bejoy.peter – Page 9 – Bejoy Peter's Public Speaking ®

December 29, 2020July 20, 2022

Luck, Chance, or the Hand of God?

Do not call luck or chance when God acts on your behalf. For there is that guiding hand of God moving people to help you in your difficult times.

It is easy to dismiss God’s providence as chance. It is like saying that the earth began with a big bang.

See, God acting on your behalf is not advertised. He doesn’t blow a trumpet to announce that he is making things work for you. Often what God does, happens behind the scenes. You need to believe that even when nothing seems to happen your prayers have been heard and your tears have been seen and preserved.

Then again, you need to anticipate and be ready for what God is going to do in your life. As it is popularly said you need to carry an umbrella when you pray for rain. It is unwise to remain idle when the Bible points out the wisdom of the ant which stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.

Beyond being active with what your hands can do at the moment, you need to believe that God can do immeasurably more than all that you can ask or imagine. To have it happen that way you need to have patience to wait for God’s time. And you need to have the humility to ask God to do what is best in his eyes for you.

Finally, a thankful heart is what you need to recognize the hand of God in your life. At the end of life’s journey when you look back you might recognize that several people who crossed your way at the right time were God-sent.

And today do not be ashamed to testify before others that it was God who performed wonders and miracles for you. And those wonders and miracles don’t happen by chance. If you look at an embroidered piece of cloth you will not make any sense of what is being done if you watch the process from the underside; will you?

But you will know that it is a wise hand is working out the design. Blessed are you if you have learnt to recognize that hand in your life as the hand of God threading the various colours to a work of splendid art!

—

What Better Hope in Life Do You Have Than This?

“He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”— Matthew 5:45b Bible NIV

Speech on My Life Is like a Boat on the Seas

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”— Romans 8:28 Bible NASB

Link to post Short speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks! — Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!

December 29, 2020October 23, 2023

Come On, Play It Big!

Come on, play it big!

If you’re talented, don’t hide behind the baggage. Stand tall.

Didn’t you know that you’re chosen? Then why is that you’re trembling with fear?

You might not be from a big family. You might not have great wealth. But that is not what matters!

Come on, play it big!

It is not the size of the armies against you that matters either! Not even the mountainous obstacles and the gloomy shadows that they cast on your path.

Of course you’ll have to shoulder the burden, face the murmurings against you, and fight discouragement day in and day out.

But nothing can change God’s call on your life. So take courage. Move forward. For there is nothing like God is with you!

Come on, play it big!

When God has called you to be the city on a hill, don’t sit on a molehill and pity your insignificance.

Do not dare to tell God your petty excuses. For he knew you before you were born and has called you by name.

He didn’t ask for your resume not did he conduct an interview. He just called you. When he calls he also enables. When he enables he stays with you until the end.

Hear his call today; and don’t dare to say “No.” Nothing else matters only if you obey his call even now as he is giving you a second chance!

Come on, play it big!

What Better Hope in Life Do You Have Than This?

—

“For God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.”

— Romans 11:29 Bible NIV (1984)

December 28, 2020August 1, 2022

You Can Find Success God’s Way

If you ask people what brings success, you will hear a lot of answers like hard work, perseverance, luck, ambition, and a host of other factors. But King Solomon had something higher to add: “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”¹ This is how you can find success God’s way.

First of all, he asked us to commit to the LORD. It calls for trust. It implies that you give something over to someone for keeping it safe, watching over it, and seeing that it is well taken care of. When you entrust something like that to the LORD you stop worrying about it because it is in safe hands; don’t you? That is step number one to find success God’s way.

Secondly, whatever you do should be committed. If God is just asked to put a signature at the end of your plans you are sadly mistaken. For when you commit something to God, it also means that you ask God first for his wisdom and his will in that regard. And when your plans move accordingly, he will be able to bless. That is step number two to find success God’s way.

Thirdly, God counts success very differently. You can be a failure in the eyes of the world but be a success in God’s eyes. When the world counts money, power, fame, influence, possessions and even a YouTube video going viral as success; God measures success against your faithful stewardship of resources entrusted to you. Seeing success as God sees it is step number three to find success God’s way.

To conclude, God loves to see you succeed. In God’s terminology that reads, God loves to see you bear fruit. Well, a branch of a grapevine doesn’t wriggle and struggle and move here and there to produce fruit; does it? It simply remains in the vine; isn’t it?

And remaining in the vine can be understood as a personal and growing relationship with God. And like a true vinedresser God might prune you²—that is, he might discipline you-–so that you may bear more fruit.

God takes his own time with the process. He is patient. He reduces you to less so that you’ll bear more. He cuts you down so that your trust will be in him alone. All that he does with you is not without purpose; but with the aim of making you succeed. Therefore, rise up from your bed of despair! You can have hope that you’ll certainly find success God’s way!

Try Again and Again Until You Succeed

What Better Hope in Life Do You Have Than This?

—
¹Proverbs 16:3 Bible NIV 1984
¹John 15:2

December 26, 2020July 20, 2022

The Promise of the Comforter

Jesus in his farewell address to his disciples promised them the gift of another comforter or helper like him to be in them and with them.

Imagine that night. In a few hours from the time he spoke, he would be betrayed with a kiss and arrested. All of his best friends would be scattered. One of his best men would deny knowing him. Suddenly the lives of his closest friends were going to be disrupted.

Then would come his hour of bleeding to death on the cross. His flock of sheep would lose their shepherd.

But there was this promise—the gift from the Father in heaven. The Comforter: A guide to show you the way forward, a counsellor to give you wisdom, a helper to give your inaudible sighs and groans a voice that will surely be heard by God, and when you fail and falter and fall down an advocate to plead your case with God. He truly is Someone called to come alongside to help when you are in need of him.

Awesome friend to be with you always is he! He makes Jesus real to you and makes the words of the Bible come alive and speak to you.

You’ll never be left alone. God will never be far away; but in you. You can always know his presence because this Comforter—the Holy Spirit—is with you.

Gentle like a dove, mighty like a wind, and burning to death from your life all that is not pleasing to God; he always points you to Jesus. And he says, “Look to him!”

What a joy it is when he is within you. He is the one who helps you experience the great love of God for you, and he is the one who gifts you the peace that Jesus promised.

Yet again his is that gentle warning when you are about to do wrong; he sorrows and grieves when a child of God strays from what is right and sins!

Yet when you turn back to God he holds you close like a hen gathering her chick under her wings or like a mother comforting her child. He is in the business of blazing truth in your hearts. When he walks with you, you cannot keep company with darkness but you can only walk in the light!

The Comforter—God within us! Gently wooing you to fall in love with God. Aren’t you feeling that nudge in your heart?

Oh, what a joy it is when the comforter has come; when the comforter has come!

