Decisions, Decisions, Decisions (Part 3)

by Elder Mike Chon

As we continue in our series on decision-making, we will look at some of the common mistakes that believers make in attempting to make God-honoring decisions. You may have seen sitcoms growing up where a boy is interested in a girl and is nervous asking her out to a school dance or similar event. So he decides that if the phone rings in the next minute (or some other equally arbitrary event) then it must be a “sign” for him to ask this particular girl to the dance. As silly as this scenario is, many believers make decisions in their life using similar “signs” to make decisions that have much more serious consequences then asking someone to a school dance. Before we look into how we should make God-honoring decisions, we will first examine the common mistakes that believers make in decision-making.

You may have heard someone share how God has “opened a door” for them…and so this particular decision must be from God. Where did this idea of God opening doors come from? Are “open doors” a sign from God that reveals His individual will for your life? Biblically (1 Corinthians 16:8-9; Colossians 4:3; 2 Corinthians 2:12-13) the idea of God “opening doors” refers to opportunities to be able to effectively share God’s Word. It is never used as an opportunity that God gives to the believer for you to follow so that you will fulfill God’s will in your life. For example, someone may be given an opportunity at another job or company. This new opportunity offers the individual better pay and is the next step to advance in their career. But along with this new opportunity, also comes with it greater responsibility and will require this person to work on the weekends, including Sundays. Not only that, they will have to move to another part of the country, away from family, friends and their church. If this person believes that this opportunity is an “open door” given by God for his life then it would be the right choice for this person to follow this opportunity. But is that a correct interpretation of their opportunity? Is this how believers should make decisions?

You may have also heard someone share how they were accepted to a certain school by a certain date or on a certain color stationary…so it must be a sign that it is God’s will for them to go there. This is called “putting out a fleece” which comes from Judges 6:36-40, from the life of Gideon. Basically it is anything we may interpret conditionally as a sign from God that reveals to us His will for our life. It can be as silly as the boy who determines that he will ask a particular girl to the dance if the phone rings in the next minute, or God wants me to pursue a certain career if I am accepted to this particular school, or God wants me to marry a certain girl if she wears a certain color shirt to church. Do we assume that these signs are always God’s way of showing us His will for our life? Do we believe that God works through “fleeces” like He did with Gideon in our decision-making? Do we put God to the test in order to reveal His will for us?

Both of these methods of making decisions are based on circumstances. I am not saying that circumstances do not matter at all, since they do frame the context that we live in and do play a role in our decision-making (which will be discussed further in the next article). But at the same time making decisions based only on your circumstances is not what God would desire us to do. Before we examine how we should make decisions, there is another mistake that believers make in regards to decision-making.

Have you heard someone make a decision based on the “still small voice” of God or an “impression” they had from God? How about a vision or dream? Many people are waiting for that “voice” of God or “impression” on their heart to make a decision. Someone may share how they heard the voice of God or that God impressed on their heart that they should follow this particular direction for their life. Or that God gave them a sense of peace regarding their decision. The problem with using this as your method of making decisions is that it is subjective. Where did this voice, impression, or dream come from? How do you know that it was from God? As well, is this a true biblical pattern of how God reveals His will for us today? Scripture teaches the danger of trusting only in our feelings because of the condition of our heart (Proverbs 28:26; Jeremiah 17:9). Remember Proverbs 14:12 warns us that even though we may sincerely believe something to be true, we may be sincerely wrong. We must first interpret these subjective feelings and impressions on the objective truth of God’s Word (Proverbs 30:5). Otherwise, we are mistakenly elevating our sinful hearts and minds to the same level as Scripture.

With so many decisions even in how we make our decisions, we need to return to Scripture where God reveals to us how we should be making decisions in our life. One thing is clear, God calls believers to live this life with wisdom (Ephesians 5:15-16; Colossians 4:5). This is also true in our decision-making, that we make decisions with wisdom which we will discuss further in the next article.

