As the year winds down, there is much to look back and consider. For me it is easy to focus on the negative things and I am often reminded that I need to see what I am thankful for. So here it goes:
1. God's faithful mercies. Romans 11:30-32 and 12:1 has come to mind often when I consider that my calling to be a follower of Christ is not just some duty but it is a gift of God's mercy. When I consider the miserable sinner that I am, it truly is God's grace that gives me hope because there would be none without it.
2. God's gracious gift of my wife. Proverbs 18:22 says "He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord." In my case, I have found more than just a good thing, I have found a wonderful and beautiful thing in my wife that fears God and seeks to live to His glory and who supports me in all my craziness. She truly is a gift of grace and she makes marriage, which is the grace of life (1 Peter 3:7), one that I treasure and enjoy. This year I was able to enjoy date nights probably more consistently than I ever have and it really was something that I have come to cherish all the more as I grow closer to my precious wife.
3. God's gracious gifts of my four daughters. To have four daughters indeed is a super-abounding gift of grace as I am constantly reminded daily of how blessed and loved I am by my four very unique but equally precious daughters. It is something that I have come to appreciate all the more this year as I realize that I am getting closer to the point where I will have to start releasing them. Each one is precious in their own way and I enjoy having each one of them as they bring a spark and flavor to life that is distinct and yet complementing of each other so as to contribute to oneness in the family.
4. The elders of LBC. To have worked together this long and have gone this far was not without its challenges. Indeed, the past two years have probably brought the biggest tests yet and I am so thankful that God has blessed me with men who have become very dear to my heart as we have had to wrestle through various issues, even to the point where things got very difficult. But God has been faithful to help us help one another and their support and encouragement to persevere have been very helpful, especially in the past several months.
5. The Single Life Ministry. I have truly enjoyed working alongside a growing staff of 20+ who are growing into a team that has been very exciting to work with as the Single Life ministry has been growing significantly over the past year. The staff have particularly been an encouragement through their faithfulness and enthusiasm to serve and minister to the single adults at Lighthouse and their commitment has been contagious. There are many new singles that have become a part of the church family and it has been a blessing to see their hunger to grow in God's Word and take their faith seriously.
6. Meeting with men who desire strong accountability. There are a number of men that I meet with on a somewhat consistent basis because they desire to meet and I can honestly say that I truly look forward to times with them because of their teachability and humble attitude in wanting to learn. One of the greatest traits that I look for in a person is teachability because without there is nothing that I can really do to help them.
7. The faithfulness of godly pastors. I can say that the past couple of years have really tested my resolve in wanting to continue in the ministry but one thing that encourages me to endure and continue are the examples of pastors who are personally encouraging to me. John MacArthur, who was my senior pastor growing up from junior high through college years, has shown an amazing consistency and faithfulness that truly humbles me yet challenges me to continue striving. Ever since first hearing him preach in 1978, he has been a constant in my life and now almost 30 years later he continues to be a role model of what a preacher should be through his preaching ministry but also a shepherd through his personal care. I am amazed that he would even have time to communicate with me but through short conversations and notes and greetings, I am all the more thankful for his influence and impact in my life.
I would also say the same for my junior high and college pastor, Chris Mueller, who has been a mentor and counselor since my 9th grade year (1979). His fiery sermons in college addressing the roles of men and women as well as dating made an enduring impact in my life which has lasted to this day. Through his joys and trials in ministry, he has shared openly with me in such a humble way that I am constantly amazed at his investment in my life. The past couple of years has especially been a blessing as he has moved to Temecula and has become more available to meet with - this was truly God's gift to me as I was sorely in need of counsel and encouragement.
8. Encouragement notes. It seems that when I feel pretty down, God is gracious enough to have someone send a timely note of encouragement, whether through e-mail or on one of the encouragement slips.
Proverbs 15:23 - A man has joy in an apt answer, and how delightful is a timely word!
Proverbs 16:24 - Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
Proverbs 25:11 - Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken in right circumstances.
The book of Proverbs really does charactize the one who walks in the wisdom of God as one whose tongue is particularly distinct in the character of its contents. An encouraging word goes a long way and I often am amazed at God's grace in providing timely words of encouragement just when it gets to the point where I feel like I'm about to go under with discouragement.
9. Laughter. I know that laughter on its own is useless (Ecclesiastes 2) but when one gets to laugh with those that you love to be with, I think it is a healthy sign. I love it when Angela laughts - it is contagious and just causes me to be happy. I love hearing my girls laugh, even if they are laughing at me. Hearing Olivia laugh is such a joy - it really is so cute that I can't bear it for her to grow older. Being able to laugh with family and friends and partners in ministry - I really value being able to enjoy relationships and I think the absence of laughter is a tell-tale sign that things are not that enjoyable.
10. Overwhelmingly gracious and generous people. The past couple of years has provided some experiences with those who have been just over-the-top generous and gracious to our family by providing things that I know we would never be able to afford on our own. Supporting us on our annual summer mission trips. A family trip to Italy last year. Passes to Sea World. Gift cards to nice restaurants. Being treated to lunch or dinner to anywhere from Sombreros to Soup Plantation to even home-cooked meals. Having our auto maintenance taken care of. Providing nice clothes for our children. Giving gifts in various forms. Others who were willing to make time every week to help my wife and children. People bringing food over to feed our large family. Padres and Charger games. Taking our kids out to places. While I have heard of people doing these kind of things for people like John MacArthur and others, I never thought our family would experience such gracious hospitality and care. It really makes me feel all the more unworthy and that such gifts are truly a reflection of the super-abounding grace of God in a way - I don't deserve and I could never come close.
11. God's Word. While this is mentioned last, it is by no means least. The power of God's Word is truly amazing and I have learned that I need to spend more time to let it do its work in my heart before I preach it to affect others. Going through Romans has especially been challenging as it is really one of the most theological books to go through. I probably have only scratched the surface and will have to go through it again. Studying Titus through the summer was a blessing as well. Reading what others have written concerning the Word of God is helpful as well as I have enjoyed reading works by Jerry Bridges, John MacArthur, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, and others. Reading about the lives of those who have been transformed by the Word of God, like George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, and D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones especially challenged me this year. I hope that I will humbly submit myself to the truth of God in my life all the more in the upcoming year and be teachable to it with the help of the Holy Spirit.
I probably could go on and on but despite the challenges that this year has brought, even most recently, I realize that being thankful really is helpful in giving balance to perspective in life.
Please pray for me to continue practicing thanksgiving in my heart in the days and weeks to come as I trust the Lord to provide healing and recovery in light of recent events. I have hope in the Lord's faithfulness to restore and revive my heart to trust and delight in Him no matter what the circumstances may bring.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Friday, December 07, 2007
Dwelling on the Word
“How is your time in God’s Word?” This is a common question we ask one another in the church when we meet up for accountability or when we want to know how someone is doing spiritually. Typically, the answer to this question is, “I’m doing fine,” or maybe more often, “It’s been a struggle.” Perhaps for many of us, the problem is that even when we are not doing ok, we do not know enough to recognize it. What do I mean by this?
If you’ve known me long enough, you know that I never have liked the term “quiet time” when referring to your time spent in God’s Word. You’ll rarely, if ever, hear me ask, “Have you been doing your quiet times?” The reason is that when I think of “quiet time,” as Christians understand this term, I think of a check off box on a list of accountability questions. You read your Bible for ten minutes in the morning, check off your box, and then move on in the day. Now you can meet with your small group and tell them that your time in God’s Word has been going well or that it has been “consistent.” But this is not the approach to God’s Word that God wants us to have.
Listen to the words of Deuteronomy 6:6-9:
[6] "These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. [7] You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. [8] "You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. [9] "You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Without going into the minute details of this passage, the general message is that God wants His law to be on His people’s hearts. This is to be all day – morning, afternoon, evening, and night. Whether you’re sitting in your house or walking along the way, you should be dwelling on His Word. It is the first thing on your mind when you get up in the morning and the last thing on your mind before you lay down to sleep. If I were to come to you at any point of the day and ask you what you read earlier from God’s Word, it should be readily available on the forefront of your mind. How sad that this is not the experience of most in today’s church.
We think reading God’s Word is all it takes – as if it was like a magic book that you just have to get some time in before the day is over. An apple a day keeps the doctor away? How about a verse a day keeps the devil away? The Bible doesn’t work that way. When we allow Scripture to dwell in our minds, we allow the Spirit to teach us specifically. What does God want me to learn from this passage today? How is it particularly applicable to me? The problem is that we don’t dwell on God’s Word. We just read it and wait for it to work its magic. It’s no wonder so many Christians find their times in the Word dry and unfulfilling.
This is what meditation on God’s Word is all about. It’s emptying your mind of all the distracting thoughts of the day and then filling it with thoughts of God – His character, His works, His ways, and His will. Spending time in God’s Word is more than a duty to be checked off a list. It is supposed to be an encounter with the God of the universe! It sounds so much like sixth grade Sunday school, but maybe it’s just that we’ve forgotten that we are in constant conversation with the Lord. We speak to Him in prayer and He answers us through His Word. He’s given us His Spirit who works in our hearts, but His Spirit works particularly through His Word. We need to get back to the discipline of meditation – to dwell on God and His principles from Scripture so that we can have a more confident trust in His presence and His work in our lives.
When was the last time you were able to say, “I met with God and He taught me through His Word today”? So often instead we say something like, “I read something interesting,” or “I made some wonderful observations today.” While reading God’s Word is invaluable and making good observations is essential, it is critical that we take time to dwell on what we read and observe to understand how it instructs, guides, and challenges us, and how it applies to us.
Are you feeling dry in your walk with God? Perhaps one reason is that although you have been spending time in God’s Word, you have not allowed Him to really teach you what He wants you to learn. One practical way you can cultivate this is by keeping a journal about what you read. Don’t just summarize the passage. Jot down more specifically how the passage applies to you and what you learned from it. This will force you to think about the passage you read because you’ll want to write something worth writing. I hope that you will remember that we seek not only the Word but the God of the Word. Pursue Christ by meditating on His Word day and night.
If you’ve known me long enough, you know that I never have liked the term “quiet time” when referring to your time spent in God’s Word. You’ll rarely, if ever, hear me ask, “Have you been doing your quiet times?” The reason is that when I think of “quiet time,” as Christians understand this term, I think of a check off box on a list of accountability questions. You read your Bible for ten minutes in the morning, check off your box, and then move on in the day. Now you can meet with your small group and tell them that your time in God’s Word has been going well or that it has been “consistent.” But this is not the approach to God’s Word that God wants us to have.
Listen to the words of Deuteronomy 6:6-9:
[6] "These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. [7] You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. [8] "You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. [9] "You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Without going into the minute details of this passage, the general message is that God wants His law to be on His people’s hearts. This is to be all day – morning, afternoon, evening, and night. Whether you’re sitting in your house or walking along the way, you should be dwelling on His Word. It is the first thing on your mind when you get up in the morning and the last thing on your mind before you lay down to sleep. If I were to come to you at any point of the day and ask you what you read earlier from God’s Word, it should be readily available on the forefront of your mind. How sad that this is not the experience of most in today’s church.
We think reading God’s Word is all it takes – as if it was like a magic book that you just have to get some time in before the day is over. An apple a day keeps the doctor away? How about a verse a day keeps the devil away? The Bible doesn’t work that way. When we allow Scripture to dwell in our minds, we allow the Spirit to teach us specifically. What does God want me to learn from this passage today? How is it particularly applicable to me? The problem is that we don’t dwell on God’s Word. We just read it and wait for it to work its magic. It’s no wonder so many Christians find their times in the Word dry and unfulfilling.
This is what meditation on God’s Word is all about. It’s emptying your mind of all the distracting thoughts of the day and then filling it with thoughts of God – His character, His works, His ways, and His will. Spending time in God’s Word is more than a duty to be checked off a list. It is supposed to be an encounter with the God of the universe! It sounds so much like sixth grade Sunday school, but maybe it’s just that we’ve forgotten that we are in constant conversation with the Lord. We speak to Him in prayer and He answers us through His Word. He’s given us His Spirit who works in our hearts, but His Spirit works particularly through His Word. We need to get back to the discipline of meditation – to dwell on God and His principles from Scripture so that we can have a more confident trust in His presence and His work in our lives.
When was the last time you were able to say, “I met with God and He taught me through His Word today”? So often instead we say something like, “I read something interesting,” or “I made some wonderful observations today.” While reading God’s Word is invaluable and making good observations is essential, it is critical that we take time to dwell on what we read and observe to understand how it instructs, guides, and challenges us, and how it applies to us.
Are you feeling dry in your walk with God? Perhaps one reason is that although you have been spending time in God’s Word, you have not allowed Him to really teach you what He wants you to learn. One practical way you can cultivate this is by keeping a journal about what you read. Don’t just summarize the passage. Jot down more specifically how the passage applies to you and what you learned from it. This will force you to think about the passage you read because you’ll want to write something worth writing. I hope that you will remember that we seek not only the Word but the God of the Word. Pursue Christ by meditating on His Word day and night.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Holy Affections with Andy Snider
This past weekend had to be one of the highlights of the year as we had Dr. Andy Snider from the Master's Seminary come and speak on "Holy Affections" - Emotions to the Glory of God. It was one of the most challenging and interesting topics that I have heard for a retreat as he addressed emotions from the perspective of God's definition and expression as seen in Scripture.
The first message on humility as the soil in which the graces could grow was really so appropriate. Each succeeding message only solidified what we heard, that we need to express emotions in such a way that would reflect less of me and more of Jesus. To experience God's love, to understand anger in light of God's righteousness, and to experience a joy that looks toward eternity, all these thoughts and more were so practically addressed but with a deep biblical foundation.
What also was such a blessing was to see how so many of you really took to heart the opportunity to have fellowship, especially with new people. It was wonderful to see people sharing after the messages, enjoying the game room, passing out the snacks, and just making the most of every opportunity. It seemed like the weekend went by so quickly, but I was able to interact with a good number of people.
I hope that we all will take what we have learned and apply the lessons in ways that would reflect that the truth has taken root and that we would truly express our emotions in a way that is not so much about me but all about God.
Don't miss out next year on the all-church camp!
The first message on humility as the soil in which the graces could grow was really so appropriate. Each succeeding message only solidified what we heard, that we need to express emotions in such a way that would reflect less of me and more of Jesus. To experience God's love, to understand anger in light of God's righteousness, and to experience a joy that looks toward eternity, all these thoughts and more were so practically addressed but with a deep biblical foundation.
What also was such a blessing was to see how so many of you really took to heart the opportunity to have fellowship, especially with new people. It was wonderful to see people sharing after the messages, enjoying the game room, passing out the snacks, and just making the most of every opportunity. It seemed like the weekend went by so quickly, but I was able to interact with a good number of people.
I hope that we all will take what we have learned and apply the lessons in ways that would reflect that the truth has taken root and that we would truly express our emotions in a way that is not so much about me but all about God.
Don't miss out next year on the all-church camp!
Monday, November 05, 2007
Membership in the Local Church and Dating
An odd title for a message, but one that I have been thinking about quite a bit. The last time I did the DTR series, I talked about "Defining the relationship with church" and I introduced the importance of being in a healthy local church ministry where there would be strong leaders who could model godliness and provide a discipling dynamic reflecting Titus 2, where the older men and women would teach the younger men and women to grow in godly character and in their roles.
