GOSPEL READING : John 6:56-69.
A New Creature made for the Narrow Door

“The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.”(John 6:63, NIV)

The Spirit CREATES new creatures ! Just as the Word Jesus speaks to us transforms all our being into new creatures, the same the words that Christian Believers speak about themselves and one to another do really have a transforming impact in their lives.

I was born and grew at an American Missionary Station in Burundi, East Africa. Carl Johnson was the Head of the Mission and he used to tell me this: “Justin, every day in your life, choose to always go through the narrow door. If you come to a situation where you need to choose between two solutions or two ways, take always the humble one, choose the one that does not make you appear important. Choose the narrow door, the rejected one!.”
Truly, I could not understand yet this great Truth earlier but Missionary Johnson kept on teaching me how through the many testimonies he gave me from his personal life. I remember when he told me that the small dispensary he had founded at our Parish when he arrived in Burundi around the year 1950 could no longer continue to work due to lack of funds to pay the employees and order new medicines.
Carl Johnson told me that following the vow he had made when he left America to go to Africa, he could not accept to see his ministry fail so simply. He consequently decided to return to America to sell the house his father had left to him and bring back the money as a support to the dispensary work. He said that the word of his vow had transformed him and made of him a full God-depending man. In the lounge at his house, missionary Johnson had drawn the Apostle Paul on a panel and had written this verse from Philippians 3:7, “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.”(NIV)

This testimony was certainly the decision point I was waiting for. It soon changed my life too and one day, I finally told him that I would take his advice during all my life. Yes, since I decided to make THE NARROW DOOR a rule in my life, this Truth has changed me too. It has made of me a new creature, a humble man who trusts God’s almighty hand to care for hundreds of poor orphans and destitute children who came to me a poor man during the terrible times of civil war in my country. This Truth has given me a new way of life.
The words Jesus speaks to us are Life Eternal. Keeping them is the key you and I need to enter God’s Eternity. The Burundian wisdom says “Whatever good or bad one does, he finds it standing at the next bend.” This adage is really changing many young people’s lives. They believe it and behave accordingly trying to avoid evil deeds. It has given them a new way of life. Wouldn’t Jesus’ Words do more and greater things than that in our lives?
Isn’t there LIFE in these Words Jesus spoke to us saying: “Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.”? (Revelation 22:15). YES, THIS IS LIFE ETERNAL.

Bishop, Dr Justin Baransananikiye
President,
CHRISTIANS STRENGTHENING CHRISTIANS,
An International Ministry of
The Episcopal free Church- Province of Burundi
P.O. Box 197 Gitega, Burundi
Tel: 257 79 877 097
Email: baransajust@gmail.com
http://iprayforyou.worthyofpraise.org
http://christiansstrengtheningchristian.doodlekit.com/blog
Facebook: https://facebook.com/christiansstrengtheningchristian
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Baransananikiye
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/102632828955039015899/102632828955039015899/posts

GOSPEL READING : John 6:51-58.
A true Copy of Jesus!

“Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.”(John 6:57, NIV)

Jesus’ teachings about Eternal Life was a key doctrine the Jews needed understand in depth. But, how can man overcome death and live eternally? The superficial knowledge the Jews had about the RESURRECTION needed also to be made clear and understandable.

When He fed the countless crowd at the other side of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus just wanted themselves discover that a few hours later, they would be hungry and need food again. That food was not eternal food. Jesus the Son of Man offered Himself as a sacrifice for men’s sin. The same Jesus, the Son of God, is the Living God, Immortal, who dwells eternally in the believer’s life and allows him to overcome death while securing life for him. Feeding on Jesus is nothing else but feeding on His Word.
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” (Matthew 24:35)

Do we need to live eternally? Here is the way: “Let us feed ourselves on Jesus, the Word of God.” Of course, Jesus presents Himself as the model of living because of the Father and thus invites us to feed on Him and live also because of Him. But this can only be made possible when you and I decide to appropriate Jesus’ words and make of them OUR words, OUR rule in life, OUR hope, OUR wealth, OUR strength, OUR power, OUR ALL!

