Tag Archives: sports

The Orchestrator of Comebacks

Posted on October 17, 2017 by expressyourself4him

The phrase comeback is often associated with sports.  A retired boxer may get the itch to regain the title belt he gave up.  After walking away due to injury, a new medical procedure gives a former star one last chance for glory.  Following a successful career in the armed services, a former athlete tries out for a team seeking to fulfill a life long dream.

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled, John 11:33.

Unfortunately, only a small percentage of individuals get to play a professional sport.  Thus, everyone else has to go to school, pursue a trade or find out the hard way that life can be a long and lonely road.  Without any cameras, reality show or viewers to cheer you on, average people struggle to survive.  Yet, those who refuse to accept defeat make an upturn by rallying, fueled by a spirit of determination.  Anyone on the verge of giving up needs the orchestrator of comebacks.

Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” – John 11:40

There are two factors that initiate a comeback.  The first is heart felt compassion that inspires individuals into action.  The second involves an unswerving confidence in God’s power to make the impossible reality.  Raising someone who has been dead for more than three days would be considered one of the greatest comebacks ever.  The passage above highlights the resurrection of Lazarus, a close friend of the family.  When the odds are stacked against you and science says it’s not possible, there is only one person to call; the orchestrator of comebacks, aka the Son of the Living God.  Reach out to Jesus today.

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

Posted in truth and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

I Never Knew You

Posted on August 30, 2017 by expressyourself4him

There are various classifications of friendship which exist.  Work related individuals whom you share a relationship with based upon your occupation is one category.  You may have social friends who you share a common interest in or with like dancing, karaoke or sports.  However, most people usually only have a small handful of individuals who actually know you.  Yet, even within this closely knitted network, there is a hesitancy to withhold information.  This fear keeps scars from the past unspoken, secrets locked deep within your soul.  This lack of trust keeps many friendships at a distance, never knowing the true you.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven,” Matthew 7:21.

This same concept applies to relationships with God.  Whether you were introduced to church as an infant, youth or adult, it takes time to grasp and understand the nature of God.  Those who attempt to make up for lost time often become overwhelmed by all the mysteries in life that go unanswered.  During a high school youth group, I was introduced to the trust illustration.  You stand up on a chair or stage, then fall back hoping your peers will catch you before you hit the ground.  This exercise helped me realize that I wasn’t trusting God completely.  Rather, I was doing everything in my power to maintain control, yielding to God only when I wasn’t strong enough.  If I continued on this path, I would end up like the people Jesus refers to in Matthew 7.

Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ – Matthew 7:22

Despite from wanting to exempt myself from the scenario above, I can’t say for sure that I don’t fit into this category.  I have back tracked, slipped and fallen from my spiritual high as a high school Bible teacher for a decade.  Yet, somehow I have lost my way, unable to find the support system that I need to regain that faith I once possessed.  I guess the passage above serves as a warning, not to be complacent, thinking you have arrived spiritually.  Rather, Jesus’ words humbled me, a reminder to get back to discovering and following God’s will in my living years.  If not, we all might hear the chilling voice of Jesus say, “away from me, for I never knew you.”

by Jay Mankus

 

Leave a comment

Posted in truth and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Keep Playing Until the Whistle Blows

Posted on June 21, 2017 by expressyourself4him

In game 6 of this year’s Stanley Cup Finals, the Nashville Predators had a goal disallowed.  Blocked by the goalie, a referee could not see a loose puck and inadvertently blew his whistle.  According to the rules, as soon as the whistle is blown the play is dead even if the puck was loose.  Unfortunately, this call prevented a 1-0 lead and ended Nashville’s chance to force a game 7.  The whistle in sports is like a supreme judge, overriding the initial call.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly, John 10:10.

If you have ever participated in sports, perhaps you have played for an old school coach.  These individuals are usually hands on, going through all the hypothetical situations players will encounter over the course of a season.  Relying on a practice makes perfect mentality, teammates sometimes have to repeat a play over and over until they get it right.  At the time this may seem unpleasant, yet in the end you and your team will be ready for anything.

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 2 Peter 1:3.

Outside of sports, it’s also important to keep living until the whistle blows.  If you don’t, you may be tempted to goof off or become lazy which leads to an unproductive life.  The passage above suggests that after you have accepted Christ into your heart by faith, God provides everything you need for life in the form of the Holy Spirit.  Therefore, don’t come up with reasons why you can’t do this or that.  Rather, live end day until the clock strikes twelve so that you know you gave your very best each day.

by Jay Mankus

 

Leave a comment

Posted in truth and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

A Stress Reliever

Posted on April 3, 2017 by expressyourself4him

One of the most stressful things for me as a parent is watching my kids participate in sports.  Although some my debate on which is the most grueling to observe, golf must be in the top 3.  There aren’t any time outs, teammates to blame or walls to keep your ball in play.  When you start to fall apart in a stroke play event, there’s no place to hide.  This tension can consume any parent, filling the calmest individual with stress.

Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved, Psalm 55:22.

While I am usually laid back, this past week I found myself in the middle of an anxiety attack.  I guess it didn’t help that youngest son decided to finish his last 5 holes with 2 quadruple bogeys and 2 double bogeys.  Nonetheless, I should have had a better plan to cope with stress.  Some sort of stress reliever to ease the anguish within my soul.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God, Philippians 4:6.

