Ashagre

Amazing time with my family

In my vacation one of the best thing is having meeting with my family, every night we have devotion, prayer and the word of God, every night I gathered all the family and teaching the word of God and praying with them. Last night I shared the word about tithe and offering,

I read from Mal 3:10 bring the entire tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house. And test me now with this, says Jehovah of Hosts, whether I will not open the windows of the heavens for you and pour out a blessing until there is no sufficiency of room to store it.

Mal 3:11 and I will rebuke the devourer for you, and he shall not destroy the fruit of your ground against you; nor shall your vine miscarry against you in the field, says Jehovah of Hosts.

From this bible verse I explained about how to be blessed.

What amazing thing is after my teaching my father touched by the word of God and he said for a long time I was thinking about the money where it goes when I give to church, he said if I give tithe the church leader takes for themselves so I don’t want to give my tithe for them, he also said but now I understood the word what I need to know is giving the tithe the other thing God will take care. Yesterday night he decided to pay tithe every month. Thanks to living God.

Tonight I shared the word about the blood of Jesus and about love of God, it was really breakthrough for all of my family, they were very happy and excited.  They blessed me

The last day of Ethiopian New Year

Today I have started the day with the great feelings of receiving New Year of Ethiopian’s. I had great prayer time with HBC members and with ministers in the morning. In the afternoon I was preparing my preaching for the last night of New Year eve for the youth of HBC members. I really had breakthrough, I encouraged the members with the words of Jesus’.  I Read from the gospel of mark chapter 5= 23-36.specially   Mar 5:36 Jesus overheard what they were talking about and said to the leader, "Don't listen to them; just trust me.  (Mar 5:36 but when Jesus overheard what was said, He told the synagogue leader, "Don't be afraid. Only believe.")

I tried to explain about the feeling of Jesus when he heard people came from the synagogue leader's house and said, "Your daughter is dead.  Do not bother the Teacher anymore?"Jesus was angry towards the people and he called   the synagogue leaders, named Jairus and don’t be afraid just trust me. That was amazing preaching through every circumstance just looking and fixing our eyes in Jesus.

After my best time with youth of HBC i came to my house all my family waiting for me for dinner i had dorwot with my family,

Now we are waiting to receive Ethiopian New Year, after one hour it will be 2003 happy Ethiopian new years

I wish happy New Year for all of my friends, churches, family, God blesssssssssssssssssss Ethiopia............................................................

God bless Ethiopia, Happy new year  

Christ means everything to me in this life,

and when I die I'll have even more.

Phi 1:21-26 -

We have here an account of the life and death of blessed Paul: his life was Christ, and his death was gain. Observe

1. It is the undoubted character of every good Christian that to him to live is Christ. The glory of Christ ought to be the end of our life, the grace of Christ the principle of our life, and the word of Christ the rule of it. The Christian life is derived from Christ, and directed to him. He is the principle, rule, and end of it.

2. All those to who to live is Christ to them to die will be gain:  it is great gain, a present gain, everlasting gain.  Death is a great loss to a carnal worldly man; for he loses all his comforts and all his hopes: but to a good Christian it is gain, for it is the end of all his weakness and misery and the perfection of his comforts and accomplishment of his hopes; it delivers him from all the evils of life, and brings him to the possession of the chief good. Or, To me to die is gain; that is, “to the gospel as well as to myself, which will receive a further confirmation by the seal of my blood, as it had before by the labours of my life.” So Christ would be magnified by his death, Phi_1:20. Some read the whole expression thus: To me, living and dying, Christ is gain; that is, “I desire no more, neither while I live nor when I die, but to win Christ and be found in him.” It might be thought, if death were gain to him, he would be weary of life, and impatient for death. No, says he,

I. If I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour (Phi_1:22), that is, Christ is. He reckoned his labour well bestowed, if he could be instrumental to advance the honour and interest of the kingdom of Christ in the world. It is the fruit of my labour .  It is worthwhile for a good Christian and a good minister to live in the world as long as he can glorify God and do good to his church. Yet what I shall choose I wot not; for I am in a strait betwixt two. It was a blessed strait which Paul was in, not between two evil things, but between two good things. David was in a strait by three judgments - sword, famine, and pestilence: Paul was in a strait between two blessings - living to Christ, and being with him. Here we have him reasoning with himself upon the matter.

