The Importance of Daily Surrender to God!

Surrendering our daily lives first thing in the morning to our Creator God will help us in ways we cannot imagine. Reading His Word every day without fail and spending time meditating on it and obeying His Word, helps us look at situations with His eyes and look at people with His compassionate and understanding heart. At the end of each day when we rest we will realise that it is He who works in us, through us and for us. It is He Who circumvents every situation and works it all according to His good purposes for those who love Him.

Then our hearts will sing with thankfullness, "Thank You Father for each success and each failure, because Failure or Success, You turned it around for my good.  You mercifully have granted me a life to know You, love You and thank You! I don't know what my future holds but I know that my future is safe in Your hands. 

Thank You Father God!"

Be Blessed as you surrender yourselves and your family to Father God  🙌

Mary Augustine 

3rd December  2022

Just Existing or Truly Living?

Are you Just Existing or Truly Living?

Anyone can exist.

Plants exist.

All Creatures exist.

Many people exist.

To Just Exist,

One just has to eat, sleep,

work, rest & enjoy life.

But to Truly Live,

A Human Being made in God's image, needs the empowerment and enablement of the Holy Spirit.

Life without God's Holy Spirit.

If one does not have the Holy Spirit of God dwelling in him, then he goes about life, just existing. There will not be much of a difference between him and the plants and creatures, except that man has a soul. They all live and die without knowing Who God truly is.

The man who does not have God's Spirit dwelling in him, will not know where he will go after his death. He will have many differing theories about life after death, but not a definite one. All that matters to him will be, this one life and after physical death, either extinction or re-birth, which is not true. So he will work and earn, just to eat, sleep and enjoy life. He may be moved by his conscience and may do good works but it will be of his own wisdom and strength. Not the wisdom and strength which comes from God. 

He who does not have God's Spirit dwelling in him, will end up like King Solomon, the once wisest king in the entire world, who eventually rejected God's authority and wisdom, relied on worldly wisdom, let his heart go astray and began to worship idols. He rejected God and His authority and at his end and his kingdom's end everything was desolate. 

The one who claims to be a Christian but in reality rejects Jesus by his way of thinking and living, does not really have the Spirit of God in him. God knows his thoughts and motives. How will He send His Spirit to live in a man who has not accepted Jesus as his Lord in truth, but just for an outward show? This man does not repent for his sins although God prompts him through his conscience. He  will be like Judas, one of the apostles who was with Jesus, heard His sermons, saw the miracles Jesus did and was at the last supper with Him. He rejected Jesus for money. He sold Jesus. He later despaired when he realised what he did. But he did not repent and ask God for forgiveness. His end was devastating.

Life with God's Holy Spirit.

When one is filled by the Holy Spirit of God, he will first of all be a humble repentant. He will abide in Jesus, obey God's commandments and will be submissive to the Spirit of God and do what God prompts him to do. He will do good works for God's glory and not his own fame. Though he fails and does mistakes at times, he will submit to the conviction of God's Spirit, will repent and walk in sweet fellowship with Jesus again. He will live in intimacy with the Holy Spirit, with Jesus our Saviour and with Father God. He will truly live, because he has been born again.

Ask! Think! Ponder! Pray!

So my dear brethren in Christ Jesus, are you born again? My dear family and friends do you know Jesus? Are you  just existing or truly living? If you are not truly born again,  or if you do not know Jesus, I humbly suggest that you go on your knees before God and repent of all your sins and ask Jesus to be the Lord of your life. Father God will send His Spirit to live in you. Make a commitment to live your life in cooperation with God's Holy Spirit.

God speaks in...

Ezekiel 36:27

I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.

Paul says in...

Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Jesus says in...

John 11:25-26 ESV

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, [26] and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?"

Let us truly live and glorify God and shine the light of Christ Jesus for all to see Him and run to Him. 

Let us pray,

Father God, help me abide in Jesus steadfastly always. Never let me reject Jesus and go my own way, chasing after worldly things. Give me a humble and undivided heart which repents, obeys Your Word and cooperates with Your Spirit. Help me keep Your temple which is my body, holy at all times. Keep me under the shelter of Your wings and within Your hedge of protection, covered by the precious blood of Jesus. Help me truly live to glorify You. I pray in Jesus' precious name. Amen. 

Praying for you always 🙏

Mary Augustine ✍

12th September 2022

I Love Jesus, I will never give Him up, But...

Have you heard of someone telling you, "Love God and do what you please!" Or "Follow your heart and don't worry what others will say!"

You who have been following those mantras, have you found peace and rest for your souls? Is your life blissful? Do you feel God's presence with you?

Now hear what Jesus says in His Word!

In Deuteronomy 31:8 God spoke through Moses to Joshua, saying, 

"The LORD is the one who will go before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or abandon you. Do not be afraid or discouraged."

In Matthew 28:20 Jesus promised His disciples this,

"... And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Jesus has personally promised me this and till this very moment, He is with me, never left me nor has He forsaken me! 

I on my part must choose to dwell in Him, love Him, serve Him and obey Him with His power and strength. Thus His promises have become 'Yes & Amen' in my life.

You who call yourself a Christian, can you safely say that Jesus is with you and He is ordering your life?

Jesus tells is in,

John 14:15,23-24

"If you love me, you will keep my commands." 

And in John 14:23-24

[23] Jesus answered, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. [24] The one who doesn't love me will not keep my words. The word that you hear is not mine but is from the Father who sent me."

So it is clear that those who truly love Jesus will obey His every word. If one goes on living the way he  likes to, is deceiving himself when he says he loves Jesus. 

When you spit at your mum's face and tell her you love her, do you really love her? 

Likewise telling Jesus you love Him and then continuing in your sin is like spitting on His face and mocking Him with the words, " I love you Jesus!"

 

Many have this wrong notion and go about saying, "I love Jesus and He loves me. I will never give up Jesus, but I cannot give up my alcoholic habits, partying with my friends and living in with my boyfriend/girlfriend. Jesus will understand."

No  my friend, NO!

It does not work that way.  You can only choose Jesus or the devil. You cannot choose both. If you truly love Jesus, flee from the devil and it's temptations.

In Matthew 26:41 Jesus says,

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

In James 4:7 God speaks through James, saying,

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

What does God's Word say about drunkards and fornicators? Look below...

In 1 Corinthians 6:9-20 the Holy Spirit speaks through Paul,

"Don't you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God's kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or males who have sex with males, [10] no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God's kingdom. [11] And some of you used to be like this. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. [12] "Everything is permissible for me," but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me," but I will not be mastered by anything. [13] "Food is for the stomach and the stomach for food," and God will do away with both of them. However, the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. [14] God raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. [15] Don't you know that your bodies are a part of Christ's body? So should I take a part of Christ's body and make it part of a prostitute? Absolutely not! [16] Don't you know that anyone joined to a prostitute is one body with her? For Scripture says, The two will become one flesh. [17] But anyone joined to the Lord is one spirit with him. [18] Flee sexual immorality! Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the person who is sexually immoral sins against his own body. [19] Don't you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, [20] for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body."

 

God's Word clearly states that drunkards and fornicators will not go to heaven. When you are truly washed by the blood of Jesus you will not go back to your former way of sinful life. By continuing to live in sin, and saying that you love Jesus, shows your unwillingness to give up the pleasures of this world.

Give up everything, give up sin,  for Jesus. Only then can He and will He, bless you with things you know not of, things so undeserved, things beyond your imagination, it may not be what you desire on earth but it will benefit your soul now and for all eternity. His peace and His presence will eternally find a home in you, if you obey.

The father of the prodigal son did not run to the pig sty and live in it with his prodigal son because the son loved him. No it is the other way round.  

The prodigal son left behind the pig sty and the pig's feed he was feeding on and ran to his father asking him to forgive him. He made a resolution never to go back to the pig sty or eat the pig's feed. He repented and vowed never to go back to his sinful lifestyle again.

Come to Jesus empty handed and He will fill you up. Come to Him leaving behind your past sinful life. He will cover your shame and clothe you with His righteousness.

Once you come to Him, please do not look back or turn back to your sinful ways. No one who turns back after you hear His call, is fit for His kingdom.

Jesus said in 

Luke 9:62 

But Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."

Come to Jesus now my child but leave everything of this world behind, including sinful relationships no matter how painful they are.

Jesus says in

Matthew 11:28 

"Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Come now! Jesus is waiting for you!

Blessings in Jesus' name.🙌

Mary Augustine✍

27th July 2022 🔥

Save our Children before it's Too Late!

Save our Children before it's too late!

Our Newspapers are filled with numerous reports about  teen suicides, educated professionals taking upskirt videos, cheating spouses, embezzlement in offices, divorces, school shootings in countries where guns are available, rebellious kids running away from home, mentally unsound individuals suddenly attacking innocent people  on the roads, etc

Why is all this happening?  Where did we go wrong? Can we as Christian parents and leaders do something about it?

Most parents go to work and rely on elderly grandparents, foreign domestic helpers or child care centre teachers to raise their kids. They are concerned about providing for their family's financial needs and children's educational needs. Therefore working hard and long hours has become the norm. Holidays are spent on indulging in simple pleasures such as travelling and getting their kids what they ask for. For the most part, the whole family on vacation will be on their own social media devices.

Social media has stolen the interaction between individuals; husbands and wives, parents and children.

Reels on social media seem entertaining and  fun to watch. Most portray husbands as docile and submissive to their wives and wives slapping husbands and being rude to them; also children talking back to parents which is posted as a joke. This is a complete reversal to what God teaches us in His Word.

Then there are reels validating and supporting transgender and lgbtq individuals and their activities. Again this is against God's Word. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of this sin.

There are also seemingly harmless reels showing couples swaying hips and  dancing, make-up artistry reels, fashion show reels etc. These may seem harmless but encourage those who watch it, want to indulge, in what they see, instead of doing what God wants them to do and be.

All these reels are enjoyed as fun and time-passing material.

Next come TV shows, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney channels, cartoons and other programs. These are numerous.

Everyone watches movies don't they? "What is wrong in that ?" You may ask.

It is not wrong to watch movies or cartoons or anything else as long as, we as Christians keep God's Word as our guiding light. Thus we can avoid all dangers including the hidden ones, which harm our souls and warp our minds. There are many good Christian movies and cartoons out there. If you do a diligent search for them you will find them. Most are on Youtube.

There is so much violence, usage of cuss words, immodesty and occult in most, if not all recent movies. People these days seem to accept it as part of life.

The hidden dangers in social media especially movies and cartoons have brainwashed most people.  These have been injected into the minds of innocent children as young as 2yrs old. Just a lace of poison is applied everytime they  watch it. Soon the innocent minds and hearts get filled with lethal poison.

Over time they become immune to it and their minds want more of it to satisfy their souls. Now there are cartoons like Peppa the Pig, Frozen, even Aladdin and other seemingly entertaining cartoons, which teach kids to break free and break all rules. 

Transgenderism, which was unthinkable in our days, is introduced in most of the children's cartoons. Duty to the heart and feelings is emphasized as the right thing and duty to doing God's will is played down. Heaven in cartoons is portrayed as a place where you can do anything you want and a place where there are no rules.

 Occult was introduced to kids through Harry Porter books, cartoons and movies and through Pokémon games, cartoons and other children's movies. Good is portrayed as weakness and bad. Evil is portrayed as strength and good. Now a new cartoon entitled, 'Little Demon' has come out. Although the TV rating is MA, because it is cartoon, many uninformed parents will sit with their children to watch it. Check out about this movie and about deception and spiritualism in Hollywood in the links below.👇

A Satanic Revolution: Little Demon👇

https://youtu.be/btbMXMjy3Dw

Hollywood Spirit: unplugged series👇

https://youtu.be/QsA8UaFDlSk

Hooked on Social Media: unplugged series👇

https://youtu.be/JpMV957CKjY

New Movies 2022 demons in your house👇

https://youtu.be/1VLVajtGFP4

Dark history of Nintendo👇

https://youtu.be/ZjkfMjXvyTQ

Occult and lgbtq in kids cartoons 👇

https://youtu.be/IATtM8ImBe4

You can source out more on YouTube and warn everyone against the dangers.

Next, for the youth there are thrillers, murderous plots in movies, paranormal and occultic movies and Netflix series where an entity lives inside the hero and the hero embraces it with acceptance.

Check this out about Dr Strange  and the Series Stranger Things 👇

https://youtu.be/bpyyAiFmPWY

https://youtu.be/wHZB5HrI-5Y

It does not end there. What do kids and teens and adults do when not watching movies and when they are bored? Yes, play games. Not physical games but computer games.  Most modern games involve violence, bloodshed, occultism, demons which are assigned to help the players,  etc. in the quest to win at all cost. Pokémon cards have an assigned demon for each card. It brainwashes children.

Check it out here below👇

 https://youtu.be/bpyyAiFmPWY

Most individuals, even while eating, travelling or with family and friends are on their own devices and in their own world watching either cartoons, movies, serials or playing games. A hand phone or tablet or iPad is propped in front of babies on their prams. Children, teens, youth and adults have it before them on their dining tables.  These become their baby sitters and comfort distractions while eating.

The upcoming Metaverse trend is not going to be any less harmful. It is in fact going to lead people completely away from God.

This is what I read in the Vulcan post today:-

“Experts believe it will not be unusual for people to spend 12 to 15 hours a day in the metaverse to communicate, work, learn, shop, capture data and more,” the report states, speculating on the next five years.
“By 2030, we could be spending more time in the metaverse than in the real world. People will be applying for jobs, earning a living, meeting with friends, shopping, even getting married using the virtual capabilities of the metaverse.”

https://vulcanpost.com/795964/people-will-spend-more-time-metaverse-2030-kpmg/

Although one may say that Metaverse  will help organise lives, I beg to differ.

The devil is constantly clamouring for and bombarding the minds of babies all the way to adulthood and what are we Christian parents and teachers and leaders and pastors doing about it?

Thus says God's Word in,
Isaiah 26:3 KJV
³ Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Are the minds of our Christian children, teens, youth and adults stayed on the Lord? NO! When their minds are constantly filled with such thrash, how can they have perfect peace?

Is this not the cause for divorce, drug addiction, depression, suicide, murder, and all other vices?

When their children go wayward Christian parents begin to despair. Not knowing what to do, they run to councillors and pastors hoping that they will magically change their children, teens and adult children.

Sending them to boarding schools, punishing them nor getting them to empty their minds through trancedental meditation, yoga and martial arts will not help. In fact transcendental meditation, yoga and martial arts have demonic origins in them. How else can we help them?

What did Jesus say in
Matthew 12:43-45
"When an unclean spirit comes out of a person, it roams through waterless places looking for rest but doesn't find any. [44] Then it says, 'I'll go back to my house that I came from.' Returning, it finds the house vacant, swept, and put in order. [45] Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, that person's last condition is worse than the first. That's how it will also be with this evil generation."

How can we ensure that our minds and our children's minds are not empty? 

By filling it with God's life giving Word.

To solve this major issue, we the 'Watchmen' of the Church need to create an awareness and educate parents and children and the youth in our churches. We need to lovingly point out the hidden dangers in the media and games to the Christian parents, children and the youth of today. We need to get them to read the Word of God daily so that God's Word can saturate their minds. God's Word will wash out all the filth accumulated in their minds and hearts over the years and transform them to be whom God created them to be; His children.

Punishment, involvement in other activities or meditation will not help. Only meditating on God's Word will help. The brainwashing done by the devil must be and only can be reversed by God's Transforming and Living Word.

Until we do that, we will never have our Christian children, teens, youth and young adults shining the light of Christ everywhere. Instead we will only have walking zombies, playing to the tune of the devil in their heads and submitting to their feelings and desires instead of God and His authority.

Watchmen, it is time to Arise! Do not delay!
Time is short!

Blessings. 🙌
Mary Augustine✍
20/07/2022

Ask, Think, Ponder Pray!

What does the Christian term 'Saved' mean? 

1. Saved from what?

Ans:- Saved from God's wrath and subsequently from Hell Fire.

2. Saved by What &  through Whom?

Ans:- Saved by God's grace through Jesus, the only begotten, sinless, Son of God.  [Jesus came in human form, suffered, shed His blood to wash our sins away, was crucified and hung on a cross, died, was buried, on the 3rd day He resurrected victoriously. After 40 days with His disciples He ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father interceding for all who believe in Him.]

In John 14:6 ESV

Jesus said to His disciple Thomas and all His disciples, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

3. What must one do to get saved?

Ans:- 

👂Hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

❤Believe that Jesus, the sinless Son of God Himself paid for our sins by His cruel death on the cross and His resurrection.

💔Repent of all our sins.

🤝Willingly accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour and follow Him. 

[To follow Jesus is to do the will of the Father, that is, to do what Jesus tells us to do. From then on there must be no looking back. That means we should give up all our former practices of religion, idol worship and sin. We must willingly obey Jesus out of love for Him.] 

Matthew 7:21-23 ESV

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. [22] On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' [23] And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'

Luke 6:46-49 ESV

"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? [47] Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: [48] he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. [49] But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."

4. What happens when one gets saved.

Ans:- When we get saved:- 

🔺 All our sins get washed away supernaturally by the blood of Jesus. 

🔺 We receive God's Holy Spirit as an assurance of our salvation. 

[He is known as 'The Helper, The Comforter, The Advocate' etc and is only given to those who truly believe in Jesus, as a seal, to ensure our close walk with Jesus and our sure entry into heaven by the narrow gate.] 

In John 14:26 Jesus tells His disciples,

"But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you."

[Then with the help of the Holy Spirit, we who are saved will begin to live a transformed life in Christ Jesus. We will begin to do good works as a result of our being saved. We will not do these good works to earn salvation as we did before we were saved, because good works will never save us. Only faith in Christ Jesus will save.] 

