Author Archives: expressyourself4him

Where the Vine and Shepherd Co-Exist

Posted on October 17, 2021 by expressyourself4him

There are 46 parables of Jesus recorded in the four New Testament gospels. Two of these stories illustrate the personal relationship that God desires to have with human beings. In the first parable below, Jesus reveals God’s Open Door Policy, keeping the Shepherd’s Gate available and unlocked. Meanwhile, the second story John recounts is a living vine that is a source for life with supernatural power to bear fruit.

So Jesus said again, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that I Myself am the Door [a]for the sheep. 8 All others who came [as such] before Me are thieves and robbers, but the [true] sheep did not listen to and obey them. 9 I am the Door; anyone who enters in through Me will be saved (will live). He will come in and he will go out [freely], and will find pasture, John 10:7-9.

Jesus compares himself to a shepherd who is overseeing a large flock of sheep. Like any caring shepherd, Jesus stands by the entrance, making sure every member of his flock is secured within the pen. Yet, life doesn’t always go as planned, with unseen circumstances lurking in the distance. Therefore, Jesus warns his sheep of thieves and robbers that will try to deceive and steal joy from your life.

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. 6 If a person does not dwell in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken-off] branch, and withers; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you, John 15:4-7.

Five chapters later, Jesus compares himself to an abundant Vine. Using the illustration of a gardener tending to and pruning each branch, this habit is designed to stimulate growth. When you learn to recognize and listen to God’s voice, this is where the Vine and Shepherd co-exist. Instead of relying on your own strength, when you learn to fully place your trust in Jesus, you’ll enter through the front door and remain connected to the Vine.

by Jay Mankus

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The Desire to Become Part of a Greater Cause

Posted on October 16, 2021 by expressyourself4him

I’m the youngest of three with two older sisters, four and five years apart. Because of this age difference, I wasn’t big enough to be included in our neighborhood games. I spent the first 10 years of my life sitting on the sidelines, watching everyone else have fun. When my father got transferred to Delaware, most of the new neighborhood was my age. Despite a severe speech impediment, I found solace in playing board games, sports and video games with kids who became like a second family.

But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth, Acts 1:8.

When high school arrived, I joined a sport that I was told no one ever gets cut, Cross Country. Like Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump, I became a running fool. While the actual act of running was brutally hard, the friends that I made during these 4 years was unlike anything I have ever experienced. One of my favorite memories was going on a long bus ride to Killens Pond State Park to compete in my first ever running invitational. To represent Concord and run for my teammates made me feel part of a greater cause for the first time in my life.

Now there are distinctive varieties and distributions of endowments (gifts, [a]extraordinary powers distinguishing certain Christians, due to the power of divine grace operating in their souls by the Holy Spirit) and they vary, but the [Holy] Spirit remains the same. 5 And there are distinctive varieties of service and ministration, but it is the same Lord [Who is served]. 6 And there are distinctive varieties of operation [of working to accomplish things], but it is the same God Who inspires and energizes them all in all. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the [Holy] Spirit [the evidence, the spiritual illumination of the Spirit] for good and profit, 1 Corinthians 12:4-7.

After my sophomore year of college, I was invited to attend a church service where one of my mentors was speaking. Little did I know that joining this small service of about 20 people, I felt an instant special connection with this church body. Despite meeting inside the entrance of a local high school for 2 years, I felt called to become baptized and to start the process of joining Cornerstone Church. This wasn’t just a neighborhood or a school group, but a body of believers that allowed me to become part of a greater cause to share the love of Jesus throughout Delaware. May you find the same joy that I found in my earlier years.

by Jay Mankus

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The Purpose of the Law

Posted on October 15, 2021 by expressyourself4him

One of my first impressions of God as a child was a disciplinarian. If I made a mistake, did something bad or really screwed up, God would punish me like disobedient Israelites in the Old Testament. Perhaps, the Roman Catholic priests that I grew accustom of listening to each Sunday at mass ingrained this concept into my head. Everything seemed so absolute with right and wrong clearly defined in the Bible. Yet, from a logical perspective, I didn’t know the purpose of God’s laws.

