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

“Faithful in That Which is Least”
Luke 16. 1-13

An elderly disabled widow had a son and a daughter. When their father died, Alfred the boy was only fourteen years old and was attending primary school while his sister Katarina never went to school. Years passed and Alfred had serious difficulties to keep going to school but fortunately one of his uncles decided to help him. Katarina as for her was condemned to stay at home, illiterate for ever, helping mum with everything.

Alfred was studying civil engineering and when he graduated from university, he was hired at a renowned international road construction company in the Eastern Congo region with a very high salary. Alfred never forgot his mother and sister who lived in Bujumbura the Capital of Burundi. As he was paid with his salary at the end of every month, he crossed the border and came back home to Burundi to see his poor mother with many gifts bought for her and for Katarina. Furthermore, he left mum with enough money to help her survive for another month.

A day came and Alfred’s mother got sick. Katarina had no access to a telephone to call Alfred and even if she had had a possibility to do so, she didn’t know the number to dial to reach him over in the Congo. Consequently, she struggled alone to have her mother taken to hospital where she died two weeks later. The neighbors helped with the funerals costs. Katarina was now alone at home waiting for Alfred who arrived three days after the burial of his mother.

Katarina had a tremendous deeply moving secret in her heart. So when her brother arrived home, she took him in her late mother’s room and moved the pillow from her bed and removed a bag that was under it. She opened it and poured on the floor numerous five thousand-Burundi francs notes.
Alfred surprised asked his sister: “Where did you get all this money from?” Katarina in tears answered:
– Brother, It is not my money. It is a legacy from mum! When she knew she was to pass away, she told me that all the money you had given her during months was hidden under her pillow and that she had saved it for you and for me because she had no other legacy to leave with us.
–
Alfred fell in tears and together with his sister Katarina, they were moved by their mother’s faithfulness. Hence they also decided to use the money to help two other widows in their village and pay school fees for one orphan there too. Alfred promised that he would build a new house for Katarina and buy a big land for her and dairy cows to help her become a farmer.

Yes, dear brethren, some stories may teach us something extremely important just as Jesus also taught people from moving parables too. And I believe that one day in the future, someone will tell the story about you or your neighbor being “Faithful in That Which is Least” despite the recession and several big storms that would have tried to stop you to keep on loving and serving the poor and the needy. Amen!

PRAYER: Father, may you bless abundantly, spiritually and physically, those within your Holy Church willing to serve and assist the poor and the needy.

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 Precious Sheep”
Luke 15. 1-10

I remember teaching about this same story of the lost sheep at a child evangelism Vacation Bible School. To end the lesson, I fixed on the board a picture presenting the rejoicing shepherd carrying the found sheep laying on his shoulders, and said : « You see, dear children, this is how Jesus rejoices always while carrying everyone of you laying on his shoulders. »

All the children laughed happily but one of them asked me :
– Why do Dad and Mum beat us while Jesus, as for Him, is taking care of us in a so lovely way ?

My answer was : « You know, my little angels, when Dad or Mum beat you, it is because each one of you is The precious sheep Jesus is looking for and so, they are trying to push you on his way so that He can see you and take you and lay you on his shoulders, and kiss you eternally ». All the kids shouted with joy and danced while another one came to me and said :

– Teacher, tell me how I can also become the lost sheep because I want Jesus to come after me and find me and lay me on his shoulders forever ! »

I answered : « Oh, Darling, didn’t you know that you are already on Jesus’ shoulders ? That is the reason why you always hear the birds singing from early every morning and all day long, because they are so glad to see Jesus carrying you on his shoulders day and night ! »
– And why doesn’t He take with Him a bird which sings so wonderfully, the boy continued ?

And I replied : « No, my love, don’t you know that Jesus is the Only begotten Son of God the Creator of everything and of all the birds in this world? If He decides to take only one bird with Him, the millions other birds would weep and never sing again for you!»

Dear Brethren, why couldn’t we also feel like being « The Precious Sheep » that Jesus went after until He found it and laid it on His shoulders ? In our Burundian tradition, sheep were looked at as being sacred animals, the reason why people didn’t eat mutton but kept them to be offered to the ghosts and to Almighty God. Hence, when a woman was found sterile, a traditional rite was organized where the family offered a sheep in sacrifice and beseeched God to bless them with children. When people needed wealth or any other blessing in their life, there was also a special traditional rite called « Ukubandwa » that was conducted to implore « Kiranga », the Burundian ambassador of Almighty God, to provide the blessings after sacrifices with sheep were offered, too. But also sheep in the Burundian tradition are the symbol of highest humility and obedience and full submission.

