Gabi Lupescu – departe de mine gindul sa ma laud cu altceva…decit cu crucea lui Hristos

- Ce vrea sa ne comunice Pavel…atunci cand le scrie credinciosilor din biserica Galatiei: “ In ce ma priveste, departe de mine gandul sa ma laud cu altceva decat cu crucea Domnului nostru Iisus Christos…” ?. Ce intelegea Pavel prin “cruce” ?. Insemna pentru el acea bucata de lemn stropita cu sange, care urma sa putrezeasca asemenea oricarui lucru pamantesc… sau Pavel vede dincolo de materia pieritoare ?…

Pe tanarul Saul din Tars…il intalnim pentru prima data in istoria biblica a Noului Testament cu ocazia martiriului lui Stefan ( Faptele apostolilor 7, 58 ). Scriptura spune ca , in acea ocazie, martorii care l-au invinuit si ucis pe Stefa…n si-au depus hainele la picioarele lui Saul, un tanar educat in scoala lui Gamaliel ( un mare erudit al lumii antice ). Nu cunoastem alte amanunte…Nu stim daca Saul a participat activ la uciderea lui Stefan, insa complicitatea cu cei care l-au ucis este evidenta. Apoi, dupa declansarea persecutiei impotriva crestinilor, Saul s-a remarcat printr-o ravna demna de o cauza mai buna. El insusi marturiseste : “Am aruncat in temnita pe multi sfinti, caci am primit puterea aceasta de la preotii cei mai de seama; si, cand erau osanditi la moarte, imi dadeam si eu votul impotriva lor. I-am pedepsit adesea in toate sinagogile si imi dadeam toata silinta ca sa-i fac sa huleasca. In pornirea mea nebuna impotriva lor , ii prigoneam pana si in cetatile straine.” ( Faptele apostolilor 26, 10-11 )
Nu stim daca Saul a ucis vreun crestin, insa intentia exista. Pe drumul spre Damasc , drum facut cu acelasi scop de starpire a dispretuitei secte nou aparute, Saul are o intalnire inedita. Iisus Mantuitorul i se descopera si , contrar asteptarilor, nici nu-l nimiceste , nici nu-l ameninta pe Saul pentru ceea ce facea, ci doar il intreaba cu durere in glas: “Saule, Saule, pentru ce Ma prigonesti ?” ( Faptele apostolilor 9, 4 )
Cu siguranta ca, in acele clipe, Saul a avut simtamantul ca intreg cerul se prabuseste peste el. A fost nevoie doar de o singura clipa pentru ca acest tanar plin de zel in persecutarea crestinilor sa-si vada intreaga vinovatie si sa simta grozavia pacatului. Intr-o singura clipa, tot ce cladise pana atunci se prabuseste in tarana, iar el, vestitul fariseu de pana atunci, se vede un mare pacatos care nu are alta perspectiva decat sa astepte pedeapsa divina. Si Saul se prabuseste la pamant, asteptandu-si pedeapsa…
In acele clipe de tensiune maxima, care pentru Saul par o vesnicie, se intampla insa ceva neasteptat. In loc sa fie nimicit, Saul aude acelasi glas, spunandu-i: “Scoala-te, intra in cetate si ti se va spune ce trebuie sa faci !”
Si Saul se scoala…Dar e orb, desi are ochii deschisi…Insotitorii sai il iau de mana si il duc la Damasc unde, timp de trei zile, Saul nu vede, nu mananca si nu bea nimic. La sfarsitul lor, un ucenic pe nume Anania , trimis de Domnul in urma unei viziuni , il viziteaza pe Saul, il vindeca de orbire, ii transmite Duhul Sfant si il boteaza. Din acel moment, Saul, fostul fariseu, devine Pavel, marele apostol al crestinismului.
Acolo, pe drumul spre Damasc, Saul a trait momente dramatice a caror incarcatura… noi nu o vom putea intelege niciodata. Sa simtit ca tot ce a cladit in intreaga viata… se prabuseste intr-o singura clipa, sa devii constient ca nu esti acel neprihanit pe care il admira oamenii, ci, dimpotiva, esti cel mai josnic pacatos, sa simti dintr-o data ca nu esti nimic, desi credeai ca esti cineva – iata drama pe care o traia Saul in acele momente teribile. Cu toate acestea, desi meritai sa dispari pentru vesnicie la un singur cuvant de condamnare a lui Iisus… El te ridica din tarana in care ai cazut si iti deschide o alta perspectiva a vietii.
Acolo, in praful drumului… Saul a inteles adevarata semnificatie a crucii : -Crucea lui Iisus inseamna iertare !!! … inseamna har !!! … inseamna o noua sansa !.
Scriptura ne descopera un Dumnezeu drept , neprihanit si sfant, ai carui ochi “nu pot sa vada raul”
( vezi Habacuc 1, 13 ) Insa aceeasi Scriptura ne vorbeste despre un Dumnezeu milos, indurator, dispus sa ierte orice si oricui, un Dumnezeu …care nu oboseste iertand. Crucea de pe Golgota este cea mai mare dovada in acest sens. Cand suntem iertati si ni se acorda har, in realitate ni se acorda… viata cu imprumut. Intrebarea pe care Dumnezeu o va pune fiecarui suflet la judecata finala va fi aceasta:
“Ce ai facut cu iertarea pe care ti-am oferit-o ? Cum ai folosit sansa cea noua …de care te-ai bucurat ? Cum ai trait viata pe care ti-am imprumutat-o…din viata Fiului Meu care a murit pe cruce pentru tine ? “
- Ce vom face cu viata… pe care Mantuitorul ne-a imprumutat-o cu un pret atat de
mare ?. In fata crucii lui Christos… nu va mai fi nicio scuza. Absolut niciuna !
Atat cat vom mai trai pe acest pamant, dar si in vesniciile care ne asteapta , sa nu uitam ca viata noastra… se datoareaza crucii lui Christos si , asemenea lui Pavel, sa fie singurul nostru motiv temeinic de lauda.
“ In ce ma priveste, departe de mine gandul sa ma laud cu altceva… decat cu crucea Domnului nostru Iisus Christos, prin care lumea este rastignita fata de mine si eu fata de lume.”
Galateni 6, 14 – Amin.

