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Morning by Morning, May 16 - "The Only Thing that Counts"
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God -- You are One, and You are here -- here with me and here within me. Let me be fully aware of Your Presence and fully awakened to Your leading, as I begin my day deliberately seeking and embracing You, while I welcome You to see and embrace me. ...
"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that counts is faith working through love" (Galatians 5:6).
Faith without love is not really faith. And love without faith is not really love. It's only through faith in You, Lord Jesus Christ, that we can truly or fully love. Faith is fully trusting You and fully trusting You because we've come to truly know You. "So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.... And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life" (1 John 4:16-5:20).
A sincere, authentic, and true faith in You will always lead me to love. "Those who say, 'I love God,' and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from Him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also" (1 John 4:20-21). "If we love one another, God lives in us" (1 John 4:12). "The whole law is summed up in a single commandment, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'" (Galatians 5:13). "Love is the fulfilling of the law" (Romans 13:10).
What counts is love -- my faith working through my love. In fact, Your Word says this is "the only thing that counts" (Galatians 5:6). Wow, that's pretty strong language, directly from the very Word of God. It doesn't say "the only thing that counts is winning souls" or "healing the sick" or "casting out devils" or "being a good person" or "having a good name" or anything else. No, what counts is my faith -- that kind of faith in You that's always working through my love for others.
That's what You modeled for me, and that's how You empower me to live my life for You -- "faith working through love" -- because as You are, so am I to be in my world (1 John 4:17). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
I pray you will be empowered by God to live out your faith in love today, just like Jesus, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Friends, please keep us in prayer as Rocio and I prepare to travel to Budapest, Hungary on Thursday to teach and minister inner healing personal prayer ministry with a team from the Vineyard Church. 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!
Some of you are familiar with Michael Cernovich. Somebody is familiar with him. During just one month last year Michael had 83 million twitter views. It was Michael who reported that Hillary Clinton had Parkinson’s Disease during the recent presidential race. When confronted on 60 Minutes, Michael said he still believed this and other things he wrote even though sources he listed denied they had ever spoken to him.
The 60 Minutes reporter emphasized that the problem of fake news primarily on social media was just as rampant from liberal sources as from conservative. Of course, the worst thing about the prominence of such fake news is that many people will believe the reports simply because they support a certain point of view. The prevalence of such public deception will divide America even more.
What can Believers do about this? First, we must take Paul's warning seriously for ourselves.
"Test everything. Hold firmly to the good. Flee from all appearance of evil."
We can pray for super-political, supernatural discernment for ourselves.
There may well be times when we need to point out lies and such dubious sources of information even when they seem to agree with our politics.
Most of all we need to pray for our nation and our world in days of such evil and deception.
http://thinkinginthespirit.blogspot.com/
http://watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/
http://writingprayerfully.blogspot.com/
Morning by Morning, May 15 - "A Vessel for Honor"
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I speak out Your name and listen for Your voice. ...
"But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart" (2 Timothy 2:20-22 NKJV).
Lord, let my heart be "a vessel for honor." Cleanse me from dishonor and clothe me with Your honor -- "clothed with Christ" (Galatians 3:26). Stir in my heart by Your Spirit to "pursue righteousness, faith, love, (and) peace" -- not merely admiring these qualities as lofty goals and noble ideals, but passionately pursuing them "out of a pure heart."
When my heart is right -- right in relationship with You, pursuing You and Your nature, not out of obligation but out of love -- I will be "sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work." That's not what my flesh desires, but it's what Your Spirit desires, seeking to align my desires with Your desires, my thoughts with Your thoughts, as my ways become Your ways. "For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness" (Galatians 5:5).
Come, Holy Spirit. Prepare the way of the Lord in my heart today -- set me apart as one willing to be useful for my Master. "For God is working in (me), giving (me) the desire and the power to do what pleases Him (Philippians 2:13 NLT). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
I pray you will be stirred by the Spirit, pursuing righteousness, faith, love, and peace, from a pure heart entrusted to the work of the Master through your life, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Friends, please keep us in prayer as Rocio and I prepare to travel to Budapest, Hungary on Thursday to teach and minister inner healing personal prayer ministry with a team from the Vineyard Church. 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!
Morning by Morning, May 12 - Purged of People-Pleasing
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Make me more like You today. ...
"Am I now seeking human approval, or God's approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Christ" (Galatians 1:10).
A root of insecurity feeds the spirit of intimidation. When we're intimidated by the opinions of people, we're striving for the approval of people so we can feel secure about ourselves and accepted by others. But it's hard to have two masters (Matthew 6:24). We can't fully serve God when we're entangled and enslaved by the shackles of pleasing people. "The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe" (Proverbs 29:25 NKJV). O Lord, set us free! Purge the people-pleasing spirit out of Your people and out of me!
