Tag Archives: power

From the Penthouse to the Manager

Posted on December 18, 2014 by expressyourself4him

Money has  a way of influencing how people behave.  The term affluenza is a socially transmitted condition of overload, causing individuals to always want more without experiencing any sort of satisfaction.  After a teenage driver killed 4 people while driving drunk in Texas, psychologist Dick Miller appeared as an expert eye witness, claiming affluenza kept this boy from comprehending the full consequence of his actions.  When money is unable to purchase the life or in this case the verdict you desire, people go from the penthouse to the manager overnight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT1i3MlOAWA

The manger in the Bible is similar to a feeding trough, made out of wood.  As the census draw near, the only housing Joseph could afford was a barn, filled with animals.  Despite this lowly scene, visitors would soon arrive to see the One was left the Penthouses of heaven for a manger.  While 3 magi, experts in the star continued their journey, shepherds of the fields greeted a new born babe.  This experience strengthened their faith as God’s 400 years of silence finally ended.

Before I found my way in life, I lived in the cellar of my sister’s inner city home, sleeping on a couch.  Working 6 months to make what I do now in one pay check, I was forced to develop a keen faith.  With money and power absent from this equation, I started a journey similar to that of the Magi.  However, I wasn’t following a star that I could see.  Rather, I began to rely on an unseen Spirit, Galatians 5:25, leading me one step closer to where I am today.  Nonetheless, I long for the day when this trek will be made complete, John 14:2-4, going in reverse from the manger to a penthouse in heaven.

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life, 1 John 5:13.

by Jay Mankus

 

 

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Do You Have Faith for 2015?

Posted on December 16, 2014 by expressyourself4him

I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but its important to look ahead as Christmas Day draws near.  For example, if you pray without faith, will God honor your requests?  But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord, James 1″6-7.  In the same way, if you don’t believe in the Holy Spirit’s power to transform your situation, don’t expect great things in 2015.

One of my favorite scenes from a movie occurs in Facing the Giants.  As a football coach questions his reason for remaining at Shiloh High, he encounters a man sent from God.  Speaking in a parable like Jesus, this wise elder sheds light on the secret to success in life.  Whenever a farmer prepares his field annually for the next crop, each expects the Lord to provide rain.  However, if you wait too long before you sow seeds in faith, you can miss the harvest.

Therefore, looking ahead, developing a vision is vital for 2015.  Although no one but God knows what the future holds, what are you passionate about?  What motivates you to get up before the sun rises?  If you’re drawing a blank, don’t worry because you have another 2 weeks to reflect these questions.  As you reach out in prayer to discover an answer, may the Lord fill you with faith for 2015 and beyond.

by Jay Mankus

 

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Astroturf

Posted on December 8, 2014 by expressyourself4him

Prior to 2009, astroturf was merely an all purpose athletic surface, created for professional sports franchises in cities with baseball and football teams in 1965.  However, as soon as the Tea Party spread to the local level, poising a threat to democrats, liberals and republicans in power, this term was given a new meaning.  Fueled by political talking points, this phrase was repeated countless times by Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reed, attempting to de-emphasize the genuine nature of this grassroots movement.

Fast foward 6 years and the shoe now is on the other foot.  The recent protests across this country following the verdict in the Ferguson, Missouri Grand Jury of officer Darren Wilson are being organized by Occupy Wall Street.  Although the media is portraying these marches in metropolitan cities as a natural out crying of support, Moveon.org is active behind the scenes pulling the strings.  If the mainstream media possessed a conservative agenda, perhaps astroturf would make a comeback.  Yet, for now, viewers of the news must be careful of symbolism over substance.

If you are searching for leadership, results over time will reveal truth from fiction.  While force is the choice for many protestors, history conveys a different message.  Transformation is possible, but not with violence.  Rather, trend setters like Jesus, Martin Luther King and Ghandi displayed love to touch a generation.  Therefore, don’t let what others say influence the crowds you join.  When you see the genuine thing in person, you can distinguish astroturf from men of action.

by Jay Mankus

 

 

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Making the Most of A Run Down Man

Posted on November 22, 2014 by expressyourself4him

According to a 2006 report in the St, Petersburg Times, each season an NFL player spends on a team’s roster their life expectancy declines by almost 3 years.  This article suggests the National Football League is killing their players and is turning a blind’s eye.  However, you don’t have to participate in a professional sport to feel run down.  The wear and tear of life strains individuals in a different manner.

Financial stress, mental fatigue and overwhelming emotions can sap the energy of hard working souls like the summer sun.  Meanwhile, any type of accident, unexpected illness or trial can result in a crippling debt that some families never recover from.  If you reach this state, only a higher power can make the most of a run down man.  Colossians 3:17 and Philippians 4:13 provide a glimmer of hope to prop up these weary bodies.

Knocked down, humbled and fighting to stay alive, maintaining a positive outlook isn’t easy.  Nonetheless, footprints in the sand reveal that God has carried people through the storms in life.  When you don’t have the strength to tarry on, wings like eagles provide a boost of energy, Isaiah 40:30-31.  If you’ve ever found yourself confessing, “I can’t go any further,” the power of Christ thrives in weakness, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.  Therefore, if you want to make the most of a run down body, lean on prayer to lift you to new heights.

by Jay Mankus

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You Don’t Have to Wish Upon a Star to Make Your Dreams Come True

Posted on November 1, 2014 by expressyourself4him

To most American children, visiting Disney World is like a rite of passage.  I still remember my first visit, seeing Snow White’s Castle, going on a steam boat and riding on “It’s a Small World.”  The fascination with this magical place continues today, enticing families with the promise,” if you wish upon a star your dreams will come true.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3Q4QmtufXU

When I started this blog back in February of 2012, I never imagined that I would write 1000 articles.  Initially, I wanted to keep my writing skills sharp in case I felt called to go back into teaching.  However, now this journey is preparing me of a dream to become a screen writer for Hollywood.  While this may years away, you won’t find me wishing upon a star.

When you open up the Bible, there are thousands of passages that contain hope.  Yet, few compare with Jesus’ words in Mark 11:24.  One of the crucial elements to make dreams come true is belief.  When doubt exists, prayers go unanswered.  Therefore, if you want your dreams to come true, don’t wish upon a star.  Instead, place your trust in the One who has the power to make all things possible, Luke 1:37.

by Jay Mankus

 

 

 

 

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Stop It or Drop It

Posted on September 18, 2014 by expressyourself4him

Some where in the distance past, coaches, educators and school officials looked the other way so that elite athletes could bring fame and fortune to their institutions.  Exhibit A is Dexter Manley, former defensive end for the Washington Redskins,  who was never able to read above a 4th grade level, yet teachers covered up this glaring weakness.  On the field, he was a terror in college and in the NFL, yet every time Dexter opened a book, the fear of reading gripped him.

Meanwhile, if you wanted to play basketball at the University of North Carolina, apparently going to class was optional according to Rashad McCants, a member of the 2004-05 national title team.  In their ivory tower in Indianapolis, Indiana, their national headquarters, the NCAA talks a good game, yet corruption, double standards and power has gone to their heads.  Like participants in the Tour de France, its hard to know who is cheating and who is playing by the rules.  If the media would forgo favoritism and begin to address this series issue, using athletes to make colleges millions of dollars annually, perhaps professional sports would not have as many problems as they do today.

Unfortunately, no one can escape the words of Galatians 6:7-8, “you reap what you sow!”  If all students were treated equally, several of today’s star athletes would have never made it past high school.  Nonetheless, like a good soap opera, the media plays along for a while until public pressure forces them to pull the plug, exposing players, teams and leagues for their cover up.  However, its time for the media to do their job early on, to address these scandals quickly .  If not, staying quiet due to powerful and wealthy boosters, cable news might as well drop their complaints since they too are part of the problem.  Stop it or drop it!

by Jay Mankus

 

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Coasting on Cruise Control

Posted on August 19, 2014 by expressyourself4him

If you’re traveling cross country in a car or planning a long day trip, the invention of cruise control is a nice luxury.  Although vacation traffic may limit your opportunities, open highways, especially at night, provide a chance for drivers to rest their legs.  With only a few weeks of summer remaining, try to get away for a little R & R coasting on cruise control.

From a spiritual perspective, coasting through life is something that you want to avoid.  Unfortunately, there is where I find myself, using a busy work schedule as an excuse.  Somewhere in the last month, I’ve lost my spiritual mojo.  As a result, my devotional time is sporadic, prayer life lame and influx of the Holy Spirit is wading.  Like the classic line from Star Trek, I feel like Captain Kirk’s frequently request to Scotty, “I need more power!”

Regardless of your circumstances, sooner or later everyone grows tired, Isaiah 40:29-31.  When you reach your breaking point, find yourself exhausted or wake up spiritually numb, God saw this coming.  In these days of desperation, running on empty, you might find yourself crying uncle, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.  While coasting on cruise control led you to this state, yielding to the Lord will help you rise up from the ashes of despair.  Fan into flame 2 Timothy 1:7 so that the only coasting you do in life is driving in the country.

by Jay Mankus

 

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A King’s Faith

Posted on July 23, 2014 by expressyourself4him

While channel surfing the other night, I stumbled across an interesting movie.  Titled King’s Faith, I was expecting to see a famous king.  Instead, this film featured a high school senior trying to break free from a turbulent past.  Only a king’s faith could rescue him from a gang who didn’t want to let go.

Long before the 2013 film, history recounts king’s whose faith transformed nations.  When citizens doubted God, feared the future or questioned why the wicked prosper, godly leaders provided a source of light during dark moments in time.  Joash, Josiah and Jehoshaphat, kings of Judah, refused to allow the memory of their God to be forgotten.  Moved by the Holy Spirit, a king’s faith enabled countries like America to exist.  Yet, who will stand in the gap today, Ezekiel 22:30, so that future generations may experience the power of a living God?

To experience a king’s faith, one must examine the common attributes shared by prominent leaders.  First, all successful kings had access to discerning individuals either through a prophet or wise council.  Second, godliness is instilled by surrounding yourself in the word of God, meditating on biblical truth.  Finally, calling on the name of the Lord through prayer is an essential ingredient to passing on faith to future generations.  For now, the world is waiting for the next person to display a king’s faith.

by Jay Mankus

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What the Hell is Going On Out There?

Posted on July 21, 2014 by expressyourself4him

Legendary coach Hank Stram roamed the sidelines for nearly 2 decades in the American Football League, most notably for the Kansas City Chiefs.  Thanks to Steve Sabol of NFL Films, Stram was regularly microphoned, giving the public access to Hank’s commentary on the game he coached.  Subsequently, archives exist of  in game reactions to his teams play on the gridiron.  One of Stram’s famous sayings was “what the hell is going on out there?”

After this past week of events in the world, perhaps you are like me thinking, “what the hell is going on?”  Tension on the Gaza strip, terrorists shooting down a passenger airline and countries falling apart at the seams.  Like a perfect storm brewing in the tropics, hurricane force winds are starting to impact society.  Have these signs always been there or has the world lost touch with their Creator?

Unfortunately, the only person you can control is yourself.  Despite this truth, failure is inevitable, Romans 3:23.  Thus, you have a world full of imperfect people, tempted by evil, power and selfish desires.  These elements create conditions where hell meets earth.  To answer the question what the hell is going on out there is simple using biblical terms.  Innocent children, Luke 15:11-13, are swayed by curiosity, seeking to find pleasure in life.  Void of meaning, prodigals wander around longing for a father’s love and forgiveness.  This vicious cycle continues til someone displays the love of Jesus.  Until the lost experience agape love, hell on earth will linger.  May God’s grace and mercy come quickly.

by Jay Mankus

 

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Just say No… Go Against the Flow

Posted on July 14, 2014 by expressyourself4him

Richard Evans was the pioneer of the slogan “just say no” as a Social Psychology professor at the University of Houston in the 1970’s.  Supported by the National Institutes of Health, this concept was geared at attacking substance abuse inspired by Woodstock that cultivated a generation of sex, drugs and rock and roll.  By the 1980’s, first lady Nancy Reagan added premarital sex and violence to this slogan, becoming a champion of the just say no movement.

Meanwhile, at the beginning of the first century, one man blazed a new trail, going against the flow like no one ever before or since.  Similar to America’s Civil War, Samaritans occupied northern Israel with Judah dwelling in the South.  Following captivity by the Assyrians and Babylonians, Samaritans embraced foreign gods as well as intermarrying Gentiles.  Subsequently, when Jewish leaders made plans to reunite both kingdoms, the Samaritans did everything in their power to undermine this attempt.  Bitterness, hatred and tension carried over for 500 years until Jesus arrived onto the scene.

In John 4, the disciples avoided Samaria like the plague, taking the belt way around town.  However, Jesus didn’t let peer pressure ruin God’s will, going against the flow to wait for a Samaritan in need.  Despite committing social suicide, Jesus begins a conversation with an adulterous woman at a well.  Led by the Holy Spirit, Jesus takes a casual talk into the spiritual realm.  Before the day is over, this carpenter leads several individuals to place their trust in God.  If you just say no to the world, by going against the flow, who knows how many lives you can alter for eternity?  The world is waiting for you, Matthew 9:37, to lead be example.  Please share how you’re making a difference.

by Jay Mankus

 

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