December 25, 2020November 10, 2024

And He Will Be Called

Jesus

Listen to YouTube Shorts
He came to save people from their sins. No other person has ever addressed this basic need of men and women. And if you ask what sin is; it is anything that separates you from God. It can be your possessive love for anyone or anything; it can be rebellion in your heart against God; it can be pride or even attitudes and habits that are wrong. The name Jesus should remind you that you have a Saviour. He is always willing to save. There is absolutely no situation in your life where he cannot step in and no darkness in your life where his light cannot shine!

Immanuel

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Think about this. God became a single cell invisible to the human eye in the womb of the virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit and was born a child. God with us. Artificial intelligence, Nanotechnology, nuclear fission and fusion, supercomputers, interplanetary space missions and whatever marvellous else you can think of does not compare with God becoming a child. Immanuel. It means God with us. Jesus came as someone who could be seen and touched and one who mingled with the common people and the untouchables of society. He is with you today as a loving brother and faithful friend. Immanuel.

Wonderful Counsellor

Listen to YouTube Shorts
Google maps can help you when you travel. PAPI lights can help planes land safely. But what about situations in life where it seems a thick fog has come down on you? And you are unable to decide what to speak, whether to answer yes or no, and not sure about how your present action is going to impact your future? What about situations in life where you have messed up already? Don’t you think you need Jesus who has absolute knowledge of your life, is compassionate to you in your failures and doubts, and most willing to guide you continually? You might not hear angelic voices, neither see visions or dreams. Yet this Wonderful Counsellor will guide you. In spite of all the chaos you feel, the end of it will be peace; for in the abundance of his wisdom is safety.

Mighty God

Listen to YouTube Shorts
Calling Jesus a great teacher, a good man, a powerful prophet, a worker of miracles, or one who brings God’s blessings to people; all even when true fall short of who he is. When descriptions and adjectives don’t scale the heights of the majesty and holiness and supremacy and sovereignty of Jesus who is Mighty God above all; then you fail to know who he is. And when you come to know him for who he is; there is only one response that is possible—worship! And that is not possible unless you repent and turn away from all that is false and evil and turn to God in humility and tears.

Everlasting Father

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God, who is from eternity to eternity. He is, was, and will be. Jesus. He never can fail to be your strength and source of hope and comfort. Never will he leave you alone; never will he forsake you. When he steps in to your present moment, he will take the sting and bite and shame away from all that is past and take absolute charge over your future too. Death then becomes a curtain that is parted, and you will see him beyond life’s final farewell on earth. Eternal Father he is! Always there, always present, Jesus!

Prince of Peace

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Peace requires no definition as you know it when you don’t have it. But one thing is common to all: everyone is in search of peace. It is not to be found in pleasures nor is it to be found in living alone like a hermit in the forest. Peace with God can be found through the blood of Jesus shed on the cross. Have you found the peace that Jesus the Prince of Peace can give? It is not absence of trouble in life that he promises but his presence with you and his peace in the midst of life’s difficulties

Lamb of God

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Sinless One. Blameless. Innocent. Yet he was slain. He willingly laid down his life. His body was broken; and his precious blood was poured out for the forgiveness of your sins and mine. It was love for you that made him do that. Jesus, the Lamb of God. May this Name resound with the praises of his children time without end. May the corridors of heaven echo his praises for ever throughout all eternity! May his sacrifice be the subject of songs for ever and ever. Amen!
Read 7 Names of Jesus on LinkedIn

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The above Christmas Day 2020 Special Post is inspired by the following texts in the Bible:

“You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” — Matthew 1:21b

“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means “God with us.” — Matthew 1:23.

“And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” — Isaiah 9:6b

“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” — John 1:29b

JESUS—What Is in a Name?
Jesus–the Friend of Sinners!
1 Minute Speech on God’s Love
Jesus of Nazareth Our Burden-Bearer
Motivational Speech: The LORD Is My Shepherd
He Walks in When Everyone Else Has Rejected You and Walked Out on You!
But Why? Is the Question Christmas Answers!
Believe in the Message of the Foolishness of God!
What Better Hope in Life Do You Have Than This?
The Hope of Christmas
Christmas Is for Failures Like You and Me
1 Minute Speech for Children on The Gift of Christmas!
1 Minute Welcome Speech and Christmas Message (Kindergarten)
1 Minute Speech on God’s Mercy for You

December 23, 2020August 2, 2022

Nativity Scenes and Songs by Daniela B. Peter and Stefan B. Peter

Christmas is the story of God’s great love for all people. No one is excluded. Christmas is the true story of God becoming man and being one among us. He was born a child whom people could see and touch. He came to shed his blood on the cross and die for the sins of all. One who looks to Jesus in faith will have his sins forgiven, become a child of God, and also inherit eternal life. This is the great hope to all which the event of Christmas brought to this world.

These nativity scenes featuring Daniela B. Peter and Stefan B. Peter help us to reflect on how God brought it all come to pass.

Songs by Daniela and Stefan

One Way Jesus

Risen

Our God Is an Awesome God

God with Us

10000 Reasons (Bless the Lord O My Soul)

Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart

I’ve Got the Joy Joy Joy

Baby Jesus We Love You

Deep Deep Deep

God Said to Noah – The Arky Arky Song (Rise and Shine)

Every Move I Make

Father Abraham Had Many Sons

Oru Divasam Noor Addukkale (Malayalam Action Song)

Ha Ha Hallelujah

യഹോവ എൻ്റെ ഇടയനാകുന്നു—A Short Malayalam Sermon by Daniela B. Peter

യഹോവ എൻ്റെ ഇടയനാകുന്നു—A Short Malayalam Sermon by Stefan B. Peter

1 Minute Welcome Speech and Christmas Message (Kindergarten)

Short Speech on the Importance of Hiding God’s Word in Our Hearts
Poetry Recitation for School Competitions
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December 20, 2020July 20, 2022

But Why? Is the Question Christmas Answers!

God did not give up on man when he rebelled aginst him. Instead God sent his one and only Son Jesus to this world; born a baby in a manger in Bethlehem. It was love that came down from heaven that first Christmas night.

But why?

Why should God love like that?
Why did God let his Son suffer, bleed and die on the cross?
Did not God have a Plan B to save us all?

I might not understand the logic behind God becoming man and tasting death for us all. But love that did not hesitate to give up his life for me holds no mysteries.

And the only way I can rightly respond is with love. No one compels me to do so; not even God. The freedom to rebel against him and walk away from his love is still mine.

But then can I? One look at his face then bleeding with a head which was crowned with thorns; but now glorious like the sun shining in all its brilliance is all that is needed for me to bow down in worship saying, “My Lord and My God, I love you!”

The Bible declares:

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” — Isaiah 9:6

Again the Bible says,

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” — Romans 5:8

Nativity Scenes Come to Life as Children Act and Narrate

Bible quotes from NIV 1984.

December 18, 2020July 20, 2022

Online Exams for Young Children and Fashionable Cheating

Online classes have changed the way children learn. It has also given rise to the practice of fashionable cheating. It is considered smart; but is it?

Many parents without second thoughts help students, especially young children with answers. And children get good marks. Parents are proud and children are happy.

But what are the consequences of this?

First of all, truth no longer has any weightage in the mind of the child. He or she is shown by example that it is ok to cheat by his or her parents who are most likely their primary role models. In this situation, how can you expect a child to grow up without resorting to greater malpractices in future?

Sadly, honesty is the best policy will remain in this growing up generation, a proverb to be recited and not to be practised.

Students, 7 Steps to Overcome Your Fear of Exams!

Secondly, children will grow up thinking that getting full marks is quite easy if one is smart enough to invent ways to cheat. He or she will never be able to appreciate an objective evaluation whenever that happens. A child under the present fashionable cheating contexts grows up with no understanding of how to cope with mistakes, failures, criticism, rejection and unfavourable comparisons too.

Sad to say, a child grows up with a false estimate about one’s own intelligence and academic knowledge.

Thirdly, parents need to remember that children will grow up soon. They will learn to stand on their own feet. The Internet will become a gateway for them to a virtual world where one’s safety depends much on self-discipline. A child growing up learning fashionable cheating will soon master the craft of doing more tricks online that can bring real heartache for everyone concerned.

In all earnestness let me say that then it will be too late to correct.

Finally, what many parents are not aware of is that online video conferencing or online classes are tricky. Sometimes there can occur unexpected bugs. While they think that audio is mute, it actually might not be. When they help children write exams the instructions they give and the answers they whisper to their children are all heard by many. Many teachers might even be able to know which child is being helped. In this context, does fashionable cheating sound nice to you?

Let me conclude by saying that it is ok for parents to desire that their child get good marks and full marks whenever possible. But let that happen without sacrificing character and integrity, truth and honesty; for these are the essentials for a solid foundation for their child’s future. So dear parents, say No to fashionable cheating during online exams for the sake of your children.

What Better Hope in Life Do You Have Than This?

1 Minute Speech for Children on Respect

December 15, 2020December 12, 2023

When Your Future Looks Uncertain

When your future looks uncertain and no one seems to be in a situation to help you; look to this promise of God for strength and encouragement.

It has remained a favourite with me ever since an elderly priest gave a short sermon on this promise while visiting our home at a very difficult time during my college days years ago.

“So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.¹“

Since you have such a precious promise to hold on to, remind yourself that God has chosen you and not rejected you. You belong to him and no power in the entire universe can snatch you out of his Almighty hand.

Again, remind yourself to focus on God and not your problems. God is bigger than all your troubles. Listen to his affirmation that he is with you. What an assurance that is. He, like a loving Father, a faithful brother, a true friend stays by your side at all times. Therefore do not fear nor be dismayed.

Be assured that when your strength runs out, God will strengthen you. When all other help fails, God will help you. He will uphold you. It is only when you hold on to God there is a chance that you’ll let go of his hand. But when God is upholding you, there is no fear of him letting you slip and fall.

Yes my friend, even as doubts cloud your mind as to whether this promise is as true as it sounds, clutch on to it like a drowning man clutches the life jacket thrown at him.

When God makes a promise his word itself is its guarantee that he will make it good and prove it true. Just believe it, hold on to it, and put your entire weight on it. The promise stands with the ring of authority of God surrounding it. May you find the promise true in your life even as I have found it true in mine. Amen!

Read When Your Future Looks Uncertain on LinkedIn

What Better Hope in Life Do You Have Than This?

Red, Green, Yellow Is Not All When God Guides You!
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¹ — Isaiah 41:10 Bible NIV

December 12, 2020October 15, 2023

You Can Bounce Back from a Defeat Always

It is written in the Bible:

“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the LORD of hosts.¹

Hey, you can bounce back from a defeat always. Bouncing back from a defeat is not an option but a must for all who wish to succeed. You must always keep a burning desire within your heart to push forward, maybe inch by inch, and edge onward towards victory.

My dear friend, a defeat is not a dead end. It is not a showstopper. It doesn’t have a life of its own unless you inflate it like a balloon and make it big in your mind. A defeat might look like a giant having made a fortified city on the mountains, but look at it as a hurdle kept and preserved to make your conquest all the more glorious.

You should never stay comfortable in the valley of defeat. That is where dry bones lie. You should get up, leave behind your past, pray to the Spirit of God to come and breathe life to your vision and press on to victory. If there is some known cause in your life that is causing your defeat time and again, search it out, bring it out in the open, seek God’s help and get rid of it. Eliminate it.

It can be lethargy, complacency, laziness, worry or anxiety, or even a negative habit that is pulling you down. Your love for self-pity, airing victim stories of helplessness, and analysis paralysis of indecision; they all should be disarmed and discarded like a dirty piece of clothing if you have to bulldoze to victory.

Time does not wait for those who rehearse and play back a defeat in their minds. Look up and aim for the summit. When you focus sharply on that one aim and goal and ambition and passion, all lesser things will fade out. The Spirit of God will fill you with strength to rise up and soar on wings like eagles.

There is no reason why you should remain a loser and there is nothing to prevent you from bouncing back but your own doubts. Life can be lived in the valley of defeat or in the plain of daily routines or on the mountain tops. You might be lonely out there at the top and no one might be there to share your joy.

But you will not be alone because God is there where the skies kiss the mountain tops to bless you with his presence and give you the vision for your life forward.

Therefore decide to break out from self-imposed prisons of defeat. And with God’s help bounce back from that defeat you think you can’t break out from. When the Spirit of God moves like a mighty wind in your life; there is sure strength and resource needed for that leap forward.

What Better Hope in Life Do You Have Than This?

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¹Zechariah 4:6 Bible
“I am the LORD All-Powerful. So don’t depend on your own power or strength, but on my Spirit.” — Contemporary English Version.

“You will succeed, not by military might or by your own strength, but by my spirit.” — Good News Translation

December 6, 2020December 12, 2023

“I L❤️ve You!”

I love you!
These are the words that has made many buds bloom, made many birds chirp and flap their wings in delight, and has painted mesmerizing loveliness in soft pastels.

I love you!
These are the words that has brought a look of starry wonder, a twinkling delight, and tears of joy to one’s eyes. It has been music to many ears and resonated back a deep sense of thankfulness at being accepted, loved, and cherished.

I love you!
These are the words that had begun a lifetime of companionship, abiding friendship, and long walks through beaches holding hands until the glowing sunset brought in the dark.

I love you!
These are the words that a mother with her first kiss on her newborn’s brow softly proclaims, a father reaffirms when he stands with you in your troubles, and a brother, sister or friend reminds by his or her prayers for you.

I love you!
These are the words that give courage when you have to climb a rocky mountain, and walk through dark valleys in starless nights, or brave the onslaught of tidal waves coming in.

I love you!
These are the words that in spite of the promise made have been broken numerous times, shattered hopes, pushed people to the edge, tore apart families, and has left behind dry and barren deserts that sigh and groan like when thorns wrench the rib cage apart.

