Month: July 2024

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.

All rights reserved (c) 2024 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday July 07TH 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.

I continue to write my next sermon titled “Music & Lyrics”. It’s about half-done on paper. I’ve got some ideas floating around in my mind for my next sermon after that. It may be an Old Testament-based message. I may start writing it before I complete my ongoing sermon. I’ve discovered in the past that writing two sermons simultaneously actually enhance each other. I love how God leads me down these winding roads on this journey.

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 4 of “Jude & Jury”:

[CONTINUE SERMON]

“The Lord is coming … to execute judgment on the people of the world. He will convict every person of all the ungodly things they have done and for all the insults that ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” These people are grumblers and complainers – living only to satisfy their desires. They brag loudly about themselves, and they flatter others to get what they want. (Jude 15-16)

See that’s who the enemy uses to deceive us. Marge – you know these people. Judy – you know these people. Some may even be your “friends”. Some are my coworkers. They are grumblers and complainers. They are only happy – when they get their way – which is probably not your way – or God’s way. They don’t care about your way – or God’s way. They are braggers. It’s all about themselves. As the Scriptures say – “If you want to boast – boast only about the LORD.” (2 Corinthians 10:17)

They are flatterers – to get what they want – in any way possible. Don’t fall for them. Don’t be like them. You’ve come a long way on this journey. Remember the way that you used to be ? – back before you knew Christ ? I remember that person that I used to be. That was just over 17 years ago.

But you don’t have to go that far back to your pre-salvation life. Don’t be like the person that you were last year – or the year before that. You’re closer to God now than you were back then. You know more about Him now than you did back then.

In fact – don’t even be like the person that you were yesterday. Where you’re going tomorrow – is not where you are today. Our God has plans for you. They are plans for good and not for disaster – to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11b)

So Jude warns his readers (that includes us – we’re reading his letter in the Bible). He warns of these dangerous false teachers who lurk all around us – in the darkness and in the light. And then Jude gives us some good advice:

But you – dear friends – must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ – who will bring you eternal life. In this way – you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love. And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution – hating the sins that contaminate their lives. (Jude 20-23)

That is very good advice right there. That is Godly advice right there. We must build each other up instead of tear each other down. You know it’s easier to tear someone down rather than build them up. God doesn’t want us to do what’s easy. The world teaches us how to tear someone down. I mean just look around. We tear each other down – out there in public – and especially online on social media. But our loving God – He teaches us how to build someone up. When you build someone up – you show them your love, and that’s God’s love. When you build someone up – you build-up God’s Kingdom. When you build someone up – you may be saving their life. You may be rescuing them from the flames of judgment.

[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.

All rights reserved (c) 2024 Christopher M. Day, CountUp