Merry Christmas & Year-End Praises 12-1-05

Dear Friends of Tommy Hays & Messiah Ministries, Merry Christmas! This is the season the Holy Spirit miraculously turns the EYES of people throughout the earth to Jesus the Christ, as He desires to turn their HEARTS to Christ as well. We celebrate together the birth of this Child who changes our HEARTS forever! I write at Christmas every year to praise God for the ways He has allowed us to be a part of His ministry of love and grace, doing our part in our generation to "prepare the way of the Lord." Along the journey, you have been a part of the life of Messiah Ministries and the family of Tommy and Tricia Hays—our blended family of six with one more on the way! Maybe you've prayed for us, invited us to your church, joined with us for a retreat, prayer revival, or spiritual direction, blessed us by your generous giving, trusted us with your burdens in prayer ministry, joined with us in my “Morning by Morning” journey of prayer, or encouraged us in other ways—letting us know you believe in what the Lord is doing through our ministry. Please know how grateful we are for you and pray abundant blessings upon your lives this year and in many to come. We pray your lives will be blessed with the Love, Peace and Joy of the Lord in this season as we celebrate the birth of our Messiah, Jesus the Christ. We thank God for your blessings, prayers, and encouragement to us. Our Father has called us to continue the ministry of Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit—to bind up the brokenhearted and set the captives free, preparing the way of the Lord for His coming in glory—first in our hearts and one day in the skies. We need to be set free from the wounds of the past and the bondage that hold us back, and set free to be fully released and empowered to live out our destiny in Christ (Isaiah 61; Luke 4). We are truly blessed to share in this process of healing of spirit, soul, and body, while equipping disciples to fulfill their calling and purpose in the peace and joy of God. The heart of our ministry is providing a safe place for people to be honest with God and themselves, to release to Him their pain and shame as He pours in His healing love—"Pain out, Love in." Many speak of life-changing experiences in these divine encounters as we help by following the simple pattern of ministry I teach: "Here's Jesus, give it to Him." Though I love to minister God's healing love in this personal way, I've been increasingly called to teach and equip others to minister in their own churches, small groups, and families. It's been an exciting year to go throughout the U.S. and abroad with this message and ministry. I'm very excited to provide our first teaching DVD set called "Preparing the Way of the Lord". The DVD’s teach Biblical, spiritual principles I've learned along the way for inner healing and deliverance in a prayer retreat setting. We believe the Lord is using this to multiply our ministry to people and places I'll never be able to go, as people receive these teachings and prayers in their own homes and churches. In September, I had the joy of my third ministry journey to India with International Justice Mission. Though I'm now in full time ministry, I continue to keep my law license to be available for special assignments as the Lord leads. This was one of them. I went to India as a lawyer to work with the IJM team to literally set the captives free from bonded slavery, using the laws of India to answer the cries of those who are impoverished and oppressed through the cruelty of the caste system and bonded labor crimes. Many come to know the Lord as they learn that He is their Deliverer who has heard their cries. I was honored to pray with one man, whose family was set free. He took his reparations money and built a house of prayer for his village before building his own house out of his joy and thanksgiving to Jesus Christ. He was living out the message of the book of Haggai before he ever read it! Also on that trip, we were able to rekindle my friendship with Brother Ghuna Kumar of Gospel Friends. Brother Kumar oversees many churches, a Bible School, an orphanage, and over 300 evangelists who go into the poorest villages where the gospel has never been preached. Gerry Calvert and I prayed for people in a village where people had never seen a white person. The Lord moved on our hearts to help establish a church there. As we were going through a village with the IJM team, I heard behind me, "Brother Tommy, Praise the Lord!" It was a man I had prayed with on my first trip to India several years ago for deliverance. Here he was, filled with joy and wearing a patch that said, "Jesus is Lord" boldly proclaiming the name of Jesus in an area where Christians are heavily persecuted with prison, beatings, and even death. What a small world to us, but not to a miraculous God! We never fully know the lasting fruit of our words and prayers in obedience to God's leading. It is thrilling to have a little glimpse every now and then! It's been a great joy this year to continue teaching and ministering on being filled with Holy Spirit among Methodist churches and other traditions. The Lord has given me a gift to explain this Biblically in a way that people are hungry to receive. I spoke on "The Purpose and Power of the Holy Spirit" at the national Aldersgate conference this year. Next year, I will speak on "Spiritual Freedom—Breaking the Chains of Your Past." My subject was "Prayer and Fasting for Missions" at the annual missions festival of UM Men in North Georgia—the largest men's group in the Methodist Church. And I've had the blessing of leading many retreats, prayer revivals, teaching conferences, and citywide gatherings for prayer and worship this year. This furthers our calling to lead people into deeper depths of intimacy with God. We continue to lead our citywide gathering for prayer, praise, and healing worship at The Fountain on the 3rd Saturday night of every month, where many experience healing of every form as we welcome the presence of God. The Lord has clearly spoken two very clear words to me at key times and confirmed them in many ways—“Teach My people to pray” and “Prepare the way of the Lord.” As we pray for others, we also model for them how to pray for themselves and others. As we see people set free from burdens and bondages, we also help them mature in their relationship with God. This prepares the way for His coming in deeper levels of intimacy in their hearts and in the world. We praise God for allowing us to be instruments of His grace preparing the Bride of Christ for the coming of the Lord—and we can’t do it without you! The Lord continues to be clear that we are not to charge a set fee for our ministries of prayer. So we obediently and joyfully depend upon His provision through your generous support. He has miraculously provided for our family every month for eight years of ministry now! Please remember us in your year-end charitable giving and long-term planned giving. Your gifts of any size are tax-deductible, truly needed, and gratefully appreciated. Please also prayerfully consider becoming a monthly supporter, or including us in a Christian Will or Trust. Through our relationship with the Kentucky Christian Foundation, we can provide free legal services to arrange gifts of property, stocks, and other assets. You will receive an immediate tax deduction for full value, as we receive the provision of God to continue sharing His love through the gospel and full salvation of Jesus Christ. We pray you will continue to join us in ministry through your faithful prayers and generous resources for the Glory of our King and His Kingdom. May the Lord richly and abundantly pour out His overflowing blessings upon you in this season of Joy! God bless you! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Rev. Tommy Hays Founder and Spiritual Director Messiah Ministries 2800 Tates Creek Rd Lexington, Kentucky, USA 40502 859-422-1794 MessiahMin@aol.com PS: Please forward this on to anyone you think would be interested.