What then do we conclude? Is the Law identical with sin? Certainly not! Nevertheless, if it had not been for the Law, I should not have recognized sin or have known its meaning. [For instance] I would not have known about covetousness [would have had no consciousness of sin or sense of guilt] if the Law had not [repeatedly] said, You shall not covet and have an evil desire [for one thing and another]. 8 But sin, finding opportunity in the commandment [to express itself], got a hold on me and aroused and stimulated all kinds of forbidden desires (lust, covetousness). For without the Law sin is dead [the sense of it is inactive and a lifeless thing], Romans 7:7-8.

The apostle Paul devotes an entire chapter to clearing up this matter for anyone who still may be confused or uncertain. According to the passage above, the purpose of the law is to recognize sin. When anyone goes outside the defined boundaries set in the Bible, you are proceeding into troubled waters. You may not feel any different at first. In fact, you may be amoral, not knowing right from wrong. Yet, the more you read the Bible, these words are like a lamp for our feet to guide your steps, Psalm 119:105.

For sin, seizing the opportunity and getting a hold on me [by taking its incentive] from the commandment, beguiled and entrapped and cheated me, and using it [as a weapon], killed me. 12 The Law therefore is holy, and [each] commandment is holy and just and good. 13 Did that which is good then prove fatal [bringing death] to me? Certainly not! It was sin, working death in me by using this good thing [as a weapon], in order that through the commandment sin might be shown up clearly to be sin, that the extreme malignity and immeasurable sinfulness of sin might plainly appear, Romans 7:11-13.

However, the Sermon on the Mount may reveal another purpose of the law. Jesus urges listeners of this famous speech to strive for perfection, Matthew 5:48. Unfortunately, anyone who seeks perfection will be consumed by disappointment and failure. This is what the apostle Paul realized as a former Pharisee. Despite possessing a zeal that surpassed most religious leaders of his day, Paul’s sinful tendencies was laid bare by God’s law. The true purpose of the law is to help human beings see their sinful nature so that confession compels trespassers to cry out to the Savior of the world, John 3:16-17.

by Jay Mankus

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The Balance Between Trusting Medication and God for Mental Health

Posted on October 15, 2021 by expressyourself4him

A 2018 article in Psychology Today addresses “The Voice Inside Your Head.” Author and Doctor Steve Taylor talks about his own personal experience as a teenager. This voice, whisper or thought does have a series of explanations. One could be your conscience designed by God to regulate and steer your body toward doing what’s right. The whisper could be advice imparted to you as a child or inner demons that attempt to drag you down. Meanwhile, thoughts can be the contemplation process in action, weighing the pros and cons. Yet, what is the balance between trusting medication and trusting God for your mental health?

But for [a]Cain and his offering He had no respect or regard. So Cain was exceedingly angry and indignant, and he looked sad and depressed. 6 And the Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry? And why do you look sad and depressed and dejected? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin crouches at your door; its desire is for you, but you must master it, Genesis 4:5-7.

The passage above unveils the conversion that many struggling believers have with God. When things don’t go your way, you may become envious or jealous of that person you know who seems so blessed by God. This was the dilemma facing Cain as his younger brother had become a successful shepherd. Meanwhile, Cain was working his ass off as a farmer, but to no avail. As Cain became depressed about his lack of success in life, a root of bitterness began to take hold of Cain’s heart. Concerned by what Cain was thinking, God sought to intervene, Unfortunately, it was too late as Cain had already made up his mind, James 1:14-15. There was no medicine available at this time to alter Cain’s mental state.

And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and [h][especially wicked] sinners came and sat (reclined) with Him and His disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, Why does your Master eat with tax collectors and those [preeminently] sinful? 12 But when Jesus heard it, He replied, Those who are strong and well (healthy) have no need of a physician, but those who are weak and sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy [that is, [i]readiness to help those in trouble] and not sacrifice and sacrificial victims. For I came not to call and invite [to repentance] the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with God), but sinners (the erring ones and all those not free from sin), Matthew 9:10-13.

