A Glimpse – The Gambia

Easter, the cornerstone of the Christian faith, holds a profound significance for believers worldwide. Beyond its traditional observance, Easter offers a timeless message of hope, renewal, and redemption—a message that resonates deeply with every generation. In an era marked by uncertainty and rapid change, the timeless truths of Easter provide a steadfast anchor for young hearts seeking meaning and purpose.

In today’s fast-paced world, where digital distractions abound and societal norms constantly evolve, people often grapple with questions of identity, belonging, and purpose. Easter, with its celebration of Christ being raised from the dead, offers a totally cool story of how things change and get fresh again, a reminder of what really took place in Jerusalem that speaks directly to the challenges and aspirations of the current generation.

The Promise of a fresh start:

At the heart of Easter lies the promise of a fresh start, a promise fulfilled through the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ. As the Apostle Paul writes in Romans 5:8 (ESV), “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” The crucifixion of Jesus, foretold in the scriptures, serves as the ultimate expression of God’s boundless mercy and grace, offering you the gift of reconciliation and forgiveness. Easter’s message offers the promise of a fresh start and a renewed sense of purpose.

Hope Amidst Uncertainty:

In a world plagued by uncertainty and unrest, Easter offers a signal of hope. The resurrection of Jesus Christ reminds you that even in the darkest of times, there is light and life beyond the shadows. As you navigate the difficulties of modern life, the promise of Easter serves as a source of comfort and assurance, guiding you through moments of doubt and despair.
1 Peter 1:3 (ESV) : “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”

The Promise of Eternal Life:

Easter holds forth the promise of eternal life, a hope that surpasses the boundaries of time and space. Jesus declares 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, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?. Through His resurrection, Jesus offers the assurance of life beyond the grave, inviting you into a relationship marked by joy, peace, and everlasting fellowship with God.

The Call to Renewal:

Easter extends a timeless invitation to renewal, a call to embrace the life-changing power of Christ’s resurrection in your own life. As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV), “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Just as Christ emerged from the tomb in glorious resurrection, you too are invited to cast off the shackles of sin and embrace the abundant life that comes through faith in Him.

Conclusion:

As you journey through the Easter season, may you pause to reflect on the profound truths found within the Word of God. May you embrace the promise of redemption, rejoice in the triumph of resurrection, and respond to the call to renewal with a heart full of faith and gratitude. And may the timeless message of Easter continue to inspire and uplift you, bringing you even closer to the love and grace of our Risen Savior.

1 From Paul, chosen by God to be an apostle of Jesus Christ, and from Timothy, who is also a follower.

To God's church in Corinth and to all of God's people in Achaia.

2 I pray that God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you and will bless you with peace!

Paul Gives Thanks

3 Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! The Father is a merciful God, who always gives us comfort. 4 He comforts us when we are in trouble, so that we can share this same comfort with others in trouble. 5 We share in the terrible sufferings of Christ, but also in the wonderful comfort he gives. 6 We suffer in the hope that you will be comforted and saved. And because we are comforted, you will also be comforted, as you patiently endure suffering like ours. 7 You never disappoint us. You suffered as much as we did, and we know that you will be comforted as we were.

8 My friends, I want you to know what a hard time we had in Asia. Our sufferings were so horrible and so unbearable that death seemed certain. 9 In fact, we felt sure we were going to die. But this made us stop trusting in ourselves and start trusting God, who raises the dead to life. 10 God saved us from the threat of death, and we are sure that he will do it again and again. 11 Please help us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks for the blessings we receive in answer to all these prayers.

Paul's Change of Plans

12 We can be proud of our clear conscience. We have always lived honestly and sincerely, especially when we were with you. And we were guided by God's gift of undeserved grace instead of by the wisdom of this world. 13 I am not writing anything you cannot read and understand. I hope you will understand it completely, 14 just as you already partly understand us. Then when our Lord Jesus returns, you can be as proud of us as we are of you.

15 I was so sure of your pride in us that I had planned to visit you first of all. In this way you would have the blessing of two visits from me— 16 once on my way to Macedonia and again on my return from there. Then you could send me on to Judea. 17 Do you think I couldn't make up my mind about what to do? Or do I seem like someone who says “Yes” or “No” simply to please others? 18 God can be trusted, and so can I, when I say our answer to you has always been “Yes” and never “No.” 19 This is because Jesus Christ the Son of God is always “Yes” and never “No.” And he is the one Silas, Timothy, and I told you about.

20 Christ says “Yes” to all God's promises. This is why we have Christ to say “Amen” for us to the glory of God. 21 And so God makes it possible for you and us to stand firmly together with Christ. God is also the one who chose us 22 and put his Spirit in our hearts to show that we belong only to him.

23 God is my witness that I stayed away from Corinth, just to keep from being hard on you. 24 We are not bosses who tell you what to believe. We are working with you to make you glad, because your faith is strong.

Kontondiroo

1 Nte Pawulu, Kiristu* Yeesu la kiilaa* ka bo niŋ Alla la lafoo la, n niŋ m̀ baadiŋo* Timoti be Alla la kafoo kontoŋ na, meŋ be Korinti saatewo kono, aniŋ Alla la moo senuŋolu bee, mennu be Akaya tundoo bee kaŋ. 2 Hiinoo niŋ kayiroo be ali fee ka bo Alla bulu, m̀ Faamaa, a niŋ Maarii Yeesu Kiristu.

