Conviction of the Holy Spirit .

Conviction of the Holy Spirit .

When the Holy Spirit convicts us it can be very disturbing and  it will surely disrupt our plans and what we want to do and what we are afraid to change or approach.

Yet, when we obey,  there will be a sweet fellowship with God and we and our family will be blessed greatly. 

Conviction of the Holy Spirit comes through our parents, siblings, spouses, friends, strangers, Word of God or a soft prompting in our hearts or through circumstances in our lives.

Therefore when we are convicted let us obey Him. If we are afraid that it will unravel many things and ruffle people around us, let's get His help to obey. He will help us if we sincerely want to obey God and walk in His ways.

Let's  read His Word daily  and let's walk in His narrow way for the final  salvation  of our souls and for the salvation of our loved ones. 

Have a blessed day. 

Mary Augustine  ✍️ 🌹

Does who we are and who we become, need to depend on people, circumstances and situations?

Does who we are and who we become, need to depend on people, circumstances and situations? 

We can safely say that,  situations,  circumstances  and what people say and do to us, shape us in one way or another to a certain degree. 

Eggs, potatoes and coffee beans which are put in the same container of water and boiled to 100°C will each turn out different.  The eggs will harden, the potatoes will become soft and the coffee beans will exude a sweet and aromatic coffee fragrance.  

It is how we respond to each situation that changes us. I am talking about mature adults here, not children. Yet, can anyone stay resilient under adverse situations?

Children who do not know right from wrong and who are not mature yet will either break or their hearts will become hardened when placed under horrible and terrible situations. What about adults?

Every human being born in this world has God's moral compass embedded in our hearts. When we reach the age of reasoning we will be able to make right or wrong choices. Because God has written His moral laws on every human being's heart, no one in this world is exempt from making the right choices. We will be held accountable for each choice we make, by our Creator God, on the day of judgement.

Yet, can we make right choices all the time alone? Even if we make the right choices to stay resilient in the exterior, what does that do to our hearts and minds? Can we bring ourselves to love and pray for those who hurt us badly? Or do we say, "Yes, I did not let that situation impact me in a negative way.  I am just walking away from that person who hurt me. I want to stay positive."

The world teaches us that, in the guise of staying positive. "Listen to your heart!" "Walk away from negative people!" "They do not deserve you if they don't treat you well!"—says the world.  

What does  Jesus teach us and want us to do? As Christians we must operate by God's standards, not the world's. We Christians will be judged by the standards of Jesus when we die.

Ok let's just say we walk away as the world teaches. Then what happens to the turmoil in our hearts? How do we deal with it when it plays in our mind, when things trigger it or when we by chance meet those who hurt us? How do we react then? Do we stay hostile, ignore them and walk away? Can we bring ourselves to say, "Hello, how have you been," with a smile? Or even if we say that so as to appear unaffected by what they did to us in the past, before people who are observing us, would that be genuine? What happens inside our heart and mind at that moment?

Come on. Let us be realistic. It is hard,to forgive someone who mars our reputation before the whole world, when we are innocent, let alone smile and greet them as if nothing happened. It is hard to smile and be normal around someone who constantly misunderstands our actions and motives.

So let me ask once again, "How do we change as a person, both insside and outside when people,  circumstances and situations hurt us badly? Do we allow exterior circumstances and people to change our character and who we are?"

We are mere human beings who struggle to do right many times. We think we can do it by ourselves but in truth we cannot. We need God's grace. We need His empowerment to do what is right. 

As Christians we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. He wants to help us. If we cooperate with Him, we will allow Him to shape us into the image of Christ instead of letting the situation, circumstance and what people say or do to us, change us. Many times He will do it by changing us from the inside out and our attitude toward others. 

Only He has the power to bring out the sweet fragrance of Christ from our inner-selves when we are crushed, boiled, roasted and toasted by what happens to us.

Only He has the power to remove the hurt and bitterness that has filled our hearts and minds and wipe it out without a trace.

Only He has the power to help us forgive,  love and pray for those who hurt us cruely.

When we are in Christ Jesus, our identity need not change because of others or circumstances.  We can be resilient and exude the fragrance of Christ both from the inside and outside when we abide in Christ Jesus. 

Therefore today, let us humbly bow down before God, repent for the times we allowed circumstances,  situations and what others said and did, to shape us.  Then let's humbly ask the Holy Spirit to transform us with His mighty power.

Prayer.

