Look Again and Think

Mea e ‘ai e tatau ma le aso

“Do not worry about your life …” (Matthew 6:25).

A warning which needs to be heeded is that “the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches,” and the lust for other things, will choke out the Spirit of God in us (Matthew 13:22).  We are never free from the constant waves of this invasion.  If the frontline of attack is not about clothes and food, it may be about money or the lack of; or friends or lack of friends; or dealing with difficult circumstances.

It is one steady invasion after another, and these things will come in like a flood, unless we allow the Spirit of God to raise up the armour against it.

“I say to you, do not worry about your life … .” Our Lord says to be careful only about one thing, and that’s our relationship to Him.

But our own common sense shouts loudly and says, “That is crazy, I have to consider how I am going to live, and what I am going to eat and drink.”   Jesus says no.  Beware of allowing yourself to think that He says this while not understanding your own circumstances.

Jesus Christ knows our circumstances better than we do, and He says we must not think about these things to the point where they become the primary concern of our life.

Whenever there are competing concerns in your life, be sure you always put your relationship to God first.  Leave your burdens to Him, trust me I know.  I took a leap of faith in 2002, and retired from my job for the government to dedicate my full-time to our ministry.   The Lord has blessed us ten fold since.  Now that’s not to say there are no more troubles in life, because there are.

“Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (6:34).   How much trouble has begun to threaten you today?  Jesus tells us not to worry about any of these things.  For whatever troubles in life we go through, remember what He said “I’ll be with you always”. 

Some people think that when you get into a church. That you are somehow protected now.  Well if that was so, everybody would be in church.  Some people don’t understand that sometimes, troubles gets inside the church…Jesus never promised that the ride in the church would be smooth…….he never promised that there will be no troubles, he simply said… “I’ll be with you”

“Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord [be] with you all. (2Thessalonians 3:16)

Look again and think. Keep your mind on the “much more” of your heavenly Father (6:30). 

Ia manuia,

failauga p. anoa’i

Look Again and Consecrate

Mea e ‘ai e tatau ma le aso

“If God so clothes the grass of the field … , will He not much more clothe you?” (Matthew 6:30).

A simple statement of Jesus is a puzzle to some people because they will not bring themselves to simplistic understanding, living in this modern “politically correct” complicated world. How can we maintain the simplicity of Jesus so that we may understand Him? 

By receiving His Spirit, recognizing and relying on Him, and obeying Him as He brings us the truths of His Word, life will become increasingly simple and His Word will open up to you like a peddle of flower blossoming.   Jesus asks us to consider that “if God so clothes the grass of the field …” how “much more” will He clothe you, if you keep your relationship right with Him?

Every time we lose ground in our fellowship with God, it is because we have disrespectfully thought that we knew better than Jesus Christ.  We have allowed “the cares of this world” to enter in (Matthew 13:22), while forgetting the “much more” of our heavenly Father.

“Look at the birds of the air …” (6:26). Their function is to obey the instincts God placed within them, and God watches over them.  Now God feeds the birds, but He doesn’t put the worms in their nest.  We, like the birds have to do our part.  “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread.” (Genesis 3:19)   In simple language, we have to work hard for a living, because you don’t deserve to eat another man’s sweat.

Some people feel that if you put everything up to God then He will take care of everything for you.  This is simply a wrong and dangerous attitude.  As Christians, we all have our assigned tasks to do.  We all have different gifts to witness, rather then be hopelessly complacent and grow lazy and dependent on a welfare system. 

In raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus had the power to remove the stone with just His Word alone, but he asked the people to do their part in the plan of salvation, and …”take away the stone.” (John 11:39)

Jesus said that if you have the right relationship with Him and will obey His Spirit within you, then God would care for your “needs” too.

“Consider the lilies of the field …” (6:28). They grow where they are planted. Many of us refuse to grow where God plants us, and bury our gifts.  Therefore, we don’t take root anywhere.  Jesus said if we would obey the Spirit of God within us, He would look after all other things.  Remember, God fills our needs, not our greed. 

I remember back in the day, some brothers on the block use to collect welfare and yet ride in a shiny Cadillac, wearing their “Nike Jordan’s” living the high life, selling contraband on the streets.  And yet go to church every Sunday praising the Lord, singing “Thank you Jesus”.  That’s not the blessings God promises my family.

Did Jesus Christ lie to us? Are we experiencing the “much more” He promised? If we are not, it is because we are not obeying the Spirit that God has given us and have cluttered our minds with confusing thoughts, worries and cares of this world. 

How much time have we wasted asking God senseless questions while we should be absolutely free to concentrate on our service to Him?  Consecration is the act of continually separating myself from everything except that which God has appointed me to do. It is not a one-time experience but an ongoing process, a day-by-day growth. Am I continually separating myself and looking to God every day to guide my life? 

Jesus says: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33)  “If God so clothes the grass of the field … , will He not much more clothe you?

Ia manuia,

failauga p. anoa’i

Cairo is Burning!

Mea e 'ai e tatau ma le aso

"...Nothing new under the sun." (Ecclesiastes)

I saw the news this morning on CNN, headlined a raging revolutionary war going on in Cairo, Egypt.  It seems the incumbent president Mubarak’s government and his out of touch, spoiled rich family, (who by the way is the #1 ally of US in the middle east), and his recklessness may force president Obama's hand to get our troops in there.  

Let us all pray that this will not be the case, as our troops are already stretched thin with other wars we already shouldn’t be in.  Today’s event also triggered the price of oil to shoot up once again, while radical Muslims are circling the pose taking advantage of the situation to propagate their ideology. 

US gives aid that equals 1.5billion annually to this country, (as if they needed any money in the first place), while our fellow countrymen struggle to make ends meet to pay their bills amidst the current economic depression.  

Mubarak is a man that doesn’t even know there is traffic jams in his own country, because his highly paid cronies clear the road before his excellency is driven anywhere.  Tens of thousands of Egyptians fed up with crushing poverty, unemployment and corruption poured out of mosques after Friday's noon prayers and battled police with stones and firebombs, protesting their discust with the government.

Stepping up the pressure, President Barack Obama told a news conference he called Mubarak immediately after his TV address and urged the Egyptian leader to take "concrete steps" to expand rights and refrain from violence against protesters.  In his statement release, "The United States will continue to stand up for the rights of the Egyptian people and work with their government in pursuit of a future that is more just, more free and more hopeful," Obama said.

This official statement to a government that won’t even offer help to their own people after an earthquake and upon protest, Mubarak issues a shut-down of all communications to the outside world closing down internet, face book, twitter, cell phones, land lines, and any other line of communication, while ordering police to dispense US made tear gas canisters and tanks to quiet the fed-up crowds. 

Is this how your hard earned US tax dollars should be spent?   What does the Egyptian people think when they pick-up the empty US marked canisters?  Does this not sound all so familiar?   Remember Iraq?, better still, remember Aikupito (Egypt) back in the day?

The great king Solomon once said, “The thing that hath been, it [is that] which shall be; and that which is done [is] that which shall be done: and [there is] nothing new under the sun.  Ecclesiastes 1:9

This is the same land where the Lord God of host once said unto Moses, “… Pharaoh's heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go.”  Exodus 7:14

                       

Remember in the Bible, this started a chain of events which led to the plagues to fall on Egypt, then the Passover, or the saving of God’s chosen people, through the sacrificial blood of the lamb (a prophecy fulfilled in Jesus the lamb of God), to the eventual journey  (Christian walk) and entrance of His chosen people to “Canaan or Kana fou” (symbolizing Heavenly entrance)’ 

Are we so near that we fail to realize the bigger picture of Jesus soon return to take us home?  Solomon said, “there is nothing new under the sun” All have been fulfilled, and yet to be fulfill.  Are you ready for Jesus to come?   The signs of the time tell the story.

Ia manuia,

failauga p. anoa’i

Gods Word is our fortress

Mea e 'ai e tatau ma le aso
"So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though the going is rough for a while down here."  I Peter 1:6 For all our families members and friends who are going through darkness, from the passing of a loved one. To brother Ben Solaita and his family, Gods word is our fortress: Psalm 139:12   " Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee." "Let faith pierce the darkness. Walk with God in the dark as well as in the light, repeating the words, 'He is faithful that promised' (Heb. 10:23). Through the trial of our faith we shall be trained to trust in God." Whatever dark clouds overcast the sky, whatever storms surge around the soul, His anchor holds firm, and we may be sure of victory."   "Christ is the light of the world; in Him is no darkness. Rejoice in the Lord always." "Let the cloud that shadows us pass over, while we wait patiently till the clear blue sky appears and the blessed sunshine is revealed." And we shall see our loved ones again, in a twinkling of an eye, and the dead in Christ shall rise first.       "So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though the going is rough for a while down here." “O lea ua outou olioli ai, e iu lava ona faanoanoa outou I nai aso nei (pe afai e tatau ai), I tofotofoga eseese, o le tofotofo foi o lo outou faatuatua, e silisili ona aoga I le auro e faaumatia, e ui lava ina tofotofo I le afi, e avea ma mea e I’u I le viiga, ma le mamalu, ma le manuia pe a faalia mai Iesu Keriso ” I Peter 1:6 Ia faamanuia atu le Atua, ia pa’ia o aiga I itu tetele ma itu taulagi. Ia avea le mafanafana a lona afiooga pa’ia, ma le malamalama a lona silisili eses, e fai ma vai malu I la outou lagona tina. Soifua, ma ia manuia, failauga p. anoa’i

God’s Overpowering Purpose

Mea e 'ai e tatau ma le aso
“I have appeared to you for this purpose …” (Acts 26:16).
The vision Paul had on the road to Damascus was not a passing emotional experience, but a vision that had very clear and emphatic directions for him. And Paul stated, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19). Our Lord said to Paul, in effect, “Your whole life is to be overpowered or subdued by Me; you are to have no end, no aim, and no purpose but Mine.” And the Lord also says to us, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go …” (John 15:16).

When we are born again, if we are spiritual at all, we have visions of what Jesus wants us to be. It is important that I learn not to be “disobedient to the heavenly vision”—not to doubt that it can be attained. It is not enough to give mental assent to the fact that God has redeemed the world, nor even to know that the Holy Spirit can make all that Jesus did a reality in my life. I must have the foundation of a personal relationship with Him. Paul was not given a message or a doctrine to proclaim. 

He was brought into a vivid, personal, overpowering relationship with Jesus Christ. Acts 26:16 is tremendously compelling “… to make you a minister and a witness … .” There would be nothing there without a personal relationship.  Paul was devoted to a Person, not to a cause. He was absolutely Jesus Christ’s. He saw nothing else and he lived for nothing else. “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).

Ia manuia,

failauga p. anoa'i

Leave Room for God

Mea e 'a e tatau ma le aso
“When it pleased God ” (Galatians 1:15).

As servants of God, we must learn to make room for Him—to give God “elbow room.” We plan and figure and predict that this or that will happen, but we forget to make room for God to come in as He chooses. Would we be surprised if God came into our preaching or into our witnessing in a way we had never expected Him to come? Do not look for God to come in a particular way, but do look for Him.

The way to make room for Him is to expect Him to come all the time, but not in a certain way.  No matter how well we may know God, the great lesson to learn is that He may break in at any minute. We tend to overlook this element of surprise, yet God never works in any other way.  Suddenly, God meets our life “when it pleased God.”

Keep your life so constantly in touch with Him that His surprising power can break through at any point in your life. Live in a constant state of expectancy of Him, and leave room for God to come in as He decides, when He decides, and how He decides.  “When it pleased God ”

Ia manuia,

failauga p. anoa'i

Transformed by Beholding

Mea e 'ai e tatau ma le aso
“We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image ” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

The greatest characteristic a Christian can exhibit is this completely unveiled openness before God, which allows that person’s life to become a mirror for others. When the Spirit fills us, we are transformed, and by beholding God we become mirrors.
You can always tell when someone has been beholding the glory of the Lord, because your inner spirit senses that he mirrors the Lord’s own character. Beware of anything that would spot or tarnish that mirror in you. It is almost always something good that will stain it—something good, but not what is best.

The most important rule for us is to concentrate on keeping our lives open to God. Let everything else including work, clothes, and food be set aside. The busyness of things obscures our concentration on God. We must maintain a position of beholding Him, keeping our lives completely spiritual through and through.

Let other things come and go as they will; let other people criticize us as they will; but never allow anything to obscure the life that “is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). Never let a hurried lifestyle disturb the relationship of abiding in Him. This is an easy thing to allow, but we must guard against it. The most difficult lesson of the Christian life is learning how to continue “beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord  .”

Ia manuia,

failauga p. anoa'i

Faith, Not Emotion

Mea e 'ai e tatau ma le aso
“We walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).

For a while, we are fully aware of God’s concern for us. But then, when God begins to use us in His work, we begin to take on a pitiful look of ourselves and talk only of our trials and difficulties.  We only worry about our own physical circumstances and forget our faith in Him to do unto us His own good will.

And all the while God is trying to make us do our work as hidden people who are not in the spotlight, rather quietly in the background.

None of us would be hidden spiritually if we could help it. Can we do our work when it seems that God has sealed up heaven?  Some of us always want to be brightly illuminated saints with golden halos and with the continual glow of inspiration, and to have other saints of God dealing with us all the time, even admiring our spirituality.

A self-assured saint is of no value to God.  He is abnormal, unfit for His work, and completely self-centered unlike God. We are here, not as immature angels, but as men and women, chosen to do His will for the seeding of this world.  And we are to do it with infinite greater power to withstand the struggle or even the storms of life, because we have been re-born spiritually from above.

If we continually try to bring back those moments of inspiration, it is a sign that it is not God we want, but self assurance that He is still there. We become obsessed with the moments when God did speak with us, and we are insisting that He do it again and again.  But what God wants us to do is to “walk by faith.” 

How many of us have set ourselves aside as if to say, “I cannot do anything else until God appears or speaks to me”?  He will never do it for those reasons. Sometimes, we try to bring God down to our level instead of bringing our standards up to God's level.
We have to get up on our own, without any inspiration and without any sudden touch from God. Only a willing heart, then comes our surprise and we find ourselves exclaiming, “Yes, He was there all the time, and I never knew it!”

Never live for those moments—they are surprises. God will give us His touch of inspiration only when He sees that we are not in danger of being led away by them. We must never consider our moments of inspiration as the standard way of life—our task and work to sow the field of this world and the fruit that you reap thereof, is our standard.

 Ia manuia,

 failauga p. anoa'i

Am I Looking to God?

Mea e ;ai e tatau ma le aso
“Look to Me, and be saved ” (Isaiah 45:22).

This morning as we await a tropical storm moving slowly towards us, some 200 miles south east of the Samoan Archepelago.  With it's immensity and intensity building up, all you could do is prepare your household from harms way and pray this passes over and away from us.  Your faith in the saving grace of Jesus Christ our Lord is surely again put to the test.

Do we expect God to come to us with His blessings and save us?  Jesus simply says, “Look to Me, and be saved .” The greatest difficulty spiritually is to concentrate on God at a time like this, but His blessings are what make it so difficult.  Troubled times almost always make you look to God, but His blessings tend to divert our attention elsewhere.  You wonder, how can a loving God allow this to happen and put so many in harms way?
The basic lesson of the Sermon on the Mount is to narrow all your interests,  and questions until your mind, heart, and body are focused on Jesus Christ. “Look to Me .”

Many of us have a mental picture of what a Christian should be during times of trouble, and looking at this image in other Christians’ lives becomes a hindrance to our focusing on God.  He says, in effect, “Look to Me and you are saved,” not “You will be saved someday.” We will find comfort in what we are looking for if we will just concentrate on Him.
When storms come into our lives we get distracted from God and irritable with Him, while He continues to say to us, “Look to Me, and be saved .” Our difficulties, our trials, and our worries about tomorrow all vanish when we look to God.

Let us awake and look to God.  Build your faith and hope on Him.  No matter how heavy the storms in our lives seem to be pressing in on you, be determined to put troubles aside and look to Him.  In the book of Mark 4:39 , Jesus demonstrated to the troubled and faithless desciples  "And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm."
Jesus says, "Look to me"  Salvation is yours the moment you look.

Ia manuia,

failauga p. anoa'i

Recall What God Remembers

Mea e 'ai e tatau ma le aso
“Thus says the Lord: ‘I remember  the kindness of your youth ’ ”
(Jeremiah 2:2).

Am I as kind to God as I used to be when I first loved Him?, or am I only expecting God to be kind to me? Does everything in my life fill His heart with gladness, or do I constantly complain because things don’t seem to be going my way?  A person who has forgotten what God treasures will not be filled with joy.  It is wonderful to remember that Jesus Christ has needs which we can meet—“Give Me a drink” (John 4:7).  He was "hungry" (Mark 11:12)

How much kindness have I shown Him in the past week?  Has my life been a good reflection on His reputation?, or even has my life been a good representation (Embassador) of His Heavenly Kingdom?

God is saying to His people, “You are not in love with Me now, but I remember a time when you were.” He says, “I remember  the love of your betrothal ” (Jeremiah 2:2).  Am I as filled to overflowing with love for Jesus Christ as I was in the beginning (first love), when I went out of my way to prove my devotion to Him?
Does He ever find me pondering the time when I cared only for Him?  Is that where I am now, or have I chosen man’s wisdom over true love for Jesus?  Am I so in love with Him that I take no thought for where He might lead me? Or am I watching to see how much respect I get as I measure how much service I should give Him?

As I recall what God remembers about me, I may also begin to realize that He is not what He used to be to me. When this happens, I should allow the shame and humiliation it creates in my life, because it will bring godly sorrow, and “godly sorrow produces repentance ” (2 Corinthians 7:10).

Then, in our humbleness we could proclaime boldly "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth."...  (Romans 1:16)

Ia manuia,

failauga p. anoa'i

Are You Fresh for Everything?

Mea e 'ai e tatau ma le aso
“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God’ ” (John 3:3).

Sometimes we are fresh and eager to attend a prayer meeting, but do we feel that same freshness for such simple tasks as polishing shoes?
Being born again by the Spirit is an unmistakable work of God, as mysterious as the wind, and as surprising as God Himself. We don’t know where it begins—it is hidden away in the depths of our soul. Being born again from above is an enduring, and eternal beginning.  It provides a freshness all the time in thinking, talking, and living—a continual surprise of the life of God.

Staleness is an indication that something in our lives is out of step with God. We say to ourselves, “I have to do this thing or it will never get done.” That is the first sign of staleness. Do we feel fresh this very moment or are we stale, frantically searching our minds for something to do?  Freshness is not the result of obedience; it comes from the Holy Spirit. Obedience keeps us “in the light as He is in the light ” (1 John 1:7).

Jealously guard your relationship with God. Jesus prayed “that they may be one just as We are one”—with nothing in between (John 17:22). Keep your whole life continually open to Jesus Christ.  Don’t pretend to be open with Him. Are you drawing your life from any source other than God Himself?  If you are depending on something else as your source of freshness and strength, you will not realize when His power is gone.
Being born of the Spirit means much more than what we usually think.  It gives us new vision and keeps us fresh for everything through the never-ending supply of the Holy Spirit of God.

Ia manuia,

failauga p. anoa'i

Vision and Darkness

Mea e 'ai e tatau ma le aso
“When the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him” (Genesis 15:12).

Whenever God gives a vision to a Christian, it is as if He puts him in “the shadow of His hand” (Isaiah 49:2). The saint’s duty is to be still and listen. There is a “darkness” that comes from too much light—that is the time to listen. The story of Abram and Hagar in Genesis 16 is an excellent example of listening to so-called good advice during a time of darkness, rather than waiting for God to send the light. When God gives you a vision and darkness follows, wait.

God will bring the vision He has given you to reality in your life if you will wait on His timing. Never try to help God fulfill His word. Abram went through thirteen years of silence, but in those years all of his self-sufficiency was destroyed. He grew past the point of relying on his own common sense. Those years of silence were a time of discipline, not a period of God’s displeasure. There is never any need to pretend that your life is filled with joy and confidence; just wait upon God and be grounded in Him (see Isaiah 50:10–11).

Do I trust at all in the flesh? Or have I learned to go beyond all confidence in myself and other people of God? Do I trust in books and prayers or other joys in my life? Or have I placed my confidence in God Himself, not in His blessings? “I am Almighty God ” —El-Shaddai, the All-Powerful God (Genesis 17:1). The reason we are all being disciplined is that we will know God is real. As soon as God becomes real to us, people pale by comparison, becoming shadows of reality. Nothing that other saints do or say can ever upset the one who is built on God.

Ia manuia,

failauga p. anoa'i

Martin Luther

Mea e 'ai e tatau ma le aso

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God"  (Ephesians 2:8)

Yesterday, As we celebrated the memorial day of Martin Luther King Jr. and the non-violent civil rights movement he had help inspire.  Let us visit another Martin Luther before him, whose work kicked off the reformation movement that impacted world events, including the start of religious liberty throughout the world.  This blog will highlight a few reminders of these historical figures, men who has shaped the moral conscious of our country which affectedly changed society, that gave us the freedoms we enjoy today.

In a speech aired yesterday to commemorate the holiday recognizing one of America's greatest visionary leaders.  President Barack Obama was quoted "On Martin Luther King, Jr., Federal Holiday, we commemorate, and we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. King." said Obama.  "Dr. King guided us toward a mountaintop on which all Americans -- regardless of skin color -- could live together in mutual respect and brotherhood. His bold leadership and prophetic eloquence united people of all backgrounds in a noble quest for freedom and basic civil rights," 

"Inspired by Dr. King's legacy, brave souls have marched fearlessly, said Obama,  organized relentlessly, and devoted their lives to the unending task of perfecting our Union," ,"Their courage and dedication have carried us even closer to the Promised Land Dr. King envisioned, but we must recognize their achievements as milestones on the long path to true equal opportunity and equal rights." 

In the mid 1500’s, another Martin Luther (November 10, 1483 - February 18, 1546) was a Christian theologian and Augustinian monk whose teachings 95 theses helped inspire the Protestant Reformation and deeply influenced and revolutionized formation of new traditions within Christianity and the Counter-Reformation in the Roman Catholic Church, culminating at the Council of Trent.  His stand against the corrupt indulgence of Papacy Pope Leo X,  brought the Bible light into more common society, with the invention of the printing press, despite persecution from the church.

Some of his more famous quotes:  "There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because his conscience tells him it is right...." "We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone."   When brought to trial, Luther quoted  "I cannot choose but adhere to the word of God, which has possession of my conscience; nor can I possibly, nor will I even make any recantation, since it is neither safe nor honest to act contrary to conscience! Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise, so help me God! Amen."

In every generation, God moves certain individuals to great achievement to accomplish His will, despite the challenges of the vast majority.  God called these men, to shape our world, according to His will.  Is there a Martin Luther in your future?

(Romans 8:30,31)  “Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.  ^...What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Ia manuia,

failauga p. anoa'i

Will You Go Out Without Knowing?

Mea e 'ai e tatau ma le aso
“He went out, not knowing where he was going” (Hebrews 11:8).

Have you ever “gone out” in this way?  If so, there is no answer possible when anyone asks you what you are doing. One of the most difficult questions to answer in a Christian's work is, “What do you expect to do?” You don’t know what you are going to do.  The only thing that you do know is that God knows what He is doing.

Continually examine your attitude toward God to see if you are willing to “go out” in every area of your life, trusting in God entirely.  It is this attitude that keeps you in constant wonder, because you don’t know what God is going to do next.  Each morning as you wake, spend some time in personal devotion and ask God for new opportunities to “go out,” and witness for Him, building your confidence in God.  
“do not worry about your life  nor about the body ” (Luke 12:22).  In other words, don’t worry about the things that concerned you before you did “go out". Just let His Spirit guide you, you heard the saying, "Let go and let God"

Have you ever asked God what He is going to do? He will never tell you. God does not tell you what He is going to do—He reveals to you who He is.  If you believe in a miracle-working God, then will you “go out” in complete surrender to Him until you are not surprised anymore by anything He does?  You will start to realize when you reflect upon your life that yes, He is a loving God and He does have a plan for you (Jeremiah 29:11).

Believe God is always the God you know, when you are nearest to Him. Then think of how unnecessary and disrespectful your worries have been.   Let the attitude of your life be a continual willingness to “go out” in dependence upon God, and your life will have a sacred and spiritual charm about it that is built upon the "Rock" of solid foundation in Jesus.

We must learn to “go out” through your own convictions, creeds, or experiences until you come to the point in your faith where there is nothing that will stand in between yourself and our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

If you feel the conviction of this calling, please help me through this blog help feed the less fortunate, "hungry and poverty" of this world.  Click on the upper right button on this page and pledge whatever you can.   Thank you and may God Bless...Jesus said in (Matthew 25:40) ..."Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me." 


Ia manuia,

failauga p. anoa'i

Worship

Mea e 'ai e tatau ma le aso
“He moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord” (Genesis 12:8).

