The comfortable life is very hazardous for eternal salvation.... ( Elder Ephraim of Arizona )

Glory to the only wise God, Who knows how to extract the sweet out of the bitter and thus enrich our knowledge out of His boundless love toward us. He scourges us with afflictions and trials, so that He can draw us near Him; for He knows that through the sorrowful things of this present life, man remains near Him and is saved.

 
The comfortable life is very hazardous for eternal salvation. It is not the Spirit of God that dwells in those living in comfort, but rather the spirit of the devil, according to the saying of the Fathers. For this reason, in this life’s sorrows we need to have patient and thanksgiving, for God is well pleased with both of these virtues. May the Lord give us much patience in our life’s sorrows, so that in everything we may thank the Giver of good things Who provides for us.

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Δάκρυσον, παιδί μου, όπως καθαρισθή η καρδία σου.. ( Γέροντας Εφραίμ Φιλοθεϊτης )

Να μη παρέρχεται εκ του νοός σου και η μνήμη της κολάσεως, διότι έχει πολύν καρπόν μέσα της. Τις μνημονεύει πυρός αιωνίου και μένει αμέτοχος δακρύων;
Δάκρυσον, παιδί μου, όπως καθαρισθή η καρδία σου και το σώμα σου από κάθε εμπάθειαν και ίδης ημέρας αγνότητος και εκπλαγής εις τον πλούτον της καθαρότητος.

Γέροντας Εφραίμ Φιλοθεϊτης

Be careful, my child; do not let time pass fruitlessly and without improvement in your soul, for death comes like a thief. ( Elder Ephraim of Arizona )

Be careful, my child; do not let time pass fruitlessly and without improvement in your soul, for death comes like a thief.

 

 Woe to us if it finds us in a state of sloth and laziness , then the mountains and hills will need to weep for us; then we shall be found empty of good works, and Hades will shepherd us eternally! 

 

My child, why should we suffer such a lamentable shipwreck when we are able, with God’s help, to avoid it and be rescued at the saving harbor of the kingdom of God! I know that we have to wrestle with formidable enemies and that the labor is great. But with God, that is, with the power of God ,everything gives way when man’s will and strength cooperate with it.

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Δεν γνωρίζεις, παιδί μου, ότι δωρεάν σώζει τον άνθρωπον ο Θεός; ( Γέροντας Εφραίμ Φιλοθεϊτης )

Δεν γνωρίζεις, παιδί μου, ότι δωρεάν σώζει τον άνθρωπον ο Θεός;

Βεβαίως οι κόποι δείχνουν την προαίρεσιν του ανθρώπου και όχι αυτοί καθ’ εαυτοί δύνανται να απαλλάξουν τον άνθρωπον εκ των παθών του, αλλά δια να μάθωμεν να ελπίζωμεν εις τον Θεόν και όχι εις τους κόπους μας, επιτρέπει ο Θεός μετά από κόπον να μην έχωμεν φυλαχθή από το κακόν.

Συν τω κόπω να λέμε λοιπόν ότι, εάν δεν φυλάξη ο Θεός τον άνθρωπον, τα έργα του είναι άνεμος και φεύγουν κούφια.

Γέροντας Εφραίμ Φιλοθεϊτης

Affliction is an instrument, a tool, which God holds in His hand. ( Elder Ephraim of Arizona )

 Affliction is an instrument, a tool, which God holds in His hand. He alone uses it as His infinite wisdom dictates. He uses it differently for each person, according to the need of each.

 

 Affliction in its various forms purifies and sanctifies the one who accepts it with wisdom and knowledge. That is, each affliction a Christian has is a divine visitation for his salvation, sent by the most sweet right hand of our heavenly Father, even though our nature dislikes such things, just as bitter medicines are unpleasant to the sick. 

 

Besides, if we had no afflictions, certainly we would have the fate of Lucifer. For he, at the height of glory and repose, forgot the greatness of God and his own puniness and weakness, and said, “I shall set my throne upon the clouds, and I shall be like the Highest.” (cf. Is. 14:13 ). After he thought these things, God cast him down; the former dawning star and most luminous angel became a demon, Satan, the devil, the filthiest of God’s creatures, not by nature—for God made everything very good—but by his own choice to be evil and rebellious. The devil sows within families grumbling, dislike, envy,obstinacy, etc., and thus in many families there is one person who will disturb their peace, serenity, and joy. This evil seed was not absent even from the midst of the sacred family of the Lord, which He had created on earth for the coming salvation—that is, in the midst of His sacred disciples: Judas Iscariot, a God-slaying seed!

 
The devil sows his seed in the midst of the wheat; even in the synodias of monastics such people exist. Not that the person himself is evil, but with his weaknesses of grumbling, envy, etc., he becomes an instrument of the devil that disturbs the peace and quiet of the others. All these things bear witness to the fact that we are exiles from our true fatherland and are now in the reformatories where the discipline of the Lord is practiced. And all who accept the discipline are led back into the heavenly paternal inheritance and recover their lost sonship, as ones worthy to receive God as their inheritance. But all who remain undisciplined, like me, and do not acknowledge the discipline, but instead through their works are shown to be illegitimate, are driven away and condemned as unworthy of the adoption to which the discipline of the Lord aimed. May our good God and Father count us worthy to be among the successful who have received adoption as sons, unto the ages of ages. Amen.

 

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Πόσο κακό πράγμα είναι το θέλημα του ανθρώπου.. ( Γέροντας Εφραίμ Φιλοθεϊτης )

Πόσο κακό πράγμα είναι το θέλημα του ανθρώπου, διότι κρύβει εγωϊσμό, υπερηφάνεια, φιλαυτία και τόσα άλλα.

 

 Ο Χριστός υπήκουσε μέχρι σταυρικού θανάτου, δηλαδή τελείας νεκρώσεως του ιδίου θελήματος. Εάν ο Χριστός, ανθρωπίνως δεν έκαμνε υπακοή, δεν έκοβε το δικό του θέλημα, ο άνθρωπος δεν θα εσώζετο! 

 

Όπως ακριβώς δεν σώζεται και ο άνθρωπος εκείνος, που κρατά το θέλημά του και κάνει εκείνο που θέλει αυτός. 

Γέροντας Εφραίμ Φιλοθεϊτης  

Δωρεάν σώζει τον άνθρωπον ο Θεός ... ( Γέροντας Εφραίμ Φιλοθεϊτης )

Δεν γνωρίζεις, παιδί μου, ότι δωρεάν σώζει τον άνθρωπον ο Θεός; Βεβαίως οι κόποι δείχνουν την προαίρεσιν του ανθρώπου και όχι αυτοί καθ’ εαυτοί δύνανται να απαλλάξουν τον άνθρωπον εκ των παθών του, αλλά δια να μάθωμεν να ελπίζωμεν εις τον Θεόν και όχι εις τους κόπους μας, επιτρέπει ο Θεός μετά από κόπον να μην έχωμεν φυλαχθή από το κακόν. 

 

Συν τω κόπω να λέμε λοιπόν ότι, εάν δεν φυλάξη ο Θεός τον άνθρωπον, τα έργα του είναι άνεμος και φεύγουν κούφια.

 

Γέροντας Εφραίμ Φιλοθεϊτης  

Without afflictions and sufferings let no one expect repose in the life beyond the grave.( Elder Ephraim of Arizona )

Man’s life is a martyrdom. Ever since we fell from true happiness we gather the fruit of disobedience: “Thorns and thistles will the earth bring forth to you” (Gen. 3:18 ) –the earth of the heart will, too. How will we know that we are exiles, if not through afflictions and torments?


There is no person who does not have something that afflicts him. Pious Christians are afflicted, too, but in the depths of their souls they also have the hope that one day the many afflictions will result in blessed repose for them. Without afflictions and sufferings let no one expect repose in the life beyond the grave. That life is for those who have labored and were heavy-laden by the weight of this present life.

Of course, the saints had much grace and spiritual strength, and they rejoiced in suffering. But we, and I first of all, suffer and sometimes our patience breaks. But glory be to God, Who enlightens us to repent and correct ourselves. “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Mt. 26:41 ).

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Γέροντας Εφραίμ και το θαύμα στην πτήση της TUS-AIR

Στην πρωινή πτήση της TUS-AIR από Λάρνακα στην Χάιφα ,προχθές Δευτέρα 09/10/2017 Λιποθύμησε ο κύπριος πιλότος(κυβερνήτης)κάποιος ΠΑΝΑΓΙΩΤΗΣ. 

10 λεπτά πριν την προσγείωση στην Χάιφα έπαθαν πρόβλημα οι μηχανές ,ο πιλότος λιποθύμησε κ ένιωσε δυο ζεστά χέρια να του παίρνουν το τιμόνι κ να προσγειώνουν το αεροσκάφος πίσω στην Λκα. 22 Εβραίοι επιβάτες πανικοβλήθηκαν κ φώναζαν θα πεθάνουμε θα πεθάνουμε, εκτός ενός ορθόδοξου αρχιμανδρίτη από την Ναζαρέτ Πατήρ Ανδρέα ο οποίος έκανε ακλόνητος κομποσκοίνι λέγοντας την ευχή. Τελειώνει αισίως η πτήση κ ο πιλότος φιλά ευλαβικά το χέρι του Αρχιμανδρίτη κ προφανα ταραγμένος του ζητά με επιμονή να του πει ^ΠΟΥ ΕΙΝΑΙ Ο ΓΕΡΟΝΤΑΣ ΠΟΥ ΚΑΘΌΤΑΝ ΔΙΠΛΑ ΤΟΥ (ΔΙΠΛΑ ΣΤΟΝ ΑΡΧΙΜΑΝΔΡΙΤΗ)^ του απαντά ο Αρχιμανδρίτης ^ΠΩΣ ΔΕΝ ΥΠΗΡΧΕ ΚΑΝΕΝΑΣ ΓΕΡΟΝΤΑΣ ΔΙΠΛΑ ΤΟΥ!!!^ Ο πιλότος τα έχασε του λέει ^ΕΝΑΣ ΚΟΝΤΟΣ ΠΟΛΥ ΑΔΥΝΑΤΟΣ ΜΕ ΑΣΠΡΑ ΓΕΝΕΙΑ ΓΕΡΟΝΤΑΚΟΣ,ΑΥΤΟΣ ΜΟΥ ΚΡΑΤΟΥΣΕ ΤΑ ΧΕΡΙΑ ΑΥΤΟΣ ΜΑΣ ΕΣΩΣΕ^. τότε του δείχνει ο Αρχιμανδρίτης την φωτογραφία του γέροντα ΕΦΡΑΙΜ ΤΟΥ ΦΙΛΟΘΕΪΤΗ Κ ΝΥΝ ΑΡΙΖΟΝΙΤΗ Κ ΤΟΤΕ ΜΕΝΕΙ ΕΚΘΑΜΒΟΣ Ο ΠΙΛΟΤΤΟΣ. ΖΕΙ Ο ΓΕΡΟΝΤΑΣ ΜΑΣ ΑΓΙΟΣ ΘΑΥΜΑΤΟΥΡΓΕΙ Κ ΜΑΣ ΒΟΗΘΑ!!!! ΑΣ ΕΙΝΑΙ ΕΥΛΟΓΗΜΕΝΟΣ ΣΤΟΥΣ ΑΙΩΝΕΣ ΤΩΝ ΑΙΩΝΩΝ ΑΜΗΝ.

Do not feed your passions by yielding to them ( Elder Ephraim of Arizona )

Do not feed your passions by yielding to them, so that you do not suffer pain and affliction later! Labor now, as much as you can, because otherwise, if the passions are not tended to, in time they become second nature, and then try and deal with them! Whereas now, if you fight against them lawfully, as we advise you, you will be freed and will have happiness by the grace of God.

Elder Ephraim of Arizona