Following a meal with religious leaders, Jesus began to open up about the balance between trusting medicine and God for your own mental health. Jesus makes a clear distinction between the sick and healthy. The spiritually mature tend to be able to manage whatever conditions arise, learning how to take care of themselves. Meanwhile, it’s the sick who need the help of a doctor. Whether you’re talking about addictions, bad habits or internal cravings, medical physicians will prescribe what needs to happen before a full recovery can be made. Sometimes this condition requires drugs and other circumstances call for discipline. The ultimate goal is to find that ideal balance between trusting God and medicine.

by Jay Mankus

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What Happened to the Fallen Angels?

Posted on October 14, 2021 by expressyourself4him

According to Revelation 12:9, the former archangel Lucifer and a third of the angels in heaven were thrown down to earth. The apostle Paul reveals that Lucifer now serves as the Ruler of the Air in Ephesus 2:2. While there is no direct mention of this, it is assumed that fallen angels now serve the Devil, aka Satan in the spiritual dimension, creating havoc for all human beings behind the scenes, Ephesians 6:12.

And angels who did not keep (care for, guard, and hold to) their own first place of power but abandoned their proper dwelling place—these He has reserved in custody in eternal chains (bonds) under the thick gloom of utter darkness until the judgment and doom of the great day. 7 [The wicked are sentenced to suffer] just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the adjacent towns—which likewise gave themselves over to impurity and indulged in unnatural vice and sensual perversity—are laid out [in plain sight] as an exhibit of perpetual punishment [to warn] of everlasting fire, Jude 1:6-7.

One section of the Bible known as the Catholic Letters, (universal letters to Christians scattered throughout the world following the persecution of Nero), provides a glimpse of what happened to fallen angels. Jude eludes to their eternal fate as followers of Lucifer. Comparing the judgment these angels will face to something worse than what occurred to Sodom and Gomorrah in the Old Testament.

For God did not [even] spare angels that sinned, but cast them into hell, delivering them to be kept there in pits of gloom till the judgment and their doom. 5 And He spared not the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven other persons, when He brought a flood upon the world of ungodly [people]. 6 And He condemned to ruin and extinction the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, reducing them to ashes [and thus] set them forth as an example to those who would be ungodly; 2 Peter 2:4-6.

At some point prior to their expulsion, these angels abandoned their proper dwelling place. By exercising free will, these angels stopped caring for, guarding, holding on to and keeping the responsibilities assigned to them by their heavenly Father. When you examine the words of the Devil in Matthew 4:1-9, these once heavenly beings wanted recognition and praise. Subsequently, self gratification similar to the process illustrated in James 1:14-15 reveals what happened to these fallen angels.

by Jay Mankus

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What Goes On Beneath the Surface Prior to Rebellion

Posted on October 13, 2021 by expressyourself4him

In a letter to the Church at Thessalonica, the apostle Paul examines the mystery of lawlessness, 2 Thessalonians 2:7-8. Inside this passage, Paul unveils the hidden principle of rebellion. From a historical perspective, the origin of rebellion began with one simple thought in Genesis 3:3, “did God really say?” When Eve allowed this New Age Philosophy to take root within her heart, this is what was going on beneath the surface prior to rebellion being conceived.

[Therefore beware] brethren, take care, lest there be in any one of you a wicked, unbelieving heart [which refuses to cleave to, trust in, and rely on Him], leading you to turn away and desert or stand aloof from the living God. 13 But instead warn (admonish, urge, and encourage) one another every day, as long as it is called Today, that none of you may be hardened [into settled rebellion] by the deceitfulness of sin [by the fraudulence, the stratagem, the trickery which the delusive glamor of his sin may play on him], Hebrews 3:12-13.

Rather than review original sin, the author of Hebrews goes back to what happened to Israel following the Exodus out of Egypt. God’s initial plan was to enter the Promised Land at Canaan in the same calendar that Israel fled Egypt. Yet, instead of trusting God to provide manna while living in the wilderness, the hidden principle of rebellion once again reared its ugly head. This came in the form of bickering, complaining, and grumbling to Moses as many Jews wish they had never left Egypt.

