A Sinner's Thoughts (from an honest sinner)

Question: Is there ANY good we can do?

2010-09-30T17:16:00.000-07:00

I had put aside this blog for a while to focus on some projects at home and changes to our family with our new addition. I'm planning to write a few more articles again that hopefully encourage you to think honestly and biblically about ourselves and our Lord. The next set of articles will be a return to original theme of this blog - Thoughts of a sinner saved by grace to help incite others to consider and ponder issues and topics we don't often think about or dare discuss openly.

For the next few articles, I'd like to encourage you to ask the question: "Is there any good we can do?"

Think about it. Consider the scriptures. Look honestly at yourself.

Daily Battle - Around Us and Within

2010-09-24T19:47:00.000-07:00

"Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." - Gal 1:3-5

Do you find the battle against this present age just as exhausting as the battle against our own flesh? I do. Most days, I am so frustrated with the weakness of my flesh that I wonder if I have any faith left to battle against the temptations of the world. Thanks be to Jesus who gave Himself up for our sins and is constantly delivering us from this present evil world and from our own flesh.

Jesus's beauty in the eyes of the Father is greater than my sins. The sufficiency of His work overcomes my weaknesses. His glory is greater than the power that overcomes this world.

Brothers and sisters, when you are defeated by your own self-serving, law-keeping flesh and frustrated by the world that does all things contrary to Christ, look to the very Savior who is satisfyingly sufficient.

Losing a Friend in Christ

2010-05-03T06:51:00.000-07:00

We lost a friend this weekend to cancer. (I'm omitting his name for the sake of privacy.)

My friends know me as stoic and emotionally even keel. Hence, sadness when losing a friend or family member (an event that has happened more in the last few years) rarely brings me to tears but it did this time around. I wondered, "Why?"

My friend and I spent no more than 2 hours combined speaking one-on-one in 3 years. We've spent maybe a few more hours combined speaking together amongst others. He and his family have been to our house once and we have been to theirs also only one time. Our children don't go to school together or play at church together (different ages). Yet, I found myself in tears when I heard the news. I wondered, "Why?"

I've lost family members that I've spent significantly much more time with. I have friends that have been to our house dozens of times and I've spent hundreds of hours with which I no longer see and don't expect to yet sadness does not overcome me when thinking of them. The loss of my friend this weekend brought me to tears. I wondered, "Why?"

I look back at the short discussions I had with my friend and the time our families spent together. The memories are overwhelmed with discussions about our Lord, His work in our lives, our honest sinfulness and need of Him and our desire to know Him more. I knew very little about his professional life, but I knew about his life in Christ. I heard very little detail about his children and wife, but we often talked about our common desire for our families to grow in Christ. I never heard about his feelings, but we often shared about the joy of knowing our Saviour.

I knew my friend during his latter months when he would bear the strength to come to church to hear and gospel of our Lord preached. I would ask him, "How are you holding up?" With a genuine smile but with an honest admittance of the pain and troubles in his face, he would respond with, "Blessed to keep seeing Christ."

A few months ago, as he was walking out of the children's church having just shared the gospel with them one last time, he told me that the Lord has made His grace more evident and his own sinfulness more real. "I must decrease and He must increase," he once told me.

My friend has magnified Christ more at the end of his life. I did not know him well, but our Saviour did. And since we are in Christ together, we are intimate, close friends. And so, I cried when I learned of his passing this weekend.

Farewell, friend! We will see each other in glory praising our Lord together.

Scriptural Synergy - He Alone Is Righteous

2009-09-23T17:55:00.000-07:00

A co-worker recently encouraged me with the following:

God delights in the earnest prayers of His people.

To which I responded in order to point him to Christ:

Thank God that Christ is the one of whom the Scripture says "the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" [James 5:16] since He "knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" [1 Cor 5:21] because "all have sinned" [Rom 3:23] and "there is none righteous, no not one" [Rom 3:10].

I love the synergy of Scripture making available to us the wisdom of God.

Political Correctness - Healthcare, Taxes & the Gospel

2009-08-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

"And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's." - Luk 20:25

There was a time when I actually enjoyed discussing politics with friends, family and coworkers. I became a regular listener of conservative talk shows and the cable news programs. Debates were mostly fun because of the challenge of trying to convince the other person of the positions I shared with others and/or had personally taken.

In the recent years, God has shown me how to redirect political discussions not to the right nor to the left but rather to God. I've found that political discussions - whether with believers or unbelievers - produced no fruit and did not open doors for the Gospel but rather often closed them.

Christ was faced with the same dilemna when the chief priests had sent spies who pretented to be sincere [Luk 20:20-21]. Christ's wisdom was greater than men's wisdom because His purpose was greater than theirs. They purposed to trap Him so that they might deliver to the chief priests what they needed to accuse Him. However, Christ was purposed to give glory to His Father.

Christian, don't get caught up in the cares of this world and troubles of men that lead not to God but rather to man-centered solutions. That is all that politics is - men searching solutions in man rather than God. God has instituted it to govern our sinful souls to create order but has never been the means by which the Gospel is preached. Therefore, render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and unto God what is God's - the souls of men being saved through the preaching of His Word for His glory!

