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Blândețea nu este slăbiciune

Blândețea nu este slăbiciune

“Ferice de cei blânzi, căci ei vor moșteni pământul” (Matei 5:5).

În calitate de urmași ai lui Hristos, suntem chemați să fim blânzi, dar nu trebuie să confundăm blândețea cu slăbiciunea. Și nu există un exemplu mai bun al contrastului dintre blândețe și slăbiciune decât Isus și Ponțiu Pilat. Vă încurajez să citiți toate cele patru relatări din Evanghelie despre procesul și răstignirea lui Iisus, în special Ioan 18:29-19:16.

În ciuda faptului că Isus a fost acuzat pe nedrept, mințit, maltratat cu cruzime și abuzat, El și-a păstrat stăpânirea de sine și o demnitate calmă, neînfricată, dar blândă, întemeiată pe tăria caracterului Său neprihănit și pe încrederea în Tatăl Său, care nu putea fi zdruncinată de niciun asalt lumesc.

Prin contrast, Pilat, deși împuternicit cu o autoritate pământească care era întărită de soldații romani, a dat dovadă de slăbiciune de caracter: o teamă de ceea ce credeau ceilalți, o dorință de a-și compromite propria judecată și de a alege greșit, chiar și atunci când era convins de ceea ce era corect, doar pentru a evita acuzația de a fi neloial Cezarului și de a se confrunta cu potențiala pierdere a poziției și a puterii.

Isus a fost blând și puternic. Pilat a fost slab și a greșit.

Blândețea este o trăsătură de caracter care provine din lucrarea iubirii lui Dumnezeu în inimă; slăbiciunea de caracter provine din inima dominată de frică.

De îndată ce Adam a păcătuit în grădina Edenului, a fugit și s-a ascuns pentru că îi era frică (Geneza 3:10). Frica care incită la egoism face parte din infecția cauzată de păcat. Dar “în dragoste nu este frică, ci dragostea desăvârșită alungă afară frica, pentru că frica poartă în sine pedeapsa. Cel ce se teme n‑a fost făcut desăvârșit în dragoste.” (1 Ioan 4:18 NIV84).

Dragostea ne concentrează preocuparea asupra celorlalți. Frica se concentrează asupra sinelui. Dragostea este dispusă să se sacrifice pe sine pentru alții, în timp ce frica sacrifică integritatea, principiile, onoarea, adevărul și pe alții pentru a se proteja pe sine. “Noi am cunoscut dragostea Lui prin aceea că El Și‑a dat viața pentru noi; astfel, și noi trebuie să ne dăm viața pentru frați.” (1 Ioan 3:16 NIV84).

Cei blânzi Îl iubesc pe Dumnezeu și pe alții și nu se tem să susțină adevărul lui Dumnezeu; cei slabi sunt conduși de frică și vor compromite adevărul pentru a se proteja pe ei înșiși.

Cei blânzi, după ce au renăscut în Împărăția iubirii lui Dumnezeu, experimentează o stăpânire de sine dumnezeiască (Galateni 5:23); cei slabi rămân temători și egoiști și caută să se simtă în siguranță încercând să-i controleze pe alții. Acești oameni slabi “plini de invidie, de ucidere, de ceartă, de viclenie, sunt dușmănoși, șoptitori, bârfitori, Îl urăsc pe Dumnezeu, sunt obraznici, aroganți, lăudăroși, născocitori de rele, neascultători de părinți, fără pricepere, nu‑și țin promisiunile, sunt fără afecțiune, nemiloși.” (Romani 1:29-31 NIV84).

Cei blânzi îi iubesc pe ceilalți, caută să-i binecuvânteze pe ceilalți și înțeleg că dragostea crește doar în libertate; ei promovează autonomia celorlalți. Dar cei slabi sunt geloși pe alții, se tem să nu poată avea ceea ce au alții și caută să-i controleze pe alții.

