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.

Yeesu noomalankoolu la baluuñaa kutoo

1 Baadiŋolu* hakiloo bulandi ka soŋ mansakundaa maralilaalu niŋ kantiyolu ma. Ì ñanta wolu la yaamaroolu muta la le, ì ye i wura dookuu tilindiŋo bee ye. 2 Ì kana kuma jawoo fo moo-wo-moo ma, waraŋ ka sonka, bari ì si sooneeyaa, aniŋ ka hadamayaa yitandi moolu bee la.

3 Baawo ntolu faŋolu keta nuŋ toolewolu le ti, aniŋ yaamari mutabaloolu, mennu neeneeta ka sila tilindiŋo bula. Balajaatoo la hame jawoolu niŋ niidiyaa kuu siifaa jamaa le ye ǹ joŋyandi, meŋ ye a tinna, ǹ tarata baluuriŋ jawuyaa niŋ kiiliyaa kono. Ì ye ǹ koŋ ne nuŋ, aniŋ ŋà ñoo koŋ. 4 Bari kabiriŋ Alla, ǹ na Kiisandirilaa, la beteyaa aniŋ a la kanoo naata yitandi, 5 a ye ǹ kiisa le. A maŋ a ke ǹ na kebaara tilindiŋolu kamma la, bari a la balafaa. A ye ǹ kuu le ka wuluu baluu kutoo kono, a ye ǹ kutayandi, ka bo niŋ Noora Kuliŋo la, 6 a ye meŋ jindi ntolu kaŋ siyaarinke ka bo niŋ Yeesu Kiristu* la, ǹ na Kiisandirilaa. 7 A ye wo ke le, fo ǹ si tiliŋo soto ka bo niŋ a la hiinoo la, aduŋ ǹ si ke noo keetaalaalu ti badaa-badaa baluwo to, m̀ be jikiriŋ meŋ na. 8 Ñinnu mu tooñaa kumoo le ti.

N lafita le, i ye ñiŋ kuwolu bambandi moolu ma, mennu laata Alla la, fo ì si ì hakiloo tu ka baara betoolu ke. Ñiŋ kuwolu beteyaata baake le, aduŋ ì ye nafaa soto moolu bee le ye. 9 Fata ñoosaba fuuriŋolu ma, bonsuŋ saataroolu, sonkoolu aniŋ keloolu Musa la Luwaa* la kuwo to, kaatu ì maŋ nafaa soto, bari ì mu kuu kenseŋolu le ti. 10 Moo meŋ ka talaaroo saabu kafoo kono, a dandalaa ko siiñaa fula. Wo koolaa, i ye fata a ma. 11 Ite si ñiŋ kalamuta ko, wo moo siifaa hakiloo nakarita le. A mu junubekelaa le ti, aduŋ a ye a faŋ halaki le fokabaŋ.

Yaamari labaŋolu niŋ kontondiroo

12 M be Atemas waraŋ Tikikus kii la i kaŋ naŋ ne. Niŋ wo futata ì ma, i la katoo bee ke ka naa nte yaa tariyaake Nikopolis saatewo to, kaatu ŋa ñiŋ feeroo le landi ko, m be sabati la jee le to sumayaa waatoo la. 13 I la katoo bee ke ka luwaa lonnaa Senas niŋ Apollos la taamasiloo tariyandi, aduŋ i si a je ko, ì te dasa la feŋ na. 14 Ǹ na moolu fanaa si karaŋ ka ì faŋolu dii baara bete kewo la, aniŋ ka maakoyiroo ke suuloo waatoolu la, ì kana tu nafantaŋyaa kono kotenke.

15 Moolu bee be i kontoŋ na, mennu be nte fee jaŋ. Moolu bee kontoŋ n ye, mennu ye ǹ kanu lannoo kono.

Alla la hiinoo ye tara ali bee fee.

Christian Conduct

1 Remind your people to submit to rulers and authorities, to obey them, and to be ready to do good in every way. 2 Tell them not to speak evil of anyone, but to be peaceful and friendly, and always to show a gentle attitude toward everyone. 3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, and wrong. We were slaves to passions and pleasures of all kinds. We spent our lives in malice and envy; others hated us and we hated them. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior was revealed, 5 he saved us. It was not because of any good deeds that we ourselves had done, but because of his own mercy that he saved us, through the Holy Spirit, who gives us new birth and new life by washing us. 6 God poured out the Holy Spirit abundantly on us through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that by his grace we might be put right with God and come into possession of the eternal life we hope for. 8 This is a true saying.

I want you to give special emphasis to these matters, so that those who believe in God may be concerned with giving their time to doing good deeds, which are good and useful for everyone. 9 But avoid stupid arguments, long lists of ancestors, quarrels, and fights about the Law. They are useless and worthless. 10 Give at least two warnings to those who cause divisions, and then have nothing more to do with them. 11 You know that such people are corrupt, and their sins prove that they are wrong.

Final Instructions

12 When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me in Nicopolis, because I have decided to spend the winter there. 13 Do your best to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos to get started on their travels, and see to it that they have everything they need. 14 Our people must learn to spend their time doing good, in order to provide for real needs; they should not live useless lives.

15 All who are with me send you greetings. Give our greetings to our friends in the faith.

God's grace be with you all.

Titus 3