The key to freedom is not beating ourselves up for the burdens of this bondage. The key is to allow You to show us how secure we are in You. With a true revelation of who You are, we begin to see more clearly who we are in You and who You are in us. "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For (we) did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear (or intimidation or insecurity or the snare of living our lives forever trying to please people we can never really please anyway), but (we) have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, 'Abba! Father!' It is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ -- if, in fact, we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him" (Romans 8:14-17).
Abba! Father! I'm a child of God, filled with the Spirit of God. Your Word encourages me, "Do not fear, (Do not fear man or anything else), 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 flame shall not consume you. For I Am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.... Because you are precious in My sight, and honored, and I love you.... Do not fear, for I Am with you.... everyone who is called by My name, whom I created for My glory, whom I formed and made" (Isaiah 43:1-7).
Embracing my security in You heals every root of insecurity in me. "For (You have) not given (me) a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV). "(Your) perfect love (for me) casts out fear," uproots insecurity, delivers me from the evil of intimidation, and breaks every chain of the bondage of pleasing people above honoring my God as a bond servant of Christ (1 John 4:18).
Come, Holy Spirit. Embraced by my Father, centered in Christ, filled with the Spirit, may I be confident and secure as the beloved child of God I am -- not intimidated or controlled by anyone or anything, but whole and free, "mature in Christ" (Colossians 1:28). In Jesus' name I pray.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
I pray you grow every day in the revelation and security of the truth of who you are in Christ and who Christ is in you -- as a child of God, embraced by your Father, centered in Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit, 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
Please share this word to encourage a friend!
10 DANGEROUS MYTHS ABOUT THE PERSECUTED CHURCH April 24, 2017 by Brian Orme in Advocacy
Myths can be dangerous. False narratives can slip into our minds through the news, casual conversations or even social media. The problem is—if we believe these myths, they have the potential to change the way we think, behave and engage the world.
I’ve fallen for many of the myths you’re about to read relating to the persecuted church. In some ways, this post is more of a confessional. But I believe many of these are widespread, and we need to call them out to embrace the full picture of persecution. Our brothers and sisters in Christ are counting on our prayers and support—and we can’t afford to follow false narratives.
1. IT’S ONLY PERSECUTION IF THERE’S VIOLENCE.
The persecution of Christians includes violence—and we’ve been reminded of this lately with the terrible attacks on churches in Egypt during Palm Sunday worship—but Christian persecution also includes the slow and steady ostracizing and oppression of Christian citizens. We call this the ‘squeeze’. Many regions enforce long-term efforts to push Christians to the margins of society by cutting them off from community life, access to clinics and even jobs—treating them as lower-class citizens. This is also persecution; it’s prevalent and pervasive in places like Bhutan, Vietnam, India and many other regions in the world. The media highlights violence, but the steady non-violent persecution of Christians is large-scale and unthinkable. It’s just not in the news.
2. CHRISTIANS ARE PERSECUTED MOST IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
The Middle East is a very difficult region for Christians to live out their faith in public. This is true. In places like Iran, Qatar and Eritrea, being a Christian is dangerous and risky, and it could cost you your life. However, if we’re talking about large-scale persecution, we have to think through the implications of countries like India, North Korea, Nigeria and even China. We don’t see these locations in the news as often, but persecution here—by sheer numbers—is overwhelming and far outnumbers the Middle East. Not that we need to compare regions, but it’s wise to be aware of how vast the issue really is. The Middle East is a dangerous place for Christians, but it’s not the only place.
3. PERSECUTED BELIEVERS JUST WANT A WAY OUT.
This is an important myth to dispel. We should pray for relief and human rights, but many Christians in these difficult regions are asking for us to pray for perseverance. They want to remain in their homeland to be a witness for the gospel. Sometimes they need to leave the region, but many believers ask us for prayers for strength, vital resources and critical training to remain bold in the midst of persecution for the glory of Jesus Christ.
4. IF ISIS WERE WIPED OUT, PERSECUTION IN PLACES LIKE IRAQ AND SYRIA WOULD DISAPPEAR.
Indeed, ISIS is a violent offender of Christianity. Their terror efforts are wicked and all over the news. However, as widespread as ISIS is in the Middle East, when they are ousted, persecution in the region will not disappear. In a recent conversation with one of our Middle East field agents, I asked if Christians would breathe easy upon the complete removal of ISIS. His response: “No. As long as Muslims believe the Koran, Christians in the Middle East will face persecution. It’s about theology.” We want ISIS out, but that doesn’t end the battle for human rights in the Middle East—specifically for Christians. It’s just not that simple.