Cei blânzi prezintă adevărul în dragoste și îi lasă pe ceilalți liberi; cei slabi mint, manipulează și îi constrâng pe toți pentru a se proteja pe ei înșiși.

Liderii religioși din vremea lui Hristos erau slabi de caracter și mistuiți de frică – frica de pierderea puterii, a poziției, a autorității și a respectului; în loc să se bucure de Isus și să recunoască faptul că au greșit, au încercat în schimb să-L distrugă.

Isus i-a învățat pe ucenicii Săi să fie blânzi și să respecte deciziile celor cărora căutau să le vestească Evanghelia. Dacă oamenii nu voiau să-i asculte, ucenicii nu trebuiau să fie ofensați, înfuriați sau refuzați. În schimb, ei trebuiau să recunoască faptul că astfel de oameni își făceau singuri rău și, fără să poarte cu ei “praful” respingerii, să treacă pur și simplu la cei care doreau să audă adevărul. “Dacă cineva nu vă va primi, nici nu va asculta cuvintele voastre, să ieșiți din casa ori din cetatea aceea și să vă scuturați praful de pe picioare.” (Matei 10:14). Cei blânzi prezintă adevărul în dragoste și îi lasă pe oameni liberi să aleagă.

Dar cei slabi de caracter, dacă nu se află în poziții care să le permită să își afirme controlul asupra altora, vor găsi în schimb fie pe cineva puternic în care să creadă, pe care să îl urmeze, căruia să i se predea și căruia să îi devină adept și pion; fie vor deveni un conțopist, un complotist și un manipulator al altora din culise – ca Iuda, care a încercat să îl manipuleze pe Isus prin trădarea din culise.

Cei blânzi rămân fermi pentru adevăr în ciuda oricărei opoziții; ei nu compromit adevărul sau principiile lui Dumnezeu pentru a obține favoruri. Cei slabi, pentru a fi acceptați, prezintă ceea ce ei cred că vor alții să audă, căutând să îi manevreze pe cei din jur pentru a se menține ei înșiși într-o poziție bună.

Te încurajez, așadar, ca urmaș al lui Hristos, prin harul și dragostea lui Dumnezeu, să fii blând – dar niciodată slab! Pentru că Isus vine în curând să îi primească pe cei care au fost transformați pentru a fi ca El. Căci “știm că, atunci când Se va arăta El, vom fi asemenea Lui, pentru că Îl vom vedea așa cum este.” (1 Ioan 3:2 NIV84).

Da, “ferice de cei blânzi, căci ei vor moșteni pământul”! (Matei 5:5).

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Testimony 62

I would like to express my thanks to the C&R team for creating a platform from which people can learn to trust in God and grow. My life is a witness to the effectiveness of this ministry. Without believing the truth about God as you have shown, I don’t know what my life would be like. I had given up on God helping me with certain sins – it was all useless. Given that the scripture is clear and God is so good, how could I have betrayed him so many times? I was a yo-yo christian; spinning up and down. My faith and enthusiasm was driven by discoveries/threats that prophecy is about to be fulfilled. But when I watched your “Healing the Mind” seminar, it was like a light finally went on. I could see God had no plan to hurt me, the danger came from sin, and that He is working to protect me and strengthen me. Thank you for allowing God to use you. The message God gave C&R saved my life!

Antony N. – Hobart, Australia

 

Testimony 59

I’m a native Ghanan, but am currently in France for my master’s degree. Prior to this, during my final years at undergraduate studies in Ghana, I was introduced to your ministry and I’ve been immensely blessed by what you share, especially about the Design and Imposed Laws. God richly bless you for that.

One of the first things I did when I arrived in France was to buy all four of your books. They not only helped me, but those I shared them with. I shared the message with an atheist student and I marveled at how God worked mightily in his life. Today this person shares the Love of God with others and debunks theories of who God is not. I want to share what you present in your “Heavenly Sanctuary and Investigative Judgment” pamphlet, because the message brought rest to my soul and I live today as a healthy person.

God bless you so much and your ministry.

Michael A., Ghana

 

Testimony 1

Thank you! I love listening to the Come And Reason Ministries Bible study classes and am using some of your notes to get the lessons together that I will be teaching. You always have such good quotes and Bible texts and pull things together to make good sense.

T. C., IN, USA

 

Testimony 28

I have been following your Bible study class for about a year now. I must say I am impressed with how your ministry has grown. I took it upon myself to listen to all your lesson podcasts from the past and they have both enriched me physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I have learnt a lot from this class. I have also noticed how the class has grown in spiritual strength. One of the things that benefited me is that now I am not afraid of God. I use to be, but now it has melted away. The second thing is that you helped me to have a real life relationship with God. Now He is my friend that was always there and I love having him with me all the time. Thirdly, because of this class, it inspired me to take over and lead a class. I have called it “Let Us Reason Together,” adapting your inquisitive style and creating a class of free thinkers.

T. Banda, Malawi, Africa

 

Testimony 54

I had a lot of pressure, as a pastor’s kid, to conform and be “good.” I was good at being “good.” I thought my life was going along well until it all started falling apart and I could not figure out why! In my search for “why is this happening to me, God?” I came across your book, “Could it be this Simple,” and God started revealing to me the many distortions I held about His character, His principles, and how He has designed His universe to operate. I remember thinking, “Wow, I have had this all backwards.” I was happy and angry all at the same time. Happy to have the light of truth break through the darkness, revealing a wonderful, beautiful way of understanding God and His plan for His children, and angry, because I felt deceived and cheated by the church, my family, and myself!

My heart thrills when I listen to your bible study lessons. Literally I have gone from death to life. It is a journey I look forward to every day, as God reveals areas this distortion affects. Praise GOD! I will ever be grateful to God for this ministry and your cooperation with the Spirit!

Karen S., Portal, AZ, USA

 

Testimony 24

I wanted to thank you very much for presenting your understanding of God. I’ve always been troubled by this question: Why did Jesus have to die? Since my conversion I understood that The Father & Jesus are one, I did not have issues with that. But was there not any other way to save us than for Jesus to die? I guess I actually had a question about God – if He is so wise, how come He did not find another way? I did not see the real ‘beauty’  in the cross. Only when you explained the picture in the medical context, Jesus providing medicine for my selfishness, have I started to finally ‘see the light’. Thank you so much. Your seminar, “Healing the Mind,” are absolutely marvelous & have shared them with my family and many other people, including colleagues at work. Thanks, thanks, thanks. May God bless you abundantly in your ministry.

M. W., Australia

 

Testimony 43

Two years ago I stumbled upon your book, “Could It Be This Simple,” and then found “The God-Shaped Brain” videos on YouTube, your bible study class, and the ‘Come And Reason’ mobile app. I shared your book with a friend and after nine months of showing love, patience, and kindness this person has been changed by the love of God, too. The same love that healed me, I now express to other women in tangible ways, such as to a Baptist woman with high anxiety and childhood trauma. She was extremely happy and relieved when I shared about the so-called “judgment of God” and burning in hell. She had no desire to serve a God that was so harsh. I have repeated the phrase dozens of times to her. “What we believe has power over us, but we have power over what we believe…”

This message that you are sharing has changed my life. I will continue to serve other women and bring this message of God’s healing love to their lives by sharing your books, YouTube videos, and The Remedy Bible app. Keep up the good work. Don’t be discouraged. God is doing a mighty work in and through this ministry!

Jill L., Midwest, USA

 

Testimony 63

I’ve been very blessed by “The God Shaped Brain” and this ministry, through video and podcast, over the last few years. It’s truly opened up my eyes more to the truth about God and the importance of that truth in the present world. The message is so inviting, freeing and enlightening and MORE people need to know about it. I believe it is the last message that can truly, not only prepare a people for salvation and translation, but vindicate the character of God.

Michael V., Yonkers, NY, USA

 

Testimony 69

After reading your book, ‘Could It Be This Simple,’ someone was explaining Christianity in a way that made sense to me for the first time in my life. One morning, I simply prayed “I’m sorry and I love you.” As soon as I silently said that, I could literally feel God’s presence and light flood down on me from above and fill me up with love and joy. I sat there crying my eyes out, because I was so overpowered with this feeling of love and joy. It was just so incredible. I hope that more people can read this book and get a blessing from it. It’s really amazing.

Rachael H.

Testimony 34

I was introduced to Come and Reason Ministries by accident, via a passing comment made in a bible study class we were visiting. I checked this website out and my life was changed. The understanding of the truth of God’s character, and how we apply it, is so right. The tricky part is consistently applying which “lens” to look through. As I began to understand, I started sharing the basics of this understanding with a discussion group I was leading and, suddenly, a lot of things started to make sense that never used to. At the same time, I enjoyed an amazing opportunity. I was able to conduct a full bible study at WORK! What an amazing experience! It is such a joy to share the truth about God and to share how it all fits in the war between God and Satan. So many people benefit when we have a correct understanding about how God works and who He really is! Thank you for this transformational understanding. Keep up the good work! God Bless you!

Tony P., CA, USA

 

Testimony 36

Thank you and may God continue to bless you as you share with others the intricacies of how we are all “fearfully and wonderfully made”. I must share that you have opened a whole new world to me, and I have found tremendous healing through what you have shared in two of your books, “Could It Be This Simple?” and “The God Shaped Brain.” I praise God for what you shared, what I have learned, and how I have grown and healed! My prayer is that My Precious Jesus will be seen by others in the way I live, act, talk, etc. and they may be encouraged to know He is truly a GREAT God of LOVE, desiring that no one should perish! God Bless you in your continued endeavors to present Him as He really is!

Joleen H. GA, USA

 

Testimony 46

Over the past couple of years God has been expanding my view of Himself and His character. Along my approximately 40-year journey, I have often had questions, but was hesitant to voice these and step outside the traditionally accepted thinking, for fear of admitting that I may in fact be eternally lost. In the recesses of my thinking has been the thought – if one blindly accepts (which is widely regarded as “real faith”) and does not question, is this really ‘truth?’ I often find it challenging to grapple with very theological ‘speak,’ but Dr. Jennings has a real gift of explaining spiritual concepts with clear practical examples. The weekly discussions are growing my Christian experience and slowly changing my view of how to live as a child of God in today’s complex world. Finally the whole Old Testament sanctuary teaching moved in my mind from fantasy to reality!

Beverly S., South Africa

 

Testimony 17

The blessings of clarity and understanding you and your class inspire me to take from the word of God have impressed upon me so greatly the true, loving character of our Creator. I have found amazing freedom and joy through building a stronger, more intentional relationship with Him. What is new is that this is now a relationship built on love, reverence and respect rather than fear and obligation, and as such my eyes have been slammed OPEN as I am continually impressed by the manifestations of God’s true character in His provisions for fallen man.

T.E.H., Salt Lake City, UT, USA

 

Testimony 4

I’m a youth leader in South Africa. We as a youth group are currently using a lot of the material on the Come and Reason site. Since we’ve started using the material, our youth group has grown.

R. V. N., South Africa

 

Testimony 22

I have found your Bible study class lectures to be very inspiring and useful as I prepare to teach class every other week. I subscribe to the podcast and download your notes on the weeks I teach. The audio and notes are such a great help in preparing. My own understanding of God’s character has grown as I teach the class. Commendations on the thought-provoking and well-prepared material Come and Reason provides. Personally, I get excited by the tie you make between the spiritual and mental/physical domains.

A.A. Corrales, NM, USA