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.

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, a servant of Christ Jesus.

God chose me to be an apostle, and he appointed me to preach the good news 2 that he promised long ago by what his prophets said in the holy Scriptures. 3-4 This good news is about his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ! As a human, he was from the family of David. But the Holy Spirit proved that Jesus is the powerful Son of God, because he was raised from death.

5 Jesus was kind to me and chose me to be an apostle, so that people of all nations would obey and have faith. 6 You are some of those people chosen by Jesus Christ.

7 This letter is to all of you in Rome. God loves you and has chosen you to be his very own people.

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

A Prayer of Thanks

8 First, I thank God in the name of Jesus Christ for all of you. I do this because people everywhere in the world are talking about your faith. 9 God has seen how I never stop praying for you, while I serve him with all my heart and tell the good news about his Son.

10 In all my prayers, I ask God to make it possible for me to visit you. 11 I want to see you and share with you the same blessings that God's Spirit has given me. Then you will grow stronger in your faith. 12 What I am saying is that we can encourage each other by the faith that is ours.

13 My friends, I want you to know that I have often planned to come for a visit. But something has always kept me from doing it. I want to win followers to Christ in Rome, as I have done in many other places. 14-15 It doesn't matter if people are civilized and educated, or if they are uncivilized and uneducated. I must tell the good news to everyone. That's why I am eager to visit all of you in Rome.

The Power of the Good News

16 I am proud of the good news! It is God's powerful way of saving all people who have faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. 17 The good news tells how God accepts everyone who has faith, but only those who have faith. It is just as the Scriptures say, “The people God accepts because of their faith will live.”

Everyone Is Guilty

18 From heaven God shows how angry he is with all the wicked and evil things that sinful people do to crush the truth. 19 They know everything that can be known about God, because God has shown it all to them. 20 God's eternal power and character cannot be seen. But from the beginning of creation, God has shown what these are like by all he has made. That's why those people don't have any excuse. 21 They know about God, but they don't honor him or even thank him. Their thoughts are useless, and their stupid minds are in the dark. 22 They claim to be wise, but they are fools. 23 They don't worship the glorious and eternal God. Instead, they worship idols that are made to look like humans who cannot live forever, and like birds, animals, and reptiles.

24 So God let these people go their own way. They did what they wanted to do, and their filthy thoughts made them do shameful things with their bodies. 25 They gave up the truth about God for a lie, and they worshiped God's creation instead of God, who will be praised forever. Amen.

26 God let them follow their own evil desires. Women no longer wanted to have sex in a natural way, and they did things with each other that were not natural. 27 Men behaved in the same way. They stopped wanting to have sex with women and had strong desires for sex with other men. They did shameful things with each other, and what has happened to them is punishment for their foolish deeds.

28 Since these people refused even to think about God, he let their useless minds rule over them. That's why they do all sorts of indecent things. 29 They are evil, wicked, and greedy, as well as mean in every possible way. They want what others have, and they murder, argue, cheat, and are hard to get along with. They gossip, 30 say cruel things about others, and hate God. They are proud, conceited, and boastful, always thinking up new ways to do evil.

These people don't respect their parents. 31 They are stupid, unreliable, and don't have any love or pity for others. 32 They know God has said that anyone who acts this way deserves to die. But they keep on doing evil things, and they even encourage others to do them.

Kontondiroo

1 Nte Pawulu, Kiristu* Yeesu la dookuulaa, m be ali kontoŋ na. Alla le ye n tomboŋ, a ye n kumandi ka ke kiilaa* ti ka a la kibaari betoo kawandi. 2 A ye ñiŋ kibaaroo laahidi nuŋ Kitaabu Senuŋolu kono, ka bo niŋ a la annabiyomoolu la. 3 Ñiŋ kibaari betoo ye a Dinkewo le la hadamadiŋyaa kuwo le yitandi ko, a wuluuta Dawuda koomalankoolu le kono. 4 A la saayaakoolaa wulindiroo ye a yitandi le ko, a mu Alla Dinkewo* le ti ka bo niŋ Alla la Nooroo la, aduŋ semboo be ate le bulu. Ate le mu m̀ Maariyo ti, Yeesu Kiristu. 5 Ka bo niŋ ate le la, Alla ye hiinoo dii ǹ na, a ye ǹ ke kiilaalu ti fo ǹ si moolu naati ka bo nasiyoŋolu bee kono ka a la yaamaroo muta lannoo kono a too kamma la. 6 Alitolu fanaa be ñiŋ moolu le kono, mennu kumandita ka ke Yeesu Kiristu taalu ti.

7 Ŋa ñiŋ safee alitolu Alla kanuntewolu bee le ye, a ye mennu kumandi ka ke a la moo senuŋolu ti Rooma saatewo kono. Hiinoo niŋ kayiroo be ali fee ka bo Alla bulu, m̀ Faamaa, aniŋ Maarii Yeesu Kiristu.

Pawulu la hamoo ka Yeesu la kafoo kumpabo Rooma

8 Foloo-foloo, ŋa n na Alla tentu ka bo niŋ Yeesu Kiristu la ali la kuwo kamma la, kaatu ali la lannoo kibaaroo ye duniyaa bee le beŋ. 9 N ka Alla batu n sondomoo bee la ñiŋ dookuwo kono, meŋ mu ka a Dinkewo la kibaari betoo kawandi. Ate faŋo le mu nte seedoo ti ko, n hakiloo ka tu ali kaŋ ne doroŋ, 10 niŋ m be duwaa la waati-wo-waati. N ka Alla daani le ko, niŋ a keta a la lafoo ti, siloo si yele n ye saayiŋ, ka naa futa ali ma. 11 M be hameriŋ baake le ka ali je fo n niŋ ali si soorifeŋo talaa Noora Kuliŋo ye meŋ dii n na ka ali bambandi. 12 Wo le mu ñiŋ ti ko, n niŋ ali bee si ke ñoo wakiilindirilaa ti lannoo kono.

