Category: Church

Sunday Scripture

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date February 2, 2020

Today was Communion Sunday with my Living Waters church family. Here’s how God led me:

It is the 1ST Sunday of a brand new month – February – and it’s our time here at Living Waters to observe and celebrate Communion. It’s an observance. It’s an opportunity – that allows us to slow down, and reflect, and honor, and remember what our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ did for us on that cross on that day. It’s also the continuation of this celebration that we enjoy corporately as a church body every Sunday morning when we bring the church from out there to in here.

Christ suffered for us. Never did He sin. Never did He deceive anyone. Never did He retaliate against anyone. Never did He seek revenge against anyone. None of us can claim that, but Christ can. Christ was innocent. We are guilty.

See He had no sins of His own, so He carried all of our sins – past, present, and future – to the cross. He died a horrible death to pay the penalty for our sins forever. He did that for us. That allows us to be dead to sin. That allows us to live for what is right. We didn’t deserve it, but by God’s Grace – we are saved. By His wounds – we are healed. By His suffering – we are free.

So let’s remember – what Christ did for us – and what He continues to do for us.

This is our believer’s Communion. We believe that we have one living and true God – in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. 3 Persons – 1 God. Each is God individually; yet, they are one God together. One God – who is almighty. One God – who never changes. One God – who is eternal.

And so this believer’s Communion is open for everyone who hears me – everyone who believes this. If you believe that we are now under the eternal protection of our shepherd – then I invite you to accept this bread and this juice.

I’ve asked Larry and Shirley to serve us these elements today, so as they make their way up here to retrieve the elements I invite you to join me in honoring our 3-in-1 God – who reigns – now and forever.

At this time come forth to accept this bread and this juice. Take them back to your seat – and remain standing (if you can). After everyone is back at their seats – we’ll accept these elements together as a church body. Come forth.

[Praise & Worship Pastor leads us in “We Believe” from Newsboys.]

Communion

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 bow our heads. Let us pray:

Thank You God for this Glorious moment – in this place – at this time. Thank You Lord for being the unchangeable and unstoppable God that You are – Creator, Christ, and Spirit as One.

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. We celebrate You Lord. We love You Lord – on this day – and with each new day. And we confirm this by saying – AMEN.

(You may be seated.)

As the Bible says in the Gospel According To John (6:57), and this is in red letters, so Christ said it Himself:

I live because of the living Father who sent Me. In the same way – anyone who feeds on Me will live because of Me.

Receiving the body and blood of Christ during Communion means that we are embracing the life-giving sacrifice of Jesus.

Tags Communion

Bible Christian Church God Ministry Scripture

Sunday Scripture

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date January 26, 2020

It was wonderful to be back with my church family on this beautiful sunny and cool Sunday morning in Homestead Florida. (Last Sunday I was 3 hours away over in Fort Myers and Estero. Read all about it on my blog post from this past Thursday.)

Praise & Worship was awesome as always – led by our Worship Pastor Ben. One of my favorite songs that we sing to God is “Victor’s Crown”. I love this part:

♫ Hallelujah
You have overcome
You have overcome
Hallelujah
Jesus You have overcome the world ♫

Our Lead Pastor Bob continued his Noah message series, and I learned 3 new terms today – “Kaphar”, “Kopher”, and “Pitch”.

Build a large boat from cypress wood and waterproof it with tar – inside and out. Then construct decks and stalls throughout its interior. (Genesis 6:14 NLT)

The large boat was the ark. Inside the ark was the only way to survive – with redemption and salvation.

“Kaphar” means to cover over – to atone for. “Kopher” is the price of a life. “Pitch” is the tar or the blood covering.

Jesus Christ covered over all of our sins – past, present, and future – with His blood, so that we may survive – so that we may live eternally with God.

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Southwest Florida Road-Trip

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date January 23, 2020

This past U.S. holiday weekend I enjoyed a 3-day / 3-county / 360-mile Florida road-trip to and from Fort Myers. It was my first visit to the region since last July. I always enjoy visiting Southwest Florida (Collier and Lee County). Usually I venture over there to see a concert at the Hertz Arena, and this trip was no exception.

