Tag Archives: dreams

The One That Got Away

Posted on February 5, 2014 by expressyourself4him

My father was an avid fisherman, taking the family to Maine each summer to go bass fishing and Nags Head, North Carolina during Spring Break to catch blues coming up the Atlantic coastline.  Sure, golf was always on the agenda, but his quest was trying to catch the big one.  Now retired and residing on a golf course with several lakes, my own children enjoy nightly excursions to catch bass, perch and sunfish.  While success usually followed his line, I often wonder about the big one that got away.

Three years ago, there was a 10 pound bass spotted periodically along a canal.  Many had seen it, but no one was successful in reeling this behometh on to dry land.   Over a 3 day weekend, my oldest son James and I appeared to have something large bite our lines, only to have the line snap shortly thereafter.  As I was reeling in a small sunny, I felt a tug, like a snapping turtle had grabbed ahold of my line.  For roughly 10 minutes I battled this unseen creature, hoping it was the beast.  However, just as I was sensing victory, the line went dead.  One minute later, the only thing remaining was an empty hook.  Since there were no visible signs of a turtle, whatever attacked my rod must have ripped the sunny off the hook, swallowing it’s victim whole.  I’ve caught my fair share of fish, but I regret the 10 pounder that got away.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYWRsx6OUn8

In athletics, Olympians’ shake their head over the gold that slipped from their reach.  Meanwhile, the scholar will analyze why an elite college or graduate school passed over their application.  The student ponders what went wrong to lose their high school sweetheart and the unemployed struggle to find the explanation behind why they did not receive a job offer.  Disappointment is a subtle reminder of an imperfect world, filled with empty promises and broken dreams.  Despite how painfully it is to start over in life, you need to let go of the one that got away, learning from this loss so that it doesn’t happen again.  May the truth of James 1:2-4 strengthen you to press on, to stay beat and hopeful of a date with destiny to celebrate the day the big One didn’t get away!

by Jay Mankus

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A Life Perspective of Matthew 6:33

Posted on January 20, 2014 by expressyourself4him

Looking back at the core principles my parents taught me, I learned 3 things lived out by my father: discipline, hard work and honoring the Sabbath.  As a son of an immigrant, my dad persevered as he learned English, eventually becoming a Ivy League student before entering the military.  His service to this country in the Army reinforced these attributes while his Roman Catholic background instilled in him a wholehearted effort to attend church wherever he was and whatever else he was doing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MW5NJMAqTY4

Although the jealous may give circumstance or luck the credit, its clear that his successful career in sales, nice house at the beach and extended health is directly related to Matthew 6:33.  When an individual begins to seek God first by worshiping the Lord Sunday, starting each day in prayer or studying the Bible, these acts get God’s attention.  If these selfless acts continue with the right motives, the promise of daily bread and other blessings follow.  Sure, maybe my dad didn’t earn as much as he desired or reached the position of his dreams, but I see the fruits of his labor today.

While far from being perfect, I am trying to pass the baton to my own children so that they too may live a life of discipline, hard work and keeping God’s day holy.  Though the hypocrite in me may steer my kids off course from time to time, I can’t help but cling to Jesus promise within Matthew 6:33.  “But seek first his kingdom and his righteous and all these things (life, food, drink, clothes and health) will be given to you as well.”  Before 2014 speeds up too fast that you can’t catch up, take some time to slow down, Psalm 46:10, so that the hope of Matthew 6:33 may find you and your family.

by Jay Mankus

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Did God Really Tell Me That?

Posted on October 7, 2013 by expressyourself4him

 
Although its been thousands of years since Lucifer first planted the idea of questioning God within eve’s mind, Genesis 3:1, there is a new trend gaining traction.  Sure, there will always be doubters, haters and nay sayers who will claim God does not exist.  Yet, this latest fad might be more harmful, especially when their promises come up empty.  Like a page out of the Bible, more and more people are sharing stories about how God is speaking to them in an audible voice, either in dreams, during a prayer or while reading the Bible.  Before these phanatics get excited by telling anyone who will listen, maybe they should practice 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22, asking the question, “did God really tell me that?”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnXxUUjAHhk

The reason why I say this is that gullible and hurting people are often burned by optimistic news, taking what pastors, television evangelists or faith healers say as gospel, as if these words came straight out of Jesus’ mouth.  Back in February of 2012, I began to hear countless testimonies, people who reached out to the parents of Joseph Feeley, one of my former students who had been battling cancer for 2 years.  Though I believe each had good intentions, they were proved wrong when Joseph went to be home with the Lord on February 27th, less than a month after confidently proclaiming Joseph would be healed, traveling throughout the country as a motivational speaker.

Six months later, I received a similar message at a Christian bookstore in Delaware.  Since I was still searching for a full time job, I was vulnerable, grasping at straws for anything positive.  When I wrote a blog on this encounter in late August of 2012, I was hopeful the words of this prophet might come true, “God will reward you with a great paying job, surpassing your wildest imagination.”  Unfortunately, this grandois prophecy did not occur within the time table give but who knows, maybe my position at Amazon could turn into something special.  However, like the Feeley family, I am still in a lot of pain, disappointed by the outcome of my current path.

Instead of crying over spilled milk, I won’t give up on chasing my dreams of becoming a novelist, screen writer or both.  In future blogs, I will be careful not to exploit anyone with promises unless I am certain of a specific message, truth or word of insight people need to hear.  The lesson to be learned from this blog is to dot your i’s and cross your t’s, ensuring your words don’t inflict false hope to a world searching for answers.  May these words, stirring within my heart, strike a cord, helping you to reflect before blotting out any words in the future.

by Jay Mankus

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I Need A Hero

Posted on August 17, 2013 by expressyourself4him

In 1984, Bonnie Tyler was one of the first to sing about wanting a hero,  appearing on the Footloose sound track, then on her Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire album.  While the context of Holding Out for a Hero focuses on a sexual fantasy within a dream, most women share her sentiment of having a knight in shiny armor, superman or someone beyond this world sweep them off their feet.  This ideal person says one of 2 things about men today.  First, either they aren’t connecting with the average female or they don’t possess strong leadership qualities that woman are longing for in a man.

Nearly 20 years later, Superchick came out with the song Hero on their 2002 album entitled Last One Picked.  However, the similarities stop there.  Superchick uses 2 individuals, a boy contemplating suicide and a girl addicted to drugs.  The chorus defines a hero as someone who doesn’t fold under pressure or give up on the life God has endowed them with.  Thus, being a hero in Superchick’s eyes is based upon the choices you make in life.

In the end, you can stand by and watch your wife be tempted and eventually give in to sin like Adam, Genesis 3:6.  Or you can be a godly leader like Joshua, refusing to allow compromise to enter his nation, pleading with God for answers in Joshua 7:7-9.  Biblical heroes are near extinct, vanishing from the face of the earth, like dinosaurs of the past.  Right here and right now, churches, communities and neighbors need a hero to stand up soon or else children will fall by the wayside.  May God stir the hearts of men and women, heeding this call by being a biblical hero to those in their spheres of influence.

by Jay Mankus

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The First Call

Posted on July 17, 2013 by expressyourself4him

Before the days of Instant Messaging, Skype and Texting, there was something socially stimulating about phone calls.  Leanne, my wife and I, spent most of our first 6 months dating over the phone.  Living 8 hours apart, distance forced us to communicate indirectly, depending on a receiver to translate the emotions and words we felt for one another.  According to Genesis 4:26, there was another type of call which happened long ago.

Separated from God, kicked out of the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3:24, the intimacy Adam and Eve shared on walks with the Lord together ceased, Genesis 3:8.  Whether it was doubt, guilt or shame, more than a generation went by without clearly connecting with the Creator of life.  After the Tree of Knowledge debacle and subsequent murder of Abel, contact had come to a standstill.  Yet, the birth of Seth, meaning “God has granted another child in Abel’s place,” served as a sign of healing.  Although, no one directly is given credit for breaking this silence,  Seth and Enosh opened the door for Noah’s special relationship with God.

For Moses, it was a whisper from inside a burning bush, Exodus 3:2-3.  Samuel experienced his first call from a voice in a dream, 1 Samuel 3:4.  The apostle Paul saw a blinding light on the road to Damascus before hearing Jesus speak, Acts 9:4-6.  As for me, my first call came during a nervous breakdown in high school, with my heart, empty and hungry for something more in life.  If you’ve not yet experienced your first call with God, you’re not alone.  May the words of Romans 10:1-17 lead you to your first call on the name of the Lord.

by Jay Mankus

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From Water Into Wine

Posted on July 3, 2013 by expressyourself4him

As in the movies, every human being, regardless of their super natural powers has a weakness, 1 Corinthians 12:4-7.  Super Man had his kryptonite, the Wicked Witch of the West water and Eve her apple.  When the lights go out on life, sin is the only thing preventing individuals from the miracle of eternal life.

Unfortunately, doubt, first impressions and stereotypes keep most from living the life God intended, Ephesians 2:10.  The doubting Thomas’, Debbie downers and preconceived notions people pick up from their surroundings create a dome, void of any biblical miracles.  Thus, the devil truly does steal your dreams, kill remnants of hope and destroy the desire to fulfill God’s will for your life, John 10:10.

Where O Lord are the days of your miracles?  Why can’t we see another instance of water turned into wine?  If you are like me, desperate for answers, glimpses of progress or hungry for results, you’ve turned to the right place.  Behind the scenes, God is at work, serving as the God of the living, John 11:38-44.  While you don’t hear of many modern day Lazarus’, the Holy Spirit is alive and active, Hebrews 4:12.  The spiritually dead are being revitalized, raised up by the Word of God, John 3:16-17, turning tears of water into everlasting wine, John 4:13-14.  Taste and see how good the Lord is, Psalm 34:8!

by Jay Mankus

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The Not-So Ultimate Gift

Posted on March 7, 2013 by expressyourself4him

One of my favorite movies of the last decade is The Ultimate Gift based upon Jim Stovall’s best selling book.  Completed in 2006, this movie centers around Jason Stevens, a pampered rich kid who never had to work a day in his life.  When his grandfather, Red Stevens dies, he is left with a series of 12 tasks called gifts.  Thinking riches are attached, Jason slowly begins to develop motivation to complete these assignments.  What Jason doesn’t realize, this wild goose chase ends up transforming his life from a spoiled brat into a responsible, self reliant man.

Unfortunately, I think I am living out this movie without any cameras, riches or progress.  My first assignment is the gift of unemployment which was bestowed upon me last February.  Inspired to complete a movie God placed in my mind, I spent hundreds of hours, often burning the midnight hour to finish a 90 page script.  A few temporary jobs later, rejection letters galore and daily road blocks, I am back where I started, faced with editing my script, redoing my resume and finding a permanent job.  Like the boy that cried wolf, Bill Murray in Groundhog Day and Jim Carrey in The Truman Show, each day I experience is a not so ultimate gift.

The only thought I can grasp is that maybe all the strange circumstances I have encountered will make a great book one day like Bill Murray’s cross country trek in Larger Than Life with an elephant.  Hollywood can’t make up all of my bizarre happenings I have experienced: an undetective defect in my resume, a demon possessed computer, dead cell phones, false prophet encounters, sure thing leads that don’t materialize and following visions from my dreams without any results.  Despite my complaining, its only been 15 months, a far cry from Israel wandering in the wilderness.  If David had to wait for several years to become king of Israel, I guess I can suck it up until my not-so ultimate gift becomes the gift of work.

by Jay Mankus

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Y.M.C.A.

Posted on February 24, 2013 by expressyourself4him

The Village People created a classic song in 1978, worthy of almost any celebration.  Short for Young Men’s Christian’s Association, Y.M.C.A. sold over 10 million copies and remains a favorite at discos, school dances and weddings.  One of the core values the Y.M.C.A. still holds today is to develop the body, mind and spirit.  This is achieved through activities, education and physical fitness at local facilities scattered across America.

The latin root of education is educatus which means to lead forth from within.  If the origin suggests education shapes an individual, then a nation’s future depends upon the quality of schooling it provides.  According to 2009 scores from the Programme for International Student Assessment, the United States education system continues to decline when compared with the other global leaders.  Out of 34 industrialized nations, the U.S. ranks 14th in Reading, 17th in Science and 25th in Math, falling to the middle of the pack.

While the National Education Association blames a lack of funding to explain these results, the truth of the matter is when the Bible and prayer were expelled from public education in the 1960’s, standards have plummeted every decade since.  The founders of the YMCA knew something that experts are overlooking today, the body and spirit must not be forgotten.  If schools were held to the same standards as Survival of the Fittest or like businesses which are forced to close when they continue to lose money, education would be back on a track toward success.

Unfortunately, too much government red tape, influences of labor unions and political correctness is crippling education is America.  Instead, the United States is following the playbook of past leaders like Che, Mao and Stalin, creating a generation of students programmed to believe everything they hear and read.  As a result, bodies have become heavier, minds lighter and spirits on the verge of death.  At moments in time like this, it is important to look to history for guidance or in this case reflect upon the words of a classic song.

Young man, Are you listening to me
I said, young man, what do you want to be
I said, young man, you can make real your dreams,
but you’ve got to know this one thing.

No man, does it all by himself
I said, young man, put your pride on the shelf
And just go there, to the Y.M.C.A.
I’m sure they can help you today
(Lyrics from the 2nd stanza)

If you don’t have a local YMCA in your town, may you find help for your body, mind and spirit from a nearby  church.  The party is waiting for your arrival, Luke 15:7.

by Jay Mankus

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Living in Anticipation or Dying with Regret?

Posted on February 10, 2013 by expressyourself4him

In the days of my youth, I often longed for certain moments in time, excited about a specific day, event or weekend.  Like a student who lives for Spring Break and summer vacation, anticipation was building up inside, waiting to be satisfied.  However, recently, I haven’t had much joy living day to day.  As I was filling up my car at a local gas station, a song from the 80’s, piped through exterior loud speakers, convicted me of my blasé attitude.

Robin Williams communicates a similar message to his students in the film Dead Poets Society.  Instead of a boring first day of class with assigned seats, handing out books and going over a course syllabus, Williams wants his students to live English.  Quoting a Latin phrase from a poem, Carpe Diem, Williams challenges his class to seize each day!  Thus, the question remains; will you live the rest of your days in anticipation of what may occur or die with regrets?

One of the most intriguing passages of scripture is found in the gospel of John.  The red letters in John 10:10 indicate that Jesus is speaking, “The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”  They refers to Jesus’ sheep, those people who know the voice of their shepherd and follow him.  The first portion of Jesus’ words focus on how Satan attempts to steal your joy for living, kill any dreams you may have and destroy your life.

Therefore, this battle is not only internal; finding motivation to make the most of each day, but it is also spiritual.  Thus, if you want to make the promise in John 10:10 a living reality, putting on the armor of God is essential, Ephesians 6:11.  Otherwise, you might die regretting your last years on earth.  As Andy Dufresne says in Shawshank Redemption, “Get busy living or get busy dying,” the choice is yours?  Seize the day now before its’ too late!

By Jay Mankus

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So Close, But yet So Far

Posted on January 8, 2013 by expressyourself4him

While I was tempted to name today’s blog, “So Close, but No Cigar,” common sense kept me from wavering off topic.  As I listened to Jentezen Franklin’s sermon on the Trinity Broadcast Network before attending church on Sunday, the Holy Spirit jogged my memory of the walls of resistance which deny believers from entering God’s promised land.  Moses dedicated his entire life to the nation of Israel, foregoing the riches of Egypt, Hebrews 11:24-27, yet the closest he came to a land flowing with milk and honey was a view from atop Mount Nebo.  Why did God deny him this privilege?  According to Numbers 20:6-13, Moses failed to carefully obey God’s command, striking a rock twice instead of just once.

Obedience is one wall to climb, but sometimes your own circumstances prove too much for a person to overcome.  Although hard to believe, my friend Harry endured a brutal set of events, triggering a back slide of historic proportions.  The person who led him to Christ committed suicide shortly after his conversion.  In the weeks that followed, one of his youth leaders who began to ease his pain, had an affair and abruptly abandoned the ministry, moving to California.  These poor witnesses kept Harry from entering a church for nearly 20 years.  My friend Eddy and I never thought Harry had been to church until a divine appointment at Cedar Point Amusement Park, reintroduced Harry to his former youth pastor.  In one moment, 20 years of severance was reunited, the first of many steps toward healing his bruised, confused and wounded heart.

Whether you feel like Moses today, with a mountain standing in between you and your dreams or as Harry did, coming to grips with a desolate soul, remember that sanctification is an on going process, not complete until the Lord takes you home.  Sure, you might have mountain top experiences, yet there is always a valley between mountains.  You may want answers, transformation and victory immediately, but sanctification occurs gradually, through a day by day process, Ephesians 2:3-7.  Therefore, live each moment on earth with a James 4:15 mindset, recognizing that you are close, but yet so far!

by Jay Mankus

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