THE CALL OF JESUS

"When Jesus calls you to follow him, he isn't asking you to become a nice person, or to do your best at helping others.

He didn't die so you could feel good about the things you've screwed-up, or so you could carry a sentimental hope of being re-united beyond the grave with the people you love who have died.

His call is a command for you to comprehensively and absolutely walk away from the way you do life now so you can follow him down an exclusive path through the narrow gate that leads to the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 7:13-14). – Jon Walker, Costly Grace: A Contemporary View of Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship (Leafwood, 2010)

Jesus calls us to make a radical change in our lives. To be transformed into new people, a new creation. As we read in 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

Christianity isn't about becoming religious, it is about becoming a whole new person, living in a personal relationship with the living God who is actively involved in our lives day in and day out, no matter what we are doing. The call of Christ is to be changed!

Romans 12:1-2 says, "Therefore I urge you brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is, His good, pleasing and perfect will."

Be CHANGED! Be TRANSFORMED! Give up the old way of living and begin living a new LIFE, and abundant life in Jesus Christ.

Love you all,
Roger

New Service Times

This Sunday, September 12, 2010 we will be starting our new services at the Myrtle Point Christian Church.

The First Service will be our
TRADITIONAL SERVICE, which will start at
9:00 a.m.

The Second Service will be what we call our
CONTEMPORARY SERVICE, which will start at
10:30 a.m.

The Traditional Service is designed to appeal to those who are familiar with church and enjoy singing lots of the old songs that have come down through the ages; hymns and older choruses.

The Contemporary Service is designed to appeal to a new generation of people seeking God who enjoy a more lively style of music, with drums and a more upbeat feel (some people might call it Rock 'n Roll). It will be lively, it will have a youthful appeal, but at the same time it will honor God and bring glory to His name.

If you have often thought of yourself as a Christian, but have found it hard to go to church this service might be for you. If you have felt that the church was old fashioned, out of touch and boring, you definitely need to come and try out our new Contemporary Service.

Hope to see you there this Sunday
Love and Blessings
Roger

Grace Changes People

He'll never change. She's a lost cause. She's obsessed with success and power. He only wants his way - he doesn't even care for God or others. Perhaps you've heard these or similar sentiments about the people who impact your life. Maybe you even silently agreed.

Many years ago a man "made it big" before the age of 20. Arrogance and ruthlessness characterized his leadership. He mocked the values he learned as a child. People assumed he was a lost cause. Yet one day he woke up in prison - old, alone, humiliated, desperate. He must have prayed, "Lord, I'm powerless to undo the mess I've made ... help me!" - for God heard and the grace of God filled his life.

Grace changes people ... and even entire countries. King Manasseh renounced his anti-God attitudes and broke the cycle of bitterness (2 Chronicles 33:1-2, 7-13). His story reminds us all that God's grace is available to everyone who will genuinely call on Him.

Although you can't make decisions for someone else, accept God's grace in your own life today and extend it to others. Then pray for our country's leaders that they, too, will experience the grace of God - and take this nation in God's direction, and not their own.

May the Grace of God be with you all this day and always
Roger

This article adapted from the Presidential Prayer Teams "Vantage Point Devotional" Mon, September 6, 2010