Month: December 2019

Categories
Bible Christian Church God Ministry

Church & State

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I recently stumbled across this meme on social media, and I instantly liked it and saved it. It fits right in with a new sermon that I began writing while on vacation with my family in North Texas. (My brother and sister-in-law randomly revealed to me that they are actually looking for a church to attend in their new town that they live in. My brother specifically stated that he wants to join a small church family of about 20 people.)

I’m part of a small church family where I live. In fact I’m the Associate Pastor at my small church family of about 20 to 30 people. This upcoming March will mark 5 years with my small church family. (I had previously spent 8 years with a large church family that rapidly evolved from a once small church family.)

There are a few things that I miss about a large church family, but after 5 years I’ve realized that I overwhelmingly prefer the small church family experience. When I retire and move away from here in about 4 years I hope to join a small church family in my new town. If God gives me the opportunity I’d love to Lead Pastor a small church family and walk with them towards God every day.

So back to the meme. There are dozens of churches where I live, and by “churches” I don’t mean the buildings. I mean the bodies that meet corporately inside those buildings – whether they are traditional church buildings, or movie theatres, or schools, or hotels, or former stores in shopping centers. Do what I did. Do research online and offline, and determine which of those churches (bodies) are closest to the Bible. Once you do that go and visit that church for a Sunday morning service. If you feel loved immediately by God’s children – then God probably led you there intentionally. Declare it your new home.

Don’t go to church. Be the church. Bring the church. Your life will change forever.

All rights reserved (c) 2019 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries

Categories
Christian God Ministry Music Radio

My Top 10 Hits – Week 146

Every Monday I post my all-new Top 10 Christian hit music chart based on personal preference and influenced by radio airplay. Here it is – for the week ending Sunday December 01ST 2019:

  1. “Dead Man Walking” – Jeremy Camp [# 1 last week / 20TH week on chart]
  2. “Nobody (But Jesus)” – Casting Crowns Ft. Matthew West [2 / 18TH]
  3. “Faith” – Jordan Feliz [5 / 8TH]
  4. “Burn The Ships” – for King & Country [4 / 11TH]
  5. “Up Again” – Dan Bremnes [6 / 10TH]
  6. “Unstoppable God” – Sanctus Real [10 / 4TH]
  7. “The God Who Stays” – Matthew West [7 / 2ND]
  8. “Believer” – Rhett Walker [8 / 3RD]
  9. “Rescue Story” – Zach Williams [9 / 8TH]
  10. “Holy Water” – We The Kingdom [- / 1ST]

# 1 One Year Ago This Week:
“Even Then” – Micah Tyler

# 1 Two Years Ago This Week:
“Control (Somehow You Want Me)” – Tenth Avenue North

Jeremy Camp’s 4TH hit on my chart (since 2006) is his 2ND # 1 smash, as “Dead Man Walking” ascended to the top in its 19TH week on my chart last week. (He previously spent 2 weeks at # 1 in 2017 with “Word Of Life”.)

“Nobody (But Jesus)” is still at # 2 for a 7TH non-consecutive week. That’s after 7 weeks in a row at # 1. It should come as no surprise that it will be my # 1 smash of the entire year. This New Year’s Eve on a special Tuesday blog post I’ll present my Top 19 hits of 2019.

This was a short weekend here at #CountUp, but it’s great to be blogging again. Next weekend I’ll serve up a full weekend of blog posts – starting at 3 AM U.S. East Coast Time on Thursday. In fact – looking at the calendar – it looks like I’ll be posting 19 times in December. I hope that you’ll stay tuned this month to see what I’ve got to share with you.

Your likes, follows, and comments are always appreciated. Thank You for being part of my online ministry to share God’s Good News and win souls for Christ through His music. Enjoy this new week my friends. I’m on Twitter @ChrisMDay, and I’m also the man behind the tweets for my church @LivingWatersHFL. May the God of hope fill you completely with joy and peace as you trust in Him.

All rights reserved (c) 2019 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries

Categories
Bible Blogging Christian Church God Holidays Ministry Scripture Travel

Sunday Scripture

WELCOME to the “Winter Season Premiere” of my blog. Today – December 01ST 2019 – is the 12TH anniversary of this blog here on WordPress. It officially began on this date in 2007, but it was actually a continuation of my blog that started on Myspace a little more than 6 months earlier.

I’ve been on hiatus since my last post was published almost 2 weeks ago, but now I’m back. I got to spend quality time with immediate family over in North Texas, and we celebrated our annual tradition known as #ThanksChristmasGiving – 8 fun-filled days and nights of Thanksgiving and Christmas combined leading-up to the traditional Thanksgiving Day Dinner.

Over the next 3½ weeks I’ll celebrate Christmas here in South Florida with church family and work family. I’ll also be here online resuming blog posts every Thursday, Friday, Sunday, and Monday – starting today – with a special end-of-year post on New Year’s Eve.

Today I preached my sermon on the prophet Habakkuk to my church family.

Here’s how I started today’s sermon – before preaching on Habakkuk:

Well Good Morning (again) Church Family !  It is so great to be here – in the house of the Lord. You know this is a nice sanctuary that we have here – with this nice pulpit – on this nice big stage – and we have nice new chairs on our nice new carpet. We have an A.C. that works great. We have a roof that doesn’t leak.

This is the Lord’s house – but only because – we are here right now, and the Lord is with us. You know our bodies are the Lord’s house. That means that everywhere we go – is the Lord’s house. God’s presence – is there – right where we are. God lives within us – in our hearts. The Bible says that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit – who lives in you – and was given to you by God. You do not belong to yourself. (1 Corinthians 6:19)

I like Psalm 27 & 4:

The one thing I ask of the LORD – the thing I seek most – is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life – delighting in the LORD’s perfections and meditating in His Temple.

That’s why we praise and worship Him. That’s why we have faith in Him.

Here’s how I closed today’s sermon:

As today’s prophets – with the temple of the Holy Spirit living within us – we must continue to go forth – together – as a church body – towards His bright light. We must remember what He has done for us in the past. We must accept what He is doing for us right now. We must trust what He will do for us in the future. We must believe in Him, for He is the only way. And we must invite our loved ones to join us for this journey. We want our loved ones to know the God that we know. That’s how we bring the church in everything we do – and in everywhere we go.

(And that Conclusion was actually a hidden “sneak-preview” of my next sermon to preach.)

All rights reserved (c) 2019 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries