Tag Archives: Bible

Unlikely Sources of Intelligence

There was a time in this country when a high school diploma meant something.  Today, in an age of endless education, you have to acquire this certification and that degree along with these essential skills to get away where or be anyone.  Unless of course, you are drawn toward an unlikely source of intelligence.

During the first century, there were 2 main classes, the elite and peasants.  Thus, only the wealthy could afford higher education.  The poor endured the school of hard knocks, entering lesser trades like fishing.  This is the backdrop of Acts 4, where the upper class attempt to scold 2 unschooled fishermen.

Following their Rabbinical School Teaching, the high priest, elders and teachers of the law were set in their minds to punish Peter and John for not obeying cultural traditions as each spent one night in jail prior to their public hearing.  Relying on superior intellect, Peter and John had the deck stacked against until Peter became plugged into a source out of this world, Acts 4:8.  After this the religious leaders never had a prayer, over matched according to Acts 4:13-14.

I can relate to this event due to an unusual twist of fate.  My parents are both Ivy League graduates, attending the University of Pennsylvania, with my dad earning his masters from the Wharton School of Business.  On the other hand, my 2 older sisters and I were average B students, wondering when or if the IQ of our parents might ever be passed on to us.  Like Peter and John, I felt over matched until I began to mediate on and study God’s word, Joshua 1:8.  Similar to the Holy Spirit, this unlikely source from a worldly perspective has even astonished me at times.  If you feel as if you are lacking the knowledge you need, get plugged into God today!

by Jay Mankus

Spiritual Mulligans

According to the United States Golf Association Museum, the term mulligan originated from one of 3 potential sources.  David Mulligan, a regular at St. Lambert Country Club in Montreal, Quebec didn’t like his tee shot on the first hole one day so he re-teed trying to correct the mistake on his first swing.  While he called his second tee ball a correction, his playing partners dubbed this shot a “mulligan.”  Meanwhile, John “Buddy” Mulligan was a member of Essex Fells Country Club in New Jersey.  Developing a reputation for replaying poor shots, some claim this term was founded by Buddy himself.  Finally, since Mulligan was a common last name of Irish immigrants, others believe this term initiated from an Irish golfer playing somewhere in the Northeastern part of America in the early 1900’s.  Whoever coined this phrase, a mulligan is another name for a do-over, a second chance at redemption.

During his 2 terms as President from 1993-2001, Bill Clinton became an avid golfer.  This love for the game of golf has led Bill to Host the Humana Challenge, this week’s PGA tour stop beginning January 17th-20th in La Quinta, California, formerly known as the Bob Hope Desert Classic.  President Clinton is also passionate about mulligans, something he often abused during his rounds of golf as president.  In fact, some of his playing partners over the years of his presidency began to rename mulligans Clintons.  Today, golf fundraisers all across America use a scramble format, allowing participants a chance to purchase mulligans so that their team score might have a better chance of winning the grand prize.  Whatever the final result, mulligans make the game of golf much more enjoyable for the average amateur golfer.

The prophet Jeremiah eludes to mulligans in Lamentations 3:22-23.  However, in this context he is referring to a spiritual mulligan.  Although you may have a bad day, either failing and or sinning, God wipes your slate clean every morning.  Like resetting a video game after getting off to a poor start, God is able to erase any bad shot or sin from His memory, Psalm 103:11-12.  Hollywood’s version of mulligans is demonstrated by Bill Murray in Groundhog Day as he kept reliving the same day over and over until he got it right.  Unfortunately for human beings, the Bible tells us we will never get it right according to Romans 3:22-23.  Yet, like the words of Jeremiah, the apostle Paul reminds mankind that Jesus became our bad shots in life, our sin, so that we might have a chance at redemption, Romans 3;24-26.  Placing your faith in Jesus is the only way to obtain a spiritual mulligan, Matthew 16:25-27.

by Jay Mankus

The Mystery of Fear

As a child, nightmares blanketed my thoughts as I tried to outrun Bigfoot throughout my neighborhood, escape the Boogie Man who was underneath my bed or reenact a scene from a Creature Double Feature that I had watched earlier in the day.  While awake, I became afraid of heights after visiting the Empire State Building and snakes during a few close calls where snakes slithered between my legs while cutting the grass in my backyard.  Adolescence brought with it a fear of rejection, especially by girls that added to my already fragile psyche.  Never did I once challenge fear; instead I ran away like a little girl, awestruck by this mystery.

