as a godly father loves his children enough to discipline them. Let us grow up to be like You, Daddy Abba, our Father God. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe/reply please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- "preparing the way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com God bless you!

Splitting Open the Skies 1-7-05

Friday, January 7, 2005 -- Morning by Morning Good morning, Lord Jesus. Fill me with Your Spirit, wash me in Your Word. Draw me to Your presence, let me know You're here. I set aside every thought but You in these first moments of the morning. ... There is coming a day when the skies will split open and the light of Your glory will burst through the clouds -- 1 Thessalonians 4.17. Every soul on earth will fall to their knees and declare You are Lord -- Philippians 2.9-11. Prepare our hearts now for the coming of that day. Rekindle within us the hope of the glory of Your coming -- the certain hope that gives us courage to persevere through the suffering and tragedy that surrounds us each day. "I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us" -- Romans 8.18. As You will come on that day, come now on this day, Lord Jesus, in our hearts. Split open the skies of discouragement, burst through the clouds of despair. We humble ourselves on our knees before You in desperate hunger for Your presence and Your power to overcome every burden we face in our lives and in the lives of those for whom we pray. Deliver us from this present darkness by the glory of Your coming. "Protect me, O God, for in You I take refuge. I say to the Lord, You are my Lord; I have no good apart from You. ... Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure. For You do not give me up to Sheol, or let Your faithful one see the pit. You show me the Path of Life. In Your presence there is fullness of joy; in Your right hand are pleasures forevermore" -- Psalm 16. Come, Lord Jesus, as we praise Your holy name! In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, we all have those near to our hearts in prayer. I've been praying much for a young pastor in my hometown of Lamesa, Texas suddenly diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Though he and his family are shaken, they are looking to the Lord as He brings them through. Please pray with me for healing and peace for Pastor Al Martin, his wife Jodie, and their family in these hard days. I join with you in the agreement of prayer for all those on your heart as well. God bless you! To subscribe/unsubscribe/reply please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- "preparing the way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com God bless you!

Rumbling of Revival 1-6-05

Thursday, January 6, 2005 -- Morning by Morning Good morning, Lord Jesus. Help me be humbled that You may be exalted, help me be quiet that You may speak. Looking to You I will see, listening for You I will hear -- all by the gift of Your grace in the communion of prayer. ... There is a rumbling of revival in the land. Like the waters behind a damn about to burst, like the pressure building beneath a geyser about to blow -- there is a rumbling of revival in the land. Lord, stir our hearts with a desperate hunger for the fullness of Your presence. You have called many of us to fast and pray in various ways for the first forty days of this year. Let us fast and pray for You to satisfy our hunger with Your presence. You are "the Bread of Life" -- John 6.35. Teach us the blessing of spiritual hunger that we may be satisfied with nothing but the bread of Your presence as we learn to abide in You and allow You to abide in us. "So Jesus said to them, 'Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat My flesh and drink My blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for My flesh is true food and My blood is true drink. Those who eat My flesh and drink My blood abide in Me, and I in them. Just as the Living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats Me will live because of Me. This is the Bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this Bread will live forever" -- John 6.53-58. Lord, teach us this mystery of hungering for You and receiving the flesh and blood of Your presence as You abide within us in the communion of prayer. This is revival -- the living presence of the Living God fully abiding in the hearts of His people. This is the revival that all creation is groaning to see. "For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God" -- Romans 8.19. Come, Lord Jesus -- let there be revival throughout the land! In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, as we know, not every area in the wake of the tsunami in Asia had the miraculous provision of complete protection that was over Pastor Paulos' ministry on the tiny island of Rameswaram -- the Lord's miracles of provision will come in other ways for thousands of others in need. If you are looking for a specific way to help a specific mininstry in need from the devastation in Asia, please consider giving to Gospel Friends in India. This is a ministry led by my friend Ghuna Kumar in Tamil Nadu, India. I have been there for ministry and seen the fruit of thier ministry to orphans and to the poorest of villages in that region, which was devastated by this tsunami. They have asked for funds to be given through Fishhook International, a ministry that helps cover Ghuna in prayer and provision. The address for these contributions is: "Fishhook International", PO Box 910691, Lexington, KY 40591-0691. Every check marked "tsunami relief" will go directly to them. God bless you! To subscribe/unsubscribe/reply please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- "preparing the way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com God bless you!

