Author Archives: Stephen Rodgers

Thoughts from a Fireflies Teacher

by Hosanna Koo

I have been involved in the Fireflies ministry for the past five years and entered the teaching rotation this past summer. Over the past five years, I’ve witnessed God’s faithful hand in softening the hearts of the littlest members of our church. It doesn’t take much to see the depravity of sin in tiny humans who are solely concerned with satisfying their desires, whether it’s through the overwhelming need to have a certain toy at an exact moment with no possibility of sharing or the upset crying echoing down the hall. However, God is not impeded by sin. His grace is greater than our sin and He has overcome the world. He teaches us that He is mighty, that He is everywhere, and that He loves us.

In addition, God is not impeded by age. The fact that we have organized, structured lessons for one-year-olds can be puzzling, but we know that God can change anyone’s heart. If He can turn the vilest of sinners towards Him, then He can also save anyone regardless of age. We as a ministry are solely reliant on the Lord to bear any sort of fruit. Anytime a child demonstrates an understanding of who God is, all praise goes to the Lord of Heaven, because He is working. We do not labor in vain, but are instead comforted by the fact that God doesn’t need the words we speak, the songs we sing, or the pictures we use to communicate truth. We are encouraged by a God who works above human constraints to work wonderful miracles in the hearts of rebellious sinners.

Celebrating 20 Years at LBC San Diego

by Pastor Patrick Cho

While our Sunday services actually began in December 1998, this fledgling church was still getting things organized and figuring out how the various ministries were going to operate. Thus, the official inaugural Sunday for San Diego Lighthouse Bible Church was scheduled for May 2, 1999. It was a wonderful celebration seeing the ministry get off the ground. Pastor Chris Mueller came to preach for us, our first church leaders were installed, and our charter members were sworn in. Guests came in from all over to encourage us and celebrate together with us. There was a great feeling of jubilation that weekend!

A week later, the crowds were gone. Our small group of believers immediately felt the weight that comes with the daunting task of church planting in San Diego. While the group was significantly smaller, the worship was no less sincere. We were not just going through the motions of church ministry. We were offering our lives and service to the Lord.

We didn’t have everything figured out. We had no denominational affiliation nor were we planted by another church ministry, but we resolved to depend on the Lord every step of the way in faith and prayer. The church committed itself to maintaining a high view of God and a high view of His Word. We promised to be peacemakers and pursue God-honoring forgiveness and reconciliation in case of conflict. Our great desire was to shine the light of Christ in our community and even to the ends of the world.

Recently, the Lighthouse San Diego church family was overjoyed to celebrate 20 years of ministry. It is hard to believe that 20 years have gone by! Our anniversary weekend was a tremendous blessing especially because it was a sweet reunion and time of worship together with members visiting from all the Lighthouse churches. We were pleased to have both Dr. John MacArthur and Pastor John Kim preach for us. It was sweet to hear testimonies and words of encouragement from Pastors Mark Chin, James Lee, and John Kim, the other Lighthouse Alliance pastors. What a blessing to remember all the manifold displays of the Lord’s faithfulness over the years.

But now that a couple weeks have passed since that anniversary celebration, we are back to our normal routine. Sunday services and midweek fellowships continue. As the excitement of the major milestone wanes, it is good to remember once again what we committed to as a ministry from the outset: that we are not just going through the motions of church ministry. We are not simply maintaining some program. That in whatever we do, in whatever ways we serve, we offer that service to the Lord in worship.

What is most encouraging about being part of a church family that has changed drastically from the small group that met 20 years ago? Although many of the old faces have now moved away and a slew of new faces have come in, the people remain committed to making disciples of Jesus Christ, taking the gospel to the ends of the earth through church planting ministry, and establishing this ministry on our love for the Lord and for each other.

Praise God for how He has carried us these 20 years! Praise God for His unending faithfulness and love. Praise God for the truth that His purposes cannot fail and His church will prevail. We obviously don’t know what the next 20 years might bring. There will probably be some pretty encouraging and even amazing moments. There will probably also be some significant challenges. May the Lord continue to walk with us and give us the wisdom and strength to be faithful and endure even through hardship.