The sad fact is that because of the dearth of strong healthy local churches, there are many young men and women who are robbed of the opportunity to grow and learn. Many who are older think it is not worth their time to invest in the younger generation and it particularly shows in the lack of seriousness when it comes to how people view the children's and youth ministries. They are considered nothing more than glorified babysitting centers for many and the window of opportunity to lay a strong biblical foundation is too often lost.
What is sad to me that there are so many collegians who have not really seen what a healthy church can do. Many of their church experiences have simply discouraged them from even joining a church when they get to college and it is no surprise to see many go church-shopping for the first few years. But there is one thing they do seem to be quick at seeking - a dating relationship. But the lack of accountability and discipleship leads quickly to many problems and it is no surprise when I see many dating couples in college end up having a lot of troubles.
While I am not suggesting that becoming a member of a local church guarantees you a successful dating experience, it definitely can make a difference. When you have older men and women fulfilling their role to lead and disciple the younger men and women, you have an environment of accountability and care that provides the kind of place where young men and women can grow and be prepared to face all the realities of life by growing in godliness through the edification and fellowship that takes place within the church. To have elders who shepherd the flock by providing the nurturing of the Word of God in the lives of its members and to protect the flock by not only teaching doctrine but by pointing out both false teachers and the wolves who come to steal away people with the lies of this world - this is so vital if there is to be a healthy environment for people to not only grow but to develop relationships with one another in a God-honoring way.
I would challenge anyone to show me how being a member in a strong and healthy local church can be a detrimental thing for the dating scene. If anything, I believe it would provide the right kind of focus and context for dating couples to know that they are going to be cared for, prayed for, and held accountable by those who would share in the same common goal - the glory of God in all things.
For those of you who have experienced the benefits of being a member of a healthy local church ministry in your dating and/or marriage relationship, I would appreciate hearing some thoughts from you. Even if you are not dating or married, I would like to hear your thoughts on this topic. It would be interesting to see what you might think.
Thanks!!
The sad fact is that because of the dearth of strong healthy local churches, there are many young men and women who are robbed of the opportunity to grow and learn. Many who are older think it is not worth their time to invest in the younger generation and it particularly shows in the lack of seriousness when it comes to how people view the children's and youth ministries. They are considered nothing more than glorified babysitting centers for many and the window of opportunity to lay a strong biblical foundation is too often lost.
What is sad to me that there are so many collegians who have not really seen what a healthy church can do. Many of their church experiences have simply discouraged them from even joining a church when they get to college and it is no surprise to see many go church-shopping for the first few years. But there is one thing they do seem to be quick at seeking - a dating relationship. But the lack of accountability and discipleship leads quickly to many problems and it is no surprise when I see many dating couples in college end up having a lot of troubles.
While I am not suggesting that becoming a member of a local church guarantees you a successful dating experience, it definitely can make a difference. When you have older men and women fulfilling their role to lead and disciple the younger men and women, you have an environment of accountability and care that provides the kind of place where young men and women can grow and be prepared to face all the realities of life by growing in godliness through the edification and fellowship that takes place within the church. To have elders who shepherd the flock by providing the nurturing of the Word of God in the lives of its members and to protect the flock by not only teaching doctrine but by pointing out both false teachers and the wolves who come to steal away people with the lies of this world - this is so vital if there is to be a healthy environment for people to not only grow but to develop relationships with one another in a God-honoring way.
I would challenge anyone to show me how being a member in a strong and healthy local church can be a detrimental thing for the dating scene. If anything, I believe it would provide the right kind of focus and context for dating couples to know that they are going to be cared for, prayed for, and held accountable by those who would share in the same common goal - the glory of God in all things.
For those of you who have experienced the benefits of being a member of a healthy local church ministry in your dating and/or marriage relationship, I would appreciate hearing some thoughts from you. Even if you are not dating or married, I would like to hear your thoughts on this topic. It would be interesting to see what you might think.
Thanks!!
Friday, October 26, 2007
The Kindness of God Demonstrated
Christine and I just celebrated our second anniversary this past Monday up in Seattle. It was a really low key event. We just went out for dessert and coffee and spent a little time talking and evaluating our marriage. It was a great weekend because we were also with family and had a lot of time with Mom and Dad and my brother David.
During our conversation on Monday, one of the topics that came up was about all the experiences we had with the people we previously had liked romantically and/or had been rejected by. We had some good laughs talking about junior high and high school crushes and shared some amusing stories. It dawned on me, though, that I always talk about the sovereignty of God in directing us in our relationships, and surely we could see now how God had been orchestrating our lives through these different experiences. But really it is the kindness of God that keeps us from the ones who were never intended to be our "significant other." God was kind to not answer my prayers favorably all those years in elementary school, junior high, high school, and college. It is not to say that these girls were not good girls (some of them were and still are remarkable girls). It is that He knew what was best for me, that it would be better to save me for Christine. And it was His kindness demonstrated.
I think this mentality helps because it can sound cold to remind people that God is sovereign when they just get rejected by someone else in the pursuit of a relationship. (Certainly the sovereignty of God should be a comforting and wonderful doctrine, but it can be received wrongly.) What a great reminder that His sovereignty works together with His kindness for our good and His glory. So, Christine and I toasted our coffees on Monday night to the kindness of God in not granting us what we had prayed for in the past and causing us to wait until we had met each other.
Happy 2nd anniversary, Christine! I praise God for His kindness to me.
During our conversation on Monday, one of the topics that came up was about all the experiences we had with the people we previously had liked romantically and/or had been rejected by. We had some good laughs talking about junior high and high school crushes and shared some amusing stories. It dawned on me, though, that I always talk about the sovereignty of God in directing us in our relationships, and surely we could see now how God had been orchestrating our lives through these different experiences. But really it is the kindness of God that keeps us from the ones who were never intended to be our "significant other." God was kind to not answer my prayers favorably all those years in elementary school, junior high, high school, and college. It is not to say that these girls were not good girls (some of them were and still are remarkable girls). It is that He knew what was best for me, that it would be better to save me for Christine. And it was His kindness demonstrated.
I think this mentality helps because it can sound cold to remind people that God is sovereign when they just get rejected by someone else in the pursuit of a relationship. (Certainly the sovereignty of God should be a comforting and wonderful doctrine, but it can be received wrongly.) What a great reminder that His sovereignty works together with His kindness for our good and His glory. So, Christine and I toasted our coffees on Monday night to the kindness of God in not granting us what we had prayed for in the past and causing us to wait until we had met each other.
Happy 2nd anniversary, Christine! I praise God for His kindness to me.
Monday, October 22, 2007
In the Line of Fire
It was four years ago almost to the week that we faced the fires that hit San Diego pretty hard. I remember driving through the 15 freeway heading south to the church office (off of Convoy at the time) on my way to teach a baptism class when I drove right through a firewall, which had to be one of the more scary moments of my life as everything turned pitch black and the heat was pretty intense. After what seemed like forever, I saw daylight and drove through and it was an eerie feeling. We had to move our church service that day to someone's home and looking off into the distance, it was pretty strange to think that fires could do so much to change the course of how we look at life.
This morning I was awakened to find that we had to evacuate our home and after packing some things, we moved over to Scripps Ranch, only to find that we had to evacuate from there as well. Moving to the coast in La Jolla, the day has been pretty much filled with trying to coordinate the church members in finding homes for all the people who have had to evacuate.
Though it is pretty hectic considering all that is going on, I can't help but thank God for His grace and goodness in how the church family is responding with every effort being made to help provide shelter and care for one another. It really is great, even those who are new to the church are jumping in and offering their homes.
Dropping by the church, I couldn't help but look at all my books and realize that they would go up pretty fast in a fire. I took a few to prepare for the next coming weeks so that I would at least have a few resources but it was a bit sad looking at everything, realizing that a lifetime of collecting books could go away in a moment. But having studied Ecclesiastes these past few months, it has been sobering to understand that everything in this life is really passing in nature and without God, there would be no point to it. A life filled with plenty would be an empty life without God but a life filled with God though with little would make me a pretty rich man. These are thoughts that are not so easy to consider when one realizes that there is a very good chance you could lose your home and all your possessions, but when you realize that you're going to leave it all behind one day anyway, it doesn't seem so important after all.
What is all the more important is seeing that the love of God moves us to care for one another in time of need and I really am so thankful to have a church family that will stand in the line of fire (literally) and apply the kind of family love that we have talked about in Romans 12:10 and has been generous and hospitable and considerate in considering the needs of others.
Who knows what the next few days will bring but one thing for sure, I know that they will bring the grace of God through the love and care of our church family.
This morning I was awakened to find that we had to evacuate our home and after packing some things, we moved over to Scripps Ranch, only to find that we had to evacuate from there as well. Moving to the coast in La Jolla, the day has been pretty much filled with trying to coordinate the church members in finding homes for all the people who have had to evacuate.
Though it is pretty hectic considering all that is going on, I can't help but thank God for His grace and goodness in how the church family is responding with every effort being made to help provide shelter and care for one another. It really is great, even those who are new to the church are jumping in and offering their homes.
Dropping by the church, I couldn't help but look at all my books and realize that they would go up pretty fast in a fire. I took a few to prepare for the next coming weeks so that I would at least have a few resources but it was a bit sad looking at everything, realizing that a lifetime of collecting books could go away in a moment. But having studied Ecclesiastes these past few months, it has been sobering to understand that everything in this life is really passing in nature and without God, there would be no point to it. A life filled with plenty would be an empty life without God but a life filled with God though with little would make me a pretty rich man. These are thoughts that are not so easy to consider when one realizes that there is a very good chance you could lose your home and all your possessions, but when you realize that you're going to leave it all behind one day anyway, it doesn't seem so important after all.
What is all the more important is seeing that the love of God moves us to care for one another in time of need and I really am so thankful to have a church family that will stand in the line of fire (literally) and apply the kind of family love that we have talked about in Romans 12:10 and has been generous and hospitable and considerate in considering the needs of others.
Who knows what the next few days will bring but one thing for sure, I know that they will bring the grace of God through the love and care of our church family.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
DTR2: Waiting for Magic?
Marriage is a scary proposition for many to consider. But what is amazing to me is how many Christians do not really seek God's truth regarding marriage but look to their own feelings and emotions to guide them in making decisions. Many will place intuition and things like compatibility and personality issues as the primary factors in making a decision and wait for lightning to strike. This is the so-called "magic" that people look for and while I will not deny that there is some element of subjectivity, it seems a bit odd that many will dismiss seeking God's Word for guidance regarding marriage and instead look for the "magic."
This is seen in the whole world of dating where both men and women use worldly wisdom, if you could even call it wisdom, to make their decisions on what makes for a good partner. There are those who would entertain having a dating relationship with a non-believer. Scripture is clear on this point and while I sort of addressed it in passing, I realized that for some, they might have though it was just my opinion. It is not.
2 Corinthians 6:14-15
Do not be bound with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer with an unbeliever?
If you are thinking of entering into a relationship with an unbeliever just because you feel there is some "magic", you are truly deceived by the illusion that there could be a genuine and intimate love relationship that would be to the glory of God. How could you engage in a relationship with thoughts of marriage when marriage is to reflect the relationship between Christ and His bride, the church? If you do not agree on the most important issue of your standing with God, how will you have anything else in common that is of significance? You might enjoy the same music, have the same hobbies, and feel like you "click" but if the foundations are not built on the same Rock, I don't care how compatible you feel, e-harmony tests notwithstanding.
For the Christian man or woman who is seriously contemplating a dating relationship, you cannot consider it without seeing it as a trajectory toward marriage. That's why you can't afford on some subjective "magic" to be your primary guide. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and DO NOT LEAN ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING!! (Proverbs 3:5). In ALL YOUR WAYS acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5). I would take it that God intended this to be true even to this day and that it would include all things, including dating.
I find it a bit strange that those who would say they are Christians are less inclined to trust God and more inclined to trust human wisdom, when there has been more than enough evidence as to its failures. Just go to your local bookstore and check out the section on relationships and it is chock full of nonsense.
This is not to say that Christians automatically have everything work out perfectly, even though they might try their best to follow the right path. We live in a sinful world and even the most sincere Christians are not able to see everthing clearly. Yet we find hope in the sovereignty of God that He causes all things to work together for good. This is not an excuse to justify willful disobedience to God's Word - that is simply unacceptable. You should never presume on the grace of God to get away with sin. But it is to say that as you do trust in the Lord with all your heart, He will never give you something that you can't handle (1 Cor. 10:13) and He will provide all you need to make it through.
So instead of looking to illusions and deceptions, look to the God of truth who not only created the institution of marriage, but has the means by which to get there in a way that is consistent with His will.
This is seen in the whole world of dating where both men and women use worldly wisdom, if you could even call it wisdom, to make their decisions on what makes for a good partner. There are those who would entertain having a dating relationship with a non-believer. Scripture is clear on this point and while I sort of addressed it in passing, I realized that for some, they might have though it was just my opinion. It is not.
2 Corinthians 6:14-15
Do not be bound with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer with an unbeliever?
If you are thinking of entering into a relationship with an unbeliever just because you feel there is some "magic", you are truly deceived by the illusion that there could be a genuine and intimate love relationship that would be to the glory of God. How could you engage in a relationship with thoughts of marriage when marriage is to reflect the relationship between Christ and His bride, the church? If you do not agree on the most important issue of your standing with God, how will you have anything else in common that is of significance? You might enjoy the same music, have the same hobbies, and feel like you "click" but if the foundations are not built on the same Rock, I don't care how compatible you feel, e-harmony tests notwithstanding.
For the Christian man or woman who is seriously contemplating a dating relationship, you cannot consider it without seeing it as a trajectory toward marriage. That's why you can't afford on some subjective "magic" to be your primary guide. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and DO NOT LEAN ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING!! (Proverbs 3:5). In ALL YOUR WAYS acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5). I would take it that God intended this to be true even to this day and that it would include all things, including dating.
I find it a bit strange that those who would say they are Christians are less inclined to trust God and more inclined to trust human wisdom, when there has been more than enough evidence as to its failures. Just go to your local bookstore and check out the section on relationships and it is chock full of nonsense.
This is not to say that Christians automatically have everything work out perfectly, even though they might try their best to follow the right path. We live in a sinful world and even the most sincere Christians are not able to see everthing clearly. Yet we find hope in the sovereignty of God that He causes all things to work together for good. This is not an excuse to justify willful disobedience to God's Word - that is simply unacceptable. You should never presume on the grace of God to get away with sin. But it is to say that as you do trust in the Lord with all your heart, He will never give you something that you can't handle (1 Cor. 10:13) and He will provide all you need to make it through.
So instead of looking to illusions and deceptions, look to the God of truth who not only created the institution of marriage, but has the means by which to get there in a way that is consistent with His will.
Commitment to the Local Church
If you have been at Lighthouse for any amount of time, you will have heard at least a few messages on the importance of the local church as well as the topic of membership. It is always a bit puzzling to me why people question the importance of membership in the local church. likening it to being in a cult or legalism at best. I suppose that for many people they have not had positive church experiences so it makes sense that joining themselves to a church as a formal member is not something that sounds so enticing. But for others I think it is more an issue of not having considered the point of application in regards to all that the Scriptures call us to be and do as the body of Christ.
