Happy Thanksgiving!

I know it's a little bit late, but I still thought it would be good to reflect on some things I am thankful for:

1. Salvation. I know this is the default #1 item on almost every believer's list, but it still shouldn't be overlooked or trivialized. Every time I think about the kind of sinner I am and the kind of God He is, it amazes me that He would desire to know me and for me to know Him. I bring nothing to the table. I have nothing to offer. He gives it all and accomplishes everything for me to be counted righteous before Him. All this was done by Christ's sacrifice on the cross. Amazing love!

2. Family. Christine and I have been married over four years now and have seen Eden grow through her first year of life. I'm thankful that I still have vivid memories of the day Christine and I were married (especially after hearing from so many who don't remember their wedding day at all because of how busy it was). I remember the day Eden was born and how weird it was to think I was a dad. I'm extremely thankful for it all.

3. Church. Lighthouse is the best church I have ever attended! I'm thankful for the relationships we have in our pastoral team and elders. I'm thankful for loving members who encourage and support their leadership and are eager to grow in their relationships with Christ. I'm also thankful that we have a congregation that believes in the MVP and is excited to see the Vision put to action! (Go San Jose!)

4. Friends. I'm thankful for God-centered friendships that I have been able to cultivate over the years. For many of these relationships, we don't have to stay in touch often. We just pick up where we left off even if it has been months since our last conversation. Good friends are oftentimes hard to find. I'm so thankful for the ones I have. I'm especially thankful that they are believers and we have the hope of spending time together for eternity in the pursuit of knowing God more. I'm also thankful that I have friends who are not afraid to say the hard word and are comfortable enough with me lovingly to tell me when I am wrong.

5. God's Kind Patience. Even though I know that God has saved me, I still continue to do the things that God needed to save me from. I know that I will be a lifelong project, but sometimes I wonder if God is thinking I'm taking much longer to grow than I should. Praise God for His steadfast love and patience toward me. If my salvation was not secure in Him, I would have no hope.

There's so much more I am thankful for, but these are the first five things that came to mind. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends! Remember that the good things we enjoy come from the hand of our loving God. Give praise continuously to Him!

Trust in the Lord

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make straight your paths."

This passage really humbled me this morning as God has revealed more and more how self-sufficient I strive to be. It is so sad how sometimes when I am busiest and most in need of God's aid, I strive to be more independent and reliant on my own strength? Sometimes I feel like I will be crushed by the weight of all that needs to be done, and still I fail to pray and trust in His power. This passage was God's way of reminding me that this is His church. It is His ministry. And if I would but surrender to Him and allow Him to use me as His instrument, I would see how much better He can do it than I.

Truth Is What Matters

A while back, I had a fun little debate posted on my blog about whether Coke or Pepsi is superior. I remembered this earlier today and it got me thinking. People generally have a tendency to go with what feels good or seems right in their hearts. Decisions are not based on objective reasoning. Instead, you often hear encouragement to “go with your gut” or do “whatever seems best.” But how do you know your gut can be trusted? How do you know whether what seems best to you really is best? These strategies only prove themselves to be reliable if we actually possess the ability to make these determinations on our own. Certainly with some decisions the consequences are not all that significant (e.g. “Which flavor ice cream should I order?” Or “Should I go to the mall today?”). However, it is scary when people use this criteria as the basis behind life’s bigger choices.

The fact is, the Bible teaches that the heart is ultimately deceptive. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” Romans 1:21 speaks of sins effect on the mind, namely that sin causes futility in thinking and foolish darkened hearts. Although feelings and emotions can often be helpful, they can also be very misleading and so must not be the final determiner of truth. I don’t think any true believer would argue that truth is ultimately within them. Obviously, Christians fight for the objective truth of God’s Word from passages like John 17:17. However, many Christians violate their view of authority practically, and they manifest this through their reasoning in decision making. Instead of banking on objective, faithful, biblical principles, the thought that determines choices is, “What do I feel is best?”