5. PERSECUTION HAS BEEN WORSE.
False. We are living in a time when persecution is at an all-time high. Over 200 million Christians face persecution on a regular basis. Every month, 322 Christians are killed for their faith; 214 Churches are destroyed, and 722 acts of violence are committed against Christians. We’ve gone through tough periods in the past, no doubt, but, globally, it’s never been more intense than it is in this very moment of history.
6. GOD USES PERSECUTION FOR PUNISHMENT.
Let’s be honest; this is an elitist view. It’s too easy to look down on cultures that are less developed and misunderstand their lack of development for lack of spiritual growth or obedience. It’s simply not true. More technology, development or economic advancement doesn’t equal stronger spirituality. And to add, God uses persecution as part of His sovereign plan to spread the gospel and strengthen believers. Persecution was prevalent in the early church and the apostles, especially with Paul. We will not always understand God’s ways. Throughout history, God has used persecution to purify and spread His church.
7. PERSECUTION ALWAYS HURTS THE CHURCH.
It does hurt the church in the sense of pain, suffering and loss, but God has a way of leveraging all of these things to spread the gospel—just like He did in Acts—to strengthen the church. It’s hard to wrap our minds around it, at least it is for me, but God uses persecution for the advancement of His Kingdom. That doesn’t mean we should embrace it or pray for it, but when it happens, God always uses it for His purposes and sovereign will.
8. GLOBAL PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS DOESN’T AFFECT THE CHURCH IN THE U.S.
False. I’m guilty of this one—and it’s dangerous to think this way. We are one Body. When one part suffers, we all suffer. That’s why it’s so important to stay in the know about what’s happening globally in the church. When a bomb goes off in Egypt, a bomb goes off in the church everywhere. When a believer in India is kicked out of their village for their faith, we’re all kicked out of our village for our faith. When a believer is imprisoned in North Korea, we’re all imprisoned. Knowing this. Feeling this. Believing this… is so critical. That’s why we listen, learn, pray, fast, grieve and worship together. We are one Body.
9. CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION IS JUST CULTURAL.
There are many cultural complexities, this is true. From Somalia to Syria, cultural differences are deeply embedded, and they contribute to persecution—whether it’s governmental, nationalistic or faith-related. However, persecution goes much deeper. At the very root of it all—there’s a spiritual issue and battle. What we’re fighting against is not physical. As Paul states in Ephesians, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” This element of persecution shouldn’t be overlooked.
10. THERE’S NOT MUCH WE CAN DO…
This is, perhaps, one of the most dangerous myths out there. It’s easy to blow off Christian persecution as something distant, unchangeable and too complex to change. However, there are so many things we can do—every day—to enter the battle and lift up our brothers and sisters who are suffering around the world for their faith. Prayer is our greatest weapon. It goes beyond strongholds, and into places we could never venture. And if you believe the book of Acts, prayer can break chains, release prisoners, bring aid and relief to suffering saints like no other resource. We can also volunteer to be an advocate and create awareness, write letters, sign petitions and lead prayer groups. (Sign-up to get involved HERE.) And, of course, we can also give—to provide urgent relief and aid, Bibles, Christian literature, safe houses, counseling—and even resources to rebuild homes and churches.
I encourage you to take action. Ask God for His leading. And take one small step today to lift up persecuted believers all over the world.
Sincerely,
Brian
Senior Content Director, Open Doors USA
Morning by Morning, May 11 - Grace to Patiently Grow
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Speak to my heart by Your Spirit, I pray. ...
"(Jesus) also said, 'The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come" (Mark 4:26-29).
Lord, give me the grace to patiently grow. The things that spring up quickly don't always last (Mark 4:17). And it doesn't do any good to insist on a harvest before its time. You're the God who makes "everything beautiful in its time" (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NKJV).
So help me not get in a hurry -- not so hasty, not so frustrated, not so pushy or demanding. That doesn't take away from the excitement of expectant faith, but helps me grow in the grace of trusting You. It's "through faith and patience" (we) inherit the promises" of Your kingdom (Hebrews 6:12).
Your seed will produce Your harvest, but there is a process, according to Your plan, and all in Your time. That's why I need Your grace to patiently grow -- to grow up to maturity in my heart and to allow all You've planted around me and even through me to grow up to the maturity of the harvest You've promised and planned. By the power of Your grace, help me embrace the seed of every word of Your kingdom You've planted, as I "hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance" -- the fruit of the harvest of Your kingdom here on earth and here in my heart (Luke 8:15). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
I pray you'll grow in grace for yourself and those around you, patiently but expectantly waiting on God to produce the harvest of his kingdom in and through your life, 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
Please share this word to encourage a friend!
As you travel the coastline down from Muscat, Oman, the mountains meet the ocean and you are immersed in the beauty of the expanse of blue on one side and the large rocky peaks and valleys on the other. The road between these two features takes you to the city of Sur, Oman. This town is settled around a bay that rests in a break between the mountains and opens the path to the interior of the country. Historically, Sur's location proved to be ideal for accessing the trade routes from the Gulf east to India and down to East Africa. It flourished as a city of trade and became renowned for the industry of shipbuilding. But the winds of change were not kind to this city. The advancement of ships, change in shipping routes and the halt of the slave trade slowed the economy of Sur. But now, the sails of this city are being filled again. The infusion of industry, coupled with the growth of tourism to the many natural areas of beauty nearby, is creating the opportunity for growth again. Sur lacks any known intentional witness to the Gospel message, but is uniquely positioned to provide the opportunity to live in a growing city with access to the Ash Sharqiyah region which contains many traditionally Bedouin areas.
"And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, 'Truly you are the Son of God'" -Matthew 14:32-33
Pray that those who hear the Gospel message in Sur would recognize the truth of who Christ is and worship him. As people find themselves in the midst of storms, pray that they would look beyond what they know in order to find a God that provides them with the ability to have peace through any storm, especially peace from self-striving salvation that leads to eternal death.
Morning by Morning, May 9 - Salty
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Be my wisdom and my strength, as You lead my spirit and direct my path through the moments of my day. ...
"You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot" (Matthew 5:13).
We say someone is "the salt of the earth" as a way of saying they a good person, trustworthy, thoughtful, considerate, and kind. When they're around, life tastes a little better.
I want to be salty, Lord -- salty for Jesus. Salt preserves what is good, melts what is cold, and adds a little flavor. I want to be found faithful, "worth my salt" because I'm secure in my identity as a son of God, destined to be alive and strategically positioned by my Creator in my generation for such a time as this. Make me saltier still -- filled with "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control" (Galatians 5:22).
You're my Savior so I can be Your salt. Give me grace to make life taste a little better today for everyone around me. Let them "taste and see that the Lord is good" because they taste a little bit of You in me (Psalm 34:8). "Christ in (me)" -- The Salt of the Earth in me. (Colossians 1:27). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
I pray you'll be salty for Jesus today -- the salt of the earth, worth your salt, full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control -- all by the power of the grace of God at work within 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
Please share this word to encourage a friend!
Morning by Morning, May 8 - "Oaks of Righteousness"
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God -- I entrust every dimension of my being into every dimension of Your Being. ...
"They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display His glory" (Isaiah 61:3).
You've planted the seed of Your Word here in my heart. You've nurtured it and nourished it in waters of Your Spirit. Morning by morning, day after day, You're growing me up into maturity to become an oak of Your righteousness, planted with purpose according to Your plans, to display Your glory. "Christ in (me), the hope of glory" -- Your glory displayed through my life, daily seeking to be fully entrusted, wholly surrendered to You and Your will and Your ways for me (Colossians 1:27).
On my spiritual journey into Christ-like maturity, I thank You for Your promise: "The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail. Your ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generation; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in.... You shall take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride upon the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of your ancestor Jacob, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken" (Isaiah 58:11-14).
By the power of Your grace at work within me and those You've aligned with me in my life as "the body of Christ" together, help "all of us come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ" to "grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ" (Ephesians 4:11-16). Together as one in the Spirit and one in the Lord, help us "grow in the grace and knowledge of (my) Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity" (2 Peter 3:18). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
I pray you grow in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit, to live your life as an oak of righteousness to the glory of our Father, 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
Please share this word to encourage a friend!
I have tremendous respect for David Platt. I pray nearly every day for God to continue to use him mightily. I recommend listening to his sermons. You can find many of them on YouTube. David has shocked people by preaching against telling people to pray a sinner's prayer. He rightly notes that we have been guilty of communicating to people that they can be right with God by praying those words as a sort of ritual without becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ.
I agree with David. But I also believe a person cannot become a disciple without a direct connection with the Lord. That is prayer. We respond to God's embrace in prayer. If we look at the words we use as a conversion prayer, we see this intent.
We encourage people to pray a prayer of the conviction of sin.
“Lord I know I am a sinner.”
We also include repentance.
“I want to turn from my sins to you.”
If we are going to lead people to invite Christ into their life, we should warn them that they are doing business with Almighty God. They need to be fearful of praying such words without meaning them.
And inherent is the gospel is the fact that we cannot even repent without God's help. People do not come to God by their sincerity. We must come receiving His forgiveness.
“I know You died for me. I accept your forgiveness, and Your gift of eternal life. I trust myself to You.”
One of the problems with using the “sinner's prayer” for evangelism is that it is so easy. It is tempting for us because we don't have to enter into a life-long relationship with the person praying. Just get them to pray these words.
