Tag Archives: authority

Three Years and Counting

Posted on February 4, 2015 by expressyourself4him

This blog marks the end of 3 years of writing, ignited by a Discernment Conference I attended on February 1st and 2nd, 2012.  Since this day, each of the past 3 years represent different phases that I have undergone, summarized by 3 words: disappointment, transition and recovery.  Becoming unemployed is one thing, but losing a position that you were born to do was a tough pill to swallow in 2012.  Meanwhile, re-defining my career path in 2013 was a longer journey than I expected, often spent in the wilderness, trying to find my way home.  Finally, 2014 provided clarity, stability and a clear passion, to one day write full time, averaging one screen play per year, God willing of course.

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come, John 16:13.

In the meantime, its important to ask for and receive feedback from my readers.  Depending upon current and world events, I want to continue to provide a biblical response or perspective on these topics.  However, without having a pulse of my readers, its impossible to meet their needs as well as grow this site.  Therefore, I am urging you to participate in the first poll that I have created below.  This will give me instant feedback that will shape this blog throughout 2015.

To complete my final blog of year 3, I want to offer you essential steps to walking with God.

1) You shall walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you shall possess.              Deuteronomy 5:33

2) Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.           Psalm 119:133

3) Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.                                     James 4:7

May the Lord mightily bless you as you talk one step at a time, obeying His decrees along the way.

by Jay Mankus

 

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Don’t Waste Your Breath

Posted on January 15, 2015 by expressyourself4him

When cold weather arrives each winter, its not uncommon to see each breath you take.  In the context of a conversation, every now and then you will encounter an individual who is not teachable, disregarding your advice.  Thus, instead of wasting your breath, you have to learn to move on until the timing is right.

Stay away from a fool, for you will not find knowledge on their lips. – Proverbs 14:7

Whether you are a coach, parent or teacher, it won’t be long until one of your pupils questions your authority.  Ignorance, pride and self-confidence are the usual suspects, making children think they know it all.  Rather than talking in vain, sometimes you how to wait until humility arrives before your words will be heard.

In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them. – Proverbs 14:3

However, when the fall does come, responding with “I told you so” won’t win you any fans.  As the opportunity arises, make sure your words are full of grace, Colossians 4:5-6, softening harden hearts.  In the meantime, don’t waste your breath until this day arrives, when the prodigal comes to their senses, Luke 15:17.

by Jay Mankus

 

 

 

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Use It or Lose It

Posted on August 20, 2014 by expressyourself4him

These are words a coach, parent or teacher may express to someone they care about.  The basis for this expression, “use it or lose it,” serves as a warning to anyone who fails to practice a newly acquired ability.  The longer individuals wait before they apply information, the greater the probability someone will forget this skill.  Fearful leaders encourage their pupils to seize the moment or risk losing their lesson until next week, month or year.

One of the first students, Adam, was given a few simple commands from the Lord in Genesis 2:15-17.  First, Adam was promoted to become the caretaker of Eden’s Garden.  Secondly, Adam was given clear boundaries defined by God, “you can eat from every tree except for one,” this is off limits.  In other words, God told Adam, use it or lose it.  After a long day of work, Adam was tired, not having the strength to contain his wife’s curiosity in Genesis 3:6.  By not using his God given authority, the first family loses it all, kicked out of their home, Genesis 3:23.

Today, father’s are suppose to be the head of their family, 1 Peter 3:1-7.  Unfortunately, children born out of wedlock, divorce and absentee dad’s are signs of wasted authority.  If these trends continue, fathers will suffer the same fate of Adam, a man without a place to call home.  I can hear the following words being shouted from heaven to dad’s on the verge of disaster, “use your God given authority or lose it!”  Like the movie Courageous, may today’s blog inspire parents to leave a legacy of integrity for their children to follow.  Or else you may lose your children to a similar fate.

by Jay Mankus

 

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Inquiring Minds Want Answers

Posted on July 16, 2013 by expressyourself4him

One of the most difficult tasks I have ever been assigned was trying to teach Junior High students the Bible for 5 years.  If I wrote down all the questions asked during my lectures, I could have written a thorough sex ed curriculum.  While some of my students were simply trying to waste time, others asked great questions that needed a reply.  When inquiring minds want answers, those in authority or leadership positions must feed these hungry souls.

As I started to read the Old Testament again, memories of these questions reverberated within my mind.  Once deemed foolish, I am beginning to share a similar interest into the mysteries of the Bible.  For example, why is nakedness now equated with shame, Genesis 2:25?  Did Cain marry his sister, Genesis 4:17 or did God created other females beside Eve, Genesis 5:1-2?  Does Genesis 4:10 explain the concept of ghosts, haunted houses and dead spirits which still dwell on certain properties?  Finally, does Genesis 6:1-4 refer to aliens, fallen angels or mixed marriages between giants and normal human beings?

I wish I could answer these questions with a sense of certainty and clarity, but I can’t.  Theologians vary, debating these and other topics for centuries.  All I can do is provide my best guess based upon my years of study and training.

1) Marriage is a sacred covenant that you make to another man or woman.  Once you consecrate this bond, there should be no shame among one another.

2) Based upon the time line of Leviticus 18, it appears God allowed intermarriage initially until the population of Israel was large enough.  Once written and communicated by Moses, this type of act was prohibited.

3) Since Jesus and his disciple use the term ghost throughout all 4 gospels, it appears that ghosts and spirits did exist by the first century.  Therefore, the growing accounts of paranormal activity today suggest what happened to Abel certainty does occur.

