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The Day Earth’s Calendar Was Set in Motion

Posted on November 14, 2022 by expressyourself4him

Most archeologists agree that the Egyptians appear to have developed the first practical calendar. During the height of the Roman Empire, this calendar was appropriated and further refined into the Julian calendar. From a modern-day perspective, the Gregorian calendar is almost universally used today which was based upon the Julian calendar. After reading the creation story recently, God set in motion the earth’s calendar on the fourth day.

And God said, Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be signs and tokens [of God’s provident care], and [to mark] seasons, days, and years, Genesis 1:14.

The Mayans, Babylonians, Egyptians, Iranians, and Greeks were the first societies to study the solar system. Meanwhile, places like Stonehedge are believed to be built to model the solar system. Outside of Scotland, there are other similar structures that follow the stars like Easter Island in Chile. Just as Tom Hanks was trying to count the days while stuck on an uncharted island in Castaway, civilizations have been fascinated for thousands of years with stars in the sky that serve as markers for time.

To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven: 2 A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted, 3 A time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build up, 4 A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, Ecclesiastes 3:1-4.

King Solomon devotes nearly an entire chapter to time. However, Solomon uses the four traditional seasons: winter, spring, summer, and fall to highlight the human emotions that each season brings. While you are able to stare at your computer, phone or watch to know the exact time and seconds left in your day at work, only God knows what will happen to you today. Jesus’ earthly brother writes about this in James 1:2-4. Subsequently, whatever the calendar brings you, God makes everything beautiful in His time.

by Jay Mankus

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A Season of Suffering

Posted on February 7, 2022 by expressyourself4him

Most people think of a season in terms of winter, spring, summer, and fall. During this 4 month time period, there are often fluctuations in the temperature. Each season provides a distinct and unique trait such as snow, blooming flowers, warm weather and falling leaves. Yet, the seasons mentioned in the Bible do not how a defined time table. One may last a month while others could go on for years.

To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven: 2 A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted, 3 A time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build up, 4 A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 A time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, 6 A time to get and a time to lose, a time to keep and a time to cast away, Ecclesiastes 3:1-6.

During the exodus out of Egypt, a trip that should have taken 3-4 months ended up becoming a 40 year journey through the wilderness. Just like the Israelites who didn’t obey God’s commands and Moses’ instructions, modern day human beings rarely travel from point A to point B in a straight line. Rather, unforeseen traffic causes human beings to get impatient, changing course to try to find a shortcut.

[You should] be exceedingly glad on this account, though now for a little while you may be distressed by trials and suffer temptations, 7 So that [the genuineness] of your faith may be tested, [your faith] which is infinitely more precious than the perishable gold which is tested and purified by fire. [This proving of your faith is intended] to redound to [your] praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) is revealed, 1 Peter 1:6-7.

Yet, sometimes you can follow God faithfully and end up getting lost along the way. My wife and I moved to Delaware in 1997 so that I could attend Seminary, earn my masters and become a college professor or pastor. A rare eye disease ended this quest shortly after I started, leading me on my own 25 year journey in the wilderness of Delaware. Therefore, whatever season you may have to endure in 2022, hold on to faith until the Lord clears the way for your future.

by Jay Mankus

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Planting for the Future

Posted on December 16, 2021 by expressyourself4him

A recent Progressive Insurance Ad Campaign uses Dr. Rick to help customers attempt to un-become like their parents. Somewhere in all of our childhoods, parents and or guardians have ingrained within you certain habits. Subsequently, the things your parents did with you like fishing and gardening are passed on to share with your own children. For me, it’s planting my own garden.

He who observes the wind [and waits for all conditions to be favorable] will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap. 5 As you know not what is the way of the wind, or how the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a pregnant woman, even so you know not the work of God, Who does all, Ecclesiastes 11:4-5.

Since I don’t like as many fruits and vegetables as my parents, I usually limit my garden to basil, peas, peppers, and tomatoes. One year I pre-planted several seeds in a greenhouse kit that I received for Christmas. Unfortunately, one cold spring wind damaged and destroyed everything that I worked on for months. I learned a valuable lesson this night about planting for the future.

In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening withhold not your hands, for you know not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether both alike will be good, Ecclesiastes 11:6.

