The summary of the message of the book of Job by Duke Jeyaraj using the acronym ‘Job of Uz’

Introduction:

The 2010 South Africa is over. It was one of the most gripping, eye-ball grabbing, Football World Cups ever played. For over a month, it held centre place in the news despite several other important events like the Cricket Asia Cup and Wimbledon happening simultaneously in our planet.

Jesus narrated the story of a tower crash that killed 18 people and signed off by preaching a message of repentance around it (Luke 13:1-5). Following His example, I would like to narrate some unforgettable moments of this Football World Cup and sign off by reminding us of Bible Truths that we sadly do care much about.

They began their World Cup Campaign by losing to Switzerland their very first game,
Rip-roaring back to claim the title, how handsomely, strongly and sensationally they came!
Messi, Kaka, Ronaldo, Rooney, Drogba - in their ranks was no such starry name!
But as a team they gracefully gelled and upped their game to a never-seen-before high plane!

Duke Jeyaraj's 9th Anniversary Special article - 9 July 2010

"How did you meet your wife?"

Often times, young people and even some pastors I get to speak to ask me how I met my wife. I would consider that very question a compliment. Well. Well. Well. I met my wife Evan for the first time (as far as my memory goes) at a camp meeting in Vellore called Ministry Efficiency Program for missionaries of Blessing Youth Mission, the year being 1987. I was 12 years old and she 10. Both of our parents were missionaries with Blessing Youth Mission. I distinctly remember how skinny and how stunning she looked even at that time! Another time I bumped into Evan even before I started thinking along the lines of being married to her was in the year 1993 at the BYM Missionary Kids Camp at Sitteri Hills at Tamil Nadu. Evan had just finished her grade 12 and was preparing for her Medical College Entrance Examinations, then. I was bathing near a handpump in Sitteri Hills along with a few boys when she climbed uphill from the Sitteri Bus stop, to arrive one day later than all of us. I cut short my bath and ran in! I did not have an Arnold Schwarznegger body to show her, you see!

Duke Jeyaraj’s thoughts on the Germany-Italy 2006 World Cup Semifinals, the best game of that tournament

It was easily the best match of the Germany 2006 World Cup– the Italy Vs Germany Semifinal. The match went into extra-time and yet there were no goals scored by either side. A penalty shootout was on cards. Italy, though they had the best goalie of the tournament in Gianluigi Buffon, were not too keen to go into another penalty shootout. They had messed it all up in penalty shootouts in the previous World Cups – in the 1990 semifinals, in the 1994 final and in the 1998 quarterfinals. What was more, in their previous match the Germans had beaten the mighty Argentines in penalties and were on a roll before their home crowd that was 65,000 strong. At that point of time, Italian coach Marcello Lippi put on his thinking cap and swung into action. He sent in two substitutes as forwards. The Italian attack needed fresh legs to finish it off before the dreaded final whistle would signal for penalties, he knew. When Del Piero went in as a sub in the 104th minute of the game he joined Alberto Gilardino who already was sent in as a sub earlier on in extra time. Italy played with four forwards late into extra-time. Guess what happened? They scored two goals in the final three minutes! The second goal was scored when one substitute forward shot the ball past the German goal fed by a pass by another substitute forward. The substitutions that the canny Lippi made in that electrifying game were absolutely brilliant. His gutsy gamble paid off! They won the game for Italy!