Tuesday, June 11, 2019

Morning by Morning, June 11 - "My Heart is Glad!"
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Thank You for Your ever-abiding Presence here in my heart and every moment of my day. ...
 
"King David said this about Him:  'I see that the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and my tongue shouts His praises! My body rests in hope.... You have shown me the way of life, and You will fill me with the joy of Your Presence! ... David was looking into the future and speaking of the Messiah's resurrection" (Acts 2:25-31 NLT).
 
Resurrected One, You have resurrected me! Joyful One, You have filled me with Your joy! Ever-Present One, You are ever-present with me! "No wonder my heart is glad and my tongue shouts (Your) praises!"
 
Not only do You show me the way of life, You walk it with me every day. The way of life is a Person -- and Your name is Jesus! (John 14:6). Not only do You walk along with me, You abide right here within me (Romans 8:10; John 15:5). 
 
There's never a moment that I'm alone, never a moment that I'm not loved. "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!" (Lamentations 3:22-23) And just like You promised, I'm never apart from Your Presence. "(You're) with (me) always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). "No wonder my heart is glad and my tongue shouts (Your) praises!" In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My friend, may your heart be glad and your tongue shout the praises of Jesus, who ever-abides in your heart every moment of every day of your life, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

   

Thank You! for all the Birthday Blessings and Good Wishes yesterday, my friends! You made my day! Love ya'll!
 
"So encourage one another and build each another up in love, just as you are doing!" (1 Thessalonians 5:11)


Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
  
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257

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Monday, June 10, 2019

Morning by Morning, June 10 - "All the More Grace!"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I love You, Lord; and I seek to love You more -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ... 

"But He gives all the more grace" (James 4:6). 

Today, I turn fifty-eight. What comes to mind first is that I'm getting closer to turning sixty -- yikes! But what comes to mind next is how much grace You've given me, how much grace You've poured into me and over me and through me, despite all my sins and failures, all my stubbornness and pride, all my missteps and mistakes. 

I guess that's the very point of Your grace, isn't it? And Lord, how I need it all the more today than ever before! How I thank You and praise You that I have it -- "all the more!" Let it never be said that any of Your grace was ever wasted on me! When I cross the finish line of the race of my life through this world, let it be known in heaven and throughout eternity that I used up every measure and moment of all the extravagant grace You lavishly poured out for me! 

So as I finish this year of life and begin my next, let Your grace abound "all the more!" Take me deeper, higher, further, than I could ever imagine and never deserve! Keep giving me the audacity of faith to keep passionately believing the best is yet to come! (Proverbs 4:18; Haggai 2:9; John 2:10) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My friend, may you passionately believe the best is yet to come for you, as you keep living into all the more grace the Lord extravagantly lavishes upon you, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

  

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
  
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257

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Friday, June 07, 2019

Morning by Morning, June 7 - First of All and Above All
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. First of all and above all, I look to You and behold Your glory, to worship You in spirit and truth -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God.  ...
 
"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the Lord who is the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:17-18 NAB).
 
While I'm worshipping You, You're changing me. While I'm gazing on Your glory, You're glory is filling me, transforming me, making me more like You "from glory to glory." This is how I'm "filled with the Spirit" -- when I lift up my spirit to You in worship, when I open my spirit to You in surrender (Ephesians 5:18). This is how I'm "filled with all the fullness of God" -- when I yield my heart to Your heart and my thoughts to Your thoughts to behold and embrace the glory of the presence of God (Ephesians 3:19).
 
Your Spirit frees my spirit to come up higher, to enter in more deeply, to surrender more completely, so that I am "strengthened with power through (Your) Spirit in (my) inner self, that Christ may dwell in (my) heart through faith, that (I may be) rooted and grounded in (Your) love" (Ephesians 3:16-17 NAB).
 
Come, Holy Spirit. Unveil my face and open my heart to gaze upon the glory of the Lord -- first of all and above all -- every day. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

My friend, may you behold and embrace the glory of the Lord first of all and above all every day -- filled with His Spirit and changed into His image from glory to glory, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

 

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
  
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257

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Thursday, June 06, 2019

Morning by Morning, June 6 - "A Mighty Endeavor" -- Remembering the Spiritual Battle of D-Day
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. In the communion of prayer, where deep calls to Deep, I press in to begin my day embraced by my Father, centered in Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit. In surrender and silence before You, I watch and wait to hear what You're speaking and see where You're leading. ...
 
