by Pastor Patrick Cho

Happy New Year to all LBC family and friends!

2009 has already been a year full of unexpected turns as I again sat in the hospital today wondering if I would have to go in to surgery. But thankfully it turned out to be a less traumatic issue and I was sent home with a list of medications to take and ordered to rest. Why does my body betray me at the time when I need it most to cooperate as I look forward with anticipation to the new year? I don’t know but God must have some interesting plans in store. But my Bible reading has been sweet, even to the point of moving me to tears (which is not something that happens often). The drama in redemptive history is greater than any man-made story and it is amazing to see how God has given us a treasure in the greatest masterpiece ever written by the greatest Author to ever breathe words. So the bedrest is allowing me to read more, something that in recent times has been severely curtailed. I am thankful.

I hope that this year will be one full of the grace and mercy of our Savior that we have not only experienced through the cross to save us from our sins but that which we experience daily in the process of sanctification so that we might strive to press forward in pursuing Jesus Christ with all our heart. The road is definitely not easy and there are struggles ahead that we would not anticipate but God has made a promise that He would always be with us and never forsake us. The love which we have received and continue to receive is unbreakable, unshakeable, unconquerable, and undeniable because it has already been proven, grounded, and manifested through John 3:16. So take hope my brothers and sisters and though Satan should buffet and trials come, we have the clear assurance that Christ has regarded my helpless estate and has shed His own blood for my soul!

Please be in prayer as we start off the year and get things back off the ground. Bible studies, Grace Life flocks, Sunday School classes, and many other things have already begun or will resume this weekend. Please prayerfully make every effort to fulfill Hebrews 10:24-25, for the building up of the body depends on you being there to build it up. Please pray. Pray, pray, pray! Pray that we would love God the most and pray that we would love our neighbors with that God-centered and God-entranced love, for no other love will do. Pray that the love of God would be shed abroad in the hearts and minds of everyone at our church, that our love would not grow cold like the Ephesian church in Revelation 2, which received a harsh rebuke from Christ. Pray the prayer of Ephesians 3:14–21

Prayer for Spiritual Strength

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

On a sidenote, many have been asking why I have switched to using the ESV version of the Bible. There is a simple reason. I would like the whole of our church to have one translation from children’s ministry to adult ministry so that we can have one common version that we can all look to and read from and study. The children’s curriculum from Desiring God is starting to transfer all their materials to the ESV version, which is much more readable than the NASB for children. I know some adults still find the NASB difficult to understand. This is not to say it is mandatory for you to go out and buy an ESV version of the Bible but if you would prayerfully consider doing so, especially those of you parents who have young children, I think it would be most helpful to have one version so that children don’t get confused when you read from your various Bibles. One place you can go to is Evangelical Bible Bookstore in North Park. Their website address is http://www.christianbookstore.net?utm_source=ebible&utm_medium=ebible&utm_campaign=ebible and their street address is as follows:

US TOLL FREE: 1-800-450-5858
3812 Grim Ave.
San Diego, CA 92104

They typically have everything 20% off retail so you get a good deal and you would also be helping support one of our local Christian bookstores which I am sure has been hit hard just like other businesses. They have always been so friendly and I know them well (having been there many times =) so please let them know that you are from Lighthouse Bible Church. If you can afford it, I would recommend getting the ESV study Bible, which recently came out. It is jampacked with study notes and helps – it’s actually pretty hefty so it would be good exercise to carry it. I know that for those of you who invested in a MacArthur study Bible are probably saying, “Don’t do this to me!” – either one is good but if you can, it would be a worthy investment. I did hear that the MacArthur Study Bible is coming out in the ESV in a year or two so if you want to wait for that, you can patiently wait. If you have any further questions regarding the change to the ESV, please feel free to talk to me or e-mail me. But I hope that you will understand that I hope to develop a greater unity and sense of togetherness from the children all the way to the older adults and what better way than to have one version which we can all use. Please pray before you react =)