PULELULU MA’ASI 18, 2026

FAKAMAAU 1-2; FILIPAI 2:1-11

The problem with partial obedience is that it is disobedience masquerading as obedience.

Ko e palopalema ‘o e talangofua fakakonga, he ko e talangata’a pe ia ka ‘oku fakapuli ko e talangofua.

Do you find joy in obeying your Lord? Do you treasure his commands? Do you recognize the protective wisdom of the boundaries he has set for you? Do you really believe that God's way is always the best way? Do you pick and choose which commands you obey? Are there moments when your behavior is formed more by your passions than by God's commands? Regardless of how correct your theology might be, at street level do you love your way more than God's? In what ways are you tempted to debate the wisdom of God's law? Do you use the grace of forgiveness as an excuse for stepping outside God's moral boundaries? Are you content with partial obedience? Do you respond to or resist the conviction of the Lord?

At the beginning of the book of Judges, we are greeted with a problem that will haunt the children of Israel, cause them generations of difficulty, and necessitate the loving discipline of the Lord. The problem is partial obedience. God's children start down the moral pathway he had commanded them to walk, but they fail to complete the journey. There are a variety of excuses for partial obedience. Obedience is hard and requires personal sacrifice. It requires really believing that God is wise and that what he calls us to is always best. Obedience requires us to confess that we are not at the center of everything-God is, so life is about his will and his glory. Obedience requires resisting the temporary pleasures of sin. Partial obedience is not obedience at all; rather, it is dressed-up disobedience. Pay attention to what is said of Israel in Judges 2:1-3:

Now the angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, "I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land that I swore to give to your fathers. I said, 'I will never break my covenant with you, and you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall break down their altars.' But you have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done? So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you."

God had given Israel a job to do; they were to drive the pagan nations completely out of the promised land. But they did not complete the job. Yes, they fought many battles, but they ended up settling for living in and among these pagan nations with their false gods. In a real way, the rest of the drama, the spiritual struggle, and the discipline of the Lord that are so much of the content of the Old Testament have their roots right here. This passage also points us to the necessity of the gift of Jesus. He was sent to obey completely on our behalf, precisely because God knew that sin, somehow, someway, and at some time, makes us all too satisfied with partial obedience. He is our righteousness, because our righteousness is often incomplete.

 TUSITE MA’ASI 17, 2026

SIOSIUA 22-24; MATIU 6:19-24

Between the "already" of our conversion and the "not yet" of our homegoing, the big question is, Where the rubber meets the road in our daily lives, whom or what will we give our hearts to?

‘I he vaha’a taimi ‘o hotau fakamo’ui mo ‘etau ‘alu ki Langi, ko e fehu’i leva, ‘a e fetaulaki’anga ‘o ‘etau tui mo ‘etau mo’ui faka’aho, ko hai pe ko e ha ‘a e me’a ‘oku foaki ki ai hotau loto?

I have made many ministry trips to India. I have seen the dominating power of overt idolatry. I have experienced how idol worship forces itself into every area of a person's life. Those who worship physical idols in the temple also bow before idols in their homes, along the road, and in restaurants. The presence and power of idols cover every place and every activity like a dark and ominous cloud. The presence and influence of these things made of wood and stone seem inescapable.

In the book of Joshua, the children of Israel find themselves in a significant spiritual moment. They are in the place God had promised, but they are surrounded by the false gods of the nations around them. Will they surrender their hearts to God and God alone, being careful to keep his commands and resist idolatrous temptations? Or will they wander away from the Lord and progressively give their hearts away to false gods? Joshua gives the children of Israel this charge:

Be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left, that you may not mix with these nations remaining among you or make mention of the names of their gods or swear by them or serve them or bow down to them, but you shall cling to the LORD your God just as you have done to this day. For the LORD has driven out before you great and strong nations. And as for you, no man has been able to stand before you to this day. One man of you puts to flight a thousand, since it is the LORD your God who fights for you, just as he promised you. Be very careful, therefore, to love the LORD your God. (Josh. 23:6-11)

Joshua reminds the leaders of the children of Israel that, by the display of his awesome power, God has again and again demonstrated that he is the one true God and that no one can stand against him. As the one true God, he gives power to his people so that just one Israelite can drive a thousand enemies away. The one true God has fought and will continue to fight for his people. So Joshua charges them to bow down to no other god and to surrender their lives to the moral code written in the Book of the Law.

Again, it's important to remember that this passage was preserved for our instruction, conviction, and guidance. You might think, "I don't serve any idols." That may be true of physical idols. But the broader definition of idolatry in Scripture includes anything that takes the place in your heart that only God should have. Anything can be an idol. What has the power to control your thoughts, emotions, and desires? May God alone lay claim to our hearts.

 MONITE MA’ASI 16, 2026

SIOSIUA 19-21; MATIU 7:24-27

When you bank on God's promises, you bank on truths that were decided before the earth was set in place; you therefore bank on truths that are absolutely sure.

‘I he taimi ‘oku ke tu’u ai ‘i he ngaahi palomesi ‘a e ‘Otua, ‘oku ke tu’u ‘i he ngaahi mo’oni na’e ‘osi fakatoka kimu’a ‘i he tanupou ‘o mamani; ‘oku ke tu’u ‘i he ngaahi mo’oni ‘oku pau mo ta’eue’ia.

What is absolutely sure in your life? People make a life commitment when they get married, but marriage isn't always sure. Sin can sneak in and destroy a marriage. Or your spouse may suddenly die, leaving you alone. Or perhaps you buy your forever home, with the intention of spending the rest of your life there. But the economy tanks, you lose your job, and you can no longer afford to live in that house. You may have found your best friend forever, the deep bond you were looking for, but sadly your friend betrays you, shattering that friendship forever. You join a church thinking it will be the gospel community you'll give yourself to for the rest of your life, but a new pastor comes in, the church radically changes, and you sadly have to face the fact that you can't be there anymore. Many things in our lives seem permanent and sure but end up failing us. Often we become either fearful or calloused, not willing to trust as we once did. I have heard people say, "I will never get a raise again," or, "I will never join another church," or, "I've been hurt too many times; it won't happen again."

Yet in our hearts we hunger for the peace, security, and rest of soul that come when we find something we can depend on, something that will never fail us. Every human being is on a lifelong search for a rock to stand on. This is why I love the words God preserved for us near the end of the book of Joshua. If you believe these words, you won't need to search for that rock any longer.

Thus the LORD gave to Israel all the land that he swore to give to their fathers. And they took possession of it, and they settled there. And the LORD gave them rest on every side just as he had sworn to their fathers. Not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the LORD had given all their enemies into their hands. Not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass. (Josh. 21:43-45)

Please go back and read the last sentence again. God is declaring the utter surety, dependability, and reliability of his promises. God does for his children exactly what he has promised to do, right down to each and every word. He is the solid rock on which we can stand: "On Christ the solid rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand." The ultimate solid-rock promise God made is Jesus. He is our solid rock. The question is, Are you building your life on him?

 SAPATE MA’ASI 15, 2026

SIOSIUA 16-18; HEPELU 11:1-3

Hope in the Lord is not a wish or a dream. It is a confident expectation of a guaranteed result.

Ko e ‘Amanaki ‘i he ‘Otua ‘oku ‘ikai ko ha faka’amu pe ko ha misi. Ko e fakana’una’u pau ‘o ha ola kuo ‘osi sila’i.

What gets me up in the morning is not that I think I have the wisdom, gifts, strength, and character to forge a good life for my family and myself. No, what gets me up in the morning are the promises of God. I wake up every morning with an unshakable joy; no matter what is going on, I am absolutely sure that God will do for me what he has promised. So morning after morning I reach up my hands and grab hold of what God has promised, and I do  not let go until I am asleep. The following are just a few of the things God has promised me:

He will never leave or forsake me.

His Spirit will live inside of me, to convict me of sin and empower me to

obey.

He will supply everything I need.

He is ruling over all things for the sake of his people.

He has forgiven and will forgive my sins.

He will give me strength.

He will give me rest.

He will bring good out of hardship.

He will never fail.

He will give me wisdom.

He will finally defeat sin and death.

He will reserve a place for me in the new heavens and new earth. 