Catholic hymns like Be Not Afraid conveyed a little hope to my soul, exposing this unnatural emotion.  In addition, hearing priests read from Proverbs and Psalms from the Bible produced a sense of peace to ease any remaining anxieties of fear.  Yet, in high school I wasn’t mature enough to ask intelligent theological questions.  On the other hand, the busyness of college prevented me from contemplating the unsolved mystery of fear.  The timing was not right for me to tackle this subject, put on hold for another time down the road toward Elm Street.

Like a scene from Back to the Future, God revealed the answer I was searching for as I opened up Proverbs 1.  According to Solomon, unlocking wisdom in life starts with a reverent fear of God.  The spirit of fear on earth uses apprehension, panic and trepidation to form a constant state of worry.  Biblical fear is the key for attaining the cardinal virtues of prudence, temperance, justice and fortitude, Proverbs 1:1-7.  These qualities are available to anyone according to C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity.  However, this is only half the mystery.

The missing link and final piece of the puzzle is found in 1 John 4:18.  According to John, the disciple whom Jesus loved as a son, proclaims “perfect love drives out fear.”  The only obstacle to obtaining perfect love is sin.  C.S. Lewis states in his chapter entitled Theological Virtues, access is limited to just Christians.  This love comes from the power of the Holy Spirit mentioned in 2 Peter 1:3-4.  Therefore, if anyone seeks charity, hope and faith, you must come to Jesus, 1 Timothy 2:5.  The apostle Paul’s words in Philippians 4:4-7 gives a glimpse of what one can expect when the Holy Spirit helps you conquer the mystery of fear.  “Be Not Afraid!”

by Jay Mankus

While We Were Sleeping

Still of Sandra Bullock in While You Were Sleeping

Sandra Bullock starred in the 1995 comedy romance playing a toll booth collector who falls in love with a man in coma.  Exaggerations lead to gossip, gossip to rumors and eventually everyone believes Sandra is engaged to this man who doesn’t even know she exists.  While he was unconscious, she falls in love with his brother.  While many churches in America have been spiritually sleeping, many of our citizens have fallen in love with sinful desires, lusts of the flesh and the ways of the world, 1 John 2:15-17.

The motto in “In God we trust” was inspired by the Civil War, cultivated from a letter sent in 1861 to Secretary Chase from Reverend Watkinson, a pastor in Ridleyville, Pennsylvania.  Secretary Chase wrote a letter to James Pollock, the Director of the Philadephia Mint  in December 0f 1863 with designs for a one, two and three cent coin with 2 options:  OUR COUNTRY or GOD, OUR TRUST.  On April 22nd, 1864, Congress passed this Act into law by placing In God We Trust on the back of a two cent coin.  The Reverend’s letter came full circle when congress and the president approved a joint resolution on July 30th, 1956 to declare “In God We Trust” as America’s national motto, inscribing this on the back of all one dollar bills.

When the church as a whole took a decade long nap, the Bible was removed from public education in the early 1960’s, even though the Bible was the initial inspiration for education based upon the New England Primer.  Prayer quickly followed as atheists, the minority religion at this time, convinced public officials to separate the church from state based education by banning prayer from schools.  It’s no wonder that a 1962 high school diploma is now equivalent to a college bachelor’s degree, when knowledge was taught, not ideology, political correctness and secular worldviews.  Yes, the church slept through the 60’s, responding to the sex, drugs and rock and roll era with weekly fire and brimstone sermons in the 1970’s.

As church attenders felt they were going to hell after each sermon, government officials began to fundamentally change America forever.  Roe vs. Wade in 1974 made killing unborn babies legal, resulting in 55 million abortions since the 1970’s.  Prior to this decade, married spouses who considered divorce were excommunicated from churches.  Today, many pastor’s embrace marrying the same people 2 or 3 times, creating extra money for their family.  At a time when communities needed churches the most, to hold and support their families together, once again the church was asleep at the wheel.

Though President Obama has indeed fulfilled his 2008 promise to fundamentally change America, there were forces in play, behind the scenes preparing the way for his socialist agenda.  Labor unions, government officials and Marxists have enabled president Obama to create a nanny state where God doesn’t have a seat or home.  Though our currency still has His name on it for now, how long will it be until this too will be erased.

If Washington state and Colorado can vote overwhelming to legalize marijuana, this is an obvious sign the end is drawing near to our once great nation, Romans 1:18-20.  Arise O church, awake from your slumber.  A third great awakening is necessary to change the course of America before we become like the great fallen empires of the past.  Stop hitting the snooze button while there is still time to get up, be involved and make a difference in your neighborhood.  The body of Christ needs you immediately!

by Jay Mankus