Author Archives: Stephen Rodgers

Grace Life

by Grace Wu

Out of all the ministries that exist at Lighthouse, one constitutes the foundation of it all: Grace Life. This is not to say the children or outreach ministries are not important. Rather, it is through Grace Life’s equipping of the older generation that these ministries can function effectively.

For elder and Isaiah Flock leader Peter Lim, this emphasis on equipping and teaching the older people of Lighthouse is why Grace Life is important to him.

“Leading a flock of grown men and women is an important opportunity for two way interaction that can’t be taken for granted since these opportunities are relatively rare. I have discovered through my own attitudes and through others’ that people tend to be less teachable as they age. This is unfortunately true even for Biblical truths. But this is exactly why ministry to the oldest people in our church is so important. We have an opportunity to not only affect our generation with spiritual values but also our children’s generation too.”

A usual Isaiah flock meeting opens with singing, followed by the lesson portion of the meeting. Afterwards, the group is divided in men and women for a time of accountability, further discussion, and prayer. At the end, flock attendees can play with the children who are eager to see their parents after a few hours. At times, there are also potlucks and other informal get-togethers between flock groups.

“It’s also encouraging that families are willing to spend some extra time outside of Sunday mornings to get together and hang out and study together. Unfortunately some Married people choose not to participate for whatever reason but it’s really not as hard as some might think,” Peter said.

For flock attendees Arthur and France Wang, they too find Grace Life an important opportunity to learn as a family. In their flock, they are currently studying John McArthur’s “Before Abraham,” which discusses the creation up until the tower of Babel.

“It teaches us how the Old and New Testament biblical principles are tied together. It reminds us the Bible must be studied as a whole and is equally applicable,” France said. However, biblical knowledge isn’t the only lesson Arthur and France walk away with after a flock meeting. This ministry has also given them a peek into Christian parenting and how to raise godly children through the example of older and more mature believers they encounter.

“It is a great encouragement that families are so open with their struggles and triumphs. People genuinely care for one another in Godly love and it has been a blessing for us to be a part of this,” France said.

Grace Life flocks will also be undergoing changes as announced during the Members’ meeting on January 25. Instead of the biweekly meetings, it will be only meeting once a month. Furthermore, its format will change as it will be a time for men’s and women’s discipleship. The reason for this is to fulfill 2 Timothy 2:2 and the Titus 2 principle. Despite the reduced meetings throughout the month, it will still accomplish the Grace Life principle to spiritually feed the older people of the church. Under the new format, mothers can be spiritually encouraged while fathers will be able to spend more time with their children under this new flocks format. These changes, which take a trial run from March to May, will be a trial period to see Grace Life strengthened as the backbone of the church.

These changes in the Grace Life ministry is all for the purpose of building up the church body through the spiritual nourishment of the older people at Lighthouse. Thankfully we can see its fruits as different affinity groups serve the attendees of Grace Life. For Peter Lim and the Wangs, the childcare provided during flocks is another source of encouragement. This sacrificial service, though not part of the Bible study, still helps build up the older members of the church. It allows parents to have an interrupted time of Bible study, to learn in peace, so that they can fulfill 2 Timothy 2:2 and the Titus 2 principle.

Jonathan Edwards Resolution #58

by Pastor John Kim

Jonathan Edwards Resolution #58
Resolved, not only to refrain from an air of dislike, fretfulness, and anger in conversation, but to exhibit an air of love, cheerfulness and benignity. (May 27, and July 13, 1723)

Conversations. Talks. Social networking. “Fellowship” and “sharing” at church. Lunch time with the co-workers. Late night chats with friends. All these and more take place throughout the day with family, friends, classmates, roommates, and a host of others within our circle of relationships and there is a lot that gets communicated beyond just words. Our tone, our facial expressions, and all the other non-verbal cues that accompany our speech will often betray a message that is much more clear than the sentences we use.

The Scriptures are clear that what we say matters to God. It matters what we say and how we say it because we convey agendas to people that expose our heart intentions and judgments toward others or about others.

