God, the father who provides for us and prosper us

Genesis 22:13-14, it says :" Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. ¹⁴ So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

As we continue to look at the topic of God being our father, today, we are going to focus on one of the most important aspects of God; found in his word. Most of us know the story of Abraham, the father of our faith. He lived in a culture and place where it was not possible for him to receive a blessing from God. We see in the word of God that he was instructed to move to another country and he obeyed. We also see that He had another problem; he and his wife could not conceive. God promised to give him a child and after many years, his wife conceived a son, Isaac. 

In Genesis 22: 2, We see that God tested Abraham  and said "take your son, your only son, whom you love-Isaac- and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you." Abraham obeyed God, as hard as this command was. He took the promise that he had waited for, for so long, to the alter. When he was about to pierce and kill his son, when he had died to self, in that very moment, he saw the provision of God... He looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns, the offering provided by God, the provision.

When we receive Christ, we come out of judgement and enter into abundant life. We live to glorify God and He provides for us. We don't do things to provide for ourselves... we learn to depend on him for provision even as we do his will on a daily basis. Serving God does not only take place at the altar but everywhere we go.As his children, God takes care of us. Just like earthly fathers provide for their children, so does our heavenly father. Jesus told us in Matthew 6:31 that we should not worry about what "we will eat or drink for the pagans run after all these things and your heavenly father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

Today, I have good news for you- your father God is a provider. He is able to cater for all your needs. Stop depending on yourself and your works, but learn to trust in him as a father who cares for you, this will activate the promise of God in your life.

Extract of the sermon preached, By Pasteur Dieudonne Nahimana,

On Sunday the 20th July 2014

WE RECEIVED A NEW FATHER WHEN WE GOT BORN AGAIN

JOHN 1:12 says “But as many as received him, to them gave the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name”

We were given the right to become children of God when we got born again. We were adopted by God into his family. God the father became our father.  If we look at the Old Testament- Moses, Daniel and other great servants of God could not call God their father. They knew God as a Great God but never as their father. It is only a privilege that was given to us who have come to receive Christ in our lives as Lord and Savior. 

Some of us, because of our childhood, culture and many other factors, when we hear the word Daddy, we associate it with negative things. We think of a person who is strict, scary, distant, and all that we probably might have experienced (or still experience) with our earthly daddies.  So when we talk about God being our Daddy, we tend to think of him in that perspective. However, for others, it’s just the contrary. We might compare him to our good earthly fathers and when they are no longer alive and we have no reference to compare God with, it becomes particularly hard to continue relating with him on that basis.

Therefore, it is important for us not to compare God with any Human Being. Let God’s reference as your daddy be based on His Word. Don’t compare him with your earthly daddy or anyone else because He surpasses it all.

If we look at the story of the prodigal son in the bible, we see the mentality that the son went home with. He had decided to go back home as a slave because of the many mistakes that He had made. But He was amazed at the way His father welcomed him- full of mercies and kindness. This can also be said of our God. He is not like man and does not behave like mankind, nor does He think like us. Let us always remember that our God is neither Burundian nor white. He does not see you the way people see you.

As a father protects his children, our God also protects us. Psalm 91:1 says that: “He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” When you believe in the simple fact that God protects you not based on what you do, but on the fact that He is your father- it brings the protection of God in your life. This causes you to live a life of rest. You stop fighting for yourself and looking out for yourself and instead you trust in God.

You may be one of those people who like to say: “If my daddy was around, this would not have happened to me”. Well, you need to stop saying that now, because your Daddy God is there. He is not limited and He is able to do all things. Get to know your Daddy God- He is a Daddy that protects you. 

Sermon preached by Nahimana Dieudonne on

Sunday, the 6th of July 2014

Does your calling involve you and your family?

Dear friends!

As you know June is a month dedicated to homes and families at Oasis.  We believe that strong and blessed families results in strong and blessed church and nation, so we welcome you to partake of this month's teaching.

In tonight's exhortation, Pastor Christophe shared from the bible stories of Abraham, Gideon and Joseph to show how God is inclusive of families even at the time when He calls anyone to Himself for specific ministry or calling.
In genesis 12:1-4 , one can read the promise made to Abram and the command to leave his father's household to somewhere else where Abram's only choice would be to depend on the God who called him.

We know that later on Abraham had to be separated with his relative Lot, much like some us have to continuously surrender things and people as we move forward in the things that God has called us. The promise attached to the calling is great, but the journey involves letting-go of the things that slow us on the journey and ever embrace dependence on Him.

The call of Abram revealed God's heart towards families,  where we see that obedience to God's call leads Abram to not be alone as circumstances first suggested, but become a great nation! Furthermore, the call of God does not neglect the family that is bloodily related to you;  it in fact uses your family through the many challenges faced along the journey and eventually provides a way for them to enjoy the fruit of your promise as it happened in Joseph's life.

Like Joseph, understand that the wounds inflicted by your family members are not ones to be held against them, but there ones that have propelled you further along the journey of God's personal call on your life.
Whatever the calling on your life may be, vow to be prayerful about your family, always confessing God's powerful word over each member of your family, and be assured that the Lord who cares and honors families holds out a promise to you that is meant to bless you and your family.

As tough as the journey may get, with having to lay down many things even in the times when nothing better is in sight, stay in your calling. Surely will come a time where you will have a new family of ones who are called to serve alongside you, but also a time where even your family members will have joined into your promise land.

Thus, do not fear surrendering and destroying the altars built to idols in you and your family's life, remain on the journey and be a blessing in your family.

By pastor Christophe R.

June 4^th 2014.

Beautiful Image extracted from https://www.vidanthealth.com/vidant/patients.aspx?id=116

We are called to destroy everything that Satan has built in our families

Scripture Reference:

Genesis 12:10-20:

“Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe. As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “I know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.”

When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was a very beautiful woman. And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace.  He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.

But the Lord inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai. So Pharaoh summoned Abram. “What have you done to me?” he said. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife?  Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!” Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had.”

On Wednesday, we said that you should not let your past stop you from being a person of value in your present, and especially in your family. Don't allow Satan to stand on your past and hinder you from serving God in the present.

Today we are saying that We are called to destroy everything that Satan has built in our families.

When we are born again, God places us in a given place so that we can become a blessing. However, when we move from that place and go where we are not supposed to go, it causes us to stop being a blessing. Abram made a mistake and decided to lie that Sarai was his sister.

This sin of lying somehow followed up the other generations (Isaac, Jacob) as we see it in Genesis. For instance, in Genesis 27: 26 Jacob pretended to be his brother before his father Isaac and stole his blessing. Nevertheless, after receiving this blessing, he had to flee to a foreign land and what he thought was a blessing did not become a blessing because it came as a result of a lie. He was in turn cheated by Laban who gave him Leah as his wife, when he had worked for seven years to marry Rachel.

Sometimes, a person can be identified by others, to a given family because of a behaviour that they exhibit, that characterizes that family. You can tell that so and so belongs to a given family because of the way they conduct themselves and the reputation that that family has.

However, for us who have come to know Christ, it should not be like that. We have received a new identity, and we are the light in our families. Just like Leah in the bible was given to Jacob at night, even in our families bad things usually happen at night, when we are not seeing. However, we are of the morning and we want to receive what belongs to us, our “Rachel”.

Rejoice, for the night is over. You are going to see what belongs to you clearly from now on. If you have not gone back to your family in a long time, go back home and forgive your family members. As one who has been given a new name, you have the power to create new things and stop generational curses. 

Sermon preached by Pastor Christophe,

Sunday 29.06.2014

N.B: This Wednesday, we will pray for those who want to break free from any form of generational bondage. We invite you to come, the service will start at 6 pm, at Oasis Christian Center. 


Image extracted from: http://www.in-terre-actif.com/202

The Holy Spirit our Helper

Genesis 2: 18 says: “The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

After creating man and giving him a mission,God saw that it was not fitting for him to be alone. God decided to make him a suitable helper. In the New Testament, we see Jesus telling his disciples, that He will not leave them alone. He said: "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever" (John 14:16). 

As we celebrate the day of Pentecost, we remember the day that the church began. Jesus after dying and shedding his blood, he paid the dowry for us, and redeemed us with his blood. We became His.

It is on the day of Pentecost, that the disciples were changed and clothed with power. In Acts 2: 1-4, the bible says that: "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them."

In the old testament, we see that the day of Pentecost, was one of the Jewish feast days. Jews celebrated this day and gave offerings to God on this day- that is 50 days after the Passover ceremony (Leviticus 23:15-22). It is on this day that the Holy Spirit chose to come. Although Jesus had breathed on the disciples and said "Receive the Holy Spirit", they had not yet been baptized into His power. Their bodies had not yet become the temple of the Holy Spirit.

It is only when you are baptized with the Holy Spirit that you are able to serve in a supernatural dimension. John the Baptist said: "I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire" (Luke 3:16). You cannot serve God in your strength alone. You need the Holy Spirit. He is the one who changed Peter and all the other disciples who were so fearful, locked in the upper room. They became so bold and started witnessing for the Lord.

Today, some may think that it is ridiculous to speak in tongues. They do it hiding, in such a conservative way. It shouldn't be like that. We should let it flow! It is the right of all those who believe in Christ to speak in tongues! It is the Holy Spirit that will enable you to overcome things that used to have power over you.

God's call involves your family!

Dear friends! As you know June is a month dedicated to homes and families at Oasis.  We believe that strong and blessed families results in strong and blessed church and nation, so we invite you to partake of this month's teaching.

In tonight's exhortation, Pastor Christophe shared from the bible stories of Abraham, Gideon and Joseph to show how God is inclusive of families even at the time when He calls anyone to Himself for specific ministry or calling.

Genesis 12:

1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

2 “I will make you into a great nation,
    and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
    and you will be a blessing.[a]
3 I will bless those who bless you,
    and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
    will be blessed through you.”[b]

4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran.(NIV)

In genesis 12:1-4 , one can read the promise made to Abram and the command to leave his father's household to somewhere else where Abram's only choice would be to depend on the God who called him.

We know that later on Abraham had to be separated with his relative, Lot, much like some us have to continuously surrender things and people as we move forward in the things that God has called us. The promise attached to the calling is great, but the journey involves letting-go of the things that slow us on the journey and ever embrace dependence on Him.

The call of Abram revealed God's heart towards families,  where we see that obedience to God's call leads Abram to not be alone as circumstances first suggested, but become a great nation! Furthermore, the call of God does not neglect the family that is bloodily related to you; it in fact uses your family through the many challenges faced along the journey and eventually provides a way for them to enjoy the fruit of your promise as it happened in Joseph's life.

Like Joseph, understand that the wounds inflicted by your family members are not ones to be held against them, but there ones that have propelled you further along the journey of God's personal call on your life.
Whatever the calling on your life may be, vow to be prayerful about your family by always confessing God's powerful word over each member of your family.  And be assured that the Lord who cares and honors families holds out a promise to you that is meant to bless you and your family.

As tough as the journey may get, with having to lay down many things even in the times when nothing better is in sight, stay in your calling. Surely will come a time where you will have a new family of ones who are called to serve alongside you, but also a time where even your family members will have joined into your promise land.

Thus, do not fear surrendering and destroying the altars built to idols in you and your family's life, be sure to remain on the journey and by that, become a blessing channel in your family.

From Wednesday May 4th,2014

By pastor Christophe R.

image from www.gettyimages.com 

A Good family is the Hope of the church and the country

Scripture References

Genesis 6:9-12: "This is the account of Noah and his family.Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways."

Hebrews 11:7 "By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family.By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith."

God Honors families. Before you seek to know the will of God for your church, you need to seek Him first for your family. The church and the country cannot exist without families. Every person comes from a given family. The family is the basis of any institution. If it is not functioning well, then even all the other institutions will not function properly.

