why… God?

From time to time, I question God,… I admit, I question many things, and some time is good to question,.. but from time to time, when things I do not understand happen I question God. Things that from my point of view are not right, there is no justice, how can God allow,..Why?

Did  you  ever experience this? I did

One day  I start to read the book of Jonah from the Bible. (again). The story with the fish is nice ,BUT , when I went  beyond that, I start questioning  God again. In a way Jonah was right,..

- Why will God need to send a warning  to those that He already  decide  to punish .  Just … send the fire,..

- How God can listen the prayers of those that do not know Him?  On the boat during the storm , every one pray to their god to spare them and show who  is guilty for the storm. The only one that serve the true God was sleeping .. but still God in His Providence   lead the lots to Jonah,..

- How God can  listen  the prayer of  those  that choose  not to obey  the will of God and lead their  life in misery , by choice and when they pray,… God listen ! ( Jonah pray from inside of the fish and guess what,…)

- Why is God concern for those that are NOT concern about Him?  There was over 120.000 people in Niniveh , pagans , idols worshipers,… God know the number of the people in the city, keep count of every one and concern of not to die ,… in sin.

and than I read  that Jonah  finally  is blessed with  a little gift  from God.  God give  him  a plant to have shade  during the day. Finally , Jonah  is happy, after all God  care , about him. But the joy was short,.. the plant dry. GOD MADE IT TO DRAY!

- Why   is  like that ?  Some time God is giving a blessing.  When  to start to get used with it, boom  God take it away. (loose the job, car broke , longlines , loosing a child , loosing  ,..  I stop hare)  why?

and than I read: and Jehovah said, You have had pity on the plant, for which you had not labored, nor made it grow, which was a son of a night, and perished the son of a night.  and should I not spare Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than a hundred and twenty thousand men who do not know between their right and their left hand, besides much cattle? In the Romanian  translation  it say ” should  not I have mercy “

I got it,.. I did.

- When I question what God is doing , why He is allowing  this , that, my problem is not , that I do not understand what He is doing , my problem is: I do not understand Him !  He is merciful , full of grace, ready to help all those that do not deserve.

- Than I realize  that He want that His servants  , NOT NECESSARY ,TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HE IS DOOING  BUT TO EXPESS , BE AN EXPRESSION OF WHAT HE IS

I  GOT IT.  :)

Marian Paduret

Egypt, Libya, …. what will be next?

We are all watching the news and see what is happening in  countries  like Egypt , Libya, Morocco  or Iran.

It is amazing, I wander and ask my self : What is God doing?   What will be the change in the next few years? Will the church be ready to meet the challenges?

One thing is sure. There is change in the Arab nations. We need to pray and ask God, that in His Providence to watch over this nations and led them to freedom. There are many radical Muslims political groups that want to have  power and transform all this in an Islamic Revolution , rather than a change for freedom. I know the Islamic context is very complex and religion and politics are bound together.

Why I write this?  Is a call to prayer for this part of the world.

Let’s pray that this nations to  be open and the people to be able to hear the Gospel.

Let’s pray that the church ( from Romania) will be able to understand and able to accept the challenge of mission to this part of the world.

We will hold few  special prayer meetings next week. If you want to join, let us know.

God bless …..the Arabs !

M. Paduret

Ai carte , ai parte!

Ca multi altii pana azi am crezut ca acest proverb e un indem explicit si persuasiv, motivator pentru a invata, a fi serios la scoala,.etc.

Azi insa , am inteles de ce noi ca popor am fost mai dezinteresati de carte, comparativ cu alte popoare ale Europei , in ciuda prezentei unui astfel de proverb, popular si motivator.

Cand s-a impartit pamantul la tarani, certificatele de proprietate se numeau “carte” deci aveai carte, aveai parte, ( o bucata de pamant, o bucata de parcea,…)

Ai carte, ai parte ; Il inteleg acum pe Ion , personajul lui Rebreanu , el nu a avut “carte” , dar  a facut rost totusi de pamant. Romanul se descurca , mereu. Viata bate filmul, mai ales la noi.

Rezumat de la intalnirea cu tinerii. 1 Tim. cap 1

Am desprins urmatoarele gandurii:

- Dumnezeu ne e Tata , atunci cand Isus Hristos este Domnul nostru

- Au existat intodeauna oameni care au parasit invatatura apostolilor.

- Dragostea adevarata  vine dintr-o inima curata un cuget bun si o credinta neprefacuta

- La fel ca apostolul Pavel, si noi ar trebui sa stim intoadeauna sa vorbim despre marturia noastra personala.

TEMA : Citit cap. 1 si 2 ; Memorat versetele 5 si 19 din cap. 1

Ne vedem maine . Lectia biblica va fi: “si nu ne duce pe noi in ispita , ci ne izbaveste de cel rau…”

Binecuvantarii

Se inchid spitale; Construim Catedrala!

Doc1Poate ca multi vor spune ca sunt rautacios,…. nu ,nu sunt.  In schimb sunt confuz. Locuiesc intr-o tara in care oameni in marea lor majoritate o duc de pe o zi pe alta. Din cauza conditiilor economice pierdem zilnic potential uman, tinerii indreptandu-se  spre alte meleaguri pentru a gasi,… , o tara unde se reduc veniturile, se inchid unitatile de productie , se inmultesc somerii,… , unde invatamantul,.. sufera,.. localitati  fara apa curenta,  drumuri sparte, coruptie nesimtita, politicianism ieftin, …. nici nu vreau sa mai continui.  In aceasta ” Gradina a Maicii Domnului” am auzit astazi ca se da startul la cea mai mare colecta nationala pentru a construi Catedrala “Mantuirii Neamului”. Donatorii in schimbul  donatiei vor primi chitanta ” personalizata de la Patriarhie”,……..

Ca natiune ne permitem luxul sa investim zeci ( sute)  de milioane de euro intr-o constructie ?

Va mantui o asfel de constructie “Neamul”?

E acest lucru o dovada de solidaritate sociala sau o subtila mandrie sa avem o “Catedrala reprezentativa” ? ( noi ca natie avem precedent dpv politic… Casa Poporului), etc

Ma opresc aici , nu pot sa nu ma gandesc ca Domnul Isus Hristos a pus intodeauna pe primul loc omul. Nevoile lui, trebuintele lui legitime, etc.  Azi intr-o tara in  care oamenii sufera “noi” construim imagine,……

Spor la lucru,…. Dumnezeu sa se indure de noi, oamenii simpli din aceasta tara.

“Si ne iarta noua greselile noastre precum si noi iertam gresitilor nostri…….”

. “Not long before she died in 1988, in a moment of surprising candor in television, Marghanita Laski, one of our best-known secular humanists and novelists, said, “What I envy most about you Christians is your forgiveness; I have nobody to forgive me.”

 

Din aceasta parte a rugaciunii Tatal Nostru desprindem:

-      Puterea lui Dumnezeu de-a ierta pacatele noastre

-      Nevoia nostra de iertare  continua.  Nevoia indispensabila a unui proces de crestere spirituala.

-      Responsabilitatea noastra de-a ierta pe cei care ne-au gresit.

 

De ce trebuie sa iertam?

-      Pentruca Dumnezeu doreste ca natura / caracterul Lui sa fie manifest in viata copiilor Lui

-      Pentruca greselile noastre sa ne fie iertate

-      Pentruca rugaciunile noastre sa fie ascultate.

 

Ce este deci iertarea?

Sa nu consideri vinovat, sa stergi cazierul cuiva care ti-a gresit si sa lasi pe Dumnezeu sa-L iubeasca prin tine!!!

 

Evidentele unei iertari neautentice:

-      Manie

-      Amaraciune

-      Resentimente ( re sentir)   din franceza, – a simtii  ( mereu cand imaginea celui care ti-a gresit sau amintirea greselii te face sa retraiesti durerea si “simti” din nou,..

-      Acte de violenta ( verbala sau fizica,..)

Putem ierta authentic?

Cu siguranta! DAR numai prin puterea  si harul lui Dumnezeu. A incerca sa ierti  fara ajutorul lui Dumnezeu e la  fel precum a incerca sa ai curcubeu fara culori,…

Doamne ajuta-ne sa iertam,…..

 

Un clip expresiv. Merita vazut. O sa-l vizionam si sambata la intalnirea de tineri. Cand e vorba de sexualitate si casatorie ,… MERITA SA ASTEPTI!

Ce spune Biblia despre sexualitate?

Sambata , 12.02 , ora 16.00 , pentru a fi in ton cu apropiata sarbatoare a indragostitilor , vom avea la Biserica, o discutie libera cu toti tinerii  despre sexualitate si voia lui Dumnezeu. Va astept  , M.P.

Sunday January 02, 2011

Greetings in the strong and sweet name of Jesus!
I am hoping this email finds you blessed and eager to continue serving our Lord Jesus for another year.

First, let me express my sincere thanks for the gracious welcome I received in Bacau last November. It was a real joy to meet you, to fellowship, and to explore the Scriptures together. I grew in my faith because of that Saturday when we gathered to jump deep into the book of Ruth. Thanks for taking the study seriously, and for your attention over the course of the day, even with my total lack of any ability to communicate in your language!

As you know, we hope that this effort to bring leaders together for periodic teaching, training, and encouragement will continue with similar enthusiasm and success, and that the Church of Christ in your region of Romania will be strengthened – in existing works and through new church plants. I am humbled that God has given me this little role in such a significant vision through my new friendship with Pastor Marian Paduret. I look forward, prayerfully, to my next trip to Romania. I hope it can be soon. I trust God for partners who will make the mission happen.

With that in mind, I want to suggest to you that 2011 will be a great year as we labor together in the work of the Lord. Please allow me to share from my heart (and from God’s heart through his servant Paul writing in 2 Timothy), a few helpful hints to stay ‘on track’ in your Christian service:

1. Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus (2:1) So often we want to produce the effort and achieve the results on our own. We know better! We know this is just plain stupid thinking, but we stumble on this dangerous path of self-reliance anyhow. This type of thinking is destructive; this type of thinking causes us to sink into exhaustion and failure. Effective ministry over the ‘long haul’ is knowing that it is not our deeds that impress – it is God’s grace! Effective ministry is sustained in the Lord’s strength. Mature leaders will accept Paul’s direction.

2. Endure hardship like a good soldier (2:3) I do not like this verse. It presumes or recognizes that ministry may not be all smooth sailing. How I wish it was easy! In my lifetime of ministry, I have experienced the most hardship, not from outside the church walls, but from inside. It may have been different in the early years of the New Testament Church, when the culture, the structures of government were antagonistic to believers. It may have been different in your country when the Church moved underground during communism. But I have seen the church at its best and I have seen the church at its worst. Conflict, hurt, ego, politics – and many a ministry leader bails. The pain and disappointment is just too much. Soldiers expect tough times. They know it is dangerous work. but they are trained and they have resources. I think our Barnabas Ministry can help in this regard.

3. God’s word is not chained (2:10) There are so many ways to get the Scriptures into peoples hands, into their hearts and minds, in their faces (LOL); experiment, pray, strategize, teach, preach, read, use drama, use Facebook and Twitter, use video, – whatever, just let it go in the Spirit! Don’t hold on to it, don’t box it too tightly: God’s Word can look after itself! Paul says “handle the Word correctly” (2:15), “continue and make use of the holy Scriptures” (3: 14,15), preach the Word” (4:2)

You have had your life blessed and changed by God’s Word! Do whatever it takes to release it so that the Holy Spirit can take it and transform others. The Word will survive, and so will you, even in hard times. As long as you remember that the success and strength is a ‘grace thing’, God will keep growing His church in 2011. Praise, all praise, to Him!

Pastor Doug Johns
Brockville, Ontario

Portile Raiului si Flacarile Iadului

Portile Raiului si Flacarile Iadului

Cu fiecare zi care trece, se pierd si o multime de oportunitati pe care le avem , oportunitati de a vorbi si spune tuturor despre Dragostea minunata a Domnului Isus Hristos.

De multe ori pierdem aceste oportunitati pentuca  ne e teama sa vorbim, sau uitam , sau  incet, incet “amortim” in confortul nostru “spiritual” , si apoi ne invartim in jurul a tot felul de probleme ( mici barfe, atitudini de superioritate , mandrie, etc), si uitam ca menirea noastra e sa traim pentru Domnul si ca dovada a trairi noastre autentice vestim mesajul impacari!

De foarte mult timp nu am mai organizat un serviciu de evanghelizare in Biserica si cu Biserica. E uimitor si cand ma uit in urma imi este rusine,… am fost amgrenat in tot felul de,…. si mai putin orientat spre a vesti oamenilor mesajul autentic al mantuirii.

Astazi si maine de la ora 18.00 vom avea Piesa de Teatru : “Portile Raiului si Flacarile Iadului” – e o mica incercare , deocamdata atat am reusit pana acum, de a iesi din zona noastra de confort si sa provoc tineri din mai multe Bisericii sa lucreze impreuna , si in acelas timp sa vorbim oamenilor despre Mantuire, intr-o forma unica.

Probabil ca vor fi multe greseli, stangacii, etc,…  DAR asteptam  sa se indure Dumnezeu si sa reverse harul sau  si sa fie oamenii mantuiti.

Rugati-va ca Dumnezeu sa se indure ! Doamne ajuta-ne sa fim o Biserica asa cum vrei tu,….