While I’m waiting – from Fireproof

John Waller

I’m waiting, I’m waiting on You Lord
And I am hopeful, I’m waiting on You Lord
Though it is painful, but patiently I will wait
And I will move ahead bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I’m waiting I will serve You
While I’m waiting I will worship
While I’m waiting I will not faint

I’ll be running the race even while I wait
I’m waiting, I’m waiting on You Lord
And I am peaceful, I’m waiting on You Lord
Though it’s not easy no, but faithfully I will wait
Yes, I will wait

And I will move ahead bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I’m waiting I will serve You
While I’m waiting I will worship
While I’m waiting I will not faint
I’ll be running the race even while I wait

I will move ahead bold and confident
I’ll be taking every step in obedience, yeah

While I’m waiting I will serve You
While I’m waiting I will worship
While I’m waiting I will not faint

And I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting
I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting
I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting on You Lord

I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting
I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting

Lyrics from Lyricsmode.com

While I’m waiting – Fireproof, posted with vodpod

David Platt – Repenting of sin and returning to God

Pastor David Platt of Brook Hills Church preaches from Joel:

Throughout history there have been times among God’s people when there has been an acute, keen, humble, even an emotional sensitivity to sin. You look at Ezra. At one point he is so overwhelmed by his sin and the sin of God’s people that he falls on his face and he’s weeping. He’s unable to even lift his head before God. You look in the book of Nehemiah and you see a time when God’s people were simply listening to the word being read and that’s all it took; they heard His word, they were convicted of sin and all of the people fell down on their faces, weeping over their sin.

Then you look in church history. I’ve read about times when in the context of a worship gathering, conviction of sin would just simultaneously sweep across an entire congregation. People would fall on their faces and knees, weeping,  grieving over sin. Times where God would revive His people in a fresh way. It was a clear demonstration of the power of His Spirit.

So we see those times and then we see times in history where God’s people have been desensitized. Tp sin, in some senses, dulled to sin.; participating in religious activity but never stopping, pausing to grasp the depth of sin and to mourn over it; where sin is treated casually and worship is treated routinely.

And, as I look at the state of the contemporary church, and I don’t want to keep it that general, As pastor I want to say, as I look at the state of Brook Hills, I see us much closer to the latter than the former. A dangerous, religious dullness to sin. Desensitivity. Even we, we can sit for hours in ront of the TV or movie listening to God’s name in vain and it doesn’t even register with us. We can gossip and call it ‘ just normal’. In church, we can let our minds wander on the internet and in our imagination, in lust and impurity and think, ‘Well, that’s just the way men are  in our day. Our marriage and our divorce rate matches that of our culture. And we run after greed and status and success. and money just like everyone else around us and we NEED TO WAKE UP and pray that God will wake us up to weep over sin.To grieve over offense against God.To HATE sin. To RUN FROM IT.  I want to be a part of a people, in my own  life, in our lives, in the days ahead where sin is not treated casually. Cornelius wrote a classic book on sin in which he said: ‘The awareness of sin; a deep awareness of disobedience and painful confession of sin used to be our shadow. Christians hated sin. They feared it, fled from it, they grieved over it. God’s people agonized over their sins

David Platt – Repenting of sin and returning to…, posted with vodpod

Cele mai cautate cuvinte pe internet: P-O-R-N-O-G-R-A-F-I-E

de Gabi Lupescu

Cele mai căutate cuvinte pe internet în zilele noastre sunt legate de : P O R N O G R A F I E !. Pornografia …este de nestăpânit în zilele noastre…în special în răndul tinerilor , şi nu numai… şi de multe ori , se găsesc a se uita la ele …”şi aşa zişi creştini ” ! . Dorinţa mea …este că dacă cineva se regăseşte în aceste ” murdării “, să se întoarcă la Domnul …şi să renunţe la ceea ce Cuvăntul Domnului , numeşte : PĂCAT !!! . – Poate mai mult decât orice altceva, Satan a reuşit să devieze şi să pervertească scopul relaţiilor sexuale. El a luat ceea ce este bun şi drept (relaţiile sexuale în cadrul căsătoriei dintre soţ şi soţie) şi a înlocuit cu pofta trupească, pornografia, adulterul, violul şi homosexualitatea. Pornografia este primul pas pe o cale alunecoasă şi rapidă de creştere a imoralităţii şi ticăloşiei (Romani 6:19). Întocmai cum un utilizator de droguri este condus în dependenţă de doze mai mari şi tot mai mari de droguri tot mai puternice, tot aşa pornografia târăşte oamenii în dependenţă de pofte sexuale, dorinţe păcătoase şi ticăloşii dintre cele mai greu imaginabile.

- Cele trei categorii principale de păcate sunt: pofta trupească, pofta ochilor şi mândria sau lăudăroşenia vieţii (1 Ioan 2:16). În mod sigur, pornografia îi determină pe oameni să aibă pofte trupeşti şi fără îndoială pofte ale ochiului. Pornografia cu siguranţă nu poate fi un lucru la care ne putem chiar gândi: “Încolo, fraţii mei, tot ce este adevărat, tot ce este vrednic de cinste, tot ce este drept, tot ce este curat, tot ce este vrednic de iubit, tot ce este vrednic de primit, orice faptă bună, şi orice laudă, aceea să vă însufleţească” (Filipeni 4:8). Pornografia creează dependenţă şi reprezintă dependenţă (1 Corinteni 6:12; 2 Petru 2:19), este distrugătoare (Proverbe 6:25-28; Ezechiel 20:30; Efeseni 4:19) şi conduce la răutăţi şi păcate în creştere (Romani 6:19). A pofti în mintea noastră către alte persoane (esenţa pornografiei) este un lucru din cale-afară de jignitor şi ofensator la adresa lui Dumnezeu (Matei 5:28). Atunci când o persoană capătă obişnuinţa de a se preocupa de pornografie, aceasta demonstrează că persoana în cauză nu este mântuită (1 Corinteni 6:9). – Domnul să ne cerceteze , iar noi să ne lăsăm ” în controlul Lui , şi să nu mai păcătuim ” .

Crestinul este totusi un om care traieste intre doua lumi — cetatean al cerurilor si “razboinic” cu pacatul aici. Biblia ne arata in textul de fata ce privilegii am primit pe cealalta (unde suntem asezati in locurile ceresti impreuna cu Isus; Efes.1), in acelasi timp ne arata ce se intimpla cu noi aici (ati murit) si ce indatorire ne revine aici: “umblati dupa lucurile de sus”, “ganditi-va la ele”, si subliniez aici, “omoriti”!!

- Un anume pacat nu devine obisnuinta decat in imprejurarile favorabile pe care noi i le cream. Nu devine obisnuinta decat daca profita de niste avantaje particulare. Firea omeneasca este stricata in mod egal in toate partile ei si nu trebuie sa dam vina pe personalitatile noastre pentru acele pacate carora le cedam usor si le repetam.

- Exemplu: pentru unele pacate multi obisnuiesc sa spuna, “asa sunt eu”, sau, “eu am caracter puternic, astfel ma enervez usor”!?
Deci, un pacat nu dobindeste un statut de obisnuinta si prinde putere (ajungand sa ne stapaneasca) in vietile noastre decat daca-i oferim ocazii favorabile specifice. Nu voi starui asupra lor, dar cineva nu trebuie decat sa se intrebe cand pacatuieste si in ce situatii, la ce ore, unde, privind la ce, sau in timp ce facea ce ? …

CE A-R TREBUI SA FACA ACELA CARE SE TREZESTE CUPRINS DE PUTEREA UNUI PACAT DEVENIT OBISNUINTA ?
- Aceasta infrangere lamentabila in fata pacatului poate aduce rusinarea noastra publica, si umilirea noastra, poate alunga pacea launtrica, sau linistea constiintei, sau poate sa ne umple de indoieli asupra partii noastre alaturi de Hristos, fie in lucrarea Lui din lumea aceasta fie in primirea noastra in vesnicie (cazul extrem; pierderea sigurantei mantuirii). Ce-i de facut?

1. In primul rand, teme-te si ingaduie fricii sa patrunda in mintea ta! Obisnuieste-ti mintea cu ideea cauzei si efectului. Deci, la orice faci, exista niste urmari, niste repercusiuni.

Este o misiune imposibila sa ne dam seama singuri cat de subtil este pacatul in puterea lui de a ne convinge ca nu ne ameninta nici un pericol real! De aceea sa facem totul in puterea noastra sa ne amintim ca pacatul duce la moarte, iad si pedeapsa vesnica. Nu va gasiti linistea in rationalizarea situatiei si in speranta nebuneasca ca “totul va fi bine la urma”! Poate ca situatia celui care este invins de un pacat ce i-a devenit obisnuinta nici nu este atat de stabila precum pare!?

Potrivit este aici sa spun ca fricosii nu intra in Imparatia lui Dumnezeu!!!!!!

