Category Archives: Uncategorized

Passage of the Day:

From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. ²² Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” ²³ Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” ²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ²⁵ For whoever wants to save their life^[f] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. ²⁶ What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? – Matthew 16:21-26

Reflection:

The summer after my freshman year of college, I received two job offers. One was making minimum wage serving as a day camp counselor working with other students my age. The second was at Newark Country Club, making nearly $2000 a month depending upon tips. Despite how tempting the financial benefits of working at a golf course were, I chose the YMCA Camp. The spiritual nourishment of my soul far outweighed money I probably would have wasted anyway.

Prayerful Action:

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? ²⁹ For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, ³⁰ saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish,’ Luke 14:28-30.

Refreshing Your Soul:

Matthew 16 is full of content from Peter verbalizing that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah of the Old Testament to Jesus rebuking Peter, excusing him of thinking like Satan. This context sets the stage for three requirements to becoming a disciple of Jesus. As Christians learn to deny themselves daily and take up the cause for Christ, the only thing left is following Jesus with all your heart, soul and mind.

Song of the Day:

If you find yourself on the fence, going back and forth with God, denying and following when you want, eventually you have to make a decision. As my final year of college was about to begin, I found myself lying in bed with a broken ankle. Rather than continue with my lukewarm faith, I finally decided to make Jesus the Lord of my life. Consider the costs and do what’s best for your soul.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them”— ² before the sun and the light  and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain; ³ when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men stoop, when the grinders cease because they are few, and those looking through the windows grow dim; ⁴ when the doors to the street are closed and the sound of grinding fades; when people rise up at the sound of birds, but all their songs grow faint;⁵ when people are afraid of heights and of dangers in the streets; when the almond tree blossoms and the grasshopper drags itself along and desire no longer is stirred. Then people go to their eternal home and mourners go about the streets.⁶ Remember him—before the silver cord is severed, and the golden bowl is broken; before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, and the wheel broken at the well,⁷ and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it, Ecclesiastes 12:1-7.

Reflection:

The God Father of Political Talk Radio, Rush Limbaugh, often used the expression “talent on loan from God.” Based upon Limbaugh’s following before and after his death in 2021, political talk radio hasn’t been the same since his passing. Another legend, King Solomon, clarifies the origin of where Limbaugh developed this concept. According to Solomon, our Spirit is on loan from God.

Prayerful Actions:

Then the Lord God formed a man^[c] from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being, Genesis 2:7.

Refreshing Your Soul:

Just as God breathed life into Adam, sometimes dead and dying souls need to be jump started. The good news is that God meets us where we are, just like the prodigal son in Luke 15. When a spark comes in the form of a Bible verse, chorus from a song or a rhema, a word from God, souls can be revitalized. As your soul begins to yearn for God again, the promise of Philippians 1:6 may start to come into focus. Gifts, personalities and talents are all part of God’s plan that will be unveiled as the Lord’s will is revealed to you, Romans 12:1-2. This is your soul on loan from God until the Lord calls you home.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

When the attached song was first released, all three of my children raved about the lyrics to Rescue. Perhaps, part of their souls were moved, stirred and touched to be awakened for the common good.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: ²⁰ If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. ²¹ Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God ²² and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. ²³ And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. ²⁴ The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us, 1 John 3:19-24.

Reflection:

If the human heart is a well spring for life, the soul is a spiritual force deep inside of you. All four authors of the Gospel mention heart, soul and mind in this specific order. Perhaps, Jesus is trying to express an essential element to life where the heart and soul work together. As hearts and souls turn their attention to the Lord, minds follow with thoughts centered around the Bible. The disciple whom Jesus loved writes about reaching a spiritual state where your heart is at rest in God’s presence. This is what the apostle Paul illuminates upon in Philippians 4:6-7.

Prayerful Actions:

If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? ¹⁸ Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth, 1 John 3:17-18.

Refreshing Your Soul:

The Lord recently gave me an analogy which applies to the call to action in the passage above. “Don’t listen to what someone says there are going to do. Rather, pay close attention to what people do on a daily basis. You shouldn’t have to tell others that you are a great person. Show people as you put your heart and soul into living out your faith by loving your neighbor as yourself.”

Song of the Day:

The lyrics of Life’s Noise by Blue Tree are inspired by Elijah’s experience in 1 Kings 19:9-13. After an amazing spiritual victory in 1 Kings 18, Elijah suffers the agony of a defeated soul. This is when you have to fight through all of the distractions of life’s noise by placing all your heart, soul and mind into this effort. The whisper of God provides the assurance needed to tarry on into a new month.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. ² Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. ³ They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them.⁴ Yet their voice^[b] goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.⁵     It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. ⁶ It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth.⁷ The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. ⁸ The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. ⁹ The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous.¹⁰ They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. ¹¹ By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.¹² But who can discern their own errors?  Forgive my hidden faults. ¹³ Keep your servant also from willful sins;   may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression.¹⁴ May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer, Psalm 19:1-14.

Reflection:

More than 300 million people participate in yoga classes worldwide. Yoga has now surpassed golf in the United States in popularity. Developing a heart of meditation is simply the practice of spiritual yoga. One of the methods I was introduced to in the past decade is the practice of Soaking in the Spirit. Some churches have locations, usually small chapels or rooms dedicated to this spiritual discipline. As these rooms play music 24 hours a day, Christians have the opportunity to reflect upon lyrics inspired by the Bible. Soaking in the Spirit provides a great introduction to developing a heart of meditation.

Prayerful Action:

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.^[a] 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. ⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ⁸ Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ⁹ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, Deuteronomy 6:4-9.

Restoring Your Heart:

One of the ways the Israelites developed a heart of meditation was to place spiritual reminders of God throughout their homes. Before refrigerator magnets existed, symbols were placed in well-traveled areas to serve as daily reminders of God. Joshua passed on Moses’ tradition in Joshua 1:8 with a call to meditate on God’s commands day and night. If you’re struggling to find time with God in 2024, follow in the footsteps of Israel by placing reminders of God throughout your home.

Song of the Day:

The lyrics of the song Lord I’m Ready Now is a prayer to dive deep into a permanent meaningful relationship with God. May this devotion and song inspire you to develop a heart of meditation in 2024.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

Vindicate me, Lord, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the Lord and have not faltered. ² Test me, Lord, and try me,  examine my heart and my mind;³ for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness.⁴ I do not sit with the deceitful,  nor do I associate with hypocrites.⁵ I abhor the assembly of evildoers and refuse to sit with the wicked.⁶ I wash my hands in innocence, and go about your altar, Lord,⁷ proclaiming aloud your praise and telling of all your wonderful deeds. ⁸ Lord, I love the house where you live, the place where your glory dwells. ⁹ Do not take away my soul along with sinners, my life with those who are bloodthirsty, ¹⁰ in whose hands are wicked schemes, whose right hands are full of bribes. ¹¹ I lead a blameless life; deliver me and be merciful to me. ¹² My feet stand on level ground; in the great congregation I will praise the Lord, Psalm 26:1-12.

Reflection:

Eleven years ago, I was rushed to the hospital from work with a collapsed lung. This medical emergency led to a series of visits to my primary care doctor along with a cardiologist. During the first of many appointments with this cardiologist, I discover that I had an enlarged heart. Initially, there was concern of potential swelling of my heart. The good news was this was the opposite of the Grinch’s heart, but various tests were performed to see if anything was wrong with my heart. Fortunately, I was finally given a clean bill of health, passing my heart examine prior to moving to South Carolina.

Prayerful Action:

The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god.^{[a] 5} They will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God their Savior. ⁶ Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, God of Jacob, Psalm 24:4-6.

Restoring Your Heart:

Passing a spiritual heart examine is like taking a Pass-Fail Class in college. The purpose of this spiritual exercise isn’t to earn a perfect grade. Rather, passing a spiritual heart examine is about trial and error, learning the importance of obeying God’s commands. Moses does one of the best jobs in the Bible of simplifying listening to and obeying God in Deuteronomy 28:1-2. Passing this heart examine is all about accompanying God by keeping in step with the Holy Spirit.

Song of the Day:

You can try to fill your heart with earthly treasures and temporary pleasures, but only Jesus can fill this void deep inside of you. The quicker you come to this conclusion; the sooner you’ll pass the spiritual heart examine. May this classic tune speak to your heart with Gut Level Music.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. ²⁴ Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. ²⁵ “All this I have spoken while still with you. ²⁶ But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. ²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. ²⁸ “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. ²⁹ I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. ³⁰ I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, ³¹ but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me, John 14:23-31.

Reflection:

Trouble comes in a number of forms from difficulty, disorder, problems or public unrest. The context of today’s passage occurs during the Passion Week, Jesus’ last week with his 12 disciples. As Jesus wraps up His three-year ministry on earth, He begins to open up about God’s will for His life. Jesus’ words seem like a friend revealing to you that they only have a few months to live. This troubling news appears to have shocked many of Jesus’ disciples. Jesus responds to their concerns with an antidote to overcoming a troubled heart.

Prayerful Action:

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God^[a]; believe also in me. ² My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. ⁴ You know the way to the place where I am going,” John 14:1-4.

Restoring Your Heart:

When you are young, the fear of death can haunt you with scary nightmares about the afterlife. Yet, one of John’s reasons for writing his Gospel and Epistles is so that Christians could know for sure about their eternal destination. John 3:16-17, John 20:30-31 and 1 John 5:12-13 all provide biblical assurance that you can know for sure where you’ll spend eternity before you die. Romans 10:9-11 adds to this assurance by providing a cure for a troubled heart.

Song of the Day:

The greatest gift anyone can ever receive on earth is the assurance of eternal life in heaven. May the lyrics of I Can Only Imagine inspire you to tell others about the gift of God, Romans 6:23. The joy of leading someone to faith in Christ will erase the pain of a troubled heart.

by Jay Mankus

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