We see in the bible that God told Noah to enter with his family in the arch, because God chose to save Noah's family. The bible testifies that Noah was a righteous person. We don't know much about the rest of his family members, whether or not they were equally righteous as He was. But God chose to save Noah's family because of the way Noah honored Him.  Even today, God needs people who stand in families and who honor Him. Through them, God is going to change things and do great things. He doesn't need everybody to be saved in order to change things. He does not need to use the majority. God only needs you alone. 

We also read in the bible that God told Noah to take in the arch all sorts of animals and things. He knew what was fitting for his family. This also applies to to us today. He also knows what is necessary for our families to live well. 

As one who knows God, you need to know the spirits that are fighting your family. In the time of Noah, we see that God destroyed the world because of the way it had become so corrupt. This is what we are also seeing today and this is why you need to be a preacher and intercessor in your family. You might have been giving people prayer requests concerning your family because you do not know the power that you have. You have to stand and command. Just like God used Ezekiel to bring back life to the dry bones, even in your family, you are the one God wants to use today. Remember, the promise to be filled with the Holy Spirit belongs to you and your family. 

Extract of the sermon preached by Pastor Christophe on 

Sunday 1/06/201

Ko vyose Yesu yabirangije k’ umusaraba, mbega n’iki dusigaje gukora?

2 Ab’I korinto 5:17 « Nuko rer’umuntu wese iy’ari muri Kristo, aba ar’icaremwe gisha : ivya kera biba bihise, vyose biba bicitse bisha. »

Iyo twakiriye Yesu Kristo m’ubuzima bwacu, tuba twinjiye m’ubuzima busha, ivya kera vyose biba  birangiye. Tuba dutanguye ubundi buzima. Yesu Kristo ahejeje kuducungura k’umusaraba, yavuze ati 

« Birarangiye » (Yohana 19 :30). Bisigura ko hariho igikorwa gikomeye Umwami wacu yasize arangije. 

Turavye mu gitabo c’Abaroma 12 :2, Paulo yanditse ati: « Ntimushushanywe n’ivyiki gihe, yamara muhinduke rwose, mugize imitima misha, kugira ngo mumenye neza ivy’Imana igomba, ni vyo vyiza bishimwa, bitunganye rwose. » Ijambo ry’Imana riratwereka ko nk’abavutse ubwa kabiri, ntitukirondera gukora ibintu bitandukanye kugira dutsinde ariko twaramaze kuronka intsinzi muri Kristo Yesu. Igisigaye cane cane tubgirijwe gukora ni guhindura ivyiyumviro vyacu.

Mu bihe bitoroshe ducamwo, niho ubuzima bw’intsinzi twahawe na Kristo Yesu bugaragara. Turi abanesha kubera twizera Yesu Kristo yanesheje urupfu na kuzimu.Tugira ingorane kubera, tutaba mw’ijambo kandi tutarigenderamwo; turiha umwanya muto cane. 

Kugira umuntu agendere mu ntsinzi yahawe na Yesu Kristo, bisaba ko yizera ivyo Umwami yakoze hama aka bigenderamwo.

Ubutumwa bw'igishijwe na Pasteur Dieudonné Nahimana
Itariki 11/Rusama/2014

How to liberate the hero in you...

Everything in this world was created by the word of God. It is the beginning of all things. The bible says that: 

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made, without him nothing was made that has been made” (John 1: 1-3).

 As new creatures in Christ, we became born again as a result of the word that was spoken to us. 

Joshua is a great man of God that the bible testifies about. God appointed him to conquer and lead the children of Israel to the promise land. He was given the following instructions by God: “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. » (Joshua 1:8)

For you to allow the hero in you to do great things you need to stop speaking words that are contrary to what the word of God is saying.  You need to:

-  Take time to read and understand the Word of God.

- Find out what it says about your situation

-Meditate on it day and night and

- Stand upon it (the Word) and declare what it says continually.

 It is when you do this that you will be able to see a positive change in your life. This is the only way that you will be able to overcome negative circumstances in your life and create new circumstances that match with what the word of GOD says.

