PULELULU SIULAI 31, 2024

STEPPING OUT IN FAITH

KO E LAKA ‘I HE TUI

HEBREWS 11:8

"By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going."

HEPELU 11:8

Ko tui na‘e talangofua ai ‘a ‘Epalahame ‘i hono ui, ‘o ne ‘alu atu mei hono fonua ki ha potu te ne toki ma‘u mōno tofi‘a; ‘io, na‘a ne ‘alu atu, ‘o ‘ikai te ne ‘ilo pe ko ‘ene ‘alu ki fē.

If we seek to understand better what it means to put faith into action and to take God at His word, then we need look no further than the life of Abraham. He's described in the book of Romans as the father of all who have faith (Romans 4:16). He was "fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised" (v 21), and this was the conviction that spurred him on to obedience and action.

God's call to Abraham was costly and radical: "The LORD said to Abram, 'Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you" (Genesis 12:1). Abraham was asked to leave his country, his friends, and his extended family-essentially, all that he knew and held dear. God did not stop at the command, though. He promised to bless Abraham in the new land, to make him "a great nation" and to make his name great (v 2).

And Abraham obeyed and went.

Why would anybody ever do that? Abraham had nothing to go on save the command of God and the accompanying promises. But that was enough for him! That is faith in action. That is faith in every day and in every generation: taking God at His word and stepping out in obedience.

"The callings of God." I remember once hearing the Scottish minister Graham Scroggie say, "seldom leave a man or a woman where the calling finds them. Indeed, if we fail to go forward when God says 'Go,' we cannot remain stationary." Refusing to step out and act in faith results in backward movement even as we never take a step.

Abraham, though, walked forward. He departed in obedience, "not knowing where he was going." It was sufficient for him that God had told him to go, and so he did not need to be told where he would end up. And by stepping out in faith, Abraham stepped into the heart of God's plan to save His people and bring blessing to His world. Abraham would discover that the only place to be is where God wants you, and the only purpose that you should ever seek to fulfill is that which God has made known to you.

Has God been speaking to you through His word about stepping out in faith and obedience to His leading? Then "today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts" (Hebrews 3:15). God's command may run absolutely contrary to everything you have been planning and thinking about, and it may require you to leave behind everything that represents security to you-but if He is calling, you must go.

ROMANS 4

Bible Through The Year: Psalms 54-56; Acts 21:1-17

 TUSITE SIULAI 30, 2024

HIS POWER IN OUR WEAKNESS

KO HONO IVI ‘I HOTAU TU‘UNGA VAIVAI

JUDGES 7:2-3

"The LORD said to Gideon, 'The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, "My own hand has saved me. "Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, "Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home and hurry away from Mount Gilead." Then 22.000 of the people returned, and 10,000 remained." 

FAKAMAAU 7:2-3

2 Pea folofola ‘a e ‘Eiki kia Kitione, ‘o pehē, Ko e kakai ‘oku ‘iate koe ‘oku tokolahi fau ke u tuku ai ‘a Mitiani ki honau nima; na‘a pōlepole ‘a ‘Isileli kiate au, ‘o pehē, Ko hoku nima ni kuo ne fakamo‘ui au. 3 Ka ko eni ke ke fanongonongo mu‘a ke ‘ilo ‘e he kakai, ‘o pehē, ‘Ilonga ha manavahē mo tailiili, ke ne foki ‘o fakatakamilo ‘i he mo‘unga ko Kiliati. Pea na‘e foki ai ha toko ua mano mā toko ua afe ‘o e kakai: pea ko e toko taha mano pē na‘e toe.

God's purpose for His people in every age is that we might depend upon Him entirely. When God called him to save the Israelites, Gideon was faced with an overwhelming task: his army had to face the Midianites. Their army was said to be as overwhelming as locusts, and "their camels were without number, as the sand that is on the seashore in abundance" (Judges 7:12). Gideon's army of 32,000 paled in comparison.

And then the Lord said to him, "The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand." And so 22,000 left the army. No doubt Gideon was  doing the math and wondering how he could strategically match strength for strength with even fewer soldiers. What he didn't know was that he was about to learn the necessity of weakness.

God is always at work in our circumstances to bring us to a greater dependence on Him and deeper praise for His rescue. In Gideon's life, as in our own lives today, God left no doubt that He alone is God. His glory won't be shared with or stolen by anyone else. Simply put, God is wholly adequate; we are not. Both then and now, He helps us see the necessity of humbly acknowledging our weakness in order to magnify His greatness. The truth is, our pride is at its ugliest when it emerges as spiritual pride-when we begin to boast in our experiences with God or our successes for God. That was the tendency of the "super-apostles" to whom Paul referred in 2 Corinthians 12:11; they seemed so powerful, full of stories to tell about how they were filled with the power of the Spirit. But Paul simply answered, "If I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me" (v 6). He understood that humility, weakness, and inadequacy are all key to usefulness in God's kingdom.

That is why God further reduced Gideon's army to a mere 300 (Judges 7:7). He was going to achieve His plan with so few people that when the victory came, everyone would know the source of the victory. And in God's kindness, He still does this for us today. He reminds us that those who are most useful to His plan and purpose are those who, in the world's eyes, are not up to the task - because then it is clear that it is His work and not theirs. This is bad news for you if you would like to hold on to your pride and self-dependence. It is bad news for you if you would like to receive praise. It is, however, amazing news for you if you know you are inadequate for the tasks that God sets among the things you are facing do you feel wholly ill - equipped to handle? Depend on Him and walk forward in obedience, and you will discover that His power is displayed in your weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10) - and you will praise Him all the more.

JUDGES 7:1-23

Bible Through The Year: Psalms 51-53; Acts 20:17-38

 MONITE SIULAI 29, 2024

EMBRACING INTERFERENCE

TALI ‘A E FAKAFE‘ATUNGIA

MARK 11:27-28

As he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him, and they said to him. By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?"

MA‘AKE 11:27-28

27 Pea nau toe ha‘u ki Selusalema: pea lolotonga ‘ene hā‘ele ‘i he Temipale, na‘e ha‘u kiate ia ‘a e hou‘eiki taula‘eiki, mo e kau sikalaipe, mo e kau mātu‘a, 28 ‘o nau pehē ki ai, Ko e hā ho tu‘unga ‘oku ke fai ai ‘a e ngaahi me‘a ko eni? pea ko hai na‘a ne tuku kiate koe ‘a e tu‘unga ko ia, koe‘uhi ke ke fai ‘a e ngaahi me‘a ko eni?

None of us like someone else interfering in our business.

When someone insists on our attention or demands our obedience, we instinctively respond negatively. Generally speaking, we don’t want people telling us what to do, least of all in spiritual matters. It is always tempting to buy into the notion, particularly popular in our day, that our spirituality is no one else's business - a personal matter to be known only to us.

In reading the Gospels, then, we may become distinctly unsettled as it becomes clear that Jesus interferes in our lives. Yes, it's for our good-but nevertheless, He interferes. Indeed, in his autobiography, C.S. Lewis refers to Jesus as the "transcendental Interferer."

From the beginning of Jesus' ministry, people recognized that He spoke with authority (see Mark 1:22, 27). He said things in such a way that they couldn't be sidestepped or simply dismissed. But they could be resisted and rejected. His authoritative teaching became a thorn in the religious teachers' side, and they began to oppose Jesus, soon plotting to kill Him so that they would not have to open up their spiritual lives to Him (3:6).

Like the religious leaders, we often prefer a personal spirituality that is molded by our agenda and lifestyle: "This is what I believe. This is what I hold to. This is what we've always done. This is our tradition." Jesus comes crashing into those notions, turning everything upside down, taking man-made values and upending them. In fact, at the end of Jesus' earthly ministry, He declared that all authority had been given to Him (Matthew 28:18-19). He doesn't share that authority with anyone. Our spiritual lives are, in fact, His business. We bow down before His authority and embrace Him as Lord and Savior now, or one day we will bow before Him and meet Him solely as our Judge.

Adding Jesus to a little corner of our existence is easy and nonintrusive; it's another thing entirely to allow the "transcendental Interferer" to take over every aspect of our lives and command from us complete obedience. His perfect authority is an issue we must consider in every decision we make. So we are faced by the unsettling question: Am I living according to my natural desires and the rules I have fashioned? Or am I seeking to joyfully submit to my Savior on every day and in every way? It is only when we choose to bow down before Jesus' authority, acknowledging His lordship over our time, our talents, our money - our everything - that we can truly begin to embrace Him as Lord and Savior and enjoy knowing Him as a friend and a guide. Are you keeping Him at arm's length in any way? That is precisely the place where He calls you to let Him interfere; it's the place where you have the opportunity truly to treat Him as the one who has all authority. He will certainly disrupt your life - but He alone has the right to, and He alone can set you free.

DANIEL 7:9-14

Bible Through The Year: Psalms 49-50; Acts 20:1-16

 SAPATE SIULAI 28, 2024

BE A DOER

HOKO KO E KAU FAI KI HE FOLOFOLA

JAMES 1:22

"Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." 

SEMISI 1:22

Ka mou hoko ko e kau fai ki he folofola, ‘o ‘ikai ko e kau fanongo pē, ‘o mou kākaa‘i kimoutolu.

As believers, our lives can and should be marked by minds that are trained in and subjected to the truth of God's word, and we should surround our circumstances with prayer (Philippians 4:6-8). But still, if we are to know and enjoy God's power at work within us, we must take what we hear in the Scriptures and put it into practice. We should be diligent in our attention to the Scriptures each day, and in our attendance when the word of God is being expounded, but we should never fall into the trap of thinking that attending, paying attention, and listening carefully are enough. We must be "doers… and not hearers only."

In John 13, on the night before Jesus' death and after He has been teaching the disciples for a while, He says to them regarding His lessons, "If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them" (John 13:17). If you wonder why you're not experiencing God's blessing, it may be because you aren't putting His words into practice. The Lord has given us rich instruction and He has given us the Spirit to be our Helper. Now we are responsible for drilling our minds in the truth of God's word and then doing what we have learned, received, and heard.

What a great sadness it is when churches become like dusty old libraries, filled with so many lives that are like volumes of truth just sitting there, never used. The temptation as we become increasingly aware of the truth is just to sit and think about it without ever taking action. James puts that kind of life in stark terms: it is to deceive yourself. No - a church is to be a gallery of living experience. There ought to be a vibrancy about believers, so that when we face the world's many problems-problems we ourselves are not immune to-we can see them for what they are and respond by holding out the truth of God's word as we ourselves live it out.

Determine today not to be a hearer only, and so deceive yourself into thinking you are a growing Christian when in fact you are a shriveling one. Resolve to be a doer of the word. Look honestly over your life now and identify any areas about which you have heard how to live for Christ but have never actually obeyed. That will be the part of your life about which the Spirit is saying to you right now, Do not be a bearer only. Be a Doer - for that way blessing lies.

JAMES 1:19-27

Bible Through The Year: Psalms 46-48; Acts 19:21-41

 TOKONAKI SIULAI 27, 2024

CONSIDER HIM

VAKAI ‘A E TOKOTAHA KO IAA

HEBREWS 12:3

"Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that may not grow weary or fainthearted." 

HEPELU 12:3

Seuke, mou fua kimoutolu mo e Toko Taha na‘a ne kātaki ‘a e fu‘u angatu‘u pehē fau ko ia ‘a e koto angahala kiate kinautolu, telia na‘a mou mafasia he po‘epo‘ea homou laumālie.

Have you ever been tempted to give up on your faith? Maybe during a tough week, benefit. It's time to forget about Christianity and live as others live." In those moments, you've considered your circumstances and thought, "None of this is working to my benefit. It's easy to look around and see our unbelieving friends, family, and coworkers living differently and more easily and seemingly having a great time. Envious glances allow doubt and disillusionment to creep in and steal our resolve to stay on the straight and narrow path.

This was the experience of the psalmist Asaph. He "had almost stumbled" because he "was envious of the arrogant when [he] saw the prosperity of the wicked" who were "always at ease" (Psalm 73:2-3, 12). This, it appears, was also the experience of the Christians to whom the writer of Hebrews addressed himself. They had "not yet" had to shed blood in order to stand firm in the faith (Hebrews 12:4), but it was clear that the struggle against sin within and the struggle to withstand opposition from without were taking their toll.

What should they do? Consider Jesus. The biblical antidote to faintheartedness and weariness is to fix our eyes on Him who endured hostility-who endured the cross-in order to obtain the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2).

At some point in our lives, all of us will face unjust suffering in words, deeds, or circumstances and we can admit that we don't want to take the dig in the ribs and the spikes in the shins. All of us will face the reality that we have not yet defeated the sins that we have struggled with for years and years. All of us will face days when we don't want to be in the race, when we are tempted to give up and drop out. What should you do on those days? Hear God's word saying, Consider Him. Consider the life of Christ what it was like and where it led. He opened the door to glory; now we walk the path behind Him. Look at Jesus, who ran this race and is now "seated at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2). Day by day, no matter whether the course runs uphill or the wind feels full against us, we consider Him and "run with endurance the race that is set before us" (v 1).

PHILIPPIANS 3:3b-16

Bible Through The Year: Psalms 43-45; Acts 19:1-20

 FALAITE SIULAI 26, 2024

GOD-CENTERED FOCUS

KO E VAKAI ‘OKU FAKAMAMA‘U KI HE ‘OTUA

JOHN 15:5

"I am the vine: you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." 

SIONE 15:5

Ko au pē ko e vaine, ko kimoutolu ko e ngaahi va‘a: ko ia ‘oku nofo ma‘u ‘iate au, mo au ‘iate ‘ia, ‘oku fua lahi ‘a e toko taha ko ia: he ka māvae mo au, ‘oku ‘ikai te mou fa‘a fai ha me‘a.

Amateur photographers often don't know what they're focusing on. They know what they think they’re focusing on - but then the picture end up containing blurry faces and buildings askew. Then they may look at their work and respond, "This isn't what I was pointing at!" But the fact of the matter is, the photos reveal exactly where and how the lens was positioned.

In life's highs and lows - and every moment in between - the way you and I react to circumstances reveals the angle of our camera lens, the focus of our hearts and minds. The challenge for believers, then, is to live with a focus that is centered on God.

Jesus made it very clear that in order for us to embrace a God-centered focus, we must first understand who we are without Him. In fact, Jesus explained to His disciples that apart from Him they could do nothing; after all, "in him all things hold together" (Colossians 1:17). Our need for Jesus is not partial; it is total. None of us can even breathe without God's enabling. How can we think of taking credit for any work that He's done through us? We are absolutely impoverished without divine help.

This principle runs throughout the entire Bible. Moses, chosen by God to lead the Ismelite people out of bondage and slavery, was adamant that he couldn't do the job unless God was with him and he was right (Exodus 3:11-12). Amos was a keeper of fig trees and a shepherd; he had nothing to contribute to the ministry when God appointed him as a prophet (Amos 7:14-15). Daniel, likewise, with his amazing ability to interpret dreams, was quick to give every bit of credit to God (Daniel 2:26-28). Each of these men recognized his utter dependency on God. In fact, no one in Scripture who achieved great things for God did so without relying wholly on God. For their ability to do the work they were called to do, they looked up rather than looking in.

