A Glimpse – The Gambia

Do you know God’s grace? Here are 7 Bible verses to inspire you to understand this grace.

Romans 3:23-24 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus

To understand God’s grace, we have to acknowledge that we have done what is wrong in God’s eyes. We have sinned. We are in need of forgiveness and redemption.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

God’s grace is a free gift that doesn’t depend on any good deeds you have done. God’s grace is for all who believe in Jesus Christ.

James 4:6-7 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

In humility we turn to God and confess that we have done wrong. In humility we receive God’s grace and he will lift us up.

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

God isn’t a distant God. He came to us and lived among us as one of us. Jesus is full of grace and truth.

Hebrews 4:15-16 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

You can come to Jesus, just as you are. He knows our weaknesses. Because of the grace of God, we are forgiven our sins.

Titus 3:4-7 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

We don’t earn or deserve God’s grace by our good deeds, but it’s given according to God’s own mercy. By grace we are saved through our faith and even become heirs to the kingdom of God.

Revelation 22:21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

This is the very last verse of the Bible and it reminds and expresses the wish for God’s grace be with you. “Amen” means “surely”, “truly” or “so be it.” We live by the hope and trust in God’s grace every day.

Warning against Having Favorites

1 My friends, if you have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, you won't treat some people better than others. 2 Suppose a rich person wearing fancy clothes and a gold ring comes to one of your meetings. And suppose a poor person dressed in worn-out clothes also comes. 3 You must not give the best seat to the one in fancy clothes and tell the one who is poor to stand at the side or sit on the floor. 4 This is the same as saying that some people are better than others, and you would be acting like a crooked judge.

5 My dear friends, pay attention. God has given a lot of faith to the poor people in this world. God has also promised them a share in his kingdom that he will give to everyone who loves him. 6 You mistreat the poor. But isn't it the rich who boss you around and drag you off to court? 7 Aren't they the ones who make fun of your Lord?

8 You will do all right, if you obey the most important law in the Scriptures. It is the law that commands us to love others as much as we love ourselves. 9 But if you treat some people better than others, you have done wrong, and the Scriptures teach that you have sinned.

10 If you obey every law except one, you are still guilty of breaking them all. 11 The same God who told us to be faithful in marriage also told us not to murder. So even if you are faithful in marriage, but murder someone, you still have broken God's Law.

12 Speak and act like people who will be judged by the law that sets us free. 13 Do this, because on the day of judgment there will be no pity for those who have not had pity on others. But even in judgment, God is merciful!

Faith and Works

14 My friends, what good is it to say you have faith, when you don't do anything to show you really do have faith? Can this kind of faith save you? 15 If you know someone who doesn't have any clothes or food, 16 you shouldn't just say, “I hope all goes well for you. I hope you will be warm and have plenty to eat.” What good is it to say this, unless you do something to help? 17 Faith that doesn't lead us to do good deeds is all alone and dead!

18 Suppose someone disagrees and says, “It is possible to have faith without doing kind deeds.”

I would answer, “Prove that you have faith without doing kind deeds, and I will prove that I have faith by doing them.” 19 You surely believe there is only one God. That's fine. Even demons believe this, and it makes them shake with fear.

20 Does some stupid person want proof that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Well, our ancestor Abraham pleased God by putting his son Isaac on the altar to sacrifice him. 22 Now you see how Abraham's faith and deeds worked together. He proved his faith was real by what he did. 23 This is what the Scriptures mean by saying, “Abraham had faith in God, and God accepted him.” That's how Abraham became God's friend.

24 You can now see that we please God by what we do and not only by what we believe. 25 For example, Rahab had been a prostitute. But she pleased God when she welcomed the spies and sent them home by another way.

26 Anyone who doesn't breathe is dead, and faith that doesn't do anything is just as dead!

Dandalaaroo fataŋ-fansoo la kuwo to

1 M baadiŋolu*, baawo ali laata m̀ Maarii Yeesu Kiristu* la, kallankeeyaa* mu meŋ taa ti, wo to ali kana moo-wo-moo faasaa.

2 Misaali fee, moo fula naata ali la bendulaa to, kiliŋo niŋ sani konnaalu aniŋ sitifeŋ ñiimaa, bari fulanjaŋo meŋ mu fuwaaroo ti, wo niŋ sitifeŋ faraŋ-farandiŋo naata duŋ jee. 3 Niŋ ali naata buuñaa dii wo doo la, meŋ ye sitifeŋ ñiimaa duŋ, ka a fo a ye ko, “Naa, sii ñaato jaŋ!” bari ali ko fuwaaroo ye ko, “Ite ye loo kooma jee, waraŋ sii teroo to, n siŋolu daala!” 4 wo to, fo ali maŋ fataŋ-fansoo le naati ali la kafoo kono baŋ? Ali keta kiitiikuntulaalu le ti, mennu ye kiitiyo kuntu ì fansuŋ miira jawoo la.

5 M baadiŋ kanuntewolu, ali i lamoyi! Fo Alla le maŋ moolu tomboŋ baŋ, mennu fuwaareyaata ñiŋ duniyaa kono, fo ì si fanka lannoo kono, aniŋ ì ye wo mansabaayaa keetaa, a ye meŋ laahidi moolu ye, mennu ye a kanu? 6 Bari alitolu ye fuwaaroo malundi kenebaa to! Fo fankamaalu le buka ali toorandi baŋ, ì ka ali samba kiitiyo to? 7 Fo itolu le buka Kiristu too horomariŋo tooñee baŋ, meŋ taa mu ali ti?

8 Niŋ ali ka Alla la mansabaayaa luwaa muta a ñaama, ko a yaamaroo be safeeriŋ ñaameŋ ko, “I si i siiñoo kanu ko i faŋo,” wo to ali be kuu betoo le ke kaŋ. 9 Bari niŋ ali ka moolu tambindi ñoo la, wo to alitolu ka junube kuwo le ke, aduŋ Luwaa tiñaalaalu la kiitiyo be laa la ali kaŋ ne. 10 Kaatu moo-wo-moo ye Luwaa bee muta, bari a naata yaamari kiliŋ tiñaa a kono, wo maarii ye Luwaa bee le tiñaa. 11 Kaatu Alla meŋ ko, “Kana jeenoo ke!” ate le fanaa ko, “Kana moofaa ke!” Saayiŋ, hani niŋ ite maŋ jeenoo ke, bari i ye moo faa, wo to ite keta luwaa tiñaalaa le ti.

12 Wo to ali diyaamu, aniŋ ali ye maa ko moolu mennu be kiitindi la ka bo niŋ luwaa la, meŋ ka moo firiŋ. 13 Kiitiyo le ka naa, meŋ buka balafaa soto moo ye, meŋ maŋ balafaa yitandi. Bari hani wo, balafaa le ye semboo soto kiitiyo ti.

Lannoo niŋ kebaaroolu

14 M baadiŋolu, moo ye muŋ nafaa le soto, niŋ a ko, a ye lannoo soto le, bari a buka baara wo la? Fo a la lannoo si a kiisa noo baŋ? 15 Niŋ baadiŋo, musoo waraŋ kewo, maŋ sitifeŋolu soto, a dasata a la domoroo la, 16 doo ko a ye ali kono ko, “Taa kayira kono. Allamaa i konoo ye faa, aduŋ sumayaa ye bo i la!” bari a maŋ feŋ dii wo maarii la suuloolu to, wo to, a ye muŋ nafaa le soto wo maarii ye? 17 Wo ñaa kiliŋo la, lannoo meŋ maŋ kebaaroolu soto, a maŋ nafaa soto, bari a faata le.

18 Bari saayiŋ moo doo si a fo noo ko, “Ite ye lannoo le soto, nte ye kebaaroolu le soto.” M be wo maarii jaabi la le ko, “I la lannoo meŋ maŋ kebaaroolu soto, a yitandi n na. Wo koolaa, m fanaa be n na lannoo yitandi la i la le, ka bo niŋ n na kebaaroolu la.”

19 I laata le ko, Alla mu kiliŋ ne ti. I nimbaara! Hani seetaani jawoolu fanaa laata wo la le, aduŋ ì ka sila le fo ì ka jarajara. 20 Ite moo kalantaŋo! Fo n ñanta a yitandi la i la le ko, lannoo meŋ maŋ kebaaroolu soto, nafaa te wo la? 21 Fo m̀ mumu Iburayima maŋ tiliŋo soto ka bo niŋ kebaaroolu le la, biriŋ a ye a dinkewo Isiyaaka bo sadaa ti sadaabodulaa* kaŋ? 22 Saayiŋ, ali naata a je le ko, lannoo le ye ate duŋ a la wo kebaaroolu to, aduŋ a la lannoo timmandita ka bo niŋ a la kebaaroolu le la. 23 Ka bo wo siloo le la, Kitaabu Senuŋo la kumoo timmata meŋ ko, “Iburayima laata Alla la le, aduŋ a la wo lannoo le naata a ke moo tilindiŋo ti Alla ñaa koto.” Bituŋ a naata kumandi “Alla teeroo” la. 24 Wo to ali ye a je le ko, moo ka tiliŋo soto ka bo niŋ kebaaroolu le la, a maŋ ke lannoo dammaa ti.

25 Fo cakamusoo Rahabu la kuwo fanaa maŋ ke wo ñaa kiliŋo le ñaama baŋ? A ye tiliŋo soto ka bo niŋ a la kebaaroolu le la, biriŋ a ye wo kewolu jiyaa, Banisirayilankoolu ye mennu kii, a ye ì kanandi niŋ sila doo la. 26 Baloo meŋ maŋ niyo soto, wo mu furewo le ti. Wo ñaa kiliŋo la, lannoo meŋ maŋ kebaaroolu soto, wo faata le.

James 2