Prayer Letter - February 2010

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich." 2 Corinthians 8:9 (Please read the whole of Chapter 8)
Even as I write this devotional, I am aware that it is already more than a month since we celebrated Christmas. There was much giving and receiving (more receiving than giving, I dare say) though we all know that the true spirit of Christmas is "not getting, but giving." Our experience shows that much of our Christmas giving tends to fall short of true Christian giving. Christian giving goes to the point where it begins to "hurt" the giver and really help the receiver. Have we done any real Christian giving lately?

Scattered throughout the 8th chapter of II Corinthians there are seven principles of Christian giving. These principles apply not only to giving money, but to all areas of Christian giving--our time, our talent, and our treasure. God has included these seven principles in His Holy Word so that maturing Christians will become giving Christians.

Principle No: 1 
This principle is primary to all Christian giving - Give yourself first (v5). The Macedonians first gave their own selves, then gave their own substance. God wants all of me ! When He has all of me, He has all of my possessions. It is as simple as that!! Some Christians have the idea that if they run off and live in seclusion "in dedication to the Lord" that they are giving of themselves. No way! The vertical ("to the Lord") must include the horizontal ("to us" and to others) to qualify as true Christian giving. We are to be involved on a down-to-earth basis with people and God’s work that has needs. Note that this is "in keeping with God's will" (v5).

Principle No: 2 
Give to the point of sacrifice (v3). The Macedonians were not giving "surplus” or whatever amount happened to be "leftover at the end of the month!" Verse 2 shows us that these Christians were poor and under pressure to begin with, and yet they gave in the midst of their problems and in spite of their poverty. They gave till it really hurt!

Principle No: 3
Give after the example of our Lord (v9). How much did the Lord Jesus give? He gave all! And it wasn't just for His friends: He gave His whole life for His enemies and for the likes of you and me. Why? So that  "we through His poverty might become rich!" Therefore, when I give, I give from a heart of gratitude, but the next principle has more...

Principle No: 4 
We must learn to see “needs” through God’s eyes. Such needs could take the form of physical needs of people less fortunate than us that need to be met or it could be meeting the needs for the work of God being carried out in the country to build His Kingdom.

Principle No: 5
Give willingly. This principle of giving with desire is also emphasized in verses 3, 4 and 8. From these verses we see that Paul was not commanding them to give. It was to be totally voluntary--as a proof that their Christian love was sincere (v8). The Macedonians had been very willing. They actually begged Paul for the privilege of being able to share in meeting the needs of their brothers and sisters in Jerusalem. What an example to the Corinthians! What a example to us! I have seen this in the lives of our H.I. alumni

Principle No: 6
Give what you have (vs 12). The point here is that the Lord does not expect us to give what we don't have, but He does expect us to give on the basis of what we do have. Maybe another way of stating this sixth principle is as follows: The Lord doesn't look so much on what we give as on what we have left!

Principle No: 7
Give according to plan (vs11). Desire is not enough in Christian giving. There must be a deliberate setting aside of time, talent and treasure, and then an actual giving in accordance with that plan. The Corinthians were not to stop with good intentions; they were to complete what they had intentioned. Many of us growing Christians have good intentions and desires in the area of Christian giving. We will say "YES!" to a devotional such as this. But we never really get out the pencil and paper, as it were, and deliberately plan how much we are going to give up and how much we are going to give. Christian giving will never take place with desire alone. We must give according to deliberate and studied plan.

Here then, are a few principles of Christian giving from just one chapter of God's Word. If we have not made a plan to “give” in the New Year, it is never too late to start – let us do it NOW!! Between now and then let us pray that the Lord would open our eyes to the particular needs that He would have us meet with our resources. Then let us deliberately plan how we can and will give to meet those needs--willingly and to the point of sacrifice.

Here is the testimony of one of our International alumni, Bro. Mathai Chackochen a businessman from Chennai who is deeply involved in giving of his time, talent and treasure to build families. I was blessed by what he had to say:

An example of the fruit-bearing of this ministry has been a couple who wanted to end their marriage. On the last day of the course, with tears in her eyes, the lady testified that the Lord worked in her life, she understood that she was the one who needed to change and not her husband and it has helped them to renew their marriage and they are happy now. Praise God!!

• Fruitful visits of Mr. Donald Pant to Indore, Barabanki, Meerut, Gorakhpur and Agra to meet Alumni Associations where seminars planned for the coming months.
• Successful visits made by Mr. Vijaykumar Sasane to Nasarapur and with Nasik Alumni Association where planned for one State seminar and Alumni Get together Meeting for the coming month. 
• Elections held for Cuttack Alumni Associations dated on 30th Jan’10. New Office Bearers are Dr. Surajit Sahu, President and Mr. Ajit Kumar Pani Secretary.
• The seminars conducted in the month of January: Northern Region: New Delhi; Southern Region: Chennai SLS, Tirunelveli SS, Madurai NS, Yercaud SS; Eastern Region: Patna SS, Kolkata, Brajrajnagar; Western Region: Nagpur SS, Ahmedabad; Central Region: Dhamtari, Allahabad, Bhatapara SS; AP Region: Hyderabad SLS, Madakasira, Kaikaluru, Kalahasthi, Ongole, Nandyal; North –East: Agartala SS.

Please Pray For:

• Mrs. Usha Abraham wife of Mr. Thomas Abraham- Regional Director for South Region who is unwell.
• Funds for Haggai Institute National Ministry.
• The 9th North East Alumni Get Together Scheduled at Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh dated 9th –11th Apl’10.
• The Faculty Initiation Seminar Scheduled at Hyderabad dated 20th to 22nd Mar’10.
• God’s wisdom upon the leadership of the State as decisions are made regarding its future.
• Suitable candidates for the posts of Regional Director for Western Region, North Region & Area Manager for Northeast Region.
• The upcoming State Level Seminars in 2009 – 10: Nasarapur 1 – 6 Feb 10, Raipur     3 – 7 Feb’10, Jharsuguda 11 – 15 Feb’10, Theni 22 – 26 Feb’10, Lucknow 26 Feb – 2 Mar’10, Nasik 1 – 5 Mar 10, Nasarapur 15 – 20 Mar 10, Nanded 22 – 27  Mar 10,

Important Announcement and Prayer Point
All Haggai Institute International training sessions planned to be held in Singapore for the period April to December 2010 will now be held in Maui. This is a temporary measure until the completion of the HI Singapore Training Centre at Changi Cove in January 2011. This stewardship decision is taken in the present climate of the global economic slowdown to provide a more cost effective solution to training leaders for evangelism

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 February 2010

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