by Esther Cheng

Have you ever received a death grip handshake where you felt like your hand was being crushed by a vise? Or perhaps the opposite – a handshake so limp you might as well have been grabbing a jellyfish tentacle? When we speak the truth without love, it’s possible that we crush the people we interact with due to a lack of love and empathy. On the flip side, if we neglect sharing the truth of God’s Word in the name of “love,” we provide no substance to the other individual and in that way, actually withhold the love of God from them too.

This past week, Kevin Tse spoke on chapter 8 of Ken Sande’s The Peacemaker on the topic of speaking the truth in love. I was particularly thankful for this sermon because it is all too common where I see myself wanting to give counsel focusing only on half of “speaking the truth in love.” At times, I fail to genuinely love and care for the person but instead bombard the person with Scripture. Scripture is profitable for all things (2 Timothy 3:16), but without love, I can just be a noisy gong (1 Corinthians 13:1). On the other hand, there are times when I withhold from pointing the other person in the name of “loving” them. When I pause to evaluate my heart, it is often from a fear of man that I do so and in this case, is actually unloving to them that I withhold the goodness of God’s Word (Proverbs 27:6)! We must be on guard of our own thoughts and motives and seek speak the truth in love.

In conflict situations, there is a presumption that there is already a perceived wrong; that something is off and requires gentle restoration (Galatians 6:1). This would not simply be a chance to fix your relationship with the offender, but of their relationship with God. Sure, we know 1 Corinthians 10:31 by heart and understand that glorifying God is of utmost importance, but do we seek His glory in restoring a relationship? In our hearts, are we actually desiring the other individual to fess up for treating you in an unpleasant way? Or do we want the awkward silence and tension to end in the room when they’re around? No matter how much they sinned against us, most importantly, the sin was committed against God. In Psalm 51, David was convicted of his sin towards the Lord alone; in verse 4, he cries out to God saying, “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight.” It’s not to say that he didn’t sin against Bathsheba or Uriah, but the magnitude of the offense to God was exponentially greater when faced with His holiness. We must keep this perspective as we speak the truth in love to our brothers and sisters – that ultimately, we seek their restoration with a holy and just God. In Ephesians 4:29, it mentions that we ought to seek to build the other person up in their relationship with God – we can do this by pointing them to their sin which Christ died for. This also fits the occasion that they desperately have a need to repent of their sins to the Lord.

Before we go revealing every detail of a person’s sinful actions, we need to remember to restore others gently… and remember, we are not the Holy Spirit! Even if we reveal their sins against God (and perhaps to others, or even to their own bodies), only the Holy Spirit can convict them of sin. In humility, be quick to hear and slow to speak (James 1:19). It is possible that there was miscommunication, or they could be a young / immature believer who does not understand that what they did was sin. After all, “we who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves” (Romans 15:1). Bear with the failings of others, not by sweeping sin issues under the rug, but encouraging others in truth and love. Rewind back to when Christ first saved us – how as immature Christians, there was much to learn and many mistakes made along the way… and yet, our shortcomings and sins could not separate us from His grace (Ephesians 2:8-9) and nothing could separate us from the love of Christ (Romans 8:38-39). God is gracious and thankfully, He uses these difficult situations to sanctify us until the day we die (Philippians 1:6).

May we prayerfully and humbly seek the Lord for wisdom as we struggle with our flesh to seek God’s glory amidst the painful impacts of another’s sin against God.

by Jonathan Eng

What do the Los Angeles Lakers of 2014-2015 and the body of believers at LBCSD have in common? Both are going to experience conflict at some point, big and small. (I had to, being the Clipper fan that I am).

In Single Life, we have been going over The Peacemaker by Ken Sande. Thus far, we have completed the first section of the book which details the first of the four G’s, which is to glorify God. The foundation to which we have in glorifying God is found in 1 Corinthians 10:31 which says, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Having this mindset is crucial especially when in conflict because God’s reputation is at stake as well as our own witness. Having such a mindset is crucial when entering a conflict. Upon accomplishing this and remembering to glorify God amidst conflict, we are able to proceed with biblical conflict resolution and reconciliation, which leads into the second G: getting the log out of our own eyes.

