FINDING PURPOSE IN LIFE

THE MOVIE, THE DIRTY PICTURE, AS A PURITY PARABLE

2011-12-13T09:21:00.001-08:00

- Duke Jeyaraj
The movie, The Dirty Picture, starring Vidya Balan, created a tremendous buzz in India and across the World. This movie grossed Rs.50 Crores within one week of it’s release. “It had the biggest opening ever for a woman-oriented film in the history of Indian Cinema,” reported The Times of India (December 9, 2011). Can we glean out lessons for purity from a movie named, The Dirty Picture? Yes we can! Here’s how:

This movie is obviously based on the life of Silk Smitha, though there is an explicit denial of this by the movie makers. Can it be a mere coincidence that the movie released on the same day the real Silk Smitha was born – December 2^nd? As one website put it, “(This movie) is an unofficial biopic around the life and upheavals of Southern sex symbol Silk Smitha.” What was the end of Silk Smitha’s life like? She committed suicide by hanging from a ceiling fan in the bedroom of her home in Saligramam, Chennai on September 23, 1996, when she was just 36 years of age, leaving a suicide note that talked about several failures and financial difficulties. The years of having men lust over her body through her erotic performances on screen, the years of having affairs with several men, the years of alcohol consumption, the years of making a quick buck from the movie world by compromising her moral values, did not satisfy the inner longings of her soul. Vidya Balan, talking about the character ‘Silk’ she played in the movie, The Dirty Picture says, “She has no restraint. Some may feel that she is shameless. I think she is a girl who wants to enjoy the pleasure of life at every opportunity. Whatever she feels, she says it and whatever she wants to do, she does it…” This sort of ‘bold’ behavior left her in the ‘cold’ - feeling empty, dejected and depressed. It left her reeling in loneliness that she decided to end it all.

‘Silk Smithas’ in the Bible!

In the Bible, we get to meet a ‘male Silk Smitha.’ Bemused? Don’t be. I want to refer to Ahitophel, the counselor to kings of Israel as the ‘male Silk Smitha’. While Silk Smitha was the most famous item number dancer of the South India Film Industry in the 1980s, Ahitophel was the most trusted advisor to kings of Israel in those times. Both folk reached the pinnacle of their professions in their times. Having reached the pinnacle of their careers, both suddenly faced failures. While Silk Smitha faced competition from other item-number dances, Ahitophel’s advice was ignored. Ahitophel’s sad end came after he committed suicide, just like Silk’s – the Bible reveals (2 Sam 17:23). Unable to face failures in their professional lives, both of them tragically ended their lives. What Silk Smitha and Ahitophel did not perhaps realize when they committed suicide was that they couldn’t really kill themselves. The real persons inside this duo - their souls – continued to live long after their body became lifeless following their shocking suicides. Yes, each one of us has a soul inside of us which will go on to live forever and ever. This is what the Bible teaches. God has placed, eternity in our hearts – this is the teaching of the Bible (Eccl 3:11).

In the Bible, we meet yet another Silk Smitha – we can see the woman from Samaria that Jesus met at a well that way. The woman from Samaria perhaps thought to herself that if she drank the water called ‘love of a man’ she would find true satisfaction in her life. She was married to five different men, one after the other. Marriage number 1, perhaps failed and she sought solace in Marriage number 2. Then Marriage number 2, too failed. This went on till Marriage number 5. After each such sour relationship, she became frustrated and sincerely believed ‘another husband who was different’ would make her life ultimately happy. But she could not find that elusive happiness. She could not find in sin, what she entered sin to find. Sin did not satisfy her soul’s inner longings! When she met Jesus at the well, she was in her relationship number 6 – a relationship that involved living-in with a man, a relationship that involved, most certainly, sex outside the boundaries of marriage. What Jesus told her was in-effect this: “If you drink the water of sex, you will thirst again. If you drink the water I give you (in other words, if you have a living, daily relationship with me) then you will never thirst again!”

I believe, we meet another Silk Smitha in the Bible in the person who authored the book of Ecclesiastes who was King Solomon, perhaps. “I tried cheering myself with wine,” he writes (Eccl 2:3). In the movie, The Dirty Picture, Silk played by Vidya Balan, drowns herself drinking alcoholic drinks when the going in her personal and professional life become tough and rough. But wine, could not ultimately bring meaning into his life, the writer of the book of Ecclesiastes ultimately discovered to his utter dismay (Eccl 2:11). “Life under the sun was meaningless unless one has a relationship with the one above the Sun – even God!” – that was the message he tried to convey in this key Bible book (Eccl 2:25). Silk, too, discovered that wine-addiction, ultimately left her only to whine, one fine day. The beer habit, instead of cheering her, irreversibly wove the option of suicide into her thoughts, and drove her deep into bottomless well of depression.

The Savior for all Silk Smithas!

Yes, you could chase all the pleasures in the world in a desperate effort to discover happiness and peace, like Silk did. But the pleasures of the World will not offer true happiness and peace – you will soon discover that. Only a daily, deep, relationship with Jesus – the one who died on the Cross for each one of us – will give us true happiness, peace, meaning and purpose. The punishment that brings us true peace was upon Jesus while he hung on the Cross, the Bible declares (in Isaiah 53). Silk Smitha ended her life deeply disappointed with all what soft porn movies, sex in front of the camera, illicit relationships, lots of money, overdose of alcohol, etc, could have ever offered her. If you chase the very things she chased – sex, silver, soul-mates, Scotch, stardom, etc - or those of that kind, you too will be disappointed. Come to Christ, the one who explicitly said that he came to give you life – life to the full (John 10:10)! And you will not be disappointed! And you will find true peace and lasting joy. A loving relationship with Jesus, the only God who revealed himself in the flesh during the first Christmas, would be “enough” to satisfy the inner longings of the human soul, the Bible reveals (John 14:5,6). What’s more, when you come to Jesus in true repentance, your sins – even if they uncountable and even if they are unprintable – will be purged clean through the blood he shed for us on the Cross. This is a promise of God in the Bible who never tells a lie (cf. Isa 1:18).

If we pursue a living relationship with Jesus in our lives, our soul will be joyous on this side of eternity while we are still on this earth. Not only that – we will join Jesus after death to live with him forever after our soul will be reunited with our resurrected bodies. On the other hand, If we rejected Jesus, our souls, along with its resurrected bodies, will go to a place of torment that Jesus often talked about called Hell (See Daniel 12:2).. This is the teaching of the Bible. So, what would you decide to do? What choice would you make? Would you reject Christ, live a life of living hell and go to literal hell? Or, would you live in Christ, experience the peace and joy he alone can give, and go to heaven to enjoy him, forever? I hope your choice will be wise.

Unwise Daniel Christian, Unwise you

2011-10-06T13:10:00.000-07:00

Duke Jeyaraj's poem on the nerve-wracking CLT20 Game Between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) Vs South Australia Redback (SAR) on 5 October, 2011, Bangalore that ended in a last ball six win for the former.

After South Australia Redbacks' opener, Daniel Harris was still unbeaten on a brilliant 108 at lunch,
RCB had to make 215 to win - this was the kind of cricket match that would've interested even the French!
Flat-six hitting Gayle and Dil-scooping Dilshan, an intent-revealing opening partnership did launch,
Before murderous Virat Kohli came into the middle to blast a 36-ball 70, that packed a punch,
As the post-Kohli dismissal 16th over by offie Nathan Lyon yielded just 4, RCB faced a run-crunch,
Tait's tight '3-wickets taken, just 4 runs given' 19th over left RCB 14, in the last over, to fetch.
A throw in the 2nd ball of the final over, the cheeky single seeking Syed Mohammed, short of the crease, did catch,
The scoop-4 Aravind hit in the 3rd ball, the bad name he earlier earned by giving 69 runs, slowly began to scratch,
The next two balls Aravind could score just 3 runs, and he was now in the non-strikers end feeling like a wretch!
6 off 1 ball - this is what RCB had to now miraculously hatch!
"The last ball will surely be a slower one, since the first 5 in this last over were!" - this was Arun Karthick's hunch!
He slog swept Daniel Christian's predictable slower ball for a six, a win in the very last ball for RCB to snatch!
Man of the Match Virat Kohli said that this game, RCB Vs SAR, was his life's most exciting T20 match!

Yes it's true that Daniel Christian was extremely unwise to bowl six straight slow balls in the last over,
But of course, not Just Daniel Christian - we too are unwise in other matters of life, dear brother!

When we choose fleeting sinful pleasures over the eternal pleasures that Jesus offers, we are just as unwise!
When we tell ourselves, "One last look at this porn site may not cause any harm," we are believing Satan's lies!
Life's purpose is not found in finding a job that fills our plates with rice and marrying a girl that's really nice!
It's not also found in munching french fries with funny friends while licking a KFC-chicken leg piece!
It's only found in having a relationship with the sinless Jesus who took the punishment that brought us peace!
Will you not repent from your sin and come to Him who is alive ever more, now, please?

Sangakkara made the finest speech ever by a cricketer recently. But the way he ended it was not without major logical flaws.

2011-07-21T01:52:00.000-07:00

-Duke Jeyaraj on the Sangakarra Cowdrey Lecture 2011"I am Tamil, Sinhalese, Muslim and Burgher. I am a Buddhist, a Hindu, a follower of Islam and Christianity. I am today, and always, proudly Sri Lankan."

That's how Kumar Sangakarra finished a breath-taking, Obama-esque, standing-ovation-evoking speech at MCC. That's how he finished the Cowdrey lecture. It is touted as the best speech ever given by a cricketer. Read it in full at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/srilanka/8618261/Kumar-Sangakkaras-2011-MCC-Spirit-of-Cricket-Cowdrey-Lecture-in-full.html

It will be well worth your time if you did that. The man who played the greatest Test innings ever according to me (I am referring to the 192 runs he made at a time of great adversity even as Sri Lanka chased a 500 plus in the fourth innings in a game against Australia in Australia before he was wrongly given out in November 2007) has made a speech that dwarfs that phenomenal cricketing achievement. I gathered tips for myself - someone who gets to give speeches now and then - from that landmark, lovely, lashing-out-at-injustice and politically incorrect speech. Sangakarra takes time to appreciate, very graciously using wowing words, the role of Christian Missionaries in bringing cricket to the beautiful island nation of Sri Lanka in this super speech.

Hold on. I do not agree with the point that Sangakarra made as he ended his spell-binding speech. He seems to say that one can follow both Christianity and Islam without fooling one's self. I am baffled that an intelligent man like Sangakarra (a trained lawyer turned Cricketer) could actually make such a logically inconsistent statement. Let me elaborate here: Islam believes in One God. Christianity believes in one God who exists in three persons - a blasphemous claim for our Islamic friends. Buddhism says, "Desire is the root cause of all evil!" In the Bible, the person called as a 'man after my own heart' by none other by God has a strong desire, longing - he is panting after God with the same passion a desert-dweller thirsts for water (Psa 63:1)! Hinduism talks about a cycle of rebirths. But the Bible talks about one life and one judgement (Heb 9:27). So, obviously you can't claim to be follower of all the religions without lying. You have to necessarily reject what one religion says and embrace what the other says, if you are true to yourself. Well, you can respect all religions. But you can't follow them all without lying to yourself. In fact, when one makes a statement like Sangakarra just did (and let me tell you, it is quite fashionable to do so in this secular, postmodern world!), he or she is calling Jesus, a liar. For Jesus said, "I am THE way, THE truth, THE life! No one comes to God except through me!" (John 14:6; See Acts 4:12 too). Jesus also said, "If you won't believe I am who I say I am, you're at the dead end of sins. You're missing God in your lives” (John 8:24, The Message). You have to make a Choice - to believe in Christ alone for your soul’s salvation or any of the rest or all of the rest. You can fool yourself thinking you can follow them all. Come on - you just can't do that!

Dr. Ravi Zacharias put what I just said, plainly and eloquently. Let me quote him so that what I have just said gets re-enforced compellingly: All religions are not the same. All religions do not point to God. All religions do not say that all religions are the same. At the heart of every religion is a stubborn commitment to a particular way of defining who God is or is not - and a particular way of defining the meaning and purpose of life. The truth is that every major religion in the world claims exclusivity, and every major religion in the world has a point of exclusion. Hinduism, for example, is often represented as being the most tolerant and accepting of other faiths. That is just not true. All Hindus believe in two fundamental, uncompromising doctrines—The Law of Karma, and the belief in reincarnation. These will not be surrendered. In fact, Buddhism was born out of the rejection of two other very dogmatic claims of Hinduism. Buddha rejected the authority of the vedas and the caste system of Hinduism. The issue here is not who was right or wrong. The truth is that they were systemically different—both claiming rightness. Islam, is very clearly an exclusive claim to God. A Muslim will never tell you that it doesn’t matter what you believe or that all religions are true. But before we get upset with such claims, let us remember that it is the very nature of truth - Truth by definition is exclusive. Everything cannot be true. If everything is true, then nothing is false. If nothing is false then it would also be true to say everything is false. We cannot have it both ways. Let these profound, perfectly-worded lines sink in to your system. Close your eyes and let the truth of the above lines close-in on your very being. Read the above lines again and again till it gets to your above – your brains! Memorize them. Parrot them. Preach them.

The reasons why Christ is unique is beyond the scope of this article. But those reasons are available in plenty!

Hell-talk: Actress Kajal Agrawal n Jesus

2011-06-27T01:28:00.000-07:00

- Duke Jeyaraj

The Hyderabad Times, quoted actress Kajal Agrawal saying this the other day: "What the hell is happening?" (That was the article's headline in bold letters as well). This was her first reaction to certain reports which quoted her saying that "I have not seen myself as a South Indian actress. I am a Punjabi girl!" (Hyderabad Times, 24 June 2011). The words, "What the hell....", "Who the hell...", "How the hell..." have become so common in our present-day English language use - as common as 'and' and 'well'! When people use the word 'hell' this frequently and so casually they don't even remotely understand the horrific place hell is.

Jesus, the greatest hell preacher!

Max Lucado writes, "Of the twelve times that the word 'gehenna' - the strongest Biblical word for hell - appears in Scripture, there is only one time in which Jesus was not the speaker. No one spoke of hell more than Christ did" (When Christ Comes, Page 118). But Jesus did not speak of hell in casual terms like today's youth or actors. If anyone knew how hell looked like (or would look like) it was Jesus - the all-knowing, ever-existing God in flesh and bone.

Hideousness of hell

Jesus painted the hideousness of hell by pointing out that we must do whatever it takes to escape going there. For example, he said, "If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell" (Math 5:29). He repeated this almost verbatim in Mathew 18:9. If Jesus had not repeated this, his saying on hell, Mathew would not have recorded it twice in his Gospel, would he? By saying what he did, Jesus was not advocating plucking of one's eye to beat the temptation to lust. He was simply telling us, that hell is so terrible and horrible, that if one can escape it by plucking his eyes out, it would be a cheap price to pay.

A place to make you wish that you were never born!

Jesus also depicted the gruesome nature of Gehenna (Hell) by the way he talked about Judas Iscariot - the one person we know for sure would go to hell. He categorically said this about Judas whom he referred to as "the son of destruction": "It would have been better for that man if he had not been born" (Math 26:24; John 17:12). In other words, this was Jesus' message here: If you are not born-again or if you turn away from the born-again experience, like Judas did, you will go to a place which will make you wish that you were not born at all! Hell is so painful! Hell is so agonizing!

Children of hell - that is what we are

Jesus gave us humans a new name: children of hell. That is what he called the religious big shots of his time (Mathew 23:15). They were hypocrites. We are all hypocrites. And we too deserve such a title - the title of "children of hell". What God originally prepared as a destination for the Devil and his angels - the terrible place called "hell" - becomes our destination as well (II Pet 2:4). It is only right that the devil's ultimate destination becomes ours as well because we choose to follow the devil and his sinful urgings in our day-to-day lives. I refer to his urgings like "Use abusive language to get even with those who abuse you!", "Watch pornography - it will not harm you!” etc, etc! Calling someone a "fool" may be quite cool with this google generation. But doing that can take you to hell, Jesus taught (Math 5:22). Undressing the person of the opposite gender who is not your married partner, in one's mind, may be the favorite pastime of the Youtube Youth of today. But when such sins are persisted upon, hell is where we land up in, Jesus warned (Math 5:28, 29). The human race, by and large, is on the broad road that leads to destruction (hell), Jesus pointed out (Math 7:13). The way to hell is sleazy and "easy" (Math 7:13).

A name for God which worship leaders hardly use

Jesus also gave a new name for God, a name you will not hear worship leaders use often: him who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Math 10:28). It was only re-coining an Old Testament title for God: Consuming Fire (Duet 4:24). Yes, it is true. God is not only a Compassionate Father. He is also a Consuming Fire. He is love. But he is not only love. He is just and righteous as well. That is why all sin must be punished. God cannot wink at sin and pretend that it did not exist. If he did, he no longer can be called just and holy. That is why, Jesus taught about the existence of hell which serves as the ultimate punishment for "rebels" against God - a place of unquenchable fire in which both the worms feasting on the human body, and humans themselves "will not die" forever (Isa 66:24; Mark 9:43-48). The human race is in a hopeless situation. Jesus asks us the same question he asked the Religion Biggies of his time: You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? (Math 23:33). We have no answers to Jesus' question. And guess what - Jesus decided to answer that question himself. He said in-effect: "I will open a way - in fact it will be the only way - for you to escape being sentenced to hell! I will experience hell instead of you. You need to trust in me - the One who experienced hell for you - to be saved from going to hell!" Stumped? Read the next paragraph for more details....

The hedge on the broad road to hell

Jesus not only preached about hell, he did what it takes to prevent you from going to hell. This is what he did: he voluntarily endured hell instead of you. While he hung on the cross he cried out, "My God, My God why have you forsaken me?" (Math 27:46). Hell is the one place which is truly God-forsaken. Jesus experienced hell even as he hung from the cross. That is why he cried out that way. Because your sins and my sins were laid upon Jesus on that day - two thousand years ago - the holy God whose eyes are too pure to even look upon sin, had to turn his face from his Only Son, Jesus, and forsake Him, for our sake (Hab 1:13). This happened at the "ninth hour" - the Gospel-writers tell us (Math 27:46; Mk 15:34). Every year, exactly at that very hour, Jewish families would chop the neck of a lamb that would take away their sin - symbolic of what Jesus, the sinless Lamb of God would do on the cross, years later. The God who stopped Abraham between the neck and the knife as he was about to chop his son Isaac, did not stop the knife of the cross falling on the neck of his son. The reason? Jesus died for our sins.

