TU’APULELULU ME 14, 2026

2 KALONIKALI 25-27; SAAME 119:1-8

It is right to mourn our failures, but it is also important to remember that spiritual dangers lurk in our successes.

Ko e me’a totonu ke tau mamahi ‘i he’etau ngaahi fehalaaki, ka ‘oku toe mahu’inga ke tau manatu’i ‘a e fakatu’utamaki fakalaumalie ‘oku toi mai ‘i he ngaahi tu’umalie ‘oku tau ‘inasi ai.

God wastes no words in Scripture. Every part of his word is profitable (2 Tim. 3:16). There are no needless historical accounts. There are no stories that didn't need to be told. There are no unnecessary moral observations. Every wisdom principle is important and life-shaping. There are no poetic passages that should have been edited out of the final manuscript. Every passage has been recorded and preserved by the source of all wisdom, for our benefit. There is wisdom, hope, rescue, grace, and life in every portion of God's word. We should read with enthusiasm, even when the going is tough. We should read with spiritually inquisitive hearts. We should approach God's word like spiritual archeologists, digging into every mound and looking for the artifacts of grace that God has buried there. Scripture isn't a book to be skimmed. We are to meditate upon and luxuriate in it. As we do, not only will our view of life change; we will change. Our thoughts and desires will change, our hope will deepen, and our worship will be more consistent and heartfelt. God's word will undo and rebuild us. Approach Scripture with an expectant heart; it is filled with life-altering treasures.

Second Chronicles 26 presents a contrast in the life of one man. I am deeply persuaded that it is there for our instruction and warning. Chapter 26:4-5 says this of king Uzziah: "He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God, and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper." Whenever you read of a king of Judah who commits himself to fear, seek, and follow the Lord, you breathe a sigh of relief. Finally, a godly king rules over Judah. But then as you read on, you encounter another statement of the life and character of Uzziah: "But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was unfaithful to the LORD his God and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense" (2 Chron. 26:16). The words but when he was strong, he grew proud should jump off the page. The success of Uzziah's reign contributed to his spiritual demise. The man who once feared the Lord feared him no longer, arrogantly going into the Holy Place to do what he had no right to do. He grew proud, to his own destruction. Strength, success, accomplishments, and acclaim have the power to change us. In terms of our relationship to God, they can make us feel less dependent and grateful. We begin to take credit for our successes, and we attempt to take our lives into our own hands. May we heed God's warning and affirm, once again, our constant dependency on his wisdom, his power, and the everflowing resources of his grace.

 PULELULU ME 13, 2026

2 KALONIKALI 21-24; ‘AISEA 46:8-11

Reigning above the chaos of this fallen world is a sovereign God whose will will be done and whose plans will succeed.

‘Oku pule aoniu ‘a Sihova ‘i he mamani fonu mamani mo angahala’ia ko eni pea ‘e fakaola ‘a e kotoa ‘o ‘ene palani ‘o fakatatau ki hono finangalo.

Sometimes I tell myself that I should quit reading the news. So many distressing political, cultural, and ecclesiastical events occur every day. If the news were the primary force shaping your view of life, then of course you would conclude that the world is an out-of-control moral mess. From the vantage point of popular media, it often seems as though evil has won. Good people-that is, people of moral conviction-don't seem to be honored, but rather are rejected and dismissed. Entertainment often promotes what God prohibits. It is all quite discouraging. This is why we must make sure that modern social and information media are not the key influencers of the way we think about life and the world around us. It is vital that every day we put on biblical glasses that help us see the truth despite the chaos around us. What is that truth? It is that the world is not out of control but rather is under the firm, wise, and holy control of the Lord Almighty. He has not and never will be dethroned. Nothing can thwart the march of his sovereign plan. No evil is powerful enough to defeat our God, the Lord of hosts.

Buried in 2 Chronicles 22:7 are a few words that change the way you read and understand the history of God's people in the Old Testament. When you read the history of evil king after evil king, detestable idol practices replacing the true worship of God, babies being sacrificed, and kings killing their own to solidify their power, it seems as though God has lost control of his people. Yes, there are brief moments of repentance and a return to following the Lord, but the march back toward evil seems to happen too quickly. Ahaziah was one of those evil kings. He did what was evil, and he led God's people to do what was detestable in the sight of God. In the chronicle of Ahaziah's reign we find these words: "It was ordained by God that the downfall of Ahaziah should come about through his going to visit Joram." Let these words sink in. Ahaziah, with all of his evil pride and immoral power, was not the one in charge. For all of his desire to shake his fist in the face of God and go in the opposite moral direction from God's commands, Ahaziah did not possess the power to determine his own fate. His life, reign, and fate were in the hands of one of infinite power and glory.