Merry Christmas from LBC!

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Dear family and friends of Lighthouse,

Merry Christmas! We hope your day is full of joy and that you have a wonderful time celebrating the birth of Jesus with those closest to you. Praise God for the precious gift of a Savior. Because of His amazing grace, we can know Him and be made right with Him by our faith in Christ’s work on the cross. It is this salvation offered by God that is our only true hope in this world. So take some time to read and be grateful the account of the coming of the King. This excerpt is from Luke 2:4-14:

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

May the Lord God bless you and your family and friends this Christmas as we all hope in Christ our Savior!

Let us also take some time to remember the men and women in the military who are overseas fighting for the freedoms we enjoy. Especially as they are part of our church family and aren’t able to spend Christmas at home, please pray for Erick Min and Alex Lim that God would encourage their hearts and keep them strong this Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

In His grace,

Pastor Patrick

Immanuel

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

“‘Immanuel, God with us.’ It is hell’s terror. Satan trembles at the sound of it. . . . Let him come to you suddenly, and do you but whisper that word, ‘God with us,’ back he falls, confounded and confused. . . . ‘God with us’ is the laborer’s strength. How could he preach the gospel, how could he bend his knees in prayer, how could the missionary go into foreign lands, how could the martyr stand at the stake, how could the confessor own his Master, how could men labor if that one word were taken away? . . . ‘God with us’ is eternity’s sonnet, heaven’s hallelujah, the shout of the glorified, the song of the redeemed, the chorus of the angels, the everlasting oratorio of the great orchestra of the sky. . . .

Feast, Christians, feast; you have a right to feast. . . . But in your feasting, think of the Man in Bethlehem. Let him have a place in your hearts, give him the glory, think of the virgin who conceived him, but think most of all of the Man born, the Child given.

I finish by again saying, A happy Christmas to you all!”

The Treasury of the Old Testament (London, n.d.), III:430.

HT: Ray Ortlund

Weekly Links (Christmas Edition 2010)

by Stephen Rodgers

Hello again everyone!  Welcome to a special Christmas edition of the Weekly Links.  There’s enough good stuff here that I’ve made the decision to break it up topically for you so that you can work through it in smaller chunks.  And you should have plenty of time to do so, because the Beacon is taking next week off!  So this (and Spurgeon’s comments tomorrow), will be all you hear from us for a week.  So bookmark this, celebrate Christmas, and come back to do some serious reading when you get the chance.

The Story of Christmas

Before we go to far, let’s take a moment to remember what Christmas is all about.

  • Kevin DeYoung has an excellent 4-part series on the Christmas story that can be found here.
  • Al Mohler writes that the story of Christmas began long before the first chapter of Matthew.
  • CJ Mahaney reminds us that in a certain sense, Christmas is our fault, and we should be disturbed about that.  Joyful as well…but disturbed.
  • John Starke has an article in a similar vein where he contrasts the root of original sin (wanting to become like God: Genesis 3:5) with Christ’s incarnation, where He became like us!
  • Frank Turk explains how Christmas in one sense isn’t about love and joy and thanks…but about the wrath of God. And if you don’t understand that, perhaps that’s why it’s so hard for you to be loving and joyful and thankful?
  • Mike Crosper tells us that Christmas is properly understood as the hinge of history.  I don’t think he’s wrong at all.
  • Douglas Wilson also reminds us that Christmas, Good Friday, and Easter are all connected events, that the incarnation is a necessary part of the Gospel, and that the offer He came to make possible is still available.

The Virgin Birth

What about the virgin birth?  Does it really matter?

Christmas Apologetics

Sometimes people like to argue about what really happened at Christmas.  It’s good to have answers for them (1 Peter 3:15).

  • There are a lot of topics and subjects related to Christmas apologetics, so I’ll just give you a solid place to start: Triablogue has several wrap-up posts dealing with Christmas apologetics from 2008, 2009, and 2010.  That’s one of the best places you could start.  And if you have more questions about historical Christmas events, alleged pagan traditions, the use of December 25th, etc…their blog is still one of the best places you could start.  Period.
  • I love those guys.

Christmas Treats and Trials

Christmas can be a wonderful time, but it also comes with some unique challenges regarding relationships and family.

Santa Claus, Christmas Trees, and Other Holiday Cheer

Is it wrong for a Christian to celebrate Christmas?  What about Santa Claus, trees, presents, and “X-Mas?”

Merry Christmas everyone!

Pro Rege

LBC Weekly SPARK – December 23, 2010

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Hello LBC church family!

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas holiday and spend it remembering Christ our Savior! This is a wonderful time of year when we can particularly appreciate the grace of God in sending a Savior.

I wanted to send a quick email with some reminders for the upcoming weeks.

  1. Potluck with Pastor John. Don’t forget that Pastor John and his family (and perhaps some others from the San Jose church plant team) will be here in San Diego this weekend! We are planning an informal get together on Sunday, December 26 at 5:30pm at the church. This will be a potluck dinner, so be sure to email Pastor Patrick and let him know you are coming. He will assign you something for the potluck. This will also be a great opportunity to hear more about what’s going on in San Jose.
  2. New Year’s Eve Fellowship. On Friday, December 31, we will be having a New Year’s Eve fellowship at the church. The event begins at 5:30pm with a potluck dinner. Please sign up with Jonathan Yang if you would like to come (jonathan.mynameis@gmail.com)! There will be activities for the kids as well as fun games for adults, so come out and count down to the New Year together!
  3. Midweek Fellowships and Sunday School. Please keep in mind that all midweek fellowship groups will be taking a break until after the New Year. This includes Kids’ Club, Mommy and Me, Youth Group, College Life, and Single Life. We will also be taking a break with Sunday School until January 9. As always, nursery care will still be available during Sunday service.
  4. Prayer. Please pray for Thomas Fong and Karen Ngai as they get married on January 1, 2011! Please also pray for John Yang and Melody Yu who were recently engaged to be married! Congratulations to both couples!

That’s about it for now. Everything else you need to know will be in the Sunday bulletin.

In His grace,

Pastor Patrick

Interview with Zach (Youth)

by Grace Wu

Editor’s Note: This week, the Youth affinity group brings us an interview with one of their members: Zach.

How long have you been a part of Lumos? What was it like when you first came?

I have been in Lumos since April 2008, and I loved it! It was smaller than other youth groups I previously attended. I was nervous, but the staff and youth were and are so kind. I had never met a group of people so kind as the Youth Group.

What is different about Lumos now?

The only thing different about Lumos is that JR and the Kims aren’t there anymore. It feels like nothing about Lumos has changed, because whenever I walk into Bible Studies or Sunday School, it is a part of the family of Christ.

How have you changed since first being in Lumos and now?

I definitely have changed a lot since the summer of 2008. I went to a Youth Retreat hosted by Pastor Chris Mueller, who taught on Jonah. He spoke of his hypocritical ways, and the messages he spoke got me thinking. And a few weeks later, I repented and became a Christian on 7/20/2008. I have grown into a higher spiritual maturity than before, thanks to JR’s epic Systematic Theology lessons. The lessons now are just as God-filled as JR’s, and encouraging and Scripture-filled also.

What is one significant lesson God has been teaching you lately?

One significant lesson God has been teaching me for a very long time (even today) is to not be anxious. I get hung up over all my sins, and when I’m not hung up over my sins, I think that I’m not caring about them, which gets me in an endless circle of emotional stimulation and fear. It is hard to learn, but I know I will learn it one of these days. For of God starts a good work, He will complete it.

What’s it like being one of the few guys in Lumos?

Being one of the only guys in Youth just makes you stand out a lot! The young women try to pick on you, you are an instrument of fun, or if you are like me, John Yang picks you up and spins you around and around! It is really fun! And its a blessing to be one of the young-and-growing men in Lumos.