One week, Single Life got to hear one of our esteemed elders, Johnny Kim, preach on the fourth chapter of The Peacemaker, entitled “Is This Really Worth Fighting Over?” The main point of this chapter focuses on overlooking minor offenses and picking out battles, especially when trying to get the log out of our own eyes. Matthew 7:3-5 says:

“Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye, when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.’”

Whenever we get in conflicts, our natural, sinful tendency is to focus on the wrongs committed against us. It is a “me versus them” mentality. Our pride is hurt because we have been wronged. By having this mentality, we remove God from his rightful place in our lives and elevate ourselves. We fool ourselves into thinking that we have committed no wrong when we, in our anger, sin and contribute to the conflict. Because of that, we need to get the log out of our own eyes in order to progress in biblically resolving our conflicts. In getting the log out of own eye, we as believers need to focus first on how we contribute to the conflicts we are engaged in. When we are able to do that, peacemaking truly begins.

We have to ask ourselves if something is worth fighting over and if it is an unnecessary conflict that can be avoided. No matter how small it is, it can always get bigger and worse. Proverbs 17:9 says, “Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.” When we do not overlook an offense, a minor issue could easily snowball into a big problem and negatively affects not only the relationship between the parties involved, but the body as well. The apostle Paul in Colossians 3:12-13 calls for believes to wear the clothing of “kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another…” As such, we are to forgive others when we are in conflict because we ourselves are always in spiritual conflict with God when we sin. God, in his perfect grace and mercy, has overlooked our sin because he sent Christ to die on our behalf and take the punishment for our sins. When we can overlook an offense and check our ego at the door, we in turn imitate God’s mercy and hold up the reputation of the church to non-believers.

Having recapped the message from Wednesday, the hardest part for myself is checking my ego at the door whenever I am involved in conflicts. I personally tend to hold grudges and dwell on things. Resolving conflicts is usually not a problem when it is amongst believers. Where the rubber meets the road for me in this is in the work place when I am a sheep amongst wolves. I struggle with how to resolve conflicts in the work environment, which is especially hard when my coworkers and I do not share the same beliefs. As a Christian, I cannot hold non-believers to the same standard I would have for a fellow brother or sister at church. Because of that, I am still trying to navigate my way through conflict and would much rather avoid it altogether and sweep it under the rug. As I write this, I left my old job with relationships with coworkers whom I personally did not care to deal with because of my reaction to how I was treated as well as how other coworkers were treated by them. As I enter into my new job, I take with me a refreshed approach and attitude toward resolving conflicts in the work place and to know that I need to first and foremost project Christ and recognize his reputation is at stake when I do not resolve conflict in a biblical manner. If I am the source of committing a wrong against a coworker, I need to seek forgiveness from them and check my ego at the door. Even if I get persecuted for trying to pursue reconciliation, as long as I know that I am glorifying God, nothing else will matter. Ultimately, I need to take care of my own part and trust God with everything else in order to be a good witness at work and to love my unbelieving coworkers.

by Joseph Ho

Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt from Joseph Ho’s recent sermon of the same name.

This year, we are starting off the Single Life Bible study in Ken Sande’s book: The Peacemaker. We will be looking at the four G’s of peacemaking: glorify God, get the log out of your eye, gently confront, and go and be reconciled. I’d like to share an excerpt from the Bible study on the topic of “Seeing conflicts as opportunities to glorify God.”

Jesus said in Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Peacemaking is characterized by the life of those who profess to know Christ. But peacemaking is hard because it goes against the natural desire of the flesh. In Matthew 5:38-48, Jesus addresses the most difficult aspect of all human relationships, namely, the relationship between a person and his offender. Let’s take a look at verses 38 and 39.

You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. (Matthew 5:38-39)

In verse 38, Jesus begins with “You have heard that it was said.” In the Sermon on the Mount, each time when Jesus addresses an Old Testament law by saying, “You have heard that it was said,” Jesus is bringing to light the erroneous understanding of that law as it was understood by the rabbinic traditions. “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’” The rabbinic traditions misapplied this law in two ways. First, this law was not given to encourage retaliation; instead, it was given to limit retaliation. Second, the law was not given in the context of meting out personal revenge in conflict, but the law was given to the magistrates of those days so that the judges may know how to properly administer justice and to keep order in society. We see this law three times in the Old Testament: Exodus 21:23-25, Leviticus 24:19-20, Deuteronomy 19:16-21.

Let’s read Deuteronomy 19:16-21:

If a malicious witness arises to accuse a person of wrongdoing, then both parties to the dispute shall appear before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who are in office in those days. The judges shall inquire diligently, and if the witness is a false witness and has accused his brother falsely, then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. And the rest shall hear and fear, and shall never again commit any such evil among you. Your eye shall not pity. It shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

First, we see here that the law was given to show the Israelites that there are negative consequences for breaking the law of God, and that every offender will receive the just punishment for the crime. Second, we see here that the law was not given in the context of personal vengeance, but it was given to the judges of those days so that they would know how to properly administer justice.

This law is a good law because innate in our human nature is the desire to over-retaliate. We see this in Lamech in Genesis 4:23-24, “Lamech said to his wives: “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say: I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me. If Cain’s revenge is sevenfold, then Lamech’s is seventy-sevenfold.” Here, Lamech killed a man merely because that man struck him. He traded a wound for a body! We also see this in David’s life in 1 Samuel 25. When Nabal humiliated David’s servants and did not appreciate David’s kindness, David was furious and was ready to kill him. It was because of Nabal’s wife Abigail stopped David’s personal vendetta; otherwise, David would have done great harm to his witness and character as a future king of Israel.

Human vengeance always wants a pound of flesh for an ounce of offense. Jesus brings this law back to show it is wrong to use this law to carry out personal retribution.
Matthew 5:39, “But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Here, Jesus is addressing the conflict on the personal level. He is not throwing out a blanket statement that we should not have a justice system that punishes evildoers. We learn in Romans 13:1-4 that God establishes the government to punish evildoers. And in James 4:7 and 1 Peter 5:5, we are instructed to resist the devil. What Jesus is teaching here is that, in times of personal conflict, immediate retaliation should be the last thing on our mind. This idea is repeated again in Proverbs as well. Proverbs 20:22 says, “Do not say, ‘I will repay evil’; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.” Proverbs 24:29 says, “Do not say, ‘I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done.’” In Jesus’ days, being slapped on the face is the most humiliating treatment of another person, and even in that kind of insult, we are not to retaliate or be quick to defend our pride.

Perhaps, Romans 12:19-21 sums up the best attitude in times of conflict:

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

During the time of the protestant reformation, there was a man by the name of George Wishart in Scotland. He was a contemporary and a friend of John Knox. He was known for his genuine love for the poor and the sick, and his passionate preaching of the true Gospel. Because of his bold opposition against the Catholic Church of that day, Cardinal David Beaton, Archbishop of St. Andrews, plotted to kill him. Beaton was an evil man. He was a Cardinal, and yet he was living in open immorality with a mistress. Seeing Wishart as an opposition to his authority, on March 1, 1545, Cardinal Beaton captured Wishart and sentenced him to be hanged and burned. During his execution, the hangman, knowing the good deeds of Wishart, was remorseful, sat down upon his knees, and said, “Sir, I pray you to forgive me, for I am not guilty of your death.” To whom Wishart kissed his cheek, and said, “Here is a token that I forgive you from my heart.” (Story from Foxe’s Book of Martyrs). Such forgiveness is impossible, unless one has tasted the forgiveness of God through Jesus Christ.

Someone said it well:

To return evil for good. That is devilish.
To return evil for evil. That is human.
To return good for evil. That is divine.

by Elder Johnny Kim

With summer behind us, the Single Life ministry had been gearing up for the new term which started in October. Since the Single Life year typically follows the academic year, in some sense, it feels as though we too are heading back to school. With that mentality, we find ourselves thinking ahead, anticipating what we might learn and experience in the upcoming year, determined to do our best to make it profitable and fruitful. Whether it’s through the Wednesday night Bible studies, the fellowship with like-minded brothers and sisters, or through the accountability we receive in small groups, opportunities abound for us to grow spiritually within the Single Life ministry. However, to borrow more from the analogy to school, unfortunately we can sometimes find ourselves fired up at the beginning of the year, resolved to make the most of those opportunities for the sake of our spiritual growth only to find that after a month or so, that fire of determination has fizzled out. We put our lives on cruise control and coast for the rest of the year without making much headway or progress, but doing enough just to “get by”. If we could be given the ability to take a snapshot of our spiritual state at the beginning of the year and at the end, one might even be hard pressed to see any difference.

As we look forward to this upcoming year in Single Life, it’s a good time to be reminded that the Christian life in general is meant to be a life of ongoing sanctification. In Philippians 3:13-14, Paul likens our Christian life to a race and like those who run in a race, we are to be constantly moving forward, pressing on and striving towards greater Christ-likeness in our lives. Those who run in a race, be it the 100 meter dash or a marathon, don’t stop to rest or to lie down and take a break in the middle of it, or worse, start going in the opposite direction. In the same way, Christian sanctification means that we are continually seeking to be more like Christ. To anyone observing a race, it’s clear the direction that the runners are headed. To anyone observing a Christian life, it should be just as clear that it’s a life headed in the direction of holiness.

The Single Life ministry is for those who desire to run the Christian race together. It’s a ministry devoted to the sanctification of singles and for those who desire to become more like Christ in every aspect of life (2 Corinthians 3:18). With each passing week, with every message preached, and with every small group accountability meeting, we should find ourselves that much closer to walking like Christ, talking like Christ, and loving like Christ. And as we worship together as one body, we are to constantly encourage one another and exhort one another toward that end. Throughout this year, my hope is that the singles would gain a greater understanding of God and who He is, a deeper desire and hunger for His Word, and a greater love for Christ and more joy in obeying Him. And at the end of this Single Life year, my hope is that we could somehow look back to the image of our spiritual lives now and see a difference that would be unmistakably clear and unmistakably positive.

For all of us who are Christian, regardless of whether we’re in Single Life or not, sanctification is going to be a lifelong process (Proverbs 20:9). And as long as we are sinners and as long as God is holy, we will face a constant struggle to conform our lives to the standard in His Word. It is a process that doesn’t let up, nor should it ever slow down even as we get older. So then, for all those who seek to be sanctified, the question we need to ask ourselves at the end of each day is simple: “Does my life look more like Christ’s today than it did yesterday?”

by David Lee

When one becomes a Christian, change occurs in one’s life. As Paul writes in Galatians, the Christian proclaims that “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me…” Personally, my life saw many changes when I became a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ a number of years ago. As someone who was enslaved to sin, I joyfully heeded the call to my slavery to righteousness. My then newfound vigor to submit to my Lord (kupios) as his slave (doulous) brought me great comfort in understanding my life to be in His sole ownership. Moreover, I aligned my perspective of people as well as of Christ himself to one that is consistent with a biblical worldview. I began to view Christ as my Lord and Savior, and to view people with an understanding of their spiritual needs. Alas, here I am now, sitting six years past from the moment the God of the universe grasped me in His grip of salvation. As Roger Alcaraz preached on the eve of a recent midsummer bible study, he posed a challenge to me: Am I viewing Christ and people the way I should be?

In a sermon titled “A New Outlook on Life,” Roger expounded upon 2 Corinthians 5:16-17. His first point reminded us that Christ’s death should change our perspective on people. We see that in verse 16, Paul writes that as believers, “we regard no one according to the flesh.” Before one becomes a believer, the lens through which one views people is, sadly, primarily based on external judgment and under a worldly standard. A further assessment of the unbeliever’s view of people demonstrates that it is most often associated with self-centered motives. “What can this person do for me?” “ I’ve just met this person, but I don’t know how I feel about him/her. Does he/she make me feel good about myself?” These are often thoughts that most people don’t readily admit to have running through their heads. Even as believers, we struggle with these very thoughts. But as those who claim to follow Christ, how exactly should we be viewing people? 1 Samuel 16:7 tells us that “…the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks upon the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” Clearly, we humans are not capable of looking on each other’s hearts, but the challenge posed here should be rather striking to us. Rather than regarding someone according to the flesh, we should be glancing over the simple outward appearance of man to avert our gaze with deep intention to consider the needs of the soul. Indeed, the cliché “It’s what’s on the inside that counts” comes to mind. But consider this, Christian: our perspective on the family, friends, and strangers around us who are in desperate need of the gospel should serve as an impetus for our desire to share His Word.

Furthermore, we believers have a new perspective on Christ. In Acts 26:9-11, Paul writes of his former hatred for Christians. Verse 11 reads, “And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.” How marvelous is Paul’s conversion, that he once heavily persecuted Christians himself, but upon his conversion to saving faith, only grew to love God more and more! As I reflect upon my own testimony, I am reminded by this passage of my need to actualize my profession of belief with the manner in which I live my life. I pray that my appreciation for Christ’s death and resurrection would invigorate my zeal for the gospel, flowing from my soul in an outward demonstration of loving others more. As the passage in 2 Corinthians continues, Paul states that we are a new creation. “The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (v. 17). As I consider the stark contrast between Paul’s life before and after his conversion, I wonder and present myself with this question: Am I portraying a similar transformation from my “former self”? Am I indeed an entirely new creation in Christ and not simply an “updated version”? Roger’s message challenged me to also evaluate how well I am living out the Passion of LBC’s MVP. As a Christian, my perspective on Christ and people should cause me to love God and people more, for it is because God first loved us by sending His son to die on our behalf that I can subsequently love those around me (1 John 4:19). My prayer is that our outlook on life may be one that cherishes our identity in Christ as a new creation and heeds the calling to honor our Almighty Father not only with our reverence of Him, but with our love for all people.

by Elder Johnny Kim

For the last quarter of the Single Life Ministry term, we had the privilege of walking through (or more like running through!) the book of 1 Peter. The Apostle Peter wrote the epistle toward the end of his life, addressing it to the Christians who found themselves dispersed throughout the empire of Rome (1 Peter 1:1). From the beginning of his letter to the end, Peter makes it unmistakably clear that the focus and major theme of what he wanted to impart to those Christians was the idea of suffering for the sake of following Christ (1 Peter 1:6). As in any personal letter written with specific recipients and readers in mind, Peter appropriately broaches the topic of suffering, understanding that the Christians in Rome at the time were experiencing persecution at the hands to of the Roman Emperor Nero and the citizens of Rome.

Fast forward to our lives today in the city of sunny San Diego and the idea of being persecuted for our faith couldn’t seem any more foreign, alien, or out of place. In fact, an honest self-assessment will inevitably reveal that we are naturally predisposed to avoiding pain and suffering in our lives. But while we might seek to dodge even discomfort in the course of our daily routine, the danger lies in the fact that this self-preserving attitude often pervades our spiritual lives. In an effort to try and avoid possible humiliation and rejection, we might find ourselves unwilling to share the Gospel message. In an effort to try and avoid possible financial insecurity and instability, we might find ourselves withholding giving to the church and giving our offering to God. In an effort to try and avoid uncertainty and inconvenience, we might not give even the slightest thought to planting a church. In an effort to try and avoid being ridiculed and despised, we might not be willing to stand up so boldly for Christ and His commands.

But for the one who seeks to genuinely follow Christ and on His terms, suffering isn’t something to be avoided, but rather is something to be expected (Matthew 10:24-28). The truth is we live in a country and society that is increasing in its secularism, growing in its hostility towards God and those who would submit to Him, and departing further and further away from Biblical principles. Enemies of the Gospel and the unbelievers around us will eventually be a cause of suffering and persecution in our lives, if not already. Furthermore, Peter reminds Christians that we live in a fallen world that is administered, occupied, and influenced by Satan and his demons who actively seek to bring about the suffering and destruction of believers (1 Peter 5:8). Suffering is a part of the Christian life, as is intended by God, and to deny that truth is to deny His plan and purposes (1 Peter 4:12-14).

