MY WORLD HASN'T CHANGED MUCH SINCE I'VE FOUND JESUS

I gave my life to Christ back in 1989. Since then, my world hasn't changed much... AT ALL.


At least not for the better. Since I've been saved, my mom found out she had breast cancer,  all my grandparents have passed, a childhood friend lost her bout with lupus, the world trade centers were attacked, and thousands of people have lost their lives in the Philippines due to a massive typhoon. The world hasn't changed much since I gave my life to Christ. In fact, it's probably gotten a lot worse. What has changed for the better isn't found in the world around me... the change for better can be found in my mind and in my perspective.

Some people will say, "My life is so blessed now that I'm a Christian! So many good things have happened to me." Truth is, before I became a Christian, God has always been good to me, and evil has always been evil. And now that I'm a Christian, God is still good, and evil is still evil. Difference is, I now see things in a whole new light. I now see just how good God is, and just how evil evil is. I now see that God is good in the midst of evil. I now see God use evil for good.

Many years ago, I spent some time sharing the Gospel of Jesus with a coworker who grew up with no particular religion. I shared with her everything I knew to share. I tried to answer all her questions. I spit out all the verses I knew off the top of my head. Nothing I said seemed to move her.

But she said something that I'll never forget.

"There is one thing that I really admire about you Christians. When someone close to you dies, you're not sad about it. You're actually joyful. I wish I could have that." 

When my childhood friend lost her battle with lupus during college, it was devastating. But my coworker was right. Very soon after, our mourning turned into dancing again. It was because my mind had been changed in so many ways. I now believe that God's word is true. And when God's word says that it is precious to Him when his faithful servants die, I believe it. When he says that righteous people are sometimes taken away in order to be spared from evil, I believe it. 

When His word says that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, I hold fast to that. When towers collapse, when tsunamis devastate, when typhoons demolish, when cancer spreads, when money is tight, when people are mean- my life is blessed because of the many changes that have taken place within me, not outside of me.

My sins have been washed. My soul is restored. My mind is renewed. My eyes can now see. My hope is in heaven. 


My God is still Good.

"Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." (Colossians 3:1-2)

THE IMMORALITY OF STATISTICS

I was up late the other night looking at pornography... statistics. I was also looking at statistics of alcoholism, divorce, substance abuse, and other statistics of immorality. In preparation for a sermon series titled DETOX: Living Clean in a Dirty World, I wanted to get a sense of our moral climate and provide the church with jaw-dropping statistics of immorality. My jaw-dropped. I was shocked by what I found.

As I Googled "statistics of immorality", I found an article titled The Immorality of Statistics. While we often have talks, discussions, and sermons highlighting different statistics of immorality, we hear too seldom about the sin of putting our trust in statistics.

You don't see a whole lot of explicit activity of Satan in the Old Testament (although he's surely there). But in 1 Chronicles 21, "Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel." When David asked Joab to go count the number of Israelites, even Joab knew that it was evil in the sight of the Lord. He was reluctant, yet King David's word prevailed. And as soon as David received the statistics he requested, he realized the immorality of it. He cried out, “I have sinned greatly by doing this. Now, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.”

In those times, a man only had the right to count or number what belonged to him. Israel did not belong to David; Israel belonged to God. Yet taking the census and gathering the statistics would give David a sense of accomplishment, of pride, of security, and I'm sure, a sense of worth.

We love social media. We're addicted to it. However, a recent study by a group of researchers at the University of Michigan found that the more people spent time on Facebook, the more unhappy they were. One suggested reason for the unhappiness is a social-psychological phenomenon referred to as "Social Comparison". Basically, we compare ourselves to other people. The very thing that draws us to social media networks such as Facebook and Youtube, ultimately is the very thing that repels us and depresses us.

I love looking at your profile and learning of your achievements. I love checking out pictures of how cute your kids are. I'm curious as to who you ate dinner with and what you ordered for desert.

And then I hate you. I hate you because of your achievements, and how cute your kids are, and the fact that I wasn't with you at your dinner sharing that mile-high mud-pie with you.

But besides being crushed by how great someone else's life seems to be, I think we're often crushed by the statistics of it all. Why don't my pictures have as many likes? Why do I only have four comments? Why does she have so many friends? Why does he have so many followers?

The immorality of statistics goes beyond social media. It's found in our social circles:
"Why does he make so much money and I make so little?"
"I'm sure my car is worth more than hers."
"Why is their family blessed with so many kids I have none?"

It's found in the church:
"We've doubled our congregation in the past two years."
"Why is their ministry expanding, and we're still in the same building after 20 years?"
"Why do so many flock to that guy's teaching?"

Often at the root of our addiction to statistics is the toxin of "social comparison". How do my statistics look in the light of yours? We have faith in numbers. We believe that numbers define us and indicate our value.

We believe that our significance corresponds with great numbers.

We believe people's acceptance of us increases with greater numbers. 

We believe God is pleased and moved by our great numbers. 

Numbers aren't inherently evil. Beware the immorality of statistics.

Truth is, I do care how many people read this blog post and how many "like" it.

Truth is, it doesn't matter. My identity in Christ is still the same. My worth is still the same. My call is still the same. My capacity and competence in Christ is still the same... just as He is pleased to determine.

"I Will Wait for You"

Wow, I'm not a woman. But this is inspiring. Sisters, and brothers, check this out!

On Sin

"We are more concerned about our own victory over sin than we are about the fact that our sins grieve the heart of God. We cannot tolerate failure in our struggle with sin, chiefly because we are success-oriented, not because we know it is offensive to God."

- Jerry Bridges, The Pursuit of Holiness

On Humility

"Live to be forgotten... so that Christ would be remembered."

- Patrick Fung, OMF

Pray ON! for baby Samuel!

On Monday night, I was really looking forward to getting home from work to work on my car with my buddy George. Then I got the news about baby Samuel and his critical situation. As desirable as it was to want to stay home and work on my car, I had preached the day before on how it is so much better to worship at the feet of Jesus than to worship the temporary things of this world.

So I went to the Community Center in PV to spend time at the feet of Jesus, petitioning for the life of baby Samuel. I thought people might think I was weird since I was a stranger, and don't even know the family nor the church that met. But to my surprise, neither did the other two guys in my prayer group! We had all heard about baby Samuel through social media, such as texts, twitter, and facebook. I was in AWE of how the news is spreading and people are praying for this family of God!

Turns out we aren't the only strangers praying. Over 10,000 hits from people all over the world checking in to the updates on Baby Samuel! Keep yourself in the loop, and keep praying for the God ordained purposes in baby Samuel's life!!!

Updates can be found here:

http://lothblogs.wordpress.com/

Pray on, Brother. Pray on, sister!

URGENT Prayer...NOW

i'm clutching baby evan as I type this with one hand.

i don't know baby samuel, but i know baby evan. i think that's why this breaks my heart that much greater. pastor dan is a local partner of the gospel in the area which i live. i've never met him, but i'm by his side as i write this. please read below with urgency and prayer.

Yesterday was trying to say the least. Waking up in a panic because Kelly delivers quick, we ran to Hollywood Presbyterian at 3am only to have to “hurry up and wait” for several hours. The contractions came, and then they left, leaving us a bit discouraged. After the pitocin drip, Kelly was quickly induced within a few hours, and by 11am, Samuel was born to us 6 pounds 10 ounces and twenty inches long. He is beautiful and hopefully I’ll put a picture up with this post. Truly my heart melts when it beholds him; so perfect on the outside yet so sick on the inside.

With his birth, he was rushed quickly to the NICU where he was placed on a powerful ventilator and several tests to determine lung strength, heart strength and lung development. Because of the difficulty of finding all the organs before he is born, we were hit with news that his condition was much worse than we originally thought (which was horrible to begin with). He has very little lung development and even on a very strong ventilator was only receiving up to 80% oxygenation in his blood (we need above 93% for the average brain to receive the proper oxygen for development). The doctors couldn’t stabilize him so he was rushed over to Children’s Hospital quicker than anticipated. Kelly was able to see him briefly before she had to return to her room, and I went with Samuel via ambulance right away to the CHLA NICU.

It was surreal traveling there, alone, without Kelly or family, amidst paramedics who were attempting to keep Samuel alive. One woman’s role was to constantly get oxygen in his lungs by squeezing a round ventilator; had she but stumbled he would have been in even more serious danger.

Rushing to the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit), I was told to wait outside for a bit until they could get him hooked up again and getting better blood oxygenation. They could only get it to around 65% and in a hurry of doctors and surgeons, I was transported to a room to sign papers so that he could undergo a surgery and be placed under the power of an ECMO machine (external heart and lung bypass). There were five of them, stating that Samuel’s chance of survival was nil unless he get on ECMO, though recounted all the horrible potential side effects that could happen. They even expressed to me the reality that he may not survive the surgery.

Signing the papers, I waited in the room for them to give me one last chance to look at Samuel. They said it would be 30 or so minutes and as my phone was about to die, I told them I needed to rush out to get the phone charger so I could call Kelly. Running out, I took a back way to get to my car; but trying to get back in the same door was impossible, so I had to run around the entire huge hospital in a panic hoping I would see my son before surgery.

