From the Editor's Desk

The Gift We Love To Refuse

Two winters ago I was in Delhi. It was foggy and very cold. Giant neon billboards flashed the latest cars and star hotels exploded squibs in the evening as it hosted lavish weddings. On afternoon as I rode down a particularly busy street for coffee and the afternoon paper I saw a tiny withered woman hawking newspaper. Taking advantage of the red light she would rush from one car to another imp leading the occupants to buy her paper. She was perhaps thirty-eight, forty but looked sixty. If I ever saw Desperation there she was shriveled, hungry, harried, homeless and very dirty. An occupant of an SUV would roll down its pane just enough to push out the two rupees and she had to tip-toe to push in her paper. She is not welcomed. Across the street some 20 metres away her daughter of about five years played with broken cartons oblivious of the traffic, and her grim future. Such dirty hags walk our streets in thousands today.

This set me thinking. Cosseted in my warm clothes and comfortable home could I also be a dirty hag before God. Could this woman be my looking glass? Isaiah had said that “our righteousness is filthy rags before God”. We need to be converted to Jesus Christ and not Christianity or the Church. Only Jesus Christ can redeem us. He is the only one through whom God will pronounce us righteous. All else fail.

The great sixteen-century English divine and poet John Donne asks God to ‘batter’ his heart so that God can come in and reign. Our heart is perhaps the most difficult stronghold that God has to ever penetrate. He is like the prospective buyer at the slave market. Billy Graham angered many in a Florida crusade when he said that the devil is willing to pay a great deal to take possession of our soul but he doesn’t have to because most of us are willing to sell it for peanuts. We are expensive commodities before God. We cost His only begotten son. And he shall be our advocate one day when we see God face to face. It’s only matter of time. And that’s historical not mythological.

Dear Readers,

Greetings of peace and joy to you all as you commemorate the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

As the year comes to a close I find, when I retrospect, a deep sense of satisfaction and pleasure over the accomplishment of my assigned task, which is truly a reward. At this juncture I realize that one day as our years on earth are over, the joy and satisfaction over one’s labour would be one’s greatest reward. And I am encouraged and stimulated to work harder and faithfully for my master Jesus Christ. Like Paul, we should all be able to say at the end of our life’s journey – “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race”.

Well, as we have come to the climax of Christmas celebration, we see all around us hustle and bustle. For many people, in fact all of us, this is a very busy season. Everyone is busy in one thing or the other preparing for Christmas. There are multitudes wasting their time in mere feasting and merry making without having Christ in their celebration.

A loving couple celebrated the birthday of their first child. They invited all their friends far and near and threw a huge party inclusive of drinking, dancing and laughter. The spirit of party was set ablazed by the music and all the good food. As people stepped in they were engrossed totally with the party scene that no one bothered about the birthday boy. At the end of the party an old man dropped by and to his surprise saw no child anywhere. The old man asked, “Where is the birthday boy?” The mother replied, “he is too small to be in the party”. Is it too spiritual to put Christ in the center of our celebration?

On the first Christmas when Christ was here on earth, they had no room for Him except a stable. It wasn’t because of hostility or indignity. It was just a mere preoccupation. They were too busy. We need to be careful today lest we land up in the same boat.

The reason for Christmas is for one to leap to Calvary and find a true meaning and purpose of living. “We live and move and have our being in Christ” (Acts 17:28).

As Christ was born into this world, God has bestowed hope upon the despaired mankind. When one of the wise men brought myrrh as a gift to worship Jesus, there was a foresight of the cross that Jesus was to undergo and drew many to Calvary. Yet, there are still many who are lost in darkness. It is our utmost Christian duty to reach out to these people and leave them a trail of hope that Christ would return to rule and reign and we shall dwell with Him forever if today Christ is born and reign in one’s heart.

Let’s not be carried away by our preparation and worship Christmas but worship Christ and give Him the rightful place in our heart. He deserves to be in the center of our heart and celebration.

Have a blessed Christmas!

"TRAIL" interviews Kedo Peseyie
(Kedo Peseyie is the Chaplain of Baptist College, Kohima and a member of UBC. He is a young Interdenominational Preacher who faithfully walks his sermon. He is popular with young people of God and also a good Guitarist.)
Trail : You have been working with young people for quite sometime now, what potential and promise do you see in them?
Kedo Peseyie: It’s great to work with young people. The youthful enthusiasm and energy is sometimes overwhelming. I now realise that the youth can actually make a great impact if they are given the proper guidance and the appropriate freedom and space they need. Someone said the youths today are under-challenged. I feel this is especially true of our Naga youths today - under-challenged and underestimated. But in spite of' all obstacles, today there are many young people who are being greatly used by the Lord even outside of the church circle. Yes, we may not agree with some of the things they do, but they need our understanding and encouragement more than our criticisms, regulations and systems. You ask me about the potential of the youth. That's an amazing question because I have seen that if you can convince them and if they know you believe in them, they'll do anything and go anywhere for the Lord.

Trail : You were a student of Literature, what prompted you to take up Theology?
Kedo : That is simple. When God called me to serve him fulltime in the ministry, I felt that theological training would be necessary. And what a privilege it is to respond positively to this call!

Trail : Today the TV Evangelists bombard us with the if-it-is-good-do-it philosophy. How does one show to the young people that personal purity is still relevant and does matter?
Kedo : I don't think all Televangelists give us an if-it-is-good-do-it philosophy. Surely many people, especially youths, have benefited from these channels. But we should not idolise these preachers and start comparing them with our pastors and teachers. That is wrong. We need our pastors much more than these preachers. Some times I feel some TV preachers stray from God's Word. We have to check ourselves and their message in the light of the whole Bible.
In my few experience with youth and students, I have realised that youth ministry is not a preaching-teaching ministry. They look at you. Only then they receive or reject your message. If you don't show them that personal purity is possible, they will not believe you even if you use the Bible to tell them that it is possible and relevant. Paul's charge to Timothy is relevant here: "be an example in speech, love, purity...”

Trail : What do you think are the problems confronting the youth today? What should be our response?
Kedo : I think the problems confronting our youths are more than drugs, AIDS, western culture, unemployment, etc. Most of the problem students we encounter are from broken families, or those who find no joy or peace in their homes. They are looking for a place where they can fit in, feel comfortable and be accepted. The challenge is to create such an atmosphere. What would such a place look like? It would be a place where there is plenty of grace, freedom, friendship, and affirmation, a place to make mistakes and still be accepted. It would also be a place where they will see high Christian standards preached and practised without compromise. Friendship is one greatest thing in the Bible and the most important thing for young people. I wish our churches would give out plenty of friendship to outsiders.
I think there is a generation of un-churched young people coming up in Nagaland. Could it because they don't find these ingredients in our churches? If we fail in our ministry today, this generation will fill our offices and empty our churches.
I a1so think our youth have not seen many people in our society to whom they can look up to and say, "Hey, I want to be like that person". You don't have to be rich and influential to be a role model. All you need is a person to model your life after (Jesus), and a life of your own to live without comparing with others.

Trail : How important is expository teaching and preaching?
Kedo : It is important to keep believers rooted in God's word and not in some exhortation and old age traditions. Today many believers live in the illusions, fantasies and myths of the world. For example, there was once a local pastor who sought the guidance of a local soothsayer/medium in the midst of a family crisis. The truths of scripture will set us free from the illusions, fantasies and myths of the world.

Trail : Do you have any favourite book in the Bible? Why?
Kedo : No big favorites. But I like the book of Colossians because it contains a verse that has liberated me many years back from feelings of incompleteness and much insecurity. Colossians 2: 9-10. "...in Christ dwells all the fullness of the Godhead.. .and you are complete in him".

Trail : Your message for the MHBC Youth.
Kedo : Don't take yourself too seriously. Enjoy your life. And let your joy and fragrance spread everywhere around you- in your college, workplace, streets, parties, and if necessary even in the booze-joints.

Trail: Thank you.

Shades of grey

Like a dove, He soared into my heart
A broken soul, now His work of art
Chosen before time began
By Love's sacrifice-the Unblemished Lamb
My desires they transform each day
Black and white now invades my grey
Thought I found where I belonged
But now I know this can't be my home
Once a mere resemblance of this world that you see
A walking mirror of mankind's vanity
Now a window with glass so clear
Where shades of grey no longer appear
So I pray Lord take captive of my soul
For it must be you that they see wherever I go.

‘So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand’. Isaiah 41:10

The same promise he made to the Israelites He makes to us today and everyday of our lives. How fortunate are we to have a God who genuinely cares for us! In this world of despair and suffering, of violence and hatred, of envy and suspicion, of pride and arrogance, of greed and materialism, of lies and deceit, we have our Almighty God to lean on, to depend upon. The Bible has never promised us a life without problems, a life free of the cares and pains of this world. But what it does promise us is this: ‘Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer’ (Romans 12:12) As Christians the first mistake that we commit is, maybe, this lack of understanding. We begin our Christian life on illusions. We have certain very unrealistic notions about Christianity. So when the initial phase of euphoria in Christian living expires and reality sets in we become disheartened and fall prey to the various temptations and transgressions. What we need to truly understand is that as long as we continue to live in this world we cannot avoid its trials and tribulations, its triumphs and failures, its pleasures and pains, its blessings and curses. And what we do have is the wisdom and strength from the Holy Spirit to live through all these without being destroyed. To be righteous and to be upright, to be pure and holy. As children of God, our lives should be illuminated from within so that Christ is manifested through us. We can become a blessing to others, a source of inspiration, a fountain of hope and a spring of joy.

