Tag Archives: overcoming trials

How Many Times Does God Have to Bail Us Out?

Depending upon where you live, different phrases express the trouble that you are in.  Perhaps, you’re caught in a pickle, in the dog house, down the stream without a paddle or stuck in a precarious situation.  However you want to say it, it won’t be long before fate places you into a predicament where only God can bail us out.

Some of you may be like Joseph from the Bible, the envy of your family.  Thus, jealousy causes siblings to gang up on you, tease you or inflict emotional scars.  You press on only to find yourself falsely accused of someone else’s wrong doing.  As your reputation takes a hit, time and trust is the only thing you can do repair others opinions of you.  Despite the trials you endure, the Lord’s favor is upon you, showering you with blessings from heaven.

Unfortunately, most people fall into a different category, leaning more toward the prodigal son.  Curious, stubborn and unwilling to change, a series of poor choices results in a downward spiral.  By now, temptation is long gone, replaced by addiction, bad habits or cravings for temporary pleasures.  Call it human nature or self-realization, but until you come to your senses, Luke 15:17, you still think you can save yourself.  If this slide continues to the bottom of the barrel in life, your cries for help become more genuine, “help me Lord?”

How many times does God have to bail us out?   According to Matthew 18:21-22, forgiveness is suppose to be limitless.  If you reach out for help, God will extend hands of grace.  Therefore, whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved, Romans 10:9-13.

by Jay Mankus

 

 

Days of Trouble

I’m beginning to think that life is like a journey across the Ocean.  Some days the sky is sunny, waves timid and the winds calm, allowing you to coast without any worries.  Yet, without any warning, storms develop out of no where, rocking your world, forming days of trouble.

A few weeks ago, I was on cloud nine, enjoying my seasonal position, optimistic that I would likely receive a full time position in this department.  Today, I’m like the sail boat in Robert Redford’s latest film, All is Lost, slowly sinking to the bottom of the sea.  My perspective has drastic changed, just hoping to get back to work, waiting to be medically cleared to return.  During my days of trouble, the weather appears isolated, a slight drizzle overhead with a dense fog blinding my vision of the future.

Psalm 27:5 recounts the trials King David endured before the Lord fulfilled his promise in 1 Samuel 16:13.  On the run, fleeing the wrath of King Saul and dwelling in a cave wasn’t exactly how David pictured his journey to the throne.  Despite the heartache one experiences in the days of trouble, God has promised to provide shelter from these storms.  As the flood waters rise, place your feet of the rock and God will keep you safe until the days of trouble pass.

by Jay Mankus

Inconsistency’s and Irregularities in Life

In life, every day is not consistent, filled with irregularities which overshadow normal conditions.  When individuals expect a certain behavior from a co-worker or friend, based upon previous interactions, the ebb and flow of emotions inside the human soul can result in disappointment.  Instead, life is filled with unpredictable moments, where hearts and minds are swayed by evil to participate in illogical acts, Galatians 5:16-21.  These conflicting actions often create friction, like a wall of separation, Ephesians 4:26-27, leaving a trail of broken relationships, hurt feelings and lost trust in its aftermath.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69ZoLvE9SpQ

Meanwhile, periods of love, joy and peace can be turned upside down by breaches in conventional thinking.  Right is confused with wrong, absolutes have become gray areas and morals are now equivalent to opinions, with truth no where to be found.  As a result, citizens have wandered off the straight and narrow path, Matthew 7:13-14, opting for crooked, twisted and unethical practices.  Thus, a generation of amoral people have been formed, misled by the inconsistency’s and irregularities of life.  This group are merely victims of society, like the Cretans of the Bible who were never shown a clear distinction between moral and immoral ways, Titus 3:1-11.

 
The words of James, Jesus’ half brother, serve as spiritual medicine to cure a sick mind.  James 1:2-7 speaks to times when the inconsistency’s and irregularities occur in life.  Perspective is crucial to staying optimistic during unexpected trials.  People with changed attitudes, transformed by a faith rooted in prayer, can stay afloat, regardless of how strong the winds of change blow.  Therefore, if you can learn to embrace life’s inconsistency’s and irregularities, God will fill you with perseverance to ride out each storm you encounter.  May God provide you with the wisdom you need to endure the whitecaps of life.

by Jay Mankus

I Can’t Help You With That

 The realist inside my heart has often led me to deviate from the script, persuaded by bored faces, uninterested glances and sleepy heads.  Perhaps, God has taught me that situations vary in life, different for each individual.  Thus, making a blanket remark or statement to anyone can be construed as inconsiderate, especially to a troubled soul.  Therefore, I have learned to be honest, saying to former students and peers, “I can’t help you with that” when I don’t know.

