Tag Archives: mercy

Bring Us Back to Life

Posted on June 24, 2016 by expressyourself4him

Time has a way of taking its toll on the human body.  The prophet Isaiah lets Israel know that even young people are not immune to this reality.  Thus, whether you are old, young or somewhere in between, a common prayer asks the Lord, “bring us back to life.”

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; Isaiah 40:30.

While father time is undefeated, there are factors that speed up the aging process.  Anxiety, depression and a lack of positive influences can suck the life out of human souls.  If you allow yourself to become isolated, void of encouragement, the will to live can fade.

When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.  For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer, Psalm 32:3-4.

Another element that saps the strength of individuals like heat and humidity from the summer sun is sin.  Whenever you hurt yourself or others by a careless act or word, conviction can weigh heavy on your heart.  This spiritual condition requires a boost to revive the joy you once had in life.  Thus, if you ever reach this state, don’t forget to cry out to the Lord.  Lean on his grace and mercy and perhaps you will be brought back to life.

by Jay Mankus

 

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Family, Strangers and the Needy

Posted on June 8, 2016 by expressyourself4him

The Bible kindly suggests that retirement is not an option, with always another calling to consider.  As life expectancy was altered following the introduction of sin by Adam and Eve, things changed.  Thus, as earth’s atmosphere shifted from an Open Canopy to what it is today after the flood, people needed to rely on families as age took its toll on human bodies.  Those without a family were at the mercy of strangers and the needy to survive.

When Naomi heard in Moab that the LORD had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there, Ruth 1:6.

In the Old Testament, it was custom for harvesters to leave some of their crops for the poor.  Typically, the area along the edges of property lines was not picked clean, giving the less fortunate a place to pick up something to eat.  Thus, if you were desperate enough, this is where you would go if you wanted food.  Although times have changed, today individuals in need try to find a busy intersection where the wealthy may pass by in a nice vehicle.

And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.” Naomi said to her, “Go ahead, my daughter,” Ruth 2:2.

A modern parable of the Good Samaritan is written daily as those moved or touched stop to offer a couple of dollars here or there.  Yet, is this the right decision or should God’s people take a more proactive role?  Perhaps, taking this person to lunch like the Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37 is a better alternative.  While this act of love is difficult for me, its what any loving family member would do for a relative.  Therefore, don’t just limit your kindness to those you know.  Rather, extend Christ’s love to strangers and the needy.

by Jay Mankus

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The Rhymes and Reasons in Life

Posted on April 9, 2016 by expressyourself4him

Every story includes a beginning, middle and end.  For the impatient, wanting to fast forward to know the conclusion, important details are skipped.  Subsequently, chapters and pages don’t make sense, void of any rhyme or reasons.

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere, James 3:17.

The same concept applies to life.  Sure, every human being starts with conception, but somewhere between childhood and adolescence, life gets complicated.  As an adult, the complexities increase, causing many to be confused by the rhymes and reasons in life.  Thus, when you stop to reflect about where you are, how you got there and what do next, clarity is often hard to find.

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, Colossians 1:9.

If you are like me, you have experienced periods of uncertainty in life.  When you find yourself in these moments of doubt, prayer is one of the best solutions.  As you pray your way through life to make sense of rhymes and reasons, God promises to give individuals knowledge and insight.  Therefore, don’t quit before God finishes the story He has written.  In the Lord’s time, rhymes and reasons will be unveiled as you draw near to God.

by Jay Mankus

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A Shadow of Good Things to Come

Posted on March 27, 2016 by expressyourself4him

In Hollywood, hype is a popular form of promotion.  Thus, when producers believe their project is going to be a hit, money is invested in commercials to wet the pallet of consumers.  Sometimes this is an effective tool, but its not a blue print for success.  When a film, product or show does live up the the expectations based upon the hype, disappointment follows.  This is not the case for those who witnessed Resurrection Sunday.

The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship, Hebrews 10:1.

