Yay!

Hola! Let's see how brief I can make a blog post!

I just wanted to let you all know how must I treasure each of you. It's really a blessing to have each of you in my life. Struggling with my own insecurity Satan would have me think otherwise. But God is really awesome to put each of you into my life. I am so thankful for your prayers and your encouragement, to turn my eyes away from myself and my sin, my shame, my ugliness, and try to keep my eyes focused on God. Matt 14:22-23

So I do not write the blog post to brag or be arrogant or to preach. In fact I have been struggling with pride a lot lately and can only ask for your forgiveness to each of you that my sharp tongue has pierced the wrong way. I struggle with awkwardness and connecting with people. My pride often gets in the way of things and I am sorry. I know God has given me the blessing to serve others, but many times I find myself serving and even writing only to further my own needs and securities. I apologize. I apologize for my recklessness and my lack of thought in my words or actions. I apologize for my instability in myself, for drowning in my own thoughts and emotions for struggling so hard to cling onto God. I wish I could be superman for everyone. I wish I could be selfless and not care about myself. I wish I could be more like Christ, but I am still struggling, still growing, still backsliding and all I can do is ask for your forgiveness.

This week has been especially difficult. Getting sick, and not being surrounded with as much Truth. Being bombarded on every side by the enemy mostly through emotions and thoughts. Struggling with my old mindset and thoughts. Flirting with sin, giving in and failing.

Last night I listened to a message "TrueFaced" by John Lynch. He brings up an interesting story about two paths. The path of Good Intentions and the Path of Trusting in God. It is actually very similar to a message by Fred Wevodau that we heard at Winter Conference. The path of Good Intentions is fighting against your sin by yourself. You put on a mask and appear to be doing well, because if you're not doing well then what are your good intentions for? How about all your good works? Your Quiet Times? Your serving the homeless, leading a smallgroup, serving God? How can you NOT be doing well? To struggle, to fail, to give in, means you failed. Your Good Intentions were no match to fight against your sin.

The Path of Trusting in God, is even harder. There's nothing to do... except trust in God. But the Path of Trusting in God is the path of grace. Knowing that you need His grace. That none of your actions can help you fight against your sin. It's not about trying harder, doing more, having the right theology, right mind set, the right philosophy, knowing what Scriptures to hold on to. But it means trusting in God. Trusting in His grace to save you. That apart from His grace there is nothing to save you. But God's grace is awesome! Because God is faithful.

"Cast your cares on the LORD

and He will sustain you;

He will never let the righteous fall."

- Ps 55:22

The Path of Trusting in God means allowing God to come on your side and fight with you. People on this path are big sinners. Because we know we need grace. We struggle and fail. But we own up to our struggles because we know God is working on them. Our progress is not measured by our improvement or by how much work or change we see. Our progress is knowing that each day God is chipping at our sin bit by bit, and transforming us to be new creations. 2 Cor 5:17

I am not really sure where this post is going =]

I just wanted to be honest with all of you guys. I know blog posts, facebook events, and mass emails may not be your style but hopefully God can use them. I am just not sure how to initiate awesome one on one conversations. So this is the invitation, I love you guys, and I want to be praying for you, in fact I want to know what's going on in each of your lives daily if possible. To pray for your struggles and to share awesome praise reports of how awesome God is. You are not alone, we are all here, and sometimes its hard to break away from our asian-ness and ask people to pray for us. Or sometimes its just awkward and we don't know how to start. So if you work better one-on-one, or you work better by blogging, or by email let me know what you're comfortable with and let's share and lift up our requests to God together.

That's what the church is for. That's why we have brothers and sisters in Christ. Maybe you guys are doing awesome at this! Then Yay Jesus! I don't mean to interfere or point fingers. But hopefully this post can encourage those who struggle with fellowship and we can work together to be there for one another.

No more pride, no more masks. I struggle just as much, maybe more or less haha, than each of you. I need grace as much as you do. I need prayer. I want people to be there for me. To invite me over to study, to just be around when I am struggling. To give me encouraging notes, and verses. To check up on me once in a while and make sure I am doing okay.

What's the best fix when you are in need? I find the best way to do when you're in need is to serve others. Something magical happens when you help other to serve you by serving them. Haha despite that being a mouthful God often blesses me when I serve others. When I act selflessly than selfishly. There's just something nice about helping people that gives you a warm fuzzy feeling, and by ministering to others God often ministers to you in some way.

So what can you do?

1) Confess our sin. We are all sinners. We are all needy. We all want this or that and are struggling with something. One of my most favorite versus is John 8:11 "...'Then neither do I condemn you,' Jesus declared. 'Go now and leave your life of sin.'"

2) Allow yourself to be served. Open up areas in your life where you need ministering. Bless others by giving others an opportunity to bless you. We all have needs and God made us relational people that need people and God. No need for pride. Trust your family to be there for you, by letting them know how they can live for you.

3) Serve others. Somehow by serving others, everyone benefits. You feel good about yourself, and others are touched. God works best when people are loving one another.

I say all this in the humblest way I can. I want to see our community flourish to a point where it can not only serve each other, but it can also be branching out and touching the lives of others. Again, maybe you excel at community then Praise the Lord! Let's all create an environment of grace together. =]

Sincerely,

Matt

"...All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,

'God opposes the proud

but gives grace to the humble.'

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time."

- 1 Pt 5:5-6

Let's help each other be lifted up by God! We're all in this together.