Tag Archives: Christianity

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

Video of the Day: Scene from the 2014 film “When the Game Stands Tall”

Bible Passage of the Day:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything, James 1:2-4.

Biblical Connection:

From 1992-2003, the football team at De La Salle High won 151 consecutive games. This special program from Concord, California established a football dynasty that might never be duplicated. The attached movie clip attempts to recreate the disappointment inside the De La Salle locker room on the night their win streak came to an end. After a player throws his helmet, an assistant coach intervenes to remind this player of the culture that has been established at De La Salle. As players begin to complement their first loss, Coach Ladouceur played by Jim Caviezel addresses the team. Coach Ladouceur uses this painful experience as a teachable moment to challenge and help these young men recover from defeat.

Prior to becoming a leader at the Church in Jerusalem, James was the younger brother of Jesus. According to first century historians, James was like many Jews did not believe that his own brother was the Savior of the world. Following the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday, James is transformed by this miracle. As James writes to first century Christians, he begins this letter by explaining how followers of Jesus should embrace trials. Like suffering defeat on the gridiron, life’s trials provide opportunities for spiritual growth. When individuals consider trials a pure joy, long term benefits include maturity and perseverance. This is how God wants people to recover from the agony of defeat.

Closing Song:

An interactive blog to engage our culture in 2025 by Jay Mankus.

Passage 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.

Reflection:

In my early years as a Christian, I didn’t celebrate many victories in my faith. Rather, I was fighting a losing battle with my flesh. Dazed and confused like a young apostle Paul in Romans 7:15, I was grasping at straws, searching for a sign of hope. During a Fellowship of Christian Athlete’s Summer Camp in high school, I was introduced to today’s passage. This was the hope I desperately needed. As you reflect upon your own spiritual journey in 2024, you may be disappointed, frustrated or want a deeper relationship with the Lord. As you set your mind and heart on a new year, remember the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made by dying on a cross. This self-less act disarmed the power of death 3 days later with a triumph resurrection. May this life-changing historical event move the Holy Spirit to make you alive in Christ in 2025.

Prayerful Action:

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Corinthians 15:56-57.

Learning to Love this December as God Forgives You:

As an avid sports fan, adrenaline fills my body with the thrill of any victory. Yet, the agony of defeat sucks the joy out of my life, John 10:10. Subsequently, when you dwell upon temporary pleasures, life can become an emotional roller coaster. This is not the type of faith journey that God wants me to live. Therefore, if 2024 found you experiencing your own prodigal experience, may you come to your senses, Luke 15:17, as your heavenly father is waiting for you with open arms. As you experience the power of God’s compassion, forgiveness and mercy, you’ll feel compelled to help those facing similar obstacles that you’ve finally overcome.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

My spiritual mentor Ken loved today’s song. When he went to be home with the Lord during the Coronavirus, I thought about of the charitable acts that Ken displayed over the course of his life. As I turn my attention to engaging our culture starting tomorrow, may you learn to keep in step with God’s Spirit as your faith journey continues, Galatians 5:25.

by Jay Mankus