Nagaland for Christ and the Church (3)

After our visit to Dimapur and Kohima we came to Wokha. The Lord arranged our hospitality in the bungalow of a Principal of Government college. Then we were invited to minister to a group of about 90 students and to the teachers as well. The burden released was on a Christian life; specifically on regeneration and growth in life with personal testimony. This burden has been continually weighing in me for Nagaland. A healthy Christian life and normal growth in life is what the Lord has been speaking to different group of Christians in this state. Even our visit to various Christian leaders and introduction of the ministry literature always was clubbed with the mentioning of the growth in life.

I am nobody to judge anybody, but as I observe the situation here, among my own fellow Nagas, I sensed a deep and urgent need for a proper feeding on spiritual food and a normal growth in life. A Christian state must be christian in outlook and in reality as well. The fate of the state's infrastructure and economy is not what is deemed of a Christian. The local people I conversed to, directly or indirectly, complained of corruption. This definitely does not behooves a Christian state. So my burden for "Nagaland for Christ and the Church" is all the more deeper. 

As we gathered for fellowship this afternoon, with the local residents, some teachers and students, the Lord burdened me on "the Priesthood." I released my burden with definite emphasis on the "whats" and "who" of a priest with supporting Bible verses. The points I strongly emphasized were:

• a priest is a person who lives in the presence of God
• a priest is a person who represents men to God
• a priest is a person who represents God to man
• a priest is a person who serves God

Exodus 19:6   And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the children of Israel.Isaiah 61:6   But you will be called the priests of Jehovah; / People will speak of you as the ministers of our God. / You will eat the wealth of nations, / And you will boast in their glory.1 Peter 2:5   You yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house into a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.1 Peter 2:9   But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people acquired for a possession, so that you may tell out the virtues of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

I also strongly emphasized with biblical references that all Christian are priest by virtue of our spiritual birth and should live and function as priests.

This kind of serving as a priest is surely versus religion. I released this burden with the faith that these seekers and lovers of the Lord would one day be a transforming agents and channels of blessings to Nagaland. And that through such a recovery of the priesthood among the believers, as most of the locals are Christians, the Lord will have a way to fulfill the burden, "Nagaland for Christ and the Church."