Miracle at Rameswaram 1-5-05

Wednesday, January 5, 2005 -- Morning by Morning Good morning, Lord Jesus. All creation awaits the revealing of Your glory. I welcome the revealing of Your glory here in my heart again this morning as I watch and wait for You. ... Praise God from Whom all blessings flow! Thank You, Lord, for the confirming word I've received last night about my friends on the tiny island of Rameswaram, between the island of Sri Lanka and the coast of Tamil Nadu in the southernmost province of India. We ministered to Pastor Paulos and his family and many of his leaders at a retreat two years ago with Larry Coker's team. I've been so concerned to hear how they weathered the tsunami that devastated that region. You called them to plant a church on this island in the middle of what is considered one of the most important sites in Hinduism. Throughout their ministry, they have been persecuted, beaten, even left for dead several times. Yet, there is story after story of Your miraculous provision -- what a testimony of faith and obedience they are! Now in the wake of one of the most destructive forces to be unleashed against humanity, we have heard great news of Your miraculous provision again. As Pastor Paulos told Larry, "Not even a chicken was harmed." Praise You, Jesus! As You bring this Scripture of Your faithfulness to mind, I remember the bravery of Pastor Paulos' son, Israel, when he was chained to a tree, beaten almost to death, and delivered by an angel, several years ago because of the boldness and faithfulness of his family to share the love of God in Jesus Christ. You have delivered this family and their ministry yet again, to continue to share the good news of freedom from the bondage of sin and spiritual oppression. "But now thus says the Lord, He Who created you, O Jacob, He Who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior" -- Isaiah 43.1-3. Thank You, Lord. In this broken, fallen world, there will be waters and rivers and fires that come to overwhelm us, but You will bring us through them all. You did not promise us we would not face them, but You did promise us You would be with us. Thank You for being with my friends and thank You for being with all those who are still coming through the waters of destruction. Whether we live or die, whether we suffer or receive miraculous deliverance -- You are there with us, to bring us through; not a moment of our suffering is wasted. You are faithful to us and You give us grace to be faithful to You in the midst of it all. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe/reply please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- "preparing the way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com God bless you! Friends, I am attaching a note I just received yesterday with another account about this miracle in the midst of this great suffering. I confirmed with the writer that he is speaking of the same ministry at Rameswaram. God bess you! The Quickened Word - Powered by InJesus Subscribe Unsubscribe Change E-mail View Archive His Jewels Saved from TsunamiForwarded by Sandy WarnerJan 4, 2005Hi Loved Ones, Below is a wonderful testimony to the truth of Mal 3:16-18. 16 Then those who feared the Lord talked often one to another; and the Lord listened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who reverenced and worshipfully feared the Lord and who thought on His name. 17 And they shall be Mine, says the Lord of hosts, in that day when I publicly recognize and openly declare them to be My jewels (My special possession, My peculiar treasure). And I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him. 18 Then shall you return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God and him who does not serve Him. Lovingly, Sandy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Testimony from the Asian Tsunami David Bodine Jan 4, 2005 Dear nRn Subscribers, This forward from Forrest Hill is in response to the Amos 3:7 post we sent out on 12/31/04. Editor ------------------ From: Forrest Hill [mailto:fhill.cpa@oregonfast.net] Sent: Monday, January 03, 2005 1:27 PM To: Northwest Revival News Subject: Amos 3:7 Your word of 12/31/4 was so on point. We are friends of a ministry located in Rameswaram, India. Below is copied text that I sent out to people in my address box last week. You have permission to forward it if you wish, but I'm not looking for credit or acknowledgement. This came by way of a number of people who have direct contact with those at the work in Rameswaram. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No doubt you've heard about the earthquake in the Indian Ocean two days ago. What you've probably not heard is how God has preserved UNTOUCHED!!! the work He has been nurturing over the last 20+ years. There is now a massive CHRISTIAN training center on the second most holy place in Hinduism. Pastors who are leading whole villages to salvation in Jesus are being trained and equipped there. Because it is known that this is a Christian training center, the authorities have been very adamantly opposed to it. The Hindu priests have persecuted terribly those working at and attending the center, even to the point of death. By the grace of God, the work has flourished, though not without trial. Here are the facts as we've received them: In the middle of the night prior to the earthquake, a prophet at the training center on Rameswaram was awakened and met by the angel of death. The angel said that he was going to destroy the island of Rameswaram. The prophet called the elders of the church together to pray against this declaration. They didn't know what would happen but they prayed through the night. In the morning the quake occurred and the wave began to work it's devastation. Sri Lanka, mere miles away, was inundated, however, the island of Rameswaram was untouched to the degree that they didn't even lose a chicken. The training center is also untouched and the story continues... The governor of the island, under pressure from the Hindu priests, had been threatening to rescind the building permit that pertained to the training center. He had set a mandatory completion date for construction of December 31, 2004. At that time the building permit was to expire. The work on the building is not completed and prayer has been raised to God to allow construction to continue until completion. After the flood and disaster, the governor came to the leaders at the center and declared that he had been wrong and would not rescind the permit. Instead, he plead with them to let the authorities use the center as a refugee and relief center during the aftermath of the tsunami. Once again, God's incredibly kind hand has been shown to be very strong and outstretched on behalf of His work in India and those there He loves so dearly. This is simply one more in the amazing line of miracles that have been done to reach the millions living in darkness under Hinduism in that country. Praise His Name!!! Now, because I don't have an exhaustive list of Christians with email addresses, would you consider cutting and pasting the important part of this message into a new email and send it out to those in your address book that you know need to hear this? Thanks. Forrest and Christy Hill fhill.cpa@oregonfast.net