How Jesus endured hell for you

Jesus also cried out, "I thirst" from the cross, remember? (John 19:28). He was echoing the words of the rich man who went to hell, he once talked about. That rich man too cried out in thirst saying, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame' - do you recall? (Luke 16:24). What that rich man underwent in hell, Jesus underwent even as he hung on the cross, Bible Scholars tell us. That is why he uses almost the very same words as that of that rich man. Why did Jesus have to endure all of this? To prevent you and me from living a life of hell and going to actual hell. He was taking the”punishment", which is ultimately hell punishment, instead of us, the Bible declares (Isa 53:5, Rev 21:7, 8). Jesus died so that we may not have to experience "second death" - another Bible word for hell (Rev 21:7, 8). And we will only go to hell, if we reject Jesus, who claimed to be the only way of salvation from our destruction in hell. If we jump over the cross of Jesus in pride, the cross which acts as a hedge to prevent people from going to hell, this is where we will land in: Hell!

You could remember this essay - from hell

Jesus warned - six stunning times - that hell is a place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Math 8:12; 13:42; 13:50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30). He repeated this depiction of hell, because it was mighty important. Who weeps? Those who are sad. Who gnashes teeth? Those who are angry and frustrated. You have guessed it right - Jesus wants us to understand that hell will be a place where our memories would be intact by using this phrase to talk about hell. Should we go to hell, we will remember and recall, every opportunity we ever had on planet Earth to escape coming to hell, and we will feel sad and shattered, angry and frustrated, that we did not make the most of it! My prayer is that you will not land up in hell, but if you do, you will remember reading this article, that explained to you, in black and white, the only way to escape hell!

A line from I Know What You Did Last Summer....

Don't get me wrong - Jesus did not come to this planet to condemn you to hell. Far from it. The Bible says, "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him" (John 3:17). But hell is where we will go, if we ignore Jesus' repeated warnings about hell.

"There was a murderer in the balcony. I saw him from the stage in the beauty contest. And you will fry in hell, if you ignore my words!" - those are the words in-effect that Sarah Michelle Gellar screamed at a Police Officer who doubted the veracity of her claims in the 1997 Hollywood horror movie, I Know What You Did Last Summer. The skeptical police officer, who made fun of Sarah for making such a claim was promptly and shockingly "hooked" by a sickle to a gruesome death, by the very murderer whose existence he doubted, shortly after he heard Sarah's warning. If you and I doubt Jesus' claims on hell, I am afraid, on the day of Judgment, or on the day of your death (which can be any day), you and I will be in for a similar shock, like that police officer was in for, in the movie I Know What You Did Last Summer.

Jesus said, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly" (John 10:10). Why do want to experience hell in this life and go on to experience hell in the next life to come, forever and forever, when Jesus can give you "abundant life" - a life which nothing or no one can give you?

How to escape hell - here's how

May be you are asking the question after reading this essay, "What must I do to escape hell and experience the heaven Jesus can alone offer me?" What you must do was put in plain words by Jesus. You must first leave. I mean, leave your life of sin. I mean repent. I say this because, Jesus preached, "Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3). When he used the word "perish" there, he meant "perish in eternal hell". So repentance from sin is the first step to escape this horrible hell.

Second, you must believe. We read in the Bible that "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him" (John 3:36). Yes, that is right. You must believe that Jesus died on the cross to save you from going to hell with all your heart. You must believe, that He is alive right now, having risen from the dead on the third day, to be able to walk with you daily in the narrow road that leads to heaven.

If you have decided to repent from sin and believe on Jesus, why don't you join me in saying this prayer, which will help you begin a relationship with Jesus - the only one who can save you from eternal Hell: Dear Jesus, I am sorry for my sins that took you to the cruel cross, where you experienced hell for me. Please forgive me. Please wash my manifold sins with your precious, pure blood that was shed for me on the Cross. I pledge to join you on that narrow road that leads to heaven from now on! Thank you for saving me! I am grateful! I am glad! So be it!"

If you have any questions about this article please call Duke at +91-9441352433 or e-mail him using emailduke@gmail.com . If you have made a decision to follow Jesus for the first time, after having read this article, join a local church where Bible is taught faithfully, for if you are in an active fellowship with fellow believers in a local church, "the gates of hell will not prevail" against you (Math 16:18).

The text in brackets refers to Bible Verse References. And they are taken from the English Standard Version of the Bible available online at www.esv.org .

THE WALL

2011-06-24T10:50:00.000-07:00

-Duke Jeyaraj

In the middle with great resolve would he arrive, when India's first wicket does fall!

When the Indian team is in trouble, he will, 9 times out of 10, answer crisis' call!

It is not for nothing that he is nicknamed the 'wall'!

Plus, he's a world-record-holding catcher - from the grip of his safe hands, often does not slip, the cricket ball!

Into the sunset, after 15-plus years of doing battling batting Rahul Sharad Dravid, is walking tall!

He is definitely a deserving member in Indian Cricket Fame's Hall!

It's true, when he bats the run-rate may, like a tortoise, crawl,

Agreed, He may not like Sehwag, entertain the audience and the senses enthrall,

But a player of Dravid's worth, you couldn't buy with a billion bucks in any shopping Mall!

And when he does eventually retire, the hole in the Indian middle order will not be small!

While we talk about the "Wall" here let me introduce another who gave his life to build a wall,

A wall that blocks your path to eternal hell, a wall that's really tall!

He raised this wall by shedding his blood on the Cross and gaving for us his all!

Jesus, God-in-flesh, is this wall-builder's name, and do you hear this his loving call?

"Come to me, and life, with me in your boat, despite the storms, will be a ball!"

But if you turn a deaf ear, to jump over this wall Jesus raised, into hell, you'll fall!

21 to win off the last over...

2011-05-26T13:18:00.000-07:00

-Duke Jeyaraj's poem on the most exciting IPL game in the 70-game league phase on 22 May 2011 between Kolkota Knight Riders n Mumbai Indians at Eden Gardens, Kolkota, written on 23 May 2011

21 to win off the last over of the final league game of IPL-IV, this is what the scoreboard said
The Mumbai Indians' chances in that game almost seemed buried and dead
Laxmipathy Balaji was to bowl it - a bowler known to bowl using his head
The first four balls, to the boundary ropes, unbelievably and furiously sped
The ball kissed the edges of James Franklin's blade and Balaji's heart bled
The fifth ball was bowled better and after Franklin stole a single, Rayudu got the strike instead
He thrashed the last ball for a match-winning six making maximum use of the juicy fulltoss he was fed
And thousands of hearts in Eden Gardens, including Shah Rukh's and Piggy Chop's, were heavy as lead
Now KKR must clash in a 'quarterfinal' with the MI in their own backyard - a contest they'd naturally dread
To win the IPL-IV they've got to win three games in a row, instead of just two, it needs to be, now, said

Yes, the last over of a tight T20 Game can be indeed spine-tingling
But I know someone who puts spine in your backbone and is far more exciting
It's Jesus - even as an embryo living in a virgin womb, he had someone (John the Baptist in also in embroyo form), in joy, jumping!
He went to the Cross to voluntarily die for your sin - the pain not withstanding
If you repented from sin and believed on Him - You will have life everlasting!

Two People Who Walked Voluntarily Into Tough Situations – Dhoni and “Guess Who?”

2011-05-10T10:48:00.001-07:00

Duke Jeyaraj

India had to come up with the best ever chase done in a World Cup Final – overhaul Sri Lanka’s 274 – to win the Cup. Sehwag, first and Sachin, later, got out cheaply. India’s score stood at 31, when Sachin, just one short of his 100^th ton, got out. When the well-set Virat Kohli after a fighting 83 run partnership with Gambhir got out, India were in real danger. Danger of losing the World Cup Finals. Danger of not becoming the first ever team to win a World Cup at home. That's when Captain M. S. Dhoni stepped in. He volunteered to bat No.5. He could have stayed back and sent into the tension-filled middle, the in-form Yuvraj. But he marched out of the Indian Dressing Room to bat at No.5 when India still needed 161 runs to win in the 22nd over (161 from 170 balls, to be precise). In his previous eight innings leading up the Final, Dhoni played, he scored a grand total of just 150! Yet he backed himself.

He volunteered go up the batting order when India were in a crisis. He stuck his neck out saying, “I will do this for India!” In the middle, he was sweating, he was blowing his running nose and he received treatment for his back. But he kept going. He was the calmest soul in Wankhade Stadium, Mumbai, when he hit the Cup-winning six for India with 10 balls to spare. And India were home. Quite memorably!

You and I are in danger. The danger of living a life of hell (life without purpose, meaning and real joy, a life in which you are empty despite having everything) and going to a literal hell (a place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth forever, a place which Jesus spoke about 8 times). That's when Jesus stepped in. Jesus could have stayed back in heaven and sent someone else to save you from going to hell. He did not. In eternity past, there was a meeting held in heaven. In that meeting Jesus stood up. “I will go Father! Just give me a body! I will get into it, become a human, go to the earth and die for the human race. I will march down the Calvary route and open a doorway to save the human race!” (my imagination based on Psa 40:6-8). He came down and became a man. He chose to swim the amniotic fluids of Mary rather than swim in the praises of angels and cherubs in Heaven. God took on flesh and bone. Yes, He did it for you. Yes, He did if for me. For everyone - he did it. When he was stopped from the Cross-route, he was determined to keep going (Luke 9:51). He called ‘Devil’ the one who discouraged from walking down the road to Golgotha. On the road to the Cross, Jesus endured infinitely more discomfort more than Dhoni did in the World Cup Finals. The following 12 's' things Jesus endured to win the only true salvation offer for u. Here they are:

First, Sold (Judas sold priceless Jesus for a price that was less than the price of a man 20 to 60 years old – Lev 27:3. We sell Jesus even today when our friends apply peer pressure on us, don’t we?). Second, Sweat (In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus sweated blood – Lk 22:44. This happens only when a person experiences highest tension. That punishment would have been apt for a pleasure-lover. But Jesus took it upon himself). Third, Strapped (Jesus was rope bound before High Priest - John 18:12. Jesus was dying for a poisoned, bound generation – a generation bound to drugs, alcohol, Facebook!).Fourth, Spat upon (This happened twice - Mt 26:67; 27:30. Only an irresponsible husband was to be spat upon - Dt 25:9. We were irresponsible when it came to using what God had given us and the punishment went to Jesus). Fifth, Slapped (He was slapped by the High Priest's servant - Mt 26:67. His sinless mouth was hit hard. The reason - he was dying for a human race that consistently uses its mouth to sin - by lying, by using abusive language, by having oral sex outside of the marriage bond). Six, Scourged (When Jesus was whipped, his back became like a plowed field with strips of flesh hanging loose. Only the back of fools was to be whipped - Prov 19:29. We were foolish to race behind temporary worldly pleasures (Heb 11:25) ignoring the eternal pleasures at the right hand of Jesus (Psa 16:11) and the punishment for that sin went to Jesus). Seventh, Stripped (To make fun of him, he was also clothed in purple color too - Mt 27:28. He was dying for a generation that takes pleasure in making fun of others while the affected live in excruciating pain). Eighth, Splinter-pressed (The thorns were pressed on his head. It was you and me who had a big proud head. Those thorns should have come upon us, but Jesus, in his great love, took it upon himself). Ninth, Shamed (Cross punishment was akin to be urinated upon in public those days - Phil 2:8). Tenth, Spiked (Nails were thrashed onto his two hands and legs. Those nails should have gone on our hands - we sinned against him with our hands and legs. Sins such as cigar-smoking, masturbation while porn-watching, fondling the intimate, inner, parts of the opposite sex, and walking into an adult movie show. But Jesus took our place on the Cross. He was our substitute – Isa 53:4,5; Gal 2:19,20. The nails did not hold him to the Cross. Love did. He could have ripped them off and come down when he was challenged and scoffed at. But he stayed on because he loved you). Eleventh, Separated (God turned his face away from him as all of our sins were placed upon Jesus. With his Heavenly Father Jesus was ever so close and this separation was heart-breaking for Jesus, and so he cried, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?". He became lonely to lift the loneliness in your life, the loneliness that comes when even you are rubbing shoulders with your friends in packed party). Twelfth, Speared (This treatment was given to him, even after he was dead - Jn 19:34. The final blood drops in his body came out then. Every drop says, 'I love you!' Only this blood can cleanse you from you from every sin!).

How do you respond to his great love so supremely demonstrated (Rom 5:8)? You could, in stone-hearted stubbornness, press the nails onto his hands a bit deeper, by continuing to live in sin. You could press down the thorn crown on his head roughly and crudely, once more, in rebellion, by continuing to flirt with the Devil and the world. That’s one way to respond. Or will you, repent like one of the dying thieves beside Jesus on the Cross? And would you believe on him (him, who is alive today, him, who is coming back), like the Roman centurion who screamed, "This is indeed the Son of God!"? The choice is yours.

This article was written by Duke Jeyaraj, an Engineer turned fulltime presenter of Bible Truths to the Google Generation. Connect with Duke via his email id – emailduke@gmail.com or his facebook account – www.facebook.com/dukejeyaraj

He said he that would live till 96, but..

2011-04-26T09:35:00.000-07:00

-Duke Jeyaraj

Virender Sehwag said that he wanted to bat through the innings in all his World Cup games. In the Bangladesh game he batted beyond Over Number 45 and scored 175. That was a good attempt. But he got out in the 2nd ball he faced in the Finals. Another man said that he would live till 96. But he breathed his last at 85. On Easter Day, 2011. He died on the very day the World recalled the raising from the death of Jesus. 85 is not that far from 96. Again a good attempt! I told my wife that I would exercise five times a week, regularly. But I have gone wrong that prediction of mine about myself, horribly :). You could add a story like that from your own life too, here - I bet you would! Let's not crucify, defame, these folks I have just talked about! As MERE MEN, As ORDINARY HUMANS, NOTHING BETTER COULD BE EXPECTED FROM US DESPITE OUR BEST INTENTIONS AND EFFORTS OF GREAT SWEAT. But God is different. Far, far, different. He is not a man that he would lie, the Bible declares."Does He (God) promise and not fulfill what He promised?" the Bible dares (Numbers 23:19). If the God we are talking about is the TRUE LIVING GOD, HE WILL FULFILL ALL HIS PROMISES. Yes, only Jesus, has fulfilled every Word of prophecy about Him, over 110 major ones, with 100% bull's eye accuracy. "Jesus would enter Jerusalem to be crucifed, 483 years from this day!" That was Prophet Daniel's prophecy made simple (Dan 9:24-25). Jesus fulfilled that astounding prophecy! Yes, He entered Jerusalem to be crucified exactly on the day Daniel predicted - a prediction made 483 years before! That is just one example. Fulfilling prophecy was pretty easy for Him to do, because as the ONLY GOD IN FLESH, He could control events in time and eternity with effortless ease. He alone is worthy of worship and life devotion! He alone is the way of salvation, as He himself said (John 14:6). If we believed that there are other God-avatars, apart from Jesus, it would amount to calling Jesus a liar. But He is NOT a liar. The one who never got it wrong when it came to prophecy fulfilment is NOT A LIAR. HE IS THE ONLY LORD! So, I live the one life I have, surrendered wholely to Him. I makes sense that I do that. What would you do?

THE TWO WHO DID NOT STAY BACK IN THE COMFORT OF THE HUT & SEND SOMEONE ELSE INTO THE MIDDLE

2011-04-19T22:58:00.000-07:00

A Duke Jeyaraj poem on the World Cup Final 2011 at Mumbai between India- Sri Lanka on 2 April 2011

As Dilshan brilliantly caught & bowled the well-set Kohli, Dhoni could have stayed back in the safety of the Indian hut,
And sent into the middle, the in-form Yuvraj Singh, to bear the pressure's brunt,
But Dhoni walked into the middle, voluntarily, with a steely determination to keep India in the275-run hunt,
His trademark strokes were thankfully back after a long time - the shovel power drive, the sizzling helicopter cut,
To let go of his golden opportunity to win it for India - he was no senseless nut,
And along with gutsy Gambhir, he gave a fitting reply in response to Sri Lanka's first inning run glut,
His body was tiring, his nose was 'running', his back was breaking, but he kept batting in what was an amazing display of gut,
In the end, when he hit that six, he ensured, in India's camp, the World Cup, for the next four years, would stay put!

As the whole world was caught in the web of sin and was going to eternal hell, Jesus could have chosen stay back in the comfort of Heaven's hut,
Worked out an alternative plan or sent-in Angels to save humanity and bear the horrible consequences of sin's brunt,
But Jesus himself voluntarily walked toward Jerusalem to be crucified for your sake, in a daring display of his loving gut,
He sweated blood, his back was ripped open, a crown of thorns was pressed down his his head, but on the Cross route he stayed put,
All for your sake, all so that you can be forgiven, and if you refuse this amazing love of his, I am afraid you have to only be a senseless nut!

MISBAH AND YOU

2011-04-05T11:07:00.000-07:00

A poem on Misbah's baffling batting tactics in the World Cup Semifinal Between India-Pakistan, 30 March, 2011, by Duke Jeyaraj 'We can always accelerate later; Chasing 260 is not a big deal after all we have chased 320 plus in this ground against India in the past!' - that's what thought Misbah, The way he blocked the balls instead of bashing them made the onlookers, in amazement, drop their jaw, Ball after ball, he just defended without rotating the strike, and on the spectator's neck "put saw", It allowed desperate India, the opportunity, to slowly back into the match, claw, Not taking the Batting Powerplay earlier on, was to Pakistan's chances to get back into the game, the proverbial last straw, The big sixes that Misbah hit at the fag end only made, for the furious Pakistani fans, the memories of the T20 2007 World Cup Final, irritatingly raw, "We just love you, Misbah!" - this is what the Indian fans updated on their Facebook accounts, ha, ha! When before Christ's Calvary demonstrated love, we make our hearts, become like ice that stubbornly refuses to thaw, We too, in our spiritual lives, are like this Misbah, 'We can live in sin now and come to Christ to ask for forgiveness later!' - in that thought process there is a major flaw, After our death (and it can come at any second) we will not be offered chances for salvation - this is the Bible law, When Jesus suddenly returns the 2nd time as Judge, it would be too late to accept him, this is the truth from Revelation 6:16, I just saw, So let's run into the wide open loving arms of Jesus, right now, and to sin, say, "tata!"

When Raina Let The Cat Out of His Bag...

2011-03-29T10:16:00.000-07:00

Duke Jeyaraj's poem on the climax of the India-Australia World Cup Quarter Final in Ahmedabad, 24 March 2011

When Captain Dhoni was out, India's semi-final entering hopes was staring down the mat,

India still needed 70 plus runs to get, when steel-nerved Suresh Raina walked out to bat,

Chewing their nails, at the edge of their seats, the Indian spectators, with unbearable tension sat,

'Would Raina prove to be a better choice than the left-out-from-the-XI Pathan?' - this was the topic of every cricket chat,

As Yuvraj and Raina batted sensibly rotating the strike, hitting the odd boundary, the asking rate never got unmanagably fat,

When Raina hoisted the bleeding Bret Lee for an over-the-head six, from Yuvraj, he got a big hug and an approving pat,

As Yuvraj cover-drove Lee n sank on his knees to celebrate, every Indian joined him, from a Jain to a Jat,

At that point in time, Ricky Ponting, the two-time World Cup winning Aussie captain, wished he could hide in a hole like a rat!

Speaking to a commentator after the game, Raina, released from his bag, the proverbial 'cat',

"It was because of God's grace," he could do what he did, he said, in humility, adjusting his India hat,

Did you know that God's grace was supremely shown, when upon sinless Jesus' face, evil men spat?

He shed his blood to wash away your sin when he hung on that Cross - my friend have you ever heard that? When you repent from sin, and join Jesus, you'll discover your life become full of meaning and never becomes flat!

MICHAEL DOUGLAS N A NAME OF JESUS WE RECALL DURING CHRISTMAS

2010-12-26T12:42:00.000-08:00

- Duke Jeyaraj

Michael Douglas had it all. Fame and the money to with it, he had it - he was an Academy award winning actor and among the highest paid actors in Hollywood. 'Sizzling' sex outside of marriage, he had it - he was part of the one of most watched movie sex scenes in the planet. A beautiful wife, he had her - he was married to Catherine Zeta Jones, a gorgeous actress. Yet, he was on the hunt for peace. He reportedly planned a visit to India hunting for peace (The Times of India, Hyderabad Times, October 22, 2010). All the things he already had apparently did not quench his inner thirst or give him permanent peace.

What robs our hearts of its peace? Many a time it is sin. The Bible, a Book from God to us in a language we can understand, talks about this. "The wicked are like the tossing sea," a Bible prophet wrote (Isa 57:20). Yes, when you and I commit a sin, our heart loses its peace and we feel as if we tossed up and down in a turbulent stormy sea.

What gives true and lasting peace? A relationship with Jesus. A living daily walk with the one who was called 'Prince of Peace' in the Bible (Isa 9:6). A Priest named Zachariah compared Jesus the Sunrise from on High who came down to guide us in the 'way of peace' (Luke 1:78,79). Jesus promised his disciples his own peace; He said, "My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives..." (John 14:27). The peace that Jesus give is far different from temporary peace that the world and its pleasures give. It is permanent. It does not depend on happy circumstances or swank comforts around. It is born out of a deep relationship with Him.

Your life may in turmoil. You may caught in a storm even as you read these words. The storm of family dispute. The storm of rebellious children. The storm of financial difficulty. The storm of your loved one betraying you. The storm of addiction to destructive sinful habits. But let Jesus get into your life boat. And allow him to speak to your storm. And then, trust me, there would be great calm (Mark 4:39). Your problem may still remain. But in your heart, there would be great peace.

I know what I am talking about here. I have experience what I am talking about. Let me elaborate: Before I left my worldly job, it was working in a couple of Call Centres so that I could support my family and ministry with the money I earned from there. I also ran three minute fellowships in Office.

It was my dream at that point in time to work for Google's office in Hyderabad, India, the city where I live. Some of the most modern youth of my city, the group I wanted to touch with the message of Jesus Christ, worked there. I got through fairly difficult rounds of interviews that came first-up. I reached the stage where I was to have the very final round of interview with a senior manager with Google. She was the final barrier I had to get past, in order to start working in Google. I prayed to the Lord Jesus to give me grace to get through in that pivotal interview. But alas, I could not. I was informed that I did not make it. I was sad. But I still had the strange peace which Jesus alone could have given me at that hour of dour disappointment which could have easily made me very sour. The calm that my Creator gave me that hour did not depend on the circumstances around me. I again experienced this heart-warming calm when my application for a US Visa was rejected in August 2010. I was to go to the US on a trip fully-sponsored by a Christian organisation. I had to play the role of a coach in a large youth event. As I walked back in the long passage, minutes after this heart-breaking rejection in the US Consulate Office in Hyderabad, I was very gloomy. But pretty soon, deep down, a deep assurance swept over my heart that told me what had happened was actually for my ultimate good. I was at peace with myself because I had the peace that Jesus Christ had given me - a peace that I still had, no matter what happened around me! What the Bible told taught about Jesus I found to be true with my own life experience - he is the Lord of peace who gives peace at 'all time and in every way' (II Thess 3:16, NIV).

To give you this peace , this calm will only come after your sins are forgiven, Jesus went to the Cross. The Scripture declares, "The punishment that brought us peace was upon Him" (Isa 53:5). When Jesus hung on the Cross, bloodied, bruised, bashed-up and broken, he did what it takes to give you peace - peace on the inside. The blood he shed on the Cross is your passport to peace. You need to be forgiven of your sins by his blood. Where is peace? It is not in fame. It is not in the dame. It is not in a sex-game. Ask Michael Douglas, he would tell you, if he were honest. It is in that Name. Only in that Name, the Bible declares (Acts 4:12). The name of Jesus. He is the Prince of Peace and He alone can give you peace. Would you repent from your sin and trust him right now?

Jesus had this to say about the stiff-necked people of Jerusalem - the people who repeatedly rejected him: He said, “If only you knew on this of all days the things that lead to peace. But now they are hidden from your eyes" (Luke 19:42, Common English Bible). They had rejected Jesus, the way to true inner peace repeatedly and now it was too late for them to find that peace - this was Jesus' point here! What a costly miss! Right now, even as you read this piece on peace, you have an opportunity to discover true peace that is only available only through Jesus Christ. But if you keep rejecting him, a time will come in your life, when it would be too late to come to him to discover this amazing peace. After you die (death can come to any one of us, anytime, please remember!) it would be too late. After Jesus comes back to this earth to judge everyone, it would be too late. After the Holy Spirit stops speaking to the repeatedly stubborn you, it would be too late. At that sad point in your life, you would be hopelessly meandering toward eternal hell - a lake of burning fire and sulphur where you would have lost forever your peace! But now, you have an opportunity to avoid all that by coming to Christ in true penitence to receive lasting peace!

What Deepika wanted to gift Ranbir; What Jesus wants to gift you….

2010-12-05T06:25:00.000-08:00

-Duke Jeyaraj speaks about condoms n Christ on World AIDS Day
I bumped into this news piece in The Week magazine the other day: After some dignified silence over her break-up with Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone is exercising no restraint now when answering questions about her her ex-beau. First, she said she has no plans of getting rid of her RK tattoo. Then, when Karn Johar asked her on his show what she would like to gift Ranbir, she replied, “a pack of condoms” (The Week, November 22, 2010). A pack of condoms, Deepika probably believed would really help to prevent Ranbir who is reportedly known for his playboy lifestyle from catching the dreaded virus, AIDS. When Ranbir heard this, he also started preaching about how it was important to practice ‘safe’ sex by wearing condoms each time one had sex.

But is safe sex possible when one wears condoms? Does the wearing of the condom stop the AIDS virus from entering your body when you have sex with a person who is infected by it? No. Ask the 800 doctors and researchers who gathered in a Washionton DC conference if wearing of a condom would stop the AIDS virus each time. They would say, it would not. That’s why none of them raised their hands when asked, if any of them would wear condoms and have sex with an AID-infected patient! The AIDS virus is 250 times smaller than the male sperm (Source of information: Focus of the Family, The US). To give you an exaggerated and crude comparison, if the male sperm equals to Ishant Sharma (6 foot plus), the AIDS virus equals to Amit Mishra (just over 5 foot). The male sperm sometimes seeps through the condom. In the movie, Salaam Namaste, this is accurately potrayed. The boy despite wearing condoms makes the girl he is living-in with in Australia, pregnant. I can't wait to ask this after making that observation: If Ishant can go through the condom pores, what guarantee do we have that the much smaller Amit won’t go through?! So, don’t get carried away from ‘safe’ sex lie. The ‘safe’ sex hoax.

The only way to have ‘safe’ sex is to save sex for marriage. It is preserve sex for the one person you will marry and that too only after you actually get married. Only Jesus can help you practice abstinence till then. He is the Only One who beat every temptation which came to him, each time. He, God is human flesh, died on the Cross for your sins and to give you an option to escape from living a purposeless and empty life of living hell and going to an literal hell. His blood can cleanse you from every sin, including the sin of pre-marital sex. Come to Him, now. Give your life to Him, Him who loves very much. And see that you experience a joy unspeakable which will beat the best orgasm you ever had when you had pre-marital sex. And what's more Jesus will give power to overcome sexual-sin because he has overcome all temptation.

WHEN SCHUMI DROVE A TAXI....

2010-10-19T04:11:00.000-07:00

-- Duke Jeyaraj

That particular news piece about Michael Schumacher wowed me. Floored me. I went gaga over it. Believe me - I am not a big Formula One fan. I don't even know it's rules, to tell you like it is. But I just loved what I read. Here is what I read: Michael Schumacher, 38, flew into the aerodrome at the Bavarian town of Coburg (Germany) on Saturday and took a taxi to the village of Gehuelz, 30 kilometres away, to pick up a new puppy - an Australian Shepherd dog called "Ed." But when the former Formula One ace, plus his wife and two children, caught a taxi back to the airport they were short on time and, after a polite request, cab driver Tuncer Yilmaz watched in wonder as Schumacher took the wheel. "I found myself in the passenger seat, which was strange enough, but to have "Schumi" behind the wheel of my cab was incredible," Yilmaz told the Muenchner Abendzeitung. "He drove at full throttle around the corners and over-took in some unbelievable places." Yilmaz was well rewarded for the unusual journey - on top of the 60 euros ($88) fare, he was also given a 100 euros ($146) tip.... (The Times of India, Hyderabad, 13 December 2007).

Not just Tuncer Yilmaz, you too are driving a taxi. I can almost hear you moan, "Come on, Duke - you're kidding me!" What I meant was that, you were driving the taxi of your life. The seven-times Formula One world champion Schumi requested the taxi driver Tuncer to vacate his taxi's driver's seat so that he could take it over. One person who took, five-wounds on His body for your sake on the Cross of Calvary, asks you to vacate your bottom from the driver's seat of the taxi of life. His name? Jesus. And if you do that, having swallowed your pride, your ego, you will have an "unbelievable", "full throttle" ride like Tuncer did. At the end of that exciting journey, you will get something far more precious than the 100 euros that Tuncer pocketed from Schumi - you would get eternal life.

Are you ready to ease your bottom from the driver seat of your taxi and hand over the steering wheel of your life to Jesus? By doing that, you would be telling him, symbolically: "Jesus, I can't make it to heaven and eternal life on my own. In fact, I don't even deserve to be there. I'm a sinner. I am willing to repent from my sin. Please forgive me by the blood you shed for me on the Cross. Thank you for rising up from the dead so that you could be beside me to take over the steering wheel of my life." And - guess what? - your life taxi couldn't be in safer or surer hands!

Two Men With Sore Back

2010-10-06T13:08:00.000-07:00

-Duke Jeyaraj's Poem On The Exciting fifth day of the India-Australia Mohali Test 2010, one of the Greatest Ever Test Matches

Battling a sore back,
He batted with resolve to lead India' comeback,
He came in when India were 76-5 succumbing to the fierce Aussie bowling attack,
He batted with plenty of resolve, and oodles of "wristy" knack,
But wickets kept falling at the other end on a typical crumbling, Day 5 track,
Yet another winning opportunity after Dhoni's run-out, it certainly looked like, India were about to jack,
But Laxman's stunning partnership with Ishant, the Aussies found touch to crack,
When Ishant was dismissed, it was as if the Australians were standing on down-an-out India's neck, But amidst great drama, India were finally home in a Test match whose quality was 'top of the rack'! Since 2001 Eden Gardens, into the batting account of VVS Laxman, the Australians are still trying unsuccessful to hack!

Laxman's Mohali Test heroics reminded me of another Person who marched to Jerusalem without looking back,
Yes, Jesus went to Jerusalem to be bashed up black and blue everywhere and particularly on his back,
So that you, a hell-heading sinner, to God your father, comeback,
All you were left with, was disappointment, disillusionment and depression after Satan's attack,
But by dying on the Cross, Jesus placed his legs on Satan's neck,
In repentance and faith come to Jesus without showing slack,
Chasing world's fleeting pleasures your soul's salvation chances, please don't jack!

SEPTEMBER 11 STILL SPEAKS.....

2010-09-12T00:44:00.000-07:00

- by Duke Jeyaraj

New York. Big City. The City of Sky Scrappers. The Twin Towers of the World Trade Centres it's pride and joy. 110 stories high. 414 metres tall. September 11, 2001, said the calender. Two aircraft ram into these strapping structures. The buildings sway like a boat in a rough sea. They come down crumbling. For thousands it was all over. In a flash it all happens. Australian Ace Swimmer Ian Thorpe was almost there at the top of the observation tower of these buildings when the airliners banged in. He wasn't. Reason? He had gone back to take his camera, which he had forgotten, in his hotel room. 55 believers in the Korean Church in New York did not report for work on that Terrible Tuesday. Great Escape! Why does God give us such narrow escapes?

1. TO GIVE US TIME TO REPENT

Rewind two thousand years. The town – Jerusalem. In the country of the Israel. Another tower crashes. 18 people get killed as a result. The tower had a name – the tower of Siloam. Some escape by the skin of their teeth. Narrowly. There was no newspapers then. No The Times of India. No Hindustan Times . By word of mouth the news reaches this man. Who? Jesus. He told the crowd around him something which made their ears tingle: "Those 18 in Jerusalem the other day, the ones crushed and killed when the Tower of Siloam collapsed and fell on them, do you think they were worse sinners than all other Jerusalemites? No not at all. Unless you repent, you too will die!" (Luke 13: 3-5, Peterson Version).

Third World War clouds loomed large over the entire globe. Bush vowed to 'smoke the hidden enemy out'. The Arab and Muslim nations remain defiant. Did not Jesus predict that just before he would come back top the earth as a judge there will be 'wars and rumors of war' (Math 24:6,7)? Then why is the coming of the Lord delayed? Just to give us time to repent (II Pet 3:9). Prophet Amos likened Sodom to a full-burned stick. Israel had escaped God's fire judgment upon them for many hundreds of years – narrowly. They were like a half-burned stick. Amos in-effect thundered: "Before you Israel turn into a full burnt stick like Sodom, repent! Turn to the Lord!" ( 4:11 ) God gives us narrow escapes to give us time to repent!

This article is a warning from heaven's book – the Bible – for all of us. There will no escape if we ignore the warning from heaven and still stay stubborn without repenting and turning fully to Christ! (Heb 12:25). If we slight the call to repent, we slight the call to come to Christ for salvation. Reason? The foundational step to salvation is repentance. The Bible asks a solemn question: "What makes us think that we can escape if we indifferent to this great salvation that was announced by the Lord Jesus himself!" (Heb 2:3 NLT).

2. TO GIVE US TIME TO REPRODUCE

The Scriptures tell us that Noah escaped the flood waters – narrowly – as he and his family got into the boat (Gen 7:7). Why did God spare Noah? To make sure he multiplied biologically the human race after the big deluge. To give him an opportunity to continue to be 'a preacher of righteousness' (II Pet 2:5). You know what? God gives us close brushes with death to give us more time to reproduce spiritually, win souls, and witness to the lost. In season and out of season we have to be about the task of witnessing (II Tim4:2). Jesus warned us that we cannot do the kingdom work, after the 'night' has set in (Jn 9:4). The Psalmist asks, "Can those in the grave declare your unfailing love?" (Psa 88:11). Certainly not! Let us therefore be reminded that we must make use of every chance we get to others about his Calvary's Love, when we stare at the face of the Grave and escape!

3. TO ROLL-OUT HIS FULL PLAN FOR OUR LIFE

King David kissed death on the face when the spear from the green Saul just narrowly missed him (I Sam 19:10). God had a great plan for David which he revealed to him through the Prophet Samuel when he was shepherding his earthly father's sheep: he would shepherd his Heavenly Father's Lost sheep – Israel. Till then any spear of envy hurled by Saul could get pretty close to his chest but never close him! God gave David a great escape to fulfill the great plan he had for his Life – to be the king of Israel. Till then 'no weapon forged' against him would never ever prevail (Isa 54:17). God's plans for our lives are never thwarted (Job 42:2). No danger can destroy us, until and unless God has fulfilled his Plan in our life! Jesus winked at death three times before he went to the cross, right from the time villainous Herod tired to kill him as a babe. Certainly he could not die before his time has fully come and his plan was executed. God has a great plan for each of us (Jer 29:11). When God goes about orchestrating that plan of His for our life no devilish danger can snatch us away from the world, as long as we are faithful and yielded fully to him! What a reassurance! This is not to say believers can never die young! When a significant group escaped death on Terrible Tuesday, some believers lost their lives too. Peter had a miraculous escape from the jail while the still-young James was executed, though they both served the same God (Acts 12:2,9). Glamour and gloom, long life and short life is the result of the same godly faith ( Read Heb. 11 fully). None of us can ask God what He – the Divine Potter – is doing with our lives, though we can be totally assured that whatever he does is for our good and the glory of His Name (Dan 4:35; Isa 29:16).

There were quite a few who escaped certain death when the World Trade Center Towers toppled. But on the day of judgment, the Scriptures declare there will no escape for one group of people: those who played religious games in the church without a foundation on the Jesus the Rock and hoped that they would get a entry into heaven. Jesus asked the religious leaders of his time who played religion card to impress all and sundry without the love of God in their hearts, a stunningly straight question: "You snakes! You brood of vipers how will escape being condemned to hell!" (Math 23:33). No escape for pious pretenders on the day of judgment – one can be cocksure!

The horrendous World Trade Center buildings collapse can be seen a call to for each of us to get back to God. They are a bugle to get the believer back to the priorities of His Kingdom Work! The Building came down giving us a clarion bellow that our spiritual lives and standards should go further up!

Jesus, the Spanish Substitute in the World Cup Finals...

2010-07-12T02:39:00.000-07:00

-Duke Jeyaraj traces Spain's win in the 2010 World Cup using poetry, with a message at the end.....

They began their World Cup Campaign by losing to Switzerland their very first game,

Rip-roaring back to claim the title, how handsomely, strongly and sensationally they came!

Messi, Kaka, Ronaldo, Rooney, Drogba - in their ranks was no such starry name!

But as a team they gracefully gelled and upped their game to a never-seen-before high plane!

Thanks to David Villa's precise finishing, Portugal and Paraguay they did doggedly tame,

Their blistering semifinal pace made even the lightning quick Germans, seem a touch lame!

"Tarzan" Puyol's header ensured that Octopus Paul did not have to hang his head in shame!

Into their first ever World Cup Final stormed the Spaniards - to win the title was their sole aim!

In the Final, there was a flurry of yellow cards flashed, as Spain and Holland played with no 'prem'!

