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2 Minute Speech for School Children on Today Is a Special Day!

Respected teachers and my dear friends,

Isn’t it amazing to be alive today? Well, some of you might have started thinking, “What’s so special about today?” Good question.

But let me ask you, “Is it not because we take so many things for granted that we do not see today as special?” Right from the fact that we woke up this morning and the sun rose there are many things to be thankful for; isn’t it? That is why I started off saying it is amazing to be alive today.

Let me say it once again that today is a special day. Today is a very special day because it is God’s gift to us. That is why it is called the Present. Therefore a wise utilization of the present is what gives meaning to life as well.

Today is a special day because it gives you an opportunity to do things you had always loved to do. Today presents us with opportunity to do good. This day gives us a chance to love others and encourage the weak. For the Bible says, “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.”*

Today is a special day again because it allows you to dream; dreams that will ignite your capability to soar above all that pulls you down. Today is a very special day because it gives us a chance to act on our dreams and achieve our goals. That is why Martin Luther King said, “I have a dream today.” He said that because today’s dream is tomorrow’s reality.

Finally, today gives you an opportunity to make peace with God and men. For there are many who earnestly desire to do so but simply pass on into a bitter night with no return.So value today as very special and cherish the moments you get to meet and talk and spend time with people you hold dear to your heart.

So my dear friends, the sun rises and it sets. Perhaps yesterday saw you make some mistake and fail. Do not wallow in self-pity and doubt about your own ability. Rise from your bed of despair. And God’s light will shine on your paths. For you can never underestimate the awesome possibility of forgiveness and a new beginning God offers to you today.

Yes friends, it is amazing to be alive today. And because of compelling reasons mentioned earlier, today is a very special day! Yes, yesterday is gone, tomorrow might never come. So let us grab the present moment and live life to the fullest for today is a very special day.

Let me end with the words of Jesus Christ who said, “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.”* Therefore let us not postpone for tomorrow what can be done today.

Thank you.

——
*Proverbs 3:27, Matthew 6:34

“Today, if you hear his [God’s] voice, do not harden your hearts”

— Hebrews 3:15 Bible.

“This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it”

— Psalm 118:24 Bible

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Jesus Christ of Nazareth!

A burden becomes too heavy to carry at times. It is in those moments that we desire to have someone to carry our burdens.

But there are moments when all human help fails or falls short. And then we despair.

“No one seems to care. Each one is too busy,” we lament. It is easy to think like that when you are alone and lonely and there is no end to one’s troubles.

It is at those moments that you long for someone who has passed through such trouble to come and be with you. Perhaps speak an encouraging word. For only those who have experienced what you are going through can offer any help.

It is at this point that our burden-bearer stands at life’s darkest hours and crossroads. The man who “was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering!”*

Not only does he understand pain and grief, he knows what it is to weep. He knows what it is to carry the greatest burden of mankind–the burden of sin and its accompanying guilt and shame.

The Saviour–the Man Jesus Christ of Nazareth who lived in an earthly home and was a carpenter earning his daily bread. Yet he was moved with compassion and met the needs of people like no other man ever did!

He bled to death on a cross. But now he lives forever more to carry our burdens.

He can help. He is willing to. One cry for mercy from your heart, “O God help me!” is enough for his help to reach you.

He calls you his friend. More than that, he calls you, “My brother, my sister.”

He who carried the cross will willingly carry your burden as well. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”* That is his call and invitation.

Come. Won’t you?

———
My Valentine
* Isaiah 53:3, Matthew 11:28

“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Saviour, who daily bears our burdens” — Psalm 68:19

Because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” — Hebrews 13:5, 6.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” — 2 Corinthians 12:9.
[Quotes from Bible, New International Version]

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Speech on Laughter the Best Medicine

My dear friends,

The ability to laugh is God-given. It is best seen when children come together and play. What an amazing thing it is how they laugh and have fun. Those are moments when life is bubbling over with joy and sheer enthusiasm.

All Smiles, First Day @ School_June 1, 2016.
All Smiles, First Day @ School_June 1, 2016.

Yes, such laughter can have echoes of heaven in it too. As Corrie ten Boom pointed out, “I had always thought that the laughter of the little children in an empty cathedral was the most beautiful of all hymns of praise.” You cannot give laughter a nearer place to the heart of God than that, can you?

When you laugh, there are many good things that happen. It helps you connect with people. For laughter is contagious. People laughing together is an excellent way to build relationships. It helps friends and family bond with each other. It helps increase trust and intimacy as well.

Again laughter is an expression of joy in one’s heart. Sadly, anxiety and worry, depression and loneliness are ills of modern society that prevent people from laughing out loud. It is in this context that laughter is understood to be the best medicine.

For laughter can relieve stress and increase our health in many different ways. While the smile of babies and the elderly are incomparably beautiful, it is the hearty laughter that acts as a stress buster.

One area of life that has been often seen as off-limits for laughter is in one’s relationship with God. Though it is true that God is holy and no man or woman can stand in his presence based on his or her merits, goodness or achievements in life; it is also true that God wishes to impart gladness and joy to those who love him.

King David expressed his sincere hope that God will fill him with joy in his presence and eternal pleasures at his right hand.* Therefore it is clear that God gives joy and laughter to those who love him. It is indeed a sad thing to go through life and never laugh.

King Solomon many centuries expressed this truth in these words, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”* It is up to you to decide to step out of despair into a mode of thankfulness and praise. Laughter is absent from many lives, simply because people allow negative circumstances to crowd out their joy. So it is up to you again to see that your joy is not stolen from you.

Finally, let me ask you one question? What prevents you from laughing? Whatever be the reason you cannot afford not to laugh. Therefore take time to go out with friends and family. Do something together. Enjoy healthy fun and entertainment.

Let me conclude with a wish and prayer for you. May God send long-cherished blessings your way today. May he open unexpected doors of opportunity. May you find things close to your heart restored to you. Then you will be like “men who dreamed,” and your “mouths be filled with laughter and your tongues with songs of joy.”*

Thank you.
———-
*Psalm 16:11, Proverbs 17:22, Psalm 126:1, 2
Jesus, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame. — Hebrews 12:2 Bible

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My Favourite Nursery Rhyme

Dear Friends,

Is there any one among you who has never looked at the dark night sky? I hope there is none.

What made you look up? Certainly not the darkness. But the thousand points of light that twinkled and shined. Ins’t it?

Did it not make your heart leap to see those beautiful diamonds out there against the dark velvet black of the night sky? Yes, it did. As a young boy resting his head on his mother’s lap and gazing up at the night sky said, “Mummy, if the underside of heaven is so beautiful, I wonder what the real side would be like!”

But I am certain that it is not just beauty that attracts us to the stars. There is a sense of wonder, amazement, and mystery at these shining pearl drops in the sky. They make us look up. They make us think, “Who created all these?” We wonder at the wisdom of God the Creator and his power beyond imagination that makes the universe so densely punctuated with stars.

Above all, the twinkling stars whisper hope in our hearts. That is what the nursery rhyme, “Twinkle twinkle little star” speaks about. It talks about the bright and tiny spark lighting up the way for the traveller in the dark. In life’s journey as we encounter dark nights and uncertain days ahead, let us hold on to the hope held out by the stars. There is light to shine on our life’s journey.

It is because of this hope that “Twinkle twinkle little star” has always been my favourite nursery rhyme!

Thank you.
__________________________________________________________________
“To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.” — Isaiah 40:25. 26 Bible NIV

“He [God] heals the brokehearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name” — Psalm 147:3, 4 Bible NIV.

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Why Don’t You Fail?

If you have not failed, that means probably you succeeded in everything you did or you did not attempt to do anything at all.

The chances are that you never tried. Now why is that so? Most likely you were afraid to try because you feared to make mistakes. But then you already made the big mistake of not attempting.

What is the fear that keeps you from not trying. Isn’t it the fear of failure? Yes, it is!

What happens when you fail? The best thing that happens is that it shows you the stuff you are made of. Failures inspire you to do better next time, helps you learn from your mistakes and makes you desperate about winning. Failures can unmask your pretensions and show you your true character.

Failures also teach you humility. It teaches you that success is a process and not a destination. So there is no reality in classifying certain experiences of life as failures. What you probably call “failure” has done more to mould you into a person with strength of character than anything you achieved and termed as “success.”

So if you ask me, I prefer you to go and risk failure in something that you know to be good. The world may laugh at you. Let it do so.

But you go multiply your attempts. And when the nets come in empty after a long night’s hard work I hope and pray you will hear the voice of God saying, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch!”*

_______________________
*Jesus Christ (Luke 5:4 Bible)

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Run! Life Is a Race!

Image Courtesy: http://www.freeheartday.com/eric-liddell-the-olympian-who-ran-for-god/
Image Courtesy: http://www.freeheartday.com/eric-liddell-the-olympian-who-ran-for-god/

If life is a race, you have to run. Staying still is not progress. It does not matter if others get distracted and do not focus on the race. You need to keep on running forward.

If life is a race, the destination is ahead. You cannot run if you keep looking back. An occasional backward glance can help you know how much distance you covered. But look ahead and run. Forget the Past

If life is a race, you have to run with patience as well as perseverance. Train yourself early to endure hardships. Then you can discipline yourself to run the long distance of life.

If life is a race, you should know the goal towards which you run. Otherwise it is a meaningless run. Run so as to win the prize.

If life is a race, at some point joy comes from helping others to run and succeed in life as well. Even though you run to win, many of your friends need your encouragement.

If life is a race, and you did not know it, there is still time even though time is short. The one who starts late still has a chance to be rewarded. So it doesn’t matter you were slow to start. Success comes even to those who start late.

If life is a race, make sure that you finish. Do not yield to despair or be discouraged. Be strong. Know that God will act for those who trust in him. He will bring to completion what he has begun to do in your life. There is glory awaiting you beyond the finishing tape!

The Meaning of Life!
________________________________

“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us”

— Hebrews 12:1z Bible.

“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” — St. Paul

(Philippians 3:13, 14 Bible NIV).

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Compere Script for the Song Would You Be Free from the Burden of Sin!

The Book of Revelation says,

“they overcame him* by the blood of the Lamb.”

The precious blood of Jesus which he shed on the cross of Calvary for the sins of all mankind has tremendous power.

First of all, it is the innocent blood of the Son of God.

Secondly, this blood is the result of the perfect obedience of the Son and his submission to his Father’s will. And it is by this blood that God has opened a new way for us to approach his throne of grace with boldness and confidence.

Thirdly, there is cleansing and pardon for all our sins in this precious blood. Let us allow this cleansing fountain to flow over us; and in and through us, and allow God to purify us and cleanse us from all our sins.

Let us remember the slain Lamb of God and drink deeply of this blood. God draws near to us like no other time when we plead the blood of Jesus in our prayers.

Finally, the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and his precious blood shed there is the final answer to our pride. The blood of Jesus tells us that man cannot earn his salvation through any other means. Our salvation is not based on our merit but it comes by God’s grace alone.

Yes, the blood of Jesus reminds us that we need a Saviour. It also tells us that the redemption of man is costly.

May the blood of Jesus cleanse, purify, sanctify and make your heart as white as snow as you listen to this song that celebrates the power of the blood of the Lamb of God.

May you find reconciliation with God and forgiveness for all your sins as you make this song your prayer to the God of mercy, compassion and great tenderness.

_____________________________
This script was used to introduce the song,

“Would you be free from the burden of sin?
There’s pow’r in the blood, pow’r in the blood.”

during the Easter Concert by Melody Singers at the Christ Church Centenary Hall,
Thiruvananthapuram, on 10 April 2016.

Click here for full lyrics of the song.

*him in the quoted verse from Revelation 12:11 in the Bible refers to the devil.

Every Drop of Blood