But I know of another Sheep, the Holy Sheep, the One about whom Prophet Isaiah said :
« He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He opened not His mouth ;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
And as a SHEEP before its shearers is silent,
So He opened not His mouth. (Isaiah 53.7, KJV).

And I remember a certain humble man of God telling us that Heaven will be filled only with « Precious Sheep » who shall look like the Lamb of God as they will have accepted to keep silent in all the trials they encountered in this world just as Jesus did, and thus « become men and women of sorrows and familiar with suffering » as Jesus was, giving joyfully to those who ask from them, feeding the hungry and assisting the poor and the needy without hindrance.

Yes, « They are blessed as they are THE PEACEMAKERS ; for they shall be called the children of God »(Matt. 5.9)

PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for takimg care of all the PRECIOUS SHEEP that follow you in this world. I love You, Jesus!

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

BOWED! (KJV)
Luke 13. 10-17

In Makamba, the Southern Province of Burundi lived a fisherman who had done nothing else in his life except fishing in the waters of Lake Tanganyika. Mirango was his name and he was now seventy years old but was still strong enough to row his small boat over the Lake. He could even cut big trees and work for hours making firewood that he sold at the market. But at this age, his sons did no longer allow him to go fishing alone and every time he went on the Lake, he was always accompanied by one of them.

The hard work Mirango had done during all these years had made of him a completely bowed man and even his hands were misshapen and gnarled as if he was holding continually a row. He walked bowed like a gorilla and all the children in the village called him “Nkoto”, which is the Kirundi language word for gorilla.
This year was a particular one for him as his elder daughter, Doreka, graduated from University and was appointed as Director at a public service in the capital Bujumbura and became quickly rich. Every time she came home to visit her family, she was very sorry seeing her elderly father continuing to suffer as a fisherman and a lumberjack at a so advanced age.

And it came that Doreka told her father that she wanted him no longer work so hard and that she would pay him an important amount at the end of each month to help him survive. So she did. Mirango was very happy but quickly became a drunkard. He was every day drunk zigzaging in the streets and instead of having his health improved, he went weak day by day and became totally irresponsible. His neigbourgs became jealous of him since he had a lot of money and lived without spending any efforts. They ploted against him and finally killed him.

One day in man’s history, God found us completely distorted and different from the wonderful godly image we had been created with. We were lost and left lonely, bowed and mishappen in the desperate state we were engulfed in as sinners. So, Jesus Christ at the Cross launched a universal setting-free prayer saying : « Father, forgive them ; for they know not what they do. »(Luke 23.34, KJV). I am sure since it was said, this short prayer has been setting free billions human beings of all nations and all tribes and all tongues and all colours and that it continues spreading freedom and liberty around the world for ages to come. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away.” (Mathew 24:35). O, thank you, Lord!

Similarly, Jesus’ statement, « Woman, thou art loose from thine infirmity »(Luke 13.12, KJV) is still healing spiritually and even physically thousands and millions women and men, youngmen and children in various nations and faiths (christian or not). From the power of this same word, men continue receiving visions and getting funds to erect hospitals and health centers all over the world and discover various medicines to treat deseases. Food is produced despite the desert expanding and all kinds of parasites attacks simply in order to respond to the need for healing millions from the hunger infirmity during this « Acceptable Age of the Lord» which Jesus launched in the first century in a synagogue at Nazareth as He read from the book of Prophet Isaiah :

« The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath anointed me
To preach the Gospel to the poor ;
He hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted,
To preach deliverance to the captives,
And recovering of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty them that are bruised,
To preach the Acceptable Year of the Lord » (Luke 4.18-19)

Dear Christian Brethren from Western Churches, please, NOW IS THE ACCEPTABLE TIME to heal the Churches in poor nations from bowing and not being able to continue heralding the Good News. It’s YOUR HONORABLE ROLE and MANDATE.

PRAYER: Oh, Lord Jesus, help us deeply understand that You have given us our whole life as an ACCEPTABLE YEAR!

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