If Robben did not rob the World Cup for Dutch from Spain, he had only himself to blame!

With four minutes to go for the penalty shootout Iniesta, drove the ball past Stekelenburg diving frame,

"One of the most deserving winners of the World Cup ever" - this title was Spain's acclaim!

In the 60th minute, the Spanish coach, sent in Jesus Navas - here was a substitute with a famous first name!

Within ten minutes, he almost combined with Villa to score and catapult Spain to World Cup winning fame!

Did you know that the Original Jesus was also a substitute who died on the Cross, to take your sin and shame?

When you give your life to Him, you will discover true joy which cannot be given by any diamond or dame!

WHY A MODEL WHO MAKES MILLIONS IS MISERABLE

2010-07-03T01:43:00.000-07:00

-Duke Jeyaraj

Ex-Chelsea star Claude Makelele has said he was absolutely astonished by his cute, curly-haired girl friend/model Noemie Lenoir’s suicide attempt. The former Marks and Spencer model had been found lying unconscious in the woods outside the soccer star’s Paris home, following a cocktail of drugs and alcohol. The 37-year old footballer said he was “spending as much time as possible with Noemie as she recovers from her terrible ordeal.” Makelele has a five-year old son with Noemie. Miss Lenoir also fronts campaigns for l'Oréal, Gap, Next and Victoria's Secret. (Deccan Chronicle, 20 May 2010).

We often go, “If only…” “If only, I had a well-known lover, I would be very happy!” “If only, I look so beautiful that top corporate companies would hire me as a model for their products by paying me millions of dollars, then, I would have made my life!” But how wrong we are! Ask Noemie Lenoir and she would tell you the same, if she opened her soul and talked with you, frankly. Despite having a well-known lover for a mate and pocketing millions of dollars through Mark and Specers advertisement deals, she felt so empty, that she attempted suicide. Why?

Will tell you why. I will tell you why from the Bible – God’s Word in human words. It is because she had no relationship with the true God in her life. When we see the face of the true God, we would be satisfied, so writes a writer in the Bible (Psa 17:15). Yes, only God, the one who made us, can truly and ultimately satisfy us – that is the message here. And God came near us in the person of Jesus. Jesus was God in flesh and bone. He preached that he came to give us “life to the full” – a fully satisfying life (John 10:10). He is the only drink that would fully satisfy your soul’s thirst, he claimed (You see this truth in John 4 in the Bible where Jesus encountered a sexually immoral Samaritan Woman who was living in with her boyfriend like Noemie and told her this very thing). Jesus died on the Cross to take on himself the punishment that brings peace to our dissatisfied, sin-filled lives (Isa 53:5). He rose again so that he could become the ‘friend who would stick closer a brother’ who would plug out all the vacuum in your heart with his warmth and affection (Prov 18:24). He will come again as the Judge of all the earth, one day, the Bible records. Those who reject him, stubbornly and finally, would have to go to eternal hell and be tormented there forever, on that terrible day. Those who believe on him and live for him would go to live with him, forever! This is the message of the Bible, in a nutshell. You may be sailing in the same boat as Noemie. You may have everything – a loving boyfriend, loving kids, a large house, a lovely car and lots of bank balance. Yet, you may feel so miserable and awful that you are thinking about ending it all, like Noemie. Please don’t. Come away and taste Jesus’ love – a love shown supremely for you on the Cross. And you would be truly satisfied, inside out! And life would become truly meaningful and delightful!

When Hussey Made Onlookers Feel Dizzy...

2010-05-31T03:59:00.000-07:00

A Poem on the T20 World Cup Semi-final Between Pakistan and Australia on 13 May 2010 by Duke Jeyaraj

The Question was, "Who'd bring the mighty Aussies to their knee?"

The 191 they made, batting first, in a knock-out T20 game should have seen most teams, through, you see!

In making plans for Pakistan's next game, the Final Vs England, Captain Afridi probably got busy!

The Pakistan bowling was tight and on target - the Aussie batsmen could not just break free,

Watson n Warner - the Aussie Axe-men were cheaply dismissed and the Pakistanis couldn't hide their glee!

In Over number 9 the Aussies were tottering at 62 for 4 - a threat did appear, then, to their Cup winning spree!

When White and Smith were dimissed, Australia still needed 54 off 21 balls - their hopes were melting quick as Ghee!

But when Michael Hussey slammed 14, 16 and 22 runs in Overs 18, 19 and 20 left everyone watching, dizzy!

His 6,6,4,6 sequence in the 20th Over by Saeed Ajmal threw the Australians in a tizzy!

In this Semifinal between Pakistan and Australia, the hero was named after the Michael, the archangel,

In the ultimate match between Good and Evil, the Winner's birth was announced by the angel, Gabriel,

In the match between Pakistan and Australia - the hero's brother's first name was David!

In the ultimate match between Good and Evil, the Winner was popularly called the Son of David!

This gripping match reminded me of the One who was pinned on a tree,

To shed His Blood though which salvation from sin could be offered free,

Repenting from sin, if before Him, you would, in faith, bow your knee,

You'll be forever filled with joy unspeakable and a purpose for life, you never before did see!

Dhoni in Dharamshala Vs God’s Son in Golgotha

2010-05-17T00:49:00.000-07:00

Duke Jeyaraj on the last over between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kings XI Punjab in Dharmshala, 18 April 2010, easily the most exciting game in IPL-111

They were just an over away from possible elimination – despite having quality players to flaunt,

16 runs in the last over – that’s what Chennai Super Kings needed stay in the hunt,

Irfan Pathan ran into bowl with determination, Dhoni’s efforts to get those runs, to blunt,

The onlookers couldn’t move – be it a person young or old, or be it an uncle or an aunt,

After Dhoni crashed the first ball for four – 12 required off 5 balls was the fresh count,

Even though the next ball he could only miscue for just a two, Chennai’s semi-final chances none could discount,

The next two balls Dhoni smacked over the fence – Irfan Pathan’s ego to bruise and affront!

One six landed 104 metres away from Dhoni's blade, having borne it's awesome power's full brunt!

The super cool Skipper then celebrated with a rare, never-seen-before self-mumble and upper cut stunt!

It was as if he knew even at that point that Chennai would go on to win the third edition of IPL, upfront!

The Chennai players swooped on him in a flash to salute the efforts of the man who never says, "I can't!"

“Dhoni scores 28 out of 29 runs required in the last 2 overs,” – that’s what the papers reported in big font!

What Dhoni achieved atop that stadium perched in the 5000-feet high Dharamshala’s mount,

Reminded me of Jesus who willingly received cuts on His body atop Mount Golgotha, to open up a fount,

A fount filled with sinless, precious blood that would take away the sins of all, who into it, would dismount!

WHEN JYOTHI BASU RESEMBLED JESUS A LITTLE

2010-01-18T21:38:00.000-08:00

- DUKE JEYARAJ

When Jyothi Basu resembled Jesus a little

Jyothi Basu is gone. The man who held the record for being the longest serving Chief Minister of any Indian State (He was West Bengal Chief Minister for 23 years) is now dead. Dead, at the ripe age of 95. Several accolades are pouring in for him. Yes, he's getting praise even from his political enemies. The accolade that he received that touched me the most was this: he said to ‘no’ to the post of being India's Prime Minister in 1996 so that he could continue to remain as the disciplined soldier of his party - his party which did not want him to take up the invitation to form the Central Government! “Wow!” I went when I heard that. “This is rare!” I told myself. "It does not happen that often!" I remarked. Though Jyothi Basu is no patch on Jesus, the God whom I serve, I feel compelled to compare him with Jesus in this regard, at least.

"Why not have Jesus feed us this way, day after day!” Others joined in: “If we make him King, He would do this for us, day in and day out!”

There was a time when the crowds wanted to make Jesus the king by force. He had just fed a crowd of 5000 men (it may have been a crowd of about 20,000 people if the women and kids are included in the count) with five loaves and two fish which a young lad had given him. Each one of them ate to their heart’s content. Their stomachs pressed harder on their belts after had eaten. You could hear their burps. At that time, some of them went this way, “Why not have Jesus feed us this way, day after day!” Others joined in: “If we make him King, He would do this for us, day in and day out!” Still others said, “Surely he is the (Political) Messiah we have been waiting for!” What was Jesus’ response to all of this? Did He grab the opportunity? Did He go, “Finally, these humans realized that I am the King of Glory, who has come in human flesh and bone! At last, they did! Okay guys, when is my coronation ceremony? I am ready!” No. He gave them the slip and went to meet with the Person who knew the right time He would be made King of Kings and the Lord of Lords before whom ‘every knee would bow’ – His Heavenly Father. Yes, when Jesus was offered the kingship, he was not dreaming about ruling, but He escaped to do some praying – in the hills alone (John 6:14-15; Math 14:22-23). They wanted to give Him an elevated chair – the throne. But He preferred to climb the elevation of the hills where He could talk, one on one, with His Father. He knew, it was not His Father’s will that He should become the kind of King, the people wanted him to become, right way. He had to wait. He had to suffer first. He had to be bound, butchered, bloodied and bashed up and pinned up on the Cross for the sins of the planet before He could come back riding a white horse as the Ruler of the Planet. And He was ready for that. He was willing to go through that. Yes, He first chose to be lifted up and be pinned on the Cross with crude nails before He agreed to being lifted up and be placed in an high and lofty throne, with cries of ‘All Hail, King Jesus!’ belting the air!

But He preferred to climb the elevation of the hills where He could talk, one on one, with His Father.

What about you? Have you joined the rat race for position? Do you scheme and work your way to the top post using unfair means? Will you not learn from Jesus and Jyothi Basu in this regard? Position should follow you. You should never go in search for it. And sometimes, even when it comes in search of you, you must be willing to say ‘no’! Like Jesus did. Like Jyothi Basu did. If you did that, the Lord Jesus, who was lifted up on the Cross for your sake, will lift you up in ‘due’ time! And trust me, He will not be a second too late or a second too early!

JESUS WOULD HAVE PREACHED, "REMEMBER GATELY!"

2009-11-10T00:10:00.000-08:00

-- Duke Jeyaraj
Duke Jeyaraj's thoughts on the sudden death of Stephen Gately of Boyzone fame

His voice was "so sweet". Very melodious. A voice you felt like hearing time and again. His singing was awesome. Simply suberb. But now, he gone. He's dead. He was the voice of Boyzone's best ballad, No Matter What, one of the first modern pop stars to come out before he was outed, and an enthusiastic live performer who'd grab his crotch as high notes approached, allowing the audience's screams to drown out any vocal shortcomings. So wrote Peter Robinson for The Gaurdian. About who? About Boyzone's Stephen Gately. He is dead. Suddenly dead. Suddenly dead, when he was holidaying in Spain with his homosexual civil partner in a gay club, Andrew Cowles. He was not even 35.

He was the voice of Boyzone's best ballad, No Matter What, one of the first modern pop stars.

When I heard the news of his sudden death some somber thoughts crossed my mind. Some serious reflections flashed through my mind. May I share them with you?

I recall having listened to his smash hit song, "Words". The words for "Words" went this way: Talk in everlasting words and dedicate them all to me... And when I heard those words I recalled that is exactly what God had done for me. Confused? Stumped? Hang on. Let me explain: God talked in everlasting words and dedicated them to me. Jesus' words were everlasting, weren't they? Didn't He say, "Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will never pass away?" Those eternal words He spoke were specially meant for me. They were meant for you. Have you taken them seriously? Stephen Gately didn't. If he had, he would not have continued to be a homosexual. The Bible takes its stand against homosexsuality through an episode (Sodom and Gomorrah) as well as through edicts (for example, I Cor 6:9). It is to be noted that Stephen Gately suddently died when he was holidaying with his homosexual partner. It is quite possible that God sent judgement on him. I could be wrong. But I could be right as well. Read Amos 4:6-12. Verses 6-11 talk about the disasters God sent to the nation of Israel, to get His people's attention. But they did not repent. But they did not listen up. So in Verse 12, he tells them that they should get ready to meet Him. You will meet with God the moment you die. In other words, in Amos 4:12, God was telling His unrepentant and stiff-necked people, to get ready to die!

This is what God could have kept telling Stephen Gately: "Your parents gave you the name of the first martyr for the faith - Stephen. I gave you a voice that would 'wow' millions. Yet, you have turned against me, your Creator. You have been rebelled against my Word to become a homosexual and do other things displeasing to Me. Repent!" But Stephen Gately did not listen up. God was patient with him. Extremely patient. He gave him a long rope (He has been a homosexual for over 10 years, atleast). He gave his many chances. But you know what - God's patience has a limit. Read Jeremiah 6:16 and Jeremiah 7:16. Between these two chapters He lost his patience with Israel - a nation that told him, "No - we will not follow your ancient paths". That is why he stopped Prophet Jeremiah from praying for them. When they had become too stubborn, and there was no way they would repent (God knew this), why should a prophet of God waste his time, praying for them? God gave them up, because they gave God up, stubbornly (Romans 1:18-32).

I gave you a voice that would 'wow' millions. Yet, you have turned against me, your Creator

What you about you, buddy? God is being patient with you. Extremely patient. He does not want you to perish. He does not want live a life of hell and go to actual hell. But don't take his patience for granted. That could prove to be very costly. As Stephen Gately probably found out the other day when he was holidaying with homosexual partner in Spain. You cannot mock God and get away with it. Your sin will found you out, my Bible declares (Num 32:23).

Certain websites and newspapers also reported that Stephen Gately and his homosexual partner, Andy, were boozing away to glory in a gay bar they partied in, that fateful night. It was an "eight hour booze marathan". They continued boozing even after they returned to their holiday home with a Bulgarian young man they met up at the bar at the wee hour of 4:30 am. Andy went to the bedroom to have sex with a Bulgarian young man at 5:30 am while Stephen collapsed on the sofa in the living room in a drunken stupor.

Stephen Gately and his homosexual partner, Andy, were boozing away to glory in a gay bar they partied in, that fateful night.

When Andy woke up he found Stephen in the prayer position. When he tried to wake him up, he discovered to his horror that his homosexual partner was dead. Police believed he died a natural death after he choked on his vomit. Prophet Jeremiah warned in the Bible that vomiting and collapsing never to rise again while getting drunk could be a God-sent judgement (Jer 25:27). Did Stephen cry out to God before he died saying, "Oh Lord Jesus, please forgive me! I have sinned against you by living a homosexual lifestyle. On top of it, I have gotten drunk today, which is again a horrific violation of Your Word!"? We only hope that he did. Only the day of Judgement would reveal if he did.

Did Stephen cry out to God before he died saying, "Oh Lord Jesus, please forgive me!

Come now to the Lord Jesus. He can transform you from being a Stephen Gately (a talented Christian only by name, living in open sin) into a biblical Stephen (a Spirit filled believer who was willing even to die for Christ)! Stephen Gately's "husband" was unfaithful to him on that tragic night he died - it looks like. The friends you hang around with, committing sin after sin, may leave you high and dry, during the time of your crisis and pain. They could be far too busy to help you - busy enjoying sin's pleasures themselves. But, let me tell you that there is a "friend who sticks closer than a brother," about whom the Bible talks about (Prov 18:24). His name is Jesus. Come now to Him! You don't have to wait till you are looking at death in the face to pray to Him. Yes, you don't have to wait till the eleventh hour to pray the sinner's prayer without being even able to even complete it only to land in ever-burning hell. You can pray that prayer right now and turn over your one life to Jesus to experience an earth-shattering joy and peace which money cannot buy, the world cannot give and the Devil cannot take away!

You might say, "I am neither this Stephen or that Stephen. I am somewhere in between!" That is a very dangerous postition to be in, friend. Here is why: the words of Jesus found in Revelation 3:16 which goes this way, "So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth."

Let's run to Jesus, right now!

Alexandra Topping wrote at the website, gaurdian.co.uk on 13 October 2009 thus: Stephen Gately had recently said he hoped his children's fantasy novel, The Tree of Seasons, which he spent three years on, would be released for Christmas this year, adding that it would be his "dream" for it to be turned into a film.You see, Gately had many wonderful plans for his earthly future - plans that did not materialize because of his unexpected death. But, unfortunately, he did not plan things out for his eternal future. May be he could have thought, "I have lots of time to do that!" But, as you and I know buddy, he did not have lots of time to do that. He passed away so suddenly, swiftly and shockingly. Mrs. Lot, the woman who wanted to have one last look at sin in the then homosexual capital of the world, Sodom, too passed away so suddenly, switfly and shockingly. If Jesus preached today, He would say, "Remember, Stephen Gately!" I say that because He said then, "Remember, Lot's wife!" (Luke 17:32). Mrs. Lot did not have lots of time to repent and prepare for eternity. Stephen Gately, too, did not have lots of time to repent and prepare for eternity. And, guess what, you and I, also, may not have lots of time to do that. So, let's run to Jesus, right now! A living, daily, deep, relationship with Jesus will land you in heaven after death. And without it, you and I, would have to go to eternal literal hell on the other side of eternity after a horrible life of living hell on earth.

IS BEING GAY, OKAY?

2009-07-27T20:44:00.000-07:00

--Duke Jeyaraj

So Homosexuality is cool, the courts have ruled. Being gay is okay, is what they assert. Lesbianism is legal now in India. Atleast in New Delhi. Hmmm.

This is what the greatest book in the World, the Bible, has to say about one of the most burning issues / hotly debates of our time:

CREATION
When God created the World he could shown us that He was fine with homosexuality. He could have. But He did not. He could have created one set of Adam and Eve and put them under one tree and married them off. "You guys are a straight married couple - My blessings are upon you!" he could have said. He could have created one more couple, Adam1 and Adam2 and solemnized their wedding under yet another tree in the Garden of Eden. As someone smartly put it: God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve! God could have blessed saying, "My homosexual married couple - my choicest blessings are with you. He could have created couple No.3 - Eve1 and Eve2. He could have visited the tree under which they were copulating and uttered, "Be fruitful and multiply - my blessings are with you, you lesbian couple!" But He did not. You know why? Homosexuality never entered His mind as a valid way of living. So it is not an option for us His creatures, to consider. The Maker knows what is best for his makes, right?!! The very way God has designed the body of a male and the body of the female, it is quite obvious that a male was meant to have intercourse with a female only, isn't?

God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve!

COMMAND
When God issues a set of commands to Moses he made sure He included a straightforward command about Homosexuality. He did not dodge the issue. He did not sweep it under the carpet. Instead, He told Moses to tell His People, Israel, "Do not sleep with a man as you sleep with a woman." (Lev 18:22). God reserved a word for such behavior: abomination (ESV). Some homosexuals might call homosexuality "awesome". But God calls it "awful".

CONDEMNATION
Las Vegas is known for gambling. New York, for Sky-scrappers. Tirupathi, for laddoos. And the city of Sodom was known in the Bible times for rampant homosexuality. And what happened that city? God rained fire on them (Genesis 19). That was His way of firing the homosexuals. What fell on them that day was just a temporary fire, mind you. It just took away their physical life. An eternal fire that would torment their souls and bodies awaits the sold-out, stubborn homosexual offenders of Sodom, we read in the Bible book of Jude (Jude 7). God, I am afraid, will not be ready to congratulate you for your homosexual behavior. He is, make no mistake, getting ready to condemn you, my homosexual friend, for this outrageous behavior. If He did not do that, He would have to apologize to the city of Sodom. And that won't happen. Shahid Afridi might block 12 balls without taking a single run, but that will not happen. God, the sinless One, never apologises to anyone. So before God's fierce condemnation strikes you, my gay buddy, I am appealing to you in love, to repent from the sin of homosexuality! If we are still alive, despite our homosexuality and other sins, it is because of the great grace of God - a grace that is waiting for us to repent! And that grace can run out anytime.

CHRIST
Jesus, God in human flesh and bone, talked a lot about sex and marriage. He went back to the story of Creation found in the book of Genesis in the Bible to teach what God's plan was for sex and marriage. "A man will leave his father's house and be joined to his wife," he taught (Mark 10:7). He did not teach, "A man will leave his father's house and be joined to another man." He did not teach, "A woman will leave her family and be joined with another woman." He said that some folks have been born as eunuchs (Math 19:12). But never did He say, some people have been made homosexuals by God.

When Jesus did on the Cross, our sins were laid upon Him, the Bible teaches. He bore ours sins on His body (I Pet 2:24). Our bodies should be punished for the sin of homosexuality. That punishment is death. Hear this for yourself from the Bible: If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them (Lev 20:13). We deserve punishment for our other sins, too, from the all-Holy and all-Just God who cannot and will not wink at sin. But Jesus says, "I love you. I will take your punishment." He was bound, blind-folded, boxed, battered, bashed, bruised, bloodied, broken, for your sin and mine.

He did not teach, "A man will leave his father's house and be joined to another man."

COMMUNICATION
When Paul communicated God's truths with believers in Rome, he talked about this issue. In his very first chapter he talked about homosexuality as a condition you fall into, when you stubbornly fall away from God (Rom 1:26,27). Homosexuality was a punishment that God allows in your life, when he sees that you are hell-bent on rebelling from him. Later Paul in his communication with Timothy writes that homosexual behavior was one way you break the laws of God and become disobedient to Him (I Tim 1:8-11). While writing to the church at Ephesus, Paul acknowledges the only plan that God ever had for marriage was this: "... a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh” (Eph 5:31). No other permutations and combinations were permissible!

CORINTH
In one church Paul ministered to, there were former homosexuals (I Cor 6:9-11). After naming homosexual behavior as one of the sins in the sin list he made up, he writes, "Such were some of you". Paul warns, if they returned to such behavior and persisted in it, they would not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. They would not go to heaven. I have goodnews for you. If it was possible for the people of Sodom to turn from their homosexual behavior, it is possible for you too. God does not want you to live in this sin and perish. He does not want your riddance. He wants your repentance.

CLARIFICATION
So people say they are born with a homosexual bent and so they have every right to be homosexuals. This is how their argument goes: Some are born lefthanders. Some others are born righthanders. Similiarly, some are born homosexuals while some others are born straight. God made us homosexuals and so we don't want to be straight!Come on! When one makes the choice of being a left hander or a right hander, he or she is not making a moral choice. But when one makes a choice of homosexuality over a normal man-woman relationship, one does make a moral choice. And God has not created anyone with a homosexual bent. Some were created as eunuchs, yes. But as homosexuals - they weren't. We chose a homosexual lifestyle using our inborn sinful instincts - instincts inherited from the first man, Adam. Just like Ethiopians naturally have dark skin, we too have naturally inbuilt instincts to sin. This is the teaching of the Bible (Jer 13:23). But, through Jesus, we can overcome those sinful instincts. When Jesus died for us on the Cross, our sins and sinful desires were nailed with Him, the Bible teaches (Gal 5:24). We could have many other natural desires and inborn bents that are surely sinful - the desire to have many sexual partners, the desire to murder, the desire to rape, the desire to have sex with animals, etc, etc. But those natural desires should be curtailed, curbed, cleaned and consecrated with the power of the blood of Christ and the Holy Spirit. They should not be used as a justification for our sins. Some others say that David and Jonathan were homosexuals and that God was cool about their relationship. There is no biblical warrant to believe that if you have understood what the whole Bible says about this issue. The message of part of the Bible should not contradict the message of another part of the Bible - this is the cardinal rule of Bible interpretation. Yes, it was true that David's love for Jonathan was a very deep love - a love deeper than the love he had for women (II Sam 1:26). The word the Septuagint, the most respected and the oldest available Greek translation of the Bible, uses here for the love David had for Jonathan is certainly not "eros" - the Bible word for sexual love.

When one makes the choice of being a left hander or a right hander, he or she is not making a moral choice. But when one makes a choice of homosexuality over a normal man-woman relationship, one does make a moral choice.

So my friend, say "bye" to the sin of homosexuality and every other sin you may be in. "Sin is anything, Jesus would not do." His Blood, shed for you on the Cross, will cleanse you. And you will be a new person. You will have a joy and peace which homosexuality can never give you. You will be filled with inexpressible and glorious joy - something no sin can give you.

WANT TO SEE THE SAME MESSAGE?
If you are person who loves to see things and not merely read about them, see find a youtubevideo, link of which is found below, featuring my talk on this hot topic of homosexuality titled IS BEING GAY OKAY? I say this for the Glory of God that this was one of the few talks of mine that has been interrupted by crowd applause. It was part of talk to a group of 500 modern youth in the New Life AG church, Hyderabad, titled, TAMING TOUGH TEMPTATIONS (also titled, What the Bible Teaches About Sex). The DVD of this message can be made available to you (along with two other messages of mine titled, TRUE ROMANTIC LOVE n COMMON YOUTH QUESTIONS answered in the same DVD), if you live in India for just Rs.100/- (Rs.200/- for overseas addresses). You could deposit the amount in Duke’s ICICI account Account Number: 024401000969 and sms your full address and pincode to me at 91 - 9441352433.

So here is the Youtube link for "Is Being Gay Okay - Duke Jeyaraj": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLvrHCUT6AQ
Click on the link above now to "see" the same message now!

WANT TO HEAR THE SAME MESSAGE FROM YOUR CELLPHONE?
You could also freely download an audio message of mine onto your cellphones on the same topic by clicking on www.duke.mypodcast.com. The message is titled, What the Bible Teaches About Sex.

TWENTY ONE REQUIRED OFF THE LAST OVER....

2009-06-08T23:37:00.000-07:00

A Duke Jeyaraj Poem on the last over of the Kolkota Knight Riders and Deccan Chargers in IPL – II on 16 May

The score-board said, twenty one required off the last over,
The Game between the Deccan Chargers and the Knight Riders was far from over,
With only three men in the ring, Mashrafe's first ball - was called a "No!"
Rohit Sharma smashed it for a four - to hear the Chargers' cheering, "Go Rohit! Go!"

16 runs off 6 balls, was the new equation,
In Hyderabadi homes like mine, the air was charged with so much tension!
However, sleepy-eyed, silken-touch Rohit Sharma stayed cool as a cucumber,
He suddenly exploded and tonked the 3rd ball - a juicy full toss - for a huge sixer!

It was then the $600,000 worth Mortaza bowled a nervous wide,
At that point, he (and his captain McCullum) wished they had some place to hide,
With 7 off 3 balls, now required, Rohit hit the ball down the ground and set out for a run,
Venugopal's high velocity sprint converted that one into two - boy, for him, it was fun!

5 needed off 2 balls - that was the challenging task now,
When Rohit stylishly pierced the infield to clobber a four, the Chargers' fans roared, "Wow!"
1 off 1 ball - that is what the Chargers had to now get,
This was surely a goose-bumps-giving, game, you won't, in a hurry, forget,

When Rohit Sharma sent the last ball over the square leg!
It was celebration time for the Chargers - everyone was shaking a leg!
While it's true, it was Rohit who, for the Chargers, saved the Day!
It is also true that it is Jesus, who is the Life, the Truth and the Way!

It was celebration time for the Chargers - everyone was shaking a leg!

Why bring Jesus into the final over of Twenty20 game, you may well ask,
Here is why - While the Twenty20 excitement can fade behind our life mask,
The excitement, the peace, the life purpose, that Jesus alone offers, does last,
And I could not just wait to tell you this great news - so I made this poem up fast!

PATHAN BROTHERS AND PROVERBS’ VERSE

2009-06-01T20:28:00.000-07:00

--DUKE JEYARAJ

Two brothers were in the middle. India was in a muddle. India was losing that game of Cricket. They needed an out of the world performance from the Pathan brothers – Yousuf and Irfan – to beat Sri Lanka in that one-off T20 game on February 10, 2009 at Colombo. It was first Yousuf’s turn to turn on the heat on the Lankan bowlers. He hoisted the Lankan bowlers for sixes after six. When he saw his brother go berserk Irfan wasn’t too far behind. He too started thrashing the Lankan bowlers with impunity. And in the last over, the Pathan brothers stole a nerve-wracking win for India in that electrifying T20 game. “Chasing a stiff target of 172, Irfan (33 not out) and Yusuf (22 not out) scored 59 runs from 25 balls in the tense final moments to steer India home in a pulsating flood-lit contest at the Premadasa Stadium”, reported one website.

There was an unmistakable camaraderie that was evident between the two brothers when they put up this match-winning partnership in lightning quick-time. They hugged each other tight and celebrated!
What I saw in that gripping game reminded me of a Bible verse found in the book of Proverbs: “There is a friend closer than a brother!” (Prov 18:24) Did you know that every book of the Bible talks about Jesus at least in shadow, if not in substance? The book of Proverbs is no different. The title of “a friend closer than a brother” best fits with Jesus.

Let me explain: Though he was God Eternal, Jesus deliberately got close with humans during his earthly journey. In Lazarus, he had a buddy. He addressed him as friend (John 11:11). When Lazarus suddenly died, his sisters Martha and Mary were sobbing not knowing that Jesus would raise him from the dead. Jesus, when he reached the scene after four days also wept (John 11:35)! “Jesus wept” is the shortest Bible verse. But it is a long and loud statement that tells us how much Jesus loves us, humans. Isn’t that astounding? Jesus knew He would raise Lazarus up from the dead. Yet He wept. That day, Jesus’ handkerchief got wet, you bet! Jesus by that gesture showed that He was much closer to Lazarus than his sisters were. Here was a friend closer than his own sisters for Lazarus!
How close is Jesus to you? Do you tell Him, “Jesus, don’t come too close to me. You won’t like the thick friends I keep, the books I read, the movies and TV shows I watch, the raunchy songs I listen to on my Ipod?”

A daily, living, deep relationship with Jesus would give you unalloyed joy – something that no other thing or relationship can give you. Would you run into the one who wants to sweep you into His arms with arms open wide? Would you stick close to this “Friend who sticks closer than a brother” who, for you, on the cross, died?

YOU AND THIS YAHOO ENGINEER

2009-06-01T19:45:00.000-07:00

- Duke Jeyaraj

Raghavan Devarajan with his wife and kids

The newspaper headline was painful to read. It went this way: “Indian Techie kills five of his kin, turns gun on himself in US” (The Times of India, Hyderabad edition, 1 April 2009). Here are dreadful details of that gory story: He had it all - a dream job in the US. A job with a great company – Yahoo to be precise. A decent house in an upscale Santa Clara locality. A pretty wife. Two cute kids - an 11-year old boy and 4-year old girl. Financial trouble was far away despite the financial downturn. Yet Raghavan Devarajan, the 43 year old techie we are talking about was apparently missing something in his life – inner peace. He felt so empty on the inside that he felt compelled to empty bullets from his .45 semiautomatic handgun on his two school-going children and three relatives who stayed with him till they no longer were breathing. Yes – he killed them brutally. His wife, in her mid-thirties barely escaped with multiple gunshot wounds. He was found on the home’s top floor, dead from a self-inflicted wound. Police Lt. Phil Cooke, who inspected the crime scene specifically, said there was no reason to believe that this Yahoo engineer was in the danger of losing his job (http://www.news.yahoo.com/ accessed on 19 April 2009).

You know what – there is a connection between you and this suicide-committing Yahoo engineer. Yes, there is a link. Yup, there are some striking similarities between you and this bloke. Hang on and I will explain that.

What would you make of this sort of suicide – a suicide by a man who apparently lacked nothing in life? It is this: Man’s needs go beyond the physical world. You can have the best of food, clothing and shelter – yet you can be so empty and miserable. You have been there – haven’t you? When you are about to switch off your bedroom light and sleep off, some questions simply don’t switch off.

I am talking about questions like, “Who am I? What is the purpose of my life? Where am I going? What is my destiny?”

Jesus was spot on when He said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God!” Jesus’ point was this: you need bread to satisfy physical hunger within and you need the Bible (which is God’s Word) to satisfy your spiritual hunger.

Not possessions
Jesus also stated, “One’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). Life does not become meaningful when you have the latest gadgets to captivate you, and a stout salary to feed you - that was Jesus’ assertion here. What makes life meaningful is a living relationship with the One who is Life. I am talking about Jesus here. What makes life purposeful is a living relationship with the One who gave His life for you. I am talking about Jesus here. Nothing else will fill your life with sense. Your possessions cannot give your life meaning. Ask Judas he would tell you. Judas, who? The Judas who was Jesus’ disciple. We read in the Bible about how this money-loving guy killed himself (Mathew 27).

Not profession
Your profession cannot fill your life with meaning. Ask Ahitophel he will tell you. Ahithophel who? The Ahithophel in the Bible. This counselor to the kings ended his life on his own when he found that he was a failure in his profession and his counsel was not listened to (II Samuel 17).

Not position
Your position cannot fill your life with meaning. Ask Saul he would tell you. Saul, who? The Saul in the Bible . This young man who ascended to the position of the first ever king of Israel only to fall on his sword to end his life (I Samuel 31).

If you are looking in the direction of your profession, position and possessions to find meaning in life, you are looking in the wrong direction. Having found out that these do not give meaning to life, you too have asked yourself, “What is the point of living, then? I might as well die!” (You may not admit this before people, but deep down, you know, this is true).

Jumping from the frying pan to the burning furnace
But make no mistake - suicide is no solution to your life’s lack of purpose and meaning. It is like jumping from the frying pan to the burning furnace. The Bible teaches those who commit suicide will have to live forever in the lake of burning fire and sulfur called “Hell” through the example of Judas. He was doomed to hell, Jesus told us in no uncertain terms. And as a matter of fact, you cannot kill yourself. The real you – which is the soul – will go on living forever. What you do with Jesus will decide where your soul will live – eternal heaven or eternal hell.

Embrace Life, Embrace Jesus
Are you toying with the idea of suicide? Commit your life with the only one who ended His life on His own terms without having to resort to suicide – Jesus. He was the only one in this planet who bowed His head and then died – He knew exactly when He would die. After all, He is God in human flesh. And when you do that, all your suicidal tendencies would fly away. You will begin to truly enjoy life with Jesus who came to give you life to the full (John 10:10). Why should you wait even one nano-second to do that?!

WHAT MAKES LIFE MEANINGFUL?

2008-12-12T06:26:00.000-08:00

- DUKE JEYARAJ

What gives life purpose? What makes life meaningful? What puts sense into the journey called life? Have you asked those questions? To find out the answer, I turned to the one who made life - God and His Written Word, the Bible.

I bumped into a book of the Bible where the word, "meaningless" or "vanity" is used 29 times – the book of Ecclesiastes. I discovered many things that simply will not give purpose and meaning to life. Let me share them with you.

1. WIT will not bring meaning and purpose in life!
The writer of this book "tries" different things in his search for meaning in life (Eccl 2:1 NLT). First he tries "laughter". Shall we make that "wit"?

If only I can laugh my guts out! If only I can crack a joke and my world laughs with me! Then my life will have meaning, purpose and sense! That is what he thought. But he was disappointed (Eccl 2:2).

Just like Jim Carey, the man who made a fortune with his funny face. He was not a happy man, his biographer writes. Tony Hancock, a great comedian out of the United Kingdom ended his life on his own. Yes, the Bible observes that even in laughter the heart may ache (Prov 14:13). Yes, we can be bubbly on the outside, yet empty on the inside! So the way of wit is not the way to meaning, this man discovered!

Jim Carey, the man who made a fortune with his funny face, was not a happy man.

2. WINE will not give meaning and purpose in life!
The search for meaning in Ecclesiastes continues. He tried to "cheer" himself with wine (Eccl 2:3). Again, he was disappointed. Wine can make you forget life for a while. But it can never bring it meaning and purpose!

Wine can make you forget life for a while. But it can never bring its meaning or purpose

Fourteen- year old Aarushi Talwar was found murdered on May 16, 2008 in the room of her home in Noida, near New Delhi, India. Her throat was slit. Her face had stab wounds. How could someone get so cruel to commit a murder so cold and clinical as this? The answer is given by the investigation team - the murderer was influenced by alcohol.

Famous England footballer, Paul Gascoigne's addiction to alcohol led him to mental depression. At one point he attempted to end his life by wrist-slashing. He was reportedly too drunk to even speak to the press after this event.

Paul Gascoigne's addiction to alcohol led him to mental depression

Alcohol consumption will rob your life away from you by causing immense damage to your liver, slowly but surely. At times, it can make you so senseless that you may even take another's life or your own life under its influence. When this is the case, how can alcohol give life meaning and purpose?! It surely can't. The search for meaning doesn't end with wine - it has to continue....

3. WORK will not give meaning and purpose in life!
The writer of Ecclesiastes next talks about how he got busy with work in his search for life's purpose (Eccl 2:4-6). He made houses, vineyards, gardens, parks, forests and pools yet that did not make his life, sensible or purposeful. Ahithophel made a career out of counseling kings. He was the counselor of King David, the great King of Israel (II Sam 15:12). When David's handsome son, Absalom rebelled against him and occupied the throne, Ahithophel joined his team. He gave key counsels to Absalom too. In fact, his counsel was seen as the very counsel of God, the Bible records (II Sam 16:23). But when Absalom listened to the counsel of Hushai instead of his counsel, Ahithopel could not take it and he instead took his own life (II Sam 17:23). In II Samuel 16:23, he was at the peak of his profession. In II Samuel 17:23, he was in the pit of depression because of a professional failure, so much so, he ended his life!

