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Sunday Scripture

I’m closing-in on the 15TH anniversary of the start of my salvation. I’m 5 weeks away from observing that unexpected moment when my life changed forever.

This fantastic journey is well-documented in public. I’ve been writing about it online for over 14 years – first on Myspace, then here on WordPress, then on Twitter, then on Facebook, and then back here on WordPress. I’ve been testifying about it offline (in-person) for those same 14 years. I’ve been preaching full sermons about it for almost 5 years now. The Bible says “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth – I will also acknowledge before My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32)

During my first 20 months as a member of my first church family I kept a running journal of my weekly events via Excel spreadsheet. It’s fun to look back on, and remember those early couple of years of my journey with Christ. I wish I had kept it going. I don’t remember why I stopped doing it 20 months in.

According to that spreadsheet – 14 years ago on this 3RD Sunday of July of 2007 – Bible Class (before service) was canceled because the leader was on vacation that Sunday. The message on that Sunday was the first of a 5-part message series titled “Hot Sauce” – “Clash On Cash: God On Money”. It was obviously a money-related message. I’ve never been a fan of Pastors teaching or preaching about money – whether it be making it, giving it, saving it, or spending it. I may be a bit biased since I’m in the “money business” in my professional career. I know that I’ll probably never preach about money or finances. It may be something to discuss in a more informal Bible Class, but not in a sermon. I’m actually trying to build the foundation of a Bible Class with my current church family right now. I think we need one to supplement the weekly sermons and enhance the overall Sunday morning experience. I’ve been praying about it a lot lately.

After the service at the movie theatre 14 years ago today we had a picnic at a nearby neighborhood park to welcome the arrival of our brand new Executive Pastor at the time. We had hot dogs ! (That’s all my notes on the spreadsheet say.)

Those were some fun times back then in July of 2007. I was part of that first church family for exactly 6 months at that time. Those first 2 years – 2007 and 2008 – in their entirety – were great and glorious years with my new brothers and sisters. It was a season of ecstasy and euphoria. My growth and momentum began to plateau shortly after (starting in 2009) with less hills and more valleys. Despite increased roles and responsibilities within the church the hills would never quite reach the peaks of those of 2007 and 2008. The valleys grew deeper. I remained with my first church family for 8 years until 2015.

I guess I don’t really need to keep an Excel spreadsheet of my weekly events along this journey since this blog acts as my public journal nowadays. It’s brutally honest. I don’t hold much back. I use this blog on Sundays and Mondays to proclaim and teach – to preach – to the world what God has done for me.

“Go back to your family, and tell them everything God has done for you.” (Luke 8:39a)

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) 2021 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries

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Bible Blogging Career Christian Church God Military Ministry Scripture

Sunday Scripture

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday July 11TH 2021, and this is the day that our LORD has made. Let us rejoice. Let us be glad in it. Let us celebrate this new day of believing, following, trusting, loving, and being more like our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ.

This day – July 11TH – was not such a good day in my professional career history. It was the start of a new era of my USAF career on this day in 1994. When I went in to work on the morning of that day I had no idea what would happen to me just an hour later. I was completely blindsided. It forever changed my career – temporarily for the worst (for 13 years), but then for the best (for the next 14 years and continuing today).

I truly believe that if it weren’t for the career-changing event of the morning of Monday July 11TH 1994 – I wouldn’t know Christ today. I was in a valley for 13 years. There were occasional ripples and bubbles and mounds and slopes along the valley floor that was my career (and life), but it was mostly a 13-year abyss. A little more than a month after the start of the 13TH year my LORD 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. (Psalm 40:2)

I don’t know where my USAF career could have or would have gone if it weren’t for my July 11TH 1994. I don’t need to know – because I know what happened early on the week of August 20TH 2006. Less than a year later by the end of July of 2007 – I was in a much better place at work – and at home. The abyss met its demise.

My next sermon that I’ll preach to my church family will be all about the start of my “Salvation & Hope”. It’ll mark the start of my extended message series from the two letters of Peter. Later this year I may post an entire sermon (in multiple parts) here on Sunday Scripture. I’m currently working on a new sermon that follows-up “Salvation & Hope” titled “Holy & Redeemed”.

