Sunday Scripture

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday July 14TH 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.

There’s a Facebook group that I follow and post in occasionally. It’s called “Pastors For Pastors”. Its “About” is “a community of Pastors dedicated to supporting one another”. Most of the time that’s the case, but then there’s those other times. Pastors can be really mean and downright nasty to each other. I know it happens physically, as I’ve seen it so many times before over the past 17½ years. It definitely happens electronically, as Pastors make great “keyboard warriors”. They write things that they would never say in public (much less preach).

I also think that there are trollers within the “Pastors For Pastors” group who are not actually Pastors, or Ministers, or anyone associated with a church body. They are there (just like they are in many Facebook groups) to troll and disrupt the community. They are rather effective in their dirty deeds.

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.) Here’s Part 5 of “Jude & Jury”:

[CONTINUE SERMON]

We must pray in the power of the Holy Spirit – which we all have if we believe and follow God. It’s an amazing power. We must use that power – constantly. The more we use it – the closer we get to God. The Holy Spirit is God’s power – in our heart.

We must await God’s mercy. It’s constant. Just as we have received God’s mercy – we must give mercy to those around us. But we must never condone, ignore, or excuse their sin – or our sin, for sin leads to death in hell. As the Scripture reveals – we must hate the sins that contaminate their lives. As the New King James Version puts it – we must hate even the garment defiled by the flesh.

This is a good time to observe and celebrate Communion – right here in the middle of my sermon. So don’t get up and go after Communion, or else you’re going to miss the entire second-half of my message. The best is yet to come.

It is the 1ST Sunday of a brand-new month – December. It’s our time here together to observe and celebrate Communion. It’s an observance. We observe it at or near the start of every month. It’s an opportunity. It allows us to slow down, and reflect, and honor, and remember what our Lord + Savior Jesus Christ did for us on that cross on that day. It’s a celebration. We continue this celebration that we enjoy in community as a church body every Sunday morning when we bring the church from out there to in here. And this is the altar – of this sanctuary. And we – You and I – we are the church.

Christ suffered for us. Never did He sin. Never did He deceive anyone. Never did He retaliate against anyone. Never did He seek revenge against anyone. None of us can claim that, but Christ can. Christ was innocent. We – we are guilty.

See He had no sins of His own, so He carried all of our sins – past, present, and future – to the cross. He died a horrible death to pay the penalty for our sins forever. He did that for us. As His believers and followers – that allows us to be dead to sin. That allows us to live for what is right. We didn’t deserve it, but by God’s Grace – we are saved. By His wounds – we are healed. By His suffering – we are free.

So let’s remember – what Christ did for us – and what He continues to do for us. And you know – what He’s done for us – He’ll do for anyone out there who calls on Him.

[TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK]

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.