I love you!
These are the words which many thoughtlessly proclaim when life is young and is a splash of colours; when love is just like a pleasant breeze that is scented sweet by the fragrance of roses red.

I love you!
These are the words that bloodied the cross on the hill where your Saviour bled and died; love that did not keep anything back; love the breadth and length and height and depth of which we will never understand; a love that surpasses all the knowledge of love that we will ever know on earth.

I love you!
These are words that have made countless songs, melodies and symphonies, been the theme of many epic and panoramic movies, and have initiated jealousies and wars in the hearts of men and women.

I love you!
These are words that will continue to be spoken, continue to be cherished, continue to inspire, and continue to ignite, as long as hearts are wedded in love until the skies and the earth shall be no more.

Read When Someone Says I Love You on LinkedIn

What Better Hope in Life Do You Have Than This?

December 5, 2020July 20, 2022

Overcome Procrastination by Doing Things Today

If you procrastinate you are living on credit you can never pay back. For time is a limited resource and there is not anything that can replace time lost. Therefore overcome procrastination by doing things today.

The first thing to overcome the habit of procrastination is to start doing things immediately. Do not think too much about problems and difficulties. Get started.

If there are a set of things you are supposed to do, attempt the most difficult first. It might take a longer time to complete that than the rest. That is okay. But if you do the easy ones first you might have no energy or enthusiasm left to finish the big one at the end.

Again, most of us procrastinate because we think of just the tasks to be done. That creates a kind of laziness and lethargy in your mind. Instead connect it to a higher purpose and goal.

If you are a student, don’t just think about finishing your homework. Instead think about the dream career you want to pursue and think of the homework as a vital step to achieve your dream. That will energize you to overcome procrastination.

Breaking up big tasks into smaller ones that can be attempted at different intervals of time can ease up the mind a great deal. This will give you the much needed feel of “I can do it.” It will certainly help you overcome procrastination.

Reward yourself when you finish things without procrastination. The joy of reward will further motivate you to start doing things without postponing. Thus you can overcome the habit of procrastination.

What Better Hope in Life Do You Have Than This?

December 4, 2020November 11, 2022

Be Ready—the End of the World Is Near!

Be ready! You just need to look around titles of Hollywood movies¹ to know how much end times and the end of the world influence thinking of popular fiction.

The Bible declares that the present world is reserved for burning with fire and a time is coming when elements will melt in the intense heat. The possibility of a nuclear warfare can make this come true even as God’s Judgement Day will burn like a furnace.

Jesus also spoke about hell as a fiery furnace where there will be continual weeping and gnashing of teeth, torment, and consciousness that makes anyone there cry out desperately for a drop of water to cool the tongue because of the agony of the fire!

Well, the Day of Judgement is not popular. People will feel like laughing at those who proclaim it. But if Christmas is the remembrance of the birth of Jesus, then the Day of Judgment is about his second coming when he comes to judge the people of the world for all their wicked thoughts, words, and deeds.

When the love of God towards men and women is spurned, mocked, rejected, and rebelled against; nothing else remains but for the wrath of God² to fall on them. It’s a kind of invited disaster. Yes, the end of the world is near!

Jesus himself asked the religious leaders of his day: “You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.” At a later time he wept over the city of Jerusalem thinking of the future judgement coming on the city saying that they did not recognize the time of God’s coming to them.

The world is moving towards a one world order where there is going to be a one world economy and a dirty marriage of politics and religion. Trade will be the lynchpin on which everything revolves as the world is slowly converging towards the mark of the beast 666 as prophesied in the Book of Revelation. And it is related to who you will worship—whether God or Satan? Permission to buy or sell will be granted according to this choice you make.

Natural disasters like earthquakes and floods, famines and pestilences, wars and revolutions, signs in the sun and moon and stars, pollution, global warming, tsunamis, and pandemics are but signposts reminding us time is running out for Planet Earth.

Therefore great is the urgency to decide your destiny. Life on earth is a chance given to you to get to know your Creator and the salvation he has provided to all freely through his Son Jesus through the blood of his cross.

If you look to him in faith, then you find peace with God. Many have postponed this life-changing encounter with the Son of God only to find the sun go down on them to rise on them no more!

God Loves You! The 1 Minute Speech You Always Wished to Hear!

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¹List of Hollywood Movies dealing with End Times or the World’s End.
²John 3:36

Featured image courtesy: Pixabay

Other Biblical References: 2 Peter 3:7, 10, Malachi 3:1, Matthew 13:42, Luke 16:24, Luke 19:44, Revelation 13:17, 18, Matthew Chapter 24, Mark Chapter 13, Luke Chapter 21

Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit

The Stranger with a One Line Haunting Message

What Better Hope in Life Do You Have Than This?

December 4, 2020July 20, 2022

The Wisethorn and Bloomy–the Story of the Transformation!

On a high window sill stood two flower pots. One had a wild red rose full of thorns in it. It was in bloom. The other was a small garden plant. It had a single bud in it. Shades of golden yellow could be faintly seen. But it refused to bloom even when its time had come.

The Wisethorn, for that was the wild rose’s name, asked: “Hey, Bloomy, why don’t you bloom?”

In reply, she said: “I can’t. I’m not so beautiful like roses. I’m afraid whether my petals would come out well. What if the ugly worms put black spots in it? And then what will roses think of a poor little flower like mine?”

The Wisethorn understood. But it did not agree; for it knew better. The Wisethorn had seen even deserts burst into bloom. So it gently whispered a secret in Bloomy’s ears.

She listened. Then she thought, “Well, it sounds too good to be true.” A gentle wind seemed to soothe her mind for a flash of a second. Then it was cloudy again.

She drooped once more.

The Wisethorn was patient. It asked again: “What’s it this time?”

This time Bloomy said, “The wind is too strong and the sun is so hot ….”

The Wisethorn did not shed any tears for her. But it was all ablaze in flaming fury. It thundered the secret once again in Bloomy’s ears. Time stood still.

There was a pause.

Then time began to tick again. The struggle had begun. Other voices shouted in her mind’s ears: “It can’t be done.”

She looked to the Wisethorn again. It seemed to know what it had said. There was an authority in its look.

As eye met eye, she felt a surge of confidence. She said quietly but firmly: “Yes, the bud will bloom! It will! It will!”

It was the death-knell of the other voices. Yeah, Wisethorn’s words had triumphed!

Bloomy knew that her time had come. It was now or never. She had to choose. She had to be what she had to be or else it would be as if it had never been.

The clouds were gathering. The first streaks of lightning lit up the dark sky. Thunder rumbled in the distance.

But a greater fire was burning within her. She longed to be what she was created to be. Bloomy drew a deep breath and raised her head. She knew for sure that her bud would have a sunshine bloom!

That was yesterday. The rains had come and gone. The sun shone.

Now Bloomy was in bloom!

When the first joy of breaking free from the negative thoughts that had bound her was over she turned and greeted Wisethorn. The exhilaration of life’s first triumph was written all across her jubilant face.

