February 5, 2023

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday February 05TH 2023, and this is the day that our LORD has made. Let us rejoice. Let us be glad in it. Let us celebrate this great new day of believing, following, trusting, loving, and being more like our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. Let us love our neighbor as ourself.

This is normally Communion Sunday at my home church, as it’s the first Sunday of a brand-new month. But not this Sunday. We’ll observe and celebrate Communion next Sunday after the sermon.

This Sunday I’m on the road – 3 hours away – over in Southwest Florida. Last night I had a floor seat in the middle of the Hertz Arena at the TobyMac & Friends “Hits Deep Tour” show in Estero. I’ll write all about that concert tomorrow on #Top10Monday.

This morning I’m attending a church service at Cambier Park in downtown Naples Florida. Celebration Beach Church has been hosting Sunday morning church services outside in the city park for many years now, and I’ve been attending their services occasionally over the past 13 years. If I lived in Naples it would be my home church, but since I’m a tourist in Naples it’s my vacation church.

I now continue presenting my New Year’s Day sermon in its original written form. It’s based on the Matthew West song of late-2019 / early-2020 – “The God Who Stays”. Here’s Part 4:

‘Cause somehow You don’t see me like I do
Somehow You’re still here
You’re the God who stays
You’re the God who stays
You’re the One who runs in my direction
When the whole world walks away

You’re the God who stands
With wide open arms
And You tell me nothing I have ever done
Can separate my heart
From the God who stays

Paul to the Romans (8:38-39):

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow – not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below – indeed – nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

My shame can’t separate
My guilt can’t separate
My past can’t separate
I’m Yours forever

My sin can’t separate
My scars can’t separate
My failures can’t separate
I’m Yours forever

No enemy can separate
No power of hell can take away
Your love for me will never change
I’m Yours forever

You know your best testimony of how great our God is – is the story of you. Only you can testify to the world out there your story – your story of redemption through Jesus Christ – our Lord + Savior. Tell them – the person that you used to be. Tell them – the person that you are now. Tell them – how you got to be where you are now. Tell them – how He lifted you out of the pit of despair – out of the mud and the mire. Tell them – that you are nothing without God – and His grace and mercy for you. Tell them – that He is the God for everyone in the entire world who accepts Him as his or her personal Lord + Savior.

If you wish to learn more about the God I know then stay tuned to #SundayScripture. The best is yet to come !

Thank you for reading my blog for this day, and may:

The LORD bless you, and keep you.
The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you.
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. AMEN.