Tag Archives: faith

Abaddon

Posted on August 8, 2022 by expressyourself4him

The origin of Abaddon is found in Judaism. According to the Brown Driver Briggs lexicon, the Hebrew word אבדוןa, avadon, is an intensive form of the Semitic root and verb stem abad. The Greek word for adaddon is Apollyon which means destroyer when translated into English. The context of Abaddon is part of John’s vision who is the angel of Hell also known as the Abyss.

Over them as king they have the angel of the Abyss (of the bottomless pit). In Hebrew his name is Abaddon [destruction], but in Greek he is called Apollyon [destroyer], Revelation 9:11.

Growing up in a Roman Catholic Church, I was taught about the wrath of God in the Old Testament. This biblical emphasis caused me to view God as a disciplinarian. Similar to the words of Moses in Deuteronomy 28:1-2, I believed that obedience to God was the key to having a successful life. Subsequently, I perceived the good and bad things that happened to me as blessings and curses.

The first woe (calamity) has passed; behold, two others are yet to follow, Revelation 9:12.

As I matured in my faith, this mindset was unhealthy and self-destructive. While attending a Sunday School class at Red Lion, a couple introduced me to Restoring the Foundations. This book and ministry helped me fill in the gaps of my flawed theology. If you find yourself in a destructive situation or in the process of being destroyed spiritually, I highly recommend RTF by Chester and Betsy Kylstra.

by Jay Mankus

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The Altar of the Souls of Martyrs

Posted on July 24, 2022 by expressyourself4him

John Foxes’ Book of Martyrs was first published in 1528. While attending Seminary part time back in the late 1990’s, one of my classes studied martyrs not mentioned in the Bible. Men and women of faith suffered horrific deaths during Nero’s persecution of Christians. These tragic deaths intensified in early 300 AD under the oppressive Roman Emperor Diocletian. These individuals will be rewarded by their ultimate sacrifice.

When the Lamb broke open the fifth seal, I saw at the foot of the altar the souls of those whose lives had been sacrificed for [adhering to] the Word of God and for the testimony they had borne, Revelation 6:9.

As John witnessed Jesus break open the fifth seal in the book of Revelation, there was an altar dedicated to the souls of martyrs. At the foot of this altar, the souls of dead Christians who were killed for not compromising their faith began to share their testimonies. While most of these individuals aren’t mentioned in the Hall of Faith found in Hebrews 11, this scene reminds me of the lyrics of the hymn Blessed Assurance, “This is my story, this is my song.”

They cried in a loud voice, O [Sovereign] Lord, holy and true, how long now before You will sit in judgment and avenge our blood upon those who dwell on the earth? 11 Then they were each given a [b]long and flowing and festive white robe and told to rest and wait patiently a little while longer, until the number should be complete of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed as they themselves had been, Revelation 6:10-11.

The apostle Paul devotes the opening chapter of his letter to the Church at Galatia to promote sharing your faith. Paul uses a teachable moment to express why Christians should strive to please the Lord and not other people, Galatians 1:9-10. Paul then transitions to three keys parts of any testimony: Galatians 1:11-24. The first step is conveying how you lived prior to entering into a personal relationship with Jesus. This past leads to what event(s) led you to trust Jesus as Lord and conclude with how Jesus has transformed your life. May the altar of the souls of martyrs inspire you to share your own testimony.

by Jay Mankus

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S.A.N.S. Episode 165: Does Anybody Love the Lord?

Posted on July 16, 2022 by expressyourself4him

Today’s song was ranked among the top 25 Christian tunes of the twentieth century. If I can recall on the countdown that took place on New Year’s Eve in 1999, another one of Crawford’s ballads also cracked the top 100. When it comes to inspirational Christian songwriters, I would rank Rick third all-time behind Bruce Carroll and Benny Hester. Does Anybody Love the Lord serves as an open ended question.

He who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love, 1 John 4:8.

In the lyrics of Does Anybody Love the Lord, Rick points out the spiritual giants of the past. You don’t have tell anyone that you love the Lord if you’re a person of grace, integrity and mercy. Unfortunately, most Christians have their own prodigal experience, leaving the Lord for a period of time. Rick urges modern Christians to become people of action, faith and works. May today’s song challenge you to deepen your relationship with Jesus.

by Jay Mankus

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S.A.N.S. Episode 163: Bride of Restoration

Posted on July 12, 2022 by expressyourself4him

Mark Pogue & Fortress is one of those groups that was overshadowed by other more popular Christian artists. When I searched on the internet for the bio of this band, I didn’t find any new information that I don’t already know. One of the highlights of Mark Pogue & Fortress’ Restoration album is the ballad Bride of Restoration. Since human being all fall short of God’s glory, we all need to be restored.

For I will restore health to you, and I will heal your wounds, says the Lord, because they have called you an outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no one seeks after and for whom no one cares! – Jeremiah 30:17

Mark writes about how Jesus changed his life after failing as a husband. Similar to the storyline in the film Fireproof, Mark was able to save his marriage thanks to a newfound faith in Christ. Yet, unless your faith is active, James 2:26, you are dead inside until the Holy Spirit awakens your soul. May the testimony of Mark Pogue inspire you to draw closer to Jesus.

by Jay Mankus

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Developing an Attitude of Praise

Posted on July 10, 2022 by expressyourself4him

Whenever I have a crappy day, human nature takes over. This is when complaining, grumbling, and fault finding takes over. Rather than refocus my thoughts to concentrate on the positive, the blame game commences as I point the finger in every direction except at myself. During my most recent pouting session, God convicted me that I needed to develop an attitude of praise.

Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels on every side of the throne and of the living creatures and the elders [[f]of the heavenly Sanhedrin], and they numbered ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands, 12 Saying in a loud voice, Deserving is the Lamb, Who was sacrificed, to receive all the power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and majesty (glory, splendor) and blessing! – Revelation 5:11-12

Whenever I attend a new church, I feel uneasy about clapping and lifting up my hands in worship unless I know the song. I usually lip sync for a while until I learn and understand the beat and words. When some of the worshippers get carried away and caught up in worshipping God, I often think to myself, “what am I missing?” According to John, I don’t have an attitude of praise.

And I heard every created thing in heaven and on earth and under the earth [in Hades, the place of departed spirits] and on the sea and all that is in it, crying out together, To Him Who is seated on the throne and to the Lamb be ascribed the blessing and the honor and the majesty (glory, splendor) and the power (might and dominion) forever and ever (through the eternities of the eternities)! – Revelation 5:13

Today’s Bible passage provides a glimpse of what an attitude of praise should resemble. The elders sitting in heaven aren’t faking their faith like some may do today. Rather, the residents of heaven are so overwhelmed by the Lamb who was slain on a cross (Jesus), an attitude of praise naturally breaks out. The hard part is developing an attitude of praise outside the church. May this passage challenge you resolve in your heart to develop a biblical attitude of praise.

by Jay Mankus

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S.A.N.S. Episode 157: PLF

Posted on July 8, 2022 by expressyourself4him

While the popularity of Mercy Me has long surpassed that of the lesser-known Christian group Mercy, there is a reason to celebrate PLF. Short for Peace. Love, and Faith, Mercy features Laura Misuik as the lead singer. I was first introduced to Laura as the lead singer of Acoustic Shack, one of my favorite groups in college. Laura’s husband Michael is the man behind the music serving as the led guitarist of Mercy.

And so faith, hope, love abide [faith—conviction and belief respecting man’s relation to God and divine things; hope—joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love—true affection for God and man, growing out of God’s love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is love, 1 Corinthians 13:13.

While the passage above doesn’t mention peace directly, this is a byproduct of faith. According to C.S. Lewis, faith, hope, and love are theological virtues, only accessible through the power of the Holy Spirit, 2 Peter 1:3-4. The King James Version of the Bible doesn’t contain love, opting for charity. Yet, whenever Christians actively pursue these virtues, peace is one of the blessings that you will receive. Enjoy PLF.

by Jay Mankus

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Surrounding Yourself with the Right Team

Posted on June 26, 2022 by expressyourself4him

As a former high school coach, the dynamics of a team changes every four years. Whenever a strong core of leaders graduate, coaches often struggle finding the right people to fill this void. Meanwhile, it only takes one bad attitude to poison a locker room. Subsequently, coaches have to weed out any bad apples and the immature before you can surround yourself with the right team of individuals for the future.

And Moses said to Joshua, Choose us out men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand. 10 So Joshua did as Moses said and fought with Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the hilltop, Exodus 17:9-10.

When Moses reached a certain age, well beyond his youth, he realized that it was time to retire from the Israeli army. Subsequently, Moses selected his predecessor, Joshua, delegating the task of choosing a team to go into battle against the Amalekites. Based upon Moses’ words in the passage above, Joshua had less than 24 hours to surround himself with the right team.