These promises of God get me up and give me hope and joy morning after morning. Because I cling to God, I cling to his promises every day. And I therefore don't find Joshua 16-18 boring at all. As I read about allotment after allotment of the promised land to the tribes of Israel, I feel peace and joy. You see, God recorded and preserved these passages for us with loving intentionality. We see that he will never forget, ignore, or turn his back on his promises. He will faithfully deliver just what he has said he will deliver. He will do for his people things that are so wonderful and amazing that they will never be able to say they deserved them or to take credit for them. We stand in amazement and wonder as we see Israel march through and possess the land in the power of God, just as he promised they would. Here is divine demonstration of sovereign power and authority, a rule and a power that cannot be stopped. Equally important, here is God's unfailing faithfulness. In a world where few things are sure and things and people fail us, it is so good to know that God never fails. The tribes of Israel settle into their particular place in the promised land because God rules, and he is faithful.

There is a greater promise than the land of promise. Back in Genesis 3 God promised a conquering Savior who would crush the head of the enemy. Jesus came, because God is faithful. He conquered sin and death in his life, death, and resurrection. In him you find everything you need and a destiny that is secure. God makes promises. He always fulfills them, and that changes everything. So get up, reach out, and grab his promises; don't let go, but go out and live with hope.

 TOKONAKI MA’ASI 14, 2026

SIOSIUA 12-15; SAAME 2:1-12

In times that you wonder what God is doing, it's important to remember that he will unleash his power for the defense, protection, and guidance of his children.

‘I he taimi ‘oku ke fifili ai ki he ngaue ‘a e ‘Otua, ‘oku mahu’inga ke ke manatu’i, te ne tuku mai hono ivi mafimafi ke fai tau, malu’i mo tataki ‘a ‘Ene fanau.

We all go through times when God seems distant, passive, and maybe even uncaring. In these moments we can be tempted to believe that God has forgotten his promises to us or, even worse, has forgotten us. We may even get to the point at which we wonder whether God is who he's declared himself to be. In our fear, discouragement, and doubt, we may begin to wander away from him. We may begin to let go of habits of personal devotion and prayer, wondering what good they do. When we're in a spiritual desert or experiencing a dark night of the soul, we are susceptible to hearing the lie of the enemy, as Adam and Eve did in the garden. It is always the same lie: there is something better out there than trusting, worshiping, and obeying the Lord.

I am deeply persuaded that biblical history - and what it reveals of the glory of God's character, plan, and work on behalf of his people - is designed to speak with wisdom and hope when we are about to lose hope. In those moments, we need a fresh vision of the glory of God working on behalf of his people. When God's glory is clouded, we all need something that will break through the clouds. Joshua 12 is that kind of cloud-bursting passage. Stand back and take time to consider what it says about the power of God and his work for his people: 

And these are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the people of Israel defeated on the west side of the Jordan, from Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon to Mount Halak, that rises toward Seir (and Joshua gave their land to the tribes of Israel as a possession according to their allotments,...): the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one; the king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one; the king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one; the king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one; the king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one; the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one; the king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one; the king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one; the king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one; the king of Aphek, one; the king of Lasharon, one. (Josh. 12:7,9-18)

You may be thinking, "Paul, what in the world does this have to do with the hard thing I'm facing right now?" This passage should blow your mind and fill your heart with hope. King after king after king was defeated - not by Joshua and the Israelite army alone, but by the power of God. God will do whatever is in his almighty power to provide for, protect, and defeat the enemies necessary of his people. The ultimate example of this is Jesus, who came in divine power to defeat the ultimate enemies of sin and death, and is fighting now for you.

 FALAITE MA’ASI 13, 2026

SIOSIUA 9-11; NGAUE 20:17-24

God's sovereignty over everything, everywhere, all of the time isn't an invitation for you to live a passive life.

Ko e Aoniu ‘a e ‘Otua ‘i he me’a kotoa pe, mo e potu kotoa pe, ‘i he taimi kotoa pe, ‘oku ‘ikai ko ha fakaafe ia kia koe ke ke nofo noa.

As we read through Old Testament history, we discover that the most important element in all that has been recorded and preserved for us is God's consistent revelation of himself. In these stories he reveals his wisdom, power, love, faithfulness, holiness, sovereignty, and patience. In these stories he progressively unfolds his redemptive plan. He reveals that he is willing to forgive, but there must be a sacrifice for sin. He shows that he will make a way for sinners to dwell in his presence and that he will be faithful to deliver every one of his promises. The Old Testament story is a divine glory display pointing to the Savior, Jesus.

Joshua 10:8 is one of many divine glory-revealing passages. It reveals something significant about who our God is, but it also reveals something important about who God designs us to be. God called Joshua to lead the Israelite army into battle against the five kings of the Amorites. Any sane leader would be a bit afraid when considering this task, but pay attention to what God said to Joshua: "Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands. Not a man of them shall stand before you."

Do you see the stunning glory of God in this passage? These verses reveal the sovereignty of God in a way that should leave us in awe. God didn't say to Joshua, "Don't be afraid; I will be there for you." No, he said, "I have given them into your hands." Past tense. This means not only that God had decided, before the foundations of the earth were laid in place, to unleash his power in defense of his people, but also that his sovereign rule is specific to a certain time, place, and people. God wrote into his divine plan Joshua's victory over these particular kings in this particular place and at this specific moment before there was a Joshua, Amorite kings, or a land of promise. God really does rule with specificity over all things for the sake of his own.

But something else is important to see in this account. Even though God had determined the outcome, he still called Joshua to do battle. God's sovereignty is no reason for our passivity. No, God exercises his sovereign rule through the vehicle of valid human choices and actions. It's not the sovereignty of God or the responsibility of people. It's both operating together to deliver God's preordained plan. God in his sovereign plan pours out his grace on us, while he calls us to trust, obey, and follow. The way to rest in his sovereignty is to give ourselves actively to what he has called us to do.

 TU’APULELULU MA’ASI 12, 2026

SIOSIUA 5-8; MATIU 4:1-11 

What do you do when the thing that God is calling you to do seems absurd?

Ko e ha ho’o me’a ‘e fai kapau ‘oku ngali kehe ‘a e me’a ‘oku ui koe ‘e he ‘Otua ke ke fakahoko?

It really is true that God's thoughts are not like our thoughts and his ways are very different from our ways.

I sat in my chair during a difficult and painful recovery from a surgery I had hoped to avoid. I was so weak that I could barely get out of that chair. I sat there doing nothing because medications had scrambled my brain enough that I couldn't do the writing I thought God had called me to do. It seemed absurd that at the moment of what I thought was my greatest gospel influence, I had been weakened almost to immobility and my world had shrunk to this chair in our loft in Philadelphia. On a human level, it didn't make any sense. I knew God wasn't toying with me. I knew him to be present, faithful, and right in every way. But I was impressed with the seeming absurdity of the moment.

Having read through the biblical narrative over the course of my life, I am tempted to write a book called Divine Absurdities. Please don't misunderstand the title. I don't think that God, in the complete perfection of his wisdom, ever thinks, says, or does anything absurd. But there are moments when God asks us to do something that, at a human level, seems absurd; that is, it's so hard for us to make sense of it that it leaves us confused or a bit scared. Biblical faith calls us to persevere through what may seem absurd and to hold on to our belief that God is holy and wise, that all of his ways are good, right, and true. If you stop at the absurd, you will abandon God's call and turn and run the other way.

Joshua 6 invites us to witness one of those seemingly absurd moments. God calls his children not to attack thick-walled Jericho with military strategy but to parade around it for seven days. On a human level, this doesn't make any sense. It seems like an act of military suicide. But God has a plan. On the seventh day, after the seventh time around the city, the Israelites blow their trumpets and scream at the top of their lungs. The walls collapse and the city is sacked. God's plan was to give his children a victory that they could not take credit for and, in so doing, to instill in them the belief that he would be present with them and that they would fight their battles in the promised land in his almighty power. The absurd was not absurd, but rather a gift of God's grace and glory.

The biblical narrative marches toward another moment that seems absurd. It seems absurd that the entire hope of humanity would rest on God becoming a man, living a perfect life, dying a substitutionary death, rising from the dead, and ascending in victory to sit at the right hand of the Father. But it wasn't absurd; it was the perfect plan, conceived before the earth began. By faith we embrace the plan, God-in-the-flesh, the ultimate gift and giver of grace.