A Father's Role - Planting The Seed

2009-06-21T13:58:00.000-07:00

"And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother. And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother. And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also." - Gen 38:8-10

The father's primary role in these New Testament days has not changed from the days of the Old Testament. We have been and always will be called to proclaim Christ and God's salvation in Jesus as the Messiah (the Anointed One) for we know that there is "no other name under heaven by which a man may be saved".

In the days of the prophets before Jesus, they were called to preach the promises of the covenant of God to His people. However, that was not their only duty. They also, in faith looking forward to the Messiah, were partakers in the procreation and proliferation of the seed knowing that one day the seed would bruise the head of the serpent and defeat death which had entered through Adam's sin. [Gen 3:15]

Today, the seed is no longer the way in which the Messiah would come in the person of the Lord Jesus. However, our role fathers has not changed in principle. We are still to plant the seed, but that seed is now the planting of the Gospel into the hearts of our families. Let us do it in faith by the power of the Spirit rather than defiance and shame as Onan had done.

Happy Father's Day to my fellow brothers out there. Praise God for revealing to us our sin and His righteousness.

My Daughter, The Apologist

2009-06-13T23:55:00.000-07:00

Sitting with me as I was listening and critiquing a Mark Driscoll sermon, little Izabella (my 7-yr-old daughter) blessed me by displaying the fruit of our labors to teach her not merely to memorize scripture but rather to understand and apply them.

BELLA: Is he a false preacher or a good one?

PAPA: He's not preaching Christ in the message.

BELLA: Really? But isn't everything in the bible about Jesus because "in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God"? That's John 1:1, right?

PAPA: Amen!

What a joy to see God answering our prayers in her bearing such fruit and producing the very thing we strive for in teaching her - an understanding of Christ through the scriptures.

Here is another dialog that Bella had with Leilani that I just found out about...

BELLA: Hey Mommy, you know what? Taylor really wanted to win this notebook today in class and so she kept saying, "Please God, if you let me get this, I'll do anything for you."

MOMMY: Oh did you think that was weird?

BELLA: Yeah, God doesn't need her to do anything for Him! Because the bible says, "I am the vine you are the branches, you can't do anything apart from Me."

Christian, if you have been blessed with children, let us not raise them to be intellectual, religious zealots but rather to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus. May we raise up a new generation of evangelists in this dark world in need of the "light of the world" - our Lord Jesus.

122 Years Later...

2009-06-07T10:07:00.000-07:00

The following is an excerpt from the "Sword and the Trowel" - Spurgeon's newsletter in the late 19th century. It's interesting that the very downgrade of the modern day evangelical church follows a very similar pattern from the church in England 122 years ago.

We are glad that the article upon "The Down Grade" has excited notice. It is not intended to be an attack on any one, but to be a warning to all. We are asked whether Methodists are upon "The Down Grade," and we are happy to reply that we do not think so. In our fellowship with Methodists of all grades we have found them firmly adhering to those great evangelical doctrines for which we contend. This, however, is no answer to the historical fact that Arminianism has been the route by which the older dissenters have traveled downward to Socinianism; neither is it a reply to the charge that not a few have in these days gone far beyond Evangelical Arminianism, and are on the road to Unitarianism, or something worse. We care far more for the central evangelical truths than we do for Calvinism as a system; but we believe that Calvinism has in it a conservative force which helps to hold men to the vital truth, and therefore we are sorry to see any quitting it who have once accepted it. Those who hold the eternal verities of salvation, and yet do not see all that we believe and embrace, are by no means the objects of our opposition. Our warfare is with men who are giving up the atoning sacrifice, denying the inspiration of Holy Scripture, and casting slurs upon justification by faith. The present struggle is not a debate upon the question of Calvinism or Arminianism, but of the truth of God versus the inventions of men. All who believe the gospel should unite against that "modern thought" which is its deadly enemy.

On all hands we hear cries for unity in this, and unity in that; but to our mind the main need of this age is not compromise, but conscientiousness. "First pure, then peaceable." It is easy to cry "a confederacy," but that union which is not based upon the truth of God is rather a conspiracy than a communion. Charity by all means; but honesty also. Love, of course, but love to God as well as love to men, and love of truth as well as love of union. It is exceedingly difficult in these times to preserve one's fidelity before God and one's fraternity among men. Should not the former be preferred to the latter if both cannot be maintained? We think so.

Piper's Response To Obama's Abortion Speech

2009-05-24T23:45:00.001-07:00

Piper has a wonderful gift of being able to convey the Christian's passion in biblical manner.

What Topic Is Worth Debating?

2009-05-19T13:26:00.000-07:00

I was recently turned on by a friend to a set of articles and blogs in Pulpit Magazine about Mark Driscoll and his use of "cutting language" and "crass humor". While the articles raise some thought-provoking concerns, I must ask the question: Does it really matter and is it worth debating?

For reference, here are the articles:

Grunge Christianity?

The Rape of Solomon's Song

Tim Challies has even gotten into the fray.

I pose to you the question that really matters: Is Mark Driscoll (or any other preacher who may have a radical style) preaching Christ and Him crucified?

Isn't that the question the really matters? If the answer to that question is a resounding "Yes!" then should not every preacher of the Word whose desire is to see His sheep called praise God for using simple men to glorify His Son? If the answer is "No!" then the men who are raising these questions are sounding the wrong alarm.

I have personally listened to a number of Mark Driscoll's messages and have yet to hear Christ exalted and man abased as the overarching theme of his messages and ministry. He praises men like Joel Osteen and Rick Warren - both of which are men who mislead the masses to a man-centered salvation by choice. It's not his style that bothers me but rather his substance. I hope that I'm totally wrong about Pastor Driscoll.

Christian, many of you are probably thinking the same thing I am when I see these debates that are not centered on the Gospel: "Does this debate really matter? It's just confusing me." When you are tossed to and fro with these debates and articles, don't waste your time trying to find what side you are on but rather redeem the time for Christ. Challenge yourself to ask the question, from where do I hear the Savior's voice? If you do that, you will mature in Christ and will find comfort amongst the troubled waters that these fruitless debates raise.

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. - Eph4:14-16

Looking Back...

2009-05-02T09:22:00.001-07:00

"And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." - 1Tim 4:18

Soon after the Lord, in His grace, showed me my utter sinfulness and need for Christ's atoning work, He blessed me with the protection and counsel of fellow believers who were also zealous in the faith. The early zeal was dampened by the reality of indwelling sin yet a new life was still birthed and growing. It was not long after that I began to ask the question, "If none of my friends were Christians, would I still be one?"

Not knowing that my security was entirely in the sovereign hand of God, I was fearful to lose the Christ that I had come to know. I was terrified that the preservation of my faith and newfound joy was tied to those around me. Showing His mercy, He allowed me to walk that lonely valley for 3 years. Looking back at those years, I learned a simple lesson...

"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." - Phil 1:6

The Lord has proven that He will never leave nor forsake His children whom He has chosen in the Beloved.

Christian, depend on your Saviour's mercy, rejoice in His promises and look to His faithfulness. If you have been so blessed to see that nothing you have done, are doing and will do earns God's favor but that rather He is pleased in His own Son whom the Spirit has allowed you to see, then your security is Christ's steadfast love not in your strength of faith.

Is Joel Osteen My "Christian Brother"? - Response

2009-05-01T00:13:00.000-07:00

This is an update to a previous post.

I was hopeful to get a response from Pastor Driscoll telling me that I misunderstood him and that he does not really think that Joel Osteen is a true gospel preacher. Sadly, I did not get a response. I know that I'm insignificant and my email was way at the bottom of the list but I was hopeful nonetheless to get a response. I was hoping for a glimmer of hope that some of the new and upcoming preachers would stand firm on the gospel and would call out the wolves in sheep's clothing so as not to cloud the lines between truth and error.

I was also hopeful to hear a wonderful message from Pastor Driscoll at the Gospel Coalition Conference last week. I just listened to the message online and found my answer in another statement he made:

"I was talking to Rick Warren - I've said this before, some of you may have heard it - and he's an evangelical. So, I talk to him (back to my earlier point). And he was nice and he talked about Jesus. And he helped me. I appreciate that. And he said..." - Mark Driscoll's message on 2Tim 2:14-26 at about 46:07 into the message.

What was so disappointing about the message was not just the accolades given to Rick Warren (who does not preach God's sovereign grace but rather man's work), but that the work of Christ was not preached in the text.

"I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright" - Jer 8:6

I am deeply saddened for our generation because the wolves preaching the works of man disguised in a Christian message (i.e. Rick Warren, Joel Osteen, etc.) are now being lauded by today's popular preachers in our own circles. May God have mercy on us by not taking the lamp of truth away!

P.S. If you have never done so, I recommend downloading and listening to some Osteen and Warren messages. I challenge you to find Christ preached and Him crucified and man's work placed in the proper biblical context of God's total sovereignty and man's utter depravity.

Boldness That I Envy

2009-03-15T21:55:00.000-07:00

Leilani and I just had lunch with a couple from church that we are getting to know. I asked them where in ministry do they wish to serve. Their response humbled me and was a challenge to evangelize more boldly.

They told us that they like to visit people in public and bring discussions to a biblical direction. A recent habit of theirs is to go to street fairs and visit the religious booths challenging them to consider the truths of Scripture as they pertain to their false teachings. Expectedly, they are faced with some animosity and anger but often times are overheard by many in the vicinity which are presented with the gospel message in the discussion.

Other times they go to weekly meetings of other churches and ask questions challenging the teacher where from the Scripture he gets a particular conclusion or statement from. They they try to turn the discussion to one that extols Christ and His work.

What boldness! I may not approach those situations the same way, but that's me and they are themselves used of God. We share a similar passion to make Christ known but applied in a slightly different method. Regardless, I found myself envious of their boldness at times. I praise God for granting such faith to members of the body so that we might all be fitted together for His glory and name's sake.

Is Joel Osteen My "Christian Brother"?

2009-03-14T14:59:00.000-07:00

Question: Is Joel Osteen my Christian brother?

I recently heard of an up-and-coming preacher by the name of Mark Driscoll. He spoke at the 2008 Desiring God conference and was praised by John Piper. I heard about him from a few brothers I respect. So, I had to check him out. The first video I downloaded had me floored and asking a very relevant question that needs to be asked by every true believer in order to discern the times.

PLEASE NOTE: This is the first I've heard Mark Driscoll. I hope to listen and learn more from his ministry and be blessed by it. What I am calling out in this blog entry is merely an issue that fits into the current series "Would God Save Through a Lie?" and worthy of bringing to question in my opinion.

According to Mark, he considers Joel Osteen "my Christian brother, I do believe that."

Oh my! Mark, Joel Osteen is NOT our Christian brother. It's not merely that he is soft on his doctrine. Joel Osteen doesn't even know the gospel. He is soft because he knows that it appeases the masses and draws large crowds so that he might profit from those whom he has deceived.

To prove my point, below is a transcript from his interview with Larry King:

*********************
CALLER: "... I'm wondering though why you sidestepped Larry's earlier question about how we get to Heaven. The bible clearly tells us that Jesus is the way, the truth and the light and the only way to the Father is through Him. That's not really a message of condemnation but of truth."

OSTEEN: Yeah, I would agree with her. I believe that.

LARRY: So then a Jew is not going to Heaven.

[SOME CROSSTALK]

OSTEEN: Here's my thing Larry. I can't judge somebody's heart, you know. I don't know. Only God can look at somebody's heart. So, I don't know. To me, it's not my business to say this one is and this one isn't. I'm just saying here is what the bible teaches. I want to put my faith in, uh, you know, in Christ. I think it's wrong when we go around saying "You're not going, you're not going, you're not going" cause it's not exactly my way.

LARRY: But if you believe your way.

OSTEEN: I believe my way. I believe my way with all my heart.

LARRY: But someone who doesn't share it is wrong.

OSTEEN: Well, I don't know if I look at it like that that. I would present my way but I'm just gonna let God be the judge of that. I don't know. I don't know.

LARRY: So you make no judgments on anyone.

OSTEEN: No. I just...

KING: What about atheists?

OSTEEN: You know what, I'm gonna let God be the judge of who goes to Heaven and Hell. I just again, I just present the truth. I say it every week. I believe it's a relationship with Jesus. But you know, I'm not gonna go around telling everybody else if they don't want to believe that that's gonna be their choice. God's gotta look at your own heart. God's gotta look at your heart. Only God knows that.

KING: Do you believe there is a place called Heaven?

OSTEEN: I believe it.
*********************

The only statement that Joel Osteen made in that segment which was not a lie was "I don't know."

Question: Is Joel Osteen my Christian brother?

My Answer: If God has sovereignly appointed to save him from his deception and lies and makes him to see Christ for who He is, then yes. At this point, he has been nothing more than a false prophet teaching lies.

"You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." - Mat 12:34-37

I'm curious to know Mark Driscoll's response. I sent him an email (though I doubt it would make the cut of the thousands he receives daily). My hope is that he begins to see that the lies being taught in Osteen's pulpit and others like him (i.e. Rick Warren, TD Jakes and the like) are nothing more than profiteers. It would be a shame to see up-and-coming preachers make such a compromise.

CLICK HERE for the second part of this article

Would God Save Through a Lie - Part II

2009-03-03T07:12:00.000-08:00

Jump To:
Intro
Part I
Part II

Let me offer the next thought-provoking question in this series:
If a man merely reads the scriptures but never is given a man of God to share the gospel with him, could he come to a saving knowledge of Christ?

"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" - Rom 10:13-15

"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." - Pro 14:12

"Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts." - Pro 21:2

Philip was led by the Spirit to bring the gospel to the Ethiopian eunuch which led to the following exchange:
And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. - Act 8:30-31

In my search of the scriptures, I've found no examples where a man came to know his sins, the Lord's righteousness and judgment [Joh 16:8] without the Spirit working through a preacher. On the contrary, scripture teaches us that the revelation of Christ through the Spirit comes through His mouthpieces for that is what we are called to do. [1 Pet 2:9]

Some use Martin Luther's testimony or even personal testimonies to support the idea that a man can be saved by merely reading the Scriptures. I've read the stories and watched the documentaries also. However, do we dare nullify or compromise the clear teachings of the scriptures for the sake of making sense of an extra-biblical experience? Since "every way of a man is right in his own eyes", let us stand on scripture's infallible truth rather than man's experience or historical narratives. Besides, if I remember correctly, none of the biographers of Luther's life were apostles divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit.

In Part III, I hope to provide some applications of these truths in what I hope and pray would spur believers to preach the gospel to the lost at every God-given opportunity.

Would God Save Through a Lie? - Part I

2009-02-07T10:14:00.000-08:00

Jump To:
Intro
Part I
Part II

Is Arminianism a false gospel? Consequently, is man's determinate will the decisive act in salvation?

That's a question I started asking about 6 years ago as a result of meeting other youth ministry leaders in the East Bay Area. Hearing them focus so much on getting the youth to make a choice to live for Christ, caused me to search the scriptures on this topic only to realize the undeniable, biblical truth that God is entirely sovereign over all things including (and especially) the will of man.

Rather than enumerate here what I learned through the years on this topic, I offer the following instead...

A few weeks ago, my wife found a message preached by Pastor John Piper on this very topic called How to Distinguish Between the Gospel and False Gospels. I've been blessed by it and I hope that you are too.

Pastor Piper has very clearly shown from the Scriptures that Arminianism (and any teaching that denies the complete sovereign work of God alone in salvation) is a false gospel.

I wondered what might have prompted Piper to speak on this topic. I remembered that in September of 2007, Pastor Piper was invited to be the sole preacher at a weekend conference in Sacramento hosted by a large and growing Ukrainian church (). During one of his messages, he touched on the biblical teaching of election. The church, being Armenian, apparently (secondhand knowledge) preached a "rebuttal" message the following Sunday after Pastor Piper had left. Coincidentally, the message above was preached just a few months later.

This is quickly becoming a battleground of truth for the Christian church and warrants careful thought and search of the scriptures.

I'm sure this is difficult for some who either themselves or have family members under this false teaching. I fall in that category as I have a sister who is in such a church.

Does it discourage me?

On the contrary! It makes me even more vigilant about finding opportunities to share with her and her family the truth of Christ in the Scriptures. May it also spur you on to do the same.

Would God Save Through a Lie? - Intro

2009-02-01T08:35:00.000-08:00

Jump To:
Intro
Part I
Part II

Many recent discussions with close friends, trusted mentors and fellow believers have led to asking some very important questions that I've personally wrestled with for about six years. These events have sharpened me to again search the scriptures to "see if these things were so" as the Bereans did. The next few articles will try to address these questions/issues. Some of the answers may be difficult to accept but I hope and pray that you consider the clear teachings from the scriptures on these topics.

Below are the questions I'll raise in this series:

When a preacher teaches that a man is saved by their choice (Freewill, Arminianism, etc.) plus God's grace, is he preaching a false gospel?

Consequently, could a man be saved through such a preaching?

If a man merely reads the scriptures but never is given a man of God to share the gospel with him, could he come to a saving knowledge of Christ?

These are serious questions because their application runs deep and can lead to some very personal questions such as those below:

If I pray for my [insert closest family member here] who is steeped in Catholicism but never share the gospel with her, would God work to save her?

What if I give my [insert closest family member here] a bible, then pray? Would God work through that?

My sister goes to an Arminian church. They preach Christ there. I've been there. Wouldn't God save through that preaching?

These are uncomfortable questions to wrestle with but the Spirit has graciously given us answers in the Scriptures. I pray that the Spirit would lead us to only the truth as it is in Christ.

I Like Mellow Yellow

2009-01-21T13:13:00.000-08:00

"Lord, ...we ask you to help us work for that day.. when yellow will be mellow..."

The phrase above is from Reverend Lowry's so-called prayer at the Presidential Inauguration last night. A transcript is available here.

There's already a lot of chatter on this in the blogsphere. Many Asians are angry, some are indifferent while others don't care. Frankly, I think we (Asians and Pacific Islanders) are up in arms about a relatively insignificant phrase. Lowry's attempt at trying to be funny was only overshadowed by his poor attempt at leading a nation in prayer.

If this topic comes up at work or with friends, how should a Christian respond? Here is one simple suggestion (I'm sure some have a better one):

"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." - James 5:16

That "righteous man" is Christ. Without Christ, a man's prayers accomplishes nothing except to incite the flesh to cry out "Amen!" which is exactly what Lowry accomplished.

Now, think about what type of discussion that leads to with neighbors, co-workers and friends. I'm sure that would be better than discussing whether Yellow needs to be Mellow or not. :)

"Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man." - Col 4:6

My Testimony: HIM not me! - Part III

2009-01-12T01:11:00.000-08:00

What should be a Christian's testimony?

In Part I, I introduced the question, "What is my testimony?" In Part II, we quickly looked at the biblical testimony. In this final part, I hope to help believers understand what a Christ-exalting testimony is.

I'm going to make this very short while hopefully maintaining relevance and spurring you on to honor Christ. Read the Word of the Lord in the account of the Samaritan woman:

Joh 4:39-42

And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. And many more believed because of his own word; And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

You know the story of the Samarita woman (Joh 4:5-29). When the Samaritan woman gave her testimony, she did not recall her past life nor wonder at the new life ahead of her. She did not call the hearers to understand her sordid past. She did not make the hearers to marvel at her renewed outlook on life, her newfound joy and peace nor her hope of a better future. She merely told the hearers of her testimony, "He told me all that I ever did."

What was her testimony to the hearers? I submit to you that her testimony was this: I am a sinner, a great sinner - lost and dead. He made me to see my sins. Greater yet, He made me to see Him and now I rejoice because the Messiah has found me and saved me from my sins!

Christian, the height of your testimony is not your pursuit of holiness and achievement of a less sinful life. Nor is it your current state of happiness and peace as compared to your past. It is not merely that you once were a drunkard and now you are not. When your testimony amounts to your works and experiences, you place onto yourself a yolk of righteousness that you cannot bear. When your testimony is limited to the changes in your life, you place blinders on the ears of your hearers so that they only see you and not the God-honoring testimony.

