Tag Archives: Holy Spirit

The Size of Your Harvest

Posted on May 17, 2018 by expressyourself4him

The term harvest can be found in ancient Egyptian calendars.  Based upon this geographic location in the Middle East, the harvest season coincides with the low water portion of each summer.  The final season on the lunar calendar, the harvest begins immediately following the season of Emergence.  While the weather doesn’t always cooperate with modern calendars, a typical harvest begins in the Spring and concludes each fall.  However, this too varies depending upon the crop planted by farmers.

Now [remember] this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows generously [that blessings may come to others] will also reap generously [and be blessed]. 7 Let each one give [thoughtfully and with purpose] just as he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver [and delights in the one whose heart is in his gift], 2 Corinthians 9:6-7.

According to the apostle Paul, spiritual harvests are influenced by your degree of giving.  Blessings are proportionally tied to what you put into life or the lives of others.  Those who are consistent, disciplined and work hard will be rewarded with a plentiful harvest.  Meanwhile, the lazy, lethargic and inconsistent workers will only get what they put into their trade.  Thus, you can’t expect good results when half hearted attempts are made on a daily basis.

The one who is taught the word [of God] is to share all good things with his teacher [contributing to his spiritual and material support]. 7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked [He will not allow Himself to be ridiculed, nor treated with contempt nor allow His precepts to be scornfully set aside]; for whatever a man sows, this and this only is what he will reap. 8 For the one who sows to his flesh [his sinful capacity, his worldliness, his disgraceful impulses] will reap from the flesh ruin and destruction, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life, Galatians 6:6-8.

The size of your harvest depends upon two factors.  First, your willingness to give of your resources, talents and time.  God doesn’t want people to experience regret.  Cheerful givers begin with an acceptable and reasonable tithe with an expectation that as God blesses you this amount with increase.  The second aspect is based upon your motives.  Are you self seeking, expecting something in return?  Or is your inspiration for giving driven by the Holy Spirit?  In the end, hoarders receive their harvest on earth.  Those who seek God and his righteousness first will be blown away when the Lord opens the storehouse to heaven, Malachi 3:10.  May 2018 yield a mighty harvest.

by Jay Mankus

 

 

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A Solution to Avoid Becoming Side Tracked

Posted on April 26, 2018 by expressyourself4him

While there have been many discerning scholars, famous philosophers and biblical prophets throughout history, I don’t think anyone could image how social media is influencing modern times.  Whether its a pod cast, Instagram post, tweet or You Tube video going viral, every day is like a circus, filled with individuals seeking attention, fame and fortune.  Becoming side tracked from what you need to get accomplished daily if you have a cellular device in your hand or pockets makes staying focused even harder.  Just as curiosity led to Eve’s down fall in the Garden of Eden, Americans are amusing themselves toward a slow spiritual death through a state of constant distractions.

No soldier in active service gets entangled in the [ordinary business] affairs of civilian life; [he avoids them] so that he may please the one who enlisted him to serve, 2 Timothy 2:4.

The apostle Paul writes about daily distractions during the first century.  The mentality necessary to avoid getting emotional caught up in the affairs of society requires military readiness taught in the armed forces.  An active soldiers’ main concern is carrying out and fulfilling their commanding officers’ instructions.  From a spiritual perspective, Paul is encouraging believers to focus on serving God.  Romans 12:1 is symbolic of beginning and completing boot camp, pushing your body to its limits.  As you dedicate your life to God, the Holy Spirit begins to reveal the Lord’s will for life which is phase two.  The more focused your are on serving Jesus, the less concerned you will be with daily events beyond your control.

And if anyone competes as an athlete [in competitive games], he is not crowned [with the wreath of victory] unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hard-working farmer [who labors to produce crops] ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops. 7 Think over the things I am saying [grasp their application], for the Lord will grant you insight and understanding in everything, 2 Timothy 2:5-7.

