In a recent e-mail, I read about a woman named Pam, who knows the pain of considering abortion. More than 24 years ago, she and her husband Bob were serving as missionaries to the Philippines and praying for a fifth child. Pam contracted amoebic dysentery, an infection of the intestine caused by a parasite found in contaminated food or drink. She went into a coma and was treated with strong antibiotics before they discovered she was pregnant.

Doctors urged her to abort the baby for her own safety and told her that the medicines had caused irreversible damage to her baby. She refused the abortion and cited her Christian faith as the reason for her hope that her son would be born without the devastating disabilities physicians predicted. Pam said the doctors didn’t think of it as a life; they thought of it as a mass of fetal tissue.

While pregnant, Pam nearly lost their baby four times but refused to consider abortion. She recalled making a pledge to God with her husband: “If you will give us a son, we’ll name him Timothy and we’ll make him a preacher.”

Pam ultimately spent the last two months of her pregnancy in bed and eventually gave birth to a healthy baby boy August 14, 1987. Pam’s youngest son is indeed a preacher. He preaches in prisons, makes hospital visits, and serves with his father’s ministry in the Philippines. He also plays football. Pam’s son is Tim Tebow.

Pastor Doug Dennee

I will have you know that there are four men who grew up in our home who can attest to the accuracy of what I am about to say. Plus, how can a pastor pastor a church for 31 years and fake people out for that long?

1. We make each other laugh! Much of our marriage has been characterized by light-hearted, hilarious moments. Carol still laughs at my lame humor after all these years! We smile at each other a lot! Joy and laughter provide release and relief in the midst of a serious approach to this life.
2. We share our hearts with each other! Carol knows and cares about my struggles, aggravations, fears, and heartaches, and I know hers. We have learned what brings joy to one another, and we have learned how to assist the Lord in mending each other’s emotional wounds. Sometimes that means just hugging without words and without trying to “fix” things all at once. We are not afraid to cry in front of each other.
3. We pray with and for each other! Bringing an issue up before God is often spontaneous – in a car, on the phone, in the bedroom, in the back yard. The prayer could be silent or audible, spoken by one or both of us. Praying together is one of the most intimate and precious moments in our marriage.
4. We are committed to reconcile conflict! Yes, from time to time we strongly disagree, hurt one another’s feelings, say regretful things, and act childishly. But we cannot live with a prolonged disconnect. Most issues of this nature are dealt with immediately or at least before the day is through. We made a commitment early on not to go to sleep with unresolved conflicts and we have worked hard to maintain that commitment.
5. We encourage and affirm each other! I notice her new hairdo, dress, shoes, and tell her how beautiful she looks. She makes me feel handsome and strong by the things she says and the way she looks at me. We probably compliment each other about something every day. We feel valued and adored by one another.
6. We stoke the fire of romance! We still date! We love hugging and being hugged and we enjoy the pleasures intended and reserved for marriage.
7. We both seriously pursue God! Our #1 love is reserved for the One who saved us from our sin and gave us eternal life! Our love for God’s Word and dependence upon Him has brought us through the roughest times and produced a deep level of intimacy with each other as we have sought His counsel, strength, and healing.

Our marriage is strong and vibrant today because God has made it so. The constant decision not to demand our own way, but to serve the other’s needs above our own has been a key ingredient to our success as a happily married couple.

John Wallace Miller

Time is a gift from God to man; therefore, we must not waste it. Moses writes in a prayer to God: “Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom” (Psalm 90:12 NLT). Paul exhorts the believers in Ephesus: “Make the most of your time, for the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16).  Here, the apostle reminds us we live in a sin-sick world.

The very best use of any day is to spend time with Almighty God. In the current frenetically-paced, hyper-speed culture we live in, it is absolutely essential that we daily remove ourselves from it. Your heart was meant to beat with God’s heart, not the arrhythmic, congested, clot-prone heart of American life! In Psalm 46:10 the Lord says: “Be still, and know that I am God.” When was the last time you were truly still? I’m not talking about “forced” stillness through sickness but chosen stillness. This meditative, reflective time with the Almighty is Great-Physician recommended therapy! David wrote of God: “You are my hiding place; You protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance” (Psalm 32:7). Again David sings: “Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him…” (Psalm 37:7). If you expect quick “sound bites” with God – you may be gone before He shows up! It is possible that the “get it now” generation may find it difficult to relate to a God who would rather talk than text!