It is also too easy for the person coming to Christ. Someone can pray those words without even thinking. I also believe a person can come to Christ and truly be born again without saying the right words. We might suggest that a person think about the decision she is making over night before she prays such a prayer. Of course, we will need to be sensitive to the person and to the Holy Spirit in the situation. But You can trust Him to bring to completion the work He has begun in a person who has heard the gospel.
http://thinkinginthespirit.blogspot.com/
http://watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/
Morning by Morning, May 5 - The Word of the Kingdom
Good morning, Lord Jesus. You're welcome into my morning and every moment of my day. Take me by the hand and lead me by the heart, as I abide in You and You abide in me. ...
"Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what is sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, the person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty" (Matthew 13:18-23).
Sow the word of Your kingdom deeply into soil of my heart, Lord. Let it be good soil -- cultivated and weeded, watered and waiting for You to produce the fruit of Your kingdom through my life. I believe the more deeply I yield my heart to Your will and Your ways the greater harvest You will yield through me. I pray that by Your grace, there may even be "a hundredfold" harvest.
Guard my seed from "the evil one." Protect me from "the cares of the world and the lure of wealth." Empower me to persevere through "trouble or persecution." And maybe above all, let me not be shallow ground, but deeply grounded in Your Word, filled with Your Spirit, choosing to fully yield my life completely to You. Let the harvest of Your kingdom come -- here in me and through my life. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
I pray the word of the kingdom is planted deeply in your heart to yield a great harvest through your life -- even a hundredfold and more, 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
Please share this word to encourage a friend!
Morning by Morning, May 4 - National Day of Prayer
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I speak out Your name and listen for Your voice to begin my day embraced by my Father, centered in Jesus Christ, and filled Your Holy Spirit. ...
"O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, listen and act and do not delay! For Your own sake, O my God, because Your city and Your people bear Your name!" (Daniel 9:19)
It's the law of our land that our President shall proclaim a National Day of Prayer every year on the first Thursday in May: "The President shall issue each year a proclamation designating the first Thursday in May as a National Day of Prayer on which the people of the United States may turn to God in prayer and meditation at churches, in groups, and as individuals" (36 U.S. Code Sec. 119). And today I bow my heart and my knees before the Lord my God to join my prayers with my brothers and sisters across this land in the freedom we have to call on Your great name in humility and faith.
In our freedom of religion, guaranteed by our Constitution in the First Amendment of our Bill of Rights, every American is free to pray in the way they desire in their own understanding of God. And in my understanding I believe You are the God who created us, who knows us by name, and welcomes us to turn to You in humility and faith to call on Your name in thanksgiving and praise, in worship and trust, for provision and protection, for abundance of life and fulfillment of destiny, for all that we need, for all that we are, and for all that we are to become -- both personally and as a people together.
You are the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You are the God of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. And You are the God of Daniel, who called on Your name and cried out for his nation in humility and faith -- "O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, listen and act and do not delay! For Your own sake, O my God, because Your city and Your people bear Your name!" (Daniel 9:19) I join in his prayer for my nation today.
We need You, Lord. We need Your wisdom, Your guidance, Your correction and discipline, Your mercy and grace. We need to be awakened and revived, alive and on fire, secure in our identity to fulfill our destiny as a people and a nation, as "one nation, under God," because we choose as a people to entrust our hearts and our nation to You, O Lord, our God. "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance" (Psalm 33:12 NKJV).
In Your Covenant of Revival, I join my heart with every heart that would join me in faith to believe the promise of Your Word: "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14 NKJV).
Father God, in the name of Jesus and the power of Your Holy Spirit, move in our hearts to turn to You, to know You as You are, admitting our desperate need of You, welcoming You in our hearts, praying our leaders and all those in authority would welcome You into theirs, to guide us in Your ways and honor Your name. May we experience a breakthrough revival in our hearts and in our nation, and in the nations of our world in our generation, for the sake of Your name and every generation to come. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
I pray you experience a breakthrough of revival in your heart, joining your heart with all who are called by the name of the Lord in prayer for our nation and every nation of our world to know the love and grace of our great God, 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
Please share this word to encourage a friend!
A 300 year old church in Massachusetts faced a major challenge. Its ‘young people’ were in their ‘60’s. Their annual budget was $15,000. Most neighbors who passed the drab building with a drive-in congregation thought the church was closed. The neighborhood was now an Italian and Jewish enclave unlike the congregation of forty people with no Jews and one Italian. The church had no bridge to the community and no presence in its neighborhood. It was seen as having no value by the community, despite its rich heritage. It was on the verge of death.
