You need the touch of an angel today. Have not all the troubles that you are facing wearied you down? And you feel like giving up?
Do not be disheartened. God will send an angel to touch you today.
See, when all have forgotten you and given upon you, the God who sleeps not is watching over you. He sees that your strength is gone. And you are no match for the journey ahead.
Yes, he will send an angel to touch you today and bless you with resources needed to move forward.
Is it that you are finding yourself in the midst of a tough battle against negative thoughts and habits? And in spite of all your repeated attempts, earnest and sincere, you find yourself failing and falling time and again.
Ah, you need the touch of an angel whom God will send your way today.
Life is not easy. When worries and fears and losses mount, and when your heart is broken and torn apart by sorrows that are expressed in groans and sighs that words cannot utter, it is then that the Spirit of God will share your burden and give voice and wings to your deepest longings in prayer.
And it is then in a joyous daybreak at a time of mourning that the touch of a God-sent angel would lift up your spirit and cheer you up on your journey ahead.
Oh, troubled child of God, may God strengthen you by the touch of an angel today!
—
“The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.”
—1 Kings 19:7 Bible NIV
“You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy” — Psalm 30:11 Bible NIV
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
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 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.
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!
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!
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
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.
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.
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
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!
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.
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.
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
The message of the cross of Jesus is the foolishness of God. For it puts on exhibit a man crucified in weakness–scorned, mocked, rejected and despised by men.
The message of the cross of Jesus is the foolishness of God. Yet this public display of the one who was wounded and bleeding for the sins of all mankind is the good news and means of salvation to all.
The message of the cross of Jesus is the foolishness of God. It is foolishness because human wisdom does not account success or achievement in the manner in which Jesus felt forsaken by God on the cross.
The message of the cross of Jesus is the foolishness of God. For there is no sign or demonstration of the miraculous as the Saviour of the world lay dying.
The message of the cross of Jesus is the foolishness of God. But Jesus on the cross then had and still has a magnetic attractive power that is incomparable to anything else in this world.
The message of the cross of Jesus is the foolishness of God. For it demands that man accept that in his pride and academic brilliance he cannot find God; that he cannot earn his own salvation; but that he come to God in humble child-like faith.
The message of the cross of Jesus is the foolishness of God. For there on the cross the judgement of God on man’s sin and rebellion fell on his innocent Son Jesus that we may receive forgiveness and pardon and freedom from the guilt, shame, and power of sin.
Yes, the preaching of the cross and its message is foolishness to many who reject it; but it is the power of God to those who believe and accept its life-changing message.
—
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. . . . For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.”
Get up!
Life is more about second chances than you can dream of. Champions and winners script success stories by rising up from the ashes of defeat. They are heartbroken when they see someone else lift the trophy for which they fought with sportsman spirit till the last moment. But that does not prevent them from pursuing their goal to win. You too should be like that. Don’t stay in your bed of despair. This is the time to get up!
Get up!
It might have been years that you stayed in this defeated mode. That doesn’t matter. God is not only the God of your past but of your present and your future as well. He is not limited by all that went wrong in your life. He is not limited by the victim stories you have told yourself and others countless number of times. He is not limited by all your negative circumstances, all those people who tell you that you can’t succeed, or any other force that is bulldozing you at this time. He wants to act decisively in your life. Therefore, get up!
Get up!
This one single act can change the way you think, act, and move forward. It is by taking this first step that you will realize all that the locusts have eaten away in your life. It is this one act of getting up that can change your destiny. Do not wait. Now is the time. This moment is your opportunity. Get up!