He Appeared First To Mary Magdalene

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Mark 16:9

Jesus ‘appeared first to Mary Magdalene,’ probably not only on account of her great love and persevering seeking, but because, as the context intimates, she had been a special trophy of Christ’s delivering power. Learn from this, that the greatness of our sin before conversion should not make us imagine that we may not be specially favoured with the very highest grade of fellowship.

She was one who had left all to become a constant attendant on the Saviour. He was her first, her chief object. Many who were on Christ’s side did not take up Christ’s cross; she did.

She spent her substance in relieving His wants. If we would see much of Christ, let us serve Him. Tell me who they are that sit oftenest under the banner of His love, and drink deepest draughts from the cup of communion, and I am sure they will be those who give most, who serve best, and who abide closest to the bleeding heart of their dear Lord.

But notice how Christ revealed Himself to this sorrowing one-by a word, ‘Mary.’ It needed but one word in His voice, and at once she knew Him, and her heart owned allegiance by another word, her heart was too full to say more. That one word would naturally be the most fitting for the occasion. It implies obedience. She said, ‘Master.’ There is no state of mind in which this confession of allegiance will be too cold. No, when your spirit glows most with the heavenly fire, then you will say, ‘I am Thy servant, Thou hast loosed my bonds.’ If you can say, ‘Master,’ if you feel that His will is your will, then you stand in a happy, holy place. He must have said, ‘Mary,’ or else you could not have said, ‘Rabboni.’

See, then, from all this, how Christ honours those who honour Him, how love draws our Beloved, how it needs but one word of His to turn our weeping to rejoicing, how His presence makes the heart’s sunshine.

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God’s Wisdom for Parenting (Part 10)

by Pastor Patrick Cho

One of the places in Scripture to find a wealth of helpful principles for parenting is the Proverbs. Almost every book on parenting will reference these Scriptures repeatedly because of the wisdom they contain. Besides the plethora of verses that apply to parenting indirectly, several passages address parenting specifically.

A fool rejects his father’s discipline, but he who regards reproof is sensible. (Proverbs 15:5)

Returning to a familiar theme in Proverbs, the author once again warns against rejecting discipline and spurning reproof. The fool in Proverbs is always depicted as morally corrupt. His wickedness is demonstrated in his sinful acts as well as his evil speech. Consider the way a fool behaves: he delights in doing wickedness (10:23), displays anger (12:16), mocks at sin (14:9), is arrogant and careless (14:16), and quarrels with others (20:3). With his mouth, the fool has lying lips and spreads slander (10:18) and his lips bring strife (18:6). It is no wonder the Proverbs speak repeatedly of how the fool’s life will end in ruin.

The reason a fool behaves the way he does is because his heart is inclined to do evil. A man does as he thinks, and the fool acts consistently with the disposition of his heart. It stems from the revelation in Proverbs 1:7 that a fool despises understanding. He acts in a reprehensible way because he turns away from godly wisdom. Several times, the author of Proverbs communicates that parental discipline is a source of godly wisdom. One of the reasons a fool runs to ruin is because he does not listen to the counsel of his father and mother.

Sadly, this verse presents a sobering reality that your child may not ultimately do what is right even if you are diligently instructing him or her. While by God’s grace it is generally the pattern that faithful parenting will produce faithful children, there is no guarantee that a person’s children will be saved because of his parents’ efforts. A father may discipline his son and still see his son choose the way of the fool. It is imperative that as parents we pray diligently for God’s grace to save our children and to protect them from waywardness (cf. Prov. 1:32).

The last thought in this verse is that the one who “regards reproof is sensible.” I am always astounded when I meet with older men of the faith to talk about counseling cases or life circumstances that baffle me. Their ability to craftily work through the biblical principles that speak to the issue and demonstrate understanding and wisdom in knowing exactly what to do or how to think is impressive. This is the idea behind the word sensible. It can be translated “shrewd” or “prudent,” and is the exact opposite of the fool. One of the great goals of parenting is to invest in our children through our instruction and example so that they will grow in wisdom and develop the same shrewdness.

