CHRIST DESERVES OUR THANKS!
Luke 17. 11-19

“And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back,
And with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face
At his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan” (17:15-16, KJV)

A poor beggar in Bujumbura the Capital of Burundi was a very amazing person. Every Friday as all the other beggars used to go over the streets asking for some help, this elderly man as for him went from shop to shop thanking all the Arab traders who had given him something the PREVIOUS WEEK. He never asked for something else, because, as he said, They all knew what he needed. So all he planed to do was to thank them for their charity. And the miracle was that he was always given more and more.

From the History of Israel we learn that Samaritans and Jews were not good neighbours. They hated each other and nobody could imagine seeing Jesus, a Jew, healing Samaritan leper or one of them falling down on his face at Jesus’ feet to thank Him.

A short African story that we teach in our schools tells us about a pigeon that was resting on a branch of a tree next to a pool. Then it saw in the pool an insect which was struggling to get off the water but was very tired and could no longer fly. The pigeon felt very sorry for the insect and said: “Wait, I can help you, my friend!”.
So the pigeon jumped and cut a small piece of branch which it launched quickly in the pool next to the insect. Making great efforts, the insect was finally able to reach the branch and was pushed to the edge by the wind and was able to get out off the water. After a few minutes spent under the sun, the insect’s wings could function again and it flied. The insect never forgot the great good the pigeon did for it.
A couple of days later, the pigeon was at the same place resting on the same branch. A hunter saw it and was preparing to shoot an arrow to kill it. The insect which was flying around saw the danger and quickly landed on the man’s neck and bit him. The hunter unbalanced shot his arrow which went far away from the pigeon position. And so the bird escaped safely.

The next day, while the insect was drinking water from the pool, the pigeon came and landed on the same branch. The insect said:
– My friend, did you see how I bit the hunter who was going to kill you yesterday and made him miss his arrow shoot against you?
– Oh, no, I didn’t realize that. Thank you my dear friend.

The beggar who came back to thank Jesus received an additional blessing which the others missed: “Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.”, thus he was told by the Lord. This man certainly went his way with a renewed body and heart. Haven’t we realized from time to time that dark situations we were going through have been miraculously solved? Could you remember a certain day you escaped from Satan’s shooting your hope and your faith? Could you remember a certain day while overwhelmed by the deep waters of despair and loneliness you have miraculously seen a branch next to you and hanged on it and got out. “THY FAITH HATH MADE THEE WHOLE”, the Lord says again. Never fear the devil’s attacks for Christ is there for you! JUST REMEMBER TO THANK HIM. I personally have a corner in my bedroom where I always go and fall down on my face
at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks IN WHATEVER SITUATION! Such childish but so lovely stories have always made me sing Jeremiah Rankin’s hymn “Tell it to Jesus”, which reminds me to go to Jesus for renewal be it in times of blessing or sorrow:
1.Are you weary, are you heavy hearted? Tell it to Jesus.
Are you grieving over joys departed? Tell it to Jesus alone.

Tell it to Jesus, He is a friend that’s well known;
You’ve no other such a friend or brother,
Tell it to Jesus alone.

2. Do you fear the gathering clouds of sorrow? Tell it to Jesus
Are you anxious what shall be tomorrow? Tell it to Jesus alone.

Contact us:
EPISCOPAL FREE CHURCH-PROVINCE OF BURUNDI
Bishop Dr. Justin Baransananikiye
President
P.O. Box 197 Gitega (Burundi)
Tel: (+257)79 877 097
Email: baransajust@gmail.com
SKYPE: Justin Baransananikiye
Website: http://iprayforyou.worthyofpraise.org

WHAT IS THY NAME ? (KJV)
Luke 7. 36 – 8 . 3

In African cultures names have special and particular power on people. Usually each of them bears a deep meaning which even can picture the history of a whole Tribe or a nation. Tribes and families are known by their names. Thus, in Kenya, you can easily recognize a Luo or a Kikuyu or a Massai simply by their names. This is also correct in Uganda and in Tanzania where we find many different tribes. Asalo or Atembo sound automatically as Ebembe tribe’s names from the D.R Congo while Kadima or Kashale or Kabangu are names from the Kasaï Tribe in the same D.R Congo, etc, etc.

When I entered high school in 1968, I asked my parents why they named me BARANSANANIKIYE. My mother told me that the reason was because I was born at a time when my parents were horribly hated by our neighbours. In the Burundian culture it is said “Izina ni ryo muntu”(Which means that everything that happens to somebody in his life is the consequence of his name since names have a certain power in our lives). This seemed to be true about me at school since I was hated by some teachers and even students without any clear reason. Even when I did something good, they always had negative critics issued against me. My daughter Fidélité was born after my wife Virginia had gone with a cesarienne. We saw this as a miracle from God and we named her BIGIRIMANA (which means only God has made it possible).

WHAT IS THY NAME , Jesus asked to the demon-possessed ? By asking that question, Jesus wanted to know exactly which kind of demon He was dealing with because the possessed-one had many symptoms showing he was possessed by multiple demons. Jesus didn’t want to command only ONE or TWO or THREE of these demons to go out of the man. No! He wanted to command all of them to leave. Salvation is a complete process that sets man free.