Your testimony is not what you have done, are doing or will do. Your testimony is that He showed you your sinfulness and need for a Savior and that you have obtained mercy. The person and the work of Jesus (the gospel) is your testimony.

When you understand that, you will then see that "blowing your testimony" is not about sinning in front of others. We all do that all day long. Blowing your testimony happens when you don't blow the bugle of the gospel as an evangel to proclaim the excellencies of Him who brought us (wicked, rebellious sinners then, now and tomorrow) out of darkness and into His marvelous light. Our testimony is not us, it is Jesus!

My Testimony: HIM not me! - Part II

2009-01-12T01:03:00.000-08:00

What is a biblical testimony?

In Part I of this article, I asked the question: What is my testimony? The question was born from the consideration of how often Christians use the term to describe their actions in life. In this second part of this three-part article, I will attempt to summarize the biblical definitions and uses of the word "testimony".

Before I proceed, I want to point out that I am not a seminary graduate nor have I taken any Greek or Hebrew courses. Like most of you, I am a layman trusting in the Spirit's work, counsel of wise men and the Scripture's efficacy for all things pertaining to life and godliness. I long to understand the Scriptures so as to reveal Jesus in His glory while setting men aside in the sidelines as auditors.

The word "testimony" is used by the KJV translators 44 times in the Old Testament and 32 times in the New. In total, there are 6 distinct words or forms of a word translated as "testimony". All words speak of either bearing a record (as in a witness of an act) or giving a report. In some uses, the word represents the actual report or evidence given. The Hebrew and Greek words translated often as "testimony" is also translated as "testimonies", "witness" and "testify/ied".

Other than Jesus' rebuke of the Pharisees (as in Mat. 23:31) as party to those that "kill the prophets", none of the uses refer to the act of the speaker nor of his past accomplishments or failures when the testimony is that of a man. Only when the Scriptures refer to the testimony of God (as in Psa. 19:7, ) does the testifier speak of Himself or of His acts.

Why then has the contemporary use become so man-centered and how do we return to a biblical and Christ-honoring testimony? See Part III...

Back At It...

2009-01-10T18:22:00.001-08:00

I've taken a long break to do some major remodeling of unused rooms around the house to prepare for what we hope to be an interesting and blessed 2009. More on that later...

I will be publishing the completion of the "My Testimony: Him not Me!" article this weekend as well as posting some that I've drafted but have not been able to complete. I hope you find them beneficial to your soul.

My Testimony: HIM not me! - Part I

2008-11-06T19:04:00.000-08:00

Introduction: What is my testimony? - Part I

[This is Part 1 of a multi-part article]

My recent thought: "What does it mean to have a good testimony?"

How many of us have heard or thought the following statements/questions?

Man! I just blew my testimony in front of my co-worker when I got angry.
When you sin, you blow your testimony.
That Christian made a big mistake and just blew his/her testimony.

I found a website where a number of people shared their testimony and they all sounded very common and fit the modern-day definition of a testimony. They spoke of their experiences before and after Christ was revealed to them. They spoke of the contrast between their "past lives" and new lives. Is this what a Christian's testimony should be? Seems like it, right?

I found another website that actually provided an outline for how to write a testimony. At the end of the outline, the writer noted to "make sure that your testimony glorifies God". This is very sage advice but does the outline encourage that?

Maybe what we've known as a God-glorifying testimony really isn't. Maybe it is. At the very least, it's worth asking the question "What is my testimony?" Or, better yet the question should be "What should my testimony be and how do I blow it?"

In Part II of this multi-part article, we'll look at what I believe are proper, biblical interpretations of a testimony. In Part III, I hope to encourage Christians toward a Christ-exalting testimony. In the meantime, I encourage you to ask the question, "What is my testimony?"

[Part II]

Doubting Faith

2008-10-26T19:02:00.001-07:00

Can an honest and saved sinner be a Doubting Thomas?

I heard a professing believer once say that he never doubts God nor his salvation in Christ. Being my usual inquisitive self, I probed further and asked, "Do you mean that you never doubt your faith?" He answered assuredly, "Never. I don't think a true Christian could doubt or else their faith is not real."

Well, I'll say it loud and clear because I know that the honest sinner out there will hear me: There are days when my faith seems unmovable and days when my doubting causes the spiritual ground under me to shake.

"For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy." Rom 9:15-16

Dear saints, our salvation is not founded on our works, abilities, character or moral grounds. It is founded on the mercy of God on our poor, lost souls. We may have great strength of character and will of the mind (i.e. carnal faith) to be so assured of a truth whether it is of eternal things or of carnal things. Yet, that carnal faith does not save us unless God were to look mercifully on us and give us spiritual eyes to behold the Lord Jesus as our substitute for our sins and sovereign ruler of our souls. That is the difference between carnal and spirtual, God-given faith.

We are not saved because we have a perfect faith but rather that the One in whom we have faith is perfect and pure. Neither then does our faith exist merely in two states: Existent and perfect or not at all. For our faith grows He continues to reveal Himself to us.[Rom 12:3, 14:1] Nor was that faith granted only once to apply perfectly on the day that the Spirit revealed Christ to us. Instead, God continually grants us faith so that we might have the spiritual eyes necessary to look to Jesus who with one act perfectly accomplished all that was necessary to pay for our sins and please the Father. [Heb 12:2]

Christian, do not marvel at your weak seasons of faith nor be discouraged by them. Examine yourselves to see if you are of the faith. If you are a true believer, He will grant you mercy by causing you to look again to Christ. For as you continue to look to Jesus, He will - as the author and perfecter of faith - shine His face on you that you might see His majestic glory and merciful kindness. As a result, you will not extol the strength of your faith in pride but rather be humbled by His mercy once again toward you.

I Was Arminian and Did Not Know It

2008-10-17T23:49:00.000-07:00

I did not realize until recently how self-glorifying the infant stage of my Christian life was. Let me start by quoting some phrases and sentences I used often soon after Christ revealed my sin and my need for His mercy.

"When did you bow your knee to Christ?"

"When did you give your life to Jesus?"

"Turn from your sins and look to Christ and you will be saved."

"My life changed when I gave my heart to Jesus."

"Pray this prayer with me and God will save you."

I dare not say that any of those statements inherently are unbiblical. In fact, the third statement can be properly supported by Acts 2:38. However, I will say that they are closer bedfellows to free-will and human choice salvation than the biblical truth of salvation being wholly and solely the loving foreknowledge and sovereign grace of our Lord Jesus to save sinners by His good pleasure and for His glory.

The thought I am hoping to incite you to consider is this: How often do we in our daily testimony and witness unknowingly (and maybe even knowingly) point to our work as the source of salvation rather than point the sinner to Christ and incite them to beg our gracious Lord for mercy.

"Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." - 1Pe 2:10

In my next post, I am going to ask the question, "What is our testimony: Our walk or His steps?"

Proclaiming in the Season of Politics

2008-10-06T12:39:00.000-07:00

During this season of our nation's elections, what concerns you most? The results of the election or the calling out of the elected?

"For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." [1Co 2:2]

I recently took some time to count the number of times in a given week that I had a discussion of politics with a co-worker or friend. I then counted the opportunities I redeemed the time by leading the discussion into eternal and spiritual matters of the soul. Sadly, as many of you might find of yourselves, the former outnumbered the latter.

The reason that I chose to specifically count these conversations rather than others is that I have found political discussions to be easier to guide toward an evangelistic discussion. Consider the following topics and their relation to spiritual and eternal matters:

Economy - Our trust is in our citizenship in heaven [Phi 3:20]. David says, "I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor begging bread." [Psa 37:25]
Definition of family - He has made them man and woman [Gen 2]; Denial of gender denies creation;
Obama vs. McCain - They are both under the sovereign hand of God. The believer can be encouraged that "He removes kings and sets up kings" [Dan 2:21]. The unbeliever should be told that both are sinners and fallen leading to discussions of the fallen nature of man. [Rom 3:23]
Overturning Roe v. Wade - The Lord formed us all in the womb. He has made all things and is sovereign over all creatures. [Isa 44:24]

It's difficult to turn a debate about sports, business, technology or even TV shows into an evangelistic opportunity but politics is much easier. Unfortunately, the passion that many of us have in political discussions is often misguided and blinding which limits our usefulness in redeeming the time for the Lord and His glory.

Christian, I encourage you to take a quite moment to prepare yourself through study and prayer for these opportunities so that we might be useful for the kingdom of our Lord Jesus.

Saved But Not a Superhero

2008-09-28T09:44:00.001-07:00

"Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee." [Psa 51:12-13]

When a new believer understands the Gospel and bows their sinful knee to Christ then is brought into the fellowship of the body, what do we expect out of them?

I wonder if we are unfairly expecting them to be forced into a particular mold. Some seem to have certain expectations of new believers such as evangelizing to their friends, inviting family and friends to church and/or bible study and to get "plugged in". While those desires imposed on the new believer are good for their usefulness in God's work, I think we forget that being saved does not mean we become superheroes.

Other than a revelation of Christ to the changed heart of a humble sinner along with a newfound zeal, we don't suddenly gain new characteristics when we are brought to the Savior. Those who were shy aren't suddenly extroverted in fellowship and may find it difficult to invite friends. Those who were undisciplined and/or untaught in general study and reading won't immediately (or even ever) become habitual readers of the Word. If they were unreliable and irresponsible, don't expect them to suddenly be a model of usefullness in ministry. Other than a new inward man, the outward man before our revelation is basically cognate with the outward man after.

Ask yourself and answer (I hope) honestly, "Am I really that different from before the Spirit revealed my sin and my Savior to me?" God does sanctify us so that we can put off the old self and conforms us to the image of His Son. However, consider this: Don't we still struggle with some of the same sins (though the efficacy may be less) as when we were unregenerate sinners?

As for some of our characterics, they usually remain the same. If you were shy before, you're probably still shy now and find it difficult to socialize even with Christians. If you struggled with studying and reading for more than a few minutes, that's likely still difficult. If you were difficult to make friends with, you're likely to struggle with the same even today. If you were quick to speak, I'm sure that bugs you even more now. If you were often late and irresponsible, you're probably still the same way.

