Christmas is over and New Year’s Day is almost upon us.
The stores have now cleared the shelves of all the decorations, lights, cards, wreaths and anything else Christmas related.
Now these items have been relegated to bargain bins where their prices will drop in stages until they are all sold.
They have been displaced by candy, cards, flowers, gifts and other items associated with Valentine’s Day.
It is as if the merchants are telling us in a not so subtle way that there simply is no room for Christmas anymore.
This brought to my mind a particular verse from Luke.
Luke 2:7 (NET) - And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped Him strips of cloth and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
I once heard a minister on television say something that I will always remember.
He referred to Easter and Christmas as ‘the annual pilgrimages’ which brought a laugh from his congregation.
I’ve always held that in every bit of humor there is at least a grain of truth.
Speaking in very broad terms, some do seem to make a big fuss about Jesus once or twice a year but not nearly as much the remainder of the year.
Now that Christmas is over, we go back to our routines.
Our time away from work and school is over and the demands on our time and resources begin to pile up.
Little by little things begin to creep in and place demands on our attention.
We may start by thinking about things like bills that need to be paid and taxes that never go away.
The well being of family and friends are an ever present concern.
Our profession, or our education, then make huge demands of us.
This is just the tip of the iceberg.
You see, some have made room for Jesus in the inn that is their heart over Christmas.
That is a good thing.
But now that Christmas is over, some will become preoccupied by these other things.
Little by little, they will allow these things to occupy more and more space in their hearts.
The room they have created for Him will grow smaller with each passing day.
Eventually, like the inn in Luke, there will no longer be any room left for Him.
Just like the Christmas merchandise that now resides in bargain bins, they will set Him aside until next Christmas, or perhaps Easter.
What a pity that is.
Especially when you consider all that He has done for us.
Each of us probably knows at least one person who has made room in their heart for Jesus this Christmas.
Why not help them keep room in their heart for Him.
Here is a great place to start.
Romans 10:9 (NET) - because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, January 4, 2013.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I’ll be back here on Friday, January 11, 2013.
Schedule subject to change.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Signs by the Road
Most of the driving I do is on the highway.
Recently, two more highway alert signs have been put up along my commute.
These signs provide several important services.
On days when there are no traffic problems to speak of, they provide information as a public service.
As the holidays approach one such message warns drivers about the dangers of drinking and driving.
A warning those attending parties should take to heart.
When work on the highway is scheduled, these signs inform drivers of the dates and times such work is to take place and that delays can be expected.
This allows drivers the opportunity to leave earlier than normal or perhaps plan an alternate route.
When accidents occur, these signs warn of lane closures and instruct drivers to merge either left or right depending on the situation.
This not only assists in traffic flow, it also helps keep emergency workers safe.
It is evident that these signs are an excellent means of getting information to drivers in order to make their commutes safer.
Sometimes, these signs broadcast messages seeking the public’s involvement when individuals are missing.
When a child is missing an "Amber Alert" is issued and these signs provide drivers with descriptions of the child and other useful information such as the color, make and model of the vehicle in which they still may be traveling.
When a senior citizen goes missing, a "Silver Alert" message is broadcast via these signs with similar information posted.
In such cases, these signs are an excellent means of getting the public involved in the search.
This can greatly assist law enforcement by providing them with extra eyes on major roadways.
These signs are an excellent use of technology.
Wouldn’t it be great if we had something at our disposal like these alert signs to help us out in other parts of our busy lives.
As a matter of fact, we do have something at hand that provides us with information, assistance and much more.
Scripture.
When things appear to be going well for us, scripture is useful for reflection.
When life gets hectic and seems to get out of hand, scripture can help us focus.
When we find ourselves straying from the one true path, scripture helps us return to the straight and narrow way.
When those we know and love are spiritually lost, scripture can help us reach out to them and lead them to Jesus.
Hebrews 4:12 (NET) - The word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart.
2 Timothy 3:16 (NET) - Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.
Scripture is always there for us.
It is available in a book we probably have on our shelves right now..
It can be found in hotel room night stands.
It is available on line.
It is even available for the mobile devices we carry with us everywhere anyway.
Its availability is practically unlimited.
This is a marvelous provision from God!
Make the most of it.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, December 21, 2012.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I’ll be back here on Friday, December 28, 2012.
Schedule subject to change.
Recently, two more highway alert signs have been put up along my commute.
These signs provide several important services.
On days when there are no traffic problems to speak of, they provide information as a public service.
As the holidays approach one such message warns drivers about the dangers of drinking and driving.
A warning those attending parties should take to heart.
When work on the highway is scheduled, these signs inform drivers of the dates and times such work is to take place and that delays can be expected.
This allows drivers the opportunity to leave earlier than normal or perhaps plan an alternate route.
When accidents occur, these signs warn of lane closures and instruct drivers to merge either left or right depending on the situation.
This not only assists in traffic flow, it also helps keep emergency workers safe.
It is evident that these signs are an excellent means of getting information to drivers in order to make their commutes safer.
Sometimes, these signs broadcast messages seeking the public’s involvement when individuals are missing.
When a child is missing an "Amber Alert" is issued and these signs provide drivers with descriptions of the child and other useful information such as the color, make and model of the vehicle in which they still may be traveling.
When a senior citizen goes missing, a "Silver Alert" message is broadcast via these signs with similar information posted.
In such cases, these signs are an excellent means of getting the public involved in the search.
This can greatly assist law enforcement by providing them with extra eyes on major roadways.
These signs are an excellent use of technology.
Wouldn’t it be great if we had something at our disposal like these alert signs to help us out in other parts of our busy lives.
As a matter of fact, we do have something at hand that provides us with information, assistance and much more.
Scripture.
When things appear to be going well for us, scripture is useful for reflection.
When life gets hectic and seems to get out of hand, scripture can help us focus.
When we find ourselves straying from the one true path, scripture helps us return to the straight and narrow way.
When those we know and love are spiritually lost, scripture can help us reach out to them and lead them to Jesus.
Hebrews 4:12 (NET) - The word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart.
2 Timothy 3:16 (NET) - Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.
Scripture is always there for us.
It is available in a book we probably have on our shelves right now..
It can be found in hotel room night stands.
It is available on line.
It is even available for the mobile devices we carry with us everywhere anyway.
Its availability is practically unlimited.
This is a marvelous provision from God!
Make the most of it.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, December 21, 2012.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I’ll be back here on Friday, December 28, 2012.
Schedule subject to change.
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