If you ever want to do an interesting Bible study, take a look at the characters of Christmas.  Each one has their own story to tell.  Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, the wise men, the angels, even Herod who was scared the Baby born that night would destroy his career and disrupt his lifestyle.  
 
One of the characters that interest me most isn’t even named in the Bible, and yet his story appears in Luke 2:7.  It’s the story of the Innkeeper who turned Mary and Joseph away, “because there was no room for them in the inn.”  It wasn’t because the guy was hard-hearted.  He was just busy.  Much too busy.
 
Because of the census demanded by Rome, Bethlehem was literally crawling with people.  It was crazier than SW Florida in peak season!  If the Innkeeper had only known that the Baby to be born that night was the Son of God, he would have found room!  But he missed the Baby.  He had a business to run, customers to serve, and books to keep. Certainly God understood that he had to make a living and save for retirement.  So it was that this nameless Innkeeper missed his moment.
 
The holiday season is a busy time of year.  As a matter of fact, life is busy and schedules are straining at the 
breaking point.  The danger is that in our concern with making a living and getting ahead in life we miss the fact
that Jesus came to give us gifts that no amount of money can buy.
 
So learn a lesson from the Innkeeper and pause this Christmas to find out who this Baby really is and what He came to give.  The answer will amaze you!
 
Pastor Todd

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the prophet Zechariah uttered this immortal statement in Zechariah 4:6, “’Not
by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts.”  In that chapter the people of God were facing the monumental task of rebuilding the Temple that had been destroyed by the Babylonian army.  Intimidated by the size of the job, the people were paralyzed in a state of inactivity.  They didn’t even know where to begin.

Have you ever faced a task so big, so daunting, and so overwhelming that you didn’t even know where to start?  We look at our limited resources compared to the massive challenge and we wonder how we’re ever going to get through it.  God’s Word tells us how we are going to get through, “’Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts.”  
  
The Sunday Night Prayer Meeting on June 5th was based on this great OT scripture.  Since then, some amazing things have happened:
 
     - $4,000 in increased monthly giving has been pledged to date
    - An additional $15,000 in cash has been received in Generosity offerings
    - Personal testimonies of God’s blessings and provision are coming in
    - Things are moving forward with our lender (Assemblies of God Financial Services)
    - A very healthy dialogue has begun with First Assembly of God, Fort Myers
 
The mountain is moving (Mark 11:23).  Cracks are beginning to appear in the walls of the stronghold (Joshua 6:20).  The Spirit of the Lord is moving in response to the prayers of His people.  
 
When we see the miracle begin to happen, we must not assume the work is done and stop praying.  Now is the time to pray even harder.  We don’t want to repeat the mistake of the OT king, Joash, who settled for a partial victory when God wanted to give him a complete victory (see 2 Kings 13:14-19).  
  
We must not settle for an incomplete victory. As we sense the momentum of the Spirit picking up, let that motivate us
to pray harder and believe even more that God is at work.  If God is able to “make a way in the wilderness, and
rivers in the desert,” He is able to make a way for us.  And He will!    

Pastor Todd