1. His inclination was for death. See the power of faith and of divine grace; it can reconcile the mind to death, and make us willing to die, though death is the destruction of our present nature and the greatest natural evil. We have naturally an aversion to death, but he had an inclination to it (Phi_1:23); Having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, Observe, (1.) It is being with Christ which makes a departure desirable to a good man. It is not simply dying, or putting off the body, it is not of itself and for its own sake a desirable thing; but it may be necessarily connected with something else which may make it truly so.

 If I cannot be with Christ without departing, I shall reckon it desirable on that account to depart. (2.) As soon as ever the soul departs, it is immediately with Christ. This day shalt thou be with me in paradise, Luk_23:43. Absent from the body and present with the Lord (2Co_5:8), without any interval between. Which is far better, very much exceeding, or vastly preferable? Those who know the value of Christ and heaven will readily acknowledge it far better to be in heaven than to be in this world, to be with Christ than to be with any creature; for in this world we are compassed about with sin, born to trouble, born again to it; but, if we come to be with Christ, farewell sin and temptation, farewell sorrow and death, forever.

2. His judgment was rather to live awhile longer in this world, for the service of the church (Phi_1:24): Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. It is needful for the church to have ministers; and faithful ministers can ill be spared when the harvest is plenteous and the labourers are few. Observe, Those who have most reason to desire to depart should be willing to continue in the world as long as God has any work for them to do. Paul's strait was not between living in this world and living in heaven; between these two there is no comparison: but his strait was between serving Christ in this world and enjoying him in another. Still it was Christ that his heart was upon: though, to advance the interest of Christ and his church, he chose rather to tarry here, where he met with oppositions and difficulties, and to deny himself for awhile the satisfaction of his reward.

II. And, having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith, Phi_1:25. Observe here,

1. What a great confidence Paul had in the divine Providence that it would order all for the best to him. “Having this confidence that it will be needful for you that I should abide in the flesh, I know that I shall abide.”       

2. Whatsoever is best for the church, we may be sure God will do. If we know what is needful for building up the body of Christ, we may certainly know what will be; for he will take care of its interests, and do what is best, all things considered, in every condition it is in.

3. Observe what ministers are continued for: For our furtherance and joy of faith, our further advancement in holiness and comfort.

 4. What promotes our faith and joy of faith is very much for our furtherance in the way to heaven. The more faith the more joy, and the more faith and joy the more we are furthered in our Christian course.

5. There is need of a settled ministry, not only for the conviction and conversion of sinners, but for the edification of saints, and their furtherance in spiritual attainments.

III. That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me, by my coming to you again, Phi_1:26. They rejoiced in the hope of seeing him, and enjoying his further labours among them. Observe,

1. The continuance of ministers with the church ought to be the rejoicing of all who wish well to the church, and to its interests.

2. All our joys should terminate in Christ. Our joy in good ministers should be our joy in Christ Jesus for them; for they are but the friends of the bridegroom, and are to be received in his name, and for his sake.

Work and vacation together

Teach me, O LORD, how to live by your laws and I will obey them to the end.

Ten days ago I left harar for the church report, audit work and for my vacation. I thought as I am goanna finished the church work with one week but it was a lot of work with the accounting things and audit things. Thanks to be God I have finished today at 3 in the afternoon. Am really so happy when I received the recommendation paper from the government audits and when I give all the church report to government.

Now I feel real vacation after ten days because the last ten days I was thinking a lot the church report and am doing different things with the accountancy and with the auditor.

In my vacation I really want to relax and come close to Holy spirit and listen to the holy spirit.

Father God I pray as David prayed show me your way

 Teach me, O LORD, how to live by your laws, and I will obey them to the end.

Psa 119:34  Help me understand so that I can follow your teachings. I will guard them with all my heart.

Psa 119:35  Lead me on the path of your commandments, because I am happy with them.

Psa 119:36  Direct my heart toward your written instructions rather than getting rich in underhanded ways.

Psa 119:37  Turn my eyes away from worthless things. Give me a new life in your ways.

Psa 119:38  Keep your promise to me so that I can fear you.

Pro 18:10 - The name of the LORD is a strong tower. A righteous person runs to it and is safe

Here is, 1. God's sufficiency for the saints: His name is a strong tower for them, in which they may take rest when they are weary and take sanctuary when they are pursued, where they may be lifted up above their enemies and fortified against them. There is enough in God, and in the discoveries which he has made of himself to us, to make us easy at all times. The wealth laid up in this tower is enough to enrich them, to be a continual feast and a continuing treasure to them. The strength of this tower is enough to protect them; the name of the Lord is all that whereby he has made himself known as God, and our God, not only his titles and attributes, but his covenant and all the promises of it; these make up a tower, a strong tower, impenetrable, impregnable, for all God's people. 2. The saints' security in God. It is a strong tower to those who know how to make use of it as such. The righteous, by faith and prayer, devotion towards God and dependence on him, run into it, as their city of refuge. Having made sure their interest in God's name, they take the comfort and benefit of it; they go out of themselves, retire from the world, live above, dwell in God and God in them, and so they are safe, they think themselves so, and they shall find themselves so.

My day in hawassa

I came yesterday at 8 =00 in the night my family was waiting me at home as soon as am home everyone accepted me with great joy. After little time they served us nice cultural food and some coffee. They also prepared nice room with the best bed for me I got the best.

Today I have met some of my old friends and I spent my time with them a nice time. We have talked about different issues like previous thing. I also got some nice coffee and juice with them.

Finally in the afternoon I visited my church, I really excited they started new church building; I think they will finished within two or three years.

I also started with the church report; the auditor saw our entire church document. Tomorrow I will continue with him, I hope tomorrow we will finish. If we finish tomorrow Monday I will take all the report to Addis.

In everything God is so good,

Being ready for vacation and for church report

Tomorrow morning I will start my trip to hawassa, it feels very nice. Today I was so happy because the bible school started, seven nice people were there, these people are completely new and they know nothing about bible, about spiritually thing, it is amazing.

Another thing is I got my driving license today, halelujaaaaaaaaaa; probably I will drive some car in hawassa.

What amazing church gathering

Today we had great church gathering with all of our church members in the team house. We were 25 people, Samuel started by sharing about the vision we have and encouraging all the church. Specially about being in the church all the time even if we are a few in numbers, he also mentioned in the future we will be many. Then I prayed for the church.

After we have reported about the thing that happened in the last year and the money how much we got and how much we spent in the last year. We also shared about next year plan and the goals the church of joy has. Some of the goals are reaching from 1000- 2000 people with the gospel of Jesus and from those people 100 people baptizing and making the disciples, and from those people 20-30 people putting them in to the bible school. And adding 30 very active disciples into the church,

Finally we encouraged them with the word of from Neh 2:20, “The God of heaven is the One who will grant us success. We, His servants, will start building, with this great bible verse everyone encouraged and had promise to work with us.  Thanks to living God.

We also took their signature for government.ahahaha........

What is happening in harar church of joy?

In the last one and half month we are not so many people serving in the church of joy but amazing things are happening. We are baptizing the people in water; Jesus is baptizing the people in Holy Spirit and in fire, we are preparing the people for bible school, Holy Spirit preparing the people heart for the bible school too. Next week Tuesday we will start the bible school, most probably we will have more than seven people in the class. On the other hand we are thinking to start leader training school with some of former bible school students once a week.

In the Sunday s meeting always there is great joy, people get saved, healed, many of our church members doing good.  Glory to living God  

In the church we started the bible teaching the last three Wednesday I have been teaching the 2^nd Timothy book about good soldier of Christ Jesus.

I tried to show all the church about good soldier of Christ Jesus, the missions, characters, challenges, and commends of Christ.  Christ soldier have missions, preaching the gospel mat 28=18-20 every Christian received the great commission from Jesus. So everyone should live for the mission.

The commission of a good soldier of Christ Jesus 

Chapter 1=3-18

-         Not be ashamed to testify for Christ

-         Suffer for the gospel by the power of God

-         Keep the pattern of sound teaching

-         Guard the truth entrusted to him with the help of the Holy Spirit who lived in him.  

The character and conduct of a good soldier of Christ Jesus

Chapter 2=1-26

-         Strong in God s grace (strength)

-         Single minded

-         Secure in God s faithfulness

-         Student of the word

-         Set apart in godliness for God s purposes

-         Servant of the lord   

The challenge of the good soldier of Christ Jesus

Chapter 3=1-17

-         Main challenge for timothy was with respect to the ungodly society in which he lived, and things would only get worse. Many people including false teachers lives and are lovers of self, money, and pleasure…….

The command to the good soldier of Christ Jesus

Chapter 4=1-18

-         Preach the word

-              Always be prepared

-            Correct, rebuke and instruct with

                 With great patient

                 Careful instruction.

This was my teaching in the last three week; it was really breakthrough for many of our disciple

Yesterday we baptized three nice people; we can see their picture down here. 



 

I really cried

Today we had the house church in one of our disciple, named Dawit. We were eight people in his small house. We started the house church as usual with laughing, joking, eating, and drinking, listening music. some of them are very new but the house church gave them freedom to speak and to say whatever they want to say, also the presence of God was very strong that’s why everyone felt the really happiness, what I amazed is the new disciple like shawameles, tekalign, and mesay, they are talking about bible school, and they start to invite the others to be in the bible school, Tesfay was there today.

After long talking, joking, eating, laughing, we started to pray, then Dawit shared the word of God about trusting God and relying on Him, that was really amazing; when I heard him I was so happy then I started to cry and laugh.

As john said in 3^rd john 1=3

  Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be healthy, even as your soul prospers.

3Jo 1:3  For I rejoiced greatly, when brothers came and testified about your truth, even as you walk in truth.

3Jo 1:4  I have no greater joy than this, to hear about my children walking in truth.

It was great joy for me when i see my disciple preach the gospel and take over the work. That’s why i really cried today in the house church.

Thank you God for these great opportunities. This is great privileges’ for me, i love you Jesus.

 I will never have greater joy than this, to see about my children walking in the truth and standing on their foot. 





 

The best bible school students ever in our church

After the third class of the bible school we have been preparing the fourth bible school students. Today we had the best time with the new bible school students. We told them about the rules and the general orientation about bible school. It was amazing. We are going to start in august 24. We have eight new saved people in our church and baptized in our church. Today for the orientation six people was in the team house. Five of them they signed to attend the bible school. One of the girls promised to sign another time, I think she will sign soon. The other two will sign too.

I really excited about them, truly they are nothing in front of the world but they are great in the kingdom of God’s.

 

The men of tomorrow

Am really looking forward to see great miracle in the church of joy, actually we have been started greatest miracle already happened in the church of joy, the people are getting saved, healed, great life change…………………………..,our disciples started to preach , heal the sick, what amazing life we have here in harar with Jesus.

Today we have baptized the precious guy called mesay from the old city of harar, ( joggal) he is working in  one of  the known bar.

  Some of our disciple surrounded him with great joy, speaking to him, encouraging him, praying for him about baptism of Holy Spirit. He was really so happy after the baptism. Glory to living God.

I like my life,

 God is so good, we can see great change in his life.

The best weeks in the church of joy

I never be happy like the last two weeks in the church of joy, we really had great breakthrough with the Sunday meeting and with our disciples, everything going high and high glory to living God.

When I see our church disciples, like Dawit , shawameles, Tekalegn, melese, tedy, jamal, ……………………………..am almost crying , they are really our hero in the church. Last week we started the street evangelism with our former bible school, it was amazing, in the last week they have prayed with five people for salvation and in this week they prayed with ten people , they have been in many houses many people heard the gospel,hallelujaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

The other amazing thing with Dawit, He is really changed in everything, he had job, he is in fire to preach the gospel and to serve in the church.

.

After long time expectation

We have seen him for the last six month in our church every Sunday meeting, but he did not decide to follow Jesus but  the last Sunday he stopped whatever he do and he completely decided to follow Jesus , thanks to living God. Yesterday at 4=30 in the afternoon he got baptized in water and in the Holy Spirit, his name called shwomelese.

Many good things are happening in the church of joy. The last two weeks many people got saved, the Sunday meeting going very good, there is a lot of joy among the church members. Also the house churches going very good, the bible school too.

God is so good   

Jesus Christ is the only solution

When everything looks dark and bad in life what do you do?

Personally I will go to the bible. Let me share some encouraging bible verse today.   

The bible say in Mat 11:28  "Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Mat 11:29  All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves.

Mat 11:30  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

 Christ having signified, that the knowledge of God, and the mysteries of grace, are only to be come at through him; and that he has all things relating to the peace, comfort, happiness, and salvation of men in his hands, kindly invites and encourages souls to come unto him for the same: by which is meant, not a local coming, or a coming to hear him preach; for so his hearers, to whom he more immediately directed his speech, were come already; and many of them did, as multitudes may, and do, in this sense, come to Christ, who never knew him, nor receive any spiritual benefit by him: nor is it a bare coming under the ordinances of Christ, submission to baptism, or an attendance at the Lord's supper, the latter of which was not yet instituted; and both may be performed by men, who are not yet come to Christ: but it is to be understood of believing in Christ, the going of the soul to him, in the exercise of grace on him, of desire after him, love to him, faith and hope in him: believing in Christ, and coming to him, are terms synonymous, Joh_6:35. Those who come to Christ aright, come as sinners, to a full, suitable, able, and willing Saviour; venture their souls upon him, and trust in him for righteousness, life, and salvation, which they are encouraged to do, by this kind invitation; which shows his willingness to save, and his readiness to give relief to distressed minds. The persons invited, are not "all" the individuals of mankind, but with a restriction,

Jesus Christ is the only solution.

Once David was greatly distressed, partly for the loss of his two wives, and partly because of the mutiny and murmuring of his men:

 because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters; as well as David; and they were very desirous of recovering them if possible, and of taking vengeance on those who had carried them captive:

but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God; took all patiently, and exercised faith on his God; he encouraged himself in the power and providence of God; in the promises of God, and his faithfulness in keeping them; in a view of his covenant relation to God; in remembrance of the grace, mercy, and goodness of God, and his former experiences of it; hoping and believing that God would appear for him in some way or another, and work salvation for him. The Tar gum is, “he strengthened himself in the Word of the Lord his God;’ in Christ the Word of God, and in the power of his might, and in the grace that is in him, Eph_6:10.

1Sa 30:6 David was in a difficult position because the troops talked about stoning him, for they were all very bitter over the loss of their sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.

 when we strengthen our selves in the lord and if we have faith in the lord, God will take all responsiblity ,Amen

Having the morning gathering on the top of Harar Mountain

We started walk early morning at six to the top of harar mountain, to be honest we have not climbed to the top but we tried to see whole city from the place we are.  It was amazing time , we prayed about the city of harar and for the people of harar , we really proclaimed the goodness of God through our prayer, we believed that God heard our prayer and he will bring the peace and blessing for the harar people, we also prayed about our church, to be the church that send missionaries, the church that see a lot of miracles and sign .Amen .In the afternoon we had the best house church in Adugna house and Mohammed house, it was amazing. Glory to God.  

The lord is my light and my salva
  My God delivers and rescues, And He work signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, Daniel 6=27

After great Sunday I rested Monday and we started the kingdom work with the best team in harar , Tuesday we had bible school and follow up, in the follow up me and my best brother and co-worker Erik was with me, also five people were with us too, three of them are new people not baptized, we had follow up teaching about salvation and baptism , after the teaching we invited them for baptism, of course everyone was okay but we just want to teach little more with two of them. Today Wednesday, 9-6-2010 at 12=30 named called Tekaligna get baptized, Glory to God.     

Who are the real missionaries and the ministers of living God?
                             (This means, who is Paul nowadays?)                                                              

For though I was free from all, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.  

 1Co 9:20  To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain those who are under the law;

1Co 9:21  to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Messiah), that I might win those who are without law.

1Co 9:22  To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.

1Co 9:23  Now I do this for the sake of the Good News, that I may be a joint partaker of it.

1Co 9:24  Don't you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, that you may win.

1Co 9:25  Every man who strives in the games exercises self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.

 1Co  9:26  I therefore run like that, as not uncertainly. I fight like that, as not beating the air,

   1Co 9:27 but I beat my body and bring it into submission, lest by any   means, after I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.

When I read this bible verse, I have learned about real minister of God and about real missionaries, as it is mentioned above about Paul, he can do all things for the sake of Gospel. Even he was ready to change his personality. I really want to be like Paul and I wish to see those kinds of Missionaries, the missionaries that deny their culture, their personality, their living style, their dressing style, without complaining and grumbling with full of joy to gain some people for Jesus. Wow that is cool, God will reward those kinds’ Missionaries and ministers. God help us to leave for the others and to die for the others     

In our church the house churches is the heart of the church or it is like back bone, we have four house churches now days soon we will open two more, yesterday we had the best house church in Mohammed house and Adugna house, almost many of our church members were there. Also today we had two house churches in melese house and in the church the girls program, both places we had amazing time. In melse house we were six people. We were laughing a lot, eating a lot, sharing the word of God and praying a lot, full of joy.

In the girls meeting also they were five people together , they had the best time by eating, laughing, sharing the word of God and praying a lot…………………………it is fascinating .one new girl was there I met her when they finished she was very happy , she felt the family feeling.

We are looking forward the church celebration tomorrow; Mohammed will preach the Gospel of Jesus. I believe it will be great meeting, we will see when the people get saved and when the people rejoice in the Holy Spirit. Hallelujaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Thanks to be living God.