Happy New Year!

Mea e 'ai e tatau ma le aso
"So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom . Psalms 90:12.

Another year of life has come and gone. Life experiences both high and low, has filled the once empty canvas of another year gone by.  A New Dawn is approaching before us. What will be its written record? What will be written upon its blank pages? The manner in which we spend each passing day, will decide the answer to this question. . . .

Let us enter into the New Year with our hearts cleansed from the defilement of selfishness and pride. Let us put away every sinful thought, and seek to become more faithful, and diligent learners with open hearts to the object lessons, in the school of Jesus Christ.

A New Year opens its canvas before us. What shall be painted upon them? ...

Let us seek to begin this year with right purposes and pure motives, as a people who are faithfully accountable and obedient to God.

Remember and bear in mind that your actions are passing daily before Him.  Written and recorded into history by the pen of God's recording angels.  Every hurtful or helpful word, every good or bad deeds, every clean or filthy thoughts, are recorded and set before the judgement day.

For we shall all stand before the Lord"... the Judgment shall be set and the books shall be opened"  Daniel 7:10

But if we connect with God, with daily devotionals to His abundant source of peace, light, and truths.  His Holy Spirit will flow through you as a channel to refresh and bless you, and all those around you.

No matter how filthy and dirty you sins may have been in the past.  No matter how low of the lowest, you had succumbed to temptations.  Confess before the Lord, and He shall cleansed you, as white as snow.  And His loving promise is  "And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." Hebrews 10:17

This could be the last year of life for some of us.  We don't know, for only God sees the beginning from the end.  Should we not enter upon this New Year with thoughtful consideration?  Should not sincerity, respect, humbleness, kindness lead our daily thoughts toward others, as did Jesus as an example?

For He calls you to be a blessing to others..."Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee...For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee."  Isaiah 60:1,2

Let us now withhold nothing from Him who gave His precious life for us. . . . Let us all consecrate to Him, the property, stewardship, and gifts He has entrusted to us.

But above all else, let us renew our lives and give ourselves to Him this New Year, as a freewill offering.  "Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2Corinthians 5:17

May the beginning of this New Year be a time that shall forever be remembered--as a time when Jesus shall come in among you and yours, " To give light to them that sit in darkness and [in] the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." Luke 1:79.  "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men"  Luke 2:14  Wishing you all, a prosperous and blessed New Year.

Ia manuia,

failauga p. anoa'i
failaugaministry.org

The Meaning of Christmas

Mea e 'ai e tatau ma le aso

"...Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him." Matthew 2:2

 

Do you really know the day on which our Lord was born?  Most of us think its December 25.   But the early bible writers never wrote nor did not think it important to record.  Do we really know the meaning of Christmas?

We do not know why the church chose to celebrate December 25 when they did.  But they chose better than they knew, when they picked the turning of the seasons to celebrate the turning of the ages.

Winter is the season of cold despair. It is the time when darkness creeps over the earth, when hunger huddles around a dying fire, when sorrows rise and spirits fall.  It is less real today than long ago; today we can turn on a light at the flicking a switch, today we can transport  food from the warm summer on the other side of Earth.  Today, depression is more prevalent in the winter, and accidents much more frequent. Winter is the time when all the world seems harsh and cold.

It was at just such a time that our Lord and Savior entered to this world. The land in which he was born lay under the iron hand of an empire. A vicious tyrant sat on the throne in Jerusalem, and beyond Herod was the terrible strength of Caesar, then master of the world. The priests of that time, were not very compassionate nor caring. 

A winter of despair and dark clouds lay over the world.  But amid all that winter gloom, the Sun of righteousness rose up in the fullness of time to reveal Himself, and the world was changed forever.

For God became a man.  "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us"...John 1:14  "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. Hebrews 2:9

That is a stunning thing, when you consider the meaning of this verse. He was born to die!  The Omnipotent Most High God who has no beginning and no end should die, the Monarch subjecting himself to his own subjects, the All-Powerful making Himself powerless, the Creator of all things, consenting to be bound by the same laws He Himself had made. God would not require of His people anything that He did not also require of Himself.  He faced the same tests, hunger, challenges and dangers that they did, with no strength or support that we did not have.  He was subject to death, just as we are.

And in doing this, He showed us who He was, and what moved him to do this. Not power; he had renounced it. Not strength; he had not enough to summon and move mountains.  He came, so that He might love us, and save us. 

This is the thing we celebrate this season.  "He is the reason for the season".  When all the world is cold and love seems so far away.  We want to celebrate the power of the first words God recorded when He said: “Let there be light!” 

We have seen that light ourselves: the first light of Creation still shining between the stars.  Jesus said, "... I am the light of the world"  John 9:5 

We celebrate the Resurrection, when God showed his triumphant over death. We will celebrate the assurance that the One who left us will return to us (John 14), and His second coming will perfect and make all things new.

We might do all this , but without his birth, we might not.  For if God had not come to us, we could never have come to Him.  And would we even have want to, if we knew nothing about the Creator and Ruler of all things?

When we hear the birth-cry of the Universe, when we look upon the empty tomb, when we shall see the heavens opened and the Son of God descending — the faithful will all say,  “ ... Lo, this [is] our God; we have waited for” Isaiah 25:9

Because He became one of us, we can know Him.  And because we know Him, we can love Him.

And because we can love Him, is why we celebrate this season.  God bless everyone and have a Merry Xmas.

Ia manuia,

failauga p. anoa'i

failaugaministry.org

A Beautiful Country

Mea e 'ai e tatau ma le aso

"And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. Hebrews. 11:15, 16       

A fear of making our future inheritance seem too material, has led many people away from the very truths which lead us to look upon it, as our promised home.  There are words to a song which says "this world is not my home, I'm a just a passing through"  This world is truly not our homes, we are just temporary sojourners here.

Jesus assured His disciples (and us) that He went to prepare mansions for them in His Father's house. John 14:2.  Those who accept the teachings of God's Word will not be ignorant concerning the heavenly home.  The promises are true, and the mortgage has been paid in full by the blood of the Lamb. 

The bible says "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him."  1Corinthians 2:9

Human words are inadequate to describe the magnificent reward prepared by our Savior.  It will be known only to those who behold it.  There has been a lot of truly beautiful works of creative art produced by man over the history of this world. 

But yet the bible says that no human mind can ever imagine or comprehend the beauty and majestic glory of the Paradise of God.  Only John the revelator was given the wondrous opportunity to witness a glimpse of that city. 

Through the years, people have tried to depict in etchings, scrolls, and pastel or oil paintings their imaginary picture of heaven.  Some of the greatest artists in the world like Michael Angelo (who painted the Sistine chapel) have tried.  And yet, the word of God says "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared..."for you and me.

Let me give you an small appetizer of what the bible teaches.  In the Bible the inheritance of the saved is called a country.  There, our loving Savior will lead His flock to pure fountains of living waters. The tree of life, transformed from the garden of Eden will yields its 12 different manor of fruits every month, and the leaves of the tree are for the service of the nations.

There are ever-flowing clear pure water streams, clear as crystal, and beside them lush beautiful waving trees casting their shadows upon the paths prepared for the ransomed of the Lord.
    
The grass will be a living green, and will never wither. There will be roses and lilies and all kinds of colorful flowers there. They will never die nor fade or lose their beauty and fragrance.
    
The lion, which we so fear here on earth, will lie down with the lamb, and everything in the New Earth will be peace and harmony. The trees of the New Earth will be straight and lofty, without any signs of dead leaves or deformity.

In the New Earth there are no cold chilling winds, no snow, or icy changes of weather patterns like we experience today.  The atmosphere is forever right and healthful.  And God will be our light.
"And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband...And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God...And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."  Revelation 21: 2-4

"And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.  Revelation 21"27
Are you prepared or preparing yourself and loved ones to be a citizen of this country?  Jesus says,  "and he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new." Revelation 21:5  
Lets be there family, let us all be there!


Ia manuia,

failauga p. anoa'i
failaugaministry.org

The Pearl of Great Price

Mea e 'ai e tatau ma le aso

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:... Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it."  Matt 13:45,46

In continuing with more lessons from Jesus parables, the blessings of the redeeming love of our Savior is compared to a precious pearl.
He illustrated His lesson by the parable of the merchantman seeking goodly pearls "who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it." Christ Himself is the pearl of great price.

In Him is gathered all the glory of the Father, the fullness of the Godhead. He is the brightness of the Father's glory and the express image of His person. The glory of all the attributes of God the Father is expressed in His character. Every page of the Holy Scriptures shines with His light.

The righteousness of Christ, depicted as a pure white pearl, has no defect, no stain, it is perfect in its form. No work of man can improve the great and precious gift of God. It is without a flaw. 

In Christ are "hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Col. 2:3. He is "made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." 1 Cor. 1:30. All that can satisfy the needs and longings of the human soul, for this world and for the world to come, is found in Him. Our Redeemer is the pearl so precious that in comparison, everything else may be counted loss.

Christ "came unto His own, and His own received Him not." John 1:11. The light of God shined bright into the darkness of the world, and "the darkness comprehended it not." John 1:5.

But not all were found to neglect the light of heaven. The merchantman in the parable represents a class of people who were sincerely desiring and searching for truth. A class of people who will sell all that they possess, to obtain this pearl

In different nations there were earnest and faithful people who had sought earnestly in books and science and the religions of the heathen world, that which they longed to receive, as the soul's divine treasure.

Among the Jews there were those who were seeking for that which they had not.  Dissatisfied with stagnant hypocritical formal religion of the time, they yearned and hungered for that which was spiritual and uplifting.

Christ's chosen disciples belonged to that class, Cornelius and the Ethiopian eunuch to the first class. They had been longing and praying for light from heaven; and when Christ was revealed to them, they received Him with gladness and open arms.

In the parable the pearl is not represented as a gift. The merchantman bought it at the price of all that he had. Many bible scholars of today question the meaning of this, since Christ is represented in the Scriptures as a gift.
He is a gift, but only to those who give themselves, soul, body, and spirit, total surrender to Him without reservations.

To freely receive the gift, the parable suggest we are to give ourselves to Christ, to live a life of faithful obedience to all His commands and requirements. All that we are, all the talents and gifts we possess, are the Lord's, to be consecrated and used for His service.  "...You are not your own, for you are bought with a price... 1 Cor 6:19,20

When we then give ourselves all to Him, Christ, with all the treasures and provision of heaven, gives Himself to us. We then obtain, the pearl of great price.

Ia manuia,

failauga p. anoa'i
failaugaministry.org

Hidden Treasures

Mea e 'ae e tatau ma le aso
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field."  Matthew 13:44

In ancient times it was customary for folks to hide their treasures underground. Thefts and robberies were frequent those days and there were no banks for people to keep their savings.

And whenever there was a change in the ruling power, those who had large possessions were liable to be picked on by the ruling powers. Moreover the country was in constant danger of invasion by marauding armies. And as a consequence, the rich people would preserve their wealth by concealing it, and the earth was looked upon as a safe common hiding place.

But a lot of times, the place they concealed their treasures was forgotten; sometimes death might come upon the owner, imprisonment or exile might separate him from his treasure, and the wealth he had taken so much pains to preserve was left for the fortunate finder.

In Christ's day it was not uncommon to discover in neglected land old coins and ornaments of gold and silver.  A man hires land to cultivate, and as the oxen plow the soil, buried treasure is unearthed. As the man  discovers this this treasure, he sees that a fortune is within his reach.

Restoring the gold to its hiding place, he returns to his home and sells all that he has, in order to purchase the field containing the treasure. His family and his neighbors think that he has gone crazy.  Looking on the field, they see no value, other then farm produce in the neglected soil.

But the man knows that there are treasures within this leased field; and when he has the title to the field, he is free to search every inch of it to find the treasure that he has secured.

This parable Jesus tells us, illustrates the value of the heavenly treasure, "the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field;" and the effort one should make to secure it.

The finder of the treasure in the field was ready to give up all that he had, sell everything he had, and ready to work with untiring labor, not caring what people says about him, he does it knowingly in order to secure the hidden riches.

So is true of the finder of heavenly treasure, he will count no labor too great and no sacrifice too big, in order to gain the treasures of gospel truth.

