Pastoral Prayer Request

To my dear Lighthouse family,

It was good to be with you this Sunday after having been gone for two weekends. It was especially sweet to be together for our time of corporate worship and fellowship, to celebrate communion, to introduce our missions teams, and to welcome the Faith Bible Church team from Canton, Ohio who visited us again on their way to Mexico. Sundays are always wonderful reminders of the grace of God as we celebrate the community that we share in Christ.

I realized that I was not very specific in sharing how my health conditions were so to make it clear, I will share it here. I know that I have often told others to share of their prayer needs and to not withhold it and I realize I have done what I have told others not to do, and that is to not allow people to share in their opportunity to pray.

I have been suffering chest pains for about a month and while I have had some chest pains before, they usually went away. But this time they did not and in fact would seem worse typically in the evenings where I would have shortness of breath, light-headedness, and a lot of pressure. So I finally went to the emergency room about a week ago where they ran a battery of tests and confirmed that I had a problem with my mitral valve with moderate leakage. So they referred me to a cardiologist which I went to a few days later. There they took another sonogram to confirm the condition of the valve and since they had no recorded history of my problem, they have decided to monitor my condition over the next few months to see what kind of rate there is in the deterioration of the valve. So we shall see how things go and hopefully when I get back from the Czech Republic, I'll be able to follow up and get a further update. My blood pressure has also been considerably high, particularly in the past year and much of it has been in conjunction with the challenges that we have had at church that have brought much stress and difficulty. So with all being said and done, I need to do a lot better job being prayerful and laying my burdens before God and to not be anxious in light of circumstances. Admittedly, I struggle greatly when there is relational turmoil and this past year has been by far the most difficult. My heart is both figuratively and literally broken over the events that have taken place as there has been no greater sorrow than to have broken fellowship with those that have been dear to me. The impact has spread far across our extended family and has affected the perception that friends and even members within Lighthouse have of both myself and the elders. But God has also been gracious in bringing encouragement and joy through how He is working in the lives of our leaders as well as other members of our church. So there is much to be thankful for despite the circumstances. There can be joy when we encounter various trials because it truly does bring about endurance that has its perfecting work in bringing about holiness and sanctification in our lives.

Thank you for your prayers. They are indeed most precious to me and I value nothing more than your supplication on my behalf. God is indeed good to provide such a wonderful church family that seeks to love and edify one another.

Take It to the Lord in Prayer

How is your prayer life? It is a question that is often asked in accountability groups. Like with Bible reading, it is sad that so many Christians struggle as much as they do. J. C. Ryle aptly remarks that prayer is a sign of a true believer -- that if someone is truly saved, he will be praying. The fact that so many struggle in their daily prayers shows the spiritual weakness of the church today. Some may be well-versed in theology knowing all the current issues and debates. Others may be experts of the Bible having memorized great portions of it. Still others may be fervent in ministry giving of themselves for the sake of others in sacrificial service. But do they pray? Do you pray?

Certainly, I do not write these things because my prayer life is perfect. (Isn't it funny that sometimes we ask others how they are doing in their spiritual walks just so we can mention how well we are doing?) I struggle very often to pray. It's sad because I know I have access to the God of the universe and that I have a constant help in times of trouble, yet I do not approach the throne room of grace with nearly enough consistency.

I mentioned this in a sermon once but perhaps we do not pray as much as we should because we do not think it will accomplish anything. I know it sounds horrible to admit! I'm sure no good Christian would openly say such a thing. But do the attitudes in our hearts prove this? Isn't this what we preach with our lives when we argue that we are too busy for prayer? Don't we show that we believe prayer is time wasted where we could accomplish more important things? Why pray when you can plan?

"Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Be gracious to me and hear my prayer."

I took some time to read from Psalm 4 last week and it was a great reminder to me of why we pray. David comes to God in a time of distress and cries out to God to hear his prayer. He is quick to confess, though, that he should not be heard because of who he is (though he was a king!). He appeals to the God of his righteousness -- the God who has saved him. He understands that he has no righteousness in and of himself and freely admits that his righteousness must come from another. The basis of his prayer and reason why it should be answered is because of who God is. He is a God who saves. How appropriate to be reminded of how God saves when we are in times of distress.

David recalls also how God had saved him. He states, "You have relieved me in my distress." He rec0unts the past deliverances of God, and is reminded that if God has saved before, He will save again. His confidence is in the God who does not change. Perhaps we need to memorize that great hymn, "O God Our Help in Ages Past":

Our God, our help in ages past
Our hope for years to come
Our shelter from the stormy blast
And our eternal home

Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure
Sufficient is Thine arm alone
And our defense is sure

Is it any wonder that God reminded His followers that He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? If He was faithful to help in ages past, He will be faithful to help today. This is why we should pray, because we have seen the help God has given in the past. He is the one who said to Joshua, "Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you." He says the same to us.

Finally, David appeals to God's grace to hear his prayer. God is a God who hears prayer and this is because of His grace. He is not obligated to hear us and David recognizes this. He appeals to God's grace. God was gracious to hear him in the past. God was gracious to deliver him from trouble in the past. He thus appeals to God to be gracious once again. Do we keep this attitude in prayer? So often we come to God casually as if God should listen to us! Shouldn't the fear of the Lord drive us to come humbly before Him? Surely we have been granted free access to the throne room of grace, but this does not mean we should enter in with pride. What greater sign of pride than to address God our Creator as if He was our equal?

We need to be praying. This past year has definitely reminded me of that. With all the trials we face and the hardships we endure, we need to appeal to God to help. This is not a time for self-sufficiency and self-reliance. This is a time to lean on the everlasting arms by coming again and again to the God who saves in prayer.

Elders Retreat

To all you faithful "Shine the Light" readers (yes, all four of you!), please be in prayer for the church leadership this next week as the elders take some time on a planning retreat to think through some significant issues regarding the church ministry. We all appreciate LBC's love and commitment to the ministry here in San Diego, and we are especially thankful to those who faithfully and regularly pray for the leadership. I love Lighthouse!