All Kingdoms in ancient Africa and certainly in other parts of the world were built on such demonic powers. It is said that every king had private witch doctors and before he launched an attack, he first checked with them to know exactly the name of their gods and ghosts. Thus, a former story reports that a certain king planed an attack against his neighbour who had defeated him at many battles in the past. A wise man from his advisers told him the following: “Majesty, I have been checking to know why you have always lost your battles against your neighbours. The reason is because you have never known under which ghosts they were empowered. But now, listen, Majesty. The witch doctor I went to told me that if you want to defeat the king you plan to attack, please, simply go first on that mountain and offer a sacrifice to him while pronouncing seven times the names of his gods. And when you’ll launch the attack, tell your soldiers to herald his ghosts’ name casting them out of their way.”

The king did so and the soldiers were instructed as to what they would say. Unfortunately most of his soldiers who knew they would lose the battle as always, drank a lot of alcohol thinking that this would help them to die without suffering. So, when they launched the attack, a few soldiers were able to herald correctly the ghost’s name while the majority under alcohol pressure couldn’t remember what to say and simply cried out with strange words. So, something strange happened at the battle field: The two groups of soldiers started fighting one against the other and many soldiers were killed by their own friends. Finally the remnant of the two groups turned back to their king and killed him as well.

But a wonderful blessing story was recorded the 19th century, when American hymn writer W.C Martin after having tasted how sweet Jesus’ Name was through many trials, wrote the poem “THE NAME OF JESUS” saying:

1.The Name of Jesus is so sweet, I love its music to repeat;
It makes my joys full and complete, The precious Name of Jesus

R:“Jesus”, oh, how sweet the Name ! “Jesus” every day the same;
“Jesus” let all saints proclaim, Its worthy praise for ever.

2. I love the Name of Him whose heart Knows all my griefs and bears apart;
Who bids all anxious fears depart, I love the name of Jesus !

PRAYER: O, Lord Jesus, teach to really love Your Holy Name. Amen!

In Christ’s love

Contact us:
EPISCOPAL FREE CHURCH-PROVINCE OF BURUNDI
Bishop Dr. Justin Baransananikiye
President
P.O. Box 197 Gitega (Burundi)
Tel: (+257)79 877 097
Email: baransajust@gmail.com
SKYPE: Justin Baransananikiye
Website: http://iprayforyou.worthyofpraise.org

FORGIVEN ! FORGIVEN !
Luke 7. 36 – 8 . 3

Forgiveness is the greatest blessing men can experience in their life above all other blessings. Being forgiven is not a right but a favour. Forgiveness is one of the pillars in God’s plan for salvation. Unfortunately, men have never agreed with their Creator and even reject to forgive and forgive and always forgive. Am I a forgiver? Are you a forgiver?

Muliro was a renowned thief and everybody was afraid of him. Every time he entered a village or a town, he stole cattle or bicycles or motorcycles and all precious goods. He never left a place without having stolen something; he was a professional thief. Six times Muliro had been captured by villagers but they always forgave him and did not take him to the police station. But this had not taught him to become a forgiver himself because later on he killed his own son who had stolen some potatoes from his garden.

The day Muliro was converted and became a Christian, he told his entire story and among other things he said:
“I was a lost man, a horrible one. One day, I made plans to go to another neighbour town. The previous night in a dream I had seen “THREE JESUS alive” surrounding me but I didn’t understand what that meant. The next morning as I was walking to my destination which was four miles from my home, I met a witch doctor and remembered my mother having told me that he was the one who had killed my father. I stoned him seriously and left him bleeding half-dead in the street. Soon as I was walking the second mile, the sun disappeared and it was night and I had the same vision but saw this time only “TWO JESUS alive” surrounding me. I was afraid. As I continued walking my third mile, I met one of my former fellow-robbers who had left our gang taking with him all the money we had stolen. I ran after him in the bush and captured him and killed him with my knife. As I left the place quickly, the sun disappeared again; it was night and I saw now “ONLY ONE JESUS alive” walking next to me. As I walked the fourth mile, a rich man who was driving alone came behind me. I asked for help and he stopped and took me in his car. Far ahead near a bush, I told him to stop and leave me there. As he stopped, I took his two mobile phones and his briefcase filled with money and ran through the bush. I hid myself there, but the sun disappeared again. This time I saw “NO JESUS” near me.”

Muliro concluded his sad story saying: “On that day I simply understood that I had completely lost the Grace of God and that I had voluntarily driven away JESUS THE FORGIVER from my life. Thus I decided to confess my sins and became a Christian.” To end his testimony he sang William Newell’s marvellous hymn, AT CALVARY, while tears were flowing abundantly from his eyes

Years I spent in vanity and pride,
Caring not my Lord was crucified,
Knowning not it was for me He died
On Calvary.

Mercy there was great, and grace was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me;
There my burdened soul found liberty,
At Calvary.

Oh, the love that drew salvation’s plan !
Oh, the grace that brought it down to man !
Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span
At Calvary !

“Blessed are the merciful : for they shall obtain mercy” (KJV)

PRAYER: O Lord Jesus, grant me a forgiving heart in every situation of my life. AMEN!

In Christ’s love

Bishop, Dr. Justin Baransananikiye
President,
CHRISTIANS STRENGTHENING CHRISTIANS,
http://iprayforyou.worthyofpraise.org
http://christiansstrengtheningchristian.doodlekit.com/blog
Email: baransajust@gmail.com

AN URGENT APPEAL FOR A NON-STOP FIRE PRAYER CONGRESS TO DEFEAT TERRORISM PLANS.

Christians, It’s YOUR Responsibility!

PRAYER: O, Lord Jesus Christ, in your mercy, do remember and comfort those suffering from the terrorist attacks in Orlando, Florida, and all over the world.

“When He rose up from PRAYER, and had come to His disciples,
He found them SLEEPING from sorrow. Then He said to them ‘WHY DO YOU SLEEP? Rise and PRAY, lest you enter into temptation” (Luke 22:45-46)

Kenya is a wonderful touristic country with wide parks where are dwelling many kinds of wild animals that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Killing any of them is strongly prohibited by the Kenyan Law and any violators are seriously prosecuted. Last year, a lion escaped from a park and got very close to Nairobi city the capital where it started attacking people. The park guards in pursuit of the feline had no other solution than shooting and killing it despite regulations protecting the animal. Why?

These wild animals are supposed to live and remain inside the officially known park areas. Once a lion or a leopard e.g. get out of it and starts attacking people in towns or villages, it become automatically also a Law-violator and the police will also violate the Law that protects it and kill it.
“For where two or three are gathered in My Name,
I am there in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20).

Jesus Christ is in the midst of His faithful Church AS LONG AS SHE REMAINS INSIDE THE SPIRITUAL MANDATE HE ENTRUSTED HER WITH. That very mandate is PRAYER: “My house shall be called a house of PRAYER, but you have made it a den of thieves” (Matthew 21:13). Just as the park guards protect animals dwelling inside the park and are also allowed to shoot and kill them once they go out and attack people, similarly Jesus Christ is in the midst of His Church, blessing and protecting Her (Matthew 28:20). But once the Christian Church starts deviating from her holy mandate, the Lord will simply allow the serpent to BRUISE her heel (Genesis 3:15).

Believe it or not, the facts attest spiritually and clearly that our nations are presently suffering the consequences of the Christian Church’s departing from her mandate. What if these terrorist attacks in Orlando or in Colorado, etc, had happened in the days of Dwight L. Moody or Charles Finney and many other great American servants of God? I believe they would have quickly called for a nationwide PRAYER CAMPAIGN to lead all America to cease their labours and FAST and PRAY for an unknown time in order to HUMBLE the whole nation at the feet of Jesus and bring everyone to PRAY and SEEK the Lord’s face and TURN from their wicked ways”. (2 Chronicles 7:14). Signing to have flags put at half-mast is symbolically good and legal but, spiritually, this will never mean anything in the sight of the Lord. WHY NOT PUT OUR HEARTS AT HALF-MAST before Jesus who loves our nation and wants to HEAR us crying, and then FORGIVE our sins and HEAL our Land? (“Chronicles 7:14b). Why have we delayed doing so since a so long time!

TODAY is the decisive and right time to encircle terrorism with a worldwide fortress of PRAYER WARRIORS organized and supported by our nations as a NON-STOP FIRE PRAYER CONGRESS working UNTIL THE LORD RETURNS IN THE CLOUDS IN POWER AND GLORY. America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania, Rise and PRAY! Why do you sleep, the Lord asks? Look, in less than ten months, terrorism the great serpent of the 21st century has strongly hit Paris, then Brussels and now Orlando, USA. How many times did this happen previously in America and in many other countries? Why did the Christian Church and international Christian organizations over the world remain caught and made hostages of a spiritual SLEEP generated by a psychological sorrow? Why should Christians walking by FAITH continue staying idle and not take action?

Again, Christians, it’s YOUR RESPONSIBILITY! For as long as you won’t accept to return to your PRAYER mandate:
– SORROW will always continue filling your hearts and you’ll no longer find the joy of being led by the Holy Bible (Psalm 119:105) nor have good success (Joshua 1:8).
– You will enter into temptation (Luke 22:46) and start struggling in the flesh like Peter (Luke 22:49-51).
– You’ll start denying Christ the Lord publicly like Peter in your Assemblies saying: “We do not know Him” (Luke 22:57-60).
– You’ll all return to your former sinful life far from the Saviour’s plan like Peter (Luke 22:57-60).

Do we really need to see our nations healed and set free by the Lord?
Come on, let’s unite and PRAY now and say:
“O Lord Jesus Christ, in your mercy, forgive us and remove the darkness over us and allow your heavenly light to lead us back to working on our spiritual mandate in PRAYER! Amen.

May the peace of God be with you.

Bishop, Dr Justin BARANSANANIKIYE
President,
CHRISTIANS STRENGTHENING CHRISTIANS
http://iprayforyou.worthyofpraise.org
http://christiansstrengtheneingchristian.doodlekit.com/blog
Email : baransajust@gmail.com

JESUS CHRIST PRAYS FOR US!
GOSPEL READING : John 17. 20-26

How often do we remember that Jesus prays for us, for me, for you, as the ones who are in God’s plan for salvation? The Bible tells so clearly that, “…Who (Jesus) is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession us”(Romans 8:34). Whenever I feel no longer courageous to pray or feel overwhelmed by any dark situation, this very verse I always remember and then in the hands of Jesus lay my heart and all of the despair that is wearing me down because I know Somebody in Heaven is praying for me unceasingly day and night!

But I remember one day when this very Truth sounded powerfully again in my life. This true story happened in August 1967 when together with my brother Benjamin and our sister-cousin Jacqueline we visited our uncle in Gakungwe, 12 kilometers south of Bujumbura the Capital of Burundi. His house is still there even now next to the touristic place where a huge rock is set with these writings engraved on it : “Stanley-Livingstone, 1871”. It a remembrance site that this was the place where these two British explorers met.

Amos was our Uncle’s name and he lived from fishing on Lake Tanganyika which was only one kilometre far from his home. The best thing he could offer to us the children was to take us fishing at night in his little 2 seat wood-made boat. We were so glad to hear him making the proposal before we ate our supper. There was moonlight and as Uncle Amos told us, this was the best time for any fishers of this kind of little fish called “Muneke” to work on the lake. Otherwise fishing groups that use big hurricane lamps and large boats can only work when there is no moonlight as they have to attract bigger fishes around and catch them with strong nets.

So, we walked down to the lake around eight O’clock at night and reached the shore where uncle’s little boat was attached to a tree with strong warp threads. After releasing it, Benjamin and I helped him to push it into the water and we all got in and Uncle Amos seated at the back started rowing up into the lake. We reached a distance of approximately one kilometre from the shore and he stopped there and cast anchor. He was an angling fisher and used rather five hooks fixed on five separated points on a long nylon thread attached on a long flexible stick. He soon caught the first fishes which he pulled out of the water. They were so agitated and he wanted us to put them in the basket we had and cover it with a plastic sheet to avoid them jump back in the water. Uncle caught more and more “Muneke” small fishes but suddenly, something hit strongly the boat and fissured it and the water was springing up in it. We cried loudly and Uncle told us to quickly take the pan we had with us and start collecting the water and pour it back in the lake to avoid the boat to sink.

While we were doing so, Uncle Amos weighed anchor, and quickly started rowing back to the shore. We could hear him appealing upon the ghosts to rescue him since he was not a newborn Christian. Frightened, Benjamin and I and Jacqueline started crying loudly to Jesus: “O Lord Jesus, have mercy upon us!” Then came to my mind the story of Jesus and His Disciples crossing the Lake and how He commanded the waters to keep quite. So, I cried loudly “Jesus, rescue us as you rescued Peter and John!”. Unfortunately, the wind begun to blow pushing the boat back in the lake and we could see uncle Amos struggling courageously against it. This was the highest point of our adventure and Benjamin and I and Jacqueline lost hope and kept completely silent waiting to see the end. But this was also the precious time God had chosen for me to hear a voice murmuring in my heart and saying: “Jesus is praying for you !”

Then suddenly, another powerful wave pushed our boat to the shore and we all shouted with joy. When back at home, Uncle Amos told us that it was a big hippopotamus that had hit and fissured our boat. But, why didn’t it continue and overturn the little boat in the lake? Only Jesus knows! THANK YOU my Lord and Saviour, JESUS CHRIST!

Let’s pray together with the psalmist:

“O Lord. For you, O Lord, are all the earth;
You are exalted far above all gods.
Let those who love the Lord hate evil,
For He guards the lives of His faithful ones
And delivers them from
The hand of the wicked. AMEN. (Psalm 97. 9-10)

In Christ’s love

Bishop, Dr. Justin Baransananikiye
President,
CHRISTIANS STRENGTHENING CHRISTIANS,
http://iprayforyou.worthyofpraise.org
http://christiansstrengtheningchristian.doodlekit.com/blog
Email : baransajust@gmail.com

IS OUR LOVE ABOUNDING STILL MORE AND MORE?

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more
In the knowledge and all discernment” (Philippians 1:9)

Patrick, one of our pupils in 9th form is from a very poor family. We have allowed him to attend school free. We also help him with needed school stationery and a uniform. This year, all the 9th form pupils in Burundi had to go through a national course selection exam. Unfortunately, it had been officially announced that any of them who were involved either in payment or lack of documents litigation would not participate. The school Patrick attended two years ago refused forwarding to us his file because the young boy was into debt with a whole school year fee. Consequently I had an idea as to test at which level the teachings of love our pupils hear so many times have been received. I asked each one of Patrick’s schoolmates to bring one kilogram (1 kg) of the bean grain so that they can together resell the collect at the market and help their friend. In Burundi, May is the bean harvest season, so every one of the pupils should get some to donate since we are located in a rural farming area.

Surprisingly, only four pupils responded to my appeal. My wife and I gave also a contribution. Five days before the national exam was organized, the radio announced that the Minister of Education had just issued an ordinance authorizing ALL 9th FORM PUPILS to participate in the Exam despite any litigation they might have with their schools. So, Patrick’s case was solved miraculously and he has attended. Hallelujah! The next morning I read to the 9th form pupils Paul’s words from Philippians 1:9 and told them that what they refused to do for their poor friend, God had done it perfectly using the Minister of Education. They all fell in tears and repented.