In the parable the field containing the treasure represents the Holy Scriptures. And the gospel is the treasure. The earth itself as damaged as it is also filled with precious things as is the word of God.

The Saviour saw that men were absorbed in getting gain, and were losing sight of eternal realities. He undertook to correct this evil. He sought to break the spell that was paralyzing the soul. Lifting up His voice He cried, "What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Matt. 16:26.

He presents before fallen humanity the world they have lost sight of, that they may behold eternal realities. He takes them to the threshold of the Infinite, flushed with the indescribable glory of God, and shows them the treasure therein.

This is the treasure that is found in the Scriptures. The Bible is God's great lesson book, His great educator. The foundation of all true science is contained in the Bible. Every branch of knowledge may be found by searching the word of God. And above all else it contains the science of all sciences, the science of salvation. The Bible is the mine of the unsearchable riches of Christ.  Is this not worthy of all that you have?

Ia manuia,

failauga p. anoa'i
failaugaministry.org

The Ten Commandment Principles

Mea e 'ai e tatau ma le aso

“If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15)

There are two main principles of the Ten Commandment law of God, that He gave to His people as a blessing. "The Lord commanded us," said Moses, "to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always..." (Deuteronomy 6:24).  These moral laws were spoken and written in stone by the very hand of God, given to Moses, to be a blessing to man..."always"  These same principles in today's society,...are being attacked by the adversary...more than ever before, in the history of mankind.

1.)  LOVE GOD:  1.  “You shall have no other gods before Me.  2. “You shall not make for  yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them...“  3.  You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.“  4.  "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it."

2.)  LOVE YOUR FAMILY & YOUR NEIGHBOR:  5.  “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.  6. “You shall not murder.  7.  “You shall not commit adultery.  8.  “You shall not steal.  9.  “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.  10  “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

LOVE is the main motivating factor in His Law. The first four commandments have to do with my duty to God. When I love Him, obeying those commands becomes a pleasure. The last six commandments embrace my duty to my family and my fellow man. 
If I truly love my family, and my neighbors, I will not want to do anything to hurt them.  

The totality of the commandments is the vertical and horizontal relationship that forms the Cross of Calvary.  Love God, Love thy neighbor.  These laws were formed, from GOD's CHARACTER...LOVE!, for..."God is love...and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him." (1John 4:16)

Now some say,..that the keeping of the commandments of God, does not apply anymore...well I beg to differ,...is love not applicable anymore?  It is a deception of the enemy, to discredit with character assassination, the very moral principles of a loving God, who loved us first......"herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins." (1John 4:10) 

It is no wonder things are all fouled up backwards now a days.  "People creating their own gods, worshiping money and material things more than God.  "dysfunctional families" are the popular "in thing" on national television, which if you pay close attention, is inundated with vampire craze, walking dead people, spiritualism, witchcraft movies by hollyweird, influenced by the enemy to brainwash our young people.  And you wonder why kids don't listen to their parents anymore.

The sanctity of marriage is now being challenged as an old school thing of the past....common-law marriage is now accepted as legal in some states,...back in the day, we use to call it "shacking up."  People now love to sign prenuptial agreements..."death do we part." is replaced with "give me mine while you're able".   The statistics are staggering,...one divorce for every two marriages a year.  

We need to go back to the principles, set by God himself, and not allow ourselves to fall into these popular craze's, that is sweeping even Christendom.

People wanting other peoples things, clothing line, hairstyles, cars, material possessions, even altering their bodies to look like so and so....all are counter productive to the loving principles of a saving God.   Ask yourself, where is the Love?

Now let me make something very clear,...no one is saved by keeping God's Ten Commandment law.  All are saved by the miracle-working GRACE OF GOD.  But those who are saved, or who have really transformed their lives, by the grace of Jesus Christ,...will have His loving principles written in their hearts, and they will want to obey His laws,...as an expression of their appreciation, their love and thanksgiving to Him.  Because the alternative is, and there are only two choices here...well,...just look around you.  
Jesus said unto him, “If ye love me, keep my commandments."..."Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind...This is the first and great commandment... And the second is like unto the first, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."  (Matthew 22:37-39).

Ia manuia,


failauga p. anoa'i
failaugaministry.org