Tag Archives: Jesus

A Year 4 Transformation: Day 178-Weeding Out Bad Habits

Posted on June 25, 2024 by expressyourself4him

Passage of the Day:

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 4:3-8.

Reflection:

Everyone has a weakness, a modern-day kryptonite which saps your spiritual momentum like humidity on a hot summer day. As the apostle Paul writes members of the Church at Thessalonica, it appears that many of them had fallen back into their former way of life prior to entering a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Rather than produce spiritual fruit, the acts of the flesh suffocated the faith of these first century Christians. Subsequently, Paul writes this letter to urge Christians to start weeding out bad sinful habits.

Prayerful Action:

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, Ephesians 2:4-5.

Preparing Your Fields to Bear Spiritual Fruit:

As someone who lives at a property with about an acre, weeding is necessary 6-9 months out of the year. As the summer heat and tropical rains fall upon South Carolina, some weeds grow more than a foot each week. If this is what happens externally, imagine what happens inside of you when you allow your flesh to go untamed. This is why it’s essential to immediately start weeding out bad sinful habits. This isn’t easy, but you need to have the will to press on as the Spirit is willing, but our body is weak, Matthew 26:41.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

The lyrics to the Casting Crown song Slow Fade reminds me of what happens when you neglect areas of your life. Rather than give up by sliding further and further away from God, start weeding out bad and sinful habits from your life today.

by Jay Mankus

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A Year 4 Transformation: Day 155-Needs verses Wants

Posted on June 2, 2024 by expressyourself4him

Passage of the Day:

Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. 27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ 28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ 29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn,’” Matthew 13:24-30.

Reflection:

Immediately following a parable designed to help Christians find the right soil to blossom in, Jesus is blunt about the obstacles that will stand in your way. Public Enemy #1, the Devil, is busy at work while you are sleeping, contaminating the soil where you have planted your spiritual garden. These weeds seek to wrap around good fruits, trying to stunt and suffocate their growth. Meanwhile, if you allow the troubles and worries in life to steal your joy, you could lose your spiritual focus. When and if you do, you’ll likely confuse wants with needs, chasing after that which is unnecessary.

Prayerful Action:

For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people, 1 Peter 2:15.

Preparing Your Fields to Bear Spiritual Fruit:

The environment that you settle for in life will dictate the spiritual fruits that you bear. If your mind begins to wander toward the material, physical and temporary treasures in life, your eyes will follow suit, Matthew 6:22-23. This is where needs and wants will clash, igniting an internal struggle within your soul, Galatians 5:16-17. However, if you turn your attention toward Bible Study, Christian music, prayer and worship, spiritual fruits will start to shine through. This is why the apostle Paul pleads with the Church at Colosse to set your heart and mind on things above, Colossians 3:1-3.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

As Christians draw closer to the Lord, their perspectives will change. Material possessions like what car you drive, the appearance of your home and where you work won’t be as important. Meanwhile, your spheres of influence will open your eyes to the broken hearts and souls in plain sight. When your eyes are open to the spiritual possibilities, needs will trump wants as you look for opportunities to shine the love of Jesus upon others, Matthew 5:14-16.

by Jay Mankus

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A Year 4 Transformation: Day 43-Developing a Heart of Worship

Posted on February 12, 2024 by expressyourself4him

Passage of the Day:

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. 3 For the Lord is the great God,  the great King above all gods. 4 In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. 5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. 6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; Psalm 95:1-6.

Reflection:

Parents have a tendency to focus on the negative rather than emphasize the position. Subsequently, after spending a week on conditions of the heart, the rest of February will challenge you to deepen your relationship with God. Growing up, worship is something that you simply did at church on Sundays. However, many Psalms encourage followers to worship the Lord daily on your knees. When you add today’s technology with music available on your computers and phone, developing a heart of worship is only a click away.

Prayerful Action:

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart, ” Jeremiah 29:11-13.

