Author Archives: expressyourself4him

Passage of the Day:

The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘I am the Lord your God. ³ You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices. ⁴ You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the Lord your God. ⁵ Keep my decrees and laws, for the person who obeys them will live by them. I am the Lord. ⁶ “‘No one is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the Lord, Leviticus 18:1-6.

Reflection:

Leviticus 18 is one of the most sexually graphic chapters in the Bible. As God is preparing Moses, the spiritual leader of Israel, prior to entering the promised land of Canaan, a list is provided of all sexual acts to avoid. Like a concerned father trying to protect innocent children, God lays out forbidden sexual practices that were ongoing in certain cities and cultures. There was no internet, television clips or pornographic videos back in the days of Moses. However, Israeli adults likely encountered these acts the closer they got to Canaan. Prior to the creation of psychology, God knew that the images of forbidden sexual acts would be seared into human minds. This is why it’s important to keep your eyes free from the darkness of pornography.

Prayerful Action:

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,^[c] your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eyes are unhealthy,^[d] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” – Matthew 6:22-23

Setting Clear Boundaries to Live By:

A recent study revealed that over 200,000 Americans have confessed to being addicted to pornography. This number doesn’t reflect the thousands of individuals bombarded by pornographic images displayed at checkout counters, pop up ads on the internet and steamy shows on television using sexual content to get your attention. As pornographic content continues to push the envelope, the temptations are only going to get worse. During my final year of college, I opened up to a couple of friends about my own struggles which triggered a series of confessions about secret scars from each of our pasts. When it comes to overcoming pornography, you will likely need a minimum of two people to hold you accountable to setting clear boundaries to live by, so you’ll be able overcome a spirit of lust. While it might take time to find the right Christian who will understand your struggle, iron sharpens iron, Proverbs 27:17. This is the first step toward keeping your eyes free from the darkness of pornography.

Song of the Day:

Whenever a Christian is fighting a losing battle, the father of all lies, John 8:44, will put sinful thoughts into your mind. This is the context of Waiting on the Night Fall, hoping you fall back into the sinful practices of your past. May the words of today’s song inspire you to keep your eyes from the darkness of pornography.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

“‘I will set my face against any Israelite or any foreigner residing among them who eats blood, and I will cut them off from the people. ¹¹ For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.^[c] 12 Therefore I say to the Israelites, “None of you may eat blood, nor may any foreigner residing among you eat blood.” ¹³ “‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing among you who hunts any animal or bird that may be eaten must drain out the blood and cover it with earth, ¹⁴ because the life of every creature is its blood. That is why I have said to the Israelites, “You must not eat the blood of any creature, because the life of every creature is its blood; anyone who eats it must be cut off,” Leviticus 17:10-14.

Reflection:

Before turning His attention toward external actions in Leviticus 18, God informs Moses to be careful about what you consume. The chapters leading up to Leviticus 17 focus on what can make your body ceremonially unclean. While the emphasis here is to avoid eating meat which still contains blood, there are numerous unhealthy stimulants today that should be avoided. Growing up in New Jersey, products with caffeine and sugar were not made available to me. When my family moved to Delaware, junk food was allowed for special celebrations, but was limited most of the time. As a high school runner and swimmer, I was forced to eat healthy, manly to avoid cramping up. Now as an adult, advertisements, commercials and infomercials bombard me with sales pitches to try this or that. Although I tried coffee early on as a teenager, I’ve become a loyal consumer of soda and tea. Despite knowing that my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, I weekly fail to demonstrate temperance in what I consume. While I was successful early on in January participating in a Daniel Fast with fruits, vegetables and water, I’ve falling back into bad eating habits.

Prayerful Action:

Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. ² One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables, Romans 14:1-2.

Setting Clear Boundaries to Live By:

Every year, my commitment to the Lord fluctuates based upon the spiritual hunger deep inside my heart. From time to time, I’ll be convicted and moved to abstain from eating items with unhealthy stimulants. Yet, when I’m depressed, losing hope and troubled, I’ll find myself gouging an entire bag of chips and a couple of Pepsi’s before I realize what I’ve just consumed. These are the ebbs and flows of my faith journey. Rather than getting carried away like a legalistic Pharisee, it’s better to openly confess any wrong doings to the Lord, seeking help and direction for the future, James 5:16. Cutting out unhealthy stimulants from your life needs to be addressed one day at a time, relying on a significant other to guide and steer you toward a healthier life. Celebrate the little victories, one step at a time.