5. How do we keep that position of being saved?

Ans:- We can't keep it by ourselves. It's impossible. We are sinful creatures. This work is done in us by the Holy Spirit.

[The Holy Spirit will give us the power not to sin and empower us to live a life pleasing to God. That does not mean we instantly begin to live lives without a single sin. Yet, it means He will create a repulsion for sin in our hearts. We will not look at sin like something that gives us satisfaction or pleasure any longer. Even if we, through years of practising sin, do something wrong, He will convict us and give us no peace of heart till we repent and be transformed through the renewing of our mind.

Romans 12:2 ESV

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

We also get the strength from the Holy Spirit to cooperate with  Him to 'work out our salvation in fear and trembling'.

Philippians 2:12 ESV

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,]

6. How can we work out our salvation in fear and trembling?

Ans:-

🔸By having a deep reverence for God and His Word.

🔸By  reading the Bible daily and staying rooted in Jesus.

🔸By meditating day and night on God's Word.

🔸By praising and worshipping God through hymns, our daily lives, our speech, our actions and our sacrifices.

🔸By loving God and showing it by obeying every command of Jesus with the Holy Spirit's help.

🔸By being humble and bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

 7. What if a person who is saved continues to sin? 

Ans:- The Holy Spirit will sanctify the person who is saved.

[One who is truly saved will have his conscience pricked every time he rebels against God and sins. God is merciful to the sinner. He gives chance to each one to turn away from sin until the last minute.  The Holy Spirit using various methods will get that person to turn away from sin and into repentance. He takes over this moulding and pruning process of each believer in Christ Jesus, which is known as sanctification. We will be progressively sanctified until we are transformed into the very image of God. A new branch when grafted onto a tree takes time to bear leaves and fruit. It does not happen instantly.

For those who keep backsliding this sanctification process  will be painful but will be employed by the Holy Spirit for the good of him/her. He will never let them go. Just like a grafted branch is constantly monitored and pruned to bear leaves and fruit, the Holy Spirit constantly does His work of regeneration in each believer.]

Jesus said in,

John 10:27-30 ESV

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. [28] I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. [29] My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. [30] I and the Father are one." 

[If you continue to rebel and do not hear the voice of Jesus and follow Him(obey Him) then you are not His sheep and you are not saved. You are a branch which is superficially grafted into the tree and will soon wither away.]

8. What is the evidence of being saved?

Ans:- Matthew 7:16 – “You will know them by their fruits," says Jesus. 

🔹Those who are truly saved will have the reverent fear of God in them. They will shudder to offend a merciful and loving God by their sins. With the help of God's Spirit who lives in them, they will repent and avoid all situations that make them sin. 

🔹They will bear fruit. They will exemplify love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control in their character. This character is produced by the Holy Spirit in those persons who obey Jesus.

🔹They will walk humbly before God and men.

🔹They will love God and love their neighbour as themselves.

🔹Their lives will be marked by an obedience to God's Word.

9. Are all who profess to be Christians, or Believers truly saved?

Ans:- No. Some just take on a Christian sounding name and say they are Christians. Some go to church but do not repent of their sins nor live the life God wants them to live. Many are born into Christian families but have not repented nor accepted Jesus on their own accord. They continue to live the same sinful and prideful lives as before without any form of repentance. Sadly many of them have said the sinner's prayer as a form of ritual and also have been baptised because they were forced into it or all their friends got baptised so they followed suit. The sinner's prayer and baptism are not magical formulas. There must be true repentance of heart and a total submission to the will of the Father. Remember not all vehicles parked in a carpark are cars. Not all who go to church are true Christians.

Jesus said in Matthew 7:16 that we will know them by their fruit. Here Jesus was warning his disciples to be wary of false prophets.  This was His context:-

Matthew 7:15-16 ESV

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. [16] You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

He also said in  

Matthew 7:19 ESV
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 

He was at the same time warning his disciples and all who were gathered there, that if they themselves did not bear good fruit, they will be thrown into fire, that is hell. 

Let us look at the following analogy:-

Imagine you just cut a branch and graft it to a tree. If you do not graft it properly, the sap {Sap is a sugary liquid filled with water and nutrients that are carried throughout the tree via two types of tissue called phloem and xylem. Phloem carries nutrients from the leaves to other parts of the plant, while xylem carries nutrients upwards from the roots.} from the tree will not flow into the branch. Then the branch will wither away because it is devoid of nutrients needed to bear fruit. 

In the same way if we are not honestly abiding in Jesus, obeying Him out of love, then we are not truly sincere and will not receive the Holy Spirit Who is 'the nutrient' needed to bear spiritual fruit. Thus we will be cut off.

Jesus went on to say this:-

Matthew 7:21-23 ESV

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. [22] On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' [23] And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'

This clearly shows that not all who call themselves Christians will go to heaven. Only those who are sincere in their repentance and acceptance of Jesus and have a reverential fear of God and are obedient to His Word are saved by the blood of Christ Jesus and will enter heaven. That is, those who bear good fruit.

Jesus told Nicodemus in

John 3:5 ESV

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

Being born again is the second  birth, which is spiritual, when we repent and accept Christ Jesus and obey Him.

[Now before I sound judgemental, let me say this:- Although I said not all who go to church are true Christians, we must remember that our Sovereign and merciful God can draw them to Himself at any given moment.  He is God and we are not. We will only know if they are truly saved if we meet them in heaven. 

Therefore, we will be making a grave mistake if we keep looking at others for their fruit instead of bearing fruit ourselves. 

Let us look at ourselves and examine ourselves and see if we are truly saved. Just by saying we are 'Believers' and living in the old sinful ways of our flesh, we will be mocking God. 

If we truly believe in Jesus and have surrendered our lives to Him, 

💠 we will have a repulsion for / a disgust for sin, 

💠 the desire to turn from our old sinful habits, 

💠 we will humbly yield to the sanctification of the Holy Spirit and

💠 obey Jesus.

Only then can the Holy Spirit produce the fruit in us and we will be able to bear it.