Was it a smile? Were it tears? Was it joy or a twinkle in the eye? No one knows; but then it all seemed to say with one heart and one voice, “Thank you, thank you so much!”

All those who saw Bloomy were happy for her. They all said, “You’ve changed, Bloomy!”

But then none knew the word of wisdom Wisethorn had thundered in her ear!

—
BPPS makes Bloomy’s bloom—the story of the true transformation!

Featured image courtesy: Pixabay

A Thank You Note to a Talented Batch of Youngsters

Honest With You: A Short Speech on How to Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking!

December 3, 2020July 20, 2022

Chocolates Are Not Lollipops!

Chocolates are not lollipops. Of course they are not; but both can be enjoyed in a traffic jam in the skies. If you are wondering what they mean; it is all about creativity and imagination.

Chocolates are not lollipops can be the way you look at things. Chocolates can tempt but lollipops can entice; but they mean the same. You end up eating sugar and paying for it.

Chocolates are not lollipops might be about how memorable you can be with words. As we get lost in a flood of chats, some pictures can stay in mind if you can but paint it in flashy strokes.

Chocolates are not lollipops is a reminder that life is sweet the way you see it. If life gets hell-busy then you forget to take time to slow down and relish the warmth of joy of spending quality time with family and friends.

Chocolates are not lollipops bring to our minds the nostalgia of childhood where life looked promising, fresh, colourful, and evergreen. Some of those dreams might be yet inside wrappers; but chocolates and lollipops don’t come without them.

Chocolates are not lollipops in spite of the fact that they hide sweetness within: Chocolates are gifted and it is always elite; while lollipops remain the delight of children who roam in cartoons, comics and legends.

Chocolates are not lollipops tell us that if love is an emotion, then life becomes a rollercoaster ride. But when love is a commitment to believe the best and attempts not to keep a record of wrongs; both forgiveness and forgetting become possible even at the fall of autumn leaves!

A Short Speech on Love ❤️

December 2, 2020July 20, 2022

Be Prepared for Your Opportunity When It Comes

Readiness is a prerequisite to capitalise on opportunities in life. If you are prepared you might find opportunities suddenly present itself to you. This is not luck, but simply a direct result of preparedness.

To find yourself prepared for your opportunity, you will have to look beyond negative circumstances. The Bible says that, “Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.”¹

To find yourself prepared for your opportunity you should show great foresight. You might have to anticipate where the action is going to be like a striker in a football game positions himself near the goal area to get the ball and score a goal.

To find yourself prepared for the opportunity you need to be optimistic and have faith. In life, there will phases which are slow-moving and when nothing seems to happen. It is a time when critics will question your waiting for opportunity. You should not yield to discouragement then.

To find yourself prepared you need to show excellent attitude. You should exhibit perseverance and be willing to pounce on the opportunity when it comes. Any slackness or lack of readiness on your part will find someone else grab what should have been rightfully yours.

Life is too short. Therefore do not miss opportunities when they come. Instead be prepared for your opportunity when it comes.

What Better Hope in Life Do You Have Than This?

¹ Ecclesiastes 11:4 NIV

December 1, 2020July 20, 2022

Promise of New Year Resolutions and Its Heartbreak ?

New Year is a time of promise of a bright future ahead. It is a time you love to leave behind the baggage of the past and take new resolutions for the year ahead. So far so good.

But experience has taught us that New Year resolutions are broken sooner than expected in spite of all the good intentions behind them. And it is heartbreak time then. And giving up all as lost when promises are broken.

One thing you should never forget is that in our unending quest for ideal beginnings in life we wait to the end of the year postponing every good thing we could have attempted. Many opportunities are lost in this kind of waiting.

Instead of waiting for the New Year to come, why not start today with your resolutions. Attempt something you always wanted to do. Begin small. Even when you fail start again. That is the true promise of life.

Achievements and success is not to be seen as destinations and the end of our journeys. Instead see attempts and failures as the real cornerstones of success.

So start today and now. Do not delay. Be realistic that there will be failures and setbacks. But be determined to bounce back. Enjoy the process. And then you will have a beautiful journey ahead.

Do not wait for the New Year. In spite of all the hype and promise about welcoming a New Year it is a deception as far as resolutions are concerned. Do not believe the lie that something magical is going to happen the first day of the year. It can happen or it might not happen.

But if you trust God, and believe in him for your future; today is the best day and now is your opportunity. The promise the Bible declares is that God’s compassions never fail and they are new every morning¹.

So get up and start to put your dreams to reality. By the time New Year comes around, you would have far advanced than most of those who chose to sit and watch and wait!

¹Lamentations 3:22, 23.

November 30, 2020November 30, 2022

YouTube Makes the World Go Round

It is amazing how Pandemic Covid-19 and lockdowns following it has made YouTube a place of sleeplessness. Most people have started publishing videos on YouTube and are doing live streaming. Most of the learning happens on YouTube now. People have started to search YouTube for answers. DIY tutorials are flooding YouTube. Yes, Youtube Makes the World Go Round!

So what does all this mean?

YouTube Makes the World Go Round means that YouTube has changed the way people seek knowledge. Parents and teachers do not hold the traditional reverence they had. Children at a very young age have started to look to YouTube for answers. And professionals at the other extreme are relying on YouTube and online classes to learn from the experts.

YouTube Makes the World Go Round means that YouTube has changed the way people are entertained. Everywhere you look; be it bus stands, travelling in trains or simply waiting outside the doctors for an appointment, people just use their time to view something on YouTube. Yes, YouTube has the world hooked. Be it travel or culinary art or musical instruments or craft work or painting; it is all happening on YouTube.

Santa Claus Is Not Christmas!

YouTube Makes the World Go Round means that YouTube has democratised publishing video content. A reasonably good smartphone and a little bit of creativity is enough to make someone publish good quality content and have people subscribe to their channel. It has made people to become visible almost overnight. Powered by the artificially intelligent search algorithms that bring what you need to your fingertips; it can make unknowns, celebrities in quick time.

YouTube Makes the World Go Round means that it has become a buzz word in the world of advertisement. The immense revenue generated through advertisements is huge. Along with it, people are finding publishing on YouTube a money-generating opportunity. Many are those who make a living out of it while many others jump into the bandwagon hopeful of hitting the jackpot.

Finally, let me conclude saying that YouTube has created a world of its own. The huge amount of talent and creativity and ideas and practical tips that is being discovered each day is immense. No man or woman will live long enough to consume even an infinitesimal fraction of all that is on YouTube. It is a reminder that life is short and life on YouTube should not make you miss all that should be truly valued and cherished in life, love, friendship and more importantly in your relationship with God himself.

Nativity Scenes and Songs by Daniela B. Peter and Stefan B. Peter
Mesmerizing Google Search!

1 Minute Speech on the Magnetic Pull of the Cross!

Jesus Is Risen!

November 29, 2020December 19, 2023

Santa Claus Is Not Christmas!

Santa Claus is not Christmas. In fact Santa Claus has hijacked the true meaning of Christmas.

Santa Claus is the commercial reason¹ for Christmas celebrations. He brings gifts but makes all the sales possible around the world during happy holidays Christmas season.

But Santa Claus is far removed from the humble birth of Jesus in a manger in a cattle shed. While Santa Claus goes hi-tech, the birth of Jesus is widely celebrated without knowing the purpose for which he came.

He came to die—the sinless one for sinners like you and me. He came to pour out his blood on the cross and die and rise again from the dead so that the best gifts that Santa Claus gives will not entice us to forget heaven’s best!

Yes, Jesus came to show us he is the best gift God could give to any one of us. Like all gifts the price is already paid for at the cross:

Forgiveness, pardon, eternal life, and heaven’s citizenship come to you through Jesus which is the true meaning of Christmas.

My friend, remember Santa Claus, is not Christmas even as gifts and sales of Santa Claus figurines, mask, costume, and accessories will swell in ecommerce sites like Amazon, Flipkart, eBay, Walmart, Alibaba and the like this Christmas season!

Read Santa Claus Is Not Christmas on LinkedIn

Nativity Scenes Come to Life as Children Act and Narrate

Be Ready—the End of the World Is Near!

Christmas Is for Failures Like You and Me

¹Santa Claus and the Coca-Cola Connection

Featured image courtesy: Pixabay

November 20, 2020April 20, 2025

What Better Hope in Life Do You Have Than This?

The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead stands as a gateway of hope to all mankind. In him is found the bridge from death to life.

What does his resurrection; that mighty demonstration of God’s incomparably great power, mean to us today? It means that God’s power has brought to our lives a better perspective, a better attitude, and a better certainty.

A Better Perspective

The resurrection of Jesus Christ challenges us to see life through a larger frame. If death is not the end of life and there is a beyond; then surely life on earth is a preparation. The longest years on earth are but a drop in the vast ocean of timelessness that awaits man beyond life’s final curtain. So let us see life in the perspective of eternity.

A Better Attitude

The resurrection of Jesus Christ challenges us to live life on a higher plane: To have hope instead of despair; to have joy in difficult times; to be courageous even in defeat; to find acceptance in God’s love when others reject; to persevere in faith, and to step out free from fears that hold us prisoners. So let us put on this new attitude and “soar on wings like eagles!”

A Better Certainty

The resurrection of Jesus Christ challenges us not to be uncertain any more.

He came to “free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death,” by tasting death for everyone. This he did on the cross where he shed his precious blood for the sins of all.

And having tasted death, he came back to life; for it was impossible for death to hold the Author of life, Jesus Christ, the sinless One, the Son of the living God.

Yes, the resurrection of Jesus Christ has destroyed death’s dominion forever. Therefore the gateway of hope stands open. “The earth will give birth to her dead”; “Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake,” and those who had put their trust in him will enter into the joy of unending life!

In conclusion, let me tell you that:

Ultimately, the resurrection of Jesus challenges us to answer the question “Where am I headed to?” Is it to heaven? Or to hell? Like a fork in the road he stands, asking you to repent and choose life. The gate is small and the road, he said, is narrow. But it leads to eternal life.

—

“To this day many a man refuses Christ, not because he puzzles intellect, but because he challenges his life.”

–William Barclay John’s Gospel Commentary, Vol. 1, P 227.
God Give You the Grace to Overflow with Hope
When Death Speaks, Listen to Its Meaning!

November 19, 2020July 20, 2022

Christmas Is for Failures Like You and Me

Many miss Christmas because they think it is a festive season. When in fact it is God’s treasure hunt for failures like you and me.

He could have stayed in heaven and watched us toil and struggle hard to make both ends meet. But he chose to come and be part of us to sweat and labour.

He who flung 100 thousand million stars in the Milky Way¹ could have spread a mattress of soft silky wool; but chose a cattle shed and a manger for his birth on earth. There was no room for him elsewhere.

The birth of Jesus is not a historic moment in Bethlehem alone; but because he lives, time and again it happens in dirtied and broken hearts of those who feel it unworthy to invite him in.

Jesus does not ask how you messed it up all in life. He knows that already. But what he is asking now is whether you are willing to come to him?

See, blood flowed from his broken body on the cross. It has the power to cancel all your sins and give you a clean new start in life.

Your failures don’t matter if you only come to him. For he made it clear that he came for sinners like you and me. He came searching for failures in life like you and me.

Yes, there is hope for you because of Christmas; and because Jesus came. He understands you better than you know yourself. This is the meaning of Christmas—that in Jesus you have a Friend for ever!

Nativity Scenes Come to Life as Children Act and Narrate
The Joy of Lost and Found!

¹Stars Count,. European Space Agency (ESA).

What Better Hope in Life Do You Have Than This?

November 13, 2020July 20, 2022

Elocution Competition Topic: Social and Humanitarian Changes Brought by the Pandemic Covid-19

Pandemic Covid-19 has changed the global landscape completely. It has made us realize how unpredictable life is. I would like to focus today on the social and humanitarian changes brought about by the pandemic.

The first change that has been effected by the pandemic is social distancing. There is an increased awareness of keeping oneself safe while going about one’s daily routines and businesses. Wearing of masks has become the norm while fashion statements are made through them too. Normal social greeting like handshake has disappeared while smiles are hidden by the masks we wear.

The next change brought about by the pandemic is the isolation and confinement it has brought on the elderly as well as little children below ten years. Many elderly people are now unable to meet their kith and kin due to travel restrictions and the need to stay at home. Children who are used to grow up playing with friends, going to school and having an outing in the park or beach find themselves totally imprisoned within the four walls of their homes. This can seriously affect their socializing and making friendships beyond their immediate neighbourhood.

Again we find classes going digital. It has brought with it possibilities as well as challenges. There are small segments of the student community who do not have access to internet and unable to buy proper gadgets required to continue studies. At the same time geographical boundaries now do not prevent you from taking a course on the area of your interest from esteemed massive open online course provider aimed at professional adults and students like Udemy for example.

Jesus—the Friend of Sinners!

Another change we cannot forget is how the definition of work has changed. With the aid of technology Work from home (WFH) has been effectively implemented. It has been prominent in the IT sector. Work from home has created much stress as people are made to work more and be available on duty for more than normal working hours. Reduction of local as well as international travel related to work is also part of the change.

We also need to remember how wedding ceremonies and the way funerals are conducted have changed as a result of the pandemic. We need to see the fact that many top brands have faced a decline in sales as people started to rethink on the futility of displaying the pride of life through brand statements they made.

On the humanitarian side we have a new awareness of how sacrificially medical and paramedical staff including doctors, nurses, volunteers, ambulance drivers etc. has stood along with us to fight the pandemic. We cannot forget the role of the law enforcing agencies which mainly consists of the police and their constant alert and vigilance which has helped us prevent rapid community spread of the Corona virus in many areas. We cannot forget the media which has played a critical role in raising awareness about the need of personal hygiene and the importance of simple hand washing using soap or sanitizers.

But the greatest challenge in the humanitarian front seems to be the plight of daily labourers. This includes, for example, auto drivers. Many people have lost their daily means of sustenance due to less business activities. Many businesses have closed. Any move to normalcy should take into consideration lending a helping hand to those put out of business by enabling them to have access to long-term loans and other infrastructure support.

We also need to seriously consider the attitude of people towards those once affected by Covid and then tested negative. These people should not be discriminated against and awareness should be created so as to how they can come to back to resume their normal life at home as well as in their careers.

Let me end by saying that Pandemic Covid has disrupted life globally. It has a many-sided socio-economic and humanitarian impact. We cannot expect Governments alone to handle the crisis. NGO’s and other organisations have a key role to play in rebuilding normalcy as far as it is possible. We all have a role to play.

Let us approach this situation with trust in God, with optimism and hope. Let us lend a helping hand to all who need it. And let us believe in the words of the old negro spiritual that we shall overcome, we shall overcome, we shall overcome some day, oh, deep in my heart, I do believe, we shall overcome some day! Thank you.

What Better Hope in Life Do You Have Than This?

A Short Speech on L❤️ve

November 9, 2020September 18, 2023

A Story from Schooldays on My First Disastrous Public Speaking Attempt

I would like to share a story that happened at Christ Nagar School¹ where I had done my schooling in VIII C Class during the third term. The year was 1986, the year remembered for Argentina’s FIFA World Cup win under Diego Maradonna’s mesmerizing captaincy.

At the end of first term our English Teacher left because he got a job elsewhere. At the end of the second term the same thing happened with our next English Teacher too. Then our beloved Principal, Rev. Fr. Gerard Thevalasseril, a genius as well as a strict disciplinarian, himself came to teach us English even though he was known to teach history.

One day (I distinctly remember I was seated on the second bench, middle row), he asked me to read a portion of the English lesson that was being taught. I read. Before I sat down he lifted up his hand in a gesture of blessing and said, “Good reading, you are going to become an orator.”

I did not understand the word “orator.” And I did not have the courage to ask him then. We were all really afraid of him. He commanded that kind of respect from all of us.

So I went home and looked up the word in the Oxford pocket dictionary. The meaning was given as “good public speaker.” I laughed to myself and thought the Principal had gone crazy as I had never given a public speech before. But encouraged by his words I joined for a competition in school a couple of weeks later.

The topic was discipline. I started off with the Principal’s own words which he made it a point to repeat and emphasize on every Monday and Thursday morning school assembly: “Discipline is one’s ability to adjust oneself to the given situation.” Then I said some more of his famous words: “Where there is discipline there is order, where there is order, there is harmony, where there is harmony there is beauty . . .” That was all I could say. And nothing more.

It was a thunderous beginning; but I had nothing else to say. I never had a clue then that guts alone is not what is needed to speak; but that you need ideas as well.

I left the classroom where the competition was held, thinking, “Public speaking is not going to be my cup of tea!” And that was practically my first and last public speaking attempt at school.

But what I thought was not what God had planned as later events proved:

After passing out of school (SSLC) I got chances in elocution competitions in my church where too I made blunderous beginnings. The very first competition I participated in was conducted in Malayalam. Having sought the permission of the judges I spoke in English. I found myself staring at the ground after the first two minutes having run short of ideas amidst audible jeers from a youthful crowd.

And it was only towards the end of the third year at college that I found courage to participate in a debate. The next year as I finished speaking for an elocution competition in the college auditorium, one of my former classmates who chanced to witness it came rushing to me to say, “Bejoy, you wasted four years of college life!”

Later in 1996, one year after completing Post Graduation in English Literature from Mar Ivanios College (where I had the honour of being the Secretary of the Literary and Debating Forum), I started to teach public speaking.

At that time, I wrote a registered letter to our former School Principal telling him this story I am telling you now. I wrote to him that his words were prophetic: Not only did I become a public speaker but also had begun to train students in public speaking. I was so happy to receive the acknowledgement due slip to the letter (even though his once classy signature had shrunk to a small one due to his prevailing ill health then).

The point of my story is that I had never dreamt of becoming a public speaker or a trainer. But my Principal’s words proved prophetic in my life.

It became even more significant as two of my schoolmates attended my first batch of public speaking as well.

You can read the story of my first disastrous attempt in public speaking on Linkedin too.

What Better Hope in Life Do You Have Than This?

How awesome is the role a teacher can play in the life of a student, I wonder! Let me end with the words of Henry Adams:

“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”

¹Christ Nagar English Higher Secondary School, Kowdiar, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. The incident mentioned happened in 1986.

November 8, 2020July 20, 2022

You Are Not a Loser; but a Fighter!

You are not a loser because God loves you.

You are not a loser if you believe that you can put in one more effort, one more try, one more attempt to do something in which you have already failed many many times. Be a fighter!

You are not a loser if all that you could do was put a smile on someone’s face by your presence with them in their hour of greatest need.

You are not a loser if you have faith that in spite of all past mistakes and failures in your life; God can put together all those broken pieces to display a design of marvellous beauty and grace.

You are not a loser if you have failed in all your exams, interviews and business attempts; but still have a thankful heart in someone who acknowledges that it was you who helped him or her to succeed in life.

My dear friend, know that loser is a term that others throw carelessly and thoughtlessly at you. Throw that label into the trash can where it rightly belongs. For you are not a loser; but a fighter!

No one else knows what exactly you have passed through; what struggles unknown to others you had to face; and with what unseen tears you wept when people rejected you saying you are a loser. God alone knows and has a record of those.

Therefore, today, if your heart is burdened because others call you a loser; get up from your bed of despair and prove to the world that you are a fighter till the very last. My friend; who knows how you might have inspired someone to get up from their bed of despair by the mere sight of you bravely fight your battles!

What Better Hope in Life Do You Have Than This?

“I Will Repay You for the Years the Locusts Have Eaten!”

Arise and Rebuild Your Life Once Again

November 5, 2020July 20, 2022

KISS–Keep It Short and Simple!

Let us look at a few thoughts where you can try the KISS principle.

Life:

the gift of God, the one and only opportunity one has for doing good.

Light:

“Let there be light”¹ are the first words God spoke @ Creation, and there was light. Light brings cheer and hope. It always conquers darkness.

Dreams:

the world moves forward on the wings of dreams that men and women see for a better tomorrow.

Hope:

that single thread which makes you rise above despair, clutch on to optimism and labour on to reach your reward.

Love:

is what makes you desire the best for others, what gives you motivation to sacrifice, what gives meaning to life. A mother’s love is what a child experiences first, but what is open to all to experience is God’s love.

Play:

is the world of entertainment, sports, hobbies. It gives pleasure, builds friendships, and relieves your mind from a lot of stress.