Apocalipsa 21:8 Dar cat despre fricosi, necredinciosi, scirbosi, ucigasi, curvari, vrajitori, inchinatorii la idoli, si toti mincinosii, partea lor este in iazul, care arde cu foc si cu pucioasa, ADICA MOARTEA A DOUA.”
2. Constiinta sa va fie incarcata si simtiti-va vina!

Iacov 4:9 Simtiti-va ticalosia; tanguiti-va si plangeti! Rasul vostru sa se prefaca in tanguire, si bucuria voastra in intristare…
Constiinta amortita de pacatul devenit obisnuinta este inceata, extrem de inceata in perceperea pericolului real reprezentat de pacat. In plus, nu este deloc dispusa sa poarte vinovatia timp foarte indelungat. De aceea, noi incercam sa-i inabusim glasul si sa-i scuzam vina. Dar, este momentul sa o ascultam si sa vedem gravitatea vinovatiei noastre inaintea ochilor lui Dumnezeu si nu ai nostri!

Isaia 22:12, 13 Si totus Domnul, Dumnezeul ostirilor, va cheama in ziua aceea sa plangeti si sa va bateti in piept, sa va radeti capul si sa va incingeti cu sac. Dar iata, in schimb, veselie si bucurie! Se junghie boi si se taie oi, se mananca la carne si se bea la vin: ,Sa mancam si sa bem, caci maine vom muri!’ -
3. Odata ce ne-am dat seama de gravitatea pacatului nostru si simtim povara vinii noastre, trebuie sa ne rugam pentru scapare din cursa lui.

Astfel ar trebui sa-i cerem lui Dumnezeu ajutor, cu strigate mari si cu gemete :

Psalmul 32
2 Ferice de omul, caruia nu-i tine in seama Domnul nelegiuirea, si in duhul caruia nu este viclenie!
3 Cata vreme am tacut, mi se topeau oasele de gemetele mele necurmate.
4 Caci zi si noapte mana Ta apasa asupra mea; mi se usca vlaga cum se usuca pamantul de seceta verii.
5 Atunci Ti-am marturisit pacatul meu, si nu mi-am ascuns faradelegea. Am zis: ,,Imi voi marturisi Domnului faradelegile!” Si Tu ai iertat vina pacatului meu.
6 De aceea orice om evlavios sa se roage Tie la vreme potrivita! Si chiar de s-ar varsa ape mari, pe el nu-l vor atinge de loc.
7 Tu esti ocrotirea mea, Tu ma scoti din necaz, Tu ma inconjuri cu cantari de izbavire.
8 ,,Eu – zice Domnul – te voi invata, si-ti voi arata calea pe care trebuie s-o urmezi, te voi sfatui, si voi avea privirea indreptata asupra ta.”
9 Nu fiti ca un cal sau ca un catar fara pricepere, pe cari-i strunesti cu un frau si o zabala cu cari-i legi, ca sa nu se apropie de tine.
10 De multe dureri are parte cel rau, dar cel ce se increde in Domnul, este inconjurat cu indurarea Lui.
Plangerile lui Ieremia
4 Mi-a prapadit carnea si pielea, si mi-a zdrobit oasele.
5 A facut zid imprejurul meu, si m-a inconjurat cu otrava si durere.
6 Ma aseaza in intunerec, ca pe cei morti pentru totdeauna.
7 M-a inconjurat cu un zid, ca sa nu ies; m-a pus in lanturi grele.
8 Sa tot strig si sa tot cer ajutor, caci El tot nu-mi primeste rugaciunea.
9 Mi-a astupat calea cu pietre cioplite, si mi-a strambat cararile.
10 Ma pandeste ca un urs si ca un leu intr-un loc ascuns.
11 Mi-a abatut caile, si apoi s-a aruncat pe mine, si m-a pustiit.
12 Si-a incordat arcul, si m-a pus tinta sagetii Lui.
13 In rarunchi mi-a infipt sagetile din tolba Lui.
14 Am ajuns de rasul poporului meu, si toata ziua sunt pus in cantece de batjocura de ei.
15 M-a saturat de amaraciune, m-a imbatat cu pelin.
16 Mi-a sfaramat dintii cu pietre, m-a acoperit cu cenusa.
17 Mi-ai luat pacea, si nu mai cunosc fericirea.
18 Si am zis: ,,S-a dus puterea mea de viata, si nu mai am nici o nadejde in Domnul.”
19 ,,Gandeste-Te la necazul si suferinta mea, la pelin si la otrava!”
20 Cand isi aduce aminte sufletul meu de ele, este mahnit in mine.
21 Iata ce mai gandesc in inima mea, si iata ce ma face sa mai trag nadejde:
22 Bunatatile Domnului nu s-au sfarsit, indurarile Lui nu sunt la capat,
23 ci se inoiesc in fiecare dimineata. Si credinciosia Ta este atat de mare!

Hristos poate veni in ajutorul celor neputinciosi, si, desi ni se pare greu de indurat, faptul ca nu mai putem, recunoasterea pacatului ii aduce multa slava lui Dumnezeu. Recunoasterea prinderii noastre in capcana pacatului il dezarmeaza pe diavol si-i abate sagetile otravitoare, deschide izvoarele cerului si face sa ploaie neprihanire asupra noastra!

Filipeni 4:13. Pot totul in Hristos care ma intareste

Lust not for men only

by Carolyn McCulley (via) DesiringGod.org

We’re well into the heat of summer now, and that means many churches across the American landscape have, at some point, reiterated the modesty message for the good church ladies everywhere.

Wait. I can actually see that eyeroll of yours even from here. But, friends, don’t click away just yet. Because I am going to go where large swaths of American church culture need to go on this topic … but often don’t.

I’m talking about lust. And women.

For the past eight years, I’ve had the privilege of writing two books and hundreds of articles and blog posts for women, which then led to numerous speaking engagements. Right from the start, I noticed a trend at each event, whether in the U.S. or abroad. Invariably, one woman would wait to talk to me until the bitter end, because she wanted to confess something that made her feel doubly shameful. She wanted to talk about her lust and sexual sin, a struggle she was sure was hers alone among the women in church.

How did these women arrive at this conclusion? Because for years most churches herded the men off to talk about lust, while gathering the women to discuss modesty. While those are valid and much needed messages, they are incomplete for the culture in which we now live.

To understand the times, let’s look at the messages women have absorbed in recent years. There are stripper pole classes at the gym and women’s magazines with screaming headlines about sex and seduction techniques. The morning talk shows candidly discuss sex toy parties. “Sex and the City” becomes a major franchise while “Girls Gone Wild” captures drunken sexual escapades among college students. Abercrombie & Fitch markets push-up bikini tops to 8-year-old girls. Lady Gaga bursts onto the pop music scene wishing she could shut her Playboy mouth. Not one item is sold in the mall without an erotic image. And women are increasingly immersed in online porn.

This highly sexualized culture is the new normal for young women who grew up in the ethos of third-wave feminism’s pro-porn, pro-sex work stance. So normal that when I spoke at a Christian college earlier this year, one woman raised her hand to ask, “So are you saying that it’s bad that there’s too much pornographic influence in our culture? But shouldn’t women embrace their sexuality?”

Um, yes. And yes. That answer highlights the problem: the counterfeit has usurped the authentic. Sex is God’s idea and his good gift to be properly stewarded within his design. For that reason, the church should be the most pro-sex group there is. We have a message of hope and redemption in the morass of sexual confusion. But first we need to help the women who are confused and in our churches right now. Here are four points on how to do that:

1. Give the truth about sex and why it’s attacked.

Let’s start with that modesty message. If it’s framed as a simple “don’t tempt men” message, it is incomplete and easily dismissed. We need to back up and explain first what is good about God’s gift and how it is distorted in a myriad of ways. We should equip young women to be discerning about the spiritual battle raging around sexuality. The Adversary has no need to improve upon his first character assassination of God. Contradicting God’s boundaries and insinuating that he is holding out on his creatures is nearly foolproof.

2. Teach young women not to mistake broken for normal.

Then we need to teach young women how rapidly our culture became porn-saturated in only one generation. That’s often news to those who grew up in it and therefore they often don’t understand the brokenness that follows in the wake of the sexual imagery they accept as normal. As John Piper says, lust is the realm of thought, imagination, and desire that leads to sexual misconduct—and young women often overlook how their drive to be sexually desirable is smack in the middle of that realm.

When young women understand the cosmic consequences of sexual sin, the worldviews that shape our consumption of sexual messages today, and how God’s glory is under spiritual attack, they will not mistake any modesty message for a frumpy fashion campaign. Nor will they resent the men around them for being impediments to whatever is stylish. Instead, they will be sobered by how Satan still “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8)—and that men and women alike are fair game.

3. Stop thinking that only men have seeing problems.

Let’s not assume that immodesty only affects the eyes of men. Women are becoming increasingly visualized as well, and can be distracted in similar, though perhaps not identical, ways. We also need to remember and help those women who wrestle with same-sex attraction. After I mentioned this recently at a large conference, several women came up to say this is their temptation and how hard it is for them to be open about it in the church. They fear misunderstanding, judgment and gossip.

4. Create a culture of light.

We need to clearly teach that lust is a human condition, not just a masculine one. Knowing God’s glory is at stake, we need to create humble church cultures where secret sin is not kept in the dark, but rather brought into the light. If we rightly understand the doctrine of sin, we should never be surprised by our own temptations nor by the confessions of others. We should want to create “safe harbors” for God’s people to confess, repent, and welcome accountability for change. The roaring lion waits in the cover of darkness to attack what he finds there, but “whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God” (John 3:21).

Let us help the women in our churches experience the freedom of living in the light.

Carolyn McCulley is an author, speaker, and documentary filmmaker. She has written more about third-wave feminism in her book, Radical Womanhood: Feminine Faith in a Feminist World.

Iosif Ton – Cei doi stapani; Stapanul cel bun (2/2)

Vizionati Iosif Ton – Cei doi stapani; Stapanul cel rau Part 1 aici

Iosif Ton – Cei doi stapani; Stapanul cel bun (…, posted with vodpod

Gabi Lupescu – ‘Samson’ sintem noi….

1) Samson L-a iubit pe Dumnezeu. L-a iubit mult, cu pasiune chiar. Vedem lucrul acesta din faptele lui marete, demne de un adevarat erou national, asemenea lui Hercules al grecilor. Problema lui a fost aceea ca s-a iubit pe sine mai mult decat pe Dumnezeu, iar pe femei le-a iubit mai mult decat pe sine.

Samson a uitat textul din Geneza 2, 24: “De aceea, va lasa omul pe tatal sau si pe mama sa si se va alipi de nevasta sa; si cei doi se vor face un singur trup.” El a interpretat acest principiu, stabilit de Creator inca din primele zile ale existentei lumii noastre, intr-un mod cu totul personal si original: “De aceea va lasa omul pe tatal sau si pe mama sa si se va alipi de … nevestele sale…” , incercand sa obtina acelasi rezultat: “ sa fie un singur trup.” Numai ca schimbarile facute de om in ecuatia lui Dumnezeu nu duc la acelasi rezultat …

Si iata-l pe Samson incheindu-si viata, pe cand era in deplina maturitate si putere fizica si intelectuala, singur si parasit de aceia si acelea pe care i-a iubit.

2) Al doilea lucru pe care il invatam din trista experienta a lui Samson este acela ca Dumnezeu nu-si abandoneaza copiii atat de usor pe cat credem noi.

Stiti cat timp a fost Samson judecator in Israel ? Douazeci de ani ! In tot acest timp Dumnezeu a aratat indelunga rabdare fatza de copilul sau rebel, incercand pe toate caile sa-i indrepte pasii pe calea cea buna. L-a sprijinit cand a avut nevoie, l-a avertizat, a ingaduit sa vina in viata lui Samson tot felul de incercari si suferinte, dar nu l-a abandonat. Dumnezeu stia ca in inima lui Samson , oricat de lumeasca parea, mai licarea o scanteie de credinta si dragoste dupa neprihanire.

Daca noi am fi fost in locul lui Dumnezeu, am fi rabdat toate escapadele lui Samson ? Am fi asteptat douazeci de ani ca omul numarul 1 al natiunii si al bisericii din acea vreme sa-si vina in fire si sa-si indrepte caile ? Si totusi, Dumnezeu il rabda, il ajuta in momentele dificile, iar in final, cand Samson se trezeste la realitate, ii asculta ultima rugaciune si face prin el o lucrare pe care nu o facuse intreaga viata.

Cat de adevarat este cuvantul care spune: “Domnul, Dumnezeu este un Dumnezeu plin de indurare si milostiv, incet la manie, plin de bunatate si credinciosie, care Isi tine dragostea pana in mii de neamuri de oameni, iarta faradelegea, razvratirea si pacatul…” ( Exod 34, 6.7 pp. ) !

3) Samson a avut un caracter dificil. Poate tocmai datorita acestui fapt, in prestiinta Sa, Dumnezeu a dat parintilor lui instructiuni cat se poate de clare cu privire la cresterea lui – legea nazireatului. Insa, desi avea ochi, Samson era orb d.p.d.v.spiritual. Samson nu-si vedea defectele, nu-si recunostea slabiciunile si inclinatiile pacatoase… nu lua aminte la indemnurile celor din jurul sau… de a merge pe calea cea buna !.

Ce legatura exista intre viata lui Samson …si noi, fiii veacului al XXI-lea ? Ce semnificatie au infrangerile si biruintele lui Samson pentru biserica noastra, acum, la sfarsit de timp si de istorie ?

Samson este un prototip… al b…isericii Laodicea. Samson suntem noi, cei carora Dumnezeu ne-a facut o chemare atat de sfanta si pentru care El are planuri atat de marete. Ca si in cazul parintilor lui Samson, bisericii asteptatoare a revenirii Mantuitorului i s-au dat instructiuni detaliate cu privire la cum sa ne comportam in familie si societate, cum sa ne hranim sanatos, cum sa ne recreem, cum sa lucram pentru Domnul.

Din nefericire, Laodicea, asemenea lui Samso … are ochi dar nu vede !. Suntem orbi fata de ocaziile oferite de Dumnezeu, orbi fata de nevoia noastra de Duh Sfant, orbi cu privire la defectele noastre de caracter, orbi fata de chemarea facuta de Dumnezeu, orbi fata de rasplatirea promisa celor mantuiti.

Samson a fost un urias cu simturile morale amortite. Cand s-a trezit insa, zguduit de lucrarea Duhului in constiinta, dar si de curgerea evenimentelor din viata sa… Samson a biruit.

Biserica Laodicea …este un urias care doarme !. Cand Dumnezeu va considera ca a sosit timpul, El o va trezi din somnul mortii si va folosi acest “urias’ pentru a-Si aduce la ideplinire planurile si pentru ca Numele si Adevarul Sau… sa fie reabilitate in fata intregului univers !.

