Category Archives: truth

Passage of the Day:

As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. ² For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. ³ It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; ⁴ that each of you should learn to control your own body^[a] in a way that is holy and honorable, ⁵ not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; ⁶ and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister.^[b] The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. ⁷ For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. ⁸ Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit, 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8.

Reflection:

Attending a secular university was probably one of the best things that I could experience early in my faith journey. When I attended the University of Delaware, they were rated the number one-party school in the nation. This was largely due to a bar just off campus, the Stone Balloon, which at the time consumed more Budweiser beer than any establishment in the United States. Seeking temporary pleasures, I devoted my first semester of college to becoming cool and popular. Like members of the Church in Thessalonica, I learned the hard way. Despite the initial highs, chasing after passionate lust and sexual immorality left me morally and spiritually bankrupt. During a winter retreat before Spring semester began, I was introduced to faith inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Prayerful Action:

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. ²⁷ And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God, Romans 8:26-27.

Fueling your Faith this Spiritual Season:

It was a little after midnight, when I heard college students started to gather in the basement of our conference center. Apparently, this was called an Open Mic, where students could come up to the front and share what God taught them on this retreat. As I sat in the back, I felt this sensation from beneath me as if my seat was on fire. I didn’t want to get up, especially since I had already embarrassed myself, stammering and stuttering during a prayer the day before. Yet, the Holy Spirit made me so uncomfortable that I finally made my way to the front. I don’t remember stuttering a word, sharing how I had known Jesus as my Savior and friend, but not as the Lord of my life. I was a lukewarm Christian, sick and tired of being a hypocrite. It was on this winter’s night in 1988, that faith inspired by the Holy Spirit, brought me to my knees. This is where Jesus become Lord of all. While I still struggle to remain true to Jesus from time to from, faith is a journey of a lifetime with twists and turns. Like yesterday’s theme, the only thing that counts in faith expressing itself in love.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

The lyrics of today’s song changed my life and perspective during the Coronavirus. May the lyrics of this spontaneous worship montage result in faith inspired by the Holy Spirit.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. ¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him, Colossians 3:12-17.

Reflection:

Becoming a devoted follower of Jesus requires the similar drive that I possessed when I sought to become a professional athlete. Even when I was doubtful, exhausted, and frustrated, I drove to the golf course daily to practice. Whether this was driving the ball, hitting consistent iron shots or working on my short game, I dragged myself out of bed to improve in some form or shape. From a Christian perspective, once you get down the basics of crucifying your old self, replaced by Jesus, you have to step up your game by demonstrating your faith. Mature Christian put aside the childish ways by allowing the love of Jesus to shine through your daily witness.

Prayerful Action:

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me, 1 Corinthians 13:11.

Fueling your Faith this Spiritual Season:

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus called people in this crowd to love and pray for their enemies, Matthew 5:43-48. The apostle Paul goes into greater details of how God wants modern-day Christians to demonstrate faith in Colossians 3. Regardless of how many people get under your skin and provoke you, bear with one another and forgive them as Christ forgave you. Since this doesn’t occur naturally, you may have to dwell on and hum spiritual songs to prevent you from lashing out. The more you meditate on and reflect upon the words of the Bible, you will be well on your way to demonstrating faith.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

There are times in life when the individuals in your spheres of life will be void of love. Today’s song serves as a prayer so that regardless of the environment that you find yourself, you will demonstrate faith by letting Jesus’ love shine through you.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

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. ¹⁰ I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead, Philippians 3:7-11.

Reflection:

Over the course of my life, things of the world have disappointed me. Whether this was a broken relationship, a failing sports team that I root for or emptiness that consumes my soul, experiencing heartbreak has a way of heightening your senses of what’s truly important in life. Based upon his own words in the passage above, the apostle Paul reached a point in his life that the only thing worth pursuing was faith in Christ. Perhaps, this is what Jesus meant by hungering and thirsting after righteousness.

Prayerful Action:

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well, Matthew 6:33.

