A Gospel-Preached, Gospel-lived Life

A couple years ago I read John Piper's entry on his father's death.
I highly encourage you to read it.

I was profoundly amazed at the kind of life his father had lived just by reading this one line:

(Context: Right after his father's death, John Piper is talking to a random young man sitting outside of his father's hospital room).
"Hello, my father just died. One of the greatest tributes I could pay to him is to ask you, Are you ready to meet God?"

Wow - I know nothing else about Bill Piper (Piper's dad), but I can tell you that if that's what would pay him greatest tribute, this was a man who loved the Lord and spent his life spreading, preaching, and living the gospel.

When I die, I want to have lived in such a way that John Piper describes of his dad. That the most honorable thing for someone to do after my death to pay tribute to me is to share the gospel. Amazing - a life that spurs people to Christ and even afterward in honor spurs others to share the glory of Christ.

A Minister's Preaching - Valley of Vision

A Minister's Preaching - from Valley of Vision (Collection of Puritan Prayers)

My Master God,
I am desired to preach today,
but go weak and needy to my task;
Yet I long that people might be edified with divine truth,
that an honest testimony might be borne for thee;
Give me assistance in preaching and prayer,
with heart uplifted for grace and unction.
Present to my view things pertaining to my subject,
with fullness of matter and clarity of thought,
proper expressions, fluency, fervency,
a feeling sense of the things I preach,
and grace to apply them to men’s consciences.
Keep me conscious all the while of my defects,
and let me not gloat in pride over my performance.
Help me to offer a testimony for thyself,
and to leave sinners inexcusable in neglecting thy mercy.
Give me freedom to open the sorrows of thy people,
and set before them comforting considerations.
Attend with power the truth preached.
and awaken the attention of my slothful audience.
May thy people be refreshed, melted, convicted, comforted,
and help me to use the strongest arguments
drawn from Christ’s incarnation and sufferings,
that men might be made holy.
I myself need thy support, comfort, strength, holiness,
that I might be a pure channel of thy grace,
and be able to do something for thee;
Give me then refreshment among thy people,
and help me not to treat excellent matter in a defective way,
or bear a broken testimony to so worthy a redeemer,
or be harsh in treating of Christ’s death, its design and end,
from lack of warmth and fervency.
And keep me in tune with thee as I do this work.

Good morning, God.

Cho Yim. Reporting for duty, Sir!
What will you have me do today?

Humility Learned from Journals

It's funny reading my old journal entries and seeing how far along I've come. Every time I read it, I laugh and think - What were you thinking?! You were so young. O, you fool. - Of course I have some entries that display a growing sense of wisdom... but in light of what I know now, whenever I read my journals, I can clearly see that I have grown. That I was young back then, but thought I was old and wise.

One day in the future, I will read my journal from this month and think - What were you thinking?! You were so young. O, you fool!

So... I think I will just admit now that I am young. I am inexperienced. I lack wisdom at so many levels. And I need guidance and help - much help. I think I know a lot, but I know so little. I have so much more to learn and so much more to grow. I write my thoughts on this blog and in my personal journal about theological things I've studied or come to understand, but I am merely a child and there are plenty thousands out there who know it, understand it, and can explain it much better than me.

And so I will look to the older men in faith who have much more knowledge in terms of studies, experiences, and life wisdom. I will learn from them. And I am thankful for them. Their guidance and even humility in serving with me and my foolishness has been the most humbling thing to witness and experience.

For everyone who has invested into a sinner like me, thank you so very much. I am forever grateful - truly truly so - for your example, wisdom, knowledge, and investment. I value it very much.

I'm only 22 years old. I'm so young. I have so much more to learn and so much room to grow... so here I go, in humility.

God, who never lies, promised

(Titus 1:1-2 ESV)
[1:1] Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, [2] in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began...

Two things to catch here:
1) God never lies
2) God (who never lies) promised

Let's just think about this for a few moments. God never lies! It is against his nature to do so. And this God, who never lies, also promised! Oh how much surer and truer eternal life is since this is so.

The very character of God is one of absolute truth. His holiness and perfection has no room for any lie. The smallest of lies is worth an eternity in hell facing the wrath of God. He never lies - in fact Hebrews 6:18 tells us that 'it is impossible for God to lie.' This is His character - part of who He is as God. And if he never lies, then we can take him at his word without ever questioning him.

Some of us are blessed to have friends who rarely lie (because we are all liars). They're proven themselves worthy to be believed; their yes' are yes and their no's are no (for the most part). When they say they will be there at a certain time or say they will get something done, you know they will. But we have a God who never lies. When He speaks, only truth comes forth.

And our God does not stop there. But to reassure us, our God, who never lies, PROMISED. When the trustworthy friend who rarely lies also promises something, you know for certain that he or she will come through. But when the perfect God, who never lies, promises something... then there is no denying whatsoever that the things He says are true! (Because there was no denying it even in the first place).

This is comforting and incredible is it not? Every promise God makes in the Bible is true. It is His word. He never lies and yet He gives us an oath/promise to reassure us and make our feeble human hearts even more certain of his word.

What a great God and what great promises we have received and look forward to receiving in full.

How We Are To Love God

One of the greatest sermons I've ever listened to in my life was preached by Eric Chabaneix while I was at UCLA KCM. I remember sitting there engaged through the entire sermon as my heart was torn to pieces at my own sin, and then sewn up by Christ love and the cross. And it made me love God more. Every point in the sermon spoke to me and caused me to search my heart and consider my love for God. Love the Lord your God with your all. Hmmm. It's a message I think we all should hear - adapted from Jonathan Edward's Religious Affections....

And yes, this is the sermon many of the youth kids at the most recent baptism referenced. And since many people have been asking me for it, I've uploaded it onto the only place I know how to upload to. I think it allows only a few downloads per every 24 hours. And it only stays up for 21 days. So if anyone knows of a better place to upload sermon files, let me know.

How We Are To Love God - What The Love of God is NOT - Eric Chabaneix
(Wait 25 seconds, and then click "Regular Download")

Ministry Class

There's a few things I've been learning as my church has been doing something called "Ministry Training Class." This 'class' consists of 7 of us young inexperienced non-seminary-trained Christians who have the opportunity to preach in Sojourners - our college group. It's an interesting concept... that 7 of us preach in a rotating cycle through the book of Philippians week after week.

I'm writing this because #7 of 7 just preached today and the cycle starts over again. I'm excited for what I've learned from watching everyone struggle through their text and their preaching. We all seem to have one struggle/worry in common, regardless of our lack of training and our lack of giftings (so it seems).

This common struggle/worry/goal is simply to expound the word of God. To be faithful to his Word. To not worry about "wow-factor" and "compliments," but to make his word known and trust His word to pierce through the division of heart and soul, of bone and marrow. It has been the utmost encouraging thing to see... because it is precisely the only thing that seems to pierce any Christian's heart - both the preacher's and the listener's.

How crazy the thought we hold God's word in our hands.... How awesome the thought we get to proclaim it.