by Elder Mike Chon

On January 21, 2013 we watched the inauguration ceremony of President Obama for his second term in office. I couldn’t help but notice the faces of those that were in the audience that day. Many of them appeared to be proud and very hopeful that President Obama will be able to change the turmoil that our country has been facing in recent years. They have placed their hope in this one man who has been given the responsibility to lead our country as president. When difficult times occur in one’s life, people tend to desperately look for someone or something to find hope in. Unfortunately the search for hope usually ends up in further disappointment and discouragement. No matter what they end up placing their hope in, if it is something of this world, it will at best be  temporary.

On the contrary, the one who has placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will find their hope, not in something temporary, but instead in someone that is eternal. Scripture teaches us that in the midst of our trials and difficulties our hope is placed in the person of Jesus Christ. The Christian’s great hope in this life is that one day we will be in the presence of Christ, whether by death or when Christ returns and takes us home. In the midst of great persecution, the Apostle Paul encouraged the church in Thessalonica to encourage one another with the hope they have of one day being with Christ along with those who have already died in Christ (1 Thess. 4:13-18). He also reminds them of the great salvation they have in Christ, which brings them great hope that whether they are alive or die that they will be with Christ (1 Thess. 5:9-11).

In the midst of our own trials and difficulties we tend to run to people or things that would bring us comfort and hope. Unfortunately for many believers they never find their hope in what Christ has already accomplished nor in the fact that Christ will return to take us home. Where do you find your hope? Do you find it in a spouse, a close friend, in your children, in your career, in your academic pursuits, in food, or in yourself? None of these will ever bring you true eternal hope. Scripture clearly teaches that true hope is only found in the person of Jesus Christ. Even in the greatest of trials our hope never wavers because our hope does not rest on something that is temporal but instead our hope rests on the atoning work of the cross, the security we have in redemption, and the second coming of Christ.

by Elder Johnny Kim

During a particular weekend every October, swarms of military planes take to the San Diego skies in what is a familiar sight (and sound!) for nearby residents. Although the Miramar Air Show showcases a variety of technologically advanced aircraft, the highlight of the show is without a doubt the Navy’s Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Squadron. The Blue Angels are made up of six F/A-18 Hornets, the Navy’s premier fighter jet currently in use all around the world. Each of the six jets is flown by a highly trained and experienced fighter pilot, considered to be the best of the best. Even the jets themselves are maintained by the best mechanics, all working together to help the Blue Angels accomplish their mission: to promote the Navy to the public and to serve as an invaluable recruiting tool through their performances.

With an important mission that puts them in front of millions of spectators (and potential recruits) each year, it is no wonder that the Blue Angels strive to be the best. However, beneath the highly polished signature blue paint on their jets lies a little known fact about the Blue Angels and an apparent contradiction at that: the jets given to them to fly are always the oldest and most worn out jets in the Navy. One might have guessed that for the venerable and highly visible Blue Angels, only the newest jets would do, but a simple overarching Navy philosophy dictates otherwise: the newest jets and those in the best condition shall be reserved for war and combat. As important as the Blue Angels’ mission seems, it ultimately takes a back seat to the simple truth that fighter jets are built for the purpose of going to war to fight, not performing shows.

In a similar sense, we as Christians are resources ourselves which can be used for a myriad of purposes, all of which can be really important and worthwhile. Whether it is the pursuit of higher education, career advancement, health, social justice, or even relationships, a compelling case can always be made for the merits and benefits of each, so long as they are not inherently sinful or evil. However, as Christians, we too are subject to a simple truth about our true purpose in life and what we have been ultimately created for. Isaiah 43:7 makes it clear that we were created for God’s own glory and to glorify Him. Furthermore, we see in Ephesians 1:11-12 that the chief reason He even redeems us is ultimately for His glory as well. God, the Creator of the universe, has created us for a specific purpose, a purpose to which all others must take a back seat. No matter how important a given endeavor or accomplishment might seem, nothing can ever be more important, worthwhile, and more rewarding than the fulfillment of what we were specifically created to do: to bring God the most glory.

And yet, even those of us who consider ourselves to be mature Christians make decisions each and every day that often just reflect our own priorities based on our own judgment of what we think is important. Worse yet, we can even find ourselves walking down a twisted and convoluted path of reasoning until we find just enough “good” along the way to justify what are, deep down in our hearts, really just our own desires. Society, friends, family, and even well-intentioned fellow Christians can affirm the importance of the things we do, even if God’s glory is not paramount. However, as 2 Timothy 3:17 reminds us, it is God and His all-sufficient word that should be the “overarching philosophy” for our Christian lives, dictating for us the priorities we ought to live by.