Ephesians 4:29 states, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” I think it is very important that we take time to see what happens during our conversations. If we were to be gauged and evaluated as to each conversation we have with people, would it show that we don’t like certain people? Do we show that we are anxious or stressed about situations? Do we get angry to the point where people have no doubt as to our emotional state because the words and expressions are so fiery that there is stream streaming out of the nostrils and ears.

Matthew 15:18-19
18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.

The Scriptures show that the words that come out of our mouths are directly connected to the spiritual condition of our hearts and if our hearts are filled with a lack of love for people, anxiety, or anger, it will reveal itself through our words. Conversely, if we are walking in the Spirit, we will exhibit through our words an attitude of love, cheerfulness, and instead of being harmful, we will be a blessing. We will show grace to those who are in need of a timely word. We will be patient when someone wrongs us with an unjust accusation or a sarcastic comment. We will not allow circumstances to rob us of our joy. Sounds easy but it actually is impossible if the Holy Spirit is not empowering you from the heart. Ugly things can come out of our mouths but all that shows is the ugliness within our hearts.

Jonathan Edwards was resolved to walk in the Spirit and to fulfill the Word of God by submitting every conversation to the Lordship of Christ. You can see it in his writings – he was completely consumed with how the glory of God related to all things that he studied.

May the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing to our Lord and be a blessing to those around us.

In His grace,
Pastor John

Church Planting and the Call to Discipleship

by Pastor JR Cuevas

You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

~2 Timothy 2:1-3

I recall once reading the words of a man who said that at the heart of Christian ministry is the ministry of discipleship. In fact, he argued that calling oneself a Christian is synonymous to saying that one is a disciple maker. As a youth pastor and one who strives for the ministry of the church, I could not agree more strongly.

When I first became a Christian, I saw discipleship as a strange thing. When friends would tell me that they were being “discipled” by some other older guy, I would get these strange pictures in my head of an older man reading his Bible to a younger man in the middle of some lake wearing a tunic and sandals as if to emulate scenes from Jesus’ talking to His disciples in a boat along the Sea of Galilee. The world “discipleship” conjured up all of these strange pictures consisting of nothing more than old-fashioned fishing nets. It was not until I myself began to be discipled by Peter Park that I received the true picture of what Christian discipleship truly looks like. Every week, for over a year, Peter would pick me up (either from school or home), take me out of some restaurant, sit down with me for an hour (sometimes two), and teach me how to follow Christ. He would listen to me share my greatest struggles with him, and in the most loving, caring, and sympathetic way, he would firmly admonish me and encourage me to turn from my sinful habits and instead live life in a God-honoring manner. He would get beneath the externals, and probe the desires of my heart, and work from there. Rather than simply correcting me, he would teach me from the Bible and from his own life how to practically live out my own. Peter’s discipleship relationship with me was not that of a boss lecturing his employee in a meeting, or a professor teaching his student in a classroom; it was the investment of his heart into mine, founded in a relationship based on true fellowship in Christ. I knew that when we would meet up, that I would have something new to work on and chew on for the next week. It was Peter’s investment in me that compelled me to devote my entire life endeavors to the making of disciples. Hence, a few months after we first met, I sent my application to The Master’s Seminary.

The preaching of God’s Word is the foundation of the doctrine from which the church takes root. But it is through discipleship that a church will be reproduced. When Christ discipled His apostles, He did more than preach to them; He lived with them and poured His life into theirs. Through all the time He spent with them, He imprinted His convictions and passions into their hearts, with all patience and compassion and firmness. This is the example by which the mandate to make disciples is to be accomplished. A disciple is made when an older, mature man or woman of God attaches himself to a younger, less experienced believer in order to teach him or her to walk in the manner with which Christ walked. It requires one’s time. It requires one’s energy. It requires one’s resources. It requires one’s heart. It requires one’s soul. Is this not why Paul, upon writing to the Thessalonians, expressed, “We were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives”?

This has several implications. First, discipleship implies that one must be strong in the grace of God. It is not something that one engages himself in apart from God’s power and apart from the knowledge of God’s love and mercy in his life. Second, discipleship implies that one must first be a disciple and continue to be discipled. I understand that I’m constantly in need of teaching and instruction, and have actively sought to attach myself to older men who can continue to guide and encourage me in the faith. Every Christian ought to seek discipleship from an older Christian; a refusal to do this is nothing less than pride. Third, this implies that discipleship requires a focus on teaching. Without the aspect of teaching someone how to honor God and be like Christ, discipleship would be nothing more than hanging out. It also implies that discipleship must continue on; one must disciple another with the purpose of raising up someone who will eventually be able to do the same to others.

I say this passionately in light of the up-and-coming church plant in 2010. A year-and-a-half is not a long time to prepare for such a monumental event. Since the Sunday that the plan for the church-plant to San Jose was announced, I’ve been peppered with questions dealing with the logistical aspect of things: “Who’s going? Who’s staying? JR, are you going? JR, where do you want to go?” While I understand the need to get the practical aspect of things, I’m afraid that for those who constantly ask these questions, the focus has been shifted from where God may want our minds and hearts to focus on. Instead of asking, “Should I go or should I stay?” one should be asking, “Will I be ready to go or stay?” Should one ask himself the latter, he is in good hands, for he has a tangible goal in mind: to step it up spiritually. Regardless of if you go to San Jose or stay in San Diego, one common necessity remains: faithful men and women of God who are willing to give their lives for Christ’s church. In a year and a half, we’ll need warriors to both spearhead the church plant or hold down the fort in San Diego. Both will require that the men courageously step up in leadership. Both require that the women firmly support and complement that leadership. Both need men and women of God. Both need disciples of Christ.

Thus, as young men and women, we ought to dedicate our lives to disciple-making. It will be crucial in the next year and a half that each and every one of us devote our lives to both discipleship and being discipled. We need to start asking, “Am I living life today the way Christ Himself would live it, and am I dedicated today to the things that Christ would dedicate Himself to?” If you’re not, attach yourself to an older Christian and beg him or her to teach you how. If you are, attach yourself to a younger Christian and strive to teach him or her how. I am confident that if we all do this for the next year while relying on the strength provided by God’s grace, we will be better equipped to take the next step.

Jonathan Edwards Resolution #57

by Pastor John Kim

Jonathan Edwards Resolution #57
Resolved, when I fear misfortunes and adversities, to examine whether I have done my duty, and resolve to do it, and let the event be just as providence orders it. I will as far as I can, be concerned about nothing but my duty, and my sin. (June 9, and July 13 1723)

When life throws us a curveball and takes our MS Outlook planned schedule and turns it all upside down, many can’t help but react with anger, frustration, anxiety, and a sense of uncertainty because it feels like we are not in control. The truth is that we really do not have much control, if any at all, over the circumstances around us, whether it be through relationships or through events. But the one thing that we do have some measure of control is how we respond to adversity and misfortune. As Jonathan Edwards points out there, his responsibility is to examine whether he has done his duty and to accept the events that come as God’s providential order. The other aspect that he is concerned about is a sinful response. Oftentimes we justify having a sinful attitude because we feel that the circumstances have caused us to have a sinful attitude, when in fact sin is always a choice. No one makes you sin, just as no one makes you angry. You have a choice to be angry. You don’t have to be angry. You can choose to be anxious. You don’t have to be anxious. This is not to say it is easy to not be anxious. It is a tremendous challenge to choose to be at peace amidst circumstances that are trying. Yet James 1:2 is very specific and clear regarding the choice we should make.

James 1:2-4 (ESV)
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

It’s not IF we encounter various trials but WHEN we encounter various trials that we must consider it all joy. There is a God-ordained purpose in our trials – it is to produce endurance. Without endurance we will surely fall to temptation and struggles too easily and so we must build a sense of perseverance that only comes as we are trained or disciplined through hardships.

Our duty and responsibility is to choose to have attitudes and act out in such a way that is worthy of our calling (Ephesians 4:1) and particularly when we are being tested through misfortune and adversity. Just like Job, can we follow in his example in response to the tidal wave of misfortune that caused him to lose everything within a span of minutes?

Job 1:20-22 (ESV)
20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” 22 In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.

It is a tough path to walk but it is possible when we choose to rest in the sovereignty of God and trust that in His loving grace and mercy He will accomplish His good purposes that we have yet to see or understand but that our responsibility is to act in such a way that shows our reliance on His grace and to not sin or charge God with wrong when we go through difficult times.

I can tell you that this is not an easy choice to make. There have been too many occasions where I have struggled greatly with making a choice not to sin or blame God when things are not going well. Even this past week there have been tests to my faith that are difficult to swallow because they involve people and situations that are very delicate and sensitive and it seems like the outcome is going to be pain and hurt, possibly even people leaving the church. But that is where we trust in God and our duty is to respond with a loving submission that obeys the Lord in choosing to act with godly character and humility in righteousness.

Let us follow Jonathan Edwards in his resolutions to pursue holiness in every aspect of life, even in response to trials. Trials are going to come and we must be prepared with an attitude that chooses God over circumstances.

In His grace,
Pastor John

Shine the Light in San Jose

by Pastor Patrick Cho

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.

Jonathan Edwards Resolution #56

by Pastor John Kim

To the LBC family and friends,

Jonathan Edwards Resolution #56
Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken, my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.

The pursuit of holiness is a relentless path in fighting sin and the propensity to be given over to our sinful desires on a daily basis. There are good days when we feel that we are disciplined for the purpose of godliness (1 Timothy 4:7-8) and then there are days when it seems that we are completely given over to the dark side and we wonder if we will ever have victory over sin in our lives. Jonathan Edwards recognized early on that the battle would not be over quickly as there would be days where he would be unsuccessful but the resolve was to never give up, to never slacken the fight against sin, the fight to pursue holiness and to practice godliness.

There are days when it is tempting to look at those who are of the world and as they seem to be enjoying themselves in their self-centered pursuit of pleasure even at the cost of sin, we need to be reminded that there are many who are reveling in their lusts and indulging in sins of the flesh and eyes and pride of life (1 John 2:15-17) but it will only incur the wrath of God. There are going to be consequences for sinning willfully and recklessly against a holy God, particularly when He has shown His grace through the gift of His Son. That’s why as believers our only hope is in the cross, that Jesus took our place and that He became sin so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). Our justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone has secured our salvation through the substitutionary atonement of Christ and our righteousness is only possible because of the imputation of Christ’s righteousness on our behalf in the throne room of God. We are called to holiness but we are not left alone to pursue it. It is by the grace of God that we fight the good fight of faith and that because we love a holy, holy, holy God who calls us to be holy as He is (1 Peter 1:15-16), we seek His holiness to be displayed in our lives so that His holiness might be magnified through us to His glory.

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones wrote these words:

I am to be holy because God is holy; I am to be holy because, if I am holy, I shall thereby display the glory of God in a manner which will be well pleasing to Him.

It is part of being a good soldier for Christ, that as we seek to please our commander (2 Timothy 2:4) and there is definitely some suffering involved in the fight for holiness because we are at war. There will be days where we struggle and fail because we lose sight of our Savior, because we fail to fix our eyes on Him as we should (Hebrews 12:1-3) and sin causes us to stumble. But we should not stay down when we fall but instead get back up and keep running the race with endurance.

It starts with beginning each day committed to where we will carry out our affections or desires. Will they be given over to Christ? Or will they be given over to the flesh? John Owen wrote on how sin carries on its war by entangling our desires and drawing them away from Christ. Sin starts in the heart and we need to be interested in more than behavioral modification, we need to be more interested in heart change that then results in a transformation of our actions that align with our heart attitudes.

We also need to be concerned for the walk of our fellow brothers and sisters as they face the battle for holiness in their lives. We need to stand alongside and help them persevere by encouraging and exhorting them to keep fighting the good fight, to pick them up when they fall, and to cheer for them in their growth, no matter how small the steps might be. We are in this together and we need to really show our love for one another by helping one another as often as we have the opportunity to do so.

Though there are tough days, press on and keep fighting the good fight of faith!

Praying for you,
Pastor John

Love or Die

by Pastor John Kim

The most recent book by Alexander Strauch titled, “Love or Die” is a very serious and challenging work that needs to be read by anyone who loves the church. The rebuke of the Ephesian church in Revelation 2 by Christ is one that every church needs to take seriously because hard work, perseverance, and even doctrinal purity are no guarantee for success in God’s eyes. What God is looking for is a heart that truly loves Him as well as loves others as Matthew 22:37-40 calls us to in what is known as the Great Commandment.

