Tag Archives: Bible

Passage of the Day:

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, ⁷ rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. ⁸ 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. ¹¹ In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh^[b] was put off when you were circumcised by^[c] Christ, ¹² having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead, Colossians 2:6-12.

Reflection:

As I have been introduced to, interacted with, and spent time with Christian brothers and sisters, it doesn’t take long to recognize individuals deeply rooted in Christ from those content with a casual faith. Whether I was serving as a youth director, overseeing leadership teams or casting vision as a church elder, this decision comes down to the lordship of Christ. When Christians don’t make meeting with God daily a priority like Jesus in Mark 1:35, faith can fade and grow cold. Bible study, prayer and worship regularly fuels my faith. However, if I miss just one day with God, this opens the door for other substitutes to take God’s place in my life. As the apostle Paul received news of first century churches reverting back to their former way of life prior to entering into a personal relationship with Jesus, becoming built up spiritually be being rooted in Christ is a call to action.

Prayerful Action:

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,² but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.³ That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers, Psalm 1:1-3.

Learning to Love this December as God Forgives You:

The Psalmist selects a conifer tree as a symbol for yielding fruit all year long. There are 20 types of coniferous trees that exist ranging from evergreens, pines and spruces. Roughly 1000 years ago in Northern Europe, conifer trees became synonymous with Christmas. This tradition continues today with nearly 30 million American families choosing real trees over artificial ones. As grasses become dormant every winter, green trees stand out among wilting bushes, plants and shrubs. When Christians follow the advice of the apostle Paul in Colossians 2:6-7, the love of Jesus will begin naturally overflowing out of your heart in the form of charitable acts. However, this process starts by learning to become rooted in prayer and the teachings of Jesus.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

I have seen powerful drama presentations using Everything by Lifehouse. May the lyrics of Everything ignite a fire deep inside your soul to become built up and rooted in Christ for 2025.

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:

In this age of self-help books, it’s rare to find an author who actually lives out what they talk about at seminars and writers’ conferences. From a spiritual perspective, how many Christian leaders do you witness living out the words of the Bible that they proclaim from the pulpit? In the first century, the apostle Paul could not get over the demonstration of love in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Although no one earned this love or deserved this, Romans 3:9-12, Jesus died while we were still sinners. This is love in action.

Prayerful Action:

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing,” Luke 23:34.

Learning to Love this December as God Forgives You:

Over my 55 years on earth, I’ve learned that everyone has a back story which has shaped how they act, behave and respond to others. When someone reaches their breaking point, you might face the brunt of their emotional outburst. Subsequently, when Jesus responds to the people in the crowd on that first Good Friday, Jesus prays for their forgiveness. Love understands that people often don’t realize what they’re doing. This is another powerful demonstration of love.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

Today’s feature song is my favorite Christian song from college. While modern-day Christians don’t have access to Jesus like the disciples, we do have a Father’s love that continues today. This Father is only a prayer away.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, ² in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. ³ All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh^[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. ⁴ But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵ made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. ⁶ And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷ in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast, Ephesians 2:1-9.

Reflection:

December 4th is my spiritual birthday; the day I placed my faith in Jesus, Romans 10:9-10. Back in December of 1984, I was an emotional wreck, suffering a nervous breakdown in October of my sophomore year of high school. One of my teacher’s, Mr. Horne, noticed this train wreck from afar, inviting me to a Fellowship of Christian Athlete’s Bible Study. While I turned down Ken on numerous occasions, he didn’t give up on me. When I joined the Concord swim team, now as my coach, Ken offered an olive branch in the form of free tickets to an event in Valley Forge. When I heard that Philadelphia professional athletes were speaking, I was sold. While today’s featured passage was not referenced on that cold December night, I was introduced to the concept of becoming alive in Christ.

Prayerful Action:

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do, Ephesians 2:10.

Learning to Love this December as God Forgives You:

For the first 14 years of my life, I was living for myself. I attended church on Sunday to appease my parents. Yet, when an individual takes the leap of faith described in Proverbs 3:5-6, you begin to think about what God can do through you. Just as one Old Testament prophet shared a similar message in Jeremiah 29:11, God has a plan for every Christian’s life. For these good works to become a reality, Christians need to mature spiritually like the words of the apostle Paul in Romans 12:1-2. As 2024 is about to end and another year inches closer, may the Holy Spirit fill you with a desire to become alive again in Christ Jesus. As you do, others will notice the difference in how you love and forgive.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

I went to a Jeff Deyo concert, the original lead singer of Sonic Flood, while living in Columbus, Indiana. When music is your ministry, you’ll go and sing wherever people will open their church. May the lyrics of today’s song inspire you to become alive in Christ each and every day.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor^[i] and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?” – Matthew 5:43-47

Reflection:

There are moments in a good sermon where a congregation is challenged to take their commitment of faith to a higher level. If Christians aren’t forced to leave their spiritual comfort zones, faith will become stagnant, eventually resulting in idleness. As Jesus transitions from how to apply the Ten Commandments in modern times toward pure and impure motives, He leaves those attending the Sermon on the Mount with a shocking statement. On the surface, this is call to action is impossible to achieve on your own. Yet, upon further review, Jesus is merely calling followers to do their very best daily.

