Why am I Not Blessed?😭

Are you lacking blessings?
Are you unable to get along with others? Are things not going well in your life? Are your children disrespectful to you?

Do you know why?
Could this ...?... be the reason?
Read to find out more.

Just a revelation, which I thought might be useful to someone, if shared...God bless!

Genesis 9:20-22 NIV
"Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. [21] When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. [22] Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside."

Ham saw his father's nakedness and instead of covering him, Ham exposed the news about his father's nakedness to his brothers.  Noah was Ham's father and instead of covering his father's nakedness himself and protecting his honour, Ham exposed him.

Deuteronomy 5:16 

“Honor your father and mother, as the LORD your God commanded you. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

Jesus goes a little further by saying this in Matthew 15:4 For God said: 'Honor your father and mother' and 'Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of his father or mother must be put to death.'

Those who honour their fathers and mothers will be bountifully blessed in every area of their lives. That means not just on this earth but we will be blessed eternally in heaven. 

Those who dishonour their parents will suffer dire consequences, according to God's Word. 

Are we honouring our parents, respecting our spouses (our children see how we speak to one another), and do we protect their dignity?

As parents grow old they may not be quick in thinking, cohesive in speaking or alert as the young are. Once upon a time they were healthy, robust and did everything for us and covered our shame. Yet now they are weak and frail. They may be forgetful, wait in front of the lift or traffic light without pressing the button or they may repeat the same story again or ask the same questions over and over again,  or they may be clumsy like a child when eating, drinking or in their toilette habits.

When our elderly parents make a mistake do we treat them as small kids and reprimand them? When they are unable to help us later in life ( it could be due to failing health which may not be visible to us, or due to financial or other constraints) do we get angry with them, shun them and refuse to care for them or even allow them to see their grandchildren? Do we belittle our parents and scoff at them when they disagree with us? 

Have we allowed our spouses to dishonour our parents? Have we simply condoned our spouse's actions and spiteful behaviour towards our parents or his/her parents? Have we allowed our spouses to talk disrespectfully about our parents? Remember, once we are married we are bound by God's law to honour our parents in law because they now become our parents. 

What is the morally and biblically right and proper thing to do? Should we :-

1) make fun of their behavior, expose their shame, laugh it off with those who are with us, as if it is a joke, gossip about them and talk disrespectfully about them?

OR

2) try to understand them and help them in a way we can, be respectful to them always, both in front of them and behind them, honour them and pray for them?

If we choose to do (1), then, we are breaking the fifth commandment and also committing the same sin as Ham.

The same curse which fell upon Ham's son would have fallen upon our children. But...thank God our Father for His mercy and love and His grace that He has given us His Son Jesus Christ, Who took our sins upon Himself, suffered, died and rose again victoriously. 

We now have forgiveness for all our sins when we put our faith in Jesus and repent of our sins. Thank our merciful Saviour, for now our sins will not be passed on to our children because of the new covenant in Christ. 

That does not give us the prerogative to refrain from repenting and seeking forgiveness from the Almighty and from our parents. If we don't, then we will have to suffer the consequences for dishonouring and disrespecting our parents. 

Remember, our children are watching our every action and are hearing every word we speak. How we treat our parents will be the way our children treat us.

The Bible has much to warn about blessings for honouring parents and curses for dishonouring parents and about scoffers/mockers and those who sit with them. (Check out the verses at the end of this article.)

We must teach our children to fear the Lord God and His Word and to obey Him. We can only teach them first by how we behave towards our own parents and parents in law. Children learn by seeing. 

If we and our children are not blessed in some areas of our lives, we need to examine ourselves and ask why? If we have not honoured our parents/parents in law or shown disrespect to them by scoffing, if we have magnified their mistakes and spoken disrespectfully or gossiped about them, if we have talked down to them, raised our authoritative voice at them, instead of talking gently to them and praying for them, we need to truly repent and seek their forgiveness. Repentance is a must and apology is much needed.

Let us not legalize what we have done. Let us not give excuses but simply go to the Lord and repent and promise, never to dishonour our parents again. Then let us go to our parents if they are still alive (please do it before it is too late, lest you regret all your life) and tell them we are sorry. That word alone will gladden their hearts and they will bless us with gladdened hearts and we will be blessed abundantly by our Father God.

A note to children:- We must tremble to do wrong.Never dishonour or disrespect your daddy snd mummy. It is not cool to follow what we see on TV and talk to our parents in the same disrespectful way. Always remember that they are God's representatives to care for you on earth. Always obey them. Do not make them sad by quarrelling with your siblings.  Give them due honour and respect, whether you feel they deserve it or not. Only then, all that you do will prosper.  

Here is a bible verse for you to remember and live accordingly:-

Proverbs 6:16-19 Amplified Bible

¹⁶ 
These six things the Lord hates;
Indeed, seven are repulsive to Him:
¹⁷ 
A proud look [the attitude that makes one overestimate oneself and discount others], a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood,
¹⁸ 
A heart that creates wicked plans,
Feet that run swiftly to evil,
¹⁹ 
A false witness who breathes out lies [even half-truths],
And one who spreads discord (rumors) among brothers.

Remember this:- Repenting and saying, "Sorry" is not weakness, rather it shows our strength of character and helps us to remain humble before our Great and Mighty God.

Useful Bible verses to heed:-

Proverbs 24:9 ESV
The devising of folly is sin, and the scoffer is an abomination to mankind.

Proverbs 21:24 ESV
"Scoffer" is the name of the arrogant, haughty man who acts with arrogant pride.

Psalm 1:1 ESV
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

Proverbs 13:1 ESV
A wise son hears his father's instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.

Proverbs 19:29 ESV
Condemnation is ready for scoffers, and beating for the backs of fools.

Proverbs 22:10 ESV
Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out, and quarreling and abuse will cease.

Ephesians 6:1-3 ESV

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”

Leviticus 20:9 ESV

For anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death; he has cursed his father or his mother; his blood is upon him.

Proverbs 20:20 ESV

If one curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.

Colossians 3:20 NLT

Children, always obey your parents, for this pleases the Lord.

Exodus 21:15 ESV

“Whoever strikes his father or his mother shall be put to death.

Proverbs 23:22 ESV

Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.

Mary Augustine

28th September 2020

Today(27.06.2020) and Everyday Let us Love and Pray for them and ourselves unceasingly!

Lord Jesus have mercy on the nation of Singapore

Today is the Day Singapore is allowing the Pink Dot, LGBTQ Community to Live stream their activities at 8pm. This community has asked Singaporeans to show them support by lighting up tbeir homes with Pink Lights. Although our government is firm on their stand and refuses to repeal 377A the Pink Dot LGBTQ community is becoming bolder and bolder and have been pushing their way up to be seen and heard. Our innocent  children and their future are in danger.

What should we do?

When we are surrounded by people who demand that their sin be seen as 'normal' and not a sin. What do we as believers in Christ Jesus do?

First I would say that they do not know God. Most are not Christians They have not read the Bible. Even if they have read, they would have read it only partially or to justify their claims, never allowing the Holy Spirit to change them from inside out by the washing of the Word over them. The rest would be those who don't believe in God's existence or of other beliefs. Many may be confused and lonely people who have been rejected by their families and societies and are unstable psychologically. Therefore in that state of mind, they have been lured into thinking that being a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and/or Queer, is normal. Many though are lawyers and doctors and people of high educational status. They too have sadly allowed their minds to be confused by this kind of thinking.

So it is really futile to argue with them, if not impossible. We will only resort to unnecessary arguments and animosity. Then our attempt to help them change and follow God's Way, will all be in vain.