Song of the Day:

My high school swim coach introduced me to For Annie just before one of my teammates took his own life. As America finds itself in the middle of an Opioid Crisis, may the lyrics of today’s song open your eyes to reach out to a co-worker, friend or neighbor struggling with unhealthy stimulants that they are consuming their soul.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. ¹¹ For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹² If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, ¹³ their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. ¹⁴ If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames. ¹⁶ Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? ¹⁷ If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple, 1 Corinthians 3:10-17.

Reflection:

As a gullible child seeking self-approval from my peers, I found myself doing bad things to please others. I smoked my first and last cigarette at age 6, making the mistake of inhaling nicotine into my lungs. I stole golf balls from a local country club, picking stray shots in the rough before running under the highway along a shallow creek. After moving to Delaware, I began chewing tobacco for 2 years in Junior High School. I attended a high school with a smoking court and played golf against boys that smoked an entire pack over 18 holes. It wasn’t until I entered into a personal relationship with Jesus in 10th grade when I learned that my body was a temple of the Holy Spirit. While I was able to break free from my addiction to nicotine, I still fell short of honoring God, Romans 3:9-12.

Prayerful Action:

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; ²⁰ you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.

Setting Clear Boundaries to Live By:

As I began to grow in my faith, God brought Christian friends into my life who loved the Lord but couldn’t break free of smoking or vaping. At a local Methodist Church in Delaware, I hung out with a friend who was ashamed of his addiction before church, hiding outside in a hidden area between buildings. Although some Christians may be allergic to smoke, I feel like Jesus would love these individuals until conviction and desperation move them to preserve their bodies as a temple of God. While there are self-help options available today in the form of gums to rid addicts from nicotine, the power of prayer is the best way I know to preserve my body as God’s temple.

Song of the Day:

I few years ago I saw a drama team act out the lyrics to Everything. Using the words of Jesus in Matthew 11:28-30, may you learn to come to the feet of Jesus, at the altar, to lay down the burdens in your life too heavy to carry. As you throw off everything that is entangling your soul, may the Holy Spirit teach you how to preserve your body as a temple of God.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? ³⁰ Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine. ³¹ Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! ³² In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper.³³ Your eyes will see strange sights, and your mind will imagine confusing things.³⁴ You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging. ³⁵ “They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt! They beat me, but I don’t feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?” – Proverbs 23:29-35

Reflection:

Words like abstinence, moderation, self-restraint and teetotalism are often associated with temperance. Since the New Testament offers free will, Revelation 3:20, there is a fine line between abstinence and addiction. Depending upon your personality, upbringing and weaknesses, individuals tend to be susceptible to one or more addictive substances. This could range from alcohol, drugs, food, gambling, the internet, pornography, shopping, or other stimulants. Some of these have restrictions and state laws to limit abuse. Yet, high school students have found ways to get their hands on illegal substances for more than a hundred years. As drugs become more and more addictive, it might just take one moment of weakness to become addicted. This is why its a fine line between abstinence and addiction.

Prayerful Action:

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, Ephesians 5:18.

Setting Clear Boundaries to Live By:

I have an addictive personality. With this in mind, I knew that if I had one drink of alcohol, I probably wouldn’t stop until I was drunk. The first time I drank in my college dorm, I passed out. The second time I drank with friends in college, I had a hang over for 2 days. Finally, the third time I got drunk, I nearly died of alcohol poisoning at a friend’s wedding. When you experience what I did in 5 years, I chose abstinence over addiction. Unfortunately, some people never grasp the concept of going the right distance and no further as one drink opens the door to intoxication. This is where you need an accountability partner or friend to help you set clear boundaries to live by.

Song of the Day:

Some Christian songs don’t have a happy ending. Instead, the lyrics serve as a warning, preparing individuals for learning how to go the distance and no further. May Say a Prayer for Me Tonight inspire you to be a guiding light to friends struggling with the fine line between abstinence and addiction.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. ²⁶ “In your anger do not sin”^[d]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ and do not give the devil a foothold. ²⁸ Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. ²⁹ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you, Ephesians 4:25-32.

Reflection:

As a former high school teacher, I quickly learned that loose lips sink ships. In the heat of the moment, when emotions are high, displaying temperance takes complete control. As soon as you deviate from the Holy Spirit, Galatians 5:25, by following your fleshly desires, actions, behaviors and words, you’ll cause spiritual harm. This is why the apostle Paul provides a warning to one first century church. I had to learn the hard way my first couple of years in the classroom. These initially years were bumpy until God taught me the power of the Holy Spirit to think before you act or speak.

Prayerful Action:

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, ²⁰ because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. ²¹ Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you, James 1:19-21.