Sermon preached by Pastor Nahimana Dieudonne

The Image used, was extracted from the following website:

http://www.lifewithtriplets.com/2/post/2012/08/theres-a-hero-in-you.html

When the Right time comes

Scripture Reference

Luke 5: 1-8

There is a time that a person may think is right, but there is also the right time of God. For instance, Jesus was sent to this earth to redeem us when the time appointed by God came and that is at the right time.

In our scripture reference, we can see that Simon had a problem with time. He informed the master how they had been fishing the whole night without catching any fish. He also knew that fishes are caught in the evening and not in the morning.  But he forgot that he was with the King who reigns over all seasons and times, and that is Jesus Christ.

This is the problem that many of us encounter when we are going through tough times. We measure the time that we have been going through this particular problem. We want to help ourselves or we focus on them. And we forget that we are with the One who created darkness and light and who knows the beginning and the end of seasons.

This also happened to Joseph after the dream that He had from God.

1. He was hated by his brothers

2. He was sold out

3. He was incarcerated once in Egypt

However, although he was going through all these trials and tribulations, he did not stop believing in God. And God did not need the help of anyone to remove him from prison. Joseph came out of Prison not because he was declared non-guilty by the court but because the right time of God had come.

It doesn't matter what you may be going through because the one who reigns over times is with you. Even though it took a long time for Joseph to see his dream come true, in the end, the promise of God came to pass in his life.

This also applies to you today. Hang on to what God has told you, don’t let it go. Know that at the right time, his promise will come to pass. If God has spoken to you and called you to do what you are doing today, persevere in your calling and don’t try to convince people that God has spoken to you; at the right time, your calling will testify and speak for itself.  

Message preached by Pastor Christophe

Image retrieved from :

http://thejesuschick.com/hold-on/

The Resurrection that removed us from the curse of rejection

Scripture Reference

Genesis 3: 23-24 says: “So the Lord God banished him from the Garden from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.”

When God created man, He had a good plan for him. He placed him in a garden having prepared everything that was necessary for his survival. However, one day, Adam and Eve sinned and this caused them to lose that privileged position and to be removed from the Garden of Eden. It is from this time that the curse of rejection started following mankind up to this day.

This is why, at some point, as children grow up, they will start feeling this emptiness inside of them (especially during teenagehood) and they will try to look for ways to fill it, sometimes even by indulging in bad behaviors. All of us, in one way or another have felt rejected and alone in this world.

The word of God tells us that before we were conceived in our mother’s womb, God knew us. In our day to day life, we plan and organize things before they happen. For instance, for you to be seated on a chair in this church did not happen by mistake. It was planned ahead of time, and even the type of chair you will sit on was planned ahead of time. If human beings can plan such little things ahead of time, how much more did God have a well-laid out plan for you before He created you.

This is why you should know that it is not just by coincidence that you were born in that family even though, you might have felt rejected in it at some point.  This also happened in the life of Jesus Christ, Joseph, Moses and many other great servants of God.

A great point to remember is this:

Just like in the Old Testament, where a goat would be taken somewhere in the desert carrying the sins of the people, Jesus Christ was taken outside of the city somewhere up on a mountain to be crucified for us. He became our scapegoat. He was rejected by his own, including Peter his close friend. His life was exchanged to that of Barabbas, a renowned criminal. Those who sang “Hosanna, Hosanna” for Him, now wanted to see him crucified. He carried the curse of rejection for us in him (Isaiah 53:1-6).When he was buried, they put him in a grave outside of the city as a sign of rejection again. 

But when He rose again, He resurrected with Victory over rejection. And we resurrected with Him as His disciples with Victory over the Spirit of Rejection and we have received a new nature as a result of our resurrection.  Romans 8: 15 says that: “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”

Because of your faith in Christ, you have been accepted in the family of God never to be rejected again.
Rest in this fact, and stop trying to gain the approval of people. But rejoice, because the Most High God has approved you. And if the Almighty God has accepted you, who can reject you?