A new pastor spruced up the church – a sign of life to the neighbors. Then he surveyed community needs attempting to determine a pathway for the church to serve the city. Of all the community needs, the one that seemed to fit what they could offer was a day-care for single, working moms. The goal was not a money-making enterprise, but a ministry, targeted to the children of the poor. The center opened with one teacher and two students. In a year, they were caring for thirty-seven children, and twenty-four of those were on government subsidies. Three children were assigned to the day-care by the courts, having been abused or neglected. By the end of the first year, the day-care budget was larger than that of the church. The staff was Christian, but all the kids came from non-Christian homes. Daily, they sang hymns and choruses. They heard Bible stories. They were taught moral principles, wrapped with love and grace. There was music, art, cooking, and medical services. It was ‘total’ child care, with parental interaction as well.
Day-care is not the most reasonable route to church growth, the pastor acknowledged, but it was the route God used to reconnect them to a missional purpose and begin to reconcile lost people to Christ. The pastor recalled, “One mother came into my office, and the first thing she said to me was, ‘Tell me more about Jesus. My daughter has never been the same since she started coming to your day-care center.’ That woman and her daughter are now in church every Sunday.” According to the pastor, “Nine Jews have become members of the church. One of them was formerly the director of the Jewish Community Center, and her daughter works for the day-care center.”
One thing is clear, the community no longer thinks the church is closed, and they have found other ways to serve their city. There is a food pantry and care for homeless street people. They have a weekly television show run by members. They teach English to city-residents. They were given a nine-room, six bedroom house to use as a refugee center. Hundreds have been served through that ministry.
A Cambodian church has now been launched. To reach youth, they opened a coffeehouse, and now the median age in the church has gone from the ‘60’s to the ‘30’s’. Home Bible studies, evangelistic in nature, have also served as a bridge. Some forty-five percent of new members came through the Bible Study door. They woke up the sleeping missional dimension in their congregational life,[1] and a dying church was revived. Revivals that focus on the renewal of its members are not revivals at all. Revivals must have a missional dimension. They must resurrect a collective burden for the lost. With a fresh missional consciousness, the congregation asked, “What can we do together to touch this city?” It must re-center members, not in a new experiential spectrum, but in the middle of compassionate ministry.
If your church closed its doors today, would anyone but its own members notice? Would the community be saddened because such a great community transformation partner was gone?
Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.
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P. Douglas Small is founder and president of Alive Ministries: PROJECT PRAY and he serves in conjunction with a number of other organizations. He is also the creator of the Praying Church Movement and the Prayer Trainer’s Network. However, all views expressed are his own and not the official position of any organization.
[1] Robert Greenway and Timothy Monsma, 112-113.
National Prayer
Hear Us…Forgive us…Heal us! For the Glory of Your Great Name
We worship You, God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. You are the living God of our nation’s founding fathers: George Washington, John Adams, John Hancock, Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, and many others. When we pledge our allegiance, it’s as one nation under You. Every time we use American money to buy or sell, we make the statement that in You we have placed our trust.
We acknowledge that You are the One who has set us high above all the nations on the earth. You have made us the head and not the tail. We have led the free world. The whole world has known that we are identified with You, and they have respected us.
Again and again, You have given us victory over our enemies. You have blessed us when we have gone out and when we have come in. You have blessed us in our bustling cities and in our beautiful countryside. You have blessed our “fruited plain” so that we have had an abundance for ourselves and for others. You have opened up the storehouse of Your bounty, and have blessed the work of our hands. You have given us unprecedented prosperity so that in the past we have lent to many nations but been debtor to none.
We now turn to You as the God of Our Fathers. You alone are our Hope for the future. If we as a nation do not get right with You, no one in Washington or in our state capitols can reverse the downward moral and spiritual spiral that has become a free fall and is provoking Your judgment. We approach You now with fear and trembling, as we confess our national sins:
We confess national addiction to sex. To money. To pleasure. To entertainment. To pornography. To technology. To drugs. To alcohol. To food. To television. To popularity. To ourselves.
We confess we no longer fear You, and thus we have not even the beginning of wisdom with which to handle the vast knowledge we possess.
We confess our foolishness of denying You as the one, true, living God, our Creator to whom we are accountable, living as though our lives are a cosmic accident with no eternal significance, purpose or meaning.
We confess our greed that has run up trillions of dollars of national debt.
We confess our arrogance and pride that has led us to think we are sufficient in ourselves.
We confess to believing that the prosperity of our nation has been great because we are great while refusing to acknowledge that all blessings come from Your hand.
We confess that we depend upon our military might and our weapons systems to protect us from harm and danger, while denying, defying, and ignoring You.
We confess that we have allowed the material blessings You have given us to deceive us into thinking we don’t need You.
We confess that we live as though material wealth and prosperity will bring happiness.
We confess that we have marginalized truth and mainstreamed lies.
We confess choices that reveal we would rather live in bitterness, resentment, and anger, rather than forgive those who have hurt us or acknowledge our own wrongdoing.
