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Bible Blogging Christian Church God Holidays Ministry Scripture

Sunday Scripture

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday April 20TH 2025, 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.

Today I observe and celebrate my 19TH Easter Sunday with my brothers and sisters of my church family. Before salvation – back when I lived in the pit of despair – and the mud and the mire – Easter was just another day of the year – 1 of the 365. Now – it’s the most important day of the year – and the reason why I live today.

As the Bible says in the Gospel According to Mark – Chapter 16 (1-7):

Saturday evening – when the Sabbath ended – Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went out and purchased burial spices so they could anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on Sunday morning – just at sunrise – they went to the tomb. On the way they were asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb ?” But as they arrived – they looked up and saw that the stone – which was very large – had already been rolled aside.

When they entered the tomb – they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side. The women were shocked, but the angel said – “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth – who was crucified. He isn’t here !  He is risen from the dead !  Look – this is where they laid His body. Now go and tell His disciples – including Peter – that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see Him there – just as He told you before He died.”

HE IS RISEN !  HE IS RISEN – INDEED !  The Lord has really risen !  He appeared to Peter. (Luke 24:34). He was seen by the Twelve, and the more than 500 of His followers at the time, and by James (the half-brother of Jesus), and by all the apostles, and by Paul. (1 Corinthians 15:5-8)

On this day that our LORD has made – we join our brothers and sisters in Christ – God’s children – all across this great nation of ours – and all around the world – as we observe and celebrate the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ – our Lord + Savior.

We join our brothers and sisters of this global church family on this Resurrection Sunday, but we know that every waking moment of each new day is a renewed celebration of Christ conquering the grave, and rising from the dead, and giving us life.

HE IS RISEN !  HE IS RISEN – INDEED !  And since He is risen – we have risen from where we once were.

Jesus keeps His promises – then, now, and forever. He does what He says He is going to do. He is who He says He is. He is risen. He is risen – indeed. He is alive. He sits on the throne of Heaven. He is the King of Kings. He is the Lord of Lords. He gives us life. He breathes life onto our dry bones. Breath of God – breathe on us ! He makes all things new. He gives us hope. He gives us purpose. He makes us vessels of vibrant living water. Rejoice ! Be glad in it !

My testimony is featured each week here on #SundayScripture – whether it’s part of a sermon, a testimony, 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) 2025 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

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Bible Blogging Christian Church God Holidays Ministry Scripture

Good Friday

Jesus knew that His mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture He said – “I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to His lips. When Jesus had tasted it He said – “It is finished !” Then He bowed His head and released His Spirit.
(John 19:28-30 NLT)

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
(John 3:16-17 NLT)

It’s Friday, but Sunday is coming !

All rights reserved (c) 2025 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

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Blogging Christian Driving God Ministry Music Radio Travel

Lehigh Acres Florida

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. Last week I wrote about my recent trip to and from the Fort Myers area of Southwest Florida to see MercyMe, Zach Williams, and Sam Wesley LIVE in concert at the Hertz Arena.

I took the same route arriving and departing the area. Of course – I departed the area early on a Sunday morning under much more favorable traffic conditions than the afternoon before.

From Ben Hill Griffin Parkway (the same road in front of the Hertz Arena) – I continued northward as it became Treeline Avenue. I then head east on Daniels Parkway – which is a major thoroughfare in the area. I made a right at Florida State Road 82 – at a weird intersection known as a “continuous flow intersection” (CFI). It’s the first one in Florida. It’s hard to explain, but as a visitor to the area – I definitely wouldn’t want to drive it at night. I’ve actually been studying this innovative intersection on Google Maps and elsewhere in order to figure out its history and reasoning. It looks like it cost over $57 million to construct from 2017 to 2019. It was designed to alleviate heavy turning traffic at the intersection, and it seems to be working. I think it’s the first time I’ve ever seen such an intersection design. Wikipedia explains it nicely, so head there for more information.

At that intersection I entered Lehigh Acres. It’s not a village. It’s not a town. It’s not a city. It’s not incorporated. It’s merely a “census designated place” (CDP). But over 130,000 residents live within its municipal district boundaries. It’s one of the fastest-growing areas of the Fort Myers area, and its population has quadrupled since 2000.

Fun Fact: Last week I wrote about the Christian rock concert that I attended at the Hertz Arena. Back in October 2009 I attended a Christian rock concert in Lehigh Acres at a church. As it turns out I drove within about 1,500 feet of that church on this trip a couple of weekends ago. (I didn’t know it at the time. I just realized it as I was doing research for this post.)

I drove through a substantial portion of Lehigh Acres to and from Estero – Florida State Road 82, Alabama Road, Leeland Heights Boulevard, and Joel Boulevard to Florida State Road 80. Just shy of 80 is the northern boundary of Lehigh Acres – and the southern boundary of Alva – another CDP – a rural area with less than 3,000 residents.

After Alva it was on to Fort Denaud, Labelle, Florida State Road 29, U.S. 27, and then back home again to Highlands County and Sebring. And yet again I drove right through the heart of downtown Labelle without stopping (aside from traffic lights). I really need to stop doing that. I’d like to stop and visit and eat at one of the local restaurants.

I definitely want to visit the newly restored Labelle Heritage Museum at 360 Bridge Street (Florida State Road 29). Google says they are open on Thursdays and Fridays from 10 AM to 1 PM, but a recent feature on the historic house museum on the local news stated that they are open on Saturdays from 10 AM to 2 PM. I should call beforehand. I recommend that you do the same if you plan to visit. It appears that they have no Facebook page or web site.

Next #TravelThursday – What life changing event may be occurring soon down south ? If you’re a regular reader – then you may have an idea of what it is. Let’s keep traveling together.

All rights reserved (c) 2025 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

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Blogging Christian God Ministry Music Radio

My Top 10 Hits – Week 426

Every Monday I post my all-new Top 10 Christian hit music chart based on personal preference and influenced by radio airplay from the previous week. It’s the continuation of a weekly hobby that goes back almost 50 years. Here’s this week’s chart – for the week ending Sunday April 13TH 2025 – the 426TH week of this current era that began on Presidents’ Day Weekend of 2017:

TW LW WKS SONG TITLE ARTIST / SITE
1 1 11 Money Can’t Buy
[3RD week @ # 1]
Cochren & Co.
2 3 7 A Lil Church (Nobody’s Too Lost) TobyMac
3 2 13 Let It Begin Big Daddy Weave
4 6 3 Unashamed Matthew West
5 7 3 Oh Death MercyMe
6 8 4 You Never Gave Up On Me The Afters
7 4 6 My Promised Land Josiah Queen
8 5 5 Whisper And The Wind Bodie
9 9 2 You Way’s Better Forrest Frank
10 10 2 Jesus Loves Zach Williams

# 1 This Week In:
2024 – “He Does” – Brandon Heath
2023 – “The Lord’s Prayer (It’s Yours)” – Matt Maher
2022 – “Brighter Days” – Blessing Offor
2021 – “Good God Almighty” – Crowder
2020 – “Almost Home” – MercyMe
2019 – “Confidence” – Sanctus Real
2018 – “Freedom Hymn” – Austin French
2017 – “I Have This Hope” – Tenth Avenue North

MERCYME – 3 songs above were performed LIVE at the MercyMe, Zach Williams, and Sam Wesley concert over in Estero Florida. Zach Williams performed “Jesus Loves” (# 10), and MercyMe performed “Oh Death” (# 5) and “Almost Home” (# 1 exactly 5 years ago). I forget just how huge “Almost Home” was. It was the soundtrack at home during the COVID pandemic – hitting # 1 on the last Sunday of February 2020 and staying there through March, April, and well into May. When I hear the song today it reminds me of that eerie and uncertain period of time like no other when we were all locked down and socially dormant. It spent 12 weeks in a row as my # 1 smash, and it was my # 1 song overall for the entire year. It’s also my # 5 hit overall of this current era (since 2017).

SPOTIFY – You can hear “My Top 10 Hits” anytime by accessing my CountUp playlist on Spotify. All 10 hits are there from top to bottom. You can hear them in order from # 1 to # 10, or you can shuffle them. My playlist will be updated every weekend (usually before the actual chart is presented here on Mondays). You can link to it here.

Your likes, follows, and comments are always appreciated. Thank You for being part of my online ministry to share God’s Good News and win souls for Christ through His music. God used loud music on the radio in South Florida to reach me in August of 2006. I’ve been testifying about Him ever since.

Be blessed my friends !  May our God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

All rights reserved (c) 2025 Christopher M. Day, CountUp