by Matt Zhang

In GraceLife, we recently discussed Chapter 8, titled “Resolving Conflict,” from Wayne Mack’s Preparing for Marriage God’s Way. As members of Lighthouse, we know that our church takes conflict resolution, AKA peacemaking, very seriously. However, this is not just because of potential division or strife that may arise in the church. Our church takes conflict resolution seriously because God does: “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men” (Rom. 12:18). In order to have a God honoring relationship between two sinners, peacemaking must be a priority. Since marriage is the closest relationship possible between a man and a woman, a God glorifying marriage is not possible without peacemaking.

Since conflict resolution is vital to a healthy marriage, Pastor Patrick went over the 4 G’s in the context of marriage in GraceLife. For those of you unfamiliar with the 4 G’s, they are a mnemonic device for the following statements that are a helpful and practical guide to peacemaking:

1. Glorify God
2. Get the log out of your own eye
3. Gently restore
4. Go and be reconciled.

Working through the 4 G’s when personal conflicts arise has been an extremely helpful tool for me. It outlines the path of peacemaking, keeping me on track when my sinful heart attempts to lead me down the destructive path of arguing, self-pity, frustration, and bitterness. From first hand experience, I have seen that the latter path often leaves a couple feeling distant, resentful and hurt. In order to avoid this, there are two important themes that we must keep in mind during the peacemaking process.

The single most important aspect of the peacemaking process must be to glorify God. It allows us to have the right perspective when conflicts arise and it is the foundation for the other three G’s. Disagreements turn into conflicts when our greatest desire is not to honor and please God, but to be right. A good question to ask ourselves in order to steer our hearts in the direction of glorifying God is: Do I care more about being right than doing what God says is right? Sin, such as our pride, often blinds us from seeing our faults and causes us to only focus on how much we’ve been wronged. It is only when we prayerfully seek God’s help to put off our pride and to put on humility that the situation can cease to be about ourselves and our glory, and begin to rightfully be about God and glorifying Him in the midst of conflict. Glorifying Him should be our greatest desire, not winning the argument.

Secondly, both confrontation and reconciliation in peacemaking should be done with and out of love for our wives. When we confront one another about sin, it must be done in a loving and gracious manner so that it may lead to repentance and restoration (Gal. 6:1). Husbands, we are specifically called to love our wives as Christ loved the church (Eph 5:25-27). Christ gave Himself up for the church so that He might sanctify her. In the same way, we should lovingly and graciously pursue sanctification with our wives by seeking to gently restore them in the midst of conflict. There are many ways we can do this for our wives: through our tone, choice of words, remembering to affirm and encourage her, and even considering the best timing to confront her. Confronting our wives should be done out of love for wives as we seek to pursue their sanctification. Our love for our wives should also cause us to pursue reconciliation. God pursued reconciliation with us by sending His Son to die on the cross because of His great love for us. The reconciliation to God we have received through the work of Christ should cause us to seek to be at peace with all men, especially the woman you’re married to. Through reconciliation, a marriage relationship can be restored and even made stronger than before.

It is only through our love for God which compels us to glorify Him, as well as our love for one another, that we can pursue the peacemaking that is necessary in a marriage relationship. It makes sense that loving God and his people are the greatest commandments for Christians (Matt. 22:37-40). If we are struggling to resolve conflict in our marriage or any relationship, we must examine whether we are obeying God’s greatest commandment, as it is the foundation of peacemaking. It is only then that a married couple can be the team God has called us to be and spur one another on to grow in faith and holiness. Whether we are married or not, let us seek to love God and love people in all things, including peacemaking.

by Ryan and Stephanie McAdams

Working through the same book we used for our premarital counseling, Preparing for Marriage God’s Way, we recently discussed the fifth chapter, “Your Most Important Relationship,” which inquires about the subject’s relationship with God and his Word. For all of the consideration we gave about the quantity and regularity of our prayer times and Bible reading in answering the book’s questions, when it came time to discuss the chapter, Patrick asked us a simple question: Does it matter?

• Does having a relationship with God matter in my marriage?
• Does the illumination of God’s word that the Holy Spirit grants me affect my life?
• Does Jesus’s work on the cross change how I make decisions, even in how I would eat and drink?

Of course, we all knew that we should have an answer of “Yes” to these questions, but each of us also understood how easily we can pay lip service to the challenges without effecting any actual response in our lives. So, in addition to answering the question “Does it matter?” we also tackled the question of “How?”

• How does knowing God matter in spending my money?
• In educating my children?
• In discipline?
• In conflict and resolution?

Ultimately, Biblical principles should shape each aspect of my life, and influence every decision I make, to the point that I should not simply succumb to the currents of the culture (what we call default thinking) in any situation. Even if my final decision on a matter matches everybody else’s, God’s word must saturate the route I take to arrive at that conclusion. Answering these questions at that practical level both served to help me consider future decisions and expose the shortcomings and inconsistencies in my family’s daily life.

As an example, take a decision about a place to live. All sorts of people will have all sorts of opinions about how to decide each individual question that arises from this decision (e.g. rent or buy, how large, where), but God’s word can direct every answer. Verses like Hebrews 10:24-25 instruct me to prioritize participation in the church body, so the location of the home must facilitate that. Verses like Philippians 2:4 encourage me to use the home to serve others, which will affect the size, location, cost, and a whole host of other considerations for the search for the place to live. In fact, although 2 Timothy mentions that God has authored each verse in the Bible, and that each verse has immense instructional value, I find that Philippians 2:3-4 can and should bear in any decision-making I undertake.

Suffice it to say, if I always acted from Biblical principle, I would be a kinder husband, a wiser father, a harder worker. But this exercise of identifying a concrete issue and working through the implications of knowing God upon the issue helps me take deliberate measures to act as a Christian in a fallen world. It helps me answer questions like “Should I vaccinate my child?” and “Should I wear leggings?” (for me, the answer is absolutely not!) and even questions with as much nuance as “How do I school my child?” or “How often should my wife and I set aside time for ourselves?”

God has called for his followers to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world and his Word instructs us how to live as such. Motivations drive the actions of a person, and the Bible touches the motivations for every decision a person can make. Biblical motivations fly in the face of the natural selfish bent of every man, and so naturally, the behavior of Christians should stand in stark opposition to the world around them. Does following Jesus matter in marriage? In life? Yes. It changes everything.

by Ivan and Nancy Cheng

Marriage is not just a covenant relationship between a man and a woman, but actually two families coming together. In Grace Life, we recently covered the chapter “God’s Blueprint for Marriage” from Preparing for Marriage God’s Way by Wayne Mack. An important concept to consider is how your individual family backgrounds would affect your marriage. It would be valuable to discuss the similarities and differences between your families, personality features of your mothers and fathers, family values, views about responsibilities and roles of the husband/father and wife/mother, and the impact your family background has on you positively and negatively. Even In-law relationships can affect how two independent lives merge into a one-flesh relationship.

We read two narratives from the Bible to discern what characteristics make a good in-law relationship.

• Exodus 18 describes Moses’ relationship with his father-in-law, Jethro. Moses displayed respect and affection for his father-in-law, he guarded himself against pride, and communicated in a loving, affirming way. When Jethro saw Moses struggle with judging Israel, Jethro gave Moses some advice that he graciously accepted and put into practice.
• In the book of Ruth, we see another model of a good in-law relationship. Naomi showed love and concern for others in her time of affliction. By her life, she inspired her daughter-in-law, Ruth, to serve God also. In Ruth’s life, we see she is recognized for her noble character and exemplified faithfulness, loyalty, and compassion towards Naomi.

Having a healthy relationship with the in-laws can bring tremendous harmony to your marriage. Consider some practical ways of expressing appreciation for in-laws and indicating the type of relationship you want to have with them. Most importantly, express gratitude and respect towards your father, mother, and in-laws while expecting that the future will bring new and enjoyable aspects to your relationship.

by Pastor Patrick Cho

When I have the opportunity to walk through premarital counseling with an engaged couple, one of the lessons that we cover is called, “The Most Important Relationship in Your Relationship.” This title is taken from Wayne Mack’s Preparing for Marriage God’s Way, which is a great tool to help couples know what to expect in marriage. In this particular chapter, the book addresses each person’s spiritual life. How is your relationship with the Lord? How is your time in God’s Word? How is your time in prayer? Of course, most true Christians would agree that the key to a successful marriage is keeping Christ at the center of it. This chapter allows us to walk through what that looks like practically.

One issue that needs to be addressed in the context of a family’s spiritual health is the place of church in the life of the family. These two divinely ordained institutions are designed to support and strengthen each other. The stronger the church, the more beneficial for the family. Likewise, the stronger the family, the stronger the church. It is no wonder that Paul often drew upon the analogy of the family to describe the relationships of the church. He reminded the Thessalonians of his parental care towards them (1 Thess. 2:7, 11-12). He exhorted the members of the church to treat each other as family (1 Tim. 5:1-2). Perhaps he borrowed this language from Jesus (Matt. 12:48-50).

Instead, what we are seeing in the church today is a different value system. For the sake of the family, more and more couples are becoming less and less involved in the life of the church. They complain that ministry crowds out time for their families to be together. Yes, the church needs to be careful in its planning and structure not to bully the calendar and eat up the week. But families also need to recognize how vital it is (for the sake of their families!) to be regularly involved in the worship and fellowship of the church.

In consideration of this issue, consider the following questions for application:

1. As a married couple or parent, in what ways do you seek to be a blessing to the church family? How are you serving the body and contributing to the overall health of the church?
2. Are your children developing a high view of the church from your instruction and example?
3. Are there activities you plan for your family (vacations, sports, shopping, etc.) that unnecessarily conflict with church events?
4. When you say you need time for your family, do you actually spent time together as a family? Do you just use your family as an excuse not to be more involved at church so that you can focus on personal interests?

I really appreciated this article from Albert Mohler, which was written back in 2007. Read his thoughts on this very important issue.

by Pastor Patrick Cho, Brian Chan, & Beverly Chan

Our study in Grace Life through Wayne Mack’s book, Preparing for Marriage God’s Way, continued with a look at chapter 2 entitled “Going Deeper.” For each session, both husband and wife are asked to do the homework independent of their spouse. They are then to get together to talk through their answers as a couple. (Since the book is intended to be a premarital counseling help, obviously, some of the questions need to be reinterpreted to fit a post-wedding relationship.) All the couples get together, then, at Grace Life to walk through the lesson together. This week’s response to the discussion is provided by Brian and Beverly Chan.

Grace Life recently finished discussing chapter two of Preparing for Marriage God’s Way, by Wayne Mack. When you combine food, childcare, and an open discussion about marriage, it almost always makes for a good time. It’s definitely different going through the book from this side of the fence i.e. married, not dating, and this week’s discussion took us back to our old days of dating and engagement.

The session started off with the simple challenge of openly praising something your spouse did the previous week. It’s designed to foster encouragement before engaging in some deeper and possibly tumultuous discussion regarding marriage. Not only was it helpful to think about something positive your spouse did but it was also encouraging to hear what other people were doing for their partners.

One of the best things about our time on Thursday nights is the open discussion format. While Pastor Patrick goes over the chapter, he asks various questions that anyone in the room can publicly respond to. This keeps the discussion constructive and engaging. Oftentimes young parents do not get many opportunities to discuss deeper issues with other parents simply because there isn’t much time during the week due to the demands of raising a family. The Thursday night discussions provide a time for couples to have a conversation they would not normally have during the week. As a result, you get to hear various points of view on a topic that could potentially differ from your own. The best part of it is thinking through these responses biblically and sometimes, that can lead to some uncomfortable or even unpopular conclusions.

We spent a great deal of time discussing what attracted us to our spouses back when we were dating and eventually evolved into what exactly was “biblical attraction”. This is obviously a very sensitive topic and a point of struggle for many well-meaning single adults. The popular definition of attraction in our culture consists largely in part of the physical aspect while often ignoring the spiritual component. If our allegiance is to Christ and our heart’s desire is to be more like Him, then what we look for in a spouse should mirror what Christ would (and did) seek after: a person’s heart. What was edifying was determining what was biblical, then hearing from different men and women regarding the struggles a single man or woman might go through should they take this point of view. We all know that it’s one thing to subscribe to a particular theological conviction but quite another to follow through with its implications in real life. How does one handle physical attraction when dating/what about the Song of Solomon? What should a young lady do if she feels no “chemistry” to somebody courting her? Should a man continue to pursue a girl if he feels no physical attraction to her? What would we teach our own children regarding these things?

We both appreciated the time with Grace Life (especially the childcare) and continued the discussion in the car ride home. We look forward to our next meeting and strengthening our marriages with other fellow believers!

by Pastor Patrick Cho & John Mark Wendler

For Grace Life this year, we are going through a helpful study to evaluate our marriages to see what areas are in need of some fine tuning (. . . or major overhaul!). In order to facilitate this discussion, we are walking through Wayne Mack’s book, Preparing for Marriage God’s Way. This is the book we normally use in our premarital counseling, but I have found it to be helpful as a tool to check up on marriages as well, post-wedding. For each session, both husband and wife are asked to do the homework independent of their spouse. They are then to get together to talk through their answers as a couple. (Since the book is intended to be a premarital counseling help, obviously, some of the questions need to be reinterpreted to fit a post-wedding relationship.) All the couples get together, then, at Grace Life to walk through the lesson together.

Each week, I am also asking one of our Grace Life members to write a brief response to the lesson. This week, John Mark Wendler offered his thoughts:

What was the title/topic of this week’s Grace Life discussion?

The first session of our study covered the basis for a successful marriage.

What were some of the highlights from the study or a general overview of what the study covered?

It is always helpful to hear from a group of people who have thoughtfully answered questions like, “What thoughts does the word marriage bring to you?” and “What are biblical reasons for marriage?” A highlight of tonight’s session was having to think critically about what my thinking on marriage is affected by, and if I am looking to God’s wisdom in Scripture for help in my own marriage.

What were some of the primary or significant Bible passages from the study?

• 1 Corinthians 8:9-13 was brought up in relation to public displays of affection.
• Ephesians 5:25 talking about the sacrificial love that Christ has for the church, so much so that he gave himself up, and how we in the same way are to love our wives.
• Genesis 1-2 speaking to the foundations for marriage.
• Philippians 2:3-4 talking about considering others as more important than yourself. Again instruction that holds a very high place in a successful marriage.

What lessons did you find particularly challenging from the study? Why?

Instruction was given to avoid giving advice to others exclusively or solely from my own experience with dating. This is always a helpful reminder to me, as personal experience is something easily shared, I understand that even anything I’ve done that might be considered wise, pales in comparison to the wisdom of God, found in the Bible. Psalm 25:5 says, “Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.”

Were there any helpful responses from the group discussion that you did not originally consider? What were they? Why were they helpful?

It was helpful when one of the members took the 30,000 foot view of dating in the context of our discussion about giving advice to individuals who are dating or who want to date. This helped me, knowing that the guidance we are given in Scripture is applicable across cultures and time periods. By focusing on the, why, of what we do, particularly in the big areas of life, like choosing someone to spend the rest of your life with, it helps to focus on what that means for my own future, as I strive to serve my spouse for the glory of God. Knowing that the specifics can be arbitrary, the ultimate focus must be on pleasing our Lord and Savior.

by Joseph and Lynn Ho

By God’s grace, we have been happily married for over two weeks now. Yes, you can say that the two of us are enjoying the honeymoon phase of our marriage (and we love every moment of it!), but even in the short time we’ve been married, we come to understand that marriage is something that requires active nurturing with a humble heart towards God and one another. We are blessed to be in a church that has a high view of God and His Word and be taught the biblical view of marriage. And so, in this short reflection, we would like to share a bit about how the biblical teachings of our premarital counseling has prepared us for our union and helped us build our marriage daily.

First, the premarital class prepared us to think about marriage Biblically. In today’s society, people generally approach marriage with a self-centered view that the wedding must be everything they have dreamed of and that marriage is about making them happy. Even during our engagement, it was easy to become overwhelmed by the joyful anticipation of marriage and consumed by the daunting task of planning all the details of the wedding and reception. But planning a Christ-centered wedding means that from the decorations, to the attire, to the food and entertainment, every detail is to proclaim the boldness and purity of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We learned in Ephesians 5:22-33 that a wife is to learn to submit to the leadership of her husband just like the Church submits herself to Christ, and a husband is to learn to love and cherish his wife and lead her to holiness just like Christ loves his Church and purifies her from sin by dying for her on the cross. Marriage, ultimately then, is to not to make us happy, but to reflect the perfect love relationship between Christ and His Church.

Second, the premarital class taught us the importance of humility. This truth takes center stage in regards to understanding men and women’s role as God has designed it. The Bible reminds us that even though we are created equal before God, God has given us different roles and purposes. The husband is to learn to provide for the home both physically and spiritually and help his wife reach her full potential in the Lord (1Timothy 3:4-5; 1 Peter 3:7), while the wife is to learn to devote her energy and time in the home so that the word of God will not be reviled (Titus 2:3-5). Without humility, even in these acts of service towards each other, we could grow discontent and harbor attitudes of bitterness. Pastor Patrick reminds us that as a couple, we are always on the same team, and that we must always work together to display the greatness of God.

We are glad that we went through premarital! We’d say dedicating time to the premarital is as important as planning for the wedding. We highly recommend every engaged couple to go through the class thoughtfully and slowly. It will prepare you for the ever-continual pursuit of becoming the exemplary husband and excellent wife that God intends you to be.

by Pastor Patrick Cho

“Patience is a virtue.” It’s one of those proverbial phrases that we all hear again and again growing up. Of course, most people understand the importance of pursuing patience, but they also know from experience how difficult it can be. Who hasn’t stood in line at the DMV or post office or been stuck in gridlock and really struggled with patience? The fact is we don’t like to wait, and perhaps even more we don’t like to be reminded to be patient! How many times were we reminded by our parents to be patient when we complained and whined? I don’t think I was ever thankful for those reminders. Now that I am a parent, though, I see the daily need to teach my children patience. And while I don’t want to minimize the need for those lessons, I have also come to find more and more through experience how much I still need to learn patience as a parent.

I suppose it is indicative of our own sinful tendencies to see fault in others without really seeing the same faults in ourselves. We’re really good at seeking to remove specks while ignoring the blatant logs in our own eyes. Any parents seeking to do their job to the glory of God knows that it requires enormous patience to raise kids. When you know that the goal is not merely behavior modification but are working to address the heart, that requires patience. When you understand that all the good parenting in the world will not accomplish any real success apart from the grace of God, that requires patience. Even though we know these things in principle, it’s obvious that we still need to be reminded from time to time because of how often we struggle with impatience.

As Christians, we need to always make the distinction that we are not just pursuing patience for patience’s sake. This is not just a self-improvement project that we will one day reflect on patting ourselves on the back with smug satisfaction. The reason we seek to grow in patience is chiefly because God wants us to. But it goes so far beyond just that! We were enslaved to our sinful ways and dead in our sins. Through faith in Jesus’ amazing and miraculous death and resurrection, God rescued us from our sin and freed us up to live for Him. He gave us new life in Christ that was particularly highlighted by the sending of His Spirit. And what is the fruit of having the Spirit’s influence in our lives? Patience (Gal. 5:22). As God has shown us such immeasurable and infinite love, what are we also to do? We are to love one another. But what does such love look like? It is patient (1 Cor. 13:4). So God expects us to be patient with others (including our children!) because that’s what He saved us to. One of the effects of saving grace in the life of a hopeless sinner, one of the miraculous changes that would take place in that sin-enslaved heart, is that it would manifest patience.

This is why is impatience dangerous. It isn’t just because it is annoying to hear people complain. It isn’t just because of the damage it might do to your reputation. Being impatient goes against the grain of what God sought to accomplish in your life by saving you. Not only that, but we would also do well to remember how the Bible repeatedly reminds us of the patience of God (cf. Rom. 9:22; 1 Pet. 3:20; 2 Pet. 3:9; et al.). If God showed us tremendous patience, one of the reasons was to serve as an example for us that we might be patient towards others. So when we are impatient, we violate what it means to represent Him in this lost and dying world.

Think about how this applies in parenting. Our children look to us as an example of how we ought to live out the Christian life. Whether they want to mimic that example is another issue, but at the very least if we say we are in Christ we ought to reflect through our lives what that means. From Scripture, one of the things that should be clearly seen in us is patience. That when we show patience towards our children especially when they sin against us, we are reflecting the patience that God showed towards us when we sinned against Him. Our demonstration of patience actually helps fortify our testimony and strengthens the opportunities to teach our children about Jesus.

Patience is a relational quality (cf. Eph. 4:2; Col. 3:12). Whether we are waiting on the Lord or on others, our patience is applied with another person. As parents, most of the time our patience will be tried by our children. They will push our buttons and test our limits. We will have difficulty keeping cool in the midst of their tantrums, complaints, disappointments, and failures. This is why we need to remember that patience is more than just about keeping cool. It is rooted in the gospel. How can we pursue patience more effectively?

