tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58862524721721030482024-02-07T10:31:06.920-08:00Christ The Cornerstone Romania - Way of FaithCTC Romania - Way of Faith Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16875006833062390781noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886252472172103048.post-72601589504220669862010-06-02T04:53:00.001-07:002010-06-02T04:53:52.824-07:00Stronger than our enemy<object width="448" height="55"><param name="movie" value="http://embed.trilulilu.ro/audio/caleacredintei/dcf4750cc85989.swf"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="FlashVars" value="durataAudio=3880&titluEmbed=Mark%20Serviss%20-%20stronger%20than%20our%20enemy-%20mai%20puternici%20decat%20dusmanul%20nostru"><embed src="http://embed.trilulilu.ro/audio/caleacredintei/dcf4750cc85989.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="durataAudio=3880&titluEmbed=Mark%20Serviss%20-%20stronger%20than%20our%20enemy-%20mai%20puternici%20decat%20dusmanul%20nostru" width="448" height="55"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://www.trilulilu.ro/audio/Diverse" title="Diverse">Asculta mai multe audio Diverse</a>CTC Romania - Way of Faith Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16875006833062390781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886252472172103048.post-62795528450641157852010-04-29T02:52:00.001-07:002010-04-29T02:52:39.853-07:00A healthy Church 2 - Pastor Matthew K. Elliott<object width="448" height="55"><param name="movie" value="http://embed.trilulilu.ro/audio/caleacredintei/0785e3bc83bd4c.swf"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><param name="FlashVars" value="durataAudio=2414&titluEmbed=Matthew%20K.%20Elliott%20-%20O%20Biserica%20sanatoasa%202%20partea%201"></param><embed src="http://embed.trilulilu.ro/audio/caleacredintei/0785e3bc83bd4c.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="448" height="55" FlashVars="durataAudio=2414&titluEmbed=Matthew%20K.%20Elliott%20-%20O%20Biserica%20sanatoasa%202%20partea%201"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://www.trilulilu.ro/audio/Diverse" title="Diverse">Asculta mai multe audio Diverse</a><br /><br /><object width="448" height="55"><param name="movie" value="http://embed.trilulilu.ro/audio/caleacredintei/5ea8071639efd0.swf"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><param name="FlashVars" value="durataAudio=3096&titluEmbed=Matthew%20K.%20Elliott%20-%20O%20Biserica%20sanatoasa%202%20partea%202"></param><embed src="http://embed.trilulilu.ro/audio/caleacredintei/5ea8071639efd0.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="448" height="55" FlashVars="durataAudio=3096&titluEmbed=Matthew%20K.%20Elliott%20-%20O%20Biserica%20sanatoasa%202%20partea%202"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://www.trilulilu.ro/audio/Diverse" title="Diverse">Asculta mai multe audio Diverse</a>CTC Romania - Way of Faith Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16875006833062390781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886252472172103048.post-90990116052131899932010-04-29T01:41:00.000-07:002010-04-29T01:42:13.928-07:00A healthy Church - Pastor Matthew K. Elliott<object width="448" height="55"><param name="movie" value="http://embed.trilulilu.ro/audio/caleacredintei/3b9ce94ba7b85e.swf"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="FlashVars" value="durataAudio=3605&titluEmbed=Matthew%20K.%20Elliott%20-%20O%20Biserica%20Sanatoasa%20partea%201"><embed src="http://embed.trilulilu.ro/audio/caleacredintei/3b9ce94ba7b85e.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="durataAudio=3605&titluEmbed=Matthew%20K.%20Elliott%20-%20O%20Biserica%20Sanatoasa%20partea%201" width="448" height="55"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://www.trilulilu.ro/audio/Diverse" title="Diverse">Asculta mai multe audio Diverse</a><br /><br /><object width="448" height="55"><param name="movie" value="http://embed.trilulilu.ro/audio/caleacredintei/5ae4a63f189389.swf"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="FlashVars" value="durataAudio=2602&titluEmbed=Matthew%20K.%20Elliott%20-%20O%20Biserica%20Sanatoasa%20partea%202"><embed src="http://embed.trilulilu.ro/audio/caleacredintei/5ae4a63f189389.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="durataAudio=2602&titluEmbed=Matthew%20K.%20Elliott%20-%20O%20Biserica%20Sanatoasa%20partea%202" width="448" height="55"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://www.trilulilu.ro/audio/Diverse" title="Diverse">Asculta mai multe audio Diverse</a>CTC Romania - Way of Faith Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16875006833062390781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886252472172103048.post-79970308370755864492010-04-09T01:21:00.000-07:002010-04-09T01:46:46.879-07:00Help before Passover<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:applybreakingrules/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:usefelayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:SimSun; panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1; mso-font-alt:宋体; mso-font-charset:134; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 680460288 22 0 262145 0;} @font-face {font-family:"\@SimSun"; panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1; mso-font-charset:134; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 680460288 22 0 262145 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun; mso-ansi-language:RO;} @page Section1 {size:595.3pt 841.9pt; margin:70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Before the Passover, our Church organized a humanitarian action, intended to help families with difficult financial situations, around the village of Tureni. We were able to provide 35 families from 5 </span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">different villages </span><span style="font-size:100%;">(Tureni, Comșești, Mărtinești, Ceanul Mic and Micești)</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> with food supplies .</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">We were supported in this action by the mayor or Tureni, which pointed us towards the poor families, that had limited income or in some cases, none.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">People were really surprised to see us at their gate carrying these packages, because some of them have never been helped before.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Our Church is working with people from the villages for 10 years now, having our ministry base in Micesti, and this humanitarian action has opened many doors for us to be able and show God's love in a more practical way. We met a lot of new people and established a relationship with them, which will help us in the future because we intend to go back and be a support for these people, both material and spiritual.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">In the village of Ceanul Mic we found many people that were open to the word of God and we want to go back this summer and spend more time with these people.<br /></span></p>On Thursday, we went to the Emergency Hospital for Children, Department of Clinical Pneumofitiziology where we gave the children hospitalized there sweets, so that we may bring at least a smile on their faces. <br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">We really appreciate all the help we got from those that chose to give for the Kingdom of God. All praises be to Him that blessed us to be a blessing.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='496' height='412' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwySrAhHMXIrlRY1ZeAdtNDkPwm6QJsXJh3VlsYn_rbMey_TndWZePUjawgSmPZbqlPp8a-ljEi26-HeZh4-g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>CTC Romania - Way of Faith Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16875006833062390781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886252472172103048.post-55139882248687749182010-03-18T02:41:00.000-07:002010-03-19T03:55:22.254-07:00The story of a young man that used to be a priest in a Christian Monastery<o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:applybreakingrules/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:usefelayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:SimSun; panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1; mso-font-alt:宋体; mso-font-charset:134; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 680460288 22 0 262145 0;} @font-face {font-family:"\@SimSun"; panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1; mso-font-charset:134; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 680460288 22 0 262145 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun; mso-ansi-language:RO;} @page Section1 {size:595.3pt 841.9pt; margin:70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">Eugen is a 26 year old young man, that chose to run away from home when he was only 18, and found refuge in a Christian Monastery, in Moldavia. For 3 years he served there and made progresses</span> very quickly ending up by being called a priest. Every day he performed a 'divine service', without ever feeling any closeness towards God. In fact in all these years he never read the Bible. He never had a personal relationship with Jesus, neither was he concerned with this, because nobody ever encouraged him to do so. After these 3 years he ended up disappointed, because of those around him that were supposed to serve God and they were not living what they were preaching. After living this experience things started to go really bad for Eugen because his father didn't receive him back home and disinherited him. He ended up living on the streets, earning his living from selling drugs and doing all sorts of illegal stuff. I don't want to emphasize how bad things got for this young man but rather to tell you what God did in his life <span style="">in 2 years, starting with an encounter Eugen had with a young Evangelist from our Church, Cristi Istrate. Cristi found Eugen on the street and invited him to a Church meeting. Eugen answered 'no, you have no idea who I am. I am an evil man ...' Cristi told him 'you are exactly the person Jesus is looking for'. He ended up going to that meeting and then Cristi spent a lot of time with him leading him to The Lord</span><span style="">. Eugen didn't honor his decision but God didn't give up on him. For 2 years Cristi kept in touch with Eugen and has been a constant support for him. Two months ago, after wondering around the entire country, Eugen came back to Cluj, where he started to look for Cristi. He was ready to let go to his past and change everything. He started attending Church services every Sunday, constantly being discipeled by Cristi, that spent many, many hours trying to build up the Kingdom of heaven in Eugen. His heart became really sensitive to the things of God and he understood that he must fulfill what the Scripture is commanding and so he asked to be baptized. Sunday afternoon, together with all the Church and people from the village, we were honored to perform his baptism. After 2 days, Eugen said that now he feels really reconciled with God. His desire is to stay in Cluj (because he's from another city) find a job here and start a normal life, serving The Lord. He is aware that God will use all his past to reach other young people that are struggling and he already started to tell people around him abut the miracles that God did in his life.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">Jesus said that we should go into all the world and make disciples, baptize them and equip them so that they may start bringing fruits of their own. This is our desire, to form disciples not to indoctrinate people and converting them to a religion. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal">We want to thank all those that have been close to us and supported us in everything we do. I want to thank the people from 'Way of Faith' Church that pray for this vision and believe for this vision. I want to thank my Pastors, Matt and Denise Elliott, for all their trust and faithfulness towards us. We all build the Church of Christ and His Kingdom, that will be revealed soon, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>May God Bless you all<br />Servants of Jesus:<br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">Pastor Călugăr Rareş şi Nicoleta <o:p></o:p></span></p> <iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='519' height='431' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzbu9fWr02lGOn4HlZBFoiAGokN5GmBTB2OhX2E57ugDZpM2_WSRB338fC-wU7pxPhsfoLwFfWWRDutxscj8Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>CTC Romania - Way of Faith Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16875006833062390781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886252472172103048.post-79836888059328188602010-02-24T02:43:00.000-08:002010-02-24T03:25:40.424-08:00From darkness to light<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTCCaFOcQL6uJBoGYABfxFOzPzLl2QxtkN4BrWwA7EemQgHD5JTIQKfY9mM7IOcNtnqWE1wOBBRybcefUf9QA-KYSpsrROjR1ISsqkD3DVn-6vr3c-5N9QQ1hHVgF5qQOoKAP0P3dujzg/s1600-h/96517491zf1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 208px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTCCaFOcQL6uJBoGYABfxFOzPzLl2QxtkN4BrWwA7EemQgHD5JTIQKfY9mM7IOcNtnqWE1wOBBRybcefUf9QA-KYSpsrROjR1ISsqkD3DVn-6vr3c-5N9QQ1hHVgF5qQOoKAP0P3dujzg/s320/96517491zf1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441397419975795234" border="0" /></a>The night always leaves people with a feeling of insecurity, especially when there is no source of light, when you can't see anything but darkness.<br />In moments like that you have o idea where you're stepping, what you're heading towards - you trust only what you can touch and fear covers you.<br /><br />Imagine what would it be like to live like that, not only for one night, but covered in thick darkness years and maybe even forever...<br />Most certainly those would be some terrible years, having no purpose.<br /><br />Did you know that is life without Christ?<br /><br />When you don't have Him, you're confused, you live in fear, you hurt yourself with the things you bump in to because you can't see.<br /><br />Something else that you must realize is that this darkness is brought about by Satan, because he wants to destroy you, to make you feel paralysed and in the end, end your life, because you lack the ability to find purpose and meaning in life.<br />The only way you can escape this situation is by realizing you need Light so that you can see clearly, to know where you're going, to feel the safety and the warmth that the Light brings.<br />Jesus is the Light that you need in your life.<br /><br />When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." - John 8:12<br /><br />You don't have to live in darkness anymore, now you can step in to the Light! The apostle Paul got this calling from Jesus:<br />I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.' Acts 26:17-18<br /><br />Jesus wants to forgive your sins and set you free from the devil's grip, so that you may become a child of God, enjoying freedom and Light.<br />All you must do is pray a prayer like the following:<br />Lord Jesus, I confess that I've lived in darkness and in sin, I proclaim that I want to be Yours and to let You be my Savior, my Lord, and the Light that will light my life. From now on I will pray knowing that you can light me and lead me through this life.<br />Please forgive me for every mistake and bad deed that I've made in darkness.<br />From now on I want to be only Yours and follow only You. Amen.<br /><br />Now that you've prayed this prayer, Jesus Christ has come in to your life and forgave your sins. From today on your life will have purpose and you will have the Light you were begging for together with the inheritance of eternal life.<br />Whatever your circumstances will be from now on try not to forget what the book of Psalms says about God:<br />"even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. " Psalm 139:12<br /><br />From today on you don't have to live in fear, dare to step firmly, to keep going on this Way filled with Light.<br /><br /> Cristian Istrate - EvangelistCTC Romania - Way of Faith Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16875006833062390781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886252472172103048.post-36514700354640342582010-01-20T00:28:00.000-08:002010-01-20T00:30:08.308-08:00The Baptism of a born again Orthodox Christian<o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="date"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:applybreakingrules/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:usefelayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:SimSun; panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1; mso-font-alt:宋体; mso-font-charset:134; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 680460288 22 0 262145 0;} @font-face {font-family:"\@SimSun"; panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1; mso-font-charset:134; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 680460288 22 0 262145 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><st1:date month="1" day="10" year="2010">Sunday, the 10th of January 2010</st1:date>, I had the privilege to baptize a born again Orthodox Christian. Rareș Rus, is a 26 year old young man that has been seeking The Lord having a relationship with Him ever since he was a child, his father being a deacon in an Orthodox Church in a quarter of Cluj. This inclination towards the spiritual things made it so that Satan stepped into his life fully aware that God has a plan with this man. Evil spirits began to manifest in his life through nightmares during the night, suicidal thoughts, sleepless nights, many days of torment and depression. All that didn’t happen by itself, but it was brought about by people that spoke many curses over his life, and Satan, having found an open door, went in and tried to destroy him, as he did with most of us before we chose to follow Christ. But when God has a plan with someone nothing and nobody can stand against it. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="">Three months ago, we organized in our Church a concert together with a Christian Band called Acces. Corneliu, a member of our Church and a friend since childhood with Rares, invited him, and starting with that point began a time of restoration for Rares. Every Sunday morning Rares was attending the services with a strong desire to be helped to fight against the spirits that were trying to control him. After many prayers and fasting, Rares has been set free. He accepted Christ’s dominion over his life and decided to fulfill everything that is written by accepting the New Testament baptism as well. As you probably know, our Church’s vision is to see born again Orthodox believers that come to know all the truth and are in need of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, being baptized and equipped so that in time they can witness to their family, friends and people around them.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="">In <st1:country-region><st1:place>Romania</st1:place></st1:country-region> there are millions of Orthodox believers that need to be born again and our desire is to get to their hearts by creating a bridge between us and them. We believe that love can break doctrines, religiosity and pride on both sides. We all have sinned and fall short of His glory in the eyes of God, but Christ has paid the price for that. We all need His grace and a fresh revelation of what He represents for our lives. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="">If you are an orthodox believer and you are looking for a place where to worship together with other Christians, a place where you wouldn’t feel judged because your way of worshiping is different, or that your payers are not spiritual enough, or that you still struggle with sin in your life, then please join us Sunday mornings starting with 10:00, to experience God’s acceptance through Jesus Christ and acceptance from the people that you’ll find here. Don’t be embarrassed if you feel in your heart that you are not convinced whether to believe in God or not, if you are still searching, just know that we are here to help you. We are not here to change you so that you become like us, but we want to help you to become like Christ.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="" lang="PT-BR">Pastor Rareș Călugăr</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <br /><br /><br /><div><embed src="http://widget-0a.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="l" wmode="transparent" flashvars="cy=bb&il=1&channel=3098476543672348938&site=widget-0a.slide.com" style="width: 400px; height: 375px;" name="flashticker" align="middle"></embed><div style="width: 400px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=3098476543672348938&map=1" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-0a.slide.com/p1/3098476543672348938/bb_t024_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide1.gif" ismap="ismap" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=3098476543672348938&map=2" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-0a.slide.com/p2/3098476543672348938/bb_t024_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide2.gif" ismap="ismap" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=3098476543672348938&map=F" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-0a.slide.com/p4/3098476543672348938/bb_t024_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide42.gif" ismap="ismap" border="0" /></a></div></div>CTC Romania - Way of Faith Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16875006833062390781noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886252472172103048.post-24463619041974331592010-01-12T07:13:00.000-08:002010-01-12T07:21:43.000-08:00Acces - Romanian Christian Band needs help to record their first albumHello dear friends,<br /><br />We are posting this entry as a support for a Romanian Christian Band that needs all the help it can get to record their first album. The reason we are behind this project 100% is because we saw God changing people through their music in our Church.<br />Last year we organized a concert together and as a result God changed a young man's life. His name is Rares Rus, and we baptized him last Sunday. We really believe that he is a result of this band's effort to touch people's lives through music, and they are an amazing blessing to us. That is why we encourage you to bless them and help them record this album. You will be rewarded in heaven for every teenager that will be off the streets because of this band that uses music as an evangelistic tool, a tool that we've seen working.<br />Thank you!<br /><br /><embed allowscriptaccess="always" src="http://www.chipin.com/widget/id/3ac5d4bd593d477d" flashvars="chipin_server=www%2Echipin%2Ecom" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="220" height="220"></embed>CTC Romania - Way of Faith Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16875006833062390781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886252472172103048.post-60939775100353025282010-01-05T04:01:00.000-08:002010-01-05T04:10:20.294-08:002009-2010<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61nLEpenQZY77M4fjCKrEJApuTM4dAkNSlBP00mot7Njn-cMNe-wWBfAcaeUPdrWnkzlM5Wz0jy1I_Ojk-MYgAqd8XhffkuQRh2yRXrkeLwbudvrtzNZqf01QyYAw7bnWyOx_UyHuduqw/s1600-h/Catedrala+Ortodoxa+Cluj.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61nLEpenQZY77M4fjCKrEJApuTM4dAkNSlBP00mot7Njn-cMNe-wWBfAcaeUPdrWnkzlM5Wz0jy1I_Ojk-MYgAqd8XhffkuQRh2yRXrkeLwbudvrtzNZqf01QyYAw7bnWyOx_UyHuduqw/s320/Catedrala+Ortodoxa+Cluj.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423226904289702322" border="0" /></a>We are truly happy to say that God was so good to the believers of ”Way of Faith” Church, in 2009. We saw many analysis about this past year, but all we can say is that God did amazing things in us and through us in 2009. We have been rebuked, we have been encouraged, we have been dazzled and blessed by God through His Word, through prayers, through, unity, through music, through each brother and sister in our Church.<br />We really don't want to overspiritualise when we say all these things,, all we want is that the people who are interested in this blog and in what God is doing in our Church, should know that He started a work in us and He is the One that will finish it. We just can't wait to see what God will do in 2010 in our midst.<br /><br />Before the end of 2009 we had a french brother that had a really good message that blessed us a lot and we want to share that with you. Be blessed!<br /><br /><object width="448" height="46"><param name="movie" value="http://embed.trilulilu.ro/audio/caleacredintei/9d1bea4edffe2c.swf"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://embed.trilulilu.ro/audio/caleacredintei/9d1bea4edffe2c.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="448" height="46"></embed></object><br /><strong>Jean Francois Gotte - Needing the Holy Spirit / Nevoia de Duh Sfant</strong><br /><a href="http://www.trilulilu.ro/audio/Diverse" title="Diverse">Asculta mai multe audio Diverse</a>CTC Romania - Way of Faith Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16875006833062390781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886252472172103048.post-62473160864729034522009-12-02T03:35:00.000-08:002009-12-02T03:37:17.981-08:00Are you sharing the Gospel?It is sometimes hard to talk to strangers and even harder to talk to members of the family about our faith. It truly can be a difficult thing but I want to ask this question,<br />Are you sharing the Gospel? Or…..are you making excuses? We do often make excuses about why we cannot live up to our expectations or the expectations of others, but I want to clear up some things, mainly, that we are called to share the good news of Jesus Christ.