Verse 7 tells us two things. First, the movement and success of God's plan for his world were determined before he formed the world. Second, God has the power at every moment to assure that what he has ordained actually happens. So do not fear; it is never risky to trust the Lord. Take heart. He reigns, and he always accomplishes his will.

 TUSITE ME 12, 2026

2 KALONIKALI 17-20; TANIELA 3:8-30

There is no greater form of courage than when you act with moral boldness because of your trust in the wisdom, commands, presence, power, and grace of the Lord.

Ko e to’a mo’oni, ‘a e taimi ‘oku ke fai ai ho’o ngaue ‘i he loto pau’ia, koe’uhi ‘oku ke falala ki he poto, ngaahi fekau, lotolotonga, ivi mo e kelesi ‘a e ‘Otua. 

We love tales of courage. We are inspired when we read of a soldier who puts his own life at risk in order to preserve the lives of his fellow soldiers. We love the stories of people who have suffered through physical disabilities to accomplish great physical feats. We are moved when we hear of the firemen who climbed the steps of the burning World Trade Center as everyone else was running down and trying to get out. We marvel at the stories of bold elderly people who have stood up to thieves. Recently I read of firemen who left the warmth and safety of their firehouse to go out into a historic blizzard to save families trapped in their cars. Although we are thrilled and encouraged by these stories, they often leave us haunted by a question: If I were in any of those situations, would I be able to muster up the same kind of courage?

Courage is something we all admire, but perhaps few of us think we are truly courageous. We wonder where true courage comes from, or what real courage looks like. Second Chronicles 17 gives us a clue. Here's how the reign, life, and character of King Jehoshaphat are summarized: 

The LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. He did not seek the Baals, but sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments, and not according to the practices of Israel. Therefore the LORD established the kingdom in his hand. And all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had great riches and honor. His heart was courageous in the ways of the LORD. And furthermore, he took the high places and the Asherim out of Judah. (2 Chron. 17:3-6)

For all of the greatness of his riches and honor, the most important thing about Jehoshaphat is captured in ten words: "His heart was courageous in the ways of the LORD." Here was a king who believed so deeply in the presence, power, and commands of his Lord that he acted with courage in the face of evil. He tore down all of the high places of idol worship, standing against the entirety of the spiritual culture of Judah, and therefore God established his kingdom and gave him great success. There is no greater form of courage than moral courage. But moral courage is not natural for us. Faith in a God we cannot see or hear is not natural. So, in order to stand with courage of heart in the midst of this idolatrous world, we need to be visited by grace. That grace is readily available to us because of the life, death, and resurrection of the Lion of Judah, our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He hears our cries and grants courage to those who seek him.

 MONITE ME 11, 2026

2 KALONIKALI 13-16; ‘EKISOTO 15:1-18

Your Lord is the ultimate warrior. He always battles on behalf of those whom he has chosen to be his own.

Ko Sihova ‘a e to’a laulotahaa. ‘Oku ne tau ma’u pe ma’a kinautolu kuo ne fili ma’ana.

Picture two young boys about to fight. Although they project a kind of pugilistic bravado, they are both more afraid than they would ever admit. So their taunts move quickly from their strength to the size and ability of their fathers. "My dad is bigger than your dad." "Oh yeah? My dad is stronger than your dad." "My dad is really strong. He played football in college." "My dad is even stronger than that. He's a marine." The father-taunts that fly back and forth are both silly and very sweet. Neither dad is going to fight with a neighbor because of some petty quarrel between two nine-year-olds. So the father-threats are meaningless. But the safety that both boys feel in the strength of their fathers and the belief they have that their fathers would battle on their behalf is quite endearing.

