RELIGION

BV Christian Church Life Group hosts/facilitators will have training sessions at Bella Vista Christian Church from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesdays, Jan. 7, 14, and 21. Anyone interested should contact Bobby Hutcheson through the church office. SisterChicks, a fellowship group for women, will resume meeting Friday, Jan. 9, at 6 p.m. The focus of the talk for Jan. 11 will be "A Place to Belong," the importance of Life Groups. Sign-ups for Life Groups begin this Sunday. These small fellowship groups meet on various days in homes throughout the city. There are also groups that meet at the church. Those interested in joining a group may call the church. MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) meet the second and fourth Thursdays of each month from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. All moms and their pre-kindergarten children are invited to attend this time of fellowship, devotions, crafts and fun. - Wednesday, January 7, 2009

There are plenty of reasons to serve in 2009

Thad Moore

Why serve God in 2009? For that matter, why would you serve God anytime? That is not a new question. In the Old Testament, the book of Job discusses this issue in detail. Satan tells God that Job will not serve him if he takes all his blessings away. God allows Satan to "have at" Job and take away all his blessings. Job takes his concerns to God in a powerful and honest way. He pours his heart out to God, which is a wonderful example to all of us. God really does want to hear from us, even our complaints. Finally, God responds to Job. God reminds Job that he is creator of the universe and doesn't answer to Job or anyone else. After Job realized who God was and all he had done, he concluded it is worth it to serve God, even in pain. There are other reasons to serve God. When you yield your life to him, and say like Christ said in the Garden of Gethsemane, "Not my will be done, but your will be done," you will find the joy of living. The most quoted saying of Jesus in the New Testament is, "For whoever wants to - Wednesday, January 7, 2009