1. Pray for help. Since patience is a fruit of the Spirit, it would be wise to ask the Spirit of God to help us in times of impatience and struggle. We can actually prepare ourselves for those times that we find ourselves particularly weak (for me it’s the mornings!). Oftentimes just taking that moment to calm your heart to ask the Lord’s help will get your heart in the right place to respond well to your children. I remember a friend facetiously saying, “Don’t ever pray for patience, because God will only make you wait.” I think we will find that the more the Lord helps us in this area of life, the better off we will be.
2. Think on the Lord. Consider the amazing patience of God who put up with your sins and failures all those years before bringing you to saving faith. He patiently endured your rebellious life and self-centeredness. And even after saving you, He still has to patiently wait on your spiritual growth and development. When you struggle with patience, think on the Lord Jesus’ perfect patience to serve as an example for you (1 Tim. 1:16).
3. Remember that different situations are going to call for different responses, but Scripture still calls us to “be patient with all” (1 Thess. 5:14). Regardless of whether our children simply require help or encouragement, or they are downright being rebellious, the situation will always demand our patience.
4. Pray for your children. If your children ever come to saving faith in Jesus Christ, it will be because God worked in their hearts to believe. If they experience any success in developing godly character, it will ultimately be because of the Spirit’s working through His Word to cause them to grow. While we have been given the solemn responsibility to raise our children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, God is the one who will bring about the results. We need to pray that He would be gracious to help them grow into the men and women He wants them to be.
5. Be encouraged. Remember that God never sits around idle. While you are called to wait on the Lord, He is actively working out His good, acceptable, and perfect plan in you. Whatever situation you find yourself, however difficult it might seem, God knows it better than you. He sees with a perfect perspective. When you are in a place where you are required to wait on the Lord, it is the best place you can possibly be.

by Pastor Patrick Cho

In our home, we have a typical bedtime routine with our kids before putting them down for the night. Especially with our older one, generally, we’ll read through a Bible account together, sing a worship song, and pray. We conclude with bedtime kisses (I usually get ten while Christine gets a hundred… I still don’t see how that’s fair). A couple years ago, I remember that instead of going to one of our usual books, I ended up talking to my daughter about Heaven and Hell. I know this is a weighty subject right before bedtime, but for some reason that I can’t recall, the topic came up.

I remember asking her, “Why do you think people go to Hell?” Her reply was, “Because they do bad things.” I was curious so I continued to question her, “And what kinds of people do you think get to go to Heaven?” Her response was expected. “People who do good things.” And she started going on and on listing examples of good behavior like listening to parents, telling the truth, picking up your toys, etc. She was convinced that if people were good enough and did enough good things, they would be allowed to go to Heaven.

Isn’t it interesting that this is the way we are naturally inclined to answer? Even to a three or four year old, it made perfect sense that bad behavior should be punished and good behavior should be rewarded. Why shouldn’t good people be allowed into Heaven if bad people are sent to Hell? I think I’ll always remember the confused look on her face when I told her this isn’t exactly the way things work.

The Lord provided a wonderful opportunity to explain to her that our sin is not just limited to the things that we do. It is a condition of the heart. We do the bad things we do because of the “badness” of our hearts. I suppose good people would be allowed into Heaven, but the problem is that there aren’t any good people. Because of our sin condition, ultimately no one is good before God. Even if we could bank on our goodness to get us into Heaven, every person would utterly fail. Our sin taints everything that we do so that we have nothing worthy to bring before the Lord. If not in our direct actions, our motives and goals are not God-glorifying. We seek to be better people by our behavior. We may even be noble enough to seek the good of others. But it is only by faith that we can be pleasing to God (Heb. 11:6). I explained to my daughter that it isn’t about trying to be good enough because she can’t be good enough. Her sin will always get in the way.

This is the reason we need to rely upon God to save us from our sins. Our hope must come from outside ourselves. He sent Jesus to die on the cross to pay the punishment for our sins. He died so that we could have life. If we have any hope of going to heaven, it will only be because we trusted in what Jesus did for us, and not in the things we tried to do on our own. We place our faith in Him – in who He is and in His death and resurrection – so that we can have the hope of eternal life (cf. Eph. 2:8-9).

This encounter was just one of many reminders that even in the sincerity of our hearts, we can be completely wrong. Things can make total sense to us about the way we are living and what we are striving for. We might have noble intentions and the best motives. But in the end, without Christ, we have no hope of being in good standing with God.

