Meet The Pastor
Pastor Michael Miller
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Romans 1:16
Graduated NSU in 1999 and 2003 with a degree in Accounting. I work as a sales and use tax consultant for a consulting firm. Married to Keri Miller, the most wonderful woman in the world, that has an amazing level of "putting up with me" I also have 6 kids; Rachel, Jacob, Rebecca, Daniel, Isaac and Kayla.
Grew up a professing Christian but in reality a hardened agnostic and skeptic. However, became convinced in the supernatural origin of the Bible after reading a book by Josh McDowell called "Evidence that Demands a Verdict", and also a book called "The Signature of God". This, plus an unusual experience that occurred one weekend while I was in college. I came home from school and my parents asked me to pray for them. I told them that I didn't believe in that sort of thing and then within minutes became violently ill. My mother came in and prayed for me and I was instantly well. That was a slap in the face for a skeptic and made me take a second look at my "beliefs".
Then with my fifth child Isaac, we were told he was a tubal pregnancy and that he would likely have to be aborted, as they could not locate him in my wife's uterus, but instead found a mass next to her ovary. They told us that the mass was likely him, especially based on the decreased amount of pregnancy hormone and the date of conception. We spent weeks getting ultrasounds until the last one, when the next step was to schedule the surgery and abortion, and the doctor found him in Keri's womb. A bone fide miracle, he was born 9lbs 1oz, perfectly fine. The "mass" just broke up and disappeared. The only explanation for this is God's mercy and grace.
At this point I believed in God and the authenticity of the Bible, but I was not repentant for my sin, I still thought that I was basically good. I had heard often about religion but it had never hit home that I myself was sinful and that God was in fact Holy. I didnt really see myself as depraved. I believed that I was just a "Carnal Christian." So I didnt really see myself as in danger of condemnation, just that I was "carnal" and might loose "my reward." I didnt feel any pressing need to examine myself to see whether my profession of faith was true. The only assurance that I had seen or heard taught was based on merely making a decision or repeating a sinner's prayer; so there was no urgency and no fear of God. At best I was a theistic moralist. I just compared myself to other "christians" and took comfort that I wasnt worse than them. I didn’t appreciate the fact that someone had to actually repent, turning towards God and away from their sin and put their trust alone in the Savior, Jesus Christ. I thought a mere intellectual belief was sufficient. I thought that a person "got saved" by "accepting Jesus" and saying a "sinner's prayer". I thought that God had a "wonderful plan for my life" and that if I would just do certain things and let Him "work", I could have this "wonderful life". And that the "benefit" was happiness, joy and lasting fulfillment. That's what I believed Christianity was all about. Come to Christ and get happiness and an improved life, and escape judgement of course.
I must have said the sinner's prayer 100 times, but I didn't understand repentance, or that I needed to have contrition for sin and brokenness before God. In fact, I had made up a "god" in my mind that was okay with my sins. I professed Christ but He was by no means "Lord" and I continued in sin. In reality I served myself and did what was right in my own eyes. I compared myself to other "professing" Christians and other people in general and thought that I would come out pretty clean. After all, I was a fairly responsible and moral person.
Then God, in His mercy, lead me through a series of circumstances to run straight into the reality that God was perfectly just and Holy; and when I compared myself to God's standard of moral perfection; I could see there was a huge problem. It was at that point that I came to realize that something was very wrong with my version of Christianity. For the first time I began to see myself in actual danger of Hell, and that I actually deserved it based on my deeds, thoughts and desires, etc.
I came to realize that God saw lust as adultery, hate as murder, that all liars have their part in the lake of fire. I had stolen, worshipped the idols of money and ambition. I was a covetous man, unthankful, unholy and profane. I had an idolatrous concept of God, His nature and Holiness. I came to realize that when God saw me, he didn't see me as a "good person" trying to do the right thing. No, He saw me as a lying, thieving, adulterer, and an idol-worshipping blasphemer. I realized that not only was I in big trouble, but that I actually deserved Hell. I realized that I was absolutely depraved and could not save myself.
That's when I really came to the cross with brokenness and sorrow for sin. And that's when, for the first time, I came to not only understand why Christ died and why it was necessary, but also I finally appreciated the Sacrifice and could see the perfect justice of Hell. I understood that the only way a Holy and Just God could forgive sinners was that someone perfect had to die, or He would not be just. I finally understood that God became a man, Jesus Christ, that he lived a perfect sinless life, not once breaching the law in thought, word or deed, and that He offered Himself up as a sacrifice for sins. He became a sin-bearer for us, and then resurrected on the 3rd day and ascended to the right hand of the Father, defeating death. I finally understood God's grace and I was finally born again. Not by the will of man, but by the will of God. His unmerited favor.
I also came to realize that salvation is not just reciting a simple model prayer. Christianity is not about obtaining an improved life; it's about Jesus Christ. It's about His righteousness. He is the very source of life. It is about fleeing from the wrath to come, calling on the name of the Lord for mercy, and freedom from the power of sin. It's not just being sorry for sin in a general sense, but it is a supernatural act of a Holy God acting out of His own mercy, grace and loving-kindness. You see, I would never have sought God on my own accord. Let me make this point again, so I can be absolutely clear; if the Holy Spirit had not in His grace brought me to a point of conviction, faith and understanding; I would never have sought God and I would never have repented and submitted myself to Jesus Christ. He alone gets the credit for my salvation. I was completely reprobate and faithless before Jesus, who seeks and saves that which is lost; arrested me with the Gospel. And I praise and thank Him for that alone! My decision didnt save me from sin; Jesus Christ did. Amen.
I am more aware of my sin now than ever, battling daily with the flesh. I repented and I continue daily to repent. I know my Redeemer lives and in Him alone do I put my trust. His righteousness and not my own (I don’t have any), and I look forward to that Blessed Hope, the return of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Unless He calls me home first.