FRANCE’S SUBLIMATION OF INDIVIDUAL BRILLIANCE FOR A GREATER CAUSE & THE ULTIMATE ACT OF SACRIFICIAL SUBLIMATION EVER

 - Duke Jeyaraj

“I have never seen or lived through such a World Cup,” said Coach Didier Deschamps of France!

So would have said the 1 billion people who watched the Final as if they were in a trance!

Six goals were scored in the regulation time and the 78,011 Luzhniki Stadium Crowd did dance!

Following Mario Mandzukic’s headed own-goal, France did make a 1-0 advance,

Within 10 minutes the score became 1-1 thanks to Croatia’s Ivan Perisic’s bullet shot brilliance!

Ivan Perisic was deemed to have to done a ‘handball’ in the box as he tried a ball clearance!

Griezmann slotted in the penalty given via Video Review with his demeanor as cool as ice!

Pogba and Mbappe scored off lip-smacking long-range shots that lifted France to the skies!

When Mandzukic scored – helped by a careless goalie dribbling - poaching on a half-chance,

4-2 it was and this plunging the punching-above-their-weight Croatia into despondence,

Small Croatia, with a population of over 4 million, did win something better than bronze!

Their President Kolinda Kitarovic, Player of the Tournament, Moderic, held in tight embrace! 

France'stop-talents ‘were willing to sublimate their individual games to a collective mission’ – those were, about this Final, Andrew Das’ lines of magnificence!

Lines which reminded me of Jesus who was willing to do the ‘ultimate sublimation’, leaving the glory of heaven and become Flesh, for the grander-goal of our sin-deliverance!

Jesus’ death on the shameful Cross opened the door for peace, joy and forgiveness-assurance!

The French players did not delay in depositing champagne on their coach, Didier Deschamps’ head and you don’t have to delay putting your faith in this unique Jesus and insin-repentance!

THE BLUE WHALE & THE ONLY CURE FOR THE LIFE THAT HAS GONE STALE

- Duke Jeyaraj shares the ultimate Goodnews surprisingly starting from the Sadness-Causing, Suicide-Encouraging, Sickening Online Game

Blue Whale. We are not talking the big fish in the sea. The “Blue Whale,” referred to in this piece, is an online game that ultimately dares its players to act out a death-wish – their own! This smartphone game pushes the users of this game to carve an outline of a Blue Whale on their skin and eventually drives them into suicide. That’s one reason this game got the name “whale” – a fish with suicidal-tendencies that is known at times to deliberately swim towards beaches only to die. If a player refuses to obey the “dare” for a dangerous task, threats such as, “We will have your parents killed…” rapidly follows. Yes people – including children and teens – World-over are either talking about the Blue Whale challenge or playing it.

The Blue Whale is ultimately indicative of a “true tale” – certain truths about Life – life about living with capital L. Only a person deeply disillusioned with life would take the lead from games such as this and eventually decide to end it. But the Bible, God’s Word in human words, presents Satan as the one who comes to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:9). It is quite possible that Satan uses online games such as the Blue Whale, get unsuspecting folks to fall-in-line with his sinister plan of destruction. In the Bible, we read of a demon-influenced man ‘cutting himself with stones’ – attempting suicide (Mark 5:5). Satan does not just sow inside of us thoughts of suicide. The Bible teaches that His primary goal is to lead us towards fleeting-pleasure offering sin – something that separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2) and robs us of all lasting joy. “Joy” leaving our lives, when “Sin” enters is not just a fact found in the Bible (Lamentations 5:15; Psalm 51:12) but an experience we all relate to in our day-to-day lives. The shot-put ball of guilt in the heart after a sin - be it an affair with a colleague in the work-place or hours of porn-surfing when your spouse is asleep - stands testimony to that.

No, we do not read of anyone in the Bible narrative playing the Blue Whale game. But we do read of some folk who ended up committing suicide. The circumstances in which they committed suicide gives us key-perspectives about why people think of taking their own life. Abimelech (See Judges 9:54 in the Bible) did not want to be killed by a woman, and so he asked a young man to kill him instead. We see here that PRIDE (the first ever sin of the universe, according to the Bible) cannot give us purpose and meaning in life. But tragically, it can even be instrumental in the finishing of our life.

