Exodus 36:3-5

They received from Moses all the offerings the children of Israel brought for all the works for making the holy place, and they continued bringing him freewill offerings every morning. Then all the wise men who were doing all the work of the holy place came, each according to the work he was doing, and they spoke to Moses, saying, “The people bring much more than enough for the work the Lord commanded us to do.”

Personal Challenge

There is so much more wealth at the disposal of the people or the church than there can ever be the amount of work that it would take to use it. When we, the body of Christ, choose to bring our will in alignment with God’s will and give from the great wealth that He has blessed us with, then great things happen. The problem resides in that we so often view the wealth in our lives as ours and that whatever we decide to give to God is some great and glorious gesture of good will. We act as if God owes us because we are so magnanimous in or gifts and tithes to Him. It is truly the other way around. We owe Him everything because He has given all that we have to us. And this does not just apply to material wealth, but to our time, our abilities, our love, everything that already belongs to Him. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Exodus 19:5-6

“‘Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you shall be a special people to Me above all nations; for all the earth is Mine. You shall be to Me a royal priesthood and a holy nation.’ These are the words you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

Encouraging Words

In the Old Testament covenant, God promised to set up Israel as a holy nation and a royal priesthood. Unfortunately, they broke that covenant. In the New Testament covenant, Jesu initiated a new agreement with the new nation, the Church, and it is in this new nation that the holy nation and royal priesthood has been accomplished. Glory be to God!

Today, throughout the world, those who practice the Eastern Orthodox Christian faith, celebrated Pascha (Easter).

The Paschal Greeting in languages from around the world is…

English – Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!
Chinese – 基督復活了！事實上，他復活了！
Serbian – Hristos vaskrse! VAISTINU VASKRSE !
Haitian Creole – Kris la resisite! Vreman vre li leve!
Irish – Críost aiséirithe ! Go deimhin tá sé ardaigh !
Spanish – Cristo ha resucitado! Verdaderamente, ha resucitado!
Thai – Phra khris̄t̒ ca pheìm k̄hụ̂n! Thæ̂cring phraxngkh̒ thrng pĕn k̄hụ̂n!
Arabic – Al-Masih-Qam! Hakkan Qam!
Armenian – K’ristos yareaw ! Iskapes Na harut’yun arrav :
Eskimo Aleut – Kristus aq ungwektaq! Pichinuq ungwektaq!
Ethiopian – Christos Tenestaul! Awon Tenestaul!
Georgian – Kriste aghsdga! Cheshmaritad aghsdga!
German – Christus ist auferstanden! Er ist wahrhaftig auferstanden!
Greek – Christos Anesti! Aleithos Anesti!
Hawaiian – Ua ala hou ´o kristo! Ua ala ´i ´o no ´oia!
Korean – Kristo Gesso Buhwal ha sho sumnida! Chamuro Buhwal ha sho sumnida!
Latin – Christus resurrexit! Resurrexit vere!
Romanian – Hristos a înviat! Adevărat a înviat!
Russian – Khristos Voskrese! Voistinu Voskrese!
Swahili – Kristo Amefufukka! Kweli Amefufukka!

Exodus 8:11

But when Pharaoh saw there was relief, his heart was hardened; and he did not heed them, as the Lord said.

Personal Challenge…

I have often heard the story of Pharaoh and Moses interpreted to say that Pharaoh had no choice to not let God’s people go because God hardened his heart. That is not what the scriptures say. God gave Pharaoh his free will to make the determination to let the children of Israel leave, but he continually resisted and hardened his own heart. As this verse points out, how often do I pray for God’s help in a situation and promise to God that I will do something different with my life if He will answer my prayers, and then when He does answer my prayers, harden my own heart and immediately go back to doing what I want to do. I have the freedom to choose right versus wrong. All too often, I choose the wrong. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Exodus 3:5

So He said, “Do not come any closer. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.”

Personal Challenge

Has my worship of my God during the liturgy and throughout the week become commonplace? Do I approach my God with a spirit of awe and reverence or just as if I would anything else in my worldly life? Truly, when we come before our God, whether individually or collectively in our fellowship of believers, we are stepping on holy ground and should fall upon our faces before our Lord and creator because we are not worthy to be in His presence. I know that I must constantly mind my heart to remember that my God deserves my worship and respect and that I must set aside all of this world that comes between Him and me. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Romans 14:3-4

Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.

Personal Challenge

What a fitting reminder as our church has finished the lenten season and is now walking through Holy Week. It is not my responsibility to look at my brother’s plate and judge him/her for their walk with God. I should only focus on what God has called me to do and to do that with humility. God has each one of us on our own separate paths to theosis because He knows what we need to grow in His image. Besides, I have enough trouble living my life in a way that glorifies Him and there is no way that I can advise another on theirs. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Genesis 24:8

“And if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be released from this oath; only do not take my son back there.”

Encouraging Words

When Abraham was getting close to his final days, he asked his faithful servant to go back to the home of his forefathers to find a wife for his son, Isaac. What is so powerful in this passage is that Abraham, as well as God, recognizes that the woman being sought after still would have her free will and would be able to reject the request to come back to this foreign land to marry Issac. God gave us, His beloved children, free will and He honors that. He allows us to choose Him or reject Him. He allows us to choose between right and wrong. That is the ultimate expression of love, especially when He also forgives us when we choose wrong and later return to Him with a repentant heart. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Genesis 22:10-12

Then Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham! Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” He then replied, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him, for now I know you fear God, since for My sake you have not spared your beloved son.”

Personal Challenge

So often in my life, I have felt that I was not really serving my God unless I was in the midst of doing something, or going somewhere, that made it obvious to everyone what I was doing. My times on mission trips and serving in Haiti after the earthquake come to mind. The problem with this is that if I do not guard my heart and mind these acts of service can also become sources of pride. This event with Abraham and Isaac demonstrates a very important aspect of our relationship with God. He does not need me to drop everything and run off to the mission field to show Him my love for Him and my neighbor. What He wants from me is a love for Him that is so true and that permeates my being so thoroughly that I would do anything for Him if He should ask. He cares more about the intentions of my heart than He does my actions. He wanted to know how much faith Abraham had in his God. When Abraham demonstrated His love and faith, God no longer needed the actions requested. And through that demonstration of love and faith by Abraham, not only was his son spared, but Abraham was blessed with seeing the resurrected Christ standing in the place of his requested, sacrificial son. Glory be to God! The reminder for me is that God wants from me a heart and mind that would drop everything and go anywhere in His service more than He wants me to keep looking for a job “doing” His work. He wants me to be His missionary where He has placed me, in my home, in my church, at my work, and in my community. Serving Him is not about doing what I want to do. I can serve Him where He has me today as well as I can somewhere else around the world.