Tag Archives: humility

Not A Clue?

I’m not sure who has a worse track record: global warming predictions or the daily weather forecasters?  According to Al Gore, you know the guy who created the internet, polar bears were suppose to be near extinction due to the last of the polar ice caps melting by now.  Meanwhile, meteorologists have become so dependent on technology and weather models, they’ve overlooked common sense and God given instincts like Bill Paxton’s character in the 1996 film Twister.  I wish someone in either of these 2 groups would just be honest, professing to the world, “I don’t have a clue?”

Based upon actual scientific data, global cooling and warming is influenced by major volcanic eruptions or lack there of.  Temperature patterns going back to the early 1800’s reveal the world wide temperatures decline the year following a major eruption, decreasing between 1-4 degrees fahrenheit on average.  A modern example of this occurred following Mount Saint Helen’s explosion on May 18, 1980 as scientists began to suggest the world was heading toward its next ice age.  In the year’s following little or no volcanic activity, ocean temperatures often rise creating an El Nino affect.  However, computers can only make an educated guess on the future, often not having a clue to God’s daily forecast.

Having confidence in an ability, skill or talent is not a bad thing.  However, there is a growing trend in the media to avoid showing weakness unless you are a politician who has just been caught in a scandal.  Then, consultants will encourage individuals to go an Oprah, spill their guts and shed a tear or two to show the American people your sorry.  Yes, its important for college professors, guest analysts and professionals to be well informed, but what’s wrong with a little humility.  I want real people who aren’t afraid to proclaim “I don’t know,” instead of fake people hiding behind a facade.  Feel free to express your opinion or stand out up your soap box for a few minutes.

by Jay Mankus

Praying in Vain

Whether you are old, young or somewhere in between, hopelessness can lead people to question what they are doing?  When things don’t go your way, creating a snowball effect, minds might begin to wonder if God really cares about you and your situation?  If these trials persist, doubt often enters the scene causing individuals to begin to believe, “what’s the point of praying?”  “Why should I continue to pour my heart and soul into prayer, when nothing seems to change.”

This is where you will find David in Psalm 5.  In the midst of his circumstances, this servant of God wanted to make sure he wasn’t praying in vain.  Thus, he reminds God of his attributes, character and personality early in the morning.  Using God as a crutch, David realizes the Lord is his last resort, the only force able to transform his predicament.  Tired of seeing arrogant, deceitful, evil and wicked individuals proper, David pleads with God based upon Moses words in the Old Testament.  Not worthy to be called righteous, David rests in mercy, Psalm 5:7, entering God’s presence with reverence and respect.  Prayers like this one inspired the Lord to call his humble servant a man after God’s heart, 1 Samuel 16:7.

Wherever this blog may find you, confidence lies in results.  As soon as you see direct answers and progress, your attitude will improve.  However, if your words offered up in faith return unanswered, one of 3 things may be true,  First, God may be keeping you from something that might steer you away from Him.  Second, God’s timing is likely not aligned with your prayer, resulting in a “not right now” response, Ecclesiastes 3:11.  Finally, there is a chance that someone, something or an unconfessed sin from the past is blocking God’s reply, Isaiah 1:15-17.  Follow the principles of Isaiah 1:18-19 and you will leave vanity for sanity, experiencing a slice of heaven here on earth, Matthew 6:33-34.

by Jay Mankus

Empty Hands

When disaster, tragedy or the unexplainable strikes an innocent soul, God often get’s the blame.  Accusations, complaining and questioning follow as people search for answers beneath the rumble left behind.  In the background, overhearing these conservations, the Lord is disappointed, by empty hands, always taking yet never giving.

Lost in history are the words at the end of Exodus 23:15, “no one is to appear before me empty handed.”  During the good times in life, God is like a friend we lose touch with, too busy to carve out any time in our daily schedule.  Pride puffs up our minds, thinking we are the reason for success.  Solomon was right in Proverbs 16:18 as pride foreshadows our fall, as individuals come crashing back to earth.

One could make the assumption that part of Jesus’ teaching in the parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30 relates to bringing God our best, not just the leftovers.  Exodus 23:19 illustrates what full hands resemble, offering up your first fruits to God.  Modern examples could be giving Jesus your first moments awake each morning, listening God’s Word first thing or giving your first paycheck of the month to the local church.

The next time you are tempted to grumble against the Lord, ask yourself this question.  Did I give God my full, partial or little attention today?  Depending upon your reply, maybe you need to fill your hands before you lift them up to the Lord in prayer.  When you learn to give, God will pay it forward in His time, Ecclesiastes 3:11.  As for now, gather before a poor witness causes countless to scatter from the faith, Matthew 12:30.

by Jay Mankus

Prepared by the Past… One Dot at A Time

Life is like a dot to dot picture given to children at many sit down restaurants in America, part of the kid’s meal, keeping young people occupied until the meal is served.  However, instead of having 10 numbers, your life puzzle have thousands, too many to keep on one page without any numbers to follow.  Thus, when you try to comprehend God’s logic of why this or that happened, you can’t make any sense of the dots, unable to get a clear picture of how your past fits into the present and future.  Nonetheless, some people throughout history have experienced moments in time when God revealed how their dots fit together.