Fight the good fight of the faith; lay hold of the eternal life to which you were summoned and [for which] you confessed the good confession [of faith] before many witnesses, 1 Timothy 6:12.

Fortunately, most of us are given a lifetime to surround ourselves with the right team of people. This team of individuals could be co-workers, neighbors, specific family members or people from a local church. According to the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:1-7, the ideal team consists of distinct traits that when gathered together form a body that functions as a well oiled machine. Whether you’re young or old, may the people you surround yourself form a solid community of faith.

by Jay Mankus

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What is Your Record?

Posted on June 23, 2022 by expressyourself4him

When I was in grade school, boys were obsessed with records. Every day at lunch and recess debates broke out about who was the best athlete, rock band, and professional sports team. Lines were drawn, voices were raised and the victor teased anyone who didn’t hold their position. According to one of Jesus’ disciples, God knows your spiritual record based upon what you’ve done in life.

I know your record and what you are doing, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your recent works are more numerous and greater than your first ones, Revelation 2:19.

There was a long stretch in my life where I received a job offer for every position that I interviewed for. Despite stumbling through a couple of interviews when stuttering was still an obstacle in my life, God’s favor was clearly on my life. Unfortunately, sometime over the last decade, my record for interviews has hit a major losing streak. Like one of the churches in the Book of Revelation, my love for God has grown cold and the favor which was once bright as a rising sun has quickly faded.

Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. 5 It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong], 1 Corinthians 13:4-5.

The good news to my current dilemma is that God keeps no record of wrongs. The apostle Paul reveals this fact in a chapter devoted to spiritual love. Meanwhile, King David provides hope for anyone with a losing record in life, Psalm 103:7-12. God’s grace, forgiveness, and mercy is infinite. Therefore, it doesn’t matter if you’ve experienced a life filled with losing. According to Jesus, the only record God cares about is forgiving others just as the Lord has forgiven you, Matthew 6:14-15. When Christians start loving your neighbor as yourself, God’s favor will return.

by Jay Mankus

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S.A.N.S. Episode 142: Great Big Noise

Posted on June 22, 2022 by expressyourself4him

Today’s featured song comes from the Christian rock band that has a song similar to Def Leppard. Arlen Salte’s album cover for their Great Big Noise album reminds me of Def Leppard’s Pyromania. The actual person Arlen Salte is the Executive Director of Break Forth Ministries based in Sherwood Park. While this sounds like a city in the United States, it’s actually located in Alberta, Canada.

And now, Lord, observe their threats and grant to Your bond servants [full freedom] to declare Your message fearlessly, Acts 4:29.

The lyrics of Great Big Noise serves as a call to share your faith with boldness. Just as Luke called first century apostles to declare the gospel of Jesus without fear, faith should be expressed in full freedom. Although the lyrics don’t go into evangelism and theology, the call is to raise your voice as you testify about how Jesus has changed your life. May this song inspire you to make a Great Big Noise.

by Jay Mankus

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When You’re Too Tired to Love

Posted on June 19, 2022 by expressyourself4him

As the summer months begin, it’s only a matter of time before triple digit temperatures become part of weekly forecasts. As I begin a new life living in South Carolina, the heat and humidity quickly drains me of energy. In the last book of the Bible, John writes to the Church in Ephesus. Despite severe persecution in the first century, their faith did not waver. Yet, it appears that at some point exhaustion took its toll as their love for God grew cold.

I know you are enduring patiently and are bearing up for My name’s sake, and you have not fainted or become exhausted or grown weary, Revelation 2:3.

Before getting married, Leanne and I attended a conference in Cleveland for young couples. One of the speakers used the analogy of leftovers. This illustration warned against giving God and your future spouse the leftovers of your time. The context of this expression was at the end of a busy day when you barely have energy for anything. This appears to be what happened to the Ephesians as the only time they made for God was at the end of their days, exhausted and worn out.

But I have this [one charge to make] against you: that you have left (abandoned) the love that you had at first [you have deserted Me, your first love], Revelation 2:4.

According to marriage statistics from 2020, nearly 2,400 divorces occur every single day in the United States. At this pace, by the end of just one week, 16,800 divorces and or separations commence. Sadly, if this trend continues, 875,000 couple will break their marriage vows annually in America. When you’re too tired to love, relationships with God and spouses start to fall apart. In view of these dire statistics, may Jesus give you to strength to be reunited with God and your spouse.

by Jay Mankus

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