PREACHER'S PEN

Jeff Spencer

I was reading in 1 Peter 4 on suffering and found verse 1 a challenge:"He who has suffered is done with sin.”

How is this so? 

Perhaps it is because when we go through suffering, life is no longer able to gratify us through indulgence in its distractions. When circumstances rob us of fulfillment we are driven to search for it elsewhere.

This was the experience of whoever wrote Ps 73. In verse 25 and 26 he asks God, "Who do I have other than you in heaven? And there isn't anything, anywhere on earth that I need or want in life other than you!"

If you are struggling under some overwhelming trial at the moment, it just may be that this is exactly the place of enduring fullfillment that God is seeking to bring you to through what you are suffering... It reminds me of a poem that has always arrested me:

When God wants to drill a man,

And thrill a man,

And skill a man

When God wants to mold a man

To play the noblest part;

When He yearns with all His heart

To create so great and bold a man

That all the world shall be amazed,

Watch His methods, watch His ways!

How He ruthlessly perfects

Whom He royally elects!

How He hammers him and hurts him,

And with mighty blows convert him;

Into trial shapes of clay which 

Only God understands;

While his tortured heart is crying

And he lifts beseeching hands!

How He bends but never breaks

When his good He undertakes;

How He uses whom He chooses,

And which every purpose fuses him;

By every act induces him

To try His splendor out-

God knows what He’s about.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

WOMEN'S FELLOWSHIP NIGHT

The first Women’s Fellowship Evening for 2020 is Thursday March 5th in the Church Cafe at 7:30pm. Come along for a fun ‘Get to Know You’ Night and devotion. Hope to see you there!

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OFFERING

16TH FEB

General offering: $3,317.80

Designated: $50

23RD FEB

General offering: $2,781.80

Designated: $50

BUDGETING

Budgeted average weekly offering: $3,100

Actual average weekly offering: $2,993

Budgeted year to date: $20,300

Actual year to date: $21,163

TO GIVE...

BANK TRANSFER

Acc. Name: Craigmore Christian Church

BSB: 065 137

Acc: 009 008 62

Description: Offering (Include name of person/ministry if designated gift)

OR in the offering bag

Bring in cash to Sunday services and place in offering bag

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BULLETIN INCLUSION

If you would like to submit an article to be included in the next Bulletin, please contact the church office or Ash Barnes.

office@craigmorechurch.org

ashleigh@craigmorechurch.org

Items for inclusion in the next Bulletin are required by 10th March

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PRAYER REQUESTS

For prayer requests, please contact Annette Porrovecchio.

Ph: 0413 216 722

E: amporrovecchio@gmail.com

Requests will be forwarded to the prayer chain team members to pray over. If you want your prayer request to remain confidential please let Annette know that it is for the prayer chain team only.

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PASTORS & ELDERS

Jeff Spencer | Senior Pastor | 0417 088 615

Andrew Kelly | YA Pastor | 0430 147 927

Phil Emery | Pastor | 0433 120 115

Graeme Holmes | Elder | 0437 755 007

Ian Rowbottom | Elder | On Sabbatical