The phone rang; it was the doctors asking where I was. Running, literally never having felt this fear of the unknown before, I ran past security guards, speeding cars, and anything else meant to impede me, and was running to be by my son’s side. I got stopped, but yelled something, and made it to the NICU just in time to see my son and give him a kiss on the head. I whispered Jesus’ name and said a quick prayer before they rushed me out to begin surgery. Later, the surgeon who was the head of the NICU institute, told me he had minutes to live.

By God’s grace, he made it through the surgery and is stabilized on ECMO as I write this. His blood is being oxygenated at 100% which is a huge blessing, giving his little lungs and heart a rest. During the course of trying to keep him alive, the high pressure ventilator caused damage to his lungs, so the doctors are not expectant to see any improvement to his condition until the lungs heal which could take longer than a week.

However, he doesn’t have much time on ECMO; being on this massive machine means having to be induced and drugged, as well has having to be on blood thinners so the blood won’t clot in the machine. This is a very precarious time.

So what have the doctor’s told us? They each tell us there is little hope for survival. There might be a new condition in his heart that they couldn’t see previously, and if this new condition proves positive, then there isn’t any chance at all. But, it has not been diagnosed, so we will pray and believe otherwise. I’ve never felt this way before; not scared, but so emotionally attached to my two day old son. I felt like, as I ran, as I was by his side, as I signed papers and as I kiss him on the head or touch his little feet, that somehow he needs me. He does, but the truth of the matter is I can do nothing for him but love him and pray. And so we pray.

Samuel’s name means “God hears.” The truth of the matter is that though I can do nothing, though the love of a mother and father is strong, only our Heavenly Father can do something. It’s out of the doctor’s hands, out of the surgeon’s hands, and out of our hands. Samuel is resting in the arms of God now, amidst those tubes, machines and wires and under that heating lamp that seems intense. He’s resting in the most capable arms of all, so really, he’s in the safest place he can be. My son is made for eternity, and whether he flourishes or not, I will praise the God of eternity who fearfully and wonderfully made him in his mother’s womb.

Please join my in praising God for Samuel, and for praying for the life of this precious little boy.

Though I will not be present, I know there will be a prayer time for him tonight at the Community Center in PV at 8pm. I would deeply appreciate it if you joined together with the body of believers, invite your friends who believe in Christ, and petition for the life of my son. I love you all…

Dan and Kel, Noah and Mia…and Samuel

Costume Party

So for the costume party last week with our College/Young Adult fellowship, the challenge was for people to team up and dress up together. The Mah family decided to dress up and play Doctor. I showed up to the party as an OB/GYN and my wife Monica came dressed as a pregnant woman. Each team that dressed up had to do a presentation of their costumes. Here's ours that won us the "Funniest" award (apparently Google Chrome isn't playing the video):



On another note, tonight I decided that we were going to have family Bible reading time. By God's grace, I happened to be in Dt. 6 for my quiet times. The Scripture was quite fitting:

" 1 These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life...

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.[a] 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."

Being a father is incredible. People often ask, "How's being a daddy?". YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW. unless you're a dad and you do, I guess. I LOVE THIS KID SO MUCH IT'S SO INTENSE. It almost hurts. Have you ever loved someone so much that it like literally hurts? I asked my friends yesterday if it's possible to love my son so much, that it's displeasing to God.

I pray SO MUCH, like EVERYDAY, that Evan would grow up to genuinely love the Lord. I pray that his whole life would be devoted to Him. And after reading tonight's passage, I hope that Evan's love for the Lord would be even more intense than my own love for Evan. So much that it hurts! And as the Scripture says, the command for me is to teach him to Love the Lord, when I sit with him and walk with him, when we lay down and when we get up. May I live out this Greatest of Commandments.

Do you Speak in Tongues?

I don't speak in tongues. Nor do I heal. Nor do I prophesy. (I did predict that baby Evan would be a fat little chubster. But i didn't get that by looking up and hearing the Lord; I looked down and saw my Lard. ha! That was a good one.) But I've been asked about these gifts before and have been in countless conversations regarding them in the past.

But lately it seems that the conversation has been coming up more and more regarding these controversial giftings of the Spirit. I happened to have read through 1 Cor. 12 a couple days ago regarding the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which include tongues, interpretation of tongues, healing, and prophecy. It's interesting to note that these gifts of the Holy Spirit are included in a list among gifts such as teaching, helping and administration, which no one seems to have a problem with.

I've been asked many times what my position is regarding the charismatic movement and the gifts associated with it. My answer? As my good friend James Hong would say, "I'm open, but cautious." I'm open to what the Holy Spirit can do and am willing to accept the variety of ways He gifts believers to build the Church, but I'm cautious as to how any group or denomination uses and perceives the gifts. As with anything else, the use of the gifts must never ever violate the teaching of Scripture.