Alla la sabarindiroo

3 Tenturoo niŋ jayiroo be Alla ye, m̀ Maarii Yeesu Kiristu Faamaa, meŋ mu Balafaa Faamaa ti, aniŋ sabarindiroo bee Alla. 4 Ate le ka ǹ sabarindi ǹ na toora kuwolu bee kono fo m̀ fanaa si doolu sabarindi noo, mennu be toora kuwolu kono. Ǹ ka ì sabarindi niŋ sabarindiroo le la, Alla ye m̀ faŋolu sabarindi meŋ na. 5 Ko Kiristu la kuwo tooroolu be warariŋ ǹ kaŋ ñaameŋ, wo ñaa kiliŋo la, m̀ be sabarindi baa le soto la fanaa ka bo niŋ ate la.

6 Niŋ ntolu ye niitooroo soto, wo mu alitolu la sabarindiroo niŋ kiisoo le ti. Niŋ ǹ sabarindita, wo to alitolu fanaa ye sabarindiroo soto le, ka wakiili wo toora kiliŋo la muñoo kono, ǹ toorata meŋ na. 7 Ǹ na jikoo be bambandiŋ alitolu la kuwo to le, kaatu ŋà a loŋ ne ko, ali ye ǹ na tooroolu duni ñaameŋ, ali be ǹ na sabarindiroo fanaa taa la wo le ñaama.

8 Baadiŋolu, m̀ maŋ lafi, ali ye tu lombaliyaa kono toora kuwolu to, ŋà mennu soto nuŋ Asiya* tundoo kaŋ. Ǹ tarata toora landatambiriŋo le kono jee, fo ǹ jikilateyita hani ǹ na baluwo faŋo la. 9 Tooñaa, ŋà a muta nuŋ ǹ sondomoo kono le ko, saayaa le futata m̀ ma. Bari wo keta ǹ na le, fo ǹ kana jiki m̀ faŋolu la, bari ǹ si jiki Alla la, meŋ ka furewolu wulindi. 10 Ate le ye ǹ kanandi saayaa maasiiboo ma, aduŋ a be tenteŋ na le ka ǹ kanandi. Ŋà ǹ jikoo bee loo ate le kaŋ, aduŋ a be ntolu tankandi la le kotenke. 11 Ali la duwaalu fanaa ka m̀ maakoyi. Bituŋ moo jamaa be tenturoolu dii la Alla la hiinoo to, a ye meŋ dii ǹ na ka wo duwaalu bee jaabi.

Pawulu ye a la feeroo faliŋ

12 A mu ǹ ye kibiri kuwo le ti ko, ŋà m̀ faŋolu muta le daa-wo-daa, sako biriŋ m̀ be alitolu fee. M̀ baluuñaa seneyaata le, aduŋ a tilinta le ko Alla lafita a la ñaameŋ. Hani ǹ sondomoolu ka ñiŋ kuwo seedeyaa. M̀ buka baluu niŋ hadamadiŋyaa ñaameŋo la, bari Alla la hiinoo. 13 Bayiri m̀ buka feŋ safee ali ye, ali te meŋ karaŋ noo la, waraŋ ka a fahaamu. N jikita le ko, ali be ñiŋ kuwo fahaamu la timmarinke le, 14 ali ye fahaamuroo domandiŋo soto meŋ to fokabaŋ: Maarii Yeesu la naa luŋo la, ali be daliiloo soto la le ka kibiri ntolu la kuwo la, ko m̀ fanaa be a soto la ka kibiri ali la kuwo la ñaameŋ.

15 Kaatu nte dankeneyaata ñiŋ na le, ŋa feeroo siti le nuŋ ka alitolu foloo kumpabo fo ali si Alla la barakoo soto ko siiñaa fula: 16 N lafita le ka ali kumpabo, n taatoo Makedoniya tundoo kaŋ, fo m murutoo ka bo Makedoniya, ali si maakoyiroo dii n na ka taa Yudeya tundoo kaŋ. 17 Kabiriŋ nte ye ñiŋ feeroo siti, fo m maŋ a miira le foloo baŋ? Waraŋ fo nte be le ko moo meŋ ka hadamadiŋyaa siloolu nooma ka n na feeroolu faliŋ ka “Haa” niŋ “Hanii” fo waati kiliŋo la baŋ? 18 Bari Alla meŋ foroyaata, a si n seedeyaa ko, kumoo ŋà meŋ fo ali ye, wo maŋ ke “Haa” niŋ “Hanii” ti. 19 Baawo Alla Dinkewo*, Yeesu Kiristu, nte niŋ Silas niŋ Timoti ye meŋ na kuwo kawandi ali kono, wo maŋ ke “Haa” niŋ “Hanii” ti. “Haa” timmariŋo be ate le kono, waatoo bee la, 20 kaatu Alla la laahidoolu siyaata ñaa-wo-ñaa, ì bee timmata ka bo niŋ Kiristu le la. Wo le ye a tinna ka bo niŋ ate la, ǹ ka “Amiin” fo ka Alla horoma. 21 Bari Alla le ka ntolu niŋ alitolu bambandi Kiristu kono. Ate le ye ntolu tomboŋ, 22 a ye a la tampoo ke m̀ bala le, aduŋ a ye a la Nooroo ke ǹ sondomoolu kono le ka a ke sankayaaraŋo ti.

23 Alla le mu nte seedoo ti ko, daliiloo meŋ ye a tinna m maŋ muru ali yaa foloo Korinti saatewo to, wo mu ka ali dahandi. 24 A maŋ ke ko, m̀ mu ali la lannoo maralaalu le ti, bari ntolu niŋ alitolu keta dookuuñoolu le ti ali la seewoo ye, kaatu ali be looriŋ bambandinke le ali la lannoo kono.

2 Corinthians 1