Tag Archives: Jesus

The Hiding Place

Posted on February 26, 2013 by expressyourself4him

Hebrews 13:2 suggests that your life may intersect or come in contact with an angel.  From my vantage point, God has blessed me with several acquaintances in life, most of whom are flesh and blood.  Yet, there has only been one person who has introduced me to spiritual Hiding Places.

During a college internship southeast of Cleveland, Ohio, I met a construction worker unlike any human being I have ever encountered.  This young man worked hard at his trade, stood up for his faith daily and modeled a Christ like faith.  As we drew closer through a weekly Bible Study and church, Chris showed me a hidden gem on his property.  Formerly a Boy Scout Camp, his parents’ land contained an abandoned cabin in the woods.

This quaint setting became his closet, Matthew 6:6.  Prior to the invention of 5 Hour Energy Drinks, Chris used this room to access living water, John 4:13-14.  On bended knees, with out stretched arms toward heaven, the power of the Holy Spirit filled Chris’ each morning.  Followed by a consistent dose of God’s Word, my friend was ready for anything life threw his way, 1 Peter 3:15-16.  This remote building provided an ideal location to access the secret places of God, Song of Solomon 2:14.

As the world continues to search for alternative solutions to God, mere imitations continue to come up empty, time after time.  Artificial replacements might produce a  brief desire, energy boast or initial feeling, yet only one thing satisfies the human soul.  Jesus remains the only Real Thing in life that quenches the void within your heart.  If you want to taste success in life, find your own hiding place today, Psalm 143:9.  Create an atmosphere free from distractions, peaceful and isolated like the picture above.  The Bread of Life is waiting for you to arrive, John 6:47-48.

by Jay Mankus

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Extreme Soul Makeover

Posted on February 22, 2013 by expressyourself4him

 

For the past decade, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition served as a shining light in a dark and selfish world.  As one of the few family centered programs in prime time, this ABC hit show reached a broad audience through comedy, entertainment and music.  Ty Pennington, Paul DiMeo, Michael Moloney and Tracy Hutson made Extreme Makeover a Sunday night tradition for my family.  This reality program often touched my heart, brought tears to my eyes and made me proud to be an American.

Fading into the night on January 12th, 2012, this final episode is a reminder that all good things on earth come to an end.  Like a sheep without a shepherd, a new leader, group or ministry needs to replace this new void in society left by the end of this show.  While the cast and volunteers worked non-stop for one week to provide a new residence to a needy family or school, thousands more were passed over, still waiting for a helping hand and loving support.

 

If you want to make an eternal difference in life, Jesus reveals 3 essential conditions which must be met for an extreme soul makeover, Matthew 16:24.

1. Deny yourself by becoming a selfless servant, meeting the needs of the people whom you come into contact with on a daily basis.

2. Pick up Jesus’ cross by owning your faith, dedicating your life to God.  Unless you become born again, you cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven, John 3:3.

3. Follow Jesus by walking in his footsteps, Matthew 20:27-28.  While what would Jesus do is cliche, its a starting point that leads toward a Galatians 5:25 mentality.

If you are thinking twice about this makeover, listen to Jesus’ warning in Matthew 16:26.

“What good will it be for a man (or woman) if they gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?  Or what can a (person) give in exchange for their soul?”

May the words of the Bible, instill faith from within, Romans 10:17, to undergo this life changing procedure.  Sign up today, Romans 10:9-10!

by Jay Mankus

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The Eraser

Posted on February 18, 2013 by expressyourself4him

On the surface, a small piece of rubber, either red or white in appearance, seems rather inconspicuous.  Like tiny bread crumbs, these particles are designed to void any mistake made by a lead pencil.  While somewhat flawed, if used properly, the eraser can make imperfections disappear.

As technology continues to improve, the eraser is on the verge of becoming an endangered species.  Since the invention of personal computers led to the extinction of type writers, white out threatens to replace erasers.  With the goal of paperless schools on the horizon, environmentalist seek to save trees, not concerned if or when erasers will be phased out.

From a spiritual sense, there is only One true Eraser.  This eraser is as white as snow, spotless and pure, without any blemishes.  Unlike the typical eraser that darkens with use, this Eraser remains shiny and new year round.  Therefore, if you’re tired of messing up, making mistakes and ruining the body of your paper, keep your head up.  As far as the East is from the West, this is how far God is willing to go to erase the sins from your life, Psalm 103:11-12.

by Jay Mankus

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The Mind Magician

Posted on February 16, 2013 by expressyourself4him

Unless you are an anomaly, everyone has done at least one thing in life that you regret.  Most people have committed numerous things which have been stored up within their conscience.  The mind magician uses guilt to trigger shame in your soul, serving as a dark cloud, looming over your thought life.  Meanwhile, the dead works known as past sins can haunt individuals, replaying in their minds with similar consequences.

stock photo : The war with the dragon. 1) Le Sainte Bible: Traduction nouvelle selon la Vulgate par Mm. J.-J. Bourasse et P. Janvier. Tours: Alfred Mame et Fils. 2) 1866 3) France 4) Gustave Doré

Performing the same card trick over and over, Satan forces millions of people to relive sins they’ve already been forgiven of by God.  Tiny voices create doubt by suggesting, ” a real Christian would never do such a sin!”  Still upset by Jesus’ miraculous third quarter come back, Satan’s fate is sealed.  Nonetheless, the Great Deceiver is willing to throw the kitchen sink at your brain, hoping to take as many souls as possible with him.

The Great High Priest has a spiritual potion in Hebrews 9:14 to cleanse your conscience from dead works.  The apostle Paul has left further instructions to snap you out of any spell, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, cast by the mind magician.  Unfortunately, many are bewitched today, like the Galatians in chapter 3, verses 1-5.  Therefore, put on the helmet of salvation, 1 Thessalonians 5:8, as one of the last lines of defense.  Devote yourself to prayer, Colossians 4:2, submit to God, James 4:7 and the mind magician will be forced to flee.

by Jay Mankus

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Supersize Your Faith

Posted on February 14, 2013 by expressyourself4him

In the 2004 documentary film Supersize Me, Morgan Spurlock wanted to know how eating 3 meals a day at McDonald’s for 30 consecutive days would impact his body.  Thus, from February 1st thru March 2nd, Morgan ate every item on the menu at least once.  The 32 year old gained nearly 25 pounds in one month, consuming 5,000 calories on average per day.  As a result, McDonald’s no longer has a Supersize Value Meal and state governments are creating legislation to eliminate soft drinks larger than 16 ounces.  While local officials are trying to attack my 7Eleven Big Gulp, I would rather supersize my faith than my body.

In the Greek, there are 2 words used to describe time: kronis and kairos.  Kronis refers to when someone asks or wants to know the exact time.  Kairos means a specific place; a special moment in time.  Mark 1:15-16 contains a quote from Jesus, “The time has come, he said.  The kingdom of God is near.  Repent and believe the good news!”  The context of the term repent is like making a u-turn away from sin, back toward God.  Jesus wants people to change their diets so you make reach the future God has for you, Jeremiah 29:11.  In view of this, I want to propose the Supersize Your Faith Challenge.

Beginning March 1st, 2013 thru March 30th, 2013, I invite you to take a leap of faith.  I am urging all who are interested to try 3 spiritual disciplines for 30 days.  The first is reading 3 chapters of the Bible per day, 90 total.  To remember what you read, keep a notebook of any Insight you receive, Question you have and Actions you can take daily.  I will post any question you may have and try to answer it or seek another scholar to satisfy your request.

Second, I want everyone who participates to create a separate prayer journal for the month of March.  I am asking everyone to spend 30 minutes per day total, writing down prayers and praying.  To stay on task, start with any Petition you want to ask God for, then move on to Repenting any sin of action or inaction, followed by words of Adoration, thanking God for completely forgiving you and end with Your own concerns.  This usually consists of personal, family, school, work, neighborhood and church requests.  Feel free to add whatever the Holy Spirit puts on your heart.

Finally, the last piece of this challenge involves getting plugged into a local church.  Depending upon the size and scope of a church, you may want to join a weekly Accountability, Bible Study, Prayer or Sunday School Group.  Besides the obvious, attending church, reach out to people who look lost, aren’t connected or appear to be having a bad day.  Like Philip in Acts 8, ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes during the 30 days of March to become the hands, feet and body of Christ!  The time is now, kairos, to consider accepting the Supersize Challenge!

by Jay Mankus

Please notify me if you are willing to embrace this adventure.

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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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Flush

Posted on February 9, 2013 by expressyourself4him

The word flush has numerous meanings depending upon its context.  For a poker player, a Royal Flush can’t be beat.  In the Men in Black movies, flush refers to an emergency escape route.  On the other hand, nutrients in water purify internal organs from chemicals, flushing impurities from the human body.  Meanwhile, if you aren’t feeling well, you might become flush in the face, reddening your complexion.  However, for me, there are certain days, weeks, months or years, I feel like flushing down the toilet!

As I endured another sleepless night, the image of the secondary definition for flush kept spinning through my mind.  I guess this is a sign of God wanting me to cleanse, dispose and purge all that is negative from my memory.  According to Proverbs 30:12, purity is not reached until filth is removed from your life.  In John 3:2-9, Jesus asks Nicodemus to flush everything he has been taught by man and replace it with a new concept.  This conversion, new birth and spiritual creation was too foreign for Nicodemus to grasp.  Thus, he stopped talking, becoming a listener, trying to absorb this new teaching, like Bounty Towels, the quicker picker upper.

 

Unfortunately, there might be decisions, experiences and images that you can’t seem to flush completely down the toilet.  Plungers may help with some issues, yet others may require a call to Roto Rooter to spiritually clear the plumbing within your temple.  The author of Hebrews probably addresses this better than anyone I have ever heard.  “In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood,”Hebrews 12:4.  Therefore, hang in there, Galatians 6:9, keep fighting, 1 Timothy 6:12 and flush sin from your life, Romans 13:13-14.

by Jay Mankus

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Sit Down and Shut Up or Get Up and Speak Out?

Posted on February 5, 2013 by expressyourself4him

1 day ago
While 71,024 spectators were eyewitnesses of Sunday Night’s Super Bowl 47, won by the Ravens 34-31, at the Superdome in New Orleans, another event was overshadowed.  The Waste Management Open at the T.P.C. of Scottsdale held a crowd that would make a We Are The World Concert jealous.  More than 550,000 fans came out over 4 days to support the PGA of America and local Arizona charities.  This crowd had front row seats to Phil Mickelson’s 28 under par score, 2 shots shy of the PGA Tour record held by Tommy Armour III.

Although golfers are often teased by other professional athletes, this PGA event features stadium golf and the infamous 16th hole, a short par 3 surrounded by 177 sky boxes and 15,000 seats.  This arena creates a non-typical golf setting.  Instead of being told by marshals to sit down and shut up, spectators are encouraged to get up and let golfers know how you really feel.  Between the cheers and boos for shots either making or missing the green, caddies race to the green with 75 pound golf bags over their shoulders, winning by being the first to step foot on the green.  For one week each year, a circus like atmosphere comes to Scottsdale, hosted by the Thunderbirds, a local group of volunteers which is responsible for growing this tournament into what it has become, a 4 day pre-Superbowl party.

2 days ago

Though the world of golf is changing for the better, the arena of ideas has been muffled for Christians, stifled by political correctness.  When it comes to the Bible, Christian symbols, prayer and religious freedoms, the government is regularly telling Christians to sit down and shut up with your Jesus talk.  Facing a similar threat in Acts 5:12-42, the apostles took a different route.  Risking jail, flogging to a point near death and hatred from religious leaders, led my Peter, these 12 men, got up, went to the temple and meeting places to boldly preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Despite daily persecution, God blessed the faithfulness of these leaders.  When you get your opportunity, my only question is, will you sit down and shut up or get up and speak out for Jesus?

by Jay Mankus

For a better understanding of the 16th hole, check out Peter Jacobson’s new song on itunes.  Jake & the Ball Washers song debuted Saturday, February 2nd on NBC during the live PGA telecast.  NBC Sports also owns the Golf Channel.

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Living Under A Curse?

Posted on February 4, 2013 by expressyourself4him

Cursed Picture? "The Crying Boy"

Since I first began attending church as a toddler, I was led to believe that I could earn my way into heaven based upon my own works.  As I grew older, attending a different youth group in high school, I become exposed to other theological positions.  As an adult, serving as active member and participant of a church, I have searched the Bible to affirm what I ultimately believe today.  However, this morning while listening to a few sermons on the Trinity Broadcasting Network, I discovered that I might be living under a curse.

According to scripture, curses can occur through words, after experiencing emotional trauma, by making wrongs judgments or vows and acts of disobedience.  When a person one says, “you’ll never do this or you won’t succeed,” a word curse is initiated according to Ephesians 4:29-30 and James 3:9.  Meanwhile, Deuteronomy 28:20-22 suggests accidents, disease or illness can be attributed and linked to curses.  Ecclesiastes 5:6 and Deuteronomy 28:5 each claim poor decisions result in curses.  Finally, Jesus himself reveals that unless you forgive others, God will not forgive you, Matthew 6:14-15.

After contemplating pastor Ron Phillips’ message, the Holy Spirit opened my heart to the possibility my unemployment is curse related.  First, its been difficult to completely let go of all the pain I endured while living in the Red Lion soap opera.  Although, I thought I had forgiven all parties involved, God convicted me of some bitterness I am still holding onto within my heart.  Second, when failure becomes the norm in your life, its difficult to purge your mind of negativity and pessimistic thinking.  Lastly, no matter where you are in your faith journey, there is always room for improvement: areas of compromise, complacency and sinful tendencies.

Whatever your own current situation consists of, I know God wants to break any curse or pattern of failure which exists.  Thus, God longs to create a hedge of protection around you, your family, church and nation.  These hedges consists of 5 major components: prayer, leadership, unity, angels and revival.  Breaking and renouncing any curse always begins and ends with prayer, claiming God’s promises.  Prayer also energizers church leaders as well as gives people the motivation to be the head of their house.  Building upon prayer and leadership, unity is the fulfillment of both these elements.  Angelic protection increases when belief in God’s power in verbalized in prayer.  When a vision of ushering in heaven on earth is grasped by a community, revival often breaks out.  While watching the Super Bowl is nice, I long to see a spiritual super bowl, where curses are broken, saints rejoice and Christians experience victory daily!

by Jay Mankus

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Take My Hand

Posted on February 3, 2013 by expressyourself4him

As a youngster, I recall wrestling with other kids from my neighborhood in Delaware.  These matches continued until someone said uncle, often resulting in complaining, cursing or cries for help afterward.  The losers remained on the ground for several minutes, needing a hand to get back on their feet.

Today, Christians across America are fighting a similar battle with sin.  Unfortunately, instead of finding a helping hand, their friend has joined them, caught in the grasp of  addictive habits.  These spiritual headlocks are leaving believers choking, wheezing and nearly unconscious.  Knocked to the mat, taken down and pinned by their sinful nature, Galatians 5:17, lost and weary souls are running out of time.

Jesus steps in as the chief official of this match in Matthew 11:28-30.  Calling time up, Jesus lends his hands to the fallen.  With a promise of rest, Jesus isn’t forcing anyone to get up.  Yet, this offer is an open invitation, “if you are willing, take my hand?”

To be continued…

by Jay Mankus

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