Tag Archives: ungodly beliefs

When Your Conscience and Faith Go Hand in Hand

Posted on October 28, 2023 by expressyourself4him

Depending upon your education, how you were raised, and your spiritual upbringing, the concept of conscience and faith will vary. After being introduced to the book Restoring the Foundations through a Sunday School class, my perspective has changed. Due to ungodly beliefs, personal opinions that deviate from the Bible, that are picked up over the course of your life, these flawed mindsets block you from being the person who God wants you to become, Romans 12:1-2.

And the king assigned for them a daily portion of his own rich and dainty food and of the wine which he drank. They were to be so educated and so nourished for three years that at the end of that time they might stand before the king. 6 Among these were of the children of Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7 The chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar [the king’s attendant], Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego. 8 But Daniel determined in his heart that he would not defile himself by [eating his portion of] the king’s rich and dainty food or by [drinking] the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might [be allowed] not to defile himself, Daniel 1:5-8.

Based upon the beginning of this book, Daniel was blessed with intellectual and physical features. Meanwhile, Daniel’s parents introduced the teachings of Moses to him at an early age, Deuteronomy 6:4-9. Subsequently, when the Babylonians begin to force customs which are in direct conflict to the Old Testament, Daniel’s conscience and faith go hand in hand as if to sound a spiritual alarm inside his heart.

 But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God). 17 For the desires of the flesh are opposed to the [Holy] Spirit, and the [desires of the] Spirit are opposed to the flesh (godless human nature); for these are antagonistic to each other [continually withstanding and in conflict with each other], so that you are not free but are prevented from doing what you desire to do, Galatians 5:16-17.

The apostle Paul explains this sensation as an internal war between the Holy Spirit and sinful nature. This human flaw described in Romans 3:9-12 has caused every individual to fall short of God’s glory. Nonetheless, when Christians begins to keep in step with the Holy Spirit, Galatians 5:25, your conscience serves as a flashlight to point you in the right direction. May today’s blog inspire you to hold your ground by uniting faith with your God given conscience to follow the narrow path, Matthew 7:13-14, in a world of darkness.

by Jay Mankus

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Celebrating Family in the Living Years

Posted on September 28, 2023 by expressyourself4him

The first thing that made me think about my own family was the Mike and Mechanics hit song The Living Years. As a teenager, many of my peers spoke about parents as individuals who prevented you from having fun in life. This is one of many ungodly beliefs that I developed prior to getting married. This one song challenged me to celebrate family members in the living years.

Then the men took the present, and they took double the [grain] money with them, and Benjamin; and they arose and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph. 16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, Bring the men into the house and kill an animal and make ready, for the men will dine with me at noon. 17 And the man did as Joseph ordered and brought the men to Joseph’s house, Genesis 43:15-17.

As I have been studying the life of Joseph in the Old Testament, the only person who liked him growing up was his father Jacob. Moses doesn’t mention Rachel’s feeling about Joseph except for thanking God to allow her to finally conceive and give birth to her own child. Nonetheless, when Rachel gives Joseph a baby brother, Benjamin, he forms a special connection with him.

Then Joseph could not restrain himself [any longer] before all those who stood by him, and he called out, Cause every man to go out from me! So no one stood there with Joseph while he made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he wept and sobbed aloud, and the Egyptians [who had just left him] heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard about it. 3 And Joseph said to his brothers, I am Joseph! Is my father still alive? And his brothers could not reply, for they were distressingly disturbed and dismayed at [the startling realization that they were in] his presence. 4 And Joseph said to his brothers, Come near to me, I pray you. And they did so. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt! 5 But now, do not be distressed and disheartened or vexed and angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me ahead of you to preserve life. 6 For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years more in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7 God sent me before you to preserve for you a posterity and to continue a remnant on the earth, to save your lives by a great escape and save for you many survivors, Genesis 45:1-7.

Upon being reunited with his baby brother in today’s featured passage, Joseph is inspired to celebrate his family while there are still alive. Joseph gives instructions to his steward who prepares for this special occasion. Although there may be an individual within your own family who requires extra grace, don’t let the root of bitterness prevent you from celebrating your own family in the living years.

by Jay Mankus

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The First Purging in the Bible

Posted on July 30, 2023 by expressyourself4him

Depending upon the translation of the Bible that you prefer to read and study, there are approximately 100 passages that directly or indirectly reference purging. From a cultural perspective, there are two types of purging. The abrupt or violent removal of a group of people from an organization or place with the latter focusing on cleansing and purifying your body.

And God said to Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. And make there an altar to God Who appeared to you [in a distinct manifestation] when you fled from the presence of Esau your brother. 2 Then Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, Put away the [images of] strange gods that are among you, and purify yourselves and change [into fresh] garments; 3 Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make there an altar to God Who answered me in the day of my distress and was with me wherever I went. 4 So they [both young men and women] gave to Jacob all the strange gods they had and their earrings which were [worn as charms against evil] in their ears; and Jacob buried and hid them under the oak near Shechem, Genesis 35:1-4.

The first examples of purging in the Bible is found in today’s featured passage. After a strange turn of events at the end of Genesis 34, Jacob is concerned about the spiritual state of his family. After his wife Rachel stole images of gods that her father worshipped without being caught, other woman rummaged through vacant houses in Canaan, taking everything that they liked or looked good on them. This plundering inspired God to speak directly to Jacob by addressing this issue.

So kill (deaden, [a]deprive of power) the evil desire lurking in your members [those animal impulses and all that is earthly in you that is employed in sin]: sexual vice, impurity, sensual appetites, unholy desires, and all greed and covetousness, for that is idolatry (the deifying of self and other created things instead of God). 6 It is on account of these [very sins] that the [holy] anger of God is ever coming upon the sons of disobedience (those who are obstinately opposed to the divine will), 7 Among whom you also once walked, when you were living in and addicted to [such practices]. 8 But now put away and rid yourselves [completely] of all these things: anger, rage, bad feeling toward others, curses and slander, and foulmouthed abuse and shameful utterances from your lips! 9 Do not lie to one another, for you have stripped off the old (unregenerate) self with its evil practices, 10 And have clothed yourselves with the new [spiritual self], which is [ever in the process of being] renewed and remolded into [fuller and more perfect [b]knowledge upon] knowledge after the image (the likeness) of Him Who created it, Colossians 3:5-10.

Possessions like good luck charms seem innocent but can lead to ungodly beliefs about why good and bad things happen in the world. From a New Testament perspective, the apostle Paul explains why spiritual purging is necessary. If a Christian never relinquishes former addictions, bad habits or unwholesome cravings, where is their faith, James 2:26? One of Paul’s consistent messages throughout the first century, if you want to live you must first die to self, Galatians 5:24. May today’s blog inspire you to begin practice purging your soul of evil, Colossians 3:1-4.

by Jay Mankus

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Dread and Fear

Posted on July 21, 2023 by expressyourself4him

Dread is a great fear in the context of impending evil. When someone develops the ungodly belief that God is solely a disciplinarian who punishes individuals who get out of line spiritually, dread will consume these souls. Meanwhile, fear is a strong, uncontrollable, unpleasant emotion caused by a perceived danger or actual threat. The passage below covers a little bit of both.

The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, and the god [the object of worship] of their father [Terah, an idolator], judge between us. But Jacob swore [only] by [the one true God] the Dread and Fear of his father Isaac, Genesis 31:54.

While the Ten Commandments have not been introduced yet, Moses appears to write this passage with what God desires in mind. Prior to his introduction to the one true God in Genesis 12, Abraham was taught about Terah. Looking back in hindsight, Jacob made an oath to the one true God, filled with dread for those who worship the idolator Terah.

So have no fear of them; for nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, or kept secret that will not become known. 27 What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered in the ear, proclaim upon the housetops. 28 And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; but rather be afraid of Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Gehenna), Matthew 10:26-28.

As a former Roman Catholic, the wrath of God was over-emphasized in the church that I grew up in. Subsequently, anytime I did not obey God or do the right thing, Romans 7:15-17, I beat myself up with guilt and shame. The dread and fear which consumed my soul in high school was not healthy. Despite my former ungodly beliefs, Jesus sets the record straight in the passage above. Reverent fear leads many to faith in Christ, Romans 10:9-11. May any current dread, result in salvation.

by Jay Mankus

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When Tomorrow Ends Up Being Next Year or Later

Posted on June 6, 2023 by expressyourself4him

There is an ungodly belief that has been widely adopted by many churches which has been embraced by members of their congregation. Using verses like Jeremiah 29:11 and Philippians 1:6, there’s a consensus that God has a plan for your life and will bring to completion what the Lord began in your life. While this statement is true, the timeframe Christians are told when God’s will be fulfilled isn’t accurate. Ideally, when you cry out to the Lord for a specific request in prayer, receiving an answer tomorrow would be great. This has occurred in my life, but what do you do when tomorrow ends up being next year or later?