Slow the Pace!

We must figure out a way to slow the pace enough to meet God on His terms. We tend to be more in a hurry than He is. The demands of every day have a way of sucking the life out of time with the author of both life and time! To do things differently this year probably requires breaking bad habits and starting new ones.

Harness the Energy!

The devil loves speed and noise, Facebook, Twitter, iPods, and video games – He is the Master Distracter and he loves anything that will keep us from serious time with his Arch Rival! Who of us is good at keeping modern technology from running and ruining our lives? Sure, we can harness the power of modern innovation for God’s glory and our good. However, like nuclear energy, both good and evil are possible outcomes of its use.

Prepare a Plan!

Plan regular times to be still before God this year. Cozy up to God’s Word like a child in its Father’s loving arms! I promise that you will not regret it. In fact, if you choose to discipline yourself to get alone with the Prince of Peace, and blessed Supplier of all your deepest needs, you can be assured of the most heart-healthy, Christ-honoring year you have ever had. If we cherish the gift of time, we will make the best use of it.

John Wallace Miller

As our nation limps into 2012, we will likely hear a lot of complaining and griping about economic and political issues. It will be ever so tempting to echo the sentiment of so many and experience the instability and anxiety that comes with it. As children of God, it is very important to maintain a “Kingdom” perspective. It should be clear to us that the kingdom of this world cannot meet the deepest needs of the human heart; it never will. The idea that once our economic woes as a nation are solved, all will be well, is to believe that material things are the panacea for what troubles us. The real problem is mankind’s fractured relationship with the One who made us. Even if our pockets were full of cash, we still have to deal with a bankrupt soul.

The only remedy is an encounter with the King of an unseen kingdom. Once we are rescued from the Kingdom of Darkness and brought into to the Kingdom of Light, a whole new perspective is gained. Our trust and confidence shifts from earthly rulers to the King of Kings. He becomes our peace and stability, even while living in an uncertain, unstable, broken, earthly kingdom. That does not mean we are unconcerned or uninvolved in the proper establishment and maintenance of man’s kingdom. But it does mean our ultimate trust is not dependent upon human solutions to solve man’s spiritual problems. In other words, our pulse rate should not be linked to the fickle stock market, fractured Congress, or even the frail security of our own jobs.

God’s son entered the human race to establish His government in the hearts of those who would place their faith in Him. It is God who said: “I will never leave you or desert you,” not our government. It is God’s Word that says: “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things (shelter, food, clothing) will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).

We MUST maintain this perspective as we enter 2012. Men’s hearts will fail them for fear if they pin their hopes on the institutions of man. People who trust in the uncertainty of riches will likely become increasingly insecure.

The children of God’s Kingdom truly rejoice at Christmastime because it means that the King of all Kings has come. He came to conquer sin, Satan, and death—and He did! The person who trusts in the Lord places faith in a solid foundation. This foundation will remain secure though all around us crumbles!

Kind David spoke of his King: “For who is God, besides the Lord? And who is a rock, besides our God? God is my strong fortress; and He sets the blameless in His way. He makes my feet like hinds’ feet (the incredible stability of a female deer on a precarious mountain ledge), and sets me on my high places” (II Samuel 22:32-34).

The Psalmist declares: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea” (Psalm 46:1-2).

Christ-followers who are rooted and grounded in the Lord will leap into 2012 with confidence rather than complaint and faith rather than fear. The coming days may very well reveal which kingdom we are choosing to place our trust!

John Wallace Miller

Watch this video on YouTube.

1. “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17).

You absolutely must make serious study of the Bible a consistent discipline of your life. There are no fast track ways to grow. Century plants bloom only once in their life, the blooming spike is so large and grows so fast that it saps all the resources of the plant. Oak trees grow slowly, steadily, and strong – they have a reputation for withstanding the fieriest storms. Listen as God reveals Himself through His Word and through those who seek to honor His Word.

Practice the Ezra model:  “For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel” (Ezra 7:10). Take the book of John for instance: Do a “fly over” of chapter one. Observe it; get a feel for the content. Then examine it; read for comprehension. Ask, “What does it say?” “What does it say to me?” and “What does it say that I don’t understand?” Then, talk to someone about it. This is key! Articulating what you have encountered greatly helps clarify and solidify the information and ultimately deepens your faith.

