Genesis 3:1-27, 4:1-7.                        Continuation
'And they heard the voice of the Lord...' . Whilst they lived in the Garden they had communion and Fellowship with God, they knew His voice and spoke with Him. Jesus said, 'My sheep hear My voice...' , the relationship we also have with our Lord.
This reaction, of hiding from God's voice, is typical of many believers today. When sin enters their heart their immediate reaction is to hide. Why? Holiness and unholiness do not mix, darkness hates the light and lies hate the truth - John 3:19. A person with sin in his heart will not want to face God, unless he repents. Sin will bring a state of shame upon the person. That is how Adam and Eve felt.
'Where are you?' . The first question in the Bible.
It appears that God could not locate them. Not so, it was something else. It was not a question concerning their place but their condition, their state. God has put this question to sinful man even since sin came into the world. Are we what God wants us to be or something else? It was the same call that went out on the shores of Galilee and in Judea-Luke 19:10.
Adam's response was rather pathetic, 'I heard your voice and was afraid...' .The effect of sin had already worked its way into their beings.
1. They knew they were naked, though they were naked before; but now God's covering had departed from them.
2. Fear gripped their hearts. Fear caused them to run away from God's presence and hide. Fear has a paralyzing effect and makes people disloyal.
At that moment they did not fully understand the implications of sin yet they were gripped by fear.
The Bible has a lot to say about Fear simply because God wants us to be set free from its grip. Two reasons:
a) Believers do have fears in their hearts.
b) God wants to set us free from fear.
Not all fear is negative. There is a fear that protects us, e.g. the fear of a passing car that may hit us, but the 'fear of man' is not a healthy fear. The 'fear of God' , however, is a healthy fear and that is what we need in our Christian lives. It is the fear that causes us to revere God and turn away from disobeying His Word, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom' .
'And God said, who told you that you were naked?' .
A strange question. Should someone have told them they were naked? The question actually reveals the explanation. They could not have known that they were naked unless they had eaten of the fruit of the tree. Why did God ask such a question? Simply to show Adam that he had to come out with the truth. It was no good trying to hide things from God.
It is of no use for us either, when we sin, to try and cover things thinking that somehow we can fool God and people. When David sinned God knew all about it and He sent Nathan to confront David, because David thought that he could cover it up.
Apart from fear Adam and Eve show unwillingness to accept responsibility for their action. Adam's excuse was to blame his wife -a familiar story, the accusing finger. What Adam was actually doing was to blame God, like we do. Had not God given him the wife? If He hadn't this would not have happened!! Notice the words, 'The woman you gave me' . Not only is the blame on Eve but he also lets her down by trying to absolve himself of all the blame. "It's all God's fault, not our responsibility", we inwardly bear a grudge against God for our circumstances. What is actually the problem? Pride. But God is only interested in cleansing and setting us free in order to restore us to Himself as a holy people. He does not remember.
Eve took up the accusation theme and blamed the serpent, but the serpent never actually forced her to take the fruit. They both knew what they were doing. Interesting to note that the serpent did not blame anybody. God turns now to the serpent and we see no questioning, no conversation at all. God simply pronounces judgement upon it. Why?
Adam and Eve were tempted and consented to the whole affair but not the serpent. It allowed itself
to be used by Satan, a serious thing in the sight of God. Temptation is unavoidable, it comes to all of us but yielding to Satan's wiles to be used for evil purposes is something else and will bring dire consequences upon us.
The serpent belonged to the animal world which was created to serve man, not to become master over him. The serpent's role was misused, therefore its role and purpose in God's creation had to be altered. Man, though fallen, had a role to play in God's redemptive plan, a different role from that of the animal creation.                         To be continued

Genesis 3:1-24, 3:1-7.                      continuation 

 'And the woman took of the fruit....' .

Satan tempted Eve but Adam knew of God's command yet he was persuaded  by Eve to take the fruit and eat it. What made him do that? The Bible does not give us any explanation but we can make some good guesses. A matter of relationship?

God created Eve for Adam because he had no companion, the obvious solution to loneliness. Loneliness can be a very hard trial for the individual but as so often happens the things we keep praying about and consider as pressing needs often turn out to be our downfall or a constant thorn in our flesh.

Abraham took Lot with him and he finally had to rescue him from Sodom. Moses took Aaron with him as a spokesman and the result was the Golden Calf. At other times, the blessing we yearn for from God, when received, draws us away from the Almighty.

What sort of influence did Eve have on Adam? Did she accuse him of not loving her? Did she threaten him with divorce? God put man as head over his house and it is a disaster when this role is not fulfilled. Was Adam with Eve when the serpent tempted her or not?

When Eve took of the fruit it was obvious nothing evil took place immediately and that is why perhaps Adam was easily persuaded. To be left out of a loving partnership is a hard decision to make! The immediate results of their action were not obvious to them neither is it to us when we commit sin, therefore we may indulge in it. For a time we think we are alright! Remember Samson? He got used to playing with sin and temptation but one day he woke up to find that God's power had deserted him.

'And the eyes of them both....' . Soon it became apparent that something drastically wrong had happened to them. They became aware of their nakedness and fear in their hearts. We see that they ran away to hide from God but we do not see any desire to turn to Him. The effect of sin is to turn away from God and a desire for more sin.

Their first reaction was to cover themselves. Man's first attempt to cover his sin and degradation-Fig Leaves. Why fig leaves?  not the best cover for the body.
                                                                                      To be continued

Genesis 3:1-24,4:1-7.                               continuation
'And the serpent said to the woman...' . Why did Satan pick on the woman? Simply because he knew Eve would give an ear to him.
God commanded Adam not to eat of the fruit but Eve must have known this very well because she told the  serpent so. Why do so many believers give an ear to Satan's talk and accusations?
1. They do not discern the difference between God or Satan talking to them.
2. Their hearts are so deceived by carnal ways that they will readily listen to anything of the world.
Eve had no business to sit and listen to the serpent's suggestions. James, in his Epistle warns us clearly: 'Resist the Devil...' .
Now we see Satan's strategy in making people believe a lie, 'Has God really said...' God never said anything of the sort to them. He actually told them the opposite but Satan cannot call God a liar so he resorts to half-truths.
Many believers do just the same when they resort to half truths to ease their conscience but this means telling half a lie. Nowhere does the Bible condone half lies or deception but roundly condemns them. They come from the father of lies. The moment I resort to lies I become his child
Eve never saw through the serpent's suggestion and fell into the trap. The moment doubt was sown in her mind the battle was lost. The next suggestion was an outright lie. By this time her mind was ready to accept anything. Why?
Life in the garden was perhaps a daily routine; animals to name, plants to look after, same weather every day, walks with God, etc. Time for something different? There are many Christians who feel just the same. Anything to escape from the daily routine of ordinary life, then Satan comes along and offers the carrot of exciting meetings, signs and wonders and more. If Christ is not our passion other things will tempt us, not necessary evil things. Even a clean cloth can obscure your vision.
Eve looked at the tree and its fruit and saw in her mind that they looked so harmless and ordinary.
Sin looks so attractive and desirable to the eye but the Bible warns, 'The wages of sin is death' .
There are THREE things to Remember here:
1. 'She saw that the tree was good for food' The lust of the Flesh.
2. 'It was pleasant to the eyes' The lust of the eyes.
3. 'Desirable to make one wise' The pride of life.
The basic areas of our lives where temptations take place. They are: SPIRIT, SOUL, BODY.
                                                                                   to be continued