But when asked my opinion about the Charismatic gifts (which I think is a misnomer, since all gifts are "charisma", a gifting by God's grace), I honestly answer that I honestly don't know what to make of it. I just haven't been exposed to the Charismatic movement or fellowshipped with charismatic churches to make a fair judgment. I think it's poor witness that so many Evangelicals are quick to make blanket statements without having taken the time to learn more about the subject.

So, I'm willing to learn. I know many of you reading this are probably from within my own community, so you're probably in the same place as I am in terms of what you've experienced. But maybe not.

So my question is, whoever you are, what has been your experience with charismatic gifts or charismatic groups? Should we as Christians be more open or closed to what seems to be growing throughout the world?

Prosperity Gospel

This is an oldie but a goodie.

Tummy Time- Take Two

Some of you have been asking for the update video of Evan's tummy time. Here it is. This video is about 2 weeks later from the first... in it he's doing so much while doing really nothing at all.

And no, that's not my Mickey Mouse t-hirt I'm wearing. It's, um....

In routing on Evan to muster up strength to lift up his head, I'm reminded of the One who gives us strength, both physically, and spiritually.

Psalm 3:3 "But you are a shield around me, O LORD;
you bestow glory on me and lift up my head."

Burnt out? Or Boiling?

Do you feel burnt out for Jesus? Tired? Like you just can't do this anymore? Most people who do will stop serving because "I just need a break".

I have a suggestion... keep serving.

Paul writes in Romans 12:11 "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord."

The word Paul uses for "Spiritual fervor" is a word that literally means "boiling". Basically, we are charged by Paul to maintain our zeal for God by "boiling" for the Lord.

I don't cook much, but I make quite a killer spaghetti. Actually, that's all I know how to cook. When I'm heating my pot of water, I freak out when the bubbles start to boil and overflow all over the place. I rush to take it off the stove and rest it on a cooler surface. The bubbles go away! But the moment I put it back on, the bubbles are back!

Did you know that a constant application of heat to that pot keeps it boiling? Crazy. But take away that application, and it dies out.

Paul seems to suggest that it is possible to consistently maintain our fervor for the LORD. Like, we can stay high for Jesus! We can always be bubbly for Jesus! He says... "Keep boiling". That means, according to Paul's word choice, there needs to be a constant application of something that'll keep us boiling for Jesus.

What is that application? Well, Paul says, "Keep boiling, serving the Lord." That means, our regular and consistent service to God, humbly making him first place instead of ourselves, will keep us from losing our zeal? That I can keep boiling instead of burning out?

Christians, I'd like to suggest that if you're tired and worn out...keep serving. Of course, serve in good portion. Don't overload your plate. You'll get stuffed and won't be able to do anything. Take small bites, but serve consistently, and you'll be amazed at how long you can go.

Oh yeah, and check yo'self before you wreck yo'self. Who you serving? Oh right. JESUS. HE'S the guest of honor. Get outta his seat.

Press on brother. Press on Sister.

Tummy Time: Take #1

This is Evan's first Tummy Time. We're trying to train him to lift up his head and push himself up on his own. I know... he sounds discouraged in the video. But don't worry, we encouraged him once the cameras were off.

Baby Evan, don't worry. Even Jesus had to take time to grow in stature. You'll lift your head up one day, son.

Luke 2:52 "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men."

G.A.P. Log #2: TNT Wedding- Tre n' Tomoko

I should be more consistent with these "God.Answers.Prayer" logs. He answers WAY more than I post. He deserves way more Glory than I give.

Prayer Journal on April 15, 2010: "I pray for Trevor and Tomoko's wedding, that it will bring you glory and that Christ will be at the center of it."

Answered on September 25, 2010:
TnT's wedding was DYNO-MITE!!! I've been praying for months for Trevor and Tomoko's wedding, for their preparation, but mostly for God's glory to be seen. I asked that Christ would be made known.

And God came through... through the ceremony, through the message, through the worship, through the foot washing ceremony, through the vows, through the testimonies at the reception... through and through.

Trevor was telling me how many people, especially from his family, were impressed with the realization that God is really alive in Trevor's life.

A cousin who is in a "basically Satanic" band came up to him and told him everything really made him think.

An old high school friend commented to Trevor how he always knew he was a Christian, but was blown away by what he saw that day.

A newborn believer (a man, may I mention?) shed tears at the demonstration of humility demonstrated in Christ's footwashing.

Through and through.

Praise the Lord for the testimony of His Love and Grace in Trevor and Tomoko's marriage! May he keep showing it in their lives... through and through.

On "Humility"

Humility is the something we should constantly pray for...
but never give thanks that we have.
-M.R. De Haan