June 4, 2023 – CountUp

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday June 04TH 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.

Tomorrow is my 56TH birthday, and I’ll be celebrating it today with my Homestead church family via music, food, and fellowship. When I first met my longtime church family I was a younger 47-year-old. Now I’m an older and almost-retired 56-year-old. Nowadays when I’m in Homestead – I’m merely visiting for a few days.

This morning I’ll be doing what I’ve been doing every month for almost 7 years now, and that is lead my church family in Communion. What’s special with this week’s edition of #SundayScripture is that it’s my Communion that was part of my sermon on “Paul & Titus” that I preached to my church family on March 05TH 2023. Here’s Part 6:

[CONTINUATION OF SERMON]

This is a good time to observe and rejoice and celebrate – our believer’s Communion. It’s an agreement that God The Father, God The Son, and God The Holy Spirit is one God. It’s open for everyone who hears me – everyone who believes – that we live and die dependent on God’s grace. We cannot earn salvation. We cannot do a whole bunch of good things and work our way up to salvation. It is a gift from God that we received when we called on His holy name.

These elements on the table – I will bring them to you – where you are. As you receive them from me you may carefully remove the wrapping to reveal the bread and open the juice. We will accept these elements together as a church family.

[Distribute elements throughout the sanctuary.]

Let us take this bread, and know that it represents the sacred body of Christ that was given up for us on that cross. We take this bread in remembrance of Him.

Let us take this juice, and know that it represents the precious blood of Christ that was shed for us on that cross. We take this juice in honor of Him.

Lets us pray:

Thank You God for loving us, and giving Yourself for us. We love You Lord. We need You Lord. We are nothing without You Lord.

Thank You God for your gifts. Thank You for Your awesome presence in our lives – and Your intentional purpose for our lives. May all of Your beautiful blessings and marvelous miracles constantly strengthen our faith in You, increase our love towards others, and unify our hearts and our souls. We praise You Lord. We worship You Lord. And all God’s people say – AMEN.

You know our God’s gifts are abundant. His forgiveness, a personal relationship with Him, acceptance into God’s family as His child, the Holy Spirit within us, and eternal living (now and from this point forth) – these are all gifts from God for those who He has chosen and made His own by His grace.

He has chosen us, and we belong to Him. We must live in this evil world around us by proclaiming that we belong to God. Who do we belong to ? We belong to God. I belong to God. Say that every day. Say that first thing in the morning when you wake-up. Say – “I belong to You God. For this is the day that You have made. I will rejoice. I will be glad in it. I will continue to praise and worship You – always and forever.”

We owe Him everything. We are thankful for His grace. We look forward to that glorious day when Christ returns for His church.

[TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK]

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.