Based upon today’s passage, King Solomon understood the highs and lows of gardening. Some years certain plants keep giving over and over again. Yet, when the soil, timing and temperature is off, the time you invested yields absolutely nothing. This spring will be my last garden in Delaware before I move to South Carolina in the summer of 2022. When that day arrives, it will be another learning process as I plant for the future in a warmer climate.

by Jay Mankus

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Removing the Stench

Posted on May 3, 2017 by expressyourself4him

As heat and humidity replaces the cold rainy days of Spring, you won’t be able to escape sweating.  This drastic change can leave a toxic odor in the air.  Whether its deodorant or laundry detergent, it might take some time to remove the stench brought on by summer conditions.

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.

Beyond smell, individuals can stink internally.  According to the apostle Paul, this occurs by abusing your body.  Instead of participating in wholesome activities, there is a temptation to turn to the dark side.  Like the curiosity which possessed Adam and Eve in the Garden, tasting evil is a sure way to become filled with a stench.

And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God, Ephesians 5:2.

The apostle Paul provides a solution to remove this stench.  While we were still sinners, God sent his son to be a fragrant offering.  Like stains on a carpet, Jesus lived, died and rose again to blot out our imperfections.  The Prophet Isaiah uses the symbolism of snow to cover our sin to make us whole again.  Walk in love and you too will remove the stench of sin.

by Jay Mankus

 

 

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Overcoming the Transitional Zone

Posted on May 21, 2015 by expressyourself4him

Each Spring lawn care companies give grandiose images of the perfect yard.  If you just buy this product, follow their three step process and properly maintain your grass, this could be your house?  Unfortunately, these commercials do not take into consideration the transitional zone, the area where Bermuda Grass in the south meets Tall Fescue from the north.  Following an internship in Golf Course Design and Maintenance, I asked a mentor what I should do with my lawn in Delaware.  His advice, “blow it up and start from scratch with fresh top soil and sod.”

I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”- Genesis 12:3

Recently, president Obama has declared that America is no longer a Christian nation.  Meanwhile, liberal politicians have distanced the United States from our former ally Israel.  On the surface this may not seem like a big deal.  However, inside the Bible tells a different story.  The Old Testament is filled with verses the claim God blesses those nations which protect and support Israel.  On the other hand, those whom dishonor Israel will be cursed.  If this trend in America continues, the United States will find itself in God’s transitional zone, blessed since 1948 for helping Israel become a nation to on the verge of being cursed due to our lack of understanding of this biblical principle.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. – Ephesians 6:12

Beneath the surface, there are spiritual weeds, demons and evil spirits, seeking to cause havoc in the lives of individuals.  Since these forces are invisible, you can’t use Round Up to kill these entities.  Rather, prayer walks, fasting, worship and meditating on God’s Word will help those souls stuck in this transitional zone.  Although I can’t promise you that you’ll have a perfect life void of pests, I can assure you of the promises of God.  While you battle the visible tasks in this life, don’t forget to tap into the power of the Holy Spirit, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, so that you can overcome life’s spiritual transitional zone.

by Jay Mankus

 

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Waiting for the Harvest

Posted on May 25, 2014 by expressyourself4him

At the end of the growing season, the harvest is the day of reckoning, the process of collecting mature crops from fields.  Once complete, farmers will be able to calculate their bounty and compare it with previous seasons.  The harvest festival, the celebration of the end of the growing season, has evolved into a national holiday Americans call Thanksgiving.  Like a child waiting to unwrap their first present on Christmas morning, the harvest is an adult version of collecting the fruits of hard labor throughout the Spring and Summer.  However, the toughest part remains the waiting.

The Bible speaks to farmers throughout the New Testament, relaying analogies of farming to illustrate biblical truth.  Matthew 9:37-38 refers to the struggles of finding good help.  Either people are too busy or lazy to lend a helping hand, forcing more responsibility upon a few dedicated individuals.  Jesus relied on parables like Matthew 20:1-16 to urge citizens to get involved before the day of harvest is over.  While some can take more credit than others, the pay is the same for everyone.  As farming communities continue to search for reliable workers, Jesus is waiting on his followers to become participants in a spiritual harvest.

