The Word for Today in Asia and the Pacific

Where is it available?
How can you get a copy?

The Word for Today is currently available in:

The Cook Islands
Fiji
Indonesia (Indonesian)
Nauru
Nepal (Nepalese)
Papua New Guinea
Samoa
Solomon Islands
Time-Leste (English and Indonesian)
Vanuatu

If you’d like to find out how to get hold of a copy either click on the nation in our Projects menuor use our contact form.

Thanks to the support of donors we printed a total of over 59,000 copies for the people of the nations listed above.

For the first time in 2022, Nauru and Indonesia have received their own edition.

We are grateful to you, and all our supporters, who are praying for our ministry and helping with distribution of these devotionals.

Solomon Islands

Fiji

Vanuatu

Indonesia

Samoa

Nauru

Cook Islands

Papua New Guinea

The Word for Today 2025 is on the ground…

We are very excited that we have had confirmation of The Word for Today 2025 edition arriving in the following nations Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, PNG, Bougainville, Timor Leste, and The Solomon Islands. We have worked very hard to try and get the devotions printed and...

Update from the Solomons Trip

I recently returned from 16 days in the Solomon Islands. Owen and I started our trip with a week in Munda with the aim of getting Laef FM's station back on air and fixing up the Solar system. We mostly had success! The station is back on air, but the Solar system...

Retelling Christian Olympic Champion’s Inspiring Story At The Paris Games

A century after winning gold at the 1924 Paris Olympics legendary Christian athlete Eric Liddell is set to inspire a new generation of athletes and believers after his story was immortalised in the 1981 movie Chariots of Fire. The Flying Scotsman is known for his...

Interview on Vision’s 20Twenty radio show

A recent Interview with our Projects Manager - Grant Kennedy on Vision's 20Twenty show. Vision's Andrew McLennan asked Grant about the work of UCB Asia Pacific and what has been happening lately.

The Word for Today for 2024

For 2024 we are excited to have added Kiribati and Tonga to the nations where The Word for Today is available. The full list is: Cook Islands Fiji Indonesia (Renungan Hari Ini in Indonesian) Kiribati Nauru Nepal (Nepalese) Papua New Guinea Samoa Solomon Islands...

Be kind to others

‘Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness.’ Colossians 3:12 NIV

When you get up in the morning, you must not only clothe yourself physically but spiritually and emotionally as well. As we gear ourselves up mentally, we all too often are choosing an attitude from a wardrobe of possibilities. Will we decide to wear the happiness of smiles or the serious tone of a frown? Now you might think that when you’re kind, people will constantly take advantage of you. That may sometimes happen, but here are two reasons to be kind:

(1) ‘For it is by grace you have been saved.’ (Ephesians 2:8 NIV) Grace and kindness always go together. Poet Robert Burns said, ‘The heart that is generous and kind most resembles God.’

(2) If you want people to be kind to you and treat you right, take Jesus’ advice; ‘Do to others what you would have them do to you.’ (Matthew 7:12 NIV) If you are rude, people are going to be rude to you. But if you are kind, most people will desire to respond the same way.

‘Be kind and honest and you will live a long life; others will respect you and treat you fairly.’ (Proverbs 21:21 GNT) And here is another reason to be kind: ‘Your own soul is nourished when you are kind; it is destroyed when you are cruel.’ (Proverbs 11:17 TLB) When you are kind to others, you are obeying God. ‘As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.’ (Colossians 3:12 NIV)

Try living that way every day!

SoulFood: Gen 44-46, John 19:1-24, Ps 148:7-14, Ecc 5:4-6

Instant gratification leads to long-term misery

‘My God shall supply all your need.’ Philippians 4:19 NKJV

God promised to supply your need, not your greed. When you get into debt by buying things you shouldn’t, don’t expect Him to bail you out. No responsible parent would do that, and God is a responsible parent. He gives you choices, and He points out consequences. He told Adam and Eve not to eat the forbidden fruit. Then Satan came along and said, ‘God doesn’t really mean it, you can do what you want and be okay.’

Sound familiar? Advertisers do the same thing. A shop might offer you a ‘deal’ today with no deposit and small monthly payments for the first year. This is a trap that will get you deeper into debt. If you can’t afford it now, how will you pay for it a year from now? The Bible says:

(1) Don’t be greedy for the things of this life, for greed is a form of idolatry. (see Colossians 3:5). Instead of craving things you don’t need, enjoy the things you have.

(2) If you’re not sowing into God’s kingdom, start now! You will be exchanging the world’s economy for God’s economy. When you give back to Him, He promises to protect your interests and bless you. ‘There shall not be room enough to receive.’ (Malachi 3:10 KJV)

(3) Before you spend money, try praying. Ask God about what you need, then wait for Him to respond.