Why then as new believers, do we experience a period of time when weaknesses seem to be overcome for a short period?

I offer this thought: What we perceive as a new outward man is the result of the newfound zeal for Christ and His people that new believers experience when the hope of their salvation is revealed to them. Let us not burden new believers with fitted molds, carnal expectations or self-centered progress cards. These are yolks they should not bear. Rather let us help to keep afresh and renew their zeal with the continual feast of the revelation of Christ through the preaching, teaching of and fellowship in His Word.

Christ was Plan B???

2008-09-25T12:36:00.000-07:00

I attended the memorial service at a Catholic church this week for a former co-worker who was well respected in our company. I was flabbergasted when the Catholic priest made statements amounting to the belief that Christ's death on the cross was Plan B. He stated that our relationship with God is improved by loving one another. Since we could not do this perfectly, God sent His own Son to die on the cross for us to show true love. Effectively, Christ was Plan B because we failed to do what "we were called to do" - to love one another.

Having been blessed to hear and understand the true gospel, I know that God's sovereign plan of salvation for His people was foreknown before the foundation of the world[Rom 8:29, Eph 1:4]. It was not a response to our failure but rather a plan to fulfill His promises for our good and His glory [2Cor 1:20-22]. God had intended for His Son to be glorified after the counsel of His own will. Before I had a name, He had already called me. It was not my voice that called out to Him that saved me but the voice of His Son who cried, "It is finished!" I am merely a sinner saved by His grace and mercy.

Christ was not Plan B. He wasn't even Plan A. His work to glorify the Father was the only plan, passion and purpose of God.

One step away from idolatry and apostasy

2008-09-21T21:47:00.000-07:00

In speaking with some friends a few days ago, I made a comment that seemed to surprise them.

"We should consider that we can easily preach a false gospel and mislead others without knowing it."

Friends, let's not fool ourselves into thinking that stumbling is unlikely to happen just because we are at a good church where the Gospel is preached or because we have been educated at a Christ-centered seminary or because we have the protection of godly brothers and sisters around. Wisdom and strength is not your protection from apostasy. If it were not for the grace of God on our lives, we would surely stumble.

You may respond, "I may stumble for a short period but a true believer would not stumble for long."

I ask you to consider the lives of a few kings who started well and worshipped God but took a drastic turn and did not recover before God graciously ended their lives to take them up to Himself - Uzziah (2Chr 26), Solomon and Jehoshaphat (2Chr 20).

Complacency can easily enter into our thinking. Be vigilant and watchful not merely of the battles outside the camp but especially those within ourselves. Why else would Paul exhort Timothy to take heed of himself and his doctrine? (1Tim 4:16) Was it not because Paul himself knew the danger of complacency? Paul understood that it is only the grace of God that keeps us on the narrow path while being one stumbling step away from idolatry and apostasy.

What's the purpose of this site?

2008-09-08T00:06:00.002-07:00

Many friends and some family have asked me for years whether I've finally joined the blogsphere. I've often joked that I'm trying to avoid the "fad" and excused myself for not having time. Neither are honest reasons.

As an IT geek, I know that blogging will have a long life because of the evolution of the internet from a museum of static business-related information to a more mainstream utility of personalized window shopping. As for not having time, anyone who really knows me knows that I have a lot of leisure time on my hands that - if used properly - could actually be fruitful.

So, I'm jumping into the blogsphere but with a twist. (Yeah, I know what you're thinking. That Eugene just can't do things the way everyone else does.) Well, my hope is that my foray into the blogsphere will be both beneficial to you and therapeutic for me.

My intention for my blog is not to post updates on the latest on our family (I may start a separate site for that). Personally, I'd rather that I see our friends and family in the flesh than read about you in HTML. Nor is my blog going to be a soapbox to state positions and opinions. Although, many of the topics will likely be opinionated (of course, this is me - Eugene - writing it). Instead, it will have a very simple theme: The Thoughts of a Sinner [Saved By Grace].

What in the world are you talking about Eugene?

One of the problems with our multimedia rich, $1-million-per-30-second-advertisement, news-flash-driven, GPS-guided, I'll-call-you-from-the-car culture is that we don't spend enough time in pensive states. How much time do we spend pondering - not just any random topic but rather well-guided thoughts? Whether you are a Christian or not, spending time to think through anything worth thinking about is a healthy exercise.

My blog is my attempt at putting some of my thoughts in a public forum to accomplish two goals:

Inspire others to think through similar topics and it's application/effect on their respective lives and...
Point some to Christ **

** Many of these thoughts may be of or around spiritual matters. However, others may have little to do with eternal things and may actually be more carnal than spiritual.

WARNING (Before you continue):

Some of the topics I bring up will likely "rub some people the wrong way" or even offend. While that is not my intent for this site, it will impossible to avoid this because of reasons such as below:

I desire to spur many to love and good deeds by considering issues that some would find insightful at the same time that it may anger others.
My thoughts are uncomfortable to some.
My thoughts are those which others see as a "hill to die on" but I may not.

Whether you are encouraged or made angry, consoled or troubled, unmoved or spurred, at least I have made you think through something that hopefully is good for you to consider.

Enjoy the site! (I hope.)