The Christians in Rome who read 1 Peter firsthand faced increasing persecution that would escalate to include death by crucifixion, being torn apart by lions, and being lit on fire to serve as human lamps in Emperor Nero’s garden. While none of us undoubtedly may be able to claim the presence of such suffering in our lives, we Christians are still called to action in response to what we read in 1 Peter today. First of all, let us thank God for His grace and mercy to withhold from us suffering for at least this current moment in our lives. Then, in this current moment that we do have, let us prepare for the suffering that is to come. Let us prepare so that circumstances will one day find us ready and joyful to suffer well and suffer excellently for the sake of following Christ.

“Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation.” (1 Peter 2:2)

by Joseph Ho

The word “long for” (evpipoqe,w, epipothēo) basically means to “desire earnestly.” This word is used in the New Testament in the context of desiring or yearning to see someone (Romans 1:11; Philippians 1:8; 1 Thessalonians 3:6). It is also used in the Septuagint (The Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament) in Psalm 42:1 to express one’s desire for God, “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.”

Here in the context of 1 Peter 2:2, Peter is exhorting us to long for the Word like newborns longing for the mother’s milk. We see in this metaphor that just like newborns, we have received our spiritual birth in Christ through the living Word (1 Peter 1:3, 1:23). Just like newborns, we are dependent on the Word for our spiritual nourishment and growth.
One of the characteristics of the newborn is the baby’s undistracted desire to eat. Newborns are never interested in the stimulations of the environment, but rather, they focus solely on feeding and growth! Similarly, we ought to cultivate the same intensity and focus to desire the Word of God.

We see this desire in the life of Apostle Paul. He says in Philippians 3:13-14, “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

We also see this desire in Mary. We read in Luke 10:38-42, “Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
Even though Martha did a lot more for Christ, Jesus was more pleased with Mary because her sole desire was to sit at His feet and listen to His teaching. This year’s theme is “One Thing I Do.” In our relationship with the Word of God, the one thing we must do is to earnestly feed on it.

Interestingly, we learned through modern science that the mother’s milk has antibodies. It gives the baby defense against infection. The mother’s milk has the perfect balance of nutrients. It causes the newborn to grow very quickly. During breastfeeding, the hormone, oxytocin, is released which causes the baby and the mother to bond with each other. The feeding time nurtures the intimacy between the mother and the child.

Apostle Peter probably didn’t have this scientific knowledge when he wrote 1 Peter, but I believe he chose to use this metaphor because he saw the amazing growth of the newborns upon feeding on the mother’s milk. In the same way, when we feed on the pure milk of the Word, we grow in our intimacy with God; we have a deeper delight in spiritual things; we increase in spiritual understanding; we gain wisdom to deal with the issues of life; we have greater love and stronger faith in God; we desire less for the things of this world; and we are able to obey His Word more consistently, and as a result, we receive blessings from God.

Psalm 1:1-3, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.”

This is God’s true prosperity gospel. No, God is not going to necessarily give you wealth, fame, or comfort. But when you desire his Word, he will prosper you by drawing you closer to Him, drawing you closer to the blessings not of this earth but of heaven.

Jeremiah 15:16, “Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart.”