<br /><br />One enormous problem is in our misunderstanding of exactly what we are supposed to do as Christians. We either have such high expectations of ourselves that we never do anything because we know we will fail. Who gives us these high expectations? Sometimes we get these unreasonable expectations from priests, pastors or teachers. Sometimes we get these expectations from parents or other relatives and it causes us to live in fear of always failing God and other people. We can withdraw and resign ourselves to simply living the bare minimum life so we won’t let people down. The worst part of this is that we believe these things and so we have unreasonable expectations of ourselves and we can constantly condemn ourselves. Anytime we fail, we simply say, “see, it is true, I cannot succeed as a good Christian, I cannot please God with a holy life.”<br />Let me tell you that these super high expectations are not from God. We cannot live perfect lives and HE knows this. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us and to judge us but we often choose to judge ourselves and to punish ourselves. It is wrong for us to try and prove that we are sinners and worthy of suffering and judgment. Christ came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly, John 10:10. Christ came to seek and to SAVE the lost, Luke 19:10. Christ came that we might be free from sin, Romans 6:18, 22. The spirit of Jesus is with us to lead us to truth, John 15:16-18 & 16:13 We are sealed with His spirit unto the day of salvation , Ephesians 4:13. It is God at work in us to will and to do of His good pleasure, Philippians 2:13<br />If we depend on our strength, we will not succeed. If we trust in the Lord, then we can succeed. God expects us to grow, day by day, little by little, and to work on the weak areas of our lives.<br />Let me tell you that Biserica Calea Credintei is a safe place for you to grow and mature. You will make mistakes, as we all do, but as we work together, you will see that our expectations are not unreasonable for you but we believe that with God all things are possible and it is He that is at work in each of His disciples. We cannot form you into our image, but we all work together to be more like Christ and to live in His image.<br />There is another danger to have unreasonable expectations, and that is to strive so hard that you begin to believe you have earned special rights or privileges with God and His people. You may feel worthy to condemn others and to preach a hard, mean Gospel (which is NOT the good news of Jesus Christ). Some say, “My church is the best, we have the best music, best preaching, etc.”. This is not our jobs as Christians.<br />Just as we are not supposed to live in fear, condemnation and constant punishment of ourselves, we are not supposed to live in pride, condemning others and trying to punish them for not working as hard as we feel we have worked. Life is hard for everyone and we need to work together, help each other, and to live in peace and love.<br />At “Calea Credintei” Church, we are not about condemning others or trying to find fault and blame, but to seriously work at being better disciples of Christ.<br />My question then is, are you sharing the Gospel? Or…..are you making excuses? Maybe you are saying, I am not good enough (not true, Christ makes us good enough by His goodness). You do not have to keep living to prove you are a Christian, if you just know that you are and live to please God. His goodness becomes our goodness, even when we do not do things that are good and right.<br /><br />Maybe you say, I don’t know enough (not true, if you know that Christ forgave your sins, washed you clean and made you a new person, then you know enough). You do not have to preach every time you share the love of God, just gently let people know where you stand in your relationship with the Lord. You can do this in public, at work, in school, on the bus, or wherever you are. You can smile and say kind words, say thank the Lord, and so on. When the time is right, open a discussion on how Jesus has changed your life.<br /><br />Maybe you say, I cannot speak well, I get tongue-tied (probably not true, because we talk about anything we WANT to talk about – the weather, sports, gossip, politics, problems, and complaints). Do we want to talk about Jesus? We should WANT to talk about Him. If your attitude is one of the main problems, then work on changing your attitude toward people and ask the Lord to give you a love for them.<br /><br />Sharing the Gospel is as easy as talking about anything else. Sometimes you share by living right and speaking about God when the time is right. Sometimes you share by doing a good thing for someone. Sometimes by inviting them to church or sending them a link to this blog via e-mail. And, sometimes you need to share the full gospel and Christ’s love and redemption and the need to escape from the wrath of God and eternal punishment.<br /><br />Please understand, Biserica “Calea Credintei” is a safe place for you to learn truth, grow and mature and to learn how to help others in need.<br />God bless you richly and continue to grow into His likeness.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;">Pastor Matt Elliott</div>CTC Romania - Way of Faith Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16875006833062390781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886252472172103048.post-32611319573928324492009-11-17T04:25:00.000-08:002009-11-17T04:26:05.169-08:00Bruce Koen - Called to serve<object width="448" height="46"><param name="movie" value="http://embed.trilulilu.ro/audio/caleacredintei/4fdebfc2d75c3e.swf"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://embed.trilulilu.ro/audio/caleacredintei/4fdebfc2d75c3e.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="448" height="46"></embed></object><br /><strong>Bruce Koen - Called to serve - Chemat sa slujesti</strong><br /><a href="http://www.trilulilu.ro/audio/Diverse" title="Diverse">Asculta mai multe audio Diverse</a>CTC Romania - Way of Faith Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16875006833062390781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886252472172103048.post-1418815053864552262009-10-29T02:42:00.000-07:002009-10-29T02:47:47.756-07:00ThanksgivingSunday, the 30Th of October, our Church celebrated a sort of a Thanksgiving day, in Micesti. On Thursday we went through the village to invite people to come to the Church and we challenged them to bring a vegetable or a fruit that they are really proud of and then we awarded them on Sunday.<br />People in the village really understand what it means to depend on God's goodness in order to have a harvest, that is why we chose to celebrate this day in Micesti and thank God together for everything and acknowledge that all we have is from Him.<br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='397' height='329' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzwBoMBTreDM2HAGsUvCpi5sfDnTGZB1pLE81S_cSwDPUCsJRNUlKQP6D-kCPrbXU9SQjxNowT4rdfFiJudEg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>CTC Romania - Way of Faith Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16875006833062390781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886252472172103048.post-86935141731425795452009-09-25T02:16:00.000-07:002009-09-25T02:47:31.128-07:00Dream!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigvYJSiCNArOajUVFLCFeuKvrnjY_FlYjs7pn_zlV-SeXVnyYbO2-iloNYVWrk11zeCopPG2EsPaxNR2JBCp7J9c0-qrt1topA5TVH7UKMvlYdkBVejRsyXWo7_dYlqL3Vvf243Su8Evmp/s1600-h/216_quechua.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385332151660039474" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 309px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigvYJSiCNArOajUVFLCFeuKvrnjY_FlYjs7pn_zlV-SeXVnyYbO2-iloNYVWrk11zeCopPG2EsPaxNR2JBCp7J9c0-qrt1topA5TVH7UKMvlYdkBVejRsyXWo7_dYlqL3Vvf243Su8Evmp/s320/216_quechua.jpg" border="0" /></a> <meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" equiv="Content-Type"><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"><meta content="Microsoft Word 10" name="Generator"><meta content="Microsoft Word 10" name="Originator"><object id="ieooui" classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D"></object><style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style>
<br /><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:SimSun; panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1; mso-font-alt:宋体; mso-font-charset:134; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 680460288 22 0 262145 0;} @font-face {font-family:"\@SimSun"; panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1; mso-font-charset:134; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 680460288 22 0 262145 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} /* List Definitions */ @list l0 {mso-list-id:398209415; mso-list-type:hybrid; mso-list-template-ids:-742769210 1502255158 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715;} @list l0:level1 {mso-level-tab-stop:33.0pt; mso-level-number-position:left; margin-left:33.0pt; text-indent:-.25in;} ol {margin-bottom:0in;} ul {margin-bottom:0in;} --> </style>
<br />Do you come from a dysfunctional family? One of the most famous characters from the Bible came from a very unhappy family. <p class="MsoNormal">Joseph was the 11<sup>Th</sup> son of the 12 sons of Jacob. No one in this family was happy. Jacob’s wives Leah, Rachel and the maidservants Zilpah and Bilhah were always disputing with one another. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Furthermore Joseph was Jacob’s favorite son and his brothers hated him. Jacob gave him a colored coat which just to make matters worse – Joseph wore. </p><p class="MsoNormal">When he was 17 years old, he had two dreams you can find in Gen. 37:7 and 9. </p><p class="MsoNormal">The brothers could not bear the thought that one day they would bow down to Joseph. But God had a purpose in these dreams.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The important dreams that we have are not dreams about riches, fast cars, beautiful cloths, etc. The important dreams are the dreams of destiny – Dreams about life as it was intended to be lived – Dreams about fulfilling God’s purpose in our life. Dreams about making the world a better place through God’s love. </p><p class="MsoNormal">These dreams cannot be pushed aside or destroyed. The enemy has no power to push aside your dream. The enemy may try to persuade you but he cannot destroy a dream of destiny. </p><p class="MsoNormal">The enemy can interfere with the circumstances of your life, but he cannot shape you. Although people may die dreams of destiny will be fulfilled. Martin Luther King, the American civil rights campaigner, had a dream. He died but the dream lives on.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Joseph’s brothers grabbed him when he came to see them at <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1:city><st1:place>Dothan</st1:place></st1:city>, they put him in a pit in order to sell him. </p><p class="MsoNormal">But Joseph although he did not understand his dreams, at the time, knew he had heard God. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The question arises what do you do when you heard God but nothing is happening. What do you do when you are in a ‘pit’ – your brothers are having a meal and about to sell you?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 33pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in">1. <span dir="ltr">When you are in the pit, throw away the shovel! Be holly surrendered to God. Trust God, do not panic. Submit to Him. Give everything over to Him. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -21pt">2. <span dir="ltr">Joseph heard his brothers arranging a sale price with the Midianite traders. Do not let the culture of the day, establish your value. You are worth more than anything the world has to offer. Jesus gave everything for you – He paid the full price for you.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -21pt">3. <span dir="ltr">Even though you are in the pit and what God said is not happening – believe that you have a future!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">In Chapter 39 when Joseph was a slave in Potiphar’s house, he knew that although he was a slave, he was also a man of destiny. He determined to live like that. He would have nothing to do with Potiphar’s wife when she tried to seduce him – he was a man with a dream and a vision and the enemy was not going to destroy him. Joseph although living in Potiphar's house lived in a place of grace. Potiphar’s house was blessed because of Joseph. By our presence we can make the office, factory, university, be a better place. Whether in the pit, in Potiphar’s house, in prison, or in the palace, Joseph reigned in life. </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><blockquote>For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. Romans 5:17</blockquote><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">We too, whatever our circumstances , can dream dreams of destiny and reign in life through our Savior Jesus Christ. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:0;">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: right">Message preached in our Church</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: right">Sunday, 20Th of September</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: right"><span style="font-size:0;"></span>By John Patman</p>
