Sunday we had a concert premiere by a Christian Band called Acces (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 RĂSPUNS (answer).
Those of us that hared it truly believe that God can use these songs to restore the hearts of many young people that struggle.
As a Church, we were really honored to have among us God from within them.
May God bless them and use them to build up The Body of Christ.

Source of Life

(Isaiah 53:11) „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. “

(Romans 5:2) „By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

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 is, then we are promised water even in the desert places. „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.“ (Isaiah 58:11)

David was praying in Psalm 63: „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.“ 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?

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.

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.

I hear Christians complaining about being in a spiritual desert and they can't seem to find their way out. Jesus said 'He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit.' So my way out of the desert is in Him as well, because He promised that He will be with us through His Spirit. '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. (Psalms 92:12-15)

In John 4, Jesus speaks to the Samaritan woman about the source of life, let's see what we can learn from these verses:

- You must know the One that is able to give you the Water of Life and you must ask for it yourself „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.' (John 4:10)

– Many times unbelief brings in our lives drought, uncertainty, feeling panic and not trusting the very source that gives us the water. '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?' (John 4:11)

– 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. „Art thou greater than our father Jacob,....” (John 4:12)

– 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. 'Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again' (John4:13)

– If you drink from Him, you will never thirst again and even those around you will benefit from this water. '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.' (John 4:14)

- 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. 'The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw' (John 4:15)

Jeremiah 15:18-19 says ' 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.'

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?

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.

Servant of Jesus

Pastor Călugăr Rareş

UNITY AND TEAM WORK Seminary

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 Cluj, Deva, Turda and Germany.

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.

Pastor Rareş Călugăr, 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 Sidonians 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.

The "Petra" Church, from Cluj, encouraged us to live victorious in The Body of Christ and pray for this nation day and night.

Dirk Weits, 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.

Elmar Drossler, 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.

Pastor Helmuth Schuller, from "Emanuel" Church in Turda, 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.

Finally, Ionel Sauciuc, coordinator 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.

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.

The key to success

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.
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.
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
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.
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?
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
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.

Servant of Jesus
Pastor Călugăr Rareş