The argument that many will bring up is that being part of the universal body of Christ is what is significant and that the New Testament does not explicitly call for membership in a local assembly. Now it is true that the Scriptures do talk about the universal church and when we see that, we can understand that what is meant by the universal church is that all true believers in Christ throughout history make up this true body of Christ. This would encompass all believers from every part of the world at any given time. Yet the problem with limiting all references to the universal church would ignore the practical application of those passages that refer to the church, not to mention that there are many practical exhortations given as to how the church is to conduct itself.
1 Timothy 3:15
But in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.
The whole point of Paul's letter to Timothy was to provide practical instruction on how the church was to be organized and how ministry was to take place. That's why there are guidelines given in determining what roles were appropriate for women (chapter 2), the character qualifications for leadership (chapter 3), practical disciplines for the pastor (chapter 4), how to take care of widows (chapter 5), how to deal with elders (chapter 5), and dealing with false teachers (chapter 6). These are all very practical issues that must be applied somewhere and this is what distinguishes the local church from other institutions, particularly parachurch ministries.
I want to give some clarification regarding some statements that I made on Sunday so that there is no confusion. I wanted to communicate that if we are the body of Christ, we would recognize that we are to be the bride of Christ and as such, we practically carry out the call to be the bride of Christ through how we conduct ourselves as a local church. While I understand that the bride of Christ is referring to the universal church made up of all true believers, I would argue for the believer who takes the call to be a member of the body of Christ seriously would then be faithful to actively be involved in a local assembly so as to practice what the Scriptures call believers to be and do in a practical way. I do not see any way that someone can justify that just because they are part of the universal body of Christ that they are not responsible to be part of a local assembly that upholds the description of what the Scriptures call a church to be, namely that there are elders who shepherd the flock, practice the ordinances, and carry out genuine fellowship in accordance with the guidelines that are clearly presented in the Word of God.
The reason why I believe parachurches often create difficulty for some is that instead of supporting the priority of the local church, it will often compete in a way that I believe is inappropriate with that priority. College students will often give the lion's share of their time and energy to campus ministries that are independent of the local church, given that it is more convenient and often more relevant to them since it consists of their peers. The problem with many parachurch ministries is that there is often a lack of qualified leaders who provide accountability and shepherding that keeps students' lives in check. This is not to say that all parachurch ministries are like this. But there are too many students who upon graduation find themselves with a huge void in their life and even though they went to church, it was not a priority such that it carried strongly through the transition from college. There are so many students who have fallen away from the faith that they claimed to have in college that one wonders what contributed to that direction. I can't help but see that the lack of being vitally involved in a local church has contributed significantly to this end and that is why I feel very strongly about it when I address the issue.
I am sure that this is bound to upset some people as many take it as an attack on the parachurch ministry. I don't hate the parachurch. I am thankful for the role that they play. That's why I said that the parachurch ministry should be like a good friend in terms of its role in the life of a Christian. But it should not compete with the local church. It might have been a bit of a stretch for some to hear me say that being in the local church is akin to being married and that the parachurch could become kind of a mistress if it infringes on the priority of the local church. If that was offensive to some, I do apologize but at the same time the reason I stated it in such terms is because I see it having that kind of affect on some people.
I just have a few simple questions to ask those who are involved in a parachurch ministry - do you value the priority of the local church? Can you honestly say that it's not important according to Scripture? Is it justifiable to hide behind the excuse of being a part of the universal church?
I remember talking to one college student who said that he felt it was God's special calling for this particular time to be involved in the parachurch ministry and that he felt that praying for the local church was his way to be involved and since he really didn't have that much time to spare, that was all he did in relation to the local church. I was very disappointed to hear this as this was someone that I had thought had a lot of potential for ministry.
I have talked to the regional director of one of the more significant parachurch ministries in the area and when we were discussing the priority of the local church, he thought it was curious that I would frame it that way, that the local church had priority. He disagreed and again I just couldn't help but feel like it is this misguided influence, though it might be well-intentioned, simply erodes the importance of the local church's role in the life of the believer.
Now I know that not every local church is doing its part to fulfill the call that Scriptures have given and to this I can only say that we must pray for pastors and elders and church leaders to humbly confess these failures and work toward fulfilling the Biblical mandate instead of catering to the latest worldly fads that so often outright contradict the Word of God.
But at Lighthouse, I hope that you know that as a leadership, we are committed to doing everything we possible can to have this local body fulfill what the Scriptures call us to be and do.
But we can't do it without every member of the church actively participating and contributing to this end. And as far as I can see, I don't see any real viable reason why a true believer would choose NOT to be a member at a local church that is committed to a high view of God and His Word. It would seem to me that it should be the most natural decision to make, to join and commit yourself to being held accountable by the loving care of shepherds and fellow saints so that we would work together as a body with each member playing out his or her role so that the head of the church, Jesus Christ, would be glorified.
Please know my heart in this - it's not simply to make you feel guilty. It is to call you to be who you are called to be - a member of the body of Christ.
If you have questions about this issue, please feel free to talk with me as I would be more than happy to discuss it with you.
The argument that many will bring up is that being part of the universal body of Christ is what is significant and that the New Testament does not explicitly call for membership in a local assembly. Now it is true that the Scriptures do talk about the universal church and when we see that, we can understand that what is meant by the universal church is that all true believers in Christ throughout history make up this true body of Christ. This would encompass all believers from every part of the world at any given time. Yet the problem with limiting all references to the universal church would ignore the practical application of those passages that refer to the church, not to mention that there are many practical exhortations given as to how the church is to conduct itself.
1 Timothy 3:15
But in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.
The whole point of Paul's letter to Timothy was to provide practical instruction on how the church was to be organized and how ministry was to take place. That's why there are guidelines given in determining what roles were appropriate for women (chapter 2), the character qualifications for leadership (chapter 3), practical disciplines for the pastor (chapter 4), how to take care of widows (chapter 5), how to deal with elders (chapter 5), and dealing with false teachers (chapter 6). These are all very practical issues that must be applied somewhere and this is what distinguishes the local church from other institutions, particularly parachurch ministries.
I want to give some clarification regarding some statements that I made on Sunday so that there is no confusion. I wanted to communicate that if we are the body of Christ, we would recognize that we are to be the bride of Christ and as such, we practically carry out the call to be the bride of Christ through how we conduct ourselves as a local church. While I understand that the bride of Christ is referring to the universal church made up of all true believers, I would argue for the believer who takes the call to be a member of the body of Christ seriously would then be faithful to actively be involved in a local assembly so as to practice what the Scriptures call believers to be and do in a practical way. I do not see any way that someone can justify that just because they are part of the universal body of Christ that they are not responsible to be part of a local assembly that upholds the description of what the Scriptures call a church to be, namely that there are elders who shepherd the flock, practice the ordinances, and carry out genuine fellowship in accordance with the guidelines that are clearly presented in the Word of God.
The reason why I believe parachurches often create difficulty for some is that instead of supporting the priority of the local church, it will often compete in a way that I believe is inappropriate with that priority. College students will often give the lion's share of their time and energy to campus ministries that are independent of the local church, given that it is more convenient and often more relevant to them since it consists of their peers. The problem with many parachurch ministries is that there is often a lack of qualified leaders who provide accountability and shepherding that keeps students' lives in check. This is not to say that all parachurch ministries are like this. But there are too many students who upon graduation find themselves with a huge void in their life and even though they went to church, it was not a priority such that it carried strongly through the transition from college. There are so many students who have fallen away from the faith that they claimed to have in college that one wonders what contributed to that direction. I can't help but see that the lack of being vitally involved in a local church has contributed significantly to this end and that is why I feel very strongly about it when I address the issue.
I am sure that this is bound to upset some people as many take it as an attack on the parachurch ministry. I don't hate the parachurch. I am thankful for the role that they play. That's why I said that the parachurch ministry should be like a good friend in terms of its role in the life of a Christian. But it should not compete with the local church. It might have been a bit of a stretch for some to hear me say that being in the local church is akin to being married and that the parachurch could become kind of a mistress if it infringes on the priority of the local church. If that was offensive to some, I do apologize but at the same time the reason I stated it in such terms is because I see it having that kind of affect on some people.
I just have a few simple questions to ask those who are involved in a parachurch ministry - do you value the priority of the local church? Can you honestly say that it's not important according to Scripture? Is it justifiable to hide behind the excuse of being a part of the universal church?
I remember talking to one college student who said that he felt it was God's special calling for this particular time to be involved in the parachurch ministry and that he felt that praying for the local church was his way to be involved and since he really didn't have that much time to spare, that was all he did in relation to the local church. I was very disappointed to hear this as this was someone that I had thought had a lot of potential for ministry.
I have talked to the regional director of one of the more significant parachurch ministries in the area and when we were discussing the priority of the local church, he thought it was curious that I would frame it that way, that the local church had priority. He disagreed and again I just couldn't help but feel like it is this misguided influence, though it might be well-intentioned, simply erodes the importance of the local church's role in the life of the believer.
Now I know that not every local church is doing its part to fulfill the call that Scriptures have given and to this I can only say that we must pray for pastors and elders and church leaders to humbly confess these failures and work toward fulfilling the Biblical mandate instead of catering to the latest worldly fads that so often outright contradict the Word of God.
But at Lighthouse, I hope that you know that as a leadership, we are committed to doing everything we possible can to have this local body fulfill what the Scriptures call us to be and do.
But we can't do it without every member of the church actively participating and contributing to this end. And as far as I can see, I don't see any real viable reason why a true believer would choose NOT to be a member at a local church that is committed to a high view of God and His Word. It would seem to me that it should be the most natural decision to make, to join and commit yourself to being held accountable by the loving care of shepherds and fellow saints so that we would work together as a body with each member playing out his or her role so that the head of the church, Jesus Christ, would be glorified.
Please know my heart in this - it's not simply to make you feel guilty. It is to call you to be who you are called to be - a member of the body of Christ.
If you have questions about this issue, please feel free to talk with me as I would be more than happy to discuss it with you.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Defining the Relationship
I have to admit, I was expecting a good turn out Sunday evening for the first night of the "DTR Series II" by Pastor John on dating and relationships, but I wasn't expecting THAT good of a turn out! It was encouraging to see people from other churches come out to visit us to hear about how to develop a biblical worldview in dating. It was even more encouraging to see a number of married people in the audience. It's so important for married people to establish a right understanding of dating and relationships. If we are going to uphold the Titus 2 principle of older men and women instructing younger men and women, we are going to need the older ones to have a proper understanding of the biblical principles that apply to dating.
Pastor John came right out of the gate explaining the importance of laying a solid foundation of theology if you want to understand the basics about dating and relationships. This might seem like a novel approach to some. Maybe it's because they don't see the relationship between theology and something as practical and tangible as dating. But seriously, if you are not rooted in the fundamentals of theology that means you do not have an adequate understanding of the sovereignty of God. I don't know how anyone survives "the dating game" without a good understanding of God's control. It also means that you may not be living entirely with the correct focus and motivation when seeking a relationship. It also means that you might not know what it takes to find comfort when things don't go your way... and in the pursuit of a dating relationship, things often don't go your way!
I'm really looking forward to this series because it will be interesting to see how different people seek to apply its principles. Regardless of whether it leads to more budding relationships or even some couples realizing they aren't adequately prepared to continue their relationship, hopefully people will walk away with a greater sense of God's will in dating. Hopefully people will seek to honor God in their pursuit of a relationship and in the relationship itself rather than simply striving to satisfy personal desires.
Pastor John came right out of the gate explaining the importance of laying a solid foundation of theology if you want to understand the basics about dating and relationships. This might seem like a novel approach to some. Maybe it's because they don't see the relationship between theology and something as practical and tangible as dating. But seriously, if you are not rooted in the fundamentals of theology that means you do not have an adequate understanding of the sovereignty of God. I don't know how anyone survives "the dating game" without a good understanding of God's control. It also means that you may not be living entirely with the correct focus and motivation when seeking a relationship. It also means that you might not know what it takes to find comfort when things don't go your way... and in the pursuit of a dating relationship, things often don't go your way!
I'm really looking forward to this series because it will be interesting to see how different people seek to apply its principles. Regardless of whether it leads to more budding relationships or even some couples realizing they aren't adequately prepared to continue their relationship, hopefully people will walk away with a greater sense of God's will in dating. Hopefully people will seek to honor God in their pursuit of a relationship and in the relationship itself rather than simply striving to satisfy personal desires.
Monday, October 08, 2007
Intro to DTR2
It was great to see so many people come out last night to the first meeting of DTR2. I hope to post my thoughts and highlight some points so that those who weren't there might be able to have something as well. We will hope to put the messages on audio and video possibly in the future.
Deconstructing a wrong world view is something that most of us don't think about because we don't think at a world view level. We typically just think for the moment and react to situations instead of examining the foundations of our thinking and see if what we have in place is solid. Many Christians don't realize that a lot of their thinking has been impacted by worldly philosophy, deception, and the traditions of man instead of the Word of God. It's no wonder that the decision making process that many utilize is so skewed because the working parts are not healthy and primed with the truth.
Colossians 2:8 says, "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ."
The Scriptures are clear in warning us from having the world be our primary influence. We must fight this because if we don't, we will find ourselves easily affected and distracted, not to mention deceived.
Romans 12:2 challenges us to not be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. This is really a crucial point to consider, especially when we address the issue of dating relationships. I think that too many Christians have allowed their view toward dating relationships to be molded by the world to the point where there is no discernable difference in how they conduct themselves in the pursuit of a relationship, the maintaining of a relationship, and even in the ending of a relationship.
One of the things that many Christians will bring up is that the Bible doesn't explicitly say anything about dating. While the term "dating" or the concept is not mentioned directly (because they didn't have anything like that back in the day), the principles that one must employ are clearly given in Scripture. Exercising wisdom, discerning character, practicing sexual purity, learning to resolve conflicts, and many other issues that relate to dating relationships are addressed with clear instruction from our Lord through His Word.
One of the things that I presented was the use of the Reformation principles in the Sola statements. While I know I might have taken a little liberty in transferring the ideas, the principles still remain true.
Sola Scriptura - Scripture alone
Scripture alone is to be our authority when it comes to seeking wisdom and instruction for the issue of dating. Don't fall for the tickling ear preacher who just wants you to have your "dreams come true." The Word of God alone is sufficient to teach us, reprove us, correct us, and train us in righteousness in all areas of life, including dating relationships. Don't be a fool and place your trust in something other than God's Word.
Sola Gratia - Grace alone
Just as we are saved by grace alone, we are sustained in our Christian life by grace alone. God's grace is what is sufficient for us and we need to really look to His grace in dealing with the many challenges and trials that come in life, especially in dating relationships (or the lack thereof). Just as the apostle Paul found comfort in the grace of God alone when faced with the thorns in his life, so must we lay our lives in the hands of our gracious God in facing the rough and tumble world of dating relationships.
Sola Fide - Faith alone
Trusting in the Lord is vital as we cannot afford to try and manipulate things by our own wisdom or power. When things don't work out the way we hope for, faith in our good God who makes all things work together for good is something that will never fail us.
Solus Christus - Christ alone
Just as Christ alone is the way to salvation, Christ alone must be our first love. He cannot be challenged for the supremacy of our affections. Christ alone must be Lord. Christ must be the one that we submit our lives to and there can be no other challenge to His primacy. When we get involved in dating relationships, it is easy to let our dating partner take over our every waking thought and take the place of Christ in our affections. This is such a dangerous place to go - so don't go there.