Wasn’t Jesus right when He reminded the teacher of the Law about the most important commandment, saying: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is One; Love the Lord (His Word) with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30), The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself”(verse 31). But haven’t we realized that today’s Christians are making the second become the first, and thus neglect the Word?
Dear Brethren, you and I are all called to be the original copy of Jesus to living because of God and because of His Word. “A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher”, stated Jesus. (Luke 6:40, NIV). But is that the case in our lives? In our Churches?
One day, I went to a public secretariat service to have written and printed a document. The lady there typed it correctly on her computer and wanted me verify whether everything I needed was okay. Then she clicked the print button and went through all the required steps to have the document printed starting with one trial copy.
She stood up and went to the printer to make sure the copy was there but, surprisingly, found a white unprinted paper.
– What? She exclaimed nervously, nothing? What’s wrong? The machine was working correctly yesterday evening!
She opened it and checked everything and found nothing wrong. Then She launched another trial print copy. Unfortunately, the same happened, there were no prints at all on the new paper page. She finally decided to unplug the printer and took it away and brought another one. After she had plugged it on to the power source and to the computer, she launched a new trial print.
– Wonderful copy! Wonderful copy! Justin, come and see! Something I don’t know yet was certainly wrong with the other printer.

Yes, something is also wrong with the many spiritual printers the so-called Christians go through. No Jesus’ image, no true Jesus’ love can be seen in their lives. Our habits and customs, our leisure companies and our philosophies could be the broken down printer in our lives. Neglecting to read and meditate the Bible and pray daily could be a fatal, broken down printer in our lives. Lack of repentance and lack of humility, selfish or wealth pride could also be a destroying broken down printer that does not make Jesus appear in our lives.

Even those Preachers who are selling the “Gospel of blessings” in many Churches around the world could be the broken down printer in many Christians’ lives. Whenever I feel not willing to attend Church any more and fellowship with other believers, whenever I can’t remain faithful towards my wife or my husband, whenever I don’t pay correctly my taxes and keep on lying to the Revenue Authority, whenever…whenever…, something is certainly broken down on my spiritual printer. Do I look like the Original Jesus? Do you?

Spiritual unity and love between believers (not between those belonging to a same denomination only), unity in the Spirit and in the Word with Jesus, Unity in the Father, that’s the power and strength and the authority the Church of Christ was given at the Cross when He cried: “IT IS FINISHED!” (John 19:30).

Our concern today is: “Am I really already registered to Eternal Life because of Jesus Christ, the Word of God?” If not, why not step in NOW? NOW is the time to have my, your spiritual printer changed. NOW is the time to have my, your anti-Christian habits and customs and philosophies changed. NOW is the time to have thrown away my, your “DEATH PRINTER” and be given a new one, a “LIFE PRINTER” that will make all of us become “NEW LIVING CREATURES” accepted in heaven and living because of the “LIVING JESUS CHRIST” with “THE LIVING FATHER” forever!

May the Peace of God be with you all. AMEN.

Bishop, Dr Justin Baransananikiye
President,

CHRISTIANS STRENGTHENING CHRISTIANS,
An International Ministry of
The Episcopal free Church- Province of Burundi
P.O. Box 197 Gitega, Burundi
Tel: 257 79 877 097
Email: baransajust@gmail.com
http://iprayforyou.worthyofpraise.org
http://christiansstrengtheningchristian.doodlekit.com/blog
Facebook: https://facebook.com/christiansstrengtheningchristian
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Baransananikiye
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THE TWOFOLD “PENTECOST SEAL”
Gospel Readings: – John 19:30, Acts 1:8

“It is finished” is the last words the Lord Jesus-Christ spoke at the cross, and the verse in Acts 1:8 is the last words He spoke before being taken up to heaven. Thus, some people have frequently asked why the Lord said “It is finished” and then later added that the Holy Spirit was to come upon the Apostles.

