The Cinderella Story of the Bible

Posted on March 10, 2020 by expressyourself4him

Ella sees her world turn upside down when her beloved mother dies, and her pained father remarries another woman. Just when a glimmer of hope arrives, Ella’s cruel stepmother prevents her from attending the Royal Ball. Lady Tremaine was hoping for one of her daughters two daughters, Anastasia and Drizella, to catch the eyes of the prince at this ball. Despite this dire situation, Ella was determined to honor her mother’s dying words,”have courage and be kind.”

Then the king’s personal attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. 3 Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them. 4 Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This advice appealed to the king, and he followed it, Esther 2:2-4.

Long before Cinderella’s fairy tale was written, a Jewish woman found herself in a similar situation. When King Ahasuerus banished his ungrateful wife, a beauty contest was organized by the king’s servants. Beautiful virgins were invited to come to the capital city of Shushan. According to Bible scholars, somewhere between 25,000 and 50,000 women competed in this Miss Persia Pageant. Uncle Mordecai persuaded Esther to participate, recognizing this contest as a divine opportunity.

Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther, had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died. 8 When the king’s order and edict had been proclaimed, many young women were brought to the citadel of Susa and put under the care of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the king’s palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem. 9 She pleased him and won his favor. Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food. He assigned to her seven female attendants selected from the king’s palace and moved her and her attendants into the best place in the harem, Esther 2:7-9.

The odds for Esther to win this beauty contest was far greater than Cinderella. Yet, each woman received divine intervention. Although none of the top contestants are mentioned by name, I’m sure there were characters similar to Anastasia and Drizella. Just as the prophet Samuel passed over David’s 7 older brothers to choose a lowly shepherd as king, Ahasuerus selected Esther to be his next bribe. This true story should give all men and women hope that nothing is impossible with God, Luke 1:37.

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

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

Are You the Real Deal?

Posted on March 9, 2020 by expressyourself4him

Former boxer Evander Holyfield earned the nickname the Real Deal. Part of the promotion and success of boxing involved putting on a good show. Pre-fight press conferences gave opponents the opportunity to talk smack, trash talking to encourage more viewers to tune into the actual fight. Former promoter Don King was infamous for staging brawls, emotional outbursts and scuffles to make headlines in the sports worlds. When it was time to fight, Holyfield is the only four-time world heavyweight champion. Thus, Holyfield’s words matched his talent.

But when Cephas (Peter) came to Antioch, I protested and opposed him to his face [concerning his conduct there], for he was blameable and stood condemned. 12 For up to the time that certain persons came from James, he ate his meals with the Gentile [converts]; but when the men [from Jerusalem] arrived, he withdrew and held himself aloof from the Gentiles and [ate] separately for fear of those of the circumcision [party], Galatians 2:11-12.

In the Bible, the apostle Paul took his zealous past as a Pharisee and applied this toward his Christian faith. Paul didn’t make any exceptions, calling out disciples of Jesus when their actions didn’t reflect their faith. During a visit to Galatia, Paul noticed that Peter began to backslide, altering his belief about Gentile Christians. A religious sect known as the Judaizers attempted to add Jewish practices to salvation. Afraid of their influence within Galatia, Peter withdrew from his Gentile friends, succumbing to peer pressure.

And the rest of the Jews along with him also concealed their true convictions and acted insincerely, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy (their example of insincerity and pretense). 14 But as soon as I saw that they were not straightforward and were not living up to the truth of the Gospel, I said to Cephas (Peter) before everybody present, If you, though born a Jew, can live [as you have been living] like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how do you dare now to urge and practically force the Gentiles to [comply with the ritual of Judaism and] live like Jews? – Galatians 2:13-14

When I read the Bible, there is a tendency to elevate first century Christians to elite status. Yet, as the apostle Paul writes in the passage above, human nature influences everyone. Saints are not immune to temptation as the man nicknamed the rock wasn’t strong enough to stand up to the pressure to conform. This chapter of Galatians serves as a spiritual survey to see if you are the Real Deal or if you still have a long way to go? May you take any current failure, imperfection or mistake as an opportunity to improve by growing closer to Jesus.

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

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

A Spirit of Attitude

Posted on March 8, 2020 by expressyourself4him

There are two common Greek words used to describe attitude in the Bible. Diáthesi̱ refers to disposition or mood while stási̱ points to body language and posture. If you are observant, attitude naturally flows out of individuals. Joy can’t be contained while depression sucks the life out of battered souls. Some wear their emotions on their sleeves, the reserved try to say even keeled and others are comfortably numb, jaded by previous trials in life.

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones, Proverbs 17:22.

King Solomon suggests that attitude is a choice. You can focus on the positive by looking at life with a half glass full mindset. Or you can be a party pooper, allowing depression to bring you down and everyone else around you. Thus, the attitude of one person filters down to impact your sphere of influence. Neighborhoods, schools and work environments are at the mercy of attitudes. Depending upon the response, whether good or bad, strong attitudes can alter hearts, minds and souls.

As it is written, God gave them a spirit (an attitude) of stupor, eyes that should not see and ears that should not hear, [that has continued] down to this very day, Romans 11:8.

Perhaps, this explains the apostle Paul’s comment in the passage above. It’s not uncommon for individuals to experience periods of insensibility. When the negativity of another person’s attitude impacts your perspective, a state of near-unconsciousness can blind you from the truth. To overcome this spiritual stupor, Paul urges first century believers to set their heart and minds on things above, Colossians 3:1-4. The best way to fight poisonous attitudes is by developing a spiritual attitude fueled by the power of the Holy Spirit. The more you meditate upon the Bible, your attitude can spread joy to others, like good medicine for the soul.

by Jay Mankus

.

Leave a comment

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

A Conscious Decision

Posted on March 7, 2020 by expressyourself4him

As an adult, there will be many memorable moments in your life. When things are going good, you may be having such a great time that you forget your responsibility as a parent. While coaching and teaching at Red Lion, I neglected my family, spending countless hours each week grading papers, preparing lesson plans and overseeing my golf team. In my free time, I played on a church softball team every Friday night. About 10 years ago, I was so consumed with my own life that I had become an absent father.

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it, Proverbs 22:6.

One night I was able to watch James play in a Little League baseball game. His team lost 2-1, but James hit an inside the park home run. The only other time James got up he doubled, but go stranded on base as the game ended. I was surprised to see James batting 10th. Sure, every parent believes that their child is better they actually are, but batting at the bottom of the lineup didn’t make sense. After a conversation with a neighbor, I discovered James used the coaches son’s bat without asking. Thus, James was punished by his coach. This petty act led me to make a conscious decision to become more involved in the lives of my children. The following year I became one of James’ coach, the first of 7 straight years coaching or managing a team for Greater Newark Baseball.

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, Ephesians 6:4.

Like I have mentioned in previous blogs, I do everything to the extreme. I’m either all in or mentally unattached. This conscious decision has made me spend most of my free time in the last decade attending activities, competitions and sporting events. Although I don’t have the friendships that I once did outside my home, I am seizing every moment left that I have with Daniel and Lydia before they graduate high school. I definitely don’t have the energy that I once did, but I am doing my best to be an active and supportive father. Looking back, maybe I could have done things differently, but I don’t regret my conscious decision to make my children and family a major priority.

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

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

How Bad Do You Want It?

Posted on March 6, 2020 by expressyourself4him

To excel at a high level, many athletes join travel teams at an early age to maximize their full potential. Depending upon an individual’s commitment, desire and overall talent, coaches will push these rising stars to new heights. Parents will continue to fork over thousands of dollars each year with the goal of eventually earning a full college scholarship. The end result often relies on how bad do these student athletes want to compete at the next level.

Teacher, which kind of commandment is great and important (the principal kind) in the Law? [Some commandments are light—which are heavy?] 37 And He replied to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect), Matthew 22:36-37.

From a spiritual perspective, God uses free will to reveal who wants it more. Instead of forcing the earth to comply, God introduced the Ten Commandments to the nation of Israel in Exodus 20. The birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ opened the door for Gentiles to be welcomed into God’s family. For anyone who wants to excel spiritually, Jesus summarizes a primary goal: love God with all your heart, soul and mind.

Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God? You are not your own, 20 You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.

In a letter to the church at Corinth, the apostle Paul adds another element to how bad do you want to draw near to God. Paul suggests that human bodies are on loan from God. Thus, if you want to reach your full potential as a believer, treating your body as a living temple of God is essential. Those who want it more spiritually will separate themselves via fruits of the spirit. Since talk is cheap, time will tell how bad you want to please God?

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

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

Rebounding Like a Boomerang

Posted on March 5, 2020 by expressyourself4him

The oldest surviving Australian boomerangs come from a cache found in a peat bog in the Wyrie Swamp of South Australia. Boomerangs date back several thousand years to some of the earliest Aboriginal tribes of Australia. Boomerangs had several initial uses such as hunting weapons, percussive musical instruments, fire-starters and decoys for hunting waterfowl. When thrown with a high spin, the boomerang flies in a curved manner rather than in a straight line. When thrown correctly, boomerangs return to its starting point.

And David says, Let their table (their feasting, banqueting) become a snare and a trap, a pitfall and a just retribution [rebounding like a boomerang upon them]; Romans 11:9.

King David suggests that God allows individuals to stumble and fail. Whenever you experience failure, there are consequences. For example, if you reap what you sow, seeds of doubt, envy or hatred can boomerang back upon you. This is the retribution referred to in the passage above. Addiction, bad habits and poor choices can leave long lasting effects. Yet, humility opens the door for repentance. When individuals learn from their errors, mistakes and sin, faith can rebound like a boomerang.

For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality) will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint, Galatians 6:8-9.

Perhaps, this explains why the apostle Paul urges believers against giving up. Although your life may be currently falling apart, starting to sow spiritual seeds can turn your life around. Instead of giving into hopelessness, God is not done with you yet. To those who persevere, rising from the ashes of despair is possible with the help of the Holy Spirit. Do not lost heart as Spring is right around the corner. May this blog inspire you to rebound like a boomerang. With God, anything is possible, even a faith in desperate need of renewal and revival.

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

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

Revisiting the Pinocchio Meter

Posted on March 4, 2020 by expressyourself4him

Geico’s advertisement campaigns have been masterful using a gecko lizard, cave man and most recently Pinocchio to illustrate a felt need for insurance. While the cave man and gecko have received the most notoriety, the addition of Pinocchio adds an interesting element. This wooden puppet created by Geppetto is synonymous with lying. Whenever Pinocchio failed to tell the truth, his nose immediately grew to expose his latest lie.

Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight, Proverbs 12:22.

Pinocchio was first interjected by Geico as a flawed motivational speaker. The latest commercials include a blind date and parking ticket. The sight of Pinocchio’s nose growing with each fib still makes me laugh. However, when cable news pundits, newspapers and reporters alter the context of a statement, exaggerate or stretch the truth daily, it’s not funny at all. Yet, this is the state of America’s politics in 2020 with the nastiest likely yet to come.

A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish, Proverbs 19:9.

It’s a shame that the Ten Commandments are broken daily without much outrage. Whether a member of the media bears false witness, dishonors parents and takes the Lord’s name in vain, the foundation for ethics in America is crumbling. Instead justification and rationalization allow lies to be told if it’s against a certain party or hated individual. Until modern day Pinocchio’s are exposed for their dishonesty, lying ways will continue. If only a Pinocchio Meter was available for all to see, ethics and morality would change. Yet, for now it’s in God’s hand, waiting for Judgment Day for the liars to be revealed.

by Jay Mankus

1 Comment

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

The Basis and Object of Faith

Posted on March 3, 2020 by expressyourself4him

While listening to the Great Exchange album, Bruce Carroll was the first Christian artist to introduce me to the concept of living in the pages of the Bible. The lyrics of the song Living in the Pages illustrates the power received by relying on a book that is living and active, Hebrews 4:12. Just as Joshua urged Jews about to enter a promised land to meditate on God’s words day and night, the apostle Paul highlights the basis and object of faith in the passage below.

But what does it say? The Word (God’s message in Christ) is near you, on your lips and in your heart; that is, the Word (the message, the basis and object) of faith which we preach, Romans 10:8.

One of the most influential albums that has shaped my faith is the 1998 DC Talk album Supernatural. This was first Christian group to have a hip secular sound and contain inspirational godly lyrics. The lyrics of Red Letters became of go to song for me when I first became a high school Bible teacher. Like the apostle Paul suggests, faith comes from hearing and reading the Bible. This is basis and object of faith.

So faith comes by hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the preaching [of the message that came from the lips] of Christ (the Messiah Himself), Romans 10:17.

Twenty years later, I have a developed a routine to receive spiritual nourishment daily. Instead of being a big reader, I like a dwell on a couple of verses of the Bible each day. As I read a verse, I write down my thoughts in a journal. Although it may take me a few weeks to complete an entire chapter of the Bible, I try to avoid missing or skipping over crucial principles. Like any athlete starting an new exercise program, make sure you pace yourself, customizing your Bible reading to fit your personality. Whatever you decide, reading the Bible clarifies the basis and object of faith.

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

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

Where Has the Time Gone?

Posted on March 2, 2020 by expressyourself4him

As I was writing my next screen play at a local McDonald’s, I watched a woman struggling to corral two out of control boys. Each time she turned away, both boys would launch their new Happy Meal toy into the air. One of these cars ended up under my table, reaching down to hand it to one of the boys. This encounter led to a flashback, turning back the clock to when Leanne and I would take James and Daniel to McDonald’s. A little whisper inside of me asked, “where has the time gone?”

Every good gift and every perfect (free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that gives] light, in [the shining of] Whom there can be no variation [rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [as in an eclipse], James 1:17.

As a former teacher, I know what it’s like to lose control of an entire class. In my initial years, I would give out busy work to fill up any extra time remaining at the end of a period. These exercises gave the disciplined and focused students something to do, but there are always individuals who seek to extend and push the defined boundaries. As a parent, I understand why computers, television and videos are relied upon to entertain children. Yet, if you use this technique too often, it’s like trying a bribe kids with chocolate.

And it was of His own [free] will that He gave us birth [as sons] by [His] Word of Truth, so that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures [a sample of what He created to be consecrated to Himself], James 1:18.

Thus, there is a tendency to want to speed up time as a parent. To skip the terrible two’s for a more pleasant period in a child’s life. What parents and teachers fail to recognize is that life is about trial and error. When you fail miserably, you try something else to see if it works. One boy may hate being sent to time out while another enjoys being left alone in silent. Each day is a learning experience, an opportunity to improve and perfect the parenting process. Instead of wanting to fast forward to a more enjoyable age, seize each day that you have with your little boy or girl. When you do, you won’t have to wonder where has the time gone?

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

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

Close to Your Heart and Near to Your Lips

Posted on March 1, 2020 by expressyourself4him

Whenever you hear someone talking about a heart or lips, the context often refers to a physical relationship. While ease-dropping, you might discover that a friend is in love. Or an obnoxious and rude customer boasts loudly about hooking up with a woman last night. When love is in the air, even quiet and shy individuals open up to express the good news of a significant other.

But what does it say? The Word (God’s message in Christ) is near you, on your lips and in your heart; that is, the Word (the message, the basis and object) of faith which we preach, Romans 10:8.

In a letter to the church of Rome, the apostle Paul uses heart and lips in a spiritual context. Possibly referencing the words of King Solomon in Proverbs 4:23, the heart is the well spring of human bodies. Meanwhile, lips are the gateway to your mouth. When hearts and lips work hand in hand, beautiful expressions such as confession, encouragement and honesty flow.

Because if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved Romans 10:9.

Although different personalities exist, baptism is symbolic of a public expression for an inner faith. Remaining silent about a personal relationship with God is not an option. Thus, Paul compels believers to come out of your shell by verbalizing what is in your heart. Faith provides the opportunity for what is close to your heart and near to your lips. May this blog inspire you to find an avenue to express your faith daily.

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

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