Tag Archives: Prayer

Hidden Blessings

Posted on August 24, 2013 by expressyourself4him

As I woke up this morning, I couldn’t believe my baby girl turned 9 years old today.  Hidden by the frantic pace of life on the East Coast, lies the blessing of life, memories and time on my side.  Beyond the obvious, God has blessed me with a loving wife, 3 healthy children and a new perspective.

While I never become a famous golf course architect, successful golfer or wealthy businessman, God replaced my aspirations with things money can’t buy.  Failing to break through in the golf world, God began to steer me toward a desire for teaching.  This passion led to impacting nearly 1,000 students over a 10 year run, leaving memories that will last a life time.  Although I wish the ending was different, God had a purpose for the pain I endured, Romans 8:38-39.

Through the ups and down, God has been teaching me the “Just Ask” approach to prayer.  Though my daily scripture reading varies, I have learned to write down specific requests in my journal before going to work each morning.  To my amazement, just when I think something wasn’t meant to be, the Holy Spirit has been intervening lately, turning an ordinary day into just another blessing from above, James 1:18.

by Jay Mankus

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Shredding the Envelope

Posted on August 14, 2013 by expressyourself4him

The expression “to push the envelope” became a common phrase in English speaking circles following the publication of Tom Wolfe’s book The Right Stuff in 1979.  The context of this term is derived from taking space travel to the next level with technology, pushing the outside of the envelope to reach new heights never experienced before.  Today, innovations take performance beyond previously accepted boundaries through apps, electronic devices and household luxuries.

Unfortunately, these societal advances have created a few negative side affects.  Self indulgence, instant gratification and materialism has placed God on the back burner in life.  Like the days of Babel, Genesis 11:3-4, commercialism is attempting to bring heaven to earth through a mere click of your mouse.  Thus, by leaping ahead, this once pure envelope has experienced a gradual decline, shredding the values of America.

I am not sure where or when this initial tear began, but I don’t think there are enough pieces remaining to restore a nation founded on biblical principles.  Adult bookstores, drugs or immorality are no longer an isolated occurrence.  With roughly one quarter of the internet URL’s pornographic in nature, the world is more than ever surrounded by evil.  Everyone wants to get better as a person, yet are people willing to compromise what they believe?  May God have mercy on this nation, turn wicked hearts toward prayer and mend those who have been shredded by the gravitational pull of sin.

by Jay Mankus

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Opps … I Did It Again.

Posted on July 31, 2013 by expressyourself4him

An acronym that I use for sin is Sudden Irrational Nonsense.  Whether you are struggling with something like cursing, lying or sexual desires, all sins can be addictive.  This is why so many individuals make the honest confession, “Opps, I did it again!”

Sudden

Irrational

Nonsense

Unfortunately, the Christian Community has created their own ranking system, giving a degree of severity for each transgression.  The church in Rome was the first to develop this pious attitude, mentioned by the apostle Paul in Romans 1:18-32.  This mindset filtered down into their hearts, leading toward thoughts like “Well at least I am not a murderer, God hater or fornicator.”  Struck down by the words of Romans 2:1-5, God gives words of hope for those wresting with the Opps I did it again syndrome, Romans 2:6-10.

When these words become a weekly or daily occurrence, one call lean on the grace of God.   The well known acronym God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense helps a sinner find comfort in the Bible’s promise, Ephesians 2:8-9.  Beyond this, one must consider how contrite you are after sinning?  If sorrow is absence from a guilty heart, Jesus is nothing more than a Get of a Jail Free Card, Hebrews 6:4-6.  As an expert in sin, reaching this point requires intervention starting with an accountability partner, once a week at the minimum.  If this step is ineffective, you must purge yourself from anything that triggers the thought of sin.  Like detox, this one of the most painful, but a necessary element to achieve freedom.  The goal is perfection, Matthew 5:48, yet the reality of life is giving your best each and every day, letting God do the rest.  When the opps I did it again resurfaces, turn your prayers toward the sky, trusting in God’s forgiveness, grace and mercy, John 3:16-17.

by Jay Mankus

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Go Back To The Mountain

Posted on July 29, 2013 by expressyourself4him

The imagery of the Old Testament uses mountains as the place where God resides.  The book of Exodus refers to Moses’ skin as sunburned and windburned after exiting God’s presence in the mountains.  However, there is something unique about mountains, often glanced over by those who read the Bible for the first time.  According to Genesis 12:6-8, Abram builds the first altars, one in the place where God first revealed himself and the other up in the hill country between Bethel and Ai.  It was on this mountain, where Abram called on the name of the Lord for the first time.