13 Baadiŋolu*, m maŋ lafi ka ñiŋ kuwo nukuŋ ali ma, siiñaa jamaa n ka a kata le ka futa ali ma, bari m maŋ siloo soto noo hani ka bii. N lafita naa la le ka dookuwo ke Maariyo ye ali kono komeŋ katirilaa, ko ŋa a ke nasiyoŋ doolu kono ñaameŋ. 14 A mu ñantoo le ti nte kaŋ ka ñiŋ dookuwo ke Jirisinkoolu niŋ bantalankoolu, karannaalu niŋ karambaloolu ye. 15 Wo kamma la, nte be hameriŋ baake le ka kibaari betoo kawandi alitolu fanaa ye, mennu be Rooma saatewo kono jee.

Kibaari betoo semboo

16 Nte maŋ malu kibaari betoo la kuwo la, kaatu ate le mu Alla la semboo ti ka moo-wo-moo kiisandi, meŋ ye lannoo soto: A naata Yahuudoolu foloo le ye, wo koolaa moo koteŋolu. 17 Ñiŋ kibaari betoo ye Alla la tiliŋo yitandi le, moolu be tiliŋ noo la ate ñaatiliŋo la ñaameŋ. Wo tiliŋo ka naa ka bo niŋ lannoo le la, kabiriŋ foloodulaa to ka naa fo labandulaa to, ko a be safeeriŋ ñaameŋ:

“Moo tilindiŋo be baluu la

ka bo niŋ a la lannoo le la.”

Alla la kamfaa hadamadiŋolu la junube kuwolu to

18 Alla la kamfaa baa ka naa ka bo saŋo santo. A be boyi la hadamadiŋolu le kaŋ ne ì la allantaŋyaa niŋ tilimbaliyaa bee kamma la. Ì la jawuyaa kamma la, ì ye ì ñaa laa tooñaa kaŋ. 19 Kaatu meŋ si loŋ noo Alla la kuwo to, ì ye wo loŋ ne, baawo Alla ye a yitandi ì la le. 20 Alla meŋ faŋo buka je noo, a la badaa-badaa semboo niŋ a la mankutoo jeta koyirinke le ka bo daaroo waatoo la feŋolu to, a ye mennu daa. Wo to ì te kanadaa soto la, 21 kaatu ì ye Alla loŋ ñaa-wo-ñaa, ì maŋ a horoma ko Alla le mu, sako ka a tentu. Ì la miiroolu naata ke kenseŋo le ti, aduŋ ì sondome jaariŋolu naata faa niŋ diboo la. 22 Biriŋ itolu ko, ì ñaamenta le, ì naata ke toolewolu le ti. 23 Ì ye ì koo dii badaa-badaa Alla le la, semboo niŋ waroo be meŋ bulu, ka ì ñaa tiliŋ jalaŋolu la, ì ye mennu dadaa hadamadiŋ muluŋo la, mennu ka faa, kunoolu, daafeŋolu aniŋ kuruntu feŋolu.

24 Wo kamma la, Alla ye ì tu ì la sondome hame kuu jawoolu le nooma seneyaabaliyaa kono, ka naa horomantaŋyaa kuwolu ke ñoo baloolu la. 25 Ñiŋ keta le, kaatu ì ye Alla la tooñaa kuwo faliŋ faniyaa le la. Ì sujudita feŋolu ye, mennu daata, bari ì ye ì koo dii Daamansoo faŋo la le, jayiroo be meŋ ye fo abadaa! Amiin.

26 Ñiŋ daliiloo le ye a tinna, Alla ye ì tu ì la hamoolu nooma horomantaŋyaa kono. Musoolu ye futuwo laañooyaa faliŋ ne ka ñoo laañooyaa. 27 Wo ñaa kiliŋo la, kewolu fanaa ye musoolu laañooyaa bula, ì sondomoolu faata niŋ hamoo la ka ñoo futuu. Kewolu ye malubaliyaa kuwolu ke ì ñoŋ kewolu la, aduŋ ì la wo filoo ye yankankatoo le saabu ì ma, ì jarita meŋ na.

28 Baawo ì tawuta le, ì ye ì ñaa kaasi Alla la, Alla ye ì tu ì la sondome kuu nooriŋolu kono, fo ì ka kuwolu ke, ì maŋ ñaŋ na mennu ke la. 29 Ì be faariŋ tilimbaliyaa siifaa bee le la, konnanteeyaa, hadumoo aniŋ kuu jawoo. Ì be faariŋ niŋ haasidiyaa la, moofaa, keloo, neeneeroo aniŋ daajika jawoo. Ì mu koomakumarilaalu le ti, 30 nendiyaariŋolu, Alla konnaalu, kuma jawu folaalu, faŋ wara moolu, kibirilaalu, feere jawu sitilaalu aniŋ wuluulaa soosoolaalu. 31 Ì maŋ hakiloo soto, ì mu fisiriwallewolu le ti, ì maŋ mooyaa sako ka balafaa soto. 32 Hani ì ye Alla la Luwaa loŋ ñaa-wo-ñaa ko, moolu mennu ka ñiŋ kuu siifaalu ke, wolu jarita le ka faa, ì maŋ tenteŋ ka ñiŋ kuwolu doroŋ ke, bari ì ka kontaani moo doolu fanaa la kuwo la le, mennu ka ñinnu ke.

Romans 1