🔺If we continue to have pride and unforgiveness in our heart;

🔺If we continue to slander or curse others and plot wicked plans as we did before;

🔺If we do not repent and come under the Lordship of Jesus till our death;

Then we might seriously doubt our own salvation. 

Having said all that, only God knows and weighs each person's inner motives and heart condition. 

Proverbs 16:2

All a man’s ways are pure in his own eyes, but his motives are weighed out by the LORD.

We must not go around telling others that they are not saved. If we are truly saved, our hearts will be filled with a holy compassion for their lost souls. The Holy Spirit will prompt us to pray for their salvation.]

10. What must one do after he truly repents, believes in Jesus and accepts Him as the Lord of his life?

Ans:- The next step is to get Baptised. 

11. Is Baptism necessary to be saved? 

Ans:- Baptism does not make you a follower of Jesus. It alone does not save you. 

Baptism has been described as an outward expression of an inward commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It is a public proclamation of a personal decision to identify with Christ. In baptism, we illustrate the powerful truth that, in Christ, we have died to sin and are raised to new life in Him (Rom. 6:4).

12. If Baptism does not save a person, why do we need to be baptised then? 

Ans:- We need to be baptised because it is a 'Command' of Jesus. In Matthew 28:18-20 ESV, before Jesus ascended into heaven on the clouds He called His disciples together and told them this:-

And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19] Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

#######################

Dearly beloved, 

Jesus, the Son of God did not come to save just one single race, the 'Jews' nor only the Christians. It was God's plan to save the entire human race from Satan's grip, after Adam and Eve sinned and surrendered their lives and subsequently all the lives of their descendants (entire humanity) to Satan. 

In order to save the entire humanity, God had a plan. Abraham was chosen and promised by God that, "all peoples on earth will be blessed through you," in Genesis 12:3.   By this, God meant that all people of all nations will be blessed through Abraham, by a specific descendant of his, who will come after David . That descendant of Abraham Who came after David is Jesus.

The phrase, 'All the people of every nation' refers to you and me. Adam and Eve sinned and that separated them from a holy God. We who are born with Adam's and Eve's sinful nature continue to sin and are separated from God. The entire humanity has been living under the evil grip of Satan. Only the blood of one who is sinless can be shed to wash away every sin we have committed. No blood of a goat or lamb can wash our sins away. Therefore God sent His only begotten Son Jesus to be born as a human being, through the bloodline of Abraham and David and live a sinless life and be sacrificed for our sins. God did this for every human being born on earth, from Adam till the last one on earth. Jesus after His resurrection commanded His followers who believe in Him, to go and tell the Good News to all the nations until the ends of the earth. 

Matthew 28:18-20 ESV

And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19] Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

God has given us a free will. He does not want us to be robots. Those who exercise their free will to *hear the Good News of Jesus Christ and *repent, *believe in Jesus and accept Him as their Lord, will be washed clean by the blood of Jesus and become God's children. They will inherit heaven. 

God is merciful and has given everyone a chance to hear the Good News, through numerous mediums. Those who do not repent, believe and accept Jesus will not be able to enter heaven nor become God's children. I am not saying this. Jesus Himself said this.

Here is a chance for you to discover for yourself Who Jesus is. Do not blindly believe me. Do your own research. Ask God to reveal the truth to you. When God removes the blinders from your eyes you will see. Do not stop searching and asking questions. Get a copy of the bible and read it. Read my posts on fb. In many of them I have shared the Good News in bite sizes.  When you stand before God after you die, you will not have any regrets if you allow God to remove the blinders and reveal the truth to you. 

I am praying for each one of you...

🙏 those who do not know Jesus, 

🙏 those who keep rejecting Jesus and 

🙏 for those who are not bothered about what happens after death. 

May you surrender yourself to God Almighty 🙌 and let Him open your eyes 👀 to the Truth 🔥. 

Come to Jesus when you still have time!

For further questions please refer to the following link below:-

https://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-doctrine-salvation.html

Praying sincerely for you!🙏

Mary Augustine🔥

15th May 2022✍

Will You Heed A Loving Warning?

A rich young man sees a poor beggar sitting by the dustbin eating rotten scraps of food from it. Then this rich man who was about to go to a grand restaurant to eat delicious food by himself, brought this beggar there and bought him a delicious meal and also helped him find a job so that he will not go hungry! - Noble!

The poor man came out of his poverty because he was wise enough to heed the loving advice of the rich young man. - Wise!

A young lady recently recovered from a serious ailment through the help of The Only Doctor who can heal all ailments. She sees a terribly sick person half dead in her neighborhood. She immediately calls for a cab and brings this sick person to thst doctor who saved her life and gets him treated. - Noble!

This sick person was cured completely because he wisely decided to listen to the young lady and agreed to get treated by The Only Doctor who could cure his ailments. - Wise!

A strong athlete while jogging sees a blind man, walking towards a  cliff. He immediately runs towards him, pulls him aside and warns him of the danger. Then he brings him over to the safest side of the road to continue his journey. - Noble!

The blind man wisely decided to listen to the athlete and walk along the safest pathway. - Wise!

Warning someone of danger, helping someone who is sick and feeding the poor is all done in love and considered noble. The person who heeds the loving warning is indeed wise.

But when a follower of Christ Jesus, warns someone lovingly about eternal punishment for sinners, and tells about what Jesus did to save the entire human race from the danger of permanent death and from being cast away in hell, why do people think that he is imposing on them and that he is being arrogant?

The Bible clearly states that the wages of sin is death. All of us have sinned. There is no forgiveness for any sinner except to offer God the blood of a sinless person. No blood of a goat or a lamb will take our sins away. Jesus who is sinless and holy died for you and me so that we will be forgiven of our sins when we repent and believe in Him. This is the Good News of Jesus for the entire human race.

When we believe in Jesus, His blood washes our sins away and we are clothed with His righteousness. Then He helps us not to sin again.

An Appeal to all Non Christians

This is an appeal to all who do not truly know who Jesus is. Please do yourself a favour. Please read through every single page of the bible. You can start with the New Testament. Read the  four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Then read the Old Testament. There you will see all the prophesies about Jesus and you will know that Jesus fulfilled each prophesy accurately. Finally you can read the rest of the New Testament. While you read, ask God Almighty, (not any other person whom you consider god) to revel the Truth to you and to help you see. God will surely open your eyes to the Truth. 