Father God, we are so sorry that in our lives, we have reacted in worldly ways to many situations and circumstances. We have reacted in ungodly ways when people hurt us with their words and actions. We keep giving excuses for our reactions. Help us live by Your standards and not the world's.  Help us to love others as ourselves and put You first above all. We make our prayer in Jesus precious name.  

Amen 🙏🔥🔥🔥

God bless you dear Brethren. 🙌

Have an amazing Sunday!💖

Mary Augustine ✍️ 🌹

How to Forgive & Love with a Genuine Christlike Love?

How to Forgive & Love with a Genuine Christlike Love?

Oh, the innocence of little children,  how they forgive, forget and love with a pure godlike innocent love.

Jesus says in...

Matthew 18:3-4 ESV

and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. [4] Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Forgive, yes we say, "I can Forgive!" But to love them back? To pray for those who hurt us physically, emotionally or mentally we struggle and say, "That I can't! I am struggling to love them, let alone, pray for them and let them into my home or life again! I simply can't! And...if they don't tell me sorry, I won't forgive!"

But what does Jesus ask of us Christians? We who are His image and likeness in this world?  

Here is what Jesus says, in...

Matthew 5:43-48 ESV

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' [44] But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, [45] so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. [46] For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? [47] And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? [48] You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Luke 6:27-37 ESV

"But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, [28] bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. [29] To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. [30] Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. [31] And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. [32] "If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. [33] And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. [34] And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. [35] But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. [36] Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. [37] "Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;

Yes, if we are genuine Christians,  followers and imitators of Christ Jesus,  we have to humble ourselves and forgive like Him, love like Him and pray for those who persecute and hurt us like Him. When we can't  we must ask Jesus to pour out His love through us, because we can never love again with our human love which is so defiled.  The love of Christ poured out through us will enable us first to forgive them, then pray for them and love them back. This divine love of Christ poured out through us to them will even change them to repent and to be transformed into Christlikeness. Yes, try it if you do not believe me.

The life of  Corrie Ten Boom is a testimony to this. Do read her biography. 

Jesus our Saviour is still standing at the right hand of the Father, pleading Him for each one of us, who are called by His name, to repent from our vile sins, seek forgiveness and be united with Him again. Can't we do the same my dear brothers and sisters.  Yes it is hard,  very hard for us, humanely speaking. But it is not hard for Him. So let us invite Him to forgive through us, love through us and to change that person through us. He will do it, only if we let Him.

We see in ...

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

God did not wait for us to repent and ask for forgiveness first.  He sacrificed His only Begotten Son for all humanity, even before we ever accepted Jesus or repented. He taught us the Our Father Prayer knowing full well that even before anyone understood that prayer,  He was going to give up His life for humanity, proving His unconditional love for us. Therefore now we forgive, love and repent of our sins because He loved us first and gave His life for us. 

Look at how an innocent child loves. He loves with the innocent Christlike love, forgetting the past and hoping for the best yet to come. Even if we have punished that child  one moment ago, the next moment he turns to us bringing us something, which in his little mind, will make us happy, and runs to us with it in his hands.  Oh how pure and innocent is that child's love. 

We must love like that innocent child and like Christ Jesus.  Not only love but pray for those who have hurt us, made a fool of us, disgraced us and shamed us in public, because we have done all this to Christ Jesus unknowingly throughout our lives. If we need and deserve the forgiveness and grace of God, then those who hurt us and hate us also deserve it from us.

After you intentionally forgive them in your heart, love them with all of your heart (in your heart and mind whenever the thought of them crosses your mind) with Christ's love and pray for them to be transformed, you must just WAIT! Yes, wait upon the Lord to act in His opportune time to unite you with them. He will do it at the right time. Meanwhile pray alot.  You may want to let them know that you have forgiven them and are praying for them. Pray before you do this as each individual situation varies. I am not asking you to go and invite more trouble when the Lord has not acted yet. Pray, pray,  pray much for their transformation because  we want everyone to be in heaven with us.

What is the litmus test, that we have truly forgiven them and love them in return? It is this:- whenever the thought of them crosses our hearts and minds, there will be no more hurt or bitterness towards them there.  We will automatically be able to pray for them when we think of them  

Jesus says in ...

Matthew 7:12 ESV

"So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Luke 6:31-33 ESV

And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. [32] "If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. [33] And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

Remember,  we cannot love with our selfish human nature.  Let us put on the nature of Christ and ask Him to pour His love into us. Then the impossible will become possible.  

Only then can we all Christians live in unity for God's glory. Then the world will know Jesus by our love.

So love like Jesus with the innocence of that child you see in the above picture. 

God bless you.

Mary Augustine ✍️ 🌹