The Fire Shall Ever Be Burning Upon The Altar

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Leviticus 6:13

Keep the altar of private prayer burning. This is the very life of all piety. The sanctuary and family altars borrow their fires here, therefore let this burn well. Secret devotion is the very essence, evidence, and barometer, of vital and experimental religion.

Burn here the fat of your sacrifices. Let your closet seasons be, if possible, regular, frequent, and undisturbed. Effectual prayer availeth much. Have you nothing to pray for? Let us suggest the Church, the ministry, your own soul, your children, your relations, your neighbours, your country, and the cause of God and truth throughout the world. Let us examine ourselves on this important matter. Do we engage with lukewarmness in private devotion? Is the fire of devotion burning dimly in our hearts? Do the chariot wheels drag heavily? If so, let us be alarmed at this sign of decay. Let us go with weeping, and ask for the Spirit of grace and of supplications. Let us set apart special seasons for extraordinary prayer. For if this fire should be smothered beneath the ashes of a worldly conformity, it will dim the fire on the family altar, and lessen our influence both in the Church and in the world.

The text will also apply to the altar of the heart. This is a golden altar indeed. God loves to see the hearts of His people glowing towards Himself. Let us give to God our hearts, all blazing with love, and seek His grace, that the fire may never be quenched; for it will not burn if the Lord does not keep it burning. Many foes will attempt to extinguish it; but if the unseen hand behind the wall pour thereon the sacred oil, it will blaze higher and higher. Let us use texts of Scripture as fuel for our heart’s fire, they are live coals; let us attend sermons, but above all, let us be much alone with Jesus.

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Youth Retreat: Worshiping the Lord

by Sarah Andrews

This year, the youth went to Pine Valley for our annual retreat. Over the weekend we bonded over meal and snack time, games and football, and the study of God’s word. We even saw snow on Sunday morning! I am thankful for the quality time spent with the youth and the friendships built within the ministry. I pray that God may grant them spiritual wisdom and understanding about what it means to be a Christian and the new lives we have in Him.

We were blessed by the preaching of Pastor Andy Kang from Lighthouse Bible Church Los Angeles. The topic of the retreat was worshiping God, and he began by discussing what true worship is. In Isaiah 66, God is Creator and does not need anyone or anything to bring glory to Himself. He is displeased when His people worship false gods, but he favors “those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at [His] word” (Isaiah 66:1-2). Humility is recognizing that we are sinful beings before a holy God.

In Psalm 51, David shows humility before God. He recognizes that he has broken God’s commandments, and confesses with guilt and shame. He asks that God may have mercy and cleanse him from all iniquities. God mercifully accepts “a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart” (verse 17).

Next, we discussed the reason for worship. We worship God because we recognize His worth. In Psalm 103, David praises God for his character, majesty and benefits. He is so holy that He cannot be anywhere near sin. Yet He is also full of forgiveness, love and compassion, and does not treat repentant people according to what they deserve. God knows we are mortal beings that are like dust, but “from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children” (Psalm 103:17). He who is holy and lives in heaven draws near to “the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit” (Isaiah 57:15). God is worthy of all worship and praise.

We also learned that there is a wrong way to worship God. In Matthew 15:1-20, the Pharisees criticized Jesus for breaking the Jewish tradition of washing hands before eating, and Jesus rebuked them for their hypocrisy. They pridefully performed their deeds to be seen by people, and they broke God’s greater commandments. God was displeased by their worship because they lacked humility before Him and a brokenness over their sin.

We continually fail to keep God’s commandments, but there is good news: Jesus has paid the penalty for our sins! Our deeds will never be sufficient to make us holy. Christ’s finished work on the cross is sufficient to cleanse us of sin so that God may see us as righteous. Christ removes all guilt and shame that we may have, and we are no longer condemned. When he was crucified, Jesus said “it is finished” (John 19:30) because He atones for the sins of all who believe in Him, and He reconciles sinful humans to a perfect God.

Lastly, we learned about manifestations of worship. God is pleased when we “offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God” and “do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of [our minds].” When we turn away from deeds of the flesh and seek God’s “good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:1-2), God allows us to be “instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work” (2 Timothy 2:21). The Holy Spirit is given to us when we are saved, and enables us to do the good works.

We are to worship God in spirit and in truth, and must rely on God’s word to know what pleases Him. Romans 12 gives examples of God’s commanded will. We are to serve members in the body of Christ; show love, preference and hospitality towards one another; and do good to our enemies, rather than repay evil for evil. It is important that we focus on worshiping God and having a humble and repentant heart, rather than seeking to impress others with external behavior.

Through their time in youth ministry, I pray that the youth will have a greater understanding of our position before God and the finished work of Christ. We must recognize that we are sinful before a perfect God, and there is nothing good we can do to make ourselves right with Him. Yet God loves us and sent Christ to pay the penalty for our sin. If we trust His finished work on the cross, we will not experience God’s wrath, and we are free of the shame and guilt that sin brings. We are free to worship God and live new lives empowered by his Holy Spirit. We have received every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3-10) and are adopted into his family.

Praise God that as Christians, we are washed by His blood and able to worship Him!

The Harm of Harshness

by Pastor Patrick Cho

On Sunday mornings at Lighthouse, we have been walking through a biblical understanding of marriage. I hope it has been a helpful series and that whether you are married or single, you would live as a man or woman who seeks to honor Christ by being the man or woman He calls you to be. One of the specific topics we covered was the abuse of headship and the sin of being harsh towards your spouse. Specifically for husbands, godly leadership requires gentleness and tender affection (cf. Eph. 5:28-29; 1 Pet. 3:7). There is no biblical warrant for treating one’s spouse with harshness.

The call to biblical headship does not mean you can demean or insult your wife. It doesn’t mean your wife is a doormat for you to tread over. The position of biblical headship does not permit you to manipulate, use, or control your wife. Before her call to submit to you, she has been called to submit to her Lord and Savior. She should be expected to come alongside you to help you, even if that means lovingly and graciously correcting you and calling out sin in your life. Of course, wives can also be harsh towards their husbands. By the grace of God, Scripture is sufficient to walk us through repentance. What does this look like?

Whether you have a habit of harshness towards your spouse or you are looking to turn from a single instance, here are some steps to help you respond in a God-honoring way:

1. Confess your sin to God.

  • Understand that your sin is first and foremost offensive to God’s holiness.
  • Sadly, we are often more at ease confessing our sins to a holy God than to other sinners.
  • Bear in mind that prolonged, unrepentant sin may be a sign of unbelief. In light of ongoing unrepentant sin, it is important to evaluate whether or not you are in the Lord.
  • Stop making excuses for yourself. Stop blaming others. Stop blaming your past. Own your sin and confess it honestly, thoroughly, specifically, and humbly.

2. Confess your sin to your spouse.

  • This is about being a biblical peacemaker.
  • For the glory of Christ, get the log out of your own eye (Matt. 7:3-5).
  • It is important that you see your sin for what it is. Cultivate a heart to hate what God hates.
  • You may have developed a pattern of telling your spouse that he or she is the real problem in your marriage. Even if your spouse has issues that need to be addressed, it does not justify your harsh treatment of them.
  • Show your spouse that you can own your faults. That can instill hope in the relationship.

3. Confess your sin to others.

  • This isn’t about shaming you and exposing your faults. It is about getting the help and accountability that you desperately need. Sin loves to remain in the dark, but we are called to be children of light (Eph. 5:8, 11).
  • Do you feel guilty about the way you treat your spouse? Or do you feel justified?
  • Don’t allow your sin to remain hidden. Talk to a church leader, a small group leader, or an accountability partner. Be sure to talk to someone who will treat your sin seriously.
  • Watch out for a heart of self-preservation.

4. Get good accountability.

  • Consider seeking biblical counseling through the church or an outside counselor.
  • Especially if this is a consistent sin that has persisted for some time or if it has caused significant damage to your relationship, do not continue living as if you have the strength to stand alone.
  • The Lord has given the church to one another as a gift of grace. This is one of the reasons He calls us into a body.

