Caria principala a linistii este poate nesiguranta …

cel putin eu asa le percep .. in antiteza .. linistea vs nesiguranta …

Sentimentul care imi alunga cel mai adesea linistea este nesiguranta .. nesiguranta rezultatelor, a zilei de maine, a consecintelor … nesiguranta de a face anumite lucruri, de a merge in anumite locuri … frica ca mi se poate intampla ceva … uit uneori ca toate lucrurile sunt sub puterea lui Dumnezeu ..

Ce e drept nu ma confrunt cu sentimentul asta foarte des .. dar cand ma confrunt cu el parca ma acapareaza cu totul … imi acapareaza gandurile, imi limiteaza actiunile, imi afecteaza relatiile ..

Dar bunul Dumnezeu a facut o promisiune celor ce aleg sa se increada il El .. El a promis ca va fi alaturi de noi in orice imprejurare, ca se va ingriji de noi, ne va pazi, ne va intari , ca toate lucrurile sunt in puterea Lui …asa ca eu aleg sa ma incred in Cel care a creat cerurile si pamantul , aleg sa ma incred in Cel ce m-a creat pe mine .. aleg sa ma incred in Cel pentru care nimic nu e prea greu … tu ce alegi?

Se spune ca o problema nu vine niciodata singura .. poate asa este .. poate nu, insa sigur sunt momente in care vin deodata mai multe greutati decat credem ca putem face fata … ne loveste o boala, apar decizii importante, .. sau chiar mici chestii care ne intuneca seninatatea si incepem sa ne ingrijoram .. si incepem sa ne indoim de dragostea lui Dumnezeu … incepem sa credem ca El ne-a uitat ..

Dar asta nu se va intampla niciodata …caci El ne-a facut o promisiune!

Iisus : “iata ca Eu sunt cu voi in toate zilele, pana la sfarsitul veacului. Amin.” [Matei 28:20]

Daca sunt sigura de un lucru pe acest pamant .. atunci este acela ca Domnul nostru este mereu acelasi si ca promisiunile Lui sunt intotdeauna adevarate!

Omul fericit nu este acela care nu are necazuri .. ci este acela care stie ca are un viitor si o nadejde in bunul Dumnezeu, este acela care stie ca este protejat de Cel atotputernic .. este acela care nu se sperie de necazuri .. caci stie ca acestea sunt cele care ii schimba inima …

“Caci Eu stiu gandurile, pe care le am cu privire la voi, zice Domnul, ganduri de pace si nu de nenorocire, ca sa va dau un viitor si o nadejde.” [Ieremia 29:11]

Scopul necazurilor, problemelor, tragediilor nu este sa ne chinuie .. ci sa ne faca sa realizam ca nu suntem atat de puternici pe cat ne credem , sa ne faca sa realizam ca avem nevoie de puterea lui Dumnezeu pentru a trece peste momentele grele , sa ne ajute sa ne apropiem de Dumnezeu …

Cei ce si-au pus viata in mainile Domnului nu sunt feriti de necazuri, nu sunt mai privilegiati din acest punct de vedere .. dar acestia stiu ca dincolo de orice lucru este bunul Iisus care este mereu alaturi de ei, este bunul Iisus care le umple inima de liniste si incredere, este bunul Iisus care iubeste neconditionat !

Chiar daca cadem, chiar daca gresim … stim ca in bratele Domnului intotdeauna gasim iertare , mangaiere, dragoste, sprijin, echilibru, ratiune, bucurie ! ..

Nu-mi doresc sa nu-mi julesc genunchii … prefer sa explorez , sa lupt si sa iubesc, sa invat ce inseamna sa traiesc intradevar viata alaturi de Domnul meu! .. vreau sa ma implic in viata 100% … Domnul Iisus mi-a dat viata , si nu mi-a dat-o ca sa o irosesc, ci sa o traiesc din plin!! .. sa iubesc din plin, sa iert in totalitate, sa gust bucuriile, sa visez , sa infrunt problemele!…

Crestinismul adevarat nu este o religie .. ci este o realitate transformatoare!.. si daca nu-ti schimba viata .. inseamna ca nu ai parte intradevar de ea .. inseamna ca nu cunosti intradevar cine este Iisus si care este puterea Lui !

Vreau sa fac totul alaturi de El, vreau sa ma incred in El, sa indraznesc stiind ca El este cu mine!

Prefer genunchii juliti ! Dumnezeu nu mi-a promis o viata fara necazuri .. dar mi-a promis ca atunci cand ma impiedic este acolo sa ma ia de mana! El este ocrotitorul meu ! Inima mea se increde in El!

Si aceasta promisiune este valabila pentru toti cei ce isi lasa viata condusa de Iisus! El are puterea sa ne ierte caci a murit pentru pacatele noastre, El are puterea sa ne schimbe caci El ne-a creat, El are puterea ne ocroteasca mereu caci El este cel care a creat totul!

“4 Domnul sa-ti fie desfatarea, si El iti va da tot ce-ti doreste inima.

5 Incredinteaza-ti soarta in mana Domnului, increde-te in El, si El va lucra,

6 El va face sa straluceasca dreptatea ta ca lumina, si dreptul tau ca soarele la amiaza.

7 Taci inaintea Domnului, si nadajduieste in El.

23 Domnul intareste pasii omului, cand Ii place calea lui;

24 daca se intampla sa cada, nu este doborat de tot, caci Domnul il apuca de mana.

39 Scaparea celor neprihaniti vine de la Domnul; El este ocrotitorul lor la vremea necazului. “

[Versete din Biblie - Psalmul 37]

In cele ce urmeaza este prezentat un psalm scris de David, imparatul lui Israel,aflat intr-o stuatie limita.

Dar intai, intamplarea din spatele Psalmului.
In timp ce inca domnea Saul peste Israel, David a omorat pe uriasul Goliat(cred ca stiti cu totii intamplarea cu David si Goliat din Biblie - 1 Samuel 17:12-58).
Dupa aceasta,David a ajuns in fruntea oamenilor de razboi, si oriunde era trimis, izbutea!
In acest fel a ajuns in atentia tuturor, iar cantaretii si poporul au inceput sa-l laude astfel: “Saul a batut miile lui, iar David zecile lui de mii.”
Inima lui Saul s-a umplut de invidie si ura, asa ca a hotarat sa-l omoare pe David.

Dupa ce a incercat mai multe metode de a-l omori, David a hotarat sa fuga in Gat, de unde provenea uriasul Goliat pe care il omorase. Va imaginati in ce situatie disperata era daca a hotarat sa fuga la dusmani.

Neincrezandu-se in Dumnezeu, David s-a hotarat sa faca pe nebunul cand a ajuns in fata imparatului Gatului, Abimelec. Asadar Abimelec l-a izgonit, David fugind in pustiu intr-o pestera.

Acest psalm este scris de David cand a facut pe nebunul in fata lui Abimelec si a plecat izgonit de el.
Este minunat sa vezi cum un om, intr-o situatie atat de disperata, se uita la Dumnezeu si este umplut de incredere si bucurie!

1 Voi binecuvanta pe Domnul in orice vreme; lauda Lui va fi totdeauna in gura mea.
2 Sa mi se laude sufletul in Domnul! Sa asculte cei nenorociti si sa se bucure.
3 Inaltati pe Domnul, impreuna cu mine. Sa laudam cu totii Numele Lui! -
4 Eu am cautat pe Domnul, si mi-a raspuns: m-a izbavit din toate temerile mele.
5 Cand iti intorci privirile spre El, te luminezi de bucurie, si nu ti se umple fata de rusine.
6 Cand striga un nenorocit, Domnul aude, si-l scapa din toate necazurile lui.
7 Ingerul Domnului tabaraste in jurul celor ce se tem de El, si-i scapa din primejdie.
8 Gustati si vedeti ce bun este Domnul! Ferice de omul care se increde in El!

9 Temeti-va de Domnul, voi, sfintii Lui, caci de nimic nu duc lipsa cei ce se tem de El!
10 Puii de leu duc lipsa, si li-i foame, dar cei ce cauta pe Domnul nu duc lipsa de nici un bine.
11 Veniti, fiilor, si ascultati-ma, caci va voi invata frica Domnului.
12 Cine este omul, care doreste viata, si vrea sa aiba parte de zile fericite?
13 Fereste-ti limba de rau, si buzele de cuvinte inselatoare!
14 Departeaza-te de rau, si fa binele; cauta pacea, si alearga dupa ea!
15 Ochii Domnului sunt peste cei fara prihana, si urechile Lui iau aminte la strigatele lor.
16 Domnul Isi intoarce Fata impotriva celor rai, ca sa le stearga pomenirea de pe pamant.
17 Cand striga cei fara prihana, Domnul aude, si-i scapa din toate necazurile lor.
18 Domnul este aproape de cei cu inima infranta, si mantuieste pe cei cu duhul zdrobit.
19 De multe ori vine nenorocirea peste cel fara prihana, dar Domnul il scapa totdeauna din ea.
20 Toate oasele i le pazeste, ca nici unul din ele sa nu i se sfarame.
21 Pe cel rau il omoara nenorocirea, dar vrajmasii celui fara prihana sunt pedepsiti.
22 Domnul scapa sufletul robilor Sai, si nici unul din cei ce se incred in El, nu este osandit.

[Versete din Biblie, Psalm 34]

When I arrived at 6 a.m. in the large hospital kitchen, Rose was already checking name tags on the trays against the patient roster. Stainless steel shelves held rows of breakfast trays which we would soon be serving.

“Hi, I’m Janet.” I tried to sound cheerful, although I already knew Rose’s reputation for being impossible to work with. “I’m scheduled to work with you this week.”

Rose, a middle-aged woman with graying hair, stopped what she was doing and peered over her reading glasses. I could tell from her expression she wasn’t pleased to see a student worker.

“What do you want me to do? Start the coffee?”

Rose sullenly nodded and went back to checking name tags.

I filled the 40-cup pot with cold water and began making the coffee when Rose gruffly snapped, “That’s not the way to make coffee.” She stepped in and took over.

“I was just doing it the way our supervisor showed us to do it,” I said in astonishment.

“The patients like the coffee better the way I do it,” she replied curtly.

Nothing I did pleased her. All morning her eagle eyes missed nothing and her sharp words stung. She literally trailed me around the kitchen.

Later, after breakfast had been served and the dishes had been washed, I set up my share of trays for the next meal. Then I busied myself cleaning the sink. Certainly Rose couldn’t criticize the way I did that.

When I turned around, there stood Rose, rearranging all of the trays I had just set up!

Totally exhausted, I trudged the six blocks home from the University of Minnesota Hospital late that June afternoon. As a third year university student working my way through school, I had never before encountered anyone like Rose.

Fighting back tears, I wrestled with my dilemma alone in my room. “Lord, what do you want me to do? I can’t take much more of Rose.”

I turned the possibilities over in my mind. Should I see if my supervisor would switch me to work with someone else? Scheduling was fairly flexible. On the other hand, I didn’t want to be a quitter. I knew my older co-workers were watching to see if my actions matched my words.

The answer to my prayer caught me completely by surprise — I needed to love Rose.

Love her? No way! Tolerate, yes, but loving her was impossible.

“Lord, I can’t love Rose. You’ll have to do it through me.”

Working with Rose the next morning, I ignored the barbs thrown in my direction and did things Rose’s way as much as possible to avoid friction. As I worked, I silently began to surround Rose with a warm blanket of prayers. “Lord, help me love Rose. Lord, bless Rose.”

Over the next few days an amazing thing began to happen. As I prayed for this irritating woman, my focus shifted from what she was doing to me, and I started seeing Rose as the hurting person she was. The icy tension began to melt away.

Throughout the rest of the summer, we had numerous opportunities to work together. Each time she seemed genuinely happy to see me. As I worked with this lonely woman, I listened to her–something no one else had done.

I learned that she was burdened by elderly parents who needed her care, her own health problems, and an alcoholic husband she was thinking of leaving.

The days slipped by quickly as I finished the last several weeks of my summer job. Leaves were starting to turn yellow and red, and there was a cool, crispness in the air. I soon would be returning as a full-time university student.

One day, while I was working alone in one of the hospital kitchens, Rose entered the room. Instead of her blue uniform, she was wearing street clothes.

I looked at her in surprise. “Aren’t you working today?”

“I got me another job and won’t be working here no more,” she said as she walked over and gave me a quick hug. “I just came to say good-bye.” Then she turned abruptly and walked out the door.

Although I never saw Rose again, I still remember her vividly. That summer I learned a lesson I’ve never forgotten. The world is full of people like Rose–irritating, demanding, unlovable - yet hurting inside. I’ve found that love is the best way to turn an enemy into a friend.

by Erma Bombeck

If I Had My Life To Live Over…….

I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the ‘good’ living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.

I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren’t there for the day.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn’t show soil or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy,I’d have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, “Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.”

There would have been more “I love you’s”.. more “I’m sorry’s”

But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute…look at it and really see it… live it…and never give it back.

Title:	True Vine: Meditations for a Month on John 15:1-16
Author:	Murray, Andrew (1828-1917)

I am The Vine, Ye Are The Branches—John 15.5
( Eu sunt Vita, voi sunteti mladitele. - Ioan 15.5)

In the previous verse Christ had just said: “Abide in me.” He had then announced the great unalterable law of all branch-life, on earth or in Heaven: “not of itself”; “except it abide.” In the opening words of the parable He had already spoken: “I am the vine.” He now repeats the words. He would have us understand—note well the lesson, simple as it appears, it is the key of the abiding life—that the only way to obey the command, “Abide in me,” is to have eye and heart fixed upon Himself. “Abide in me…I am the true vine.” Yea, study this holy mystery until you see Christ as the true Vine, bearing, strengthening, supplying, inspiring all His branches, being and doing in each branch all it needs, and the abiding will come of itself. Yes, gaze upon Him as the true Vine, until you feel what a heavenly Mystery it is, and are compelled to ask the Father to reveal it to you by His Holy Spirit. He to whom God reveals the glory of the true Vine, he who sees what Jesus is and waits to do every moment, he cannot but abide. The vision of Christ is an irresistible attraction; it draws and holds us like a magnet. Listen ever to the living Christ still speaking to you, and waiting to show you the meaning and power of His Word: “I am the vine.”

How much weary labor there has been in striving to understand what abiding is, how much fruitless effort in trying to attain it! Why was this? Because the attention was turned to the abiding as a work we have to do, instead of the living Christ, in whom we were to be kept abiding, who Himself was to hold and keep us. we thought of abiding as a continual strain and effort—we forget that it means rest from effort to one who has found the place of his abode. Do notice how Christ said, “Abide in Me; I am the Vine that brings forth, and holds, and strengthens, and makes fruitful the branches. Abide in Me, rest in Me, and let Me do My work. I am the true Vine, all I am, and speak, and do is divine truth, giving the actual reality of what is said. I am the Vine, only consent and yield thy all to Me, I will do all in thee.”

And so it sometimes comes that souls who have never been specially occupied with the thought of abiding, are abiding all the time, because they are occupied with Christ. Not that the word abide is not needful; Christ used it so often, because it is the very key to the Christian life. But He would have us understand it in its true sense—“Come out of every other place, and every other trust and occupation, come out of self with its reasonings and efforts, come and rest in what I shall do. Live out of thyself; abide in Me. Know that thou art in Me; thou needest no more; remain there in Me.”

“I am the Vine.” Christ did not keep this mystery hidden from His disciples. He revealed it, first in words here, then in power when the Holy Spirit came down. He will reveal it to us too, first in the thoughts and confessions and desires these words awaken, then in power by the Spirit. Do let us wait on Him to show us all the heavenly meaning of the mystery. Let each day, in our quiet time, in the inner chamber with Him and His Word, our chief thought and aim be to get the heart fixed on Him, in the assurance: all that a vine ever can do for its branches, my Lord Jesus will do, is doing, for me. Give Him time, give Him your ear, that He may whisper and explain the divine secret: “I am the vine.”

Above all, remember, Christ is the Vine of God’s planting, and you are a branch of God’s grafting. Ever stand before God, in Christ; ever wait for all grace from God, in Christ; ever yield yourself to bear the more fruit the Husbandman asks, in Christ. And pray much for the revelation of the mystery that all the love and power of God that rested on Christ is working in you too. “I am God’s Vine,” Jesus says; “all I am I have from Him; all I am is for you; God will work it in you.”

I am the Vine. Blessed Lord, speak Thou that word into my soul. Then shall I know that all Thy fullness is for me. And that I can count upon Thee to stream it into me, and that my abiding is so easy and so sure when I forget and lose myself in the adoring faith that the Vine holds the branch and supplies its every need.

As the Branch Cannot Bear Fruit of Itself, Except It Abide In the Vine; No More Can Ye, Except Ye Abide in Me—John 15.4

( Dupa cum mladita nu poate aduce rod de la sine, daca nu ramane in vita, tot asa nici voi nu puteti aduceti rod, daca nu ramaneti in Mine. Ioan 15.4)

We know the meaning of the word except. It expresses some indispensable condition, some inevitable law. “The branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine. No more can ye, except ye abide in me.” There is but one way for the branch to bear fruit, there is no other possibility, it must abide in unbroken communion with the vine. Not of itself, but only of the vine, does the fruit come. Christ had already said: “Abide in me”; in nature the branch teaches us the lesson so clearly; it is such a wonderful privilege to be called and allowed to abide in the heavenly Vine; one might have thought it needless to add these words of warning. But no—Christ knows so well what a renunciation of self is implied in this: “Abide in me”; how strong and universal the tendency would be to seek to bear fruit by our own efforts; how difficult it would be to get us to believe that actual, continuous abiding in Him is an absolute necessity! He insists upon the truth: Not of itself can the branch bear fruit; except it abide, it cannot bear fruit. “No more can ye, except ye abide in me.”

But must this be taken literally? Must I, as exclusively, and manifestly, and unceasingly, and absolutely, as the branch abides in the vine, be equally given up to find my whole life in Christ alone? I must indeed. The except ye abide is as universal as the except it abide. The no more can ye admits of no exception or modification. If I am to be a true branch, if I am to bear fruit, if I am to be what Christ as Vine wants me to be, my whole existence must be as exclusively devoted to abiding in Him, as that of the natural branch is to abiding in its vine.

Let me learn the lesson. Abiding is to be an act of the will and the whole heart. Just as there are degrees in seeking and serving God, “not with a perfect heart,” or “with the whole heart,” so there may be degrees in abiding. In regeneration the divine life enters us, but does not all at once master and fill our whole being. This comes as matter of command and obedience. There is unspeakable danger of our not giving ourselves with our whole heart to abide. There is unspeakable danger of our giving ourselves to work for God, and to bear fruit, with but little of the true abiding, the wholehearted losing of ourselves in Christ and His life. There is unspeakable danger of much work with but little fruit, for lack of this one thing needful. We must allow the words, “not of itself,” “except it abide,” to do their work of searching and exposing, of pruning and cleansing, all that there is of self-will and self-confidence in our life; this will deliver us from this great evil, and so prepare us for His teaching, giving the full meaning of the word in us: “Abide in me, and I in you.”

Our blessed Lord desires to call us away from ourselves and our own strength, to Himself and His strength. Let us accept the warning, and turn with great fear and self-distrust to Him to do His work. “Our life is hid with Christ in God!” That life is a heavenly mystery, hid from the wise even among Christians, and revealed unto babes. The childlike spirit learns that life is given from Heaven every day and every moment to the soul that accepts the teaching: “not of itself,” “except it abide,” and seeks its all in the Vine. Abiding in the Vine then comes to be nothing more nor less than the restful surrender of the soul to let Christ have all and work all, as completely as in nature the branch knows and seeks nothing but the vine.

Abide in Me. I have heard, my Lord, that with every command, Thou also givest the power to obey. With Thy “rise and walk,” the lame man leaped, I accept Thy word, “Abide in me,” as a word of power, that gives power, and even now I say, Yea, Lord, I will, I do abide in Thee.