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Bible Christian Church God Ministry Music Radio Scripture

Sunday Scripture

This past Friday night I was part of an enormous church family for nearly 5 hours – from the time that we were strangers in line entering the BB&T Center in Sunrise Florida – to the time that we were singing songs together out of the arena and into the sprawling parking lot after 10:30 PM.

Aaron Cole, We Are Messengers, Jordan Feliz, Ryan Stevenson, Jeremy Camp, TobyMac, and their respective bands led “Praise & Worship” with their performances for God for the better part of 4 hours, and the near sellout crowd (all the way up to the rafters) was in it for Jesus – singing and clapping and dancing and waving their smart phone flashlights in the air in unison. It was a miraculous night of celebration for our Lord.

I enjoyed all of the artists – particularly We Are Messengers, Jeremy Camp, and of course my homeboy from Fairfax County Virginia – TobyMac. Toby is still gettin’ it done at 54. I’ve been listening to both Toby and Jeremy since pretty much the start of my salvation in 2006.

This church family that I speak of comprised of many different colors, races, nationalities, and ages. Every demographic was represented. That’s what Heaven will look like. There were babies, kids, teens, young adults, parents, and grandparents there. But we were all brothers and sisters on that night.

Most of us in attendance were believers and followers of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ – God’s children – and for those in attendance who were not – they were likely invited and brought in by their friends and loved ones who were. I believe that many of those non-believers and non-followers at the start of the show were saved by Christ sometime during the show. Salvation was born for many of them. God’s miracles abound. That’s how God The Holy Spirit works, and He is always at work – even at a rock concert.

If you have not yet accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and you receive an invitation to attend a Christian rock concert by a friend or a loved one – accept it – and go – with an open mind and an open heart. Let me tell you something, and I’m speaking from personal experience here. That rock concert that you say “YES !” to – can change your life forever. God used His music to rescue me and save me exactly 12 years and 6 months ago (this past week). I was 39 at the time. You’re not too old to begin a new journey in your life. It will truly be a fantastic journey that you can’t possibly imagine !

But why wait until the next concert ?  Google any one of those artists. Look them up on YouTube. Tune-in to K-LOVE or The Message on SiriusXM. Listen to their music. Hear their words. Absorb God’s Good News for you.

From the 40TH Psalm (1-3):

I waited patiently for the LORD to help me, and He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair – out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground, and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing – a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what He has done, and be amazed. They will put their trust in the LORD.

All rights reserved (c) 2019 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries

Categories
Bible Christian Church God Ministry Scripture

Sunday Scripture

One of my duties every Sunday morning with my church family – whether I preach a full sermon or not – is that I open our service with inspiration (following our first worship song and leading-in to our second worship song), and I also close our service with encouragement.

After about 75 minutes of service the goal is to send out my brothers and sisters into the world on a high note – to encourage each of them to keep the praise, worship, and celebration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ going through the front doors, into our vehicles, and continuing on in whatever we do and wherever we go. That’s how we bring the church instead of go to the church. If you’re going to church on a Sunday then you’re doing it all wrong. You’re going through the motions. You’re following a religion. If you are the church, and you’re bringing the church with you on a Sunday then you’re glorifying God. That’s not a religion. That’s a way of life. That’s a fantastic journey that started at the point of salvation and continues through the point of resurrection.

I always have an opening and a closing prepared in advance of each service, but my plans are not God’s plans. (I write that with a smile on my face because I have to remind myself of that on a fairly regular basis.)

Today I had this Scripture from Colossians 4 prepared for my closing:

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Pray that God will give us many opportunities to speak about Christ. Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive, so that you will have the right response for everyone.

Well God took me on an impromptu mission at the precise moment that I would’ve recited that Scripture. I essentially went rogue, walked off the stage, welcomed a couple of new faces by name to our church body, and lifted-up in prayer our brothers and sisters (by name) who weren’t present with us. I went straight from that to a few ad-libbed remarks, and then I read one of my longtime Scriptures of Benediction (Psalm 19:14 KJB).

It’s good to be prepared in-season and out-of-season, but when God leads you in a different direction then you must abandon those plans and go with God. He is The Way, The Truth, The Life.

All rights reserved (c) 2019 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries

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Bible Christian Church God Ministry Music Radio Scripture

My Top 5 Hits RETRO – 2009

Every Friday night I post the Top 5 of one of my classic hit music charts based on personal preference and influenced by radio airplay from either 10, 20, or 30 years ago (rotating each week). Here it is – for the week ending Sunday February 15TH 2009:

  1. “Stand Up” – Remedy Drive
  2. “Sing” – The Classic Crime
  3. “Homemade Valentine” – Children 18:3
  4. “Dead Man” – We As Human
  5. “Lose Control” – House Of Heroes

That’s some good rockin’ music right there that I remember from exactly a decade ago – back when I was in the middle of my 3RD year on this fantastic journey. On this particular Sunday morning I attended our 9 AM service, and I served Communion to my brothers and sisters. During our 10:30 AM service I served out in the main lobby.

Here’s what I wrote on my blog on this day 10 years ago:

– The highest level of living is generous living.
– Jesus says, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’
– I choose to be generous with my time.
– The Good News says, ‘Nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.’
– I choose to be generous with my talent.
– God made us what we are.
– He made us to do good on this Earth.
– I choose to be generous with my testimony.
– I choose to share my fantastic journey with the entire world.
– I choose to tell the story of how I was rescued and saved from the darkness.
– I choose to love and adore God for giving me a second chance at Life.
– I choose to never allow the euphoria of His light to ever dim.

That was the Truth back then, and it is the Truth today !

It’s halftime. I’ll be back on Sunday and Monday with two more blog posts for this weekend. Enjoy your Saturday. Share the Good News with all who will listen.

All rights reserved (c) 2019 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries

Categories
Bible Christian Church God Ministry Scripture

Sunday Scripture

And so – dear brothers and sisters – we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By His death – Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house – let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting Him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, but encourage one another – especially now that the day of His return is drawing near. (Hebrews 10:19-25 NLT)

All rights reserved (c) 2019 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries