ExpressYourself4Him

Video of the Day: Scene from the 2011 film “Undefeated”

Bible Verse of the Day:

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock,” Matthew 7:24-25.

Biblical Connection:

Some high school athletic programs are a lost cause. This was the condition that Coach Bill Courtney found the Manassas football team in when he began volunteering. Due to severe underfunding, Undefeated is a documentary that follows the journey of underprivileged students that comprised the student body of Manassas High School located in Memphis. Once considered the worst football program in the state of Tennessee, Coach Courtney’s leadership began to give locals hope. When a new core group of 8th graders show up in the weight room, these upcoming players provide the building blocks Coach Courtney uses to transform Manassas into winners.

At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, detailed in Matthew 5-7, Jesus concludes this moving message with a call to action. While speaking on a mountainside overlooking the Sea of Galilee, Jesus uses an analogy, likely pointing to rock on this mountain and toward the sand on the shoreline. Using common sense, Jesus doesn’t want those in attendance to leave this place and forget everything that He taught. Rather, Jesus urges this crowd to put into practice the words spoken. Jesus highlights teaching in the Old Testament and demonstrates how these commands can be lived out in the first century. This is how modern-day Christians can develop a spiritual foundation of faith built upon the words of the Bible.

Closing Song:

May today’s song inspire you to develop a faith built upon the Word of God, the Bible.

by Jay Mankus

Video of the Day: Scene from the 2002 film “The Junction Boys”

Bible Verse of the Day:

As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” ⁵⁸ Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” ⁵⁹ He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” ⁶⁰ Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” ⁶¹ Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” ⁶² Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God,” Luke 9:57-62.

Biblical Connection:

The Junction Boys follows Coach Bear Bryant’s first training camp as head football coach at Texas A&M University in the summer of 1954. In the remote town of Junction, Texas, Tom Berenger as Coach Bryant is searching for players that he can count on. This brutal ten-day camp in the blazing sun of Texas separates athletes from the true football players. As this camp draws to a close, Coach Bryant interrupts practice to give a speech in today’s movie clip. As the remaining players reached a point of total surrender to this team, they had nothing left to fear.

The Gospel of Luke contains a passage concerning 72 appointed disciples in Luke 10:1-17. Separate from the original twelve, Jesus was building up future leaders for the first century church. However, just as Coach Bryant used a training camp to find out who he could count on, Jesus applies a similar weeding out process at the end of Luke 9. When Jesus is your personal Savior, not the Lord of your life, Christians will make excuses for not following God’s calling. Yet, when you reach a crossroads in your faith journey where you have to decide one way or the other. Making Jesus your personal Lord and Savior, will result in a spiritual mindset where you’ll have nothing left to fear.

Closing Song:

May you reach a point in 2025 when you fully surrender to Jesus, making Him Lord of all.

by Jay Mankus

Video of the Day: Trailor about the 1980 film “Fighting Back: The Story of Rocky Bleier”

Bible Verse of the Day:

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you^[d] alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, ¹⁴ having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵ And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross, Colossians 2:13-15.

Biblical Connection:

Since I couldn’t find a specific clip online from Fighting Back, I attached a summary of Rocky’s life. After spending one season in the National Football League, Rocky Bleier was drafted to serve in the Vietnam War. When a grenade blew up in front of him, the scientific odds of Rocky ever walking again were low. Yet, when you possess the heart of a champion, you’ll do whatever it takes to fulfill your dreams and God’s plan for your life. This is the remarkable journey of Fighting Back after you’ve been counted out by others, even teammates on the Pittsburgh Steelers.

As the apostle Paul writes to the Church at Colosse, he’s blunt about the spiritual condition of this congregation prior to Jesus entering the arena of life. Similar to words shared with the Church at Rome in Romans 6:23, the wage of sin is death and eternal separation from God. However, the gift of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection opens the door for salvation and eternal life in heaven. If Christians are honest, everyone has their own prodigal experience, Luke 15:11-32, which leads to moral bankruptcy. This journey back toward God is how Christians must fight back to break free from the addictive chains of sin.

Closing Song:

May today’s devotion help you fight back from rebellious ways by repenting and turning to Jesus. Thank God Jesus conquered death on a cross by rising from the dead.

by Jay Mankus

Video of the Day: Scene from the 2013 film “23 Blast”

Bible Verse of the Day:

A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” ²⁵ He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” – John 9:24-25

Biblical Connection:

Travis Freeman played by Mark Hapka is a Kentucky teenager who loses his sight in the film 23 Blast. To avoid embarrassment, Travis practices snapping at night to help regain his God given ability to play football. Today’s clip illustrates the obstacles that Travis must face before he can be trusted to play another snap in a high school football game. Perhaps, today’s devotion will help a younger generation appreciate what they have before something like your ability to see is taken away from you.

In the first century, Jews believed that being born blind was a sign of God punishing you or your parents for something they did prior to their child being born. Subsequently, as the Pharisees investigate this miraculous healing by Jesus, this man with restored sight is honest about what just happened. Unfortunately, when bad things happen to good people, God is usually the first person to blame. Instead of seeing God as the giver of all God things, James 1:17, dramatic events like losing your sight can lead to a root of bitterness and misery. While some people may be healed like this man in John, most Christians are forced to trust God in darkness until answers to prayer are received.

Closing Song:

May testimonies like Travis Freeman encourage you to fight through unexpected times of darkness that you’ll face in life.

by Jay Mankus