As Christians called to live with a God-centered focus, we must not ascribe too much attention to ourselves or our abilities, for in doing so, we may very well obscure God's grace and power in our lives. In Christ, we ought not to boast in our abilities or seek any opportunity to draw attention to ourselves. Instead, we should merely wish to be known as servants of the living God, to be useful in His service as He works in us according to His good purpose, and to point away from ourselves and to Him in all we do and say.

Where will your focus be today? And when success or praise come your way, to whom will you point?

LUKE 17:7-19

Bible Through The Year: Psalms 40-42; Acts 18

 TU‘APULELULU SIULAI 25, 2024

GRACE, MERCY, AND PEACE

KELESI, MEESI MO E MELINO

 2 TIMOTHY 1:2

"To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord." 

2 TIMOTE 1:2

Ko ‘eku tohi kia Tīmote, ko hoku foha ‘ofa‘anga. ‘Ofa ke ke ma‘u kelesi mo e meesi mo e melino, mei he ‘Otua ko e Tamai, mo Kalaisi Sīsū ko hotau ‘Eiki.

The way in which Paul refers to Timothy throughout his letters is striking. He doesn't keep this younger man at arm's length; instead, Paul addresses Timothy as his "beloved child," his "child in the Lord," and a "fellow worker" in proclaiming the gospel (2 Timothy 1:2; 1 Corinthians 4:17; Romans 16:21).

Initially, we might not think that Timothy was an obvious choice to be the recipient of Paul's words or letters, at least not from a human perspective. He wasn't strong or mature but relatively young, physically frail, and naturally timid a rather diffident chap who must have looked too inexperienced for what he was doing. When he got anxious, it went to his stomach (1 Timothy 5:23). He was not a high-caliber candidate. Really, though, this isn't unusual. This is most believers. This is me and you.

And yet Timothy was God's man.

He was God's man because God had chosen him. God delights to pick up men and women - including those who are comparatively young, naturally weak, physically frail, or obviously reserved and say, This is what I have lined up for you. You're My chosen servant for the task to which I have appointed you.

The 18th-century evangelist George Whitefield was used by God to bring tens of thousands of people to saving faith. Yet he was often overwhelmed at the prospect of his own ministry. Once, on his way to preach in the chapel of the Tower of London, Whitefield records, "As I went up the stairs almost all seemed to sneer at me on account of my youth; but they soon grew serious and exceedingly attentive." Why did the reaction of his listeners change? The answer is simply that Whitefield, like Timothy, was God's chosen man.

How Timothy must have drunk in Paul's greeting, which reminded him of his resources! God had redeemed and commissioned Timothy, and God would supply grace for the trials, mercy for the failures, and peace in the face of dangers and doubts.

What do you and I need today? Exactly what Timothy needed: grace, mercy, and Peace. All that was available to Timothy is available to us too. So you can lean on God and the provisions He's made for you in Christ. His resources are sufficient to meet your every need and to accomplish every task He calls you to.

2 TIMOTHY 1:1-14

Bible Through The Year: Psalms 37-39; Acts 17:16-34

 PULELULU SIULAI 24, 2024

UNRIGHTEOUS ANGER

KO E TAIMI ‘OKU ‘IKAI FAKA-’OTUA AI HO’O ‘ITAA

GENESIS 39:19-20

As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, "This is the way your servant treated me, his anger was kindled. And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison." 

SENESI 39:19-20

19 Pea ‘i he fanongo ‘e hono ‘eiki ki he ngaahi me‘a na‘e lea‘aki ‘e hono uaifi kiate ia, he‘ene pehē, Na‘e pehē mo pehē ‘a e fai ‘a ho‘o tamaio‘eiki kiate au; na‘a ne tuputāmaki. 20 Pea na‘e puke ‘a Siosifa ‘e hono ‘eiki ‘o ne tuku ia ki he pilīsone, ‘a e potu na‘e nofo pōpula ai ‘a e kau pōpula ‘a e Tu‘i: pea na‘a ne nofo ‘i he pilīsone.

Potiphar was a shrewd judge of character. As an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard, he'd had many people under his control for most of his life. His experience enabled him to see that Joseph had something distinct about him.

Joseph was like no other servant; he was the best of servants. All of Potiphar's affairs prospered under Joseph's jurisdiction, and Potiphar gave everything into his care-every-thing, that is, except his wife.

It's hardly surprising, then, that Potiphar reacted in anger and rage when his wife accused Joseph of attempting to assault her. Any husband worth his salt would react in this way. There is a rightness about that sort of protection, and we should expect Potiphar to have displayed it.

Potiphar's mistake was not his initial response but the speed with which he pronounced judgment against Joseph. There's no mention of Potiphar processing the information he was given, nor do we see him stepping back and setting his wife's accusation against the backdrop of Joseph's record of faithful integrity. Instead, Potiphar allowed his anger to run away with his judgment. Rage blinded Potiphar to both truth and reason.

Potiphar also permitted himself to be unduly influenced by his wife. Of course, all of us are swayed by our closest companions, and mercifully so on many occasions. But none of us are to be unduly influenced by any one person, save God. When we allow such sway to take hold, especially in moments of decision-making, we put not only ourselves but everybody around us in peril. Instead, we must seek safety and victory in an "abundance of counselors" (Proverbs 11:14; 24:6) who will point us to the wisdom of God's word in every circumstance. The greater the magnitude and the consequences of a decision, the more counsel we should seek and the more time we should spend on our knees.

Potiphar allowed himself to make a decision while he was angry and his decision was an unjust one. Unchecked anger blinds the mind. Once kindled, it is easier to let anger blaze than to stamp it out. But even in circumstances in which anger is the correct response to injustice or sin (and we follow a Lord who Himself responded with anger when appropriate - see Mark 11:15-18), we cannot give rage permission to direct our emotions and dictate our decisions. Be quick to ask God to reveal any source of ongoing anger in your life so that you might repent where necessary, forgive when called to, and move forward in wisdom and faith.

GALATIANS 5:16-24

Bible Through The Year: Psalms 35-36; Acts 17:1-15

 TUSITE SIULAI 23, 2024

GOD WILL MEET OUR NEEDS

‘E TOKONAKI ‘E HE ‘OTUA ‘ETAU NGAAHI FIEMA‘U

2 THESSALONIANS 3.7-8

"We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you." 

2 TESALONAIKA 3.7-8

7 He ‘oku mou lāu‘ilo ‘a e me‘a ‘oku totonu ke mou fai ‘i ho‘omou fa‘ifa‘itaki kiate kimautolu. He tala‘ehai na‘a mau laka hala ‘i he‘emau ‘iate kimoutolu; 8 ‘uma‘ā ha‘amau kai mā mofisi pē, kaekehe na‘a mau kai ‘i he ongosia mo e fitefita‘a, he na‘a mau ngāue ‘i he ‘aho mo e pō ke ‘oua na‘a mafasia hamou toko taha.

Depending on God does not conflict with working to earn our daily bread. Indeed, work and the ability to do it are part of God's provision. If we doubt that, we should consider the fact that Jesus Himself worked. Even though He came from heaven and all things belong to Him. He labored as a carpenter for years, confirming the pattern that was laid out for humanity in Genesis (Genesis 2:15).

Similarly, the apostles, living by faith and wholeheartedly pursuing the growth of the church, worked diligently "night and day." They refused to be lazy or to eat anyone's food without paying. As ministers of the gospel, they did have the right to ask for help with provisions (1 Timothy 5:17-18); however, they took responsibility for themselves and practiced the trades they knew, serving as "an example to imitate" (2 Thessalonians 3:9).

In the midst of our own labors, we must recognize that we can abuse work in at least two ways: through either laziness or overactivity. The warning of Proverbs applies to us "The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing" (Proverbs 20:4). Or, as Paul puts it, we must not be idle. But we must pay equally careful attention to the psalmist's words when he says. "It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil" (Psalm 127:2). Yes, we are to labor with our hands. If we aren't working for God's glory, though, we are left toiling at a feverish pace, yet in vain.

Nowhere is this more apparent than when we ignore the Sabbath principle. Nothing so reveals our unwillingness to take God at His word and to trust Him for daily provision as when we abuse the command to work six days and rest for one (Deuteronomy 5:12-15). Why do we think we need to work all day, every day? The answer is, quite frankly, because we struggle to trust that God will meet our needs. We must find our security not in our work but in the God who provides both the work and the means to carry it out.

In our materialistic culture, it is not easy to work faithfully while learning to be satisfied with our God-given lot. Take a moment to reflect on your own work, be it in the home, the field, the factory, or the office. In what ways are you tempted towards laziness? And in what ways towards overactivity? What will it look like for you to work hard and trust God? In a world ensnared by materialism, your contentment-in your work and in God's provision - will be a compelling testimony to the divine love that alone provides true satisfaction.

DEUTERONOMY 5:1-3, 12-15

Bible Through The Year: Psalms 33-34; Acts 16:22-40

 MONITE SIULAI 22, 2024

A REMINDER TO PRAY

KO E FAKAMANATU KE LOTU

MARK 9:28-29

"When he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately. "Why could we not cast it out?' And he said to them, 'This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer." 

MA‘AKE 9:28-29

28 Pea ‘i he hū ‘a Sīsū ki fale, na‘e fehu‘i kiate ia ‘e he‘ene kau ako fakaekinautolu, Ko e hā na‘e ‘ikai te mau lava ai ‘e kimautolu ke kapusi ia?

29 Pea ne pehē kiate kinautolu, Ko e fa‘ahinga ko eni ‘oku ‘ikai lava ke mahu‘i, ka ‘i he lotu pē.

In Mark 6. Jesus had sent the disciples out two by two to proclaim the need for repentance. He had given them not only specific instructions but also "authority over the unclean spirits" (Mark 6:7). Because of this, they had developed a great track record: "They cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them" (v 13).

Considering their previous success in the ministry that Jesus had given them, it's easy to see why the disciples were surprised and confused when their efforts to help a boy with an evil spirit proved futile, until Jesus arrived and stepped in to restore him (Mark 9:14-27). Perhaps in asking, "Why could we not cast it out?" the disciples expected Jesus to give them some sort of secret knowledge. Sometimes that is what we too believe, misunderstanding Jesus' reply as saying that a very special ability or ministry is needed. But that is not the case. Jesus is simply reminding His disciples, and us, of this: You didn't succeed because you forgot to do something very important: you didn't pray.

In their success, the disciples had gotten comfortable. They had lost track of the fact that it was only because of God's immense mercy and power that they could do anything. They were still in Christ's company, yet they were already forgetting. They needed a reminder.

Sometimes we need to be reminded as well. To imagine that God's power is simply at our disposal and under our control is tantamount to unbelief; it's trusting in ourselves rather than trusting in God. Prayer, by contrast, is ultimately aligning our will with God's. It acknowledges that God must work wonders because we ourselves can't. And until we rely on God's grace, we're unable to intervene in anyone's circumstances and make an eternal difference.

There are many reasons why we don't pray. We don't think we have to. We don't want to. We overestimate our own abilities. Each is an absolute presumption on our part. When we try to do things on our own, we will often find ourselves failing miserably. So the next time you're tempted to figure something out yourself, or to assume that God's power will bring you through because it did last time (and that "next time" is likely to be today!), consider what the disciples had forgotten and what Jesus reminded them of: pray to the one who has all the power, showers us with mercy, and deserves all the glory. For when you pray and watch what God does, you discover that He does far more than you had even dared ask or thought to imagine (Ephesians 3:20).

MARK 9:14-29

Bible Through The Year: Psalms 31-32; Acts 16:1-21