Yesterday, a light bulb went off in my mind.  Why am I worrying myself to death when I can lift up individual prayers to God.  Since this revelation, I have turned moments of tension into a stress reliever, praying for the helpless situations that I encounter.  If parents turn to the Lord with their troubles, then you too can begin practicing the stress reliever called prayer.

by Jay Mankus

 

1 Comment

Posted in truth and tagged , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

I’ve Got This

Posted on February 6, 2017 by expressyourself4him

Whether you recognize this or not, everyone has a favorite expression.  This may be from a movie, lyrics in a song or a catch phrase you have developed over time.  Whenever my oldest son James became focused doing something, especially in sports, he’d look over and confidently say, “I’ve got this.”  This spirit of determination led to countless awards, medals and an individual and team state championship in track his season year.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith, 2 Timothy 4:7.

During my first few seasons as a high school golf coach at Red Lion, I only had 3 reliable players I could count on.  John, Chad and John were the foundation of a team that went to 2 straight state tournaments and a fourth place finish their senior years.  After just missing states as freshmen and sophomores, this core group began to believe they were good enough.  With the fate of the team on their shoulders, John, Chad and John developed a “we’ve got this coach” mentally.  Subsequently, these 3 regularly earned all 5 points in 5-4 victories.

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope, Romans 15:4.

When you don’t have someone to rely on in life, turning to the Bible is a great alternative source.  There are ample passages in the Bible that inspire souls to keep going.  Determination is a trait some possess naturally, but others can feed off of leaders, others or teammates to finish the job.  May those struggling to find their way be encouraged and hopeful to overcome the odds to reach any dreams or goals you haven’t yet achieved.

by Jay Mankus

 

Leave a comment

Posted in truth and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

The One that Got Away

Posted on July 3, 2016 by expressyourself4him

One of the certainties in life is that you will experience disappointment at some point in time.  Despite having an ideal or perfect day, there will be outcomes that surprise you.  These twists and turns having lasting effects, especially when you are so close to victory.  Thus, everyone has a story, as painful as it may be about the one that got away.

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials, 1 Peter 1:6.

As a student in high school, I was one dimensional.  Although I eventually improved my grade point average, my sole concern was with sports.  I guess you can say I lived and died with each victory and loss.  While I was blessed to be apart of many great teams, I never won a state championship, finishing second in cross country, third in a swimming relay and fourth in golf.  If only I was healthy, stronger or I could putt, the ending may have been different.  Since there is no time travel device or vehicle to go back, all I can do is think about what might have been.

These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed, 1 Peter 1:7.

Each of these failures digs up a certain degree of anguish.  As a junior I watched my cross country team lose by 7 points as I sat on the sidelines after reconstructive ankle surgery.  This was excruciating, but losing the state golf championship as a senior probably stings more, letting a first round lead slip away, clawing back to within one on the back nine, only to fade down the stretch.  Exactly why God allows individuals to endure heartbreak is hard to say.  Yet, in every defeat, there is a life lesson, something to learn from so you can overcome the one that got away.

by Jay Mankus

 

Leave a comment

Posted in truth and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

What Can Faith Do For You?

Posted on April 18, 2016 by expressyourself4him

If you watch sports on television, the games are still the same but the responses by those on the court, rink or field have changed drastically.  Reality TV shows haven’t helped, giving obnoxious parents a platform to treat their children like a lottery ticket almost ready to be cashed in.  Beyond common sense, logic and morals, there should be something in our soul that makes a clear distinction between right and wrong behavior.  Something so clear that the average person says, “yeah, I see it!”

And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, Hebrews 11:32.

The author of Hebrews spends an entire chapter highlighting people who demonstrated faith.  While some were more outspoken than others, the majority let their actions speak for themselves.  This is what leads the writer to suggest, “do I need to say anymore?”  Verses 33-38 go on to detail what faith did for these individuals.  The question today is do you believe these miracles still exist or like the movie is God dead?

Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection, Hebrews 11:35.

From the outside looking in, many modern Christians have stained and tarnished the image of faith.  The world sees a bunch of hypocrites whereas the genuine people of faith get overlooked.  For those who still believe have their chance to make a difference, to inspire a new generation to seek God.  What can faith do for you?  You’ll never find out until you take the leap, plunging into the unknown, waiting for spiritual fruits to blossom.

by Jay Mankus

 

Leave a comment

Posted in truth and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

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

Leave a comment

Posted in truth and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Back Seat Drivers Afraid to Take the Wheel

Posted on February 23, 2016 by expressyourself4him

In the earliest models of automobiles, the speedometer was located in the back seat. In this environment, the driver could not see exactly how fast they were traveling. Therefore, whenever someone in back sensed a degree of carelessness or recklessness, commands to slow down were conceived. Thus, the phrase back seat drivers was born.

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” – Luke 17:5

A century later, this term has evolved into various forms. In sports, these individuals are called Monday morning quarterbacks, second guessing what coaches, players and stars could have done which to turn a loss into a victory. In the lyrics of their song Back Seat Drivers, the Fold refer to a different concept. This analogy concentrates on people who tell you have to live, but are afraid to take the wheel.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, Philippians 4:13.

This is where faith enters the equation, trusting that the Holy Spirit will lead you in the right direction. Sure, there will be critics, especially when you make the wrong decision, missing out on blessings from God. Yet, sometimes you have to learn from previous failures so you know where to turn. Therefore, don’t be afraid to let Jesus take the wheel as those who have begun this journey often experience the ride of their life. May the Lord give you the courage to let go and let God lead the way.

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

Posted in truth and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.
← Older Posts
Newer Posts →