The apostle Paul finishes his illustration with an athlete and farmer.  While different, the more each puts into their trade, the skies the limit.  Sports is based upon determining who is the best through a series of competitions during a defined season.  Meanwhile, farmers must work if they want food.  If each treats their land like a prized possession, the outcome will likely be positive.  If you reap what you sow is an accurate principle, then every individual has a choice, to seize each moment or waste your life away.  Sure, deciphering what God’s will can take a life time, but if you develop the resolve to press on, the promise of 2 Timothy 2:7 can be a reality.  As I struggle and wrestle with overcoming the bad news reported each day, join me in a venture to avoid becoming side tracked anymore.

by Jay Mankus

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Love Like You’ve Never Been Hurt

Posted on April 22, 2018 by expressyourself4him

A friend who is a local pastor in Newark has a mantra that he repeats once a month, “hurt people hurt other people.”  Those who receive verbal attacks in the form of negative comments, put downs and sarcasm tend to build up resentment in their hearts.  At some point this frustration will boil over resulting in an emotional explosion.  This climate stunts one’s ability to love others on a constant basis.

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound, Isaiah 61:1.

Hurt people often wear emotions on their sleeves, sending out negative electricity when rubbed the wrong way.  Sadly, there are demented individuals who get their kicks by picking on someone until they explode.  This trend is made worse by social media sites which allow violent videos that gain attention or go viral.  In my mind, there isn’t anything funny about hurt people hurting others.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid, John 14:27.

Jesus has provided a solution to hurt people in the passage above.  To overcome hate, Jesus extended peace to first century citizens.  Since talk is cheap, Jesus lived out love, reaching out to children, the helpless, poor and sick.  Even when the disciples wanted to call it a day or night, Jesus offered his time to strangers every day.  Despite being falsely accused, sentenced to death and dying on a cross, Jesus loved like He was never hurt.  In view of this, ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with strength so that love will not die.

by Jay Mankus

 

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An Imperfect Process

Posted on April 17, 2018 by expressyourself4him

During a recent writing session, a friend asked me how I have been able to write over 2000 blog posts.  After a pausing a moment, the hardest part is making sure you don’t repeat yourself.  Coming up with new content is an imperfect process, trial and error filled with as many failures as success.  Some of my personal favorites end up bombing with little views with mediocre posts often receiving surprising interest.  Yet, some never make the final cut, deleted, erased or put on hold until the timing is right.

Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written, John 21:25.

During a seminary class on the New Testament, I discovered the 66 books of the Bible had a similar process.  The Council of Jamnia was held in Yavneh sometime around 90 AD to canonize the 39 books of the modern Old Testament.  Some of Solomon’s Proverbs and the Book of Wisdom were excluded from this list.  Meanwhile, the council of Nicaea met in 325 to complete the same process for first century epistles inspired by Jesus for the New Testament.  Two letters written by the apostle Paul to Corinth were left off, not deemed to be inspired by the Holy Spirit.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 2 Timothy 3:16.

Thus, when you read the letters to the Corinthians, you only have half the story.  On one occasion, the apostle Paul received disturbing news about the spiritual regression of new Christians living in Corinth.  Paul was so upset that a spirit of angry filled one of this excluded letters.  Perhaps, after proof reading his words, Paul was consumed with guilt, deciding not to send this it with a messenger.  This story serves as a teachable moment to think before you speak, reflect before you hit send or exercise self-discipline when your frustrated.  While every writer strives for perfection, imperfect people do their best to share what God puts on their hearts.

by Jay Mankus

 

 

 

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Flying Blind

Posted on April 15, 2018 by expressyourself4him

From time to time, pilots will face extreme conditions.  During periods of heavy fog, misty skies or massive storms, aircrafts will be flying blind.  Under these circumstances, navigators are forced to rely on their instruments to get safely back to the ground.  Unfortunately, when human beings are thrust into similar scenarios on earth, computers aren’t much of a help.

While He was passing by, He noticed a man [who had been] blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi (Teacher), who [a]sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but it was so that the works of God might be displayed and illustrated in him, John 9:1-3.

Over the past month, I have been writing blind, struggling to see the letters on my keyboard.  Due to a recent flare up, my iritis has blurred my vision, turning each blog post into a chore.  Subsequently, the quality of my content has suffered, doing the best I can with the current state of my eyes.  Nonetheless, the Lord has given me the courage to press on, sharing what the Holy Spirit continues to place on my heart.

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, 2 Corinthians 4:4.

