FEBRUARY—MARCH, 2013
Dear Friends,
The Apostle Paul in Philippians 3:13-14 declares “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” These verses have really been a help and blessing to me over the last few weeks. I am so thankful for the Word of God!
I did something in February I have never done before: preach in two different states on the same day. On the 3rd we were at Central Baptist Church (Lanett, AL) in the morning. Pastor Jeff Thorn asked me to preach in the AM service. After lunch at Bro. Thorn’s house we drove a couple hours to Villa Rica, GA to preach at Happy Valley Baptist Church where Bro. Eddie Wyatt is the pastor. Bro. Wyatt and I were in a meeting together in Florida back in January and he invited me to preach for him on our way home.
We drove home later in the week to start a revival meeting at our home church—Old Time Baptist. Pastor Guadagno told me last year he wanted to have a meeting so we worked out the dates. The devil sure was fighting me personally that week but the Lord blessed and it was a good meeting. One of our teen girls got saved Sunday night - Praise the Lord! I have preached at Old Time a bunch of times but this was the first meeting we have had there.
The following week we were back at New Hope Baptist Church in Collins, New York (Pastor Jack Seiler). This is a meeting Evangelist Don Hardman and I preach together every year. The Lord is working in this church and the people were encouraged. There were some visitors out and that was a blessing.
Our annual missions conference at Old Time was a week later and my, how the Lord blessed! Pastor Danny Farley was the speaker for the week and we had several missionaries present their work as well as visit with a few via Skype to get updates. Our church’s Faith Promise increased and we are thankful for that.
After missions conference it was time to hit the road back down to the Chattahoochie Valley Baptist Camp Meeting in Valley, Alabama. Evangelist Ronnie Trenton moderates this meeting out of his home church—Emmanuel Baptist Church (Pastor Darren White). I had the privilege of opening up the meeting on Sunday morning. Stacie got to speak during one of the ladies’ sessions as well as interpret for a deaf lady—Maria Podbereski. She is a missionary to the deaf and is a dear lady. This was our first time meeting her and we became good friends right from the start. She is being greatly used of the Lord. It was a refreshing meeting and we both needed it! This was our first time back to this camp meeting in several years.
From there we headed to Calvary Hill Baptist Church in Pacolet, South Carolina where Bill Pickel is the pastor. Bro. Pickel used to be my pastor in New York when I was in my teen years. I preached my first message under his ministry there 26 years ago. We have been there several times and I have preached there several times but this was our first meeting here. The Lord blessed with good liberty and good responses to the invitations. We enjoyed the fellowship with the preacher and his wife and are looking forward to going back next year.
On our way up to Maine we closed out March by stopping in Marion, North Carolina at Emmanuel Baptist Church (Pastor Jonathan Newton). Our good friends, Evangelist David and Bobbie Evans, were there and he was preaching a revival. We stopped in for a couple days to support the meeting and to visit. I have heard of Bro. Newton before and it was good to get to meet him, his family and the church. I got to give my testimony on Tuesday night and we had a great time there.
Let me just share a quick prayer request. I think I have maybe mentioned finances in a prayer letter only one or two times over the years, but let me just say that we were notified in March about a dramatic drop in our monthly support. The Lord knows and I would just humbly ask you to pray for God’s will. We thank each and every one of you for your prayers and we also thank those who do support us. All of it is greatly appreciated.
April and May will find us in Maine, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and New York. I am so thankful for what the Lord is doing in our lives and our ministry. He is blessing in so many ways and we are excited to see it. We look forward to the end of spring and the upcoming summer. Don’t forget that you can keep up with us on our blog with several updates posted weekly. You can sign up to receive them by email if you prefer. Just go to www.evangelistcraigcobb.blogspot.com. May God bless you as you continue to serve the Lord in these last days!
In His service,
Craig A. Cobb
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