Viata ca o floare
Viața noastră de creștini ar trebui să fie ca o floare de colț. Când o întâlnești, de la distanță, pare o floare normală, obișnuită. Din ce te apropi de ea, din ce descoperi complexitatea frumuseții ei. Avem nevoie să lăsăm descoperită frumusețea lui Hristos. El ne face ceea ce suntem.
Floarea de colț e rară. Nu o poți vedea oriunde. Ca să o vezi trebuie să vrei să mergi acolo unde trăiește ea. Creștinii, îi găsești de obicei strânși împreună, dar, ca să ai de-a face cu ei trebuie să mergi la biserică. Atunci Dumnezeu te poate convinge de puterea pe care o are în a transforma viețile cu ghipi ale păcatului în vieți cu flori ale neprihănirii.
Floarea de colt este îmbrăcată cu o haină albă. Este unică și pare foarte delicată. Totuși, în mediul ei rezistă tuturor condițiilor de vreme. Și noi am primit haina frumoasă și albă a neprihănirii. Ar trebui să rezistăm problemelor, durerilor, încercărilor și să rămânem la fel de sfinți. Atunci când nu putem, Dumnezeu ne mai întinde o mână de ajutor.
Floarea de colț protejată de lege. Viața noastră este protejată de Hristos. La români, floarea de colț este declarată un simbol al dragostei. Noi, creștinii, precum ea, ar trebui să radiem iubire, să arătăm celor din jur că dragostea este nepieritoare și însuflată de prezența lui Hristos în viețile noastre.
Avem nevoie să fim florile de colț ale lumii acesteia. Să exprimăm raritatea, neprihănirea și iubirea în toate formele lor.
Să încolțim dragostea neprihănită a lui Hristos în inimile oamenilor.UPDATE FOR FACEBOOK PRAYING FRIENDS. July 12, 2019
By June 3 I was in Switzerland-CH where I visited Pastor Hans & Sylvia Rufenacht. Their church is interested in my summer tours. I was in Germany-D June 4 to get literature for the tour. I had not seen Dieter Reinbold for perhaps 3 years so I was glad to renew fellowship. I saw Michael Gabi in Ludwigsburg who as a Muslim received Jesus Christ in Jerusalem, IL. Near WOL-D Irmgard gave me as usual clothes and other things to give away. I am presently in Ukraine-UA where I am giving out clothes she gave me. In Austria-A I visited pastor Stefan & Claudia Kueniger in Salzburg and distributed in the area of his church. In Budapest, HU I met Jewish people, especially from Israel. While in Romania I spoke in Beius, Hunadorara, Cisnedia then we had our 7-day meeting in Mioveni where we studied 10 chapters in Revelation. I then spoke in 3 churches near Brasov. Then I went north to Piatra Namets and spoke then returned to Brasov area and I spoke in Ghimbav. I plan to return there to get potatoes early in August. I got 20 liters of honey and today in UA I gave the last away. In UA I stayed at the Souce of Life camp near Chernivsy and there were 124 8-12 year olds who had a 10 day camp. I will speak Sunday July 14 in Dunaivsi, UA. My first visit in Dunaivsi was in 1997. I am with Sasha Nagayevskii. I met his twin brother and his siter today and they remember me from that first visit. Sasha’s father passed away 2 months ago. I am due back in RO Aug. 1 for camp in Rucar Aug. 3-10. I will then visit Bucharest before heading back to France. Your prayers appreciated, Michael Bentley
Sa ne pocaim in fiecare zi!
Viața de pocăință este o viață în care îți pare rău în fiecare zi că nu corespunzi cerințelor sfinte ale lui Dumnezeu. Până la urmă, mai presus de teoriile noastre, legate de interpretarea anumitor versete din Scriptură, este atitudinea de regret față de păcat.
În fiecare zi ne proșternem înaintea lui Hristos rugându-L să ne ierte. Nu se poate să nu greșim cu ceva, nu se poate să arătăm ca sfinții din pereți, neatinși de vreo umbră sau vreun om. Din păcate, haina se murdărește și bisericile sunt pline de răniți oblojiți de sângele lui Isus Hristos. Sau din fericire, depinde cum privim.
Nu știum cum sunteți voi, dar simt nevoia de Dumnezeu mai mult ca oricând. O clipă de-am fi fără El am face lucruri neimaginabile vreodată și îngrozitoare. Binecuvântarea Lui nu o vom primi decât prin pocăință, când realizăm ce mici suntem, ce slabi suntem, ce trecători suntem și ce mult are să ne ierte Hristos.
Îți dai seama că nu ești vrednic nici măcar să legi șireturile cuiva și totuși primești în dar mântuirea de la Hristos, fără plată. Îți dai seama că în fiecare zi te abați, fără să vrei, de la standardul dumnezeiesc și în fiecare zi primești iertare fără să te coste nimic. Tu vii cu lacrimile și Hristos cu iertarea.
Ne luptăm în fiecare zi. Uneori cădem, alteori învingem dar din lupta aceasta trebuie să ne ridicăm. Nu putem accepta să fim înfrânți. Avem de partea noastră pe Dumnezeu.