Our circumstances and experiences obviously are going to influence how we feel. We like to talk about “getting up on the wrong side of the bed” or “just knowing that it is going to be a good day.” It is difficult to find joy when life is tough and it is easy to feel down when trouble comes our way. We must remember, though, that while circumstances are significant, they ultimately do not make us what we are. Our circumstances are not to govern our emotions. Instead, by the Spirit’s working in our lives, we are to exercise temperance and control our emotions and desires regardless of our circumstances. This is why Scripture calls us to rejoice in the Lord always (Phil. 4:4). This is why Paul and Silas could sing even while in prison (Acts 16:25). This is why even the thought of death cannot steal our joy (Phil. 1:21-23; 1 Cor. 15:55).

Truth matters. Without God’s truth anchoring our hearts, we are likely to follow the inclinations of our hearts. But our hearts are fickle, limited, and deceitful. How much better is it to base our decisions upon principles that have been established by God and have stood the test of time? It is foolishness to forsake God’s truth and exchange it for anything else. What does this have to do with Pepsi or Coke being best? It just means that whatever the decision, it ought to be made based on objective truths and not just on an emotional bias or appeal. All factors considered, Coke is the obvious choice.

The Body of Christ

This past Sunday I had the opportunity to preach about the basis behind the unity of the church as it is stated in 1 Corinthians 12:12-13. Just as the body has many different types of parts, but they all come together to make one body, so it is with the church. The various members of the church with all their different spiritual gifts, abilities, and talents come to serve together as one symbiotic whole.

I particularly appreciated that Paul writes in vs. 12, "so it is with Christ." He does not say, "...so it is with the church," or even "...so it is with the body of Christ." He makes the point that the church is the physical representation of Christ on earth. When the members come together to serve in the church, they are fulfilling their role as part of Christ's body. In other words, to be committed to the church is to show one's commitment to Christ Himself.

Paul writes in vs. 13 that the church is made one by God's Spirit in whom we have been baptized by Christ (cf. Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 2:33). By being baptized in the Spirit, we are made one body in Christ. It does not matter whether we are Jew or Gentile, slaves or free; if we are in Christ, we are one body. Paul is clear to indicate that all the believers at Corinth had received this baptism. It was not a second work of grace in their lives but came as a result of their salvation. When they were saved, they were baptized in the Spirit and made part of the body of Christ. This is a profound statement. In a real sense, church membership came as part of the package when they became Christian!

Not only have we been immersed in the Spirit, but Paul concludes that we have been made to drink of that Spirit as well. By this, Paul is referring to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Not only do we have the external support of the body of Christ having been baptized in the Spirit, but we also have the Spirit's internal influence as well! Certainly this is great cause for rejoicing for the believer. We who were completely void of the Spirit before coming to know Christ now have the Spirit's influence around us and within us. It bears witness to the fact that when God saves an individual, He does not withhold His blessing (cf. Luke 11:13).

The following passages in 1 Corinthians 12 go into the practical outworkings of this unity and are very applicable for the church, so I can't wait to get into those passages in the coming messages.

Shine the Light in San Jose

It's finally happening! After ten years of ministering in San Diego, Lighthouse is going to act on its Vision Statement and plant a church in the San Jose area. Even while typing these words, it seems a bit surreal. Most of the members at Lighthouse probably remember the spiel from their membership interview about how one day John would go up to the pulpit and announce that we are going to plant a church in some Podunk city in Oklahoma (not that Oklahoma is a bad place to live!).

But the day has come. The location is not Podunk, but San Jose, and the goal is summer of 2010. Make no mistake! This is going to require a lot of hard work and diligent planning if we are going to be able to get a team up to San Jose by then. When Lighthouse first began about ten years ago, there was an exciting buzz in the air. Everyone came out to everything. People were excited to be together and to be a part of the ministry. We knew that one day some of that would fade and that the "honeymoon" phase would eventually come to an end, but it was still exciting to be a part of that time. There was an intense commitment and consistency on the part of each member. If this church plant is going to succeed, it will require similar commitment and consistency on the part of all the members.

One of the most encouraging things about this new direction is the response we received from the members. There was a feeling of genuine excitement at the members meeting on Sunday. A few came and communicated their support afterwards and I appreciated their kind words. Most who talked to me promised that they would pray for me and the leadership. I appreciated that as well. Now is the time to make good on those promises. A year from now, hopefully we can all say that we have faithfully prayed for Lighthouse. We're going to have to pray.

We're also going to have to rethink our lives. For many, this will be a time of thoughtful reevaluation. Do you live your life as if it is the Lord's or do you manage your life as if you are in control? Are you holding on to what you have loosely or is your life in San Diego so precious to you that you would be unwilling to go anywhere else the Lord would lead? Of course, we can't have everyone go. Knowing that I am now preparing to be the new senior pastor at Lighthouse, I can confidently say, "You better not all go!" =) But we are going to need some to go. We are going to want families to go. That is going to require a bit of faith and may prove to be quite challenging for some.

This is an exciting time for the church, but it is a time when we particularly need to lean on the Lord for His guidance and strength. People may tell us we're crazy (that's what they said ten years ago), but we are determined to believe that God can do seemingly impossible things through us if we allow Him to. Honestly, I'm excited for the next church plant. Perhaps it'll be in three years. Maybe it'll be in five. But now that the ball is rolling for Lighthouse Bible Church of San Jose, there's no telling where the Lord might have us plant next. The Vision of LBC doesn't end with LBC San Jose. I'm confident this is just the beginning. We just need the members to be onboard. We need to constantly ask ourselves, "Do we really believe in the MVP of LBC?" enough to act on it.

Flexing Some Muscle

It's been three weeks since the pastoral staff has been working out together on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Honestly, I didn't think I would ever get to a point where I would actually enjoy that time, but strangely, I now look forward to it. It has been easier getting myself ready and out the door. The one part of it that I particularly dreaded was the treadmill. (I can't express how much I abhor running.) But honestly, that part of it really isn't that bad anymore either. It's not that it's easier. I still have a looong way to go before I get anywhere near being healthy. =) It's just that I've gotten used to it and the workout wouldn't be the same without it.

At first, working out in the mornings would drain me physically for the rest of the day. My body would be sore and achy all week. Now, I think my body has grown accustomed to it, and I actually feel like I have more strength and energy each day. It's amazing how a little bit of discipline can go a long way.

One other interesting observation is that it seems when I am doing well physically, my spiritual life comes on board and improves as well. I know bodily discipline is of little profitable and that I should discipline myself for the purpose of godliness, but being disciplined in general affects my life as a whole. I eat better, I sleep better, and I spend better time with the Lord. Perhaps it is because my mindset is to be disciplined. When I don't have this discipline in my life, my spiritual walk tends to be more sporadic and inconsistent.

I'm so thankful for the accountability that John and J.R. bring each week. I'm sure it's not always going to be easy for us to keep this going, but knowing that I'm the one with the key to the gym gets me up. If I'm late, I affect everyone. =)

Please pray for the pastoral staff in this regard. We understand the importance of exercising regularly because we need the energy that comes with it. We don't want to be a bunch of sluggish sacks of fat. I heard once that Eric Alexander characterized American preachers that way. He said that he could always tell who was a lazy pastor because they were fat. Pastoral ministry is difficult enough without our bodies slowing us down unnecessarily. Please pray for this discipline that we might be more effective for God's kingdom as a result. And maybe, just maybe, one day J.R. won't make me and John look so bad!

Meditations from 1 Thessalonians 2:7

I have had a lot of time to think about ministry this past week especially as I have been walking through 1 Thessalonians in my daily devotions. If there is any principle I am confident we must master, it is to do all things in love for God and for one another. This is so evident in the life and ministry of Paul, and it needs to be evident in us as well.

With the growth of the church body, it can become very easy to reduce ministry to programs. With this mentality, you just treat people as if they are problems that need to be solved. We forget that they are people with hearts that are oftentimes broken and in need of mending. We analyze a person’s situation and treat ministry as if it is simply taking a round biblical principle and plugging it into their round problem hole. I wish ministry was that simple, but unfortunately it isn’t. People are more complicated than that. Problems are more complicated than that. Oftentimes you unravel one problem to realize there are thirty more underneath it.

