Tag Archives: angels

An Angel and The Shepherd

There are some amazing true stories in the Bible, especially those who encountered Jesus like a date with destiny.  However, I stumbled across a new one this morning, intriguing yet mysterious.  According to Genesis 48:15-16, Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, shares a story of 2 people who protected him.  On his deathbed, Israel briefly mentions a shepherd and angel, possibly one and the same.

Israel refers to God as his shepherd, safely leading, protecting and providing for him like the promise within Psalm 23:1-4.  In fact, one may go out on a limb, claiming that David’s words may have been part of oral tradition, a reminder of God’s provisions of his forefathers: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  Either way, Israel clearly recognizes God’s providence over his life, delivering his family from starvation during the 7 year famine when his son Joseph becomes governor of Egypt.

The second character is more difficult to understand due to the lack of information in this passage.  An English teacher will look at the capital A in Genesis 48:16, suggesting that this angel is likely God.  However, theologians might conclude Moses wanted to include God’s head angel, possibly the archangel Gabriel or Michael.  Although it would be nice to know who Israel means, one thing is clear.  This angel saved him from Esau’s anger, being wronged by his Uncle Laban and guided Israel throughout his life like a guardian angel.  Thus, whether you or young or old, don’t forget about the God who serves as both an angel and shepherd.

by Jay Mankus

A Reasonable God

Behind the blunders, lies and mistakes, Abraham was an amazing leader based upon the account of Genesis 14:13-17.  This God given talent enabled Abraham to approach God with boldness.  As he interrupts the Lord several times in Genesis 18:20-33 as God’s plan is unveiled, this passage from the Bible proves that our heavenly father is a reasonable God.

Responding to Abraham’s pleas immediately, the Lord sends out 2 angels to spend the night in the town square of Sodom and Gomorrah.  All these 2 servants needed to find were 10 righteous, God fearing individuals, to cancel the threat of looming destruction of these 2 cities.  However, Lot persuades the angels to alter their plans, offering his home as shelter, Genesis 19:2-3.  One can only imagine Lot’s motives for this move, yet Genesis 19:4-5 clearly illustrates “Lust Gone Wild.”  With Lot, his wife and 2 daughters found, Abraham’s prayer came up 6 people short.

When you or I pray to God, we don’t have the luxury to see what is taking place in heaven.  Behind the scenes, God is commanding angels, sending guardian angels to our side and waiting for a spirit of obedience to fill the hearts of his children.  Nonetheless, when these conditions are not met, God will only act according to the Bible.  Isaiah 1:15-20 proves God will not hear our prayers until our hearts, motives and will changes.  Therefore, the next time you get angry at God or question His lack of concern toward your situation, ask yourself, “have I’ve meet the conditions necessary for blessings?”  When your daily life resembles Deuteronomy 28:1-2 and Malachi 3:10, you will find a reasonable God.

by Jay Mankus

Check Mate

I always was more of a checkers kind of guy, but chess was something I attempted on my computer.  As a novice and mere amateur, I often made illegal moves, getting beeped at by the game, reset to my initial position.  Losing most of the times, I approved to the point of being respectable.  However, from a coaching perspective, I have embraced the chess like concept of putting your pieces, (players) in the right position to win or force an opponent to say, “check mate.”

Psalm 149:4 unlocks a secret to success in life.   According to the Psalmist, God delights in his people.  In fact, the Lord crowns those who are humble with salvation.  Instead of boasting or trash talking in the middle of a contest, God wants individuals to just play the game of life, whether you win or lose.  While the devil may back you into a corner or take out several of your pawns, God has the final move.  Just when Lucifer thought he was about to taste victory, Jesus rose from the grave, Colossians 2:13-15, pronouncing “Check Mate” on his former angel.

Beyond this world lies a spiritual dimension where angels and demons perform a battle for eternity.  Prayer fuels angelic beings while idleness empowers satanic strongholds.  This chess match will continue until Jesus returns, Matthew 24:42-44 or you breathe your last breath.  Despite how bad your board looks, fight until the very end, 1 Timothy 6:12.  Place your trust in the promise of Psalm 149:4, crowned by the Lord with eternal life.

by Jay Mankus

Look Up; Not Within!

As a coach and teacher, the me, me, me mindset can become tiring.  Former NFL running back Ricky Watters became infamous in Philadelphia following his post game comments, “For who, for what?”  More concerned about his own health than stretching out to make a play, a generation of professional athletes have adopted this motto.  Yet, Psalm 123 provides a different philosophy, looking beyond yourself.

While professional athletes do have a shorter shelf life than blue collared workers, it is the Lord who preserves one’s life, Psalm 123:2.  Although free will does exist, the Lord is ultimately in control, ushering his angels to protect God’s people.  On the other side of the spectrum, naturalism claims truth comes from within.  The attractiveness of this worldview has led many into relying on science and knowledge.

The famous painting known as The School of Athens created by Raphael in the early 16th century articulates this internal battle.  As Plato points toward heaven, affirming the principles of the Bible, Socrates seeks gnosis, a secret wisdom from within.  Today, this debates continues, with public opinion slanting things in Socrates favor.  However, I still believe in the God above, whom calls people to look up, not within!

by Jay Mankus

A Memorial Day Offering

Like a feud between siblings, the origin of the first Memorial Day celebration is clouded by history, with over 25 American cities taking credit.  The initial holiday was coined Decoration Day, based upon a 1867 hymn Kneel Where Our Loves Are Sleeping.  Inspired by the end of the Civil War, ladies of the South decorated the graves of dead confederate soldiers.  Although president Lyndon Johnson officially declared Waterloo, New York as the birthplace of Memorial Day in 1966, the debate continues today as several cities had spontaneous celebrations back in the 1860’s.

Acts 10:4 introduces another memorial day, one with a spiritual background.  Legalism within the Jewish faith had exploded by the first century, creating social barriers between Jews, Gentiles and half-Jews due to inter marriage.  Like a leper, outcast by society, Gentiles were not initially accepted by the 12 apostles, who focused on reaching all the Jews within Jerusalem, Acts 1:8.  However, the persecution led by Saul caused early church leaders to shift directions in Acts 8:1-4 toward believers located in Judea and Samaria.  When the time had arrived, the prayers of a Gentile named Cornelius were answered.

An angel of the Lord came to Cornelius in a vision one afternoon, Acts 10:3.  While silent for years, God brings him great news.  Cornelius’ prayers and gifts to the poor have not been overlooked, brought to light in a memorial offering.  The final touch is communicated to Peter in a vision found in Acts 10:9-16.  This occurred so that legalism of Jewish Christians would be broken, lifted to welcome any Gentile into the kingdom of God.  Since Jesus died once and for all for all sin, 1 Peter 3:18, as a memorial offering for mankind, God’s goal was to eliminate cliches, factions and social barriers within the church, Colossians 2:20-23.  In view of this, don’t let holiday shopping, weather or worldly ways keep you from offering up a Memorial Day prayer!

by Jay Mankus

Heavenly Dwelling

Come as you are to the Most High Place

Where an invisible shield will provide a refuge

Safety and security serve as a blanket of protection

With angels waiting in the wings, ready to act on a moment’s notice.

Like a force field, harm and predators bounce out without leaving a mark

The life guard on duty relies on love as a weapon of defense

Whenever a swimmer cries out for help, afraid of incoming breakers

The giver of life will come to your aid in a twinkling of an eye.

Delivering you from the waves of circumstances, situations and trials

As long as you remain in the presence of the Lord Most High

Long life, salvation and satisfaction will accompany you the rest of your days

Why wait any longer, since an open pew is awaiting for your arrival!

by Jay Mankus

Not So Weak After All

On my only day off during last week, I spent time helping finish field work in anticipation of Opening Day for Greater Newark Baseball.  Fighting a fever, extreme exhaustion and side effects from medicine, I quickly became emotionally drained.  Unable to sleep, I wrote a blog at 4:30 am, that’s in the morning for those who slept past noon over Spring Break.  Anyway, the only strength I could muster was a lame, but effective prayer, “In my weakness Lord, be strong today!”

Minutes after verbalizing these words, I lost my keys, was late to work and felt worthless for most of my first shift.  However, as I look back on my day, somewhere near the end of my first shift, the power of the Holy Spirit kicked in.  From there, God blessed me with one amazing encounter after another.

I was able to bring a smile to hundreds of children through a 30 minute long Chick-fil-A cow appearance at the Christiana Mall.  I nearly brought one parent to tears after offering her infant a Mini-Cow.  Another woman mumbled under her breath, “I need to eat Chick-fil-A, their people take care of their customers like first class citizens.”  Between 4-8pm this evening, I was walking on air, floating on the wings of angels.  Paul was right in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, when we are weak, Christ truly is strong, and not so weak after all!

by Jay Mankus

Shout It Out

Tears for Fears once sang about releasing emotions in their song Shout.  “Shout, shout, let it all out;  These are the things I can do without, come on – I’m talking to you.”  Meanwhile, a laundry product called Shout claimed they could remove any spot on clothing by applying their special ingredients to make stains disappear.  While one brings back great memories and the other a mother’s dream, this blog is devoted to giving a shout out to words of the prophet Zechariah.

According to Zechariah 3:1, Satan is like a stain that just won’t come out, permanently damaging our spiritual clothes.  Left with filthy clothing, tainted by sin, these blemishes are a constant remainder of our imperfections, Zechariah 3:3.  Just when your mind comes to grips with this helpless state, an angel intervenes.  Shouting it out, this angel provides first class dry cleaning, replacing the old with a new outfit, Zechariah 3:4-5.

Serving as a spiritual laundry detergent, the Lord Almighty has a special day planned.  Revealed in Zechariah 3:9, God plans to remove all the sins of this land in a single day.  News like this is comparable to the excitement demonstrated by the prodigal son on the day he returned to his father, Luke 15:20.  Therefore, don’t act nonchalantly; rather stand up and shout it out, rejoicing about the forgiveness, grace and mercy poured out upon you and me to erase our dirty laundry.

by Jay Mankus

The Hiding Place

Hebrews 13:2 suggests that your life may intersect or come in contact with an angel.  From my vantage point, God has blessed me with several acquaintances in life, most of whom are flesh and blood.  Yet, there has only been one person who has introduced me to spiritual Hiding Places.

During a college internship southeast of Cleveland, Ohio, I met a construction worker unlike any human being I have ever encountered.  This young man worked hard at his trade, stood up for his faith daily and modeled a Christ like faith.  As we drew closer through a weekly Bible Study and church, Chris showed me a hidden gem on his property.  Formerly a Boy Scout Camp, his parents’ land contained an abandoned cabin in the woods.

This quaint setting became his closet, Matthew 6:6.  Prior to the invention of 5 Hour Energy Drinks, Chris used this room to access living water, John 4:13-14.  On bended knees, with out stretched arms toward heaven, the power of the Holy Spirit filled Chris’ each morning.  Followed by a consistent dose of God’s Word, my friend was ready for anything life threw his way, 1 Peter 3:15-16.  This remote building provided an ideal location to access the secret places of God, Song of Solomon 2:14.

As the world continues to search for alternative solutions to God, mere imitations continue to come up empty, time after time.  Artificial replacements might produce a  brief desire, energy boast or initial feeling, yet only one thing satisfies the human soul.  Jesus remains the only Real Thing in life that quenches the void within your heart.  If you want to taste success in life, find your own hiding place today, Psalm 143:9.  Create an atmosphere free from distractions, peaceful and isolated like the picture above.  The Bread of Life is waiting for you to arrive, John 6:47-48.

by Jay Mankus

Living Under A Curse?

Cursed Picture? "The Crying Boy"

Since I first began attending church as a toddler, I was led to believe that I could earn my way into heaven based upon my own works.  As I grew older, attending a different youth group in high school, I become exposed to other theological positions.  As an adult, serving as active member and participant of a church, I have searched the Bible to affirm what I ultimately believe today.  However, this morning while listening to a few sermons on the Trinity Broadcasting Network, I discovered that I might be living under a curse.

According to scripture, curses can occur through words, after experiencing emotional trauma, by making wrongs judgments or vows and acts of disobedience.  When a person one says, “you’ll never do this or you won’t succeed,” a word curse is initiated according to Ephesians 4:29-30 and James 3:9.  Meanwhile, Deuteronomy 28:20-22 suggests accidents, disease or illness can be attributed and linked to curses.  Ecclesiastes 5:6 and Deuteronomy 28:5 each claim poor decisions result in curses.  Finally, Jesus himself reveals that unless you forgive others, God will not forgive you, Matthew 6:14-15.

After contemplating pastor Ron Phillips’ message, the Holy Spirit opened my heart to the possibility my unemployment is curse related.  First, its been difficult to completely let go of all the pain I endured while living in the Red Lion soap opera.  Although, I thought I had forgiven all parties involved, God convicted me of some bitterness I am still holding onto within my heart.  Second, when failure becomes the norm in your life, its difficult to purge your mind of negativity and pessimistic thinking.  Lastly, no matter where you are in your faith journey, there is always room for improvement: areas of compromise, complacency and sinful tendencies.

Whatever your own current situation consists of, I know God wants to break any curse or pattern of failure which exists.  Thus, God longs to create a hedge of protection around you, your family, church and nation.  These hedges consists of 5 major components: prayer, leadership, unity, angels and revival.  Breaking and renouncing any curse always begins and ends with prayer, claiming God’s promises.  Prayer also energizers church leaders as well as gives people the motivation to be the head of their house.  Building upon prayer and leadership, unity is the fulfillment of both these elements.  Angelic protection increases when belief in God’s power in verbalized in prayer.  When a vision of ushering in heaven on earth is grasped by a community, revival often breaks out.  While watching the Super Bowl is nice, I long to see a spiritual super bowl, where curses are broken, saints rejoice and Christians experience victory daily!

by Jay Mankus