Soli Deo Gloria - God's glory alone
Just as every part of our lives is to be to God's glory, even our eating and drinking, how we approach dating relationships must be considered with God's glory being at stake. We cannot afford to let any part, no matter how minor or mundane escape this point. Too many people want to carve out portions of their life for their own glory and fulfillment, even at the expense of bringing dishonor to God's name.
Remember what Jesus said about what you build your house on. You can build your house on the rock of His words, His truth, and when the storms come, your house will stand firm because your foundation is firm. But if you build your house on the sand of worldly opinion and empty deception, you will get slammed hard by the storms of reality and great will be your fall.
Inspect your foundations now - you might find it rotting with hardly anything to hold up your life. Replace it with the sure foundation of the solid rock of Christ and His truth - you will not regret it.
Deconstructing a wrong world view is something that most of us don't think about because we don't think at a world view level. We typically just think for the moment and react to situations instead of examining the foundations of our thinking and see if what we have in place is solid. Many Christians don't realize that a lot of their thinking has been impacted by worldly philosophy, deception, and the traditions of man instead of the Word of God. It's no wonder that the decision making process that many utilize is so skewed because the working parts are not healthy and primed with the truth.
Colossians 2:8 says, "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ."
The Scriptures are clear in warning us from having the world be our primary influence. We must fight this because if we don't, we will find ourselves easily affected and distracted, not to mention deceived.
Romans 12:2 challenges us to not be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. This is really a crucial point to consider, especially when we address the issue of dating relationships. I think that too many Christians have allowed their view toward dating relationships to be molded by the world to the point where there is no discernable difference in how they conduct themselves in the pursuit of a relationship, the maintaining of a relationship, and even in the ending of a relationship.
One of the things that many Christians will bring up is that the Bible doesn't explicitly say anything about dating. While the term "dating" or the concept is not mentioned directly (because they didn't have anything like that back in the day), the principles that one must employ are clearly given in Scripture. Exercising wisdom, discerning character, practicing sexual purity, learning to resolve conflicts, and many other issues that relate to dating relationships are addressed with clear instruction from our Lord through His Word.
One of the things that I presented was the use of the Reformation principles in the Sola statements. While I know I might have taken a little liberty in transferring the ideas, the principles still remain true.
Sola Scriptura - Scripture alone
Scripture alone is to be our authority when it comes to seeking wisdom and instruction for the issue of dating. Don't fall for the tickling ear preacher who just wants you to have your "dreams come true." The Word of God alone is sufficient to teach us, reprove us, correct us, and train us in righteousness in all areas of life, including dating relationships. Don't be a fool and place your trust in something other than God's Word.
Sola Gratia - Grace alone
Just as we are saved by grace alone, we are sustained in our Christian life by grace alone. God's grace is what is sufficient for us and we need to really look to His grace in dealing with the many challenges and trials that come in life, especially in dating relationships (or the lack thereof). Just as the apostle Paul found comfort in the grace of God alone when faced with the thorns in his life, so must we lay our lives in the hands of our gracious God in facing the rough and tumble world of dating relationships.
Sola Fide - Faith alone
Trusting in the Lord is vital as we cannot afford to try and manipulate things by our own wisdom or power. When things don't work out the way we hope for, faith in our good God who makes all things work together for good is something that will never fail us.
Solus Christus - Christ alone
Just as Christ alone is the way to salvation, Christ alone must be our first love. He cannot be challenged for the supremacy of our affections. Christ alone must be Lord. Christ must be the one that we submit our lives to and there can be no other challenge to His primacy. When we get involved in dating relationships, it is easy to let our dating partner take over our every waking thought and take the place of Christ in our affections. This is such a dangerous place to go - so don't go there.
Soli Deo Gloria - God's glory alone
Just as every part of our lives is to be to God's glory, even our eating and drinking, how we approach dating relationships must be considered with God's glory being at stake. We cannot afford to let any part, no matter how minor or mundane escape this point. Too many people want to carve out portions of their life for their own glory and fulfillment, even at the expense of bringing dishonor to God's name.
Remember what Jesus said about what you build your house on. You can build your house on the rock of His words, His truth, and when the storms come, your house will stand firm because your foundation is firm. But if you build your house on the sand of worldly opinion and empty deception, you will get slammed hard by the storms of reality and great will be your fall.
Inspect your foundations now - you might find it rotting with hardly anything to hold up your life. Replace it with the sure foundation of the solid rock of Christ and His truth - you will not regret it.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
DTR2 Is Coming!!
This Sunday, we will start the long-awaited DTR2 series. It will build on the messages that were done a few years ago (DTR1, which you can hear online from our audio section at http://www.lighthousebc.com/) which built a foundation of thought to consider for dating relationships. We will continue to work on building that foundation but will take some time also to directly confront and deconstruct the worldly maze that has blinded many a Christian with the kind of junk that keeps the Word of God from being seen clearly. We will then hopefully build a strategy that will reflect a Biblical worldview toward developing God-honoring relationships that will culminate in God-honoring marriages. We will also talk about how to deal with breaking up in a way that honors God and the other party. There will be a 5 part series to start everything off (Oct. 7 through Nov. 4) and then we will resume in January 2008 as there will be a lot going on during the holiday season. So keep in tune with the updates...
I know that some might think that doing a series like this is just a ploy to get people to come to church. This simply is not true. If anything, I would guess that some of the things that I will say will repel people from the church because they will not want to deal with the truth. This is not just about playing around with some fun topic - it actually is a very serious one because people's lives are at stake as they head down the road to marriage and the foundations that many people have are so shaky that it is only a matter of time before the relationships they start begin to crumble.
One thing that those of you who are single and who want to date must consider is this - are you really willing to consider what is at stake for the future? Or is your goal simply to fulfill some fantasy? As I watch marriages get destroyed and families get torn about, the place to start dealing with this isn't when the problems arise, it is to proactively build a foundation that is built on the rock solid truth of God's Word, cemented with the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and sustained with the weatherproofing of God's grace that is sufficient to face any challenge. In this way, you cannot go wrong. But if your foundation is build on worldly wisdom, cemented with the emotional fragility of your passions, there is nothing that will sustain you for the long haul.
I will plead with you before you come this Sunday evening - pray that you come with a teachable heart because your future depends on it!!
See you this Sunday, if you still dare to come =)
I know that some might think that doing a series like this is just a ploy to get people to come to church. This simply is not true. If anything, I would guess that some of the things that I will say will repel people from the church because they will not want to deal with the truth. This is not just about playing around with some fun topic - it actually is a very serious one because people's lives are at stake as they head down the road to marriage and the foundations that many people have are so shaky that it is only a matter of time before the relationships they start begin to crumble.
One thing that those of you who are single and who want to date must consider is this - are you really willing to consider what is at stake for the future? Or is your goal simply to fulfill some fantasy? As I watch marriages get destroyed and families get torn about, the place to start dealing with this isn't when the problems arise, it is to proactively build a foundation that is built on the rock solid truth of God's Word, cemented with the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and sustained with the weatherproofing of God's grace that is sufficient to face any challenge. In this way, you cannot go wrong. But if your foundation is build on worldly wisdom, cemented with the emotional fragility of your passions, there is nothing that will sustain you for the long haul.
I will plead with you before you come this Sunday evening - pray that you come with a teachable heart because your future depends on it!!
See you this Sunday, if you still dare to come =)
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
A Month of "Life Is Not About You"
As we finished up our series this past month on "Life Is Not About You", I just couldn't help be think that a month long series was not enough. It's almost like we kind of get convicted at times about different truth principles for a short time, but then it fades as we go back to our normal status quo kind of mentality and we live the same self-absorbed lives that we are used to living. I think that it just gets too difficult to go against the flow of the broad path that the majority go that we end up just going back downstream when the battle to go upstream just gets too tiring.
To live the life of the cross is an exercise of perseverance and even pain, for it is a call to self-denial and an embracing of a life of inconvenience, discomfort, and suffering. It is not always so direct - it comes in subtle ways. But a minute or two here, a moment spent for myself doing something for my own pleasure can lead to an hour, a day, and then the pattern gets set in a rut which we struggle yet again to get out of.
We cannot afford to live the life of a Christian in a stop and go fashion. The days of the summer retreat spiritual high can't be the kind of cycle that we go through. It is a long, hard road of incremental pursuit, it is a submitting of every part of life, even in my eating and drinking, and to take my eyes off myself and consider how I might honor my Master.
This Sunday we will go through our MVP (we haven't done this in awhile) so I hope that you will come prepared, not just for a reminder, but for a challenge to live out what we have committed ourselves to fulfill:
The Mission: To make disciples of Christ (Matthew 28:19-20)
The Vision: To plan churches (Acts 1:8)
The Passion: To love God and people (Matthew 22:37-40)
Are you a part of the team? Are you in this for the long haul? I hope so. These are exciting days and as we look forward to God's leading, let's stop wasting time pursuing the "skubalon" of the world (check Philippians 3:7-8) and pursue knowing Christ and making Him known.
See you all Sunday!!
To live the life of the cross is an exercise of perseverance and even pain, for it is a call to self-denial and an embracing of a life of inconvenience, discomfort, and suffering. It is not always so direct - it comes in subtle ways. But a minute or two here, a moment spent for myself doing something for my own pleasure can lead to an hour, a day, and then the pattern gets set in a rut which we struggle yet again to get out of.
We cannot afford to live the life of a Christian in a stop and go fashion. The days of the summer retreat spiritual high can't be the kind of cycle that we go through. It is a long, hard road of incremental pursuit, it is a submitting of every part of life, even in my eating and drinking, and to take my eyes off myself and consider how I might honor my Master.
This Sunday we will go through our MVP (we haven't done this in awhile) so I hope that you will come prepared, not just for a reminder, but for a challenge to live out what we have committed ourselves to fulfill:
The Mission: To make disciples of Christ (Matthew 28:19-20)
The Vision: To plan churches (Acts 1:8)
The Passion: To love God and people (Matthew 22:37-40)
Are you a part of the team? Are you in this for the long haul? I hope so. These are exciting days and as we look forward to God's leading, let's stop wasting time pursuing the "skubalon" of the world (check Philippians 3:7-8) and pursue knowing Christ and making Him known.
See you all Sunday!!
Caring for Members through Church Discipline
When the church came together on Sunday evening for our members meeting, it was amazing to look around and see how much the congregation has grown these past nine years. This meeting came just after the membership class where seventeen more individuals were being taught about being committed to the church. What an encouraging evening it was, especially when the microphone was passed and various people shared about how the church had been a blessing to them. Each time we gather together, I am more and more appreciative of our church family. God certainly has blessed us tremendously with wonderful relationships and a body of believers that strives to grow together in His Word.
At the membership class, as I was teaching about the importance of membership, I was once again reminded of the many churches that do not place an emphasis on church membership. I understand and completely support the idea of the autonomy of the local church, but I must say that it causes a bit of concern when I hear that a church does not have formal membership especially because this means that these churches most likely do not practice church discipline either.
One of the participants in the membership class shared that it was the fact that LBC practiced church discipline that kept her at Lighthouse. This may have been a shocking statement to me years ago, but today it is no surprise. Not only is the practice of church discipline prescribed for churches in Matthew 18, it helps preserve the holiness of individuals (which in turn helps preserve the holiness of the church). I often tell believers, if you are serious about maintaining personal holiness, you must go to a church that practices church discipline. It is no wonder that John MacArthur often attributes the enormous success of Grace Community Church to the fact that they practice church discipline. He once stated (and I'm paraphrasing), "By kicking people out of the church, you help the church to grow."
Of course, it's not that LBC gets a kick out of excommunicating members. It is actually the most painful and draining ministry for the elders. So why do we go through the trouble if it is so difficult? Here are some reasons:
1. Church discipline upholds the glory of God in His church. The glory of God is the chief motivation for any ministry at LBC. If the church allows sin to go unaddressed in the church, it defames the name of Christ since He is the head of the church. By practicing church discipline, God's glory is magnified because His saints are dedicated to preserving His name.
2. Church discipline protects the holiness of the church. One of the most practical reasons for church discipline is to show the members that there are consequences to habitual, unrepentant sin. When members know that the church will confront them if they are unwilling to repent, it gives them additional motivation to make things right with God and others. It provides a level of accountability that cannot be provided in any other institution.
3. Church discipline is a ministry of care to the members of the church. It would be entirely unloving to see a brother or sister in sin and not do anything about it. This is one of the reasons why we refer to the discipline process as "member care" at LBC. This was an idea that was first introduced to us through the ministry of Mark Dever at Capitol Hill Baptist. When a member falls into unrepentant sin, the church lovingly is to appeal to that member to repent and return to good standing with God and the church. Through church discipline, the member can see how serious his actions are to God.
4. Church discipline serves as a witness to unbelievers that the church stands for holiness. When an individual's name is announced to the congregation as having gone through the disciplinary process, it provides a great opportunity to preach the gospel and to explain to people the reason for practicing church discipline. In doing so, even unbelievers can get a sense that the church has been called to be holy as God is holy. What a lame testimony it would be for a church to preach the gospel and yet be full of members who allow unrepentant sin to defile their lives.
5. The Bible tells us to practice church discipline. If for no other reason, this should be motivation enough for any church. Since the Bible gives us set principles in Matthew 18 about this process and we see the outworking of these principles in the epistles, churches should seek to be obedient to God's will and practice church discipline.
I'm sure there are many more good reasons to practice church discipline. It is a sign of a healthy church that it maintains formal membership and practices church discipline. I just don't see how the leaders of a church can adequately care for their flock without membership, and I really feel it is an obedience issue to practice church discipline.
At the membership class, as I was teaching about the importance of membership, I was once again reminded of the many churches that do not place an emphasis on church membership. I understand and completely support the idea of the autonomy of the local church, but I must say that it causes a bit of concern when I hear that a church does not have formal membership especially because this means that these churches most likely do not practice church discipline either.
One of the participants in the membership class shared that it was the fact that LBC practiced church discipline that kept her at Lighthouse. This may have been a shocking statement to me years ago, but today it is no surprise. Not only is the practice of church discipline prescribed for churches in Matthew 18, it helps preserve the holiness of individuals (which in turn helps preserve the holiness of the church). I often tell believers, if you are serious about maintaining personal holiness, you must go to a church that practices church discipline. It is no wonder that John MacArthur often attributes the enormous success of Grace Community Church to the fact that they practice church discipline. He once stated (and I'm paraphrasing), "By kicking people out of the church, you help the church to grow."
Of course, it's not that LBC gets a kick out of excommunicating members. It is actually the most painful and draining ministry for the elders. So why do we go through the trouble if it is so difficult? Here are some reasons:
1. Church discipline upholds the glory of God in His church. The glory of God is the chief motivation for any ministry at LBC. If the church allows sin to go unaddressed in the church, it defames the name of Christ since He is the head of the church. By practicing church discipline, God's glory is magnified because His saints are dedicated to preserving His name.
2. Church discipline protects the holiness of the church. One of the most practical reasons for church discipline is to show the members that there are consequences to habitual, unrepentant sin. When members know that the church will confront them if they are unwilling to repent, it gives them additional motivation to make things right with God and others. It provides a level of accountability that cannot be provided in any other institution.