Dear Christ’s followers around the world, the Lord is also allowing problems and sad events to occur around us the Christians as to testing which level of maturity our LOVE has reached in knowledge and discernment of His will. Thus, TODAY, why be astonished seeing refugees from the Middle-East and immigrants from Africa rushing by thousands day by day to the borders of your richest European nations, many of them risking even their life in the Mediterranean Sea? Who really understands what God is doing?

I always tell my congregation in Gitega, that LOVE being the more excellent spiritual gift WILL ALSO AND ALWAYS BE THE MOST SOUGHT in solving various world current issues. Apostle Paul prayed that our LOVE towards the Lord and our neighbor MIGHT ABOUND STILL MORE AND MORE. This to mean that the level it had attained the previous year e.g., should be increased at a certain percentage every new coming year.
Now, could you believe that the Lord is allowing all this sad situation with the immigrants and the refugees BECAUSE YOUR LOVE HAS NOT ABOUND STILL MORE AND MORE for many years? Your bank accounts are filled with SAVINGS FOR YOUR SUMMER HOLIDAYS planed to go to the most beautiful beaches in the world while thousands desperate brothers and sisters are dying at the shores of your borders! Christian ministries in the Third World are lacking sufficient support and no longer making progress BECAUSE YOUR LOVE IS NOT ABOUNDING STILL MORE AND MORE!

If my LOVE donation was $10 a month during the past decade, Paul’s Spirit is still praying that it becomes $15 a month beginning this year of Grace. Have you managed to bring it up that way? Stopping our LOVE gift to growing is also to choke the Spirit of LOVE we have received from the Lord. Refusing our LOVE donation to growing year by year is also a negative prayer asking Jesus to no longer pray that our businesses and our economy or our plantations may prosper. Refusing our LOVE donations to increasing is finally to tell the Lord: “No Lord, I am no longer your follower!” See how plants and animals and yourself grow and grow day by day!

A certain day in the history of Israel, as king Hezekiah was told by Prophet Isaiah to set his house in order for he was to die and not live, he immediately called upon the Lord and said: “Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what’s good in Your sight” (Isaiah 38:3). And the Lord answered:
“I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears, surely
I will add to your days fifteen years” (Isaiah 38:5)

Hezekiah was given fifteen additional years to live in order to INCREASE his walking in truth with a loyal heart and do what was good in God’s sight. Dear brethren, what could be your fifteen added years for if they could be given to you? Could we together let the Lord speak today about our richest nations and families, about you and me personally and say: “I have HEARD your prayer…, I have SEEN your love abounding still more and more, and surely, I will ADD…”?

You are so many rich Christians in the West having monthly SAVINGS (non used money) that can easily support 10 African families’ basic expenditures to survive a month and start setting slowly and maintain a small self-support project. Could you hear this appeal and take action TODAY? This is a Christian worldwide project that honors the Name of the Lord and yourself the donor, and which we could have started NOW e.g. in the ten poorest countries of the world including Burundi my fatherland. Let us call it “THE ONE FAMILY SUPPORTING 10 POOR FAMILIES PROJECT”

PRAYER: O Lord, may your Spirit of LOVE revive my heart and enable my sleeping LOVE abound still more and more for the rest of days you have grated me to live. Amen!

In Christ’s love

Bishop, Dr. Justin Baransananikiye
President,
CHRISTIANS STRENGTHENING CHRISTIANS,
http://iprayforyou.worthyofpraise.org
http://christiansstrengtheningchristian.doodlekit.com/blog
Email: baransajust@gmail.com

I WANT TO BE LIKE JESUS!
GOSPEL READING : John 12. 44 – 50

“The Father Who Sent Me Commanded Me What To Say
And How To Say It” (John 12:49)

I really love to be told what to do by somebody else and do it correctly. When my wife wants me to do something at home and I do it perfectly, then she smiles and that makes me feel having given her the best of my love and hence becoming more ONE with her. Jesus was filled with what I could call “The Obedience And Submission Nature”. I believe this is the secret-key that keeps strong the holy relations that build The Holy Trinity and which made Jesus say : “I and my Father are One.”( John 10:30, KJV).

Rosemary Guillebaud, a British Missionary who served under the Rwanda Mission lived at the American Missionary Station where I grew up in Burundi. This was early in the 1960’s when she was working to have set the Scripture Union Office in Burundi and also translate the Bible from the Kinyarwanda language into the Kirundi. Rosemary spoke fluently both Kinyarwanda and Kirundi and people loved talking to her. At that time, I and eight other children from the missionary station attended a primary school about 10 kilometers far from home in Ngagara, a suburb of Bujumbura the capital of Burundi. We had to spend all the day there and came back home late in the evening. Rosemary’s office was located downtown Bujumbura. We the children knew the place very well and some of us used to go that way when coming from school around 5 p.m in order to wait for her to take us home in her Volkswagen car. But there was something very attractive that made us love to travel with this elderly missionary. Rosemary had a little black dog that she had certainly trained for years to obedience. The dog understood every Kirundi word Rosemary spoke and we the children were so marvelled at seeing it understand and obey all it was told to do.