Setting Clear Boundaries to Live By:

I taught a Bible class to 7th graders for five years on the Book of Proverbs. While the initially curriculum was corny, there was one main theme that has stuck with me nearly 20 years later. Setting boundaries are designed to keep evil out of your life. Like a concerned parent seeking to keep their children away from the dangers in this world, these boundaries serve as a hedge of protection to keep you safe from harm. Yet, now as an adult, you have to mature, by grace through faith, so that you lead by example to think before you act.

Song of the Day:

When I went through my stage of trying to find Christian rock bands in college, Fighter was one of the first that I found. Although the lyrics are confusing at times, the title fits into the prayerful call to action. May today’s blog inspire you to be temperate in your speech and action.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. ² “My lords,” he said, “please turn aside to your servant’s house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning.” “No,” they answered, “we will spend the night in the square.” ³ But he insisted so strongly that they did go with him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast, and they ate. ⁴ Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom—both young and old—surrounded the house. ⁵ They called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.” ⁶ Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him ⁷ and said, “No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing, Genesis 19:1-7.

Reflection:

In the last few episodes of Seinfeld, Jerry, Elaine, George and Kramer are arrested and convicted of filming and watching a crime rather than intervening. While this aired 26 years ago, this sitcom has influenced society in a negative manner. Individuals more concerned with becoming the next social media influencer on TikTok or You Tube are emulating their favorite television characters. Subsequently, knowing when to say when has become a lost art, silenced by peer pressure. Despite living in sin plagued city of Sodom, even Lot knew when to speak up.

Prayerful Action:

Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction, 2 Timothy 4:2.

Setting Clear Boundaries to Live By:

I spent 6 months living and working in downtown Wilmington, Delaware. I served as the Summer Workcamp Coordinator working with local churches to set up mission trips and work projects. While I wasn’t that successful attracting youth groups to serve God in the inner city, I recall one Saturday when a playground was reclaimed from drug dealers and transformed into a safe haven for children to play. As teenagers spent the morning picking up trash, locals curiously watched from inside their homes. After lunch, concerned parents got involved, bringing this playground back from the dead. When someone stands up and declares, “enough is enough,” others will join this movement to make their neighborhood a safer place to live.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

We all have regrets in life which may be highlighted by the lyrics of Threshold of Regret. Yet, when things start to get out of control, don’t be afraid to raise your voice by urging others to stop before they do something they will regret.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; ² so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.” Abram agreed to what Sarai said. ³ So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. ⁴ He slept with Hagar, and she conceived. When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. ⁵ Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the Lord judge between you and me,” Genesis 16:1-5.

Reflection:

I grew up as a teenager when the sitcom Happy Days was in its prime. Rather than promoting one-night stands, Happy Days introduced me to the concept of going steady. This often involved giving a girlfriend your letter man’s jacket from high school as a sign of your commitment. In the earliest recorded relationships in the Bible, there wasn’t a book, marriage class or You Tube video to guide you in this endeavor. Unfortunately, couples learned through trial and error, living and learning together. When an individual was filled with a sense of desperation, poor choices were often made. Such is the case of Sarah, whose barren womb placed Abraham into a compromising position. If Abraham and Sarah defined specific boundaries early on to protect their marriage, the idea of giving Abraham Sarah’s maidservant Hagar to have a child would have never entered her mind. When boundaries aren’t defined, even Christians can wonder down the road that leads to destruction, Matthew 7:13-14.

Prayerful Actions:

It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; ⁴ that each of you should learn to control your own body^[a] in a way that is holy and honorable, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4.

Setting Clear Boundaries to Live By:

Whenever I visit historical sites on the east coast of the United States, I’m amazed at how strict English settlers were during the Colonization of America. Parents set clear boundaries in their households so that children knew what behavior was expected. There was no gray area so when a children stepped over the line, immediate rebukes and spankings would follow. If temperance is going the right distance and no further, boundaries must be established to maintain control, godliness and order. When adults start acting like amoral children, not knowing right from wrong, this is a clear signal that clear boundaries were never established and or consistently upheld.

Song of the Day:

If you ever wanted to start a small group Bible Study in your neighborhood, this would be a great song to use to break the ice. Each stanza of the lyrics to House of Their Dreams speak to the daily struggles you experience as a human being. May today’s blog inspire you to define boundaries in the relationships that you have in life.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem. ² One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, ³ and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” ⁴ Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.) Then she went back home. ⁵ The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant,” 2 Samuel 11:1-5.