3. Church discipline is a ministry of care to the members of the church. It would be entirely unloving to see a brother or sister in sin and not do anything about it. This is one of the reasons why we refer to the discipline process as "member care" at LBC. This was an idea that was first introduced to us through the ministry of Mark Dever at Capitol Hill Baptist. When a member falls into unrepentant sin, the church lovingly is to appeal to that member to repent and return to good standing with God and the church. Through church discipline, the member can see how serious his actions are to God.
4. Church discipline serves as a witness to unbelievers that the church stands for holiness. When an individual's name is announced to the congregation as having gone through the disciplinary process, it provides a great opportunity to preach the gospel and to explain to people the reason for practicing church discipline. In doing so, even unbelievers can get a sense that the church has been called to be holy as God is holy. What a lame testimony it would be for a church to preach the gospel and yet be full of members who allow unrepentant sin to defile their lives.
5. The Bible tells us to practice church discipline. If for no other reason, this should be motivation enough for any church. Since the Bible gives us set principles in Matthew 18 about this process and we see the outworking of these principles in the epistles, churches should seek to be obedient to God's will and practice church discipline.
I'm sure there are many more good reasons to practice church discipline. It is a sign of a healthy church that it maintains formal membership and practices church discipline. I just don't see how the leaders of a church can adequately care for their flock without membership, and I really feel it is an obedience issue to practice church discipline.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Truth in a Postmodern World
Voddie Baucham is not a name that too many are familiar with. He delivered a message at the 2006 Desiring God National Conference that I have recommended to many people. It's entitled, "The Supremacy of Christ and Truth in a Postmodern World," and it is well worth your time. You can download it and listen to it here.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Do People Possess Inalienable Rights?
I'm not entirely sure if everyone from Lighthouse is aware of this, but during the second service a group of people meet upstairs for an informal time of discussion about Pastor John's sermons. No, this isn't a time to analyze every little theological detail from the sermon and evaluate his delivery. It is more a time devoted to thinking through practical application of God's Word. This past Sunday, we had a particularly interesting discussion over John’s message on being a slave for Christ.
It's unfortunate if you missed out on this time because John preached a message that is very counterintuitive for our age and culture. One statement from the message that particular raised some eyebrows was that John mentioned that people do not have inalienable rights. I think this caused a little bit of confusion because John was not speaking about the rights we exercise in relation to one another. The point he was trying to convey was that no person has an absolute inalienable right that even God is subject to respect. Any rights and freedoms that people enjoy are always in every case limited by the sovereignty and will of God.
In no way was John saying that he is against the Declaration of Independence or Constitution. John is not an anarchist. John and I both understand that these founding documents were written with biblical principles in mind. For instance, when the Bible teaches that murder is wrong because all men have been created in the image of God (Gen. 9:6), we understand that God is essentially teaching that people have the “right to life.” However, when in the sovereignty of God He determines that a person’s time has come to die, no man can appeal to God that he has a right to life that even God is subject to respect.
That being said, there still is something to be said about freedoms that all believers should understand. We need to be careful about what we say we deserve. Kyle Grindley mentioned this during the discussion and it is related to the whole idea of personal rights and freedoms. Too often we face difficult people, circumstances, and challenges and think to ourselves, “Why is this happening? I deserve better. What about my rights?” Such is unbiblical thinking because the Bible is clear we deserve much worse. Any sinner before a holy God deserves immediate, eternal, divine punishment. To think we deserve anything better is entirely arrogant and cheapens the grace of God in salvation. This is the basis behind John’s statement that the only right that people truly have is the right to die.
Though God has granted certain inalienable rights for humans to enjoy (understanding that they are only inalienable insofar as God has granted them by his grace), we must constantly be reminded that we never receive these rights because we are deserving of them. These rights must be understood in light of who God is and what He requires of us. Perhaps this is the reason why through time the definition of our rights has changed so much. As this country has moved farther and farther away from God and His Word, the Constitution has become more and more ambiguous and open to interpretation. Certainly, the Constitution was written with biblical principles in mind, but it is no longer interpreted with those same biblical principles.
It's unfortunate if you missed out on this time because John preached a message that is very counterintuitive for our age and culture. One statement from the message that particular raised some eyebrows was that John mentioned that people do not have inalienable rights. I think this caused a little bit of confusion because John was not speaking about the rights we exercise in relation to one another. The point he was trying to convey was that no person has an absolute inalienable right that even God is subject to respect. Any rights and freedoms that people enjoy are always in every case limited by the sovereignty and will of God.
In no way was John saying that he is against the Declaration of Independence or Constitution. John is not an anarchist. John and I both understand that these founding documents were written with biblical principles in mind. For instance, when the Bible teaches that murder is wrong because all men have been created in the image of God (Gen. 9:6), we understand that God is essentially teaching that people have the “right to life.” However, when in the sovereignty of God He determines that a person’s time has come to die, no man can appeal to God that he has a right to life that even God is subject to respect.
That being said, there still is something to be said about freedoms that all believers should understand. We need to be careful about what we say we deserve. Kyle Grindley mentioned this during the discussion and it is related to the whole idea of personal rights and freedoms. Too often we face difficult people, circumstances, and challenges and think to ourselves, “Why is this happening? I deserve better. What about my rights?” Such is unbiblical thinking because the Bible is clear we deserve much worse. Any sinner before a holy God deserves immediate, eternal, divine punishment. To think we deserve anything better is entirely arrogant and cheapens the grace of God in salvation. This is the basis behind John’s statement that the only right that people truly have is the right to die.
Though God has granted certain inalienable rights for humans to enjoy (understanding that they are only inalienable insofar as God has granted them by his grace), we must constantly be reminded that we never receive these rights because we are deserving of them. These rights must be understood in light of who God is and what He requires of us. Perhaps this is the reason why through time the definition of our rights has changed so much. As this country has moved farther and farther away from God and His Word, the Constitution has become more and more ambiguous and open to interpretation. Certainly, the Constitution was written with biblical principles in mind, but it is no longer interpreted with those same biblical principles.
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Life Is Not About You!!
In the past several years since I first presented the proverb of "Life is not about you!", it has been brought to my attention by a number of people how many companies are really unashamedly using the slogan of "It's all about you!" as a way to appeal to people's base desires and how to fulfill them. I appreciate the flyers and brochures that people have brought and the collection continues to grow.
Sadly, it is no different in the Christian world as churches and Christian organizations and schools peddle the same line in hopes of drawing attention to their cause. But the heart of this methodological approach for advertising is nothing different from the beginning. The appeal to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life has the inherent message of "Life is all about you" and has been the slogan of the world system since the fall.
For the month of September, I will be preaching on the doctrine of self-denial as the characterization of the Christian way life and I would like to challenge you all to really examine your hearts and see if you are truly following Jesus. Was it not Christ Himself who said in Matthew 16:24, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." As I have been searching the Scriptures, I can't help but notice that the Christian life is truly a repudiation of the "It's all about me" worldview and that we must really dedicate our lives in light of the grace and mercy of God to offer them as living and holy sacrifices to God that are acceptable to God first and foremost. If the whole of our lives is to be offered up to God as worship, there really can be no other gods before Him and that includes ourselves.
So prepare for the next four Sundays to really examine your life and see if the path that Christ calls us to follow is the one that you are walking. The way of the cross is not an easy path. It definitely is not the most comfortable path. But it is the path that has Jesus on it and don't you want to be with Him every step of the way?
Like my girls when they were little and would hold my hand as we would walk around, they would have easily been lost if they had not followed daddy. Even a moment's glance away led to them walking down another path and it really was the most frightening moment for me as a parent when I couldn't see my child. It was also frightening for them when they realized that they were totally lost and couldn't see their parents. But there was great comfort and relief when we would be reunited and there would be a clinging to one another as we would continue to walk forward.
To live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21). We must keep our eyes fixed on Christ as we follow Him daily and while there is the suffering and pain of self-denial and the way of the cross, it is outweighed by the joy and the glory that comes in being in intimate and loving communion with our Lord and Savior as we walk with Him. Don't trade the glory of following Christ for the cheap junk of the world. While self-denial at first seems a negative thing, when we see where it places us on the path of following Christ, we actually receive more than we could ever hope for, that is, Christ Himself!!
See you Sunday!!
Sadly, it is no different in the Christian world as churches and Christian organizations and schools peddle the same line in hopes of drawing attention to their cause. But the heart of this methodological approach for advertising is nothing different from the beginning. The appeal to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life has the inherent message of "Life is all about you" and has been the slogan of the world system since the fall.
For the month of September, I will be preaching on the doctrine of self-denial as the characterization of the Christian way life and I would like to challenge you all to really examine your hearts and see if you are truly following Jesus. Was it not Christ Himself who said in Matthew 16:24, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." As I have been searching the Scriptures, I can't help but notice that the Christian life is truly a repudiation of the "It's all about me" worldview and that we must really dedicate our lives in light of the grace and mercy of God to offer them as living and holy sacrifices to God that are acceptable to God first and foremost. If the whole of our lives is to be offered up to God as worship, there really can be no other gods before Him and that includes ourselves.
So prepare for the next four Sundays to really examine your life and see if the path that Christ calls us to follow is the one that you are walking. The way of the cross is not an easy path. It definitely is not the most comfortable path. But it is the path that has Jesus on it and don't you want to be with Him every step of the way?
Like my girls when they were little and would hold my hand as we would walk around, they would have easily been lost if they had not followed daddy. Even a moment's glance away led to them walking down another path and it really was the most frightening moment for me as a parent when I couldn't see my child. It was also frightening for them when they realized that they were totally lost and couldn't see their parents. But there was great comfort and relief when we would be reunited and there would be a clinging to one another as we would continue to walk forward.
To live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21). We must keep our eyes fixed on Christ as we follow Him daily and while there is the suffering and pain of self-denial and the way of the cross, it is outweighed by the joy and the glory that comes in being in intimate and loving communion with our Lord and Savior as we walk with Him. Don't trade the glory of following Christ for the cheap junk of the world. While self-denial at first seems a negative thing, when we see where it places us on the path of following Christ, we actually receive more than we could ever hope for, that is, Christ Himself!!
See you Sunday!!
Friday, August 31, 2007
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!
Monday, August 27, 2007
The Next Generation
As Jenna just started 10th grade today at Torrey Pines, it caused me to think a little bit about the future as I realized that she is only 3 years away from college. Kara is now in 7th grade, Alyssa is in 3rd grade (both are homeschooled by Angela), and even Olivia is now on a schedule with room time, coloring time (she really enjoys drawing), and of course nap time. The years seem to be just shooting by and before you know it, they will be getting married and then having children of their own. As my own parents get older and face the challenges that come with the latter stages of life, it has challenged me to think about what I am doing to prepare the next generation that follows my own.
My big complaint while working in the Korean American church scene was that it seemed like the first generation did not do much to really disciple and mentor the second generation in the Christian life. They seemed to put a lot of time and energy into making a lot of money and building large church buildings but not a lot of time seemed to go into raising their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. As a result, I look at the second generation (which is my own) really having become a product of this worldly culture, pursuing worldly success and prosperity, but at the cost of their spiritual lives. It's no surprise that many are finding that with all the success and prosperity comes the realization that something is missing. So many are coming back to church, bringing their children in hopes that they will receive some kind of spiritual upbringing that they themselve missed growing up.
The reason I share this is that even though I am a pastor, it still is a challenge to invest even in my own kids when it comes to spiritual things. It's easy to discuss their academics, their athletic participation, their extra-curricular activities, and even their church involvement, but when it comes to interacting over their individual spiritual development, it does seem easier to leave it to other people. It should not be so. While other people can definitely help in a secondary manner, the primary responsibility of spiritual development lies on the shoulders of the parents. We cannot afford to allow the early years of their childhood to slip by and realize later that we should have spent more time with them. This is a regret that too many parents make too late in life and there is no way to rewind or start over.
But we can start now. As parents, we can take each day as an opportunity to invest in our children. It doesn't have to be anything too big. Even if it's a short conversation, a brief devotional with the family, a time of singing, or even to just share what you learned at church, every little bit counts.
If you don't have children yet, whether as singles or even as married couples, you can prepare now by being spiritually disciplined so that when God does grant you children, you have a foundation to build on. Don't underestimate the preparation you invest in your own life. You will only be able to offer what you have and if you don't have much when the time calls for it, it will be difficult to catch up. So your own personal spiritual growth is really not just for your own sake, but it is for the sake of the next generation.
Even if God does not grant you biological children of your own, you can invest your life into others spiritually so that they would be like spiritual children that you would disciple so that they can be equipped to grow. This is why the Titus 2 principle of older men/women training the younger men/women is so crucial, especially in the life of the church. There are many who don't have Christian parents and so they have never received spiritual teaching from home. So the church becomes their "family" and the older saints need to really invest in them as the next generation to follow.
Lighthouse is steadily growing and I hope that the numerical growth is not all that we care for. Spiritual growth in growing deeper in our understanding and application of God's word is what we really need to see increase in all our lives and I would like to really challenge you all to have a view toward the future as you seek to grow today.
My big complaint while working in the Korean American church scene was that it seemed like the first generation did not do much to really disciple and mentor the second generation in the Christian life. They seemed to put a lot of time and energy into making a lot of money and building large church buildings but not a lot of time seemed to go into raising their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. As a result, I look at the second generation (which is my own) really having become a product of this worldly culture, pursuing worldly success and prosperity, but at the cost of their spiritual lives. It's no surprise that many are finding that with all the success and prosperity comes the realization that something is missing. So many are coming back to church, bringing their children in hopes that they will receive some kind of spiritual upbringing that they themselve missed growing up.
The reason I share this is that even though I am a pastor, it still is a challenge to invest even in my own kids when it comes to spiritual things. It's easy to discuss their academics, their athletic participation, their extra-curricular activities, and even their church involvement, but when it comes to interacting over their individual spiritual development, it does seem easier to leave it to other people. It should not be so. While other people can definitely help in a secondary manner, the primary responsibility of spiritual development lies on the shoulders of the parents. We cannot afford to allow the early years of their childhood to slip by and realize later that we should have spent more time with them. This is a regret that too many parents make too late in life and there is no way to rewind or start over.
But we can start now. As parents, we can take each day as an opportunity to invest in our children. It doesn't have to be anything too big. Even if it's a short conversation, a brief devotional with the family, a time of singing, or even to just share what you learned at church, every little bit counts.
If you don't have children yet, whether as singles or even as married couples, you can prepare now by being spiritually disciplined so that when God does grant you children, you have a foundation to build on. Don't underestimate the preparation you invest in your own life. You will only be able to offer what you have and if you don't have much when the time calls for it, it will be difficult to catch up. So your own personal spiritual growth is really not just for your own sake, but it is for the sake of the next generation.
Even if God does not grant you biological children of your own, you can invest your life into others spiritually so that they would be like spiritual children that you would disciple so that they can be equipped to grow. This is why the Titus 2 principle of older men/women training the younger men/women is so crucial, especially in the life of the church. There are many who don't have Christian parents and so they have never received spiritual teaching from home. So the church becomes their "family" and the older saints need to really invest in them as the next generation to follow.
Lighthouse is steadily growing and I hope that the numerical growth is not all that we care for. Spiritual growth in growing deeper in our understanding and application of God's word is what we really need to see increase in all our lives and I would like to really challenge you all to have a view toward the future as you seek to grow today.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Models of Morality?