I remember one day when together with four other kids we were waiting at Rosemary’s office. She opened the gate and told us to push the great door and get inside the courtyard. We did so but, suddenly the little dog barking furiously rushed to us. We all cried, but immediately through the window, Rosemary commanded the dog in the Kirundi language saying: “Hagarara!”, which means “Stop there!”, and little dog obeyed automatically. Rosemary continued and commanded it again saying: “Icara!”, which means “Sit down”, and so did the dog. Finally, She said : “Ryama, sinzira !”, which means “Lay down, sleep!”, and the dog did so perfectly.

When Rosemary came out of her office, she told us to get in the car. The dog ran quickly and got in before we did. Rosemary told it in the Kirundi language and said: “Sohoka, si wewe!”, which means “go out, it’s not you!”, and the dog obeyed a hundred percent. Then Rosemary allowed it to get in the car saying: “Injira, ntukuge”, which means “Get back in the car, but don’t bark”. Oh, what a wonderful lesson we the children learned on that day about “FULL OBEDIENCE” !

ONE QUESTION: What would the world have been like today if the whole Christian Church in her many divisions, all the believers could join British Hymn Writer, W.M. Whittemore and pray saying :

I want to be like Jesus, So lowly and so meek,
For no one marked an angry word
That ever heard Him speak;
I want to be like Jesus, So frequently in prayer,
Alone upon the mountain top;
He met His Father there.

“Whosoever hearth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock.”(Mathew 7:24, KJV).
In Christ’s love

Bishop, Dr. Justin Baransananikiye
President,
CHRISTIANS STRENGTHENING CHRISTIANS,
http://iprayforyou.worthyofpraise.org
http://christiansstrengtheningchristian.doodlekit.com/blog
Email: baransajust@gmail.com

THE WORLD ON A DIVINE FIRE!
GOSPEL READING : John 14. 8-17:

“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor
To be with you forever- The Spirit of Truth.”(JOHN 14. 16,17)

Jesus was certain that his prayer asking the Father to pour the Holy Spirit in the first believers’ hearts would absolutely be answered because He knew this was in God’s plan from the beginnings. Jesus knew God was eager to see that very Day when man who was created in His image would finally be totally controlled by His Spirit and not by ghosts. Thus, Luke reports the story from the Book of Acts 2. 1-4. Yes, what a wonderful day that put the whole world ON A FIRE! A fire that continues to burn all the nations on Earth and burning especially “MEN AND WOMEN ON WHOM GOD’S FAVOR RESTS” according to the angels’ song as found from Luke 2.14. And I believe the same great company of heavenly hosts which appeared with the angels praising God at Christ’s Birth was again here in the clouds over Jerusalem, over the room where the Apostles were seated, and was watching the fulfilment of God’s promise: “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.” ( Joel 2.28 ).

I remember one day I was invited to preach at a Church in a remote location in the high mountains of Burundi near Gitega. It was Pentecost day celebration. I wished to explain how the Holy Spirit was poured in Jerusalem, Israel, very far from Burundi, not less than ten thousands kilometers, and how it happened that God’s Spirit travelled down to Africa and reached even Burundi. To explain the facts, I used this sad news I had been told by my father in the 70’s and made of it a living story.

As it is known, African traditional villages usually comprise tenths and even hundreds of huts built with dry grass and built very close one to the other. So, one night a man who lived alone in one of these huts forgot and left the fire burning and slept. At midnight he was awakened by flames burning all the corners of his hut: the hut was burning and he hurried to get out! He cried and appealed for help and the entire villagers woke up. Unfortunately there was no water left in all the jugs in many huts. People had to walk about three kilometers in order to get the water from a river. So, youngsters decided to quickly run down to the river at night without torches or lamps. While going there, a second and a third and a fourth huts, etc, took fire one after the other. As the boys returned with the jugs filled with the water, the whole village, more than fifty huts, were already burning. No way to stop the fire! The next morning, people from another nearest village came down bringing food and drinks to comfort the stricken ones.

Their chief was a much respected wise man. In his speech he said: “Beloved neighbours and friends, we were so afraid last night when we saw the village burning. We thought it was an attack from our enemies. But since it is a fire accident, let us take this lesson from it: I personally believe that our ancestors’ ghosts want to teach us how love should circulate between us from one hut to the other and fill all of our villages. The fire that has burned your village is not a simple fire. No, It is A FIRE OF LOVE! And together hands in hands with you we are going to rebuild the village better than it was before, and no longer cover the huts with grass but with TILES to avoid such an accident occur again in the future.”

Dear Christian Brethren, aren’t we living together in a world which has been facing the Devil’s attacks for centuries and for thousands of years? But see how our Heavenly father in His great LOVE decided to PUT THIS WORLD ON FIRE, a FIRE of His great LOVE, a FIRE of His PEACE, a FIRE of His Truth, so that it may burn and destroy our poor hearts filled with hatred and selfish and pride, our dark huts of SIN and DEATH ! THE FIRE OF PRAYER IS COMING. Are you prepared to let it burn your entire person and renew you?

So, let us together with Charles Wesley PRAY and say:

“Breathe, O Breathe Thy Loving Spirit
into every troubled breast!
Let us all in Thee inherit, Let us find that second rest.
Take away our bent to sinning,
Alpha and Omega be;
End of faith, as its beginning,
Set our hearts at LIBERTY.” AMEN !