Prayerful Action:

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect, Matthew 5:48.

Learning to Love this December as God Forgives You:

As you finish your final preparations for Christmas day, most adults will be exhausted, seeking to create a memorable experience for your family. Yet, seeking perfection as a human being often results in disappointment. Therefore, don’t beat yourself up when human nature gets the best of you. In your failures to love others this Christmas season, let Jesus become strong, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. The more you lean on the Lord, Christ’s love will shine, rising above your own weaknesses.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

As you prepare to worship the birth of Christ, sometimes you need to go back to the basics of faith. May the lyrics of Back to the Start prevent you forgetting your new identity in Christ Jesus. As Jesus becomes more in your life and you become less, loving to a higher standard can become a reality through the power of the Holy Spirit.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’^[h] 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. ⁴⁰ And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. ⁴¹ If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. ⁴² Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you, Matthew 5:38-42.

Reflection:

The Sermon on the Mount summarized in Matthew 5-7 reminds me of the Book of Proverbs. Within each passage written by King Solomon, there are nuggets of spiritual truth to extract. When I read these 3 chapters of the Bible, there are tangible acts of faith that serve as goals for each day. As Matthew appeals to Jewish listeners by quoting the Old Testament, Jesus is trying to modernize the teachings of Moses. Rather than seek revenge, Jesus uses the expression going the extra mile to become forgiving servants who emulate God’s character and nature.

Prayerful Action:

Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. ²³ Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He said to them, ²⁴ “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to, Luke 13:22-24.

Learning to Love this December as God Forgives You:

Luke once again uses portions of the Sermon on the Mount scattered throughout his gospel. While Matthew records Jesus’ entire speech, Luke discovered that Jesus weaved these spiritual nuggets into everyday conversations. As first century Christians grew concerned over their eternal destiny, Jesus pointed the spiritually curious in the right direction. As someone who is about to begin their 40th year working on earth, many people do just enough to get by. However, as Christians seek to go the extra mile, above and beyond what is expected like the good Samaritan, you will find yourself following the straight and narrow as Jesus suggested. Love goes the extra mile.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

Jesus didn’t just give advice to first century Christians. Jesus led by example, going above and beyond what human beings expect or can process mentally. When love is present in your life, the Holy Spirit will move you to go the extra mile for others.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? ⁴⁷ As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. ⁴⁸ They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. ⁴⁹ But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete,” Luke 6:46-49.

Reflection:

Luke appears to repeat the words of Jesus spoken at the end of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:24-27. However, in this context, Luke is citing an open-ended question from a first century conversation that Jesus has with Christians. As Jesus noticed these individuals from afar, they wanted to be known as disciples, but their actions did not represent a faith built upon the teachings of Jesus. Faith isn’t something that you do like going to church. Rather, faith is a lifestyle, rooted in a personal relationship with Jesus, Colossians 2:6-7. You may try to be charitable, seeking to rely on your own strength. However, genuine charity can’t be faked.

Prayerful Action:

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. ¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds, James 2:17-18.

Learning to Love this Decembers as God Forgives You:

There is a fine line between being polite and faking faith in the form of charity. Depending upon the relationships that you have with family members, gatherings like Christmas can be difficult. As my parents once told me before arriving at grandparents, “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it!” Despite this warning, some individuals know exactly how to get underneath your skin. This is where faith is tested and if you’re not spiritually prepared, your foundation of faith will be shaken. As you get ready to reunite with family this Christmas, be a doer of the Word.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

When I begin to struggle spiritually, this is one of the songs I lean on for encouragement. May the lyrics of My Anchor help restore your faith by building it on the foundation of Jesus’ teachings.

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, Matthew 19:16-22.

Reflection:

If you’re not making much money, emptying your wallet for a worthy cause isn’t that difficult. However, when you’re making over $50K thousand per year or more like this rich young man in the first century, it’s hard to let go of wealth. To those tithing for the first time, looking at the amount on a check before placing this into a giving basket can be depressing. Subsequently, the key to avoiding the same fate of this rich young man is realizing the source of all money.

Prayerful Action:

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows, James 1:17.

Learning to Love this December as God Forgives You:

Once this spiritual truth in James about the source of all blessings is conceived, the fear of giving fades. This is when Christians become open to the words of one Old Testament prophet in Malachi 3:6-10. When a spirit of conviction falls upon believers that they are robbing God by not giving back, the concept of tithing begins to take shape. This opens hearts to charitable convictions, especially during the Christmas season. As Christians begin to grasp the words of King Solomon in Proverbs 3:5-6, trusting in God to provide will transform your desire to give.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

Trusting in the Lord with all your heart can be hard for people with trust issues. However, as Christians mature by seeing God as the giver of all good things, charitable convictions will become a natural part of your life.

by Jay Mankus