We confess that we have become one nation under many gods, divided and polarized, with license to sin and justice that no longer follows the rule of law.
Therefore, we turn to You with tears of shame and a heart of fear for the judgment we are provoking. We repent of our sin. Please, God of Our Fathers, do not back away from us. Do not remove Your hand of blessing on us. As we return to You with humility…With sincerity…Out of necessity…With a desperate sense of urgency. Please! Return to us! Hear our prayer. Forgive our sin. Heal our land.
For the Glory of Your Great Name…JESUS.
Amen
Anne Graham Lotz
http://www.nationaldayofprayer.org/first_thursday_call_to_prayer_april_6_2017
Prayers for America with Dr. Dave Butts
With just a few days until we observe the 66th Annual National Day of Prayer, the chairman of our board, Dr. Dave Butts shares a few thoughts on ...Prayers for America
1. Protection
“Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance” (Ps. 32:6-7).
Pray for the Lord’s protection throughout the new administration’s term of office. Physical and spiritual protection is needed for President Trump and Vice President Pence and their families as well as for all of the administration.
Lord, be our Defender!
2. Presence
“I will put my dwelling place among you, and I will not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people” (Lev. 26:11-12).
Nothing is more important than the Presence of the Lord Himself in the halls of government. Far too many in our nation would isolate our faith to a private personal one or to a house of worship. The Presence of God changes lives and meets the deepest needs—not just those of individuals, but also the needs of our nation and its culture. Welcoming the Presence of the Lord into government can open the door for a longing for His Presence in all of society.
Make Your Presence known Lord!
3. Peace
“I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down and not one will make you afraid. I will remove savage beasts from the land, and the sword will not pass through your country” (Lev. 26:6).
In the midst of a badly divided nation from top to bottom, we desperately need God’s peace. Pray for the Lord’s peace to come into the Congress of the United States and into the Supreme Court of the land. May this new administration, that during the campaign often stirred up controversies, become known as an administration that unites and brings peace. Pray also that God’s peace would touch the church in this nation that found itself badly divided over this election.
We long for Your peace to come to our nation, Lord!
4. Provision
“He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever. He has shown his people the power of his works, giving them the lands of other nations” (Ps.111:5-6).
We need to humbly come before the Lord and confess our need for His great provision to be poured out upon our nation. We need wisdom from above. We need the provision that meets healthcare needs in just ways. We need the provision of a robust economy that allows us to provide good jobs to those who are able to work. We especially need to be a nation that realizes that what we have comes from the Lord’s hand.
Thank You for being our Provider, O Lord!
5. Proficiency
“Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God, and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do. Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace” (Ex. 18:19-23).
We need a government that is proficient in all its ways. The people of our nation too often look to government as an example of that which doesn’t work well. Inept and inefficient is often our basic view of the government. We need the new administration to begin to function well. We need this administration regularly to ask for the Lord’s help to make it proficient in government. That includes understanding what is and what is not the proper role of government.
Lord God, would You empower our government to properly use its power for efficient and just government!
David is a much sought after conference speaker both nationally and internationally. He serves on several Boards of Directors and committees focused on prayer, revival and evangelism. Dave received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lincoln Christian College (1975), and Bachelors (1978) and Masters (1982) from Indiana State University. In 2014 he received the Doctor of Philosophy in Theology (PhD) from Atlantic Coast Theological Seminary. From 1974-1992, Dave served in various pastoral roles in local churches. In 1993 Dave and his wife, Kim, launched Harvest Prayer Ministries.
Besides authoring numerous magazine articles on prayer and missions for various publications, Dave is the author of With One Cry, Vertical with Jesus, Forgotten Power, When God Shows Up, Desperate for Change, The Devil Goes to Church, Prayer and the End of Days, Asleep in the Land of Nod, Revolution on Our Knees and Pray Like the King, which he wrote jointly with his wife, Kim.
http://www.nationaldayofprayer.org/praying_for_america_drdavebutts
Morning by Morning, May 3 - Everlasting Kingdom
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Christ the King, Christ in me -- rule and reign in my life today. ...
"In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall this kingdom be left to another people. It shall crush all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever" (Daniel 2:44).
You gave Daniel revelation and understanding of Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the kingdoms of this world. As he said, "There is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has disclosed to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen at the end of days" (Daniel 2:28).
The kingdoms of this world will come and go. But there is a kingdom to come, as Your will is done -- here on earth, here in our hearts, here in the midst of our world and all its kingdoms that seek to rule and reign in our lives. You are the King of that kingdom that will not pass away, that will bring the kingdoms of this world to an end. "I saw One like a human being coming with the clouds of heaven. And He came to the Ancient One and was presented before Him. To Him was given dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and His kingship is one that shall never be destroyed" (Daniel 7:13-14).