It comes to mind that today is the day the world remembers what happened on the beaches of Normandy, France seventy-five years ago on D-Day -- the day all hell broke loose against the kingdom of darkness in an epic day of courage for the sons and daughters of the kingdom of God. The brave men who fought and died that day wore uniforms of nations, but they were empowered as more than conquerors through the One who strengthened them and fought before them as the Commander of the Army of the Lord (Joshua 5:14). Their true battle was not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of darkness that sought to enslave the world and sniff out the light of liberty and all that is good in the earth (Ephesians 6:12).
 
There was great victory that day. And there was great sacrifice that day. And every day that same battle continues -- in the earth and in soul of every man, woman, and child. But our God reigns! Victory is won! Through the greatest Sacrifice of all time, may we continue to enforce the victory of Your cross in the authority of Your name and the power of Your Spirit as the sons and daughters of God who will never surrender and never retreat before the spiritual enemies of the cross! May the Lamb have His full reward! And one day the fullness of Your Word will be fulfilled on the earth and in our hearts -- "The Kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!" (Revelation 11:15)
 
On that day of June 6, 1944, the President of the United States of America called our nation to prayer, seeing that day as an epic spiritual battle of good and evil:
 
"Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our Nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.
 
Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.
 
They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.
 
They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest-until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men's souls will be shaken with the violences of war.
 
For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and good will among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.
 
Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.
 
And for us at home -- fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas -- whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them--help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.
 
Many people have urged that I call the Nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.
 
Give us strength, too -- strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.
 
And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.
 
And, O Lord, give us Faith. Give us Faith in Thee; Faith in our sons; Faith in each other; Faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.
 
With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogancies. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister Nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.
 
Thy will be done, Almighty God. Amen." 
 
-- President Franklin Delano Roosevelt
 
I just say, Amen, Mr. President. Amen, Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit of the Living God. May we have that courage and conviction in our generation, as we persevere and prevail in prayer, in faith, and in action. For surely "the gates of hells shall not prevail" when faithful hearts turn to You in obedience and faith to continue to enforce the victory of the cross in our day by power of Your grace (Matthew 16:18). Every day is our D-Day. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
 
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

My friend, may you never surrender and never retreat before the spiritual enemies of the cross, whether in your heart or in our world until the kingdom of this world have become the kingdom of God and of His Christ, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

 

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
  
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257

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Wednesday, June 05, 2019

Morning by Morning, June 5 - "Draw Near to God"
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Make me more like You today. ...
 
"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you" (James 4:8).
 
How do I draw near to You, God?  ...
 
As I wait and listen, I believe I hear You speaking in my heart, "I am the Vine. You are the branches. Abide in Me and I will abide in you. Abiding is a choice of seeking Me, of allowing yourself to hunger and thirst for Me, of making yourself available to Me -- with your time, with your surrender, with your attention, with all your heart and soul and mind and strength."  ...
 
Yes, Lord. As I ponder what's coming to my heart, Your Scripture comes to mind:  "When you search for Me, you will find Me; if you seek Me with all your heart, I will let you find Me" (Jeremiah 29:23-14).
 
You are my Father and I am Your son (Romans 8:16). You are my Master and I am Your disciple (John 13:35). You are the Vine and I am Your branches (John 15:5). You are my Best Friend and I want to be Yours (John 15:15).
 
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God -- I want to keep drawing nearer to You every day and every way. I pray for the grace to grow more deeply intimate with You -- morning by morning and moment by moment -- until we are as united as one as we can be. "Anyone united to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him" (1 Corinthians 6:17). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

My friend, may you draw near to God -- more and more every day -- until you become as united as one with Him as you can be, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

 

Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
  
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257

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Tuesday, June 04, 2019

Morning by Morning, June 4 - Committed to "Contend for the Faith"
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I abide in You, as You abide in me. Put Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart, as I begin this day in the communion of prayer with You -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ...
 
