Placing Your Hope in the Wrong Things

Posted on October 12, 2016 by expressyourself4him

For students and workers, every weekend provides opportunities for hope.  Anticipation, confidence and expectation await hoping to maximize your free time.  Yet, sometimes in an attempt to reach your goals, people place their trust in the wrong things.

Hopes placed in mortals die with them; all the promise of their power comes to nothing, Proverbs 11:7.

In the days of King Solomon, hero worship was a major problem.  Instead of thanking the God who created these heroes, individuals placed their hope in mortal human beings.  This decision will always lead to disappointment, especially after athletes, celebrities and stars past their prime or pass away.

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer, Romans 12:12.

The apostle Paul provides useful advice for anyone who has made the mistake of placing your hope in the wrong things.  Rather, hope should be a source of joy.  While you wait, endure the trials and tribulations that confront you.  Finally, remain diligent in prayer, leaning on the Lord to guide your steps in the future.

by Jay Mankus

 

Leave a comment

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

The Rise and Fall of Nations

Posted on October 11, 2016 by expressyourself4him

During every election season, campaigns vie for votes, trying to convince cities, counties, states and nations that their candidate is most qualified for the job.  In this jousting of ideas, some politicians don’t have a record to run on.  Thus, victory is achieved through mudslinging, convincing potential voters through a series of exaggerations and lies that their opponent can’t be trusted.  When individuals don’t do their own research, nations can begin to crumble as those who get elected aren’t able to implement what they promised.

For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers, Proverbs 11:14.

As King of Israel, Solomon understood what qualities were necessary to become a godly ruler.  Whether through wisdom passed down by his father David or through trial and error, leadership is essential to keep God’s promised nation in step with God.  However, no one can do this alone as its vital to surround yourself with advisors, counselors and elders.  Unfortunately, this is a lesson that his son Rehoboam failed to accept, leading to a divided nation during his reign.

Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens, Exodus 18:21.

If you are one of those individuals classified as undecided, then the verse above will give you a measuring stick to narrow down your choice before November 8th.  Although many consider the Bible to be out dated, 3 qualities are recognized in honorable candidates.  First, individuals should fear God, then be trustworthy and finally refrain from and detest those trying to bribe you.  While there are other traits are important as well, may God guide you over the next month before you cast your vote on election day.

by Jay Mankus

 

Leave a comment

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

Mouths of Fire

Posted on October 10, 2016 by expressyourself4him

According to the site Crazy Hot Seeds, the top 3 hottest peppers in the world for 2016 are the Carolina Reaper, the hottest, the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion ranking second and the third is 7 Pot Douglah.  In recent years, restaurants are offering daring individuals a free meal or shirt for eating spicy dishes or peppers.  Some even offer a wall of fame with victorious eaters having their pictures and or names engraved on plaques hanging on restaurant walls.  Unfortunately, the losers are left with mouths on fire or a worst case scenario for a cook from London, losing his hearing after eating the world’s spiciest noodles.

With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors, but through knowledge the righteous escape, Proverbs 11:9.

King Solomon refers to a different kind of mouths on fire in the Bible.  Whether Solomon engaged in people watching or received this revelation from God, individuals who like to talk a lot can ruin the lives of their neighbors.  Like a snake, tongues can spit venom upon those whom they dislike, lashing out with words instead of fangs.  While the childhood saying, “sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me” seems nice, but its untrue.  Deep inside human souls, scars and wounds remain long after words have been spoken.

The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell, James 3:6.

Jesus’ younger brother also recognized that words are like a mouth set on fire.  When accompanied by anger, words can be like daggers, stabbing friends in the back in the form of gossip.   Before you reach this point, its vital to find the knowledge to escape the temptation to hurt those you love with a poor choice of vocabulary.  Although you can’t escape mouths of fire, you can control what comes out of your own mouth.  May the words of the Bible give you direction, insight and wisdom to tame mouths of fire.

by Jay Mankus

 

Leave a comment

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

The Ebbs and Flow of Life

Posted on October 9, 2016 by expressyourself4him

Since public education began to remove biblical principles from curriculum in the 1960’s, understanding the why’s in life is much foggier now.  Instead of searching for real answers, there is a growing tendency to blame others, becoming a victim of circumstance.  Unfortunately, the concept of taking personal responsibility for your actions is becoming rare, lost in the ebbs and flow of life.

The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity, Proverbs 11:3.

According to Solomon, the virtue of integrity is a guiding light when things don’t go your way.  Whether the trial you are currently facing is self induced or a mystery, adopting a Christ like attitude will provide a big picture view of your situation.  While many overreact by losing control or their temper, giving into these raw emotions can lead to destruction.  Perhaps, this may explain the apostle Paul’s words below.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord, Romans 8:38-39.

If anyone had the right to complain to God, it was the apostle Paul who was regularly arrested, beaten and accused for sharing his faith in Christ.  I’m not sure how Paul handled every trying moment, but somewhere along the way he learned to consider each trial as an opportunity for growth.  Thus, these experiences inspired the words above that remind anyone undergoing the ebbs and flow of life that nothing separate us from the love of God.

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

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

The Blessing of the Upright

Posted on October 8, 2016 by expressyourself4him

Irving Berlin wrote God Bless America in 1918 near the end of World War I.  This song is essentially a prayer asking the Lord to bless the United States of America.  Twenty years later Berlin revised the initial version that Kate Smith later recorded, becoming her signature song.  As her popularity grew, former owner of the Philadelphia Flyers Ed Synder invited Kate to sing God Bless America live at the Spectrum prior to home NHL playoff games.

Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed, Proverbs 11:11.

While its unclear what specific passages of the Bible inspired the lyrics of God Bless America, the passage above appears to indirectly apply.  According to Solomon, cities, nations and towns receive blessings due to holy, righteous and upright residents.  Meanwhile, there is an opposing force at work, which can influence and or revoke blessings.  Subsequently, an invisible tug of war is taking place that will determine spiritual future of this country and others like it.

What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it?  The LORD said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake,” Genesis 18:24, 26.

This blessing principle also applies to ungodly cities as well.  Upon hearing the news that God was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham pleads with the Lord on 5 different occasions to save these places.  Despite whatever negative encounters occurred in the past, Abraham had a heart of compassion asking God to save righteous citizens.  In the same way, if a region near you is falling apart, don’t give into the usual negativity.  Rather, follow in the footsteps of Abraham by intervening on behalf of the righteous to save a land.

by Jay Mankus

 

 

Leave a comment

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

AP

Posted on October 7, 2016 by expressyourself4him

On Tuesday of this past week, a king was laid to rest.  Yet, this wasn’t your typical cast of assembled dignitaries.  Rather, this man never forgot where he came from, always remembering his humble beginnings.  Subsequently, as crowds gathered for the memorial service, those in attendance reflected upon how this individual made anyone he met feel like a special friend on each and every occasion.

Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel, Proverbs 27:9.

While this may be a stretch, what Arnold Palmer meant to golf is similar to Mother Teresa’s impact on the Catholic church.  Mother Teresa taught the world what is means to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ by serving the poor and less fortunate.  Meanwhile, Arnold Palmer showed professional athletes what a role model resembles by using his fame, fortune and success to make this world a better place.

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: 1 Peter 4:8-10.

Beside all the hospital’s Arnold and his first wife Winnie founded in Orlando, Florida, he was a visionary.  Palmer was the architect of a 24 hour golf channel, founder of the Bay Hill Classic tournament on the PGA tour and the figure which helped make the Senior PGA tour what it is today.  Despite all these great accomplishments, Arnold was a man of character, honor and integrity.  Arnie as coined by the army who followed him in droves, signed every autograph, made spectators feel a part of his round and replied to each letter with a hand written note.  May the the memory of AP inspire you to impact the lives of this generation.

by Jay Mankus

 

 

 

Leave a comment

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

Ill Gotten Gain

Posted on October 6, 2016 by expressyourself4him

For years I’ve heard preachers and pundits warn Christians against buying lottery tickets, gambling or participating in activities that offer big payouts.  I’ve gone back and forth pondering biblical principles and comparing them with logic.  One of the opposing views I have adopted is comparing the lottery to a contest, if you don’t enter you won’t have the chance to win.  However, after reading a verse from Solomon, I may have changed my mind.

Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value, but righteousness delivers from death, Proverbs 10:2.

The verse above appears to apply to contests, lotteries or payouts where little or no work is involved.  I would not include investing in this category as this involves researching trends and studying the market that takes years to fully grasp and understand.  If you examine the term ill-gotten, Solomon is referring to methods that involve cheating, dirty or shady.  Then again, this may exclude the lottery from this argument.  Nonetheless, I get the sense that God wants people to work for you make, not handed money you don’t deserve.

Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the life of those who get it, Proverbs 1:19.

Sometimes before you reach a conclusion you have to let new concepts settle.  Instead of making a knee jerk reaction, its probably better to take some time to reflect upon what you really believe.  One of Israel’s founding fathers, Joshua refers to a cow chewing its cud in Joshua 1:8, emphasizing the importance of meditating upon biblical teachings.  Therefore, I won’t make a definitive statement on what you should or should not do.  Rather, I want everyone who reads this to contemplate what it means to receive ill-gotten gain.

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

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

The Danger of Bearing False Witness

Posted on October 5, 2016 by expressyourself4him

At some point over the last 25 years, exaggerating and lying have become a part of American politics.  The value of honesty and integrity have been replaced by a “do whatever it takes to win” attitude.  If this current trend continues, society will experience the side effects of bearing false witness.

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor, Exodus 20:16.

When individuals begin to hold worldviews that believe absolutes are not realistic to obtain, a vacuum is created for falsehood to reside.  Meanwhile, the media understands if you repeat a lie over and over again, the public will likely begin to believe this as truth.  Until corruption, deceit and untruths are daily exposed, politicians will continue to lie.

Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another, Ephesians 4:25.

A growing number of churches are encouraging their members to fast and pray in the weeks leading up to the 2016 presidential election.  The more who join this movement can shift the spiritual momentum in this country.  Yet, without faith in action from godly leaders, this climate will not change.  May the power of the Holy Spirit move you to speak the truth in love to make this world a better place.

by Jay Mankus

 

Leave a comment

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

Escaping the Snares of Sarcasm

Posted on October 4, 2016 by expressyourself4him

A snare is most commonly used for catch or trap small game.  Yet, sarcasm is like a playful spirit inside of souls which gives those who indulge a sense of pleasure.  Unfortunately, this high can be addictive, causing many to make sarcasm a way of life.  After being convicted by a sermon last Sunday, I find myself wanting to escape the snares of sarcasm.

Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving, Ephesians 5:4.

Those on the other side of this issue will argue, where is your sense of humor?  This logic sounds justifiable until you began to open the Bible.  The apostle Paul doesn’t leave anything to doubt, laying down God’s expectations on wholesome speech in a letter to the church of Ephesus who appears to have compromised their language.

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear, Ephesians 4:29.

If you find yourself living, going to school or working in a negative environment, its hard to refrain from sarcasm.  Besides this exercise of verbal zingers, an atmosphere can develop as one after another piles on the next comment.  Avoiding this feeding frenzy is tough, especially without the power of the Holy Spirit.  So the next time you have an urge to blurt something out, ask the Lord for a spirit of love, power and self-discipline.  Perhaps, then you will be able to escape the snares of sarcasm.

by Jay Mankus

 

Leave a comment

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

Where Dreams and Destiny Intersect

Posted on October 3, 2016 by expressyourself4him

Working at Amazon, I come across thousands of books annually with interesting titles.  One book that I own is entitled, You Are What You Speak.  While I haven’t read this book from cover to cover, its premise claims the words you choose influences the person you become.  For example, the more positive your outlook, the better your chances improve on reaching your dreams and goals in life.  Meanwhile, the more pessimistic you get, the less likely your dreams and destiny will ever intersect.

Saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer,” Exodus 15:26.

In a world losing honesty and integrity, Moses shares an important message to Israel during the Exodus out of Egypt.  Moses doesn’t guess or speculate, he writes with certainty.  If you want to avoid the same fate as Pharaoh’s people, be diligent in listening to the voice of the Lord.  Moses isn’t out of his mind, rather he is leading the way toward healing, safety and security in this life.  When you keep God’s commandments, you are laying a fertile foundation for faith to take root.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well, Matthew 6:33.

In the middle of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, he references Moses indirectly.  Yet, Jesus lays out a blue print for those who long for a place where dreams and destiny intersect.  Instead of creating a shopping list of prayers to present before God, Jesus sets out the priorities needed to receive God’s blessings.  First, seek out God’s kingdom as you pursue righteousness.  Once faith becomes a life style, then daily bread and many more things will be provided supernaturally from God.  Although I haven’t reached this place yet, I long for the day when my dreams and destiny intersect.

by Jay Mankus

1 Comment

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