Come now, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a city and spend a year there and carry on our business and make money. 14 Yet you do not know [the least thing] about what may happen tomorrow. What is the nature of your life? You are [really] but a wisp of vapor (a puff of smoke, a mist) that is visible for a little while and then disappears [into thin air], James 4:13-14.

Human nature puts a desire for instant gratification within people. The Bible refers to this as the flesh, a sinful nature that is hostile toward God, Romans 8:5-8. When an only child or spoiled brat doesn’t get their way, tantrums often follow. While everyone matures at a different rate of time, some adults don’t grow out of this behavior. When the promise of tomorrow ends up becoming next week, next month or sometime next year, anxiousness may turn into fits of rage if things don’t go your way.

All the commandments which I command you this day you shall be watchful to do, that you may live and multiply and go in and possess the land which the Lord swore to give to your fathers. 2 And you shall [earnestly] remember all the way which the Lord your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and to prove you, to know what was in your [mind and] heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. 3 And He humbled you and allowed you to hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you recognize and personally know that man does not live by bread only, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. 4 Your clothing did not become old upon you nor did your feet swell these forty years, Deuteronomy 8:1-4.

The book of Deuteronomy is a recapitulation of the Ten Commandments and much of the Mosaic Law. If human beings possess a sinful nature, they are also forgetful. Subsequently, God called Moses to write this book to remind the Israelites of God’s law. The selected passage above highlights Israel’s journey from Egypt to God’s promised land. This trip should have taken about a month by foot, but disobedience and grumbling turned arriving tomorrow into forty years later. When God puts the next phase of your life on hold, follow Solomon’s advice in Proverbs 3:5-6 to fight through the battle between time and following God’s will for your life.

by Jay Mankus

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When You Think God is Done With You

Posted on December 5, 2022 by expressyourself4him

Human nature has a way of viewing God like a strict disciplinarian who forbids any moments of having fun. According to the apostle Paul, this flawed mindset is hostile toward God, Romans 8:5-8. This is one of many ungodly beliefs that the father of all lies places into your thought life, John 8:44. Subsequently, when you blatantly since against the Lord in one form or another, you may come to the conclusion that God is done, finished with you. This is how Cain felt after killing his younger brother Abel.

And [the Lord] said, What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground. 11 And now you are cursed by reason of the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s [shed] blood from your hand. 12 When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength; you shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth [in perpetual exile, a degraded outcast], Genesis 4:10-12.

Besides dealing with the curse placed upon his father Adam in Genesis 3:17-19, Cain was forced to live as a vagabond, spending the remainder of his days on earth in perpetual exile as a social outcast. Surely, God was finished with Cain based upon his reckless act of disobedience to erase the source of his jealousy. However, this isn’t the end of this nightmare. According to Moses, Cain was allowed to marry and have children.

So Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod [wandering], east of Eden. 17 And Cain’s wife [one of Adam’s offspring] became pregnant and bore Enoch; and Cain built a [f]city and named it after his son Enoch. 18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael the father of Methusael, and Methusael the father of Lamech, Genesis 4:16-18.

Long the days before King Solomon who had 700 wives and 300 concubines, Cain didn’t need to write a book like Proverbs to warn his first son Enoch of all his careless mistakes of the past. Rather, Cain appears to have raised and taught Enoch to walk with God daily, Genesis 5:20-22. While Cain may have given up on himself, the Lord was not done with this sinner. Cain emulated Proverbs 22:6 before it was ever written. Although Cain wasn’t a perfect father, he must have done something right. Enoch became the first and only human being not to experience death, an ironic ending to the son of a convicted murderer.

by Jay Mankus

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Finding Help in God’s Promises

Posted on November 8, 2022 by expressyourself4him

Samuel Smiles published the first self-help book in 1859. The goal of Smiles book was to promote self-development in individuals who were struggling with confidence. In recent years, self-help books have increased in popularity. Yet, no book compares to the best seller of all time. The Bible is full of answers to life’s question as Christians weekly find help and hope in God’s promises within this book.