<br />CTC Romania - Way of Faith Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16875006833062390781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886252472172103048.post-54755271670066305982009-08-20T04:34:00.000-07:002009-08-24T00:05:06.527-07:00Saturday, the 15Th of August, our Church had it's first wedding and it was an honor due to the fact that the bride is a very dear sister of ours so we "adopted" the groom immediately.<br />Raluca Murăşan and Sandu Petcu united their destinies before The Lord and before us and we blessed them and wish them all the best that a couple can have in this life.<br />It was a simple and very beautiful wedding and we are really happy for them. May God bless them and keep them close to each other and close to Him.<br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='576' height='414' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzCtclz56LOKrNqVR97KaoM2l7PyGFBJP2rAsVqiKV3qNYR25VAV_mkUBf-x0vLTKEVBUmr4APSPfIoDaG3Wg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>CTC Romania - Way of Faith Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16875006833062390781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886252472172103048.post-77564547850795952992009-07-08T00:51:00.000-07:002009-07-08T04:55:18.620-07:00What is stopping us from using our Talent?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbDLkRk5XJ2bly94U948ewPbHdbpveX3iv_PpvEkPvW-pS6ti2UAEm2zHxEmmNKXmSSKvwkaSRwpRcTH3NW-zYWt6f6nN1QoJ0J1VrBten6WydLDQySrLM8yqZwDvOhTtpFNZLAjgwgY/s1600-h/art.gold.buried.irdavidfound.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 292px; height: 219px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbDLkRk5XJ2bly94U948ewPbHdbpveX3iv_PpvEkPvW-pS6ti2UAEm2zHxEmmNKXmSSKvwkaSRwpRcTH3NW-zYWt6f6nN1QoJ0J1VrBten6WydLDQySrLM8yqZwDvOhTtpFNZLAjgwgY/s400/art.gold.buried.irdavidfound.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355682686090797122" border="0" /></a>„On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable“ (1 Corinthians 12:22)<br /><br />(Matthew 25:14-15 -28) "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.“<br />When God is calling you to serve Him, He gives you a talent and by that He is entrusting to you something that He values. It is up to you how much you will do with the things that He values, and how much you will value it. God gives everyone according to his/her capacity. He doesn't give you more than you can take, but He gives you more than you can imagine.<br />God doesn't give you a talent considering your current state of being or your abilities. He gives you things due to what you are in the Spirit and what you can accomplish.<br />When God called Gideon to save the people from the hands of Madianites, he wasn't called because he was something in the natural things.<br />'But Lord, " Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family." - Judges 6:15<br />'Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon...' - Judges 6:34<br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Things that can stop us from using our talent:</span><br />- we consider ourselves unworthy to be used by God<br />„Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: "We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.“ (Acts 13:46)<br />- we see ourselves week, and lacking power when we are faced with a challenge<br />(1 Timothy 1:12) „I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.“<br />(2 Corinthians 12:9) „But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.“<br />- we don't try to understand the gift that God has placed in us<br />- we don't seek to know whether it's true or not the words that other people speak in our lives (we don't ask God to confirm it to us if the prophecies that we receive are right and if so to help us understand the time of those prophetic words) - maybe we just blame prophets for not being accurate, but we never bother to know if it's true or not and if it is to fulfill it<br />(1 Timothy 1:18)„Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight'<br />- maybe we end up saying 'I am too young, or too unprepared, or now it's not the right time'<br />(1 Timothy 4:12) „Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.'<br />- we are careless when it comes to the call of God for our life<br />- we don't see the significance and importance of the gift that God gave us<br />- we can't value correctly the gift of the Spirit<br />(1 Timothy 4:14)”Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.'<br />- we take it easy concerning the gifts and due to the fact that we don't value them enough there is a lack of discipline<br />- we don't evaluate ourselves constantly to see where we stand with God, we can't be open neither to critics or to encouragements<br />(1Timothy 4:15- 16) „Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.'<br />- we don't invest our talent (we don't grow in using our gift)<br />- Lacking enthusiasm<br />- fear of failure, fear of men<br />(2 Timothy 1:6-7) „For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.'<br />- we don't protect these gifts and we allow Satan to steal them from us<br />- we are not faithful with the things which have been entrusted to us<br />- we are easily distracted by things that are good in appearance or things that other people think are successful<br />- we are not careful enough with the way we speak, our attitude isn't always right<br />(1 Timothy 6:20) „Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge'<br />(2 Timothy 1:14) „Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you-guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. “<br />(1 Timothy 6:11-12) „But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.<br /><br />Pastor Rareș CălugărCTC Romania - Way of Faith Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16875006833062390781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886252472172103048.post-61796458929710300492009-07-08T00:31:00.000-07:002009-07-08T00:50:43.667-07:00Sunday we had a concert premiere by a Christian Band called <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Acces</span> (Access). We were really touched by the meaningful lyrics, the talent and the modesty of these guys. But more than what one could see on the outside, we all felt the presence of God among us. The title of the album is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">RĂSPUNS</span> (answer).<br />Those of us that hared it truly believe that God can use these songs to restore the hearts of many young people that <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">struggle</span>.<br />As a Church, we were really honored to have among us God from within them.<br />May God bless them and use them to build up The Body of Christ. <br /><br /><br /><div><embed src="http://widget-fb.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="l" wmode="transparent" flashvars="cy=bb&il=1&channel=3098476543654051835&site=widget-fb.slide.com" style="width: 400px; height: 320px;" name="flashticker" align="middle"></embed><div style="width: 400px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=3098476543654051835&map=1" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-fb.slide.com/p1/3098476543654051835/bb_t016_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide1.gif" ismap="ismap" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=3098476543654051835&map=2" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-fb.slide.com/p2/3098476543654051835/bb_t016_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide2.gif" ismap="ismap" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=3098476543654051835&map=F" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-fb.slide.com/p4/3098476543654051835/bb_t016_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide42.gif" ismap="ismap" border="0" /></a></div></div>CTC Romania - Way of Faith Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16875006833062390781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886252472172103048.post-27725826205751600702009-07-01T03:23:00.000-07:002009-07-03T02:26:30.478-07:00Source of Life<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi88WLrS6sTBynMdjJpubkHImoSa8q2mD7Ogp-jaS_TxiW7AU3R5Askp7fUDZQ_dOlwLWqeTVvuSNF_A_4Ax6Liu2HePrwh3rcNfHalMzpTWw5LGK1dQg505WrQXyy1Fn9GOm5fp_E634U/s1600-h/5enses.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi88WLrS6sTBynMdjJpubkHImoSa8q2mD7Ogp-jaS_TxiW7AU3R5Askp7fUDZQ_dOlwLWqeTVvuSNF_A_4Ax6Liu2HePrwh3rcNfHalMzpTWw5LGK1dQg505WrQXyy1Fn9GOm5fp_E634U/s320/5enses.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353434614090088514" border="0" /></a><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:applybreakingrules/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:usefelayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:SimSun; panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1; mso-font-alt:宋体; mso-font-charset:134; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 680460288 22 0 262145 0;} @font-face {font-family:"\@SimSun"; panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1; mso-font-charset:134; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 680460288 22 0 262145 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun; mso-ansi-language:RO;} @page Section1 {size:595.3pt 841.9pt; margin:70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><b><span lang="RO">(Isaiah 53:11)<i style=""> </i></span></b><i style=""><span lang="RO">„</span></i></span><span style="font-style: italic;">After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied ; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.</span> <span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><i style=""><span lang="RO">“ </span></i><span lang="RO"><o:p></o:p></span></span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span lang="RO">(Romans 5:2) </span></b><i style=""><span lang="RO">„</span></i></span><span style="font-style: italic;">By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God</span>.<span style="font-size:100%;"><i style="">”</i><span lang="RO"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><i style=""><span lang="RO"><span style=""> </span></span></i><span lang="RO">The fact that we are into grace has to do with the source from where we get your life in the Spirit. In Isaiah we are told that Christ will see his offspring and rejoice. When we drink from this eternal spring, which Jesus</span></b></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span lang="RO"> is</span></b></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span lang="RO">, then we are promised water even in the desert places</span><i style=""><span lang="RO">. </span></i></b><i style=""><span lang="RO">„</span></i></span><span style="font-style: italic;">And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><i style=""><span lang="RO">“</span></i><b><span lang="RO"> (Isaiah 58:11)<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span lang="RO">David was praying in Psalm 63</span><i style=""><span lang="RO">: </span></i></b><i style=""><span lang="RO">„</span></i></span><span style="font-style: italic;">O God, thou [art] my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirst for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><i style=""><span lang="RO">“ </span></i><span lang="RO">Does our soul really thirsts for this spring of water, for the freshness of this water that Jesus promised to those that ask for it? </span><i style=""><span lang="RO">
<br /></span></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;">The thing is that we spend too much time in the desert and we allow Satan to steal all our joy and our attitude is always controlled by the circumstances that we're in and it seems like nothing quenches our thirst.