                                                                                Sermon preached by Nahimana Dieudonne

                                                             on Sunday, 27th of April 2014

Image retrieved on the internet from this website:

http://notes.envato.com/submission-tips-2/dealing-with-rejection-part-1/

Easter

Scripture Reference: 

Exodus 12: 1-14 

Easter did not start with the resurrection of Christ. It existed before as we see it in the scripture. However it was a shadow of what was to come. On the day of Passover, Jesus Christ told his disciples that things are going to change; that Passover will no longer be celebrated the way it’s been in the past. This is because He was going to die for us.

Today we celebrate Easter, testifying that Jesus defeated death and that those who believe in him are no longer under the slavery of pharaoh, satan or sin...that they are indeed free !

Jesus Christ was pierced, flogged and crucified so that you can be redeemed. He was paying the price for your redemption. He sweated blood in the Garden of Gethsemane as He was bearing our grief, so that no matter the circumstances that we may be going through as his disciples, we will have rest through it all.

He wore a crown of thorns and bled, to remove us from the curse of not advancing in life that came from Adam and Eve as a result of their disobedience to God. He was flogged that we may be healed. He was pierced on the side, and blood and water came from him, that we should no longer feel rejected or abandoned as His bride.

This was all part of the price that had to be paid for us to be redeemed. However, after He said that it is finished, He still had to do more for us to be born again. He descended to Hades, defeated death, received new life and became the first born from dead.

Important points to remember are these:

- When Christ was being crucified, we were in Him (as born again believers)

- When He said that “it is finished” (John 19:30), we were in Him

-  When He went down to Hades and defeated death, Satan and all the powers of darkness, we were in Him

Just like Christ, We have overcome Satan, and he knows it. Easter is a time of celebrating this eternal victory even as we remember what the Lord has done for us

.

And If you are not born again, remember that good works cannot save you. Only the blood of Jesus Christ can save you. Only the blood can remove your sins, only the work of Christ is valid in the sight of God. Your works cannot take you to heaven. But the blood of Jesus can. Are you born again? This is not about the church you go to, the family you come from, but it’s a decision you make. 

For more information on how to get born again this kindly click on this:

http://egliseoasisburundi.blogspot.com/2013/12/thanking-god-for-christ-whom-he-sent-to.html

God bless you all and 

Happy Easter!

Sermon preached by Pastor Nahimana

Dieudonne

Image extracted from slowbuddy.com

Dying to self

After the resurrection of Lazarus, Jesus Christ became more famous in the region. Jews saw him as the king who has come to bring an end to foreign rule.

 That is why they welcomed him saying: “Hosanna!”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Blessed is the king of Israel!” (John 12:13)

What they didn't know is that he would be exalted through His death so that we can have life. He died so that we can have eternal life. For us to receive the manifestation of His life in our lives, we have to also accept to die to our nature. 

Paul said in Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Stop seeking the approval of people, trying to impress them. People may see you dying, but remember that after you death, there will be a resurrection.

Extract of the Sermon preached by Pastor Dieudonne Nahimana

On Sunday, 12/04/2014

Image "dying to live" extracted from:

http://soulawakenings.wordpress.com/2011/02/02/dying-to-self/

HOW TO PRAY FOR YOUR LOVED ONES WHO ARE NOT BORN AGAIN

PRAYER AS A WEAPON

Last Wednesday we looked at how to pray for our loved ones who are not saved. We said that those who are not saved, are blind and bound by Satan. They are his prisoners and operate under his power. They are not free to do what they want to do, just like prisoners in the physical realm, they do what their master tells them to do. They are in captivity under the power of the enemy.

We also said that we have received, as the disciples of Christ, the power to get them out of those prison cells where they are held in captivity. Jesus Christ said to his disciples: "Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 18:18). We are not called to argue and dispute with them. But rather we are called to prophesy over them and call them out from those prisons. We are supposed to use the power given to us by the word of God.

Today, we are going to continue by talking about prayer as a weapon. The Prayers that the righteous make in faith are stronger than bombs. If God opened your eyes to see what happens in the spiritual realm when you pray in faith...you would be surprised. 
Sometimes,Satan builds up walls that hinder us from going far. These walls can be poverty, sickness and all sorts of problems and generational curses.

It takes one who has understood who they are in Christ to break those walls and limitations and bring transformation in their family and neighborhood. Let's not look for ways to go to India and China to set people free when in our own villages and towns, we still have not finished the duty that God has given us. We have to start with our Jerusalem. 

We have the Lion of the Tribe of Judah living in us. Remember, It is not about us- our power and strength. It is about Him who overcame. Jesus Christ. Use the power given to you by the Word God. Bind and close up those hangout spots in your neighborhood where young people sit while using drugs. Prophesy and use the power given to you by God.

However, all this is possible if you have a good relationship with God. You need to evaluate yourself. Is your life pleasing to the Lord? just because you are born again doesn't give you a license to sin. You need to have a good relationship with Jesus Christ to be clothed in power. It takes one who has an intimate relationship with God, who spends quality time with Him, to be used by Him for great things. 

Jesus said: "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." (John 15:7)." Living in sin can stop us from hearing the voice of God and progressing in our spiritual life. Anytime the children of Israel sinned against God, they did not move forward; they made no progress. We need to avoid sin and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us, then we will be able to get to our destinies prepared for us by God.

Other passages to read:
John 5:14
Matthew 5:22
1 John 3: 20-21

What is Faith?

Scripture Reference:
Hebrews 11:6  “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

The word of God says that anyone who desires to come close to God must first believe that He exists. If someone, whom you are not in good terms with, gives you a gift, what would your reaction be? You would probably ask yourself many questions because of the lack of trust existent between you. 

Your relationship with God is also similar. You must have faith in Him. When you are praying, singing, you should do it in faith. You should see Christ seated on His throne. This is because when you believe the one you are praising, it brings you to forget all the circumstances and trials that you may be going through. Jesus Christ becomes the solution to all your problems. Your Faith and attitude in the one you are praising is what will make all problems, sicknesses and diseases lose power in your life.

The enemy of faith is fear. When Peter saw Jesus Christ walking on the water, He said: “Lord, if it’s you tell me to come to you on the water.” (Matthew 14:28). The answer Jesus gave Him is the same He is giving to you today. He said: "Come". 

Always remember that the waves are not greater than the one who made the sea. God existed before your problems.

For three days,  Abraham walked with his son, filled with sadness and grief wondering how he was going to sacrifice him to the Lord.  He must probably have thought: "After all these years that I waited to have a child, now I am the one who is going to kill him". But what He did not know is that the answer was already prepared for him. There was a lamb that God had set aside, to be the answer to his problem.

Another factor that fights our faith is doubt. Martha, the sister of Lazarus, told Jesus “if you had been here, my brother would not have died." (John 11:21). Although Jesus talked to her about her brother rising, she was still limited in her understanding that He was able to do it immediately. 

Jesus said to her : "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25)

He is also asking you the same question today. Stop doubting. He is never too late. The sisters of Lazarus thought Jesus was late and didn't know that He did that on purpose because He knew that He could resurrect even the dead or what is dead to life. If God has not done it yet for you, it is because He wants your testimony to speak for itself. Stop saying that it is dead, that it can't be repaired. He allowed it for a reason. He knew about it before it happened. Problems can hurt you but they have no power to kill you. He wants you to have a testimony that will speak for itself.

Be encouraged, Let go of your fear, doubts and believe in the Christ that you have received. 

Have Faith in God!

Sermon preached by Pastor Christophe

  

The Third factor that can hinder you from getting to your Promise Land

We have said at the beginning of the year that 2014 is the year of enlarging our tents. We have seen the different factors that can hinder one to get to their promise land (for instance disobedience and lack of repentance). Today we are going to look at another factor that can prohibit people to enjoy the great things that God has prepared for them and it is impatience.

James 1: 2-4 says: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Being patient while going through trials is very important. We have many characters in the bible that either failed their mission on earth or brought chaos as a result of their impatience. Cain, because he was not willing to wait and work on a better offering that could be accepted by God chose to kill his brother Abel and this brought a curse upon His life. Esau was hungry and because of his impatience, He chose to sell his birthright to Jacob in order to satisfy His hunger.  Another example is Abraham who because of his impatience chose to sleep with Hagar and created a conflict that we still witness on our TV sets today between Jews and Palestinians. There are many other examples like Lot, Moses and even Judah who unlike Peter could not bear with His sorrow but chose to kill himself. If He had waited, he probably would have repented and received the grace of God after seeing Jesus Christ resurrected.

Having said this, let’s go to the book of 1 Samuel 1:1-28 (Kindly read this passage). Hannah could not bear children because her womb was closed; interestingly by God. Probably sometimes people would see Hannah and feel sorry for her because of this problem. What is interesting is that she was getting a double portion from Elkanah. The patience/perseverance of Hannah was preparing her for a great miracle.

Maybe people have been seeing you going and coming from church. Nothing seems to be happening in the physical realm and they wonder why you continue to go; where is your God? They don’t know the blessing you are receiving from God and the path you are taking that will generate great things in the future.

The greater the miracle, the greater the patience it requires. God himself had chosen to close the womb of Hannah for such a great miracle as giving birth to Samuel.  There are doors that God closed in your life for a great testimony ahead. Hannah sought the Lord more than Peninnah, she was close to God.  When someone is going through such a time, they pray, so that they can get a testimony. There is a place that sometimes you have to go through, not because God has forgotten you but because He is shaping you. Wait on Him. Don't give up. After this, you will see the great future that He has prepared for you.

Sermon preached by Pastor Nahimana Dieudonne

The Mercies of God

Scripture Reference 

Ephesians 2:1-6 : "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, ² in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. ³ All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. ⁴ But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵ made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. ⁶ And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,"

This passage shows us that we were dead in the past. The reason why Christ gave us life is because we had no life. Christ took His own life and transferred it to us. In this life, death does not exist. The simple fact that the giver of this life Christ, cannot die again, we cannot die too. Paul says that in the past, we were enslaved to another king. There was no other name or person who could save us from him. It took Christ who was from another and greater kingdom to remove us from that kingdom. By accepting him in our lives as Lord and Savior, we entered into another kingdom and as we know, every kingdom has rules and laws.

In this kingdom of light or of God, which we now belong to as disciples of Christ, we are saved by God's grace and not our strategies or works. In this kingdom, all of our old nature is removed as the word of God says :"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17). We become totally renewed and born again. Even our bodies become the temples of the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 2:4 tells us that our God is rich in mercies. It is because of this richness that we were able to become His children. He is the one who came to look for us first and gave us His one and only son Christ Jesus to die for us on the cross. This is what enabled us to become heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ Jesus. It is out of the riches of His mercies that all this happened.

If we look at the book of Acts, we see that Paul knows a thing or two about the mercies of God. Look at how God encountered him on the road to Damascus; at the time, he was full of wickedness and evil plans. But He was changed into a different person because of the mercies of God.

The mercies of God are unconditional. They are not based on anything you do. God no longer remembers your past. It is only Satan who reminds you of your past so that he can stop you from moving forward. When he does that, Look to your High Priest and to his sacrifice. The Kingdom that you belong to has nothing like condemnation reserved for you (Romans 8:1) and by the way, you are already seated now with Christ in heavenly realms.

Pastor Christophe

The Power that is found in Repentance

When you study the bible, you notice that there is a difference between Sin and Sins. There is a sin and there are sins. Sin is a nature that came as a result of the disobedience of Adam and Eve. Romans 3:22-23 says: "There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."  It is only when you repent and receive Christ Jesus in your life that this nature is removed from your life and you become a child of God. This repentance that takes place here is done only once.

Then, there are sins.This is when a believer or born again person does what is contrary to the will of God. This is what attracts accusations from Satan and can cause a person to live in condemnation. When you hide such sins, it becomes like a rotten thing in your life and it affects your daily living (especially because of the condemnation that you feel in your heart). Now what will take away this condemnation from your heart is your repentance (acknowledging that it is wrong and turning away from it) and receiving your forgiveness from God.

Isaiah 59:1-2 says : "Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear."

Is there a place where you need to repent today? Remember that once you repent, the enemy has no legal right to continue accusing you. The bible says that:  "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

Repent and Enjoy the Mercies of God Today.