“Why are you downcast,
O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Saviour and my God”
Yeshua Messiah2
Jesus Christ3
Son of God 4
Son of Man 5
Lamb of God 6
Lion of the Tribe of Judah 7
King of Kings and Lord of Lords 8
Immanuel 9
Word of God 10
Redeemer 11
Word Made Flesh 12
Suffering Servant 13
Good Shepherd 14
Bright Morning Star 15
Prophet and Priest 16
Lily of the Valley 17
Rose of Sharon 18
Light of the World 19
Bread of Life 20
The Way, the Truth and the Life 21
The True Vine 22
The Resurrection and the Life 23
I Am 24
Altogether Lovely 25
Indescribable Gift 26
Saviour of the World 27
Firstborn from the Dead 28
Branch of the LORD 29
Wonderful Counsellor30
Mighty God30
Everlasting Father30
Prince of Peace30
Ancient of Days 31
The Holy One of Israel32
A Man of Sorrows33
The Hope of Glory 34
The Sun of Righteousness 35
Son of Abraham 36
Son of David 37
Friend of Sinners 38
Beloved 39
The Carpenter 40
Angel of His Presence 41
Horn of Salvation 42
Our Brother 43
Mediator of a Better Covenant 44
Christ the Lord 45
The Salvation of God 46
The Lord of the Sabbath 47
My Lord and my God 48
The Firstborn from the Dead 49
Wisdom of God 50
Power of God 50
Lord of Glory 51
Our Passover 52
Spiritual Rock 53
The Last Adam 54
Creator 55
Alpha and Omega 56
One Mediator between God and Men 57
Judge of the Living and the Dead 58
King of Righteousness 59
Author and Finisher of Our Faith 60
A Lamb Without Blemish or Spot 61
Living Stone 62
The Daystar 63
Word of Life 64
The Faithful Witness 65
Root of David 66
I Am . . . the Almighty 67
Lord God Omnipotent 68
The Amen 69
Jesus 70
The name of Jesus is the sure hope of salvation to all who believe in him. Jesus—the name that is above every name.
The Bible declares, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name, under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” 71
Again, the Bible says, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” 72.
Jesus also linked his name to answers to prayer. He said, “In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” 73
Finally, the Bible declares: because Jesus humbled himself, and became obedient to death—even death on a cross—God exalted him to the highest place, gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.74
One of the things that people easily forget is the fact that the name Jesus reminds us that we all need a Saviour. For this was the message that the angel gave to Joseph at the time of the birth of Jesus: “You are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.” Yes, the coming of Jesus to this world was as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
Jesus, the name that has the authority to forgive the sins of men and women. In his name repentance for the forgiveness of sins is preached to all the nations and to the ends of the world, today. Those who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.
In his name you will find pardon and forgiveness and reconciliation with God and acceptance wtih God and a home in heaven for ever and ever.
Jesus—his name is the sweetest name which you can utter on earth or in heaven time without end. Jesus, the name which rings with authority and power. There is no other name like the name of Jesus.
Therefore, to the question, “What is in a name?” the answer is, everything.
Perhaps a rose, like Shakespeare said, might still smell as sweet by another name; but life and love and peace and joy and forgiveness and healing and compassion radiates with brilliant light in the blessed name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ who bled and died on the cross for you!
Let me conclude saying there is no other name like his matchless name!
“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
— John 1:29 Bible
— 1“What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.” — William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
Let us begin the discussion of the science, maths, vocabulary, and art of love in marriage from departures. The tug at the heart at parting when your beloved boards the plane or when the train starts to move is love.
The moment he or she is out of sight and you get back to routines is love becoming realistic.
Till the next coming you keep in touch via phone or mail or chat is love kept aflame.
In between, petty quarrels and bouts of silence is the absence of love.
When needs demand cashing in on reserves and ornaments are pledged for loans it is the in-debt-ed-ness of love.
Comparing your husband’s money power to another or comparing your wife’s looks or beauty to another is the disaster of love.
Remembering birthdays and anniversaries and giving gifts like cards, chocolates, roses, diamond or gold or pearl ornaments etc., is the spice of love.
Praying for one’s beloved wife or husband and being thankful for the gift of your wife or husband is the deposit and investment of love.
Being faithful to one’s husband or wife and staying true to him or her all your life is the honouring of the pledge of love.