An Appeal to all Followers of Christ Jesus

We who follow Christ Jesus, are specially chosen by God Himself to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ, to all nations. It is the command of Jesus that we do it in love; not forcefully. Let us be the light of Christ Jesus and shine His light in this dark sinful world. 

Let's obey Him.

God bless you. 

Mary Augustine ✍

10th May 2022

Is Famine approaching soon?

Dear family and friends,

Let's examine these Words of God for a moment.:-

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.

God looks favourably upon those who fear Him, those who obey Him and walk in His precepts, on those who hope in His unfailing love.

He delivers their soul from death. What kind of death is this? Not physical death of course, because everyone born on earth must die one day. God delivers the faithful from spiritual death and gives them eternal life, to live with Him forever. 

He keeps them alive in famine. This famine does not refer to a shortage of food. It is a shortage of hearing God's Word. Man is not interested in obeying God and walking faithfully in His narrow way. Instead man seeks after worldly pleasure and God's Word is not spoken or welcomed. Therefore God said in...

Amos 8:11 ESV

“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord GOD, “when I will send a famine on the land— not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.

That is the famine He will save His faithful children from. 

Therefore dear family and friends, do not tarry. The time of spiritual famine is just round the corner. If you want your soul to be saved from it, then do the following asap:-

1. Repent of your sins daily. 

2. Believe in and accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour.

4. Read the Bible as you would read a treasure map. Dig deep and discover all the treasures within.

5. Meditate on it day and night.

6. Teach them to your children. 

7. Obey what His Word says without compromise.

8. Allow the Holy Spirit to transform you into the image of Jesus. 

9. Bear the fruit of the spirit (in your character) produced by the Holy Spirit in you.

10. Be the light of Christ Jesus and the Salt of the earth, and lead others to Him. 

Do the above 10steps constantly and consistently and God will reward your faithfulness mightily.

Do You Love Surprises?

Do You Love Surprises? 

Some are pleasant - things like surprise parties, the unanticipated arrival of loved ones, or unexpected blessings in the midst of suffering. Other times, surprises catch us off guard and are not so pleasant - a sudden job loss or unexpected medical diagnosis.

Jesus prepared His people, through parables and instructions, to expect what most others would not anticipate - His return to earth as Judge.

Jesus came as a humble servant to die on the cross and bring deliverance from sin for all who believe in Him.

He promised that He will come a second time as The Judge of all the people of the earth and establish His Kingdom.

(the above taken from 'The Unexpected King' Matthew's account of Jesus,  bsf lesson 25 Notes)

The first coming of Jesus was prophesied by the prophets of old. Yet people did not anticipate or understand Jesus' first mission to earth. Most still do not understand the truth although it is crystal clear in recorded history. Their eyes are blinded.

Jesus' second coming was announced by Him, by the prophets of old and also in the final book of the Bible. The specifics of what will happen in the final days before Jesus' second coming is spelt out clearly by Jesus Himself in Matthew Chapter 24 and in the book of Revelation, by the Risen Lord Jesus Himself, though the exact timing is not known. Yet the majority of humanity will still be blinded to the truth and be caught by surprise when He returns as the King and Judge of the entire human race. It is not going to be a pleasant surprise for the Christians who are not prepared and for those who do not believe till the end. 

Jesus told Thomas in the Gospel of John 20:29, 

'Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” ' 

This was after Jesus rose from the grave and appeared to His disciples in His resurrected body. 

My dear fellow Christians

We who believe in Jesus are called to anticipate and prepare for His return. 

Let us be prepared for His second coming and not be caught by an unpleasant surprise.

It is not enough to say that you have believed in Jesus, accepted Him as the Lord and Saviour of your life and just continue to live in sin and not repent and change. That means you are not sincere. No one who keeps sinning without any remorse and repentance has truly  known or accepted Jesus. 

Having said that, if you have truly repented of your sins and accepted Jesus, He will forgive you. Jesus forgives all who are repentant but He sends us forth with this command, "I forgive you. Go and don't sin anymore." Jesus does not say, "I forgive you because you have accepted Me. My blood has washed your sins away. So now, you are My righteousness and whatever sins you do from now on will not be counted because I have washed your sins away on the cross." No not at all! He said, "Go and Sin No More!" So my dear brother and sister, each one of us must walk in humble repentance and obedience to His Word every moment of our lives. The Holy Spirit Who dwells in you will convict you of your sins and help you to repent and walk humbly and in obedience to God's Word. He Who called you is faithful and He Himself will sanctify you.

 

Do read the Bible daily. It is our treasure map for righteous living. Let the Holy Spirit transform you into a humble and an obedient child of God. Be a good role model to all. Live a life pleasing to God. Then go and tell everyone the Good News.

If we truly love our family and friends:-

🔺 we will want no bad thing to happen to them.

🔺 we will not want them to live without knowing their Saviour.

🔺 we will want them to be in heaven with us and God for all Eternity.

🔺 we will tell them the Good News, that Jesus died and resurrected to save all who believe in Him, from Eternal Death and is waiting to give them Eternal Life, Life after physical death.

🔺 we will invite them to come and know Jesus.

We love our parents, our spouse, our siblings, our children and our friends. We do all we can to make them happy on earth. We are even willing to go through severe hardship to ensure that they are well protected and taken care of in this life which is short and fleeting.

We eat with them, we laugh with them and we enjoy pleasant times with them. Yet, when it comes to giving them a loving warning of what the enemy, Satan is planning for humanity, and telling them of their Eternal Security in Christ Jesus, fear grips us. What are we afraid of?

My dear brother in Christ, my dear sister in Christ, 

📢 Will you be afraid to tell them about an oncoming truck which will hit them if they do not move in time?

📢 Will you be afraid to tell them of leaking gas in their kitchen, which if left unattended will blow up and burn their house down?

📢 Will you be afraid to tell them about the hidden deep sinkhole before them, that if they walk a little further the sinkhole will swallow them alive?

Then why are you afraid to tell them about Jesus Who died to save those who believe in Him from Eternal Hell Fire?

Are you afraid that they will :-

⁉🔸 ridicule you? 

⁉🔸stop befriending you? 

⁉🔸consider you mad?

⁉🔸 think that you are not respecting their beliefs?

Nevermind what they think. Believe me, on that day when they meet Jesus face to face, they will thank you for telling them the Good News. This is the command of Jesus to us, to tell everyone till the end of the world, the Good News of Jesus Christ. We are commanded to tell them and invite them to join in the celebration of Eternal  Life with us.

I am not saying that you must force them to believe in Jesus. No, you must not do that. You must respect them and give them time to understand. Gently and lovingly tell them the Good News and about what Jesus has in store for them, when they believe in Him. Then it is up to them to choose. Tell them the Good News with a heart overflowing with love for them. Tell them that because Jesus loves them He has sent you to tell them the Good News. 

If you have been offered unlimited access to a king's treasury where there is unlimited gold and have been asked to tell all your loved ones about it, that they can go and receive it free of charge, won't you go and tell this good news to everyone?  If you keep silent and think only of yourself won't they consider you selfish when they come to know about it?

If you tell them that you have access to unlimited gold, then you must prove it to them by your rich lifestyle. If you are in torn and tattered clothes and have no food to eat and no house to live in, will they believe you? 

Likewise you must live a humble life of obedience to God so that they will know that Jesus has transformed you and can transform them too. Your life must be a testimony of God's love, and a living reality of the promise of Jesus, to them.

When you are living a sinful life, gossiping, grumbling, taking things and credit which are not yours; a life of sexual promiscuity, alcoholism, slothfulness, ingratitude, hatred, bitterness, unforgiveness, arrogance, disrespect to authority, dishonouring parents, showing off to people your 'good deeds', doing good to receive praises from  others, etc, how can you tell others that Jesus has transformed you? You are not allowing the Holy Spirit to sanctify you. You need to repent and allow the Holy Spirit to prune you and shape you. The process of sanctification is very painful. 

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 ESV

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. [24] He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

If you rebel at any point and refuse to let God sanctify you, then you would be disrespecting the Spirit of God Who dwells in you. If you keep pushing Him away and continue to sin and do not repent till your last breath, you will be grieving Him. Submit to him and allow Him to sanctify you.

Do take note of this, especially verse 29:- 

God's Word says in Hebrews 10:26-29 ESV

For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, [27] but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. [28] Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. [29] How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?

If you have been sanctified by the blood of Jesus, but have trampled underfoot the Son of God and profaned the blood of the covenant and outraged the Holy Spirit Who was gracious to you, by your deliberate sinning, then what do you think you deserve? Read the above verses again and ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand and help you repent and change. I am not judging you. I wish you heaven.

If you are like Simon the sorcerer who wanted the gift of the Holy Spirit which Peter and John had, but want to use it for your own gains and popularity, then do think hard about your salvation. 

Acts 8:18-20 ESV

Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, [19] saying, "Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." [20] But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!

When you receive Jesus your heart will change. You will become a new person. You will repent because the Holy Spirit will convict you of your sins. You will submit to the Holy Spirit. You can be in church serving all your life, but if you do not deliberately repent, continue in your hidden sins and do not have the fruit of the Holy Spirit in your character, that is an evidence that you have not made Jesus your Lord and Saviour.

You can only be an effective witness of Jesus by living a sanctified life in Christ. How can an adulterer, a drunkard, a gambler and a self-centered, prideful person say, "Believe in Jesus, He will change you as He has transformed me and give you external life!" Is that not a mockery of Jesus? The evidence of your salvation is the ongoing maturity of the Fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness faithfulness and self control) in your character.

Please think carefully about this:- Jesus shed His blood as a living sacrifice for my sins and yours and rose victoriously to save us from Eternal Hell Fire. He has commanded us to, "Go And Tell Everyone!" about it, that those who believe in Him will receive Salvation at no cost.

This is The Great Commission of Jesus

Matthew 28:16-20 ESV

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. [17] And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. [18] And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19] Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

You may say, "Well I will just live a good reformed life and let people witness it and by my life they will come to know Jesus. "

I say, that is the easiest way to copout from telling people the Good News of Jesus Christ.

You don't just show kids how to solve mathematical questions by writing sums on the board. You need to explain to them the concepts. You need to open your mouth, use your vocal cords. The Holy Spirit will take over from there if you just obey. It is His work to convict them and bring them to accept Jesus, not yours. You are only commanded to "Go And Tell The World The Good News About Jesus!" ...And Jesus promised to be with you till the end of the age.

Please tell everyone about this. Pray! Ask the Holy Spirit for boldness to speak and to give you the right words. He will help you if you sincerely ask Him. After witnessing to them, pray for them day and night, until they believe or until your last breath, whichever is first. Do not force them. God will honour your humble and faithful obedience and open their minds and hearts to receive Jesus, in His time. Be patient but pray non stop for them. 

Remember that by keeping silent and not telling others  about Jesus, you and I are being selfish and that already is a sin of omission. 

Jesus is coming back on the clouds with His angels and the whole world will see it and bow their knees before Him. Stay prepared always and get your loved ones to be prepared too. 

If your are prepared always, and if you happen to breathe your last before the second coming of Jesus, at least you would be prepared like the 5 wise virgins and will not have an unpleasant surprise when you meet Him face to face. 

My dear loved ones of other beliefs, this next portion is for you!

If you have not known Jesus personally I sincerely urge you to ask God Almighty to help you know and understand the truth. Ask for faith. Faith is a free gift from God. Do read the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke in the Bible. You can get it online. Ask a dear Christian friend or family member, who is walking faithfully with Jesus to tell you about Jesus.  Be open to hear them explain. 

You will not lose anything by hearing them out. Pray and ask God's Holy Spirit to reveal the Truth to you. The Truth will set you free. 

You can speak to me and ask me about Jesus anytime. Do not be afraid. I will be only too pleased to explain to you. I will not force you. I will not love you any less if you do not believe or do not accept this free offer of Jesus my Lord and Saviour. In fact I will still continue to love you unconditionally and will pray for you till my final breath. I love you and want you to be with me and Jesus in heaven for all eternity.

You may ask, "Why can't I be just as I am and be good, do good and live a moral life. Won't I receive Eternal Life?"

My dear, only Jesus Who redeemed humanity from it's curse has the authority to give anyone Eternal Life. No one else has that authority. 

In the Gospel of John 14:6 Jesus said "I Am The Way, The Truth and The Life. No one can go to the Father except through Me!" 

Jesus is the only begotten Son of God and is also called 'The Son of Man' in the Bible. 

In the Gospel of Matthew 25:31-32 ESV Jesus said,

"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. [32] Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

This above is regarding His second coming as the Judge of the world. There are numerous verses in the Bible stating the fact that Jesus is definitely coming back to judge the nations, all people who are dead and alive, as the King of the earth, at the end. Only the time of His return is not known to us.

All prophesies that were predicted about a Saviour coming to save the world and the events that would lead to it have been fulfilled in Jesus. Now all the other prophesies foretelling His second coming and the events of this world happening just before it are being fulfilled one after the other, just as it has been predicted in the Bible. On that appointed day He will come suddenly, on the clouds with His angels as The King and The Judge to judge all humanity.

Jesus is not a conman, a madman or a liar. He has proven it by His death and victorious resurrection. You know what! Jesus is merciful and gives us grace. He has given the Spirit of God Himself, to those who believe in Him. God's Spirit Whom we call, the Holy Spirit, comes and resides in us when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. Our sins are washed supernaturally by the blood of Jesus and The Holy Spirit Who lives in us helps us to live a holy and pleasing life to God. Without the Spirit of God helping us to live transformed lives, no one can live the way God wants us to live. We can't do it by our own strength because our human nature is to sin. Only by the Power and Strength of God's Holy Spirit we can be transformed fully.

I am a sinner who has been washed clean by the blood of Jesus. As I pursue my life's journey, at times in my human weakness I do things which hurt and displease God and my fellowmen. At those times  the Holy Spirit Who lives in me convicts me of my sins and helps me to repent and change my behavior and character. Then He helps me not to do it again. He empowers me to walk in the righteousness of Christ Jesus. Without the Spirit of God Himself helping me, I will be an unrepentant sinner. I will be striving to be good on my own. Then, end up doing hidden sins repeatedly without repenting of them. Eventually I would end up in hell where there is 'weeping and gnashing of teeth' as stated in the Bible. 

The Bible says, in Romans 3:23-24

²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

My Life Journey

I was born in a 'Christian' family but I did not know Christ Jesus as I know Him now, until I was 21yrs of age. From the age of 21, God kept pursuing me a sinner and was slowly transforming me. It was a long and slow process because I was still too engaged in the things of the world. He was very patient with me and never let me go till I gave my life completely to Jesus. It was from the age of 45, I began to pursue Jesus seriously. Before that, I used to read the Bible, pray and teach my children the ways of God, but I was too pressurised by the daily work that pursuing Jesus totally was not my first priority. Only at the age of 45 I was truly born again. From the age of 21 through to 45, the Holy Spirit has been working in me, peeling off all that God dislikes in me, layer by layer.  It is the sanctification process which the Spirit of God does in every believer. From the age of 45 the sanctificstion process became very intense. It is very painful most of the time, to let go of my own desires and obey God, but it is worth it. Am still being sanctified and I am loving it now. In Jesus, I receive abiding peace in tumultuous situations. For example, in times of failure, in times of great losses, in times of life threatening illnesses Jesus has always been with me, holding my hands and promising me that He will never leave me. Only Jesus can fill us with abiding peace in the midst of stormy situations. No one else can. I never look back or regret the day I made Jesus the Lord, Saviour and King of my life. 

                      🤗

Without the washing away of our sins by the blood of Jesus which was shed for all humanity, (not only the nation of Israel, not only Christians, but all people of all nations) , the Holy Spirit of God will not reside in the sinful human soul and make it His dwelling place because He is a Holy God. Without Him Who is the 'Promise of God' for all believers, we cannot enter heaven.  When we receive the Holy Spirit, we receive Eternal Life with God here and now and for all eternity. 

God is holy and hates sin. Every sin, big or small is looked upon as obnoxious filth by God. His wrath will be poured upon all who sin, small or big sins, alike and upon those who blaspheme the Holy Spirit. To  attribute the work of God's Holy Spirit to Satan is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Jesus says that, this sin of blasphemy against God's Spirit is unforgivable. 

For someone who has received the knowledge of the truth, that is, the truth of Who Jesus is and what He can do, then rejects Jesus, this person does not  receive the Holy Spirit. By not receiving the Holy Spirit he loses the 'security bond', to receive Eternal Life. He is rejecting the blood sacrifice of Jesus which is the very thing that washes our sins away. For he who tramples on the blood of Jesus, there is no salvation. 

God is gracious. He will continue to send someone or some situation in your life to remove the veil from your eyes. Do not reject Jesus when you come to know the truth.

The blood sacrifice and victorious resurrection of Jesus saves us from God's wrath. But we must accept this free invitation of God through Jesus, receive God's Spirit within us and remain steadfastly obedient to Him. God will not interfere with our free will. 

Without believing in Jesus and accepting Him we cannot receive the Holy Spirit. If we do not have Him in us we cannot enter heaven. That is why Jesus said that He is The Way. There is no other way to God except through Jesus.

(The explanation above and the picture below will help you understand what I am trying to tell you.) 

I sincerely pray that God will lead you to read this entire article and do what needs to be done, in Jesus' precious name.

I pray that when your time comes to leave this earth and meet our Creator God, God of this Universe, Jesus Christ, be it at your physical death or at the second coming of Christ Jesus, you will have a pleasant surprise and not an unpleasant one.

With genuine love 💖

Praying ceaselessly for you,

Mary Augustine  ✍