Genesis 41:9-40 is one of these occasions where faithfulness, patience and prayer met.  The second youngest of 12 brothers, God gave Joseph the gift of dream interpretation.  Humbled by his previous days of bragging to his brothers, Joseph gives God the sole credit in Genesis 41:15-16.  Before the days of resumes and cover letters, the positive words of Pharaoh’s chief cup bearer served as a reference, giving Joseph a face to face meeting with the leader of Egypt.  Beginning in Genesis 41:28-36, Joseph turns this opportunity into an interview, sharing his previous work experience along with what he would do if in charge.  Impressed by Joseph’s presentation, Joseph goes from the dungeon to the penthouse, second in command to Pharaoh.  Joseph’s dot to dot puzzle is completed in Genesis 45:5-8, using words to explain the picture, God’s plan for his life.

Tomorrow, I start my first day as an ambassador with Amazon.  Receiving this promotion last Saturday, I haven’t been this excited since managing a store for Michael Jordan Golf back in 1997.  As the dots in my life begin to take shape, I am beginning to see how God has prepared me by previous positions.  Teaching for a decade will help me train new hires in my department, insuring their success God willing.  While I am far from completing my own dot to dot, I am confident that one day, God will make everything clear, Ecclesiastes 3:11.  If you are struggling with your own puzzle, frustrated by a lack of progress, do not fret.  May you find comfort and rest from in the words of Solomon in Ecclesiastes 3:12-14.

by Jay Mankus

The Day We Broke God’s Heart

Like a proud parent watching their son and daughter play in a local little league, God felt helpless as Eve dropped the ball and Adam picked dandelions as the devil traded an apple for sole authority over the earth in Genesis 3.  If that wasn’t bad enough, the first naturally born child allowed jealousy to convince him to murder his younger brother in chapter 4.  The last straw occurs in Genesis 6:5 as mankind’s heart and mind turned toward every possible evil inclination.  This was the day we broke God’s heart, Genesis 6:6.

The reason I use we instead of they is based upon Romans 3:9-12.  While our stories are not recorded in the Bible, history is being repeated as most of God’s created beings are following in the footsteps of sinners.  Every morning, God is waiting for his people to acknowledge Him, Psalm 150:6.  However, busy schedules, entertainment and work causes most of us to let days slip by without saying hello in prayer or crack open the Bible to listen to God.  Instead, most human beings are led astray by humanism, naturalism and selfish desires.  Thus, by these careless actions, we are breaking God’s heart all over again!

Maybe this is why God allows individuals to endure humility, trials and defeats.  Sometimes, we need to have our own hearts broken, which makes it painfully obvious to us that we can not make it through life on our own.  In fact, this also explains why Jesus states that in order to find life you must be willing to lose it, Matthew 16:25-26.  The choices you and I make will shape our eternal futures, either toward heaven or closer to hell, Matthew 7:13-14.  Moses was right when he said choices have consequences in Deuteronomy 30:15.  May this blog challenge you to renew and or begin a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, Romans 10:9-10.

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

Three Times O Lord

In baseball, 3 strikes end an at bat, as long as the catcher does not drop the third strike.  Three outs end each half-inning with a mercy rule added to little league games to teams trailing by 10 runs or more after the fourth inning.  While basketball allows 4 and 5 fouls in college and the pros respectively before a disqualification occurs, soccer has just 2 cards, a yellow and red card with the ejected player’s team forced to play the remainder of the game one man down.  In life, sometimes God needs to intervene, like a boxer’s trainer who throws a towel into the ring, officially ending the fight.

According to 2 Corinthians 12:7-8, the apostle Paul was pleading with the Lord on 3 different occasions to stop the pain inflicted by a messenger of Satan.  This thorn in the flesh suggests some kind of physical ailment, yet byproducts like anguish, depression and mental fatigue were likely also present.  Paul’s occupation as a tent maker could have led to arthritis, carpel tunnel like symptoms or various aches and pains.  Based upon the details of chapter 12, Paul appears to have begged God for a period of time before receiving a message from Jesus.

Maybe I am alone, but I have come to a point where I can’t handle any more bad news.  Like a roll of bounty paper towels, humility has absorbed the mess I am now living in, tapped beyond its cleaning power.  Thus, I have reach my pain threshold, unable to endure any more disappointment.  As I wrestle with the Lord in my thoughts and prayers, I am spent, emotionally drained by a burden of failure.  Therefore, my only hope lies in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, waiting on the grace of God.  Though I don’t quite fully understand verse 9, my strength is sapped like a power tool lacking juice.  May the Holy Spirit provide the boost for me and anyone else coping with similar circumstances.  Three times O Lord, come to my rescue and to those also experiencing torment from messengers of Satan.

by Jay Mankus

Keeper of the Door

John Cusack plays a key master at a graduation party in the 1989 classic Say Anything.  Known as one of the more responsible seniors at his school, Cusack is delegated a role like a designated driver.  However, he greets each person at the door, taking the keys of every driver upon entry.  Thus, in the wee hours of the morning, Cusack drives home any drunk student in their own car, with his date played by Ione Skye  following behind to drive him back to the party.  Although some might be bitter with this assignment, better to be the keeper of the door than not invited at all.

The author of Psalm 84:10 makes a similar observation about the kingdom of God.  The Psalmist recognizes that while the party life style appears attractive to outsiders, it leaves an empty feeling deep within your soul.  Therefore, even if you are a lowly door keeper in the house of God, its far better than dwelling with the wicked.  The author’s point is that individuals should accept their lowly position, thankful for their invitation to the eternal party called heaven.

Unfortunately, its hard to play the door mat, being trampled and walked over by arrogant and ignorant people.  Humility is a tough pill to swallow, especially for the prideful.  Maybe this is why the Psalmist focuses on the joy of spending just one day in the presence of God.  If current believers can be rejuvenated by the Sabbath, expressing the same passion as Psalm 84, this world would be a much better place to live.  Therefore, before the sun sets on Sunday, starting a new week, spend some time with God, keeping the door of communication open all week long.  Listen for the knocking, Revelation 3:20, so that you can be a modern day keeper of the door!

by Jay Mankus

Diabolical Pride

The phrase pertaining to the devil was developed in the early 1500’s to define diabolical.  Forty years later in 1540, befitting the devil was added to complete modern definitions of this term.  In the 1667 classic Paradise Lost, author John Milton linked diabolical with Satan.  The Greek word diabolos is used by Jews and Christians today to describe the Devil or Satan.

In the 1940’s, C.S. Lewis began to air a sermon series on the radio, known as his Broadcast Talks.  By 1944, this content was published into 3 separate books, eventually forming Mere Christianity.  The second book, Christian Behaviour, completed in 1943, contains one of the most intriguing chapters on pride ever written.  Entitled The Great Sin, chapter 7 addresses the dangers of pride mentioned by Solomon in Proverbs 6:16-19.

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While pride refers to arrogance, conceit and haughtiness, diabolical pride has a darker meaning.  According to Lewis, this type of pride can spiritually blind individuals to the point “you look down on others so much that you do not care what others think.”  Similar to the owner on last week’s episode of Bar Rescue, this man never heard a word that Jon Taffer said.  Despite being a world renown expert in saving bars, night clubs and restaurants from going out of business, this owner of Metal & Lace in Austin, Texas was oblivious to Jon’s constructive criticism.

Escaping the grips of diabolical pride isn’t easy.  The proud have trained themselves to discount any idea, suggestion or thought that doesn’t come within, causing heart felt advice to fall upon deaf ears.  Meanwhile, prideful heads are stuck so high in the sky that unless someone from their inner circle questions them, no change is likely.  Thus, humility through defeat, failure or rejection is the only pathway toward transformation.  Yet, narcissism often lingers like an addiction, deceiving minds from the truth.  Love, time and prayer may be the only factors to rescue an arrogant soul from the chains of diabolical pride.

by Jay Mankus

I Can’t Do Anything

After rededicating my life to God during the second semester of my freshmen year of college, everything gradually fell back into place for me.  Every position I applied for except for one I received, in some cases having to decline offers.  From 1988-2010, life seemed easy, like I could do anything I put my mind to.  When the school I was teaching for began to struggle financially and eventually was sold during the school year, I actually thought I would make a smooth transition to another career.  Unfortunately, almost one year later, I was dead wrong!

When you are blessed with many talents, sometimes you get over confident or don’t work as hard as you are use to like first round draft picks in professional sports.  Then again, technology has drastically changed from the days of Cad, MS-Dos and Word Perfect when I graduated from the University of Delaware.  Anyway, I have gone from thinking I could do anything to a fear I can’t do anything right.  Solomon was right when he said, “humility comes before honor,” Proverbs 16:33b.  I just hope the humility part of my life has come to an end or is about to conclude.

As for now, its back to the drawing board.  Instead of having a touch of gold, my cover letters and resumes have turned into fools gold.  Despite these setbacks, I am laying in prayers of friends and relying on the words of Scripture to slowly restore my self-confidence.  However, I am no longer naive about my current state.  Alone, I can’t do anything but try, cry and try again,  In the long run, Proverbs 16:9 will determine where I land or where I fall.  Bethany Hamilton was right in Soul Surfer, quoting Philippians 4:13 numerous times.  With Christ I can do something, exactly what my next career is, only God knows.

I’ll let Bernie Taupin close this one out with his song sung by Elton John, “I’m Still Standing.”

You could never know what it’s like
Your blood like winter freezes just like ice
And there’s a cold lonely light that shines from you
You’ll wind up like the wreck you hide behind that mask you use
And did you think this fool could never win
Well look at me, I’m coming back again
I got a taste of love in a simple way
And if you need to know while I’m still standing you just fade away
Don’t you know I’m still standing better than I ever did
Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid
I’m still standing after all this time