Author Archives: expressyourself4him

Passage of the Day:

Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord: “I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea,² “The Lord is my strength and my defense^[a]; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. ³ The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name. ⁴ Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he has hurled into the sea. The best of Pharaoh’s officers are drowned in the Red Sea.^[b]5 The deep waters have covered them; they sank to the depths like a stone. ⁶ Your right hand, Lord, was majestic in power. Your right hand, Lord, shattered the enemy. ⁷ “In the greatness of your majesty you threw down those who opposed you. You unleashed your burning anger; it consumed them like stubble. ⁸ By the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up. The surging waters stood up like a wall; the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea. ⁹ The enemy boasted, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake them. I will divide the spoils; I will gorge myself on them. I will draw my sword and my hand will destroy them.’ ¹⁰ But you blew with your breath, and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters. ¹¹ Who among the gods is like you, Lord? Who is like you—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? ¹² “You stretch out your right hand, and the earth swallows your enemies ¹³ In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling. ¹⁴ The nations will hear and tremble; anguish will grip the people of Philistia. ¹⁵ The chiefs of Edom will be terrified, the leaders of Moab will be seized with trembling, the people^[c] of Canaan will melt away; ¹⁶ terror and dread will fall on them. By the power of your arm they will be as still as a stone—until your people pass by, Lord, until the people you bought^[d] pass by. ¹⁷ You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance—the place, Lord, you made for your dwelling, the sanctuary, Lord, your hands established. ¹⁸ “The Lord reigns for ever and ever.” ¹⁹ When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen^[e] went into the sea, the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. ²⁰ Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing. ²¹ Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea,” Exodus 15:1-21.

Reflection:

Song writing is usually reserved for artists, musicians and professionals. However, what today’s featured passage teaches us is that when you are moved by a special moment in life, inspiration may come to you in the form of a song. As Moses and the Israelites witness God do the impossible, holding back one portion of the Red Sea as the other fell upon the Egyptian army, words flowed from their mouths. Rather than remain stoic, it’s important to celebrate the miracles that God performs in the lives of Christians.

Prayerful Action:

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand, Psalm 16:11.

Retracing Your Steps:

I knew nothing about song writing when I was offered a teaching position at a boarding school in West Virginia. As the semester came to an end, the beauty of the Monongahela National Forest combined with teaching poetry conceived a desire to dabble in music. Before 1994 came to an end, I went on to compose an album entitled A Simple Confession. This writing journey began when I started to celebrate the miracles that God was doing in my life.

Song of the Day:

The lyrics of Ellie Holcomb’s song reminds Christians that our lives might face unprobeable roads like the Israelites facing the Red Sea. May the Bible provide light for your path as you go through your own Red Sea Road.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt. ² In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. ³ The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death,” Exodus 16:1-3.

Reflection:

Forty-five days after witnessing the miracle of the parting of the Red Sea, Israel forgot God’s power to alter their situation. Rather than using this miracle as a spiritual turning point in their lives, the Israelites began to complain to one another about the harsh conditions of traveling through a desert. Instead of having an individual stand up and profess, “if God can part the Red Sea, providing food and water will be much easier,” no one chose to be optimistic. Rather than make their situation better, grumbling and complaining only made matters worse.

Prayerful Action:

Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling, 1 Peter 4:9.

Retracing Your Steps:

Sometimes a person at work alters how you see your employer. When you allow yourself to become surrounded by negative people, sooner or later you’ll join in, Psalm 1:1-2. You may even over-react, tempted to quit your job because of low morale. However, one of Jesus’ disciples calls Christians to be hospitable even if everyone else is constantly bickering and complaining. While it’s important to be real and genuine to others, choose to make your situation better, not worse.

Song of the Day:

Kenny Marks was one of the first Christian artists to address the subject of divorce in his music. The lyrics to the Next Time You See Johnny shows how a little boy misses his father. While divorces often result in messy situations, lean on the power of prayer to help your make your crisis’s in life better, not worst.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.² I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High. ³ My enemies turn back; they stumble and perish before you.⁴ For you have upheld my right and my cause, sitting enthroned as the righteous judge.⁵ You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked; you have blotted out their name for ever and ever. ⁶ Endless ruin has overtaken my enemies, you have uprooted their cities; even the memory of them has perished. ⁷ The Lord reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment. ⁸ He rules the world in righteousness and judges the peoples with equity. ⁹ The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.¹⁰ Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you, Psalm 9:1-10.

Reflection:

I was introduced to the concept of trust by my high school youth group. During an Ice-Breaker, I volunteered to stand on the stage in our gym. However, when I fell backwards with my eyes blindfolded, I was forced to trust a group of teenagers who caught me with their arms. Rather than stand straight up, I gently leaned backwards, unsure if my peers would keep me from harm. In today’s Psalm, David is confident that God will take care of him. While we all have doubts, placing your full trust in God, Proverbs 3:5-6, is a sign of faith and maturity.

Prayerful Action:

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: ⁶ He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun, Psalm 37:5-6.

Retracing Your Steps:

Depending upon how you were raised and the various situations that you have encountered in life, you may struggle with trust. Typically, this is due to spiritual scars from your past like being abandoned, constantly disappointed or having people in your life continue to let you down by failing to do what they promised. Since everyone has a story for why they behave and do what they do, trusting in God may take months or years. Nonetheless, God promises to bless those you take a leap of faith backwards into the Lord’s invisible hands.

Song of the Day:

Today’s song comes from one of my favorite bands that I discovered in the dollar bin years ago. The lyrics of I Believe You serves as a turning point in your faith journey. To those who reach this level of trust experience a new confidence and sense that God will take care of all your needs.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. ²³ When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.^[f]) ²⁴ So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?” ²⁵ Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became fit to drink. There the Lord issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test. ²⁶ He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.” ²⁷ Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water, Exodus 15:22-27.

Reflection:

Any eyewitness of a miracle usually spiritually propels Christians for an extended period of time. However, when the memory of this miracle fades from minds, replaced by a current trial, the second guessing of God commences. This is the context of today’s passage as Israel’s celebration of God’s parting of the Red Sea had come to an end, 45 days later. Dying of thirst, God provides what I call the Three Pre-Commandments. God gives Israel 3 instructions to follow: carefully listen to God, do what’s right in the Lord’s eyes and pay attention to ALL of the commands uttered by God.

Prayerful Action:

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says, James 1:22.

Retracing Your Steps:

Anyone can listen to a person talking. However, actually remembering what someone is saying requires concentration, desire, and focus. If the leaders of Israel applied what the Lord said at Elim, there would have been no need for Ten Commandments. Meanwhile, their forty-year journey in the wilderness to the promised land of Canaan would have taken less than a year to reach. This is a prime example of merely listening to God without taking any actions.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

Although Easter Sunday has passed for this year, the lyrics of Watch the Lamb serve as a daily reminder of what happened nearly 2,000 years ago on Good Friday. May today’s devotion inspire you to increase your abilities to listen to God in 2024.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

The Lord heard you when you spoke to me, and the Lord said to me, “I have heard what this people said to you. Everything they said was good. ²⁹ Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever! ³⁰ “Go, tell them to return to their tents. ³¹ But you stay here with me so that I may give you all the commands, decrees and laws you are to teach them to follow in the land I am giving them to possess.” ³² So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. ³³ Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess, Deuteronomy 5:28-33.

Reflection:

Since I started reading the Old Testament from the beginning of last year, I discovered a theme in Genesis. Enoch, Noah and Abraham each habitually walked with God. Prior to introducing the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20, walking with God appears to be God’s desire for His followers. As Moses writes the Book of Deuteronomy, reminding Israel of God’s commands, walking with God involves obedience to God’s commands, decrees and precepts. In the New Testament, the apostle Paul adds to walking with God by keeping in step with the Holy Spirit, Galatians 5:25.

Prayerful Action:

I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.¹⁰⁵ Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path, Psalm 119:104-105.

Retracing Your Steps:

If the Bible serves as a lamp for the feet of Christians, sometimes you have to retrace your steps to get back to where the Lord wants you to be. Since Jesus provides the imagery of a narrow path which leads to eternal life in Matthew 7:13-14, you’ll likely lose your way in life. If sin in the form of bad choices separates Christians from God, Isaiah 59:2, retracing your steps is essential to finding your way back to this less traveled path.

Song of the Day:

The Less Traveled Road is a fitting way to end the call to walk with God in 2024. While staying on this narrow path isn’t easy and can be lonely, pointing others in the right direction toward the light of Jesus is a worthy calling to embark upon.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. ¹⁴ As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. ¹⁵ But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; ¹⁶ for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”^{[a] 17} Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. ¹⁸ For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. ²⁰ He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. ²¹ Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. ²² Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart, 1 Peter 1:13-22.

Reflection:

Purify refers to removing contaminants from someone or something. From a spiritual perspective, purifying your soul involves the drastic steps called for by the apostle Paul in Colossians 3:5-9. When the sinful nature is allowed to control, dictate and rule your life, there is no place for the Holy Spirit to dwell. Romans 8:5-8 describes this battle for your mind and soul as the human flesh and Holy Spirit are in direct conflict to one another. The key to winning this spiritual battle is to remember the obligation Christians have to God’s Spirit.

Prayerful Action:

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of^[e] his Spirit who lives in you. ¹² Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. ¹³ For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, Romans 8:11-13.

Refreshing Your Soul:

One of Jesus’ disciples puts purifying your soul into much clearer terms, 1 John 1:5-7. The key to purifying your soul is to habitually walk with God. However, when you do stumble and fall, be honest by confessing your shortcomings, James 5:16. Anyone who deviates from John’s instructions is simply living in darkness and not walking in the light.

Song of the Day:

Purifying your soul is similar to the sanctification process, taking a lifetime to complete. There will be ebbs and flows in this life from obedience to disobedience. Confess when you fall short of God’s glory and strive to habitually walk with God. Purifying your soul is a journey of faith, living one day at a time.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

I love you, Lord, my strength. ² The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield^[b] and the horn^[c] of my salvation, my stronghold. ³ I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies.⁴ The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.⁵ The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. ⁶ In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears, Psalm 18:1-6.

Reflection:

Sometimes I find myself in survivor mode, tired and weary, just hoping that God gives enough strength tp get through a day or week. This is the context of the beginning of David’s Psalm, written after the Lord delivered David from the hand of Saul. While everyone has bigger dreams and goals in life, sometimes making through a difficult stretch of trials is enough to please your soul.

Prayerful Action:

For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.⁷ He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,⁸ for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.⁹ Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path.¹⁰ For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul, Proverbs 2:6-10.

Refreshing Your Soul:

For control freaks and the stubborn, taking advice from someone else is difficult. Yet, when the Lord gives you the answers to solve whatever problem you’re dealing with, this acquired knowledge will be pleasing to your soul. Unfortunately, many Christians are like the Israelites traveling to God’s promised land, walking in circles for 40 years. May King Solomon’s words open your mind to the possibilities as well as encourage your soul.

Song of the Day:

Sometimes Christians can find yourselves living double lives, dangling with one leg on each side of the spiritual fence. If you want to please your soul and avoid a lukewarm faith, take the spiritual plunge by not looking back on your past.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! ² My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.³ Even the sparrow has found a home,  and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young—a place near your altar, Lord Almighty, my King and my God. ⁴ Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.^{[c] 5} Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.⁶ As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools.^[d]7 They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion. ⁸ Hear my prayer, Lord God Almighty; listen to me, God of Jacob.⁹ Look on our shield,^[e] O God; look with favor on your anointed one.¹⁰ Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. ¹¹ For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. 12 Lord Almighty blessed is the one who trusts in you, Psalm 84:1-11.

Reflection:

My friend from college was in a Christan band called Surrender 18. This name was inspired by the physiological fact that the head and human heart are separated by 18 inches. This mere foot and a half is the difference between spending eternity in heaven from spiritual damnation in hell. One of the Sons of Korah echoes a previous analogy in Psalm 42:1, “as a deer panting for water so my soul longs for the Lord.” This is what I mean by fulfilling your soul’s spiritual longing.

Prayerful Action:

On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. ³⁸ Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them,” John 7:37-38.

Refreshing Your Soul:

According to John 7:39, Jesus is speaking about the promise of the Holy Spirit, John 16:13. As Jesus preaches the Sermon on the Mount, specifically Matthew 6:33, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will fulfill the longing of their soul. Yet, this is easier said than done as the human flesh serves as a constant distraction in life, Galatians 5:16-17. May today’s blog inspire you to overcome the doubts that exist in your mind to find belief in your heart, Romans 10:9-11.

Song of the Day:

The lyrics of Manner of Man by In Reach highlight the human condition of mankind. May today’s song and verses inspire you to fulfill the spiritual longing of your soul.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for the Lord, and he will avenge you. ²³ The Lord detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him. ²⁴ A person’s steps are directed by the Lord.  How then can anyone understand their own way? ²⁵ It is a trap to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider one’s vows. ²⁶ A wise king winnows out the wicked;   he drives the threshing wheel over them. ²⁷ The human spirit is^[a] the lamp of the Lord that sheds light on one’s inmost being, Proverbs 20:22-27.

Reflection:

Psychological evaluations are typically required when an employee endures or suffers a traumatic event during their shift at work. Psyche evals are a common practice for law enforcement when agents, detectives or officers are shot or witness a death. Yet, in this age of mental health awareness, I have never heard someone suggest an individual undergo a soul evaluation. King Solomon lays out a series of hypothetical situations that you might find yourself in. Yet, at the end of this passage, Solomon points out how the Lord sheds light on one’s inmost being, your soul.

Prayerful Action:

Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. ¹⁴ Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. ¹⁵ Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. ¹⁶ Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers, 1 Timothy 4:13-16.

Refreshing Your Soul:

Each time you open the Bible to study this book on your own, you undergo a soul evaluation, Hebrews 4:12. The words of the Bible are living and active, which may result in conviction, guilt, inspiration and or motivation to keep growing spiritually. The apostle Paul urges a teenage pastor in the above passage to actively exercise your spiritual gifts as well as devote your life to following God’s commands, decrees and precepts. Those who put into practice the principles of the Bible will preserve their soul by listening to the Bible’s teaching. This is an example of a successful soul evaluation.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

Some soul evaluations will reveal that you’ve reached the bottom of the barrel like the prodigal son in Luke 15. The lyrics of Red Carpet provide a new spin on this famous parable. When pain brings spiritual relief, you’ll know you are on the road to recovery for your soul to be revived.

by Jay Mankus