(4) Start sharing some of what you have. ‘One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.’ (Proverbs 11:24–25 NIV) Obey God. Be patient and watch what happens.

SoulFood: Gen 42-43, John 18:19-40, Ps 148:1-6, Ecc 5:1-3

Don’t neglect your faith

‘God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.’ Romans 1 2:3 NKJV

You can’t sit back and do nothing, believing God will do everything for you. You have a part to play. Apostle Paul says God gives each of us a measure of faith. Jude says you develop spiritually ‘by building yourselves up in your most holy faith.’ (Jude 1:20 NIV) Faith under attack is just faith under construction. It’s in the battles of life that you discover whether you have nurtured faith or neglected faith.

In Biblical times, many Roman soldiers used a scutum, a shield that protected them from head to toe. It was made of wood and upholstered with thick layers of canvas and leather. Its curved shape meant the enemy’s flaming arrows would glance off and fizzle out before they could harm the soldier. Now you understand what Paul meant: ‘Take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.’ (Ephesians 6:16 NIV) Satan’s arrows can’t penetrate your heart when it’s pure, saturated in Scripture, and fortified by faith.

That’s why Jesus told Peter, ‘Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail.’ (Luke 22:31–32 NKJV) It’s your faith that’s under attack! It’s your faith that needs to be fed! It’s your faith that sustains you in life’s battles! Jesus told us to have faith in God. (Mark 11:22 KJV) It’s the time you spend with God in prayer and the Scriptures that strengthens your faith to win life’s battles.

SoulFood: Gen 40-41, John 18:1-18, Ps 147:12-20, Ecc 4:9-12

The importance of sleep

‘I awoke and looked around, and my sleep was sweet to me.’ Jeremiah 3 1:26 NKJV

Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is get to bed earlier and wake up refreshed and ready to fulfil God’s purposes for the day. When you constantly run on empty, it shows up in your attitudes, relationships, performance, and health. That’s why the Bible talks about the importance of sleep.

(1) ‘It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to His loved ones.’ (Psalm 127:2 NLT)

(2) ‘In peace I will lie down and sleep, for You alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.’ (Psalm 4:8 NLT) Sleep is an act of trust: when you go to sleep, you acknowledge that the world is in God’s hands, not yours. And it will get along very well, even if you’re not awake to control things. And when you awaken tomorrow morning, just like God giving Israel fresh manna, He will provide what you need for the day.

‘I woke up and looked around. My sleep had been very sweet.’ (Jeremiah 31:26 NLT) Have you ever tried to pray when you were suffering from sleep deprivation? It’s hard to do. Before Elijah was able to spend prolonged time in prayer, the angel of the Lord made him take not one but two long naps. Contrast that with the disciples in Gethsemane who couldn’t pray because they kept falling asleep. It’s hard to think, feel, and act like Jesus when you’re lacking sleep.

That’s why the Bible says, ‘God gives rest to His loved ones.’ (Psalm 127:2 NLT)

SoulFood: Matt 4:21-22, Matt 17:1-9, John 19:25-27, John 21:20-24

Seven Scriptures you should stand on

‘His faithful love endures forever.’ Psalm 11 8:2 NLT

Do yourself a favour and read the whole of Psalm 118!

(1) ‘In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered me.’ (Psalm 118:5 NLT) What are you battling today? A destructive habit? A crippling fear? A sense of worthlessness? God wants to set you free.

(2) ‘The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear.’ (Psalm 118:6 NLT) Your future doesn’t rest in the hands of people, but God—a good God who has good plans for you.

(3) ‘He will help me. I will look in triumph at those who hate me.’ (Psalm 118:7 NLT) God will raise you up when people try to put you down. When they withhold from you, He will supply all your needs.

(4) ‘I will not die; instead, I will live to tell what the Lord has done.’ (Psalm 118:17 NLT) We will all die someday, but you don’t have to die before your assignment is complete and you have brought glory to God.

(5) ‘The Lord has punished me severely, but He did not let me die.’ (Psalm 118:18 NLT) Is God correcting you? Rejoice! His correction is not rejection. It’s protection against future mistakes.

(6) ‘This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Psalm 118:24 NLT) Whether yesterday was a triumph or a tragedy, God is giving you a new day. Seize it. Rejoice in it!

(7) ‘Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His faithful love endures forever.’ (Psalm 118:29 NLT) You will never experience a day without God’s mercy. These seven Scriptures are for you, so stand on them today.