5. Study passages of Scripture about anger, oppression, gentleness, humility, self-control, and love.

  • Get in the Word. Let your mind be bathed in Scripture. Know clearly and specifically what God thinks of your sin and how He expects you as His child to respond to it.
  • Understand better what God’s will is for your life. Remember that ultimately you are living not for yourself or your spouse or your marriage, but in obedience to Him because He is God.
  • Consider walking through good books addressing the topic of anger and abuse. Do this with your accountability partner.

6. Develop good habits.

  • The process of sanctification often involves putting off sinful thinking, behavior, and speech, and replacing it with what is Spirit-filled, God-glorifying, and edifying to others (Eph. 4:22-24).
  • Put off the poisoning speech of harshness and instead affirm your spouse. Use your tongue to build up and not tear down (Eph. 5:29).
  • Instead of complaining about how your spouse fails to meet your expectations, give of yourself and serve your spouse.
  • Practice dying to yourself. This is understandably difficult in application. Learn to give up “you” time to spend with your spouse. Convince her that your marriage is a priority to you.
  • Get in the habit of talking about spiritual things – what you are reading, learning, being challenged in, etc. One practical way is to talk through the Sunday sermon during lunch after church. You can do this alone, as a couple, or with others.
  • Pray daily with your spouse (not counting meal times).

7. Serve in the church.

  • The heart of harsh or abusive treatment of others is self-centered pride.
  • Turn away from that sin – call it what it is, hate it, and purge it from you.
  • Replace it with a love to God and to others.
  • Self-orientation can be replaced with God-orientation and others-orientation (Matt. 22:37-40).
  • Serving others with a right attitude is a practical way to show biblical love and to take your heart’s focus away from yourself (Phil. 2:3-4).

8. Rest in the hope of Christ.

  • Trust in God’s forgiveness.
  • Believe that the Spirit can cause you to change.
  • Hope in the fact that your marriage can be sweet and beautiful.
  • By loving your spouse the way God calls you to love him or her, it may motivate your wife to submit to your lead more willingly and joyfully, or your husband to lead with greater godliness and love.
  • Keep in mind that you and your spouse will not be perfect through this process. There will be setbacks, backsliding, and stumbling, but don’t lose heart. Trust that God is working it out in His time and plan.

Remember that we can’t do this on our own. Our hearts are naturally inclined to rebel. We need the gospel and the Spirit of God to transform us. But in Christ, we can think differently and live differently. Do you know Jesus? Do you trust Him? Whether you are married or single, male or female, you need Jesus. Pray that the Lord would be gracious to bring about this change in you (before focusing on how your spouse or others need to change), patiently waiting on Him to strengthen your bond.

As It Began To Dawn, Came Magdalene

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Matthew 28:1

Let us learn from Mary Magdalene how to obtain fellowship with the Lord Jesus. Notice how she sought.

  • She sought the Saviour very early in the morning. If thou canst wait for Christ, and be patient in the hope of having fellowship with Him at some distant season, thou wilt never have fellowship at all; for the heart that is fitted for communion is a hungering and a thirsting heart.
  • She sought Him also with very great boldness. Other disciples fled from the sepulchre, for they trembled and were amazed; but Mary, it is said, ‘stood’ at the sepulchre. If you would have Christ with you, seek Him boldly. Let nothing hold you back. Defy the world. Press on where others flee.
  • She sought Christ faithfully-she stood at the sepulchre. Some find it hard to stand by a living Saviour, but she stood by a dead one. Let us seek Christ after this mode, cleaving to the very least thing that has to do with Him, remaining faithful though all others should forsake Him.
  • Note further, she sought Jesus earnestly-she stood ‘weeping.’ Those tear-droppings were as spells that led the Saviour captive, and made Him come forth and show Himself to her. If you desire Jesus’ presence, weep after it! If you cannot be happy unless He come and say to you, ‘Thou art My beloved,’ you will soon hear His voice.
  • Lastly, she sought the Saviour only. What cared she for angels, she turned herself back from them; her search was only for her Lord. If Christ be your one and only love, if your heart has cast out all rivals, you will not long lack the comfort of His presence.

Mary Magdalene sought thus because she loved much. Let us arouse ourselves to the same intensity of affection; let our heart, like Mary’s, be full of Christ, and our love, like hers, will be satisfied with nothing short of Himself. O Lord, reveal Thyself to us this evening!

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Weekly Links (5/3/2019)

by Stephen Rodgers

Apologies for the unplanned absence, sometimes life happens. That being said, it’s a new month, so here’s some free stuff to get you started:

  • Grace is Greater by Kyle Idleman (free audiobook) – I know literally nothing about this resource, so I can’t recommend it. It’s free this month from christianaudio.com though.
  • A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles (free Logos resource) – Again, I haven’t personally used this commentary series, but if you’re a Logos user, you might wish to pick it up. I can vouch that the author has written a number of other books that are well-regarded.
  • The 19th Century (Tabletalk magazine) – And as always, I heartily recommend Tabletalk magazine. That’s a no-brainer.

Enjoy!

Pro Rege

Reasons We Believe

by Hansol An

Last school year (2017-2018) was one of many transitions for the Youth Ministry at Lighthouse Bible Church San Diego – I, along with several other members, joined the Youth Ministry Staff; on Friday nights, we spent the first half of the year finishing a series in Ephesians that continued from the previous academic year; after returning from winter break, we split the group during the teaching time between the high schoolers and middle schoolers; Johnny Kim started a series on the book of Romans with the high schoolers; and I started a series from Children Desiring God (now Truth:78) called The Fighter Verses. These changes occurred for several practical reasons but ultimately, they all came from a desire to find the best ways to minister to the youth and equip them with God’s Word (1 Timothy 1:5).

This year we reinstated Sunday School for the youth so that the students would have another opportunity, besides Friday nights, to learn and fellowship on a week-to-week basis. When it came time to select a topic for Sunday School, we wanted to cover a topic that would not only educate them but also provide them with very practical knowledge or wisdom. One area of direct attack and challenges to the Christian faith comes from those who contend that there are no logical reasons for being a Christian or believing in a literal interpretation of the Bible. This is the presupposition of all public-school curriculum so we decided on Reasons We Believe by Nathan Busenitz. It is a concise and easy to understand book that gives an overview of the reasonableness of the Christian faith and it was familiar to our church because College Life went over it in their small groups a few years ago.

Busenitz’s book is not a comprehensive treatise on Christian apologetics. Instead, it is a survey of the reasonable case for the reliability of the Bible and person of Jesus Christ with enough references in the bibliography for someone to delve deeper, if they so desired. As its subtitle states, it provides “50 lines of evidence that confirm the Christian faith broken” down into three reasons: Reasons We Believe in God, Reasons We Believe in the Bible (two parts) and Reasons We Believe in Jesus (two parts). Since the beginning of the school year, Johnny, Cesar Vigil-Ruiz and I have been taking turns teaching through the book. Each week we cover 2 reasons.

In the section about the reasons for believing in God, some of the reasons include “Because the Existence of Our Universe Points to a Creator,” “Because the Flow of Human History Conforms to a Divine Plan,” and “Because Other Belief Systems Are Inadequate Alternatives.” In this section, Busenitz tackles the scientific and philosophical arguments against the “possibility of a personal, all-powerful deity who demanded repentance and worship from sinful human beings.” Busenitz rightly points out that without God, science and philosophy must provide an explanation as to why anything exists at all, rather than nothing. Needless to say, the academic elites have yet to provide an explanation.

He also discusses the way history has consistently supported what the Bible has revealed. He points to the tremendous success of biblical prophecy that can’t be explained away as simple luck or coincidence. “It has been calculated that the chance of only forty-eight prophecies coming true in one person is 10 to the 157th power, making it a statistical impossibility. Yet Jesus fulfilled many more than that.” In short, biblical prophecy is one evidence that history is the outworking of God’s divine purpose and not merely the culmination of chance events.

Having completed the section on the reasons Christians believe in God, we are currently in the Reasons We Believe in the Bible. It has been an encouragement to me to see our youth equipped in ways that will prepare them for what awaits them in the world. Particularly so for me as Jonas, my oldest, is now in the ministry. I pray that he and the rest of the group will someday draw upon the truths in Reasons We Believe to find confidence in the veracity of Scripture as well as to defend the faith.