May 11, 2025 – CountUp

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday May 11TH 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.

My season of increased Bible studying, praying, and sermon writing continues. I was hoping that it wouldn’t wane due to my recent trip to Dallas Texas. It took a short pause while I was having fun with family, but it started right back up again once I returned home to my desks and computers. I don’t want this to end anytime soon. I know that it will eventually end for an undetermined period of time, and when it does I’ll be ready for it. The Bible studying and the praying will continue, but the sermon writing will come to a temporary pause – lasting anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. I’ve learned to not try to write sermons during these brief valleys. They are generally not my best work. God always deserves the very best.

My 3RD sermon in a row on Paul’s first letter to his most trusted assistant Timothy is complete. I’ve begun writing my 4TH sermon covering 1 Timothy 3:1-13. Paul writes about “Elders & Deacons”, and that’s the title of my sermon.

This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be a church leader – he desires an honorable position.” So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. He must manage his own family well – having children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household – how can he take care of God’s church ?

Very interesting. I’m not quite sure how I’ll preach on those first 5 verses, as I don’t have a wife or children. But I do have family in Texas. I also find it interesting that my 2008 NLT Study Bible uses the word “elder” in the first 2 verses (and in Verse 6). In 2015 the NLT received updates to 86 verses, and “elder” was replaced by “church leader” in those 3 verses of 1 Timothy 3. I prefer the word “elder”. “Overseer” or “Bishop” could be used as well. Most modern translations do in fact use “overseer” in lieu of “elder”. The King James Version uses “Bishop”.

Goodness. It seems as if I’ve started writing my sermon right here. Let me go over to my Word document to get this going..

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.