With Christmas just round the corner this is an opportune time to retrospect and discover how Christian we are. Because Christmas is not only about celebration, it is more about discovering oneself. The sheer beauty of the Christmas story provides a most appropriate backdrop to survey our lives and find out how significantly and truly we have been Christians. Christmas conceals the most beautiful and extraordinary love story: love so pure, divine and complete. It is matchless, incomparable and unique. It is in this pristine and remarkable manner that God’s love for us is proclaimed. ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life’ (John 3:16). What sublime love and sacrifice! As children of God we have become an inseparable part of this great love. It would be presumptuous on our part to love like him but we can, at least, try. Let us do our bit because this is expected of us. When we begin to give off ourselves selflessly our personal miseries will grow dimmer to ultimately disappear. We will become better individuals and more dynamic Christians. Talking about Jesus, sharing him with others will become much easier and more pleasurable and rewarding. Concern and regard for the individual self will become minimal which is the true essence of Christianity: ‘More of others and less of us’. Unless we are able to do this how can we confidently rest in the love of God as definitely as Paul did: ‘For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord’ (Romans 8:38,39).

This Christmas let us bring smiles to the aching hearts, hope to the despairing souls and love to the discarded. Let us reawaken the spirit of Christmas i.e. Love, Joy, Peace. Let every home and hearth partake these blessings of Christ’s birth. May the Son of Man reign supreme this festive season. This is the greatest gift we can gift to God for loving us and saving us. Exalt the name of Jesus through our thoughts, deeds and words. Let us break the tradition of other years by thinking more of the spiritual and less of the physical; more of the eternal and less of the temporal.

If we have any misgiving it is never too late to start afresh. Let this Christmas herald the beginning of greater, better, bigger victories of Christian living. Life is not perfect and Christian living may not always be bliss but placing our faith in his promise let us continue to walk in his path forsaking the weaknesses and shortcomings of the flesh. Let our hearts truly belong to him because ‘out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man unclean’ (Matthew 15: 19,20). Let us ‘clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience’ (Colossians 3:12).

THE LORD HAS DONE GREAT THINGS FOR US, AND WE ARE FILLED WITH JOY.
Psalm 126:3

The long awaited 36th Angami Pastors' and Deacons’ convention commenced on 3rd December and ended on 5th December on the theme 'He will heal us', Hosea 6: 1. Our hearts are filled with gratitude to God for enabling us to have the convention peacefully with great health and in the absence of all kinds of hindrances. The delegates were expected from 100 Churches but only 88 Churches with 416 pastors, deacons and deaconess participated. It was truly a spectacular event for us and I hope everyone had a blessed and a quality time sharing and administering the Word of God to all believers: Many thanks to all who contributed towards the success of this convention. May God bless us all with His choicest blessings and encourage us as we continue to do good deeds for the Lord.

Praise the Lord!

The stores are putting up their holiday decorations. Youngster carols are being piped across the world. Ah, yes, the holiday rush is on. It's that time of year when the lines are long and shoppers are irritable. There are parties to go to, cards to write, baking to be done, a tree to get, lights to be hung and presents to wrap. Then there is flow of television advertisements that tell us what we must buy in order to make our loved ones happy. The world has taken Christmas and turned it into a celebration of consumerism. For many of us, this is what Christmas is all about. We have no idea what actually it is. What can we do to make our Christmas meaningful?

Put Christ at the center of our Christmas. If we're too busy with holiday preparations and do not spend time to know what Christmas is really about, then we can't expect ourselves to be knowing the truth of that special day install for us. The world will teach us its version and not of Jesus. But if we take time to put Christ at the center of our heart at Christmas, we will be getting the greatest Christmas gift of all: knowing Jesus. So,

Follow the true star of Christmas;
Honor the stable-born king;
Celebrate heaven's gift to all nations;
Quiet your heart for the magnificent message;
Embrace God's Christmas salvation.

WISHING ALL A VERY HAPPY AND MEANINGFUL CHRISTMAS