Finding Purpose & Meaning In Life [should I say it is found when I experience 'whatever my eyes desired' (see this website's name) to borrow the lines from a Bible-author (Ecclesiastes 2:10)? Read this blog to discover the answer].

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  • Two Men With Sore Back

    –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…..

    – 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…

    -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

    –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…

    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?”
    Powered by outstanding batting by the Akmal brothers, Pakistan said, “We will. Hee! Hee!”
    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

    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

    – 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!"

    — 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?

    –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 http://www.duke.mypodcast.com. The message is titled, What the Bible Teaches About Sex.

  • TWENTY ONE REQUIRED OFF THE LAST OVER….

    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!