Genesis 3:1-24,4:1-7.                                   Continuation
And God looked, when all that He created was good, and saw that it was perfect. How then has it become like it is today?
Of all God's creation mankind was the only one given the faculty of logic. The animals, plants, etc., were to serve Him-Gen.1:27-30. It was this ability in humans to reason and make decisions that brought about their downfall. Why did God work things that way? What is the answer?
God did not deprive man of his free will. Man had the ability to choose, to follow and make decisions. God was not interested in making robots: they are made to serve, not to love. That is why humans stand out as being different from all God's other created beings. However, this free will had to be tested and proved in the same way we are tested by God time and time again during our earthly life.
From Gen.2:16-17, we surmise that there was nothing evil about the tree; but what it stood for, a means of gaining knowledge and man used his free will to choose to disobey God's command. Therefore evil entered the world because of man's decision to partake of that source of evil. How?
Through intimate communion and a tangible contact-taste. The first reference as to how sin is committed through the members of our body. Preceding that action an inner decision took place-Lusting, concluding that the fruit was harmless.
Chapter 3:1, begins with an almost casual but awesome statement, 'The serpent was more....' . We naturally think of serpents in terms of evil, crawling, poisonous, deadly creatures. A careful look at these verses conveys a different picture. Of all the animals in the garden, the serpent was the most intelligent. Remember the words of Jesus? 'Wise as serpents...' . It probably had the ability to communicate and not crawl on the ground. It was not an evil looking creature or Eve would have had second thoughts about chatting with such a creature. Satan simply found a suitable vehicle to work through and tempt Eve. Why was the serpent readily used? Was there a wider plot in the garden? We can only surmise; but our intelligence and wisdom do not always work for our good - 
1 Cor.2:6-8.
At this point in the account Satan enters the scene in the Garden of Eden. Why did God allow Satan to interfere with His creation? What was the whole point, He could have surely stopped it.
Satan is a powerful being and we must not underestimate his power and cunning, as some Christians do. In actual fact Satan's power and authority is always limited by God's authority so he can only do what God allows him to do-Job 1:6-12. However, we note that Satan had access to the Garden of Eden. He is free to enter Churches and interfere with our worship and also with our lives.                     
To be continued

Genesis 3:1-24, 4:1-7.
Genesis is one of the most controversial books in the Bible. What has God to offer us in this book? Stories about the Creation, the Flood, etc. ? More than stories. God's account of "how things began" from the Greek word "Genesis". The very name speaks of its clear message to us, the Book of Beginnings.
 The Book of Beginnings is not a scientific book and does not set itself out to be so, though it contains many scientific and historical facts. It does not try to justify God's existence. One of its most pointed themes starts very early in its account of God's dealings with man-a question, 'Where are you?'. The same question is directed to every human being today.
The setting of the Book of Genesis begins with the Garden of Eden, a special place where God has placed His created human being to look after it and enjoy fellowship with God. It was a perfect place.
However, let's go back a bit further and look at what God was doing. On the sixth day, when God finished His creation, He looked and saw that everything He had done was found perfect 'in His eyes'. A perfect creation from the hands of a Perfect Creator. Whatever God does is always perfect, very different from man's doings who always tries to find fault with God's doings. God's timing and methods are always perfect. In His dealings with us He always works to bring the best for us out of every situation.
The man and the woman were created perfect and God breathed into Adam the Breath of Life. Both became living souls, both created in God's image. In ch.1, we read that God (Elohim) expressed the desire to create human beings.Why?
Here we see God's motive in creating man. God who is Love wants to have Fellowship and though He knew what was to come yet He went ahead with the plan-1 John 4:16. How foolish the unbeliever would say, why do such a thing? Does a woman who longs to have a child sit down and consider whether the baby she will bring into the world will one day become a criminal? No, she loves that little creature, her offspring, and she nurtures it in love and care all her life.
God created the man and the woman and placed them in that special place for a specific purpose, not to enjoy themselves; but to have fellowship with God, to be loved by Him and to return that love. Was it in the end a failure, was it a rewarding experience for God or was it a waste of time?
Let us ask ourselves. Is love a rewarding experience? Yes it is; no matter what failure or disappointment may intervene. The Cross proved that God's creation was worth it.

to be continued

Song of Songs 2:8-15.
A mysterious little Book in the Bible that most people regard as a love story or even as an erotic one, but is it really so?
On closer study of this Book we find that it is an account of the conversation between a girl, called
the Shulamite and her Beloved. Occasionally, in the account, some other people interject who are
bystanders or neutral observers. What does the message of the Book really tell us? It describes the relationship between Christ (the Beloved) and the Church or the believer (Shulamite), a relationship of Love, Christ's love for the Church.
As the story unfolds in the Book, we can trace Love in four stages:
1. Initial Love
2. Fluctuating Love
3. Growing Love
4. Mature Love
In the verses above, we see the Maiden after the Initial Love which is the stage that every believer should experience when they come to Christ. This is the warm love that fills believers with zeal and joy in the knowledge of the Saviour's touch upon the believer's heart.
Following this state, the Maiden or believer cools off and the Beloved or Christ tries to draw her
out from this frozen, lukewarm state. However, before moving on which is the desired next stage
for the believer small obstacles or problems in the heart have to be dealt with. The heart is likened to a vine, symbol of spiritual life.
Christ spoke of Himself as the True Vine. Here, the Vines are described as having tender grapes, a delicate stage in the life of the Vine. It is the time when fruit appears on the vine so we need extra care.
The danger here for the fruit of the Vine is spoken of as 'Little Foxes' that can damage the fruit.
Little Foxes are small animals that pose a threat to the fruit of the Vine, but they can cause great damage. These little things, if left unattended, can cause a lot of damage in the spiritual life of the
believer. These can be faults we do not usually consider as serious obstacles in our spiritual lives, things like a bad temper, unclean thoughts  that persist, "innocent" habits of all kinds, lack of discipline and many more can damage the Fruit of the Spirit in our spiritual walk with Christ.
Paul, the Apostle, in Heb.12:1 speaks of weights that can hinder us and make us heavy spiritually
so that we cannot run the Race of Faith effectively. Little things we do not normally consider as sins but we can carry, even from our old lives. Paul again, in 1 Cor.5:6-8, warns about the 'Old Leaven' that can inflate us and can delay us in our spiritual walk and progress.
We need to deal with the Little Foxes that can spoil the Fruit of the Vine. Treat the problem as Urgent, do not delay or leave it unattended as something not important. In verse 15 of Songs ch. 2 we have a Command 'Take us', take is plural, not singular. The term 'Take Us' suggests here that it is a joint effort, we are not left to our own resources alone to tackle the problem. God has sent His Holy Spirit to earth to be with us, to lead and to guide us, being a Comforter in every trial and Tribulation we face in this dark world in which we live. Take courage and be a man or a woman of God.

CLEANSING-1
The Ordinance for the Bronze Laver-Exodus 30:17-21.
Positioned between the Altar and the entrance to the Tabernacle-Exodus 40:7. A person would first come to the Altar of Sacrifice before proceeding to the Laver and then to the Tabernacle for
worship.
The Altar of Sacrifice speaks of the Cross where the sinner finds forgiveness from sin and makes peace with God. The Laver speaks of the need for the daily cleansing from the defilement a
person meets in the world.
The Priests had to wash their hands and feet before going in to minister to the Lord. Remember, we are made Kings and Priests to God. Kings rule over people and Priests minister and intercede.
Feet & Hands. They speak of our walk and relationships in this world. The need for cleansing from the daily defilement - John 13:10. If we rolled in the pollution of the world, that would be sinful.
Water in the Laver. Represents the Word of cleansing - Ephesians 5:25-26. We are called to minister from a cleansed heart - Revelation 1:5-6. 
The Laver was made from the mirrors of the women assembling before the Tabernacle -Exodus 38:8. As the Priests washed their hands, they could see their reflection in the water -the cleansing work of the Word upon us -John 15:3.
God made it clear that they should wash before sacrificing or going into the Holy Place to minister, 'Lest they die' . Failure to cleanse would bring death. A message of warning for us. We cannot offer sacrifices or serve our God from a heart not cleansed from sin or the pollution of the world-
Hebrews 13:15.

N.B.  Greek Text (Nestle) reads λυσαντι=loosed  in Rev.1:5.   

