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Text Box: Life can be hard at times. The other day, I spoke with a number of people all facing serious issues related to health, relationships or finances. I had little advice to give, but thank God, I could pray with each one of them. If you are going through trying times, the story of Christmas may be just what you need to renew your faith and hope. Luke starts his telling of the Christmas account with the birth of John the Baptist. Zechariah and Elizabeth were old and childless. God sent an angel to tell Zechariah that he would soon have a son by his wife who was past child bearing age. Luke 1:13,14 says, “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. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth.” Zechariah was skeptical, but the word of the angel came true and this old couple had the joy of a new born child. Imagine what Elizabeth and Zechariah had been through. Their culture expected them to have children and people must have believed that God was against them for their childlessness. They must have prayed for years for that child until they gave up praying for that desire. I’m sure they questioned God’s ways and possibly battled discouragement and depression. Yet, even though they gave up their hope of a child, God was not finished with them. Elizabeth and Zechariah became key people in the unfolding of God’s plan to sent His son to the earth. During Mary’s pregnancy with Jesus, she stayed with this couple and shared with them the joy of God’s grace.

Text Box: The central event of Christmas was an even more spectacular event that the birth of John the Baptist. God chose Mary to bear the Messiah and Savior of the world. Jesus was conceived by immaculate conception so that he would be fully God and fully man. Luke 1:35-37 tells of the Angel’s conversation with Mary. “The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God." One of the Christmas lessons for us today is that nothing is impossible for God. God is able to meet us in the midst of our struggle. His timing is often not what we would chose, but God has our best interests in mind. The Christmas accounts are filled with God doing the miraculous. Angels continue to show up with joyous announcements. Joseph was directed by angels a number of times. The shepherds were treated to an angelic choir and the wise men followed a special star. The first Christmas was all about Divine encounters. God showed up and surprised people with His grace. My hope is that Christmas 2009 would be a time to be encouraged by the God who does the impossible. May God answer our prayers, build our faith, and strengthen us to continue to believe. If you have had a hard time lately, take time to reread the Christmas accounts. Be encouraged to continue to trust God to answer our prayers and do the impossible. -Pastor Rick

Text Box: Christmas: A Time for Miracles

Text Box: Fort Lee Gospel Church 1625 Palisade Ave. Fort Lee, NJ 07024 (201)947-1465 Pastor: Rev. Rick Spenst Web site: www.fortleegospel.org E-mail: fortleegospel@juno.com

Advents Sermons	2
Christmas Tea	2
Prayer Meeting	2
Faith & Reason	2
December Events	3
Christmas Eve	3
New Year’s Eve	3
One Solitary Life	4