Pulelulu Novema 16, 2022 

THE EARTH SPEAKS OF HIS GLORY

‘OKU TALANOA ‘A MAMANI KI HONO LANGILANGI

PSALM 24:1 NKJV

The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,

SAAME 24:1

‘OKU ‘o Sihova ‘a e fonua, mo e me‘a ‘oku ‘i ai: ‘A māmani mo e kau nofo ki ai.

 

Soli Deo Gloria – To the Glory of God Alone

Ki he Langilangi ‘o e ‘Otua Tokotaha pe   

We believe that "the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness W thereof, and we go forth into it, not as into the domains of Satan where light comes not, nor into a chaos where rule is unknown, nor into a boiling sea where fate's resistless billows shipwreck mortals at their will; but we walk boldly on, having God within us and around us, living and moving and having our being in Him, and so, by faith, we dwell in a temple of providence and grace wherein everything doth speak of His glory.

We believe in a present God wherever we may be, and a working and operating God accomplishing His own purposes steadfastly and surely in all matters, places, and times; working out His designs as much in what seemeth evil as in that which is manifestly good; in all things driving on in His eternal chariot toward the goal which infinite wisdom has chosen. We believe in this God as being faithful to everything that He has spoken. The God of Abraham is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and He is our God this day.

CHARLES SPURGEON

Tusite Novema 15, 2022 

OUR CHIEF GOOD

KO ‘ETAU LELEI FUNGANI

PSALM 16:2

I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.”

SAAME 16:2

Kuo ke lea kia Sihova, ‘e hoku laumālie, “Ko hoku ‘Eiki koe; ‘Oku ‘ikai ha‘aku lelei ‘o mama‘o mo koe.”

 

Soli Deo Gloria – To the Glory of God Alone

Ki he Langilangi ‘o e ‘Otua Tokotaha pe    

Because He infinitely values His own glory, consisting in the knowledge of Himself, and joyfully sufficient in Himself, He therefore valued the image, communication, or participation of these in the creature. And it is because He values Himself that He delights in knowledge, and love, and joy of the creature as being Himself the object of this knowledge, love, and self-sufficient. For it is the necessary consequence of true esteem and love that we value others' esteem of the same object, and dislike the contrary.

For the same reason, God approves of others' esteem and love of Himself. Thus it is easy to conceive how God should seek the good of the creature, consisting in the creature's knowledge and holiness, and even his happiness, from a supreme regard to Himself; as His happiness arises from that which is an image and participation of God's own beauty, and consists in the creature's exercising a supreme regard to God, and self-sufficiency in Him.

JONATHAN EDWARDS

Monite Novema 14, 2022

THE HILLS OF GLORY

KO E NGAAHI MO‘UNGA ‘O E LANGILANGI

PSALM 121:1

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?

SAAME 121:1

TE U tāngaki hoku mata ki he ngaahi mo‘unga: ‘E ha‘u mei fē hoku tokoni?

 

Soli Deo Gloria – To the Glory of God Alone

Ki he Langilangi ‘o e ‘Otua Tokotaha pe   

Jesus endured great humiliation, and therefore there was room for Him to be exalted. By that humiliation He accomplished and endured all the Father's will, and therefore He was rewarded by being raised to glory. He uses that exaltation on behalf of His people.

Let my reader raise his eyes to these hills of glory, whence his help must come. Let him contemplate the high glories of the Prince and Savior. Is it not most hopeful for men that a Man is now on the throne of the universe? Is it not glorious that the Lord of all is the Savior of sinners? We have a Friend at court; yea, a Friend on the throne. He will use all His influence for those who entrust their affairs in His hands.

Come, friend, and commit your cause and your case to those once-pierced hands, which are now glorified with the signet rings of royal power and honor. No suit ever failed which was left with this great Advocate.

CHARLES SPURGEON

Sapate Novema 13, 2022 

ONE CREATOR

FAKATUPU PE ‘E TAHA

DEUTERONOMY 32:6 ESV

Do you thus deal with the Lord, O foolish and unwise people? Is He not your Father, who bought you? Has He not made you and established you?

TEUTALONOME 32:6

‘Oku pehē koā ho‘omou totongi ‘a e ‘Eiki, ‘A e kakai vale mo ta‘e‘atamai? ‘Ikai ko ho‘o tamai ia na‘e ma‘u koe? Kuo ne ngaohi koe, mo fokotu‘u koe?

 

Soli Deo Gloria – To the Glory of God Alone

Ki he Langilangi ‘o e ‘Otua Tokotaha pe   

AIl the things that are, are either created or uncreated. The one and only uncreated God, for there can be but one uncreated thing. If there were several uncreated things, there would be several eternals, for the uncreated and the eternal are so closely allied that as one is, so is also the other. For if there were several eternals, there would be several infinites, for these are so like unto and allied with each other that whatever is eternal is also infinite and whatever is infinite is also eternal.

Now, since there can be only one infinite (for as soon as we admit two infinite substances, each becomes finite), it is certain that the one and only uncreated thing is God. On this depends also the origin, source, and foundation of the first article of our faith, that is, when we say, "I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth," we confess and declare that we have an infallible faith, since it is one resting securely upon one only Creator.

ULRICH ZWINGLI

Tokonaki Novema 12, 2022

THE EMINENCE OF GLORY

KO E LANGILANGI ‘OKU TU‘UNUKU MAI

ROMANS 6:4

Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

LOMA 6:4

Pea ko e me‘a ‘i hotau papitaiso ki he‘ene pekia, pea tā na‘a tau kaungā telio mo ia; koe‘uhi, hangē na‘e fokotu‘u ‘a Kalaisi mei he pekia ‘e he ‘Afio ‘a e Tamai, pehē ke fai‘aki ‘e kitautolu foki ha mo‘ui ‘oku fo‘ou hono anga.

 

Soli Deo Gloria – To the Glory of God Alone

Ki he Langilangi ‘o e ‘Otua Tokotaha pe   

Come and try this living Savior, if you have never done so before. This living Jesus is also raised to an eminence of glory and power. He does not now sorrow as "a humble man before his foes," nor labor as "the carpenter's son," but He is exalted far above principalities and power and every name that is named.

The Father has given Him all power in heaven and in earth, and He exercises this high endowment in carrying out His work of grace. Hear what Peter and the other apostles testified concerning Him before the high priest and the council: "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins" (Acts 5:30-31). The glory which surrounds the ascended Lord should breathe hope into every believer's breast.

CHARLES SPURGEON

Falaite Novema 11, 2022

CONSEQUENCE OF CREATION

KO E OLA ‘O E FAKATUPU

PSALM 104:33

I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

SAAME 104:33

Ka u hiva kia Sihova ke ‘osi ‘eku mo‘ui: Ka u tā ha‘ape ki he ‘Otua lolotonga ‘eku ‘i ai.

 

Soli Deo Gloria – To the Glory of God Alone

Ki he Langilangi ‘o e ‘Otua Tokotaha pe   

In the 104th Psalm, after a very particular, orderly, and magnificent representation of God's works of creation and common providence, it is said in the 31st verse, "The glory of the Lord shall endure forever: the Lord shall rejoice in his works." Here God's glory is spoken of as the grand result and blessed consequence, on account of which he rejoices in these works. And this is one thing doubtless implied in the song of the seraphim, Isaiah 6:3:"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory."

The glory of God, in being the result and consequence of those works of Providence that have been mentioned, is in fact the consequence of the creation. The good attained in the use of a thing made for use is the result of the making of that thing, as signifying the time of day, when actually attained by the use of a watch, is the consequence of making the watch. So it is apparent that the glory of God is actually the result and consequence of the creation of the world.

JONATHAN EDWARDS

Tu’apulelulu Novema 10, 2022 

FAITH BRINGS GLORY

‘OKU ‘OMI ‘E HE TUI ‘A E LANGILANGI

1 PETER 5:5

Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

1 PITA 5:5

Pehē foki mo kimoutolu ‘a e kau fakaongo, mou anganofo ki he kau faifekau. ‘Io, mou no‘o kotoa pē ‘aki ‘a e fefakavaivai‘aki: he ‘oku tali teke‘i ‘e he ‘Otua ‘a e ‘afungi, ka ‘oku ne foaki kelesi ki he anga vaivai.

 

Soli Deo Gloria – To the Glory of God Alone

Ki he Langilangi ‘o e ‘Otua Tokotaha pe   

Faith gives all the glory to God. It is of faith that it might be by grace, and it is of grace that there might be no boasting; for God cannot endure pride. "The proud he knoweth afar off," and He has no wish to come nearer to them. He will not give salvation in a way which will suggest or foster pride. Paul saith, "Not of works, lest any man should boast." Now, faith excludes all boasting. The hand which receives charity does not say, "I am to be thanked for accepting the gift"; that would be absurd. When the hand conveys bread to the mouth it does not say to the body, "Thank me, for I feed you." It is a very simple thing that the hand does though a very necessary thing; and it never arrogates glory to itself for what it does.

So God has selected faith to receive the unspeakable gift of His grace because it cannot take to itself any credit, but must adore the gracious God who is the Giver of all good.

CHARLES SPURGEON