Conversing on good old times of meeting together and recalling shared memories is the nostalgia of love.
Having a day out together and an eating out undisturbed by the chores at home is the great escape of and adjustment in love.
When wife and husband is confined to work from home and children are on classes online; everybody is together all the time is the boxing ? match of love.
Making one’s loved one cry through harsh words or thoughtless acts is the blunder of love.
Quoting old forgotten episodes of mistakes and failures and promises not kept and finding fault with in-laws is the bug and virus and faulty DNA of love.
In distress, in sickness, in misunderstanding, in times of lack of affection and care, when you hold on and hope for God’s mercy to strengthen; it is the endurance of love.
Love is not automatic, it is honest hard work, day in and day out. Never take your husband or wife for granted; for when you feel that final absence it is too late to love.
This, in a nutshell, is the the science, maths, vocabulary, and art of love in marriage.
“Marriage should be honoured by all, and the marriage bed kept pure”
The truth will set you free if you stop looking at your past and lost opportunities to the new thing that God is willing to do in your life.
The truth will set you free if you stop thinking that you are good enough and instead come to God realising that like everyone else you too are a sinner in need of God’s mercy.
The truth will set you free if you are ready to give up the spirit of despair you entertain in your mind and exchange it for a clothing of praise and joy that God wants to gift you with.
The truth will set you free if you are willing to believe that God invests in people who count themselves failures and will build a future for you even when others have rejected you.
The truth will set you free if you can remember that at no point in life are you outside God’s love, outside God’s reach, and outside God’s care and compassion and mighty power to help.
The truth will set you free if the only thing you have to offer God is a broken heart; the only prayer you can bring him is “Have mercy on me,” and the only promise you can make is “I love you, O God.”
The truth will set you free if you can look at the cross and see the forgiving love of God and trust that he hung there bleeding in your place and there is nothing that will separate you from his love; ever!
My best friend and I were standing outside our church premises talking. This was early 1990’s.
Sunday morning it was. Time around 11:30am. From the footpath where we stood, suddenly we saw a man walking barefoot on the tarred road.
He was lean and thin. His eyes looked fierce and piercing. He had a slight beard, face weather-beaten, and hair raven-black. He was wearing a white shirt and dhoti.
He looked like a fiery prophet of old leaping straight out of the pages of the Bible to life.
He was looking at no one and speaking to no one; but simply walking ahead on the royal highway of the Trivandrum city just in front of Museum gate near LMS Compound.
Hanging from his neck were two cardboard placards on the front and back, one in English, the other in Malayalam.
It was written in bold black thick letters:
Prepare
to meet
your God
–Amos 4:12.
It was a silent fearless proclamation of a great truth. That man is destined to die once, and after that face judgement.1
Neither the intense heat of the day nor the traffic distracted the stranger. He kept walking on and on.
Pandemic Covid-19 the likes of which the world has never seen before triggered in my mind the memory of that lone stranger walking.
I wonder how long it will be before his message becomes real; frighteningly real?
1Hebrews 9:27
“For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,” says the LORD of hosts– Malachi 4:1
If you are broken in heart because of your sin, your mistakes, your failure or any other reason you can think of, come to God who will show you mercy.
If it is sin, there is a fountain of cleansing opened for you.
If it is mistakes you have made, there is with God the possibility of making good to come out of them.
It it is failure of some kind, and you are thoroughly defeated, still God will give you hope and strength to rise up.
All this because you cannot exhaust his mercy.
“O God, help me” is a prayer to which he responds with full attention.
“O God, remember me” is a cry he hears even when death is creeping in through the doors.
When you feel forsaken, rejected, alone, and having no strength to take even one more step; then cry out to God. You will find mercy.
Oh, the riches of God’s mercy! It is undeserved kindness towards us. He remembers that we are but dust and has great compassion on us.
The hands that stretched wide on the cross and bled is the surest sign of God’s great mercy to you that is wider than you can think or imagine. So come and find mercy.
Do not delay to come to God. The Bible says soon someday this world will see the wrath of God against sin and evil; and the judgement of God. Then the door of mercy will be no longer open. 1Psalm 51:1 Bible
A sunset is a beautiful moment. Watching it from the beach is lovelier still.
A sunset paints the sky a glorious canvas of blazing colours. If it isn’t God, who else can paint like this each day? I don’t know one.
A sunset can bring sadness. For it means saying goodbye, looking back at opportunities missed, and regretting words and actions that could have been avoided.
A sunset is a mystery: We standing at the edge of a ball hurtling through space at immense speed watching a ball of fire seemingly go to sleep far far away. Isn’t man truly small in this big, vast, immeasurable universe?
Finally, a sunset can remind you of dreams and visions. Centuries ago, one unforgettable dream came to a man called Jacob who rested his head on a stone pillow. He saw angels ascending and descending on a ladder resting on earth and its top reaching heaven. Above it stood the LORD.
Jesus, when he came centuries later, identified himself as that ladder Jacob saw bridging heaven and earth, God and mankind.
Next time, you watch a sunset, think of the promise that God made to Jacob that night: “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go1.” What better promise to have than God watching over you and being with you.
1Genesis 28:15 Bible
Blessed sunset and the hope it brings to our lives.
My Professor once asked this question in class:
“Whose face do you look for first when you get see the group photo of your class in the College Magazine?”
Each one of us knew the answer as the capital letter I. And now selfies have arrived to make it bold and underlined.
First of all, the popularity of selfies is a reflection of this anxiety in human nature to see oneself in a better light.
Secondly, selfies make people focus on themselves. The amount of time spent by people obsessed with selfies is enormous. It is easy to forget others and their needs in the pursuit of taking selfies.
Thirdly, selfies are a proclamation of our own importance; whether good or bad being a matter of difficult judgement.
Finally, selfies have become, fun, popular and fashionable. It has made photography have different dimension. It will stay.
But my simple question is, “Can there be a selfless selfie?”
God’s love is for the whole world. It includes you, as well as me. Therefore, you can be assured you are loved.
God’s love is sacrificial. God gave his Son Jesus to shed his blood and die on the cross because of his love for you.
God’s love is a gift. The best way to respond to it is to say “thank you Lord” and accept it.
Do not tell God you are not good enough; for he knows all about you and still loves you.
God’s love brings joy and peace to your life–peace because God forgives your sins, and joy because he accepts you as his child even when you are far from perfect.
Therefore tasting God’s love should make us grow more in humility even as his love drives out fear from our hearts.
God’s love is not just about emotions. He loves you so much that he disciplines you to make you better. He doesn’t leave you to be comfortable with your sins. His love shines a penetrating light in your darkness so that you see who you really are and what God wants you to be.
Finally, there is no place on earth where you are outside the love of God. His love is long, wide, and deep, it is higher than you can reach.
Today, you can open up your heart to God’s love for he has said, “I have loved you with an everlasting love!”
A tree has always been a symbol of life. It has become more so after Jesus died on a wooden cross.
Peter, the foremost disciple of Jesus, comments: “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree.”
The precious blood that flowed from his body brings forgiveness of sins, peace with God, and unending life to those who believe in him. The wounds of his body bring us healing.
On the cross he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows. He became a curse for us to save us from all evil. For it was God’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer that we might have life, and have it to the full.
His light guided people to a change of heart and inspired them to move away from sinful living. He came to set people free from what held them in slavery and bondage.
His light made people aware of who God really is like. Not as One against them but as their Father in heaven who desired to forgive them and rebuild their lives!
In spite of shining God’s love in the lives of people, he was despised, hated and rejected. And while he who created light lay bleeding on the cross the sun stopped shining and darkness came over the whole land.2
But then his light burst forth with great joy when he rose up again alive from the dead. And he lives forever. And he upholds you each day in prayer before God and his throne of grace.