In Christ’s love

Bishop, Dr. Justin Baransananikiye
President,
CHRISTIANS STRENGTHENING CHRISTIANS,
http://iprayforyou.worthyofpraise.org
http://christiansstrengtheningchristian.doodlekit.com/blog
Email : baransajust@gmail.com

MATCHING WITH GOD’S WILL.
(Photo: Praising the Lord with dances: Girls from the EPISCOPAL FREE CHURCH of Gitega, BURUNDI)

Gospel Reading: Matthew 8:1-3

‘And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him saying,
“Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then
Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying:
“I am willing; be cleansed.”
Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.’

Matching our prayer with God’s will has never been an easy matter to men. Another hero of the faith, Moses, well-known as being the special God-elect Liberator of Israel, was surprised when a certain day the Lord refused granting his prayer:
“I pray, let me cross and see the good land beyond the Jordan,
Those pleasant mountains and Lebanon.”… But the Lord said to me:
“ENOUGH OF THAT! SPEAK NO MORE TO ME OF THIS MATTER.”
(Deuteronomy 3:25.26)

Leaning on God’s will is a proof of humility, submission, obedience, full dependence and patience. Before he came to Jesus, this leper had certainly listened (even from afar) to all the teachings of Jesus as recorded from chapter 5 up to 8 in this book. Unfortunately, Matthew notices something strange:

“And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the
People were ASTONISHED at His teaching.” (Matthew 7:28).

ASTONISHED! Yes, of course, because nobody from the multitude had the vision To WORSHIP Christ. They simply were  “ASTONISHED“. How odd it was after having listened to a so deep sermon about the GREAT PRINCIPLES OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD! The leper as for him had received Jesus’ teachings in his heart and was inspired and moved by the Holy Spirit to WORSHIP HIM.

Lepers were an Israelite UNCLEAN classified people category UNWORTHY of any consideration, and a TRASH-SOCIETY of men deserving no respect nor human right except those of having a nationality and hanging begging on streets and breathe as anybody else and finally die and be buried some day. But it was only this poor leper from a desperate and solitary dark life who understood that Jesus deserved worship as the King of the New Covenant. Furthermore, that’s what the Father wanted the multitude (and the Disciples as well) to understand and believe. But none did. Hence, the leper’s belief having matched with God’s will deserved cleansing from his leprosy immediately because he had become A CHILD OF THE KINGDOM.

But see how even the great Moses simply wanted TO CROSS the Jordan and SEE the good land beyond and the pleasant mountains INSTEAD OF WORSHIPING THE LORD for the great things He did for them during the wandering in the desert and for the additional victories He was going to grant them against the giant Anakin and the other tribe populating the promised Land. Moses wanted to enter Canaan as a TOURIST and not as the well-known COURAGEOUS LIBERATOR and CONQUEROR he had been for 40 years in the wilderness. Crazy Moses! His calling and Ministry got to end immediately: “ENOUGH OF THAT!” (Deuteronomy 3:26).

Similarly, isn’t the Christian Church in the 21st century filled with such ‘Moses’ coming in just TO SEE and WATCH the good land and the pleasant mountains of wealth and pride that reign over beautiful cathedrals and marvelous choirs led by super-professional directors and organists and guitar players? This prevails while Jesus as for Him is at the right hand of the Father in heaven making intercession for us (Romans 8:34), praying that our generation may understand what the Holy Trinity wants for the Church in these times of unbelief, saying:

‘Oh. Father, soon You shall send me back to rapture the believers.
“SHALL I REALLY FIND FAITH ON EARTH?” (Luke 18:8).

That’s the subject that is currently discussed about in God’s Office in heaven. Therefore, a universal call has already been issued announcing the recruitment of those who wish to respond to Christ’s concern of finding FAITH ON THE EARTH when He comes:
– Am I, are you candidate to the worldwide Prayer battle front?
– Are my prayers, your prayers, our prayers really MATCHING WITH GOD’S WILL for His Church in this age?
– 2000 years have passed since the Church of Christ was born in Jerusalem. Are we all the CHRISTIANS still ONE IN THE FAITH IN ONE LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS-CHRIST (John 3:16)? Are we still ONE WITH THE FATHER AND THE SON (John 17:21)?

Dear true Intercessors of all nations, if this is not, then:
1. Come, and let us immediately PRAY and unite as ONE INTERNATIONAL INTERCESSORY CHRISTIAN ARMY.
2. Let us PRAY and start meeting in a NON-STOP FIRE PRAYER CONGRESS planed to be launched soon in Burundi, Africa.
3. Let us PRAY and set Teams called from all the nations and especially devoted to UNCEISING PRAYER to participate permanently in this program in order to have the FAITH SEED planted by the Lord Jesus-Christ form and grow again within His Holy Church. This is the Revival expected in this 21st century: PRAYER! PRAYER! PRAYER! What about Psalm 86:9: “All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You”?. Could it put a flame on this vision?

I am continually dreaming seeing every nation represented by 12 intercessors (like the 12 spies and the 12 Tribes of Israel and the 12 Disciples) all gathering (Acts 2:1) WITH ONE ACCORD (praying for spiritual Unity in the Faith of the Church), IN ONE PLACE (my country, Burundi, of course) during a month and then relieved by other teams for another month, and so, and so, a NON-STOP MINISTRY (for years, even for centuries) UNTIL THE LORD JESUS-CHRIST COMES ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN WITH POWER AND GLORY! (Matthew 24:30). PRAYER was the FIRST Christian Project at the birth of the Church, and so PRAYER will be the LAST Christian Project before the Rapture of the Church!