1. “Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 17:17). What has encouraged my faith greatly is finding godly people and spending time with them. A godly person is one who has a commitment to Christ, a high view of Scripture, and a relational demeanor. Loving God and loving people are prerequisites for the mature believer – so look for those attributes. Our small groups are an excellent way to sharpen your faith.
2. Take Sunday morning sermons to heart! Paul told Timothy to “Preach the Word … with great patience and instruction” (II Timothy 4:2). I spend many hours each week in study and prayer developing messages designed to instruct and inspire, inform and transform lives. It is true that faith is caught more than taught. In other words, the Spirit of God must engage your spirit for the words to come alive in you. So prepare by praying that the Lord will deepen your comprehension of who He is and what He wants to say to you before you come to worship.
3. “Like five loaves and two fishes, your faith won’t grow unless you pass it around! I think this best begins by serving others. You have a position on God’s team (a spiritual gift). Many believers just don’t take the field! They attend the “skull sessions” learn the plays, but seldom put that knowledge and wisdom to work. Ask the Lord (and a few godly people) where you might best be used. It is in the midst of serving others that faith seems to develop no matter how mature that faith may be. If Jesus said He came to serve, not be served, then we should do likewise (Matthew 20:28).
4. Don’t measure your spiritual growth by comparing yourself to others. Let the Lord be your examiner. It is humbling, to be sure. But you will learn, as you study God’s Word, that the Lord is both gracious and patient with His own. God has set a high standard that can only be pursued by a Holy Spirit-led, surrendered life. Admit you have a long way to go and that you always will. Personal spiritual growth is hardly detectable to the person growing. The reason? The process of maturity is also a process of humility – as we come to know God better, we also see a greater degree of His holiness, purity, and righteousness as well as His intolerance toward all that is sinful. This realization deepens our awe and respect for Him and also deepens our comprehension of God’s grace and mercy toward us.

John Wallace Miller

Diversity and Sensitivity Training, Tolerance Seminars, Equality Values Instruction – these are a few of the titles cropping up across our country as part of employee training and coming to a business near you! Those college students aspiring to teach or administrate in our public schools should also be prepared to handle newly-worded, ethical questions as part of their evaluation for a position.

There will be role-playing, videos, and questionnaires all designed to find out what your views are on a variety of social and moral issues. Your acceptance or “fitness” for a job may very well hinge on whether you answer the diversity questions properly.

Watch the political debate closely in the next twelve months. As the moral/ethical climate of our country tips the scales in favor of more liberal views, you can expect conservative candidates at all levels of political office to be peppered with questions that delve into one’s personal and religious convictions on topics like evolution and homosexuality – including civil and marital unions, bioethics, and one’s literal interpretation of the Bible.

When a mother heard Texas Governor Rick Perry indicate that a God created universe was worthy of consideration along with nontheistic views in the public school, she whispers to her daughter: “Ask him why he doesn’t believe in science” – as if creation and science were incompatible.

Various conservative politicians, as they run for public office, will continue to be hammered with questions regarding gays and evolution, particularly those candidates who are suspected of holding a Biblical view on these subjects. My prediction is that, unless these individuals have well-thought-through answers, based on reasoned principles, most of them will soften or backpedal on their positions for fear they may lose votes. You see, once those driving a morally-relativistic, humanist philosophy believe they can persuade a sufficient percentage of the electorate, they will mount a smear campaign on any politician, business owner, or government employer/employee who holds to Judeo/Christian values. Therefore, you may well see outstanding, Bible-believing, compassionate believers being misquoted, mischaracterized, and made to appear as ignorant, hateful, or even harmful to society.

Further, anti-Biblical zealots will demand these “fringe elements” be marginalized and censured for their prejudice and bigotry and outmoded beliefs. Because our country and culture have strayed so far from whatever Judeo/Christian roots we began with as a nation, the prospect of the marginalization and persecution of those with Biblical convictions is more likely than ever. Be concerned about this. The temptation to compromise one’s Christian convictions and even deny the Lord for the sake of avoiding harassment or obtaining or keeping one’s job is also more likely than ever!

The test of our faith in God and His Word within our own beloved America has arrived. Better figure out how deeply you believe what you believe – now.

“Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you, unless indeed you fail the test?”  II Corinthians 13:5

John Wallace Miller