Author Archives: expressyourself4him

Passage of the Day:

But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. ⁵ You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. ⁶ So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. ⁷ For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. ⁸ But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. ⁹ For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁰ He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. ¹¹ Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing, 1 Thessalonians 5:4-11.

Reflection:

When my father passed away the Saturday after Mother’s Day, I received a rhema from God about funerals. Since I’m not sure if my father had a personal relationship with Jesus, I never want to attend another funeral for a family member where the hope of salvation is unknown. Although my father was a loyal member of the Roman Catholic Church, this doesn’t guarantee eternal life. The apostle Paul who helped found the Church in Rome made the requirements clear in Romans 10:9-11. The hope of salvation involves a personal belief and a verbal confession. Since faith is something that is kept private in many of the tradition churches, true believers won’t know for sure who is in heaven until they too shall pass. This is a bitter pill for me to swallow.

Prayerful Action:

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. ¹² Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. ¹³ I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life, 1 John 5:11-13.

Clinging to a Glimmer of Hope this Fall:

While the armor of God is described piece by piece in Ephesians 6:10-12, this isn’t the only passage where this spiritual armor is mentioned. In a letter to the Church at Thessalonica, Paul refers to the helmet of salvation as the hope of salvation. If the Devil is the author and father of all lies, John 8:44, minds need spiritual protection. Therefore, as you work out your salvation, Philippians 2:12, put on the helmet of salvation to protect your mind from the ways of the world, Romans 12:2.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

I grew up on the Michael English version of In Christ Alone. Thirty years later, the lyrics of this song point Christians toward the hope of salvation.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

“Yet if you devote your heart to him and stretch out your hands to him, ¹⁴ if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent,¹⁵ then, free of fault, you will lift up your face; you will stand firm and without fear.¹⁶ You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by.¹⁷ Life will be brighter than noonday, and darkness will become like morning.¹⁸ You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety.¹⁹ You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid, and many will court your favor. ²⁰ But the eyes of the wicked will fail, and escape will elude them; their hope will become a dying gasp,” Job 11:13-20.

Reflection:

Job grew up in a time where people attributed unfortunate events that happened to you as some form of punishment from God. When a series of trials stuck Job’s family, property and his own health, 3 friends came to speak with him. Each believed that Job and or one of his parents had sinned bringing the wrath of God upon him. Zophar came to Job, wanting him to confess his sins so that these curse-like events would cease. Yet, Job did nothing wrong so all he could do was to rest his hope in God.

Prayerful Action:

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. ⁸ Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil, Psalm 37:7-8.

Clinging to a Glimmer of Hope this Fall:

If you live in western North Carolina, perhaps you feel like Job, unsure why disaster has devastated this region. While some towns will try to rebuild, other towns have completely been wiped off the map via floods and landslides. When there is no one left to help, or no one can hear your cries, rest your hope in God. However, don’t be like the parable of a man who was sent a boat and helicopter, but refused as he was waiting for God Himself to arrive. Rest your hope in the Living God.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

As you wait for the whys to gain understanding for your current dilemma, listen for God’s still voice. May the Holy Spirit speak to your heart as you rest in the hope of God.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

What misery is mine! I am like one who gathers summer fruit at the gleaning of the vineyard; there is no cluster of grapes to eat, none of the early figs that I crave.² The faithful have been swept from the land; not one upright person remains. Everyone lies in wait to shed blood; they hunt each other with nets. ³ Both hands are skilled in doing evil; the ruler demands gifts, the judge accepts bribes, the powerful dictate what they desire— they all conspire together.⁴ The best of them is like a brier, the most upright worse than a thorn hedge. The day God visits you has come, the day your watchmen sound the alarm. Now is the time of your confusion.⁵ Do not trust a neighbor; put no confidence in a friend. Even with the woman who lies in your embrace   guard the words of your lips. ⁶ For a son dishonors his father, a daughter rises up against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law  a man’s enemies are the members of his own household.⁷ But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me, Micah 7:1-7.

Reflection:

The Old Testament is filled with accounts of hopeless times, often brought on by disobedience, ignorance and trials designed to test your faith. Following the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, survival is one of the positive aspects of this storm. As I continue to pick up of the pieces of fallen trees and limbs, I hope that power will be restored soon. Unfortunately, as assessments are being completed in Aiken County, the amounts of down power lines and electrical poles is prolonging this process. These circumstances have opened my mind to the words Micah, watching in hope for the Lord.

Prayerful Action:

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; ³¹ but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint, Isaiah 40:30-31.

Clinging to a Glimmer of Hope this Fall:

How you respond to everyday situations will influence your degree of hope. If a circumstance catches you off guard, you will likely respond, “God, why is this happening to me?” Meanwhile, Christians who have experienced much more difficult things in life tend to ask God, “what are you trying to teach me Lord?” As the leaves begin to change colors later this month, may the Holy Spirit inspire you to watch in hope for God daily.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

Waiting is one of the hardest things for me to do. Yet, in the waiting for God, watch in hope for God who has provided for others time after time.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

Then Moses went out and spoke these words to all Israel: ² “I am now a hundred and twenty years old and I am no longer able to lead you. The Lord has said to me, ‘You shall not cross the Jordan.’ ³ The Lord your God himself will cross over ahead of you. He will destroy these nations before you, and you will take possession of their land. Joshua also will cross over ahead of you, as the Lord said. ⁴ And the Lord will do to them what he did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, whom he destroyed along with their land. ⁵ The Lord will deliver them to you, and you must do to them all that I have commanded you. ⁶ Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” ⁷ Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. ⁸ The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged,” Deuteronomy 31:1-8.

Reflection:

As a former high school coach, I learned the hard way that I couldn’t invest all of my time on my current players. After going to back-to-back state tournaments, finishing 4th in my 4th year of coaching, I had to do a complete rebuild as I lost 3 of my top golfers and most of my reserves. After a couple of lean years, I became a recruiter at football and basketball games, trying to convince new athletes to try out for the golf team. Realizing that he would not enter God’s Promised Land, Moses began to mentor Joshua to become Israel’s next spiritual leader. Based upon Joshua’s own words, Moses was passionate about Israel’s future.

Prayerful Action:

“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go,” Joshua 1:7.

Clinging a to Glimmer of Hope this Fall:

Youth pastors across the county go through the same transitional period as coaches every 4 years. When a strong leader heads off to college, these teenagers are hard to replace. While there will also be various personalities within a same group setting, developing strong spiritual leaders requires time and energy. As I near retirement in 4 years, one of the callings I sense from the Holy Spirit is to invest in the lives of teenagers like my high school coaches and teachers poured their lives into me. When passion is absent from your life, it’s hard to become excited about anything. Yet, when passion is conceived, God can give you a vision and hope for future generations.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

In this day and age, without discipleship, churches continue to die. Therefore, may today’s devotion inspire you to become passionate with hope for future generations as a holy war continues in the spiritual realm.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. ² This is what the ancients were commended for. ³ By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. ⁴ By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. ⁵ By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.”^[a] For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. ⁶ And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him, Hebrews 11:1-6.

Reflection:

Today’s passage comes from the chapter known as the Bible’s Hall of Faith. This initial portion serves as an introduction, necessary qualities for the special recipients of this spiritual club. Although apostle Paul elevates charity, love in action above hope and faith, these 2 theological virtues often go hand in hand. Hope is a byproduct of faith. However, when doubt interrupts this spiritual union, James 1:6-8, hope and faith become a mere word without any substantial meaning. Perhaps, this is what led one first century leader to claim faith without deeds is dead.

Prayerful Action:

But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds, James 2:18.

Cling to a Glimmer of Hope this Fall:

Life is full of cycles where you draw close to God only to slide back into bad habits of selfishness. As a fairly new resident of South Carolina, I was excited to live in an area known as the Bible belt. Yet, being good, kind and nice only take you so far in life. Subsequently, when I was in need following the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, only one Christian neighbor put their faith in action, spending an entire afternoon helping me cut down 2 large trees that nearly landed on my roof. The next time you find yourself verbally telling a neighbor that you’ll help out, combine hope with faith so that your actions will demonstrate the love of Jesus in your neighborhood.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

Today’s song is one of the best illustrations of combining hope and faith. When a Christian demonstrates this through their actions, these followers become the hands and feet of Jesus.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength! ¹¹ Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. ¹² If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it?
  Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done? ¹³ Eat honey, my son, for it is good;  honey from the comb is sweet to your taste. ¹⁴ Know also that wisdom is like honey for you:  If you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off, Proverbs 24:10-14.

Reflection:

Today’s featured passage brings me back to my coaching days. I can recall times when my baseball team struggled to recover from one bad inning in the field which often cost us the game. When I addressed this team in the dugout between innings, heads were down, shoulders shrugged and the energy to fight back was gone. I wish I had a copy of the wise saying in verse 10 back then. Unfortunately, the first sign of adversity causes most Christians to run and hide rather than face conflict head on. If you want to grow in your faith like the earthly brother of Jesus, embrace every time of trouble as a means to mature spiritually. And when you do fail, place your hope in God for a fresh start.

Prayerful Action:

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. ⁶ But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind, James 1:5-6.

Clinging to a Glimmer of Hope this Fall:

Going back to my baseball speech, if you get a hit 3 out of every 10 at bats, you’re considered a great hitter. Subsequently, you have to develop a similar perspective when it comes to your spiritual life, Romans 3:9-12. If all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory, keep battling like a hitter in the middle of a long 0 for streak. When you do falter, bounce back by remembering the words of an Old Testament prophet, Lamentations 3:23. God’s offers a fresh start every morning. Therefore, don’t beat yourself by dwelling on all of your failures. Instead, place your hope in God’s promise to offer you a fresh start every morning.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

Some days seem longer than others, even though all days are 24 hours in length. Nonetheless, sometimes you have to let go of bad yesterday’s by turning your attention to the dawn of a new day.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you.²⁰ In the shelter of your presence you hide them from all human intrigues; you keep them safe in your dwelling from accusing tongues.²¹ Praise be to the Lord, for he showed me the wonders of his love  when I was in a city under siege.²² In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from your sight!” Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help. ²³ Love the Lord, all his faithful people! The Lord preserves those who are true to him, but the proud he pays back in full. ²⁴ Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord, Psalm 31:19-24.

Reflection:

As a former shepherd, David was forced to rely on the Lord when grass pastures dried up or when predators sought to devour one of his sheep. Another Psalm of David reveals his degree of hope, Psalm 18:33, trusting in the Lord with each step taken so that not even his ankles are twisted by the rocky terrain. As I still try to recover from the aftermath of Helene, I will not treat God any longer like a light switch that I turn on and off. Not having power for almost a week has taught me to trust God in the dark of night. This is what it means to place your hope in God.

Prayerful Action:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight, Proverbs 3:5-6.

Clinging to a Glimmer of Hope this Fall:

Taking shelter has a new meaning for me, running down the stairs to hide in our basement before Tropical Storm Helene passed. Rather than move to a secure location, David writes about taking spiritual shelter from life by placing your hope in God. Perhaps, David is referring to the time when he was forced to take shelter in the Cave Of Adullam, 1 Samuel 22, as King Saul sought to take David’s life. Whatever truly inspired the words of Psalm 31, don’t forget to take shelter in God this fall when future storms catch you off guard.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

One of the illustrations in the Old Testament compares God to the anchor of our faith. Therefore, whenever storms and trials enter your life, remember that God’s anchor still holds.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. ⁸ For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews^[b] on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed ⁹ and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing the praises of your name.”^{[c] 10} Again, it says, “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.”^{[d] 11} And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the peoples extol him.”^{[e] 12} And again, Isaiah says, “The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope.”^{[f] 13} 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, Romans 15:7-13.