I have long feared that the day would come where our love would grow cold and it seems to be creeping into our church as the level of selfish ambition and empty conceit continue to rise in various forms. It breaks my heart to hear of the slander and gossip that takes place, the absolute refusal to apply the Peacemaker Pledge in dealing with conflict, and the lack of compassion that some have for others that don’t seem to please them for one reason or another. I have realized that even as I have been reading the Old Testament record of the nation of Israel found in the Pentateuch that though they were privileged to have seen incredible signs and wonders by God, were delivered from slavery in Egypt, saw God part the Red Sea and destroy Pharoah’s army, were fed with manna from heaven and all you can eat quail buffet line, had water drawn from rocks, it still was never enough to keep them from complaining and seeking to rebel against God’s leadership. While we might think we could do better, I don’t think so. Even with all God’s blessings given to us, His grace and mercy being poured out through the cross of Christ, His mercies being made new every morning, people who claim to be Christians still have the audacity to hate their brother or sister. I think that’s why the title “Love or Die” is very appropriate to consider. If we do not love the way God calls us to love, the church will die. Relationships will die. Pastors will die. Church member will die. It is a serious matter and I hope that everyone at Lighthouse will take the Passion statement serious – to love God and people. It’s not enough to make it a nice slogan. It’s not just something to recite at members meetings. It is the heart and soul of our Mission and Vision, for without true and genuine love for God and people, the mission will fail and the vision will fade.

It is the prayer of my heart that the members of our church will grow in their love, that it may abound more and more in real knowledge and all discernment so that we might approve the things that are excellent before God. We must help each other, for we are all incapable of doing it on our own. It truly is a team effort and I pray that we will be united in our love for God and people.

As it is our 10 year anniversary this year, let’s make it our goal to really ask if we believe in our MVP statement and will we actually live it out? This coming Sunday we will talk about our Mission and Vision and I hope that you are ready!

In His grace,
Pastor John

Jonathan Edwards Resolution #55

by Pastor John Kim

To the LBC family and friends!

Jonathan Edwards Resolution #55
Resolved, to endeavor to my utmost to act as I can think I should do, if, I had already seen the happiness of heaven, and hell torments. (July 8, 1723)

Remember the story “The Christmas Carol where Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Future? That is the picture that comes to mind when I think of this resolution. Imagine having a chance to see what our future would be like if we continued on the present course of how we lived. For some there would be the great anticipation of seeing a seen at the throneroom of God in heaven, united with Christ face to face, to receive a glorified body that has been fully freed from the remaining vestiges of sin and to know that eternal life is to be fully enjoyed in the presence of God. What joy there would be! To no longer be held back from being able to experience full and perfect intimacy with God, completely sanctified and holy because sin has been fully eradicated so that we might receive the fullness of our salvation and be in perfect harmony with God. I look forward to such a day. All those who truly love Jesus Christ and follow Him long for such a day. It is the great and living hope that we look forward to that helps us persevere and endure through the trials and tribulations of this life. If we were to actually get a glimpse as Scrooge did, how would it affect how we lived today?

The same would go if we were to get a peek at what life would be like in hell. The Bible describes it as a place of unimaginable torment and suffering. It is to pay the full consequence for having rejected the grace of God through Jesus Christ and to have rejected His Lordship. This would be more in line with the last scene that Scrooge has with the ghost of Christmas Future. He sees his grave and sees the consequences of all this actions upon others and it brings great terror to him to the point where he just asks for a chance to change. When Scrooge wakes up, he realizes that he has been given that opportunity and you see a totally different man. Would it be the same if God were to give a glimpse of the terrors of hell to a person? I would hope it would. That’s why we must not be shy in proclaiming the realities of hell and the tragic consequences of rejected Christ because the Bible makes it very clear that hell is a very real place and will be filled with eternal torment as a just punishment for those who have rejected a holy God.

Why does Jonathan Edwards have this kind of a resolution? Because it a certain sense, it is to remind him of the clear division between how one should live if you were to truly understand the realities of heaven and hell. You can’t simply dismiss it or treat it as some kind of fairytale story. For the one who truly loves Christ and desires to follow Him, it is the reality of heaven that awaits him and the terror of hell that drives him to the Savior because the understanding of what the consequences of sin ultimately are, that is, total separation from God for eternity.