"Beloved, while eagerly preparing to write to you about the salvation we share, I find it necessary to write and appeal to you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. For certain intruders have stolen in among you, people who long ago were designated for this condemnation as ungodly, who pervert the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ" (Jude 3-4).
 
My faith is precious to me, because my faith is precious to You. You set aside the glory of heaven, You humbled Yourself in human flesh, You laid down Your life on the cross and out poured out Your blood, that I could be forgiven and free, saved by Your grace, to live in deeply personal, intimate relationship with You forever. So it's a faith worth fighting for. It's a faith worth contending for.
 
Like so many of those who have joined in this faith through the generations, it's a faith worth dying for. So let it be a faith worth living for. Let it be faith worth speaking up for, worth standing firm for, worth never surrendering, never retreating for (Hebrews 11:1-14).
 
So by the power of Your grace, make me more bold in my faith, make me more committed to contend for my faith, to be ready and willing to sacrifice for my faith, to honor the One who paid it all so I could have live out each day in the mercy and grace of this precious gift of my faith. My faith wasn't free -- it cost You everything, so that You could be everything to me.
 
"Now to Him who is able to keep (me) from falling, and to make (me) stand without blemish in the presence of His glory with rejoicing, to the only God and Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time and now and forever!" (Jude 24-25) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

My friend, may you be committed to the contend for the faith -- empowered by God's grace and anointed with God's Spirit to stand firm, to never surrender and never retreat, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!


Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
  
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257

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Friday, May 31, 2019

Morning by Morning, May 31 - Cheerful and Content
 
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I'm listening for Your voice and the leading of Your Spirit -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ...
 
"I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and being in need. I can to all things through Him who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:11-13).
 
You've given me great grace to go to many nations many times to share the good news of Jesus Christ that burns in my heart. But like every time before, I'm always challenged by a little "culture shock" when I come home. We have so much and take so much for granted, compared with so much of the world. And it always takes a little time to process the sharp contrast of these worlds. ...
 
As I do, I don't sense a conviction of guilt for all we have, but I do sense Your invitation to be content with all we have. And I sense a reminder to remember the Source of all we have. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning" (James 1:17 NKJV).
 
Come, Holy Spirit of God. Set things right in my heart. Set things right in my priorities. Give me grace to treasure the right things and to be content in the great treasure of all the things I have from You. Where my treasure is, there my heart will be also (Matthew 6:21). So may I be content with my great treasure and also moved with Your compassion to use my treasure well. May I seek You first and Your kingdom with all that I have, all that I am, and all that I treasure (Matthew 6:33). "From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded" (Luke 12:48).
 
You are a cheerful Giver and You love a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7). So by the power of Your grace, may I be cheerful and content, thankful for all I have and ready to give as You would lead. May I remember the inspiration of those I've seen who have so little and yet give so much. And whether I have little or I have plenty, whether I'm giving to those in need or receiving what I need, may I be cheerful, may I be content, always appreciating all that I have and always remembering it all belongs to You (Romans 14:8; Galatians 2:20; 1 Corinthians 6:20). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

My Friend, may you be cheerful and content, full of thanksgiving and praise to the One who gives and empowers you to give, knowing all that you are and all that you have belongs to the One who loves you so, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!



A beautiful lady preparing our lunch for us with joy outside the church in one of the refugee camps



African Sunrise in Northern Uganda

Ministry Trip to Uganda
Friends, thank you so much for all your prayers and encouragement for our ministry trip to the African nation of Uganda May 16-29 for teaching, preaching, and evangelism in the refugee camps, pastors and leaders conferences, and a variety of settings to spread the Fire of the Holy Spirit and the love of God in Jesus' mighty name! Our team hosted by New Life Endowment with Mike and Norma Scalf, Martha Zaruba, and Gwen DuBose was so delighted and thrilled to see many salvations, healing, freedom, and hope renewed as we were able to share the good news of the kingdom of God in so many settings! We're excited to continue to hear what God has done in them and in us! God bless you!



Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
  
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257

Please share this word to encourage a friend!