Are you living for the purpose that God has created you? Do you make decisions in your life that show you are living out the Christian’s ultimate mission? Are you using your time, money, material possessions, and talents, for the most important purpose and not just an important purpose? Because, in keeping with the Blue Angels metaphor, answering yes or no to these questions can be the difference between Christian lives that are in a battle, fighting to bring God the most glory, and Christian lives that are just putting on a nice show.

“We are living in an age that dislikes precision and definitions. It is an age that is anti-theological, anti-doctrinal and which dislikes propositions and exact knowledge. It is a lazy age in every respect, a sentimental, sloppy age, an age that wants entertainment and dislikes effort” (DM Lloyd-Jones on Romans 10:3, “Romans,” p. 29)

by Elder Peter Lim

It is startling that D. Martin Lloyd-Jones’ quote from over 30 years ago bears so much accuracy and relevance to our present condition. We live in a relativistic post-modern society which is phobic to propositional truth. On the surface, it seems to be the more “loving” thing to do, that everyone’s beliefs are acceptable and no one should be criticized for being wrong, that is except for those who hold to absolute truths. The purpose of today’s article is not to delve too deeply into how the world is. However, I did want to share my observation that mature Christians consider truth to be valuable enough to work hard at obtaining.

It’s not easy to acquire absolute truth. Fortunately for us, we have been given all that we need to live a life that glorifies God. Never before in the history of the world have we had such easy access to the greatest source of truth in the world – the Word of God. The greatest tragedy however is that many Christians are too lazy to read it, let alone study it so that we are experts of it. This might’ve been understandable back when it was nearly impossible for ordinary people to own their own copy of the Bible. But now we have multiple copies in different translations and commentaries from gifted men to help us understand. It takes diligent study in order for us to “cut straight” the Word of God. (2 Tim. 2:15)

What this means for the rest of us is twofold: First, we need to read the Word and study it enough to understand what it means. We need to discipline ourselves to not waste time on trivial things like entertainment and hobbies and plant ourselves on our desks study laboriously. This will take a lot of discipline and effort. If you need help in this area, you are in luck because LBC is starting a new class on Feb 10 on Hermeneutics – the science of interpreting Scripture. Second, we need to appreciate our pastors and other teachers who study diligently to provide us with the very best teaching from the Word of God. It takes guts to go up on the pulpit and declare truth under public scrutiny. Let us value highly the Word of God that is taught to us and is available for us to study! It is God’s gift to us.

by Elder Mike Chon

Life is uncertain. If you turn on the news today it won’t take too long to hear about all the events that no one could have predicted and all the different trials that people are facing today. You’ll definitely see the good, the bad, and the ugly in the news. Many times our personal lives seem as unpredictable as what we see on television. In a single day we can enjoy great happiness and in a moment experience the lowest of lows. Many of us live through life hoping and trying to avoid those disappointments or difficulties because we believe that avoiding these things will bring joy to our life. On the contrary, the Scriptures teach that we should consider it joy when we do face various trials in our life (James 1:2).

Why would Scripture teach us that we should consider it joy when we face these trials in our life? The reason is that God is using these trials to produce in us a spiritual change which results in being perfect and complete.(James 1:3-4) Our desire in this life is not to become comfortable but it is to become holy. If our joy is set on material things, our circumstances, or our health…we’ll interpret these difficult moments as obstacles that stand in the way of our joy. Instead we are to be concerned with those things that are eternal and find joy when we face trials since it will produce in us a greater faith, a greater trust, and a greater love for our Lord and Savior.

Even the apostle Paul understood this when he was given his thorn in the flesh. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) After pleading three times with the Lord to remove this from him, Christ answered him with “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Again we see this perfecting work in the midst of a trial which God produces in us. The result for the apostle Paul was to state that he will boast all the more gladly of his weakness, so that the power of Christ may rest upon him. He was glad to boast about his weakness. Instead of it producing sorrow or anxiousness, Paul’s trial produced in him joy. His joy was found not upon his circumstance but instead knowing that through his circumstance that God is working in and through him. Even though the prayer was not answered the way that Paul wanted it to be, he found joy in knowing that God knows what is best for him. Paul found joy in the eternal and not the temporal.

A.W. Pink wrote concerning our expectations regarding prayer in the midst of trials:

“God’s answer is not always along the line that we think; how good for us that it is not. How little we are able to perceive what would be for our good. ‘We know not what we should pray for as we ought’ (Romans 8:26). Often we ask for temporal things, and God gives us eternal; we ask for deliverance, and He grants us patience. He does not answer according to our will but according to our welfare and profit. Hence we must not be disheartened if our requests are not literally answered. Sometimes God answers by reconciling our minds to humiliating trials. ‘My grace is sufficient for thee.’ Sufficient to support under the severest and most protracted affliction, to enable the soul to lie submissively as clay in the hands of the Potter, to trust His wisdom and love, to be assured that He knows what is best for us.”

The great joy of the Christian life is to know that God cares for us so much that he doesn’t allow us to believe that this earthly world is the best for us. He always wants what is best for us and at times that means that he may bring us through a difficult time to show us our need for him. “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” (1 Peter 5:10)

by Elder Peter Lim

It doesn’t take a parent to realize that newborn babies require milk to grow before graduating into mushy versions of adult food. Before you know it, they are able to eat solid food. That’s the imagery that is given to us in relation to or spiritual maturity in 1 Cor. 3:1-3:

1And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.
2I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able,
3for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?

These young Corinthian believers had many issues including worldliness, jealousy, and strife. These are the same sort of issues that exist in any church. How sorrowful the Corinthians must’ve felt upon hearing this rebuke from Paul.

Rather than focus on the Corinthians, how would we fare under Paul’s evaluation? As he said, a mature Christian should be ready to eat solid food instead of milk. In other words, a sign of a mature Christian is that he would be willing to chew a little more and digest solid teaching on more “heavy” doctrines beyond the basic gospel message from the Word of God instead of being scared off by them. No longer content to be spoon-fed only the basics of Christianity, he would be willing to study diligently to accurately handle the Word and pursue approval from God. (1 Tim. 2:15) For the mature, there is no such thing as bad sermons as long as it is based on Scripture. Bad communication skills of the preacher are secondary to the glorious truth that is being taught. Mature people are the easiest to feed because they can feed themselves from the morsels of solid food given to them. When someone says that he doesn’t get anything out of messages that are Biblical, the problem is obvious. That person isn’t getting anything out because he isn’t being teachable. It shows a lack of graciousness and humility.

If you find that you are struggling with things that the immature struggle with such as: consistent time in God’s Word, prayer, or any other “milky” issues, it’s time to grow up and be mature. Here are some suggestions to help you to grow:

• Start a Bible reading plan. There are many to choose from but I like John MacArthur’s suggestion of reading a book such as 1 John all the way through, once a day, every day, until you get a good idea of the overall flow of the book.
• Read a good Christian book. I understand that not everyone has developed a discipline of reading. Just do it. Start. Reading. Today. Pick an easy one to begin with so that you’ll be encouraged to finish it. Then read some more. The kind without pictures. I know you have that shelf with books that you’ve been meaning to read.
• Turn off the TV. Get off the internet. Start with a half-hour everyday of nothing but silence to meditate on the previous Sunday’s message. Try very hard to recall what it was about. Think of ways to apply those truths.
• Pray. Don’t just use the phrase “I’m praying for you” as a way to sound spiritual when you’re not really praying for them. Although Jesus never prescribed praying on your knees with your eyes closed and hands clasped, this posture of prayer can really help to get your body to conform and concentrate on what you are doing.
• Start writing encouragement notes. You know what I’m talking about. Those little slips of paper in the Sunday Bulletin that you tend to ignore. Start your ministry to people by encouraging them! Here’s a little secret: You not only encourage them, but you feel encouraged yourself as you recognize others to be thankful for.

As a growing child grows stronger by eating solid food and is able to accomplish more, we also grow by learning more about the heavier doctrines from God’s Word. We become more capable of helping people by being more qualified to help others through giving Biblical counsel. Because a stronger Christian understands doctrine more, he is then able to help people who are caught up in cults or in weak churches with poor doctrinal teaching. His pursuit of excellence in spiritual things becomes a testimony to his friends and family. Frankly, a church doesn’t move forward because of the leaders. It moves forward because of committed members who are committed to feeding themselves with the aid of the leaders. This is the picture given to us in Eph. 4:12:

12for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;

The leaders are to equip the saints (Christians) so that all Christians would do the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ. We aren’t to simply pay pastors to do everything. They are to equip us so that we can do the work. Men, you can begin by being a good manager of your own households. Our time on Earth is temporary and short. We are but vapors that vanish quickly. Let us redeem our time with useful ministry for God.

by Elder Mike Chon

When I read through the gospels I can’t help but imagine the amazing experience the disciples must have had as they walked alongside Jesus. They were privy to all that Jesus taught publicly and privately as well as witnessing His great miracles throughout His ministry. So when they were given the opportunity to ask Jesus to teach them something, they asked for something that most of us would never have asked. In Luke 11:1, one of the disciples asked Jesus “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” It is astounding that out of everything they experienced and saw, they wanted to learn how to pray. They didn’t ask to teach us to heal, they didn’t ask to teach us to teach with authority. Instead they asked for something that many of us take for granted: to pray.

Throughout Scripture we read that Jesus went off to pray, including this moment when the disciple asked Him to teach them to pray. I can only imagine that throughout His ministry, Jesus was frequently spending time in prayer. But what was it that the disciples saw in Jesus’ praying that caused one of them to ask Him to teach them to pray? What is so difficult about talking to God that they needed instruction from Jesus on prayer? Is there really a right way to pray? Is prayer a means to give a list of requests to God for Him to answer? As amazing as it was for the disciple to ask for this request, Jesus’ answer was even more amazing.

Instead of directing them to the Psalms where we find God-centered prayers or giving them another example of someone else’s prayers, He teaches them what is commonly known as the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4). The Lord’s Prayer was a model for prayer and not something that we are commanded to strictly repeat. I believe that in this prayer we find what most of us are missing in our own prayers. Jesus begins the Lord’s Prayer with “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” The word “hallowed” means to honor as holy or to set apart. We are to pray to God for Him to cause His name to be honored as holy and set apart in this world and in our life. This is the first petition that is given and it should be the priority of our prayers since everything we do should be to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31). When we think about praying, usually we believe that it is OUR turn to request OUR needs so that OUR life can be improved for OUR sake. Prayer is not given to us to make our lives better in this world, but ultimately it is to hallow God’s name, to magnify the Creator, and to glorify the Redeemer. So whether we are praying for someone’s salvation or for someone’s health, our desire would be that God’s name be hallowed. No matter what the answer to our prayers may be, may our greatest desire be that God’s name be hallowed in that situation or circumstance. Do you find joy when God’s answer is not to take away an illness so that His name would be hallowed? Do you find joy in a life full of trials and disappointments if it means that God would be most glorified in it? When the all-knowing, all-good God doesn’t answer a prayer the way we want because it won’t hallow His name, are you satisfied? May the thoughts of God and His glory preoccupy our thoughts and have priority in our prayers. May we not be satisfied with superficial self-centered prayers, but instead our prayers seek to glorify and magnify the name of our God.

by Elder Peter Lim

Christianity is inherently social in nature. Not only are we to relate to God Himself, but we Christians are to relate to one another in much the same way: with love. This love manifests itself with all the “one anothers” found in the Bible. With the technology that’s available today, more and more interaction can take place without being in physical proximity to one another. Technology allows us to optimize certain aspects of communication through phone calls, email, text messaging, and even Facebook  However, even the most ardent fan of technology will readily admit that it’s a poor substitute for personal interaction in each other’s presence in real life. A sign of a maturing Christian is that he understands the importance of the ministry of presence.

The ministry of presence is a sacrificial act of inconveniencing oneself for the sake of others. Despite all the excuses that one could come up with, one’s presence at various church activities is an opportunity to minister and encourage others. Here are some self-centered excuses I came up with:

• I’m too tired.
• I don’t really want to be with people right now.
• I don’t enjoy that activity. I’d rather do something else.
• I shouldn’t be there if I’m going to have a bad attitude, right?
• I don’t get anything out of it.
• I can have a more profitable time reading/studying/listening to an on-line sermon by myself.

All of these reasons can be true and valid. All of us at some point will be unable to minister to others because we need to deal with our own weaknesses and needs. It’s reasonable that someone may rightfully feel like using some of these excuses but a mature Christian understands that their physical presence at an activity is also an opportunity to help and encourage others as well as themselves. Therefore, they will deliberately choose to inconvenience themselves and sacrifice their own desires in order to be a blessing to others. Because there are such a variety of people with varying degrees of capability, much grace needs to be shown when tempted to criticize someone else for their lack of ability to serve others. Obviously some are weaker than others.

It’s more difficult for:

• Older People – As I am beginning to realize, old age affects the physical body and decreases in both energy level and strength to serve.
• Lonely People – I’ve seldom been lonely in my life but It’s not difficult to see how someone who feels this way can require more care from others than they themselves are able to give. That should never be an excuse however, because the act of sacrificial care for others through the ministry of presence can also help themselves not be so lonely.
• People in the Majority – What I mean by this is that a person who is in the “majority group,” that is someone who feels like they wouldn’t be missed since there are so many people like themselves, may feel like they aren’t needed. A mature “majority group” person would understand that they can always be looking for others to minister to. Or they can almost just enjoy whatever activity people are serving in and appreciate their efforts.
• People in the Minority – A person in a “minority group” may feel like there aren’t other people to identify with. A mature person would magnify the commonality that we share in the gospel of Christ and diminish whatever artificial criteria people use to determine that they are in a minority group. These criteria can include ethnicity, station in life, common interests, and many others.
• Busy People – Busy people always have an excuse not to serve in the ministry of presence. Sometimes this is true but oftentimes they fill their schedule with lesser priority activities. Perhaps it could be a lack of priority for serving others in this way or it could be too high of a priority given to selfish pursuits.
• Poor People – Sometimes activities cost money which is difficult for a poorer person to afford. Hopefully, all church activities would include some provision for those in need. They should swallow their pride and ask for help when needed. They should also double-check their spending habits to make sure that they are being wise stewards of what God has entrusted them with.
• Rich People – Just as the Bible warns that it’s difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom of God, the same caution should be given to rich people in regards to their participation (or lack thereof) in church activities. They should be the first in line to help poorer people to be able to afford participation in church activities and be generous about it. They tend to understand the value of time and they may especially feel the sacrifice of time. However, they need to understand that simply giving money is no substitute for an active involvement in the lives of people.

I hope you all understand that I don’t write these things in order to accuse people. I’m able to write this article because these are the thoughts that I have had in regards to myself and my own weaknesses (except the lonely person one). These thoughts are meant to be for self-evaluation and not for use as ammunition to accuse someone else of not serving in the ministry of presence. It is never a waste for a mature believer to attend some church event because not only do you minister to others during that activity, but you get one step closer to opening another door with someone else who may need ministering to in the future, and who is now a little bit more comfortable approaching you.

by Elder Mike Chon

When we think about Jesus and his earthly life, we are amazed by everything that He taught and experienced which is recorded in the gospels. Of course, the pinnacle of His earthly life was His death on the cross and His resurrection which gives us salvation and hope for the life to come. As amazing as His earthly life is, it is equally amazing that Jesus was even born to Joseph and Mary. The genealogy of Jesus is written for us in Matthew 1:1-16 as well as Luke 3:23-38 which show us the amazing journey that our King had to take even before his birth.

• It began with Adam and Eve who turned away from God to follow Satan which resulted in the fall of the whole human race.
• Then during Noah’s time that the wickedness of man was great (Genesis 6:5) that God decided to bring judgment to the world by sending a worldwide flood that would destroy every man and woman, except for Noah and his family because Noah found favor in the Lord’s eyes (Genesis 6:8).
• Then there is Abraham who is known as a man of faith, but instead of waiting for God’s timing he has a son with Hagar, his wife’s maidservant.
• Then we have Judah who was one of the brothers who sold Joseph off to slavery in Egypt.
• It continues with David who was a murderer and adulterer.

As you follow the genealogy you realize that this isn’t a family line that you would be proud of in worldly standards but it is amazing that God would use these people to be the ones that the King of the world would be associated with in His genealogy.

One thing is certain that God’s wisdom is far greater than ours (Romans 11:33-34). Even though this genealogy may be full of imperfect people, we realize that these are the people that God used to accomplish His will. Even for the most important moment in history God would use these imperfect and sinful people to prepare the way for the birth of Jesus. It was amazing that Jesus would be born through this family line and likewise it is as amazing that God would save us in our sin when we didn’t deserve it so that we can be part of His family. It is encouraging to know that the all-knowing, sovereign God has chosen us before the foundation of this world to be part of His redemptive plan. No matter what background we came from, whether it was of privilege or poverty, whether it was from a Christian home or a broken home, we have been chosen by God to be the person we are today because of His grace and mercy which works in and through us. May God receive all the glory and may we be encouraged that God uses imperfect, weak, and frail men to accomplish His purposes.

by Elder Peter Lim

Is it a sin for a Christian to own a Rolls Royce? Is it a sin to get a tattoo or body piercings? Is it a sin to play video games or watch TV for 24 hours straight? Is it a sin to _______? Whatever you fill the blank with, questions like these often come up in the course of life. Some things are definitely called out in Scripture as sin. But for the most part, people ask questions like these regarding the so called “gray areas.” I wrote an entire series on the issue of gray areas so I won’t rehash them here. Suffice to say, it’s never about the actual answer to these particular questions. It is always about the heart behind even the consideration of these questions. However, it’s worth mentioning again here that conservative decision making is inherently a sign of Spiritual maturity. I am defining “conservative decision making”as: to make decisions which lean on the side of giving up of personal liberties voluntarily for the sake of staying away from sin as far as possible, motivated by a hatred of sin. I am defining the other side, “liberal decision making” as: making decisions that may or may not be sin but since it can’t be proven to be sin, it’s considered to be okay. Of course this is a generalization and not every conservative decision automatically proves maturity. Simply put, life is not about ourselves and what we can get out of it. A mature believer understands that it’s about maximizing God’s glory by spreading the gospel. Personal liberties are not as important as avoiding the possibility of presenting a stumbling block to weaker Christians, of offending Christians who come from a more conservative background, of the lack of profitability of a liberty, and the possible appearance of sin, even if it’s not technically a sin with chapter and verse.

Stumbling Block

Both Matt. 18:6 and Romans 14:1 refer to stumbling blocks as an issue for the weaker brother. We are to care for our weaker brother by refraining from indulging in liberties which may cause him to stumble. A very stern warning is given that causing one of them to stumble is so bad that it’s better to tie a millstone around one’s neck and throw it out into the ocean. Weaker brothers should not use these passages as leverage against stronger believers to get them to conform to their own misguided ideas of godliness however. A weaker brother should humbly seek help and explain why an issue causes them to stumble. Stronger brothers shouldn’t rely on the weaker brothers’ ability to explain this. They should be able to proactively care and foresee that a liberty may cause the weaker brother to stumble because they are the stronger one. If they can’t see that, perhaps they are not as strong as they thought they were.

Offending Others

We all vary to a certain degree when it comes to considering the needs or desires of others more than our own. As an example, the way we dress ourselves is often a result of considering others’ expectations. We wear clothes that are appropriate for different situations. In most cultures, one would not wear a tank top and shorts to a wedding, no matter how much one prefers to be comfortable, out of consideration for others. Romans 14, while used as an example of not causing a weaker brother to stumble, contains truths which extend beyond the weaker brother. Indeed that consideration for the weaker brother is a direct result of the fact that we are not our own. We belong to Christ. (Romans 14:7-8) Therefore, the mature believer will decrease his own desires for the sake of others whom Jesus died for. He must increase, but I must decrease. (John 3:30) This is true whether the brother is a weaker one or a stronger one. All things are to be done to the glory of God and not to offend neither the brethren nor the public at large. (1 Cor. 10:31-33) It is good to consider not offending others. (1 Cor. 10:24)

Lack of Profitability

It is an important point that we do profitable things with our lives rather than simply doing anything we want to do that can’t be proven to be sin. (1 Cor. 10:23) Often, verses such as this one are ignored because it’s difficult to define what things are profitable and what are not. Immature believers may use this difficulty to their advantage to “get away” with dabbling in unprofitable things. This kind of reasoning fails to understand that God is able to peer accurately into their hearts and know exactly their motivations. Because our time here on earth is limited, we must use our time and resources profitably, motivated by a desire to make God’s name known throughout the nations. Evangelism must be at the core of our priorities whether it’s decided on a career path or even what city to live in. A mature believer cares little for weather, recreational lifestyle, hobbies, or even financial security, compared to the opportunity to participate in a dynamic church where Christ is preached to the lost.

Appearance of Sin

A mature believer is concerned about not portraying the appearance of sin, even if it’s not a sin that can be backed up by evidence or proven with an explicit chapter and verse (Eph. 5:3). This verse in the NIV is translated “there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality.” The following words through verse 6 connects this failure in sexual immorality with “any kind of impurity”, greed, obscenity, foolish talk, course jesting, idolatry, empty words, and disobedience. Where there is sexual immorality, the other sins are not far behind. These are words which are vague but well-understood in a general sense. A mature believer doesn’t need an explicit prohibition to be able to recognize that the general character of their life must go conservatively away from these things. Immature people will try to excuse their sinful behavior by appealing to the lack of a precise point at which a questionable act is unquestionably sin. They fail to consider that the lost world is watching them and their carelessness in life’s decisions which can influence them in the wrong way. It indicates that their heart doesn’t consider God and His holiness worthy enough to sacrifice all their fleshly desires.

Sin is offensive to God because He is holy. If we have been transformed to be like Christ, then we should be offended by sin as well. So why do we struggle with the temptation of sin? Although we are new creatures in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17), we are still influenced by our sinful flesh. Although we have been positionally justified, we are still sinners. Although we will never reach a state of sinlessness in this life, it is clear that we are to be holy as He is holy. This pursuit of holiness keeps us humble and dependent upon Him for our strength. Conservative decision making is a natural result of the desire to live a holy life. This marks a maturing Christian.

by Elder Mike Chon

Most Christians know that we should pray. We pray before meals and before we sleep, and even during the day. We also pray when times are difficult and when we need a “favor” from God. Did God tell us to pray so that we can ask for “favors?” Is prayer just to thank God before we eat or before we sleep? There are so many misconceptions regarding prayer that for most of us we never thought about what prayer is actually for.

For those that have been involved in the prosperity gospel movement, you may have thought that prayer is for our own good. If you have a need, especially a physical or materialistic need, that we are called to ask God in faith and that He will answer our prayers. If for some reason we don’t receive what we ask for, the only person we have to blame is ourselves since we apparently didn’t ask without doubting, per passages like Matthew 21:21-22 and Matthew 7:7-11. Is this really why God calls us to pray to Him? Is prayer only use to communicate our needs to God so that He can be our supernatural gift-giver? The problem with this understanding of prayer is that it shifts the focus on our needs and our own desires. It makes prayer into a one-way communication with God that demands our needs to be fulfilled and instead of bringing glory to God, it promotes self-centeredness (and self-deception, if we’re believing that God must answer our prayers). Those that support using prayer in this way, conveniently forget to mention a passage in Scripture that may explain the real reason why those prayers are not being answered. It can be found in James 4:3, and it explains why God does not answer selfish prayers and compares those who pray them to adulterers in verse 4. They have taken what was meant to bring glory to God and used it to glorify themselves.

Another misuse of prayer is as a means to bring attention to your own spirituality and maturity. You’ll find this in superficial churches where they find more value in outward appearances and actions than inward character. They are more concerned with how they appear than what they really are. Most are hypocrites who appear to love God, but instead hate their neighbor, disregard the needy and poor, and forsake their family for recognition and material gain. In these churches you’ll find public prayers to be long, elaborate, and very wordy. Instead of praying out of contrite and humble heart, they sound more like prayer professionals being able to use “spiritual” words in a way that they have never been used before. These are those that pray only when others are around and never alone with God. These are those that would pray a 10-minute prayer for a meal yet never pray for their children’s salvation privately. These are those that would pray with lofty words yet are in constant conflict and strife with fellow members of their own church or family. Prayer was never meant to be a means to bring attention to ourselves. Jesus Himself warned of this type of practice when He spoke about the Pharisees and Gentiles in Matthew 6:5-8.

So what is prayer for? The main focus of our prayer is not for our needs or even the needs of others. Primarily prayer is not just praying for others, even though Christ calls us to do that. Prayer is primarily meant to direct us to God Himself, therefore our prayers should be God-centered and God-focused. It is part of our worship of Him. We are called to glorify God in our prayers. When we see the Lord’s prayer in Matthew 5:9, it begins with “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” God is the focus of our prayer. We are called to praise Him, we are called to worship Him, and we are called to exalt Him in our prayers. Prayer is a call for us to exalt our heavenly Father. The most intimate worship service that each of us should be having is when we are on our knees communing with our Father in our prayers. If you are not praying biblically to God, you are not worshiping God.

May we be a church that worships our great God each and every day of our lives, and not just on Sundays.