SoulFood: Gen 37-39, John 17:1-26, Ps 147:1-11, Ecc 3:5-8

Youth finding Hope in The Word for Today

Youth playing volleyball A Church that receives copies of The Word for Today has used them to help minister and evangelize to their youth and young people. Their pastor had provided the youth with a copy each and since receiving the devotion some of them are new believers, the TWFT was a perfect gift for them as they are encouraged to spend time in the Word as they build on their relationship with Jesus.

Listening Together as a Family

Francisco and Agusta are listeners to Radio Voz. They listened for 24 hours and one morning they heard the ORASAUN DA MANHA program brought by Ps. Elienae and they contacted Elienae’s priest and had a meeting. And Ps. Jose, who is a broadcaster for Voz Radio, followed up with them and they decided to come to church with their children. And this is a family photo of Francisco. They are from the Hera mountains east of the city of Dili. On Sunday they decided to come to church and receive prayer from Ps. Elienae and the congregation. Let’s pray for them so that their faith will grow stronger and in the process of learning God’s Word they will understand better.

Ramesh from Jhapa

Praise the Lord!

My name is Ramesh and I’m from Jhapa (Eastern part of Nepal). Currently, I am working in Malaysia. I am so grateful for
The Word for Today, we are so blessed to hear this audio and sharing with my friends also. I am very much thankful to the
Lord and Message of Hope Nepal’s ministry, I pray that may God gives you heavenly blessings to you all.

Thank you.

Doing the will of my Father

I am Albina Moura, and as the wife of the senior pastor of our church here in Timor Leste, I feel a burden for the pastors’ wives. So we decided to organize a women’s conference mainly for the leaders’ wives and all women who are somehow involved in church ministry, for a time of fellowship, encouragement, and ministry to each other. It would take place in another town, to take the women away from their work area.

During the travel, after 2 ½ hours on the road, I received a phone call from my sister who lives in Indonesia. After three years, she had come to Timor Leste, along with three of my other brothers, for a visit to our mother, who is sick. And they planned to stay at my house for three days during this visit. But they did not inform me earlier that they would be coming. Of course, I could not come back to receive them, mainly because the women’s event was under my direct responsibility. Though I had asked for a pardon for not being able to stay with them after three years without meeting, this made me feel very down, and during the entire event, I did not have peace of mind.

On Monday, already back in Dili, I went to my work, in our kindergarten. As usual, all teachers sat together like every morning for the devotional time. This year we are using The Word For Today devotional booklet. I was amazed as I heard the message for that day. The word was especially for me, as the message explained Jesus words in Mat 12:48-50: “

‘…Who is my mother, and who are my brothers’. Then, pointing with his hand at his disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers, because whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.’”

The Word brought a great comfort to me that day, not just for reminding me that the Kingdom of God in more important than our family relations, but especially for let me be aware of the Lord’s care for my feelings.

Albina

News from The Solomon Islands

A young man checks out Laef FM after seeing the poster

We have recently been able to get our Honiara station back operating at full power. Here is an update from our Board Chairman Coxwain. He writes….

Thank God for His grace and faithfulness!

There are key people (leaders), who already locked into the Laef FM 93.5 as regular and keen listeners, even before the 300watts transmitter was installed.

On Thursday morning, after Bible Society board meeting, I asked an Anglican prominent leader if he tried Laef FM 93.5, to my surprise, he answered me plainly. “I am a regular listener of the station.” and he asked if I have posters that he could put up on the Church notice board. Yesterday afternoon, I brought him 3 A4 posters. He was very pleased.

Another Church leader, a Finance & Administration manager of SIBC told me that he is a regular listener of Laef FM 93.5. He tuned in the mornings and in the evenings listening to the messages each day.

The Director Of Finance Intelligent Unit of CBSI told me Tuesday previous week that he is a keen and regular listener to Laef FM 93.5. He strongly recommended that God’s Word must go out to people in various forms. I gave him 5 sample Car Stickers that day. He has 5 vehicles. Two land cruisers, two buses and a private car. He uses 4 vehicles as public transportation. He promotes the station through his vehicles.
Not only that but last week, I gave him 5 A4 Laef FM posters at his office. He is very happy with this and said that he will distribute 4 posters to his subordinates to promote Laef FM 93.5 in their respective areas and will use 1 at his own shop.

Taxi drivers are also faithful promoters of Laef FM 93.5. When the station is off air, they call and remind us about it.

Hopefully, many more people will be become regular and faithful listeners of Laef FM in the coming weeks and months ahead as the Lord touches their hearts. I believe, many people, in the eastern & central side of town are slowly tuning into Laef FM.
Regards,
Coxwain
Solomon Islands.

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