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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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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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Bible Christian Church God Ministry Scripture

Sunday Scripture

Greetings my brothers and sisters – my friends and neighbors. It’s Sunday July 19TH 2020, and this is the day that our LORD has made. Let us rejoice. Let us be glad in it. And let us go in to God’s Word.

For about a year I preached about James – the half-brother of Jesus – James The Just. I preached 10 sermons from the Book of James. Good stuff. Good News. It was my first extended message series. I should do another one. Maybe in a few years.

So after James, and 1ST & 2ND Peter, and 1ST, 2ND, and 3RD John – comes Jude. Jude is right before the Book of Revelation at the end of the New Testament. And Jude – he was a brother of James – which means – he was a brother of Jesus. Like James – Jude did not believe and follow Christ during Christ’s short ministry. They just thought that He was a bit crazy. It wasn’t until after Christ rose from the dead – like He said He would – that James, Jude, and others became believers and followers of Christ. They became church leaders after that. The resurrection of Christ proved everything.

So Jude’s letter is a single chapter – with 25 verses. Jude warns us about false teachers in the early church, and how they lived their lives away from the church.

You know the modern church of today has false teachers and false prophets. We all have the capability of being a false teacher or a false prophet. It’s so easy to do. You know we become false prophets when we worry about something – when we allow fear to come in to our heart. We become false prophets when we prophecy on a future that our God does not have planned.

“I am so worried about this happening and that happening. I do not know what I am going to do to recover from that disaster, but I better come up with a plan. God help me with this plan. Show me the way !”  Meanwhile God is trying to tell you, “What disaster ?” (It’s all in your mind.)

We become false prophets when we waste time – when we waste energy – dwelling on something that’s not going to happen.

Sure bad things are going to happen to us along the way, but more bad things happen to us in our thoughts than actually occur in real life. Don’t let the enemy into your mind – into your heart. The enemy leaves less space for God to occupy your mind and your heart.

I like the ending of Jude’s letter. It’s an uplifting worship to our God.

Now all glory to God – who is able to keep you from falling away, and will bring you with great joy into His glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to Him who alone is God – our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are His before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time !  Amen. (Jude 1:24-25 NLT)

Whenever you have one of those days – where you think that you’re not good enough for God – or where you think that God isn’t there for you – or where you think that there’s something better for you in the world out there – look to that Scripture right there – those two verses from Jude. Only God has all of the glory – all of the majesty – all of the power – and all of the authority – then, now, and forever. That’s the God I believe. That’s the God I follow. That’s the God I trust. That’s the God who is overflowing with “Kindness & Love”.

Show that “Kindness & Love” to your brothers and sisters – to your friends and neighbors.

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

Categories
God

Life Pointe Church Sunday Morning Tossed Salad

Here are my takeaways in 15 words or less:

– Alex did a bang-up job on the drums during Praise & Worship.
– The whole band totally rocked God’s house this morning.
– The band seems to be multiplying.
– I counted 9 of them up on stage.
– We didn’t sing just to hear ourselves sing.
– We sang so that God would clearly hear us.
– Pastor Mike B. presented the teaching this morning.
– It was all about Perseverance.
– I must follow God’s will for my Life despite the world around me.
– I must run the race that is marked out for me by God.
– I must be persistent in praying to Him.
– I must ask, seek, and knock – and never give up.
– God wants to give me Goodness.
– God wants to change my mind, heart, and soul.
– God chose me when I was a sinner.
– I must get up again after I get knocked down.
– Satan wants to keep me down and out for the count.
– God wants me to rise above it all and continue moving forward.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NLT, 2ND Ed.)
16  That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.
17  For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever !
18  So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.