To God alone be the Glory!

Jason was so moved that by all the events of this Christmas that he felt (and i do mean physically) burdened to write a thank you to everyone giving the Glory to the Lord! So he, as difficult as it was for him, got on his knees and he prayed! Then wrote what was on his heart. He read it to our life groups class....And saw how so many were moved that he was asked to read it before the church. i know how he is physically and mentally this is purely Spirit inspired, this just could not be in his power any other way!

http://www.ebethesda.org/dlgMediaPlayer.aspx?id=154

Here is the link the service he read it in! It was the January 2nd, 9am service. He read it towards the end, but here is a copy of the note....i hope your heart is blessed.


To my Bethesda family,
At Thanksgiving a friend of mine called to see how I was doing. Through out the course of the conversation he revealed to me that he had been angry at God because I had Parkinson‘s disease. He said he had screamed out at God in anger asking why it had to be this way. I quickly stopped him and told him that attitude was not acceptable. I informed my dear friend that God had blessed me with this illness and that I was anxious to see how He would be glorified through its progression. He was shocked to find out that I considered this such a blessing. What he did not understand is that God is glorified in weakness. If He works through the earthly strong then the world cannot understand the magnitude of His power. When things look impossible and situations seem unavoidable, undesirable, and unbearable the glory and might of our dear Lord is shown. In our weakness His strength is proven. It is not that God does not care when we are allowed to become ill. God has ultimately healed all disease, disorder, and death with a perfectly delivered blow through Jesus. From eternity past, to a lowly manger. From an old rugged cross to a cold, sealed tomb. Resurrected and casting the stone away He ascended into glory as our Priest, Savior, and King conquering for ever the true and only opposition to God which is Sin. The effects of sin are categorized three ways… Disease, Disorder, and Death. If we know Christ, His victory is ours and the eternal life we have is not bound in these sandy corpses. What ever trial, tribulation or ailment inflicted upon this earthly shroud should only be used for one purpose…. God’s glory. Anything that brings Christians closer to death brings them that much closer to eternal service to our Savior and King. God could bring us home at any moment if He willed it so. His glory is what is at stake and if He chooses to leave us here to suffer for His honor than let it be. Victory over my disease is won in Christ. No need to ask for healing for it ran down Calvary’s cross. No need to ask for life for it burst out of Christ’s tomb. No need to ask for contentment for it descended at Pentecost. No need to ask for security for my shepherd owns the hillsides, mountain tops, rivers, creeks, valleys, plains and oceans. No need to ask for purpose because my God saw fit to crucify His son for my redemption and my life need be centered in His loving sacrifice. No need to ask for companionship for He is always there in Spirit and in Truth weaving a masterpiece of His love through my life. My friend saw me as a mortal man being punished and ignored by an eternal distant God. I know that I am an eternal being, guided and being used to glorify my loving eternal Savior and King. The idea I want to express is that I am already healed my body just hasn’t caught up to my soul. I am so thankful that God has seen fit to use my situation…. Not matter what it may be to bless hearts and lives for His glory. Thank everyone of you in this room for allowing my family to have the distinct honor of Christ shining through us and touching your hearts. I would like each one of you to know that you all have allowed Christ to work through you and bless my family as well. Thank you my dear sweet family. May we all stand in awe this Christmas season that the same hands that formed creation, and the same hands that bore the nails and the same hands that removed death’s stone from the tomb, and the same hands that delivered His own precious atoning blood to His Father, and the same hands that will judge as King and one blessed day, lovingly receive His undeserving bride….. Those same precious hands guided your hearts to help and love my family. May the Lord bless you all for being receptive to His Spirit’s tender touch. I understand why you love my wife and kids, they are all adorable and deserving. But to love me like you have that is a miracle of biblical proportions. Thank you for everything. May we all grow and glorify our Savior in the year to come.

Jason D. Miller
Christmas 2010

Christmas....He gave the greatest gift....Himself!

i have always spent Christmas just trying to capture the romance of the season, the smells, the sights, the sounds. i guess i have a theatrical, or cinematic enjoyment of the effects of Christmas. This year....i did not really get the opportunity to do that. Surprisingly it was one of the most blessed Christmases i have ever spent.

This year, Jason was home. In years past gas needs to be delivered during this busy travel season. No worries about how to get our celebrations squeezed in between 2 12hour shifts.

We were just able to be together. I did not realize how much that would change the season for us. In years past the kids had list, things things they wanted. This year not one child aside from the 2 year old, could think of anything they wanted! I wondered why this might be, but the realization came over me. They have us home caring for them they are content! Nothing of material could give them anything other than a fleeting pleasure, and they some how felt that. Amazing.

We never intend to have a very extravagant Christmas, not to many presents. We had our church bring a large box of groceries and gifts. They pulled in and dropped off this lovely gift, but before they even got back in there car to back out of the driveway another car from a separate anonymous group dropped off yet another similar load of gifts and food!! Jason and I just stood in the laundry room tearful and stared at each other speechless! One day after that our life group leader, good friend Jarod showed up with a gift from our Life group class. An Electric Medical lifting recliner for Jason!!!!!!!!!!

Unreal. What a praise worthy God that put in hearts to give us such extravagant gifts! The praise is His, and His alone. Our mail lady also came by Christmas Eve to bring yet more gifts and groceries from our community!!

When times are high like this is so easy to feel jubilant and Praise the Lord. But it also made me realize that, i have to remember to have the same heart of amazement, gratefulness, tearful, speechlessness when the blessings are not quite so sweet, or easy to bear! The Lord has started a work in us and it will not soon be finished but it continues to move and grow!



This New Year, we have been moved greatly by the Spirit. Jason and I have been reading out loud this book called "Radical"! It is making our hearts stronger in our convictions about a great many things. Realizing we had allowed ourselves to become comfortable with things we should not have. The Spirit is being poured out and our prayer are becoming more desperate for Him! That i must say( not to minimize the amazing things that have been done for us this season...some of which are not even mentioned here) was the best gift of the year.