We may argue that their feelings are legitimate and we must let them express themselves the way they want to without inhibiting them. If so won't our Creator God Who created us people and all creatures just leave it open and tell us, "Be what you want to be!"? No the Bible says, " He created them Male and Female!"Genesis 5:2

Know God's Word

For ourselves, being believers we must know God's Word like the back of our palm.

About Judging, Correcting, Loving & Praying

When Jesus said, "He who is without sin, cast the first stone,"  (Jn 8:7b) He did not mean:-

*We must not judge a sinful action done by someone.
OR
*We have the permission to commit sin.

He really meant 'Throw the first Stone if you have never committed a sin'! He shows us that all of us are, without exception, sinners. So we should not go around throwing stones at them or shouting at them as though we have never sinned. But we as followers of Christ Jesus, have the responsibility to point out sin in a fellow brother or sister and help them to stop sinning. That is not called judging them.

Let's see what God's Word says about this:-

Matthew 18:15-17 ESV Jesus Himself said...
"If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. [16] But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. [17] If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

Galatians 6:1 ESV
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

James 5:19-20 ESV
My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, [20] let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

2 Thessalonians 3:15 ESV
Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

But...first before confronting one who is in sin and bringing him back to the Lord with a heart of repentance, we must look at the sin in us, correct ourselves first then tell him his fault.  Or else we will be hypocrites.

This is what Jesus meant when He said in
Matthew 7:3-5 ESV
Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? [4] Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? [5] You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

Therefore that is why repentance of heart is vital and has to be practised daily and constantly. We need to humble ourselves before God and acknowledge our own sins and tell Him that we are sorry and ask the help of the Holy Spirit never to sin again and faithfully walk in the narrow way of  Christ Jesus. We must work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. -Philippians 2:12

Look at vs 5 again. See what Jesus tells us...
[5] You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

He wants us to repent of our sins first, then go and take the speck out of our brother's eye. Jesus did not say, "take the log out of your own eye. Then don't worry about your brother. He will take the speck out of his eye himself." No Jesus never said that, but the world teaches us that by saying, "Don't bother about them. Correct your mistakes. They know  how to take care of themselves. So leave them alone!" What should you do? Follow what Jesus says or follow what the world says?

How can you watch a child who is ignorant of what will happen to him, eat a sweet that has mould and fungi on it? We can't and won't right? In the same way, how can we watch someone, who is ignorant of their spiritual condition and of the consequences that will occur when they do continue to sin, without warning them? They are spiritually 'babies' who do not know right from wrong yet. We need to help them grow.

When we continue to walk in repentance before our Father God, we can correct another person who sins, with gentleness and love.

We need to judge the sin as a sin but not the person. At the same time we must love the person without taking part in their sin or condoning or supporting it.

We need to make a stand and say, "Look I love you but I don't want you to jump off that cliff because that will shatter you into pieces. I will  do all I can to help you turn back and walk away from the cliff. I will pray for you and at the same time talk to you about the consequences you will face when you continue in this act or behaviour. I will show you what God thinks about it from the Word of God. I will stand by you till you are safe in the hands of our Creator.

Then show them verses from the Bible like the following:-

God is Merciful and He forgives all who repent.

Psalm 86:5 ESV
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.

1 John 1:9 ESV
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

We cannot be haughty before God claiming that we have not sinned.

1 John 1:10 ESV
If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

These people, unless they repent, abide in Christ Jesus and walk in the right way of Jesus, WILL NOT enter heaven. I am not saying it. I am not judging them. It is God's Word that says so.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 ESV
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, [10] nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Again I ask you the same question as before...
When we are surrounded by people who demand that their sin be seen as 'normal' and not a sin. What do we do?

If they are believers who have gone astray, we can do all that I mentioned earlier in this article. Then let God take over. But on our part we must continue to pray for them.

But if they are not believers, then we can only pray for them, then try to explain what God's Word says, to them.  If they become defensive and violent, leave them into God's hands for He alone can change any person. We can only be God's mouthpiece but the eventual change will come only when they allow God to change them.

Does that mean we should give up on them. No we must have this godly sorrow in our hearts for our sins and the sins that are happening around in our society like Lot did.
2 Peter 2:7-8 ESV
and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked [8] (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard);

That's why Lot and his family were rescued from Sodom and Gomorrah when God destroyed those 2 cities. Those cities were completely destroyed for the same LGBTQ sins.

God loves us but He will not condone sin of any kind, whether lgbtq or other sins. 

Sin has it's consequences. He sent His prophets to warn people of sin. He sent His prophets to ask them to repent. But they killed His prophets. He sent His Son Jesus to purify us of our sins and to tell us to walk in His Way in humility and repentance of heart. They crucified Him. He did not give us permission to sin after receiving salvation. He expects us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, repenting the moment we sin and getting up and living changed lives. He knows our weak sinful nature. That is why He has given us His Holy Spirit to dwell in all who have accepted Christ Jesus as their Saviour. The Holy Spirit will help us correct ourselves when we obediently cooperate with Him.
Jesus will come again to judge the living and the dead in the end. The Bible says all the world will bow at the name of Jesus.
Philippians 2:10 ESV
so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

When Jesus appears as the Judge of the world all those who do not believe in Him and change their lives now, will be utterly dismayed but it will be too late then.
Revelation 21:6-8 ESV
And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. [7] The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. [8] But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death."

Therefore we who are sinners washed by the blood of Christ Jesus, must repent ourselves and walk in humility and obedience before God. We must stand in the gap, be faithful watchmen and pray for those who refuse to listen and continue in their sin, seeking repentance for ourselves and for all, like the prophets of the old testament did. Then we must keep watch on ourselves lest we too get tempted and fall into the same sin. Gal 6:1b.

Remember that all of us sin daily. Some of us lie, some cheat, some do not honour their parents, some commit adultery (Jesus said looking at a woman lustfully is committing adultery), some gossip and that is equivalent to murder. All of us have sinned and need God's mercy and not judgement. Therefore we must not look down upon those who commit a certain kind of sin but pray for them. There is mercy and forgiveness of sins when we run to Jesus, confess our sins, repent and firmly resolve not to sin again and walk in obedience to God's Word with the help of the Holy Spirit.  This is what we must tell them while correcting them with gentleness and love. Then we must pray for them.

Let us love everyone and pray for them and ourselves without ceasing.

Mary Augustine
27.06.2020

Come Out My Children! Come Out!

My 3am thoughts :- Jesus is Calling:-

"My people's consciences are seared. They have become insensitive to sin. They clearly see the speck in their brother's eye but are insensitive to the log in their own. This Circuit Breaker /Lockdown is a time of My great mercy for My  own. They are not heeding My call. Repent and live My people. Come out! Come out! Come out of your drugged state. The world and its pleasures, power and wealth has drugged your consciences.

Work hard but seek Me before that. I Am the Author of life. Do not worship work. Your health is important to serve Me. But do not idolize your body and spend more time than is needed, on exercising and  dieting. Your body has become your mini god.

Learning new skills which enhance your work or lives is important. I am not against it. But do not spend all your time on it, neglecting your duties and Me.  Put Me as You first priority daily. I will help you set everything right.

By spending excess time  on work, exercises, diets and relaxation you become obsessed with it. These then become iyour idols of worship. You are succumbing to the enemy's call to seek worldly power, without your knowledge. Yes, My children. It lures you to think that by excelling in your work, excelling in acquiring new skills and by keeping your body in a world model's shape, you will gain more power and be more successful than others in your office, in you society and in your community.  What will make you successful is not all these but Me. The power that this world gives will not last.True health, power and success comes only from Me, the Origin of every good thing. My power will empower you to be all I want you to be. The enemy does not want you to spend time with Me. So these are his tactics to lure you away from Me, the Source of Life.

