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Sunday Scripture

Greetings my friends. It’s Sunday August 02ND 2020, and this is the day that our LORD has made. Let us rejoice. Let us be glad in it. And let us celebrate this new day on our journey together.

I’m approaching my 14TH anniversary of the start of my salvation. It began during the 3RD week of August of 2006. To the naysayers once close to me who thought that this was merely a “passing fad” – well – this “passing fad” is getting ready to start a 15TH year. The truth is this: I’m on fire for my Lord + Savior Jesus Christ today more than yesterday, and tomorrow more than today. With each new day I’m moving forward – towards and closer to my God.

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands you sinners. Purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up in honor. (James 4:7-10 NLT)

Every so often I like to reminisce and remember where I was and what I was doing any number of years ago. I even have a regular weekly feature every Friday here on my blog called RETRO. As we progress further into our respective journeys it’s important to look back at where we came from – so that we know what we’re leaving behind to get to our ultimate destination in Heaven. I certainly don’t wish to return to where I was yesterday. We must be closer to God than we were a minute ago, an hour ago, a day ago, a week ago, a month ago, a year ago, and so forth. We must move away from the mud and the mire as we #CountUp to God.

This WordPress blog goes back to 2007 (nearly 1,800 posts). When I read some of my posts from the early years of my salvation I sometimes think to myself, “I’m so happy that I’ve matured since then.” And then there are those certain posts when I think to myself, “I loved what I wrote there. That’s still 100% on-point today.”

Such is the case with a gem from exactly 10 years ago this weekend. Under my banner “My Fantastic Journey: It’s In The Lyrics” I wrote about my upcoming 4TH anniversary of the start of my salvation. I also included Brandon Heath’s song and video “Give Me Your Eyes”.

Here is that post in its entirety – from Sunday August 01ST 2010:

As we begin this 8TH month of 2010 today I move a little closer to the remarkable 4-year / 48-month anniversary of my fantastic journey. It was the 3RD week of August of 2006 when my life as I knew it ended, and a new Life began. God rescued and saved me from evil and darkness. He told me to follow Him. He said that He would lead me towards the light of The Truth. He asked me to believe in Him. After more than 39 years of life on His Earth I finally did. I surrendered to Him. When the world around me rejected me God accepted me.

That’s exactly what He will do for you as well – if you would just let Him. When your friends abandon you. When the world rejects you. When you’re lonely. There’s a Kingdom all around you that’s more powerful than you can ever imagine. God will wait for you. When you’re ready –  He’s ready to lead you.

♫ Give me Your eyes for just one second
Give me Your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me Your love for humanity

Give me Your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me Your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me Your eyes so I can see ♫

It’s in the lyrics:

All rights reserved (c) 2020 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries

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Christian God Ministry Music Scripture

My Top 10 Hits – Week 180

Every Monday I post my all-new Top 10 Christian hit music chart based on personal preference and influenced by radio airplay. It’s the continuation of a weekly hobby that goes back 40+ years. Here it is – for the week ending Sunday July 26TH 2020:

TW LW WKS SONG TITLE ARTIST / SITE
1 1 11 No Impossible With You I AM THEY
2 2 11 The Father’s House Cory Asbury
3 3 7 You’ve Always Been Unspoken
4 4 15 Keep Me In The Moment Jeremy Camp
5 6 20 Alive & Breathing Matt Maher
6 5 11 Amadeo (Still My God) Ryan Stevenson
7 8 6 There Was Jesus Zach Williams Ft. Dolly Parton
8 9 3 Revolutionary Josh Wilson
9 10 2 Love God Love People Danny Gokey
10 – 1 Who You Are To Me Chris Tomlin Ft. Lady A

# 1 This Week In:
2019 – “Raise A Hallelujah” – Bethel Music
2018 – “Dream Small” – Josh Wilson
2017 – “Wonder” – Hillsong UNITED

My # 3 artist of the past 180 weeks – Chris Tomlin – scores his 5TH hit with his latest – “Who You Are To Me” – a Nashville collaboration with country group Lady A. It’s a song that’s breaking-out on Christian radio from coast-to-coast, and it has an excellent opportunity to crossover onto country radio as well. I’ll be monitoring that. I love when a song plays at multiple formats on the radio.

♫ You’re amazing – faithful – love’s open door
When I’m empty You fill me with hunger for more
Of Your mercy – Your goodness
Lord – You’re the air that I breathe
That’s who You are to me
Who You are to me ♫

The Afters fall off my chart after 26 weeks with their # 1 smash (for 6 weeks) – “I Will Fear No More”. It’s currently my # 5 hit overall out of 168 over the past 180 weeks.

This concludes another weekend of blog posts. I’ll do it again this upcoming weekend – 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. I’m also on Twitter and Flickr.

Be blessed my friends !  May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

All rights reserved (c) 2020 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries

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Bible Christian God Ministry Scripture

Sunday Scripture

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. (Colossians 4:5-6 NLT)

You know during the 21 years (1985-2006) that I was an adult as well as a non-believer / non-follower of Jesus Christ as God – I didn’t appreciate it when believers and followers – friends and strangers – approached me and told me that I would go straight to hell when I die if I didn’t come to God. I was not their equal. I was inferior to them because I didn’t know God, and they did. That’s what they made me think – even if they didn’t overtly come out and say that. I think they actually believed that. Their representation of God was one that I didn’t care to meet – ever.

They were not living (or speaking) wisely among us in the world. They blew their golden opportunity. Their conversation was not gracious or attractive. It was unkind if not hateful. Instead of winning a soul for Christ they were pushing me further away from Him. I wanted to run – not walk – far away from them.

Despite the work of the enemy – God still won the battle – and He rescued and saved me almost 14 years ago (in a few weeks).

I believe that in order to be effective and efficient evangelists – God’s Good News Messengers – which we are all called upon to do – we must be polite and respectful of the world out there. Don’t tell them that they are sinners. Don’t tell them that they are going straight to hell upon death. They don’t want to hear that from us. We’re all sinners. We’re no better than any of our neighbors – no matter who or what they believe or follow. We are all God’s creations. We are all created equal.

When the opportunity presents itself – tell them of the God that you know. Tell them of the God that you praise and worship. Tell them of the God that makes you happy. Tell them of the God that saved your life. You don’t need to be fancy about it. Just say what you know to be the Truth. Don’t force it on them. If they appear to be turning away from you then just show them God’s love. If they proceed to avoid you with every chance they get – then let them see the God in you via your actions. Some of the strongest evangelism occurs by doing rather than saying. Never give up on your neighbor.

You must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope – always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. (1 Peter 3:15-16a NLT)

All rights reserved (c) 2020 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries

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1990s Bible Career Christian Driving God Life Military Ministry Music Radio Scripture Travel Weather

My Top 5 Hits RETRO – 1990

Every 2ND, 3RD, and 4TH Friday of the month I post the Top 5 of one of my classic hit music charts based on personal preference and influenced by radio airplay from either 15, 20, or 30 years ago this weekend (rotating each week).

It’s the 4TH Friday of the month, so I go back 30 years ago. Here it is – for the week ending Sunday July 22ND 1990:

  1. “Don’t Go Away Mad … Just Go Away” – Motley Crue
  2. “The Cradle Of Love” – Billy Idol
  3. “Possession” – Bad English
  4. “She Ain’t Worth It” – Glenn Medeiros With Bobby Brown
  5. “King Of Wishful Thinking” – Go West

30 years ago this past week I completed a 2-week TDY. In military lingo a TDY is a temporary duty assignment that’s physically located somewhere away from your home station – usually for the purpose of training or deployment. I spent 2 weeks at Tyndall AFB near Panama City Florida. It was the wildest and craziest 2 weeks of the active duty portion of my military career.

I arrived on Saturday July 07TH 1990. 2 weeks / 10 days of training (related to my job) began on Monday July 09TH 1990 and ended on Friday July 20TH 1990. I returned home on Saturday July 21ST 1990. I drove a total of 1,687 miles from start to finish in my red 1989 Geo Spectrum. (Even back then I kept track of road-trip mileage.)

Me and one of my classmates (same age) discovered and explored (for the first time) Panama City Beach during the weekend break. We partied hard like it was 1990 and we were 23 years young. We hit up Spinnaker and Club La Vela. They were the hottest nightclubs on the beach for many years – located right next to each other. We went there both days / nights that weekend.

It was a rockin’ and rowdy weekend that I looked back at fondly for many years – until salvation began 16 summers later in 2006. That’s when I stopped celebrating it. That’s when I started repenting it.

But that wasn’t enough. I returned to Panama City Beach for 2 days and 2 nights leading up to Christmas Eve in 2010. The beach was cold and deserted. I was bundled up. I was back at the scene of the crimes. I walked the beach alone. I admired God’s beauty. I repented of my sins and I asked for forgiveness as I paced back-and-forth. I listened for God’s voice. Once I departed the beach on the morning of Christmas Eve I felt that I had finally closed that chapter of my life.

Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and He will again send you Jesus – your appointed Messiah. For He must remain in Heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through His holy prophets. (Acts 3:19-21 NLT)

I observe that weekend in July of 1990, but I don’t celebrate it anymore. I thank God for rescuing and saving me from destruction some 16 years later. That’s what I celebrate nowadays – especially each summertime. Next month I’ll celebrate 14 years of salvation. 

It’s halftime my friends. I’ll be back on Sunday and Monday with 2 more blog posts for this weekend. Enjoy your Saturday. Thanks for going RETRO with me !

All rights reserved (c) 2020 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries