Prayer Letter - December 2009

I have now started studying theology by distance learning. Better late than never some would say I suppose. This calls, for considerable study. There is tremendous benefit to me which is that I am getting to be far more knowledgeable about the Word of God and I am able to see the whole world with a far more spiritual perspective! I am not so naive as I was in the past to think this is all a fairytale. This world of invisible forces is more real, more powerful and more meaningful to me than anything I can see with my eyes in the physical. Like the statement that was made in "The Polar Express" when the train conductor said to the little boy, "Sometimes it's the things you can't see that are the most real." Of course he was referring to the fantasy story of Santa Claus, but the statement is just as true when believing in Christ. Just because we can't see something doesn't mean it doesn't exist. This is faith.
Long before Christ was born and introduced to us in the physical form of a child lying in a cradle of straw, He was already present before the creation of the world:  "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men." John 1:1-4

Christ was already present at Creation!!  The Apostle John says that in the beginning was the Word. The Word was "spoken", when God SAID. Also in Christ came life..."and the life was the LIGHT of men."

"A LIGHT of revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel." Luke 2:32
Christ is the Light of all nations. He will show the way to anyone who accepts Him as John already told us.

But before Christ could die for us, He first had to be born for us. God gave us His Son with the most humble beginnings. When you read that Mary and Joseph had to leave Bethlehem and flee to Egypt because of Herod’s wicked plans you have to ask yourself the reasoning behind it. It was Herod’s intent to discover this Messiah and have Him destroyed. This is was Satan's plan of attack, but it didn't work for him.  Satan tried to destroy Christ at the cradle before He ever got to the Cross.

It's amazing when you realize that Christ was born to die. This was His mission from the time of His virgin birth. God told Mary that her son would deliver people from their sins. This meant freedom from the past, freedom from present struggles and freedom from the hopelessness of the future – something that goes back to what started in the Garden of Eden.

Now consider the gifts of the Wise Men. Even these stargazers, knew the importance of the prophetic message. The first gift was gold. Gold depicts God's divinity and Kingship. This Child was divine and royal!! He was the promised Messiah, the King of kings and Lord of lords. Secondly, the gift of frankincense. This represents the sweet aroma of sacrifice in prayer. You can read more about this in Leviticus. It was used in the tabernacle. It is these sacrifices, the atonement for sin that pleased God the most. Only Christ could fulfill this sacrifice. And lastly, the gift of myrrh. Myrrh is a substance used to prepare a body for burial. These gifts clearly speak of Christ's death. Even these pagan astrologers recognized the call of God on this newborn's life. It was an act of God that they chose not to report what they found to Herod who meant to kill Him. It's clear that Satan was plotting Christ's demise. But remember, God told Satan that he could only cause suffering to Christ with the bruising of His heel. 

We should not trivialize the importance of the cradle. Without it, there would have been no Cross. Without the Cross we would not be redeemed. But the cradle does not redeem – the cross does! And remember, until the return of our Lord, Satan will continue to bruise our heels as well. This means that as followers of Christ we will suffer persecution in the world, just as Christ did. This spiritual battle is ever increasing. It's evident in this "politically correct" society we are living in. But through God's Word, His Light of salvation, we know that His promise will be fulfilled as Christ will come again to once for all crush the head of our enemy, Satan. He will be utterly destroyed and trampled underfoot. This is cause to rejoice in the cradle and the Cross! What a plan of victory. And God knew all the time (Rev 13:8)

Without the Cross there would not have been a cradle. When you study God's Word you will discover that He works from the most important (salvation of sinners) to the least important to Him (the self-righteous). But as sinners we must start backwards in order to come to Him. Having first obtained forgiveness for our sins at the foot of the cross, we can now worship Christ “the new born King”!

Unless we see the Cross overshadow the cradle, we will not see the true meaning of Christmas.

A truly blessed, Christ-centred (or should I say, “cross-centred”) Christmas to you.

AP Alumni Get-together, November '09

Himalaya RegionAlumni Get-together, November 2009

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Praise God For

• AP Alumni Get-together held at The Catholic Health Association of India (CHAI), Hyderabad dated 2nd & 3rd Nov’09 with the attendance of 56 alumni’s.
• Promotional visit by Mr. Vijaykumar Sasane to Kolhapur & new openings at Nanded and Wardha.
• Fruitful visits of Mr. Donald Pant to Agra, Merrut and Padhar to finalize dates for the Seminars being planned for the coming months.
• Himalaya Alumni Get Together held at Siliguri dated on 8th Nov’09.
• The Delhi Alumni Association conducted a Special Leadership Seminar at Don Bosco ‘Provincial House’ dated 18th to 22nd Nov’09.
• Successful completion of seminars for the Institutional seminars for Compassion India at Chennai, Yercaud & Yercaud dated 16th – 18th, 16th – 18th & 19th – 21st Nov’09 respectively.
• The seminars conducted in the month of November: North Region: Delhi SLS, Ajmer, Udaipur; Western Region: Ahmadabad; Nagpur, Pune SS; Southern Region: Tanjore SS, Chennai, Yercaud (Tamil), Yercaud (Tamil), Munnar; AP Region: Visakhapatnam, Adilabad; North –East: Matchakol, Mokokchung, Tura.

Please Pray For:

• National Staff Meeting & Prayer Day followed by National Board of Directors Meet scheduled dated 9th to 12th Dec’09.
• Mr. Thomas Abraham- Regional Director for South Region wife Mrs. Usha Abraham who is unwell.
• Mr. Jacob K. Varghese- Treasurer father– in–law was not well.
• The bereaved family of Dr. Shenoy Robinson-Society Member from New Delhi who’s Mother went to be with the Lord.
• Funds for Haggai Institute National Ministry.
• Mr. Bijoy A. Sangma- Director Operations was not well.
• Suitable candidates for the posts of Regional Director for Western Region & Area Manager for Northeast Region.
• The upcoming State Level Seminars in 2009 – 10: Patna 12 – 16 Jan’10, Tirunelveli 13 – 17 Jan’10, Wardha 19 – 23 Jan’10, Bhatapara 21 – 26 Jan’10, Yercaud (Tamil) 22 – 26 Jan’10, Agartala 22 – 26 Jan’10, Nagpur 23 – 27 Jan’10, Pune 2 – 6 Feb 10, Raipur 2 – 6 Feb’10, Walmi 8 – 12 Feb’10,    Jharsuguda 9 – 13 Feb’10, Theni 22 – 26 Feb’10, Nasarapur  23 – 27 Feb’10, Lucknow 26 Feb – 2 Mar’10,        Narasapur Mar’10.

NS – National Seminar, SLS – Special Leadership Seminar, SLSD– SLS for Doctors,
In-house - seminar fee is not disclosed as it is a sponsored seminar.

Please Note: We seek your prayer support for all these National Level seminars coming up. We also solicit your assistance in the recruitment of suitable candidates for these seminars. For more information regarding these seminars please feel free to call us at 040 27131209, 27141221 & 32928823 or email at hiindia@haggai-india.com also browse our website: www.haggai-india.com

Seminars in December 2009

Note 1: Please be informed that you can now deposit your donation Cheques/DD’s favouring ‘Haggai Institute’ directly with our account # 01262560000416 in any branch of HDFC Bank. Please do intimate our office the deposit details indicating your name, the amount and the date of deposit.

Note 2: We would appreciate if you intimate our National Office of any changes in your postal address, phone numbers and email id’s. Our contact details mentioned above.

Yours in Him,
Paul Balasundaram