Worship is giving God the best that He has given you. Be careful what you do with the best you have. Whenever you get a blessing from God, give it back to Him as a love-gift. Take time to meditate before God and offer the blessing back to Him in a deliberate act of worship. If you hoard it for yourself, it will turn into spiritual dry rot, as the manna did when it was hoarded (see Exodus 16:20). God will never allow you to keep a spiritual blessing completely for yourself. It must be given back to Him so that He can make it a blessing to others.

Bethel is the symbol of fellowship with God; Ai is the symbol of the world. Abram “pitched his tent” between the two. The lasting value of our public service for God is measured by the depth of the intimacy of our private times of fellowship and oneness with Him.  Rushing in and out of worship is wrong every time—there is always plenty of time to worship God. Days set apart for quiet can be a trap, detracting from the need to have daily quiet time with God. That is why we must “pitch our tents” where we will always have quiet times with Him, however noisy our times with the world may be.

There are not three levels of spiritual life—worship, waiting, and work. Yet some of us seem to jump like spiritual frogs from worship to waiting, and from waiting to work. God’s idea is that the three should go together as one. They were always together in the life of our Lord Jesus and in perfect harmony. It is a discipline that we must developed; it will not happen overnight.  Our Christian walk is like a marathon race.  Though it may seem long.  Our second wind grows stronger,  the closer we get to the finish line.

Ia manuia,

failauga p. anoa’i

The Life and Power to Follow

Mea e 'ai e tatau ma le aso
“Jesus answered him, ‘Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward’ ” (John 13:36).

“And when He had spoken this, He said to him, ‘Follow Me’ ” (John 21:19). Three years earlier Jesus had said, “Follow Me” (Matthew 4:19), and Peter followed with no hesitation. The irresistible attraction of Jesus was upon him and he did not need the Holy Spirit to help him do it.
Later he came to the place where he denied Jesus, and his heart broke. Then he received the Holy Spirit and Jesus said again, “Follow Me” (John 21:19). Now no one is in front of Peter except the Lord Jesus Christ. The first “Follow Me” was nothing mysterious; it was an external following. Jesus is now asking for an internal sacrifice and yielding (see 21:18).

Between these two times Peter denied Jesus with oaths and curses (see Matthew 26:69–75). But then he came completely to the end of himself and all of his self-sufficiency. There was no part of himself he would ever rely on again. In his state of destitution, he was finally ready to receive all that the risen Lord had for him. “ He breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’ ” (John 20:22).

No matter what changes God has performed in you, never rely on them. Build only on a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ, and on the Spirit He gives.
All our promises and resolutions end in denial because we have no power to accomplish them. When we come to the end of ourselves, not just mentally but completely, we are able to “receive the Holy Spirit.” Then, there is now only One who directs the course of your life, our Lord Jesus Christ.

 Ia manuia,

 failauga p. anoa'i

Called by God

Mea e 'ai e tatau ma le aso
“I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me’ ” (Isaiah 6:8).

In these perilous times when so much is upon us.  "Tragic shootings in Arizona", strange weather patterns all over the world, mudslides in Australia, the Philipines and Brazil, poverty everywhere, raging fires, hurricanes and earthquakes in the south pacific.  God is calling out those who are willing to seek His guidance and heed His Word, despite the smoldering kaos of this troubled world.

God did not direct His call to Isaiah—Isaiah overheard God saying, “ who will go for Us?” The call of God is not just for a select few but for everyone. Whether I hear God’s call or not depends on the condition of my ears, and exactly what I hear depends upon my spiritual attitude. “Many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14).
That is, few prove that they are the chosen ones. The chosen ones are those who have come into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ and have had their spiritual condition changed and their ears opened.  Then they hear “the voice of the Lord” continually asking, “ who will go for Us?” However, God doesn’t single out someone and say, “Now, you go.” He did not force His will on Isaiah.
 Isaiah was in the presence of God, and he overheard the call. His response, performed in complete freedom, could only be to say, “Here am I! Send me.”

Remove the thought from your mind of expecting God to come to force you or to plead with you. When our Lord called His disciples, He did it without irresistible pressure from the outside. The quiet, yet passionate, insistence of His “Follow Me” was spoken to men whose every sense was receptive (Matthew 4:19).

If we will allow the Holy Spirit to bring us face to face with God, we too will hear what Isaiah heard—“the voice of the Lord.” In perfect freedom we too will say, “Here am I! Send me.”

Ia manuia,

failauga p. anoa'i

Have You Ever Been Alone with God? Part 2

Mea e 'ai e tatau ma le aso
“When He was alone  the twelve asked Him about the parable” (Mark 4:10).

His Solitude with Us. When God gets us alone through suffering, heartbreak, temptation, disappointment, sickness, or by thwarted desires, a broken friendship, or a new friendship—when He gets us absolutely alone, and we are totally speechless, unable to ask even one question, then He begins to teach us. Notice Jesus Christ’s training of the Twelve.

It was the disciples, not the crowd outside, who were confused. His disciples constantly asked Him questions, and He constantly explained things to them, but they didn’t understand until after they received the Holy Spirit (see John 14:26).
As you journey with God, the only thing He intends to be clear is the way He deals with your soul. The sorrows and difficulties in the lives of others will be absolutely confusing to you. We think we understand another person’s struggle until God reveals the same shortcomings in our lives.

There are vast areas of stubbornness and ignorance the Holy Spirit has to reveal in each of us, but it can only be done when Jesus gets us alone. Are you alone with Him now? Or are you more concerned with our own ideas, friendships, and cares for our bodies? Jesus cannot teach us anything until we quiet all our intellectual questions and allow yourself to be alone with Him.


In manuia,


failauga p. anoa'i

Have You Ever Been Alone with God? Part 1

Mea e 'ai e tatau ma le aso
“When they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples” (Mark 4:34).

Our Solitude with Him. Jesus doesn’t take us aside and explain things to us all the time; He explains things to us as we are able to understand them. The lives of others are examples for us, but God requires us to examine our own souls. It is slow work—so slow that it takes God all of time and eternity to make a man or woman conform to His purpose.

We can only be used by God after we allow Him to show us the deep, hidden areas of our own character. It is astounding how ignorant we are about ourselves! We don’t even recognize the envy, laziness, or pride within us when we see it. But Jesus will reveal to us everything we have held within ourselves before His grace began to work. How many of us have learned to look inwardly with courage?
We have to get rid of the idea that we understand ourselves. That is always the last bit of pride to go. The only One who understands us is God. The greatest curse in our spiritual life is pride. If we have ever had a glimpse of what we are like in the sight of God, we will never say, “Oh, I’m so unworthy.”

We will understand that this goes without saying. But as long as there is any doubt that we are unworthy, God will continue to close us in until He gets us alone. Whenever there is any element of pride or conceit remaining, Jesus can’t teach us anything. He will allow us to experience heartbreak or the disappointment we feel when our intellectual pride is wounded. He will reveal numerous misplaced affections or desires—things over which we never thought He would have to get us alone. Many things are shown to us, often without effect. But when God gets us alone over them, they will be clear.

Ia manuia,

failauga p. anoa'i

What My Obedience to God Costs Other People

Mea e 'ai e tatau ma le aso
“As they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon  , and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus” (Luke 23:26).

If we obey God, it is going to cost other people more than it costs us, and that is where the pain begins. If we are in love with our Lord, obedience does not cost us anything—it is a delight. But to those who do not love Him, our obedience does cost a great deal. If we obey God, it will mean that other people’s plans are upset.

They will ridicule us as if to say, “You call this Christianity?” We could prevent the suffering, but not if we are obedient to God. We must let the cost be paid.
When our obedience begins to cost others, our human pride entrenches itself and we say, “I will never accept anything from anyone.” But we must, or disobey God. We have no right to think that the type of relationships we have with others should be any different from those the Lord Himself had (see Luke 8:1–3).

A lack of progress in our spiritual life results when we try to bear all the costs ourselves. And actually, we cannot. Because we are so involved in the universal purposes of God, others are immediately affected by our obedience to Him. Will we remain faithful in our obedience to God and be willing to suffer the humiliation of refusing to be independent? Or will we do just the opposite and say, “I will not cause other people to suffer”? 
We can disobey God if we choose, and it will bring immediate relief to the situation, but it will grieve our Lord. If, however, we obey God, He will care for those who have suffered the consequences of our obedience. We must simply obey and leave all the consequences with Him.
Beware of the inclination to dictate to God what consequences you would allow as a condition of your obedience to Him.

Ia manuia,

failauga p. anoa'i