Reflection:

All Christians will experience some sort of spiritual boredom in their lives. From a modern perspective, this may include staying up late scanning the internet or watching television. My neighbor’s mom warned me growing up of the boob tube, when you turn off your mind and veg in front of a television screen. As for King David, he decided to take a few months off of work. Rather than led the Israeli army off to war, David suddenly had plenty of idle time to explore. When you’re not where God wants you to be, poor choices often follow. Subsequently, a man after God’s own heart is about to do the unthinkable, commit adultery and murder. This is a byproduct of becoming too overconfident, thinking, “this could never happen to me.”

Prayerful Action:

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! ¹³ No temptation^[c] has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted^[d] beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,^[e] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it, 1 Corinthians 10:12-13.

Setting Clear Boundaries to Live By:

David’s son Solomon writes 4 times in the book of Proverbs “pride comes before the fall.” It’s unclear if the Holy Spirit revealed this spiritual truth or if Solomon’s father David passed on this important message. Regardless of the origins of this warning, pride blinds Christians from the reality of their spiritual condition. When you don’t have a friend, fellow believer or neighbor who is painfully honest with you, pride gives birth to overconfidence. Whatever your earthly job title may be, humble yourself before the Lord so that your trust remains in God, not in your own strength.

Song of the Day:

I was introduced to today’s song while spending my college summers living in Ohio. Thanks to a large Christian bookstore south of Cleveland, Send the Beggar quickly became one of my favorite groups. The next time you sense a spirit of over confidence filling your soul, watch out that you don’t become tangled with the error of sin.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, ⁷ and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!” ⁸ But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. ⁹ No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” ¹⁰ And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her. ¹¹ One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. ¹² She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house, Genesis 39:6-12.

Reflection:

Joseph is one of the most interesting characters in the Old Testament. After being spoiled as a child, Jospeh encounters a series of trials that would have broken most individuals. Despite being double crossed by his brothers and sold into slavery, Joseph worked his butt off to eventually become the caretaker of Potiphar’s estate. Rather than becoming full of himself, Joseph remained loyal to his earthly master. Despite daily attempts from Potiphar’s wife to lure him into temptation, Joseph displayed extreme measures of resistance that few Christians ever display or practice. When Joseph started to lose control, he simply fled from this tempting situation.

Prayerful Action:

Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. ¹⁹ Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; ²⁰ you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies, 1 Corinthians 6:18-20.

Setting Clear Boundaries to Live By:

While Moses doesn’t highlight this in Genesis 39, Joseph appears to always make sure that someone else was in Potiphar’s house with him at all times. Apparently, one of the servants or workers was normally inside of Potiphar’s home while Joseph was overseeing his estate. On this particular day, either the workers left early for the day or went outside to help the landscaping crew. Subsequently, the initial boundary established by Joseph was broken, opening the door for Potiphar’s wife to make a pass at him. In a letter to the Church at Corinth, 1 Corinthians 10:13, Paul urges Christians to always look for the way out of temptation. From Joseph’s perspective, running out of the house seemed like the only option to avoid giving into temptation.

Song of the Day:

There are certain songs that speak to your heart and open your mind to the reality of temptations that lurk around every corner in life. As you listen to the lyrics to slow fade, may you be moved to avoid taking a second glance so that the power of temptation over your body will be nullified.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, ⁷ or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. ⁸ Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong, 2 Corinthians 12:6-10.

Reflection:

As I was in church last week, the youth group praise team was singing How He Loves. As I was singing one of the stanzas, I was moved by the phrase “afflictions eclipsed by glory.” After the worship time ended, I began to contemplate, what does this really mean? As I started to journal Sunday afternoon, the Holy Spirit led me to the words of the apostle Paul in today’s featured passage. Just as maturity is made complete through trials, James 1:2-4, coping with afflictions to our bodies, minds and soul will lead Christians to temperance like the apostle Paul.

Prayerful Action:

I can do all this through him who gives me strength, Philippians 4:13.

Setting Clear Boundaries to Live By:

Staying positive when you experience times of afflictions can be difficult. Whether you’re recovering from an accident, illness or tragedy, you may find yourself struggling with a thorn in your flesh or soul. While human nature may tempt you to embrace misery, avoid any bickering or complaining, Philippians 2:14. Therefore, as your faith is refined by fire, 1 Peter 1:6-7, start setting clear boundaries to live by so that the Holy Spirit will lead you, Galatians 5:25, to go the right distance and no further.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

Every Christian has their own kryptonite, a weakness that the Devil is aware of, 1 Peter 5:8. Until Christians begin setting clear boundaries in their lives, beginning with dating and relationships, you won’t know when to say when. This is where temperance is conceived with the goal of keeping in step with the Holy Spirit daily.

by Jay Mankus