I find it kind of amusing that more and more entertainers, whether movie actors or singers, are speaking out against the government and speaking up for various moral issues. Since when did these celebrities become our spokespeople and models of morality? I overheard a song on the radio by the singer Pink entitled, "Dear Mr. President." The lyrics of the song basically question the president and call him out on various issues such as war, homelessness, and homosexuality. The accusation is that the president arrogantly has things all wrong and that everyone else can quite clearly see what he can't. Regardless of whether you agree or disagree with the president's policies and actions, the question that came to my mind was, "Is Pink really the best spokesperson to speak out on issues of morality?"
I understand that celebrities have their public platform and can use that platform to speak out when they are upset at the president or the government. I appreciate that we live in a country where its citizens can speak out against the president without threat of persecution. I also understand that people are entitled to their own opinions on political and moral issues. I just wonder if people give much credence to consistency. A lot of people overlook that these celebrities seem to pick and choose when morality is a big deal. It seems that even though their personal lives might be disasters morally, the general public accepts what they say when they hold the government accountable for its actions. I'm not saying they are all this way. I'm not even saying that everything they are saying is out to lunch. I just find it amusing that some of these celebrities point the finger at another person and say that he should be ashamed of himself.
I understand that celebrities have their public platform and can use that platform to speak out when they are upset at the president or the government. I appreciate that we live in a country where its citizens can speak out against the president without threat of persecution. I also understand that people are entitled to their own opinions on political and moral issues. I just wonder if people give much credence to consistency. A lot of people overlook that these celebrities seem to pick and choose when morality is a big deal. It seems that even though their personal lives might be disasters morally, the general public accepts what they say when they hold the government accountable for its actions. I'm not saying they are all this way. I'm not even saying that everything they are saying is out to lunch. I just find it amusing that some of these celebrities point the finger at another person and say that he should be ashamed of himself.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Let's Just Call God "Allah"?
Did anyone else catch this article on msn.com? There is a Dutch bishop named Tiny Muskens who wants people of all faiths to call God, "Allah." He says, "Allah is a very beautiful word for God. Shouldn't we all say that from now on we will name God Allah? . . . What does God care what we call him? It is our problem." Certainly the bishop's remark has sparked controversy in the Netherlands. People have been commenting in local newspapers about their disagreement with Muskens's view. On the flipside, the article introduces politician Geert Wilders who is a staunch, hateful anti-Muslim. He recently called for a nationwide ban on the Koran, likening the book to Hitler's Mein Kampf.
It is probable that Muskens's appeal to refer to God as "Allah" was in response to Wilders's anti-Muslim comments. As much as the gesture was probably well-intentioned in wanting to promote more religious tolerance and understanding, one cannot help but wonder why the bishop is so content with compromising the name of God. It is hard to believe that even a Catholic could justify associating God with the false claims of Islam. Muskens has apparently already demonstrated a history of finding practical solutions to societal problems at the expense of biblical truth advocating that it is justifiable for hungry people to steal. When you sacrifice biblical truth for practicality, you can justify just about anything. Certainly it is not wrong to address societal issues, but to respond to societal problems with blatant disregard for biblical principles is flagrant compromise.
It is probable that Muskens's appeal to refer to God as "Allah" was in response to Wilders's anti-Muslim comments. As much as the gesture was probably well-intentioned in wanting to promote more religious tolerance and understanding, one cannot help but wonder why the bishop is so content with compromising the name of God. It is hard to believe that even a Catholic could justify associating God with the false claims of Islam. Muskens has apparently already demonstrated a history of finding practical solutions to societal problems at the expense of biblical truth advocating that it is justifiable for hungry people to steal. When you sacrifice biblical truth for practicality, you can justify just about anything. Certainly it is not wrong to address societal issues, but to respond to societal problems with blatant disregard for biblical principles is flagrant compromise.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Vamos Argentina!
What an amazing time we had in Argentina! The church there sends their greetings to Lighthouse, especially to those who have gone to Tucuman in the past. Despite the cold and that thirteen of our sixteen team members got sick along the way, the time working with the church there was a great blessing. God was gracious to give us opportunities to minister in four of the surrounding barrios. We also had an outreach night at the church and were able to invite those in the neighborhood immediately surrounding the church.
Each time we visit, it is a tremendous encouragement to see how the church is growing. The church leaders constantly introduce us to the families who have joined the church as a result of being saved through the campaigns we have been involved in. What a joy! God is definitely working through us in Argentina and it is a great privilege to be a part of His plan for the city of Tucuman. Please continue to pray for all those that heard the gospel these past few weeks. We were able once again to engage in some very good conversations with people and the church will be working diligently to follow up. Please pray because the fields are white for harvest in Argentina.
Each time we visit, it is a tremendous encouragement to see how the church is growing. The church leaders constantly introduce us to the families who have joined the church as a result of being saved through the campaigns we have been involved in. What a joy! God is definitely working through us in Argentina and it is a great privilege to be a part of His plan for the city of Tucuman. Please continue to pray for all those that heard the gospel these past few weeks. We were able once again to engage in some very good conversations with people and the church will be working diligently to follow up. Please pray because the fields are white for harvest in Argentina.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Controversial Statements on Missions
As Pastor Patrick stated in the previous entry, the role of the local church in the work of world missions is crucial and vital to fulfilling the Great Commission in making disciples, not just decisions. I realize that for some people, their view of the issue of missions has been often dictated by conferences, authors, and strategies that while helpful and often insightful to the work of missions, can often fall short of what the Scriptures would say regarding the issue of missions.
I find it interesting that there are always a number of people that might find my sermons controversial. I know that I often make statements that sound blunt and strong, but I do not find them controversial. If the Scriptures are to be taken as the final authority, it is strange for me to see people disregard what is clearly said in Scripture and go with what someone else has said regarding any particular topic. This seems to follow what Romans 12:2 explicitly calls us NOT to do, that is, to be conformed to worldly thinking. Instead, we are to discern what the will of God is, and that will is to always be found first and foremost in the Scriptures.
The Great Commission is clear - the call is to make disciples of Christ. This includes the work of evangelism, which is the front end, but the point is not to simply call for decisions. The point is to see people FOLLOW Jesus in an ongoing and daily relationship. This is where I would say that missions apart from the ministry of the local church often falls short. And this was clearly confirmed during our time in Ostrava these past few weeks. The theme for the retreat was "Disciplines of a Godly Man/Woman" and we addressed basic topics under the theme of 1 Timothy 4:7-8, to be disciplined for the purpose of godliness. What we found is that even in the most basic issues, there were many questions and some animated debates over what were simple biblical truths. We addressed the issue of spiritual disciplines, the roles of men and women in marriage and parenting, witnessing in the workplace, and serving in the church. These are not typically issues that generate a lot of controversy but they did. Why? It took me a few days to realize it but what I discovered was that the very foundations of thinking were being shaken for many people and so in mid-stream I gave a message on building a biblical worldview. We discovered that in the Czech language, there is no clear understanding of this concept. One other astounding discovery was that the very concept of accountability was something that was not understood in the Czech language. So it was during a weeklong opportunity to equip and teach the church that I realized all the more that the work of missions is not limited solely to evangelism, but as Matthew 28:19-20 describe, there is to be the "teaching of all that I commanded you" that is to take place, that is, the equipping of disciples with the teachings of Jesus so that they would grow and mature in their faith so as to provide an ongoing work of representing Christ in their part of the world.
How is this controversial? It is controversial because so many Christians have been limited in their understanding of missions. There is a lack of consideration given to having a comprehensive view of the work of missions in relation to God's overall plan and in isolating the aspect of evangelism to missions, it short-circuits the flow of the Great Commission to make disciples. That is why the local church is so crucial in playing a role both in sending and in the actual work of missions at any given location. It is not enough to simply evangelize. There must be the planting of churches. There must be the equipping of churches. It is not enough to just do humanitarian work or pursue social justice. While these are all good things and can be a part of the effort to help people's lives, to diminish the priority of planting and building up churches to do the work of ministry is to be short-sighted.
I made some comments that it is not enough to just do medical assistance or build houses or to address social injustices. It is because in the end, even if you do help in these areas, if you do not address the issue of preaching the gospel comprehensively for the sake of people not only to hear and believe in Christ, but to follow Christ as disciples, then you are not actually fulfilling the Great Commission.
I think it's great that there are ministries that try to help in all these various areas. But to call it "missions" can be misleading. I think we have to be more discerning when we talk about what God defines as the work of missions. This is why 2 Timothy 2:15 calls us to handle accurately the word of truth. There is a lax and often haphazard allegiance to the Scriptures and when this is confronted, people are often confounded by what they think is an attack on established practices. But we must be wise according to the Scriptures, not just to tradition. There is much to learn from those who have done various things for the sake of God's kingdom. But sincerity and results are not the final criteria to determine what is right. We must accurately represent what the Scriptures call us to do as Christians and I hope that we at Lighthouse will be careful not to be lazy when it comes to our theological foundations that are the basis for our practice as a church.
I find it interesting that there are always a number of people that might find my sermons controversial. I know that I often make statements that sound blunt and strong, but I do not find them controversial. If the Scriptures are to be taken as the final authority, it is strange for me to see people disregard what is clearly said in Scripture and go with what someone else has said regarding any particular topic. This seems to follow what Romans 12:2 explicitly calls us NOT to do, that is, to be conformed to worldly thinking. Instead, we are to discern what the will of God is, and that will is to always be found first and foremost in the Scriptures.
The Great Commission is clear - the call is to make disciples of Christ. This includes the work of evangelism, which is the front end, but the point is not to simply call for decisions. The point is to see people FOLLOW Jesus in an ongoing and daily relationship. This is where I would say that missions apart from the ministry of the local church often falls short. And this was clearly confirmed during our time in Ostrava these past few weeks. The theme for the retreat was "Disciplines of a Godly Man/Woman" and we addressed basic topics under the theme of 1 Timothy 4:7-8, to be disciplined for the purpose of godliness. What we found is that even in the most basic issues, there were many questions and some animated debates over what were simple biblical truths. We addressed the issue of spiritual disciplines, the roles of men and women in marriage and parenting, witnessing in the workplace, and serving in the church. These are not typically issues that generate a lot of controversy but they did. Why? It took me a few days to realize it but what I discovered was that the very foundations of thinking were being shaken for many people and so in mid-stream I gave a message on building a biblical worldview. We discovered that in the Czech language, there is no clear understanding of this concept. One other astounding discovery was that the very concept of accountability was something that was not understood in the Czech language. So it was during a weeklong opportunity to equip and teach the church that I realized all the more that the work of missions is not limited solely to evangelism, but as Matthew 28:19-20 describe, there is to be the "teaching of all that I commanded you" that is to take place, that is, the equipping of disciples with the teachings of Jesus so that they would grow and mature in their faith so as to provide an ongoing work of representing Christ in their part of the world.
How is this controversial? It is controversial because so many Christians have been limited in their understanding of missions. There is a lack of consideration given to having a comprehensive view of the work of missions in relation to God's overall plan and in isolating the aspect of evangelism to missions, it short-circuits the flow of the Great Commission to make disciples. That is why the local church is so crucial in playing a role both in sending and in the actual work of missions at any given location. It is not enough to simply evangelize. There must be the planting of churches. There must be the equipping of churches. It is not enough to just do humanitarian work or pursue social justice. While these are all good things and can be a part of the effort to help people's lives, to diminish the priority of planting and building up churches to do the work of ministry is to be short-sighted.
I made some comments that it is not enough to just do medical assistance or build houses or to address social injustices. It is because in the end, even if you do help in these areas, if you do not address the issue of preaching the gospel comprehensively for the sake of people not only to hear and believe in Christ, but to follow Christ as disciples, then you are not actually fulfilling the Great Commission.
I think it's great that there are ministries that try to help in all these various areas. But to call it "missions" can be misleading. I think we have to be more discerning when we talk about what God defines as the work of missions. This is why 2 Timothy 2:15 calls us to handle accurately the word of truth. There is a lax and often haphazard allegiance to the Scriptures and when this is confronted, people are often confounded by what they think is an attack on established practices. But we must be wise according to the Scriptures, not just to tradition. There is much to learn from those who have done various things for the sake of God's kingdom. But sincerity and results are not the final criteria to determine what is right. We must accurately represent what the Scriptures call us to do as Christians and I hope that we at Lighthouse will be careful not to be lazy when it comes to our theological foundations that are the basis for our practice as a church.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
The Mission of the Local Church
I spent some time preparing today for a message I'm giving during one of the church services in Tucuman. Pastor Jorge asked me to focus on the theme of "Commitment and Devotion to Christ." As I was thinking through what specific topics I might address, I couldn't help but think of the Great Commission passage of Matthew 28:18-20. The reason why this passage stood out was because the church is to be committed to the commission that Christ has bestowed on her to make disciples of all the nations.
Now this is a pertinent passage because much of the evangelism in the church today is merely focused on making decisions, not disciples. This is not to say that people making decisions for Christ is not important. It is just not the end. When so many work only to get people to make some profession of faith over a shallow understanding of the gospel, it is no wonder that many "believers'" lives have been absent of the life-changing power of the cross. David Doran, in his book For the Sake of His Name, writes, "The Great Commission produces disciples, not decisions. It is certainly true that becoming Christ's disciple occurs at a decisive point in time and through a decision to receive Christ, but one of the sad evidences of a defective and unbiblical missions strategy has been the tendency to be satisfied with evangelistic decisions that yield no lasting fruit or transformation in the lives of those who have supposedly received Jesus Christ." He continues, "While claiming to guard the gospel of grace, this actually denies the power of grace to convert the soul and make the person who is in Christ into a new creation (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17)." This is a very important element in understanding the importance of the church's role in missions. If people are only committed to making decisions, churches are essentially unnecessary. But if the task is disciple making, churches are the vehicles in getting that task accomplished.
I thought about this for the trips that LBC has been taking to the Czech Republic and Argentina. Suppose we went out in the summers and saw hundreds of people make decisions for the Lord. Would that be fulfilling the requirement of the Great Commission. David Doran argues that it would fall short. He writes, ". . . the central focus of this passage is the command to make disciples. This is the essential task of the Great Commission. . . . The task before us is not simply announcing the good news of Jesus Christ; it is making disciples for Jesus Christ. We cannot make disciples without announcing the good news (Romans 10:14-17), but that is where the Great Commission starts, not stops." One of the reasons we have committed ourselves to the ministries in Ostrava and Tucuman is because of the church planting efforts in those two areas. When someone comes to know the Lord, we have a church there that can continue to the work of disciple making. We do not come home with the same concerns as the Apostle Paul with the church in Thessalonica, whether the people who responded to the gospel later turned from it and our work had been in vain (cf. 1 Thess. 3:1-5). There are established churches that we have partnered with that will continue to nourish and nurture these young converts so that they grow in respect to their salvation (1 Pet. 2:2).
All this isn't to say that God cannot use missions and evangelism outside the local church. It is not even to say that going on missions outside the local church cannot be helpful. In some ways it is extremely helpful to gain practical insight into methods and strategies. It simply makes sense to me that if the work of missions and evangelism is disciple making, then that will be accomplished through the ministry of the local church. It is the church, then, that should be remained committed to this kind of missions work.