4) Before answering this final question, Genesis 6:1-4 is one of the most controversial passages in the Bible.  If you link the great pyramids of Egypt, the great wall of China and other architectural wonders of the world, some credit this advanced knowledge to either aliens or fallen angels.  However, the Tower of Babel is erected due to an one world language, making nothing impossible for mankind according to Genesis 11:3-6.  Thus, like many mysteries, you will have to wait until the after life to know for sure.

As inquiring minds send me more questions, I will try my best to answer each from a biblical perspective.  Continue to following the words of 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22, testing everything you hear or read with the Bible.

by Jay Mankus

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A Skywire Faith

Posted on June 25, 2013 by expressyourself4him

Every once in a while, someone goes to extreme measures to prove themselves.  On Sunday night, June 23rd, 2013, live on the Discovery Channel, Nik Wallenda did just that, becoming the first person ever to walk across the Grand Canyon on a two inch wide high wire.  Without any nets to catch a mistake, Nik battled wind gusts, a 50 pound balancing pole and fears his family would see him fall to his death.  His 1,400 foot long journey took twenty two minutes and fifty four seconds to complete, kneeling at one point, surviving to live another day.

According to Hebrews 11:1, faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see.  Before risking his life, Nik had to believe his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ would give him the knowledge, strength and wisdom to complete this stunt.  Wired for sound, Nik began to pray on television as high wind gusts blew through and over the canyon.  Following the model set by Jesus in Mark 6:48-51, Nik took authority over the weather, calling on His God to silence any further gusts.

Yesterday, Nik did more than just walk across a portion of the Grand Canyon.  Rather, Nik put his faith and God to the test, risking everything.  If he failed or fell to his death, atheists, agnostics and the un-churched would have scoffed at his god.  Instead, 13 million viewers tuned in, heard his prayers answered and have tweeted their amazement on Twitter.  Though, this is unlikely to be the last time you hear or see Nik Wallenda on television, thank you Nik for demonstrating a skywire faith.  Well done Nick, well done, Matthew 25:23.

by Jay Mankus

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Living on the Dark Side

Posted on March 22, 2013 by expressyourself4him

In March of 1973, Pink Floyd released their 8th album entitled The Dark Side of the Moon.  This Abbey Road production included 4 major themes: conflict, greed, mental illness and time.  Less than a decade later, the movie industry introduced another dark side through the Star Wars episodes.  Famous Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi explained this force with the following quote.  “It takes strength to resist the dark side.  Only the weak embrace it!”

Jesus speaks of a spiritual dark side in John 3:19-21.  Jesus introduces this concept with a verdict, a decision which unveils a reality of life, people are attracted to darkness and evil.  Like the show Bad Boys, society tends to gravitate toward those living on the dark side.   According to Jesus, people stay on the dark side out of fear their deeds will be exposed.  Like a vampire afraid of the light, many choose to live in rebellion against authority, blazing a new trail in the dark.

Unfortunately, there are some people who have never experienced the light, from their family or spheres of influences.  Living a life without church, healthy role models and positive reinforcement, result in a Ephesians 4:18-19 lifestyle.  Not giving up on these residents, Jesus leaves a simple message for anyone willing to change their mind in John 3:21.  Reinforced by the words of 1 John 1:5-10, Jesus is waiting for many to come back home into the light, Luke 15:20!

by Jay Mankus

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Fatalistic Thinking

Posted on December 20, 2012 by expressyourself4him
jesus-on-cross jesus-on-cross.jpg photo

Current events often prompt a raw emotion within individuals that results in over reactions.  Despite your political or religious affiliations, when something like the Sandy Hook Elementary shootings strikes a nerve by touching your heart, its extremely difficult to think rationally.  Like a runaway train, thoughts race through your mind trying to make sense of this tragedy.  Meanwhile, lawmakers are flocking to Congress attempting to ban guns and develop plans for impenetrable schools.  While their motives may have good intentions, this is an example of fatalistic thinking.

As parents struggle with fear over the safety of their own children, America has discovered in 2012 that there is no such thing as a bullet proof mall, movie theater or school.  Though countless people continue to ask “where is God,” I have yet to hear an accurate biblical response to who is in charge of this world.  According to Ephesians 2:2, Satan is the ruler of the air.  The apostle Paul is simply restating the Devil’s own words from Matthew 4:8-9.  When Adam and Eve sinned in Genesis 3, there was a transition in authority over the earth from Adam to the Devil.  The serpent’s motives for tempting Eve was to acquire control over the kingdoms of the world as revealed in Luke 4:6.  In the same way, politicians are making a similar power grab, endeavoring to seize control of every aspect of your life, eliminating freedoms in the name of protection.

If I’ve ruined your day or made you even more depressed, I want to conclude this piece with a ray of sunshine.  After warning people of the dangers of the flesh in Romans 7, the apostle Paul brings a message of hope in chapter 8.  The climax of this great news occurs in Romans 8:37-39.  Neither death, nor demons or whatever the future holds can separate God’s children from the love of Jesus.  Not even the powers of the Devil himself can thwart any reservation you have made for eternity, 1 John 5:13.  Therefore, clear your mind from the confusion of evil by taking a dose of God’s precious promises found in the Bible.  The pain from Newtown will linger, but in the end, Christ’s victory over the cross will lead to triumph, Colossians 2:13-15.

by Jay Mankus

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