I Am not a cruel God. I want you to be joyful not only now but for all  eternity.  Whatever you are engaging in, may seem right to you.. But is it in My will for you My child?  Don't you want to know if what you are doing is in My will for you at this time? Come and spend quiet time with Me. I will speak to your heart. I will help you do what is right and help you excel in it. I will draw you closer to Me, teach and empower you to lead souls heavenward through whatever you do. Too much of any good thing can be harmful to your bodies, minds and souls. Come and sit with Me. I will teach you.

Relaxation! What is it My children? To sit and rest after a hard day's work. That's the meaning. My people are succumbing to worldly pleasures and delights in the name of relaxation.  This time is given to you to seek Me, to know Me, to obey Me and to lead souls to Me. That's why I freed you from your hard labour; to give you time to dig deeper into My Word, to review your lives, to repent and to set your priorities right again.

Do not let your consciences be seared by movies and programs which may seem good or interesting. This is  not real entertainment. Just a drop of poison will make the milk unfit for drinking. Most games you play, on your computers and gaming devices, secludes you, makes you aggressive and chains you up. It causes you to become depressed in the end. Most entertainment programs are spearheaded by My enemy.  Just a curse word, an indecent act, an ungodly concept can lull your conscience to sleep and make what you see and hear seem harmless. You will slowly but surely become desensitized to the harmful effects of what you play, see, hear and absorb. As you consume these seemingly harmless programs and play the games which put you under the enemy's bondage, little by little daily, you crucify Me again and again. Is this what I suffered and died for, to see my children be drugged and abducted by Satan?

Learn what real entertainment is at my feet.  Sit with Me. I will teach you how to enjoy the simple joys of life; My presence; the nature around your neighborhood; the smile on the face of someone you help; the innocent laughter of  a child; simple games and lively conversations that bonds your family; etc. The enemy has taught you to enjoy things that makes you selfish and insensitive to those around you and makes you think that, it is entertainment. Do not follow the mass. If you do, you will be walking straight into hell with them.

Churches are shut down but know that I Am with you.  I do not live in buildings. I live in you who are My living tabernacles. This time is My time of mercy and grace to teach you to worship Me daily at home, to pray with your family. Yes, community worship is important. But grave damage has been done to that by My shepherds. Many of My shepherds have lost their hearts to wealth, comfort and fame and My sheep are following them in throngs.

My children, how I longed to gather you and keep you safe under my wings.  I suffered and died and rose victoriously and sent you My Spirit just so that I can be in you and with you always.  I came to give you a hope and a future, so that you may live forever with Me. But the enemy is drugging you with new entertainment, new pleasures and new worldly goals and luring you to his side.

Wake up My children! Wake up from your drunken stupor. Wake up and repent.  Repent, repent, repent! Without repentance there is no forgiveness. Repent for each wrong you did and for each good you did not do. Repent for the rippling ill effects your mistakes have caused to others. Shake off this world's filth that is clinging on to you.  Do not despair or be discouraged. Call out to Me. I Am near you. I Am waiting to help you. I Am waiting for you with open arms,  My prodigal children, you who call yourselves Christians but are wallowing in the mud of sin and shame, to return to Me. Come quickly, do not tarry, lest you perish. My prodigal children, you who need to be shaken out of your comfort zones, I will do all I can to help you return to Me till you breathe your last.

Repent and seek Me and I will help you to change. Be rooted in Me and bear the fruit of My Spirit in your lives; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Read My Word and meditate on it daily and I will guide you with My Wisdom. Let My Words be always in your hearts and on your lips.

My children, I Am coming soon. Watch and Pray! Pray for yourselves and your children. Pray for your pastors and leaders. Pray for your nation and your government officials. Pray for this lukewarm and faithless generation.  Pray unceasingly. Pray for the lost and those whom they lead away from Me. Pray that they will hear My still small voice and be freed from the clutches of the enemy.  Pray for one another. 

You My children must be My light in this dark generation. Be the salt in  this tasteless world. Only then, when those who don't know Me, see you united in love, prayer and shining brightly with My light, will they come to Me and be saved.  Make Me and My unconditional love for everyone, known to them. Then I will do the convicting. I have put you in this world, in these times, for this.

Watch and pray at all times. Heed My warning. Be prepared and don't be caught unaware, sleeping or without oil."

End of my 3am thoughts.

Mary Augustine

25th May 2020

Trouble Sleeping? Why?

I had trouble sleeping last night. Numerous thoughts were flooding my mind. I was talking to Jesus as I lay on my bed. I asked Him what must I do to be ready for His coming. I said, "I don't want to leave this world without accomplishing what You created me to do Jesus. "  Then I was thinking about this Covid-19 situation & the Circuit Breaker season; about how people are easily swayed by the things of this world like work,  which is good but taken too far will separate us from God; like relaxation, which is needed but taken too far will make us slaves to the passions and cravings and things of this world and will make us forget God; like exercising and healthy dieting, which is important to keep healthy but taken too far will become an obsession and become an idol to us and separate us from God. I was wondering why most people are not worried about the lost souls who are on the verge of going to hell, let alone their own souls. Then I got up and went to the hall, took my Bible and asked the Holy Spirit to talk to me. I asked Father God to give me a Word! Then I opened the Bible. What are the odds 😲 of my eyes falling on Matthew Chp 25:1-12 The Parable of the Ten Virgins. 

Each word in here spoke to me and here is my reflection on it. Here is the passage:-

Matthew 25:1-13 NIV
[1] "At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. [2] Five of them were foolish and five were wise. [3] The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. [4] The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. [5] The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. [6] "At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' [7] "Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. [8] The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.' [9] " 'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.' [10] "But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. [11] "Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!' [12] "But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.' [13] "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

[1] "At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom :-  Here Jesus is referring to the Church/Ekklesia/ A body of faithful believers, who take their lamps and who go out to meet the bridegroom, as the kingdom of heaven.  In the Our Father prayer, Jesus taught us to pray, "Your Kingdom come!" How will God's kingdom come to earth unless we the collective body of Christ, the Church, by our shining examples, live out our faith filled lives, win souls for Him and establish God's kingdom wherever we go? These 10 virgins must have been doing all those that I mentioned above. So take note, Jesus said these 10 virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom, resembled the kingdom of God.

All ten were Virgins:-  'Virgins' mean that they had not known anyone else. They were pure and set apart for the bridegroom. They had prepared themselves. As the bride of Christ the Ekklesia the Church is to be set apart pure and spotless so that they will be pleasing to Jesus our Bridegroom. So take note, all 10 were virgins, not just the 5 wise ones.

All 10 virgins came out:- Not just the wise ones but all the 10 virgins came out to meet the bridegroom.

Then I heard another voice from heaven say: "'Come out of her, my people,' so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; - Revelation 18:4

Paul explains about 'coming out' here clearly:-
"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? [15] What harmony is there between Christ and Belial ? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? [16] What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." [17] "Therefore come out from them (from the world and it's lures) and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." [18] "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."-2 Corinthians 6:14-18

Jesus prayed to His Father and ours, for all believers in John 17:15-16
My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. [16] They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.

Yes all 10 virgins were in the world, but came out of it, meaning they did not let the worldly desires, sins, passions and allurement entangle them. They did not choose this world's power, wealth and pleasures. They did not step out of the 'protected zone' the place of obedience to God. They were kept safe by the prayers of Jesus. They lived perfect admirable lives.

All 10 brought along their brightly burning lamps:- That means they were a shining example for all to follow.

The only difference was...
The wise ones took oil with them in jars and the foolish ones did not:- What does, 'Oil in the jars' signify? The oil keeps the light burning in the lamps. Oil signifies the 'First Love', the unquenchable and unending passion for the Lord and zeal to do His bidding, that is to 'Tell the world the Good News about Jesus Christ' and to keep going through trials and persecutions. To warn and save those going to hell because of their sins. When our first love for Jesus diminishes we will slowly become cold to the things of the Spirit. Let's see what Jesus tells John at the island of Patmos in Revelation 2:4-5 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. [5] Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

What is the use of a lamp and a lampstand without oil? Therefore it would be removed. Therefore having oil ready in hand, was of utmost importance to the virgins to meet the bridegroom because they did not know when the bridegroom would arrive.  Like them we do not know when Jesus would come again to receive us in mid air. He will come as a thief in the night. We do not know the day or the hour of His return. Therefore we must keep our first love rekindled and intact. In this parable Jesus did not mention that their lamps were taken from them but it is an understood and known fact for those who dig deep into God's Word. 

All slept:- All 10 virgins had prepared themselves, had been ready and were waiting for the bridegroom to come. But He seemed to be tarrying. As they waited it was only natural that they felt drowsy. They fell asleep.

All Heard:-  All 10 heard the messenger's voice at midnight, " The bridegroom is here. Come out to meet Him!" That means even while sleeping they were alert to the sound of the voice of the messenger (archangel 1Thess 4:16). Why? Because they were eagerly waiting for the Bridegroom. They did not sleep on. Instead all 10 eagerly jumped up and began to trim their lamps. 

All 10 trimmed their lamps :- Trimming the lamps is very important because only trimmed wicks will burn brightly.  Likewise each believer in the Church which is the Bride of Christ Jesus needs to be alert and trim away all the advances of the world which continues to pursue our hearts, intellect and flesh relentlessly. If we don't continue to do it until we enter the bridegroom's chamber, we will become useless for Christ. We will not burn brightly.  So all 10 trimmed their lamps.

Go buy some oil for yourselves:- It was while trimming the lamps the 5 foolish virgins realized that their oil was running out. They lost their first love, the zeal and passion with which they used to testify about Jesus to acknowledge Him before others. ( Why am I saying this? You will see later.)They turned to the 5 wise virgins and asked for some oil. This is similar to a believer who has diminished interest in glorifying God through his obedience, and who just wants to take glory in the passion, zeal and faith of another believer. How can passion, zeal and faith of one person be shared with another? How can the first love be shared? The one who lost it, must repent and seek God for it. But was there time for them to do so? Let's see. So the 5 foolish virgins turned back to buy some oil. 

But then...The Rapture happened!

[10] "But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. :-  This is the pre-tribulation rapture.

[11] "Later the others also came. 'Lord! Lord!' they said. 'Open the door for us!' [12] "But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.':- The other ten came back  because they couldn't find any oil. Why do I say that? Here in this passage it only says, "Later the others also came." They could not get any oil, because the oil seller, the One Who pours oil into our hearts, the One Who restores the first love in our hearts, the Holy Spirit was removed from the earth. The Word of God says in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8
Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, [2] not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. [3] Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the departure (translated as 'rapture' in earlier versions) occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. [4] He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God. [5] Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? [6] And now you know what(the Holy Spirit) is holding him back, so that he(Antichrist) may be revealed at the proper time. [7] For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the One (Holy Spirit) Who now holds it back will continue to do so till the Restrainer (Holy Spirit) is taken out of the way. [8] And then the lawless one(Antichrist) will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming(this refers to Jesus' coming for the final judgement). 

The Holy Spirit is now holding back God's wrath, which will be poured upon the world once the Bride of Christ(the Church), is taken up from this world. When the faithful believers are taken up, He too, will be removed from the world.Those believers who lost their first love and left behind will not be able to get back their lost love. So the 5 foolish virgins hurried back to get in line with the other 5.  But by the time they arrived the bridegroom's chamber's door was shut tight.

They called Him, "Lord! Lord!" "Open the door for us!" :- In other words they were saying, "Let us in!" After all, they were virgins (they had no idols before them), they came out 'of the world'  to meet the bridegroom, they had their brightly shining lamps(which were removed when they lost their oil, their first love), they were alert when they heard the call of the messenger and got up immediately to trim their lamps. They only did one mistake. They were foolish enough not to bring extra oil ( hearts overflowing with love for Christ) for their lamps. That's why they were called, foolish.

[12] "But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.':-The Lord told them, "Truly I tell you, I don't know you.":- Wow! Harsh words to hear after making so much preparation right? Why did the Lord say, " I don't know you?"  Let us examine where else Jesus said about acknowledgement. In Luke 12:8-9 Jesus says, "Now I tell you, whoever acknowledges Me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge him before the angels of God. But the one who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God." So here it seems the 5 foolish virgins did not acknowledge Jesus before men. That is why He denied knowing them before the angels of God.  You may be wondering where the angels were in the parable, because Jesus does not include angels. But in  1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 we read about the rapture,
"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we ( the Ekklesia) who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord."

Therefore the messenger who announced the coming of the bridegroom was an archangel. There surely were a whole army of angels there witnessing this marriage event. 

The bridegroom without opening the door said, "I do not know you," before the angels. Is it not exactly what Jesus said He would say in Luke 12:8-9?

So here in this parable the 5 foolish virgins have had seeminly lost their first love, the passion and zeal to make Jesus known; to tell the people of the world, those lukewarm believers, those who back slided, those who did not truly know Jesus,  that Jesus is the only Way, Truth and Life, the One and Only Way to Salvation. Why? Because they themselves lost their first love. Everything else was in place, except for one. Sad, is it not? 

They could have felt shy to tell others about Jesus. They may have been afraid of what others will say or think about them. They could have been worried that they will be called narrow minded people or  bigots. They may have been afraid of being persecuted. Or they may have been too busy following their 'religious' practices and thinking of saving only themselves and were not bothered about other perishing souls. In this way they did not acknowledge Jesus the Bridegroom before others. Therefore now the Bridegroom, even without opening the door said, "Truly, I don't know you!"

Will they, the 5 foolish virgins who missed the marriage supper of the Church and Christ Jesus, be accepted into heaven later at the final judgement? It all depends on the way they conduct their lives from then till Christ comes as a judge. They still stand a chance. They were not condemned to hell as the ones Jesus will condemn when he comes as a judge after the tribulations. 

Jesus warns us about this in  Matthew 25:31-33,41-46 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. [32] All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. [33] He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. [41] "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. [42] For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, [43] I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' [44] "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' [45] "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' [46] "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life. "

(I will delve deeper into this in another blog article of mine soon).

So these 5 foolish virgins still have a chance to become wise. But they must guard themselves e end more and be watchful for after the rapture they won't have the Holy Spirit to help them.  

[13] "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.:- In other words Jesus is telling us, to be watchful always, for His coming to take us to the marriage supper of the lamb.

This deadly virus Covid-19 which has affected every single country of the world is just a final warning to everyone on earth. It simply shows vaguely, what will happen when both the Church and the Holy Spirit are removed from this world, before the wrath of God is poured upon the world. The suffering of those left behind will be million times intense. The book of Revelation in the Bible spells it all out clearly. 

For Believers in Jesus Christ

If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, check yourself to see if you truly know Jesus. The marks of a true believer is this:- 

*he will be willing to give up everything and everyone for Jesus. 

*He will be overflowing with the love of Jesus that he will be telling everyone about Jesus. He will not be bothered if others call him a mad man or a bigot because his heart will be filled with compassion for the lost souls, those who are perishing without Jesus and those who are perishing in sin.

*he will know that he is not perfect therefore he will always walk humbly before God and man and repent as soon as he falls into sin and attach (abide in) himself firmly into 'the vine' (Jesus) and bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit ( love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control)  in his character, and be a light of Christ unto the world.

*his humility and servant attitude will be a testimony to his ongoing relationship with Christ Jesus.

*he will not seek the things of the world which are  power, wealth and pleasure. Instead he will seek after the things of heaven. 

Dear believers in Jesus Christ, do read the Bible daily. The Secret to Eternal Life is in there. Read each word in the book of Revelation, especially the message of Jesus to the seven churches. 

For Nonbelievers

If you are not a believer in Jesus Christ, may I ask you, what is stopping you from believing in Him and accepting Him as Your Lord and Saviour? 

You may be a believer in various religions or you may be one who does not believe in the existence of God at all. You may think that I am a bigot. I am not at all affected by what you think of me. I love you and care for your soul which is going to live even after your body dies on earth.  I am crying out to you because right now you are stuck in a burning house without your knowledge. The enemy has blinded you. You are not aware that you are going to perish. But I know. I care. I love you. That is why I want you to be saved. I cannot save you. I can only warn and scream. Only the fireman, Jesus, can save you. Believe in Him.

Your religion may teach that there are many births and that you will be born as an animal or another human. Your religion may teach you that all who die become gods. Your religion may teach you that to attain heaven you must do good works and that the more good works you do they will cover your bad works. Your religion may teach you that your end goal is to attain Nirvana or Nothingness. Let me tell you that, all that is not true. 

You can challenge me on that and find out the Truth for yourself by reading the Bible from cover to cover. Yes, all you have to do is just speak to God our Creator in your heart and ask Him to remove the veil from your eyes and reveal Himself to you as you read the Bible. 

Please do not look at the lives of those who call themselves Christians and yet behave in an unworthy manner and be discouraged. Not all who call themselves Christians are true Christians. Look only at Jesus and His finished work on the Cross for you and me. Jesus did not come to the world to save only the Jews. He had to be born in one place. That was in a Jewish town as a Jew. But He came to save the entire human race. He shed His blood to save us from our sins and the effects of them. Jesus is the only One Who gave Himself to be tortured and nailed to the Cross willingly and died a cruel death to save us all. No one one in history ever did it. Jesus said that He is The Way, The Truth and The Life. He said that no one can go to the Father in heaven except through Him. Come on my dear, dear friends and relatives, either Jesus is a madman, a liar or He is The Son of God and is telling the Truth. 

Tell me, what are you going to lose by reading the Bible to find out Who Jesus really is? Do not read books which tell you about Him. Read the Bible for only the Bible will reveal the Truth to you. Only then you will truly Know Jesus and not just Know About Him.  

It is your choice now.  Let's just say what you believe is true, then OK.  But, on the day of your death when you stand alone before Jesus the Son of God Who will be your judge, what are you going to do? When He asks you, "Why did you not listen to those who were crying out to save you? Why did you not make an attempt to know Me," what are you going to say? Whom are you going to blame?  

Whatever has been foretold in the Bible has been happening on earth from the time of Creation till now. All the plagues, the tribulations and the final end of the world are all written in there. What God's Word the Bible says will happen, will happen.

Again my dear family and friends, I am writing this as a loving, caring  daughter, sister and mother would. I am crying out to you, to save you from the fire of hell. I love you and care for your soul. After we die we are going to live forever and ever and ever and ever either in heaven or hell. It is up to you to choose one now. 

I sincerely cry out to God day and night for you and am praying for each one of you who reads this article of mine to be saved from eternal damnation. Please choose well. I love you and want to be with all of you in heaven.

Finally one more plea to all my fellow believers in Christ Jesus.

Paul tells the Galatians in chapter 6 vs 9, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

Do not lose your first love. Beware of the enemy of your soul who has challenged God that he will fill hell with more people. Beware of the enemy of your soul who will try to lure you away from Jesus by giving you the power you long for, the wealth you seek and the pleasure you yearn for. These are not lasting. They are mirages to lead you straight into hell fire when you die.  Hold on to Jesus. Digest the Word of God. Spend more time praying and seeking God and telling people about Jesus instead of spending your best waking moments on movies, social media and other forms of worldly pleasure. Work  is important but don't work for money. Yes money is important to get by, but when you work  to magnify Jesus, He will reward you by guarding your money from being wasted or stolen. You will have enough to live. Do not be greedy for more because greed will open up hell's doors and allow the evil one to operate in your life. Exercising and eating healthy diets are both important to keep healthy so that you can serve God and those He has put around you. But do not make that your obsession. That will become idols in your life and lead you away from Jesus.

Remember this 2019 & 2020, the Covid-19 which has caused the global pandemic situation, and the lockdown/circuit breaker...this is a merciful grace period given to us to warn us of God's wrath that is to come, inviting us to repent and change now. 

Final Word to All

Thousands of years ago, God was going to destroy the entire world when the people were comitting unimaginable sins like homosexuality and the burning of their own infants in the fire, as a sacrifice to their pagan gods. But then He found Noah and his family, 8 of them in total, who were pleasing in His eyes. Therefore He told Noah to build a huge boat and said He will send a pair, male and female of each species of the creatures on earth and sky into the boat. Noah obeyed God. While building the boat people made fun of him. Because he was building the boat on a dry desert area where there was no nearby sea. There was no rain too until God sent rain to flood the earth. Until then dew from the heavens watered the plants on earth. No one had seen rain. Noah told them to repent and come into the boat. They refused and mocked him even more. Then when God could stand the atrocities of the people no more He opened the heavens and sent torrents of rain. The bible says  "the fountains of the Great Deep burst apart and the floodgates of heaven broke open" and rain fell for forty days and forty nights until the highest mountains were covered 15 cubits, and all earth-based life perished except Noah and those with him in the ark.

Now this time the people of this world  are committing worst sins than in those days. Babies are murdered in their mothers wombs. Homosexuality, Beastality and Pedophilia  are becoming so common these days. Power, Wealth and Pleasure have become our mini gods where many sacrifice their loved ones to these.

Jesus is the boat.

Those who cry out to you, to enter into a relationship with Jesus to accept Him as your Lord and Saviour and walk with Him faithfully, are the Noah's of today.

Jesus said in John 10:9-11, "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. [10] The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. [11] "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

And...He did! Jesus laid down His life for you and me. Are you confused, weary, troubled, sad, lonely?  Even if you are not now, at any given moment, you will be. Come to Jesus. He is inviting you with open arms. He invites you in Matthew 11:28, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."  He is offering you Eternal Life for free! Eternal life for all young and old, rich and poor, sinner and saint, all alike. Come to Him while there is still time.

Please hear my cry and be saved. Choose well. Do not wait till the least moment cause then it will be too late.

But just know this my dear family and friends, whatever your choice may be, I will love you unconditionally and will pray for you unceasingly.

Watch, watch, watch and pray, pray, pray. 

Jesus is coming soon! Let's all be prepared! 

Mary Augustine
Friday 8th May 2020

A Letter to my Grandson Isaiah:- Dear Isaiah, 'There's a Reason for this Season'!

Dear Isaiah Aaryan Clement,

I am writing to tell you something which happened just after you were born, which caused most people in the world to turn towards God.

Your birth dear Isaiah was a delight to us all, especially to your grandpa and me. After a beautiful and adorable  granddaughter Adrielle, we were holding our first grandson in our hands. 

