Be Transformed

Ever wondered how electricity gets to your house? Obviously by wires, but how does something that is generated by a steam driven or hydro driven turbine at around 110,000 volts make your TV work when you plug it into the power point on the wall? If it was still at that voltage then it would blow everything to smithereens.

It does it by a series of transformers that reduce the voltage to 240 volts, to a safer usable level. The transformer first sits in huge power yards outside the power stations then at distribution centres where it is reduced further and finally on the pole in your street.

What was once unruly, dangerous useless is now controlled, sensible and usable. That scenario reminds me of what the Apostle Paul was saying in Romans 12:1-2 when he said “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind” The word used for transformed is the same used for metamorphosis, when an ugly caterpillar is transformed into a beautiful butterfly. Thats how God wants us to be transformed when we know Him as our Lord and Saviour. Just as the unusable power is changed, and just as the ugly caterpillar is transformed into a thing of beauty, thats how our lives are to be changed.

In Acts 26:20 it says “I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds” That’s what real heart repentance does, it transforms us into a new being “its no longer I that live, but Christ that lives in me” I am a new creation, the old has gone and the new has come”

Transformation is not something that comes from some physical presence, when a voltage is transformed from 110,000 volts to 240, not one wire touches another, its the same with us, God doesn’t make us transform, it is His Spirit within us that transforms a willing heart. Thats why it says ‘be transformed by the renewing of your mind” Its an act of repentance and an act of your will. You have to do it!

Are you living a transformed life today? If you are its a sign of true repentance in your life.

Blessings

Blair

PS Its good to be back.

After today Julie and I will be away for a month’s break. We are going knowing the Church is in good hands with a very effective and active Board taking care of the day to day operations of the Church.

With both Ian Jones as Board Chairman and Ross Jarvis as Elder looking after Sunday mornings, we feel that that the services will run smoothly and efficiently.

We have a great line up of speakers for the four weeks we will be away. Next week Peter Stevens from Family Voice will be our guest speaker. Most will recall Peter coming last year and were impressed with his passion for the family and for the gospel.

On the 29^th April Paul Burnham will be visiting us. Paul has a wealth of experience having been senior pastor of churches in Tasmania, Blackburn (now One Community) and York St COC in Ballarat.

Paul is the current Conference president and is chaplain to the Melbourne Football Club Past Players Association after many years as chaplain to the full football club. He is a very gifted speaker and presents his messages with passion and humour.

The final two weeks of our break will be filled by local speakers who excelled at our recent preaching training course. Gordon Donaldson showed exceptional communication skills and biblical understanding and he will be speaking on the 6^th of May. Ross Jarvis will speak on Mother’s Day on the 13^th. Ross’ personal style enhances his message and i’m sure you will enjoy what he has to say.

I urge you all to support this great lineup of speakers we have organised as each will bring an unique message and focus for you to contemplate. Allow the Holy Spirit to challenge and to teach as you listen to each one. I am sure you will be blessed.

God bless and see you all and see you in a month.

Blair and Julie

April 15th       Julie Davis

April 22nd     Peter Stevens from Family Voice

April 29th      Paul Burnham. Conference President, former Senior Pastor York St COC Ballarat. Past Chaplain Melbourne Football Club and current Chaplain Melbourne Football Club Past Players Association. (Paul took part in the recent funeral of Jim Stynes in that capacity)

As an aside Paul has the most unique tattoo on the top of his balding head. Make sure you watch out for it!! Its hilarious

May 6th       Gordon Donaldson

May 13th     (Mothers Day) Ross Jarvis

Both Gordon and Ross excelled at the recent preaching training.

Make sure your able to come and support all gifted and anointed speakers.

]]> http://www.castlemainecofc.org/special-speakers-after-easter/feed/ 0 http://www.castlemainecofc.org/put-yourself-in-the-picture/ http://www.castlemainecofc.org/put-yourself-in-the-picture/#comments Wed, 28 Mar 2012 00:47:01 +0000 Kingbonz http://www.castlemainecofc.org/?p=1115

COURAGEOUS the Movie another MCG event

Men don’t forget to ‘bookmark’ Sat 14th (See ‘Whats on at the Church’ for full details)

What a day to remember, what a day to celebrate….Easter Sunday – JESUS HAS RISEN, He has risen indeed!

As each of us come to worship today, may we enter into the wonder and awe of our risen Saviour. His love that extends higher than the heavens, deeper than the deepest sea, could not be greater, and his grace and mercy extending to all mankind make us respond with heartfelt worship and thankfulness. Thankfulness because He died and rose again for us. Thankfulness that he loved us so much that He (God himself), came willingly to earth to save us from our sins and restore us again to new life; and thankfulness that through Him we can turn to Him in our brokenness (whatever that may be) and He is able to meet us in our need and bring healing to our soul and spirit.

Jesus said in Luke 4:18-19, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”

Without Jesus dying on the Cross and rising again we would be a lost people, people without a hope. But through faith in Jesus Christ we have hope, we have assurance of eternal life through Him. Satan was defeated at the Cross, so the power of sin and death has no hold on us now as believers (children of God) and we aren’t alone, we have the Holy Spirit living within us to help us daily.

And we can have a life of victory in Jesus because of what He has done for us. So, let’s stand firm in the faith, cultivate an attitude of praise (no matter what is happening around us) and live a life of thankfulness.

Like the Apostle Paul says “… thanks be to God he has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor 15:57)

Julie

This is an invitation for all men to come along and watch a great encouraging movie called COURAGEOUS about being a father no matter what age you are.

WHEN:Saturday the 14^th of April @ 7:30pm

WHERE: Castlemaine Church of Christ

66 Blakeley Rd Castlemaine

COST: Gold coin donation

Supper Provided.

If you need more info Call:

0448 213365

Another M.C.G event.

As we look at this historical event we can see two things. Firstly, God is a God of grace and secondly God is a God of judgement. Through out the years we see the Israelites following the Lord, then rebelling, repenting, then returning to the Lord, then falling away again. This pattern is repeated over and over again. But God in his love and grace forgave their sin when they turned to him and took them back time and time again.

But here in this passage we see God saying….. Enough! Judgement has come.

We ourselves know God is full of grace, and we know that Jesus came bringing in a New Covenant of Love, Spirit and Grace when he died on the cross and rose again. We know that we can turn to him at any time and he will forgive our sins. (1 John 1:9 says, “if we confess our sins He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness”). But we also know that there will be a final judgement. God wants our daily obedience out of love for Him – obedience to His Word, His ways, His Spirit’s leading so that we don’t become hardened and fall away. He wants us to continue to ‘abide’ in Him, stay close, feel His presence, follow His ways, allow His life to flow through us, so we can be the people he called us to be.

May you know His presence in your life today and ‘Seek Him while He may be found’.(Is 55:6)

Julie

(Click HERE for details)

The promise of Hope and a future

Where are you in your spiritual walk? We are not always where we would like to be are we? Circumstances, loss of a job, financial difficulties, sickness and so on can all hinder us in our walk with God.

It is times like this that can be likened to being in a spiritual (and often physical) exile and we find ourselves in a place where we do not want to be. A place where life is tough, living is far from good and we don’t know how to get back to where we want to be. At these times we have two choices, blame God and run from Him, or turn to God for the solution.

Today we will be looking at a passage of Scripture from Jeremiah 29, the well known passage that contains the promise “I have a plan for you etc………..” but prior to God saying that He urges those in exile to be effective for him in the place where He has placed them and to accept that sometimes we are taken to places that are not ideal. As difficult as that is, the promise of God is that if you turn to Him at those times instead of blaming Him and running away, then that promise of a future and of hope for a return is available to you individually, and to us corporately as a church.

If you and I wait for the perfect place, the perfect situation before we minister for God, then let me assure you that we never will.

Wherever you are today, in exile, or in some other place, take hold of the promise of God, because it is only God that promises a future of hope.

Blessings

Blair

Only in life do we have the opportunity to be reconciled to God,

there is no second chance.

Death can come quickly, we do not know the hour or

day when we will die.

If a person dies without Christ – they will be separated from God forever.

         The Word of God is ‘living and active’, it shares the gospel message

that brings hope and eternal life,

it’s the guide to our daily living.

The Pharisees boasted that they knew the Scriptures,

yet many were blinded to the 2 commandments….

….. to Love God and Love their neighbours.

Julie

Interested in Children’s ministry?

Then we want to hear from you

We have a two day a week position of Director of Children’s Ministry available.

If you are gifted in this area and want a career in children’s ministry then email us for

 a job description  and send an application and resume to:

childrensministry@castlemainecofc.org

I recently attended a preaching study course in Melbourne at Stirling College (formally CCTC) and one of the presenters, Cheryl Catford McCullam talked about the declining rate of biblical literacy in Australian churches (and worldwide). The statistics of regular bible reading was alarming and the following statistics from the Bible society in Australia (below) highlight this deficiency in modern church attenders.

Unfortunately, the statistics on regular Bible reading are very low—even among Church attendees! The last Australian Church Life Survey showed that only 19% of church attendees read the Bible daily or on most days; it also showed that 12% of respondents read the Bible a few times a week, 5% once a week, 27% occasionally and 37% hardly ever or never.

Increasingly in our society, biblical truths are being challenged or even ridiculed as being old fashioned, outdated, irrelevant and the like. My question is this, how can we effectively combat these challenges with the truth of God’s Word when statistics are telling us that the average Christian in our churches today are not equipped to be able to debate intelligently with biblical facts? According to the statistics, it is not possible.

I would like to issue a challenge today. I urge you to get one of the excellent bible reading programs that are available so freely today. Get it and use and let me guarantee to you that it will open or reopen a whole new world for you. If you don’t know where to get one, let me know as there are dozens of programs free on the internet, ones that let you progress at your pace and at the level and time commitment that you have. For the technical savvy there are even numerous Apps that you use on your smart phones.

Good reading!

Blair