How do you shine the light at your school?

It is hard to shine the light, because when I try, I feel an all-out war in my mind, one part saying “Do it!” and another saying “Don’t!” I am different, people know I’m different, it is just hard to show it as much as I would like to.

What is one thing you want people to know about you?

I want people to know that I am a great enemy of God, a scoffer of Christ, and a rebel to the Law of God, who was redeemed by Christ’s death, and that I want to be like Jesus.

What are your hobbies?

My hobbies are writing papers proving the truth of Christianity; reading; learning about things I do not know about; watching war movies; being a World War II know-it-all; hanging out with friends; playing the ukelele, violin, guitar and piano and my Xbox; and I absolutely love to sit in one spot, space out and think.

Living Theology #49 – Worship

by Garrett Glende

Moving along in the section of Systematic Theology dealing with the church, we come to the chapter on worship. While we understand that worship is to be a part of our whole life, Grudem specifically focuses on worship within the context of the local church. Certainly, we cannot completely divorce our private worship with our corporate worship, but since this section is dealing with matters of the church, we’ll look at some issues that relate to the body as a whole.

We know from John 4:24 that God is seeking those who worship Him “in spirit and truth.” In order to build an understanding of how corporate worship functions, we must first understand these basic things about worship as a whole. First and foremost, worship is not something that is done externally. As evidenced by Jesus’ statement to the Samaritan woman, worship is a matter of the heart. Jesus elsewhere condemns those people who “honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me” (Matt. 15:8). Contrary to these hypocrites, true worship happens when our hearts are exalting God for who He is. This is what worshiping in spirit and truth is all about. The woman at the well was concerned about whether Mount Gerizim or Jerusalem was the proper place to worship, but Jesus redirects her attention to her own heart. The exact location where worship takes place is not the main issue. The main issue is a spiritual one, not physical. However, this also must be informed by the truth. Our hearts must exalt God for things that are true about Him; otherwise we are worshiping a different god. As we encounter the immeasurable beauty of the character of God, our hearts should respond in true worship. The external result may be different depending on the situation, but the important thing is what is happening in the heart.

Understanding these basic truths about worship, we can now apply it to the corporate body. The thrust of Grudem’s chapter deals with how worship is seen through a Sunday service, so let’s take a look at the interplay between our understanding of worship and the acts that take place on Sunday. Since the Sunday gathering is usually called a worship service, we can expect worship to take place there, but why are the specific things that we do considered worship? Let’s take a look at a normal service:

  • There’s usually a time of singing at the beginning and many people would say that this is worship. Yes, this is true, but what makes it worship? It certainly is not simply the fact that we are singing truths about God. Any unbeliever can do this just as well. What makes mere singing turn into worship is the posture of our hearts as we sing. It is worship because we’ve been so affected by truth that we cannot help but have it overflow.
  • After this time of singing, the pastor will preach from a passage of the Bible and the congregation will listen. Again, how is this worship? For those of us in the crowd, we can listen to what is being taught and respond or not. Simply hearing the words is not an act of worship, yet worship exists when our hearts respond to the truths being preached.
  • There are many other elements that go into a normal Sunday service that can be considered an aspect of worship. Take the setup team for example. Because God is a God of order and not confusion, the chairs and other items in the sanctuary should be arranged in such a way that reflects this truth. When every part of the service has meaning and purpose behind it that is based on biblical truth in a way that leads people’s hearts to exalt God, then true worship is happening.