Now this is a pertinent passage because much of the evangelism in the church today is merely focused on making decisions, not disciples. This is not to say that people making decisions for Christ is not important. It is just not the end. When so many work only to get people to make some profession of faith over a shallow understanding of the gospel, it is no wonder that many "believers'" lives have been absent of the life-changing power of the cross. David Doran, in his book For the Sake of His Name, writes, "The Great Commission produces disciples, not decisions. It is certainly true that becoming Christ's disciple occurs at a decisive point in time and through a decision to receive Christ, but one of the sad evidences of a defective and unbiblical missions strategy has been the tendency to be satisfied with evangelistic decisions that yield no lasting fruit or transformation in the lives of those who have supposedly received Jesus Christ." He continues, "While claiming to guard the gospel of grace, this actually denies the power of grace to convert the soul and make the person who is in Christ into a new creation (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17)." This is a very important element in understanding the importance of the church's role in missions. If people are only committed to making decisions, churches are essentially unnecessary. But if the task is disciple making, churches are the vehicles in getting that task accomplished.
I thought about this for the trips that LBC has been taking to the Czech Republic and Argentina. Suppose we went out in the summers and saw hundreds of people make decisions for the Lord. Would that be fulfilling the requirement of the Great Commission. David Doran argues that it would fall short. He writes, ". . . the central focus of this passage is the command to make disciples. This is the essential task of the Great Commission. . . . The task before us is not simply announcing the good news of Jesus Christ; it is making disciples for Jesus Christ. We cannot make disciples without announcing the good news (Romans 10:14-17), but that is where the Great Commission starts, not stops." One of the reasons we have committed ourselves to the ministries in Ostrava and Tucuman is because of the church planting efforts in those two areas. When someone comes to know the Lord, we have a church there that can continue to the work of disciple making. We do not come home with the same concerns as the Apostle Paul with the church in Thessalonica, whether the people who responded to the gospel later turned from it and our work had been in vain (cf. 1 Thess. 3:1-5). There are established churches that we have partnered with that will continue to nourish and nurture these young converts so that they grow in respect to their salvation (1 Pet. 2:2).
All this isn't to say that God cannot use missions and evangelism outside the local church. It is not even to say that going on missions outside the local church cannot be helpful. In some ways it is extremely helpful to gain practical insight into methods and strategies. It simply makes sense to me that if the work of missions and evangelism is disciple making, then that will be accomplished through the ministry of the local church. It is the church, then, that should be remained committed to this kind of missions work.
Friday, June 15, 2007
The Grace of God Magnified
I was reading through John 1 last night before going to bed and it was such an encouragement to me. It's not always like this, but there are times when reading from the Word is like having a tall, cold glass of ice water on a hot summer day. The refreshment from reading the Bible last night was like that. The verse that arrested me was John 1:16, "For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace." The fullness is probably referring back to vs. 14, "...and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." As Christ is full of grace and truth, we reap the full benefit of it -- kai charin anti charitos, "and grace upon grace." The anti, preposition was used in that day to describe exchanges made in sale purchases. The thought is that in exchange for grace we receive more grace! What an amazing statement of the abundant grace of God! This is particularly amazing in consideration of my own sinfulness. I don't give God a reason to shower grace on me. It is completely in spite of my failures that He is gracious! Even as an unbeliever, He showed me the common grace that He gives to all men (e.g. good health, education, family, friends, food, etc.). But now as a believer, I have exchanged that common grace for even greater grace in Jesus Christ. There is unending blessing in living for the Lord. Truly as the psalmist writes, with the Lord as my shepherd "my cup overflows" (Ps. 23:5).
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Rejoicing and Weeping
As we discussed Romans 12:15 this past Sunday, one thing that came to mind is that if a church really does practice this principle of rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep, it would really be an indication of a true family like relationship in that when you have a close-knit family, you really do see this happen.
When my wife Angela succeeds at something or accomplishes something significant, I really am truly happy for her and with her. I remember when she was pregnant with Jenna and just about finished with her Master's thesis that she gave birth and so she had to delay the conclusion a bit. When she did, I was just amazed at how she was able to do that with having a baby at the same time. I remember when Jenna started taking her first steps and saying her first words - those were just incredible days being able to share in the thrill of her joy. I remember when Kara scored her first goal in soccer - I was so proud of her, especially after the fact that when she had first started she would barely move. I remember when Alyssa did her first ballet performance in the Nutcracker - she was so excited and while admittedly I am not a big ballet fan, I am a big fan of Alyssa and was excited with her. Even with Olivia, when she gets excited about something, she gets even more excited when I get excited with her. Just playing with her is that way.
I also remember when Angela's dad passed away recently - it hurt to see Angela cry and there wasn't much else I could do than to cry with her. I remember seeing my girls cry at the funeral - it was their first significant loss that they had experienced and all I could do was hold them. I remember when my brother-in-law Peter was going in for surgery for the tumor in his lower back and seeing Jinny cry and I couldn't help but cry as well.
I have also been reminded of many who have rejoiced with me in times of blessing. It is actually quite amazing to think that there are people who would take the time to celebrate things in my life when I really don't consider my life so significant. But people have been incredibly generous and overwhelming in their love and care that I can only see the grace of God being what lies behind their actions.
As I shared this past Sunday, it many ways it is very difficult and challenging to rejoice with others because it often causes us to be tempted with envy and jealousy. It is difficult not only to watch people get engaged, get married, have children, purchase a new car, move into a new home, or have the latest and most up to date laptop or mobile phone, but to be content with what we do have and just be happy for people.
I would encourage you to really consider the application that was given on Sunday. Prepare to celebrate with someone - there are graduations coming up, birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions that come up in people's lives that you can use as an opportunity to rejoice with them. If you already know of some special occasions coming up, plan for it now. We often get tired of going to graduations or weddings or bridal showers or baby showers because we've been to so many and they don't seem special any more. But we have to remember that it is special for THAT individual and it would be selfish of me to simply think that "I'm tired of these things" when in fact it's not for your sake but for that individual's joy. Sure, it might be hard to be fully excited for someone else but then again it is a choice - you can and should consider how you might rejoice with others.
Also be prepared to weep with someone. When someone is going through a hard time and they have been hurt, be prepared just to listen, to give a shoulder to cry on, to have a heart instead of just trying to fix their problems. Sometimes the most significant thing you can do is just come alongside and really try to empathize with someone. You might not necessarily have to cry real tears but do you seek to even try to understand a little bit of the pain that someone is going through? It can really make a difference. It has for me. Just having my wife listen to me let out my pain and instead of an immediate rebuke or cold statement of fact, just holding me and letting me cry is probably the most loving thing she has done.
Let's really grow as a family and rejoice and weep with each other.
When my wife Angela succeeds at something or accomplishes something significant, I really am truly happy for her and with her. I remember when she was pregnant with Jenna and just about finished with her Master's thesis that she gave birth and so she had to delay the conclusion a bit. When she did, I was just amazed at how she was able to do that with having a baby at the same time. I remember when Jenna started taking her first steps and saying her first words - those were just incredible days being able to share in the thrill of her joy. I remember when Kara scored her first goal in soccer - I was so proud of her, especially after the fact that when she had first started she would barely move. I remember when Alyssa did her first ballet performance in the Nutcracker - she was so excited and while admittedly I am not a big ballet fan, I am a big fan of Alyssa and was excited with her. Even with Olivia, when she gets excited about something, she gets even more excited when I get excited with her. Just playing with her is that way.
I also remember when Angela's dad passed away recently - it hurt to see Angela cry and there wasn't much else I could do than to cry with her. I remember seeing my girls cry at the funeral - it was their first significant loss that they had experienced and all I could do was hold them. I remember when my brother-in-law Peter was going in for surgery for the tumor in his lower back and seeing Jinny cry and I couldn't help but cry as well.
I have also been reminded of many who have rejoiced with me in times of blessing. It is actually quite amazing to think that there are people who would take the time to celebrate things in my life when I really don't consider my life so significant. But people have been incredibly generous and overwhelming in their love and care that I can only see the grace of God being what lies behind their actions.
As I shared this past Sunday, it many ways it is very difficult and challenging to rejoice with others because it often causes us to be tempted with envy and jealousy. It is difficult not only to watch people get engaged, get married, have children, purchase a new car, move into a new home, or have the latest and most up to date laptop or mobile phone, but to be content with what we do have and just be happy for people.
I would encourage you to really consider the application that was given on Sunday. Prepare to celebrate with someone - there are graduations coming up, birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions that come up in people's lives that you can use as an opportunity to rejoice with them. If you already know of some special occasions coming up, plan for it now. We often get tired of going to graduations or weddings or bridal showers or baby showers because we've been to so many and they don't seem special any more. But we have to remember that it is special for THAT individual and it would be selfish of me to simply think that "I'm tired of these things" when in fact it's not for your sake but for that individual's joy. Sure, it might be hard to be fully excited for someone else but then again it is a choice - you can and should consider how you might rejoice with others.
Also be prepared to weep with someone. When someone is going through a hard time and they have been hurt, be prepared just to listen, to give a shoulder to cry on, to have a heart instead of just trying to fix their problems. Sometimes the most significant thing you can do is just come alongside and really try to empathize with someone. You might not necessarily have to cry real tears but do you seek to even try to understand a little bit of the pain that someone is going through? It can really make a difference. It has for me. Just having my wife listen to me let out my pain and instead of an immediate rebuke or cold statement of fact, just holding me and letting me cry is probably the most loving thing she has done.
Let's really grow as a family and rejoice and weep with each other.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
The Crystal Clear Truth About Marriage
This past Saturday we had Chris and Nelly's wedding at the Crystal Cathedral, home of the self-esteem "gospel" and the "Hour of Power" sermons that have been on TV for as long as I can remember (though I don't have any TV connection now so I might be outdated). The people there were very nice, in fact, were very helpful and even funny. The church was not as big as I thought it would be but the inside had an impressive Sony jumbotron and it really was a big glass castle like I thought it would be. The men's restroom was equally impressive, especially now after looking at blueprints for restrooms in consideration of our new facilities. I would have to say it was easily the most impressive wedding site I've presided over, with the dramatic rising of the sidewalls (though I didn't see it) and the fountain shooting high at the entry of the bride.
I was a little nervous as I anticipated the handoff from Pastor Bob as he was doing the introduction. I had written my notes word-for-word (if you didn't notice) because I often get nervous at weddings and don't want to just ramble. I also was told that we had to get everything done in 30 minutes, so there was a real time constraint that put a considerable amount of pressure. There is always one thing that I do try these days at weddings and that is to make sure that the gospel message is somehow integrated. With the passage from Ephesians 5:22-33, it was an easy transition to make since being married is all about glorifying Jesus Christ and to point people to the Savior at a wedding only makes sense since a Christian wedding is exactly about making Christ the focal point.
But it's one thing to think about how those who are of a different theological persuasion might think. In studying 1 John, the one thing that has been sticking out to me is how important it is to be discerning for the purpose of honoring Jesus, not just to win a debate. It's even more than being able to point out false teaching - it's about pointing to the One who is the authoritative teacher of truth as He is the Truth.
Getting married is more than just about a man and a woman getting together. It is about a man and a woman getting together so that Jesus Christ would be magnified in their lives being together as a reflection of the relationship between Christ and His bride, the church. This really changes everything. It should remind the man that he is to love his wife like Christ loves the church. This is not just some cheap sappy love leeched off of movie scenes. This is about true, sacrificial love that seeks to sanctify and nurture and cherish someone day in and day out, regardless of the circumstances that might come. It is to look at Christ and in Him see the ultimate model of true love (not Princess Bride). For the woman it is to submit to her husband in a loving and respectful way that the church is to do before Christ. Admittedly this is not anywhere near what the world would see as desirable but because of Christ, it is not only the most profitable, it is the most glorifying to Christ. It is here that we must really ask ourselves if we really believe this to be true. Do we really value Christ so much that all things are done in reference to Him? Or do we still look, however subtly, for some kind of self-gratification at the expense of Christ receiving the firstfruits of our heart?
In anticipation of our DTR2 series which should come this fall, I want to remind those of you who read this (all 5 of you) to really think carefully about how you view marriage. I believe that there are too many people who still have worldly worldview when it comes to marriage and even though you might acknowledge what the Bible has to say, when it comes to the actual planning of a wedding and the preparation for a life time, there are sadly many who are still so very far away from having Jesus be Lord over their life in the practical things of life. While we might say that we adhere to true Biblical teaching, many people's lives would contradict that if examined carefully.
It is definitely one thing to combat false teaching with the truth of God's Word. It is another thing to confirm the preciousness of God's truth by abiding in it. Whether in marriage, whether in the work place, whether in friendships, whether in the local church, as believers we are called to make Christ the crown jewel which shines brightly for all the world to see.
This is the crystal clear truth. Don't look to a crystal buildling. Look to the precious treasure of Jesus Christ.
I was a little nervous as I anticipated the handoff from Pastor Bob as he was doing the introduction. I had written my notes word-for-word (if you didn't notice) because I often get nervous at weddings and don't want to just ramble. I also was told that we had to get everything done in 30 minutes, so there was a real time constraint that put a considerable amount of pressure. There is always one thing that I do try these days at weddings and that is to make sure that the gospel message is somehow integrated. With the passage from Ephesians 5:22-33, it was an easy transition to make since being married is all about glorifying Jesus Christ and to point people to the Savior at a wedding only makes sense since a Christian wedding is exactly about making Christ the focal point.
But it's one thing to think about how those who are of a different theological persuasion might think. In studying 1 John, the one thing that has been sticking out to me is how important it is to be discerning for the purpose of honoring Jesus, not just to win a debate. It's even more than being able to point out false teaching - it's about pointing to the One who is the authoritative teacher of truth as He is the Truth.
Getting married is more than just about a man and a woman getting together. It is about a man and a woman getting together so that Jesus Christ would be magnified in their lives being together as a reflection of the relationship between Christ and His bride, the church. This really changes everything. It should remind the man that he is to love his wife like Christ loves the church. This is not just some cheap sappy love leeched off of movie scenes. This is about true, sacrificial love that seeks to sanctify and nurture and cherish someone day in and day out, regardless of the circumstances that might come. It is to look at Christ and in Him see the ultimate model of true love (not Princess Bride). For the woman it is to submit to her husband in a loving and respectful way that the church is to do before Christ. Admittedly this is not anywhere near what the world would see as desirable but because of Christ, it is not only the most profitable, it is the most glorifying to Christ. It is here that we must really ask ourselves if we really believe this to be true. Do we really value Christ so much that all things are done in reference to Him? Or do we still look, however subtly, for some kind of self-gratification at the expense of Christ receiving the firstfruits of our heart?
In anticipation of our DTR2 series which should come this fall, I want to remind those of you who read this (all 5 of you) to really think carefully about how you view marriage. I believe that there are too many people who still have worldly worldview when it comes to marriage and even though you might acknowledge what the Bible has to say, when it comes to the actual planning of a wedding and the preparation for a life time, there are sadly many who are still so very far away from having Jesus be Lord over their life in the practical things of life. While we might say that we adhere to true Biblical teaching, many people's lives would contradict that if examined carefully.
It is definitely one thing to combat false teaching with the truth of God's Word. It is another thing to confirm the preciousness of God's truth by abiding in it. Whether in marriage, whether in the work place, whether in friendships, whether in the local church, as believers we are called to make Christ the crown jewel which shines brightly for all the world to see.
This is the crystal clear truth. Don't look to a crystal buildling. Look to the precious treasure of Jesus Christ.