Yet, it took a music director from the Old Testament to reveal the secret to experiencing this type of harvest.  According to Psalm 67:3-5, spiritual harvests are conceived through the praise of mankind.  As individuals, families and nations begin to shout for joy, a foundation is established.  This sets the stage for Psalm 67:6, yielding a spiritual harvest like Moses’ promise to Israel in Deuteronomy 28:2.  Therefore, if you find yourself waiting for the harvest, let the praise of the Lord commence.

by Jay Mankus

 

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Bouncing Back

Posted on February 15, 2014 by expressyourself4him

Super balls, the toy, not the lottery game were always fascinating to me.  If you were in a gym or parking lot, it didn’t take much effort on one bounce to get a super ball to reach 50 feet high.  The rubber inside was perfectly designed to vault into the air, springing up and down for several seconds.  If only human beings could bounce back as quick as these specially designed balls.

The term bounce can either be a noun or verb depending upon your use.  Webster uses a noun when referencing jumping, moving up and down or rebounding an object that has taken a bad bounce.  Meanwhile, a verb is the actually act like bouncing a basketball or rebounding from a fall.  The greatest Olympic example of this is a ski jumper who falls at the end of the ramp, wiping out, falling end over end down a steep hill, crashing and sliding into several different objects along the way.  ABC Sports titled this moment, “the Agony of Defeat,” replaying it each week as a promotional for The Wide World of Sports.

If my kids could have created a video of my 5 second fall during my tubing accident, I might have over 1 million hits on my you tube channel.  However, my initial concern is trying to swallow my pride, get healthy and make a quick recovery.  I am more embarrassed than anything, kicking myself for wasting my personal time from work during this 2 week period.  Despite everything that happened, I still have my life, the ability to walk and my breathing improves daily.  If you’re feeling down today, use the prayer in Colossians 3:23 to bounce back as you rebound from a fall in life.

by Jay Mankus

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Mountain Dew

Posted on June 26, 2013 by expressyourself4him

As spring fades into summer, a natural phenomena occurs nearly every morning.  Appearing on blades of grass, dew  forms as exposed surfaces cool by radiating its heat through water droplets.  Those who are early risers, walk their dogs before work or play golf at day light either see footprints left by individuals or feel the cooling refreshing remnants of dew on their feet.

By the 1940’s, another dew made its presence known in America.  Now produced by the Pepsi Company, Mountain Dew was invented by Barney and Ally Hartman in Tennessee.  As the popularity of this carbonated fountain drink grew in the south, the brand and rights were purchased by Pepsi Cola in 1964.  The idea was to attach the image of cool and refreshing dew into a product which would quench the thirst of parched souls.

King David uses mountain dew in another context within Psalm 133.  Initially, David opens his song with a heart felt call to unity within the body of Christ in verse 1.  To express how sweet this feels, David paints a picture of being anointed with oil, in the tradition of the Old Testament, verse 2.  To finish his case in verse 3, David compares dew that forms on a mountain with the blessings of the Lord.  Therefore, the next time you see dew of any kind, think of all the blessings God desires to bestow upon those who call on the name of the Lord, Romans 10:11.

by Jay Mankus

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Offense

Posted on March 10, 2013 by expressyourself4him

As the seasons turn from winter to spring, an annual commotion draws near.  This month long hysteria known as March Madness serves as a drug for college basketball enthusiasts.  When you look beyond the brackets, politics and officiating, you’ll find amazing performances, buzzer beaters and even Cinderella.  Although offense is more entertaining, defense wins championships.  If a team can possess both, their squad becomes an impenetrable fortress on their way to the Final Four.

In life, roles are often reversed.  Arrogance, pride and over confidence lull people to sleep spiritually.  Instead of going on the offensive, many Christians resemble a goalie being bombarded with balls and pucks, trying to secure a daily shutout.  However, in the game of life, if you only play defense, you’ll never score.  This feeble strategy results in exhaustion, mental fatigue and emotional burnout, leading to a spirit of defeatism.

In the days of the apostle Paul, the residents of Corinth were avid sports fans, the host of the Corinthian Games, an Summer Olympic like competition.  This likely explains Paul’s use of athletic terminology in his 2 letters to the members of the Corinthian church.  Trying to connect with their culture, Paul addresses a lack of offensive minded individuals.  In 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, Paul reveals why people are failing miserably, they’re not using the proper weapons.  The key to game planning an offensive attack against the devil is through your mind, verse 5.  As soon as you learn how to take each thought captive by making them obedient to Christ, you can begin demolishing spiritual strongholds.  Paul’s further advice in Ephesians 6:10-11 is crucial if you want to begin seeing progress.  Stop being one dimensional, play offense today!

by Jay Mankus

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