PRAYER must be the leading and prior worldwide Christian Church PROJECT, I mean the UNIQUE PROJECT on which all Denominations and Christian Organizations, Missions and Ministries, Christian Foundations as well as Christian Governments SHOULD FOCUS ON AS A RESPONSE TO GOD’S WILL and to the current world challenges. Christians, and you nations of the world, don’t you have eyes to see and realize that our planet is presently HIT and SUFFERING FROM THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE BRIDE (the Church) and THE BRIDEGROOM (Christ Jesus). An African wisdom says: “When two elephants are fighting, destructions fall on the grass on which they stand!”

Do not complain saying “We have no means for such a huge project”. No! What you claim to have IS NOT YOURS, IT BELONGS TO THE LORD OF LORDS, JESUS CHRIST. (Mathew 11:27). Let Him use it to fulfill His will for your welfare and your blessing. Haven’t you been praying saying: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on EARTH as it is in HEAVEN.” (Matthew 6:9-10). Now, the ANSWER is there!

In Christ’s love

Bishop, Dr. Justin Baransananikiye
President,
CHRISTIANS STRENGTHENING CHRISTIANS,
http://iprayforyou.worthyofpraise.org
http://christiansstrengtheningchristian.doodlekit.com/blog
Email : baransajust@gmail.com

FULL CHRISTIAN OBEDIENCE!
GOSPEL READING: Luke 7. 1 – 10

Is the Christian Church going through times when God continues speaking and saying “Christian, go, and we go; or come and we come?” Is each Christian Believer living such blessed times when Jesus says “Love your neighbour and we do so; give to the poor and to those in need, and we obey, visit the sick and the prisoners and we step in the ministry, fast and pray and we go on ?”. Frances Havergal’s well-known Poem has always awaken me to full obedience to God:

“Take my love, my God, I pour
At thy feet its treasure store;
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee !”

A young man named Humble served at the king’s court for several years. He was so humble and kind, obedient and faithful, that the king loved him so much. One day, the king invited him at lunch where the whole king’s family and many respected guests were assembled. At the end of the meal, the monarch stood up and said : “Dear honourable visitors, dear family members, this special day was organized to welcome my beloved servant “Humble” as one of my true family members from now. I wish to let you know that due to his humility and kindness and his full obedience and faithfulness, I have decided to take him as my own son and from now, he will be one of my princes. The king continued saying: “Furthermore, I wish Humble married with Princess “Blessed”, my elder daughter and I do invite all of you to the ceremony of their official wedding within three months.

Weeks passed but Princess “Blessed” didn’t feel loving Mr. Humble who continued to be a servant at the king’s court. She loved another respected Prince from the neighbour country. The fixed day came and everybody was at the king’s court where many honourable guests had been invited too. Best dancers and musicians from all the regions of the country were there under a shinning sunny day, all drinking and eating various kinds of food and rejoicing. Then the king stood up to speak and pronouncing a very long speech he introduced Mr. Humble as his son-in law and everybody shouted with joy clapping their hands. Then the king wanted the protocol to bring Princess “Blessed” so that she might be seen by all his guests. As they brought her in slowly, she jumped immediately and ran away out of the courtyard and disappeared in the mountains around. Nobody followed her.

Then Mr. Humble the servant stood up and said : “Your Majesty the king, many thanks for the great blessing you grant me with Princess “Blessed”. Consequently, please, allow me to follow her until I get her back as my beloved wife and live with here according to your word.”

And so Mr. Humble was allowed to go. He turned all around in the mountains and finally found Princess “Blessed” seated up on a branch in a very high tree. He decided to cut the tree but quickly realized that once the tree would fall down, his beloved Princess would also die. Thus he returned back to the king’s court but told nobody what was going on. He quickly took a dog and a goat with him along with vegetables and some fresh beef meat. He returned to the mountains and sat under the tree in which his beloved Princess was. He started giving the vegetables to the dog and the beef meat to the goat. Unfortunately, the dog couldn’t eat the vegetables nor the goat eat the meat. Mr. Humble beat them seriously.

From the branch where she was seated, Princess “Blessed” cried down to Mr. Humble and said: “Are you crazy, young man! Have you ever seen a dog eating vegetables and a goat eating beef?” But Mr. Humble continued serving the animals the same as he had done earlier. So, furious, Princess “Blessed” came down slowly from the tree in order to show Mr. Humble what he should do. And as she approached him, he jumped and took her in his hands and kissed her saying: “I was crazy because you had escaped and were so far from me. But now, that you come back and allow me to obey to the King’s word and have you as my beloved wife, I am no longer crazy, and so I can serve the dog with the meat and the goat with the vegetables.”

“…Blessed are those who hear…and take to heart what is written…because the time is near” (Revelation 1:3)

In Christ’s love

Bishop, Dr. Justin Baransananikiye
President,
CHRISTIANS STRENGTHENING CHRISTIANS,
http://iprayforyou.worthyofpraise.org
http://christiansstrengtheningchristian.doodlekit.com/blog
Email : baransajust@gmail.com