 

Unfortunately, Christians can come off cold as ice, unattached by responses like, “it must have been God’s will.”  When someone dies, gets diagnosed with a terminal illness or is left paralyzed by an accident, people need your love, prayers and support not a text book reply.  Maybe this is what the apostle Paul was eluding to in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3.  You can have the best personality, multiple talents and good intentions, yet without love you are nothing.

 

Pride is likely involved, puffing someone up in their minds until the frailty of life comes knocking at their door.  When roles are reversed, I wonder how this person will feel if a fellow believer serves up a patented quote from the Bible.  As Job endured heartbreak, trial and betrayal from his friends, Job 8:1-4, I can’t imagine the loneliness and pain he experienced.  If only someone stood up, broke from tradition and sincerely confessed, “I can’t help you with that, but God can!” – Luke 1:37

by Jay Mankus

Faith Like a Yo-Yo

The 2008 film Faith Like Potatoes reveals the inspiring true story of Angus Buchan.  Prior to his move to South Africa, Angus was a farmer with a hot temper.  However, when God intervenes using a few unlikely friendships, Angus begins a journey of faith.  Irrational at times, Angus follows a calling to plant potatoes, risking the future of his farm in one desperate attempt to make an honest living.

Of the 11 million Americans who are currently unemployed based upon the April 2013 Job’s Report, 4.4 million have been out of work for over 27 weeks.  When the fruits of your labor come back empty, faith is something you put to the curb, set to be recycled until good news returns.  Thus, faith is like a yo-yo whose string has broke, leaving behind a plastic wheel without the resources to accomplish its original purpose.

Psychologists often  refer to 7 signs of emotional melt downs.  These signals point to people who have or are about to reach their breaking point, where their faith string is about the snap.  The tension of experiencing consistent ups and downs place undue strain, pulling at the fibers of one’s soul.  Therefore, the next time you want to throw in the towel or raise the white flag, remember the words of Matthew 15:21-28 so that your faith will climb from the bottom to the top like a yo-yo!

by Jay Mankus

Heavenly Dwelling

Come as you are to the Most High Place

Where an invisible shield will provide a refuge

Safety and security serve as a blanket of protection

With angels waiting in the wings, ready to act on a moment’s notice.

Like a force field, harm and predators bounce out without leaving a mark

The life guard on duty relies on love as a weapon of defense

Whenever a swimmer cries out for help, afraid of incoming breakers

The giver of life will come to your aid in a twinkling of an eye.

Delivering you from the waves of circumstances, situations and trials

As long as you remain in the presence of the Lord Most High

Long life, salvation and satisfaction will accompany you the rest of your days

Why wait any longer, since an open pew is awaiting for your arrival!

by Jay Mankus

Lost in Time

In the 1995 mini-series Langoliers, written by Stephen King, an airplane experiences a bizarre event, something out of Bermuda Triangle documentary.  Those who were sleeping when their plane enters a time gap, a place lost in time, survived only to encounter the langoliers.  Like an episode of Macgyver, the core cast of survivors return to the air, searching for this hole in the universe, relying on their instincts to escape calamity.

Joseph, the son of Jacob, lives out a similar nightmare beginning in Genesis 37:12, continuing until Genesis 40:23.  His brother’s faked his death, he was sold into slavery, falsely accused of rape and forgotten by the king’s cupbearer while in prison.  Despite these unfortunate and untimely events, Joseph demonstrates a perseverance mentioned in James 1:2-4.  Lost in time, Joseph displays an unswerving faith until God rescues him from the chains of prison, Genesis 41:14.

While I can’t speak for everyone, I feel as if I’ve seen this movie before except this time I am the one lost, forgotten, waiting for someone to remember, Genesis 40:23.  Though Joseph’s commentary is not contained in Genesis, if he kept a journal during his ordeals, I am sure he was scratching his head, trying to figure out what God was doing.  Fortitude was a key ingredient, giving Joseph the courage to press on regardless of what trial flew his way.  Thus, if you are feeling like road kill, left for dead and forgotten, bear down and lift up your situation to the God of the Living so that redemption will occur soon.  Keep the faith!

by Jay Mankus