Oh how our hearts jumped for joy. We wanted to see you, be with you and hold you in our arms daily. You were our answered prayer. Your Akka Adrielle had been fasting and praying for you even before your conception. God answered her prayers and ours so beautifully in you dear Isaiah. We feel so complete now with a sweet and intelligent granddaughter and an ever active grandson

October 24th 2019 was the day God entrusted you to us all. Just one month after that day, without most of us knowing something else was happening in China in the city of Wuhan. I will tell you about it in the latter part of this letter. 

Yes Isaiah, the months rolled by, November, December, January and February etc. We were spending our days thinking about you, visiting you and playing with you. Watching you grow was our past time. Our photo galleries in our handphones began to be filled with your photos. 

In February when your dear mum had to go back to work as a front line warrior, your parents left you with the helper from Myanmar, in our care for a while. Oh how precious those days were for us. Waking up early, cleaning and disinfecting the house, setting up your cot and mattress and waiting for your arrival every morning. Oh how we loved it. Everywhere we went our eyes were searching for baby clothes and baby stuff and toys just for you. We wanted only the best for you dear child. In fact your grandfather began buying cute cutlery and stocking them up for you,  even before you were born.  We used to compete to carry you and give you milk and burp you and put you to sleep. We used to wait eagerly for you to wake up and smile at us with your beautiful sparkling eyes. Every time you smiled and laughed, it felt like cool refreshing waterfalls. To cut it all short, Isaiah you were the joy, pride and everything in our lives, just as your akka was. (You both still are and always will be our pride and joy).

Then suddenly something happened which changed everything. It was the Circuit Breaker. Let me explain why the Circuit Breaker had to be put in place and what happened in Singapore before and after that. This will be a useful lesson in history for you. 

It all began in Wuhan, a city in China, a month after you were born. There was a coronavirus which originated in Wuhan in 2019. Some say it originated in a market where they sold wild animals, bats and snakes. Some say it originated in a lab in Wuhan. I wrote about this 'Virus from Wuhan', in my blog, early this year in February, when it was not a Pandemic yet. 

At that time life was still going on as per normal. In Singapore, everyone was busy with their work and activities. Meeting deadlines, chasing dreams, making money, was the goal for most people. There were others who were trying to make ends meet, to place a meal on the table for their family, working tirelessly from dawn to dusk. 'To Excel in Life', was the motto of most. Education systems were grooming young minds to believe that the only way to be above the rest, gain power, acclaim, recognition and to climb up the ranks on the ladder was to give their all, give their best to all the different modes of learning, day and night. Students had no rest cause they had lessons in the morning and CCAs in the afternoons and tuition in the evenings. Even Saturdays and Sundays were occupied with creative lessons and classes. Your poor Akka too was caught in this endless rat race. 

It has been a rat chasing rat, world out there. Each man for himself. The facade people put on was one of caring and sharing, though there were those who genuinely cared, but it was all exposed when WHO declared  the spread of this virus to be a Global Pandemic.

It was then that we saw the ugly side of some and the caring nature of some. Long queues and empty shelves in Supermarkets; People who genuinely needed face masks not being able to find any and diebetic patients running out of alcohol swabs and insulin needles because some selfish people bought all for themselves; etc. Yet, we saw how others came together to sew face masks for the public, make hand sanitizers for distribution and to distribute food and essentials to the needy and the foreign workers. That was when I realised that there were still people with God's heart of compassion out there in our nation.

When Singapore saw a rise in the daily number of infected people our government decided to put a month long Circuit Breaker in place. Suddenly all came to a stand still. We were told not to go out without wearing a mask and to keep social distancing. These became law and all who flouted it were fined. We could not go to visit one another in each others homes. The Elderly were told not to go out to crowded places. Parents with infants and little children were told to either leave their children with their grandparents for the whole period of Circuit Breaker or to keep them at home if they had a helper. Obviously your parents had to make the second choice as your mum was still breastfeeding you. 

Oh Isaiah, that was the time our hearts broke. We did not mind even a complete lockdown but not being able to see you, to carry you, play with you and to watch you grow before our eyes caused us extreme agony. But your parents regularly sent us pictures and videos of you and we even had face time chats with you. Seeing you crawl for the first time and seeing your first tooth pop out was a great joy for us. Watching you having a screaming competition with your dad, watching you chuckle and coo and laugh heartily when Akka, Amma and Appa played with you and watching you sit comfortably on Akka's lap, on videos and during face time chats was our daily routine.  Even then, we wished we could see you in person. Then after two weeks, into the third week of the Circuit Breaker, it was announced that it will be extended till the 1st of June.

Oh Isaiah, we were longing to see you on the 5th of May which is today and now we have to wait with heavy and eager hearts till June 1st. Today you are 6mths and 11days. By the time the Circuit Breaker is lifted you will be 7mths and 8days. Through God's grace, we pray that we will be able see you on the 9th day after your 7th month.

The virus is spreading rapidly and uncontrollably globally. Most countries are in a lockdown. Singapore which prided itself for having the least number of infected persons and no deaths by Covid-19 virus in early March, now has  19,410 infections and 18 deaths by Covid-19 virus as of today. Despite our government's effort to flatten the curve numbers are still rising though within the hundreds range and new clusters are are being discovered. Singapore’s retail sales have plunged 13.3% in March which is the biggest drop in 22yrs. Throughout the world the economy has been drastically affected. Oil prices have dropped because no one is buying oil. Thousands of people have lost their jobs.  In the world, across many countries, the people are at home unable to go anywhere because of complete lockdown. Streets are empty. Planes are not flying. Borders are closed. Most businesses have come to a standstill. What is the future going to be?  All these got me thinking, "Where is God in all of this?"  

When I quietened my mind before our Lord Jesus I realised that Father God is holding us in His palms all the time. All that the evil one brings about for the destruction of mankind, our God turns it around for our good. “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” Genesis 50:20

So now my dear Isaiah I know that, there's a reason for this season!

I thank God for this Covid-19 Season

I thank God for this Circuit Breaker Period.

This is the season of mercy and grace from God.

This is the time for us ...

To evaluate & re-align our lives,

To examine our purposes, 

To find out what is really essential and what is not.

This is the time for us ...

To re-examine our values,

To set our priorities right,

To begin to forgive, love and cherish the people in our lives.

This is the time for us ...

To think about Eternity,

To search for God and know Him,

To prepare ourselves and others for the time He calls us home to be with Him.

This is the rare opportunity given to us by our Merciful God to reflect on the shortness of our lives and to know that He is Sovereign and that we are nothing and can do nothing without Him. God is calling the world to repentance while there is still time.

Today we see even those who profess disbelief in God, keeling before the Almighty and begging Him to heal them and to restore all that they have lost. It is written: "'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.'" Romans 14:11

If at all the Covid-19 season taught us anything, it taught us that there is a Supreme  God, Creator of heaven and earth, Who is in control of everything. 

The Circuit Breaker has brought families together in a loving bond. It has helped the young to care for their elderly. It has helped people to discover new talents like cooking and craft work. This season at home, has helped all to wind down and be less stressed while working and studying from home.

 

We, your family, have been able to spend more time reading and meditating on God's Word. Your Chithappas' who have been extremely busy are now working from home and have been taking turns to cook for grandpa and me, Isaiah. Their dishes turned out to be amazingly delicious. Your Akka and your uncle Kyle have also been trying their hand at cooking during this Circuit Breaker. Your Akka Adrielle, cousin Kristen, uncles Kyle and Keith and your aunt Kiara have been doing HBL from home. Akka and your dad who is working from home have been able to spend precious time with you, thanks to this season. Your mum is a strong lady, a frontline warrior during this Covid-19 period. She has been caring for you before and after work, no matter how tired she is or what she faces in the hospital. Isaiah, God has blessed you with the most loving family. Treasure each one of them, love them and pray for each one daily. 

So Isaiah let me take leave by telling you that this partial lockdown has been a Boon and not a Bane, a Blessing in disguise and not a Curse. It has been a time to show us what is going to happen in the days before Jesus comes to judge the people of this earth. It helped to shake us out of our comfort zones and awaken us to the truth and to seek God in the midst of this all. Most of all it has taught thatha and me, to practise extreme patience in counting the days to come and see you face to face. 

Isaiah, you will be learning about this period in history , in school when you grow up. But you will not be able to learn about what we your family went through and achieved, from the history books. That's why I am writing you this letter. 

If ever a pandemic similar to this happens in your life time I want you to remember this:- Jesus loves you. He died a cruel death to win eternal life for you me and all in the world. No problem is hard for Him. Jesus says in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. In times of joy give Him thanks. In times of desperation cling on to Him. Remember always that when you Praise God and Thank Him for every blessing in your life, the enemy of your soul will flee. Jesus is The Way, The Truth and The Life. Jesus Himself exclaimed in, John 14:6, "I am The Way and The Truth and The Life. No one comes to the Father except through me."  Jesus also says in  John 3:16-18 "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son Jesus, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send His Son Jesus into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. [18] Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son Jesus.

Therefore my dearest Isaiah, you who are named after the great prophet of God who prophesied about how Jesus the Messiah would suffer and die for us, believe in Jesus and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Read God's Word which is the Bible, daily and abide in Jesus at all times. Never leave His holy presence. Let the love and light of Christ Jesus shine through your speech and actions always. Lead people to Jesus Who is the only One, able to save us all from hell fire.

I pray that God Almighty will bless you as you seek Him and come to know Him through Jesus our Saviour. May you be a patriotic citizen of Singapore and a faithful citizen of heaven. May you shine the love of Christ Jesus which you received to all around you, especially the poor and needy, the lonely and the sick. May you respect and treat with dignity every human being. May you obey and honour your parents all your life so that you will be blessed with a long life in the land God has promised you. May you never take the name of God in vain nor blaspheme the name of Jesus. May you have no idols in your life. May you worship God in Spirit and in Truth.  May God meet your every need and bless you abundantly in every area of your life always.💝💖💞💞💞

Isaiah, there are still 27days more for the Circuit Breaker to be lifted completely in Singapore. We will fly there to see you on the 28th day through God's divine grace.

Till then I will be praying for you, Akka, Amma and Appa and everyone else God has placed in our lives. 

Love you my dearest Grandson 

Your loving Patti ( grandma)  Maria.

Tuesday 5th May 2020

Fear not the Coronavirus! Fear God!

Who would have thought that the Coronavirus of 2019, which originated in Wuhan in China, would affect the entire world in 2020! 

Until it was discovered and fatalities reported, businesses went on as usual. But the moment it became a global emergency, all the hand sanitisers and face masks disappeared from the shelves of all stores and pharmacies. Where it was available, a box of 50 was sold for a ridiculous price of $36, the usual being $8 to $10. When I checked online for face masks, I noticed that someone was selling a box of masks for $234 on carousel. In Toa Payoh a lady was seen selling boxes of 50pieces of face masks for $50.00 each.

There are several possibilities. One, quick thinking people or people who were paranoid of catching the virus could have hoarded these items (hand sanitisers and face masks) in their homes for fear of not being able to purchase them later.  Two, the store owners could have kept in their stocks to release them at a higher price when a greater demand arises. Three, some people, wanting to make money using this situation, may have bought many boxes to sell them at a higher price. Four, the government might be controlling the stockpile. Five these might have been shipped over to China where they are in dire need of it now.

Recently, my husband and I went to a part of Indonesia to visit a friend of my husband's. While we were there, we decided to buy a box or two of face masks and a couple of bottles of hand sanitisers. "We will surely be able to get them here. After all, Indonesia is one country which is not affected by the Wuhan virus 'yet' ", we told ourselves. But to our horror all the Apothecaries/Pharmacies we went to, had zero stock of these items. 

Here in Singapore our government is making an effort to ensure that each household gets at least 4 masks to use in case of an emergency. We are told not to use the masks unless we are really unwell. 

This made me think about the future. What if there was a global pandemic, recession and famine? Won't the same scenario happen again? 

During those dark days, quick thinking people will store up food when they hear about a global recession  and shopkeepers will take all that their families need for themselves and they may empty the shelves in order to sell the food items later, at a much higher price. 

Then again, I thought that in case of a global famine or emergency, money will have no value. In those days a bag of rice which costs $8 now may cost $8000. Then, as famine becomes worse money will lose it's value altogether. Even if one offers to pay $8000 for a sack of rice, no one will be willing to sell it. Gold jewelries and branded clothes will be worthless as those will  not be sought after.

I sat down to pray and across my mind flashed a sad scenario. For a moment I was drawn into it. I saw old people, youth and children, sick people, disabled people, mothers with babies clutched against their breasts,  clamouring to buy food items. They held money in their hands and begged the shopkeepers to sell them food but the shopkeepers shook their heads saying there was none left.  Some distraught ones threw the money which they were holding on the floor and began to wail in despair. I saw some begging their neighbours for food and had the doors slammed on their faces. I could hear babies crying and mothers and fathers standing helpless as their loved ones lay dying without food. 

Suddenly I realised that this was just in my mind and gave a huge sigh of relief. Then, I opened the Bible and as my eyes fell on the following verses I realised that what I envisioned was not just in my mind but that it will happen in the future. 

Revelation 6:5-6 ESV

When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand. [6] And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, "A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine!"

A quart is approximately 

806.40000000001grams. It is less than a kilogram. A denarius in biblical times was a full day's earnings/wages. God already spoke in His Word, the Bible about what is going to happen in the last days. See how the voice says, "do not harm the oil and the wine." Oil and Wine are expensive commodities compared to barley and wheat. The expensive commodities will not be harmed, meaning, they will be plentiful and people will have not much need of them compared to food items to live. Food will be so expensive and people will be giving away their daily earnings just to get a little food. 

What will happen will happen according to God's Word. Jesus tells us not to be afraid of men or what they can do, in the following verses.

Luke 12:5 ESV

But I will warn you whom to fear: fear God Who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear God!

Here are more verses from the bible which tells us about the benefits of fearing God.

Proverbs 14:26-27 

Those who fear the LORD are secure; He will be a refuge for their children. [27] Fear of the LORD is a life-giving fountain; it offers escape from the snares of death.

Psalm 33:18-19 ESV

Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, [19] that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine.

Psalm 34:7 ESV

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.

Therefore, instead of being fearful of the future I must prepare myself for it. What must I do? I must:-

1. truly know and love God.

2. believe in Jesus.

3. repent of my old sinful ways.

4. walk in His way by obeying His commands in His written Word, the Bible. 

Then I will know for sure where I will be if I die in any given moment. I will not be afraid of the future because my future is secure in God's hands. 

Prayer:- Father God, I know that my family and I are held safely in Your loving arms. Help us never lose sight of You but always abide in Jesus and be obedient to Your commands. So that when our time on earth is up, we will see You face to face and live with You to praise You eternally. I pray this in Jesus' mighty name. Amen.

Mary Augustine

03/02/2020

Why does Humanity need Jesus?

Why does humanity need Jesus?

When God created the first man and woman, He created them in His image and likeness. God breathed His life into them. His Spirit lived within Adam's and Eve's spirits giving them spiritual life and empowerment. They were clothed in a bright and glorious light, which was shining through them. God created mankind so that they could have a close communion with Him forever. God gave them a free will. Free Will means, the ability and power to choose what to do and be, but not the right to choose wrong things. God gave them the power and right to choose all the fruits, of all the trees in the garden except for the fruit from the tree of 'Good & Evil'. It is like a mother who leaves her son at home and tells him you can eat all the food which is on the kitchen table but do not eat that which is in that container (for it is a form of medicine which is not to be consumed by children). She left him at home with the power to eat but without the right to eat that food in the container. That is free will. The POWER to be & do all, and the RIGHT to do only the right but not the wrong.

But Adam used the power and in addition to it took the right to eat the fruit, disregarding God's command. By doing that, he  disobeyed God so sin entered him and the glory and righteousness of God which was covering him disappeared and  God's Spirit left Adam and Eve. Now they were not clothed with His glorious light anymore because the Holy Spirit cannot live where sin resides. So they realised that they were not clothed anymore. They found themselves naked without God's covering. God's image and likeness in the first man and woman was tarnished completely.

Adam's spirit retained a memory of his relationship with God in the Garden of Eden which he once enjoyed. Now his spirit was left darkened and restless. It was filled with guilt, shame and fear. His spirit longed for God but did not know how to get back that same relationship he had with Him before he sinned. Here we see the psalmist reflecting fallen man's heart's yearning in Psalm 42.
Psalm 42:- 1]As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. 2]My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? 3]My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" 4]These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng. 5]Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior

Now Adam had no defense against spiritual attacks because God's Spirit was not in him. His human spirit was left unoccupied. He could still move and breathe and work with the strength and power that God supplied him but spiritually he was defenceless. Physically he was alive but spiritually he was dead; cut off from God. So because his spirit was unoccupied the 'ruler of this world' which is Satan, began to invade the spirit of the fallen man. Paul describes this in Ephesians 2:1-2.

The bible says that Adam's children after him were all created in his own image and likeness, Genesis 5:3.  No more in God's image and likeness.  All of humanity which came from Adam was made in the image and likeness of  the fallen man. Therefore the ruler of this world is at work in the flesh and minds of humanity because humanity does not have the indwelling of God's Spirit in them any longer. Therefore instead of loving God and others and serving God, they began to serve and love themselves. 

All human beings are children of Adam and so all do not have God's image and likeness in them but only Adam's. Those who do not have God's image and likeness restored in them, have the outward appearance of loving, serving, helping, giving, forgiving but it is all directed inwards. That is, all that they do is aimed to advance and promote themselves and their desires. But God looks at the heart and it's motive. Whatever action is birthed from the flesh of the fallen man is deemed tainted by God. Thus Paul says this to the Romans in, 

Romans 8:5-9 NLTT

Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. [6] So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. [7] For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will. [8] That's why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. [9] But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.)

Unless they know Who God is and unless the relationship with Him is restored in them,  they will continue to be influenced and deceived by the spirit who is the ruler of this world.

If humanity continues in this relationship with the ruler of this world, when they die, they will continue this relationship with him in hell for all eternity. Hell is a place where God is not; tormenting and torturous because without God's presence there will only be all kinds of unimaginable pain, sorrow and suffering.

That is why God the Father, in His mercy, first clothed Adam and Eve physically with the skin of an animal and then sent His only Begotten Son Jesus to clothe us spiritually, that is,to remove our sin nature from us by his death on the cross to restore the relationship between God and us by sending His Holy Spirit to dwell in us. What Adam lost for us, Jesus came to restore in us. Only through Jesus we will be able to enter the promised land which is heaven and live with God for all eternity.

Jesus said this in John 14:6 ... Jesus answered, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

In and through Jesus we receive the life which Adam lost in the Garden of Eden. This is known as the second birth. It is not physical but it is spiritual. 

Jesus said in John 3:3-8 NLT to Nicodemus...
Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God." [4] "What do you mean?" exclaimed Nicodemus. "How can an old man go back into his mother's womb and be born again?" [5] Jesus replied, "I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water(baptism) and the Spirit. [6] Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. [7] So don't be surprised when I say, 'You must be born again.' [8] The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can't tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can't explain how people are born of the Spirit."

Our relationship with God can only be restored when the image and likeness of God is restored in us, that means when we are born again; when God's Spirit comes into our spirits and dwells within us. For that to happen we must first know that we are sinners. Know that we cannot save ourselves from sin. Then we must repent of our wrongdoings and willingly believe that Jesus died for us and accept Him as our Lord(Master) and Saviour. When we do that God will immediately send His Holy Spirit into our spirits to dwell within us. Then we must proclaim our alliance with Jesus publicly by being baptised.  The blood Jesus shed on the cross, now, wipes away all our sins and Father God sees us as pure and spotless. We are now new creations in Jesus.

From then on the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of Father God and Jesus) in us will be our guide and teacher, our councillor and our help in time of need. Is that all? No, now that we are born spiritually we must learn how to drink spiritual milk and eat spiritual food like a baby does.  We have to read God's Word which is the Bible, everyday, to live the way God wants us to live. We may not understand at first but as we read, the Holy Spirit will teach us and explain God's ways to us. He will remove all fear of man and the world from us and put a new heart which fears only God and loves everyone unconditionally within us. He will remove the desires of the flesh and replace them with godly desires in us. So now begins the 'New Man's walk with God.

We must be constant in our walk with God, reading the Bible faithfully everyday and talking to the Holy Spirit Who lives now within us. That is called 'Abiding in Jesus'.  As we continue to abide in Jesus, the Holy Spirit will help us to gain control over our fleshly desires, our thought lives and our emotional lives. We human beings who once lived in the kingdom of darkness, now after accepting Jesus into our hearts live in the kingdom of marvelous light. We are again clothed with the righteousness of God and God's glory will begin to shine from within us, as we continue to put our fleshly and worldly desires to death. This is what Jesus meant when He said in
Matthew 5:14-16 NLT
"You are the light of the world-like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. [15] No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. [16] In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

How then will our light, the light of God within us shine? It will shine as we cooperate with the Holy Spirit by putting our flesh to death daily and by bearing the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control which is produced by the Holy Spirit in us.  The Holy Spirit will only be able to produce this fruit (9 qualities of the nature of God) in us, when we continue to abide in Jesus and read the bible faithfully daily. Then our character and nature will become like that of Jesus and His light which is within us will begin to shine and spread the fragrance of God to everyone around us so that they can praise God and get to know Him.

So let me ask you again, "Why does humanity need Jesus"? 

1. Humanity needs Jesus, to enter back into the relationship man had with God before he sinned. 

2. Humanity needs Jesus, to walk with God in His glory and righteousness now on earth and straight into heaven with Jesus after our physical body dies. 

3. Humanity needs Jesus to live forever and ever in God's holy presence.

Satan, the ruler of this world wants all men to believe that Jesus came just for the Jews or Christians. That is a blatant lie. Jesus came to bring New Life to all human beings and restore the image and likeness of God which Adam lost for all men, not just the Jews. 

Without Jesus, humanity will never be able to achieve the above 3, but will perish and dwell with the ruler of this world in hell forever and ever.

May we who are in Christ Jesus, grow graciously into mature followers of Christ Jesus and let our lights shine for all to see and praise God and come to know Him and Jesus Who died to save us from Eternal damnation. By the way we live our lives, they will realise their need for Jesus.

Mary Augustine
7th January 2020