2 Kings 5:1-19
A delightful story with a great message.
Naaman-Represents the world and its power but sin-sick and incurable by itself. When in need  it turns to God and to His people to find healing and deliverance.
This is through the despised believer, the slave girl, the Church. God works through the Church and through His faithful people, His servants. The girl could have kept quiet at the
enemy's need (Naaman), but 'Love works no ill to its neighbour' .
Naaman went to the king of Israel, a type of the official Church that has no power to help, though it has the resources and makes a lot of noise, 'Having a form of Godliness but denying the power...', 2 Tim.3:5. Jesus condemned the Laodicean Church: the rich, lukewarm Church that claimed it had  need of nothing.
 However, God has His servants everywhere. Elijah thought he was alone in Israel but God told him he was mistaken. God's command to Naaman was unspectacular, 'We preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block but to the Greeks foolishness', 1 Cor.1:23. To the unregenerate the Cross is foolishness. Ananias, when told to go and see Saul of Tarsus, thought that God was mistaken. Naaman was enraged when told to dip seven times in the Jordan, but his pride was handled wisely by his servants, a type of the Holy Spirit the Comforter.
Not only was there a work of physical healing but also a work of Grace in Naaman's heart. Quite often people are only interested in the things they can get from God but do not want Him in their lives. But remember the jailer's  humble attitude at Philippi? 'What must I do to be saved?' Naaman got his priorities right, 'to God and to the King'. There was no condemnation from Elisha.
The story ends on a sad note -the servant. He is a type of the carnal believer who does not rejoice in the mighty work of God but focuses on the material, 'love not the world neither the things that are in the world....' .

Πως να απαλλαχθουμε απο τις Πικριες
Μια ουσιωδης αρχη της ζωης στην Βασιλεια ειναι η συγχωρηση των αλλων. Ενω το κεντρικο ελατηριο για να συγχωρουμε αλλους ειναι το γεγονος οτι εμεις οι ιδιοι εχουμε συγχωρηθει απο τον Θεο, υπαρχουν μερικα αλλα πραγματα που πρεπει να κοιταξουμε και που μπορουν ισως να μας βοηθησουν οταν αντιμετωπιζουμε αυτο το προβλημα.
Η αιτια που κραταμε εχθρες και πικριες ειναι ενας ευθικτος μη παραδομενος εαυτος. Να το θυμασαι αυτο-ισως να σε βοηθησει να χειριστεις πιο αποτελεσματικα το προβλημα. Το γεγονος οτι κραταμε πικρια δειχνει οτι εχουμε εναν εαυτο που ειναι υπερευαισθητος., γιατι δεν παραδοθηκε στο θελημα του Θεου. Γι' αυτο να μη ριχνεις το βαρος στο συμπτωμα- την πικρια, αλλα πηγαινε κατ' ευθειαν στη ριζα του κακου-τον μη παραδομενο εαυτο.
Εξετασε μηπως η πικρια σου η η απροθυμια σου να συγχωρεις εχει τις ριζες της σε μια φανταστικη προσβολη η εξυβριση. Ενα υπερευαισθητο ατομο φανταζεται οτι οταν δυο η τρεις ανθρωποι κλεινονται και συζητουν ιδιαιτερα, μιλουν γι' αυτον και ετσι βλεπει μεσα σε πραξεις και λογια πραγματα για τα οποια δεν υπηρχε καμμια προθεση. Ελεγξε τις στασεις σου τιμια και ζητησε απο τον Θεο βοηθεια για να αντιμετωπισεις αυτο το προβλημα μια για παντα.
Προσευχου για εκεινους που σε πληγωσαν και εθιξαν-καθε φορα που σκεφτεσαι καποιον που σε εθιξε η σε πληγωσε να μετατρεπονται οι σκεψεις σου σε προσευχη γι' αυτους. Απαξ και κανεις τον νου σου να καταλαβει αυτην την αρχη δεν θα εχεις εχθρους πια- γιατι δεν θα εχεις πια εχθρα.
                          Πραξεις

The Race of Faith  (Hebrews 12:1-2).
Notice that the above verses follow Chapter 11, The Heroes of Faith. Here in these verses, the
race is likened to a stadium where the athletes run to win an unperishable crown watched by a
crowd of spectators-the heroes of Faith.
The Apostle Paul in 2 Tim.4:6-8 says, 'I have fought a good fight....' . Our fight, as believers, is a good fight, as opposed to the fight of the people of the world.
Many enter the Race but not all finish well. It is easy to give up when beset  by problems and discouragement. Paul, writing to the Galatian believers when they were faced with many problems, told them, ' You ran well.....' .
The Aim of the Race. The finishing line. Keep your eyes on it. What is our Aim? JESUS, 'The Author and Finisher of our Faith' .Keep your eyes on Him, not on the crowd.
To run well and finish there are three conditions to be met (v.1).
1.Free from weights.  Not necessarily sins but usually small things in our Christian lives that can hinder our spiritual walk (bad temper, evil thoughts, habits, criticizing, and many more).
Eccl.10:1, speaks about small things that can spoil something expensive or precious,
1 Cor.5:6-8, warns about Leaven in our lives that can inflate us spiritually. We normally see the big things in our lives but not the little ones that can spoil our spiritual progress, 'Take us the little foxes that spoil....'.Song of Solomon
2.Free from Sin. Sin is usually more obvious; but not always so. There are often sins hidden in our hearts, even from our youth that were never dealt with which can spring up to trouble us. We need to open our hearts to the Holy Spirit so that they are exposed to His eye and receive cleansing, Ps.139:23-24. Sin will bring us down and end the Race for us. We shall be disqualified from the Race of Faith.
3.Run with patience. Impatience, the common cause for many workers for the Gospel.
King Saul was rejected by God because he failed on this point - Pride. It is illogical to run a race patiently. It is against the standards and logic of the world but God says in Is. 55, 'My ways are not your ways' .
We cannot conform to the world's ideas and standards and expect to be successful, 'We walk by Faith not by Sight'. Many Churches copy the world's ideas and they think they are progressing in the Faith.
Are you in the Race of Faith today? Keep your eye on Jesus The One who ran the Race before us
and finished Victorious.

READINESS   Matt.24:42-51.

'BE ALSO READY' . The Command of Christ concerning His Coming.
There is great delusion in the Church of Christ. Many believers think that when Christ appears again to Rapture His Church, they will automatically be taken to Heaven.
The command in these verses above leaves us with no doubt that this is NOT so. We are told plainly to be READY. The Greek word in the Text implies Preparation. We have to consider Two statements in Christ's command.
1. God does not need to get Ready.
2. The believers need to get Ready for His coming.
What does it mean to be Ready?
It means to be in a state of preparedness for the greatest event in the history of mankind so that when Christ comes He will find us fit for Heaven.
What does this Readiness involve?
Keeping a constant watch so that when Christ appears we shall be snatched out of this world of evil and taken to Heaven. Those whose lives are tied up with this world and love the world will find it difficult to disengage from the world and its affection. Remember Lot's wife?
People often say, when you confront them with the question about not loving the world, 'I do not love the world' but they do not admit that they desire the things of the world and what the world offers. Where does our allegiance lie? What are our priorities in our Christian lives? Will the pull of this world with its involvement be too heavy on us to suddenly pull off its yoke at that moment when Christ appears?
In Luke 21:34, the Lord gave a solemn warning. There are three conditions we need to watch closely:
1. Carousing/Surfeiting.
2. Drunkenness.
3. Cares of this Life.
'Take Care', Christ warned, that your hearts are not overcharged by any or all of these three states.
CAROUSING: Heavily involved in the affairs of this world.
DRUNKENNESS: Taking an intoxicating substance that will control my life and actions. Abundant involvement in the things of this world can do the same as an overdose of alcohol does in my life. I lose control of my actions.
CARES OF THIS LIFE: Everybody has some kind of Care, some small, some big, old or young, important or unimportant. We cannot afford to let cares overtake our lives, however good they may be. They act as poison in our systems. Remember the words of Christ in Matt.6:25-34? Cares can kill our spiritual life by distracting us from the more important issues of life, if we do not watch.
Following His warning in the verses above (Matt.24) the Lord goes on to deliver more serious warnings about the neglect of Readiness in the Church.
The servant who mistakes His Lord's delayed return resorts to misbehaviour and neglect of duties. We are accountable to God for our conduct in the Church. Paul, the Apostle, in 2 Cor.5:10 warns about our responsibilities in our Christian lives, a subject we are often uncomfortable with.
Peter, the Apostle, also warns about the same subject in 1 Pet.4:17.
Finally, we cannot avoid the message of the Parable in Matt.25:1-13 the five unwise virgins whose foolish way of Christian living cost them a place in Eternity. We cannot afford to live our Christian lives carelessly. The coming of Christ is a far more important event than the pleasures of this life. Don't miss it!
We read of Moses that he 'Esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt....' Heb.11:26.
WATCH AND BE READY.

Πως να αποκομισουμε τη Μεγιστη ωφελεια
απο την Αγια Γραφη.
Πως μπορουμε να χρησιμοποιησουμε την Βιβλο ωστε να αποκομισουμε τη μεγιστη ωφελεια απο τις σελιδες της; Προσεγγισε την με προσευχη. Καθως παιρνεις την Βιβλο στα χερια σου να θυμασαι οτι ειναι εμπνευσμενο βιβλιο και ακριβως οπως χρειαστηκε Θεια εμπνευση για να φραφτει, χρειαζεται Θεια εμπνευση και για να γεινει κατανοητη.
Επειτα, πρεπει να τη διαβαζεις χωρις βια. Οσο κι αν ειναι περιορισμενος ο χρονος σου, η μελετη της Βιβλου (αν ειναι να αποφερει πνευματικο οφελος) πρεπει να γινεται χωρις βια. Δεν θα  κερδισεις τιποτα αν διατρεξεις βιαστικα ενα κομματι απο τον Λογο του Θεου και αμεσως μετα περισπασεις το μυαλο σου σε κατι αλλο. Καλυτερα ενα εδαφιο χωνεμενο χωρις βια παρα ολοκληρο κεφαλαιο περασμενο βιαστικα.
Επισης πρεπει να τη διαβαζεις με ερευνητικο πνευμα. Να κανεις στον εαυτο σου δυο βασικες ερωτησεις. 'Τι σημαινε το κομματι της Γραφης την εποχη που γραφτηκε;' και 'Τι σημαινει αυτη τη δεδομενη στιγμη;'. Μερικες φορες βεβαια οι δυο απαντησεις θα συμπιπτουν. Αλλες φορες η απαντηση στην πρωτη ερωτηση μπορει να μας διαφευγει, ενω η απαντηση στη δευτερη θα εχει βαθεια επιδραση πανω μας. Η συνηθεια να ανοιγουμε την Γραφη στη τυχη και να παιρνουμε την πρωτη λεξη που διαβαζουμε σαν προσωπικο μηνυμα εξ ουρανου, πρεπει να αποφευγεται. Μερικες φορες οταν η καρδια μας ειναι πολυ αναστατωμενη η εξουθενωμενη ο Θεος μιλαει με τετοιο τροπο, αλλα αυτο ειναι εξαιρεση μαλλον παρα ο κανονας. Ο Θεος καθοδηγει επι το πλειστον αυτους που μελετουν τον Λογο Του στο μεγιστο βαθμο.                             Σκεψεις

Joshua 3:2-17.
CROSSING THE RIVER JORDAN
The second time the Israelites had to cross a water obstacle since leaving Egypt on the way to Canaan. The FIRST obstacle a deep sea and the SECOND a flooded flowing river. What are the lessons drawn from this passage?
1. The Faithfulness of the priests bearing the Ark.
2. The obedience of the Israelites to the leadership of Joshua.
The Israelite Nation, after 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, are poised to enter the Promised Land encamped on the plains of Moab. They are faced with a formidable obstacle - the flooded River Jordan. To enter the Promised Land they have to cross the River.
This is the time of harvest and the river overflows its banks making the crossing full of danger. There is no bridge, no boats, or any other means by which to make the crossing possible but God commands that they cross the river. It is God's way of doing it and the Ark has to lead the way for the people. For this to happen the Priests are involved. God's command to the Priests, 'Take up the Ark....cross over the people' . The Ark led the way, clearly visible to all the people making sure that it was safe for the people to follow.
 Is is God who leads us and shows the way to follow on our earthly way-Is.48:17. He leads us and guides us and we must not presume that we know the way. He has the means to do so.
Throughout their journeyings to the Promised Land the Ark went before them and they followed, not the other way round. But for this to happen there was a vital element -The Priests who carried the Ark. They were the ministers of God's Grace to the people. Without them the Ark would be stationary, unable to lead the way forward. We are now the Kings and Priests to God, ministering to His people and leading the way.
The Priests had an awesome responsibility before the people and God. They had to carry the Ark and walk ahead. They stood in the water and trusted God to do what He had promised. They believed what God had said and moved in Faith. They were between God and the people. A picture of Intercession.
What was the result of this situation? The river parted and the waters stood still to open the way for the people to cross over. In spite of the obvious risks that the Priests faced they pressed on. They stood firm without murmuring and objections. Not like us. It is a good thing to desire a ministry and serve God but we must realize that this carries a responsibility before God and the people. It calls for Faithfulness and Obedience.
After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness we see a clear change in the attitude and behaviour of the new Israelite Nation. The generation that cane out of Egypt perished in the wilderness. We see a new obedient generation ready to move on and obey God. The great leader Moses bore the brunt of a rebellious and adverse behaviour of that generation but he pressed on as 'seeing the invisible' . In the end he was excluded form entering the Promised Land only to be succeeded by another great leader, Joshua the son of Nun, the faithful servant of Moses.
God endorsed the leadership of Joshua clearly. We hear of no objections or murmurings against Joshua..People recognized that he was God's choice to lead them to the promised Land. A Godly
leader in the Church is a comfort to the people.
There were mistakes from Joshua and the Israelite leaders, like there are in any Church, but these were remedied when they turned to the Lord for answers and guidance. A congregation  should be spiritually alert to recognize such problems and rally to the aid of the leadership in the Church in difficult situations. Did God reprove Joshua and the leaders severely? No, He encouraged them to put matters right and press on.
What is our attitude to mistakes in the Church? How spiritual are we when problems arise? How do we face them? Do we move forward with Grace or back in shame?
The Israelites found that under the leadership of Joshua they could overcome problems and move on to conquer the Promised Land. Joshua remained a man of God and a leader of the people till the end. Let us hear his words at the end of his days, ' As for me and my house we shall serve the Lord' .
Contrast the people when a new generation arose, 'In those days there was no king in Israel, everyone did what was right in their eyes' .

Luke 14:16-24. The Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
Jesus said 'Many are called but few are chosen' .
This Parable speaks about the Coming of Christ and the wedding reception in Heaven, following the Rapture of the Church. The central theme of this Parable is about the kind of people who are fit to enter Heaven. The invitation is for the wedding reception which will take place in Heaven in the presence of God, the Holy Spirit and all the Host of Heaven. It will be the official joining of Christ and His Bride, the Church.
Like in any wedding many people are invited but here almost everybody declines the invitation to attend the ceremony and supper. The excuses for not attending are various but not unusual, what we expect people to give in normal daily life. We tend to think that this situation concerns unbelievers but that is not the case, it concerns believers as well. In both cases all those people will find the door to the wedding closed, like the five unwise virgins of the Parable in Matt. 25.
What were the excuses given by the people who did not attend? There are three categories here in the Parable.
1. The person who is busy because he wants to increase his wealth, the material minded. He has no time for God.
2. The person who is full of the cares of the world, because of his possessions. He has no time for God.
3. The person who is too busy and concerned about his family, possession, job, career, etc. No time for God.
The usual excuses people give when you ask them to give some time for the Gospel. I do not have time!! However, people have time for work, food, enjoyment, leisure, t.v, friends and many other things but not for God. 
God calls the sinner and the believer to enter through the narrow gate and walk on the straight way but like those in the Parable people are too busy with their pathetic little lives to accept God's invitation to Eternal Life.
All the excuses given by the people in the Parable could be classed as legitimate but they were not accepted by God. The problem with all those people was they loved the things of the world more than the things of God. Such people will abound in the last days, in which we live -2 Tim.3:1-5. The
lives of such people do not fit into Heaven, because God has no place at all or a secondary place in their lives.
There are also many believers who fall into that category. They think going to Church, saying their little prayers, giving alms and other religious observances guarantee a place in Heaven. They know about Christ but they do not know Him personally. The five unwise virgins neglected that vital relationship, hence they found a closed door to Heaven, yet they cried 'Lord open to us'.
Christ's answer was, 'I never knew you' .
On that day when Christ comes in the air to call His own home there will be a separation. The sheep that hear His voice will go with the Shepherd into the sheepfold, all else will stay outside.
It will be the end of life as we know it and the beginning of a new life as God promised in His Word. The grave does not end anything; only we continue to live on another shore.
A wedding is a happy occasion when two people are joined together for life to live a new life as one. The marriage in Heaven will be on the same lines. Christ and His Bride, the Church, for ever
in Heaven, a new life for the believer.
The people in the Parable did not have such hope or desire to be in the place God prepared for them or to enjoy the company of God and of the innumerable host of Heaven. Their hope and desire was this earth, the place God will one day destroy in the fire of His judgement. But for those 'who look for Him shall He appear....'  Heb.9:28.

'They came to make David King'   (1Chron.12:38-40)
What are the Lessons we learn from this Passage?
David figures in the history of Israel as a great leader, not only as a man of war but also as a person of spiritual quality whom God chose to be leader of His people. David's life and leadership speak of the life of Christ, the One God sent to lead His people out of darkness and religious hypocrisy back to God.
Like many leaders of renown David started from a humble origin: a shepherd youth tending his father's sheep in Bethlehem, a profession most of us would not choose. In a similar way Christ came into the world as a baby born in a manger, not a promising start for a coming King and Saviour of the world. However, what identifies both as great leaders is not their humble origins but God's seal of approval on them.
Both received God's anointing for leadership and service. David by Samuel the Prophet, while still a shepherd boy, Jesus while being baptized by John in the river Jordan, God confirming that He was His dear Son.
In between the years of apparent obscurity before fame, we get a glimpse that both were destined for something more that an ordinary life. We read of David that while tending his sheep a bear and a lion attacked the sheep. He dealt with them single handed reminding us how our God rescues His sheep from the jaws of Satan.
At 12 years of age Jesus is found disputing in the Temple with the religious teachers of the day. A token that would mark His future ministry causing people to remark later that 'nobody spoke like this man before' .
Though we see the hand of God upon David and Jesus at an early stage of their lives their ministry is not revealed till later - in God's perfect time.
David suffers persecution and  much distress in Saul's hands while Jesus is constantly accused and misinterpreted during His entire ministry. Both endured as 'Seeing the invisible'. Their eyes were on God. Later on David is beset by his mistakes during his reign, yet God does not forsake him but grants forgiveness and deliverance. God refers to him as His servant for generations to come.
God's promises stand true to those who do not deny Him.
Jesus is marked by a sinless character throughout His earthly life and ministry. Then finally when the end comes He cries, 'It is Finished'. He did all that He came to do and obeyed His Heavenly Father fully till the end. 'Therefore, God had highly exalted Him and gave Him a Name....'.
Rightly, David's men and followers came to crown him king. He was a true leader.
A crown of glory awaited Jesus on the Resurrection day when He entered Heaven triumphantly, 'King of Kings and Lord of Lords' . What glory awaits you and me when we enter Heaven's
Gate and sit at God's table with all the other victors, like David the King.
On this earth we are beset by trials and tribulations following our leader and King the Lord Jesus Christ who said, 'Blessed is he who endures to the end....' . We learn lessons from David's life and failures but above all we follow in the pathway of our Lord and King who set a perfect example for us by His life and character. He not only lived the life but He also laid down His life for His friends.
The life of Jesus should be the prime example for our Christian lives.

Isaiah 53:3-4     A Man of Sorrows
Sorrows-Pains, Anguish of Spirit, Soul and Body. Not His own sorrows or originating from His own conduct. 'The sorrows of death compassed Me and the pains of Hell....' Psalm 116:3.
No sorrows come from Christ, He is the Son of the Blessed-Mark 14:61. God is a happy person and what God is Christ is -Psalm 16:11, Heb.1:3. The fullness of joy and these pleasures for evermore which are in Christ are not only for you but for God Himself-Rom.8:26,30.
A Man of Sorrows, 'Surely He has born our griefs and carried our Sorrows' .
Our Griefs-Personal to us, many in number. Sicknesses of all kinds, tensions that make us sick, fears, wounds, calamities -all destroying the mind, body and spirit. They affect the whole man ending in death, the common portion of man.
Our Sorrows. People accept them as their lot. Anguish of spirit, soul and body, affliction from within and without, sore diseases.
A heavy burden was lifted from us, the whole human race, and taken upon Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus was a man of Sorrows. He identified with me at Calvary, He was numbered with the transgressors. God made Him to be sin for us, He who knew no sin, did no sin-2 Cor.5:21. He did not become sinful-1 John 1:5, 3:5. He did not become sick. His body saw no corruption-Psalm 16:10.
By going to Calvary Christ took all our sins and all our sicknesses with Him to the Cross, He took the punishment of God's rightful anger for your sins and mine -the sins which brought this heavy burden upon us. All our sins, our griefs, our sorrows were extinguished, blotted out of God's sight in the fury of Calvary, removed from God's memory-Heb.10:17.
All the charges against us disappeared at Calvary. Christ nailed them there, taking them out of the way -Col.2:14. A man of Sorrows. They have gone, the man Christ Jesus remains, the One and Only Mediator between God and man-1 Tim.2:5. 
God says:
Behold My Servant-Is.42:1.
Behold the Lamb of God-John 1:29.
He was wounded for our transgressions-Is.53:5.                                                                                 Believe on the Lord Jesus and you shell be Saved-Acts 16:31.

Athens

'....his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols.'

Acts 17:16.

Ephesus

'....when they found out that he was a Jew, all with one voice cried out for about two hours, great is

  Diana of the Ephesians.' Acts 19:34.

THE CHURCH (1 Pet.2:9-10)
The Spiritual Home of every true believer and the place which countless people,who adhere to the Christian Faith, attend on certain days of the week. 
It is a very misunderstood term in the minds of innumerable people.
What is the Church? A building where people go on certain days of the week and meet other people to find company or even exchange ideas and talk about religious issues? Is it a place which we can attend and be involved in certain rituals, such as baptizing babies to become Christians, conduct a funeral service, a wedding service or many other things which we consider part of our religion? None of these things.

In the two verses in 1 Peter 2, we are told that the Church is:
1. A Chosen Generation.
2. A Royal Priesthood.
3. A Holy Nation.
4. His Own Special People.

Looking at this list we may realize that it is not the usual idea of most ordinary people who follow the Christian Religion. It probably comes as a surprise to such people that this is God's idea of the Church and not the common one.
Peter, having stated in those verses what the Church is goes on to tell us what the Church of God should be doing on this earth, what her members were and what they are now. However, we must bear in mind that the Church is one of the two Institutions that God established. They are:
The Church
The Family.
Looking more carefully at the statements in verse 9 we note that the Church is:
A Chosen Generation. A Body of people specially chosen by God for a specific purpose. It is actually a race of people called by God to become His family-Gal.6:10. Is is the Family of God, spiritually and physically. Not an ordinary family but one consisting of sons and daughters by adoption, Christ being the Head of this Family and of the Church.
A Royal Priesthood. God made us Kings and Priests. Kings rule and Priests minister to people. We are co-rulers with Christ ministering the Word of our God to people. We shall reign forever, not because we are worthy but because of Christ's worthiness. We are not an ordinary Priesthood but a Royal one. We descend from God, the Great King, the Heavenly Redeemer.
A Holy Nation. There are many nations on this earth but none can claim Holiness. All have sinned and done evil in the sight of God. The Nation that God has called has been sanctified by God Himself and set apart to be Holy to God. The Church has this unique attribute; she belongs to a Holy God. It is God's holiness resting upon the Church that makes her a Nation of Holy people, sanctified by the Blood of the Lamb. It is a holy nation that came into being not by works of righteousness but by the Blood of Christ. A Holy Nation belonging to God-Ex.19:6, Deut.7:6.
His Own Special People. Special, not because of their abilities and good standing in the world but because they were purchased in a unique way, by the Blood, and set apart by God for a special purpose. To serve, worship God and be witnesses to His name. Special, because they are separated from all other nations and people on this earth-His people. This Nation and all its people
claim a personal relationship with their God and are recognized by Him as His-Matt.3:17-17.
In verse 9, Peter goes on to say what the Church should be doing, ' That you may proclaim the praises of Him....' . The Church, in these last days, shows itself as a body of people who resemble a benevolent organization or people who copy the world in entertainment and methods. One wonders what account the Church will give to her Maker on the day of reckoning Is the Church doing what God asks her to do on this earth? Somebody said, 'The Church is good at saving people but not so good at making saints' . What sort of picture does the Church present to the world? A body of people made up of countless Denominations fighting each other over their doctrines?
Verse 9 clearly tells us what the Church should be doing in this world-Showing the world who the Head is by giving glory to Him only.
Through the Church and through no other means will the world see the Glory of God and witness the mighty acts of her Redeemer. Not only that but also that the world will be reproved of its wickedness.
Finally, Peter in verse 10, tells us what kind of people make up this Church-'Who once were not a people....' . The Church of God is made up of people who once were lost in the darkness of this world, unknown, the rejects of this world but God delighted to draw them to His light and fashioned them as sons and daughters. How? Because of the Cross.
Redeemed by the Blood, bought back to God. They were people who never knew what Mercy was
because they were condemned to a lost Eternity. But God in His great love drew them to Himself and set them free from judgement. Now they are destined for the Heavenly city that He built for them.

HE IS NOT HERE HE IS RISEN

                                                               HRISTOS VASKRES         

                                        

UNITY  (PSALM 133:1-3)
Unity is a rare quality in the Church but vitally important if we are to experience God's blessing.
Unity is not something we can manufacture by human effort but something that comes from above by the agency of the Holy Spirit, when we yield to His authority.
Paul, the Apostle, exhorts the believers in his Epistles to be of one mind, a thing that shows the disunity in the early Christian Churches. No wonder most of those Churches fell apart and disappeared from the face of the earth.
Not only Paul but also the Psalmist, in the Psalm above, praises Unity among believers-'How good and how pleasant' . This does not mean we cannot have questions and differences of opinion
in the Church. We are not a robotic or mindless group of people! The Psalmist sees Unity as something very precious, saying that it is 'Good' and 'Pleasant' .
Disunity creates a bitter taste in the Church and people are not slow to see this, especially unbelievers. The example the Psalmist gives of Unity is like the Anointing Oil upon Aaron's head. How did the Psalmist know this a long time after the event? Verbal Tradition.
The Anointing Oil was very costly to prepare and of a beautiful fragrance (Exodus 30:34-38) and so is Unity in the Church. It is a pleasant quality. Not only pleasant but also costly. To have Unity we need to lay down our own will with its own petty self-important ideas, likes and preferences. Jesus said, 'whoever wants to be chief among you let him be servant of all' - a voluntary act. We need to say 'Not my will but yours be done' . Self wants to have its own way. Self demands. We need to crucify self-a painful, costly business.
The Ointment ran down to the hem of Aaron's garment. It was not a smear but a liberal application. We often worry that we shall spoil our clothes or hairdos whenever there is a need for anointing. How do we measure the cost of Unity in the Body of Christ?
The Anointing was applied at the top, not at the bottom. Unity comes from above, when we allow the Holy Spirit to have His way in the Church, first with the leadership and then with the members. The Anointing Oil ran down to the hem of Aaron's garment where the bells and pomegranates were. If we have Unity people we hear about it, we do not need to broadcast it. Unity goes together with love, something people desperately need - the product of God's Salvation.
The Psalmist not only likens Unity to the Anointing Oil but also to the dew of Hermon that descended upon the parched land of Jerusalem to refresh and moisten the earth. Unity refreshes and moistens the Church. It moistens the parched ground of discord and bitterness. It sustains the life of the Church. A disunited Church is like dry bones that have an appearance of life but no breath. It is the move of the Holy Spirit that gives vitality and warmth in a united Body.
What are the reasons for disunity in a Church?
Paul the Apostle, in 1 Cor.1:10-11, speaks about the problems in the Corinthian Church, a bed of disunity and divisions. Self was prevalent in this Church. Believers laid emphasis on their opinions of what the preachers said but did not sort it out with the preachers. It all indicated one thing-Carnality in the Church. Paul wrote to this Church repeatedly to admonish the believers and correct them. The Church finally disappeared from the face of the earth. Where Disunity prevails in any Church the same fate awaits that Church.
Christ warned the Ephesian Church about the error of their ways. If they did not Repent He would remove their Lamp-stand from their midst (Rev.2:5). The Church of Ephesus also disappeared from the face of the earth. When God removes the Lamp-stand from a Church there is no more light from His Word. Our own light of errors and disunity will eventually prevail. The Lamp-stand
disappears first and then the believers.

EXODUS 15:22-27.
JEHOVAH-ROPHE - The Lord that Heals.
One of the many incidents on the route to Canaan, early on the way. The need here was water, a vital necessity of life-The Word of God.
For three days they marched without water but when water was found it was unsuitable-just like our circumstances. What was first unsuitable, later proved to meet their need. What a change! What was failure at first now was success.
There were no spectacular happenings. God does not need to change our circumstances, He just adds His presence. Remember Daniel in the lions den? Remember the three boys in the fiery furnace? 
God's remedy was a tree, standing there for a long time perhaps. A very illogical remedy, just like the Cross-Isaiah 55:8. God showed Moses the tree. He opens our eyes to see the problem, beside every pool of despair. God's presence transformed the bitter into sweet, (Joseph's prison). Beside every pool of sorrow stands the Tree of Life. The place of bitterness led to the place of abundance-Elim.
Before the Covenant of Healing there was a token of healing. His Promise-If they kept the Covenant they would escape the plagues of Egypt.
Israel in the wilderness speaks of the Church on the move. No record of disease, their clothes, their shoes did not wear out. If I keep moving on with God, He has promised to keep me. Obedience is a must. Many want the healing but not the Healer.
ELIM-Twelve springs, one for each Tribe. Seventy palms, one for each elder of Israel. God's individual blessing.

Exodus 30:17-21.
THE ORDINANCE FOR THE LAVER.
A huge washing bowl placed  between the Altar and the entrance to the Tabernacle. Made of bronze from the mirrors of the women (Ex.38:8). The dimensions are not clear but we can get an idea of its size from the sea that Solomon constructed for the Temple-2 Chron.4:2-5.
The purpose for the Laver - For the priests to wash their hands and feet before going to minister to the Lord.
The water in the Laver represents the pure water of the Word that cleanses-Heb.10:22. Jesus told His disciples, 'You are clean through the Word....' John 15:3. Cleansing before ministering to the Lord, 'Lest you die'.
Following the sacrifice on the Altar (Cross), the redeemed person needs the cleansing in his life from the daily defilement of the world-Rom.12:1. God made us Kings and Priests through Christ's sacrifice-Rev.5:9-10. Kings rule and Priests minister. Ministry to the Lord stems from a cleansed heart and life.
Hands-Represent relationships.
Feet-Represent our walk before God.
If the body got filthy, that would be sin. Therefore, the need to cleanse the hands and feet. The Priests had to sacrifice and serve God in the Tabernacle daily. As they washed their hands and their feet in the water they could see their reflection-the effect of cleansing.
The two fold Cleansing:
Pure hands-Ps.24:3-4.
Feet that walk-Eph.4:1.

DANCING
Sacred dances were acceptable in the Jewish tradition (as many O.T. passages illustrate) and in,
for example, the pagan mysteries of Dionysus. But among the Christians they appear either in fringe sects, such as the Melitians in Egypt or in the exciting popular carnivals on the feast of martyrs, concerning which Basil the Great, Ambrose and Augustine express anxious disapproval.
As for ballet as an art form in antiquity this was vulgar, aggressively erotic and the object of censure to pagan intellectuals like, Libanius, Julian and Macrobius as well as to moralists like John Chrysostom.
Dances in Ancient times (Greek world, especially Thrace). Most modern dances have their roots in Greek dances in antiquity. These dances included gestures that expressed the feeling of the soul, gymnastic movements like those of young people, of athletes, of wrestlers and other quick or slow movements which were combined with group formation.
Many Thracians danced armed, like the inhabitants of Doric cities. A description of this is found in Xenophon's 'Anabasis'. Thracian war dances portrayed the various battle tactics and they were accompanied by the flute or song.
The Dionysiac dances were of the orgiastic type/nature with forward or backward movements and including hands and feet movements as well. A well known Greek dance was the 'syrtos' which was a lively bright dance. It was danced in the form of a circle, the dancers holding hands round an altar or some other body emblem. Theatre dances were usually of the tragedy, comedy or satirical type and were performed by the 'hypocrites'.
Tragedy dances were somber, decent with symmetrical movements and miming formations, accompanied by the flute. Comedy dances were lively with gyrations, indecent movements and jumping. The satirical dances were similar to the comedy ones with whistling, shouts and jumping. Feast dances were of a mime character and acrobatics were usually performed by the orchestra girls. Wedding dances were danced by the young men in the afternoon before the the wedding couple arrived. They were often accompanied   by songs to 'Hymeneos'.
When somebody died the Thracians were glad and danced round the grave, blessing the dead person  for deliverance from the earthly torments. Popular dances were quick and happy. These included the harvest dances, sowing and grape harvest.
There is a complete absence of any mention about dancing in the N.T., as opposed to the O.T. Why?
Whereas dancing, as mentioned in the Psalms and elsewhere in the O.T., was part of Jewish tradition and culture, the early Church knew full well that dancing was associated with the pagan world. Both dancing and theatre were an integral part of pagan worship.

Η Προσευχη του Κυριου (Λουκ.11:1-4)
Κλεινουμε τη μελετη μας πανω στη Προσευχη του Κυριου με τα τελευταια λογια, 'Μη μας φερεις μεσα σε πειρασμο, αλλα ελευθερωσε μας απο τον πονηρο' .
Το προβλημα του πειρασμου ειναι απο τα θεματα που ισως προκαλουν περισσοτερη ανησυχια και ερωτηματα απο καθε αλλο θεμα. Γιατι να υπαρχει ο πειρασμος και πως μπορουμε να τον αντιμετωπισουμε αποτελεσματικα; Ας προσπαθησουμε μεσα στο χωρο που επιτρεπει το παρον εντυπο να ριξουμε λιγο φως στο τοσο φλεγον αυτο ερωτημα.
Ολοι μας πειραζομαστε, μερικοι λιγο, αλλοι πολυ. Ακομα και ο Κυριος μας Ιησους Χριστος υπεφερε πειρασμο απο το Διαβολο οταν ηταν στη γη. Ο πειρασμος ερχεται με πολλες μορφες και κατω απο διαφορες περιστασεις.
Το ερωτημα που πρεπει να θεσουμε εδω ειναι: Μας πειραζει ο Θεος: Στην επιστολη Ιακωβου Α' κεφ, 13-14 εχουμε μιαν αρνητικη απαντηση. Ο Θεος οχι μονο δεν πειραζει αλλα ουτε ειναι του χαρακτηρα Του τετοια ενεργεια. Ειναι ομως φανερο, απο το κατα Λουκ. κεφ.4:1-2 οτι ο Θεος μπορει να μας οδηγησει για να δοκιμαστει η πιστη μας σε καταστασεις πειρασμου.
Για να εχουμε μια τοποθετηση πανω στο ολο θεμα πρεπει να κατανοησουμε την ιδια τη λεξη 'πειραζω' που σημαινει-δοκιμαζω, εξεταζω. Συμπεραινουμε λοιπον οτι οταν προσευχομαστε στο Θεο να μη μας φερει σε πειρασμο, ζηταμε να μη μας φερει σε δοκιμασια. Βλεπουμε ομως οτι πολλες φορες μεσα στη Χριστιανικη μας ζωη  θε υποφερουμε δοκιμασιες που ειναι φανερο οτι τις επιτρεπει ο Θεος, π.χ. στη ζωη του Κυριου μας, πριν αρχισει τη διακονια Του (Λουκ.4:1-13), του Αβρααμ, του Ιακωβου, του Ιωβ και πολλων αλλων. Αν ετσι εχουν τα πραγματα τοτε γιατι πρεπει να προσευχομαστε να μας απαλλαξει ο Θεος απο τον πειρασμο; Υπαρχουν αρκετες απαντησεις στο ερωτημα τουτο. Ας κοιταξουμε δυο απο τις βασικοτερες.
Πρωτον. Χρειαζεται να προσευχομαστε να μας φυλαξει ο Θεος απο τον πειρασμο γιατι μπορει να αντιμετωπιζουμε καποιο πειρασμο που δεν εχει φανερωθει. Μπορουμε να αντιμετωπισουμε τον πειρασμο πιο ευκολα αν αυτος ειναι γνωστος. Παραδειγμα, στο κατα Λουκ.22:46, ο Κυριος μας προειδοποιησε τους μαθητες Του 'Προσευχεστε για να μη μπειτε σε πειρασμο' . Αν πραγματι εδειναν προσοχη στα λογια Του τοτε ο Πετρος δεν θα χρησιμοποιουσε βια.
Δευτερον. Ακομα ενα παραδειγμα πειρασμου που πρεπει να αντιμετωπισουμε, ειναι η νυχτα στη Γεσθημανη πριν τη Σταυρωση.
Ο Ιησους γνωριζε τι επροκειτο να γινει και ηταν αποφασισμενος να υποφερει τον Σταυρικο θανατο Και ομως προσευχηθηκε θερμα να 'απελθει το ποτηριο' αν ηταν το θελημα του Πατερα Του. Γιατι; Αυτο μας φανερωνει μιαν ουσιατικη αληθεια.
Ανκαι γνωριζουμε οτι ο πειρασμος κτυπα ατη πορτα μας, η ανθρωπινη φυση μας προτιμα να αποφυγει τη δοκιμασια. Οταν ο Κυριος Ιησους ειπε τα λογια εκεινα στη Γεσθημανη εβαλε το θεμελιο πανω στο οποιο μπορουμε να εκφρασουμε την αδυναμια της ψυχης μας την ωρα του πειρασμου.
Στο δευτερο μερος του χωριου 'ελευθερωσε μας απο τον πονηρο' υπαρχει μια θετικη παρακληση. Η Βιβλος λεει οτι ο Διαβλος περιτρυγυριζει σαν ωρυομενο λιονταρι, ζητωντας ποιον να καταπιει (Α' Πετρ.5:8). Αν ο πιστος δεν ηταν κατω απο την προστασια και το ελεος του Κυριου, ποιος θα μπορουσε να σταθει; Ο Θεος μας εχει προμηθευσει τα μεσα με τα οποια μπορουμε να αντιμετωπισουμε τον πονηρο και τις μεθοδιες του και να βγουμε νικητες (Εφ.6:10-18). Πρεπει ομως να αντισταθουμε, οπως μας καλει και ο Ιακωβος την επιστολη του, κεφ.4:7. Σε συννδυασμο λοιπον των δυο αυτων αιτηματων θα μπορουσαμε να πουμε: Πατερα φυλαξε μας απο καταστασεις, γεγονοτα, συμβαντα πειρασμου, υπερμετρα απο την ικανοτητα μας να τα αντιμετωπισουμε μονοι μας. Κι' αν παλι μονοι μας πεσουμε σε πειρασμο, τραβηξε μας απο το στομα του λιονταριου.                                                   Τελος

Exodus 16:11-21,31
The Ordinance for Manna.
Manna-That which was not known. God's provision for His people in the desert for 40 years. The incident was about 4 weeks after the crossing of the Red Sea.
Manna speaks of Christ, the Bread of Life, our sustenance-The Word of God. They craved for meat and bread, the things of Egypt, the old life of sin, but God sees the need of our souls and gives Manna-morning and evening. Does Christ satisfy us or the world?
It appeared on the ground early in the morning every day. They had to go out and gather it. If somebody did not feel like getting up and going out to gather Manna it meant there was no food for that day.
We need to search the Word daily to feed our souls. It needs effort. Everybody gathered enough for their needs (homer=2.2litres). We take from God according to the measure of our Faith, no more, no less.
The size of it was insignificant but its taste was wonderful. The Word does not always appeal to our senses but it nourishes our being. It satisfies. It was not stored overnight. The sun melt it-The evil of the day.
We cannot rely and feed on yesterday's bread, neither on past experiences. It needs effort and determination to walk with God. Spiritual growth does not happen automatically. Jesus, though the busiest man of His day, made time to be with His Heavenly Father-Daily. How much more we?
No more Manna in the Promised Land but enjoyed the fruit of the land-Heaven.

Η Προσευχη του Κυριου (Λουκ.11:1-4)
Συνεχιζουμε τη μελετη μας με τα επομενα λογια της προσευχης 'Συγχωρεσε σε μας τις αμαρτιες μας επειδη, κι' εμεις συγχωρουμε σε καθεναν που αμαρτανει σ' εμας' .
Η συγχωρεση ειναι απο τα πιο δυσκολα θεματα και μαθηματα που πρεπει να μαθουμε στη Χριστιανικη μας ζωη, γιατι μας επηρεαζει πνευματικα, ψυχολογικα και συναισθηματικα. Στο χωριο τουτο υπαρχει μια προυποθεση. Για να υπαρξει συγχωρεση πρεπει και τα δυο μερη να ειναι θετικα, δηλ.. επειδη ο Θεος συγχωρεσε τις αμαρτιες μας πρεπει κι' εμεις να συγχωρουμε αυτους που αμαρτανουν σε μας. Δεν δυσκολευομαστε συνηθως με το πρωτο μερος, αλλα σκονταφτουμε στο δευτερο και συχνα προβληματιζομαστε.
Η Βιβλος δηλωνει κατηγορηματικα οτι ο Θεος συγχωρει τις αμαρτιες μας λογω του εργου του Χριστου επι του Σταυρου χωρις ορους η επιφυλαξεις. Ειναι τουτη η συγχωρεση που φερνει χαρα και ευφροσυνη στην καρδια και μπορει ο αναγεννημενος αμθρωπος να ζησει μια ησυχη και ειρηνικη ζωη με τον Θεο. Ο Ψαλ.32:1 λεει, 'Μακαριος εκεινος του οποιου συγχωρηθηκε η παραβαση, του οποιου σκεπαστηκε η αμαρτια'.
Ας γυρισουμε ομως στο θεμα που μας προβληματιζει. Γιατι το βρισκουμε τοσο δυσκολο να συγχωρουμε εκεινους που μας αδικουν; Γιατι, ανκαι θελουμε να συγχωρουμε, εντουτοις πιανουμε τον εαυτο μας να μη μπορει να το κανει;
Πιστευω οτι αυτο οφειλεται κυριως στα τραυματα που προξενουνται μεσα απο τις σχεσεις που βιωνουμε στη ζωη μας. Ο χαρακτηρας μας και η ιδιοσυγκρασια μας παιζουν μεγαλο ρολο σ' αυτο το προβλημα. Το βρισκουμε δυσκολο να συγχωρουμε γιατι μεσα μας υπαρχουν βαθειες ριζες πικριας που δηλητηριαζουν το ειναι μας και αντιστεκονται στην επιθυμια μας να συγχωρησουμε και αν δεν προσεξουμε θα καταληξουμε σκλαβοι της πικριας και δεν θα γεφυρωθουμε με το προσωπο που δεν συγχωρουμε. Ο Θεος ομως μας καλει να συγχωρουμε. Για ποιο λογο;
Επειδη επηρεαζεται η ζωη και ο χαρακτηρας μας αρνητικα. Εχθρα, ενοχη και αρνηση να συγχωρουμε θα δημιουργησουν μεσα μας προβληματα ψυχικα και σωματικα. Εκτος τουτων, θα μας κατεβασουν σε μια φυλακη οπου θα ειμαστε εγκλωβισμενοι απο το μισος που φερνει η εχθρα κατα του ατομου που δεν συγχωρουμε. Η Παραβολη στο Ματθ.18:23-25, μας λεει για τον δουλο που δεν συγχωρεσε τον συνδουλο του παρα το γεγονος οτι ο Κυριος του του χαρισε το τεραστιο ποσο που οφειλε. Ποιο ηταν το αποτελεσμα; Ο Κυριος του τον 'παρεδωσε στους βασανιστες'  μεχρις οτου αποδωσει οτι οφειλε. Το ιδιο θα συμβει και σε μας αν δεν συγχωρεσουμε 'εκ βαθους καρδιας' και η τιμωρια μας θα ειναι αιωνια.
Εκτος τουτου το χερι του Κυριου θα σταματησει να εργαζεται στη ζωη μας με αποτελεσμα να ζουμε μια στειρα χριστιανικη ζωη χωρις να μπορουμε να διακονουμε αποτελεσματικα εκεινους που εχουν χρεια. Εχουμε ενα τελειο παραδειγμα συγχωρεσης που χρειαζεται να μιμηθουμε, τον Κυριο μας Ιησου Χριστο. Για κεινους που τον σταυρωσαν ειπε 'Πατερα, συγχωρεσ τους...'
Ας μη ξεχναμε, επισης, οτι καθως μαθαινουμε να συγχωρουμε τον εαυτο μας, θα το βρουμε πιο ευκολο να συγχωρουμε αλλους.

We are His Workmanship (1 Kings 5:17, 1 Kings 6:7)
The building of the Temple of God.
 The first step. The king commanded the builders to quarry stones. In 1 Chronicles 22:5, we read that the House was to be 'Exceedingly Magnificent' .
Whatever we have to do for God must be of the highest quality, without any shoddy work. Offer the best for God. The stones for the foundation were to be of the top quality. The success of a building does not depend on its looks but on its foundation.
The foundation of our Faith is Jesus Christ. He is a precious foundation. It cost God a lot but for us it is free. God gives us a free Salvation, though costly to God. Peter the Apostle tells us in 1 Pet.2:5 that we were bought with a price, the Blood of Jesus Christ. Paul the Apostle tells us in 1 Cor.3:10-11 that there is no other foundation for our Faith, than Jesus Christ, therefore let us be careful how we build on this Foundation.
All the work for the House of God was done away from its site, at the quarry, away from where the Temple was to be built which was Holy ground. Stones speak of people and as such we are holy people to the Lord our God. We are the ones who make up the Temple of the Lord, a Holy Church. God is the One who works in us to fashion us in the image of Christ, a Methodical Worker, slowly chipping away the rough edges so that we can fit perfectly into His building, the Church. God works to bring perfection for He asks us to be perfect-'Be perfect, for I am perfect' .
We were once rough stones in this world, not a people. But in the hands of the Master we are being fashioned into the people of God. In the eyes of the world we may be esteemed as nothing but in God's eyes we are precious, holy, perfect, valuable.
While the building was being built no one could estimate its shape or appearance. It is God who brings something out of nothing to a final product of great value and beauty. It is His work.
When Ananias argued with God about Saul's worthiness God told him that Saul was a chosen vessel specially picked for the Masters use-Acts 19:10-16. God knows that when He finishes His work in a person He will have someone of value to adorn His House, ' It is God who works in you...' God is a persistent, patient worker who is determined to make a final product of the finest quality out of us-Jer.18:1-6.
We have a great responsibility in all these matters. We need to yield our lives to Him to be obedient people in His hands to fashion us according to His will. Why does He persist? Because He loves us. His glory is at stake.

Notes on Translations from Greek Text (Textus Receptus)

Matt.3:4               ακριδες                                   Ends of plants (edible), locusts

Matt.6:11             αρτος επιουσιος                     Tomorrow's bread

Matt.16:27           πραξιν αυτου                          His conduct

Mark 6:3              τεκτων                                    Mason/carpenter

Mark 10:25          καμηλος                                 Thick rope, camel

Luke 2:14             εν ανθρωποις ευδοκιας          Among men of goodwill

Rom.8:28              τοις αγαπωσι τον                   To them that love God (He) works

                             Θεον παντα συνεργει             everything for (their) good

                             εις αγαθον

1 Cor.11:15          αντι περιβολαιου                     Instead of a shawl

Eph.1:14               αρραβων                                 Promise, earnest

Phil.4:13               εν τω ενδυναμουντι με            In the one who strengthens/empowers me

1 Thess.4:16          εν κελευσματι                         With a word of command

2 Tim.3:13            γοητες                                     Deceivers

Heb.1:12              ωσει περιβολαιον                    Like a shawl

2 Pet.1:21             ελαλησαν αγιοι ανθρωποι       Holy men (of God) spoke

2 Pet.2:4               σιροις ζοφου ταρταρωσας      Gloomy pits of Tartarus (lowest hell)

Rev.12:12             σκηνουντες                              Living in tents, tabenacling

Rev.12:14             του αετου                                 Of the eagle