Restoring Your Heart:

Human minds can recall the lyrics of one of your favorite songs in an instant. I can be walking through a grocery store or at a mall, and the sound of a song suddenly triggers memories of where you were and who you were with when this song first debuted. The same can be true with Christian music. While living in Delaware, I was introduced to Soaking in the Spirit, a room dedicated to playing worship music 24 hours a day. The more you slow down, reflect upon the lyrics and soak in the spiritual meaning of each song, the closer you’ll come to developing a heart of worship.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

If you truly want to develop a heart of worship in 2024, take the advice of the apostle Paul in Colossians 3:16. “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.”

by Jay Mankus

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Do What You’ve Learned from the Bible

Posted on October 23, 2023 by expressyourself4him

As a former high school teacher, I learned a valuable lesson early in my career. Adults tend to make things more complicated than what they really are in life. Subsequently, as I read the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus speaks so that even a child can understand His message. Don’t just listen to the Bible, do what you learn from the teaching of Jesus.

 So everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts upon them [obeying them] will be like a [p]sensible (prudent, practical, wise) man who built his house upon the rock. 25 And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock, Matthew 7:24-25.

One of the greatest warnings in the Bible comes from Moses in Deuteronomy 4:2. While reminding the Israelites of God’s commands prior to entering into the Promised Land, the key to success in life is not adding or subtracting from the Bible. All you have to do is put into practice the advice, teaching and words of Jesus. It’s just that simple.

And everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not do them will be like a stupid (foolish) man who built his house upon the sand. 27 And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great and complete was the fall of it, Matthew 7:26-27.

Unfortunately, seminaries in America and throughout the world have elevated scholars and theologians above the commands of Jesus. Rather than unite under the Great Commission, Acts 1:8, churches continue to divide by overemphasizing minor elements of the Bible. May today’s blog help you see the light and simple command to do what you learn from the Bible.

by Jay Mankus

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Exposing the Iniquities of Our Past

Posted on October 5, 2023 by expressyourself4him

If you read the Bible long enough, you’ll see that you can’t hide from your past. Whether it’s the sins of the father developing in your own children or receiving what you have previously sowed, time has a way of exposing the iniquities of your past. This is the conclusion that Judah came to as the trick that he played on his brother Joseph was coming around to burn him once again.

Joseph said to them, What is this thing that you have done? Do you not realize that such a man as I can certainly detect and know by divination [everything you do without other knowledge of it]? 16 And Judah said, What shall we say to my lord? What shall we reply? Or how shall we clear ourselves, since God has found out and exposed the iniquity of your servants? Behold, we are my lord’s slaves, the rest of us as well as he with whom the cup is found, Genesis 44:15-16.

Whether you were called to the principal’s office as a child, questioned by your parents for suspicious behavior or pulled over by a police officer for going over the posted speed limit, these previous encounters serve as a form of discipline. Following an entire chapter known as the Hall of Faith, Hebrews 11, the author follows this up by writing about the importance of discipline. According to Hebrews 12:11, discipline is designed to expose any sort of iniquity.

 Pray, therefore, like this: Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed (kept holy) be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven ([e]left, remitted, and let go of the debts, and have [f]given up resentment against) our debtors. 13 And lead (bring) us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. 14 For if you forgive people their trespasses [their [g]reckless and willful sins, [h]leaving them, letting them go, and [i]giving up resentment], your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their trespasses [their [j]reckless and willful sins, [k]leaving them, letting them go, and [l]giving up resentment], neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses, Matthew 6:9-15.

During one famous first century speech, Jesus adds another dimension to iniquity and transgressions. At the end of the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus points out a condition to forgiveness. If you are willing to forgive and overlook any iniquities and transgressions made against you, God will show mercy by forgiving all of your sins. However, if you aren’t willing to forget the iniquities of others, God won’t forgive you. Therefore, as the Holy Spirit exposes the iniquities of your past, may God give you a heart of compassion and mercy.

by Jay Mankus

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Contending with God

Posted on July 16, 2023 by expressyourself4him

Contend refers to any struggle to surmount in the face of danger or a difficulty. Whenever a believer/Christian contends with God, this is usually in the form of prayer. Perhaps, this is what Jesus is talking about at the end of His Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 7:7-8. Don’t give up hope when your prayer isn’t answered. Rather, keep on contending with God, knocking until you receive an answer like the persistent Widow in Luke 18:1-8.

And Jacob was left alone, and a Man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25 And when [the [a]Man] saw that He did not prevail against [Jacob], He touched the hollow of his thigh; and Jacob’s thigh was put out of joint as he wrestled with Him. 26 Then He said, Let Me go, for day is breaking. But [Jacob] said, I will not let You go unless You declare a blessing upon me. 27 [The Man] asked him, What is your name? And [in shock of realization, whispering] he said, Jacob [supplanter, schemer, trickster, swindler]! – Genesis 32:24-27

The apostle Paul writes about contending with Devil in Ephesians 4:26-31. The key piece of advice is to avoid giving the Devil a foothold in the form of an addiction, bad habit or unwholesome craving. Two chapters later, Paul explains why this is necessary as powers of darkness are not something to take lightly, Ephesians 6:10-12. To contend with invisible forces of evil, the armor of God is the spiritual attire to put on daily.

And He said, Your name shall be called no more Jacob [supplanter], but Israel [contender with God]; for you have contended and have power with God and with men and have prevailed. 29 Then Jacob asked Him, Tell me, I pray You, what [in contrast] is Your name? But He said, Why is it that you ask My name? And [b][the Angel of God declared] a blessing on [Jacob] there, Genesis 32:28-29.

From a practical perspective, the best example of determination I can find in the New Testament is the prayers of the persistent widow. Or if you want to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, Mark 1:35-38, starting every day with the Lord in prayer is a must if you want to contend spiritually. Then again, if you find yourself wrestling against an unknown being like Jacob, just holding on for dear life brings a sense of desperation. Giving everything that you have, Colossians 3:23, is a great way to contend with and live for the Lord.

by Jay Mankus

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Signs of a Comforting God

Posted on June 18, 2023 by expressyourself4him

Whenever anyone is suffering from depression, there is a tendency to put blinders on; only seeing the negative aspects of life. From my own personal experiences as a teenager, part of me wanted sympathy from my peers. Unfortunately, I was too immature and didn’t have a personal relationship with Jesus. Subsequently, I wasn’t looking for signs from a comforting God.

And Jacob lived with Rachel also as his wife, and he loved Rachel more than Leah and served [Laban] another seven years [for her]. 31 And when the Lord saw that Leah was despised, He made her able to bear children, but Rachel was barren, Genesis 29:30-31.

Based upon the words of Moses in today’s featured passage, Leah was suffering from envy and jealousy. If you want to put her feelings into a more visual context, Rachel received Jacob’s full attention. Meanwhile, Leah was an afterthought, getting whatever energy Jacob had left over from his daily encounters with Rachel. As each day wore on, Leah began to feel dead inside her soul.

And Leah became pregnant and bore a son and named him Reuben [See, a son!]; for she said, Because the Lord has seen my humiliation and affliction; now my husband will love me. 33 [Leah] became pregnant again and bore a son and said, Because the Lord heard that I am despised, He has given me this son also; and she named him Simeon [God hears]. 34 And she became pregnant again and bore a son and said, Now this time will my husband be a companion to me, for I have borne him three sons. Therefore he was named Levi [companion]. 35 Again she conceived and bore a son, and she said, Now will I praise the Lord! So she called his name Judah [praise]; then [for a time] she ceased bearing, Genesis 29:32-35.

During this time of despair, Leah cried out to the Lord for some sort of help to endure the pain inside her heart. The first answer Leah received was in the form of a son named Reuben. From Leah’s perspective, the Lord has seen her affliction and granted her a sign of comfort. When Leah was blessed with 2 more boys, God removed her pain by replacing it with a Spirit of praise. This is one of many signs in the Bible of a comforting God.

by Jay Mankus

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Cut It Out… Or Be Cut Off

Posted on November 7, 2022 by expressyourself4him

There were two common expressions the parents of teenagers in my neighbors used while trying to discipline unruly kids. The first was “knock it off,” but my dad often said, “cut it out.” When your father is a former defensive end and tight end in college, you do exactly what he says. One Old Testament prophet and Jesus make similar points in the passages below:

Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened at all, that it cannot save, nor His ear dull with deafness, that it cannot hear. 2 But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear. 3 For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue mutters wickedness. 4 None sues or calls in righteousness [but for the sake of doing injury to others—to take some undue advantage]; no one goes to law honestly and pleads [his case] in truth; they trust in emptiness, worthlessness and futility, and speaking lies! They conceive mischief and bring forth evil! – Isaiah 59:1-4

I came face to face with this expression during the summer before my senior year of college. While playing sand volleyball with my good friend Eddy, I broke my ankle. Instead of enjoying my final month of summer, I was bed-ridden for two weeks. While lying in bed, I heard the Holy Spirit whisper “cut if out or be cut off”. Like the Laodiceans in Revelation 3:15-16, I had become a lukewarm Christian.

 I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser. 2 Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit. 3 You are cleansed and pruned already, because of the word which I have given you [the teachings I have discussed with you]. 4 Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing, John 15:1-5.

In the days that followed, I had come to a crossroads of faith. This was God’s way of saying, “make Jesus Lord of your life, Romans 10:9-11, or live for yourself.” At college I was a strong Christian, but at home in Cleveland I was chasing after earthly pleasures. August of 1991 altered my prodigal journey as I came to my spiritual senses to return home for good by beginning to cut out my former way of life, Colossians 3:5-9. May my personal journey inspire you to go all in by making Jesus Lord and Savior.

by Jay Mankus

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Salvation is due to our God

Posted on July 26, 2022 by expressyourself4him

The word salvation began being used in the late 1100s and early 1200s. This comes from the Old Latin term salvātiōn. Salvātiō in Latin is the equivalent of salvatus, which is the past participle where English derives the meaning to save. According to a first century physician, the apostles of Jesus, some of whom were former disciples of Jesus, came to the conclusion that true salvation is only found in Jesus.

This [Jesus] is the Stone which was despised and rejected by you, the builders, but which has become the Head of the corner [the Cornerstone]. 12 And there is salvation in and through no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by and in which we must be saved, Acts 4:11-12.

Following the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, God pressed the reset button in Genesis 12:1-3. Abram soon became known as Father Abraham, sowing the seeds for God’s chosen nation. Moses was selected by God to lead Israel out of slavery in Egypt and into a promised land. Yet, God needed to set up a temporary solution to cope with the human flesh and sinful nature detailed in Leviticus.

In loud voice they cried, saying, [Our] salvation is due to our God, Who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb [to Them we owe our deliverance]! – Revelation 7:10

A priesthood was developed to atone for the sins of mankind until a second Adam was sent in the form of God’s one and only son, John 3:16-17. The apostles recognized this individual as the Messiah formerly a Jewish carpenter from Nazareth. While Peter thought Jesus would become an earthly king, Jesus’ death on a cross and his subsequent resurrection was necessary to complete the spiritual process known as salvation thanks be to God.

by Jay Mankus

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Coming Out of the Closet to Show Others the Way

Posted on July 21, 2022 by expressyourself4him

In the past century, liberals and progressives have taken symbols and terms from the Bible. Rather than highlight the biblical context of being happy and the Old Testament symbolism of a rainbow, new meanings have been ascribed. Perhaps, it’s time to flip the script by coming out of the preverbal closet to honor the words of Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount.

You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste (its strength, its quality), how can its saltness be restored? It is not good for anything any longer but to be thrown out and trodden underfoot by men. 14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden, Matthew 5:13-14.

When I turn on cable news or search the internet for what’s going on in the world, headlines seem to be turning darker and darker every day. If there was ever a time for the Christian Church to be a City on a Hill and the Light of the World, now is the time. If God is love, sirens of love should be blaring throughout places of worship to show others living in darkness the Way of Jesus.

Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a peck measure, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your [z]moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and [aa]recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father Who is in heaven, Matthew 5:15-16.

Unfortunately, many Christians are like high school cliques shining the light and love of Christ at each other. Meanwhile, prodigals and wayward souls continue to walk around in darkness without most churches doing anything to help. If you have similar concerns and thoughts, come out of your spiritual closet to show others the way to the love of Jesus.

by Jay Mankus

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