June 30, 2024 – CountUp

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday June 30TH 2024, 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.

What a fun church week it was. This past week (Monday to Friday night) I had the honor and privilege of participating in my very first Vacation Bible School (#VBS). It’s like a week-long church summer camp for elementary school kids.

A few months ago I was asked (at Bible Study) by the lady who always sits next to me if I’d be willing to play a character at the upcoming #VBS. I immediately said “yes”, and I got the script for my character a week or two later. I portrayed (all 5 nights in a series of comedic skits) the slightly dimwitted but always learning “Jim NoLand”, and I made him my own with various ad-libs and other crazy personas from myself and other people I know. I played the role alongside my Pastor – who naturally played himself – “Shipwrecked” on a remote island full of monkeys and coconuts. It was a lot of fun. I didn’t know what to expect before it all got started, but I’m glad that I was asked to be a part of it. I think I was a “fan-favorite” with the kids. I also got to enjoy great fellowship with the adults each night.

It was perhaps my most complete and fulfilling church week in my 17+ years as part of various church families. I’m really enjoying and thriving in this current season with my church family here in Sebring. I’m coming up on 10 months with Highlands Community Church. Our Pastor is wonderful. His preaching and teaching style and his personality and sense of humor is very similar to my own, and his theology is the closest of any Pastor I’ve studied under or served with.

You know the church is the living and breathing body of believers and followers of our Lord + Savior Jesus Christ, and I believe that our church body is strong and bold and moving closer to and for our 3 in 1 God – Creator, Christ, and Spirit.

God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made Him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is His body. It is made full and complete by Christ – who fills all things everywhere with Himself. (Ephesians 1:22-23 NLT)

Since the start of April and for the next couple of months – I’m presenting the full transcription of my recent Jude message series consisting of two sermons – “Jude & Judgment” (Verses 1-11), and “Jude & Jury” (Verses 12-25). I preached them to my Homestead Florida church family on November 26TH 2023 and December 03RD 2023 respectively. Links are provided for Parts 1 to 8 of “Jude & Judgment” over on my SERMONS page. (It’s Sermon 56.) I’ll continue with Part 4 of “Jude & Jury” – next #SundayScripture.

My testimony is featured each week here on #SundayScripture – whether it’s part of a sermon, or just me writing about the events of the past week. Hopefully it encourages you and inspires you to seek the Lord, and get closer to Him with each new day.

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.