Healing Thru Confession

Confess to one another and pray for each other, that you may be healed.
James 5:16a

Growing up, I was a very emotionally repressed kid. I would never share my feelings, hurts, or struggles with anyone because I was taught that I should never talk about my personal issues with anyone outside of my immediate family. The problem was, I didn’t want to talk about my issues with my parents either. This would cause me to explode in anger every so often, engage in detrimental behavior, or be overwhelmed with anxiety. On the outside, I was a happy, funny, and friendly person, but on the inside, I was in agony. While I’m much better at expressing myself now as an adult, I’m still burdened by anxiety as a result of years of suppressing myself.

Do you have safe people you can confess to? If you’ve made mistakes, been hurt, or struggling with something, whom can you turn to share your burdens? While we can always turn to God in prayer, it’s just as important to have a loving community to unload our baggage; for that is how we can begin to experience healing.

Guard Your Heart

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
Proverbs 4:23

God,
Keep my anger from becoming meanness.
Keep my sorrow from collapsing into self-pity.
Keep my heart soft enough to keep breaking.
Keep my anger turned towards justice, not cruelty.
Remind me that all of this, every bit of it, is for love.
Keep me fiercely kind.
Amen.
–Prayer from Laura Jean Truman

Merge Mercy With Might

Everyone will sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid.
Micah 4:4

Did you watch the Inauguration on January 20? There were so many aspects about it that gave me hope for our nation for the first time in awhile. Listening to President Biden’s speech that was not filled with narcissism and inflammatory remarks was refreshing. Watching the first Woman of Color being inaugurated as Vice President (personally, as an Asian-American) was inspirational. But for me, the portion that stole the show was the poem by Amanda Gorman. It perfectly captured tehe healing we long for in 2021. While the past four years have been difficult for many Americans, the last ten months have been painful for everyone. Micah 4:4 was the verse that the young poet quoted in her poem today, which is a sentiment that we all desire; to no longer live in fear, dissension, or anger. While it will take longer than four years for our nation to heal, we can begin with ourselves by living in peace and love.

“If we merge mercy with might and might with right,
then love becomes our legacy and change our children’s birthright.”
–Amanda Gorman, The Hill We Climb

Don't Give Up

Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.
Hebrews 10:24-25

Have you become cynical, apathetic, or even angry over the course of the last ten months? It’s easy to fall into that trap of cynicism when it seems like the world is totally out of your control. Or perhaps you’re on the other side of the spectrum where your job security isn’t threatened, your life at home has not changed all that much, therefore you’ve been sheltered from the burning world outside. Both extremes are not healthy to our spirituality. Jewish psychiatrist and philosopher Viktor Frankl witnessed both extremes when he lived as a prisoner during WW2 holocaust; he witnessed the hopelessness of his fellow prisoners and the monstrous behavior of the privileged Nazi soldiers. One thing that kept him going through those horrific events is one thing: MEANING. The follower of Christ exists for the purpose of “love and good deeds.” Therefore, “let us not give up meeting together.” What is your meaning?

“Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how.’” 
–Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning

A Nation's Lament

O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple, they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble…
We are the object of contempt to our neighbors, of scorn and derision to those around us.
Psalm 79:1, 5

Like most of you, I was outraged, heartbroken, and disgusted by the behavior of thousands of fellow Americans. I was outraged that so many people thought that this violent and erratic behavior can change our nation’s Democracy. I was heartbroken by the lack of reason in these people’s minds. And I was utterly disgusted by this mob’s sense of entitlement. When people of privilege are challenged, it is difficult for them to accept difficult truths, which is exactly what was on display yesterday at our nation’s capital. What was even more appalling was that some people even held up signs that said, “Jesus Saves” and “Jesus Is My Savior and Trump Is My President.” I don’t know who that Jesus is, but that is not my Jesus and my Jesus condemns this behavior.

Slow the F Down

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently…
Psalm 37:7a

It’s 2021 and everyone is ready to say goodbye to 2020. But does that mean everything will go back to normal? It will take several months before everyone gets vaccinated and even longer for our economy to bounce back from the long hiatus. While I’m eager for most of life to get back to “normal,” in other ways I don’t want things to back to the way they were. In fact, I’m looking forward to a “new normal,” one of which is not feeling pressured to live life at the frantic pace that we all were sucked into. 

I truly believe God has given me a good word for the new year that we all need to hear… we need to SLOW THE FAITH DOWN.

Extravagant Gifts

On coming to the house, they saw the child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Matthew 2:10

For the past couple years as I (Al) have been meandering through this weird journey of “church planting,” I’ve been thinking far too much like a businessperson than a worshiper. I realized that I am far too concerned about ROI or cost of resources whenever I spend money, expend energy, or spend time on something church related. Besides, church plants do not have a lot of money or resources to work with. But when look at the example of people like the Magi with their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh or Mary Magdalene and her jar of expensive perfume, it reminds me that nothing is too extravagant for God. This year, may we not love God or love our family & friends from a place of scarcity but a place of abundance knowing that God has given us so much more.

Our little elves gift wrapping gifts for the family of a prisoner through Angel Tree Ministries.

What has 2020 Taught You?

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.
John 3:17

If there’s anything that 2020 has taught us, it’s that we need loving relationships, human connections, and authentic community now more than ever. Although there is a vaccine on the horizon, we are still not in the clear, which makes this time even more difficult for many. People have often attempted to drown out their need for real community by replacing it with entertainment, parties, or other distractions. During this time of pandemic, we’ve seen far too many instances where people have been irresponsibly “having fun” at the risk of others who are more at-risk. This year has shown us that we have been dealing with a more dangerous pandemic than Covid-19; we have been infected with a spiritual pandemic for centuries. Jesus’ love is the only thing that can save.

Looking Forward With Hope

We boast in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
Romans 5:3-4

Often times, our greatest seasons of growth come out of our greatest seasons of pain. Like other Californians, members of Perch.Church are enduring yet another major shutdown. Even though there are two vaccines being prepared for distribution, it feels like this pandemic is never going to end. How does one hold onto hope during such disparaging times? Personally, I’ve found that the best way to look forward with hope is to look back with gratitude. When I look at the grand scope of my life, I’ve actually gone through more difficult situations than this and I came out stronger. What about you? How has God brought you out of valleys of pain and carried you into mountains of grace? As we observed this past Sunday, hope is worth holding onto during seasons of pain because hope is a prerequisite to peace, hope sustains us through suffering, and hope in God does not disappoint.

Hope

“Because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
Luke 1:78-79

Hope is a valuable resource. 2020 has been a grim year for everyone ranging from pandemics, protests, and poverty. We can all use a little bit more hope this year. This is the good news of Christmas: Jesus Christ came into the world to give humanity HOPE. It’s a hope that surpasses darkness and death. Hope leads to light and life. Ultimately, hope is the path to peace.