"Come, Lord Jesus!" (Revelation 22:20) Come, King Jesus -- "King of kings and Lord of lords!" (Revelation 19:16) Come rule and reign in me and in my world. One day this Word will be fulfilled: "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 NKJV)
And, at the same time, Your kingdom is also within me now, within the heart of every believer, every child of God who's welcomed Jesus, "the Spirit of Christ," within our hearts (Romans 8:9). As You explained long ago, "the kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21 NKJV). "For the kingdom of God is ... righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:17).
Come advance Your kingdom in my heart and my world today. Empower me by Your grace, by the Spirit of Christ within me, to grow in the "righteousness and peace and joy" of Your kingdom, the everlasting kingdom that shall not pass away (Daniel 7:14). As You taught us to pray -- opening our hearts our Father, as the children of God that we are -- "Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it in heaven" (Matthew 6:10). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
I pray you experience the everlasting kingdom of God advancing in your heart and your world today, as His kingdom comes and His will is done in you, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Friends, I'm excited to be sharing a message of hope and healing at the First Wednesday Service of Worship and Prayer at Oak Hills Church, Crownridge Campus in San Antonio tonight, May 3rd, at 7pm, in the South Room Worship Center. Our Rapha God Ministries Prayer Team with be joining with Oak Hills Church to offer personal prayer ministry. We'll also join together in prayer for the National Day of Prayer. All are welcome. Please come join us!
My 365 Day Devotional with a selection of many of my favorite prayer devotionals I've sent out from my morning prayers over the past few years. Available through Amazon and Kindle or at our Ministry Office. May these simple morning prayer be a blessing and encouragement to you to start your day embraced by the love of our Father, centered in Jesus Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit. 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!
"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, and that He rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures."
Have you ever had a doctor tell you, you are going to die? I have. And I cannot fully explain the sensation. But whether there are enough evidences of the imminence of your death to alert your doctor or not, you are going to die.
Death is indeed a dark prospect. I suspect most of you have walked away from the graveside of a loved one, and sensed its empty sadness clinging to you.
That is one of the reasons the death and even the burial of Jesus is part of the gospel. He went through that ordeal with us and for us. And against all nature, and as far as we knew, all possibility, He rose from the dead, giving great credence to the promise of our resurrection. We will indeed shout, "Death, where is your sting!" Because of the gospel death will not have final victory over us.
http://thinkinginthespirit.blogspot.com/
http://watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/
On this 69th Independence Day for Israel, I hear the Lord urging us to press in to FREEDOM! I pray this word will encourage you, too. Click below to read more:
Morning by Morning, May 2 - River of Delights
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I'm watching and waiting, listening for Your leading, to begin my day grounded in Your Word and abiding in Your Spirit. ...
"How precious is Your steadfast love, O God! All people may take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They feast on the abundance of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your delights. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light" (Psalm 36:7-9).
Lord, what is the river of Your delights? ...
What comes to my heart is this: "My river of delights is an expression of My heart and My life flowing in you. Drink deeply from My living waters, and My living waters will flow steadily from you, bringing My life to all it touches."
Yes, Lord. You said, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to Me, and let the one who believes in Me drink. As the Scripture has said, 'Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water'" (John 7:37). And Your Word says "(You) said this about the Spirit." (John 7:39).
Come, Holy Spirit. Fill me up, fill me afresh, with Your living waters today (Ephesians 5:18). Let the things that delight You delight me. Let the things that move Your heart move my heart. Let life arise in me and flow out of me. Like the river that flows from the temple of God, like the river that flows from the throne of God, let Your river of life flow steadily from my heart to bring life to all it touches (Ezekiel 47:9; Revelation 22:1).
"There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High" (Psalm 46:4). You make me glad. You fill me with joy. You make my joy complete (John 15:11; John 16:24). And I tremble with delight to freely come and freely drink, deeply every day from this river of Your delights. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
I pray you drink deeply from the river of delights, allowing the Spirit of God to fill you up and flow through you, bringing God's life and joy to all you touch, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Friends, I'm excited to be sharing a message of hope and healing at the First Wednesday Service of Worship and Prayer at Oak Hills Church, Crownridge Campus this Wednesday Night, May 3rd, at 7pm, in the South Room Worship Center. Our Rapha God Ministries Prayer Team with be joining with Oak Hills Church to offer personal prayer ministry. All are welcome. Please come join us!
My 365 Day Devotional with a selection of many of my favorite prayer devotionals I've sent out from my morning prayers over the past few years. Available through Amazon and Kindle or at our Ministry Office. May these simple morning prayer be a blessing and encouragement to you to start your day embraced by the love of our Father, centered in Jesus Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit. 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!