“But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap about like calves released from the stall (Malachi 4:2 Bible NIV 1984).”
Joy is more than happiness. While a lot of good things make us happy; joy is not attached to things or achievements.
This is because joy is a God-given gift. It is an outflow of what God is. He is full of joy.
Well, that itself should surprise you with joy. More so, because he desires that you have joy in life; and not just happiness.
Joy can bring health to your internally. It can bring healing to you as much as medicines can.
Joy looks forward to long-term goals with hope instead of looking at present day difficulties and giving up in despair.
Joy is not limited. The best example is the angelic announcement to shepherds at the first Christmas. He said, “I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people.”1
Joy is easily lost if we allow the worries of life, wrong habits, and relationship problems to choke it in our hearts.
But joy can bubble forth and flow over when you are at peace with God, having your sins forgiven, and enjoying friendship with him.
Finally, joy is found in prayer. It is God’s promise. So just walk up to God, talk with him, unburden yourself, and carry back his joy with you.
Thank you dear teacher for your farewell wishes to our batch.
It was not only a bouquet of love but also words that set our hearts ablaze with hope to face life ahead with courage in such uncertain times.
Looking back, there are two magnificent things I like to highlight: One, our batch always was like family. Two, the blessing of having such wonderful teachers who not only taught us well but cared for us individually.
These two things made the four years of our life on campus memorable and a period in life that we all will cherish for an entire lifetime.
I stand here with a heart full of emotions. I have stood here to speak many times before; but never had thought that this moment would come so soon.
Life forward is going to be exciting, adventurous, and dreams come true. But saying goodbye is tough. It is not the buildings, not the events, and certainly not the journeyings that we will miss.
Yes, there is something more dear teachers and students-It’s the bond of love and friendship that we have built that will remain and pass the test of time.
But now, in a few hours time, we walk away from this Campus with a heart full of memories spiced with gratitude to God for the blessing of the opportunity of having been part of this Campus and Alma Mater.
I believe, that as our Principal had exhorted us the first day in our college, we have left this place a better place than when we came in.
I wish to place on record our heartfelt thanks to our Respected Principal, and beloved teachers for their guidance and blessings and for shining a light on our paths.
Thank you dear friends for your unique contribution in all activities that we enjoyed doing together.
It is not easy to build again from ruins. For you need to fight against discouragement to attempt rebuilding.
But then think about the cost of not attempting to rebuild your life. Think about all the influences that will make inroads into your life and make your life miserable.
Therefore, now is the time to arise and rebuild your life.
First of all, look to God for help. Human help has limitations. Even with good intentions there are moments when no one can step in to help you. So plug in to the source of your power and strength–God Almighty.
Secondly, you should have a vision about what your life should look like when you finish rebuilding. The most important being the wall or fence that you build around you and your family. See, family is your base camp. Through prayer and trust in God you can build firewalls all around with even angels standing guard.
Thirdly, rally around you people who will encourage you. When you start to rebuild, there will come so many people who will shout at you at every turn that your work cannot be completed. They will point out the huge amount of rubble that needs to be cleared. Do not listen to them. Instead turn your ears to a trusted few who will help you find strength in God.
Finally, do not compromise on watchfulness. When you take a lazy approach to your relationship with God, with your family, towards your work and relationships, you once again are trying to build upon sinking sand. When rains come down, streams rise, and winds blow against; it won’t hold together.
Regrets are there in every life. Wasted years can be one of them. There is no point looking back and crying over all that was lost.
What you need now is a promise of hope. There is Someone who can enter into your past and bring meaning out of time lost, opportunities gone by, and mistakes made.
You need not worry how God does it. He has promised that if you seek him with all your heart and you turn away from wrong ways and habits in your life he will draw near to you.
