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Bible Christian Church God Ministry Scripture

Sunday Scripture

Last night I finished writing what will be my next sermon to preach to my church family – “Habakkuk & Forth”. It’s all about the minor prophet Habakkuk from the land of Judah some 600 years before Christ. He’s a minor prophet not because he was irrelevant (quite the opposite), but simply because there’s only 3 chapters in his book in the Old Testament. (Compare that with 66 chapters for Isaiah, 52 chapters for Jeremiah, and 48 chapters for Ezekiel – the 3 major prophets.)

I wrote this sermon in just a couple of weeks, and I think that it flows well from beginning to end. I’ll be enhancing and tweaking it over the next couple of weeks. Following the conclusion of today’s service our Lead Pastor told me that I’ll be preaching 2 weeks from today on Sunday December 01ST 2019. So I’ll be preaching on Habakkuk.

I actually finished another sermon previously, but I’m not fully satisfied with it. It will (eventually) be a groundbreaking sermon for me unlike anything I’ve ever done before – and unlike anything my church family has ever seen before. For a message that different it needs a bit more work.

So back to Habakkuk where Chapter 3 is a prayer that was sung to the LORD by Habakkuk. After his conversation with the LORD (Chapters 1 and 2) Habakkuk praised and worshipped Him. Here are some of the highlights of his psalm to the LORD:

  • I am filled with awe by Your amazing works. (3:2)
  • His brilliant splendor fills the heavens, and the earth is filled with His praise. (3:3)
  • His coming is as brilliant as the sunrise. (3:4a)
  • Rays of light flash from His hands – where His awesome power is hidden. (3:4b)
  • When He stops – the earth shakes. When He looks – the nations tremble. (3:6a-b)
  • He shatters the everlasting mountains, and levels the eternal hills. (3:6c)
  • He is the Eternal One ! (3:6d)
  • You split open the earth with flowing rivers. (3:9)
  • The mountains watched and trembled. Onward swept the raging waters. (3:10)
  • You went out to rescue Your chosen people – to save Your anointed ones. (3:13)

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

Categories
Christian Church God Ministry Music Radio

My Top 10 Hits – Week 143

Every Monday I post my all-new Top 10 Christian hit music chart based on personal preference and influenced by radio airplay. Here it is – for the week ending Sunday November 10TH 2019:

  1. “Fear No More” – Building 429 [# 1 last week / 15TH week on chart]
  2. “Nobody (But Jesus)” – Casting Crowns Ft. Matthew West [3 / 15TH]
  3. “Burn The Ships” – for King & Country [2 / 8TH]
  4. “Dead Man Walking” – Jeremy Camp [6 / 17TH]
  5. “Faith” – Jordan Feliz [8 / 5TH]
  6. “I’m Gonna Let It Go” – Jason Gray [5 / 14TH]
  7. “Up Again” – Dan Bremnes [4 / 7TH]
  8. “Unstoppable God” – Sanctus Real [- / 1ST]
  9. “Rescue Story” – Zach Williams [10 / 5TH]
  10. “Better” – Pat Barrett [9 / 5TH]

# 1 One Year Ago This Week:
“Only Jesus” – Casting Crowns

# 1 Two Years Ago This Week:
“Different” – Micah Tyler

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This past Sunday night I was among 13,000+ brothers and sisters of a MASSIVE church family at the BB&T Center in Sunrise Florida. It was a wonderful 3½-hour show, as we praised and worshiped our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ in unison.

Elevation Worship kicked-off the show with a 7-song setlist including their 4 big radio hits of the past couple of years, “O Come To The Altar”, “Do It Again”, “Resurrecting”, and “Echo”. This is actually the 2ND time that I’ve sung along to “Do It Again” LIVE in concert. Mack Brock (former lead singer of Elevation Worship and cowriter of the song) performed it LIVE on his tour with Hillsong United this past May. Fun Fact:  “Do It Again” is the # 1 smash out of 136 hits since this current “K-LOVE Era” of my chart began in February 2017.

Hillsong Worship were up next with an 8-song setlist. Of the 3 bands on the stage that night I was least familiar with their music, but I surely knew “Who You Say I Am” and “What A Beautiful Name” – both # 1 hits at Christian pop radio. They also performed “Mighty To Save” which I know more from Praise & Worship at my own local church than I do as a Hillsong Worship song.

Following an inspirational message leading-in to a Compassion International fundraising event and a brief intermission after that – Casting Crowns – led by Mark Hall – took to the stage, and they performed 10 hits in a row – nearly all of which I knew !  “Only Jesus” kicked-off their hitlist. It’s the longest-running # 1 smash (at 10 weeks) during this current era of my chart. “Thrive” (surprisingly) got a huge response. “Nobody (But Jesus)” was their encore song, and deservedly so. It’s the track that everyone was waiting for. All of my brothers and sisters were clapping along and singing together loudly and proudly. Chris Brown – lead singer of Elevation Worship – came out and performed the Matthew West part of the song, and he sounded just like Matthew West too. During the Megan Garrett part of the song all of the members of Elevation Worship and Hillsong Worship joined Casting Crowns together for a grande family finale.

As 13,000+ poured out of the arena into the South Florida darkness we were all singing bits and pieces of “Nobody (But Jesus)” – shining God’s light for all to see.

♫ ‘Cause I’m just a nobody – trying to tell everybody
All about Somebody – who saved my soul
Ever since You rescued me – You gave my heart a song to sing
I’m living for the world to see nobody but Jesus
I’m living for the world to see nobody but Jesus ♫

This concludes another weekend of blog posts. I’ll do it again next weekend (starting in just 48 hours) – with 4 new entries on Thursday, Friday, Sunday, and Monday. I don’t blog on Saturdays. That’s my day of rest.

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. Enjoy this week my friends. I’m on Twitter @ChrisMDay, and I’m also the man behind the tweets for my church @LivingWatersHFL. May the God of hope fill you completely with joy and peace as you trust in Him.

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

Categories
Bible Christian Church God Humor Ministry Scripture

Sunday Scripture

This weekend it’s something a little bit different. I’m a big fan and regular reader of “The Babylon Bee” – a satirical web site mostly on Christianity and Politics. It’s been around for almost 4 years. They are also on Facebook and Twitter.

A couple of nights ago they reran a classic post from 2 years ago. I loved it the first time. I loved it the next time. I loved it again. Check it out:

https://babylonbee.com/news/pastors-pulpit-says-theology

Recently as part of a major remodeling project of our church sanctuary (new stage, new lighting, new carpet, new chairs, new paint) I was asked to select a brand new pulpit for my use. (Our Lead Pastor doesn’t use the pulpit. He preaches on both sides of it, and in front of it, but never at it.)

I picked-out a really nice plexiglass pulpit, and it was purchased, and I use it every week. I love it. (You can see my reflection in it taking a picture of it.)

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Well apparently The Babylon Bee says that (because of my pulpit) I’m transparent (yes), and I’m vulnerable (yes). Oh yeah – and my theology is lightweight. (OK – I’ll take that one too.)

I essentially preach what I know. I don’t try to preach above my knowledge and skills level. I don’t try to preach like anyone else. I just preach on my 13 years of salvation, and I compare it with my 39 years of life before Christ. I preach a lot on repentance and salvation. I preach on the God that I’ve known since 2006. So yeah you can see right through my sermons. I testify and preach. (That was actually the title of an early sermon of mine from 2017 – “Testify & Preach”.)

All of my sermon titles are two words separated by an ampersand. I’m currently working on two sermons for the next couple of months – “Ways & Memes”, and “Habakkuk & Forth”.

As for the NLT – um – well – guilty as charged !  #BushLeague

Preach the Word of God. Be prepared – whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. (2 Timothy 4:2 NLT)

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

Categories
Bible Christian Church God Ministry Scripture

Sunday Scripture

Today I led my church family in our monthly observance of Communion. I shared God’s Word from Romans 3:22-26:

Communion

We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes – no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned. We all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God – with undeserved kindness – declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed His life – shedding His blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when He held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for He was looking ahead and including them in what He would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate His righteousness, for He Himself is fair and just, and He declares sinners to be right in His sight when they believe in Jesus.

We are made right with God – despite the fact that we are sinners. We have always been sinners. We will always be sinners. But Christ took all of our sins to the cross, so that we may live eternally with Him – because we believe in Him – because we follow Him – because we have faith in Him.

God has declared us righteous through Christ Jesus. We didn’t earn it. We don’t deserve it. With undeserved kindness. With unmerited favor. With grace. With mercy. With love. Christ Jesus is God’s greatest gift to us – now and forevermore.

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