Worship is something that comes natural to all of us. However, the object of our worship is not always God. Because this problem is a spiritual one, we need spiritual help. And the only way that we can truly worship God is if we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5:18 says “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.” We then see that this results in the singing of songs and hymns and spiritual songs with thanksgiving in our hearts. If true worship is going to take place corporately, then each member must be walking in the Spirit daily. Our hearts are prone to wander and pursue other idols, but we must ask God to help us focus our hearts attention on Him alone. The Holy Spirit is the only one who can truly change our hearts so that we are able to worship God truly. Therefore, our prayer lives become all the more important. This fervency in prayer and a devotion to God’s word will foster a community of true worshipers no matter where the church is located. So the next time you go to church, don’t just think of the external things, but focus on what is going on inside of you. And let’s sing with all our hearts.

A Lowly Beginning for the King of Kings

by Pastor Patrick Cho

He could have been born in a palace, if that was God’s plan. It could have been in a royal bed with dozens of nurses and midwives at hand. He could have had the luxury of the finest doctors. Certainly, God could have orchestrated it to happen at one of the best hospitals. I suppose it didn’t even have to happen two millennia ago. Certainly, God could have waited for the days of modern medicine, sterilization, and hospital equipment. That is what is so shocking about the birth of Christ. He was born in a stable. He was laid in a manger. It is the exact opposite of what any contemporary parent would desire for their child. Yet, this was the King of kings and Savior of the world!

When our daughter Eden was born, we were told that there would be the possibility of having to share a hospital room with another family. We were thankful that we ended up with a room of our own complete with our own private bathroom. For Christ, there was no room at the inn. Our hospital room “magically” was replenished whenever we ran low on diapers, wipes, towels, or even food! Nurses waited on us bringing us cold drinks whenever we asked. Jesus’ had no such attendants; only animals making their animal sounds and producing their animal smells.

Every year, I know we are reminded of the humble circumstances of the birth of Christ. He was born in an insignificant town to a poor family and given a common name. Almost everything about the beginnings of Jesus’ life and ministry was humble. It was conspicuously devoid of the spectacular. Sure, hosts of angels came to proclaim his birth, but their only audience was shepherds in the field.

The significance of Jesus’ humble beginnings can’t be missed. He became a man so that He could represent man. He would eventually go to the cross and die for the sins of mankind. He serves as the sympathetic High Priest interceding for man and serving as the mediator between God and men. It simply adds to the amazing grace of God that He would come in such lowly estate. In so doing, Jesus could identify with the lowest of men. He could sympathize with the poorest of men.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 2:26-29 that it was in God’s plan to bring salvation to the “nobodies” in the world in order to put the “somebodies” to shame. He chose the foolish and weak. He bypassed most of the powerful and noble. This is because even though God the all-powerful and glorious Creator, He gives grace to the meek, humble, and lowly. God’s grace reaches to the lowest of men.

Jesus demonstrated this grace by coming to earth in a lowly way. This truth is worth dwelling on this Christmas holiday. Take time to meditate on the amazing grace of God. Think of the kindness and mercy He shows to the lowliest men. Truly He gives grace to the humble. He doesn’t go around picking the best-looking, smartest, richest, and noblest. That is not what qualifies us to have a relationship with the King of Creation. Praise God for His grace!

Christmas Concert Review 2010

by Jennifer Vo

Want an early dose of Christmas cheer? Come celebrate the coming of the season with Lighthouse at our annual Christmas concert! Unfortunately, this year’s concert is now but a memory (albeit one that is recorded on video and able to be experienced vicariously, if you ask the right people), but mark your calendar for next year to make sure you don’t miss the party and, more importantly, the much-needed reminder of the real reason for the season: the birth of Jesus Christ.

As nine-time LBC Christmas concert performer Christine Cho remarks, “I really think LBC does an excellent job of putting on a great concert that’s both well-organized and Christ-centered.” From the choir’s opening lines to Pastor Patrick’s devotional, the story of Christ’s birth and the significance of the Gospel are front and center in the words being sung and spoken. Although the musical offerings range in genre from traditional hymns to contemporary melodies and in style from acoustic ballads to upbeat ditties, the same diligence is applied to all song selections in weighing the lyrical content of each song. As Christine puts it, “one of the challenges is choosing the right song.” With songs about Christmas trees and Santa Claus beginning to outnumber proclamations of Christ’s birth (at least on radio airwaves), it is refreshing to see how LBC’s Music Ministry never loses sight of what—and who—is most important. Christine reflects that “I try to stay away from anything too secular, remembering that the concert is being used as an evangelistic event [for] the message of Christ.”

