Our Correspondent
Kohima | April 20
Internationally acclaimed Christian speaker Anne Graham Lotz today urged the Faithful to trust Jesus Christ for what he is doing and not to doubt when test and trouble arise. The daughter of the world’s most celebrated Christian speaker Billy Graham was addressing thousands of Christians during the ongoing Nagaland Baptist Church Council’s platinum jubilee event at the convention centre in Kohima.
The international best selling-author and speaker said Jesus commands the highest position in the universe. The preacher, also an award winning author, said one should not seek advice from ‘demons and evil worshipers’ as Jesus has the power to defeat all the evil in the world and has the answers to all problems.
Anne Graham Lotz referred to the life of the prophet Isaiah. She said ‘reaching the word of Jesus starts from oneself. “You and I have to make sure that Jesus use us” and when test and trials come let others see the Jesus in ‘you,’ she said. To be holy means “absolutely without sin”, she said, and “there should be no unkindness, ungratefulness, no un-forgiveness, no selfishness; you and I have to be holy like Jesus, while also keeping the church Holy, the temple of God”, she said.
The acclaimed Christian leader also exhorted the gatherings not to blame anyone when trouble comes and not to think of one’s self as ‘too good.’ “When we open up our hearts in Jesus, we see our weaknesses. You are no better than any other sinners”, the Christian leader said. She urged the gather thousands of the Faithful gathered for the event, to work for Christ better than others; to come out of the ‘unholy shell’ and know that Jesus Christ died on the cross and shed blood for the sinners.
The preacher also referred to Billy Graham’s comment on the Naga people that Nagaland was his favourite place in India. Lotz said her father is now 93 years and has difficulty in hearing, seeing and walking. But, Ann Lotz said, his faith never weakens. She requested the believers at the celebration to remember Billy Graham in their prayers to let him continue to serve for God’s Glory until the day he returns to the Lord.
More highlights of the celebrations
The day’s event was the third service of the platinum jubilee. It also saw a host of impressive musical performances where praise and worship groups, choirs and churches performed for the gathered.
Another highlight is a film festival organized by Naga filmmakers on the sidelines of the NBCC platinum jubilee celebrations. The film festival will be held till April 22 from 1 PM to 4 PM at the SIRD Conference Hall, opposite Convention Centre. The event has been designed to depict and showcase the people, society and history of the Nagas, their ethnic uniqueness, the history and advent of Christianity in Nagaland, its impact on Naga society and the modern day Naga Christian context.
Day-one witnessed a number of films screened during the festival: ‘Dance of Nagaland (Episode 1- Director IMAK News & Entertainment Pvt Ltd), NBCC Platinum Opener (Director- Wabang Moa of Highland Dawn Media) , The Bamboo Boys ( Director- Raaghav Dar), And Down the River they went ( Director- Yapangnaro Longkumer), Distant Rumblings (Director- Bani Prakash Das) and The Great Anghs (Director- Kivini Shohe and Vikieyielienuo Chielie). For day-two, the movies to be screened are Dance of Nagaland- 2 (1:00 PM to 1:30 PM), a documentary on Rev. Longri Ao (1:30 to 2:00 PM) Fading Ink (2:00 PM to 3:00 PM), Nokpokliba (3:00 to 3:30 PM) and Potter: Earth Stories (3:30 to 4:00 PM).