Then while it is [still] called Today, if you would hear His voice and when you hear it, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion [in the desert, when the people provoked and irritated and embittered God against them]. 16 For who were they who heard and yet were rebellious and provoked [Him]? Was it not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was He irritated and provoked and grieved for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose [d]dismembered bodies were strewn and left in the desert? – Hebrews 3:15-17

According to Moses, a hardened heart prevents individuals from hearing God’s voice. Perhaps, when Eve was entertaining a sly serpent in the Garden of Eden, the concept of questioning God gradually reached her heart. As this conversation continued, the first lie on earth was planted within Eve’s mind. Thinking that God was holding her back, Eve began to stare at this forbidden fruit. The more Eve look, enticement and lust was conceived, James 1:14-15. This is what goes on beneath the surface prior to any rebellion.

by Jay Mankus

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The Haunting Fear of Death

Posted on October 12, 2021 by expressyourself4him

As September turns to October, normal programming is put on hold for a month. While action films may be weaved in here or there, Halloween related movies will take center stage. This month long marathon seeks to scare the hell out of you. As the deaths quickly accumulate in these slasher classics, the haunting fear of death is often desensitized as villains have their own set of nine lives.

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 10:27-28.

Growing up my mother was a paramedic, often running off to the nearest accident. emergency or fire. I was sheltered from most of this as a child until my neighbor’s house caught on fire and my next door neighbor was rushed to the hospital. My first brush with death was during a sailboat excursion in the Chesapeake Bay. When our vessel capsized in the middle of the channel, a giant cargo ship was heading straight for us until a good Samaritan pulled us out of the water just in time.

And also that He might deliver and completely set free all those who through the [haunting] fear of death were held in bondage throughout the whole course of their lives.16 For, as we all know, He [Christ] did not take hold of angels [[a]the fallen angels, to give them a helping and delivering hand], but He did take hold of [[b]the fallen] descendants of Abraham [to reach out to them a helping and delivering hand], Hebrews 2:15-16.

By the time I reached high school, a classmate and her family were all killed in a car accident and one of my best friends died of cancer shortly after graduating from high school. Two of my teammates in two different sports committed suicide two years apart. These events conceived in me the haunting fear of death. Yet, when I finally put my complete faith and trust in Jesus in college, this fear gradually subsided once I realized that my eternal future was secure, 1 John 5:13.

by Jay Mankus

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Relying on God in Seasons of Darkness and Pain

Posted on October 11, 2021 by expressyourself4him

If you want to collect advice from the Bible to help you overcome a dire situation, King Solomon is a great place to start. During his lifetime, people came from all over the world to hear the wisdom of Solomon. In the passage below, Solomon shares about the reality of life. The longer you live, you will encounter the various seasons described by King Solomon. Yet, it’s one of Jesus’ earthly brothers who reveals the secret to overcoming seasons of darkness and pain.

To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven: 2 A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted, 3 A time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build up, 4 A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 A time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, Ecclesiastes 3:1-5.

If there is a time and place for every season, perhaps every day is merely part of the process that will mold and shape you into the person you will become. Jesus’ brother suggests that everyone struggles with some sort of immaturity. In order to reach what Abraham Harold Maslow refers to as self realization, certain needs must be met before you can move on to the next stage in life. Instead of running away, you must learn to face, endure and go through the storms of life.

Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. 3 Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. 4 But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing, James 1:2-4.

As dark clouds close in and surround you, it will be hard to see or make any sense of this latest situation. Yet, if you want to fully develop as an adult, you need to begin relying on an invisible God in seasons of darkness and pain. Like a veteran who has been there, done that, life is about living and learning from the good and bad. When you stumble and fall, dust yourself off and get back in the game called life. If you can reach a point where you consider any trial a pure joy, you will start relying on God in times of darkness.

by Jay Mankus

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The Sole Expression of Glory

Posted on October 10, 2021 by expressyourself4him

The word glory is found 619 times in the Bible. In the Old Testament, glory appears 148 times, but has two entirely unrelated meanings and, thus, describes two completely different ideas. When you dig deeper, glory is derived from twenty different words: twelve in Hebrew and eight in the Greek. Translations from terms like kâbôd, pâ’ar, tiph’ârâh, hâdâr and addereth are specific aspects of glory.

In many separate revelations [[a]each of which set forth a portion of the Truth] and in different ways God spoke of old to [our] forefathers in and by the prophets, 2 [But] in [b]the last of these days He has spoken to us in [the person of a] Son, Whom He appointed Heir and lawful Owner of all things, also by and through Whom He created the worlds and the reaches of space and the ages of time [He made, produced, built, operated, and arranged them in order], Hebrews 1:1-2.

While the basic definition of glory is high renown or honor won by notable achievements, biblical glory is a combination of awe, praise, worship, and thanksgiving. The author of Hebrews begins this book with a summary of past revelations. While reflecting upon why the earth was created, a conclusion is reached by verse 2. Jesus is the sole expression of the glory of God, the reflection of our divine heavenly father.

He is the sole expression of the glory of God [the Light-being, the [c]out-raying or radiance of the divine], and He is the perfect imprint and very image of [God’s] nature, upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power. When He had by offering Himself accomplished our cleansing of sins and riddance of guilt, He sat down at the right hand of the divine Majesty on high, Hebrews 1:3.

The first mention of Jesus occurs in Genesis 3:15. Following the punishment handed out to Eve and the Serpent, aka the Devil, the first prophecy of Jesus is subtle. This cryptic message lays out God’s plan to send a second Adam to earth to seek and to save that which was lost in the Garden of Eden, Luke 19:10. Once carried out by a virgin, Jesus lived 33 years on earth before becoming obedient to death on a cross. Three days after being pronounced dead, the sole expression of glory was realized in Jesus’ resurrection.

by Jay Mankus

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The Gap Between Reality and Faith

Posted on October 9, 2021 by expressyourself4him

As a young Christian, I had a bad habit of treating prayer like a child sitting on Santa’s lap before Christmas. Looking back, I did receive a good portion of the gifts that I requested. However, when it came to waiting for prayers to be answered, that was another story. I guess I viewed God like Jim Carrey in Bruce Almighty, wanting everyone to win the lottery. This is just one example of the gap between reality and faith.

And as He saw [k]one single leafy fig tree [l]above the roadside, He went to it but He found nothing but leaves on it [[m]seeing that in the fig tree the fruit appears at the same time as the leaves]. And He said to it, Never again shall fruit grow on you! And the fig tree withered up at once. 20 When the disciples saw it, they marveled greatly and asked, How is it that the fig tree has withered away all at once? 21 And Jesus answered them, Truly I say to you, if you have faith (a [n]firm relying trust) and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, Be taken up and cast into the sea, it will be done. 22 And whatever you ask for in prayer, having faith and [really] believing, you will receive, Matthew 21:19-22.

One walk with his disciples illustrates this point in the passage above. Jesus was hungry after a long day of helping broken, poor and troubled souls. Expecting a fig to satisfy his stomach, Jesus reacts when this tree isn’t doing what it was created to do, bear fruit. After placing a curse on this tree, it immediately withers in plain view of the disciples. Curious by this one act, the disciples want to know how and why Jesus did this. Jesus uses this opportunity to highlight the relationship between belief and faith.

But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out], Hebrews 11:6.

Apparently, doubt and unbelief are a major force in the gap between reality and faith. When you go before the Lord in prayer, belief and faith are essential for miracles to happen. If a barrier, mountain or obstacle is standing in your way, do you see the power of God or have you lost hope of ever becoming the person God wants you to be? The author of Hebrews is blunt in the passage above as it’s impossible to please and satisfy God without faith. Subsequently, only when Christians begin to fulfill the will that God has for them will the gap between reality and faith gradually merge into one.

by Jay Mankus

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