SEPARATION
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
The process by which we set apart something or somebody for a specific purpose. The theme of separation is revealed early in the Bible-Genesis 12:1-3.
Abraham. Set apart by God to become the father of a Nation for God's purposes. Separated from the nations of the earth.
This message was made clear by God to His people before they entered the Promised Land-Leviticus 20:23-24. Separation was confirmed by God throughout Israel's history-Ezra 10:9-11.
Why does God insist on separation?
Holiness does not mix with unholiness. What God has sanctified cannot mix with what is unholy-Exodus 19:5-6. It is set apart to serve God and to belong to Him. Light and darkness cannot mix together.
The same call and message is repeated in the New Testament.
Jesus, in His prayer in John 17, makes it clear that His people are separated, they do not belong to the world, though they are in the world. 
1 John 2:15-17, speaks of the call of separation from the world for God's people, not just physically.
The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 5:9-13, clearly calls believers to abstain from the evil practices of people in the world and even in the Church. A born again person becomes the Temple of God. God will not accept that His Temple should be defiled. Separation will guard us.
1 Peter 2:9 makes it clear why God demands separation. 
          He is preparing a holy people for Heaven.

WAITING ON GOD
Another difficult lesson to learn in the Christian life, but vital for service and growth.
Not many believers grasp the meaning of this lesson in their lives and ministry. It involves 
patience, leading and our willingness to be under the control of the Holy Spirit.
Many Scriptures refer to this subject, thus testifying to its importance-Isaiah 30:18.
What is the meaning of this lesson? To let God act and deal with me in His time and way-Isaiah 55:8-9.
What does it involve? For us to understand His will and the way He deals with us in His Word. Obedience is a must.

What examples are there to follow?
1. Abraham: Gen.12:1-4, 15:1-4, 17:1. God's promises to Abraham and the long wait for the promises to be fulfilled. We see the obedience, the mistakes and faith in God. The end result-blessing.
2. Jacob: His scheming and failure end in him being a fugitive. He learned the hard way but received the blessing in the end-Gen.46:1-5.
3. Jesus of Nazareth: His life was marked by obedience and a long wait to embark on His earthly ministry-Psalm 40:1-2, the prophetic promise.

What are the practical implications?
The chastening and corrective process from God to bring maturity in the life and walk with Him.
It may take many years before God can use us.
How do I get the guidance I need from the Holy Spirit?  Learn to listen to His voice and wait for
Him to move-1 Sam.3:8-11.
Beware: The Lord will test for faithfulness-1 Kings 13:14-24.

TIME WITH GOD
HOW MUCH OF OUR TIME BELONGS TO GOD?    (1 Cor.6:20)
A true believer wants to spend time alone with God. It stems from a loving relationship-Matt.6:6.
The time we spend with God is the time when we commune together, He shares His secrets with us, we receive our Daily Bread, and get answers to our prayers. Without this vital time of prayer we find that we cannot grow in the Faith. We need to develop a quiet time. It does not come automatically.
How do we best use this time?  There is no commandment on this, only pray-Ps.55:17.
Best guide: Read the Word, meditate on it, wait on God, pray....It is not a time for shopping lists, but a time to pray and worship God through the Holy Spirit.

Note how some people of God spent time with God, in the Scriptures.
Paul the Apostle, after conversion, went to Arabia. He was taught of God-Gal.1:15-17.
Moses, on Mt. Sinai spent much time with God. When he came down his face shone-Ex.34:29-30.
Epaphras was commended as a prayer warrior-Col.4:12.
How much time should I spend with God? As much as possible but regulate your time to suit your day. 'Pray without ceasing', without long interruptions and do not pray only when you feel like it!!
Discipline your mind. What are the causes for the lack of concentration? Find them and deal with them. Beware of Satan's methods.
I do not really have time. We do have time for lots of other things. What is our priority?
Pro.10:27, 'The fear of the Lord prolongs days'. A sure way of having free time. Freed from the care of other things we find that we have lots of time for prayer.

Η ΑΝΑΚΑΛΥΨΗ ΤΗΣ ΕΥΤΥΧΙΑΣ  (Συνεχεια)
ΤΑ ΑΠΟΤΕΛΕΣΜΑΤΑ ΤΗΣ ΔΕΥΤΕΡΗΣ ΣΥΝΤΑΓΗΣ
Τα αποτελεσματα της συνταγης του Χριστου ειναι σωτηρια και αλανθαστα. Παρατηρησε τους Αποστολους, πως τους μετεβαλε ο Χριστος με το Πνευμα της Πεμτηκοστης. Κοιταξε πως τους εκανε να εχουν χαρα στις θλιψεις τους, ν' αγαπουν τους διωκτες τους, να ειναι ανωτεροι απο φυλακισεις, απο στερησεις, απο καθε ειδους παθηματα, να εχουν συνειδηση του πλουτου της ευτυχιας τους και να διακυρηττουν 'σαν φτωχοι ομως πλουτιζοντας πολλους, σαν να μην εχουμε τιποτα, ομως κατεχοντες τα παντα' (Β' Κορ.6¨:10).
Παρατηρησε ακομη, τα εκατομμυρια των γνησιων χριστιανων ολων των αιωνων, η ιστορια θα σου ανακοινωσει ποση ευτυχια βρηκαν οι ανθρωποι αυτοι στον Χριστο, ωστε και τα μαρτυρια τα δεχονται με χαρα, για να συναντηθουν μια ωρα νωριτερα με την πηγη της χαρας και της ευτυχιας τους με τον Χριστο. Ρωτησε ακομη χιλιαδες ανθρωπους συγχρονους σου που δοθηκαν στο Χριστο, ρωτα τους να σου πουν αν μενουν ικανοποιημενοι κι αν προτιμουν τη ζωη του Χριστου απο τη ζωη της αμαρτιας. Σ' αυτην την πληθωρα των μαρτυρων ερχομαι κι εγω, που γραφω αυτες τις γραμμες, να επιβεβαιωσω με τον επισημοτερο τροπο οτι απο τοτε που δοθηκα στον Χριστο εγινα ευτυχισμενος και βρηκα αληθινες ολες τις υποσχεσεις του Χριστου τις οποιες αναφερει το Ευαγγελιο, και αυτην την ευτυχια που μου χαριζει ο Σωτηρας δεν την ανταλλασσω ουτε με το χρημα, ουτε με τη δοξα, ουτε με τις ηδονες ολου του κοσμου. Δοκιμασα και εζησα πολλα χρονια τη ζωη της πρωτης συνταγης κι ευχαριστω τον Θεο γιατι με λυτρωσε και με εφερε στη δευτερη.
Εσυ τωρα που διαβαζεις ευτες τις γραμμες, που βρισκεσαι; Εαν ακομη αγωνιζεσαι να συλλαβεις τη σκια, μην εξακολουθησεις να κοπιαζεις ματαια. Τα παθηματα της γενιας μας πρεπει να σε κανουν να δυσπιστεις στο δρομο της. Κανε μια περιφρονητικη μεταβολη κι ελα στον Θεο σου. Εινει καιρος πια να δοκιμασεις τη συνταγη του Χριστου. Ολα τα εκατομμυρια των παλαιοτερων και συγχρονων σου, σου εγγυωνται εκ πειρας την ευτυχια σου. Δοκιμασε και θα δεις, 'Δοκιμαστε και δειτε οτι ο Κυριος ειναι αγαθος' Ψαλ.34:8.               Δρ. Κ.Μ.

Η ΑΝΑΚΑΛΥΨΗ ΤΗΣ ΕΥΤΥΧΙΑΣ   (Συνεχεια)
Ο ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΔΗΜΙΟΥΡΓΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΕΥΤΥΧΙΑΣ

Ο Χριστος αφαιρει καθε αγωνια της ψυχης και καθε βαρος αμαρτιας και δινει τελεια αναπαυση στον ανθρωπο. 'Ελατε σε μενα ολοι οσοι κοπιαζετε και ειστε φορτωμενοι, και εγω θα σας αναπαυσω',  (Ματθ.11:28).
Ο Χριστος αφαιρει απο το πνευμα την ταραχη και παρεχει στον ανθρωπο απαρασαλευτη ειρηνη, 'Ειρηνη σας αφηνω την ειρηνη την δικη μου σας δινω. Ας μη ταραζεται η καρδια σας ουτε να δειλιαζει',  (Ιωαν. 14:27). Ο Χριστος αφαιρει την αποθαρρυνση και την δειλια απο τη ψυχη και εμπνεει το θαρρος και την πεποιθηση στη δικη του επεμβαση, 'Μεσα στον κοσμο θα εχετε θλιψη αλλα εχετε θαρρος, εγω εχω νικησει τον κοσμο (Ιωαν. 16:33).
Ο Χριστος δινει στην ψυχη διαρκη και αστειρευτη χαρα. 'Αυτα σας τα ειπα για να μεινει μεσα σας η χαρα μου και η χαρα σας να ειναι πληρης, (Ιωαν. 15:11).
Ο Χριστος απομακρυνει το φοβο του θανατου απο την ψυχη του πιστου και μετατρεπει τον θανατο σε Θεικο 'αεροπλανο', το οποιο μεταφερει τον λυτρωμενο κοντα Του, στην αιωνια δοξα, 'Αυτος που πιστευει σε μενα, και αν πεθανει, θα ζησει', (Ιωαν. 11:25). '....πηγαινω να σας ετοιμασω τοπο...παλι ερχομαι και θα σας παραλαβω κοντα σε μενα για να ειστε κι εσεις οπου ειμαι εγω', (Ιωαν. 14:3).
Ο Χριστος μας εξευγενιζει, μας ανυψωνει και απο τωρα μας συνδεει, απο τη γη αυτη με την ενδοξη αιωνιοτητα, '...να χαιρεστε περισσοτερο οτι τα ονοματα σας γραφηκαν στους ουρανους, (Λουκ. 10:20).                             Συνεχιζεται

LISTENING TO GOD
One of the hardest lessons to learn in the Christian life.
A life or a mind too busy with itself or talking incessantly cannot listen to God-Revelation 3:22, 'He who has an ear let him hear'.
How do we listen to God?
1. We need to recognise His voice-1 Samuel 3:1-10.
2. God cannot speak to someone who does not listen to Him or cannot communicate with Him.
We must recognise the fact that only a living being can communicate, one that has intelligence.
Why does God need to speak to us?
For various reasons but mainly to fellowship with us and make His will known to us.
Apart from a direct communication God speaks to us in various ways, such as:
Through His Word
In dreams and visions
Through a word of Prophecy
Through other people
etc.
Sometimes, when we are obstinate and do not listen He speaks though some unlikely means, such as stones, a donkey, and so on.
For God to speak to us personally we need to develop spiritual hearing. This is not an automatic process but it involves practise and will-Romans 10:17.
Sometimes our hearts will deceive us and we will make mistakes. Do not be discouraged, repent and trust God to speak to you again. If in the end there is a total absence of His voice after repeated requests, search your heart to see if there is an obstacle of sin or some other problem-Psalm 66:18, 'If I regard iniquity in my heart...'.
Will God ever get tired of me and stop speaking forever?
He loves you too much to do such a thing. When I refuse to listen and persist in that course God will not speak to me till I change course. Then God will listen and speak to me again.
An example of someone in the Bible who accused God of not listening to him and God's answer on the problem-Habakkuk 1,2:1-3.