According to the apostle Paul, Satan has the ability to blind human minds.  As people rush through busy schedules, minds can become distracted, flying blind through life.  While pilots have advances technology to lean on in adverse conditions, the Bible refers to spiritual weapons available for believers in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5.  Although not mentioned by name, this passage eludes to fasting, claiming the promises of the Bible in prayer and worship.  Therefore, the next time you feel like you’re flying blind, make sure you take the time to arm yourself with spiritual weapons to

and the powers of darkness in this world.

by Jay Mankus

 

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Somebody’s Watching You

Posted on April 14, 2018 by expressyourself4him

Hollywood was been warning individuals for years through movies that somebody is watching you.  In 1995 Sandra Bullock starred in The Net, illustrating computer security concerns of the world wide net in this cyber murder mystery.  Three years later Will Smith, Gene Hackman and Jon Voight took this concept further in Enemy of the State highlighting how satellites and technological advances can be used to spy on American citizens.  Twenty years later, Google, Facebook and tracking devices have made this fear a reality, using cell phones and tablets to actually track where you are and what you’re saying if certain features aren’t turned off.  While the popularity of social media continues to climb, many have become distracted, unaware that somebody is watching you.

The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good, Proverbs 15:3.

From a spiritual sense, the somebody who is watching your every move is the Creator of the heavens and earth.  The biblical term for this supernatural ability is omnipresence.  According to various authors who have written books describing judgment day, this data is collected over the course of each life.  After you die, every deed is made into a movie reel as your entire life flashes before your eyes.  Following this presentation, God separates the sheep, followers of Jesus from goats, those who rejected God by their actions, behavior and deeds.  If this process does occur, this serves as a warning for the world to shape up by giving your life to Jesus before your hourglass of time runs out on earth.

Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord, Jeremiah 23:24.

After wandering away from the Lord during my first semester of college, I came to my senses feeling empty by what the world had to offer.  Through Christian groups on the University of Delaware campus, I went through what I call my spiritual rehab.  On one occasion I was introduced to the word integrity.  A friend illustrated this in terms of doing what’s right when nobody is looking.  This image should be the mindset for all modern day Christians.  For some reason, human nature makes people believe darkness or secrecy can hide sins from God.  However, the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah exposes this false notion.  In view of this truth, may the Holy Spirit fill you with integrity so that as God watches your deeds will be pleasing in His sight.

by Jay Mankus

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Setting Aside Self

Posted on April 12, 2018 by expressyourself4him

While social media is designed to express what you’re doing, thinking or updating your status, the Bible reminds readers of a much simpler time.  Before modern technological inventions, life revolved around family.  Whether this meant following in your father’s footsteps, setting out to explore a new frontier or take over a family business, you didn’t eat or drink without working hard.  People didn’t have idle time to contemplate whether your life was acceptable or worthy of by your peers.  Rather, selfish desires were set aside for the greater good.

Jesus called the crowd together with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and [e]take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me], Mark 8:34.

In the first century, Jesus set high standards for his followers.  There were no surprises or speculation about what to expect.  Rather, Jesus required a full commitment, setting aside any selfish ambitions or desires.  In addition, Jesus laid out three major steps as well as a willingness to endure whatever may come during your faith journey.  According to the gospel of Luke, these extreme measures caused lesser known disciples to turn away, unable to commit.

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control, 2 Timothy 1:7.

To a certain extent, some people are so over committed today that they do nothing well.  Others withdraw, doing little or nothing outside of school or work.  According to the apostle Paul, discipline is available through the power of the Holy Spirit.  This unseen force is attainable through the fruits of the Spirit, but only when you set aside self.  Many individuals struggle throughout life with discipline due to the inability to say no to their flesh.  This weakness is stunting their growth, unable to break free to reach their full potential.  If you are willing and spiritual hungry, set aside self so that God’s will may come into focus.

by Jay Mankus

 

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Are You in Tune with God?

Posted on April 7, 2018 by expressyourself4him

I spent five years as a member of my school band.  Playing the alto saxophone as a novice required hours of practice each week.  As long as I put in the necessary time, progress was made, developing an ear for music.  However, the older I became, other things took priority causing my musical talent to slip.  Before long I was one of the worst members of my junior high band, completely out of tune with the songs for our spring concert.

He was stating the matter plainly [not holding anything back]. Then Peter took Him aside and began to reprimand Him, Mark 8:32.

If setting aside time to perfect an instrument is key to remaining sharp, then spending a portion of your day praying, reading the Bible and listening to worship music is crucial to staying in tune with God.  Delaying, postponing or skipping this portion of your day will have a similar impact on your life.  Initial signs may be relatively obscure.  However, the more Bibles collect dust, prayers cease and Sunday becomes a day without attending church, attitudes, behavior and life styles will change for the worse.

But turning around [with His back to Peter] and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan; for your mind is not set on God’s will or His values and purposes, but on what pleases man,” Mark 8:33.

Whenever someone makes a scene in public, this is an obvious sign that an individual is out of tune with God.  After Jesus laid everything on the line to his disciples, disclosing his future death, Peter scolded Jesus.  While its unclear how long this occurred, Jesus responds with a powerful statement, referring to Peter as Satan.  Instead of meditating upon and pondering what Jesus said, Peter had an emotional outburst.  Though its never pleasant to see someone explode, these acts serve as a warning that you are not in tune with God.  Therefore, the next tune you are about to lose it, be still so that you can get back in tune with the Holy Spirit, Galatians 5:25.

by Jay Mankus

 

 

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Malevolent Thoughts

Posted on April 5, 2018 by expressyourself4him

Inside of every human being, subtle imperfections exist.  While its easy to focus on the negative, highlighting the good within people seems like a lost art.  Driven by a political climate where enemies are destroyed, discredited or smeared, malevolent thoughts are taking over.  Instead of listening to the guiding light of your conscience, a glimmer of darkness is infiltrating minds to promote hostility.

And He said, “Whatever comes from [the heart of] a man, that is what defiles and dishonors him. 21 For from within, [that is] out the heart of men, come base and malevolent thoughts and schemes, acts of sexual immorality, thefts, murders, adulteries, 22 acts of greed and covetousness, wickedness, deceit, unrestrained conduct, envy and jealousy, slander and profanity, arrogance and self-righteousness and foolishness (poor judgment). 23 All these evil things [schemes and desires] come from within and defile and dishonor the man,” Mark 7:20-23.

During a parable known as the heart of man, Jesus’ harsh words made his disciples feel uncomfortable.  After the crowds went home, the disciples requested a private meeting, wanting to understand what Jesus meant by malevolent thoughts.  If the eyes are the lamp of the body, Matthew 6:19-24, the heart is the voice within.  Cursing, inappropriate language and swearing doesn’t happen over night.  Rather, words naturally flow out of what’s stored up inside your heart.

But I say, walk habitually in the [Holy] Spirit [seek Him and be responsive to His guidance], and then you will certainly not carry out the desire of the sinful nature [which responds impulsively without regard for God and His precepts]. 17 For the sinful nature has its desire which is opposed to the Spirit, and the [desire of the] Spirit opposes the sinful nature; for these [two, the sinful nature and the Spirit] are in direct opposition to each other [continually in conflict], so that you [as believers] do not [always] do whatever [good things] you want to do, Galatians 5:16-17.

The apostle Paul blames this conflict on a spiritual battle between 2 opposing powers.  If Lucifer infected Eve with lust in the Garden of Eden, the presence of sin has become a deadly venom poisoning once innocent hearts.  While cable news, social media and talk radio focus on outward actions, deeds and words, no one is addressing the heart of this matter.  Unless individuals begin to take this condition serious, malevolent thoughts will continue to create havoc.  May this blog awaken your soul so that you will become responsive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to overcome malevolent thoughts.

by Jay Mankus

 

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Kenosis

Posted on March 28, 2018 by expressyourself4him

The season of Lent ends this week.  This religious ceremony begins Ash Wednesday, the day after Mardi Gras concludes.  Since Lent lasts forty days, human nature offers individuals one last day to indulge your fleshly desires in the form of Fat Tuesday.  This Catholic tradition was designed to give Christians time to spiritually prepare themselves for Easter, giving up meat on Fridays during these six weeks.  The goal of this spiritual season is to empty yourself, to deny self so that you become more like Christ.

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me,” Luke 9:23.

The Bible uses a Greek term to describe a similar process.  Kenosis refers to the renunciation of the divine nature in part by Christ based upon the virgin birth of his mother Mary, conceived by the Holy Spirit.  In layman terms, kenosis is the relinquishment of divine attributes by Jesus Christ in becoming human.  To avoid any type of addiction to the sinful nature, Christians should strive to do the opposite, replacing selfish desires by making room for God.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me, Galatians 2:20.

The apostle Paul highlights this process in the verse above.    Starting over spiritually requires drastic measures, crossing out your own selfish ambitions with a devotion and passion to serve the Lord.  Although changes are hard to make permanently, this is where faith comes into the equation.  May the reality of Jesus’ resurrection inspire depressed individuals with a new sense of hope for transformation.  As Easter draws near, don’t be afraid to give your life over to Jesus.

by Jay Mankus

 

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