Tag Archives: texting

When Loose Lips Sink Relationships

Posted on October 20, 2016 by expressyourself4him

One of Billy Joel’s most profound songs Honesty debuted on the airways in 1979.  Part of the 1978 album 52nd Street, the chorus of this ballad suggests honesty is such a lonely word.  Perhaps, Billy Joel was on to something, prophetic, sharing a glimpse of what the future would hold.  Before gun or fist fights, human beings often talked out their differences, no matter how heated a conversation got.  Unfortunately, in this age of Facebook, texting and Twitter, loose lips expressed on social media can sink relationships.

Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips! – Psalm 141:3

Depending upon your personality, you will either seek confrontation or run away.  Texting has emboldened some former cowards by avoiding face to face encounters.  Yet, what is posted, typed or shared can create a wedge between friends.  Politics, religion and worldviews are factors that tend to divide neighborhoods.  When opinions are openly expressed on these topics, loose lips sink relationships.

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear, Ephesians 4:29.

The apostle Paul provides a solution to those who have fractured relationships due to careless words.  Sure, all human beings are imperfect, prone to moments of weakness where the choice of language is inappropriate.  In view of this, the more positive you remain, the less likely you will offend friends and strangers.  Faking this will prove to be a waste of time so its essentially to be genuine and honest.  While no one will ever be 100% encouraging all the time, this is the goal to restore formerly loose lips to repair relationships.

by Jay Mankus

 

 

Leave a comment

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

Things That Break Your Momentum

Posted on January 26, 2016 by expressyourself4him

1. Television

Direct Television’s Settler’s commercial uses a play on words, claiming that if you don’t have their package you are settling for second rate customer service.  During my recent fast, television was the first thing that broke my spiritual momentum.  After a long week of work, I thought I’d indulge in a few hours of viewing pleasure.  In return, I was in a funk for the rest of the weekend, sluggish, unmotivated and felt like I wasted valuable time.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms, Ephesians 6:12.

2. Technology

Little Caesar’s recent ad campaign about going off the grid illustrates that you don’t need technology to order a pizza.  All you have to do is show up and its hot and ready.  Having unlimited access to the worldwide web has caused many to binge, soaking up as much as possible.  Unfortunately, people have become hooked, unable to drive, walk or eat without texting, tweeting or view the latest trending video.  Instead of conversing, opening up their hearts or sharing serious issues, individuals are content with staring at a screen.

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand, Ephesians 6:13.

3. Attitudes, Annoyances and Mood Swings

The other night at work, I was in the zone, in a good state of mind when I was bombarded by a series of emotions.  I came into contact with bad attitudes and was poked by several annoying situations.  As I mumbled my displeasure, the momentum of the evening was broken by a myriad of mood swings.  Whenever you let your guard down or aren’t prepared for spiritual attacks, your soul can take a beating.  Thus, whether its television, technology or trials, make sure you arm yourself with the armor of God, Ephesians 6:12-20.  If not, don’t be surprised when the things of this world break your momentum.

by Jay Mankus

 

Leave a comment

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

Finding and Losing Friends

Posted on July 23, 2015 by expressyourself4him

For any child, the first day of school can be overwhelming.  Thoughts of “will I know anyone, will they like me and will there be someone I can relate to” can haunt the quiet and shy.  Beside hoping to have good teachers, most kids just want to know will I find, keep or lose friends this year?

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother, Proverbs 18:24.

Looking back on my own life, I have been blessed on finding friends, yet cursed by losing friends, often through moves.  I found my first friend while playing baseball at age six only to lose him a year later following my dad’s transfer to Delaware.  This pattern seemed to repeat itself, drawing close to several neighbors before another relocation to Cleveland broke my heart once again.  After graduating college, I lived in 6 states and 6 months, finding and losing friends to distance.

Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel, Proverbs 27:9.

Today, technology allows individuals to rekindle friendships from the past.  Whether its Facebook, Skype or texting, its nice to know that people you’ve lost touch with still care.  However, its not the same as talking on the phone or seeing someone face to face.  Regardless of who you are or what you do, finding and losing friends is a way of life.  Nonetheless, my prayer for those whom I hold dear is that one day we will be reunited forever in heaven, 1 John 5:13.

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

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

Living Without God

Posted on May 17, 2014 by expressyourself4him

Upon rolling out of bed, many Americans turn to the weather channel to  help answer the question, “what should I wear today?”  After a relaxing bath or shower, breakfast is on your mind before you hustle out the door.  Perhaps, you’ll have a few minutes to reply to emails, catch up on Facebook or text a friend.  Nonetheless, a morning without God often leads to days, weeks or months alone and on your own.

