Victor Raj

Road cycling is more than just a sport or a means of transportation. It is a test of endurance, discipline, and perseverance—qualities that resonate deeply with the Christian life. For a cyclist who is also a believer, the road can become more than a physical journey; it can be a spiritual metaphor for faith, growth, and reliance on God. Exploring the connection between road cycling and the Christian faith shows how the principles of cycling—training, endurance, overcoming obstacles, and perseverance—mirror key aspects of spiritual life. Road cycling and Christian faith, while seemingly disparate, can intertwine in profound ways, offering rich metaphors and practical applications for spiritual growth Road cycling has numerous challenges: steep climbs, relentless headwinds, and the sheer endurance required for long distances. These trials mirror the spiritual journey. Just as a cyclist must push through physical exhaustion, a Christian must persevere through trials of faith. The Bib...

God painted a picture and called it the world With mountains, valleys and streams God painted a picture and called the world With beauty, laughter and dreams            Splashes of yellow, purple and red Tinged with gold and green A glorious rainbow, a sunset of flame Flowers and trees serene. A baby’s smile, a mother tear, A lovers happy thought And many other wondrous things Were on His canvas wrought God painted a picture and called it the world With mountains, valleys and streams He gave it to man, saying “This is your world, Guard it with love and humility. Keep faith with Me and humanity Keep faith with Me….keep faith with Me” (Attributed to Florence Tarr) God painted a beautiful picture and gifted it to us to treasure and nourish and be part of His pleasure. Everything changes in Genesis 3. Satan enters desecrates the God’s beautiful painting with “You can do anything”, with spray paint. ...

  Seculars and skeptics consider the Bible a myth. Some among the believing doubt the Old Testament; they see it as fantasy and the characters in it are fictional and ignore it. Red Sea parting and Jonah’s story seem out of this world. But God’s word is true he breathed it. Stories are there for a reason and purpose. God inspired human authors to pen the narrative of what he has done, doing and will do. God’s written word, the Bible, is about  God’s creation and its fall and what he has done to redeem his people, the judgment of sin, and making all things new in Christ . God’s written word, given to us as we have it, consists of historical narratives, poetry, psalms, proverbs, songs, etc. One can notice a variety of genres written in different periods.   The first  five books were written by Moses. These five books are held in the highest esteem by the Jewish people. These five books are called Pentateuch, Torah, and the Law.   Reading these five books give...

George Best, one of the most gifted footballers the world has ever seen, spent his final days in a hospital bed, battling internal bleeding. His condition was described as "as serious as it can get." A transplant liver — once a second chance at life — was again overwhelmed by the very thing it was meant to save him from: alcohol. It’s hard to reconcile the image of that frail man with the boy from Belfast who, in the 1960s, caught a boat to Manchester at age 15 to chase a dream. Best’s meteoric rise began when he helped Manchester United win the 1968 European Cup — the first ever for an English club. Handsome, charming, and impossibly talented, he wasn’t just admired — he was adored. People called him a footballing god. With Adonis-like looks and unmatched skill, George Best became a symbol of what many believed was the ultimate life — youth, beauty, fame, success. But that pedestal was far too high for a mortal to stand on for long. And when he looked down, his head spu...

ORDINARY MEN AND EXTRAORDINARY DEEDS God uses the unexpected, unimpressive, and inexperienced to accomplish remarkable things. Simple men were used by God to lay foundation for the church. A fine example is the shepherd boy David. David was smaller in stature / status but stood up for his people, his God and defeated Goliath. What made this shepherd boy dare Goliath? In OT 1Sam. 16:13-14 says that the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David. The Holy Spirit made all the difference. Saul (1 Sam. 16:13-14) also mentions that the Spirit departed Saul. The contrast between Saul and David was not their position; it was their spirit. We’re told that the Spirit rushed upon David, while the Spirit departed from Saul. One man was Spirit-filled and led. The other was without Spirit. What spurred those simple men who dared persecution, stood up against the powers and take stand. NT we are told the Holy Spirit, they received the power to be witnesses for Jesus Christ because of the coming of the H...

Communities Personal fulfillment is the highest value, in this individualistic culture we live in. If you don’t find fulfillment in something get out of it. Sacrifice is the word consigned to dustbin. Split in the family is because of this radial individualism. Family is the most basic component of community, which is breaking down because of this individualism and in the longer run makes it difficult for people to establish meaningful relationships. Regardless of this individualism, there is a craving for community. People seek out relationships in many places, from friendship clubs, churches to virtual communities on the Web. These groups must truly be caring communities to command people’s allegiance. People must find fulfillment collectively and individually. Key word for success of these groups is “authenticity”. The Bible says, The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts…. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body…. If the whole body w...

LITTLE BOY OF GREAT FAITH Fear is the worst enemy. The story of David & Goliath is a great source of encouragement, its David’s response to adversity. This story gives us insight to how we can increase our faith, in the same way that David did, particularly the following verses: 32 David said to Saul, "Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him." 33 Saul replied, "You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth." 34 But David said to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied t...