In our African cultures witch doctors have got a strong power and influence on the society because they always seal their followers with visible marks that prove to people they are with them everywhere and every time. Each witch doctor has his own kind of talismans he gives out and special words he pronounces while vaccinating his customers. When you go to see them, you tell them in details about your concern and before they do anything for you, they first check whether you might have been at another witch doctor or not. There are known points on the human body where they vaccinate people and the marks remain visible forever. From these marks, a witch doctor can easily discover whether you have been treated by a highly powered one than him or just a usual one or a beginner. Once he finds it is a greater one, he simply gives you a powdered product to lick and does not vaccine you BECAUSE HE HAS REALIZED THAT THE ONE YOU WENT TO PREVIOUSLY IS MORE POWERFUL AND HIGHLY RESPECTED THAN HIM.

The PENTECOST SEAL is the highest powerful spiritual SEAL Jesus Christ gave to His Church. Once Satan discovers that a Christian has really been sealed with the PENTECOST SEAL, he won’t touch his soul, because he knows he has got in him:
– The power to convict the world of sin
– The power of righteousness that witnesses firmly for Christ
– The power of Judgement that condemns Satan (John 16: 8-11)

That’s the warning God gave Satan when he asked to go and attempt Job: “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.”(Job 1:12). Why? Because Job had the PENTECOST SEAL in him! He was then untouchable spiritually, unmovable in the faith and invincible in prayer. Amen! But Job’s wife was not sealed so: “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” she stated firmly (Job 2:9). Such fallen wives and husbands as well exist in many Christian homes and churches today, yes, NOW, AT TIS MINUTE, trying to discourage faithful God’s servants. Jezebels and Herods, Sanballats and Tobiahs, are populating the Church of Christ and are stopping Her progress to heaven because they have either lost their PENTECOST SEAL or never been sealed so spiritually through receiving Jesus as their personal Lord and Saviour.

A seal is something that testifies a document is truthful. Did you know that if the Lord Jesus Christ had not sent the Holy Spirit TO SEAL all the Salvation work He did for you and me at the Cross, Satan was already preparing to seal the Gospel and the Resurrection and Christ’s Return in glory as being LIES? Yet he is trying to do so even today.
Having our passport sealed with a visa for a country we plan to travel to does not mean we are automatically authorized to leave our country and go. No! Before embarking at the airport, the immigration services still have the power to allow or stop us to get into the transit zone. Having our passport stamped with a second SEAL from the immigration is the last and important step that means “Yes, you are correct, so, go ahead!”.

After He had revealed the Apostles the nature of the first PENTECOST SEAL, the Lord added: “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now” (John 16:12). Why? Because there was still a second PENTECOST SEAL to receive. Which one? That of THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH (John 16:13a), in other words, THE SPIRIT OF THE WORD OF GOD. “Sanctify them by your Truth. Your word is Truth” (John 17:17).

Christians who call yourselves “SPIRIT-FILLED CHRISTIANS”, where are you going on the battlefield of the FAITH without having the second PENTECOST SEAL within you, THE SPIRIT OF THE WORD OF GOD:
– that guides the believer into all truth (John 16:13a)
– that tells him things to come (16:13b)
– that glorifies Christ the Lord? (16:14)

Job’s wife had not even received the second PENTECOST SEAL, so she cried out and said “Curse God and die!”. Christian brethren, how are you standing at this Pentecost? Are your two PENTECOST SEALS marks still visible and shining or have they disappeared as you went through temptations and fire trials in your life? The blood of Jesus Christ is still there to RE-SEAL you today and fill your spiritual tank and RE-SEND you ahead on the battlefield as A VICTORIOUS WARRIOR! Amen!

In Christ’s Love,

Bishop, Dr. Justin Baransananikiye

CHRISTIANS STRENGTHENING CHRISTIANS,
An International Ministry of
The Episcopal Free Church-Province of Burundi
P.O. Box 197 Gitega, Burundi
Tel: 257 79 877 097
Email: baransajust@gmail.com
http://iprayforyou.worthyofpraise.org
www.christiansstrengtheningchristian.doodlekit.com/blog
Facebook: https://facebook.com/christiansstrengtheningchristian
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Baransananikiye
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/102632828955039015899/102632828955039015899/posts