In addition, attendees can be assured that LBC music director Eugene Park has done his best behind the scenes to strive for quality in the concert performances. “One of my jobs as the music director is to protect the church from bad music and bad singers,” says Eugene. “Therefore I have ‘tryouts’ for those who want to sing a solo of some sort for the concert. And yes, I have asked people not to sing because they weren’t good enough. Having the right heart is a requirement, but having at least some talent is also a requirement as well, especially for something like the Christmas concert.”

On the note of worship, Christine Cho offers a glimpse into the careful heart preparation undertaken by all performers before showtime: “During the concert, it’s easy to get caught up with when you’re supposed to go on stage, remembering what your lines are, and trying to sound your best. While it’s important to strive for excellence in these areas, it’s even more important to remain worshipful through it all.” Christine shares how she stays fixed on Christ: “I pray throughout the concert to make sure my heart is in the right place, and I also reflect on the lyrics of my songs so that I can convey the message of the songs appropriately when I perform them.”

Lastly, with all the performance, production, and heart issues in order, only one piece remains: the audience. (Read: Come, and invite all your friends, family, and co-workers!) At Lighthouse Bible Church, Christmas concert is not an event we host only for ourselves but as an opportunity to reach out to the local community, to loved ones and strangers alike. In addressing the purpose of Christmas concert, Eugene emphasizes the potential for the concert to “possibly open up conversations” with unbelievers. Eugene tells us, “We don’t depend on guests to fill the seats. However, we still stress the importance of inviting people who normally don’t come to church because a lot of them will tend to come to something like a concert, and they’ll get a chance to hear the gospel [as a result].”

Thus, at the end of the night, when all the music has ended and words linger only in silent air, the Gospel is still the most significant aspect of it all. Christine Cho summarizes it best when she reminds us that even after all the hours of hard work poured into the quality of the production, “My hope for those attending is that they would look past the quality of the performances and hear the message of Christ instead.”

Words to live by, indeed. Merry Christmas, everyone!

And It Came to Pass in an Evening-Tide…

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

From 2 Samuel 11:2

At that hour David saw Bathsheba. We are never out of the reach of temptation. Both at home and abroad we are liable to meet with allurements to evil; the morning opens with peril, and the shades of evening find us still in jeopardy. They are well kept whom God keeps, but woe unto those who go forth into the world, or even dare to walk their own house unarmed. Those who think themselves secure are more exposed to danger than any others. The armour-bearer of Sin is Self-confidence.

David should have been engaged in fighting the Lord’s battles, instead of which he tarried at Jerusalem, and gave himself up to luxurious repose, for he arose from his bed at eventide. Idleness and luxury are the devil’s jackals, and find him abundant prey. In stagnant waters noxious creatures swarm, and neglected soil soon yields a dense tangle of weeds and briars. Oh for the constraining love of Jesus to keep us active and useful! When I see the King of Israel sluggishly leaving his couch at the close of the day, and falling at once into temptation, let me take warning, and set holy watchfulness to guard the door.

Is it possible that the king had mounted his housetop for retirement and devotion? If so, what a caution is given us to count no place, however secret, a sanctuary from sin! While our hearts are so like a tinder-box, and sparks so plentiful, we had need use all diligence in all places to prevent a blaze. Satan can climb housetops, and enter closets, and even if we could shut out that foul fiend, our own corruptions are enough to work our ruin unless grace prevent. Reader, beware of evening temptations. Be not secure. The sun is down but sin is up. We need a watchman for the night as well as a guardian for the day. O blessed Spirit, keep us from all evil this night. Amen.

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