Slăvit să fie El.
Oxigenati-va viata
Zilele trecute am avut ocazia să respir aer curat de munte. Mirosul de cimbrișor și brad te făcea să adormi. M-am gândit că cine nu poate dormi, ar trebui să stea o zi pe malul unui râu de munte și cred că va ajuta. E ca o terapie cu oxigen. Nu de puține ori în Sfânta Scriptură, ajutorul, siguranța sau scăparea sunt exprimate prin Cetatea Sionului sau muntele Sionului.
Cuvântul Sion este folosit de peste 150 de ori și înseamnă fortificație. Și de-a lungul istoriei noastre ca popor, de câte ori veneau invadatori, cei care locuiau la câmpie fugeau în zone mai înalte unde se puteau ascunde ușor.
Muntele în Biblie are o semnificație aparte dar poate cea mai importantă este legată de apropierea noastră de Dumnezeu. Mi-am adus aminte de Lot și Avraam. Lot și-a ales câmpia roditoare iar Avraam a rămas cu zonele muntoase care nu promiteau nimic bun. Totuși când stai sus, aproape de Dumnezeu, primești mari binecuvântări.
E frumos la munte. Peisajele magnifice și aerul curat îți creează o stare de bine. Nu ai cum să nu-L apreciezi pe Dumnezeu pentru creația Lui deosebită. Ideea este că suntem binecuvântați ș iar trebui să prețuim ce avem în țară nu să murdărim locurile frumoase cu gunoaie.
Așa este și cu Dumnezeu. El ne iartă și ne sfințește iar noi, în mijlocul înălțimii, ne murdărim hainele. E ca și cum ne aruncăm în vale fără parașută. Trebuie să ne luptăm. Fără luptă nu există cunună și lupta va ține toată viața.
Să avem răbdare și să ne bucurăm de peisajele spirituale pe care ni le orânduiește Dumnezeu. Perspectiva este înălțătoare!
PRAYER LETTER JULY 2019 SUMMER TOUR – Michesti, Romania-RO
Dear supporters of my ministry,
The summer tour of 2019 has started. I consider it a day of miracles that I left on the day planned-1.6. God’s hand was evident. First let’s go back to summer tour of 2018. Florin of Hunedoara, RO was blessed of Christ when his wife was saved. I visited Linda Callahan Sinopidis in 2018 in Katerini, Greece-GR. Her husband Yiotis died in 2019. Linda has 2 children, Virginia in NY with 2 children and Nomi in Athens, GR engaged to be married. In heat of summer 2018 I was distributing in Zagrev, Crotia-HR. I was pressed to finish before leaving for SLOVENIA-SLO. A woman asked me if I wanted a glass of cold water! I saw in her hand God’s hand.
My furlough in USA was mid-Sept. 2018 to mid-May 2019. Casper Koning of Gospel Text Mission turned over the mission he founded to 3 other men in 2018. Then Casper’s health worsened and he now is slowly recovering from a heart attack. I gave out about 60 of their gospel signs while in USA. In Jan. 2019 I visited Florida supporters. Faith Baptist Church in Silver Springs has a new pastor Joshua Sweet, a grad of Crown College of The Bible in Powell, TN. Pastor Roger Walton the last pastor is fighting cancer and is in NC. Pastor Sweet gave me some truckers’ NTs which were a joy to distribute, he also gave me Arabic lit. which I gave to Gary Johnson of Huricane, WV. I knew Gary when he was a missionary in Israel among the Arabs. Diana Spence is from FL. She saw my contact on Facebook with Maranatha Village Retirement Center. She checked it out and has moved there in Sebring, FL. I am thankful for the fellowship I had with Lance & Debbie Rossier in Jacksonville, FL. I met with his brother Rand in Lakeland, FL. Tim Judge is 79 and is a retired Independent Baptist missionary in Milton, FL. He is blind but somehow does read the Bible with a tablet. He still sends out English lit. to the Philippines. A fellow student of Tenn. Temple Schools died in Milton, John Perkins in April 2018. I visited his daughter Janice and her brother Rony. A Baptist pastor Jim Renfro a friend of the Perkins was very helpful to them and to me. He arranged for me a meeting in a Baptist church I had never visited. This furlough I spoke in 4 churches I had never visited. In Arkansas Pastor Dwight Scott arranged a meeting in his church Lone Grove Missionary B. C. I had good fellowship with his pastor Billy. Richard Brogdan in Ohio who was a missionary in Jerusalem, IL got me a meeting near his home. I visited Br. Sam & Damaris Bolet in Davenport, Iowa and spoke in his church, Berean Baptist. Sam was a missionary in Madrid, Spain.
