Prayer Letter - Nov 2009

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…..(Matt 5:3)

As alumni of Haggai Institute, do we dare to dream God’s dream?  If so, we must share Jesus’ mission, see Jesus’ vision, and embody Jesus’ values.
We share his mission by proclaiming the Good News, “Behold, the kingdom of God has drawn near.” We have the responsibility of bearing the secret of God’s reign. We fulfill our responsibility by existing as a sign, instrument, and token of the kingdom. By what we say and do, we bear witness to the fact “that all is not what is seems to be” and that “the truth, like the kingdom, is hidden.”
To see Jesus’ vision we need to renew our minds. We need a new way of thinking – a new logic. The kingdom is a new reality – a challenge to the existing social order. It will not make sense to us, if we continue to think with the present categories, values, and methods of the world. We must have a new vision of power, privilege, and prestige. We must not simply baptize our own personal pet dreams with kingdom language. We are called to embody Jesus’ values. The power of Christ’s kingdom is completely different than anything the world has to offer.
According to Brian Maclaren (A Generous Orthodoxy): His kingdom, then, is a kingdom not of oppressive control of dreamed-of future, not of coercive dominance but of liberating love, not of top-down domination but of bottom-up service, not of a clenched iron fist but of an open, wounded hands extended in a welcoming embrace of kindness, gentleness, forgiveness, and grace.
We must regularly re-evaluate our values and consider how they accord with Jesus’ kingdom values. I ask myself the following questions frequently and would urge you do this exercise:

1. What do I consider blessedness? How would I fill in the blank: “If only I had ____________, I would be blessed.” Can I fill in the blank with a quality from the beatitudes (Matt 5:3-11)?
2. What is it I desire most? Comfort, or a permanent inheritance, true satisfaction, the vision of God, and unprecedented intimacy with God? Or are there other possessions I seek more?
3. What fuels my ambition? The secular values of my environment or kingdom values?
4. Have I simply baptized my own ambitions and dreams with kingdom- language or have I allowed God’s kingdom to change my vision, values, and dreams?
5. In whose eyes do I want to be successful? Am I prepared to appear as a social failure in God’s upside-down kingdom? Jesus certainly did – the loss of his disciples, the rejection of his people, and the agony of the cross were all indications of failure. The apostle Paul labeled  himself God’s “slave” – usually considered the least successful person in most social systems.
6. What would it mean if we honored those whom God honors? What would happen if we stopped playing all of our culture’s games for status and power and privilege? What would it cost me if I lived more deeply into justice, and mercy, and humility -  which after all, is what God desires most?

We harbor a crazy dream, but it is God’s dream! Wow!! New creation is breaking into the old. Original blessedness of Genesis 12:1-3 is overthrowing the curse of Genesis 3. The power of love that we talked about in the last 2 months, is overcoming the love of power. That is the Love Revolution!!
When we participate in the beatitudes we participate in the blessing of God. We are not simply recipients of God’s blessing – we actually enter into the blessed life, joy, and fellowship of God.
Jesus invites us to join his resistance movement – the revolution of divine love – and fight the godless powers. He showed us the way. Now, He invites us to end the nightmare of oppression, violence, pride, hatred, and evil, and risk dreaming God’s dream – Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven!
God wants us to dream the impossible dream, for all things are possible with God (Matthew 19:26) – even the ultimate triumph of the spiritual zeros, beautiful losers, and peaceful revolutionaries of God’s kingdom of love and grace.
What is your dream?
Shalom

Faculty Development Seminar, Nagpur, 21st – 25th Oct 2009	Advanced Christian Leadership Seminar, Mumbai, 29th  Oct – 7th Nov 2009

• The Faculty Development Seminar held at Nagpur dated 21st to 25th Oct’09.
• Successful visit of Mr. Rajesh Malaki which resulted in planning area seminars at Ajmer, Udaipur and Gurgaon.
• For the fruitful ministry and new openings for the seminars in Southern Region.
• Successful State seminar at Panchgani arranged by newly formed Kolhapur Alumni Association having a Doctor, Advocate and Principal as participants.
• The AGM after a long gap and elections held for Aurangabad Alumni Association on 8th Nov 09. New Office Bearers are Dr. Chandrakant Mhaske, President and Mr. Devdas Patole, Secretary.
• New openings at Wardha district.
• Successful six seminars held in AP region in the month of October 09.
• Elections held for Machilipatnam and Guntur Alumni Associations dated 31st Oct 09 & 5th Nov 09. New office bearers are Mr. M. Jayanendra Kumar, President & Mr. P. S. R. Devadas, Secretary for Machilipatnam, Mr. M. Christopher, President & Mr. James Reginald, Secretary for Guntur.
• The breakthrough in Agra which resulted in planning a seminar in February 10.
• Successful meeting of Indore AA who planned for state seminar and a National seminar in 2010.
• The seminars conducted in the month of October: Eastern Region: Patna, Madhepura; Western Region: Lakhgam, Panchgani SS, Chikhali SS; Mumbai NS; Southern Region: Kodaikanal, Pondicherry, Kodaikanal, Chennai, Trivandrum; Central Region: Robertsgunj; AP Region: Hyderabad, Mahabubnagar, Narasapur, Chittoor, Visakhapatnam, Visakhapatnam; North –East: Ampati, Kohima, Dobogre, Raksamgre, Dimapur SS.

Please Pray For:

• Revival of Nasik and Aurangabad Alumni Associations.
• New openings in North region to train the leaders for Evangelism.
• For the health of Mr. & Mrs. Bega Paul and Mrs. Ratnaraju from Palakol, AP.
• The bereaved family of Dr. Sanjay Mall from Lucknow whose mother passed away.
• The seminars taking place at Allahabad & Agra after a gap of many years.
• Mr. Donald Pant’s son Mr. Raunaq who met with an accident had injuries.
• The health of Mr. George Zachariah who is unwell.
• The bereaved family of Mr. Kiran Raju went to be with the Lord on 8th Nov following road accident in South Africa.
• Suitable candidates for the posts of Regional Director for Western Region & Area Manager for Northeast Region.
• The upcoming State Level Seminars in 2009 – 10: Tanjore 11– 15 Nov, Pune 24 – 29 Nov, Patna 12 – 16 Jan’10, Tirunelveli 13 – 17 Jan’10, Bhatapara 21 – 26 Jan’10, Pune 2 – 6 Feb 10, Pune 9 – 14 Feb’10, Lucknow 26 Feb – 2 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 November 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