For the Jews, this day was like a catch 22.  The tradition of an earthly temple and priest offering sacrifices for sin was thrown out the window and flushed down the toilet.  Thus, Jesus threatened to remove those in power from their lofty positions.  On the other hand, the social outcasts, those forced to move outside of the city gates because of being labeled as unclean were provided an open door, direct access to the king of kings and Lord of lords.

For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit., Ephesians 2:18.

Easter Sunday is the culmination of years of prophecy fulfilled.  Thus, the promises of the Bible are no longer just a shadow, they are reality.  According to the apostle Paul, one of these good things is a clear connection to God the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Although, temptation and the power of sin still exist, grace, forgiveness and mercy is available day after day.  Therefore, as you experience another Easter, may the good things of Christ keep bringing you back week after week.

by Jay Mankus

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The Cleansing of a Conscience

Posted on March 19, 2016 by expressyourself4him

Regret can be a tough pill to shallow, especially if an action affects multiple lives.  The longer you live increases the probability that you will blow it big time, hurt others and mess up badly.  In the aftermath of these mistakes, consequences vary.  Yet, one thing is a constant, guilt will arrive in the form of conviction through an invisible force known as your conscience.

How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! – Hebrews 9:14

Whenever you let someone down, there is nothing like getting a do over, a fresh start on life.  This is where grace meets the cleansing of the soul.  Unfortunately, shame has a way of causing individuals to hold onto their sin.  While God promises to wash away your imperfections, some have a hard time forgiving themselves.  Thus, healing does not occur as consciences are manipulated by the devil, bringing up past transgressions from years ago.

“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool, Isaiah 1:18.

Confession is a powerful tool to begin the cleansing of your conscience.  However, those who are unable to get over stains from their past, need an accountability partner, friend or source of encouragement to get over the hump.  Reflecting on the promises of God is another step in the right direction.  Nonetheless, until you believe and receive these words, healing will only be temporary.  Therefore, let mercy reign as you complete the cleansing of your conscience.

by Jay Mankus

 

 

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Serve the Lord Without Distraction

Posted on February 28, 2016 by expressyourself4him

The apostle Paul refers to a time in the future where peril will reign.  An era when the world will be influenced by sinful pleasures.  Whether today is that time, only God knows.  Nonetheless, its essential for Christians to hold fast by serving the Lord without being distracted.

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days, 2 Timothy 3:1.

Despite this great dilemma, an Old Testament prophet provides a source of hope.  To prevent the love of Christ from being extinguished, the Holy Spirit will fill people of faith.  While the form in which the Spirit is poured out remains a topic of debate, this invisible force is essential to keep in step with God, Galatians 5:25.  If you try this alone, distractions will lure you away, halting your service for a season or more.

“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions, Joel 2:28.

In reason years, the times I felt like I was on the right track, something got in my way.  Usually, pride lures me into a false sense of security.  A day, week or month later, all the spiritual momentum that I built up was gone.  Thus, I learned the hard way about the importance of a consistent witness.  Therefore, don’t allow distractions to linger.  Rather, lean on God’s grace and mercy to begin again to serve the Lord without distraction.

by Jay Mankus

 

 

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Putting Grace on the Map

Posted on February 28, 2016 by expressyourself4him

There are certain types of characters, individuals or professions that make the average person feel uneasy.  Appearance, dress and modesty or lack there of sends a message.  Yet, some read more into this, judging someone’s character without ever meeting.  In the Old Testament, those who lived near the city gates symbolized wealth.  Thus, if you visited Jericho, you would find a brothel run by Rahab, a well-known harlot who made a living by entertaining those looking for a good time.

Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there, Joshua 2:1.

Despite her reputation and past, the Lord choose to use a prostitute to accomplish his will.  Beside putting grace on the map, this story in history sends an important message to those who feel unworthy.  Regardless of what you have done, God extends his mercy to those who are open to being a vessel of the kingdom.  In fact, this one act did not go unnoticed.  Rather, this woman of the night eventually becomes part of the lineage of Jesus and enters the Hall of faith in Hebrews 11.

Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, Matthew 1:5.

So what is a whore doing in the family tree of Jesus?  Well, we may never know the answer for sure.  However, that doesn’t mean we can’t speculate on why.  According to the author of Hebrews, God is the builder of all things.  Thus, if sin reveals the fallen nature of mankind, forgiveness by a Savior who died on a cross to atone for our mistakes brings new life.  Therefore, the next time you hear Satan whisper, “God will never use you.”  Remind the devil of the Creator of life who put grace on the map.

by Jay Mankus

 

 

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Form Without Faith

Posted on February 25, 2016 by expressyourself4him

As a former athlete, there was nothing like game day, warming up in front of your opponents.  Depending upon the sport, there were certain matches that over before they began.  The team with the best form, technique and talent usually won.  Yet, form without faith is a losing recipe, costing several franchises in the past a championship.

Having a form of godliness but denying its power, 2 Timothy 3:5a.

There is a saying in profession sports that says the tape never lies.  This refers to players who have a tendency to take plays off, not giving 100 percent.  As a former coach, this wasn’t as easy to see.  Some players talk a good game, but crumbled under the pressure.  Meanwhile, some slacked off during practice, yet like Allen Iverson, when the lights came on, they rose to the challenge.  However, to endure for the long haul, form and faith must go hand and hand.

As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead, James 2:26.

As an adult, I can’t escape imperfection.  No mater how hard I try, some days my form is good, but my faith sucks.  Or in times of weakness, my faith is strong, but energy is lacking.  However, everyone must be careful of fulfilling 2 Timothy 3:5.  Godliness does not come from human effort, but in the spiritual transformation of a human heart.  Thus, when Christians begin to go through the motions of religion, they deny God’s power.  In view of this, don’t pretend everything is fine.  Rather, in humility, let the grace and mercy of God build you up so that your faith takes the form of spiritual fruit.

by Jay Mankus

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I Don’t Care How Long It Takes

Posted on February 13, 2016 by expressyourself4him

In life, there are some battles worth fighting for and others you simply have to let go to walk away.  People will experience periods when you think, “what did I do to deserve us?”  Followed by moments that leave individuals pondering, “I can’t believe I got out of that unscathed.”  How you respond to these ordeals often shapes your character.  In the case of a king, punished by God for taking a census, David didn’t care what it took as long as God had mercy on the nation of Israel.

David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into human hands,” 2 Samuel 24:14.

To survive for the long haul, you must develop a specific mindset.  If you celebrate victories only to wilt under defeat, you’ll never get very far in this life.  Thus, its essential to look at the big picture, set goals accordingly and persevere until you reach your desired destination.  As for the apostle Paul, he began to adopt a motto for his earthly ministry.  I don’t care how long it takes as long as you enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ before I die.

Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains,” Acts 26:29.

After reading this portion of the Bible, I came to an obvious conclusion, why don’t I apply this mentality to my own life.  Whether its clinging to a desired outcome, seeing a dream fulfilled or wrestling with God in prayer, it doesn’t matter how long it takes as long as you taste success at some point.  Therefore, don’t let one, two or several setbacks cause you to give up hope.  Rather, arm yourself with a warrior’s mindset, resolving to maintain steadfast in battle until the Lord allows you to experience the fruits of your labor.

by Jay Mankus

 

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When Your God is Too Small

Posted on February 7, 2016 by expressyourself4him

Confidence and faith often go hand and hand.  However, when individuals struggle to find consistent results, doubt causes many to question the power of God.  Thus, as circumstances go from bad to worse or dire, belief in God tends to shrink.

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind, James 1:6.

The author of the first Catholic letter, James, written to Christians scattered throughout the Middle East, witnessed this lack of faith during the first century.  James compared this behavior to the waves and wind on the Mediterranean Sea.  Whenever unexpected storms rolled in, the composure of believers disappeared, blown and tossed like a rag doll.

And have mercy on those who doubt; Jude 1:22.

The last author of these letters, Jude, had pity on those who wilted during trials in life.  Essentially, those people who demonstrated this mindset served a small God.  In view of this, James urged the community of faith to avoid falling for this lie.  Therefore, the next time doubt tries to whisper “you don’t have a prayer,” cling to the power of the resurrection to supersize your God.

by Jay Mankus

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