Author Archives: expressyourself4him

Passage of the Day:

When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, ²² I was senseless and ignorant;  I was a brute beast before you. ²³ Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. ²⁴ You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. ²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. ²⁶ My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever, Psalm 73:21-26.

Reflection:

As a teenager, I was an emotional wreck. Struggling with depression for several years took a toll on my heart. At this weak period in my life, the Lord surrounded me with Christians. While I had no desire to become a Jesus freak, students from a Fellowship of Christian Athletes Bible Study welcomed me with open arms. Despite stuttering fits which would pop up from time to time, these new friendships encouraged me to strength my heart to taking a deep dive into the Word of God.

Prayerful Action:

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. ¹⁸ The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit, Psalm 34:17-18.

Restoring Your Heart:

In this age of instant gratification, praying for a specific request and not hearing, seeing or receiving a quick answer can be frustrating. As much as you have dreams, goals and plans laid out in your head, the Lord’s purpose ultimately prevails, Proverbs 19:21. I guess you can say that I’ve learned through the school of hard knocks that things happen in God’s timing, not mine. Subsequently, as I wait for God to lay out my future plans and will for my life, the best thing I can do in the meantime is strengthen my heart by leaning upon and trusting in the Lord.

Song of the Day:

The attached song is a remix of a classic hymn has ministered to my heart for more than a decade. Just when this song appears to be over, a spontaneous worship montage continues on to drive home the need to draw near to God; thereby strengthening your heart.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; ² for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.³ Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. ⁴ Take delight in the Lord,  and he will give you the desires of your heart. ⁵ 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. ⁷ 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. ⁹ For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land, Psalm 37:1-9.

Reflection:

If your work environment is similar to mine, companies like to emphasize what I call the flavor of the month. Depending upon your line of work, this may involve productivity, safety or situational awareness. As for Christians, whatever trial each new day may bring you, the goal never changes: delight yourself in the Lord. Unfortunately, some may strive to do this for the wrong reasons, focused on the desires of their heart rather than deepening a personal relationship with Jesus. Christians that concentrate on the Sowing Principle, you reap what you sow, will receive the desires of their hearts in the form of blessings, Matthew 6:33.

Prayerful Action:

My son, give me your heart and let your eyes delight in my ways, ²⁷ for an adulterous woman is a deep pit, and a wayward wife is a narrow well. ²⁸ Like a bandit she lies in wait and multiplies the unfaithful among men, Proverbs 23:26-28.

Restoring Your Heart:

Based upon King Solomon’s confession in the passage above, he regrets his decision to marry 700 women and take an additional 300 others as concubines. Like a scene from a modern reality television show, Solomon was constantly dealing with envious and jealous women. If Solomon would have focused on delighting in the Lord before getting married, his life would have been much less complicated. Yet, when you sow according to your flesh, worldly relationships will distract you from delighting yourself in the Lord.

Song of the Day:

Most Christians find delight in the Lord once a week at some point in a worship service. This could be the lyrics of a chorus, a passage from the Bible or something said by a pastor which spoke to your heart. The more I read the Bible, I realize that delighting in the Lord should be a daily quest. May today’s song Make My Heart Like Yours serve as a turning point to draw closer to Jesus in 2024.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

Then he taught me, and he said to me, “Take hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands, and you will live. ⁵ Get wisdom, get understanding;  do not forget my words or turn away from them. ⁶ Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you   love her, and she will watch over you. ⁷ The beginning of wisdom is this: Get^[a] wisdom.  Though it cost all you have,^[b] get understanding. ⁸ Cherish her, and she will exalt you;  embrace her, and she will honor you. ⁹ She will give you a garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown.” ¹⁰ Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many. ¹¹ I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. ¹² When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. ¹³ Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life. ¹⁴ Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.¹⁵ Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way. ¹⁶ For they cannot rest until they do evil; they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble. ¹⁷ They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. ¹⁸ The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. ¹⁹ But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble. ²⁰ My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. ²¹ Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; ²² for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body. ²³ Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. ²⁴ Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. ²⁵ Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. ²⁶ Give careful thought to the^[c] paths for your fee and be steadfast in all your ways. ²⁷ Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil, Proverbs 4:4-27.

Reflection:

As a parent, it’s almost like a second nature to want to protect your children. Sometimes in your eagerness to lend a helping hand, you may exasperate a daughter or son, Ephesians 6:4. Meanwhile, those that try to keep their distance by giving a child their freedom, this decision may open the door for evil to enter their lives, Ephesians 4:26-27. In today’s featured passage, King Solomon is looking back on his own life, urging one of his sons not to make the same mistakes as he did as a teenager. Solomon’s most urgent advice centers around protecting your heart as this organ is the wellspring for life.

Prayerful Action:

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in^[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith, Philippians 3:7-9.

Restoring Your Heart:

Goal oriented individuals tend to stop at the end of a day, week or month to evaluate if they are any closer to accomplishing specific aspirations. Depending upon your age, priorities often change as activities, hobbies and interests change from one season to the next. As for the apostle Paul, he appears to have become addicted to Jesus, fully engaged into reaching as many lost souls as possible. Nonetheless, any Christian is vulnerable to the Devil if you don’t protect your heart.

Song of the Day:

The lyrics of You Need to Know by Bob Hanson, the Bob Dylan of Christian music, appears to be addressed to a prodigal friend. The song serves as a prayer to anyone whose life is falling apart. Don’t live off on your own; turn to Jesus and He’ll teach you how to protect your heart.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

This is what the Lord says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord.⁶ That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert,  in a salt land where no one lives.⁷ “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. ⁸ They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes;  its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” ⁹ The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? ¹⁰ “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve,” Jeremiah 17:5-10.

Reflection:

If you’re the kind of person who wears their emotions on their sleeve, you’ve probably said something that you’ve regret. In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis writes about four Cardinal Virtues that are available to anyone on earth. One of these virtues is temperance, the ability to go a certain distance, but no further to avoid sinning. If what the prophet Jeremiah says about the human heart is true, this emotional organ is hard to control. Controlling your heart may require a helping hand from an accountability group or friend willing to express tough love.

Prayerful Action:

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. ¹⁸ The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit, and whoever protects their master will be honored. ¹⁹ As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart, Proverbs 27:17-19.

Restoring Your Heart:

In this woke culture that persists throughout the United States, holding someone accountable for wrong actions, inappropriate behavior and immature responses often backfires. Rather than address a concern in a biblical manner, Matthew 18:15-20, legal action is taken upon those trying to address a wayward heart. May the words of King Solomon in the above passage speak to you about guarding and protecting your heart, Proverbs 4:23.

Song of the Day:

The lyrics to A Different Kind of Free is an example of what can happen when Christians begin to control their heart with God’s help. While every journey of faith is full of rocky roads and tough times, placing your trust in the Lord can put you back on track with the Holy Spirit.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. ¹³ Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. ¹⁴ Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven,^[f] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. ¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. ¹⁶ Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need, Hebrews 4:12-16.

Reflection:

Self-doubt is one of the greatest obstacles to keeping an open heart. If you’ve had a bad experience at a church or with other Christians, your mind will shut out people of faith who try to earn back your trust. The author of Hebrews refers to Jesus as an Old Testament high priest. Rather than offer up animal sacrifices on behalf of sinners, Jesus offered up his life to save that which was lost. May the hope of Jesus open your heart to the possibilities of God doing a miracle in your life.

Prayerful Action:

When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked. ²¹ Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. ²² If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer,” Matthew 21:20-22.

Restoring Your Heart:

According to one of his disciples, John 21:25, Jesus performed thousands of miracles not mentioned in the Bible. Despite being eyewitnesses to many of these miracles, these 12 men didn’t appear to have an open heart. Rather doubt in their minds limited God’s ability to perform miracles in their own lives. While it’s hard to set your heart up for disappointment, the power of prayer often comes down to belief. May the words of Jesus open your heart to the power of the Holy Spirit, 2 Peter 1:3-4.

Song of the Day:

I stumbled upon the God of Miracles during the Coronavirus pandemic. While it’s depressing to consider all who passed away worldwide, the lyrics of Miracles opened by heart to the power of God. Although many prayers lifted up to God may not be answered, keep wrestling with God like the persistent widow so that open hearts will result in future miracles.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸ Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. ⁹ The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” ¹⁰ “What should we do then?” the crowd asked. ¹¹ John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.” ¹² Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?” ¹³ “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them. ¹⁴ Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.” ¹⁵ The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. ¹⁶ John answered them all, “I baptize you with^[b] water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with^[c] the Holy Spirit and fire, Luke 3:7-16.

Reflection:

John the Baptist is often referred to as the fore runner to Jesus. Between the end of the Old Testament and the birth of John, God remains silent for 400 years. Perhaps, this may have brought wide speculation among John’s followers that he was the promised Messiah. When asked directly, John makes it clear that his earthly ministry is simply one of forgiveness through water. However, when the Messiah arrives in the scene, a heart of passion fueled by the Holy Spirit will be the sign of the One who is to come.

Prayerful Action:

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit, Galatians 5:24-25.

Restoring Your Heart:

Keeping in step with a Holy Ghost, invisible to human eyes, is a difficult concept to grasp. Yet, when accidents suddenly occur out of nowhere, even atheists lift up their hands up to heaven. Perhaps, you have to put two passages in the Bible together, Matthew 7:13-14 and Galatians 5:25. If you have walked down the road less traveled, your eyes recognize subtle signs of this path. As Christians begin to discern God’s still small voice, 1 Kings 19:12, a heart of passion for God may be conceived.

Song of the Day:

I was introduced to the song Pass It On at my high school youth group. This campfire song illuminates the concept of sparking your faith with the power of the Holy Spirit. As 2024 continues to fly by, may the Holy Spirit fill you with a heart of passion.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. ¹¹ Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. ¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. ¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you. ¹⁴ Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. ¹⁵ Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise. ¹⁶ You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. ¹⁷ My sacrifice, O God, is^[b] a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise, Psalm 51:10-17.

Reflection:

Whenever you find yourself in bondage, held captive by an addiction or bad habit, this pattern can be demoralizing. I can recall periods of my faith journey in high school and college where I kept giving into the same sinful desire’s day after day, Romans 7:15-18. Like David’s prayer in the passage above, I was searching for answers in the form of a contrite heart. Hopeful that one day I might finally break free from my own fleshly desires.

Prayerful Action:

This is what the Lord says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? ² Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the Lord. “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word, Isaiah 66:1-2.

Restoring Your Heart:

King Solomon mentions that pride comes before a fall on four occasions in the book of Proverbs. If an arrogant or haughty spirit is an indicator of your future, a contrite spirit is a spiritual recipe for restoring your heart. The prophet Isaiah speaks to the words of Joshua as the more individuals meditate upon the Bible, Joshua 1:8, the fear of disobeying God will become heavy on your heart. If today’s blog finds you fighting a losing battle with your flesh, Galatians 5:16-17, plead with the Lord for a contrite heart.

Song of the Day:

If God can use a storm to eventually lead Jonah to follow God’s will for his life, praying for a contrite heart is definitely possible. As Christians pursue the words of the apostle Paul in Romans 12:1-2, it’s only a matter of time before you begin to get back on track with God.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, ² and he began to teach them. He said: ³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. ⁵ Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. ⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. ⁷ Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. ⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God, Matthew 5:1-8.

Reflection:

One of the common traits of a great teacher is their ability to help their students see the big picture. As Jesus begins a sermon on the side of a mountain, He paints a vivid picture of what your spiritual life can resemble. When a believer in Jesus starts to hunger and thirst for beatitudes, fruits of the Holy Spirit, blessings will follow. To individuals who seek to become pure in heart, you will begin to see the world as God sees it.

Prayerful Action:

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 1:21-22.

Restoring Your Heart:

According to the account of a first century doctor, the words you speak daily naturally flow out of your heart, Luke 6:43-45. Whenever venomous words come out of your mouth, this is a clear indication that something is wrong with your life. Whether this is the root of bitterness or envy rearing its ugly head, unwholesome language should bring about concern and conviction. When your heart is broken or bruised, ask the Lord for healing so that contrite actions will follow.

Song of the Day:

You can tell when someone is speaking from their heart. When words are encouraging, gentle and humble, this is a sign of a Christian who is on the right track to becoming pure in heart.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

Praise the Lord.^[a] Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. ² Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. ³ Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre ⁴ praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe,⁵ praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. ⁶ Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, Psalm 150:1-6.

Reflection:

If Christians respond in church like the way they passionately cheer on their favorite college or professional sports team, praising God in America would be transformed. Unfortunately, by the time Sunday morning rolls around, people sing songs in church as if their team just got blown out and their hopes of winning a championship have come to a stretching halt. While some worship teams can ignite a crowd, most sing to themselves as the audience silently mumbles along. May the words of the Psalmist inspire you to re-evaluate the energy you put into worship so that the Holy Spirit will create in you a heart of worship.

Prayerful Action:

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. ⁵ For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations, Psalm 100:4-5.

Restoring Your Heart:

As a teenager, I could get fired up and emotionally feed off a crowd of likeminded people. Yet, as an adult, I’ve settled down, rarely displaying the passion that I once possessed. Developing a heart of praise starts with a mindset fixated on Jesus, Hebrews 12:2. Like the parable of the Lost Sheep, Luke 15:1-7, Christians need to begin rejoicing on earth like angels rejoice in heaven. When human hearts start to focus on eternity, Colossians 3:1-4, a heart of praise is gradually conceived.

Song of the Day:

One of my favorite Praise albums of all time is Passion: Even So Come. Christy Nockels is one of the artists on this CD. When I listen to the attached song, My Anchor, my heart is drawn to praise the Lord. May you find inspiration to praise the Lord with your favorites worship songs.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. ⁵ For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. ⁶ If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. ⁷ And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort, 2 Corinthians 1:3-7.

Reflection:

One of my new responsibilities at work is approaching individuals who have recently made a big mistake or are simply struggling to perform in their department. As I interact with these associates, I try to share my own past failures and shortcomings. When I approach people with a heart of compassion, knowing that human nature has a way getting the best of us, these uncomfortable conversations tend to go better than I expect. This is the goal of the apostle Paul in today’s passage, reminding the Church at Corinth of God, the Father of Compassion.

Prayerful Action:

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 4:31-32.

Restoring Your Heart:

In the days of my youth, I possessed a bad temper, weekly freaking out on someone or going off about something that I despise. Despite becoming a Christian in the middle of my sophomore year of high school, I didn’t know how to be compassionate. Since my church over-emphasized the wrath of God in the Old Testament, compassion wasn’t something that I was introduced to until college. The apostle Paul is clear about how to develop a heart of compassion: forgiving others just as Jesus forgave you and all of your sins, 1 John 1:9.

Song of the Day:

Back in 2012, I got fired from my teaching job of ten years on New Year’s Day. The attached song ministered to me and helped got me through this difficult time in life. Whether today’s post finds you enjoying the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat, may God give you the strength to move on, striving for a heart of compassion.

by Jay Mankus