Category: Christian

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday June 12TH 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.

Several weeks ago here on #SundayScripture I began transcribing one of my recent sermons that I preached to my church family at the end of February – “Stones & Stumbles”. It’s the follow-up to “Holy & Redeemed” which I presented on here in December and January. “Stones & Stumbles” covers 1 Peter 1:23-2:9.

Here’s Part 4 of my sermon:

… So back to Psalm 118:22:

The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.

And here’s the very next verse:

This is the LORD’s doing, and it is wonderful to see.

And I know that you know this verse:

This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.

I say that every Sunday morning during Praise & Worship. I say it to myself every morning. And I’ve programmed Alexa (she’s a friend of Siri). I’ve programmed Alexa to say it to me every morning. You see 15½ years ago when my salvation started – it was the start of a new day. It was the start of a new life. It was the day the LORD had made. Our Lord – our cornerstone. He’s done great things in my life. He’ll continue to do great things. Our Lord is victorious. The day of His victory has already arrived. Its completion awaits another day. Until then – let us rejoice, and be glad – in His day of victory.

And you are living stones that God is building into His spiritual temple. What’s more – you are His holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ – you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. As the Scriptures say – “I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem – chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in Him will never be disgraced.” (1 Peter 2:5-6)

Yes – you who trust Him recognize the honor God has given Him. But for those who reject Him – “The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.” And “He is the stone that makes people stumble – the rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they do not obey God’s Word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them. (1 Peter 2:7-8)

So we believers – You and I – God’s people – we are living stones. We are the spiritual temple that’s built on the foundation of Christ. We are heirs of God’s blessings. He lives within us, for we belong to Him.

You know on this journey God did not intend us to pray, and praise and worship Him, and celebrate Him – in isolation – in private – in secrecy. He wants to build us together – publicly – as His living stones in His spiritual temple. God chose us to carry out His mission to the world out there. He commands us to go and tell the world about Him.

First Peter Chapter 2 Verse 9:

You are a chosen people. You are royal priests – a holy nation – God’s very own possession. As a result – you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light.

Allow me to unpack this verse – as a modern preacher would say.

The Apostle Peter looks back at Scripture (in other words – the Old Testament) – back when the Israelites were a holy people – who belong to the LORD your God. Of all the people on earth – the LORD your God has chosen you to be His own special treasure. (That’s from Deuteronomy Chapter 7.)

Peter continues referring to Scripture – back when the Israelites were My own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth – for all the earth belongs to Me. And you will be My kingdom of priests – My holy nation. (That’s from Exodus Chapter 19 where the LORD called out to Moses from Mount Sinai and gave him instructions to announce to the Israelites.)

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

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday June 05TH 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.

Today is my 55TH birthday, and I’ll celebrate it with my church family today in service and at Longhorn Steakhouse after service.

A couple of weeks ago here on #SundayScripture I began transcribing one of my recent sermons that I preached to my church family at the end of February – “Stones & Stumbles”. It’s the follow-up to “Holy & Redeemed” which I presented on here in December and January. “Stones & Stumbles” covers 1 Peter 1:23-2:9.

Here’s Part 3 of my sermon:

Like newborn babies – you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment – now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness. (1 Peter 2:2-3)

You know I’ve been saved for 15½ years. I remember that first year to year-and-a-half when I was spiritually a newborn Christian – at 39 and 40 years old – living a brand-new life that I had not previously known. I was running towards my Lord & Savior – running as fast as I could to get further and further away from the darkness that I had left behind. That was 2006 and 2007 for me.

And just like then – I still crave pure spiritual milk. What’s pure spiritual milk ?  Well I’m so glad you asked !  That’s God’s Word in the Bible. That’s reading and studying His Word on the pages of those 66 books of the Bible. That’s teaching what I’m learning from God’s Word. That’s preaching to the world God’s Good News. You see I preach here, and I also preach online – via social media. And we should all be teachers and preachers of God’s Good News using the skills that He has blessed us with.

You know if you’re not as excited about God’s plan for you as you were when you first became born again (whenever that was) – then you need to get excited. You need to crave – you need to cry out – for God and His Word.

But just as Pastor Bob preached on a couple of weeks ago. You can’t live – and thrive – on just milk alone. You also need the meat. You also need to mature.

You are coming to Christ – who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but He was chosen by God for great honor. (1 Peter 2:4)

Sounds like Psalm 118 Verse 22 right there – The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.

A cornerstone of a building sets its foundation. It gives the building its overall shape. It forms the base of the corner of the building – where two walls join together. It’s the most important of all of the stones. We depend on the cornerstone.

Isaiah Chapter 28 Verse 16. (This one’s not up there. I’ll just read it to you.):

Therefore – this is what the Sovereign LORD says:  “Look !  I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem – a firm and tested stone. It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never be shaken.

So what are you trying to tell me – Chris ?  Here’s what I’m saying. The LORD Himself – is the cornerstone of Jerusalem – the true city of God. He is the foundation – to rely and depend on. He is firm and tested – to all who believe. If only the leaders and the people would turn to Him. And that applies to present-day time as well. If only the leaders and the people would turn to Christ – our cornerstone.

One of my favorite worship songs that I discovered – maybe 10 to 12 years ago – is “Cornerstone”. I heard it for the first time while visiting another church – a large church – I think near Fort Myers – while on vacation. It was one of the Praise & Worship songs during the start of service. I had never heard it before. But I started singing along immediately. And I got louder and louder. And I soon put my hands up. And I shed tears of joy for my “Cornerstone”:

That’s a great song right there. “Cornerstone”. Our God is our cornerstone. Christ alone – cornerstone. Weak made strong – in the Savior’s love. Through the storm. He is Lord. Lord of all.

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