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;">There was a man that found himself lost in the desert and got to the end of his strength. Without any source of water he was quickly fading away. At some point he started hallucinating and couldn't think straight anymore. Then he sees an oasis. He thinks it's just an illusion because he can't think straight anymore. He falls down, almost dead next to the water where he was found and saved.
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;">I hear Christians complaining about being in a spiritual desert and they can't seem to find their way out. Jesus said '<span style="font-style: italic;">He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit</span>.' So my way out of the desert is in Him as well, because He promised that He will be with us through His Spirit. '<span style="font-style: italic;">The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; To shew that the LORD [is] upright: [he is] my rock, and [there is] no unrighteousness in him.</span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span lang="RO">(Psalms 92:12-15)<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span lang="RO">In John 4, Jesus speaks to the Samaritan woman about the source of life, let's see what we can learn from these verses:</span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span lang="RO">- You must know the One that is able to give you the Water of Life and you must ask for it yourself <i style="">„</i></span></b></span><span style="font-style: italic;">Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.'</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> <b><span lang="RO">(John 4:10) <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span lang="RO"><span style=""> </span>– Many times unbelief brings in our lives drought, uncertainty, feeling panic and not trusting the very source that gives us the water. '</span></b></span><span style="font-style: italic;">The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?</span>'<span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span lang="RO"><i style=""> </i>(John 4:11)<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span lang="RO"><span style=""> </span>– Maybe we wonder 'is God greater than my past, my wounds and the mistakes I've made?' We can't seem to trust the fact that God really did wipe away all our sin, our past and that He gave us a new beginning through Christ. <i style="">„</i></span></b></span><span style="font-style: italic;">Art thou greater than our father Jacob</span>,<span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span lang="RO"><i style="">....” </i>(John 4:12)</span></b><span lang="RO"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span lang="RO">– If you keep drinking from the same source (of unbelief, what you see in the natural) you will have the same result, you'll always be thirsty and unfulfilled, maybe even blame God for the state you're in and because you don't feel refreshed. Search for the true source of the living water.</span></b><span lang="RO"> '</span></span><span style="font-style: italic;">Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again'</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span lang="RO"><i style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> </i>(John4:13)<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span lang="RO"><span style=""> </span>– If you drink from Him, you will never thirst again and even those around you will benefit from this water. '</span></b></span><span style="font-style: italic;">But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life</span>.'<span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span lang="RO"><i style=""> </i>(John 4:14) <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span lang="RO">- The reason behind our desire to find God can be a wrong one. Do we want His water for our comfort or for itself? Do we want more of Him so that we could have a revelation for ourselves or do we want Him for others as well? Often times we focus all our attention on ourselves (on how hurt we feel, the way we feel in general) . We always look for our own comfort, we feel sorry for ourselves and we forget to just get up and be a blessing for others. <span style="font-style: italic;">'</span></span></b></span><span style="font-style: italic;">The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw'</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span lang="RO"> (John 4:15)<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p face="georgia" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span lang="RO">Jeremiah 15:18-19 says ' </span></b></span><span style="font-style: italic;">Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, [which] refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, [and as] waters [that] fail? Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, [and] thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them.' </span></p><p face="georgia" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span lang="RO">Is our hope placed in a lie or something that fails us? Is God playing with our feelings, with our future and our emotions? Does God want me to be one day on top of the mountain and the next day down in the pit?
<br /></span></b></span></p><p face="georgia" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span lang="RO">NO. He wants me to have an emotional balance. He wants good things for me, He wants to give me peace and joy through the Holy Spirit, He wants me to be fulfilled and have a sane mind so that I may glorify Him. This is a hope that doesn't fail me, so I can trust Him with all my heart. <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p style="text-align: right;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span lang="RO">Servant of Jesus<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><div style="text-align: right; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: right;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="RO" style="font-size:14;"><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >Pastor Călugăr Rareş</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><div style="text-align: right;"> </div><p style="text-align: right;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="RO" style="font-size:14;"><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><i style=""><span lang="RO" style="font-size:14;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="RO" style="font-size:14;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span lang="RO"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> CTC Romania - Way of Faith Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16875006833062390781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886252472172103048.post-24488957951228329052009-06-30T00:42:00.000-07:002009-06-30T01:13:07.347-07:00UNITY AND TEAM WORK Seminary<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi2OAOcRZyTkgRmAjgcU5sUIORyAjwtbtXHWBY5NGvOas25Zsi94FPIFyBGXNgoSuorqQIZkymSulGLBN_JBUr8DHN8vcWZ3mxpiC4kgUt6ZrxmaenakLpmJlmdnDI-lPLH_0AcZf-8bc/s1600-h/DSC00158.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 304px; float: left; height: 211px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351628779126959538" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi2OAOcRZyTkgRmAjgcU5sUIORyAjwtbtXHWBY5NGvOas25Zsi94FPIFyBGXNgoSuorqQIZkymSulGLBN_JBUr8DHN8vcWZ3mxpiC4kgUt6ZrxmaenakLpmJlmdnDI-lPLH_0AcZf-8bc/s400/DSC00158.JPG" border="0" /></a> The "Way of Faith" Church, organized on the 20Th of June, a Seminary about 'Unity and Team Work'. We invited Pastors and leaders from different Churches in Romania, from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Cluj</span>, Deva, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Turda</span> and Germany.<br /><br />The speakers focused on the theme of the Seminary, and we believe that both through The Word that was shared as through the fellowship that we had, God brought us even closer in Unity with each other.<br /><br /><div><br />Pastor Rareş <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Călugăr</span>, shared with us what God has revealed to him about this, from 1 Kings 5:5-6. For the building of the Temple, Solomon, has asked for help from the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Sidonians</span> because they were more skilled in felling timber. To build The Body of Christ, we also need to recognize when other ministries are more skilled than us in certain areas, and due to that recognition we should humble ourselves and ask for help, because we are building together The Kingdom of God and not our own ministry. <br /></div><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 289px; display: block; height: 221px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351633168464323298" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9tRFlI0qriO28D0-6WHo8T_Ph18ve6rXz60XdJssFE1YT4wnnLq0Fr6MQipeaMp1OLRBGilJXG1sqUCbQCmRfS4l6F1_U39lnPDcZU9nYACSrF5ATwfusPMhcZXqMSKYyp-ebfZInKMs/s400/DSC00163.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div>The "Petra" Church, from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Cluj</span>, encouraged us to live victorious in The Body of Christ and pray for this nation day and night. <br /></div><div></div><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 326px; display: block; height: 221px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351628416900296402" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqsDVKmMQFv0t5e-K23UySP5ZuxnlyfWfNzUGlDg5DkhNAcIJJwQIrpxLk_lVN2hNZ9mWbmryraKWm57czzZeY26FveTxNWSavXBxkUTSJbvvknVH7OgYt_5TvulTqG_C0qjA8AY5xMxE/s400/DSC00164.JPG" border="0" /> Dirk <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Weits</span>, a Belgian missionary that serves The Lord in Deva, Romania, shared how he feels that we should focus more on the things that unite us rather than those that separate us. We should stay in the Word of God and trust The Holy Spirit to reveal that Word to us.