And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you, Philippians 1:6.

Unfortunately, as human beings we all have experienced the pain of broken and unfulfilled promises. If you have been burned multiple times by someone you care about or look up to, you may reach a point in life when you stop trusting people. Perhaps, this is why many Christians fail to take God and Jesus up on their promises. Ungodly beliefs like “this sounds too good to be true” or “the Bible isn’t completely true” conceive doubt and years of unbelief.

I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you], Romans 12:1-2.

Yet, anyone who has ever read Restoring the Foundations by Chester and Betsy Kylstra or attended one of their workshops, you will find help and power in the promises of the Bible. In a letter to the Church of Philippi, Paul encourages Christians not to give up hope as what God has started in your life will be brought to completion. Meanwhile, as believers begins to offer their bodies as living sacrifices, the spiritual climate is ripe to begin to grasp God’s will for your life. These two promises serve as steppingstones to dig deeper into God’s Word so you can begin to accept, believe in and claim these promises in a prayer daily.

by Jay Mankus

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S.A.N.S. Episode 225: Never Felt Better

Posted on September 14, 2022 by expressyourself4him

Back in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, there was a belief among conservative Christian churches that any form of Rock music was of the Devil. This ungodly belief was formed by preachers who didn’t understand the events of the sexual revolution of the late 1960’s. Never Felt Better by Barnabas touches on how this group was ostracized at the time this song was written, but the band members felt like they were following God’s will for their lives.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will, Romans 12:1-2.

The apostle Paul addresses how to discover God’s will in the passage above. As Christians begin to develop and share their earthly talents and spiritual gifts, the Holy Spirit often places burdens on your heart in the form of a calling from God, Galatians 5:25. Whenever individuals are able to keep in step with the Spirit, spiritual blessings tend to follow. While Barnabas never received the attention of groups like Petra or Stryper, the members was faithful to God’s calling.

by Jay Mankus

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Shutting the Door on Fear

Posted on May 14, 2022 by expressyourself4him

Two first century authors use the imagery of a door to prove their point. The apostle Paul warns Christians against giving the Devil an open door to enter your life. This analogy suggests that you shouldn’t leave a crack or a gap. One of Jesus’ disciples focuses on the positive. This spiritual illustration uses God’s love as a source of superior power to snuff out fear by closing the door.

There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love [g]turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear [h]brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love’s complete perfection], 1 John 4:18.

As I read the passage above recently, my mind turned to 2 Corinthians 10:5-6. Trying to confront the Devil alone is reckless. Yet, when you learn to take your thoughts captive by making them obedient to Christ, shutting the door on fear is possible. If fear feeds on weakened minds that become paralyzed by ungodly beliefs, you’re giving the Devil a foothold to use your fears against you.

When angry, do not sin; do not ever let your wrath (your exasperation, your fury or indignation) last until the sun goes down. 27 Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him], Ephesians 4:26-27.

One of Jesus’ disciples compares the Devil to a predator that feeds on isolated and wounded Christians. When a door is left ajar or cracked open, fear will enter your dreams while you’re sleeping. Anyone who doesn’t shut the door on fear will allow nightmares to continue to fester. These threats will only intensify as time goes by. This is why shutting the door on fear is essential for all Christians to practice.

by Jay Mankus

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S.A.N.S. Episode 74: Don’t Believe It

Posted on April 15, 2022 by expressyourself4him

One of the first Christian rock bands that I found that was as good as popular secular music is Legend. The release of Legend’s debut album Legend Seven coincided with my senior year of college. I can recall a couple of Friday afternoons when I rolled down my windows and blasted Don’t Believe It as I drove down Main Street to unwind. Don’t Believe It was inspired by a warning from the apostle Paul.

Put on God’s whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil. 12 For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere, Ephesians 6:11-12.

This song refers to ungodly beliefs, lies planted inside the thought life of human beings. One of the greatest weapons of the Devil is convincing individuals that other people are to blame. Yet, behind the scenes in the spiritual realm, the Devil is serving as the mastermind of all evil. Subsequently, the message of Don’t Believe It still applies today with a call to stop believing the liar and chief, the Devil.

by Jay Mankus

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