This mundane but deeply human scene reminds me of deep spiritual truths. I cannot defeat many of the broken and evil things in this world. So much temptation comes at me that I cannot resist on my own. Even when I successfully turn from evil outside of me, I have little power on my own to liberate myself from the sin inside me. But confessing my weakness and inability does not depress me, because I have a heavenly Father who battles on my behalf. I can look evil in the face and say, "My Father in heaven is bigger and more powerful than your father, the devil." How encouraging it is to know that this is not a meaningless and silly taunt, but one rooted in the truth of God's covenant faithfulness.

In 2 Chronicles 13:13-16 evil King Jeroboam has amassed a huge army because he intends to defeat King Abijah and destroy Judah. The much smaller army of Judah is surrounded on all sides by Jeroboam's troops. But what Jeroboam doesn't understand is that he is not fighting just Judah, but Judah's Father, the Lord Almighty. God will not let Judah be destroyed because Judah has a place in his redemptive plan. With trumpet blasts and shouts, Jeroboam is defeated and five hundred thousand of his men die. And what is recorded of that victory? "God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. The men of Israel fled before Judah, and God gave them into their hand" (2 Chron. 13:15-16).

God never abandons his covenant promises, which means he will battle on behalf of his people until the final victory is won. There is no spiritual battle that we fight on our own, because our Savior is the ultimate warrior. He will continue to put enemies under his feet until the last enemy is finally destroyed. Then he will welcome us into his final kingdom, where war will be no more. 

 SAPATE ME 10, 2026

2 KALONIKALI 9-12; MATIU 20:20-28

God makes people great - not for their glory, but for his.

‘Oku ngaohi ‘e he ‘Otua ha kakai ke nau tu’ukimu’a - ‘o ‘ikai ke nau langilangi’ia ai, ka, ki he langilangi pe ‘O’ona.

I watched as a gifted pastor not only lost the plot but lost himself. He had been blessed with a quick mind and awesome communication skills. He was a natural leader. He began his ministry knowing that his gifts were for a much higher purpose than his own success and glory. He had lived with a deep sense of gospel calling and dedicated his abilities to discipling people in the life-transforming truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ. But he became lost in the middle of his own story. What had been all about his Lord, was now about him. He was successful and powerful, and he knew it. Pride closed his heart to the counsel of others that he so desperately needed. He loved hanging with "people that matter." He loved telling the story of the rise of his ministry, and he loved giving people tours of his ministry kingdom. This once tenderhearted man became angry and controlling. Where once he led by encouragement and vision, he now led by intimidation and threat. His was a story of spiritual decline, and soon everything he had built crumbled.

When I witness the spiritual decline of pastors, I ask myself, "Why does God choose to make certain people great? Why does he bless them with great gifts? Why does he provide them with great resources? Why does he surround them with smart and dedicated people?" The answer in Scripture again and again is that human greatness is not an end in itself but a means to an end. God does not pour his greatness into people so they can bask in their own glory and be worshiped by others because of it. He knows the dangers of greatness. He is aware of how quickly pride in oneself replaces humble gratitude. He knows that success is far more spiritually dangerous than failure. So why does God make people great?

The answer to this question is found in the words of the Queen of Sheba as she reflects on the greatness of King Solomon: "Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and set you on his throne as king for the LORD your God! Because your God loved Israel and would establish them forever, he has made you king over them, that you may execute justice and righteousness" (2 Chron. 9:8). The queen gets it right. Solomon's greatness is not about Solomon; it's about God's love for and faithfulness to his people. Human greatness is not a possession. It is an instrument given by a God of grace and glory for the sake of his people and the proclamation of his own glory.

May we willingly and joyfully surrender every gift and ability we've been given to him, for his purposes and for his glory.

 TOKONAKI ME 9, 2026

2 KALONIKALI 5-8; SAAME 42:1-11

We all tie our hope to something, and what controls your hope controls your heart. And what controls your heart controls you and everything you do.

Ko e tokotaha kotoa ‘oku nono’o ‘ene ‘amanaki ki he me’a, pea ko e me’a ko ia ‘oku ne pule’i ho’o ‘amanaki, ‘oku ne pule’i ho loto. Pea ko e me’a ‘oku ne pule’i ho loto, ‘oku ne pule’i koe mo e me’a kotoa ‘oku ke fai.

Hope is in the heart and language of every human being.

"I hope you're doing well."

"I hope I get the job."

"I hope the weather is good."

"I hope my marriage problem will be solved."

"I hope he grows up to love Jesus."

"I hope to get over this sickness."

