Bulletin Announcements – 17 January 2016
- Today – Sunday school is on holiday until 24 January 2016. Term 1 will start 31 January 2016. See you then!
- INVITE INVITE INVITE February Friends – please invite your friends and family early to join us in February as Sam Chan speaks on some of the big questions in life.
Why do bad things happen to good people?
Why are religious people jerks?
Why doesn’t God make himself more obvious?
Why is there only one way to God?
Pray that your friends and family who do not know Jesus will respond to your invitation to come.
Ariel writes – a weekly Scriptural devotion:
And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?” (Exodus 17:7 NIV)
It is beyond understanding why the Israelites grumbled, quarrelled, and tested the Lord so much. He’d saved them out of Egypt with a mighty hand; with miracles like they’d never seen before. He defeated their enemies; drowning them in the sea. They even danced and sang a song of victory about it. Also he’d just provided food for them, manna and quail, and now water from a rock but they grumbled, quarrelled, and tested God. Why?! But then is it beyond our understanding? Is it so foreign to us? In Egypt they ate “all” the food they wanted (Exodus 16:3) but now they had to suffer a few hardships. So it seems their bellies being full was more desirous than being in God’s company! The Lord being “among us” meant their gluttonous desires being met. Are we any different to them at times? “”Is the Lord among us or not?” cause I’m sick at the moment!” “My job is on the line!” “I didn’t get the grades I needed!” This verse is good reminder that the Lord’s company shouldn’t be measured by our idolatrous desires but by his simple provisions in our lives.
from pastor Ariel