I found a tragic news piece on washingtonpost.com very similar to the story of Ahitophel. Let me narrate the real story about Natrajan Ramachandran, an investment advisor of Indian origin who worked in the United States:
On a heart-stopping August Day in 1998, in his 5,000-square-foot, 20-room tract mansion in Herndon, the United States, he gathered his family in the master bedroom -- his wife, Kalpara; their daughter, Reha, 11; and their son, Raj, 7 -- and ended their lives and his with a 9mm Ruger rifle. Because of an obvious failure in his profession he behaved in this bizarre manner: he had had run up to $10 million in debts, some to casinos, and was under investigation for passing $2 million in worthless checks, the same website reported. Natrajan Ramachandran also killed himself.

Both Ahithophel and Natrajan Ramachandran perhaps believed that their success in their work would give them meaning and purpose in life. But that did not happen. And they were so shattered that they killed themselves. It is true - work will not give purpose and meaning in life!

4. WEALTH will not give meaning and purpose in LIFE!
The search for life's meaning continues in Ecclesiastes 2. We read how this writer "bought" slaves, herds and flocks like no one else in all of Israel (Ecc 2:7, 8). Who is this writer? In the first verse verse of this book, he introduces himself as the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Bible Scholars tell us he was King Solomon. He was richest ever king to rule Israel. The weight of the gold that he possessed in a single year was 666 talent (I Ki 10:14). One talent weighed 34 kgs, mind you! He had 200 large gold shields. His drinking vessels were made out of gold. He sat in an ivory throne (I Ki 10:14-22). Here was a king who had seen wealth like no other king. Yet, this is his startling confession: wealth could not give him meaning and purpose in life.

If we were to resurrect Judas Iscariot, the man who betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver coins and ask him, "Judas, will money give meaning to life?" he would vigorously shake his head to say 'no'. "If money made my life, why would I have ended my life after I made money? Purpose in life is found in the One I betrayed to make money - the One who told us, One's life does not consist in the abundance of His possessions! (Luke 12:15)"

Pat Rafter, mouthed these words, after he won a huge prize money, following a US Open win, "When you don't have it, you want it. When you have it, you don't want it!" By saying this he was admitting money does not give fulfillment to life.

Pat Rafter admitted that money does not give fullfillment to life

5. WOMEN do not give meaning and purpose to life!
Scroll down to Ecclesiastes 2 and you will bump into yet another thing King Solomon tried out to get meaning and purpose in life: women. He had female slaves, female singers and female sex-partners (called concubines) in plenty (Eccl 2:7,8). Yet these women could not bring fulfillment to his life.

Women do not give meaning and purpose to life.

After an infamous tryst with a young woman who was not his wife, Oliver Kahn, Germany's legendary goalie told a very popular magazine in Germany, "I myself know how stupid and dumb this is!" Kahn, by saying that admitted, women and all the pleasures they could offer, could not help him find life's purpose and meaning! So our search for life's meaning can't stop with women. It must continue.

6.'WOWs!' will not give meaning and purpose in Life!
Solomon keeps travelling in his search for meaning and fulfillment in life. At each stop he met nothing but disappointment. His next stop in this seemingly insatiable journey is what I want to call as the stop of "Wows!" Solomon, in other words, wanted to find life's meaning through the route of appreciation from people for his commendable achievements. He says, "So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem" (Eccl 2:9). In the "Wows!' people would shower him with, he tried to find life's purpose.

Wows - Solomon received them galore. He got them by the truckloads. Solomon's wisdom and wealth made the visiting Queen of Sheba go "Wow!" (I Kings 10:1-10). The Bible records, "Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt" (I Kings 4:30). His knowledge of biology was baffling; his insight into zoology was zapping (That's how I understand I Ki 4:33).

People did not mind long walks to hear Solomon talks (I Kings 4:34). In his book Shane Warne's Century, Shane Warne says that he would pay to see Indian Opener Virender Sehwag bat. Sehwag's batting made him go "Wow!" The Sportstar titled it special issue about Steve Waugh this way: Wow Waugh! People in Solomon's time had to just say that when they saw Solomon: Wow!

Eugene Peterson translates I Kings 4:29 this way: There was nothing beyond him (Solomon), nothing he couldn't handle.

But sadly the "Wows!" he won with effortless ease did not give Solomon his life's purpose. Michael Schumacher after winning the World Championships in Formula One racing for the record seventh time said, "I'm empty and I'm exhausted!" A 'wow' performance could not give him life's purpose or give him fulfillment.

A 'wow' performance could not give Michael Schumacher his life's purpose

What about you? You thought "Once I have a Beyonce Knowles figure and once I hear a 'Wow'from my male admirers, my life is made!" You do have Beyonce Knowles's figure now. You have heard that 'Wow!' you were waiting for. But, guess what? Your life is still far from being made. You still are searching for meaning in life.

7. THE WHOLE WORLD cannot give meaning and purpose in your life!
After his great disappointment of trying out the first six Ws - wit, wisdom, wine, work, wealth, women and 'wows' - Solomon makes a summary statement. And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure (Eccl 2:10). Notice the word "whatever" here. And that word is an all-sweeping, all-encompassing word he used to imply that he tried everything "under the sun" (a frequently appearing word in this Bible book) to find meaning and purpose in life. Whatever his eyes set sights on, whatever his heart felt could give meaning and purpose to life, and he tried that out. What was the end result: the same.

Jesus said, "What good is it if someone gains the whole world but loses his soul?"

The whole world and all of its pleasures cannot give one's life meaning. That is the message of this Bible book. The gambling which Las Vegas can offer, the girls which Paris can parade, the gold which Johannesburg can brag about cannot give your life meaning and purpose! The porn site about which your pals say, "You have not lived, until you have seen it, bloke!" cannot give your life meaning. Solomon kept nothing from his eyes (To put that in modern terms, "There was no porn site which Solomon did not surf..."). Yet, fulfillment of life was kept from him!

When Jesus said, "What good is it if someone gains the whole world but loses his soul?" (Math 16:26, NIV) this was what He was getting at: You can search the whole planet for meaning and purpose in life, but you will not find it!

The destination of these wrong roads....
Solomon openly confessed "everything is meaningless" at least six times in his book (Eccl 1:2,14; 2:17; 3:19; 11:8; 12:8). The seven routes he took to get meaning and purpose in life led to only disillusionment and disappointment.

Not only that. Writing elsewhere in the Bible, Solomon says these routes he took led to danger as well. I am referring to his words in the Bible book of Proverbs. "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death," so writes Solomon (Prov 14:12). It is so important that he repeated it in Proverbs 16:25. When he was in the way of wit, the way of wine, the way of work, the way of wealth, the way of Wows, the way of Women, the way of the whole world, he felt he was on the right track. As he journeyed further, after the initial elation, he felt miserable because deep down he knew he doing wrong. And not just wrong, he knew he was heading straight into danger - death. Another version of the Bible translates the very same words of Solomon this way: There's a way that looks harmless enough; look again—it leads straight to hell. The ultimate destination of life-purpose routes such as wine, women, work, "Wows!", wit, etc is hell! Eugene Peterson, swapped the word, "hell" for the word, "death", because we do have places in the Bible where hell punishment is figuratively called "second death" (in Rev 21:8 for example) though no one actually gets to die in hell!

Why and How Jesus can give us purpose in life
Hell?! In the Bible, God's Words in Human words, no one spoke about this place more than the person who actually came to save us all from going there. His name is Jesus! Jesus compared hell to "a lake of fire" in which worms will forever feast on the eternally alive human body. He preached that He, God in Human Flesh, came to this world to give each one of us, life, and "life to the full" (John 10:10). Without a living relationship with Jesus, our life will never be fulfilled. Without a daily relationship with Jesus, our life will be a living hell, even as we head to the literal hell. This is the message of John 3:36 - a verse in the Bible. When we come to Jesus who claimed to be "The Bread of Life", we will no longer be hungry - our hunger to find life's meaning can be only quenched by Jesus (John 6:35)!

The reason for this is very simple. Since Jesus had purpose and meaning to His life, He could offer the same to others. He explicitly says He came for the purpose of dying for the human race (John 12:27). Through His death, every human, could discover life's purpose. Jesus not only had purpose for His own life - He gave purpose to the life of those who made Him Lord and Savior of their lives. A man called Paul, repented from his sins and trusted in Jesus as His only Lord, God and Savior. And this is what he testifies after having walked the road of life with Jesus: "I run with purpose in every step!" (I Cor 9:26, NLT). The same Jesus who filled Paul's life with purpose all over can give your life purpose, meaning fulfillment as well, for He is impartial and unchanging. All you have to do is repent from sin like Paul and trust in Jesus alone for your salvation.

The person who made life, can make it meaningful!
This message is what even the guy we were talking about, King Solomon, all along was getting at. After having observed the whole world and what it had to offer, Solomon makes a very important statement. It is this: "God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? (Eccl 2:24-25). While he openly confessed "everything is meaningless" at least six times in his book, Solomon, offers some hope in some sections of his book (Eccl 1:2,14; 2:17; 3:19; 11:8; 12:8). His message is simple: the person who made life can make it meaningful! His message is direct: life 'under the sun' (a phrase he uses in his book 20 times) will be meaningless, until we have a living relationship with the one above the Sun – with God!

To underline that he wrote, Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, "I have no pleasure in them" (Eccl 12:1). Here is what he is saying, "Remember and relate with God, who came to this Earth in the person of Jesus, if you want to make all the days of your life full of eternal pleasure and meaning!" (to put that verse in the context of the message of the whole Bible).

Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth- (Eccl 12:1)

So why are you waiting? Would you bow your head, right now, and ask the resurrected and returning Jesus to come into your repentant heart, to begin your eternity-long relationship with Him - a relationship that will fill every second of your life with purpose and meaning and fulfillment? Don't delay this decision!

As Solomon pointed out, let us do this in "the days of our youth"! As Solomon penned, let us do this before the door to life's opportunities is closed (Eccl 12:4, NLT). As Solomon scripted, let us do it, before you near the grave, before the silver cord of life snaps - which technically is 'any time' in this world full of heart-stopping terror (Eccl 12:5,6 NLT)!

WHAT'S SO UNIQUE ABOUT JESUS?

2008-10-26T00:39:00.000-07:00

- DUKE JEYARAJ

What's so unique about Jesus that people in well-earning jobs throw them aside, to dedicate their entire life and all their waking time just to tell others about Him? What's the big deal about Jesus that you get to hear about Him Christmas after Christmas? As a teenager, I once wrote a letter to a movie starlet. What did I write? "I love you and can't live without you?" Nah. I wrote to her about a person who had made such a difference in my life – Jesus. Jesus? What's so unique about him that I had to write to a movie actress about him? Hang on.

All roads lead to Rome?
Popular music troupe, Colonial Cousins sang a song that went on to become a big hit: Come back as Jesus, come back and save the world/We need a teacher and you are the only one/Come back as Rama and forgive us for what we have done/Come back as Allah, come back as anyone…Colonial cousins were only eloquently putting into music a popular philosophy called pluralism which you will bump into time and again. A pluralist would say, "All religions lead to the same destination; you have your religion and I'll have mine; let's not fight or argue over religion!" Whenever I have witnessed about Christ while traveling, 99% of my fellow passengers would bounce back at me with this stereotype response. Stumped by this response I started thinking hard and also reading on this controversial subject. You see, if Jesus wasn't unique it did not matter who I followed. It did not count what way of life I chose. This article is the baby of my reflections on this crucial subject.

DOES THE BIBLE REALLY SAY THAT JESUS IS UNIQUE?
Absolutely! To a man who would go as the first ever missionary to a country worshipping 330 million deities (India), to Thomas, Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). Incredible! Thomas took Jesus at his word and came to India in A.D. 52, preaching Jesus as the only way to salvation and gave his life for this very message by dying as a martyr in Chennai.

Peter denied Jesus before a servant girl saying, "Woman, I don't even know him!" (Lk 22:57). Months later this very same Peter, after receiving baptism of the Holy Spirit said, "Salvation comes no other way; no other name has been given or will be given us by which we can be saved, only this one!" (Acts 4:12). Think! Previously he said that he hadn't even heard "that name". Now, he says, he knows no other name that will save humanity but the name of Jesus!

The way of Jesus was sometimes also dubbed 'the Way' during the time of the early church (see Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23). That implies that all other ways are dead ends - paths that will neither lead to heaven nor will give real purpose and peace. Logically speaking, no one can really believe that"All ways lead to the same destination!" Wondering why? How will a person who makes the 'all-religions-are-cool claim' respond to Christ's claim that He alone is the Way? He might then argue - "When Christ said that He was the only way, He was wrong!" But the moment he says that he no longer believes that "all" ways are equally valid when it comes to the salvation of the soul which is what he claims to actually believe! Pluralism – as you just saw – is logically inconsistent.

What Jesus tells us is very similar to what a boy told a girl in a popular song: "Don't love me for fun girl. Let me be the ONE, girl!" He demands that we serve him and preach him as the ONLY Savior. Did not the God of the Bible say, "I, even I, am the LORD and apart from me there is no Savior!" (Isa 43:11).

Put your thinking caps as I present a few arguments for the uniqueness of Jesus, that sets him apart from the Buddas, Mahaviras, Mohammeds, Sai Babas and anybody else anyone would care to name!

1. HIS SUPERNATURAL BIRTH
The High Priest before whom Jesus stood after his arrest at Gethsemane garden shot a solemn question to Jesus: "I demand in the name of the living God that you tell us whether you are the Messiah, the Son of God?" (Math 27:63). Here was a golden chance for Jesus to escape the crucifixion. All He had to do to escape death was to say that He was indeed born to Mary and a human father. But He stubbornly refused and broke His silence (notice that he did not answer the previous question of the High Priest) to say, "Yes, it is as you say!" (Math 27:64).

Why did Jesus say that? Simple. That was the truth – while He was born to a biological mother He had no biological father. He was living since eternity (in the pass tense) before He decided that He was going to give up His divine glory to become a baby floating in the amniotic fluids of Mary who was a virgin on Christmas. You see – it is not an easy job at all for a mother to watch her son die, right before her own eyes, to know pretty well she can save him. But Mary preferred to watch Christ die. All she had to do to prevent her Son from the savage death awaiting him was to have gone and told the executors of Jesus: "Listen! Don't believe my Son and his ridiculous claim that he is the Son of God and all that rubbish. He was born because of an immoral relationship I had with a person I do not wish to name. I am his mom and if anybody knows how he was born, it is I! Please release him, I beg you!" But Mary did not do that. Asking why? You are right – Mary pretty well knew that she became pregnant when the Holy Spirit came upon her when she hadn't even allowed a man to even peep into her bed (so to speak)! And what was more – a medical doctor – records for us in the Bible, the most detailed record of the conception of Jesus (Lk 1:27-37).

What is it about the virgin birth of Christ that sets him apart from the rest of pantheons of self-made gods? Simple. All other citizens of planet Earth had a beginning. But Jesus had none. He has been existing eternally – something that no other so-called 'god' or 'guru' can truthfully claim! In fact he claimed to have existed long before Abraham, someone who existed thousands of years before he did (Jn 8:58). Not only that, He claimed that famous prophet Isaiah – again a chap who lived hundreds of years before Jesus came into this planet as a baby – 'saw Him and spoke about His glory' (Jn 12:41)!

Not only that. While we are unsure if the many of the founders of religions even existed. But that is not the case about Jesus. The supernatural birth account of Jesus pins him to both history (he was the one who divided the time line of the planet into two – A.D and B.C) and geography (he was born in Bethlehem, a small village near Jerusalem). We have more solid proof that Jesus historically lived than for Alexander. The two earliest biographers of Alexander, Arrian and Plutarch wrote more than 400 years after his death in 323 B.C. The first three Gospels – which tell us a historical narrative of the life and times of Jesus – were written within 30 years of Christ's death!

2. HIS STAGGERING FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY
Jesus fulfilled no less than 110 prophecies made about Him in the Old Testament that was written hundreds of years before His birth.

The Bible predicted that Jesus would be born of a woman (Gen 3:15). That was an easy one to fulfill. He was (Gal 4:4). Again the Bible predicted that Jesus would be born of a virgin woman (from among the millions of women who would come to exist in this planet) (Isa 7:14). Again it happened (Math 1:21). The Bible further narrowed its prophecy span to say that He would be born of virgin woman in the line of the Abraham, the father of the Jewish race – to simplify the prophecy (Gen. 12:1-3/22:18). Jesus was (Math 1:1; Gal 3:16). Then the Bible incredibly further narrowed its prediction spread to say that Jesus would be born to a virgin Jewish woman from one of the twelve tribes of the Jewish race – the tribe of Judah (Gen 49:10). He indeed was (Luke 3:23, 33). The Bible further foretold that the Messiah, Jesus would be born to a virgin Jewish woman from the family of David who belonged to the thousands of families of the tribe of Judah (II Sam 7: 12). Though it was asking for too much Jesus fulfilled that prophecy too (Math 1:1). And this is just to talk about his birth – leaving out the rest of his life on the earth in which he fulfilled at least 100 more prophecies.

Daniel predicted the exact date Jesus would enter Jerusalem to be crucified – die for the sins of others (Dan (Dan 9:24). Stunning!

Some have suggested that Jesus himself arranged His life so that he could fulfill prophecies made about him. Come on! Can anyone - the family, time and place of birth? Do you think Jesus whispered to the Roman soldiers who beat him black and blue, "Beat me softly guy – none of my bones must be broken as per the Old Testament prophecy which I have got to somehow fulfill" (Ex 12:46; Psa 34:20; Jn 19:36)? Ha Ha! Mathematicians have calculated that the probability of 16 predictions being fulfilled in one man is 1 in 10 to power of 45! If we stretched it to 48 predictions, the probability will swell to 1 in 10 to the power of 157! Set mathematics and the probability calculations aside. Let's try to figure out what one is saying if he just brushed aside the fact Jesus fulfilled so many prophecies purely 'by chance'. It would be tantamount to that Actor Shah Rukh could have batted for India, left-handed, and made a triple hundred to take India past to the near-impossible World Cup final target Australia set for India – 360 in March 2003!

By fulfilling prophecy at will Jesus was just proving that He could control the history and happenings before the time He entered the world as a human and after He did – a feat no one can even ever dream of doing!

3. HIS SPOTLESS CHARACTER –
Only a sinless person qualifies to save a sinner!

Speaking to his worst enemies – the Jewish leaders of his time – Jesus challenged, "Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin?" (Jn. 8:46)? They were dumbfounded.

Jesus had a cousin brother in John the Baptist. They were born just six months apart. I can imagine Jesus and John playing many kids games with each other. Hide and seek? You bet! This very same John who had literally seen Jesus grow up before his eyes testified to the absolute sinlessness of Jesus by refusing to baptize Jesus at first. "You need not be joining the sinners' string, Jesus – no never! I never seen you commit a sin that you need to repent of," he said in-effect (Math 3:6)? Will any childhood buddy of any great figure in history ever testify that he/she was sinless? Never! But Jesus' childhood friend did just that!

The man who was Jesus' bosom friend could testify this of Jesus: "There is no sin in him and sin is not part of his program" (I Jn 3:5 MGE). Would any close pal of any top notch 'guru' testify the same about his friend?

When we contrast the sinlessness of Jesus with sensuousness of other religious biggies His character becomes dazzling white! The Quran itself records that Prophet Mohammed praying for forgiveness of sins. But the very same book declared that Jesus was sinless (Surah 19:19). Rock group, Beatles found out that the Hindu guru they were going bonkers over – Maharishi Mahesh Yogi – was more interested in the bodies of one of the female singers than in spiritual stuff he was supposed to teach them! The communist 'god' Karl Marx died because of syphilis – a disease that he got because of his immoral life style.

Man's universal problem is sin. The Bible teaches, "There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins" (Eccl 7:20). Only a sinless person qualifies to save a sinner. Isn't that plain cool logic? Max Lucado smartly put it: "Two kids in a mud puddle cannot clean each other. They need someone clean. Someone spotless. We need someone clean too. That is why we need a savior." Not just "a savior". But a sinless savior. Therefore only Jesus – and no one else – qualifies to bring salvation from sins to humans who are all sinners. In fact Jesus was named so because "He will save His people from their sins?" (Math 1:21). The world neatly divides into two groups: in one group are people who have never experienced a vacuum in their heart. Only Jesus is there in this group. Only Jesus and no one else. Because Jesus never sinned he never had any vacuum in his heart! In the other group there are the Aishwarya Rais and rest of her species – the entire Homo sapiens! Indian actress Aishwarya Rai talked about it – this emptiness phenomenon. She once said, "You know as Ms. World, I was exposed to so much that after the year was over there was a suddenly a vacuum!" And every human would talk about the empty feeling he or she had without exception, not just Ashwariya, if he were honest. Jesus explained the reason why He – though being God – took human flesh. It was so that "you" – whoever you may be – "may have life and have it to the full!" (Jn 10:10). Expressed in another way what He was communicating was this: apart from having a living daily relationship with him, all mortals would languish with a vacuum in their heart – an emptiness – which is caused by sin (Lam 1:18).

4. HIS STUPEFYING MIRACLES AND WONDERS
The ONLY sinless miracle-worker!

Three funeral services Jesus attended had to be stopped midway. You may give Jesus a nickname: "Funeral Spoiler!" Why? In all the three cases he raised the dead (Mk 5:35; Luk 7:11-15; Jn 11:43-44). Jesus' miracles beat time and space. When He changed water to wine, His miracles were beating time, for water does ferment as wine in a natural process that takes lots of time – many months. His miracles beat space. When He spoke a word of healing from one location an official's son was instantly healed at another location (Jn 4:43-54)! What was more, even His opponent accepted the fact that He worked irrefutable miracles (Mt 28:11-15; Mk 5:40-42; Jn 11:47-48). Even the Koran conceded that Jesus did miracles. Several miracles and medically documented healings take place even today when people are prayed for in the name of Jesus!

Why did Jesus go around working miracles? Easy. He did them so that people would believe that He was the way and came from the Father. He rapped the unbelieving Jews saying, "The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for Me but you do not believe" (Jn 10:25, 26). When the apostles preached Jesus, they kept re-hammering the same point: "Jesus the Nazarene, a man thoroughly accredited by God to you – the miracles and signs God did through Him are common knowledge" (Acts 2:22).

Miracles, a person does, would count for nothing if it is not backed by a pure life that is lived in obedience to God's will – Jesus himself taught this truth (Math 7:21-23). In other words, miracles don't mean a thing, unless the person who does it is immaculate. True, there are many claims from modern gurus that they perform miracles. Though many of their claims have been shown to be duplicitous – one cannot deny some miracles may be genuine. But even those genuine miracles don't substantiate any claim to divinity. Why would I say that? Only Jesus has got the one-of-a-kind combination of a pure life and powerful life, a never-been-seen joining of an innocent life and incredible life! You can be sure of this – Jesus is the ONLY sinless miracle-worker, there is or there will be!

5. HIS SUBSTITUTIONARY DEATH
By definition God is eternal. So God cannot die actually! But God can die – if He chooses to. Jesus chose to die. "No man can take away my life from me. I lay down my life voluntarily. For I have the right to lay it down when I want to and also the power to take it up again" (John 10:18). And that is what exactly happened at Calvary's cross: Jesus willingly gave up His life. The nails did not hold Him on the cross but it was love, as someone said. No one died the way the way Jesus did: others would die and then bow down their head. But Jesus bowed His head and then died – He could pick and choose the exact moment He would give up his spirit without resorting to a suicide (Jn 19:30)!

Jesus said that He was dying as a "ransom" for the sins of the world – a purpose for which no one has died or will die (Math 20:28). He explicitly said that the blood He would shed would bring "forgiveness of sins" – again a unique reason to die (Math 26:28). The rest of humanity - when it dies - does so for their sins. The wages of sin is death, we are told in the Scriptures (Rom 3:23). Put in another way, we all die because we are all sinners. But Christ wasn't. He need not have died at all. But nevertheless He did – as a substitute for sin (Isa 53:5). A one-of-kind death! Because He was one hundred percent human – He could die as a valid substitute for the human race. And because He was one hundred percent God as well He could die for all people of all time. God is beyond time, you see! "A just-God Jesus could make us, but not understand us."A just-man Jesus could love us, but never save us. But God cum equally man Jesus could understand, love and save us, if only we surrender our lives to Him alone!" – this is how someone put this whole thing irrefutably!

6. HIS SURE-FIRE RESURRECTION!
The Greatest F-E-A-T in the world!

Jesus' resurrection is the greatest proof that He is unique (I Cor 15:14, 17, 20/Rom 1:14). Jesus proved beyond a whiff of doubt that He stands alone in history as God – thanks to His resurrection. In fact, the resurrection was a necessary event in Jesus' life. Do you know why?

Having died at by own will, He chose the time to become alive as well – a feat that proves that He is God and there is none else. All other so-called Gods are all dead and gone. But not Jesus.

"Not so fast," some say. "Can you prove the resurrection of Jesus?" Here follows a brilliant chain of arguments for the resurrection of Jesus developed by Hank Hannegraaf. This chain of evidence is based on the acronym FEAT – isn't the Jesus' Resurrection, the greatest feat in the world? F stands for Fact. Yes, the resurrection of Jesus isn't a story but a certainty! A smart American student named Josh vowed to disprove the resurrection of Jesus. He piled up 700-hours of library research on the subject. And after that research he concluded that Jesus was actually alive. And today McDowell – well that is second name! – travels around the world speaking to sharp students in the campuses of the world about the change in one's life a resurrected Jesus can bring about! Yup – the resurrection is a solid fact! The next letter in the acronym FEAT is "E". It stands for the Empty Tomb. All the Jewish leaders had to do to convincingly prove to the world that Jesus never rose from the dead was to showcase his dead body. But they couldn't. The next letter in this chain of proofs for the resurrection is "A" – the Appearances of Jesus. On one occasion Jesus appeared to 500 people and repeatedly to His disciples. Some suggest that the disciples were hallucinating. You've got to be kidding. You can never hallucinate about an event you never expected to happen – you hallucinate about an event you long for to happen. The disciples were done with Jesus. They did not expect Him to rise from the dead at all (Luke 21:24). That is why some of them got back to their old way of life – fishing. But then, since they really saw Jesus! The final word of the acronym FEAT is "T" which stands for the Transformed lives of the disciples. From cowardly no-hopers to courageous non-stop witnesses they became! The message they kept pounding was that "Jesus is Alive! We are witnesses of this fact!" wherever they went. In fact, in the book of Acts alone, I counted 14 times when it is specifically recorded that the disciples were witnesses in particular of the "resurrection" of Jesus (Acts 2:24; 3:15 are just samples – you can find the rest of the references!). Eleven of the disciples of Jesus died a martyr's death: they died for their message that Jesus was alive! "Can 11 people die for a lie knowing it is a lie?" asks Josh McDowell. Impossible we all agree!

The Sportstar's tribute to the Legendary Batsmen Don Bradman went this way: "In an era when 50-plus is still the true yard stick of greatness for batsmen, Bradmen's average of 99.94 must give us an idea of where the Don stands – alone and apart from every other cricketer!" Jesus stands "alone and apart" from every human on earth in every sense of the word!
Yes – just anyone can take the place of Jesus. That is right – just anyone. All that he/she has to do is this: die and be raise from the dead after three days! It is that simple! Jokes apart – the resurrection sets Jesus alone and apart from the rest of the gods-gang!

7. HIS STUNNING CLAIMS
No one in all of history has claimed to be and do the things Jesus did. What's more – the points mentioned above qualify Jesus to make these stunning claims!

Judge of all – Mandelas to Manishas

Jesus demanded that all must follow Him (Math 4:18-22). While other leaders pointed to a way (Budda – Ahimsa or Non-Violence; Rajneesh – Sexual Freedom) Jesus claimed to be the way Himself (Jn 14:6). There is a big difference you see! While most others taught that salvations is earned by good behavior Jesus taught that salvation is earned by repentance and belief on Him and what He has already done on the Cross (Jn 3:14,15,16). He categorically taught that salvation – eternal life – can never be earned by following a set of rules – which is in direct contradiction to what other religious big heads have taught (Math 19:26). Jesus claimed that if anyone did not confess Him before other – that is, own up an allegiance to Him and Him alone – this meant that they could not be accepted by God (Math 10:32-33). Jesus made a claim that would make one drop his jaw in amazement – He said that he would judge every human being (that would mean that all from the Mandelas to the Manishas would have to give account to him) (Jn 5:27; Math 25:31-33). He presented a seemingly outrageous proposition to each member of the human race: to either come to Him in repentance and faith and accept him as Savior or face Him as a Judge. Jesus forgave sins – not just the sins people committed against Him in person, but also, every sin, every person may have committed against anyone – clearly something which God alone could do (Mk 2:5)! The Jewish onlookers without a whiff of doubt understood that Jesus was making him "equal to God" (Jn 5:18). Perhaps the most stunning claim ever made by Jesus was this: "For unless you believe that I am who I am, you will die in your sins" (Jn 8:24). In the very same chapter, in verse 54, Jesus claimed to be God (The word "I am" was the name for God in the Old Testament – Ex 3:14). The ultimate Bible meaning for the word "death" is to experience eternal conscious punishment in a lake of fire called Hell (Rev 21:7, 8). So what Jesus was saying in John 8:24 is quite shocking: if anyone did not believe that He was God – the unique God – they would land up in eternal hell to be tormented forever! Not only John records this. Even the other three Gospel writers record that Jesus made the astounding claim that believing in Him and not believing in Him would make the difference between eternal life in heaven and eternal languishing in hell (Mk 8:28; Lk 12:8-12; Mt 12:41; 25:46). Only Jesus has made such astounding assertions – no one else. And given us evidence to take those claims seriously. Budda never claimed to be God – did you know? Yes – some modern godmen have made some crazy claims but they haven't given us enough proofs to take their claims seriously like Christ!

Jesus did not mince with word when he stated, "I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them" (Jn 10:7, 8). In effect here Jesus calls all the leaders of other so-called faiths as "thieves and robbers"! Clear, strong words!

Lunatic, Liar or Lord!
Every human being has to answer this question which the Roman Governor of Jerusalem asked the frenzied crowd which was rooting for Jesus' death: "What do I do with Jesus…?" (Mt 27:22). You know what – that is a question every person who has set foot in this planet must answer: "What do I do with Jesus?" Jesus made it clear that He can be accepted or rejected but none can remain neutral towards Him (Jn 12:30).

As C.S. Lewis categorized it captivatingly you've got call Jesus by one of these three titles: Liar, Lunatic or The Only Lord! No one would have any qualms about calling Jesus a "good teacher of morals" but He has not given us that options. That as a matter of fact would amount to calling him a liar!

Gardener, Ghost or God!
Mary Magdalene saw Jesus and mistakenly thought of Him as a gardener (Jn 20:15). For many today, Jesus is just like a gardener. Just like there are many gardeners in the world, Jesus is yet another good guru – one more addition in a pantheon of gods! The disciples wrongly identified Jesus for a ghost once (Mt 14:27). For many even today Jesus is a ghost. They are scared to come to close to Him. They by their life attitude (if not by their actual words) tell Him, "Jesus do not come too close to me. You will not like the things I think about, the things I enjoy seeing and the things I secretly do!" But Thomas worshipped Jesus as God (Jn 20:28). When we go about witnessing the uniqueness of Jesus – during the Christmas time or any other time – we sure must present the uniqueness of Christ. "If you try and fail you may be disappointed. But if you don't try at all you will be doomed!" someone said. That is particularly true when it comes to the matter of witnessing about Christ's uniqueness. Without believing in the unique Christ people are "without hope" – doomed (Eph 2:12). But we must not leave it at that. We must graciously call for a response from the people we've talked to Christ about: either He is a gardener, ghost or God who alone will save them from their sins!

Mohammed Ali in a live TV program after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on America said that the firemen, police and the rescue workers are the true heroes of New York. I agree with him so would any follower of Christ. Mohammed Ali went on: "A river, lake and stream are different words, but they all contain water; Christianity, Islam and Judaism are different words but they all contain truth!" I don't agree with him. Neither would you if you have read this article with an open mind!

What do I do now?
What should you do right now if it was true that Jesus is really unique (as this article has powerfully pointed out). Two things. First you need to LEAVE. That is you need to leave your life of sin. Jesus preached, "Unless you repent, you too will perish (in everlasting hell)!" Second you need to BELIEVE. You need believe that Jesus, God in Human Flesh, died instead of you on the Cross, as the Bible says He did. "Yet to all those who received Him, to those who believed in His name He gave them the right to become the children of God," we read in the Bible. When you do that – believe in Jesus with all your heart and confess your sins to Him – the sinless spotless blood of Jesus will forgive you of every sin and give you a peace which the world cannot give you ever!

Why not then pray this prayer right away: "Dear Lord Jesus. I am sorry for my sins. Please forgive me. I am LEAVING my terrible sins and BELIEVING in your as my Savior. Wash me with you blood and make me a new person completely. I will serve you with all my heart hereafter. So be it!"

Do not forget the following things: Get yourself a copy of the Bible and read it daily. Talk to the Lord Jesus daily in prayer. Join a fellowship where the Bible is taught. Share with as many people as possible with your life and lip about the Lord Jesus.

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A SENTENCE FROM POKIRI...A SENTENCE THAT AWAITS YOU, UNLESS...

2008-09-22T08:46:00.000-07:00

- Duke Jeyaraj

Yes, Telugu movie Pokiri will be first movie ever in Tollywood history to run for 500 days with four shows and with a minimum of one shift. Screened for four shows a day, the film completed 100 days in as many as 200 centres in the state and neighbouring states, including 17 in Hyderabad alone and silver jubilee in a record 63 centres. In 15 centres, it completed 200 days. Pokiri completed 365 days with four shows and created new records and even more interesting is that it's confirmed that Pokiri will finish 500 days run mark in Kurnool Bhageeratha theatre. The records set at 365 days will be extended. Even after DVD/VCD release and 365 days of Pokiri, the movie is managing to collect the theatres rent per show in Bhageeratha theatre. The Mahesh Babu-Illeana starrer raked in a staggering Rs 40 crores, a task not even Telugu cinema's biggest star Chiranjeevi could accomplish in his illustrious career, and in the process toppled several existing records. The last time a Telugu film ran for 365 full days all over the state was almost two-and-a-half decades ago when NTR and ANR, despite passing their prime, still lorded over the Telugu box office. "If films in the earlier days ran for so long, it was mostly due to hero worship which was at its peak. Television too did not make inroads. But that is not the case now. Pokiri's success story is mind-boggling!" says a senior film journalist. This movie was remade in Tamil with Vijay. Prabhu Deva wielded the megaphone. Producer Boney Kapoor is now making the Hindi version with Salman Khan (Courtesy: Lines from http://www.hindu.com/, http://www.superstarmaheshbabu.com/ , 19 June 2007).

Ileana's line

I happened to bump into a scene from this famous movie once. The scene had the actress Ileana and the hero Mahesh Babu, traveling in the metro train. When Mahesh Babu goes to answer nature's call, the seat next to Ileana falls vacant. A young woman who walks-in takes that seat. This irritates Illeana. She asks her to occupy another seat, but the young woman isn't pleased with Illeana's suggestion. At this point, Illeana uses a sentence which is very commonly used by youth of Hyderabad and I should say many youth in general, to shoo away the young woman who sat beside her in the Metro train. It is this sentence: "Get the hell out of here!"

One line by Illeana in the movie Pokiri made me think and the word, "Hell"!

Jesus, the greatest hell preacher!

What Ileana said was a stark reminder to me that the usage of the word "hell" has become so common place that young people do not realize for a moment how horrible and terrible that place is. Max Lucado writes, "Of the twelve times that the word 'gehenna' - the strongest Biblical word for hell - appears in Scripture, there is only one time in which Jesus was not the speaker. No one spoke of hell more than Christ did" (When Christ Comes, Page 118). But Jesus did not speak of hell in casual terms like today's youth. If anyone knew how hell looked like (or would look like) it was Jesus - the all-knowing, ever-existing God in flesh and bone.

Hideousness of hell

Jesus painted the hideousness of hell by pointing out we must do whatever it takes to escape going there. For example, he said, "If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell" (Math 5:29). He repeated this almost verbatim in Mathew 18:9. If Jesus had not repeated this, his saying on hell, Mathew would not have recorded it twice in his Gospel, would he? By saying what he did, Jesus was not advocating plucking of one's eye to beat the temptation to lust. He was simply telling us, that hell is so terrible and horrible, that if one can escape it by plucking his eyes out, it would be a cheap price to pay. A place to make you wish that you were never born!

Jesus also depicted the gruesome nature of Gehenna (Hell) by the way he talked about Judas Iscariot - the one person we know for sure would go to hell. He categorically said this about Judas whom he referred to as "the son of destruction": "It would have been better for that man if he had not been born" (Math 26:24; John 17:12). In other words, this was Jesus' message here: If you are not born-again or if you turn away from the born-again experience, like Judas did, you will go to a place which will make you wish that you were not born at all! Hell is so painful! Hell is so agonizing!

Children of hell - that is what we are

Jesus gave us humans a new name: children of hell. That is what he called the religious big shots of his time (Mathew 23:15). They were hypocrites. We are all hypocrites. And we too deserve such a title - the title of "children of hell". What God originally prepared as a destination for the Devil and his angels - the terrible place called "hell" - becomes our destination as well (II Pet 2:4). It is only right that the devil's ultimate destination becomes ours as well because we choose to follow the devil and his sinful urgings in our day to day lives. I refer to his urgings like "Use abusive language to get even with those who abuse you!", "Watch pornography - it will not harm you!" etc, etc! Calling someone a "fool" may be quite cool with this google generation. But doing that can take you to hell, Jesus taught (Math 5:22). Undressing the person of the opposite gender who is not your married partner, in one's mind, may be the favorite pastime of the Youtube Youth of today. But when such sins are persisted upon, hell is where we land up in, Jesus warned (Math 5:28, 29). The human race, by and large, is on the broad road that leads to destruction (hell), Jesus pointed out (Math 7:13). The way to hell is sleazy and "easy" (Math 7:13).