Here’s an excerpt of that new sermon:

… Let’s jump-in to Scripture – starting with the Apostle Peter’s first letter – the first chapter and verse 13:

So think clearly, and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.

When I last spoke from Peter’s first letter – it was about “Salvation & Hope”. Without God’s salvation – there is no hope, for hope comes from God. And so this message picks-up where that message left-off.

You know once God rescues and saves us from the darkness that we came from – we can’t think like we used to think – back before we had “Salvation & Hope” – back before we were “Holy & Redeemed”. We used to think and act differently when the world owned and operated us – before we knew God. But now our God is in control. We believe Him. We follow Him. We trust Him. He’s within us. And so the Bible says “think clearly” – “prepare your minds for action”. The King James Version puts it this way – “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind” …

A little “behind-the-scenes” information here. I usually write each Sunday Scripture on the Friday night or Saturday morning before it’s published online at 3 AM (U.S. East Coast time) on Sunday. I spend much of the day each Saturday reading, studying, and learning from the Bible. I write sermons, and I prepare material for Sunday morning service. I generally stay inside and off social media on Saturdays. (That’s why I don’t blog on Saturdays.)

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) 2021 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries

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Bible Blogging Christian Church God Ministry Scripture

Sunday Scripture

Shortly after 1:30 AM EDT on Thursday June 24TH 2021 disaster struck my South Florida community when about half of a fully-occupied 12-story residential beachfront condominium complex collapsed and pancaked onto itself along the Atlantic coast in the small town of Surfside (about 40 miles / 65 kilometers from my home).

It will very likely be the largest instant loss of life in Florida in nearly a century.

I realized the horror unfolding on the local TV news about 4 hours later as I was preparing to drive to work. At one point I got overly emotional, and I started crying. I haven’t stop grieving ever since. I weep with those who weep.

Search-and-rescue operations continue this weekend as our first-responder heroes continue to be hopeful that there are survivors underneath the rubble. We pray to our Lord for the safety and security of those heroes in the elements day and night atop the rubble. We pray for the comfort and peace of the family and friends who lost loved ones on that morning. We pray for the healing and restoration of the survivors who made it out alive. We lift up the town of Surfside to our God Almighty. #SurfsideStrong

I don’t personally know anyone who was in those towers, but I know that men and women, parents and children, and entire families went to bed on Wednesday night just like any other normal night with an ambitious schedule for Thursday, and in an instant they were physically gone along with the building they slept in. I didn’t know any of them, but they were my neighbors. They were God’s creations.

God is our refuge and strength – always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not fear when earthquakes come, and the mountains crumble into the sea.
Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge !
(Psalm 46:1-3)

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) 2021 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries

Categories
Bible Blogging Christian Church God Ministry Scripture

Sunday Scripture

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday June 20TH 2021, and this is the day that our LORD has made. Let us rejoice. Let us be glad in it. Let us celebrate our fathers on this Father’s Day – as well as our almighty Father in Heaven.

This past Friday I finished writing my sermon on “Salvation & Hope”. It actually plays out as a tribute to the Reverend Billy Graham and the work that he did for God at his many crusades around the world. My Pastor preached an hour-long-plus sermon last Sunday on his personal experiences with Oral Roberts.

I also wrote about the start of my salvation 15 years ago this August. This sermon serves as my first of many from my new message series on the Apostle Peter’s two letters to Christians scattered throughout the Roman Empire from Rome in the west to Jerusalem in the east. It covers 1 Peter 1:3-12.

All praise to God – the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by His great mercy that we have been born again – because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance – an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you – pure and undefiled – beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith – God is protecting you by His power until you receive this salvation – which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. (1 Peter 1:3-5)

I now have two full sermons to pray about and select from when I’m asked to preach again to my church family. (The other is my sermon on the good Kings Uzziah and Jotham of Judah.) Only one thing to do now: Start writing a new sermon based on 1 Peter 1:13-21.

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) 2021 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries