Category Archives: Uncategorized

The Good Things of Christ

Posted on March 24, 2016 by expressyourself4him

There are four books of the Bible known as the gospels according to Jesus Christ.  Matthew, Mark, Luke and John give an account of the life, teachings, death and resurrection of Jesus.  However, gospel originates from the Old English term godspel.  This word has two meanings, referring to good tidings or good news.  Thus, inside these four New Testament books contain the good things of Christ.

But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation, Hebrews 9:11.

According to Hebrews, Jesus came down to earth to be a physical great high priest.  Within the four gospels you will find verses that highlight this great news.  The inspiration behind this selfish act was love.  Trying to restore that which was lost, Jesus resists temptation to become the perfect lamb of God.  Following the disappointment of Jesus’ death on the cross, Sunday’s resurrection rejuvenated those who had lost hope.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him, John 3:16-17.

Today, some members of the media are trying to rewrite history, suggesting the resurrection was a hoax.  Using the conspiracy theory first conceived in Matthew 28:12-15, film makers have created moderns movies to deceive Christians.  Yet, like anything else in life, you have to surround yourself with positive people, fleeing from negative influences.  As another Resurrection Sunday approaches, may the good things about Christ lift you up and draw you closer to a risen Savior during this season of miracles.

by Jay Mankus

 

Leave a comment

Posted in truth and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Humble Beginnings

Posted on March 23, 2016 by expressyourself4him

Every life is like a book with a beginning, middle and end.  However, sometimes portions of life doesn’t make sense until insight is provided from the future.  As for me, its clear that I started from humble beginnings.  Born with a severe speech impediment, life didn’t seem very fair.  In addition, I was accident prone, crashing face first into the pavement on my bike, breaking my leg in two pieces after jumping from an above ground pool and having the tip of my pinky finger caught in a car door.  These events summed up my early days on earth.

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted, Matthew 23:12.

However, little did I know that all these things likely occurred to keep me from becoming full of myself.  As my athletic talents began to blossom, strange occurrences immediately followed crowning moments.  Appendicitis, a complete ligament tear and head on collision prevented me from becoming a prideful person.  Looking back, perhaps my analysis is incorrect, but something in my soul makes me believe these trials kept me humble.  Furthermore, this experience helped me realize that my talents are on loan from God.

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble,” James 4:6.

Like me, Jesus also came from humble beginnings.  When his future father, Joseph, was about to divorce Mary, God intervened.  Yet, Jesus was born into poverty, forced to work hard as a carpenter to make a living.  Growing up in Nazareth, a town with a terrible reputation, Jesus had a lot to overcome.  Nonetheless, when the appointed time arrived, God the Father raised his Son up to find favor on earth.  May those of you enduring hard times currently, remember the promise of humility, that those who are humbled will be lifted up!

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

Posted in truth and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Inside the Ark

Posted on March 22, 2016 by expressyourself4him

Modern fascination with the Ark of the Covenant began in 1981 when Raiders of the Lost Ark was released.  In case you’ve forgotten, Harrison Ford plays Dr. Indiana Jones, an archeologist and expert in the occult who is hired by the United States to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Germans during World War II.  Although this film displays a somewhat realistic nature of the Ark’s power, what lies inside is just as important.

Which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant, Hebrews 9:4.

God told Moses to place three significant pieces of Israel’s history inside the ark as a reminder of God’s providence over the Jews.  The first is a jar of manna, bread from heaven sent to keep those wandering in the desert from starving to death.  The next piece is Aaron’s staff which was turned into a snake, ate up all the staff snakes made by Egyptian magicians before turning back into a staff.  This staff symbolizes God’s power during the ten plagues.  Finally, the ten commandments, written on stone tablets is the last piece, serving as a blue print for how to live and love God and man.

Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.  But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name, John 20:30-31.

In recent years, the concept of time capsules have been used, burying things of the present so that those in the future may be reminded of the past.  Essentially, the Ark of the Covenant is God’s time capsule.  Whether this has already been found and hidden away in some government storage center or not, history is waiting to be uncovered.  Therefore, may those who are seeking answers to life’s questions find meaning in what lies inside the ark.

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

Posted in truth and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

What a Waste of Time

Posted on March 21, 2016 by expressyourself4him

Every weekend, depending upon your work schedule, most Americans have 48 hours to recover before starting a new week.  Sure, there are things you need to do around the house, check up on or complete before Monday morning arrives, but you have plenty of time.  Unfortunately, the older I get, the better I become at finding ways to waste time.  In fact, my time off is like a blur, a mist that appears for a while, then disappears just as quick.

Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes, James 4:14.

Although I’m not distracted by cell phones or computers, once I plop down on my recliner time flies, often losing half a night in one sitting.  At least I’m not alone.  According to the Bible, time has always been a struggle.  I guess if you get too focused on the future, you lose sight of the here and now.  Yet, wanting to get some thing important done and have it actually happen are two different things.

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom, Psalm 90:12.

One of the solutions to stop wasting time is provided by a Psalmist.  Seizing the moment or simply prioritizing your time is a good place to start.  By concentrating on the here and now, wisdom can be achieved.  Yet, prayer, fasting and reflection will lead individuals in the right direction.  As you wrestle with your own time management issues, may the Holy Spirit guide you to make the most of the free time that you possess.

by Jay Mankus

 

Leave a comment

Posted in truth and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Sweat and Blood

Posted on March 20, 2016 by expressyourself4him

The medical term for sweat and blood is hematidrosis.  Initial signs of this rare condition often develop from the forehead, underneath nails or begin as a nose bleed.  Meanwhile, the phrase blood, sweat and tears refers to pouring your heart and soul into a business, career or project.  When you invest a large portion of your life or time into something special, its like a woman giving birth, enduring labor pains until you see the end result, a child of God.

Jesus did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption, Hebrews 9:12.

While every venture in life is a noble cause, nothing compares to the sacrifice made by the Son of God.  Following Adam and Eve’s blunder, the serpent, symbolic of Satan, is notified about an individual who will crush his head.  Yet, this wasn’t possible until a series of event had to play out.  An the eve of the completion of God’s plan, overwhelming stress led Jesus’ sweat to become like blood.  Whether this was figuratively or literally occurred, it doesn’t matter.  The point is that an innocent man laid down his life, willing to die, once and for all to atone for the sins of the world.

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends, John 15:13.

As another Palm Sunday approaches, don’t forget about the sweat of blood endured for you and for me.  While everyone has their own unique struggles to conquer sin in their life, the author of Hebrews has a simple suggestion.  In your battle against sin, you have not shed blood like Jesus.  Therefore, lean on God’s grace, throw off those things holding you back spiritually and thank the Lamb of God for giving everyone a second chance.  May the truth about the resurrection revive and rejuvenate your faith this Easter and continue throughout the year.

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

Posted in truth and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

The Cleansing of a Conscience

Posted on March 19, 2016 by expressyourself4him

Regret can be a tough pill to shallow, especially if an action affects multiple lives.  The longer you live increases the probability that you will blow it big time, hurt others and mess up badly.  In the aftermath of these mistakes, consequences vary.  Yet, one thing is a constant, guilt will arrive in the form of conviction through an invisible force known as your conscience.

How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! – Hebrews 9:14

Whenever you let someone down, there is nothing like getting a do over, a fresh start on life.  This is where grace meets the cleansing of the soul.  Unfortunately, shame has a way of causing individuals to hold onto their sin.  While God promises to wash away your imperfections, some have a hard time forgiving themselves.  Thus, healing does not occur as consciences are manipulated by the devil, bringing up past transgressions from years ago.

“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool, Isaiah 1:18.

Confession is a powerful tool to begin the cleansing of your conscience.  However, those who are unable to get over stains from their past, need an accountability partner, friend or source of encouragement to get over the hump.  Reflecting on the promises of God is another step in the right direction.  Nonetheless, until you believe and receive these words, healing will only be temporary.  Therefore, let mercy reign as you complete the cleansing of your conscience.

by Jay Mankus

 

 

Leave a comment

Posted in truth and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Ignorance

Posted on March 18, 2016 by expressyourself4him

Blindness, unawareness and vagueness are what I call kind synonyms for ignorance.  Harsher terms involve crudeness, disregard and incapacity.  Scholars often blame a lack of education, innocence or not being enlightened by social etiquette.  Whenever you go or whatever you do, you are destined to encounter some form of ignorance.

They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart, Ephesians 4:18.

Before the decline of a biblical family in America, social skills were taught at home.  Character, discipline and hard work were displayed by parents, not just empty words.  If children ever got in trouble in school, parents handled behavior problems at home.  Unfortunately, a spirit of ignorance has enabled a younger generation to find an excuse for their actions or shift the blame, sometimes playing the race card.

But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance, Hebrews 9:7.

From a theological perspective, the ignorant can be classified as amoral.  The immoral are those who have been exposed to right and wrong, but chose not to follow what they were taught.  The moral obey the boundaries laid down by their belief system.  Meanwhile, the amoral are those individuals who have never been introduced to specific absolutes.  Thus, ignorance continues to exist today until conviction, usually from reading the Bible, opens our eyes to see the error of our ways.

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

Posted in truth and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Receive Your Call

Posted on March 17, 2016 by expressyourself4him

Before you can receive a call, you have to hear or sense it.  Depending upon where you are in life, distractions can delay, postpone or cause individuals to miss their call.  If you allow compromise, impatience and selfish ambition to influence your decisions, you could bypass the life God created for you to live.

So she said to Abram, “The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.” Abram agreed to what Sarai said, Genesis 16:2.

When individuals feel like they missed God’s calling, panic is a common response.  Thinking God was not going to honor the promise of a child, Sarah became desperate.  This fleeting act isn’t uncommon as people today often lower their standards before waiting to receive what they desire.  Subsequently, careless acts often leads to disappointment, resulting a second rate life, without any clear direction or idea if people are on the right track.

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” – Isaiah 6:8.

Despite your current situation, its never too late to receive God’s call.   Therefore, remember the words of Isaiah, keeping an ear open for God’s voice.  Wait in eager expectation, ready at a moment’s notice.  Thus, when a faint whisper is spoken, you will be ready to receive God’s call.  Don’t be afraid!  Rather, trust in the Lord and God will make your paths straight.

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

Posted in truth and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Faith + Patience = Blessings

Posted on March 16, 2016 by expressyourself4him

Faith is like having an imaginary friend as a child.  However, instead of talking to this person, you develop a strong belief that everything will be all right.  Over time questioning parents are replaced by a cynical world, trying to convince you that you’re insane or hallucinating.  In the final episode of Joan of Arcadia, Season 1, doctors persuade Joan, played by Amber Tamblyn, that her encounters with God have been a figment of her imagination.  In the same way, when God is silent its not uncommon for many to lose faith.

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him, Hebrews 11:6.

Patience on the other hand is one of those virtues you would like to possess, but are afraid to pray for.  Anyone who asks God for patience will be ushered into numerous situations that will force you to learn this trait the hard way.  Beyond praying, patience is often acquired over a period of time in the form of lessons learned through trials.  Time has a way of helping individuals see the big picture, using hindsight to recognize God’s hand in your past.  Thus, patient people tend to lean on faith which ultimately leads to blessings.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance, James 1:2-3.

When you add two numbers together in math, the outcome is always identical.  Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about life.  Job endured horrible disappointment which led friends to believe these events were a form of God’s punishment for some unconfessed sin.  These anomies continue to exist today, pushing faith and patience to the limit.  Nonetheless, if you follow the words of Deuteronomy 28:1-3, over the long haul you will find that faith plus patience leads to blessings.

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

Posted in truth and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

An Anchor for the Soul

Posted on March 15, 2016 by expressyourself4him

Prior to the Bronze Age, ships typically relied on rocks as an anchor.  The ancient Greeks placed several placed rocks, bags of sand or wooden logs filled with lead into a basket.  Leading up to the 19th century, the manufacturing process of anchors was imperfect.  The curve feature of modern anchors did not appear until 1813 when Pering, a clerk from Plymouth Yard introduced this feature.  Time has perfected this vital piece of equipment, saving the lives of countless crewmen from running aground during the storms of life.

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, Hebrews 6:19.

According to the author of Hebrews, hope is a spiritual anchor for the soul.  Without signs of hope, the human spirit can wilt, pushed to a breaking point.  If you ever feel like giving up, the Bible provides a valuable solution.  When an individual throws an anchor overboard, the bottom is invisible, relying on the tension of the chain to determine if you’ve struck the bottom.  In the same way, God’s unchanging nature is rock solid, fulfilling the promises He has made in the past.  This is the anchor for troubled souls.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up, Galatians 6:9.

Every day on earth is like taking a journey out to sea.  You never know what you will find, who or what you will encounter and how quickly the weather will change.  When the unexpected arises, who will you trust?  Some have gotten into the habit of relying in their own abilities.  Although God has given everyone certain qualities, leaning on the Lord will help you ride out troubled waters.  Whatever life throws at you, don’t forget about the anchor for the soul.

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

Posted in truth and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.
← Older Posts
Newer Posts →