On top of that, a person isn’t just a problem that needs a solution. People feel. They hurt. They can be broken. Paul’s attitude towards the church was to treat them with gentleness as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her children (1 Thess. 2:7). The idea of gentleness literally means to be "mild, warm or kind." It is the exact opposite of using “tough love” or treating people coldly as if they are projects that need to be worked on. Paul’s example of love for the church is something I know I need to learn. There is so much to ministry I do not yet know and am still in the process of learning.

God Is the Gospel, by John Piper

This is one of those books that is quickly becoming a "classic." As defined by Rick Holland, a classic is a book that everyone has on their shelf and no one has read! In my personal reading, I have been trying to pick up many of these classics and start reading through them. Fortunately for me, this wonderful book by John Piper is one of the first ones I picked up. If you have not read this book, I highly recommend it.

God Is the Gospel provides a good and helpful walk through the gospel message in a way that many Christians might not understand. In a church that is saturated with man-centered theology and ministry, Piper redirects our thoughts to God and reminds us that the gospel is primarily about God and His glory. Drawing from truths read in John Owen and (of course!) Jonathan Edwards, Piper walks through all the blessings of the gospel, including justification, sanctification, and glorification, and shows how these gifts of the gospel were meant to ultimately provide us with the opportunity to see and savor God. The gospel is not as much about making much of us as it is about making much of Christ.

Thus, Piper asks a significant and poignant question: If you could go to heaven after you die and experience all its wonderful blessings -- the absence of pain, the perfect fellowship of the saints, streets of gold -- except that God was not there, would you be content to remain there? Sadly for most Christians, this would be acceptible because they do not treasure God in their lives as much as they treasure the blessings and gifts God provides. Salvation from sin is an amazing gift, but it was not given as an end to itself. It was given as a means to enjoy God forever. This is what the Apostle John meant when he wrote, "And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life" (1 John 5:20). Christ came and gave us understanding so that we may know Him who is true. The purpose was to know God, not just His salvation blessings.

I encourage all to pick up and read this book. Read it along with John Owen's amazing book The Glory of Christ and fill your minds with meditations of Christ. It is in the face of Christ that we are to see God's glory. This is why Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 4:6, "For God, who said, 'Light shall shine out of darkness,' is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." God Is the Gospel serves as a wonderful commentary of this foundational verse.

Practicing in Dating What You Know to Be True

A few weeks ago I had a chance to speak during the DTR series about “Breaking Up to the Glory of God.” In the introduction to that message I made some comments about the importance of developing a solid theology of dating and I wanted to elaborate on those thoughts. The basic idea is that even Christians with a good understanding of theology oftentimes do not put their beliefs into practice when it comes to dating. Although they might profess to believe in particular aspects of biblical theology, they live as though they don’t. James exhorts believers not to be mere hearers of the Word, but doers also (James 1:22). In particular, it isn’t enough to have a correct understanding of God and His Word if you are not willing to allow your beliefs to affect your thinking.

Here are some examples of how I have witnessed people doing this (and how I have done this as well!)…

The Glory of God. When it comes to the glory of God, every good Christian knows what Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 10:31. Everything you do, regardless of how mundane, is supposed to be for the glory of God. The glory of God is really supposed to be the ultimate motivation behind everything a person does because God is worthy of all glory and honor and praise. When you seek to enter into a dating relationship, it becomes tempting to have personal desires take precedence over God’s will. You may seek to live for personal satisfaction rather than the glory of God, and that which should take ultimate priority takes a back seat. When you do not get what you want, you have sinful attitudes of doubting and complaining. This manifests that you do not seek God's glory as much as you ought.