"I hope that what God says is true."

"I hope I can afford it."

Hope is an expectation tied to a particular object or outcome. Everything we do every day is fueled by some kind of hope in something or someone. We are motivated and guided by hope in ways we might not even recognize. The problem is that so much of what we hope in fails us. Hope in marriage is often dented and weakened because marriage is an intimate relationship between two people who still battle with sin. Hope for our children weakens as we realize that, even though we can guide, provide for, and discipline them, we have no power whatsoever to control their hearts. Hope in your job is rocky since you can't control your boss, the corporation you work for, or the economy. Hope in your physical strength wanes as age and illness weaken you. The failure of our horizontal hopes makes commitment to vertical hope (hope in God) even more important.

In 2 Chronicles 5 Israel is in a moment of national celebration. They are celebrating not because of political or military victories. No, the festivities are deeply spiritual; they get to the core of who these people are and why they continue to exist. Solomon has completed the building of the temple; the ark of the covenant and all the furnishings for the Holy Place are now in the temple; and the glory-cloud of the Lord has descended on his house. It is a glorious moment, setting Israel apart from every other nation on earth. The temple, the ark of the covenant, and the visible indication of God's dwelling with his people together remind the people not only of who they are, but of where lasting, faithful, and trustworthy hope is to be found. In response to God's faithfulness, the people sing, "He is good, for his steadfast love endures forever" (2 Chron. 5:13). Israel was delivered from Egypt because the steadfast love of the Lord endures forever. They were sustained in the wilderness because the steadfast love of the Lord endures forever. They conquered the nations in the promised land because the steadfast love of the Lord endures forever. They are a nation with a temple filled with the Lord's presence because the steadfast love of the Lord endures forever.

Nothing we put our hope in for this life will last forever, except the steadfast love of the Lord. Putting your hope in him is never a risk. He is sovereign, he is almighty, he is holy, he is faithful, and he is good. Rest your hope in your Lord; he is worthy of your trust.

 FALAITE ME 8, 2026

2 KALONIKALI 1-4; 1 PITA 5:5-11

Pride is the soil in which every other sin grows.

Ko e ‘afungi, ko e kelekele ia ‘oku tupu ai ‘a e ngaahi angahala kehekehe.

Pride is the enemy of every single human being. It is the disease of diseases, the pandemic that infects and destroys everyone, apart from divine intervention. It is the reason every day is a spiritual war. It causes us to be shockingly self-righteous. It turns relationships of love into battlegrounds. It causes you to excuse your sin while being all too focused on the sin of others. Pride makes you rebel against authority, while desiring way too much power and control. It causes you to be eaten up by bitterness and envy. It makes you want to be first, and it makes waiting feel painful. It causes you to get mad when people disagree with you, and it makes you think your ideas are always the best. It makes you think you are religious, when the only thing you really worship is yourself. Pride led to the fall in the garden of Eden and has caused every fall ever since. It is the root cause of every transgression of God's law, every moment when someone tries to steal his glory.

There is only one solution to the universal pandemic of pride: the sightgiving, convicting, rescuing, forgiving, and transforming power of God's grace. Only divine power can rescue us from our obsession with ourselves and our desire to be central. Only God's grace can cause you to mourn your pride and and release you from cry out for God's help. Only grace can humble you and release you from your bondage to your kingdom of one. Only grace can keep you from constantly taking credit for that which you never could have done in your own wisdom and strength. Pride destroys. Its roadway always leads to one destination: spiritual death. Essentially, pride is about wanting the acclaim, glory, power, and control that belong to God alone.

Second Chronicles 1:1 offers a thunderous summary of Solomon's power, wisdom, and wealth: "Solomon the son of David established himself in his kingdom, and the LORD his God was with him and made him exceedingly great." Solomon is not the focus or the hero of his own story. Solomon is not the one in the narrative that we should be amazed by. Solomon is not whom our awe and praise should land on. Everything that Solomon has and has accomplished is ultimately the work of someone greater. Glory belongs to the one who chose Solomon and who exercised divine power to make him great. Why was Solomon great? Because God was with him and made him great. May this also be true of us and of every good and great thing in our lives. Humility begins when we confess that behind every form of human grandeur is the incalculable grandeur and glory of the King of kings and Lord of lords. May God give each of us the grace to make that confession again and again.