I think this is a very valid resolution for everyone to consider. As you look at how you live today, do you live in light of what you know the Scriptures to say about the happiness of heaven and the torment of hell? Does it cause you to rejoice in the life that you have been called to live, even though there is suffering and tribulation in this life, but to know that to lose our lives in this world will be worth it all because it is for Christ? Does it cause you to have a heavy heart for the lost, for those of your family and friends that do not know the saving grace of Jesus Christ, that if they were to die today that they would face eternal condemnation for their sins and that they need to hear the truth of the gospel? Do you look at this world and realize that it is not the final destination of anyone who is living – that there are only two destinations and they are heaven and hell and is it something that really is urgent to you to represent as a Christian in terms of living out a gospel-centered life? Oh that we would be more mindful of heavenly things than earthly things (Colossians 3:2). Oh that we would love Christ more than the things of this world (1 John 2:15-17). Oh that we would live in light of eternity day by day, knowing that at any point we can enter into eternity and we will have to give an account to God as to how we lived.

May you consider this resolution carefully as we still are at the beginning of the new year.

Grace and peace,
Pastor John

Consider It All Joy

by Pastor John Kim

James 1:2 has long been instilled in my head and heart as a verse to keep in mind, particularly when things get difficult. But it is not easy to actually apply as the reality of life often overshadows the truth of God’s Word and it is easy to dismiss Scripture as impractical. But I am thankful that despite how I might feel about this, the truthfulness and the trustworthiness of the Scriptures remains constant due to the fact that God’s Word is inextricably tied to God’s character and nature.

But to consider it all joy when various trials are encountered – this is something easy to tell someone else but it is a whole other story when it comes to me. Next to the spiritual battles that have been waged over the years, the next most challenging thing has been the trials of my physical health. The past few weeks were indeed filled with some minor issues, a bad cough, a cold (it is the cold season), and an allergic reaction to my blood pressure medication that caused me to go visit the hospital. This past week I was introduced to a pain that I had not had before, that of diverticulitis. At first my doctor thought it might be appendicitis and I was bracing myself for surgery. While I understand it to be a common procedure that many undergo, nothing seems to be common to me. But after a battery of tests, I was finally diagnosed and was given a number of medications to take, which my wife Angela promptly took care of getting for me. By the evening time after having taken the first dose of the antibiotics, I started to get an allergic reaction and I knew that it had to be because of the medications. So off I went back to the hospital and was given additional medication as well as a switch on the antibiotics. So here I am in bed now not being able to do much since I end up getting drowsy from both the painkillers (I was in a lot of pain in my lower abdomen due to the inflammation in my colon as well as my lower back) and the antihistimine (for the allergic reaction). I have anti-nausea medication to combat the nausea that comes from the other medications. I see why pharmicists have a job now – they need to know how everything works together. So now I understand why doctors keep asking if you allergic to medications – it is not helpful to take medications that cause your body to do crazy things. So I am thankful to be alive because I know it is only by the mercies of God that I am.

So the past year has been filled with so many visits to the hospital that I feel like I am really getting to know the place well. Drawing blood is like second nature. Getting hooked up to iv’s and being subjected to swallowing all sorts of strange concoctions so that I can get scanned is old hat. But one thing I do know, I am able to truly say that it is causing me to appreciate all the more those who have suffered for the sake of Christ in ways that are unimaginable. As the end of Hebrews 11 shares, there were many who suffered horrendous deaths for the sake of Christ. If you have ever read J.C. Ryle’s work on the martyrs of the English Reformation, “Light from Old Times” or Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, you will see that today’s sufferings for those of us who live in southern California don’t even compare to those who willingly laid down their lives for the One whom they loved more than life itself. So I am thankful that my measly sufferings, as small as they might be, cause me to look forward and to press onward with endurance so as to run the race that Christ has called us to run.

At the same time I would ask for your prayers that I would be patient with the recovery time, that I would be diligent though I am dazed by the effects of all the medication I am taking, and that I would continue to experience joy in light of my Savior’s love.

Thank you for those who have been praying. I am so thankful.

New Year Greeting

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 =)