Thursday, February 20, 2014

EXAM-SEASON ABCs....

Duke Jeyaraj scripts practical tips to write exams well from the life of Paul


Here are my ABCs that will gear up students for the tough season ahead even as the examinations inch closer. These exhortations are given in a random order so that they would orderly fit an A-G acronym. Some of the exhortations are supported by an incident in the life of the most brilliant student we get to meet in the entire Bible—Paul. Here they are:

ATTEMPT questions for all the marks in your exam paper. If we don’t even attempt to answer all questions we are showing contempt towards God who loves to bless any honest effort. If your efforts were zero then even if God multiplied it a million times it would be still a zero! Before Paul achieved anything for Jesus we read that he tried to “attempt” things for Jesus (Acts 9:26).

BURN the midnight oil. Chances are that for some unavoidable reasons you have started dusting your textbooks just before the exam season. What do you do then? There is only one answer: burn the midnight oil and sacrifice sleep. If you can stay up late or get up early to watch live cricket action out of Australia and New Zealand then surely you CAN do the same for the sake of your studies. You must! If Paul had a task to complete he would not mind tossing aside sleep (2 Cor 6:5; 11:27).

CONCENTRATE when it comes to doing well in exam. What matters most is how much concentration you put in your studies and not just how long you study. It is about quality rather than mere quantity. It is about how deep you can go into your subject. Forget your friends for some time. Turn off the TV for a while. You can catch up on the latest Cricket action little later. Concentrate. Paul was quite adept at that. He wrote, “I decided to concentrate only on Jesus Christ and his death on the cross” to the Corinthians (1 Cor 2:2).

DIVIDE equal time to answer each question you know the answer for. You may know the solutions for all the problems printed in your Maths paper. But solving them on the answer sheet will only give you the marks due to you. Because Paul was a good time- manager, he could confidently tell the folks at the Ephesus church to “make the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (Eph 5:16).

ENJOY the entire exam season. Don’t think of them as a “necessary evil.” When I was in Bible School, some of my most enjoyable times were the exam times. Boy, it was fun! You see, your mind will never entrap what it never enjoys. Paul taught young Timothy about a “God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy”—your God and my God (1 Tim 6:17). If God has provided us “with everything to enjoy,” the word “everything” includes most definitely studying and examinations!

FEAR the Lord because that is the beginning of wisdom (Prov 1:7). Doing daily devotions even during exam time, praying before you start to study or before you start to write an exam, refusing to copy, etc are pragmatic ways you show the fear of God amidst an increasingly God-defying generation of students. Paul was a stand-out student in Gamaliel’s school before he met Christ, before he had the fear of the Lord. But guess what? He confesses that all that he accomplished outside of a relationship with Christ was “rubbish” (Phil 3:8).

GOOFING UP in one exam paper does not mean you are no good in that subject or that all is over. It just means you should work more hard in the same. Just a little more! So don’t give up! If that subject is Chemistry you will do well to write out the complex equations a dozen times before the exam, instead of flipping through them as you perhaps did. If that subject is Maths you would do yourself a world of good by solving the problems step by step instead of reading the already solved problem like it was an Enid Blyton’s Novel! Forget what happened in that exam and face the other exams with a fresh mind. Paul’s counsel is relevant here: “But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead” (Phil 3:13).

I could take you till we reach Z. But I guess you’ve to return to your study room…!

(Duke Jeyaraj is the founder of Grabbing De Google Generation 4m Gehenna Mission, a ministry to presentday people supported by Indian who are blessed by his writings/messages. Find out more about this ministry by liking www.facebook.com/googleduke).

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

HELPING GOOGLE GENNERS HANDLE ROMANTIC REJECTION, THE BIBLICAL WAY!

FIVE WERE THERE TO HEAR DUKE'S TRACT DISTRIBUTION MESSAGE; NOW OVER 100 HAVE HEARD THE SAME MESSAGE!

On the 25th of January, 2014, Grabbing the Google Generation from Gehenna Mission (G4 Mission) planned a tract distribution for the area of Sainikpuri - posh locality in Secunderabad full of Google Generation youth. Five young people joined Duke in this outreach. Around 200 folks were reached with the Gospel through the "Bubbly" and "Dhoni" tract that day. Duke, Arul Johnson had a chance to meet with a gun-man and share the Gospel with him personally that day. That gun-man was given a Gospel booklet as well. Nagaraj and his friend Hareesh gave tracts to students in their college buses as well in the A. S. Rao Nagar area. We have only one life to live. It will be soon past. Whatever we do for Jesus will only last.

Post the tract distribution, Duke and these friends stood on an empty plot to pray for God to bless this evangelistic effort. Post that prayer, Duke shared a brief 12-minute message on heart-warming truths that could be learnt from Eshter Anuhya's heart-crushing end. Esther was a TCS techie was murdered (and perhaps raped) during January 2014.

That message can be heard here: https://soundcloud.com/shoutaloud/esther-anuhya-heart-warming

Though only five people were there when Duke shared it, thanks to the above link, over 100 people have listened to it!

ENCOURAGING MESSAGE FROM JESUS' REPEATED MIRACLES DELIVERED TO US-HEADING IT PROS!


Duke brought a message that challenged believers who gathered on the miracles that Jesus repeated during his ministry in a thanks giving meet which Jethin Noah, a dear friend, organised. Jethin was leaving to the US for work. That challenging message Duke shared in that occasion is found here: https://soundcloud.com/shoutaloud/the-oft-repeated-miracles-of

Post that message, Evangelin Duke led in a powerful prayer of blessing. It was indeed a joy for Duke to preach in a meet which was chaired by some prominent Baptist church pastors of the city of Secunderabad.


HELPING GOOGLE GENNERS HANDLE ROMANTIC REJECTION.
 


On 2 February, 2014, at the G4 Mission rented base in Hyderabad, a Bible Study was held. Over 15 plus Google Genners joined. Hudson, not only brought couple of his friends, but played the guitar during the worship. Duke explained from the Bible how one can handle romantic rejection in what was not only a soothing talk but also a challenging talk. You can listen that talk here:

https://soundcloud.com/shoutaloud/handling-romantic-rejections (audio)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_EoqRPd9no (video)

On 2 March (Sunday) Duke will lead a Bible Study on being useful in God's Kingdom for Google Genners. This study will be a summary of the Bible book of Philemon.

NEXT FOUNTAIN FASTING PRAYER THIS SATURDAY

 

“Whether we write lyrics or craft legislation, sell homes or teach classes, design spaces or open franchises, prayer is a critical part of the creative process. Don’t just brainstorm; praystorm.”  - Mark Batterson

A Call To Modern Young Working Pros To Praystorm!

Join the

Fountain of Tears Against Mountain of Fears Fasting Prayer
(A time of intercession for Google Gen based on Jer. 9:1,10).
 

With Dukes.

Prayer for Burning National/International Issues, first.
Prayer for Pressing Personal Needs, finally.

On 8th Feb. 2014 (Saturday).

10 am to 3 pm.

at The Grabbing the Google Generation from Gehenna Mission Base in Kanajiguda (Behind Petrol Station).
www.facebook.com/googleduke
www.googlegeneration.in
 www.thedaysofyouryouth.com

Call +91-8886040605 for more details.

DUKE'S DOCTORAL COURSE UPDATE

Duke has finished the last chapter of his doctoral course research project paper with Southern Asia Bible College. Now he is preparing the appendix for this project paper. Please pray. The graduation is slated for 9 March 2014. Meanwhile, if you or someone you know can voluntarily help Duke with proof-reading of this project, please reply by this mail or call Duke at 8886040605. We would greatly appreciate it!

DUKE WILL MINISTER IN INDIRA NAGAR METHODIST CHURCH GOD WILLING.

On March 8, Saturday, Duke has been invited to speak to the youth of the Indira Nagar Methodist Church, Bangalore. Please pray.

MINISTRY NEEDS PRESENTLY.

We have a need for an AC for our base where we hold monthly Bible Studies and Fasting Prayers for Google Genners.

If you have a phablet (phone with screen size 6 inches and above) which you sparingly use or don't use, and can consider giving it for our ministry use we would appreciate it (It could serve as a single gadget Duke may need to carry during a ministry travel - taking calls, writing articles on it, and preaching messages from it).


Pray about these needs!

Contact us if you are led  by the Spirit to give!

You may use the bank info at www.googlegeneration.in/donate.php or

http://www.indiagateway.net/g-4mission/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=55&Itemid=43