Category: Bible

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Bible Blogging Christian Church God Ministry Scripture

Sunday Scripture

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday November 27TH 2022, 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.

It’s the first Sunday of Advent, and a common reading on this Sunday is the 122ND Psalm. I occasionally greet my church family with the first verse of that Psalm – I was glad when they said to me – “Let us go to the house of the LORD.” It’s an appropriate verse for me this morning especially, as I return to my church family after a week away. I’m looking forward to celebrating these next 6 Sundays with my church family – the 4 Sundays of Advent, Christmas Day, and New Years Day.

You know my church family also includes you. Some of you are loyal readers of #SundayScripture, and I appreciate you. I am honored to bring you God’s Good News each Sunday morning, and I hope that it is an inspiration for you to open the Bible and read it for yourself. In this 17TH year of salvation for me I am reading and studying the Bible more now than ever before. It goes where I go (via iPhone app).

After a one-week break last #SundayScripture I continue presenting my September 18TH 2022 sermon – “Good & Evil” – in its original written form. It’s based on 1 Peter 3:8-4:8, and it effectively wraps-up my First Peter message series which I began in 2021. Here’s Part 7:

You can’t repent your sins after your natural life here on earth is done. Those who didn’t know God – those who didn’t accept Him while they were still living and breathing in this world – that’s the end of it all for them. It’s too late for them.

But those who repented to Him, and those who were born again while they were still living and breathing – they will live forever with God in the Spirit.

My Dad passed on 12 years ago in 2010. He was never close to God. He didn’t really know God. He wasn’t really sure if He was real. But in his final days – on his death bed – in the hospital – consumed by the slow but deadly effects of Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS) – he finally acknowledged our God. He accepted our God into his heart. He repented to our God. He was born again – shortly before he passed on. It was not too late for my Dad. Now he’s living forever with God in the Spirit. I believe that he’s cheering me on today.

There you go again Chris – talking about repentance and salvation. Yeah – guilty. Eternity is at stake here. I want to live forever with God in the Spirit. I want you to live forever with God in the Spirit. I want everyone out there to live forever with God in the Spirit.

I’m reminded of Christ’s words – in red letters – as told by the Apostle John – when He predicted His death. He said “Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. Anyone who wants to be My disciple must follow Me – because My servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves Me.” (John 12:25-26)

(End of Part 7)

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) 2022 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

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Bible Blogging Christian Church God Holidays Ministry Scripture

Sunday Scripture

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday November 20TH 2022, 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.

This #SundayScripture I’m taking a one-week break in presenting my September 18TH 2022 sermon – “Good & Evil” – in its original written form. Parts 1 to 6 have already been presented. I’ve got 2 more parts to go, and I’ll do that on November 27TH and December 04TH.

After that I’ve got some interesting non-sermon posts that I’m planning for the rest of December and into the new year.

As promised last week I’m presenting the transcript for Communion which I led a couple of Sundays ago. It is a Thanksgiving-themed Communion. For those of you reading here in the U.S.A. or serving the U.S.A. in a foreign country – I wish you a very safe, secure, happy, and healthy Thanksgiving week. I hope that you get to spend it with those who you love.

(Begin Communion)

It’s the first Sunday of a brand-new month – November – and we continue our tradition of observing and celebrating Communion on this first Sunday.

In 18 days Americans will be observing and celebrating Thanksgiving. It’s the modern day set aside each year on the 4TH Thursday of November to reflect on what we have – and give thanks for it – alongside family and friends – with food and fellowship – and football. For most Americans it’s a day of rest – right before that Friday when we begin preparing and shopping for that next big commercialized holiday – Christmas.

You know on this fantastic journey that our God has blessed us with – every day should be a day of Thanksgiving. We should give thanks to our God – every day – for what He has given to us – for what He gives to us – and for what He will give to us – past, present, and future – constantly and abundantly.

When the Apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Philippi – he began, “Every time I think of you – I give thanks to my God.” Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth that “as God’s grace brings more and more people to Christ – there will be great Thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.”

Whenever God’s Kingdom expands – whenever God gets all of the glory – the enemy is defeated.

And so on this day of glory – on this day of victory – I present the 100TH Psalm – “A Psalm Of Thanksgiving” – and as the Bible says:

Shout with joy to the LORD – all the earth !  Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before Him – singing with joy. Acknowledge that the LORD is God !  He made us, and we are His. We are His people – the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with Thanksgiving. Go into His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, and praise His name. For the LORD is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and His faithfulness continues to each generation.

Let’s observe. Let’s rejoice. Let’s celebrate – this believer’s Communion – this agreement – of Creator, Christ, and Spirit as One God. It’s open for everyone who hears me – everyone who believes – that we ourselves no longer live, but Christ lives in us – so we live our life in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God – who loved us and gave Himself for us. (Galatians 2:20)

You know our God always comes to where we are. Today – something a little bit different. I’m coming to you – where you are – to serve you these elements. As you receive them from me – you may carefully peel back the two wrappings to reveal the wafer, and to open the juice. We will accept these elements together as a church family.

[Distribute elements.]

Let us take this bread, and know that it represents the sacred body of Christ that was given up for us on that cross. We take this bread in remembrance of Him.

Let us take this juice, and know that it represents the precious blood of Christ that was shed for us on that cross. We take this juice in honor of Him.

Let us pray. Thank You God for loving us, and giving Yourself for us. We love You Lord. We need You Lord. We are nothing without You Lord.