A name for God which worship leaders hardly use

Jesus also gave a new name for God, a name you will hear worship leaders use rarely: him who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Math 10:28). It was only re-coining an Old Testament title for God: Consuming Fire (Duet 4:24). Yes, it is true. God is not only a Compassionate Father. He is also a Consuming Fire. He is love. But he is not only love. He is just and righteous as well. That is why all sin must be punished. God cannot wink at sin and pretend that it did not exist. If he did, he no longer can be called just and holy. That is why, Jesus taught about the existence of hell which serves as the ultimate punishment for "rebels" against God - a place of unquenchable fire in which both the worms feasting on the human body, and humans themselves "will not die" forever (Isa 66:24; Mark 9:43-48). The human race is in a hopeless situation. Jesus asks us the same question he asked the Religion Biggies of his time: You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? (Math 23:33). We have no answers to Jesus' question. And guess what - Jesus decided to answer that question himself. He said in-effect: "I will open a way - in fact it will be the only way - for you to escape being sentenced to hell! I will experience hell instead of you. You need to trust in me - the One who experienced hell for you - to be saved from going to hell!" Stumped? Read the next paragraph for more details....

The hedge on the broad road to hell

Jesus not only preached about hell, he did what it takes to prevent you from going to hell. This is what he did: he voluntarily endured hell instead of you. While he hung on the cross he cried out, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" (Math 27:46). Hell is the one place which is truly God-forsaken. Jesus experienced hell even as he hung from the cross. That is why he cried out that way. Because your sins and my sins were laid upon Jesus on that day - two thousand years ago - the holy God whose eyes are too pure to even look upon sin, had to turn his face from his Only Son, Jesus, and forsake Him, for our sake (Hab 1:13). This happened at the "ninth hour" - the Gospel-writers tell us (Math 27:46; Mk 15:34). Every year, exactly at that very hour, Jewish families would chop the neck of a lamb that would take away their sin - symbolic of what Jesus, the sinless Lamb of God would do on the cross, years later. The God who stopped Abraham between the neck and the knife as he was about to chop his son Isaac, did not stop the knife of the cross falling on the neck of his son. The reason? Jesus died for our sins.

How Jesus endured hell for you

Jesus also cried out, "I thirst" from the cross, remember? (John 19:28). He was echoing the words of the rich man who went to hell, he once talked about. That rich man too cried out in thirst saying, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame' - do you recall? (Luke 16:24). What that rich man underwent in hell, Jesus underwent even as he hung on the cross, Bible Scholars tell us. That is why he uses almost the very same words as that of that rich man. Why did Jesus have to endure all of this? To prevent you and me from living a life of hell and going to actual hell. He was taking the"punishment", which is ultimately hell punishment, instead of us, the Bible declares (Isa 53:5, Rev 21:7, 8). Jesus died so that we may not have to experience "second death" - another Bible word for hell (Rev 21:7, 8). And we will only go to hell, if we reject Jesus, who claimed to be only way of salvation from our destruction in hell. If we jump over the cross of Jesus in pride, the cross which acts as a hedge to prevent people from going to hell, this is where we will land in: hell!

You could remember this essay - from hell

Jesus warned - six stunning times - that hell is a place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Math 8:12; 13:42; 13:50 ; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30). He repeated this depiction of hell, because it was mighty important. Who weeps? Those who are sad. Who gnashes teeth? Those who are angry and frustrated. You have guessed it right - Jesus wants us to understand that hell will be a place where our memories would be intact by using this phrase to talk about hell. Should we go to hell, we will remember and recall, every opportunity we ever had on planet Earth to escape coming to hell, and we will feel sad and shattered, angry and frustrated, that we did not make the most of it! My prayer is that you will not land up in hell, but if you do, you will remember reading this article, that explained to you, in black and white, the only way to escape hell!

A line from I Know What You Did Last Summer....

Don't get me wrong - Jesus did not come to this planet to condemn you to hell. Far from it. The Bible says, " For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him" (John 3:17). But hell is where we will go, if we ignore Jesus' repeated warnings about hell. "There was a murderer in the balcony. I saw him from the stage in the beauty contest. And you will fry in hell, if you ignore my words!" - those are the words in-effect that Sarah Michelle Gellar screamed at a Police Officer who doubted the veracity of her claims in the 1997 Hollywood horror movie, I Know What You Did Last Summer. The skeptical police officer, who made fun of Sarah for making such a claim was promptly and shockingly "hooked" by a sickle to a gruesome death, by the very murderer whose existence he doubted, shortly after he heard Sarah's warning. If you and I doubt Jesus' claims on hell, I am afraid, on the day of Judgment, or the day of your death (which can be any day), you and I will be in for a similar shock, like that police officer was in for, in the movie I Know What You Did Last Summer.

"There was a murderer in the balcony. You will fry in hell if you ignore my words!" those words were heard in the movie, I Know What You Did Last Summer. Jesus says, "I am who I claim to be. If you do not believe I am who I am (God in flesh who is the only way to true peace and joy) you will die in your sins (which is to fry in hell forever!)

Jesus said, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly" (John 10:10 ). Why do you want to experience hell in this life and go on to experience hell in the next life to come, forever and forever, when Jesus can you give you "abundant life" - a life which nothing or no one can give you?

How to escape hell - here's how

Maybe you are asking the question after reading this essay, "What must I do to escape hell and experience the heaven Jesus alone can offer me?" What you must do was put in plain words by Jesus. You must first leave. I mean, leave your life of sin. I mean repent. I say this because, Jesus preached, "Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3). When he used the word "perish" there, he meant "perish in eternal hell". So repentance from sin is the first step to escape this horrible hell.

Second, you must believe. We read in the Bible that "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him" (John 3:36). Yes, that is right. You must believe that Jesus died on the cross to save you from going to hell with all your heart. You must believe, that He is alive right now, having risen from the dead on the third day, to be able to walk with you daily in the narrow road that leads to heaven.

If you have decided to repent from sin and believe on Jesus, why don't you join me in saying this prayer, which will help you begin a relationship with Jesus - the only one who can save you from eternal Hell: Dear Jesus, I am sorry for my sins that took you to the cruel cross, where you experienced hell for me. Please forgive me. Please wash my manifold sins with your precious, pure blood that was shed for me on the Cross. I pledge to join you on that narrow road that leads to heaven from now on! Thank you for saving me! I am grateful! I am glad! So be it!"

If you have any questions about this article please call Duke at +91-9441352433 or e-mail him using emailduke@aol.in . If you have made a decision to follow Jesus for the first time, after having read this article, join a local church where Bible is taught faithfully, for if you are in an active fellowship with fellow believers in a local church, "the gates of hell will not prevail" against you (Math 16:18).

The text in brackets refers to Bible Verse References. And they are taken from the English Standard Version of the Bible available online at http://www.esv.org/ .

Bubbly Outside, Yet Empty Inside?!

2008-01-21T14:01:00.000-08:00

-Duke Jeyaraj

THE SEARCH
Aishwariya Rai (Indian actress) talked about it – a vacuum in her heart. She told the press once, “You know as Ms World, I was suddenly exposed to so much that after the year was over, there was suddenly a vacuum!” (The Times of India, 20 October 1999). The Backstreet Boys (Irish Boy Band) put music to the gnawing empty feeling on the inside. They sang, I was lost and alone, trying to grope, making my way down the long winding road. And no reason, no rhyme, like a song out of time… (lyrics as found on http://www.lyrics007.com/ on 12 March 2007). Australian youth icon, Pat Rafter expressed the void in his inner self this way after winning his second US Open (after pocketing a huge pay cheque before an adoring worldwide audience): “When you haven’t got it, you really want it; when you have it, you really don’t want it!” (Quote read from The Sportstar). John McEnroe depicted the barrenness in the bosom of Chilean Tennis Star, Marcelo Rios this way: “Here’s a guy who makes millions and millions of dollars a year and has been ranked as high as No. 1 in the world, and he looks miserable most of the time” (The Sportstar, 23 October 1999, page 67).

Life means more….
Hello. Hi! Do those real stories – from representative parts of the globe (Asia, Europe, North and South America and Oceania) from both the genders in a wide range of fields – strike a chord in your bosom? Think of the nights you hit the bed and stared into the ceiling and asked the question, “Is that all there is to life?” You walk with a spring in your step. Always flash a beaming smile. Your eyes sparkle. But the sadness and pain behind those eyes almost shows. Mankind – Kapil to Kajol – is on a search for meaning, for fulfillment in life. There is a universal feeling that “life means more” (as the debunked Hometrade.com ad goes). Life surely means more than growing up, studying, finding a job, getting married, having kids, becoming a grandpa and dying.

A promise
If you are searching for the meaning and purpose in your life here is a promise for you from the God of the Bible: Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed (Jer 29:11, The Message)!

THE SURPRISE

In our quest to find what is missing in our life we try out different things: Drugs and discos, pornography and perversion; shopping sprees; boozing binges; fondling friends; long work hours. But when these are tried they leave us emptier than when we started. We can try to fill that vacuum with loads of wit or wisdom or work or women or wine yet that vacuum will surprisingly stay, the Bible points out (Ecclesiastes 2).

Why this emptiness?

The Bible explains why we have such emptiness in our hearts in the first place. It is because we try to fill that emptiness without God, who alone can give us real enjoyment (Eccl 2:25). “Life under the sun, will be meaningless and futile until we make a living relationship with the one above the sun – God!” (This is how Selwyn Hughes summarized the message of Ecclesiastes – one of the 66 books of the Bible). Only God can satisfy our search for true meaning in life. “Show us the Father (Father was the word Jesus used for God) and we will be satisfied” That is how Philip, one of the disciples of Jesus expressed this truth (Jn 14:8 NLT). Pascal put it precisely: “There is a God-shaped vacuum in our heart and only God can fill it!” That God-shaped vacuum entered our souls because of sin, the Bible explains (Isa 57:20,21). “Emptiness is their only reward,” the Bible says, when it speaks about people who make sin their life-style (Job 15:17, 31 NLT).

From Mother Teresa to Lady Diana

We are all sinners – from Gandhi to Godse, from Mother Teresa to Lady Diana - without exception, the Bible says (Rom 3:23). We are sinners by nature. By nature, Ethiopians have dark skin. By nature, leopards have spots. By nature, the human race sins. You and I, sin. This is the teaching of the Bible (Jer 13:23). That emptiness entered our system because we chose to sin – every passing day of our lives (Jer 6:16). Just as Anna Kournikova pouts, “Omega, my choice” we by our life say, “Sin my choice!” Hollywood interestingly titled a movie, Six Degrees of Separation. The Bible teaching is that sin has separated us from God who made us in his pattern and hence this empty feeling in our soul. The Bible also warns that sin will make us its slave and ultimately take us to the lake of burning sulfur – hell – where one will have to live forever and ever in great agony or pain (Jn 8:34: Rev 21:8).

THE SURRENDER

Can’t lift yourself with your bootlace, can you?

The Bible also makes it clear that we cannot fill this emptiness in our hearts on our own (Isa 57:12). You can’t lift yourself with your bootlace, can you? Our good deeds are like a woman’s menstrual cloth in God’s sight, according to the Bible (Ezek 36:17). As Max Lucado wrote, “Two kids in a mud puddle can’t clean each other. They need someone clean. Someone spotless. We need someone clean too. That’s why we need a Savior.” That was the reason, Jesus – God cloaked in human flesh and bone – came to this earth two millennia back.

Never “full” without Jesus

Jesus preached, “I have come that they might have Life and have it to the full!” (Jn 10:10 NIV). Without a relationship with Jesus, no matter what you do or what you have, your life will never be “full” – it will always be empty and void. He came to plug that vacuum in the soul of every human and save every person from his sins! He is qualified to do so because he never ever sinned in all his life – something no one else has done in all of the world’s history – and therefore did not experience a vacuum in His heart. He wagged his bony finger at his worst enemies of his time – the religious head of the Jewish religion – saying, “Which of you can truthfully convict me of sin?” They were mum (Jn 8:46 NLT)! He is the Living Water we must drink (believe in) in order to never thirst again (or experience the empty feeling in our soul).

Salman Khan-Like muscular soldiers

As a sinner, I should have lived a life of dissatisfaction on the earth, then died and gone to burn in never-ending hell. But sinless Jesus took my place when he was executed as a crass criminal at a hill in Israel, two thousand years back. He took your place too. He shed his blood so that our sins – each of our sins – may be forgiven and the emptiness in our souls may be gone (Jn 3:16/ Rom 5:8). A moving poem dedicated to the Indian soldiers who lost their lives for the country at Kargil, goes this way: He loves Ol’ Hindi songs just like you/He hates injections, just like you/ He cried each time Amitabh died, just like you/He has been in love, once or twice, just like you/ He’ll bleed if you cut him, just like you….He’s gone to die for a stranger and that stranger is you! (Bangalore Times, June 29, 1999, page 2). That’s what Jesus did for us. He died a cruel death for each one of us when we were still sinners and far away from him enjoying the pleasures of sin. Jesus shed every drop of his sinless blood, got beaten so badly that his back looked like a plowed field by Salman Khan-like muscular Roman soldiers, to become the sin-bearer for every person who has ever lived, is living, and will live on this world. He loves us so very madly. Because he is God who is beyond the dimension of time - he could die for all humans of all times. Because he is human he could be your substitute and mine.

Ronaldo Vs Jesus

It’s the World Cup Football Final. The year – 1994. Brazil makes a substitution. The watch says it is just 8 minutes to the finish. In walks a teenager. His name? Ronaldo! In those 8 minutes he dazzled the world. It was a great substitution. I will tell you of the greatest substitution of all time. It happened six hours one Friday. It happened when Jesus took your sins and my sins upon himself on the cross. Because he was 100 percent human he could be every human’s substitute. Because he was 100% God (who by definition is infinite) he could die for all humans of all times – past, present and future. I am a sinner. I should die and go to hell. But Jesus said, “No! No! I will die instead of Duke. I will endure the horrors of hell instead of Duke!” He did. He also did for you. He did for every one of us. “He (Jesus) was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace!” That’s what the Bible tells us (Isa 53:5).

Bradman Vs Jesus

He came back to life – a feat that proves he is God and he is alone and above everyone in the long-line of self-proclaimed gods. When cricket’s legend Don Bradman died, The Sportstar paid tribute to him this way: “In an era when 50-plus is still a true yard-stick of greatness for batsmen, Bradman’s average of 99.94 must give us an idea where the Don stands – alone and apart from every cricketer” (Quoted from The Sportstar). That’s only an imperfect picture of how infinitely Jesus stands in comparison to all others who claimed to be gods – alone and apart! Jesus claimed to be the only way to fill-in the vacuum in your heart and the only way to God.

Come now to Jesus!

His offer to you today is straight: “Are you tired? Worn out? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover with me!” (Math 9:37,38 The Message). This isn’t a call to join a religion. No religion can plug that vacuum in your soul. Not Christianity! Not any other religion! Only Christ can. He also said, “Whoever comes to me I will never drive away” (Jn 6:37 NIV). The Multi National Companies may drive you away, but my Master won’t. Your boyfriend may drive you away, but my Jesus will not.

Ask Lady Diana if you could!

The only cure for ache in your heart is to leave your life of sin and believe in Jesus. First, you must decide to leave your sin. The Bible calls this as “repentance”. Jesus preached to those who narrowly escaped death when a tower in the country he preached in – Israel – crashed down: “Unless you repent you too will all perish!” (Luke 13:5 NIV). His message is the same to those of us who are still alive and kicking after mishaps such as the crash of the 115-storey tall World Trade Centre in New York on September 11, 2001: “Repent! Turn from your sin!” Who knows when our next brush with death will be?! Life is short. Ask Lady Diana if you could! It is never too early to come to Christ. But at any moment it can be too late! The best and the most sensible time to surrender your life to Jesus is “now” (II Cor 6:4)! Over 300 times the Bible declares in various ways that Jesus will return to planet Earth. He would do that to judge the world, we are told. He will do that in a sudden and unexpected way, as a thief in the night would break into a house! And to think the Bible – God’s Word in human words – has never ever gone wrong in over 600 historical events it has predicted (Source: Encylopedia of Biblical Prophecy by J. Barton Payne, Hodder and Stoughton, 1973)! To ignore the words of the Bible would be like shooting yourself on the foot!

Hrithik’s song…

You have to make a choice about Jesus. He claimed to be the only way to fill the vacuum of your heart when he said he came to this world to make our lives “full” (Jn 10:10). Take him at his word. Believe him. You can call Jesus the biggest liar who ever lived. Or you can call him a nut-loose. Or you can call him the only Saviour of your soul and invite him into your heart and life. But you have no way of getting around his claims to say, “Jesus was one of the good men who lived in the earth.” In fact if you call Jesus as one of the many good men or god men of this world you are in-effect calling him a liar. He did not give you that option in the first place. So he is a liar, lunatic or Lord (as C. S. Lewis put it). He can’t be a liar. He was sinless. Even his worst enemies could not find a single fault in him. He couldn’t be a madman. He did not giggle in glee when he was hammered on the Cross. He felt pain and cried out in agony. That leaves us with just one option: he is the only Way to Heaven; the only Way to fulfillment and purpose in life. He categorically stated, “For unless you believe that I am who I say I am, you will die (which ultimately means to be cast in the lake of burning sulfur to be tormented forever) in your sins!” Don’t say, “I will wait till I understand everything about Jesus and then only come to him!” We perhaps would sing with Hrithik Roshan, Kyon hotta hai pyaar? Naa thum jaano...naa hum (meaning Why do people fall in love? Neither of us knows!) (Words of this song were penned by Ibrahim Ashq and lyrics quoted from www.ukindia.com/zip2 on 12 March 2007). Likewise, it is very important that you come to Christ, with a simple faith – even if we may never fully understand all about him – that he died and rose to take away the blankness in your bosom, right now without any delay!

By praying this prayer with all your heart you can invite Jesus into your heart and life and see the vacuum in your heart go:

Dear Jesus, I am a sinner. The vacuum in my heart is because I have sinned against you. Please forgive me. I repent of my sin. Thank you for dying for me on that hill and rising up again. Cleanse me with your blood, which you shed for me! I promise to live for you – with you helping me out. So be it!”

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Duke, the author of this piece works for an international bank, and loves to write. Email him at emailduke@gmail.com.