(Editor’s Note: we encourage you to listen to Joseph’s sermon on this topic here.)

by Randy Tsuchiyama

This year’s Single’s Retreat was titled, “Living Sacrifices” and was centered on the theme of worship. Through the four messages that Dr. Andy Snider gave during the retreat, the importance of worship was clearly portrayed. Thinking about what worship ought to look like and seeing how I approach worship brought a lot of conviction about changes that I need to make in my life

The first two sermons of the retreat were used to exposit the story of worship in the Bible. During the first sermon, Dr. Snider explained what worship in the Old Testament looked like. During the second sermon, he explained what worship looked like in the New Testament. One key point that hit home for me was that worship is something that needs to be done every moment of my life and is not relegated to certain events throughout the week (namely, Sunday worship service). Though this point was not a new one, being reminded of the importance of worship in EVERY THING that I do was a very sobering one. I was challenged to think through worshipping God in how I work, how I serve at church, and even how I choose to relax. As a worshipper of Christ, I am called to revere, love, and submit to God in everything that I do

The last two sermons of the retreat were about the worshipping church’s identity. Dr. Snider discussed what our identity as a church ought to be based on the fact that we are Christians and that we are all worshippers of Christ. As a church that is worshipping God, we are all redeemed, separated, devoted, and related (like a family). Thinking about how to love one another like family is a huge challenge. The way that we love is the way that we make the love of God visible to this lost and dying world around us. The way that we ought to be showing love to one another should look drastically different than what the world expects love to look like. This is one aspect of worship that I was particularly challenged by and am looking to grow in more and more.

The topic of worship is such an important one for the Christian. Worship is what we do every moment of our lives. Sometimes we choose to worship ourselves and other times we choose to worship God. After being blessed by the preaching of Dr. Snider, I am praying that God graciously helps me to choose to worship Him more and more everyday.

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!
(Psalm 118:1)

by Kevin Tse

These days the word “good” can be taken many different ways. It can be used to describe a state of being, ability, or a character quality. Usage of the word “good” has also become rather relativistic, being used to denote that something is better than something else. The main issue with this usage of the word “good” is that it is completely divorced from the true definition of “good”, which can only be described as “that which is inherently God”.

God is good, and He defines what “good”-ness means. First, God is good because He is perfect (Matt 5:48). Second, God is good because He is a God of blessing, to believers and unbelievers alike (Matt 5:45). We all experience the common grace of God that sustains our lives on a daily basis. God particularly promises to bless the nation of Israel (Genesis 17:7-8), and the church (Eph 3:20-21). Third, God is good because He is righteous and holy (Is 6:3).

God defines goodness on His terms, and we all fall short of His goodness (Rom 3:10,23). This is called sin, and it is what separates us from God. Our salvation, therefore, cannot come from ourselves because we have no inherent goodness or righteousness of our own. We can only be saved because God, being rich in mercy, bestowed upon us the blessing of the righteousness of Christ. It is Christ’s imputed righteousness that is the ultimate manifestation of the goodness of God to us, and God’s imputed righteousness is what saves us from the punishment of sin (Phil 3:8-9).

Sometimes, even the strongest believer forgets the goodness of God (Ps 13, 73). This is what happens when we take our eyes off the eternal and instead focus on the present. Sometimes it appears that the wicked are getting away with anything they want (right before our very eyes!), while the believer is left to suffer. In those times, we must recall that we were never promised an easy life (John 15:18-20), but instead what we are promised is that our ultimate reward is an inheritance that is stored up in heaven with Christ, imperishable and eternal (1 Peter 3:7).

We have a choice when we are faced with doubting the goodness of God. We can choose to doubt the veracity of His promise that he causes all things to “work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28). We can choose to ignore the answered prayers and faithfulness He has demonstrated to us in the past, and focus only on the present trial. We can choose to forget His eternal promise of blessings to those who have run the race faithfully (Rom 5:3-5, 1 Peter 1:3-9). But the Bible is clear that though we may choose to doubt, God is truly good from everlasting to everlasting.

In Psalm 73 we see that it is only when we can regain our eternal perspective by entering “the sanctuary of God” (Ps 73:16-17) that we are reminded of the goodness of God. Only then will we see that the wicked does not truly prosper (for their reward is a just punishment administered on their day of judgment), but also that our heavenly rewards are super-abounding and an overflowing reminder of the goodness of God towards us. Even more, God has not left us to ourselves, but has blessed us with His Holy Spirit who is continually with us. It is as if God’s infinite goodness lives within us (and walks with us) at all times. This is what caused the Psalmist to write some of the most comforting words in all of scripture, when he writes (Ps 73:23-28):

Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
For behold, those who are far from you shall perish;
you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.
But for me it is good to be near God;
I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,
that I may tell of all your works.

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” (A.W. Tozer)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Given the information age that we live in, we have been inundated with facts, news, and videos that stimulate and dull the mind. With the advent of the smartphone, we literally have the world available to us at our fingertips. We can easily receive the latest updates on earthquakes, traffic, celebrity gossip, political events, fitness tips, sales, and so on. The instant availability of data can be overwhelming, and learning something new can be exhausting. The pace at which modern life operates seems to be more rapid in times past, and many are trying to catch up.

Enter the believer. On top of living in this technology craze is the constant call to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord, Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). Christianity is a knowledge-revealed religion, and can be difficult for a new believer to become knowledgeable about their faith, especially when so many other sources vie for our attention.

How can we be discerning about what we spend our time doing? What does Scripture place as a priority in terms of knowledge? Is it a deeper understanding of the events leading up to the second coming of Christ? Is it the historical and scientific evidence for creation? Is it a more developed method of apologetics? What should be prominent in our study?

From the perspective of Scripture, God is identified as the being we are instructed to know above all others and above all things. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7), which implies a right understanding of the God whom one is to fear (LORD = Yahweh), and the appropriate stance required to gain true knowledge (fear). In contrast, the fool has a bad relationship with both wisdom and instruction. He is the antithesis to the wise, who correctly identifies the God of Israel as the One to whom he should look to attain real, and not false, wisdom and insight (Proverbs 9:10). Christ Himself is identified as the source of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3), wisdom identified as “skill in the art of godly living.” Pursuit of this is designed to guide “the way of the saints” (Proverbs 2:3-8). Jesus Christ identifies eternal life with knowing God and Christ, not just intellectually, but relationally.

From this very brief look at Scripture, it’s incumbent upon us to seek knowing God for the sake of our salvation (knowing God as He has revealed Himself and not a god of our own choosing), as well as the sake of our growth in godliness. When we learn more about the life of a painter or musician, there is an increased appreciation not only for that painter or musician, but also the work that initially drew your interest to them. Knowing God is foundational to growing deeper in our relationship with Him, but the main difference between knowing God and knowing a painter or musician is that God radically changes us to become more like God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Christian faith does not rule out knowledge; it forms the basis for true knowledge, because faith given by God to His people is directed to the source of true knowledge.

For this and many other reasons, Single Life has been going through a series of understanding God as He has revealed Himself in Scripture. We have been going over a number of God’s attributes that gives us a clearer picture of whom we are worshipping. It’s been a very helpful series to stop and focus on the character of God and think through the implications of the fact that God has spoken much about who He is, and how that should affect our daily lives. Some of His attributes thus far covered include His glory, holiness, omnipotence, omniscience, eternity, immutability, love, along with His triune nature. Each character reveals truths that have everything to do with how we live our lives on a daily basis, from making big decisions to the most mundane, from taking out the trash to the glory of God to knowing God as triune affect your prayer life.

Though we have a few messages left on this theme, I can personally testify that my love for God and appreciation of His character and work has only increased. To know God as eternal is mind-blowing in and of itself, but to know that He knows everything, can do anything that is consistent with His character, is immutably loving and holy, and is absolutely unique in His triune nature can humble the proud, comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. We need to know this God to avoid putting ourselves as the center of the universe and acknowledge the glorious God of Scripture as the One worth centering and focusing our lives upon. We need to know this God because the church is in dire need of replacing the immediacy that this culture inculcates with the steadfastness of our Holy Creator. We need to know this God because the Gospel needs to be proclaimed with such clarity that those who hear will have such an awe-filled portrait of God that they will be drawn to knowing Him for all of eternity. We need to know this God to replace our affections with lesser things which can only frustrate and disappoint.

May we all attain to the unity of the faith which is founded upon a deep knowledge of the One who has not only made us, but has saved us.