Signs and Wonders 1-4-05

Tuesday, January 4, 2004 -- Morning by Morning Good morning, Lord Jesus. There will be people to see, battles to fight, things to get done today, but I choose to surrender these first moments of the day to You. ... Many say the days of the supernatural are over, that the need for the miraculous has passed. Nothing could be further from the truth. That is just another way of saying we don't need You, we can take care of everything ourselves. It is just another form of the sin of pride. The days of this season we have now entered will humble our pride. Men and women will have no answers for the challenges we face and have no power for the obstacles we must overcome apart from You. Your supernatural power will purify water, Your miracles will heal disease. People will humble themselves to listen for Your Word, and You have always confirmed Your Word with Your signs and wonders -- Daniel 6.27; Acts 14.3. "It was declared at first through the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard Him, while God added His testimony by signs and wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, distributed according to His will" -- Hebrews 2.3-4. Prepare us, Lord, to listen and to hear, to trust and to obey -- to be ready. Let our hearts not fail, nor our faith grow weak, as You send us forth as Your instruments of grace to a world who needs it. Every good deed and encouraging word that comes through us comes from You. As Paul said for his region of responsibility, let us also "not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to win obedience from the Gentiles, by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and as far around as Illyricum I have fully proclaimed the good news of Christ" -- Romans 15.18-19. What opportunities abound in these days for the advancement of the Kingdom of God and the miraculous display of Your love and power! In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe/reply please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- "preparing the way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com God bless you!

Judgment and Mercy 1-3-05

Monday, January 3, 2005 -- Morning by Morning Good morning, Lord Jesus. King of Glory, I welcome You this day to come fill my heart anew with the fullness of Your presence. ... Though the pillars of the earth are shaken, though rivers of fire may flow into the sea, our hope is in You, our security is in Your presence. Sometimes we are overwhelmed by the pain of human suffering. At these times we can tend to focus on what You have not done, rather than what You have done. In a broken and fallen world, damaged and defiled throughout the ages by human sin, we have no idea of the mercy You extend to us every day there is not a cataclysmic event in our midst. As You have said, "At the set time that I appoint I will judge with equity. When the earth totters, with all its inhabitants, it is I Who keep its pillars steady" -- Psalm 75.2-3. Thank You for Your mercy, Lord, even in the midst of suffering. Thank You for using even the tragedies that come upon us to turn our hearts to You. Though these days at the end of this age are days of great suffering, they are also days of great opportunity. In these days, let us be Your words of peace to troubled hearts, let us be Your hands of mercy to thirsting souls. Let us be rays of Your light and vessels of Your love. As we give of ourselves to one another, we give of ourselves to You. Problems will come that no human mind can solve, challenges of provision will arise that no nation can supply. Our only true hope is in You. You are giving us all eyes to see this truth and wisdom to accept this reality. Thank You for the mercy of Your presence as we press on through these days. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, if you are looking for a specific way to help a specific mininstry in need from the devastation in Asia, please consider giving to Gospel Friends in India. This is a ministry led by my friend Ghuna Kumar in Tamil Nadu, India. I have been there for ministry and seen the fruit of thier ministry to orphans and to the poorest of villages in that region, which was devastated by this tsunami. They have asked for funds to be given through Fishhook International, a ministry that helps cover Ghuna in prayer and provision. The address for these contributions is: "Fishhook International", PO Box 910691, Lexington, KY 40591-0691. Every check marked "tsunami relief" will go directly to them. God bless you! To subscribe/unsubscribe/reply please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- "preparing the way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com God bless you!

Preparing the Way of the Lord 1-2-05

Sunday, January 2, 2005 -- Morning by Morning Good morning, Lord Jesus. I decrease as You increase. I turn my thoughts away from myself and turn them to You. ... Lord, as we advance with You in Your kingdom this year, let our words and our actions lead others to advance with You as well. Let us know the joy of being used by Your Spirit to turn the hearts and minds of men and women to You. Let every person see their significance and find their place in the army of the Lord that You are assembling. John the Baptist was a voice of one crying in the wilderness in his generation. He was preparing the way of the Lord by turning all attention to You: "They came to John and said to him, 'Rabbi, the One Who was with you across the Jordan, to Whom you testified, here He is baptizing, and all are going to Him.' John answered, 'No one can receive anything except that which has been given from heaven. You yourselves are my witness that I said, 'I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of Him.' He who has the bride is the Bridegroom. The friend of the Bridegroom, who stands and hears Him, rejoices greatly at the Bridegroom's voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease" -- John 3.26-30. Let us take our places in our generation, to turn others to You. Let us be friends of the Bridegroom who stand before You and hear Your voice. As we hear and obey, our joy will be full. As we learn to turn our thoughts away from ourselves and toward You, we will decrease and You will increase in our lives and in the lives of those we lead to You. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe/reply please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- "preparing the way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com God bless you!

A Year To Advance The Kingdom 1-1-05

January 1, 2005 -- Morning by Morning Good morning, Lord Jesus. On this first day of the first month of a new year, I offer the sacrifice of my first thoughts to You. You are worthy of the offering of our time; You are worthy of the offering of our lives. ... "Advance. I have positioned My people in past years. This year is a year to advance. I will advance My kingdom through My people this year. As my Light increases, the darkness must retreat. Yet, darkness will not retreat without a fight. I have been training My people to fight, now I will lead them to advance. It is time to advance." Yes, Lord. Give us courage to go forward when You call. Let our hearts not fail, let our boldness not waiver. Keep near in the intimacy of prayer, that we may sense and hear Your commands and know our part of Your strategy. Are we ready? "You are ready to do what I say. You are ready to trust Me to lead you. I will continue to prepare you as you go forward. There are many things you cannot learn until you begin to advance, but you will advance at My command. You must continue to learn My Word with increasing understanding, and You must continue to discern My voice with increasing sensitivity that You may recognize My command and move forward with precision and discipline. I am the Lord of Hosts, the Commander of the army of the Lord. Those who are trained to obey My command are My army." Yes, Lord. "But the Word of God continued to advance and gain adherents" -- Acts 12.25. "Let the wise also hear and gain in learning, and the discerning acquire skill" -- Proverbs 1.5. Thank You for preparing us and positioning us so that You can send us to advance Your kingdom at Your command. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays My dear friends, I invite you to join me in the journey of prayer this year to seek and obey the Lord as He leads us to advance in His Kingdom. If you feel our time together has come to an end and sense a leading in new direction this year, I understand and I pray the Lord's riches blessings for you. May we all obey the leading of the Spirit of the Lord. God bless you all! To subscribe/unsubscribe/reply please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- "preparing the way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com God bless you and Happy New Year!

Bringing the Year to Completion 12-31-04

Friday, December 31, 2004 -- Morning by Morning Good morning, Lord Jesus. It is good to rise and greet You, to seek You and embrace You in prayer as an old friend at the beginning of each day. Thank You for the gift of our friendship in the intimacy of prayer. Thank You for offering this extraordinary, incomprehensible gift of Your Living Presence to us all every moment of every day. ... Lord, we've come now together to the last day of the year. You were here with me on the first day, offering Yourself in the intimacy of the communion of prayer; and here You are with me on the last. You called me to this journey of prayer at the beginning of the year -- to rise a little earlier, to start my day with my first thoughts on You, to journal our conversation in prayer, and to send it out to share with my friends. I confess that I wondered whether I would have something to pray or whether You would have something to say every day. I wondered if I could really just sit here in the silence of surrender and wait for You to bring an image or a Scripture or a living word in the conversation of prayer every day. But You did; You never failed. You are faithful to provide all we need for every leading You call us to obey. You are faithful to complete all that You begin. You have taught me this year that You will be faithful to us to help us be faithful to You. As I write this, I see the faces and hear the voices of the people I worshiped with in Brazil several years ago, living a simple but poor life, trusting in You every day. I see the light in their eyes and the smiling joy on their faces, as I hear them singing their simple song of faith in their own language, then translated into ours: "He Who began a good work in you, He Who began a good work in you, Will be faithful to complete it, will be faithful to complete it. He Who started a work will be faithful to complete it in you." Thank You, Lord, for Your faithfulness and Your steadfast love. Thank You for calling me to the joy of this journey of prayer this year. Thank You for calling my friends to come alongside me in the journey. I pray You have used these simple prayers to help us each start our day more centered on You as You have formed Your thoughts in our minds and formed Your desires in our hearts at the foundation of our day. You have changed me and blessed me beyond words, and I pray You have blessed my companions in the journey as well. The journey has not always been easy, but it has always been a joy -- because it has always been with You, my Best Friend. As our brother in the faith, Paul, prayed for his companions in the journey who read his letters, so I pray for those who read these prayers today: "I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every on of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the One Who began a good work in you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God's grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight, to help you determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God" -- Philippians 1.3-11. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Dear praying friends, I thought I would include below the note I sent out at the first of this year inviting you to join me on the journey of prayer, to rememember the vision the Lord gave me for these devotions. I appreciate each of you so much who have joined with me along the journey. I would appreciate your prayers to discern whether I am to continue for another year. God bless you all! In the Love of Jesus, your companion in the journey, Tommy January 1, 2004 Re: Morning by Morning, A Prayer Journey with Tommy Hays Dear praying friends, I invite you to join with me in a journey of my morning prayer life this year. For some time I believe I’ve felt the nudging of the Holy Spirit to write a few words each day from my time with the Lord to share with others. The Lord is speaking to us all to lead us in His paths, and I believe we can learn from the journeys of others to see more clearly the steps we are taking in our own journey. Please just send a reply to remove your name if you’d rather not receive these -- I understand about getting too many emails. I plan to send these prayers "Morning by Morning" when I can. In my own prayer life, I journal sometimes my own thoughts, sometimes the words I believe the Lord is speaking to me, and sometimes my responses in prayer. So, I welcome you to listen in on our conversation and even let these prayers come along side your prayers, as I try to share some of the nuggets of Spirit and Life the Lord is digging up in the circumstances of my life this year. For you, some may be nuggets of gold and some may be nuggets of coal. Feel free to dust off what seems to weigh as Truth in your hands and to cast off what doesn't. When I share what I believe to be the Lord's guidance, please know that I'm not saying "this is the Word of the Lord" with certainty but only what I sincerely believe in humility and without presumption are His words of guidance for me. On this side of heaven, we see in part and prophesy in part as though looking through a glass dimly. At the same time, though, the Shepherd leads His sheep by His voice and He truly wants His sheep to learn to hear and obey His voice. So if you sense the Lord's leading, you're welcome to come along with me in the journey this year as I try to follow the voice of the Good Shepherd. If you come, please test everything in your own spirit, as we are commanded, seeking to discern between the voice of the Spirit and the voice of the flesh, taking the meat and leaving the bone. Please pray for me to do the same, and I'll be praying for each of you who receive these prayers. May you be encouraged and may God bless you this year and every year! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays PS: A biographical sketch is included below for those who would like to know a little more about our ministry: Tommy Hays Spiritual Director and Revivalist Messiah Ministries 2800 Tates Creek Road Lexington, Kentucky 40502 859-422-1794 MessiahMin@aol.com Tommy Hays is a Spiritual Director, Conference Leader, and Revivalist. He serves as Executive Director of Messiah Ministries, the ministry he founded and leads for interdenominational teaching, preaching, equipping, and prayer ministries of inner healing, deliverance and spiritual formation. Tommy ministers throughout the diverse traditions of the Christian faith and is ordained as a United Methodist Pastor (Elder in Full Connection) under special appointment to the ministry by his bishop (Southwest Texas Conference of the UMC). He is also a member in covenant relationship with the MorningStar Fellowship of Ministries, an international prophetic teaching ministry. He holds a Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from The University of Texas at Austin. Tommy was called to ministry from his law practice as a trial attorney in Texas, and now offers personal prayer ministry and spiritual direction by private appointment. He is a frequent speaker in conferences and churches of many traditions -- leading teaching conferences, healing services, prayer retreats, ecumenical gatherings, spiritual renewal weekends, and prayer revivals inter-denominationally throughout the United States and the nations. His vision and the calling of Messiah Ministries is to help "prepare the way of the Lord" by preparing the people of the Lord through the ministries of healing, wholeness, and sanctification to be trained and equipped to continue the ministry of the Lord throughout all the earth. His daily prayer devotional, "Morning by Morning" is sent to readers around the world every morning by email. With a Christian counselor, Tommy also leads a citywide, ecumenical service each month of prayer, praise and healing worship called "The Fountain" and teaches The Fountain School of Ministry, to train and equip believers for inner healing and deliverance prayer ministry. Tommy is forty-three years old, married to Tricia Hays, and the father of four wonderful children -- Elizabeth, Zachary, Madison, and Elijah Hays. They are members of Centenary United Methodist Church in Lexington, Kentucky, where the Messiah Ministries office is located. He continues to practice law on select matters from time to time as the Lord leads in the Lexington law firm of Troutman & Hays, as a minister in the marketplace and public square of the community. Tommy’s teaching and messages focus upon all aspects of spiritual renewal and revival through prayer, healing and wholeness, spiritual warfare, evangelism, and holiness, while equipping the Body of Christ to live out their identity and destiny in the ministry of the Kingdom of God. His ministry focuses on the process of healing form the inside out by bringing every area under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Wounds of rejection, roots of bitterness, shadows of fear, walls of isolation, and shame of sin -- the unhealed pain and shame of life steals the blessings of abundant life Jesus makes available through the power of the Cross. Our unhealed wounds and brokenness block us from intimacy with God, divide us from loving one another, and imprison us from living out our destiny in Christ. We need healing from our wounds and deliverance from our bondage. We need to know our identity and our purpose. We need to know our gifting, our calling, and our destiny. Through ministries of healing and wholeness in the process of sanctification, we become free to be more like Jesus so we can continue the ministry of Jesus as the Body of Christ filled with the Spirit of Christ to a broken and hurting world. Jesus came to bind up the brokenhearted and set the captives free as He proclaimed the coming of the Kingdom of God (Isaiah 61; Luke 4). Now, as the Father sent the Son, so the Son sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit to glory of God (John 20). This is the mission and ministry of Messiah Ministries as we do our part to "prepare the way of the Lord" in our generation. Please contact Tommy Hays at Messiah Ministries if we can come alongside you in the ministry of Jesus. To subscribe/unsubscribe/reply please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- "preparing the way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com God bless you!

Invitation to Join the Journey

January 1, 2005 Re: Morning by Morning, A Prayer Journey with Tommy Hays Dear praying friends, I invite you to join with me in a journey of my morning prayer life for a second year. For some time I believe I’ve felt the nudging of the Holy Spirit to write a few words each day from my time with the Lord to share with others. The Lord is speaking to us all to lead us in His paths, and I believe we can learn from the journeys of others to see more clearly the steps we are taking in our own journey. I plan to send these prayers "Morning by Morning" when I can. In my own prayer life, I journal sometimes my own thoughts, sometimes the words I believe the Lord is speaking to me, and sometimes my responses in prayer. So, I welcome you to listen in on our conversation and even let these prayers come along side your prayers, as I try to share some of the nuggets of Spirit and Life the Lord is digging up in the circumstances of my life this year. For you, some may be nuggets of gold and some may be nuggets of coal. Feel free to dust off what seems to weigh as Truth in your hands and to cast off what doesn't. When I share what I believe to be the Lord's guidance, please know that I'm not saying "this is the Word of the Lord" with certainty but only what I sincerely believe in humility and without presumption are His words of guidance for me. On this side of heaven, we see in part and prophesy in part as though looking through a glass dimly. At the same time, though, the Shepherd leads His sheep by His voice and He truly wants His sheep to learn to hear and obey His voice. So if you sense the Lord's leading, you're welcome to come along with me in the journey this year as I try to follow the voice of the Good Shepherd. If you come, please test everything in your own spirit, as we are commanded, seeking to discern between the voice of the Spirit and the voice of the flesh, taking the meat and leaving the bone. Please pray for me to do the same, and I'll be praying for each of you who receive these prayers. May you be encouraged and may God bless you this year and every year! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe/reply please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries --"preparing the way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com God bless you!

Hi, I'm Tommy Hays. Welcome to Morning by Morning

Hi, I'm Tommy