Monday, May 07, 2007
Mother's Day
The role of a mother is easily appreciated on one hand but not considered to be so significant on the other. How does this kind of contradicting treatment come about? It reveals how conflicted we are as a society. When it comes to emotional support, everyone (well almost everyone) instinctively turns to their mothers. From the little child to the NFL linebacker on television, "Mom" is easily the number one choice. But when it comes to understanding the significance of motherhood, society is quick to take away with one hand what it gave with the other. Motherhood is disparaged to be a role that is altogether useless when it comes to self-fulfillment. There are no promotions in motherhood (other than adding another kid?). There are no raises. The macaroni pencil cups and crayon colored cards on Mother's Day are poor substitutes for plaques and corporate recognition. Who wants to stay stuck at home with a crying baby who throws up and makes a mess of the place when you could have your own corner office and accolades of your peers ringing in your ears instead of the baby monitor? But after the workday is over, when Friday comes, what seems lasting in life? As the years go by, the investment of time and energy going into all kinds of pursuits, how does it add up? As Solomon the Wise said so long ago, "Vanity of vanities!" It's so easy to think you are doing something "significant" with your life but in the end, you could have wasted your life chasing the wind.
I think motherhood can be appreciated in several ways.
1) Appreciate your own mother. While they might not have been perfect and some might have outright failed their children, God gave you your mother to honor and appreciate. Show the love of Christ to your mother this Mother's Day.
2) For ladies who are mothers, thank God that He gifted you with motherhood. Don't take for granted that you were blessed with children. There are many who wish they could be mothers but for one reason or another, God has chosen not to grant children to them. It is not something you can treat lightly. Children are indeed a blessing from the Lord and should be treated as such. While Mother's Day might seem to be a day where mothers expect to be treated well, use Mother's Day as an opportunity to thank God that you were given such a stewardship. This stewardship was not meant for you to build trophies for yourself but to invest the love and truth of God into your children so that they might be offered to God. While only God can provide salvation, parents, and mothers in particular play a vital role in planting the seeds and in modeling the character of Christ (i.e. consider the example of Timothy and the investment by his mother Eunice and grandmother Lois).
3. For ladies who are not biological mothers, remember that God is always faithful and while you might not have your own biological children, you still have the opportunity to share the love of Christ in the way of a "mother" for many who don't have a "mother" to care for them. This could start even at the church, as there are many who do not have very close relationships with their own mothers, or possibly have unbelieving mothers who were not able to invest in them spiritually. Prayerfully consider how you might invest your life and give of yourself. You could go as far as even considering adopting a child, whether locally or internationally. But just because you are not a biological mother doesn't mean that you can't provide a mothering relationship to others.
4. For the men, never disparage the role of motherhood. We live in a day where the roles of men and women are turned upside down and unfortunately there are those who have denigrated the role of women in both the home and the church and it doesn't help the ladies when the men don't do their part to support the ladies in their roles. So please affirm the ladies as they would prayerfully move forward in their lives. Never joke around about "wearing slippers and a bathrobe all day" and that their job is just to have babies. That would be insulting both to them and to God, who is the one who designed women to do what is so special and unique in contributing to society.
5. For the church, let us not just celebrate another Hallmark occasion with a token day given to mothers but let's appreciate the mothers in our midst and see the hard work and toil that they give as their spiritual service of worship (Romans 12:1). Let's come alongside them and encourage them through our ministries at the church and give them assistance by teaching their children the truth of God and in affirming the things that truly matter in life.
As this coming Sunday is Mother's Day, let's make the most of it to glorify God.
I think motherhood can be appreciated in several ways.
1) Appreciate your own mother. While they might not have been perfect and some might have outright failed their children, God gave you your mother to honor and appreciate. Show the love of Christ to your mother this Mother's Day.
2) For ladies who are mothers, thank God that He gifted you with motherhood. Don't take for granted that you were blessed with children. There are many who wish they could be mothers but for one reason or another, God has chosen not to grant children to them. It is not something you can treat lightly. Children are indeed a blessing from the Lord and should be treated as such. While Mother's Day might seem to be a day where mothers expect to be treated well, use Mother's Day as an opportunity to thank God that you were given such a stewardship. This stewardship was not meant for you to build trophies for yourself but to invest the love and truth of God into your children so that they might be offered to God. While only God can provide salvation, parents, and mothers in particular play a vital role in planting the seeds and in modeling the character of Christ (i.e. consider the example of Timothy and the investment by his mother Eunice and grandmother Lois).
3. For ladies who are not biological mothers, remember that God is always faithful and while you might not have your own biological children, you still have the opportunity to share the love of Christ in the way of a "mother" for many who don't have a "mother" to care for them. This could start even at the church, as there are many who do not have very close relationships with their own mothers, or possibly have unbelieving mothers who were not able to invest in them spiritually. Prayerfully consider how you might invest your life and give of yourself. You could go as far as even considering adopting a child, whether locally or internationally. But just because you are not a biological mother doesn't mean that you can't provide a mothering relationship to others.
4. For the men, never disparage the role of motherhood. We live in a day where the roles of men and women are turned upside down and unfortunately there are those who have denigrated the role of women in both the home and the church and it doesn't help the ladies when the men don't do their part to support the ladies in their roles. So please affirm the ladies as they would prayerfully move forward in their lives. Never joke around about "wearing slippers and a bathrobe all day" and that their job is just to have babies. That would be insulting both to them and to God, who is the one who designed women to do what is so special and unique in contributing to society.
5. For the church, let us not just celebrate another Hallmark occasion with a token day given to mothers but let's appreciate the mothers in our midst and see the hard work and toil that they give as their spiritual service of worship (Romans 12:1). Let's come alongside them and encourage them through our ministries at the church and give them assistance by teaching their children the truth of God and in affirming the things that truly matter in life.
As this coming Sunday is Mother's Day, let's make the most of it to glorify God.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Do You Love Being A Member at LBC?
After our meeting last night for the members of Lighthouse, I had a chance to read over the self-evaluations that I had asked everyone to fill out and it was both encouraging as well as a bit sad in seeing how many shared about where they stood in relation to their membership at LBC. It was tremendously encouraging to see that there are many who are growing and striving to seek after Christ, in being faithful in their spiritual disciplines and prayer life, and continually moving upward in their commitment to serve at Lighthouse. There are those who just wrote simply, "I love Lighthouse!" and in reflecting on their participation and attitude, I could heartily affirm that there are many who do indeed love Lighthouse and show it through their passion and excitement.
There were those who shared that they were challenged to really step up their participation, whether it was through prayer, giving, or serving. I know that I gave some pretty strong challenges at the meeting, as did elder Mike Chon. I know that it's not always easy hearing words of exhortation or admonishment, but the one thing that I am really thankful for is that many of you take it to heart and know that it's not simply to make you feel guilty or bad, but to earnestly challenge you to excel still more for the sake of Christ and His church.
So my prayer is that you would really just love Christ all the more, and out of that love strive to just love being His bride, the church. Submission to Him would be more of a joy if it was out of love than duty and I hope that your service to the Head of the church is not just something you feel obligated to do. Being the bride really is to rejoice in our high calling - can you believe that we belong to Christ? Can you believe that we have been called to be the object of His grace and love? We are so undeserving! We, in our sinfulness, have absolutely nothing to offer and yet He takes the tattered, dirty, sin-stricken souls and pulls us out of the miry clay to give us a new song that we might sing boldly to a dark world that needs to hear the light of the gospel of Christ.
So let's relish being His bride. Let Lighthouse, through our collective membership, really shine bright and bring much glory and honor to our Savior!
There were those who shared that they were challenged to really step up their participation, whether it was through prayer, giving, or serving. I know that I gave some pretty strong challenges at the meeting, as did elder Mike Chon. I know that it's not always easy hearing words of exhortation or admonishment, but the one thing that I am really thankful for is that many of you take it to heart and know that it's not simply to make you feel guilty or bad, but to earnestly challenge you to excel still more for the sake of Christ and His church.
So my prayer is that you would really just love Christ all the more, and out of that love strive to just love being His bride, the church. Submission to Him would be more of a joy if it was out of love than duty and I hope that your service to the Head of the church is not just something you feel obligated to do. Being the bride really is to rejoice in our high calling - can you believe that we belong to Christ? Can you believe that we have been called to be the object of His grace and love? We are so undeserving! We, in our sinfulness, have absolutely nothing to offer and yet He takes the tattered, dirty, sin-stricken souls and pulls us out of the miry clay to give us a new song that we might sing boldly to a dark world that needs to hear the light of the gospel of Christ.
So let's relish being His bride. Let Lighthouse, through our collective membership, really shine bright and bring much glory and honor to our Savior!
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
DTR2 Preview - Part 3
Dating is typically a farce of two people pretending to be someone that they really aren't to get something that they want that they don't have with the least amount of investment and the greatest amount of return in the shortest amount of time. Even for those who say that they are Christians, it tends to be the same deal. At the heart of this farce is the self-serving agenda that sees the other person as a means to my own ends and if it doesn't work out, then out they go.
Relationships are not about you!! If you truly know the love of God, you will then understand that the love you have been given is a love TO be given. Too many people start and end with the expectation of "What do I get out of this?" and if the other person is found to be dissatisfying in any way or form, there is the quick out.
For the Christian that truly desires to glorify God, a dating relationship is an opportunity to display the love of God in the way that God intended, a display of His glory. Does the love of God characterize your life? Read 1 Corinthians 13. Read the whole chapter. Do you love the way God defines love to be? Notice that the point isn't about you. Love is not about you. Love is about you serving someone else. YOU are called to be patient, YOU are called to be kind, and on the list goes. But subtly, or maybe not so subtly, we twist this whole idea and place the expectation on the other person to be patient with ME, on the other person to be kind to ME, and the object of all the actions is ME! It's no wonder so many couples are ill-prepared for marriage, because after a lifelong pursuit of self, you can't help but transfer that self-centeredness into a relationship and all you are revealing is how much you are in love with yourself.
I would like to challenge you, especially if you are already in a dating relationship, to really ask yourself if you are preparing to love like 1 Corinthians 13 calls you to. Or if you are honest, are you just looking for your own self-interests to be served? True love is a love that is pure between two people, that is grounded in the cross of Christ and hopeful in light of the resurrection of Christ. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. This is the kind of love that will not fail you, not during the dating stage, the engagement stage, and throughout the marriage stage. But if you fail to really grasp this kind of love, you are in for a miserable journey that you probably didn't anticipate, but didn't prepare for either.
Love is not about you!
Relationships are not about you!! If you truly know the love of God, you will then understand that the love you have been given is a love TO be given. Too many people start and end with the expectation of "What do I get out of this?" and if the other person is found to be dissatisfying in any way or form, there is the quick out.
For the Christian that truly desires to glorify God, a dating relationship is an opportunity to display the love of God in the way that God intended, a display of His glory. Does the love of God characterize your life? Read 1 Corinthians 13. Read the whole chapter. Do you love the way God defines love to be? Notice that the point isn't about you. Love is not about you. Love is about you serving someone else. YOU are called to be patient, YOU are called to be kind, and on the list goes. But subtly, or maybe not so subtly, we twist this whole idea and place the expectation on the other person to be patient with ME, on the other person to be kind to ME, and the object of all the actions is ME! It's no wonder so many couples are ill-prepared for marriage, because after a lifelong pursuit of self, you can't help but transfer that self-centeredness into a relationship and all you are revealing is how much you are in love with yourself.
I would like to challenge you, especially if you are already in a dating relationship, to really ask yourself if you are preparing to love like 1 Corinthians 13 calls you to. Or if you are honest, are you just looking for your own self-interests to be served? True love is a love that is pure between two people, that is grounded in the cross of Christ and hopeful in light of the resurrection of Christ. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. This is the kind of love that will not fail you, not during the dating stage, the engagement stage, and throughout the marriage stage. But if you fail to really grasp this kind of love, you are in for a miserable journey that you probably didn't anticipate, but didn't prepare for either.
Love is not about you!
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Contributing to the Needs of the Saints
This past weekend was a rollercoaster ride! I can't help but be affected by collisions with the Korean culture that really cause me to wonder, "Why?" Why must culture come in front of people? When did culture become god? I understand the reality of culture and that there are distinctives between each culture but when you come to know Christ, there is no longer Jew or Gentile (or Korean or American for that matter). It is Christ that we identify with, not that Christ identifies with our cultural identity. For those who know me, you will understand that after a couple of decades of frustration, I have become quite pessimistic now about any kind of redeeming value to be found in Korean churches.
I know that that is too much of a categorical statement but I have found the number of sound, God-honoring, biblical churches to be miniscule, especially when you consider the inordinate amount of churches for such a small immigrant community. Don't get me wrong. I love my heritage. I love Korean food. I love the fact that I have some unique history in my background that I can appreciate and share with others. But these things are all superseded by the Kingdom of God. I am no longer a citizen of this world but an alien, a stranger. The family of God, the church, those who have been called to be saints, these are the ones that I now identify with in identifying with Christ.
Romans 12:13 has been lived out by a generation that many in the first generation have called "selfish, stingy, spoiled, self-serving, unappreciative, and disrespectful." I have found those who make up Lighthouse to be selfless, generous, giving servants who have shown tremendous love and care through their kindness and mercy through prayers, notes, and food. They even offer to help drive the kids, take care of the kids, and be helpful in any way possible. I cannot help but think how ironic it is that a generation that has been accused of giving so little is now starting to respond to the call to be not only receivers but contributers to the needs of the saints.
Thank you! I just have to say thanks to the many who have brought tremendous encouragement through your thoughtfulness, your willingness to serve, your hearts of compassion, and your continued faithfulness to display the love of Christ in such visible ways. Angela and I are so blessed, as are our children, who are overwhelmingly loved by you.
I praise God that you are simply obeying Him out of a genuine love for Him. This is revealed in your love for the saints. By this the world can see that you are followers of Jesus, that you are disciples of the One who lived and died and rose again, so that we might no longer live for ourselves but for Him.
May your contributions continue to flow generously to all!!
I know that that is too much of a categorical statement but I have found the number of sound, God-honoring, biblical churches to be miniscule, especially when you consider the inordinate amount of churches for such a small immigrant community. Don't get me wrong. I love my heritage. I love Korean food. I love the fact that I have some unique history in my background that I can appreciate and share with others. But these things are all superseded by the Kingdom of God. I am no longer a citizen of this world but an alien, a stranger. The family of God, the church, those who have been called to be saints, these are the ones that I now identify with in identifying with Christ.
Romans 12:13 has been lived out by a generation that many in the first generation have called "selfish, stingy, spoiled, self-serving, unappreciative, and disrespectful." I have found those who make up Lighthouse to be selfless, generous, giving servants who have shown tremendous love and care through their kindness and mercy through prayers, notes, and food. They even offer to help drive the kids, take care of the kids, and be helpful in any way possible. I cannot help but think how ironic it is that a generation that has been accused of giving so little is now starting to respond to the call to be not only receivers but contributers to the needs of the saints.
Thank you! I just have to say thanks to the many who have brought tremendous encouragement through your thoughtfulness, your willingness to serve, your hearts of compassion, and your continued faithfulness to display the love of Christ in such visible ways. Angela and I are so blessed, as are our children, who are overwhelmingly loved by you.
I praise God that you are simply obeying Him out of a genuine love for Him. This is revealed in your love for the saints. By this the world can see that you are followers of Jesus, that you are disciples of the One who lived and died and rose again, so that we might no longer live for ourselves but for Him.
May your contributions continue to flow generously to all!!
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