FRIDAY 13TH JANUARY 2017 MORNING
Ezekiel 36:22-28 New International Version (NIV)
22 “Therefore say to the Israelites, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. 23 I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes.
24 “‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. 28 Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God.
God promises blessings to His people the nation of Israel. God promises to bless them not because they deserve it but because of the honour of His name. God promises to restore them from exile and return them to their own country. God will also do a new work in their hearts. He will purify and cleanse them and give them the Holy Spirit.
Let us thank God that He is merciful to us too. God sent His son Christ to die in our place so that our sins can be forgiven. We have been washed in baptism and given the Holy Spirit to guide our lives. Let us thank God for His great love for us and let us do His will in our lives.
IJUMAA TAREHE 13 JANUARI 2017 ASUBUHI
EZEKIELI 36:22-28
22 Kwa hiyo; waambieni nyumba ya Israeli, Bwana MUNGU asema hivi Sitendi hili kwa ajili yenu, Ee nyumba ya Israeli, bali kwa ajili ya jina langu takatifu, mlilolitia unajisi katika mataifa mliyoyaendea.
23 Nami nitalitakasa jina langu kuu, lililotiwa unajisi katika mataifa, mlilolitia unajisi kati yao; nao mataifa watajua ya kuwa mimi ndimi Bwana, asema Bwana MUNGU, nitakapotakaswa kati yenu mbele ya macho yao.
24 Maana nitawatwaa kati ya mataifa, nami nitawakusanya na kuwatoa katika nchi zote, na kuwarudisha katika nchi yenu wenyewe.
25 Nami nitawanyunyizia maji safi, nanyi mtakuwa safi; nitawatakaseni na uchafu wenu wote, na vinyago vyenu vyote.
26 Nami nitawapa ninyi moyo mpya, nami nitatia roho mpya ndani yenu, nami nitatoa moyo wa jiwe uliomo ndani ya mwili wenu, nami nitawapa moyo wa nyama.
27 Nami nitatia roho yangu ndani yenu, na kuwaendesha katika sheria zangu, nanyi mtazishika hukumu zangu, na kuzitenda.
28 Nanyi mtakaa katika nchi ile niliyowapa baba zenu, nanyi mtakuwa watu wangu, nami nitakuwa Mungu wenu.
Mungu anaahidi kubariki taifa lake Israeli. Si kwa sababu wanastahili, lakini kwa utukufu wa jina lake. Mungu anaahidi kuwarejesha kutoka uhamishoni na kuwapeleka tena katika nchi yao. Pia anasema atawasafisha na kuwapa Roho Mtakatifu kuwaongoza.
Mungu pia anatupenda. Hatustahili upendo wake. Mungu amlituma mwanae Yesu Kristo kufa msalabani kwa ajili ya dhambi zetu ili tuweze kusamehewa. Pia tumesafishwa katika ubatizo na kupewa Roho Mtakatifu kuongoza maisha yetu. Mungu atusaidie tuishi maisha ya kumpendeza kila siku.