Isus Bisericii Laodicea: Iata eu stau la usa si bat

Timpul acela nu este departe de noi. Samson si-a incheiat viata cu o biruinta castigata …cu un pret urias. La fel, la incheierea istoriei acestei lumi, Laodicea, ultima biserica ce va juca ultimul act al luptei dintre bine si rau, va fi biruitoare. Daca nu ar fi asa, cum ar fi dat Iisus, Martorul credincios si adevarat, cea mai frumoasa fagaduinta acestei biserici : “ Celui ce va birui… ii voi da sa sada cu mine pe scaunul Meu de domnie, dupa cum si Eu am biruit si am sezut cu Tatal Meu pe scaunul Lui de domnie.” ? ( Apocalipsa 3, 21 ).

Problema este ca Laodicea este astazi o biserica inca luptatoare… nu biruitoare. In ea se gasesc si grau si neghina, si pesti buni si pesti rai, si robi buni si robi rai, si fecioare intelepte si fecioare neintelepte…
Din care clasa… crezi ca faci parte ?. Sa umblam deci cu Dumnezeu , si sa-l slujim cu scumpatate !. Amin.

Apocalipsa 3:14-22

14 Îngerului bisericii din Laodiceea scrie-i:”Cel care este Amin, Martorul credincios și adevărat, originea a ceea ce a creat Dumnezeu, spune astfel:

15 Îți cunosc faptele, știu că nu ești nici rece, nici în clocot. Ce bine-ar fi să fii rece sau în clocot!

16 Dar așa, întrucât ești călduț – nici rece, nici în clocot – te voi vărsa din gura Mea!

17 Pentru că spui: îSunt bogat, am adunat avere și n-am nevoie de nimic!î, dar nu-ți dai seama că ești nenorocit, vrednic de milă, sărac, orb și gol,

18 te sfătuiesc să cumperi de la Mine aur curățat prin foc – ca să fii bogat, haine albe – ca să te îmbraci, ca să nu ți se vadă goliciunea și să fii expus rușinii, și alifie pentru ochi – ca să poți vedea!

19 Eu îi mustru și-i disciplinez pe cei pe care-i iubesc – deci fii devotat și pocăiește-te!

20 Ascultă, Eu stau la ușă și bat – dacă cineva Mă aude și-Mi deschide, voi intra și voi lua masa cu el și el cu Mine.

21 Celui victorios îi voi da un loc împreună cu Mine pe tronul Meu, la fel cum Eu am fost victorios și am stat împreună cu Tatăl Meu pe tronul Lui.

22 Luați aminte la ceea ce le spune Duhul bisericilor!”

Ruinele "Laodicea"

Holy Ghost Fire

by Rev. Allen Baker – Pastor of Christ Community Presbyterian Church in West Hartford, Connecticut. From Banner of Truth Trust, UK (11/2010)

And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. (Acts 2:3)

If Brett McCracken’s observation is correct — that seventy per cent of those age eighteen to twenty-two, who grew up in the church, leave it never to return again,1 then surely we can agree that the evangelical church is in big trouble. Ever since the late 1970’s when evangelicalism began to suffer the loss of members, she has tried numerous schemes to stop the bleeding. First it was the church growth movement with its emphasis on homogeneity, that we ought to worship with people ‘just like us.’ Then came the seeker friendly movement with its use of drama and ‘how to’, psycho-therapeutic sermons, seeking to reach the Baby Boomer generation who was bored with church. Then came, for a brief period of time, the Emerging Church movement which sought to connect the Generation X culture with the ancient past. And now we have hipster Christianity where pastors don metro-sexual dress, sport $80 haircuts, and use shocking speech and address even more shocking topics from the pulpit in order to reach the Millennial generation.

In each of these movements there can be no doubt that some were truly converted, and surely mega-churches, for good or for ill, have come out of all these approaches. The question, however, is this — are these offerings of strange fire to the Lord? God was terribly displeased with Nadab and Abihu, Aaron’s sons, when they brought their strange fire on the altar (Num. 3:4). He killed them on the spot. There are at least three underlying false assumptions in each of these movements. Consequently the embrace of any or all of them will fail to bring the substantial, biblical growth evangelicalism wants and needs. What are they and what is the remedy? First, each of these movements assumes a semi-Pelagian view of man. Pelagius, the fourth century A.D. heretic, denied the doctrine of original sin, believing that mankind therefore was not corrupted by Adam’s fall into sin. In other words, man was completely free to choose or reject the overtures of the gospel. The semi-Pelagian (modern day Arminianism) does not go that far. It says that while man was definitely and adversely affected by Adam’s fall, he still has some ability to decide on his own free will to follow Christ. The moment one takes this position is the moment he becomes a pragmatist in gospel work. If man has the key to the jailhouse of his sin in his pocket, then we ought to use any method necessary to coerce or seduce him to use it. So, anything goes in church services with entertainment, music, sermons. If a sixty year old pastor wants to reach the Millennial and X generations then why not bring his wife on the platform, having a bed there as a prop, and talk openly and specifically about sexual intercourse, urging the married couples to engage in that activity every night for a week?2

The second false assumption is that the Word of God preached is insufficient to get the job done. No evangelical pastor will admit this of course, but this is the practical outcome. Therefore sermons are becoming shorter and shorter, more and more devoid of solid Biblical exposition and content. The emphasis in many churches seems to be on the unbeliever, ‘dumbing down’ the sermon in order to appeal to him, leaving the rest of the congregation spiritually malnourished. No wonder, then, that the problems of marital infidelity, divorce, wayward children, and varied addictions are as rampant inside the church as outside it.

And the third false assumption is that the Word of God is sufficient. ‘Al, what are you saying? Are you contradicting yourself? Didn’t you just say that many today believe the preached word is insufficient? Which is it?’ Here’s what I mean — some who hold to the sufficiency of the preached Word of God believe that is all that is required, that all a preacher needs to do is stand up, open his mouth, after studying well and preparing a good, solid Biblical sermon, and all will be well, that God will bless the simple preaching of the Word. Sounds good, doesn’t it? But this also is a faulty assumption. I hear it all the time from Reformed types. This, however, was not enough for Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, John Owen, Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, Charles Spurgeon, or Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Did they believe in the total inability of man to believe the gospel? Absolutely! Did they believe in the complete sufficiency of Scripture? Yes, of course. But they also believed in the preached Word energized by the Holy Spirit. Their preaching and their lives were marked by Holy Ghost fire. What is that? John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Lord Jesus, said that One was coming who would baptize them with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matt. 3:11). Isaiah said that an angel came and touched his depraved mouth with coals of fire from the altar (Isa. 6:6-7). The men on the road to Emmaus, after hearing Jesus open the Scriptures to them about himself said that their hearts burned within them (Luke 24:32). Malachi said that the coming of the Lord would be like a refiner’s fire (Mal. 3:2-3). Applying the words of the Psalmist, the writer to the Hebrews says that God makes his messengers a flame of fire (Heb. 1:7, Psa. 104:4) Paul tells us that we will be saved by fire (1 Cor. 3:15). Hebrews exhorts us to worship the Lord with reverence, for our God is a consuming fire (Heb. 12:29). And Luke says that one of the manifestations of the coming Holy Spirit was tongues that resembled fire (Acts 2:3). This was the fulfilment of John’s words (Luke 3:16).

What does this mean? Fire in the Bible is symbolic of three things — purity, power, and passion. Isaiah is purified by altar coals. Jesus’ baptism of the Spirit and fire promises the coming power of God. And God’s messengers are a flaming fire, filled with passion to take the gospel to the nations. By all means, we ought to reject semi-Pelagianism and what comes from it; but we must also reject the notion that all we need is the sufficiency of the Scripture. We need both the Scripture and the Spirit. We need to take up the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God (Eph. 6:17) but we must also pray with all perseverance and petition in the Spirit for all the saints, that the Word may go forth with boldness (Eph. 6:18-20). How do we get there? We must have Holy Ghost fire. We must have the unction of the Spirit (1 John 2:20). There is only one way, and that is earnest prayer and supplication, pouring out our hearts to God in repentance, asking for the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13), seeking his presence and power until we get it (James 4:8). If you are a preacher then make this your highest priority in ministry. If you support your preacher in prayer, and surely you should do so, then pray that the unction, Holy Ghost fire, will come with fulness in purity of motives, power in preaching, and passion in pursuit of ministry. I know — it looks strange, decidedly uncool in our day when hip and laid back is in — but we ought to go to church and watch our pastor burn with Holy Ghost fire as he stands to proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ. This is not a casual thing. This is not a ‘maybe you ought to think about it’ proposition. This is life and death (2 Cor. 3-4). Our words are a savour of life unto life or death unto death (2 Cor. 2:15-16).

Samuel Chadwick said that when the church talks a lot about its problems, when conferences increase then she is in trouble. She is looking to activities to overcome the lack of true spiritual power. ‘We are acting as though the only remedy for decline were method, organization, and compromise.’3 Surely we can do better. Surely we must do better. We must have Holy Ghost fire!

Free John Piper electronic books in the German language + Malawi & Russian (Carti ‘gratis’ de John Piper in Limba Germana)

Pentru fratii Romani din Germania si Europa- mai jos veti gasi link-uri la carti scrise (online) de John Piper cu traducerea in Limba Germana. Dati-le mai departe si prietenilor si cunostintelor care cunosc si vorbesc Limba Germana sau Rusa.

For all of our Romanian brothers and sisters in Germany and Austria, as well as the rest of Europe, here is a list to pass along to your German speaking friends and colleagues.

This is the link they should bookmark for this list – http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/a-new-gospel-network-in-europe-and-free-piper-ebooks-in-german?utm_source=Desiring+God&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=9ecf95120c-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN

Desiring God is working to serve the German-speaking world through the recent addition of seven online books (PDF) in German, which you can download from our website for free. Thanks so much to Christliche Literatur-Verbreitung (CLV) for providing them to us!

Recent posts from International Outreach —

In Lumine has also made many of their Russian titles available in digital format, which you can download from the DG website:

Christ-Exalting Resources in Russian and Ukraine

Iosif Ton – Cei doi stapani; Stapanul cel rau (1/2)

(via) AlfaOmegaTV

Iosif Ton -Cei doi stapani;Stapanul cel rau (1/2) , posted with vodpod

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