Fueling your Faith this Spiritual Season:

In a letter written to the Church at Corinth, the apostle Paul refers to the expression, “Christians walk by faith, not by sight,” 2 Corinthians 5:7. People of faith don’t chase after a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Rather, faith in Christ is a day by day activity, stopping to ascertain, am I on the right track? Meanwhile, faith in Christ involves the belief in and expectation of God’s promises to become fulfilled in your own life, Philippians 1:6. Subsequently, walking in faith requires patience as you sort through the chaos of today so that you can celebrate the spiritual progress and victories of tomorrow.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

Today’s song illustrates the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:14. Faith in Christ, prayer and keeping in step with the Holy Spirit, Galatians 5:25, will guide you down this Less Traveled Road.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. ² Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. ³ Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. ⁴ You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. ⁵ For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. ⁶ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love, Galatians 5:1-6.

Reflection:

The Church at Galatia was infiltrated by a religious sect which attempted to make Christianity more Jewish. This group known as the Judaizers added stipulations to salvation, pressuring new converts who were Gentiles to become circumcised. This is the context to the apostle Paul’s message to Christians in Galatia. Being religious is following a rigid and strict set of rules on a daily basis. One of the reasons Jesus came was to set people free from the chains of sin. Like the image presented by Jesus in Matthew 11:28-30, freedom through faith occurs when you experience rest for your soul.

Prayerful Action:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light,” Matthew 11:28-30.

Fueling your Faith this Spiritual Season:

The Bible refers to faith as a journey and a marathon. One of Paul’s motives for writing the Galatian Church was to find out what was preventing them as Christians from running a good race, Galatians 5:7. There are numerous environments and factors in your community, at home, or work which negatively impacts your faith. This is why it’s important to cast your burdens at the feet of Jesus in prayer. In worst case scenarios, you may have to alter and change relationships that are dragging you down. As Christians follow the advice King Solomon in Proverbs 27:17, your faith will be sharpened by interacting with godly men and women.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

Sometimes the obstacles to faith, trap Christians into a life and world that they never imagined. May the lyrics to House of their Dreams, give you hope that one day soon you’ll experience freedom through faith.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

These are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. ¹¹ For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. ¹² What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. ¹³ This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.^[c] 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. ¹⁵ The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, ¹⁶ for,“Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?”^[d] But we have the mind of Christ, 1 Corinthians 2:10-16.

Reflection:

As a former seminary student, I spent several night classes with head strong individuals. After class discussions, I would go home, looking up several of the terms in a dictionary that I didn’t know or completely understand. Subsequently, brilliant minds like the philosophers of Corinth were hard to persuade. This is the context of 1 Corinthians 2 as worldly minds of the highly educated could not grasp the simplicity of the good news about Jesus Christ, Romans 6:23. The apostle Paul makes an important transition at the end of today’s passage emphasizing that Christian faith is built upon the mind of Christ. Over educated individuals tend to develop an elitism, becoming too smart for God.

Prayerful Action:

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. ⁵ We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ, 2 Corinthians 10:4-5.

Fueling your Faith this Spiritual Season:

The Parable of the Sower suggests that faith can be lost. According to Matthew 13:18-19, infant Christians who haven’t been introduced to the mind of Christ can have the seed of faith sown into their heart snatched away by the Devil. The early stages of a new Christian’s life are extremely important as faith can be fragile like a feeling that fades away. When you take into consideration the apostle Paul’s call to action in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, the Father of all lies, John 8:44, is working overtime to drag new believers back toward their former way of life. Unless there is a foundation of faith, Colossians 2:6-7, rooted in the mind and precepts of Christ, faith can fade away.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

As a former youth pastor, I’ve seen my share of young Christians walk away from faith. Most of these individuals either had a difficult environment at home or lacked a faith built upon the mind of Christ. As a former prodigal myself, we serve a God of second chances. It’s never too late to come back to Jesus as long as you’re alive. May Seeds of Faith inspire you to draw closer to the Lord.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! ¹⁰ For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! ¹¹ Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation, Romans 5:6-11.

Reflection:

Today’s featured passage is the apostle Paul’s version of John 3:16-17. However, rather than Jesus unveil God’s plan to redeem human beings, Paul unfolds the inspiration for faith. Mankind didn’t do anything to deserve the grace and mercy of God. Yet, as God demonstrates His own love for us while we were still sinners, this makes reconciliation with God possible. When a stranger does something to save your life or protect you from harm, you feel obligated to repay this individual. As Jesus took the place of sinners on a cross, to become the perfect lamb of God, Hebrews 4:14-16, this is the inspiration for faith.

Prayerful Action:

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 4:14-16.

Fueling your Faith this Spiritual Season:

Evangelism Explosion uses Romans 6:23 for their Bridge Illustration to explain the good news about Jesus Christ to the world. The apostle Paul uses a what if technique in this passage beginning with the negative. Romans 6:23a, “For the wages of sin is death.” The point Paul makes is that if you continue on your current path of sin, you will receive death as a payment for what you earned. However, Paul saves the best news for last in Romans 6:23b, “but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This promise in the Bible gives me all the inspiration that I need to place my faith in Jesus.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

The lyrics of Confidence provide an Old Testament perspective on faith. Sanctus Real builds upon the spiritual character of godly leaders in the Bible which inspires me to place my faith in Jesus.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. ²⁰ Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. ²¹ The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.²² News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. ²³ When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. ²⁴ He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord, Acts 11:19-24.

Reflection:

After covering some famous passages on faith early in November, I wanted to give a broad perspective of what faith was like in the first century. Subsequently, today’s message begins 23 consecutive days where I will highlight a passage from the last 23 books of the New Testament. In the aftermath of Ananias and Sapphira’s deaths in Acts 5, the idea of faking Christianity or merely pretending to be a follower of Jesus ceased. According to Luke, only genuine, God-fearing believers gathered together to meet and worship at Solomon’s Colonnade. Anyone who thought of joining the first century church with impure motives feared being struck down by God. While some religious leaders eventually came to faith later on in life, the first century church was a body of believers who emulated and lived out the teachings of Jesus, Acts 11:25-26.

Prayerful Action:

The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. ¹³ No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. ¹⁴ Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number, Acts 5:12-14.

Fueling Your Faith the Spiritual Season:

Nearly 2000 years later, Christian denominations and theology has divided Christians in the United States and throughout the world. Rather than coming together in the name of Jesus, churches have built up mental barriers such as, “you’re not baptized, you don’t speak in tongues, or you don’t know basic Christian doctrine?” Instead of seeking to love your neighbor by demonstrating faith, most churches have become like social cliques, gathering with people that we’re comfortable with. As you follow along the rest of November, may the power of the Holy Spirit convict you to become more like the faith of first century Christians.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

The lyrics of Up and Up talk about using your past as a conduit for the future. As you learn about a first century perspective of faith, may the Holy Spirit inspire you to learn from the sinful tendencies of your past. This is how faith can be demonstrated in modern times.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. ² He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” ³ Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.^[a]” ⁴ “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” ⁵ Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. ⁶ Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit^[b] gives birth to spirit. ⁷ You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You^[c] must be born again.’ ⁸ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit,” John 3:1-8.

Reflection:

As I look back on my life, there have been plenty of times when I tried to change without asking for God’s help. Despite this lack of transformation, I pressed on, thinking I could do this on my own. Perhaps, the Pharisee Nicodemus who met with Jesus at night thought he could be religious, relying on his own spiritual zeal and self-discipline. Jesus quickly corrected this ungodly belief. While Nicodemus uses sarcasm as if it was possible for a grown adult to be shoved back into his mother’s womb, Jesus makes it clear that “you must be born again.” Genuine spiritual faith is a byproduct of becoming born again.

Prayerful Action:

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me, Galatians 2:20.

Fueling Your Faith this Spiritual Season:

The apostle Paul explains the born-again process which dumbfounded Nicodemus. To the educated and well-schooled, Jesus’ advice was foolish. A similar stumbling block which the philosophers of Corinth struggled with as well, 1 Corinthians 2. Yet, if you want to experience the promised abundant life of John 10:10, you must be born again, gradually transformed through the power of the Holy Spirit, 2 Peter 1:3-4. This is where faith is conceived via rebirth in Christ.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

Like the Pharisee Nicodemus, contemplating the concept of becoming born again takes time. May today’s blog and attached song help you sort through your own spiritual questions. When you’re ready, don’t be afraid to take the plunge of faith, Romans 10:9-11.

by Jay Mankus