My first stop though after crossing the Everglades via the Tamiami Trail was the flagship branch of the multi-site Collier County Museum in East Naples. It was my first visit since June 2012. Back then I thought it was my first visit ever – until I saw some of the exhibits outside – and then I realized that I had been there years earlier.

At the end of my 90-minute visit I picked-up a brochure for a nearby place that I never knew existed – the Naples Museum Of Military History – at the main terminal of the Naples Airport. So I went there, and I immersed myself in all of the awesome displays there. They were overflowing at the seams in the two rooms that they occupy there. They need more space, and hopefully they get it.

After that I took a ride out to the country and into the woods for another first-time visit ever – the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. What a wonderful and beautiful place this was – especially on a sunny and coolish day. I’m sure that it would be a miserable place to be during our 9-month bug season and especially our 5-month rainy season, but that was truly a great day to be outdoors strolling the 2.25-mile elevated boardwalk absorbing nature’s beauty – created by my Almighty God.

By the way all of the above was Day 1 of my road-trip ! Day 2 started in Fort Myers at probably their # 1 tourist attraction – the Edison & Ford Winter Estates. It was my first visit since April 2011. I love this place. I could work and have fun at this place after I retire from my military / civil service career. I took the 1-hour and 15-minute guided tour which was a lot of fun (even though I had done it before). I’d do it again !

On Sunday night I went to the Hertz Arena to see Franklin Graham conclude his recent tour of Florida. He led us in prayer for our nation and our leaders, and then he preached a classic Billy Graham Crusade sermon on Repentance & Salvation. That’s a topic that I’m quite familiar with, as many of my sermons are about the same. Jeremy Camp opened and closed for Franklin, as he performed 7 of his greatest hits. I’ll be seeing Jeremy Camp perform again at this very same arena in 6 weeks, as he opens for MercyMe.

Day 3 of 3 started back in East Naples at the Naples Botanical Garden – yet another first-time visit. I walked well over 3 miles for 2 hours at this fun place on a chilly and overcast morning.

I’ve got over 80 photos of this fun road-trip to and from Southwest Florida – also known as Florida’s Paradise Coast. At least 60 of those 80 photos will probably be uploaded and captioned on my Flickr site over the next few weeks. But I’ll close this blog post with a sneak-peek. It’s a photo of the chalkboard at the start of the boardwalk at the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary where visitors can write-down what they’ve seen along their walk on the boardwalk. A little less than 90 minutes later – there were more sightings documented on the chalkboard.

Tags Estero, Florida, Fort Myers, Naples

Bible Christian Church God Ministry Scripture

Sunday Scripture

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date January 19, 2020

I recently completed my sermon titled “Church & State” which I hope to preach to my church body in a few weeks. I’ve also started writing my next sermon on the prophet Malachi.

Here’s an excerpt from my sermon on “Church & State”:

… You know I keep saying the word “church”, and when I say “church” – I’m generally not referring to the building. I’m speaking of the people who are meeting corporately to learn more about our God – to get closer to Him.

You see no matter where church is done – we must always remember that church is not the building that we’re in. Church is the body of current and future (remember that – future) believers and followers of Christ. We are the church. You and I. We are the church – in here. We are the church – out there. We are the church – at the grocery stores. We are the church – in the restaurants. We are the church – in our homes. We are the church in everything we do – and in everywhere we go. When we are the church – we honor our God. This is His church. You and I. We belong to God.

I’m not a fan of the phrase “go to church” – because – if you “go to church” – then that means that you’re apparently coming from somewhere else – which physically you are, but spiritually – you are too. What I’m saying – is that you’re not being the church in everything you do – and in everywhere you go. If you “go to church” on Sunday mornings at 10 or 10:30 – then you’re not the church before that. You’re the world before that.

When we are the church – we are learning more about our God, and we are getting closer to Him – in here – and out there – on all days – at all times – not just for 90 minutes in here on Sunday mornings.

So we must always be the church, and on Sunday mornings we must bring the church in here – because this is where we meet. Each and every one of us represents God’s church – in and out of our homes. So we must bring God’s church with us on Sunday mornings …

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another – especially now that the day of His return is drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24-25)