Category: Ministry

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Christian God Ministry Music Radio

The Major’s Top 10 Hits – Week 81

Every Monday night I post my all-new Top 10 Christian hit music chart based on personal preference. Here it is – for the week ending Sunday September 02ND 2018:

  1. “Who You Say I Am” – Hillsong Worship [# 1 last week / 6TH week on chart]
  2. “Do It Again” – Elevation Worship [2 / 18TH]
  3. “Grace Got You” – MercyMe [3 / 22ND]
  4. “Everything” – TobyMac [4 / 4TH]
  5. “Known” – Tauren Wells [5 / 4TH]
  6. “Surrounded (Fight My Battles)” – Michael W. Smith [- / 1ST]
  7. “You Say” – Lauren Daigle [- / 1ST]
  8. “Only Jesus” – Casting Crowns [- / 1ST]
  9. “Wherever I Go” – Dan Bremnes [9 / 9TH]
  10. “Even Then” – Micah Tyler [10 / 3RD]

It’s Week 81 overall and the 15TH and final week of the Summer of 2018. I’m taking all 15 weekly hit music charts, all 24 hits, and putting them through the ole number cruncher (Excel spreadsheet). Tomorrow on a special Tuesday blog entry I’ll be presenting the Top 10 hits of the entire summer from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day Weekend here in the U.S.

Now back to this week where Michael W. Smith (he turns 61 next month) scores his first Top 10 smash on my chart in 27 years. “Place In This World” was a huge smash on Mainstream Top 40 radio during the Summer of 1991. In fact it finished as the # 13 hit of the entire summer (on my end-of-summer chart for that year).

Almost 5 years ago I saw Michael W. Smith LIVE in concert here in South Florida. He performed at the same event as Switchfoot, Israel & New Breed, and Mandisa. I would love to see him again.

Here he is with his new smash, “Surrounded”.

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Bible Christian God Ministry Scripture

Sunday Scripture

I’ve begun writing my 22ND sermon – the 19TH of which will be preached to my church family sometime soon. (I’ve actually written 3 sermons that I’ve determined aren’t ready to be preached – for various reasons.)

My new sermon that I started writing yesterday is titled “War & Peace”, and it’ll likely be based on James 4:1-10. It continues my message series on the Book of James which I started in February. (This will be my 9TH sermon in this series.)

Here are 3 working paragraphs that I’ve written thus far based on James 4:1:

… Fast forward not quite 2,000 years into the future. It’s 2018. What do we have in the world today ?  We have Christians inside God’s Kingdom who look and act no different than non-Christians of the world. We have churches squabbling internally about silly things. We have megachurches looking down on small churches as irrelevant. We have small churches chastising megachurches as secular or worldly. We have churches competing with each other instead of uniting with one another. We have religions and denominations – and their respective rules – working against each other. We have church leaders preaching on how much we sin – and how much the world sins – as they get caught in years of sin.

No wonder non-believers and non-followers of Christ walk away from us instead of towards us. The hard truth is that many of our neighbors out there love God, but they don’t care too much for His followers – because of what they hear and see from us. I speak from personal experience here. I felt that way up until 12 years ago. I’ve always believed in God’s existence. Even when I didn’t follow Him – I’ve always believed that He existed. But I didn’t care so much for His people and for His churches. That is – until I became His follower – and then 5 months later – became part of His church family.

In my first year on this fantastic journey I fell in love with God – first – before family – before friends – before the workplace. Once I joined a church family I discovered that God commanded me to love everyone – genuinely – believers and non-believers alike. I don’t think that a lot of our neighbors out there know that we love them – and that God loves them – unconditionally – eternally …

Categories
Christian God Ministry Music Radio

The Major’s Top 10 Hits – Week 80

Every Monday night I post my all-new Top 10 Christian hit music chart based on personal preference. Here it is – for the week ending Sunday August 26TH 2018:

  1. “Who You Say I Am” – Hillsong Worship [# 1 last week / 5TH week on chart]
  2. “Do It Again” – Elevation Worship [3 / 17TH]
  3. “Grace Got You” – MercyMe [4 / 21ST]
  4. “Everything” – TobyMac [5 / 3RD]
  5. “Known” – Tauren Wells [7 / 3RD]
  6. “The Breakup Song” – Francesca Battistelli [6 / 7TH]
  7. “Dream Small” – Josh Wilson [2 / 13TH]
  8. “Heaven On Earth” – Stars Go Dim [8 / 6TH]
  9. “Wherever I Go” – Dan Bremnes [9 / 8TH]
  10. “Even Then” – Micah Tyler [10 / 2ND]

We’ve made it to Week 80 of this current Christian pop era of my personal hit music chart – mostly inspired by Positive & Encouraging K-LOVE. (Occasionally I tune-in to The Message on SiriusXM.)

Top 3 Highlights:  Elevation Worship’s “Do It Again” spends its 15TH non-consecutive week in my Top 3. MercyMe’s “Grace Got You” is now the # 1 smash in the entire 80-week rebirthing of my chart.

Tauren Wells reaches my Top 5 for the first time ever. Tauren describes his hit in this way – “Known” was inspired by a quote from Timothy Keller that says “to be loved and not known is comforting but superficial. To be known but not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and fully loved is a lot like being loved by God.” It is amazing to me that God could see me in my entirety and love me fully. That is ridiculous grace – as the song says – and yet He loves me so much that He confronts me with His truth so that I can become more like Him. That is very special.

This concludes my 4 blogs this weekend. I’ll be back next weekend with all-new blogs on Thursday, Friday, Sunday, Monday, and a special blog on Tuesday. 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 win souls for Christ. Enjoy this week. Love God’s children just as He loves you unconditionally.

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Bible Christian God Ministry Music Scripture

Sunday Scripture

10 years ago I was a fan of the band Children 18:3. They are still around today after 20 years. They are a hardcore Christian punk band (not suitable for everyone) that rocked my face off during the early part of my fantastic journey – back when I was a baby Christian in my early-40s. (Nowadays I listen to slower more mellower Christian pop music. See K-LOVE.)

Children 18:3 music figured prominently in a recent rare nap that I enjoyed on my living room couch. The siblings (2 brothers and a sister) got their name from Matthew 18:3:

Jesus said, “I tell you the truth. Unless you turn from your sins and become like little children – you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven …

Matthew 18:4 continues on:

… So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Just before my recent rare nap that I enjoyed I had finished writing my next sermon that I hope to preach to my church family soon titled, “Humble & Gentle”. (It’s based on James 3:7-18 which continues my year-long message series on the Book of James.)

If you read today’s daily devotional in Upper Room – it’s based on – that’s right – Matthew 18:3.

Coincidences ?  No. God doesn’t do coincidences. God’s work is always intentional. On this day God reminded me that I will always be a child of God – no matter how old I am – no matter how many years I’ve been rescued and saved by God. My brothers and sisters. Believers, followers, disciples, teachers, and leaders – we are all children of God – and Our Father – who art in Heaven – is watching over us at all times from up above. As long as we’re here on Earth walking, talking, and breathing – may we always see the world around us through the eyes of a child – never judging – always loving. May we always be “Humble & Gentle”.