Category Archives: Uncategorized

Passage of the Day:

Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. ² So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.” ³ Elijah was afraid^[a] and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, ⁴ while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” ⁵ Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” ⁶ He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. ⁷ The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” ⁸ So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. ⁹ There he went into a cave and spent the night, 1 Kings 19:1-9.

Reflection:

When I was in eighth grade, I lost the will to live just like Elijah. While Elijah recently experienced a big victory in 1 Kings 18, I had nothing to celebrate. My only talent at this time in my life was athletics, but my soul was empty and void of any purpose. According to one Old Testament prophet, people perish due to a lack of knowledge and vision, Hosea 4:6. Perhaps, this is why suicidal thought entered my mind as a young teenager.

Prayerful Action:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus, Philippians 4:6-7.

Renewing Your Mind:

Depression has a way of making you feel hopeless, dwelling on all the negative aspects of your life. Genesis 4:6-7 takes you into the mind of an envious and jealous young man. Whenever depressed people allow evil thoughts into their mind, the desire to act upon these thoughts are conceived. This is why the apostle Paul urges Christians to take a proactive approach by searching for a way out of temptation.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

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 10:13.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” ¹⁷ “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” ¹⁸ “Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, ¹⁹ honor your father and mother,’^[c] and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’^[d]” ²⁰ “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” ²¹ Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” ²² When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. ²³ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴ Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” ²⁵ When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” ²⁶ Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible,” Matthew 19:16-26.

Reflection:

An ungodly belief is any attitude, belief, decision, expectation, oath or vow that does not agree with God’s character, nature or Word. Based upon the context of today’s featured passage, this is where Christians have developed the notion that you can’t be rich and be a true follower of Jesus. Yet, the Rich Young Ruler appears to have trusted in his money and not the Lord. Despite how shocked his disciples were following this conversation; Jesus does point out that with God all things are possible.

Prayerful Action:

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces^[a] of this world rather than on Christ. ⁹ For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, ¹⁰ and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority, Colossians 2:8-10.

Renewing Your Mind:

If the faith of Jesus’ disciples was shaken by this encounter with a Rich Young Ruler, don’t be surprised if you develop beliefs contrary to the Bible. The apostle Paul provides a model for testing beliefs in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22. Similar to what the Berean Church practiced in Acts 17:11, the more familiar you get with the Bible through church and personal studies, the less vulnerable you will become to developing new ungodly beliefs.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

Human beings are fallen creatures, Romans 3:9-12, imperfect and unable to flee all temptations in life. Subsequently, the key to overcoming ungodly beliefs is maintaining a teachable spirit. Test everything you hear and to cling to what is good, right and true, Philippians 4:8-9.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” ¹¹ The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? ¹² Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” ¹³ But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.” ¹⁴ Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you. ¹⁵ You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. ¹⁶ He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him, Exodus 4:10-16.

Reflection:

Whenever God asks or calls you to do something out of your comfort zone, human nature has a way of focusing on what you’re not capable of doing. What Moses confesses in the passage above is that he was born with some sort of speech impediment. Moses isn’t clear if he stammers or stutters when he’s nervous. The main reason for Moses’ refusal is that deep down, he is afraid of failure, feeling like he’ll stutter profusely once in Pharaoh’s presence.

Prayerful Action:

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

Renewing Your Mind:

Since I wrote the blog post Ephphatha: A Prayer to Heal Stuttering several years ago, I have received numerous responses from individuals across the country. Many of these people have opened up about their lifelong struggle with stuttering. Today’s blog was inspired by a recent comment I received on Express Yourself 4Him. Everyday stutters across the country and throughout the world pray for healing, for God to do a miracle in their life. Unfortunately, most wake up the next day without any signs of hope. The apostle Paul teaches first century Christians that in their own weakness, pray that Jesus will give you the strength to overcome the fear of failure. May today’s devotion give you faith to press on.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

Prior to writing Philippians 4:13, the apostle Paul provides a glimpse of what your future life could be like once entering into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6 points to what God has prepared in advance for you to accomplish in the living years. Until you overcome the fear of failure, you won’t possess the faith needed to fulfill God’s will for your life.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. ² He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. ³ And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ ⁴ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, ⁵ yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’” ⁶ And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. ⁷ And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? ⁸ I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” – Luke 18:1-8

Reflection:

One of my former co-workers reminded me of the woman in the Parable of the Persistent Widow. When this woman got behind a core principle, she didn’t back down or give up until a desired outcome was obtained. As for the persistent widow, she was outspoken about the need for justice against her adversary. Despite being denied numerous times over a series of rulings, this woman demonstrated the mind of a prayer warrior until justice was achieved.

Prayer Action:

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened,” Matthew 7:7-8.

Renewing Your Mind:

Jesus winds down His Sermon on the Mount with a call to wrestle with God in prayer. This desire separates those who are just following the crowd from Christians who are willing to climb, cut a hole in a roof or run up to Jesus in prayer, eagerly believing that a miracle is possible. Although God does call believers to be obedient and not always successful, developing the mind of a prayer warrior will take your faith to the next level in 2024.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

Coaches can’t teach desire as it’s merely a byproduct of free will. Like Bill Murray’s speech at the end of Scrooged, “you have to be hungry for the Christmas Spirit and want it more and more each day.” May today’s devotion inspire you to develop the mind of a prayer warrior in 2024.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

Early in the morning David left the flock in the care of a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. He reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions, shouting the war cry. ²¹ Israel and the Philistines were drawing up their lines facing each other. ²² David left his things with the keeper of supplies, ran to the battle lines and asked his brothers how they were. ²³ As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. ²⁴ Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear. ²⁵ Now the Israelites had been saying, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his family from taxes in Israel.” ²⁶ David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” – 1 Samuel 17:20-26

Reflection:

As a former middle school and high school coach for more than a decade, I’ve seen defeat on the faces of my players before they even took the field against a far superior team. Apparently, the Israeli army walked around every day with the fear of defeat in their eyes. Goliath’s size and strength was unmatched in his day. Yet, when a teenage shepherd boy came to visit his older brothers who were already enlisted, one thought came to the forefront of David’s mind. ”Who is this uncircumcised Philistine?”

Prayerful Action:

The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine. ”Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.” ³⁸ Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. ³⁹ David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. “I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. ⁴⁰ Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine, 1 Samuel 17:37-40.

Renewing Your Mind:

Whenever you compete, you have to trust your God given abilities, gifts, and talents. If you want to end the bitter taste of defeat physically and or spiritually, concentrate on what you are best at, 1 Corinthians 12:7-11. David wasn’t big or strong enough to fight Goliath as King Saul suggested. Rather, David trusted in his speed and sling shot skills to slay the giant that nobody thought could be defeated, 1 Samuel 17:48-49.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

Those who have experienced and know God’s power, grow up to believe that with God anything is possible, Matthew 19:26. Don’t walk away defeated like the Rich Young Ruler. Rather, place your trust in the Creator God who will bring, point, and show you the way to victory.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. ² Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda^[a] and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. ³ Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. ^[4] [b] 5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. ⁶ When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” ⁷ “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” ⁸ Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” ⁹ At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, John 5:1-9.

Reflection:

As flawed human beings, there is at least one part of our body that doesn’t function as God intended. This could be a noticeable birthmark, an injury or recent scar from a surgery. According to Jesus, the man he encountered had been an invalid for 38 years. Perhaps when this man was a little boy, he dreamed of being able to walk like everyone else. Yet, as time passed, he had given up hope of ever being healed.

Prayerful Action:

By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.”^[a] For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. ⁶ And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him, Hebrews 11:5-6.

Renewing Your Mind:

As someone born with a severe speech impediment, I never imagined that I would ever be able to clearly express myself. This struggle continued into college where my roommate opened my mind of God being able to do the impossible. When a group of men laid their hands on me to be healed of stuttering, I felt the power of the Holy Spirit go through my body. Yet, it would take time for my mind to overcome doubts that kept breaking through for this miracle to fully arrive.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

I thank my God every time I remember you. ⁴ In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy ⁵ because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, ⁶ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus, Philippians 1:3-6. As you battle with doubt and unbelief, may today’s devotion prompt you to become open to God doing the impossible in your own life.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” ¹⁰ He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” ¹¹ The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. ¹² After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. ¹³ When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” – 1 Kings 19:9-13

Reflection:

Whenever I am depressed, I ask the Lord for some sort of sign. Whether this is an answer to prayer, a Bible verse to get me through a day or good news, I just want to know that everything will be okay. This is the context of Elijah, on the verge of losing the will to live due to a death threat. After experiencing an amazing spiritual victory at the end of 1 Kings 18, Elijah became overwhelmed by the circumstances of life. This when Christians desperately want God to speak directly or indirectly to your mind.

Prayer Action:

The voice of the Lord is over the waters;  the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters. ⁴ The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic. ⁵ The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. ⁶ He makes Lebanon leap like a calf, Sirion^[b] like a young wild ox. ⁷ The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning. ⁸ The voice of the Lord shakes the desert; the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh. ⁹ The voice of the Lord twists the oaks^[c] and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, “Glory!” – Psalm 29:3-9

Renewing Your Mind:

The book of Deuteronomy is often called the second law which serves as a recapitulation of the Ten Commandments. Moses’ words are a subtle attempt to tell human beings that we are forgetful by nature. Subsequently, some people quickly forget what they are instructed to do. This is why Jesus regularly spoke, “don’t just listen, but do what I say.” If only life was this easy. According to the apostle Paul, God speaks to the minds of those who slow down enough to see God’s visible qualities in creation, Romans 1:18-20.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

I discovered the attached song in the middle of the Coronavirus epidemic. This song became part of my daily routine and prayer during this crisis, desperately waiting for God to speak to me.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.^[a] 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. ³ This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. ⁴ For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. ⁵ Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones. ⁶ When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. ⁷ He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” ⁸ For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!” ⁹ Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” ¹⁰ And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.¹¹ A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. ¹² The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” ¹³ He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned, Mark 5:1-13.

Reflection:

Some Christians began 2024 unable to break free from some sort of spiritual bondage from their past. This addiction, bad habit, craving, or unwholesome desire has crippled you spiritually like the man in today’s featured passage. Like an individual unable to cope with anger management, this man left his wife and children to live alone, afraid he might do something to hurt them. When Jesus entered this man’s life, he knew that he needed help, but wasn’t sure what to do. This miraculous account illustrates that when you come to faith, demons don’t own you anymore.

Prayerful Action:

As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. ¹⁹ Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” ²⁰ So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis^[b] how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed, Mark 5:18-20.

Renewing Your Mind:

While some Christians are able to immediately break free from past addictions and bad habits, not every faith journey has a happy ending, Luke 9:62-63. The disciple often called Levi writes about a demon possessed man who turned back to his former way of life in Matthew 12:43-45. According to the apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:12, these spirits aren’t going anywhere. This truth is likely the inspiration behind of the words of Joshua 1:7-9. The more you allow Scripture to fill your mind, the better your chances are of finally breaking free of the addiction currently stifling your faith journey.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

The lyrics of Dear X by Disciple serve as a reminder to cut ties with your former way of living, Colossians 3:5-9. May today’s devotion be a turning point and call to find freedom in Christ.

Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. ²⁶ She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. ²⁷ When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, ²⁸ because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” ²⁹ Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. ³⁰ At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” ³¹ “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ” ³² But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. ³³ Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. ³⁴ He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering,” Mark 5:25-34.

Reflection:

There was a belief in the first century that cloaks or robes of Jewish Rabbis possessed special healing powers. If you’re broke like the woman in today’s passage, you have nothing to lose. When doctors made her bleeding condition worse, she became vulnerable, doing or trying anything to be healed. Subsequently, all this woman wanted was to just touch Jesus’ clothes. Despite the large crowds pressing upon Him, Jesus knew that power had been released out of His body to a person in the crowd. Rather than be happy for this woman, Jesus wanted to set the record straight. This woman wasn’t healed by merely touching part of Jesus’ robe. Nor was she healed by chance. Jesus made sure the proper perspective was clarified; she was healed by her faith.

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.

Renewing Your Mind:

Doubt is one of the main contributors for Christians not experiencing Jesus’ promise of an abundant life, John 10:10. If the Devil came to steal, kill and destroy the aspirations, dreams, and goals of Christians, you have to overcome ungodly beliefs planted in your thoughts over the course of your life. If it only took one conversation to change Eve’s mind in Genesis 3:1-6, you have to be prepared for similar battles, 1 Peter 5:8. As human minds are renewed by studying the Bible in 2024, you’re on the way to developing a proper biblical perspective, Romans 12:2.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

The attached song is one of the most powerful on this topic. As Christians learn to lean on and trust in God, Proverbs 3:5-6, a spiritual perspective will be conceived in your mind. When you are at your weakest point in life, this opens the door for Jesus to be strong, 2 Corinthians 12:6-10. As you develop this spiritual perspective, be content with what you receive, Philippians 4:11-13.

by Jay Mankus