<br /><p><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 321px; display: block; height: 262px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351633868240761634" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeiFCny5OhgmZAu-WJi4b45v_XM_LoEqswMWlkFKp-O-Qq6z8wfHz1bgYEgAVE957Luyu5nDFP9IlIv5Xa_mDB30e4Gk_ForecbOB4_LaADTZkrn3qbPxG5gSxLNld3bJzch_zAE84el8/s400/DSC00165.JPG" border="0" /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Elmar</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Drossler</span>, German missionary, spoke about the way he feels that Churches should be a standard of morality in the world. He also shared the way he feels that God has called him to build bridges between the different ministries. <br /></p><p><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 316px; display: block; height: 234px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351635786662464674" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeTN7GZ2HfJ0Zi0_tmoxS0DXTAya8E0CwRapO4GG5wRmPyB_8byH0Wy16DUN0g9P0AR8PEOBIxbNar-Je9F_zKN-Ug3fABNS5dGBltb4eeetdhpIc1ELUQCvDNPRBCf0omG0Kianczeog/s400/DSC00169.JPG" border="0" />Pastor <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Helmuth</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Schuller</span>, from "Emanuel" Church in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Turda</span>, shared with us what he felt God spoke to him through all the other speakers and encouraged us to walk in the things we have hared. <br /></p><p><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 297px; display: block; height: 215px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351637181844487106" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTZVEZXybGULPVjiFkyxJ4ElwrmpdncFWFVTFn5j5v-gW7MAWuPoJ9lmLgO4FJm2KQQTqTLY-PHf-cwgwQFXYDBSg9r3jY0hlzGGDNlNFvPgy28F9qWiYXsgIeg2CyX2LVMzwau27el78/s400/DSC00171.JPG" border="0" /><br />Finally, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Ionel</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Sauciuc</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">coordinator</span> of a network of Independent Churches, in our area, talked about the way Christians are like soldiers and if they want to please their commanding officer, they don't get involved with civilian affairs. We should stay pure in an impure world and represent God especially through Unity.<br /></p><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 335px; display: block; height: 238px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351639394677596034" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7jatQyqOexv7SD_qG6NaCP8Lx7VpMtL3MLs4zrFVPlubd3iuuI_WyJA7FohovhojEtB1sKiGIEhSb8-GUVy2spD04dqkhuG39RCHyPGCtGP2j7cQkroJDgpu8PhfetSerm1oj7e13tGk/s400/DSC00173.JPG" border="0" />We have been encouraged and built up, ready to move forward, to rejoice in the things that unite us and show love when it comes to the things that separate us.CTC Romania - Way of Faith Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16875006833062390781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886252472172103048.post-6845885608068415482009-06-18T02:56:00.000-07:002009-06-18T03:49:53.609-07:00The key to success<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7zzDeDlR_HgbyIAgk2nalgnFEhmFvDPW_rWv5ClS-thLje2jfJgDG3B0AtzCmF_2xJ9eo_CWfk6RZpmM-cUhqyGeJPVe8ToYmPIEWeeaW8xo0z2bQOwHivFOz82GR4E_2gWxUFtWt1Ww/s1600-h/victory.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7zzDeDlR_HgbyIAgk2nalgnFEhmFvDPW_rWv5ClS-thLje2jfJgDG3B0AtzCmF_2xJ9eo_CWfk6RZpmM-cUhqyGeJPVe8ToYmPIEWeeaW8xo0z2bQOwHivFOz82GR4E_2gWxUFtWt1Ww/s400/victory.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348604174548447362" border="0" /></a>Today we are overwhelmed by all kinds of recipes for success and books about success and how to have success. All these, talk about men and women that are successful in the eyes of people. This kind of success is measured in numbers, in how much money you got, the car you drive or the house you own, the studies and the job you have, or how well known you are to people. Is that the standard according to which a Christian's success should be measured? Or better yet, can you really measure your success here on earth? If this life is all you're living for, then yes, but if you live your life for eternity, then no. Your success will be truly known only when you will be facing your Creator.<br />The people that don't have a personal relationship with Jesus, they are looking for success in the things that will not last, and likely they will find it, but that's all that their life will be, a chase after things that can't really fulfill you.<br />We have the recipe that works for a life of fulfillment. Jesus said 'So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.' Matthew 6:31-34<br />Jesus is showing us the right motivation for this life. He is telling us what we should be focusing on. If what we're looking for is to be fulfilled in Christ and have peace with God, then our search should be around one thing alone, which is the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. If my main concern is to know the will of God for my life and where He wants me to be, then all things will work together for my good and He will take care of my every need. All decisions you take should be based on what God wants from you. First of all you have to be committed to a local church, to feel connected to that body and be under a spiritual authority. Then, together with your pastor you should try and find God's call for your life. You must see the gifts that were given to you and you must learn how to use them to bless others. Your entire life must circle around this call. When you are faced with a choice, the first thing you must ask yourself is if the plans you are about to make are according to His word and your call. If you do that then you will be a balanced person, you will not be leaded by your emotions nor your circumstances, but all the decisions you'll take will be blessed by God. More so, you will see God's favor in your life, and His blessing both spiritual and material. You will have peace in your heart and God will lead your every step. My advice to you is seek His face first.<br />If you're not married yet and maybe you long to have a family, focus on being fulfilled in Christ first. If you are already marred and you want a good future for you and your family, seek to understand what God wants from you first. If you have a specific need (a healing, or financial blessing) don't focus all your attention on the problem or on the need you have, seek His face . Your answer might come from the last place you can imagine, but it won't matter because God will help you due to the fact that you are in His will and you seek His kingdom first. Why should you waste precious time focusing on your need, when you can be used by Him?<br />When I was 21, I chose to put my life in His hands, and i made a deal with God. I told Him 'God I will do you will and seek your face and kingdom first, but you have to take care of me and my family.' It's bee 8 years since then, and God has been more than faithful. I want to continue to live my life according to this principle. Jesus said 'Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.' Matthew 11:28-30<br />Jesus is making a deal with us. He wants us to trade your burden and worries for his peace and rest. All that a man is looking fr in this life is to be happy and fulfilled. But looking for this you end up chasing ghosts our entire life and getting utterly tired of everything. If you will seek His Kingdom first, you will find rest for your soul. Live according to this, and want to be pleasing to God more than you want to be pleasing to people. Success in the eyes of people doesn't compare with success in the eyes of God.<br /><div style="text-align: right;">Servant of Jesus<br />Pastor Călugăr Rareş<br /></div>CTC Romania - Way of Faith Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16875006833062390781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886252472172103048.post-55507897666277445982009-06-02T03:36:00.001-07:002009-06-02T07:30:39.142-07:00Live according to the call God has for your life<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQgcso4lbVSENIChPX7gbktnMy3GbdBfkq1JJDubmobnXiB_0bqChTdo9dPVv9w4Jal0q6Mp1fpuFgAgT3v0MDpUJyeKzWkGRmgMc7Je7H1BBMXl8Arw178GtcizAsXT3WwY4zhpeV0m9q/s1600-h/journeyspirit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQgcso4lbVSENIChPX7gbktnMy3GbdBfkq1JJDubmobnXiB_0bqChTdo9dPVv9w4Jal0q6Mp1fpuFgAgT3v0MDpUJyeKzWkGRmgMc7Je7H1BBMXl8Arw178GtcizAsXT3WwY4zhpeV0m9q/s320/journeyspirit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342737535025033122" border="0" /></a><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:applybreakingrules/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:usefelayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;} @page Section1 {size:595.3pt 841.9pt; margin:70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--><b><span style="" lang="IT">Do we live according to the call God has for us through Jesus Christ?</span></b><span style="" lang="IT">
<br /></span><p class="MsoNormal">Paul was praying for the Ephesians<span style="font-style: italic;" lang="IT"> :</span><b style="font-style: italic;"><span style="" lang="IT"> '</span></b><span style="font-style: italic;">I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength.' </span>- Ephesians 1:17-19 <b><span style="" lang="IT"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="IT"><span style=""> </span></span>What is our attitude towards the things we have to go through every day, or the different circumstances that we face? Do we have a living hope in a living God? Or are we just barelly surviving without any hope?
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">You and I are not alone in this battle. We have a Spirit of wisdom and we have a divine revelation of what every trial and every situation means and does in our life. We are not lead by fear, nor hopelessness, nor bad news, because we know The Light and we tasted God and saw that He's good, so we know that God's strength itself works within us. That is the reason why I want to encourage you to see yourself through the eyes of God and live according to the call you have, meaning to live a holy life. Why should you be satisfied with the scraps that fall off the table of those that live by the Spirit? Why should you just be a spectator to other people's Christianity? Why would you be happy to sit aside and live by your emotions and just listen to nice stories of people that have great experiences with The Lord, when God Himself calls you to all the riches of his grace that you inherited through Jesus?