The Sovereignty of God. Psalm 103:19 states, “The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all.” You may have come to the conviction that God is sovereign over all things. The Bible even teaches that God is sovereign over a person’s salvation (Eph. 1:5), and many Christians are happy to accept this because they know that they would never have sought after God if He had not have first chosen them. When it comes to dating, though, practically you may exhibit a lack of trust in the sovereignty of God. Questions may flood into your mind like, “What if I don’t act soon enough?” or “What if he/she starts dating someone else?” All of a sudden, because you are gripped with getting what you want, you abandon your belief in the sovereignty of God and try to manipulate and control circumstances on your own. You must act because you doubt that the Lord will act on your behalf. You doubt that God is in control and so you take matters into your own hands.

The Goodness of God. James tells us that every good thing and every perfect gift is from our heavenly Father (James 1:17). Why is it that in the context of dating you tend to question God’s goodness so much? When things don’t go your way, you question whether God is good. “Why would God give me such longings only to not let me have what I want?” Ultimately, this is the wrong question to ask. The correct question is, “Why aren’t my desires in line with God’s desires for my life?” God is a good God, but somehow you may be tempted to doubt this if you do not end up with the person you had hoped for.

The Wisdom of God. Perhaps you are sure that a certain guy or gal is the one for you. When that person does not feel the same way as you, do you question whether God knows what He is doing? Perhaps you need to meditate on Romans 11:33-36 and the awesome wisdom of God. You ought not to act as though God is mistaken. He is infinitely wise and knows how to govern your life in the best way.

The Omniscience and Omnipresence of God. If you find yourself in the context of dating, and you have a clear understanding that God is always there and always watching, you would be less susceptible to sexual sin. Solomon says to his son in the context of warning him against sexual sin, “For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the LORD, And He watches all his paths” (Prov. 5:21). Do you live as though God is always there and that He is always watching? Psalm 139:1-12 speaks about God’s amazing omnipresence and omniscience, but in a dating context you may live as though you think God is blind or absent.

The Sufficiency of Scripture. When it comes to the theology of the Bible, many would argue that the Bible doesn’t say anything about dating. I know what these people mean, that one will not find the idea of dating in any Bible concordance and that there is no chapter and verse on dating in particular. My greatest question in response, though, is if the Bible gives no wisdom about dating, where do you turn for that wisdom? 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and Psalm 19:7-11 speak of the sufficiency of the Word of God. In it we find the instructions for life and God’s requirements of us. It is the standard of truth that all other worldly wisdom must answer to. If the Bible says nothing about dating, giving no principles to help those in a dating context, then how can a person know how he or she is supposed to date? Would you rather turn to Oprah, movies, or your friends? Where are you going to get the guidance that is necessary to pursue a dating relationship that honors God if not from the Bible?

The Authority of Scripture. Even after a person seeks the Scriptures for principles that are applicable in a dating context, they do not always abide by them. When you act against clear principles from God’s Word, you manifest a distrust in the authority of Scripture. You would rather turn to another authority and reason for yourself what is right or wrong. The nation of Israel was guilty of this and fell into moral ruin. God says the reason why they did this was because, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). So often we think it is wise to act on what our hearts tell us. We think God is giving us peace about our decisions because we feel good about them. But the Bible says that our hearts are deceitful and sick (Jer. 17:9). Because of our sinfulness, our minds have been tainted by sin (cf. Gen. 6:5; Rom. 1:21-22). It is because of sin’s impact on the mind that our hearts are not the best determiner of what is sound. We need to seek the authority of God’s Word because without it we are like people in the dark with no light to lead us (Ps. 119:105).

These are just a few examples of how we demonstrate the weakness of our theology in the context of dating and relationships. We would be wise to be more consistent. It is not enough to have a load of head knowledge about God and His Word if you are not willing to live as though you believe it. God is not out to kill your fun. He desires the best for you. When you trust in His character, even when things do not go your way, you can hope that He has a better plan in store for you. Practicing good theology is vital to surviving the "dating game"! I cannot imagine how I would have survived all the anxiety, rejection, and loneliness if I did not have the sound principles and teaching from God's Word. It is not that I practiced everything perfectly either. As one of my seminary professors said, "Dating is a cruel, hard game... but we must all play that game." What better way to tackle one of the most significant decisions in your life than to seek God's Word for wisdom and guidance?

Take It to the Lord in Prayer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.