Death:

the mystery to which all surrender, the meaning of which can make you a believer or an agnostic; the choice being yours only!

What Better Hope in Life Do You Have Than This?

¹Genesis 1:3 Bible

November 3, 2020August 18, 2023

Where Do You See Yourself Five Years from Now? And Beyond!

“Where do you see yourself five years from now?” is a typical question in a job interview. It is a tricky question and is used to assess the candidate’s commitment to the job and to find out his or her career goals. [Find multiple resources on this question at the end of article.]

What if the same question is changed into “Where do you see yourself at the end of life’s journey?” Then it becomes a question that pales everything else to insignificance.

Why is it so? It is because life does not end when you die. You might not believe it, but it does not change the truth.

But in case, you want to consider the possibility, think about a question Jesus asked: “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”¹

That means the entire possessions of the world, its pride and glory, riches and kingdoms, wealth and pleasures, selfies and social media, are nothing compared to finding life beyond the grave.

Therefore life on earth is just a preparation; an interview where you are given a chance not to answer the question, “Where do you see yourself five years from now?” but instead “Where do you see yourself spending eternity?”

The choices are clear: heaven or hell, God or judgement. The decision is made now and here. Like there is a final bell for every exam, there will be one in your life as well.

Let me end with the poetic words of John Donne:
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.

Yes, there will be one last and final call. But then it will be too late to decide. Vote for God today; and that election will stand the test of time and all eternity!

What Better Hope in Life Do You Have Than This?

Answering Questions in Interviews Is an Art You Can Easily Master

You can read the true story of how I lost a crucial interview due to the interviewer’s blind spot on LinkedIn.

¹Mark 8:36 Bible
See a variety of possible answers for the question,

“Where do you see yourself five years from now?

in the career/interview related pages listed below.

Closed Doors Are a Blessing

October 28, 2020July 20, 2022

The 1 Minute Guide to Find Your Ultimate Satisfaction in Life!

Have you tried to find satisfaction in work, in play, in entertainment, in relationships, in love, in pleasures, and even surfing the internet or chatting in social media platforms? Did you succeed?

Look at advertisements. They aim at creating the impression that it will satisfy one or many of your needs. The needs can be varied—it can be your need for comfort, for security, for a greater sense of pride, for happiness, for being loved or respected, for intimacy, for success or for health.

Advertisements promise much, but do they deliver as much?

Well, I know at least one Advertiser who delivers what he promises. It is none other than God himself. One of his invitations and promise made is this.

“Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters;
And you who have no money come, buy and eat.
Come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without cost.
Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And delight yourself in abundance¹.”

It was made to a people who were about to go into captivity and exile for their sins.

God is promising to satisfy free of cost. There are many thoughts related to this:

One, man is always dissatisfied with the best the earth has got to offer. There are limits to what money can buy.

Two, the best satisfaction a man has is incomplete. There will always be left a vacuum that no earthly pleasure can fill. That is why addictions and enslaving habits need more kicks to satisfy as time passes and they thoroughly deceive at the end.

Three, God sees what is driving you in your pursuit of satisfaction. He not only sees your action, but also sees what that emptiness in your life is that you are seeking to fill.

He cries out to you today: You have forsaken me—the fountain of living waters—and have made broken tanks that cannot hold water!²

Therefore consider. God is simply asking you to come to him. He will satisfy you with the gift of himself. He is no killjoy. Instead in his presence is fullness of joy!³ Drink of the waters he gives; it will quench your deepest longings and ultimately satisfy!

¹Isaiah 55:1, 2 Bible NASB
²Jeremiah 2:13
³Psalm 16:11

October 26, 2020July 20, 2022

When in Doubt What to Do: 7 Takeaways for You!

When you are in doubt, the simple wisdom is, do not take hasty decisions. Instead wait.

Allow some time to pass. It can be a few minutes, hours or days depending on the situation you are in.

The second step when in doubt is, ask God for wisdom¹. Do not worry about how he is going to answer you.

If you are a genuine seeker, God will listen to you and he will give you the right guidance.

The third step when in doubt is to talk to people who genuinely care about you. Their advice can be coloured by their own fears, biases, or ambitions. That is okay. You still get a variety of colourful lenses through which you can see your situation.

Take time to think through all of them. At some point, like crystal clear water flowing over rocks in the stream bed you will hear, “This is the way; walk in it².” When that happens it will be music to your souls.

The one thing you need to remember is that you alone have to take the final decision and accept responsibility for it.

Finally, when you are convinced about the merit and goodness of your decision, act on it with courage. Don’t look back.

There still will be challenges and criticism, setbacks and failures. But that will not shake you because you had dealt with your doubts already.

So here are the 7 takeaways when you are in doubt about anything, especially about taking a decision on a future course of action.

#1. Wait.
#2. Ask God for wisdom.
#3. Get opinions from others.
#4. Think through.
#5. Take a decision.
#6. Act with courage.
#7. Don’t look back.

Have You Made the Most Important Decision of Your Life Yet?

These are simple things you can do when you are in doubt.

¹ “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given him” — James 1:5 Bible NIV 1984.
²Isaiah 31:21 Bible

What Better Hope in Life Do You Have Than This?

Self-Doubt Can Be Overcome to Make You a Winner

October 23, 2020July 20, 2022

God Says, “As a Mother Comforts Her Child, So Will I Comfort You!”

A mother comforting her child is the picture God has used to tell us that he cares.

A mother’s comfort is not just about calming our troubled minds. That is just a starting point. More of it is about her presence nearby which gives us a sense of belonging, an assurance of security, and a knowledge that someone understands what one is passing through.

A mother’s comfort is not just about a few words of comfort. It is a pointing to life ahead, a whisper of courage that you can go on, a proclamation of hope that you can dream again, and a call to build once again from all that is broken down in your life.

Yes, this is the triumph of the motherlike love of God. He holds us near in his loving embrace. In your troubles he knows that you are helpless. Like a hen gathering her chicks under her wings, you too will find a place of safety and refuge there.

Come and experience the motherlike love of God today. Is your heart broken and you feel like giving up? Do not miss this comforting love of God.

He is watching over you. When everyone says ill of you and there is none who comes to help and all your hopes are dashed; there is God who will comfort you like a mother comforting her child.

When you experience it, you’ll know that God has not given upon you; that you are his child, and that he loves you.

He looks forward to that day when he will wipe away every tear from your eyes. But till then, he comes near to you as your Comforter in your perplexing moments and comforts you.

So dear brother/sister; just open up your heart to the comforting love of God. Do not doubt the reality of this comfort.

Blessed are you if open up to experience this comforting love of God. Yes, like a mother comforting her child God will take care of you; support you; hold your hand and carry you through as if carried on the strength of eagles’ wings!

—
Title inspired by Isaiah 66:13 Bible.

Jesus

Immanuel

Wonderful Counsellor

Mighty God

Everlasting Father

Prince of Peace

Lamb of God

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