C.S. Lewis illustrates this truth in Mere Christianity through a chapter entitled “We Have Cause to Be Uneasy.”  Essentially, the longer you go off course, Matthew 7:13-14, without making the Lord a priority, the harder it is to return.  Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Less Traveled,” symbolizes the fork in the road of life.  While those living without God chose instant gratification, pleasure and sinful delights; those who take the other path are ridiculed, scrutinized and rejected by social media.  Despite the initial pain, a guiding light leads the way, Galatians 5:25, greater than the Force in Star Wars.

Today, it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to realize living without God has become a societal trend.  If you listen to the words of an average conversations, absorb the lyrics of blaring music passing by or see the lack of joy in people’s faces, God is no where to be found.  Its no wonder that desperate souls keep looking for love in all the wrong places, void of progress and peace.  I’m not sure what people are waiting for, yet God has his perfect timing, Ecclesiastes 3.  In these last days, may prodigal sons and daughters come home soon before its too late to return to the living God.

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

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

One On One

Posted on September 28, 2013 by expressyourself4him

 

According to a 2012 article at The Week Magazine, Friedhelm Hillebrand is credited with the initial concept of texting.  In 1984 Hillebrand recognized most of the information he wanted to convey could be condensed to 160 characters, serving as the limit for early text messages.  Eight years later, Neil Papworth sent a good friend the first SMS message to express “Merry Christmas.”  Since this pioneer revolutionized the way people communicate 21 years ago, society has never been the same.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkpWk8FJsys

Today, young people prefer to use their fingers than pick up the phone.  In fact, to avoid confrontation, adults now use Facebook, texting or Twitter to replace face to face encounters.  Though texting is a convenient and efficient means of communication, it should be no way replace one on one conversations.  God designed human beings to be relational creatures, interacting with one another.  However, I am afraid that future technology will continue to disconnect individuals from forming permanent meaningful lasting relationships.

Like most Monday mornings, I drove to Star Bucks to meet a close friend and former colleague.  While not every conversation is life altering, there is something special about sharing your burdens, good news and relating past events to current situations.  Pouring out my soul and spilling my guts has established a tight bond of fellowship, rare in the fast paced life style on the East Coast.  If you ever feel like you’re missing something, void of a missing ingredient, its probably because you don’t have enough one on one conversations.  Reach out today to a friend from the past or present, making room on your calender, to connect with another soul one on one.

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

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

When You’re Hot… Shut Your Mouth!

Posted on July 25, 2013 by expressyourself4him

Whether you speak, tweet or text, I’m sure everyone wishes they could take their words back on occasion.  In the heat of the moment, if the wrong button is pushed, you can snap.  The venom behind these outbursts are often regretful, expressing your true feelings without any restraint.  The best advice when you are hot under the collar is to shut your mouth or trap depending upon the figure of speech you heard as a child.

Mom’s were right to suggest, “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it!”  If only Noah could take his words back in Genesis 9:24-25, cursing Ham, one of his 3 sons.  After magnifying an embarrassing situation, Noah flipped out on Ham, possibly still under the influence of alcohol.  As a result of this word curse in Genesis 9:25, the descendants of Ham turn out to be the first inhabitants of Nineveh, Philistine, Sodom and Gomorrah.  What a motley crew as evil begot evil.

However, what if Noah settled down before talking to his son?  Maybe the eternal destinations of these citizens would be different.  Unfortunately, Ham did not receive his father’s blessing like his 2 two brothers.  Becoming the black sheep of the family, this resentment was likely passed on in the form of a generational curse, Exodus 20:5, leading to a root of bitterness.  Gary Smalley and John Trent write about the power of words in their book The Gift of the Blessing.  One the greatest things a father can do in life is passing on to their blessing to each child.  Yet, when anger interferes, one must careful not to allow emotion to impact what you say.  Follow the words of Jesus’ little brother in James 1:26 so that the next time you are hot, you will shut your mouth, avoiding the legacy that Noah left behind for Ham.

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

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

The First Call

Posted on July 17, 2013 by expressyourself4him

Before the days of Instant Messaging, Skype and Texting, there was something socially stimulating about phone calls.  Leanne, my wife and I, spent most of our first 6 months dating over the phone.  Living 8 hours apart, distance forced us to communicate indirectly, depending on a receiver to translate the emotions and words we felt for one another.  According to Genesis 4:26, there was another type of call which happened long ago.

Separated from God, kicked out of the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3:24, the intimacy Adam and Eve shared on walks with the Lord together ceased, Genesis 3:8.  Whether it was doubt, guilt or shame, more than a generation went by without clearly connecting with the Creator of life.  After the Tree of Knowledge debacle and subsequent murder of Abel, contact had come to a standstill.  Yet, the birth of Seth, meaning “God has granted another child in Abel’s place,” served as a sign of healing.  Although, no one directly is given credit for breaking this silence,  Seth and Enosh opened the door for Noah’s special relationship with God.

For Moses, it was a whisper from inside a burning bush, Exodus 3:2-3.  Samuel experienced his first call from a voice in a dream, 1 Samuel 3:4.  The apostle Paul saw a blinding light on the road to Damascus before hearing Jesus speak, Acts 9:4-6.  As for me, my first call came during a nervous breakdown in high school, with my heart, empty and hungry for something more in life.  If you’ve not yet experienced your first call with God, you’re not alone.  May the words of Romans 10:1-17 lead you to your first call on the name of the Lord.

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

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

Holding the Hand of God

Posted on April 28, 2013 by expressyourself4him

Loneliness is common place today, as social media has substituted face to face encounters with nothing more than a type writer and  a screen.  Meanwhile, the art of conversation has been highjacked by A.D.D., A.D.H.D. and poor people skills.  If someone has a hard time relating to people, grasping the presence of an unseen God is unfathomable.

This is not what God had designed when He created man and woman, Genesis 1:27.  Unfortunately, the days of God walking with Adam and Eve are long gone, a distant memory of a relational God, seeking to hold our hand, Psalm 73:23.  In this dark and selfish age, few clear examples of humans who are experiencing the touch of God remain, Galatians 5:25.  Reading pages of the Bible is one thing, but seeing a genuine individual of faith has become rare, a relic of a once Christian nation.

The only way to turn this fantasy into reality is through faith.  Although, King David had his problems during his life, inside his heart was a man who sought to follow after God, 1 Samuel 16:7.  When you add the obedience Moses exhorted Israelites to pursue in Deuteronomy 28:1-2, blessings reveal God’s presence.  Faith is the bridge to God, nourished by prayer which claims the promises of Scripture.  Then and only then, can the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:10 come alive, taking one day at a time by holding God’s hand!

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

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

Lifting Up Friends

Posted on April 15, 2013 by expressyourself4him

starbucks coffee photo: starbucks-coffee starbucks-coffee.jpg

On Friday, I met a good friend for coffee for nearly 2 hours.  Though I tend not to be a big talker, God compelled me to respond to his questions.  While I may not have eased his concerns, deep within my soul came an urge to lift up this friend up in prayer.  Therefore, I took a few moments before I began working, asking the Lord to bring a glimmer of hope to the uncertainty within his mind.  A few hours later, I received a text which  revealed an open door, a potential full time position and free college tuition for his 2 children.

Listening to Casting Crowns after an 11 hour shift brought this idea to light, lifting up friends in prayer,  The lyrics of their song, Prayer for a Friend is a simple remember of what asking God for something in Jesus’ name can do, John 14:13-14.  The skeptic will say, “its just a coincidence, mere chance that your friend received good news.”  Yet, this is the second time in a month that God moved in a matter of hours after meeting together.  Any way you attempt to explain this, lifting up friends in prayer is one of the few remaining solutions to turn your life or a friend’s around.

The last 2 years has been a struggle for me and my family on numerous levels.  When you and your spouse lose your dream jobs, most of your friends through a church split and are left with an ever increasing financial crunch, doubt, helplessness and frustration blew in like a spring storm.  After the bitterness, complaining and whining cease, lifting up my wife and kids in prayer is my only option.  Thus, while pain and regret still exist, its time to fall down on my knees, look up to heaven and cry out to God, lifting up to my best friend to the One who can alter our future.  In Christ alone, help is on the way, Philippians 4:13.  Call on Him today!

by Jay Mankus

2 Comments

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

Disconnected

Posted on February 25, 2013 by expressyourself4him

For a 5 day stretch from February 11th through February 15th, my cell phone became disconnected.  After applying for 5 jobs over 2 days, anyone who tried to contact my number was placed into a cyber black hole.  According to a telecommunications agent, when you switch from one cell phone carrier to another, your number goes into a virtual portal for usually 24 hours.  As soon as a previous carrier releases your old number, you can begin your new service contract.  Unfortunately, my number remained locked for nearly a week, crippling any hopes of receiving one of these new positions.

Cell phones, emails, Facebook and texting have become popular avenues to maintain daily contact with key individuals.  When these optional aren’t available, people like me panic, especially when one phone call or email is the difference between a new job and unemployment.  Yet, it could be worse.  You can also become disconnected from God.  Prayer becomes a few moments of talking to yourself, reading the Bible like trying to decipher a confusing new language and going to church develops into a meaningless ritual, hallow of any true intimacy with God.

The Bible is filled with examples of people and nations who were unplugged from God.  Moses once worked 18 hour days in Exodus 18:13, Achan’s sin hid God’s blessing from Israel in Joshua 7 and God became tired of Israel’s evil deeds in Isaiah 1:15-17.  Despite these temporary outages, God is only a confession away from reconnecting your service.  Therefore, follow the directions in James 5:13-16 and you can get back online today.  Faith is just a phone call away!

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

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