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">1 Peter 2:9</p><span style="font-style: italic;">But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
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<br /></span><p class="MsoNormal">God chose you, paid a price for your life, took you out of the darkness, and He did all that for the sole purpose of enabling you to declare His praises, and the power of His Kingdom. But in order to get there, you must start living with great expectations. Be confident in that which He placed within you through the Holy Spirit, and choose to live as a conqueror not a victim of your circumstances. <b> <o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>2 Peter 1:1-12</b>
<br /><i style=""></i></p><span style="font-style: italic;">Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have.'</span>
<br />
<br /> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><span style="">You have received a faith of untold value and you too have all of God's tools, and that's why you too can live a life filled with spiritual riches, at the level that God has called you to live through the Holy Spirit. God did His part. So now, if we realize the great price He paid for our lives, and the wonderful things He prepared for us through Jesus, then we will do our best to do all those things that Peter points out.
<br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><span style="">Paul, is telling the Ephesians to stop living like pegans do and '</span></span><span style="font-style: italic;">with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.</span>' - Ephesians 4:22-24 <span style=""></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">That's where God wants us to be. In the place where our minds can be made new and have within itself the mind of Christ. Then we will not be lazy nor lacking fruits. Today I want to dare you to raise up to the level God wants you to live. Not in a mediocre kind of life, not being a Sunday morning Christian, not living someone else's convictions, but having a true relationship with a Holy and Faithful God. <span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="">„</i>For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.<i style="">“ </i>(2 Corinthians 10:3-5)</p> <p style="text-align: right;" class="MsoNormal">Servant of Jesus
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<br /></p><div style="text-align: right;">Pastor Rares Calugar </div>CTC Romania - Way of Faith Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16875006833062390781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886252472172103048.post-44409119305825240612009-05-26T00:59:00.000-07:002009-05-26T01:04:00.813-07:00<a class="profile-link" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/13734632621171961523"></a><span class="widget-item-control"><span class="item-control blog-admin"><a class="quickedit" href="http://www.blogger.com/rearrange?blogID=4965831698390521989&widgetType=Profile&widgetId=Profile2&action=editWidget" onclick="'return" target="configProfile2" title="Editaţi"></a></span></span> Friday, the 22nd of May, came in to the world a really beautiful baby boy, named Lucas Eliot Calugăr, the son of Rares and Nicoleta Calugăr, our Pastors.<br />May he grow in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><embed src="http://widget-3b.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="l" wmode="transparent" flashvars="cy=bb&il=1&channel=3098476543649643835&site=widget-3b.slide.com" style="width: 400px; height: 375px;" name="flashticker" align="middle"></embed><div style="width: 400px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=3098476543649643835&map=1" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-3b.slide.com/p1/3098476543649643835/bb_t000_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide1.gif" ismap="ismap" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=3098476543649643835&map=2" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-3b.slide.com/p2/3098476543649643835/bb_t000_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide2.gif" ismap="ismap" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=3098476543649643835&map=F" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-3b.slide.com/p4/3098476543649643835/bb_t000_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide42.gif" ismap="ismap" border="0" /></a></div></div>CTC Romania - Way of Faith Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16875006833062390781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886252472172103048.post-79298226746283530962009-05-12T05:09:00.000-07:002009-05-12T11:35:29.698-07:00Authentic Christianity<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOpzynh16A6rbkwMlXhlKu-UNMqzo3VOlbIc67IMREh-3ipZwY3ZUcq6kIxfp6sOKuDDgEX2YO2Cw0hdS9YduYvlopo70rqqEC3vgNukPlh5pxWb80jXpki46xNyFujDnZT_jJRc0plaY/s1600-h/d0008146_2225694.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 266px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334908061034744562" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOpzynh16A6rbkwMlXhlKu-UNMqzo3VOlbIc67IMREh-3ipZwY3ZUcq6kIxfp6sOKuDDgEX2YO2Cw0hdS9YduYvlopo70rqqEC3vgNukPlh5pxWb80jXpki46xNyFujDnZT_jJRc0plaY/s400/d0008146_2225694.jpg" /></a>The word authentic, means = <span class="sense_label start"></span><span class="sense_content"><strong></strong>worthy of acceptance or belief as conforming to or based on fact, <span class="vi"><em></em></span></span><span class="sense_label"></span><span class="sense_content"><strong></strong>conforming to an original so as to reproduce essential features, <span class="vi"><em></em></span></span><span class="sense_label"></span><span class="sense_content"><strong></strong>made or done the same way as an original, <span class="vi"></span></span><span class="sense_content">not false or imitation<span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">, </span>real, actual, genuine<span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">,</span></span> being actually and exactly what is claimed, <a class="lookup" href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/authentic">authentic</a> implies being fully trustworthy as according with fact, <span class="vi"></span>it can also stress painstaking or faithful imitation of an original.<br />Is your Christianity according to Biblical truth? Do you live something real, something that comes from your every day experience with God? Or is your Christianity something dictated by others, something unnatural, false, a Christianity that lacks essence?<br />When David wanted to fight Goliath, Saul dressed him up with his heavy armor and his sword, but David couldn't move with those on. The same thing happens when others try to teach you "their way of fighting' and try to 'dress us up' with new rules and tactics, that for sure work in their case, but is useless in our case and to our relatioship with God. David had a good and strong relatoship with God, a relationship built in intimacy, siplicity, and he was aware of what God can do for him, that's why he didn't need Saul's war strategy nor the tools that Saul used and were helpful to him.<br />A good example for my point, are vegetables. There are vegetables that are grown in a very natural way, without adding anything to them, but most vegetables are grown with all kinds of chemical compounds that makes them look incredible. The ones that are 'forced' to grow look really good on the outside, but have no taste. It's the same with many Christians today.<br />We look good on the outside, we show what people want to see, and that's all we care about, but sadly we have no taste. Jesus was telling his disciples:<br />"Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men." Matthew 5:13<br />What do we look like on the inside? What do we taste like? Are we just "good looking" Christians that have a certain charisma? Are we the kind of Christians that try to sell a 'a good product' which is Jesus?<br />What is the fragrance we spread around us? Is it the holy perfume of Christ, or is it a man made perfume?<br />The 21st Century Church has created it's own perfume, it's own look, a good image, but sadly, lacking any real taste.<br />What kind of vegetable or fruit would you prefer? One that looks good but has no taste, or one that doesn't look that great but has a great taste? I prefer the second choice. But those kind of fruits and vegetable can't really be found in our supermarkets, much like you can't find real Christians in our Super Churches. Due to our desire to look 'spiritual' (of course to look spiritual in the Church, because we don't want to seem fanatics to the people in the world) we jump major steps in our Christianity. Our every day life doesn't reflect the image of Christ. If you would be named the ambassador of Romania in America, you wouldn't behave in a sloppy manner, now would you? I don't think so. You know why? Because you would have a boss that would fire you for misrepresenting an entire nation. It's sad that we, as ambassadors of God's kingdom on earth, don't really care about the impression we give to the people in the world, and even worse, we don't fear (respect) our 'boss'. I am tired of empty words made up to seem spiritual, words that are not followed by action and a fake living compared to what you pretend you are when you go to Church. If I wouldn't be a Christian, I wouldn't want this kind of Christianity. The essence of Christianity is proved in our every day living.<br />When Jesus talks about the salt of the earth, he addresses a question that we should ask ourselves as well. If the salt will lose it's taste, how will it ever recover that attribute? How can we get recover our flavor and the strength to be salt again for those around us? We find a little bit of the answer in John 15. If we remain in Him and if His words remain in us, we will bring forth fruit, because apart from Him we can do nothing. He is the vine, we are the branches. Our life comes from being in the vine. It's from Him that we get our taste. You don't have o try to hard, it's not something you force to happen, it's a natural flow that comes from the surse, which is Jesus, and it flows towards the others. I want to dare you to discover the simplicity of the authentic Christianity, just the way the first Christians lived it in Antioch, a plesant perfume that spreaded from Christ to others, and it's the same perfume that got you as well.<br />'<span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Whose adorning let it not be that outward [adorning] of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But [let it be] the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, [even the ornament] of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.</span>' 1 Peter 3:3-4<br />Treasure the intimacy you have with Christ, be transformed by Him, and don't jump over major steps that are crucial in knowing Him. Christianity is not a race, it's a marathon.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: right">Servant of Jesus<br />Pastor Rareș Călugăr </div>CTC Romania - Way of Faith Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16875006833062390781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886252472172103048.post-66732459311061752622009-05-05T06:51:00.000-07:002009-05-05T22:12:16.218-07:00Payer for the ChurchSome time ago, God spoke to our Pastor, about having a time of fasting, all throughout the month of May, starting Friday evening and ending Saturday evening.<br />We've been challenged to seek God's face and pick an hour, during this time, when to pray for our Church. Everyone of us chose to give up on something they love doing and that would be the thing they're fasting from. For instance, some chose to fast from food, others by not watching TV, others computer, others thoughts, and so on.<br />Last week was the first time we did this as a Church, and we all felt the benefits, not only during the sermon, but during the praise and worship, during prayer and not least in our relationships with one another.<br />Here are some of the things we bring before the Lord:<br /><br />- To see born again Orthodox Christians in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Cluj</span> and in Romania<br /><br />- For our loved ones that we want to see saved<br /><br />- For disciples, not multitudes that are just amazed by miracles. For people that we can invest in, like Paul did with Timothy.