Let's move on Suicide No. 2 recorded in the Bible. King Saul feared torture by enemy forces as a prisoner of war and he decided to fall onto his sword while on a battle field to finish-off his life (See I Samuel 31:4). In his case, PANIC (the result of sin according to the Bible - See Genesis 3:10), robbed him of his desire to live and he sadly chose to put a fullstop to his own life.

Now moving on the suicide story number 3 in the biblical records. Ahithophel, a professional Counselor to the king, upon discovering that his advice was not followed, decided to hang till he stopped breathing (2 Samuel 17:23). He chose to hang, instead of a life of having to hang his head in shame. However awesome a PROFESSION is, it cannot that person meaning, purpose, lasting joy in life. This I figure-out from this story.

The next suicide event in the Bible relates to a once-servant-of-the-king turned throne-usurper Zimri. His reign was short-lived as Omni, the commander of the army gathered around the place he stayed. Instead of owning up his sin of usurping the throne, Zimri, set fire to the house of the King, where was put up and died as the flames enveloped him (I Kings 16:8-18). He committed suicide unwilling to face the ramifications, the BY-PRODUCT of his sin. Even today, people commit suicide being afraid of the consequences of their sin. Here's the goodnews: your sin may be unprintable, it can be still forgiven (see Isaiah 1:18 in the Bible). There may be an earthly punishment for it. But Christ is able to give a place in heaven to worst of sinners, if only they would repent and turn to Him, in faith.

Let's get into the last story of suicide found in the Bible - the story of the Jesus-betrayer, Judas. The hole in his heart became bigger after receiving a PAY for leading an arresting party to the place the only the God-in-flesh, Jesus, often met with his disciples. This suicide story tells me that money cannot bring ultimate purpose and meaning to life.

This leads me to a well-known statement that Jesus made that is found recorded in the Bible: “I have come to give Life – Life to the full”(in John 10:10). This implies, apart from the “alone and apart from everyone” Jesus (Jesus said he was the ONLY WAY in John 14:6 of the Bible) no one can find that paramount peace, that supreme serenity, that maximum meaning, that Himalayan happiness.

Apostle Paul, a Jesus-follower, wrote about the “purpose in each step” (I Corinthians 9:26, NLT, The Bible) that Jesus gave him, when he followed Jesus through the smooth and stormy phases of his life.

One of Jesus’ names in the Bible is this: “Author of Life” (Acts 3:15). He is also the maker of life – this the Bible teaches (John 1:3). Human Life was made “for” Jesus Christ, the Bible notes (Colossians 1:16-17). When we wade though “the book of life’s journey” living “for” Jesus, life will become meaningful and purposeful!

The same Jesus who said, “I have come to give you life,” also mentioned that he came to die as a ransom for the sins of the World. This, the Bible records (Mark 10:45). This was the price he he had to pay to give us a meaningful life – through his cruel death on the Cross. When Jesus shed his precious, sinless blood for us, he opened the door for each one of us to escape from living an “empty” life on this earth, the Bible declares (I Peter 1:18).

Jesus rose from the Dead. Jesus promised to return again to judge the World. Those who firmly and finally reject Jesus, the name of the only person who qualifies to save humankind by the virtue of his absolute sinlessness, will live a life of “living” hell here and now and go to a “literal” hell.This the Bible, a book which has never gone wrong when it comes to predictions, predicts.

As I end this essay, let me narrate a Bible Story that involved a big fish - a whale perhaps. A disobedient prophet named Jonah ended up in the stomach of a fish. It seemed all over for him as the digestive juices of that fish started working on him. But that's when he cried out to God from the belly of that "whale". God heard his wailing from inside of a "whale". He was rescued miraculously. The "whale" obeyed the "spit-him- out" order of God. Then the Word of God came to Jonah the second time, the Bible records (Jonah 3:1)!

The God of the Bible wants to give you a second opportunity! Have you been fooled into thinking by the Blue Whale Challenge or any other life challenge (a heart-breaking divorce around the corner/a dreaded disease that is taking its toll/etc) that "all is over and there is no hope whatsoever - therefore the only way ahead is to commit suicide"? Don't buy that black lie from the Devil. When the Devil speaks, he speaks his native language which is telling lies, the Bible declares (John 8:44). God wants to give you a second chance, like he gave Prophet Jonah. Would you turn to him in repentant prayer? Would you not turn to Christ, God-incarnate, who died and rose again for your sake, right now?

What should we do now, exactly? Would you pray this prayer with faith? 'Dear Father in Heaven, I come to you in Jesus name. I turn from sin (Luke 13:1-5, The Bible). I come to Jesus in faith (Matthew 11:28 & John 1:12, The Bible). I am coming now (2 Corinthians 6:2, The Bible). Please forgive me. Please cleanse me. From this day on, I will live for you, with your Spirit enabling me. I love you Jesus. In your name I pray."

(To know more about Jesus download a Bible app onto your Smart Phone and read it/play it. Suggested App: ESV Bible. Order a copy of the Bible from Amazon. Try the Voice Version of the Bible - it is easy to understand. You can walk into a Bible-Believing church so that you would receive continual encouragement to follow Christ. If you choose to contact the author of this article, use this email id – emailduke@gmail.com. To know more about the author's reader-supported ministry log onto www.dukev.org)

PHOTOSHOPPED SEVERED DHONI NECK & THE DEVIL WHO IS AFTER OUR NECKS IN ACTUALITY

- A Duke Jeyaraj poem on the India-Bangladesh Asia Cup Final 2016 on 6 March 2016 With A Message At The End

The enthusiasm the Bangladesh Cricket Fans show for the game can’t be ever matched,

But that photo-shopped picture of Taskin carrying a severed-at-neck Dhoni’s head was far-fetched,

India needed a tricky 22 runs off 14, when promoting himself into the middle, Dhoni marched,

Al-Amin Hossain’s in-the-slot-to-be-hit, for a monstrous 104 meter six, he fiercely launched,

That’s when Bangladesh fans hopes of seeing their team’s first ever major tourney win, staunched!

After his 20 runs off 6 balls, Dhoni walked back into the Indian dugout seemingly untouched!

A gloom descended upon the Sher-e-Bangla stadium and the fans went home gut-wrenched!

Can I tell you that when the Devil was REALLY after our necks, our Heavenly Father could have just watched?

Spurning his wow love, each one of us, chose to follow the Devil being so sinfully wretched!

That’s why He sent Jesus to save us and for our sake, and he hung on the Cross, blood-drenched!

When you come to him in repentance, he will give a joy that be can’t be yours even you are zorched!

Do not refuse Jesus’ Calvary love and turn against the Only Way of Salvation, with your fist-clenched!

(Dr. Duke Jeyaraj is the founder of Grabbing the Google Generation from Gehenna Mission, a ministry to presentday people that is supported by those who are blessed by Duke’s messages and writings. Find out more by visiting www.dukev.organd liking www.facebook.com/googleduke).

A MOHAMMED ALI QUOTE I COULD AGREE WITH & A MOHAMMED ALI QUOTE I COULDN’T QUITE AGREE WITH!

- Duke Jeyaraj
Boxer Mohammed Ali once said, “I hated every minute of training. But I said, “Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a Champion.” I agree with Mohammed Ali’s eloquent message here: tenacious training takes you to the top!

“Rivers, ponds, lakes and streams — they all have different names, but they all contain water. Just as religions do — they all contain truths.” That’s what champion Boxer, Mohammed Ali, who passed away on 3 June 2016, said in a live TV Program post the 9/11 Terror attacks. In other words, using his silver tongue, Mohammed Ali, effectively said that Jesus was just one of the many ways to heaven. Really?

Likewise, many folks prefer to give Jesus neither a negative name nor a positive name. They prefer to give him neutral names. They call him just a nice dude, a good man, a good teacher - like the many blokes we already have around.

Mary Magdalene saw the risen-again Jesus and mistook Him for 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 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).
Jesus, if you carefully read the Bible, did not give you the option of calling him merely as a good man. He is, as CS Lewis put it, "Liar, Lunatic or Lord!" He is (as I put it): "Deceiver, Dumbo or The Divine!" The choice is yours. If you call Jesus by a nice neutral sounding name, you are still calling him by a negative name because you are diplomatically negating his claims to be unique (John 14:6 - "I am the way, the truth and the Life!").

Jesus could not be a Deceiver. Even his worst enemies could not find a single sin in him. He was not a lunatic or a Dumbo. He acted normally. He screamed in pain as he was hammered to the Cross. He felt bad when one of close pals betrayed him. Jesus wasn't mad. He wasn't bad. He was God. The Only One. So, that leaves us with only one option: Jesus is what he claimed to be: the only way to Heaven, the only incarnate God in Flesh, the only Savior of the whole World!

What should you do right now if it was true that Jesus is really unique (as this article has pointed out)? Basically, two things. Let me elaborate: 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)!" (Luke 13:1-5). Second, you need to BELIEVE. You need to 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 (John 1:12). 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 you as my only Savior. Wash me with your 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 about the Lord Jesus, through your life and lips.

(Duke Jeyaraj is the founder of Grabbing the Google Generation from Gehenna Mission, a ministry to presentday people supported by Indians blessed by his messages and articles. Find out more atwww.dukev.org or by liking www.facebook.com/googleduke).

SINCERE BELIEF IN JUST ANYTHING AND PUTTING ONE'S FAITH ON JUST ANYONE IS NOT NICE - ASK THE FOLKS AT NICE, A FRENCH CITY HIT BY TERROR

- Duke Jeyaraj

#Nice Terror Truck Driver told cops he was carrying ice-cream in his truck (see this pic from The New Indian Express, July 16, 2016). And the cops kind of believed him. This was the result: he actually had stuff in his truck that made people scream - two Kalashnikovs, bullets and a grenade. 80plus, including 10kids we killed shortly after the police sincerely believed his lie. Sincere belief in any person or philosophy, without the necessary truth verification, can be dangerous. We need to strive, search and find the truth and believe in the truth. Jesus claimed to be 'the truth' and gave proofs for it - his sinless life and accurate prophecy-fulfilment - are two just of the multiple proofs he gave for his stunning claims (to be the only way to Heaven, to lasting happiness, etc). Instead of sincerely believing what is wrong and ending up in untold danger, let us believe in Jesus who died for each one on the Cross to offer forgiveness from sin, inner-lasting peace.

(Find out more about the author of this article Duke Jeyaraj and the ministry he founded called G4 Mission at www.dukev.org)

SCHOOL-BAGS, SINCERITY AND 26/11 MUMBAI ATTACKS

- Dr. Duke Jeyaraj

Bharat Tamore. Bharat Tamore who? Bharat Tamore, a steward at the Taj Hotel, Mumbai who lived in the sea-facing village at Bhadwar Park, Cuffe Parade, Mumbai. At 9:30 pm on 26 November 2008 he saw 10 young men who were unloading massive school bags and huge carry bags at the shore from a yellow speedboat. When he questioned them they said they were students (Story from "People Special Edition" Mag, Dec 2008, page 23). And Tamore believed what they said with sincerity of heart. But they those guys were not students. They were the TERRORISTS who just coolly walked in different directions of Mumbai, shooting people on the streets, the Main Railway Station, a Hospital and a couple of Five Star Hotels with impunity and gay abandon. Sincerely believing in what is not true can prove to be very dangerous, as we can understand from the above event. Instead of believing in the Truth, Jesus Christ, if we sincerely believed in our own wrong philosophy or religion, we would be greater danger - the greater danger of going to eternal, ever-burning hell. The Bible says, “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:16; 16:25). That means that way we sincerely believe to be true to save us can be wrong and that wrong belief can land in big trouble ultimately! Who is the true way then? Jesus Christ! He said, "I am the way, the truth and the life!" (John 14:6). The Apostles took Jesus at his word and preached that there was no other name to be saved (Acts 4:12).

(Duke Jeyaraj is the founder of Grabbing the Google Gen from Gehenna Mission, the G4 Mission, a ministry to present day people. Find out more at www.dukev.org or by liking www.facebook.com/googleduke).

A BOTTLE OF USED-FOR-EMBALMING-DEAD-BODIES FORMALDEHYDE AS A GIFT FOR A NEW BORN BABY? YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! DEAD BODIES OF JAYALALITHAA, LENIN & THE GIFTS THE BETHLEHEM BABY JESUS GOT!!!

-Dr. Duke Jeyaraj

There are several controversies that surrounded the death of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa. Suman Priya Mendonca, writing for AsiaNet News website on 9 December 2016 talked about one such controversy: “Controversies around Jayalalithaa’s death refuse to subside. Four dots found on Jaya’s face strengthen the theory that her body was embalmed which means she died much before December 5, 2016. Embalming is a process that can prevent a dead body from decomposing for over 60 days.” Soviet Leader Valdimir Lenin died in January 1924. But his body is available for the public to behold even after 90 plus years. In April 2016, the Moscow Times, May 5 2016 issue announced via a Daria Litvinova article, “the Federal Guard Service – which looks after all grounds near the Kremlin, including the mausoleum Lenin is kept in – announced for the first time that the costs for the “medical and biological works to maintain Lenin’s body” would amount to 13 million roubles ($197,000) in 2016.” I figured out from Google that formaldehyde is used to embalm, preserve dead bodies!


Imagine someone giving a new born baby a bottle of formaldehyde! That would be grossly inappropriate! Who would want to give a gift that reminds everyone about death in the happy event of a new born baby?! In the case of the birth of Jesus Christ, something similar happened. One of the wise men from the East gave Jesus “myrrh” as a gift (Matt. 2:11). Myrrh was the formaldehyde of those days (in my opinion) and was “a traditional incense used at funerals during Biblical times” according to Bible Scholars. That particular wise man who chose the gift of Myrrh for the baby Jesus perhaps knew from the Old Testament he read that Jesus was born to die. The Son given who was called Prince of Peace (which Isaiah 9:6 talks about) also was going to be the lowly servant who would take on the “Punishment that brings us peace” (which Isaiah 53:5 talks about)! Yes, Jesus was born to die! Born to die for you and me! This Jesus would go onto live a sinless life – no one else ever did this – and become a sinless, perfect sacrifice for sinful you and me! He was eventually crucified on a cross. Without shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins, the Bible tells us (Heb. 9:22). And there is no blood, without a human body. And that’s why, Jesus basically and in-effect said, “Give me a body! I will get into it! I will get into a human body you have prepared for me, Father, so that I can offer it to shed blood to save humans! The Animal Sacrifices of the Old Testament can at best cover for sin temporarily! But I will bring about an arrangement to cleanse people from sin forever as long as they remain in a relationship with me!” This he in-effect said in a meeting in Heaven dated eternity past (Read Hebrews 10:5-6). Then Jesus entered the womb of virgin Mary during the First Christmas two thousand years ago. As Max Lucado wrote, “God was given eyebrows, elbows, two kidneys, and a spleen. He stretched against the walls and floated in the amniotic fluids of his mother.” Leonard Vander Zee wrote, “The incarnation of Christ means that God now has a belly-button – that mark which signalled that he was once inside the womb of a woman!” While Matthew and Luke needed two full chapters to tell the Christmas story, Apostle John summarized Christmas in just three words: “Word became Flesh” (John 1:14). And we know from John 1:1, the “Word” he was talking about was “God.” So Christmas is about “God becoming Flesh!” As the Hymn-writer put it: “The Word of the Father, now in Flesh appearing…oh come let us adore him!” The sinless living body of Jesus in the Cradle of Bethlehem stable and went all the way to the Cross of Calvary on Golgotha Hill to become that perfect sin-sacrifice. Jesus rose from the Dead. He will return again to Judge the world. Those who remain “in him” will not be condemned to eternal hell, but will live with him forever in eternal heaven (Romans 8:1; John 15; Rev. 21:7-8). This is what the Bible teaches. Would you turn from sin and put your faith in this Jesus? Then you have “peace” (Luke 2:14) and “great joy” (Luke 2:10) which the world cannot give and the Devil cannot take away!!


(Dr. Duke Jeyaraj is the founder of Grabbing the Google Gen from Gehenna Mission, a ministry to present day people that is reader/listener/viewer supported. Find out more at www.facebook.com/googleduke and at www.dukev.org).