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Bible Christian Church God Ministry Scripture

Sunday Scripture

Pastor Bob's Easter 2019 Sermon

On this day I observed and celebrated my 13TH Easter Sunday with my brothers and sisters of my church family. Before salvation Easter was just another day of the year. After salvation it’s the most important day of the year – and the reason why I exist today.

As the Bible says in the Gospel According to Mark – Chapter 16 (1-7):

Saturday evening – when the Sabbath ended – Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went out and purchased burial spices so they could anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on Sunday morning – just at sunrise – they went to the tomb. On the way they were asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb ?” But as they arrived – they looked up and saw that the stone – which was very large – had already been rolled aside.

When they entered the tomb – they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side. The women were shocked, but the angel said – “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth – who was crucified. He isn’t here !  He is risen from the dead !  Look – this is where they laid His body. Now go and tell His disciples – including Peter – that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see Him there – just as He told you before He died.”

HE IS RISEN !  HE IS RISEN – INDEED !  The Lord has really risen !  He appeared to Peter. (Luke 24:34). He was seen by the Twelve, and the more than 500 of His followers at the time, and by James (the half-brother of Jesus), and by all the apostles, and by Paul. (1 Corinthians 15:5-8)

Today we join our brothers and sisters in Christ – God’s children – all across this great nation of ours – and all around the world – nearly 2½-billion Christians – as we observe and celebrate the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ – our Lord and Savior.

We join our brothers and sisters of this global church family on this Easter Sunday, but we know that every waking moment of every new day is a renewed celebration of Christ conquering the grave, and rising from the dead, and giving us life.

HE IS RISEN !  HE IS RISEN – INDEED !  And since He is risen – we have risen from where we once had been.

See Jesus keeps His promises – then and now. He does what He says He is going to do. He is who He says He is. He is risen. He is risen – indeed. He is alive. He sits on the throne of Heaven. He is the King of Kings. He is the Lord of Lords. He gives us life. He breathes life onto our dry bones. Breath of God – breathe on us !  He makes all things new. He gives us hope. He gives us purpose. He makes us vessels of vibrant living waters.

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

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Christian God Ministry Music Radio

The Major’s Top 5 Hits RETRO – 2008

Every Friday night I post the Top 5 of one of my classic hit music charts based on personal preference from either 10, 20, or 30 years ago (rotating each week). Here it is – for the week ending Sunday December 07TH 2008:

  1. “Maps” – Falling Up
  2. “Outrage” – Capital Lights
  3. “I Give Up” – Stellar Kart
  4. “Sure Shot” – Run Kid Run
  5. “Say What You Will” – Ever Stays Red

“Maps” was the 6TH of 7 hits for Falling Up during the latter portion of the 2ND era of my chart. It spent the entire month of December of 2008 at # 1, and it was the middle of 3 straight # 1 hits for them in 2008 and 2009.

The word “Maps” does not appear in the song. Here’s the chorus:

The further I’m from you – the harder I try to exist.
Take these blinds from my eyes, and wake me from the inside.
Somebody tell me how did it come to this ?
Take these blinds from my eyes, and wake me – wake me from the inside.

Sounds like my story from the Summer of 2006 – just prior to salvation. I was far from God. I didn’t even know Him. But God knew me. He saw me struggling. He extended His hand. I reached for it. He rescued me. He saved me. He asked me to follow Him. I did. He took the blinds from my eyes. He woke me from the inside. Thank You God for saving my life !

God can do the same for you too. Here are two more lines from the song “Maps”:

Further out – maybe You could meet me where I am.
Further out – I know there is hope within Your hands.

God will meet you wherever you are. You are not too far away from the reach of God. If you’re not ready yet – then God will wait for you. He will be there for you when you are ready. It’s not too late to receive Him, as long as you are still living here on His creation. There is hope within His Hands.

It’s halftime. I’ll be back on Sunday and Monday with my remaining two blog posts for this weekend. Enjoy your Saturday. Thank You for your time.

All rights reserved (c) 2018 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries.

Categories
Bible Christian God Ministry Music Radio Scripture

The Major’s Top 5 Hits RETRO – 2008

Every Friday night I post the Top 5 of one of my classic hit music charts based on personal preference from either 10, 20, or 30 years ago (rotating each week). Here it is – for the week ending Sunday September 14TH 2008:

  1. “Sleeping In” – Nevertheless
  2. “Closer Than We Think” – The Classic Crime
  3. “All My Balloons” – Children 18:3
  4. “Shine With Me” – P.O.D.
  5. “This Is A Warning” – Dizmas

On this day 10 years ago it was a Sunday, and I wrote right here on this blog about the kickoff of our church’s 3-service schedule at 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00. “As it turns out all three services were solid as a rock and rather evenly distributed in attendance. Flagship Cinemas dreams of the number of people that we had in their building this morning during the regular work and school week.” (Our church met in our town’s movie theatre at the time, and I made light of the fact that our movie theatre was struggling. It still is, but it’s still in business showing first-run movies.)

Look what else this Christian of 2 years at the time wrote on his blog 10 years ago:

“God sees the whole picture. He is the only one who does. That is why He does things His way for His reasons in His own time. It is fine to question God at any time. In fact it is beneficial to do so. That is what a deeply-committed believer in Him does. It’s one who expresses questions for God and faith in Him simultaneously.”

That’s some Good News right there.

This weekend I’ll be mostly Bible-studying and sermon-writing. I’m writing two sermons simultaneously – one on James 4 and one on Genesis 4 – and I’m building a foundation for a 3RD sermon. May you have a weekend of fun, good times, and Good News. I’ll be back on Sunday with Scripture.

Categories
Christian God Ministry Music Radio

The Major’s Top 5 Hits RETRO – 2008

Every Friday night I post the Top 5 of one of my classic hit music charts based on personal preference from either 10, 20, or 30 years ago (rotating each week). Here it is – for the week ending Sunday August 24TH 2008:

  1. “Closer Than We Think” – The Classic Crime
  2. “Out Of Control” – Capital Lights
  3. “Shine With Me” – P.O.D.
  4. “Sleeping In” – Nevertheless
  5. “You Have What I Need” – Hawk Nelson

10 years ago this past week I was celebrating the 2ND anniversary of the start of my salvation, and those were the hottest radio hits at the time.

“Sleeping In” by Nevertheless went on to hit # 1 on my chart 3 weeks later, so that’s a spoiler right there for the next time I present my Top 5 from 2008. I absolutely love this song – probably more so now than I did back then. I love the message of the song. I love the beat of the song. It is one of the greatest Christian pop songs in the entire 12-year history of my fantastic journey.

… And it’s got me sleeping in.
Every day God. It’s the same thing.
Yeah you caught me sleeping in.
I’m still hiding. I’m still waiting.
I need you here with me to face the world outside.
Cause I’m tired of sleeping in …

But you – lazybones – how long will you sleep ?
When will you wake up ?  (Proverbs 6:9 NLT)

It’s halftime. I’ll be back on Sunday with Scripture, and then on Monday it’s my brand new Top 10 music chart. Enjoy your Saturday. Don’t get caught sleeping in.