Every year before Christmas I read through the Gospel accounts of Jesus' birth. One year I had really been struggling to persevere in prayer for friends and family members who don't know Christ's love.

As I read in the book of Luke, I came across some very encouraging verses pertaining to Zechariah and Elizabeth. This older couple had been praying for a child for years. To let them know He was answering their prayer, God used an angelic messenger.

"When Zechariah saw him [an angel], he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: 'Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John'" (Luke 1:12,13, New International Version). This son, John the Baptist, went on to give his life preparing the way for the Lord Jesus.

I wondered how long Zechariah and Elizabeth had been praying for a child. I wondered if they ever struggled to trust God, like I do. I want to trust Him, but it gets hard when I can't see Him working. I begin to doubt He is working, then I doubt He's listening. Soon I doubt that He even cares. I had gone through this process with my prayer life and found myself thinking, If God isn't listening or doesn't care, then why do I keep praying? Doubt had paralyzed me.

Zechariah doubted too. He asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years" (v. 18). Our concept of time is often different from God's. "With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day," as Peter put it (2 Peter 3:8, NIV). Zechariah and Elizabeth might have felt like they had been praying for a thousand years, but God had a plan, and He gave them a son when His time was right.

When I read God's message to Zechariah, "Your prayer has been heard," it encouraged me. Just because I can't see Him working doesn't mean He's not working or that He doesn't care. Strengthened with this loving reminder, I renewed my prayers for unsaved friends and family.

If you find yourself feeling fogged in by doubt during this holiday season, take heart. God is listening, and He does care. And just like He did with Zechariah and Elizabeth, He sent us a Son just when we needed one.

Sometimes it's unclear whether a person is a true believer or just has knowledge about Christ. Here's an illustration you can use to clarify the issue.

Our relationship with Christ can be illustrated by four aspects of marriage.

• A man may be convinced intellectually that a woman is "right" for him.
• He may be involved emotionally and love her.
• But marriage requires more than intellect and emotions--also the will.
• A man and woman become husband and wife when, as an act of their wills, they commit themselves to each other before a minister or other person of authority. The two words "I do" make the difference.

The Christmas season is supposed to be about rest and tidings of comfort and joy, as the carol puts it, but too often it ends up a season of stress. My wife, Jennifer, can usually tell when I'm getting overwhelmed. She'll give me a hug, then gently suggest I spend some time alone with God.

As regular as Greenwich time, I remind her of all I need to do and why taking time out would be a terrible thing at such a time. Hearing myself say something so dumb is sometimes all it takes to regain perspective.

If that doesn't do it, things soon get bad enough to force me back to God in prayer. Thank goodness God's never been too busy for me.

In Matthew 6:31-34, Jesus said, "Do not be anxious then, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'With what shall we clothe ourselves?' For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Tell Him everything, and God will guard your heart and mind with His peace. Handle it alone, and you're guaranteed heartache. God always lets us decide.

Soon we shall enter a new millenium. Its potentials are unlimited; but the problems are also more than we can imagine. In 1988, Richard Nixon wrote about the challenge that lies ahead: "[On January 1, 2001] we will celebrate . . . the beginning of a new year, a new century and a new millennium. For the first time on such a historic day, the choice before mankind will not just be whether we make the future better than the past, but whether we will survive to enjoy the future.

"In 1999, we will remember the 20th century as the bloodiest and best in the history of man. One hundred twenty million people have been killed in 130 wars in this century--more than all those killed in war before 1900. But at the same time, more technological and material progress has been made over the last hundred years than ever before. The 20th century will be remembered as a century of war and wonder."

These words express the dire responsibility of our place in history. Who will win the battle for the souls of Americans? We believers hold so much in our hands. But how will we answer God's call?

Let me explain how the church must change to become salt and light to our culture once more.

KNOWING WHAT WE BELIEVE
As a new believer in 1945 I read a statement by Sir James Stewart of Scotland, a famous New Testament scholar, that changed my life. He said: "If we can but show the whole world that being committed to Christ is no tame, humdrum, sheltered monotony but the most thrilling, exciting adventure the human spirit can ever know, then those who have been standing outside the church and looking askance at Christ would come crowding in to pay allegiance to Him. And we might well expect the greatest revival since Pentecost." That statement has greatly influenced everything I have ever written or spoken for more than 50 years.

If we could faithfully transmit the attractiveness of the Christian life, many unbelievers would gladly turn to Christ. We have a duty to know what we believe and why we believe it so we can share the gospel. Peter says, "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have" (1 Peter 3:15, New International Version).

In recent years, the church has often discarded many fundamental principles because it fears looking foolish in the world's eyes. But it is foolish not to present the whole gospel. As the church recommits itself to the Word, Christians will know how to answer questions about their faith.

COMMITTING TO PERSONAL HOLINESS
Personal holiness means living above the world's values, including materialism and lukewarmness toward God. Jesus says, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19-21, NIV). He then adds the heart of this message: "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money" (Matthew 6:24, NIV).

CONFRONTING THE CULTURE
As Christians, we are called to a biblical standard that has been largely rejected by the secular culture. We dare not risk watering down our message. Our responsibility is to warn society that they are on the road to destruction. We must also express love for those being devoured by sin. People are looking for authenticity and hope. When they see Christ's love in us, they will be drawn to Him. God is searching for a body of believers who will stand up to the taunts and mockeries of this world.

TRAINING OTHERS IN EVANGELISM
Fruitless believers need loving encouragement and training, not criticism for their failures. There is no better time to spread the gospel everywhere than right now! We have seen more technological advances in the last hundred years than in all of world history combined. It is time to do everything possible to finish the task of fulfilling the Great Commission. These are just a few of the challenging areas facing the church today. Will the 21st century be a time of war or wonder? I invite you to join with us in fasting, praying, working and believing. With God's supernatural help, we can reverse the trends threatening to destroy our nation and all that we hold sacred and dear. There is hope--yes, great hope!

I hate my second-grade picture. Of all the yearly photos I had taken in elementary school, it's the one I skip over the quickest when looking at my photo album.

But it's the one that sits front and center on top of Granny's television set. Every time I visit her in Indiana, I wonder why, of all the photographs she has of me, she has to display the one showing my uneven pixie haircut (my mother claimed I never sat still), and buck teeth. The dress I wore was not even my color.

On past trips to Granny's, I moved this painful reminder to the back of the TV, amongst all the other pictures of grandchildren and friends. Although Granny has been unable to drive for as long as I can remember because of poor vision, the picture of me always finds its way back to the front before I leave.

What can she possibly see in this picture? Does the crooked smile capture the memory of the little girl's face when Papaw (the nickname for my grandpa) gave her a rag doll? Or does it remind her of the joy she brought to the tomboy who rode circles around the yard with the garage-sale bike? Or could it be that Granny doesn't see the imperfections that stare back at me?

Our tendency to look at what's on the outside is nothing new to the Lord: "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7).

Although these words were spoken to the prophet Samuel when he searched for the man who would reign as king of Israel, the principle still applies today. There is much more to a person than what is most visible to us.

Maybe I should dig that second-grade picture out of my photo album under my bed and set it in a place where I will see it daily. perhaps my imperfections staring up at me will remind me of my own tendency to look at what's on the surface and miss the treasure underneath. And maybe it will remind me that when God looks at me, he looks at my heart.