<br /><br />- At least one baptism in our Church this year<br /><br />- Healthy relationships and unity between the people that come to the Church<br /><br />- Emotional healing and spiritual restoration<br /><br />- Church services that honor Jesus and allow the Holy Spirit to be present<br /><br />- For every message that we hear each Sunday, to be inspired by the Holy Spirit that would bring lasting fruit in the lives of those that listen to it<br /><br />- For spiritual growth and maturity in our relationship with God<br /><br />We know that we ask these things for God's glory and not for our own vanity, we come before Him not in our own merits but in The mighty Name of Jesus and so we have every right to believe that the things we are asking for will be given to us.<br /><br />Amen.<br /><br />For those of you that decided to pray for the Church, here's a schedule for 8Th/9Th of May. Try to also bring before the Lord the person that is after you and try to encourage him/her by sending a text message or an e-mail, or however God is leading you.<br />May God bless you all and strengthen your faith.<br /><br />Philippians 4:6<br />Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM4uHeacoFaDCmvT6SeBFBLLJcc3LaLwJlJl9i07f8WfHVv0-HbCVr0MWNubIz9_Fyn69f_6cWPojlbTDM_EAlXUUOF7AC4_yRs4Z2c6tOq7dgER5ynvgp7bcpPZEfOXkgLKMPp2T2OA8q/s1600-h/Project.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 256px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332356094189360882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM4uHeacoFaDCmvT6SeBFBLLJcc3LaLwJlJl9i07f8WfHVv0-HbCVr0MWNubIz9_Fyn69f_6cWPojlbTDM_EAlXUUOF7AC4_yRs4Z2c6tOq7dgER5ynvgp7bcpPZEfOXkgLKMPp2T2OA8q/s320/Project.jpg" /></a>CTC Romania - Way of Faith Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16875006833062390781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886252472172103048.post-25452329411344917072009-04-23T02:00:00.000-07:002009-04-23T02:04:23.648-07:00Passover in Romania<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5Ccristina%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:applybreakingrules/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:usefelayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:SimSun; panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1; mso-font-alt:宋体; mso-font-charset:134; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 680460288 22 0 262145 0;} @font-face {font-family:"\@SimSun"; panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1; mso-font-charset:134; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 680460288 22 0 262145 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="RO">We hope that you all had a meaningful and blessed Passover. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="RO">We had a really special week. Wednesday, </span>15<sup>Th</sup> of April, we went to Micesti, where we invited people to a special Passover service. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Friday evening we organized a different program, where we had The Lord’s Supper, had a great fellowship with one another and with our Lord.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Sunday morning, we had a service in the honor of our Saviour’s Resurrection and we were truly blessed by a message from our Pastor, Rares Calugar. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Monday morning, we had a special service in Micesti, and to our surprise, many Orthodox Christians came. We heard a message from a good friend of our Church, Elmar Drössler. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">We hope that what God did in us and through us in this time, will bring lasting fruit, that will be praising to Him.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Be blessed <o:p></o:p></p>
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<br /><div><embed src="http://widget-f3.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="l" wmode="transparent" flashvars="cy=bb&il=1&channel=3098476543646871539&site=widget-f3.slide.com" style="width: 400px; height: 320px;" name="flashticker" align="middle"></embed><div style="width: 400px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=3098476543646871539&map=1" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-f3.slide.com/p1/3098476543646871539/bb_t016_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide1.gif" ismap="ismap" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=3098476543646871539&map=2" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-f3.slide.com/p2/3098476543646871539/bb_t016_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide2.gif" ismap="ismap" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=3098476543646871539&map=F" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-f3.slide.com/p4/3098476543646871539/bb_t016_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide42.gif" ismap="ismap" border="0" /></a></div></div>CTC Romania - Way of Faith Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16875006833062390781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886252472172103048.post-68202437090931888982009-04-10T03:06:00.000-07:002009-04-10T04:30:29.470-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlKWUVKu1FWgp5uscdK9d9jFiOqZ0DE1oP_yAhKp4FOskc0pGEnJv4Lce-1vIvV685UNF2pI3OSFuN7KB6_bxr9usn8wmmpKUuBp_P0rJm9a0hikmT_Wee74mJHglQJn4vk5DcHE8m4Rg/s1600-h/2754900-md.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 305px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlKWUVKu1FWgp5uscdK9d9jFiOqZ0DE1oP_yAhKp4FOskc0pGEnJv4Lce-1vIvV685UNF2pI3OSFuN7KB6_bxr9usn8wmmpKUuBp_P0rJm9a0hikmT_Wee74mJHglQJn4vk5DcHE8m4Rg/s400/2754900-md.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323001851332894770" border="0" /></a><br />Luke 19: 29 – 46 - The triumphal entry of Jesus in Jerusalem<br /><br />The Greek Orthodox Christians, are celebrating this Sunday, the "Palm tree Sunday', meaning Jesus entering Jerusalem one week before the Resurrection.<br />The sad part is, that we stop at these events and and we don't really talk about what happened after Jesus entered Jerusalem.<br />His concern was that Jerusalem lost the things that gave peace to it, and made God's worship place, meaning the Temple, a den of robbers. God showed me in this passage some things that deal with the Church today, the attitude that people have when coming to Church and the fact that we turned our gatherings in to a sort of a club that is really good with offering services to it's attendants. Let us go back to the times of Moses, and see the purpose and the significance of the Tabernacle, for the people of Israel. It use to be a holy place and God was present there. People were aware of the fact that they couldn't just approach God without preparing first, both the outside and the inside. They knew they were approaching a Holy God. If we move a bit further and take a look at Solomon's Temple, the first thing that should come to our mind is that the construction of the Temple, wasn't God's idea, but David's. <br />„Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, "Why have you not built me a house of cedar?"<br /> (2 Samuel 7:7). While David lived in a palace, he saw all the riches he was enjoying and thought it's not fair for the Holy Ark (Which was the presence of God) to be in a tent. And David said "I will build Him a Temple".<br />God desired for His presence to be among His people. He wanted a tent because it was movable, and wherever the children of Israel went they could take it with them. That means they were able to have God's presence with them at all times. Putting together the Tabernacle took less than a year, while the building of the first Temple took 7 years (1 Kings 6:38) and the second Temple took 46 years to be built (John 2:20).<br />Can you see how people complicated things out of their desire to do something for God? Getting back to present time, what is the Church today? Better yet, what was the will of Jesus for His Bride? Jesus said that wherever 2 or 3 are gathered in His Name, He is with them. We turned the Church, that was meant to be a living organism (First Christians) in to a living organization. If on the time of Moses there was a tabernacle, since Solomon and up to Jesus time, there was a Temple. After Jesus went to heaven, He left a Church that was meant to be a living body, but what we have today is a "Church Club". We have activities on top of more activities, we have businesses, fashion, amazing buildings, comfort, great music, the best instruments, and much, much more. The Church has an offer for anyone and to please everyone. We try our best to entertain people, to have the best possible Church service, and we can't even see that God doesn't have any room left, due to the fact that we have increased and He has decreased in our meetings.<br />Going back to the passage in Luke 19, verse 37, we can see the crowds cheering up for Jesus. That's exactly what the Church does today with our "Praise and Worship' program, because whoever has the best and latest music wins.<br />Through praise, we say we open the gates of heaven and we prepare a way for God to come during the worship time. A sort of a spiritual battle. But we ended up covering through our praise the things that must be changed in our lives. We say we have Jesus and therefore we have a free entrance to the Father. It is true, Jesus is the Intercessor but there is also an unchanged fact: we still serve a Holy God. Moses was the Intercessor between Israel and God, but when Gd wanted to meet with them at the Sinai mountain, He asked them to prepare themselves so that they may stay in His presence. We go to Church, which is the meeting place with God, as if we would go to a fancy club, we don't eve think that we are about to meet The God of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Avram</span>, Isac and Jacob. In verse 41, it's written that Jesus wept for the city. Why? Because they knew no longer the things that were meant to bring them peace and failed to know the time of their visitation. I believe the Church s in the same situation today. They are looking for their peace in other places and in other things and when Jesus comes to visit our Churches, we are too busy with our own agenda and we don't allow Him to touch us and change us. <br />„Then he entered the temple area and began driving out those who were selling. It is written," he said to them, " 'My house will be a house of prayer' ; but you have made it 'a den of robbers.' (Luke 19:45-46)<br />Today the Church of Christ has turned in to a den. A place that is so cold and so dark and so unwelcoming for those that are outsiders, it's a place for businesses, it's a place where you can make deals with your brothers. A Christian club that doesn't have any room for the people in the world, and on the surface is something so great and something that pleases one's eyes, but that's all, it;s just pleasing to men. „And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: " 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations' ? But you have made it 'a den of robbers.' (Mark 11:17) Our house of prayer has become private property and it's no longer a place where anyone can come and worship together with us. I am a Pastor and I just realized that the Church I pastor, is heading towards an earthly image and on it's way to become a club. I don't wish to take over an idea of some man of what the Church should be and what program it should have. I love "Praise and worship"and I know it's a Scriptural thing, but it's not a standard that i want to copy and by that standard to judge the success of the Church and if God's presence is there or not. The way things are in Church today is no longer something heavenly but very earthly.<br />Maybe some of you are expecting me to give an example of what a Church should do, but I don't believe that there is just one way of doing things, we do need diversity, but I also believe that if i set my heart on understanding God's idea of what His body should be like, a body that will praise Him, then I am on the right track. I want to challenge you to pray for your Church to become a house of prayer for all nations and most of all, a place where Jesus is honored.<br /><br />God's servant<br />Pastor Rares <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Calugar</span>CTC Romania - Way of Faith Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16875006833062390781noreply@blogger.com0