"One Blood", One Love, "One God and Father of All" - June 12, 2020

Morning by Morning, June 12 - "One Blood", One Love, "One God and Father of All"

 

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the "King of Kings and Lord of Lords" (Revelation 19:16). You are "Lord of All" (Acts 10:36). ...

 

As I look to You in prayer today, in the midst of a world that looks so dark and divided, I also see light and hope in the midst of it all. For wherever there's darkness, there will also be light (Isaiah 60:1). Wherever there's wickedness, there will also be righteousness (Matthew 13:30). Wherever there's evil, there will also be good (Romans 12:21). And wherever there's despair, there will also be hope (Romans 5:5). For You have not left Yourself without a witness in any place in our world (Acts 14:17).

 

Racism must be uprooted and replaced with respect. Violent destruction must be opposed with mutual honor and respect. Evil must be overcome with good, hate overcome with love, and darkness overcome with light. For as Your Word declares, we are all "one blood" in You:

 

"(God) has made form one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should (all) seek the Lord in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being ... 'For we are also His offspring'" (Acts 17:26-28).

 

It's the enemy of our souls that seeks to divide us, while You seek to unite us. It's the enemy of our souls that seeks to stir up division and strife with hatred and fear, pitting life and against life and race against race. It's the enemy of our souls who "comes only to steal and kill and destroy" but You "came that (we) may have life and have it abundantly" (John 10:10).

 

In You, there is no division, no racism, no prejudice, no violence, no murder, no injustice, no shame. "The Scripture says, 'No one who believes in (You) will be put to shame.' For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the Lord is Lord of all and generous to all who call on Him. For, 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved'" (Romans 10:11-13). And the Scripture says, "If anyone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen" (1 John 4:20).

 

So I join with the prayers of my brothers and sisters in Christ around this world to pray that our hearts and our land be covered and cleansed in the "one Blood" that can makes us see one another, respect one another, honor one another, love one another, stand up and speak out for one another as "one blood" together with one another. "For He Himself is our Peace, who has made the two one and has torn down the dividing wall of hostility" -- between Jew and Gentile, between one race and another, between all hearts divided by sin from our God (Ephesians 2:14). "For in (Jesus Christ) all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him God was pleased to reconciled to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace by the Blood of His cross" (Colossians 1:19-20).

 

By His One Blood, there is "unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as (we) were called in one hope of (our) calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all who is above all, and through all and in (us) all" (Ephesians 4:3-6). One Blood, One Love, One God and Father of All. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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

My Friend, may you be an ambassador of Christ, His light in the darkness through the One Blood of of the only One who can make us one in His Love and Light in our world, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend! 

  

Listen and join me in today's Morning by Morning

Prayer Devotional Podcast

https://anchor.fm/morningbymorningtommyhays

New Mailing Address for Messiah Ministries:

Tommy & Rocio Hays

Messiah Ministries

17503 La Cantera Parkway

Suite 104407

San Antonio, Texas 78257

Friends, we've updated our new ministry website. 

Take a look and tell us what you think!

Tommy & Rocio Hays | Messiah Ministries

Messiah-Ministries.org

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

Psalm 59 for Age 59 - June 10

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

"But I will sing of Your strength,

in the morning I will sing of Your love;

for You are my Fortress,

my Refuge in times of trouble.

You are my Strength, I sing praise to You;

You, O God, are my Fortress,

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

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

  

Listen and join me in today's Morning by Morning

Prayer Devotional Podcast

https://anchor.fm/morningbymorningtommyhays

New Mailing Address for Messiah Ministries:

Tommy & Rocio Hays

Messiah Ministries

17503 La Cantera Parkway

Suite 104407

San Antonio, Texas 78257

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

Take a look and tell us what you think!

Tommy & Rocio Hays | Messiah Ministries

Messiah-Ministries.org

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

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

  

Listen and join me in today's Morning by Morning

Prayer Devotional Podcast

https://anchor.fm/morningbymorningtommyhays

New Mailing Address for Messiah Ministries:

Tommy & Rocio Hays

Messiah Ministries

17503 La Cantera Parkway

Suite 104407

San Antonio, Texas 78257

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

Tommy & Rocio Hays | Messiah Ministries

Messiah-Ministries.org

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

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

  

Listen and join me in today's Morning by Morning

Prayer Devotional Podcast

https://anchor.fm/morningbymorningtommyhays

New Mailing Address for Messiah Ministries:

Tommy & Rocio Hays

Messiah Ministries

17503 La Cantera Parkway

Suite 104407

San Antonio, Texas 78257

Tommy & Rocio Hays | Messiah Ministries

Messiah-Ministries.org

Please share this word to encourage a friend!

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

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

  

Listen and join me in today's Morning by Morning

Prayer Devotional Podcast

https://anchor.fm/morningbymorningtommyhays

New Mailing Address for Messiah Ministries:

Tommy & Rocio Hays

Messiah Ministries

17503 La Cantera Parkway

Suite 104407

San Antonio, Texas 78257

Tommy & Rocio Hays | Messiah Ministries

Messiah-Ministries.org

Please share this word to encourage a friend!