Thank You Lord for Your awesome presence in our lives – and Your intentional purpose for our lives. May all of Your beautiful blessings and marvelous miracles constantly strengthen our faith in You, increase our love towards others, and unify our hearts and our souls. We honor You Lord. We praise You Lord. We worship You Lord. And all God’s people say – AMEN.

And the angels and the elders and the living beings all fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God. They sang:

“Amen !  Blessing and glory and wisdom and Thanksgiving and honor and power and strength – belong to our God – forever and ever !  Amen.” (Revelation 7:11-12)

(End Communion)

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) 2022 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

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Bible Blogging Christian God Ministry Music Radio Scripture

My Top 10 Hits – Week 300

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 nearly 45 years. Here’s this week’s chart – for the week ending Sunday November 13TH 2022 – the 300TH week of this current era that began on Presidents’ Day Weekend of 2017:

TW LW WKS SONG TITLE ARTIST / SITE
1 2 7 Ain’t Nobody
[1ST week @ # 1]		 Cody Carnes
2 3 4 Who I Am Ben Fuller
3 1 13 New Creation Mac Powell
4 4 14 Good Morning Mercy Jason Crabb
5 5 21 Thank God For Sunday Morning Cochren & Co.
6 6 7 Love Me Like I Am for King & Country Ft. Jordin Sparks
7 7 4 Then Christ Came MercyMe
8 9 12 Build A Boat Colton Dixon
9 10 10 Miracle Power We The Kingdom
10 8 4 Same God Elevation Worship

# 1 This Week In:
2021 – “On Our Way” – MercyMe Ft. Sam Wesley
2020 – “No Hold On Me” – Matty Mullins
2019 – “Fear No More” – Building 429
2018 – “Only Jesus” – Casting Crowns
2017 – “Different” – Micah Tyler

NEW # 1 – “Ain’t Nobody” gonna deny Worship Pastor Cody Carnes the # 1 spot on my chart this week. He reaches the top after a week each at # 6, # 5, # 4, # 3, and # 2. Musically I love the upbeat song. Lyrically it’s a powerful song of testimony for the One who rescued and saved us:

♫ Ain’t nobody love me like Jesus
Ain’t nobody love me this good
Ain’t nobody love me like Jesus
And I know I know nobody could
Tell me who could give me this freedom
Tell me who could get me this far
Ain’t nobody love me like Jesus
And I know I know nobody could ♫

300 – This is my 300TH weekly music chart since February 2017 when I resurrected it after a 7-year hiatus. At the restart – I was unsure as to whether or not it would survive a year – much less almost 6 years. My previous attempt at a weekly Christian music chart fizzled after less than 3½ years during the early few years of my fantastic journey with Christ. Next week I’ll celebrate 300 weeks of this current era by presenting my Top 30 hits of the past 300 weeks. Spoiler Alert: No current song is on my Top 30, but one came close – “Thank God For Sunday Morning” – which landed at # 34.

This concludes another weekend of blog posts. I’ll do it again with the new weekend – and 4 new entries – known as #TravelThursday, #RetroFriday, #SundayScripture, and #Top30Of300Monday.

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. I’m also on Twitter and Flickr.

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) 2022 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

Categories
Bible Blogging Christian Church God Ministry Scripture

Sunday Scripture

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday November 13TH 2022, 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.

Last Sunday morning I led my church family in Communion, as I do once a month – usually on the first Sunday. This month Communion had a Thanksgiving theme to it. (Think Psalm 100.) Next #SundayScripture I plan to present it here in its entirety, as it will be the final Sunday before Thanksgiving Day here in the U.S.A.

As for this week I continue presenting my September 18TH 2022 sermon – “Good & Evil” – in its original written form. It’s based on 1 Peter 3:8-4:8, and it effectively wraps-up my First Peter message series which I began in 2021. Here’s Part 6:

Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you – they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. Remember – it is better to suffer for doing good – if that is what God wants – than to suffer for doing wrong ! (1 Peter 3:16b-17)

Christ suffered for our sins – once for all time. He never sinned, but He died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but He was raised to life in the Spirit. (3:18)

Our God will come again – not to deal with our sins. He already did that. No. He’s coming back to bring salvation to all of us who are eagerly waiting for Him. Yes. I know we’ve been rescued and saved, and this salvation is glorious. But there’s an even greater salvation – an eternal salvation that’s waiting for us. Therefore:

You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God. You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy – their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols. (4:2-3)

And the younger me was guilty of all of those things. You know I often wonder what my life would’ve been like had I accepted God into my heart as a teenager, or in my 20s, or even in my early-30s. Where would I be today if I were saved and rescued – 40 years ago – instead of 16 years ago. You know it’s good to look back at where we’ve been, and how we got here with the grace and mercy of God. But the LORD says “Forget the former things. Do not dwell on the past. See – I am doing a new thing ! Now it springs up. Do you not perceive it ?” (Isaiah 43:18-19a NIV)

Our God is always doing a new thing for us. And we never know what it is until we see it. Sometimes we miss out on it – because we’re dwelling on something old. We must keep our eyes on God’s gifts along the way to that spectacular event at the end that changes everything forever !

Of course – your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander you. But remember that they will have to face God – who stands ready to judge everyone – both the living and the dead. That is why the Good News was preached to those who are now dead – so although they were destined to die like all people – they now live forever with God in the Spirit. (1 Peter 4:4-6)

(End of Part 6)

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) 2022 Christopher M. Day, CountUp