What is missing most in our country today? What a shame – peace. Even today’s holiday of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is overshadowed by the fact that many families do not celebrate it at home. And many men, sons and daughters meet this holiday in the trenches at ground zero. That is why today’s Passover in Ukraine has pixel colors. Because it is thanks to our defenders that we can be in the church and celebrate this great holiday.
What is so special about peace that when it is there, we perceive it as something familiar, and when we lose it, everything around us becomes joyless and anxious?
The war that is still going on in our country has reminded us how valuable peace is. Because when our neighbors decided to bring their “Russian peace”, for many people everything was divided into “before” and “after”. And this is how some cities looked before the arrival of the “Russian Peace” and after.
Kyiv, Kharkiv, Irpin… Many beautiful and green cities turned into ashes and ruins. Why? Because they lost the real peace, and instead came to them the diabolical, fiendish “Russian peace”.
In fact, peace is the state for which God created us. Therefore, living without peace is very difficult and I would say impossible. Today’s holiday reminds us of this, because it is for this that our Lord Jesus Christ came.
Do you know what the first words Jesus said to his disciples after the resurrection? Yes, you were not mistaken, He said, “Peace be with you.”
We can read about this in the Gospel of John in chapter 20:
“On the same day, the first day of the week, when the evening had come, and the doors where the disciples had gathered were locked because they were afraid of the Jews, Jesus appeared and stood in the middle and said to them: Peace be with you!“ (John 20:19)
But a logical question arises, what kind of peace does the Lord Jesus tell us about? He talks about the peace that every person needs and without which we cannot have real peace. This is what he went to the cross for, shed his blood for, and gave his life for. What kind of peace is this? This is peace with our Creator – Heavenly Father.
If this peace is so important that Jesus gave His life, how can we obtain it? Christ says about this a little later in this Gospel:
“This is written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and so that, believing, you may have life in His Name!” (John 20:31)
So how exactly can we have God’s peace? Only through faith in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. This peace begins with repentance and it is through it that we receive forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with the Heavenly Father. Everyone needs this peace, especially in our country. And it is precisely without this peace that there will be no truly happy life, even when the war in our country ends.
That is why Jesus says today: Peace be with you! May this peace be between you and God. Between you and your relatives. Between you and your neighbors. And may the Lord help that this peace has come for our country as well.
A hundred years ago, lush forests covered about 40 percent of Ethiopia’s territory, but today it covers only 4 percent. Clearing areas for agricultural needs without proper tree protection has led to an ecological crisis. The vast majority of the remaining small areas of green space are protected by churches. For centuries, local Ethiopian Orthodox churches have nurtured these oases in the middle of the barren desert. If you look at aerial photos, you will see green islands surrounded by brown sand. Church leaders insist that caring for trees is part of their obedience to God as stewards of His creation.
The prophet Isaiah wrote to the people of Israel who lived in an arid region. He pointed to the future planned by God, in which “the wilderness and the forest will rejoice, and the steppe will rejoice and blossom” (Is. 35:1). God wants to heal not only His people, but also the whole earth. “I will create a new heaven and a new earth” (Is. 65:17). In God’s new world, “the desert… will blossom like a rose” (Is. 35:1).
God’s concern for creation, including humans, motivates us to care for him as well. We can live in harmony with His plan for the ultimate healing of the world by caring for what He has created. We can also join God’s cause to make all kinds of deserts bloom with life and beauty.
Where do you see a barren and suffering creation? How to help deserts bloom?
Lord God, please show me how to help heal and restore what is broken in the world.
“We have different gifts according to the grace given to us.” — Romans 12:6
Ten years ago I attended a college retreat where everyone was talking about a personality test. “I’m an ISTJ!” – said one. “I’m an ENFP,” said another. I didn’t understand this at all, so jokingly I said: “And I’m ABVGD.”
Since then, I have learned a lot about personality tests. The letter designations above are the results of the Myers-Briggs test. There are others, for example, DiSC. I find them interesting, because with their help you can better understand yourself, learn about your strengths and weaknesses. Provided we do not abuse them, they can be useful tools that God uses for our development.
Scripture does not offer us personality tests. However, it affirms the uniqueness of each person in God’s eyes (see Ps. 138:14-16; Jer. 1:5) and shows how God endows each of us with unique gifts to serve others in His Kingdom. In the Epistle to the Romans, the apostle Paul begins to reveal this idea when he says: “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to us” (Rom. 12:6).
Paul explains that these gifts are not intended for ourselves, but for the service of God’s people, the body of Christ (v. 5). Вони є відображенням Його благодаті та доброти, що діють у кожному з нас і через нас. They encourage every Christian to be a unique “vessel” in the service of God.
What gifts has God given you to serve others? If you are not sure what your gifts are, who can help you identify them?
Heavenly Father, thank you for the gifts you have given me. Please help me to use them in your service.
“Whoever has My commandments and keeps them loves Me.” —John 14:21
During our wedding ceremony, the pastor asked me, “Do you promise to love, honor, and obey your husband until death do you part?” Looking at my fiancé, I whispered, “Obey?” We built our relationship on love and respect, not on blind obedience, as our wedding vows implied. My husband’s father videotaped the moment when I pondered the word “obey” with wide eyes and then said, “Yes.”
Over the years, God showed me that my resistance to the word “obey” had nothing to do with the incredibly complicated relationship between husband and wife. I thought it meant “forced submission”, but the Scriptures do not support such an interpretation. Навпаки, слово “слухатися” в Біблії виражає багато способів, якими ми можемо любити Бога. My husband and I are celebrating thirty years of marriage, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, we are still learning to love the Lord and each other.
When Jesus said: “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (Jn. 14:15), He showed that fulfilling the Scriptures is a consequence of our loving and close relationship with Him (vv. 16-21).
Jesus’ love is selfless and never violent or cruel. If we follow Him and honor Him in all our relationships, the Holy Spirit will help us see obedience to Him as a wise and loving act of trust and worship.
How does seeing obedience to God as an act of love and trust change your understanding of God’s call to obedience? How has God proven that you can trust Him?
Lord Jesus, please help me to love You and others through obedience to Your Word.
“They will come weeping, but I will lead them in rejoicing.” — Jeremiah 31:9
One morning, when Dean left the house, he saw his friends waiting for him with balloons. His friend Josh stepped forward and said, handing Dean an envelope, “We sent your poems to the contest.” Inside was a card with the words “First Place” written on it, and soon everyone was crying with joy. Dean’s friends did a great job of validating his talent.
Crying for joy is a paradoxical experience. Tears are usually a response to pain, and joy is expressed through laughter rather than tears. Italian psychologists have noted that tears of joy appear in moments of deep personal meaning, such as when we feel deeply loved or when we achieve a great goal. This observation led them to the conclusion that tears of joy indicate the meaning of our lives.
I imagine tears of joy everywhere Jesus went. How could the parents of the man born blind not weep for joy when Jesus healed him (John 9:1-9), or Mary and Martha when He resurrected their brother? (John 11:38-44). God says that when His people enter the restored world, “they will come with weeping, but I will lead them in joy” (Jer. 31:9).
If tears of joy show us the meaning of our lives, imagine that future great day. When the tears roll down our faces, we will know without a doubt that the meaning of life has always been to live in a close relationship with God.
When was the last time you cried for joy? What do you think is the meaning of life?
Heavenly Father, thank you for the joy that awaits those who love you.
Today, Easter looks like this. When Jesus rose and appeared to his disciples, the first thing he said was: “Peace be with you!” This peace did not come by itself, but was bought by the sacrifice of Christ – His death and resurrection. Today, peace is also bought with the blood and sacrifice of our soldiers. And that is why Easter today has the color of pixels.
“When fear envelops me, I put my hope in You.” — Psalm 55:4
During a routine medical examination, four-year-old Calvin was found to have several spots on his body. He was given an injection, and the injection site was sealed with a plaster. At home, when it was time to remove the small adhesive film, the boy whimpered in fright. Trying to calm his son, the father said to Calvin: “You know that I will never do anything bad to you.” The father wanted his son’s trust in him to be greater than the fear of removing the plaster.
Four-year-olds are not the only ones who fear discomfort. Operations, separation from loved ones, mental or psychological problems cause us to fear, sigh, cry and moan.
One of the most frightening moments in David’s life was when he found himself in the territory of the Philistines, trying to escape from the envious King Saul. When David was recognized, he was worried about what might happen to him (see 1 Sam. 21:11-12). “David… was very afraid of Achish, the king of Gath” (v. 13). Reflecting on those dangerous circumstances, David wrote a psalm, which contains the following words: “When fear envelops me, I trust in You, – I will praise His word in God, I trust in God, and I will not be afraid – what will the flesh do to me?” (Ps. 55:4-5).
What should we do if life’s troubles cause us fear? We must trust Heavenly Father.
What current circumstances cause you fear? How can you rely on God’s care as you bring your fears to a loving Heavenly Father?
Dear God, because of my human nature and weakness, I am afraid. Help me to see and feel Your love and care even in the midst of trials and discomfort.
“I heard your prayer, I saw your tear! Behold, I will heal you!” — 2 Kings 20:5
“I’m having a brain scan. Please pray that it goes well.” “Pray for my children to return to church.” “Please pray for Dave who lost his wife.” Our team receives a list of similar prayer requests every week for us to pray and send a handwritten card to each person. Requests are overwhelming, and our efforts can seem small and unnoticed. Those thoughts changed when I received a thank-you card and a copy of the obituary from Dave, a husband who recently lost his wife, on the death of his beloved wife.
Jesus set the example that we should pray sincerely. He always found time to retire to prayer (Mark 1:35; 6:46; 14:32).
Hundreds of years ago, King Hezekiah of Judah also learned this lesson. He was told that the disease would soon take his life (2 Kings 20:1). In despair and bitter tears, Hezekiah “turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord” (v. 2). God’s answer was immediate. He healed Hezekiah, gave him fifteen years of life and promised to save the kingdom from the enemy (vv. 5-6). God answered his prayer not because Hezekiah lived a good life, but “for His sake and for the sake of His servant David” (v. 6). We don’t always get what we ask for, but we can be sure that God works through every prayer.
Who from your environment needs prayer support today? How to remind yourself to stop and pray more often?
Heavenly Father, thank you for hearing my prayers.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son.” —John 3:16
The “Monster” from Mary Shelley’s novel “Frankenstein” is one of the most famous literary characters that captures our cultural imagination. Careful readers of the beloved novel, however, know that a strong argument can be made that Shelley’s portrayal of the monster is Victor Frankenstein himself, a flawed scientist who, having created a sentient being, denies it any guidance, companionship, or hope for happiness, seemingly guaranteeing the creature’s descent into despair and rage. During the meeting with Victor, his creature complains: “You, my creator, would tear me to pieces and triumph.”
The scriptures show how different the true Creator is with his constant and tireless love for His creation. God did not create on a whim. He created a beautiful and “very good” world out of love (Genesis 1:31). And even when humanity turned away from God, choosing terrible evil instead of Him, God’s affection and love for humanity did not change.
As Jesus explained to Nicodemus, God’s love for His creation was so great that He was ready to give even the most precious thing – “His Only Begotten Son” (John 3:16). Jesus offered Himself as a sacrifice, taking upon Himself the consequences of our sins, so that “everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life” (v. 15).
We have a Creator to whom we can entrust our hearts and lives.
How does God’s affection for His creation affect you? What will be your response to His love for you?
Dear God, thank you for being a good Creator in whom I can trust.
What do you think, dear church, what topic is on everyone’s mind right now? Apparently, in addition to the fact that everyone is discussing the signing of aid from the United States, there is another topic that worries most men in Ukraine – this is the issue of mobilization and the signed law on this matter. If we do not touch on the corruption component of this law, namely, the fact that the fines for evading mobilization have been increased and the fees of all military commissars and heads of hospital commissions will increase accordingly, the next problem caused by this law is the division of society into evaders and those who are patriots, or simply normal citizens.
I won’t touch on the moral aspect of this issue today, but I’ll say right away – it’s not from God to divide people into some kind of varieties, like sausage. And I’ll tell you one old anecdote, but slightly modified for today’s realities.
Odesa. Evening. A husband and wife are talking in the kitchen.
– Imagine, Sagochka, that they hired me today, that I married you for love or to avoid mobilization.
– And what did you, Syo, answer them?
– Of course, to avoid mobilization!
– But you know that when we got married, I didn’t have children, and now we have four of them!
– Well, Sagochka, who cares? If you are a father of 4 young children, then you are 100% simply a large-child evader!
And, as knowledgeable people say, after the Cabinet of Ministers published a list of critically important enterprises and organizations where, along with the Verkhovna Rada apparatus and Silpo stores, workers of a traveling circus also appeared – in Ukraine, in addition to the usual term “evader”, a new one should be introduced – “booked evader of a traveling circus”.
But today I want to tell you, dear church, about one very famous evader. Why exactly about Him? Because this evader influenced the entire history of mankind.
If you are already wondering: What is this evader? Then I will tell you in secret, but you do not tell anyone, this evader is our Lord Jesus.
What did Jesus evade? He evaded sin and all the wrong expectations of people about Him. But at the same time He never evaded God’s will and His calling to save people. Perhaps you have already had a logical question, why did the pastor label Christ a evader? Am I not exaggerating here with hyperbole and maybe this is no longer a figure of speech, but an ordinary insult to Christ?
To show you that in fact I am not exaggerating anything, I want to ask you: what holiday is today? Yes, today we celebrate Palm Sunday, or as our people say – the holiday of Palm Sunday. What is this event? This is the day when Christ entered Jerusalem seven days before Easter. Why did this day become a holiday and do we remember this event from year to year? Because the people of that time had certain expectations about Jesus and I want to remember them today.
“And as he was now approaching the going down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples, rejoicing, began to praise God with a loud voice for all the miracles they had seen,
Saying: Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Luke 19:37-38 UBIO)
What did you pay attention to, dear church? Who did people perceive Jesus to be? Yes, you were not mistaken – for a king. But for which king exactly? As King of kings and Lord of lords? No. In fact, they perceived Him as an ordinary earthly king, who was called to free them from Roman occupation. Perhaps someone is sitting there and thinking that the pastor has invented something again. Then I will show you another place from the Gospel so that you can understand what the people expected of Jesus Christ.
“Then the people, when they saw the miracle that [Jesus] did, said that he is truly the prophet who is coming into the world. But Jesus, knowing that they would come and take him by force to make him king, withdrew again to the mountain by himself.” (John 6:15 NIV)
What did the people want to do with Jesus after the miracle of multiplying the loaves and fish? Perhaps they were convinced that He was God’s messenger? Yes, they 100% considered Him to be God’s prophet. But what conclusions did the people draw for themselves? Perhaps they decided to repent of their sins and dedicate their lives to serving God? No. They decided that they needed to use the power and authority of Jesus. For what? So that he, as the king of the Jews, would free them from Roman occupation. Was this a bad desire? I think not. But was it God’s will for Christ? No. And that is why Jesus evaded this desire of the people. And almost certainly, someone after that began to call Christ a “evader.”
Why am I telling you this today? I want to show you, through the example of Christ, that we are called to avoid the wrong expectations of people. Why? Because otherwise we will never do God’s will. We can please people so that we don’t get labeled as “evasive” or sectarian, but that will never help us live the way our Heavenly Father expects.
Did Jesus struggle with the desire to evade God’s will? Some probably think not? But remember Gethsemane. What did Jesus pray about there? Do you remember? And I will remind you, He:
“…prayed and pleaded, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me…’ Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will…” (Matthew 26:39 UBIO)
What did Jesus want to evade? Yes, from death on the cross. But in this case, he did not run away, but on the contrary, he asked the Father for the strength to go through this path to the end.
Therefore, the first important truth that I want to draw your attention to is this:
Avoid sin and false expectations of people.
But at the same time, never evade God’s will and your calling. Do not try to please everyone, lest you be called a sectarian or an evader. On the contrary, pray and do all you can to please the Heavenly Father.
How do you understand which expectations of other people you need to evade and which you do not? In fact, everything is quite simple. If other people’s expectations do not lead to salvation, then you should run away from such expectations as far as possible. Conversely, everything that contributes to the salvation of others – you should listen to such expectations, because they will direct you to God’s path.
Do you know who the Speaker of the American Congress Johnson met with before the vote for aid to Ukraine? He met with a person who experienced a very great loss during today’s war.
Speaker of the US House of Representatives Mike Johnson met with Ukrainian Serhiy Gaidarzhy, who lost his wife Anna and four-month-old son Timofey during the Russian missile strike on Odessa on March 2. This meeting gave Johnson a unique opportunity to hear directly from Serhiy about the deep pain and consequences of war felt by ordinary Ukrainians. And I think this meeting was another stone that struck the Goliath of indifference that had long held Johnson and many American politicians at bay.
It is testimonies like Serhiy’s that help politicians who have long strayed from God’s path to return to the role for which they were given power.
What inspires me about this story? Serhiy did not allow the evil that came to his family to steal his relationship with God. It seems that what good can there be in the loss of a wife and son? This loss gave Serhiy the opportunity to remind Johnson, who positions himself as a believer in Christ, of the values from which he evaded in the desire to keep his position and remain in power.
If you think that the term dodger applies only to men who do not want to go to war, then I will tell you that at zero, every soldier must be a professional dodger. Why? Because everyone in the trenches must dodge enemy bullets, mines, shells and drones. And if you don’t see the danger in time, it can cause serious injury and even loss of life. It so happened today that we rejoice in every event when our military was able to dodge Russian shelling and save their lives. And we also rejoice when the Russians fail to do this. And as they wrote recently in the news:
HIMARS visited the meeting of Russian officers of the 24th Motorized Rifle Regiment in the Kherson region.
The meeting ended early: 8 officers have the status of full evaders, and 7 more have temporary ones.
But it’s not only at the front that you need to be a professional evader. Did you know that believers in Jesus Christ are called to be evaders? No, you didn’t? Then I’ll show you what the word of God says about this. In the first epistle of the apostle Peter in chapter 3 we read:
“For whoever wants to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.
Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it!” (1 Peter 3:10-11 UBIO)
Do you see this? The apostle Peter calls on believers to be evasive? Well, this is somehow not at all popular, especially in our realities. But evasive from what? From evil, from slander and in general everything that can be bad for another person.
Therefore, the second important truth for today:
Be evasive – turn away from evil and do good.
Preach the gospel, help everyone who needs your help, live in such a way as to bring peace to our country. How to do this? You need to see in your circumstances the evil that God has called you to avoid. And it is also important not only to avoid this evil, but on the contrary, to do everything to turn it into good.
And in conclusion, I want to tell you about an ordinary girl. Or rather, she is not quite ordinary for me, because she managed to see in her life circumstances something more than the evil that befell her family. If you ask what this girl’s name is, I will tell you that her name is Lera and she lives in Dnipro. I had the opportunity to meet her personally at a recent seminar for children’s ministers at the Favor Center. You may have a question, what exactly is special about this girl? She is special because she is raising a special child. Her eldest son has autism, and anyone who has encountered such children knows how difficult it is for parents and children themselves in our society, especially now during the war.
What did this young wife and mother do when she and her husband found out about their son’s diagnosis? At first, they struggled with disappointment and misunderstanding, how did it happen that they had a child with this special feature? They had many questions. Why is it so with them? They serve God, their husband is a pastor of the church… And there were many different reasons. But there was an answer from the Lord and today they serve such children and their parents. They opened a kindergarten for such children, where they are engaged in their rehabilitation and adaptation to ordinary life. Their family turned away from evil and disappointment and began to serve those who are going through similar trials in their lives.
But there is another important moment in this story. Do you know what caused Lera’s ministry to special children to begin? Because their church began to accept refugees after the start of a full-scale war. It was from these people that the Lord raised up ministers who are now working with special children.
And in conclusion, I want to remind you of two truths for today.
First:
Turn away from sin and from false expectations of people.
But at the same time, never turn away from God’s will and your calling.
And the second truth:
Be a turnaway – turn away from evil and do good.
Preach the gospel, help everyone who needs your help, and live in such a way as to bring peace to our country.