Patiently, lovingly, and with a firm hand of discipline, he will taken the broken pieces of your life and stitch, merge, fuse, and mould them together. It might retain the scars of the past. But now the difference will be that they too make the design of your life beautiful.
But believe it or not, you need to yield the control of your life over to him. Unless invited to take over the driver’s seat, God won’t step in.
At times, you might feel like advising him what to do. Avoid this backseat driving tendency. Ah, it takes time and many failures and mistakes to learn that he knows what he is doing.
My dear friend, God loves you. He simply won’t give up on you. He is concerned for you. He will not forget you.
If you can live without breathing, you can live without prayer. Many people miss the joy of prayer because it is always made to be too sacred and religious.
Even a child can pray. Interestingly, toys and gifts will occupy a major portion of the wish list of any child. God welcomes that.
Why? He is not an alien in a remote planet. But he is your heavenly Father. He loves to listen to his child speak with him. If you are his son or daughter, just walk up to him and say, “I love you Abba Father!”
Yes, love is the language of prayer. But often we approach God thinking of him as a strict school master with a cane in hand. Of course, God judges wrong in his children and disciplines them as any loving and responsible parent would.
But more than that he wants you approach him with love and confidence and freedom as a child in the family. You are free to request him anything. You can be honest with God with your pain, your shame, your frustration and your worry. He listens to it all.
There is something more that happens in prayer than you can think of: With the passing of time prayer changes you. Your situations might not change; but in your heart there will be a rising courage, a gift of grace, a daring faith to believe, and a surplus of patience to see you through.
Along with it your heart will melt in tears seeing the holiness of an awesome God come near to you in love, compassion, and understanding like no human being can!
Yes, there is something more that happens in prayer than you can think of: With the passing of time your desires begin to take the shape of what pleases God. Your wish list then is signed, “Give me what you think is best.” You then like an obedient child trust your heavenly Father to provide what is best.
Finally, prayer achieves a beauty and loveliness when your heart and lips unite to thank and praise God for all that he is. It is then that you desire to be near God without asking anything. But being in his risen presence itself becomes prayer.
Let me congratulate the newly wedded couple on this joyous occasion. Our prayers are with you. We share your joy along with your parents, relatives, teachers, and friends.
I take this opportunity to remind you that life ahead is an adventure. It will have its twists and turns. If you can look up to God in prayer and be thankful to him for the gift of each other, then difficulties can be overcome together.
I ask of you to look back at your past as two streams flowing from two different sources. Today, in the sight of God and his people, you have merged into one.
Both of you bring with you the goodness of your faith, the finesse of your godly upbringing, the refinement of your education, and the learning experiences of your workplace. Now they all will mix, blend, and flow together united in love. Therefore, remember you are no longer two, but one!
Today, you are surrounded by all of us. For a few days and weeks it will be a time of hectic visits to the homes of your relatives, the joy of being together, opening of gifts together, looking at wedding photos and videos, and camping out in far away locations.
It won’t be long before you get back to work and the dull routines of life. Then the initial excitement wears off.
At that time, remember to respect each other, celebrate differences, appreciate each other, be kind to one another, say “sorry” and “thank you” without fail, forgive each other, and move on in life together.
Let me remind you that family is God’s creation. In all weddings we find a mirroring of that first wedding God solemnised in the Garden of Eden.
In the beginning, he brought Adam and Eve, a male and a female, and joined them together and blessed them to be fruitful. He wanted children to be brought up in the loving atmosphere of a family.
Therefore, when children come along the way, cherish them as God’s gifts to you. Give them the gift of your time and undivided attention. This is your greatest priority. And the greatest responsibility on earth God has given you.
Finally, let me remind you to love each other passionately. The secret is to fall in love again and again. Don’t take each other for granted.
May you live long and see God’s goodness in your family. May God shine his light upon your paths. May his wisdom guide all your decisions.
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
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“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”
— 1 Corinthians 13:4–8 Bible (NIV 1984).
“Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled” — Hebrews 13:4 Bible (NASB)