Unfortunately, this mountain top experience didn’t last long as Abram quickly turns to his old self, lying to save his own life.  Since Moses wrote down the accounts of Abram well after his death, there isn’t any details like Jesus’ prayer with his disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, Matthew 26:36-46.  One can only speculate what Abram said to God as he returned in Genesis 13:3-4.  Confession is a given, acknowledging his wrong thinking and asking God to provide daily bread for the remainder of the famine is likely as well.  Nonetheless, this mountain held sentimental value.  This was the place where Abram first began his personal relationship with God.

From a modern sense, Christian’s have a certain church, retreat center, city or place where they first met Jesus.  Whenever believers lose their way, its vital to return to this place so that one can reconnect with God.  Despite all of our shortcomings, God longs to spend time with his children.  Therefore, before the summer comes to an end, go back to the mountain, to the place where you first met Jesus.  May this journey bring peace to your soul!

by Jay Mankus

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Ful-phil-ed

Posted on July 23, 2013 by expressyourself4him

Watching sports on high definition televisions can create a front row atmosphere, experiencing the thrill of victory and agony of defeat as if you are in attendance.  Amazing upsets like the 1980 U.S. Hockey team stunning the U.S.S.R. in the semi-finals of the Olympics brought you inside the Lake Placid arena.  Americans celebrated in the streets as if they were on the winning team, uniting a nation during the Cold War.  This is how I felt yesterday, as I watched Phil Mickelson do the unthinkable, shooting a final round 66, 5 under par in extreme conditions, to win his first Open Championship and 5th major overall.

1 day ago
One month after failing to win the United States Open, finishing second to Justin Rose for a record 6th time in this event, Phil reached a career low.  According to his wife Amy, Phil didn’t get out of bed for 2 days, crushed by another disappointing loss.  Based upon her interview on the Golf Channel and ESPN, Phil suffered from a severe depression similar to that of David in Psalm 32:3-4.  While a family vacation to Montana did the trick for Phil, sensing the grace, forgiveness and reconciliation of God fulfills a sinners heart.

According to the dictionary, perseverance means “to be steadfast in doing something despite any difficulties or delays in achieving success”.  Whether you are an athlete, businessman, student or writer, failure, rejection and setbacks are par for the course.  Reaching your dreams and goals in life is not a walk in the park.  Rather, one should expect to face mountains, obstacles and valleys to pass before you experience the summit of success.  Therefore, if you have recently endured a heart breaking loss, don’t waste another day pouting.  Instead, get up from the ground, say a prayer like Psalm 4:1 and ask God for a spirit of tenacity to achieve the abundant life, John 10:10.  In doing this, may you be ful-phil-ed.

by Jay Mankus

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The Day We Broke God’s Heart

Posted on July 19, 2013 by expressyourself4him

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

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The Video Game Mentality

Posted on July 15, 2013 by expressyourself4him

Young people have become experts in the video game realm.  Whether its XBox, Play Station, Wi or online gaming, their hours spent learning how to play, reading books on short cuts and mastering each level of their favorite game is impressive.  Yet, if I asked these same people if they knew what the King James, Living, NAS or NIV was, most would struggle to comprehend why there are so many different versions of the Bible.  However, if I combined the 2, maybe I could reach a common ground to speak on their level, with a video game mentality.

One of my favorite passages of the Bible is Colossians 3:17 and 3:23.  The New International Version  says “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, verse 17a.”  Or with a similar concept, “whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, verse 23.”  If there was such a thing as the New Video Game Translation, this is my best interpretation of this passage.  Put all your effort and focus into each game, hitting the reset button if necessary.  Keep on trying until you reach the next level.  Don’t stop there.  Rather, keep going until you know every move, every aspect and every secret of each game.  Pass on your knowledge and move on to the next adventure, challenge and further versions.

If young people dedicated their lives to Christ like they do with video games, the next great awakening would commence.  Likewise, if prayer replaced countless hours in front of a computer, game system or television screens, endless lives could be transformed.  However, living in the world and not being lead by it is another story.  Achieving balance in life is crucial, maximizing your time with fun, pleasure and work.  When these games become the Lord of young people’s lives, behaviors often change for the worse as an addictive nature engrosses their minds.  The only way to crack this video game mentality is through the giver of life, James 1:18.  Don’t ever stop believing that young men and women can change, Romans 12:1-2.  Place your requests before the Lord so that this mindset can be broken, 2 Corinthians 4:4.

by Jay Mankus

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What’s Missing From this Picture?

Posted on July 14, 2013 by expressyourself4him

Regardless of how intelligent or talented you are, everyone goes through periods of slumps, where you are not as productive as usual.  The baseball player can’t get buy a hit.  The running back can’t seem to hold on to the ball anymore.  The jump shooter turns into a brick layer and the goalie treats each opponent like its Christmas.  Likewise, the doctor struggles to diagnose a cold, the engineer wrestles to find a quick solution and the teacher babbles away period after period.  When these circumstances find you, what’s the missing answer, ingredient or piece to your dilemma?

Deep within the pages of the Bible, I think I have unearthed a principle that might just be the missing link.  In Acts 16:22-24, Paul, Silas and Luke find themselves in an awkward predicament, imprisoned for freeing a slave girl.  Instead of arguing, bickering and complaining, somehow they are led to fulfill the words of Psalm 150.  Embracing their situation, Paul and Silas begin a worship service in prison.  This spirit of praise moves God to unleash a violent earthquake, likely 6.0 or higher on the Richter scale.  This natural disaster opens a door for ministry, setting the scene for a spiritual breakthrough.

From a personal perspective, I think I have become too worldly to experience a Pauline like miracle.  However, if I dedicated myself to fasting, prayer and worship, opportunities to share my faith would be plentiful.  Like losing weight, the only remaining question is, do you have the discipline and will power to change.  The apostle Paul went to extreme measures to insure a Christ-like behavior in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27.  Therefore, if a slump resides in your soul, struggling to find meaning and purpose in life, why not apply Psalm 150:6.  Maybe this is the only thing preventing you from getting over the hump.  May this be the last piece you are searching for.

by Jay Mankus

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Check Mate

Posted on July 9, 2013 by expressyourself4him

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

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Compro… Not so wise!

Posted on July 8, 2013 by expressyourself4him

This morning a whisper was passing by, catching me off guard.  “Read your Bible later, you’re too tired right now!”  Like a demon assigned by the evil one to cause me to stumble, compromise was trying to implant a not so wise thought.

Nearly 5 months ago, 147 days to be exact, I began a 150 day journey, attempting to read every Psalm, one per day.  Since prayer doesn’t come natural for me, I have been trying to improve my prayer life by learning from King David.  Yet, even David found himself caught by a momentary lapse of judgment in 2 Samuel 11:1-3.  Instead of fighting this whisper of idleness, David gave into this desire, thereby fulfilling the words of James 1:13-15.

When morning comes, the consequences of compromise remain, permanently etched within one’s mind.  As a result, the stains of sin contaminate your soul.  Attached by guilt, individual’s often drift further away, now separated from God.  What started as a whisper has led to a not so wise reality.  If you are feeling defeated today, forgiveness is available every morning, Lamentations 3:22-23.  However, the longer you wait, your condition will worsen, numbing you into an eternal sleep.  Snap out of it before its too late, Hebrews 10:26-27.

by Jay Mankus

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