I praise God that He has revealed His will to us in His written Word and doesn’t communicate it to us in some subjective way through impressions and feelings. He doesn’t just tell us to go and do what we think is right. Instead, He tells us clearly what is right and what is wrong, what is truth and what is error, to guide us down the unmistakable road we ought to walk.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians that the natural mind cannot understand the things of God (1 Cor. 2:14). It is only by the grace of God that we can even think the way we ought according to the truth. We are blinded by our sins in our own understanding. We need God to illumine our darkened hearts to the truth. Instead of having us trust in our own intuition, He calls us to trust in His truth. Left to herself, my daughter cannot know the severity of her sin and the desperate condition of her soul. This is why I strive to point her continually back to the Word of God so that she can think rightly not only about the problem in her heart, but also the solution God provided in Jesus Christ. And as she grows I pray that the Lord will help her to see the amazing grace He offers to sinners who deserve judgment and that by grace her heart will respond in faith and thanksgiving.

by Pastor Patrick Cho

This past week for Grace Life, we enjoyed a nice break from our regular Bible study and partook in fellowship over some pizza! During that time, I asked our Grace Lifers if they could share some feedback about how helpful the study on the attributes of God has been thus far. Here are their responses:

“I have enjoyed the fellowship and getting to know others better. I appreciated learning more about God’s truth. Because He is true, we can believe everything about Him.”

“This Grace Life study has been helpful for me because it has helped reveal that my view of God was limited. Our sinful human mind could never understand the vastness of God. When we are diligent to study His character, it will elicit a greater appreciation of His grace to us and how small we are in comparison.”

“The Grace Life Bible study has encouraged me midweek to be accountable for my actions during the week and to reflect on my spiritual discipline.”

“Grace Life has reminded me of the greatness of God in all of the attributes discussed and that He is perfect in them.”

“It has been very helpful to focus on God and have application flow from that, rather than starting with ‘more practical’ things. The lesson on His eternality helped me see the comparative brevity and fragility of my life and it compelled me to be more intentional in time management and stewardship.”

“The lesson on God’s omniscience stood out to me. It gives me comfort to know that even though I don’t know the future, God already has a plan in place before the creation of the world.”

“One lesson that stood out was when we discussed God’s holiness in Isaiah 6. Specifically, the passage showed how God was set apart even to the extent that angels covered their eyes in His presence. Through this passage, I was reminded of how pure and perfect God is compared to anyone else.”

“The lesson on immutability stood out to me. I never thought about how there are passages in the Bible that can be construed as God changing His mind. It was eye-opening in understanding that He is truly unchanging and that those passages are not talking about Him actually changing His mind. Also, it was helpful that God does not have a Plan B. But that every contingency was accounted for from the beginning.”

“This series has been helpful to me in that it stressed the importance of cultivating a deeper understanding of God and His character. A deeper understanding of Him causes my devotion, worship, and service to Him to be deeper. I remember feeling comforted knowing that our God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. I am thankful that our God doesn’t change His mind about the way of salvation. His word is unchanging just like His character.”

“I enjoyed learning about God’s eternality and how He sees all events in time all at once instead of like us experiencing one event at a time. It increases my trust in God that He has perfect understanding of past events in my life as well as my future.”

“Reminders of God’s omnipresence have transformed my thoughts little by little each day for the last few months. Not only is He everywhere at all times, but He is ever near me, personally guiding and comforting me through daily trials.”

“The aseity of God was a helpful lesson because it forced me to more closely examine God’s self-sufficiency, independence and sovereignty. That these inherent qualities of God are not related to us or any of His creation only served to magnify His grace, love, and mercy – that He would choose to create us, choose to love us, and choose to save us.”

“This study has been a good reminder about God’s attributes and what an awesome God we worship.”

“This series has been helpful because it helped me to appreciate and see God in a more grand view. To see God exhibit each attribute perfectly is amazing.”

“I’ve been learning that God cannot change, that He is immutable. This reaffirms that all His promises are sure and will be kept despite my unfaithfulness. I am so thankful that my security in salvation is unchanging.”

“Reviewing the truth of God and His word particularly was helpful for me. Knowing that God’s absolute truth is clearly laid out throughout the Scripture encourages me to keep pursuing to grow in His knowledge and in His grace, all for His glory!”

This study has certainly been impactful and spiritually beneficial. I would encourage all married couples and parents to come out and join us for Bible study on Thursday evenings! It has also been a tremendous joy to teach through this series. Preparation for the lessons has focused my attention on the greatness of God (which is a wonderful theme to focus on!). Walking through these lessons with the group has been a great time of worship together. We’ll still be continuing this series through the month of May so hopefully we’ll see more people come out and join in the blessing!