Reflection:

I was one of many residents of the southeast impacted by Hurrican Helene. A tornado came through my neighborhood early Friday morning snapping one large tree in two and knocked down 4 other trees. Although I was scheduled to work, my wife Leanne talked me out of leaving the house. If I stubbornly left, I wouldn’t be here today to write about my experience, probably crushed by one of the thousands of trees that took out power lines, houses and cars in Aiken County. Despite being without power for days and likely another week without modern necessities that I have taken for granted, the God of hope has a new meaning for me this morning.

Prayerful Action:

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer, Romans 12:12.

Clinging to a Glimmer of Hope this Fall:

As a Roman citizen, I’m assuming the apostle Paul appreciated the newly established Church in Rome. As Paul continued to spread the good news about Jesus Christ daily, not everyone was excited or receptive to this message. As Paul was beaten, imprisoned and persecuted for fulfilling the Great Commission, Acts 1:8, Paul reminds first century Christians of the role that hope and prayer plays in daily life. One of my spiritual mentors in college once shared, “God doesn’t call us to be successful, but faithful to God’s calling.” When you have the opportunity to share, seize each day to tell this world about the God of hope.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

My struggles to sleep without central air or ceiling fan pale in comparison to what the apostle Paul endured. May the lyrics to The Struggle inspire you to cling to the God of hope this fall.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”^[b] Since we have that same spirit of^[c] faith, we also believe and therefore speak, ¹⁴ because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. ¹⁵ All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. ¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal, 2 Corinthians 4:13-18.

Reflection:

One of the themes throughout the New Testament of the Bible is the hope found in Jesus. Serving as an atoning sacrifice for sin in exchange for the free gift of eternal life, Romans 6:23. This passage is the inspiration behind the Bridge Illustration used in Evangelism Explosion. This analogy is designed to help good people realize that they can’t earn their way into heaven, Ephesians 2:8. According to the apostle Paul, while your earthly body gradually wastes away, hope is found in the promise of eternal life in heaven, 1 John 5:13. Therefore, don’t let present circumstance steal your joy for life, John 10:10. Rather, seize each new day God gives you with the hope of making spiritual progress.

Prayerful Action:

I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.²¹ Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Lamentations 3:20-21.

Clinging to a Glimmer of Hope this Fall:

Biblical hope is an optimistic state of mind fueled by expectations of positive outcomes grounded in the promises of God. Moses reminds the Israelites of this biblical truth in Deuteronomy 28:1-3 as obedience to God’s commands result in spiritual blessings. Although there is a modern belief that good guys finish last in today’s culture. Whenever I cling to God’s promises, my hope is strengthened by the thought of making spiritual progress daily as I walk with God.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

I know from experience how one bad day can rattle your soul and shatter your confidence. May the hope of making spiritual progress give you the strength to press on.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

But when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. ¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love, 1 Corinthians 13:10-13.

Reflection:

Mere Christianity is what introduced me to the concept of theological virtues. Reading this C.S. Lewis book for a Youth Ministry Trade School more than 30 years ago inspired curriculum for an 11th grade Bible class that I taught for a decade. However, within Lewis’ chapter entitled Theological Virtues, love is replaced with charity based upon the King James Version of the Bible. Subsequently, the final 3 months of 2024 will be devoted to hope, faith and charity. According to one of Jesus’ disciples, these 3 virtues can only be accessed by the power of the Holy Spirit, 2 Peter 1:3-4.

Prayerful Action:

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. ⁴ Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires, 2 Peter 1:3-4.

Clinging to a Glimmer of Hope this Fall:

One of the most profound statements made by C.S. Lewis is “success is the process of arriving.” Like David after slaying Goliath, Moses parting the Red Sea and Elijah calling fire down from heaven, human nature has a way of convincing individuals that they’ve arrived. Yet, the words of King Solomon provide a serious warning, “pride comes before the fall.” So where does hope, come into play? As the apostle Paul writes in a letter to the Church at Corinth, hope is found in the process of arriving. If 2024 has caused you to fall back into bad habits, Christian maturity takes time. May hope and faith come together to form belief so that one day you will put childish ways behind you.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

Hope or a lack of hope can be the difference between success and failure. May the lyrics of today’s song provide a glimmer of hope to rest upon this fall.

by Jay Mankus