Wonderful in Counsel 8-14-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Make my ways more like Your ways; make my thoughts more like Your thoughts. I yield my ways and my thoughts to You. ... "I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I keep the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved" (Psalm 16:7-8). They say that even as we sleep, our minds are working. As our bodies rest, our thoughts are developing strategies and solving problems. Our minds are one of Your most amazing creations! Lord, remind me to begin and end each day with You. Let my mind continually look to You and let my heart continually be led by You. Then it will be Your strategies that are developed and Your answers that come, as You counsel me through the day and even through the night. Then I can be steadfast and confident in the wisdom that comes from the wisest One. You are "wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom" (Isaiah 28:29). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "... Preparing the Way of the Lord, ... Ministering the Healing Love of God." 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 www.messiah-ministries.org Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com Come to The Fountain! on the 3rd Friday night of every month for our gathering of the body of Christ from every tradition and stream to worship the Lord in Sprit and in Truth. 7 pm in the chapel at Centenary. All are welcome. Call for details: 859-422-1794

The Anger of the Lord 8-13-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Your name is above every name. At Your name, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father (Philippians 2:9-11). ... "But You indeed are awesome! Who can stand before You when once Your anger is roused? From the heavens You uttered judgment; the earth feared and was still when God rose up to establish judgment, to save all the oppressed of the earth" (Psalm 76:7-9). Yesterday I sensed Your anger was roused in me. I saw the oppressed of the earth face to face and could do nothing about it, and I was angry at those who could. We took my children to a National Park for the day to see Mammoth Cave, and there were people there from many different nations and cultures. Two men were there with their wives, veiled in black clothe from thier head to their feet with only slits for their eyes to see how to walk and take care of their children. My anger rose and my heart broke that a husband could do that to his wife, that a religion could do that its people. So I continued to release my anger to You and let the anger turn to intercession. I continued to remember that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of wickedness who come to deceive and confuse, to oppress and destroy (Ephesians 6:12). You desire to save "all the oppressed of the earth," whether they know they are oppressed or not. Lord God, let Your anger be roused against the injustice and oppression of our spiritual enemy who comes to deceive and work his destruction through those he has blinded to truth of Your nature. The gospel of Your truth "is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, Who is the image of God" (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). Let the earth fear God and be still before You, as You rise to establish Your judgment and justice to save all the oppressed of the earth. "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "... Preparing the Way of the Lord, ... Ministering the Healing Love of God." 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 www.messiah-ministries.org Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com Come to The Fountain! on the 3rd Friday night of every month for our gathering of the body of Christ from every tradition and stream to worship the Lord in Sprit and in Truth. 7 pm in the chapel at Centenary. All are welcome. Call for details: 859-422-1794

Evil Exposed by the Light 8-12-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Let the light of Your life shine in my soul and throughout the earth. … "Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them" (Ephesians5:11). Thank You for exposing the plans and schemes of the terrorists who sought to explode ten passenger planes on their way to America. I join in the prayers of Your people throughout the earth that the works of darkness will be exposed and the works of evil will be thwarted. Terrorism is the enemy's perversion of the fear of God. "Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in their hearts; there is no fear of God before their eyes. They flatter themselves in their own eyes that their iniquity cannot be found out and hated. The words of their mouths are mischief and deceit; they have ceased to act wisely and do good. They plot mischief while on their beds; they are set on a way that is not good; they do not reject evil" (Psalm 36:1-4). The true fear of God is honor and reverence for You and Your ways. Your ways are life and light, not death and darkness. I pray for the souls of those who are confused and deceived by this false fear, who worship a god who is not God. Open their eyes to see You as You are. Let the true fear of God come upon them that leads to humility and repentance, then Your mercy and grace. "For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light" (Psalm 36:9). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "... Preparing the Way of the Lord, ... Ministering the Healing Love of God." 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 www.messiah-ministries.org Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com Come to The Fountain! on the 3rd Friday night of every month for our gathering of the body of Christ from every tradition and stream to worship the Lord in Sprit and in Truth. 7 pm in the chapel at Centenary. All are welcome. Call for details: 859-422-17694

Promise of Restoration in the Days of Amos 8-11-06

Morning by Morning, Friday Good morning, Lord Jesus. Help me be quiet so I can hear. Help me listen so You can speak. … Though Your Word through Amos speaks of judgment without measure for the people of the nations and for Israel who will not humble themselves in repentance and turn to You in obedience, Your Word also speaks of the healing and restoration that comes through Your mercy for those who do (Amos 9:11-15). "On that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen, and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old; in order that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by My name, says the Lord who does this" (9:11-12). Lord, raise up the booth of David -- the tabernacle of worship and praise and prayer "before the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister regularly before the ark as each day required" (1 Chronicles 16:37). Draw Your people before the ark of Your presence. Let us seek You and Your face for Your protection and Your grace as each day requires. Only the power of Your presence will bring peace and protection. Open our eyes and our hearts to seek You and receive You. Rebuild Your tabernacle of prayer and praise in our hearts. Let it be so in Israel and in Islam, in the hearts of all people of all nations who humble themselves to seek Your face, welcome Your presence, and obey Your will. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "... Preparing the Way of the Lord, ... Ministering the Healing Love of God." 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 www.messiah-ministries.org Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com Come to The Fountain! on the 3rd Friday night of every month for our gathering of the body of Christ from every tradition and stream to worship the Lord in Sprit and in Truth. 7 pm in the chapel at Centenary. All are welcome. Call for details: 859-422-17694

The Days of Amos 8-10-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I call upon Your name and seek the fullness of Your salvation for myself and for all who need to know Your name. ... Are these not the beginning of the days seen by Amos long ago? Through Your prophet You declared Your judgments on the nations of the earth to come. "The Lord roars from Zion, and utters His voice from Jerusalem; the pastors of the shepherds mourn, and the top of Carmel withers" (Amos 1:2). I join those You are calling to intercede throughout the earth for salvation of the people of our nations, the people of all nations, and especially the people of these nations and cities You have named by name under Your judgments to come in the fullness of time: Damascus (Amos 1:3), Gaza (1:6), Tyre (1:9), Edom (1:11), Ammon (1:13), Moab (2:1), Judah (2:4), and Israel (2:6). "Surely the Lord does nothing, without revealing His secret to His servants the prophets. The Lion has roared; who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken; who can but prophesy?" (Amos 3:7-8). In the fear of the Lord, I pray. In the love of God, I pray. I pray for the blessing of the fear of God to fall upon every heart that brings conviction of sin -- especially the sin of hardened, rebellious hearts of doubt, unbelief, and pride that resist the grace and mercy of God available to all through Your unfailing love revealed and released through the blood of Christ. "This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth" (1 Timothy 2:3-4). You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). Through the sacrifice of Your love and Your offer of grace to all, You have prepared the way for each of us to know the truth and live our lives eternally in You. Though judgment will come, Your "mercy triumphs over judgment" for all who will humble themselves in Your sight (James 2:13). "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:13). I pray for all who need to call on Your name before judgment and even in midst of the judgment to come. Even Your judgments are Your mercy if the humble hardened hearts and bow rebellious knees to ask for the grace You long to give. "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done in it will be disclosed. Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? But in accordance with His promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home" (2 Peter 3:9-13). Come Lord Jesus, be at home in my heart today. Come be at home in every heart who calls on Your name today. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "... Preparing the Way of the Lord, ... Ministering the Healing Love of God." 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 www.messiah-ministries.org Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com Come to The Fountain! on the 3rd Friday night of every month for our gathering of the body of Christ from every tradition and stream to worship the Lord in Sprit and in Truth. 7 pm in the chapel at Centenary. All are welcome. Call for details: 859-422-17694

You are I AM 8-9-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob -- Maker and Master of Heaven and Earth -- You are I AM. ... "But Moses said to God, 'If I come to the Israelites and say them, 'The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is His name?' what shall I say to them?" God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM." Thus you shall say to the Israelites, 'I AM has sent me to you.' " God also said to Moses, 'Thus you shall say to the Israelites, 'The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob has sent me to you: This is My name forever, and this is My title for all generation' " (Exodus 3:13-15). You are all I need. I need all of You. By Your grace, I give all of me to all of You. Open my eyes to see You clearly as You are. Open the eyes of Israel and Islam to see You clearly as You are. Open the eyes of all nations to behold the One who rules all nations. "He calls to the heavens above and the earth, that He may judge His people: 'Gather to Me My faithful ones, who made a covenant with Me by sacrifice!' The heavens declare His righteousness, for God himself is judge. 'Hear, O My people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you, I AM God, your God' " (Psalm 50:4-7). Forgive each of us, Lord God, when You call to us and we do not answer, when You come to us and we do not receive You, when You lead us and we do not follow, when You reveal Yourself to us and we do not see You for Who You are. You are I AM. You said, "For the sake of My servant Jacob, and Israel My chosen, I call you by your name, I surname you, though you do not know Me. I AM the Lord and there is no other; besides Me there is no god. I arm you, though you do not know Me, so that they may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is no one besides Me; I AM the Lord and there is no other" (Isaiah 45:4-6). By Your grace and mercy, You arm and protect the people of Your covenant and call them by name, though they do not yet know Your Name. You are I AM. You said: "I AM the Bread of Life" (John 6:35); "I AM the Light of the World" (v. 8:12); "I AM from above" (v. 8:23); "I AM the Gate" (v. 10:9); "I AM the Good Shepherd" (v. 10:11); "I AM God's Son" (v. 10:36); "I AM the Resurrection and the Life" (v. 11:25). To Your first disciples, You said, "You call Me Teacher and Lord -- and you are right, for that is what I AM" (v. 13:13). To the Samaritan woman at the well who said, "I know Messiah is coming and when He comes He will proclaim all things to us," You said to her, "I AM He, the One Who is speaking to you" (v. 4:25-26). And when the children of Abraham could not see You as the One who was to come to fulfill their hopes through the sacrifice of Your love, You said, "Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I AM" (v. 8:58). Thank You for Your grace that has opened my eyes to see You, my ears to hear You, and my heart to receive You as You are. You are my protection and my provision, my Lord and my Savior, my God and my King. You are All I need. You are my "All in All" (1 Corinthians 15:28). You are I AM. And I pray the eyes of all people of all nations in all generations would be opened to see You are You are. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "... Preparing the Way of the Lord, ... Ministering the Healing Love of God." 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 www.messiah-ministries.org Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com Come to The Fountain! on the 3rd Friday night of every month for our gathering of the body of Christ from every tradition and stream to worship the Lord in Sprit and in Truth. 7 pm in the chapel at Centenary. All are welcome. Call for details: 859-422-17694

"The Remnant of the Noble" 8-8-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Fill my thoughts with Your thoughts and fill my desires with Your desires as I decrease and You increase, as I watch and wait for Your leading and Your command. … "Then down to the gates marched the people of the Lord. Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, utter a song! Arise, Barak, lead away your captives, O son of Abinoam. Then down marched the remnant of the noble; the people of the Lord marched down for Him against the mighty" (Judges 5:11-13). There are those who are "the mighty," but You are the Almighty! There are those who take their stand against the will of the Lord, but You are the One whose will stands over eternity. Let Your sons and Your daughters hear Your call to awake and to arise! Let us hear Your call to march in the authority of Your Word and the power of Your Name. We are the remnant of the noble, the people of the Lord who refuse to bow down to the enemies of our King -- the world, the flesh, and the devil. These false gods seek our worship and seek our appeasement. Then those around us who give them place and honor in their lives, give them strength and courage to advance against the gates of the kingdom of God. "When new gods were chosen, then war was in the gates" (Judges 5:8). By Your grace, we will not sit back; we will answer Your call. We will arise and march down to the gates -- the gates of our hearts and minds, the gates of our thoughts and desires. There we will worship You alone as God and bow before You alone as King. And there our God will arise and our enemies will be scattered (Psalm 68:1). There we will proclaim as the remnant of the noble, "How the mighty have fallen in the midst of battle!" (2 Samuel 1:25). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "... Preparing the Way of the Lord, ... Ministering the Healing Love of God." 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 www.messiah-ministries.org Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Clean Hands and a Pure Heart 8-7-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Lord I give You my heart, mind, soul, and strength. Help me hold nothing back from You today. … Saturday night at the conference, a little child prayed for me at the altar that I would have clean hands and a pure heart before You. Sunday morning, the pastor and the people of the little country church where I stopped to worship on my way home circled around me to pray for me at the altar. As they laid a "mantle" in the form of a prayer shawl across my shoulders, someone prayed that I would have clean hands and a pure heart before You. I receive Your call to holiness of heart and life. By the love of the Father and the blood of Jesus and the fire of the Holy Spirit, cleanse my hands and purify my heart by Your grace and Your power in accordance with Your Word. "Who will ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in His holy place? Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully. They will receive blessing from the Lord, and vindication from the God of their salvation. Such is the company of those who seek Him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob" (Psalm 24:3-6). By Your grace, I seek Your face. By the blood of the Lamb that cleanses my sins and sanctifies my soul, I ascend this hill and come in to this place -- the place of Your presence -- with clean hands and a pure heart. Thank You for this gift of grace beyond words. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "... Preparing the Way of the Lord, ... Ministering the Healing Love of God." 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 www.messiah-ministries.org Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Women on the Frontlines 8-5-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I call upon Your name as You call upon my heart. … "At that time Deborah, a prophetess, wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel. … She sent and summoned Barak …and said to him, 'The Lord, the God of Israel commands you, 'Go, take possession of Mount Tabor, bringing ten thousand from the tribe of Naphtali and the tribe of Zebulun. I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin's army, to meet you by the Wadi Kishon with his chariots and his troops; and I will give him into your hand.' ' Barak said to her, 'If you will go with me, I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.' And she said, 'I will surely go with you; nevertheless the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman' "(Judges 4:4-9). I'll be going to a conference in Ohio this weekend with my mother-in-law Beverly called "Women on the Frontlines of Battle." Prepare my heart to hear Your Word from Heidi Baker, Jim Goll, and the others You will use to speak Your Truth and impart Your Spirit. In these days, You are humbling the men of Your kingdom to make room for the leadership of Your women. There are battles we need to fight that cannot be won unless we go out with them into battle. There is land You have given to us to possess we cannot take unless we take both Your sons and Your daughters with us into battle. We have different roles, but our roles are of equal significance and value in Your kingdom. Let them be the roles You have determined rather than those we have determined by the traditions of men rather than the Word of God. Let our positions be those You have assigned at Your command rather our own. The Word of God says, "In these last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, and your young men will see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon My slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out My Spirit; and they shall prophesy" (Acts 2:17-18). From the day Your poured out Your Holy Spirit upon all flesh -- male flesh and females flesh -- on the day of Pentecost, these days have been "these last days." You have called "both men and women" to hear and to speak Your Word with Your authority at Your command. Forgive us where we have misunderstood Your Word, failed to consider the whole counsel of God, heard what we wanted to hear, and ignored the rest. This road on which we are going will not lead to our glory but to Yours. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "... Preparing the Way of the Lord, ... Ministering the Healing Love of God." 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 www.messiah-ministries.org Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Peace and Power 8-4-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are my Peace and Your are my Power. Fill me with Your Power and Your Peace to follow You in Your ways this day. … "The Lord goes forth like a soldier, like a warrior He stirs up His fury, He cries out, He shouts aloud, He shows Himself mighty against His foes" (Isaiah 42:10). You are not a passive God, sitting back waiting for the world to unravel as time unfolds. You are both the Lamb that takes away sins of the world, but Your are also the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. There are times when You are silent as a Lamb before the shearers and times when the mountains tremble with at roar of a fierce Lion. You abound in mercy, but You are also righteous in judgment. You are the "Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6) and You give us Your peace, but not the peace "as the world gives" (John 14:27). This is not a peace of appeasement or complacency, not the cessation of conflict at any cost, but the peace that comes only from the wisdom of the One who establishes peace with the sword of His Word and the authority of His name. In this way, You said, "Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword" (Matthew 10:34). You have not come to bring the pacifistic peace of the world that chooses the compromise of conscience rather risk confrontation and challenge to injustice, persecution, and oppression. We will only know when to lay down our lives and our weapons and know when to stand and fight when we know the One who is our Peace. Then we will be led by Your Spirit rather than our flesh and unholy spirits. "I have said this to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you may face persecution, but take courage; I have conquered the world!" (John 16:33). Yes, Lord. Only in You do we have true peace. Only in You do we have true power. As they say, "No Jesus; No peace. Know Jesus; Know Peace." In Jesus name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "... Preparing the Way of the Lord, ... Ministering the Healing Love of God." 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 www.messiah-ministries.org Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

War in the Heavenlies 8-3-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You call me to draw near to You in the morning in the intimacy of prayer so I can rise and go forth into the battle of the day in the authority of Your presence. Now is when I listen, so that I will be ready when You call me to speak. Now is when I bow low in humility before You, so that I will be ready to rise and take my stand in faith to follow You. … There is war in the heavenlies, and that war is being manifested in the realms of the earth. Israel is ground zero, as You have prophesied in Your Word from the beginning and through the end. Though the nations gather for destruction and war, true peace will come, but only after a false peace comes first. Let us not be deceived and let us not be complacent. Let us be ready and vigilant with our eyes to the heavens and our ears to Your heart to pray and war in the Spirit as Your lead. "For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When they say, 'There is peace and security,' then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape. But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief, for you are all children of light and children of the day, we are not of the night or of darkness. So than let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober, for those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with Him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, as indeed you are doing" (1 Thessalonians 5:2-11). You are my Breastplate; You are my Helmet. You are my Warrior and my Peace; my Encouragement and my Hope. Let me be awake and alive in You to obey Your command in the war at hand. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "... Preparing the Way of the Lord, ... Ministering the Healing Love of God." 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 www.messiah-ministries.org Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

God at Work 8-2-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Good morning, my Father. Good morning, Holy Spirit. I settle my soul to seek Your face and listen for the leading of Your voice. … "From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who works for those who wait for Him" (Isaiah 64:4). What an amazing thought! My God works for me as I wait for Him. Of course, You are not working for me in the sense that I am Your boss and You are at my command -- that would be arrogant blasphemy. But as I wait for You, You are at work moving in my life, ordering my steps, preparing the path before me for Your purposes. Yet if I fail to wait, I won't leave room for You to work to prepare the way. If I hurry to go my way, it will be my way rather than Your way that I'm going. So give me the grace of patience to wait -- to sit in the silence of surrender before You, to humble myself in Your sight, to listen for the leading of Your voice, then to rise and follow in the path You have prepared in Your work for me this day. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "... Preparing the Way of the Lord, ... Ministering the Healing Love of God." 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 www.messiah-ministries.org Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Possessing the Land, Embracing the Kingdom 8-1-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Each day is another day of being conformed to the image of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit in submission to the will of my Father God (from Romans 8:29; 12:1-2). … "Do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, so that it may go well with you, and so that you may go in and occupy the good land that the Lord swore to your ancestors to give you, thrusting out all your enemies from before you, as the Lord has promised" (Deuteronomy 6:18-19). The literal realities of the events of those living under the Old Covenant also speak of the spiritual encounters of those living under the New Covenant. "These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come" (1 Corinthians 10:11). Under the New Covenant, my true enemies are not the human beings but the spiritual beings who will be at work to try to hinder and delay, to defile and distort Your purposes in my life today. "For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12). And the true land You have given me to possess is not marked by metes and bounds, rivers and mountains; it is the land of living in the kingdom of God. And Your kingdom comes in the hearts of all who bow to Your will and Your ways as the King of kings and the Lord of lords. "But strive first for the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33). "For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:17). Give me grace to do what is right and good in Your sight today. As I submit my heart and mind to Your will and ways today, let my enemies be scattered and let me enter in to the good land of Your promise and provision. To possess the land is embrace Your kingdom. Then it will go well with me, despite all I may encounter and all I may endure. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, in my life today. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "... Preparing the Way of the Lord, ... Ministering the Healing Love of God." 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 www.messiah-ministries.org Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

"Peace like a River" 7-31-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Draw me in to Your presence, my Father. Come, Holy Spirit. Lord God, I seek all of You with all of me -- as best as I can and all by Your grace. … "Peace like a river." You brought these words to mind to pray into someone's spirit last night during the prayer time of our New Life Community -- our gathering of a couple of small groups that meet on Sunday nights from my home church. With these words came an image of a gently flowing river, but the waters were flowing underground in an underground stream. It seemed You were saying, "Beneath the surface of Your life, I am always here, always moving like a steady flow of peace no matter what things look like on the surface. Don't worry. Be anxious for nothing. Receive my peace like a river." Yes, Lord. "Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be moved" (Psalm 55:22). "Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7). You are my Peace, Peace like a River flowing through my life -- steady and pure, always moving, always there, always ready to carry me through every trouble I face. Help me not resist Your flow, but freely give myself to You in trusting surrender and to flow with You wherever You take me. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "... Preparing the Way of the Lord, ... Ministering the Healing Love of God." 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 www.messiah-ministries.org Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Desert Place of Prayer 7-30-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, You are One and You are the One I seek in the quiet of the morning and in the desert place of prayer. … "In the morning, while it was still very dark, He got up and went out to a deserted place, and there He prayed" (Mark 1:32). My deserted place for prayer is most often the deserted hours of the early morning, while it is still very dark because no one else is up yet. Here in my prayer chair with my laptop journal and my Bible, You meet me in the communion of prayer. Here I can get quiet in my soul -- my mind, my will, and my emotions -- and my spirit can rise into the heavenly places of prayer where I am seated with You, by being seated in You through the communion of Your Spirit and in submission to Your Lordship at the right hand of my Father. "But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which He has loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ -- by grace you have been saved -- and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:4-7). Out of these desert places of surrender in the silence of prayer as I wait for Your presence and listen for Your leading, Your living waters of life begin to flow. The desert makes me thirsty and desperate for the life of the water of Your words. "For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and steams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water" (Isaiah 35:6-7). Here in the wilderness, I watch and wait for You alone. Here in the desert, I thirst for Your words of life and Your will for my life. And here Your living waters break forth. "Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled" (Matthew 5:6). You are my Righteousness and I thank You for filling me afresh with Your living waters in the desert place of prayer. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "... Preparing the Way of the Lord, ... Ministering the Healing Love of God." 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 www.messiah-ministries.org Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

"To Know Christ" 7-29-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I want to know You and hear You and follow You. … "I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the sharing of His sufferings by becoming like Him in His death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead" (Philippians 3:10). To become like You in Your death is the key to knowing the power of Your resurrection -- not just resurrection from the dead when I die, but the power of Your resurrection living in me every day. And to become like You in Your death is to be completely submitted in trusting surrender to the will of our Father no matter what the cost. "Let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who … humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death -- even death on a cross" (verse 2:5-8). The words of complete submission and trusting surrender are: "Nevertheless not my will, but Yours, be done" (Luke 22:42 NKJV). Help me know You and become more like You every day -- in obedience to the will of our Father. As I do, by Your grace, I will know the power of Your resurrection in my life more every day. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "... Preparing the Way of the Lord, ... Ministering the Healing Love of God." 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 www.messiah-ministries.org Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

"To Know Christ" 7-29-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I want to know You and hear You and follow You. … "I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the sharing of His sufferings by becoming like Him in His death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead" (Philippians 3:10). To become like You in Your death is the key to knowing the power of Your resurrection -- not just resurrection from the dead when I die, but the power of Your resurrection living in me every day. And to become like You in Your death is to be completely submitted in trusting surrender to the will of our Father no matter what the cost. "Let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who … humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death -- even death on a cross" (verse 2:5-8). The words of complete submission and trusting surrender are: "Nevertheless not my will, but Yours, be done" (Luke 22:42 NKJV). Help me know You and become more like You every day -- in obedience to the will of our Father. As I do, by Your grace, I will know the power of Your resurrection in my life more every day. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "... Preparing the Way of the Lord, ... Ministering the Healing Love of God." 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 www.messiah-ministries.org Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

Pleasing God, not People 7-28-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Form Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart. Guide my steps in the way that pleases You today. … "For to the one who pleases Him, God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy" (Ecclesiastes 2:26). Show me how please You with my life today. Let that be my standard and my goal. I need Your wisdom and knowledge; I want to experience Your joy. Let me focus not be pleasing people but pleasing God. As I please You, some people may be pleased and some may not. Give me the grace and the wisdom to know that I will only find joy as I seek to please You above all else. Anything less will only steal my joy. Disappointed people that I have not made it my aim to please may condemn me, but my heart will not condemn me if I seek to live my life to please You. "Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God; and we receive from Him whatever we ask, because we obey His commandments and do what pleases Him" (1 John 3:21-22). So, we should not make it our aim to please others; "we make it our aim to please Him" (2 Corinthians 5:9). Then let others be pleased that they see me seeking to please You above all else. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "... Preparing the Way of the Lord, ... Ministering the Healing Love of God." 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 www.messiah-ministries.org Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

"Protector of Widows" 7-27-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I began this day flying home toward the glorious sun rising in the east over the Texas plains. You are the Son of glory and I thank You for the gift of beginning every day flying in my spirit toward You in prayer. … "Sing to God, sing praises to His name, lift up a song to Him who rides upon the clouds -- His name is the Lord -- be exultant before Him. Father of orphans and protector of widows is God in His holy habitation. God gives the desolate a home to live in; He leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious live in a parched land" (Psalm 68:4-6). You are a Father to the fatherless and You are a Husband to the widow. In her time of rejoicing for my grandfather's spiritual healing and in her time of grieving for the loss of his physical presence, I know You are holding my grandmother near in Your strong arms and tender mercies. Nanny is eighty-seven years old and the day before PaPa's funeral was their sixty-eighth anniversary of marriage. You have filled their long lives with much grace and mercy. I pray that Nanny's later years will be even greater than her former years (from Haggai 2:9). Edna Marie Hays is amazingly active and deeply spiritual woman of God, still full of much life to give. Give her the grace to live out the richness and fullness of these grandest years of her life for Your glory. "And the disgrace of your widowhood you will remember no more. For your Maker is your Husband, the Lord of Hosts is His name, the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth He is called" (Isaiah 54:4-5). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "... Preparing the Way of the Lord, ... Ministering the Healing Love of God." 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 www.messiah-ministries.org Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com

"Go Rest High" 7-26-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the Good Shepherd. Your sheep hear Your voice and follow where You lead -- from day to day, from one life to the next. Take my hand and I will follow Speak Your words, I will obey. Lead me on and I will follow Every step of every day. … Thank You for that song, Lord. You said it this way in Your Word: "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cups runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever" (Psalm 23). This morning we will return my grandfather's body to the dust. PaPa has no more need of it now. He has heard the voice of His Good Shepherd and he has followed. Now he's resting in Your green pastures, beside Your still waters. You have lead him through the valley of the shadow of death, and he has had no need to fear, for You are with him. The last few days, I've been thinking of song written by Vince Gil that makes me think of PaPa's passing form this life to the next: "Go rest high on that mountain. Son your work on earth is done. Go to heaven a shoutin' Love for the Father and the Son." Walking with him through this journey of earthly life, through the fleeting grip of death, into Your arms of eternal life have made me realize even more deeply the critical significance our relationship with You. How else could we face death with peace and even joy? And every day between this day and that one in my own journey, I can come to You in prayer by Your Spirit. Every day in prayer, I can "go rest high on that mountain." Every day in prayer, I can "go to heaven a shoutin' Love for the Father and the Son." In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "... Preparing the Way of the Lord, ... Ministering the Healing Love of God." 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 www.messiah-ministries.org Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com