In Alabama I met with Herman & Beverly Pinion. Herman went with me on the 1990 summer tour to Ukraine, UA. I was able to speak in Bluff Park Bible Church in Birmingham, AL. Renewing fellowship with supporting churches helps the missionary to be aware of up to date information about the church. Acts 15:36. In Athens, AL I visited the Wahl family farm. A lot of activity there in the home. You can see part of their work at website: wisementrading.com They purchased additional land which is helpful for their butterfly business. They use the Gospel Text Mission posters. In Oklahoma I visited David & Martha Langley. David helps me with my computer and with correspondence with my financial supporters. He & Martha will stay in my apartment in France in August for their 47THanniversary.
It was helpful to visit the CMC Headquarters in Houston, TX. Linda Bridges is in charge of the office. CMC cares for about 700 missionary families. They have run out of office space and are seeking a solution. Pastor Larry Maddox is pastor of Central Baptist church & is head of CMC. I was blessed with the time spent with him. In Lubbock, TX Skyline Baptist with pastor Glenn & Judy Harlin stand behind my ministry. Glenn has been dealing with an infection in his knee where his knee replacement is. I was not able to stay with the Harlins so I stayed with Royce & Cynthia Blair in Plains, TX. I was able to speak in Royce’s Sunday school class in First Baptist in Plains. I headed north after TX and I went to Davenport, Iowa to be with Sam Bolet and I spoke in his church. I am thankful to have renewed fellowship with Norm & Kathy Oswald. They were friends in Israel. Kathy is now in a retirement home. I stayed also with Dan Flasman in Chicago area. I was a student at TTS with his brother John. John has been seeking many years for assurance that he is saved. Then on my way to Burntwood Baptist in Thompson, Manitoba, Canada I stopped in Winnipeg. MB. There Elvin Ensign and I visited a Jewish man from Israel and his son. His son showed some interest. Elvin worked in Winnipeg among the Jews for many years. He wrote a book on Jewish testimonies he knew of in his ministry. It is on Amazon & Kindle Books. Eternity with YeshuaHamashiac. Several of the churches I visited this furlough have been supporting my work since 1972. So is the case with Burntwood Baptist. The present pastor is Br. Lee & Donna Picket. He often goes to Israel. I was thankful to teach 2 Sundays in the church and I showed slides of Israel. I enjoy showing the Valley of Jezreel & The Shefelah & Jerusalem. Shefelah is the lowlands between the mountains of Judah and the Philistine plain. In Deut 1:7 Shefelah is translated “vale”.
In Ellerslie, MD I visited Calvary Bible Church with pastor Greg & Autum Miller. Br Greg is dealing with Lymes disease. It is a challenge for his stamina. The retired pastor Ken & Carol Korns is still able to drive and minister but he is limited by his macular degeneration and other problems with his body. I said good bye to my brother & sister in Jacksonville, FL, and 2 supporting churches: Trinity Baptist & Cornerstone Baptist.
I was 2 weeks in Athis-Mons, FR and by many miracles I left June 1 for Switzerland-CH. Pastor Hans & Sylvie Rufenacht from Port, CH support my ministry. I was glad also to visit Dieter Reinbold in Teningen, Germany-D. I had missed him for 3 years. GBV gave me literature as since 1990. I saw again Michael Gabi and family in Ludwigsburg, D. He was saved in Jerusalem from a Muslim background. I stayed the weekend in Word of Life D and I visited the church in Wolfratshausen which is interested in my ministry. The Rainer & Valerie Nothaf family as usual was very hospitable. Irmgard as every year gave me many things to distribute in Eastern Europe, especially new children’s clothes. As last year Pastor Stefan & Claudia Kuoniger in Salzburg, Austria-A received me. I again distributed in the area of the church. I stayed at WOLHU near Budapest Hungary. Shabbat offered me wonderful contacts with Jews, especially from Israel. I only had 9 pieces of Hebrew lit. as the rest was hidden in my packed utility van. I had good conversations in Hebrew handing them out. At the end of my 9 pieces I had a New Testament. I believe it went to the right person. She was open and appreciative of the NT. I had two short talks with her. In RO I spoke in 2 Independent Baptist churches of Beius & Hunedorara. I spoke in Cisnedia then had the 7-day conference on Revelation in Mioveni assembly. I only covered 10 chapters so we will continue in 2020, God willing.
I trust to enter Ukraine-UA by July 11 to visit Chernivsy-, Costopol-Stefan Yanchuck, 16-18.7, Rovno-Independent Baptist Pavlichenka-20.7, Kiev-Michael Mistecsy & Pixova IBPC-26.7, Uman, Vinitsa-Pastor Vladimir & Nadia Yuhymets-30.7. Our Rucar, RO camp is 3-10.8. We will study Matt 8-10 or 11. After camp I will visit Bucharest, RO then head back to FR by HU, Croatia-HR, Slovenia-SLO, Italy-IT, A, Slovak-SK, Czech-CZ, D. I pray to be back in FR by 10.9, God enabling. In October I will visit Crete, Greece-GR for a week & Israel-IL for 3 months. Asking your prayers.
Praising Jesus Christ for eagle’s wings, Isaiah 40:29-31
La inceput era Cuvantul, si Cuvantul era cu Dumnezeu, si Cuvantul era Dumnezeu. Ioan 1:1