Don’t Limit Christmas to One Day

I chose to write this the very moment that Christmas Eve turned into Christmas Day.

While Christmas is always special, I feel especially blessed this Christmas.

God continues to surround me with wonderful people who both love me and encourage me.

Some of these people I see daily in the workplace.

Some I see weekly in the Sunday school class I teach and the church in which I worship.

With the assistance of technology and social media I am surrounded by still more.

Many of these people I will never be fortunate enough to meet face to face in this world.

It is both comforting and amazing to think that I will be able to do so in the next.

It is comforting in the sense that heaven is a reality in which no one will be a stranger.

It is amazing in the sense this is only possible because of the One whose birth we celebrate at this time of year.

This sense of amazement is multiplied when one really contemplates the significance of that birth.

That is one of the things that truly separates Christianity from all other religions.

Christianity is not about how a fallen man attempts to reach up to God.

Christianity is about how God reached down to a fallen man through Jesus Christ.

It is about how God planned for our salvation from the very beginning.

The Son of God had to be born into this fallen world.

He then had to live among us.

He had to be subjected to hunger, thirst and temptation.

He had to be subjected to ridicule and rejection.

He had to be subjected to abandonment, torture and, yes, even death.

Yet never once did He sin.

Always, He forgave.

During His time among us, He taught us how to live.

He taught that it was important that we have a good relationship with God.

He also emphasized that it was important for us to have a good relationship with others.

In the coming days, we will take down all of the decorations we put up for Christmas.

We will pack them into boxes and relegate them to attics and storage rooms to lie all but forgotten for another year.

Please, let us not do that with Jesus.

Let us continue to celebrate all that He continues to be each and every day of the year.

Let us do that as we reach out to a world that chooses to live in darkness rather than step into His light.

Let us forge now the relationships that will last throughout eternity.

John 3:17 (NET) – For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through Him.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, January 2, 2014.

I’ll be back here on Friday, January 9, 2014

More Than One Kind of Messenger

Luke 1:31 (KJV) - And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. 

As our journey through Advent continues, I reflected on this verse.

This was one of four verses I selected for this season.

I selected this verse because God sent the angel to Mary to tell her that she would bear the Son who would save mankind.

The angel even told her the name chosen for Him, Jesus.

As I reflected on this I remembered that Mary’s initial reaction to the angel was one of fear.

Luke 1:30 (KJV) – And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favor with God.

After Jesus is born, an angel announces His birth to shepherds.

It was neither the rich nor the powerful who first learned of His birth.

The first to learn of it were simple and humble shepherds.

Like Mary, their initial reaction was one of fear.

Luke 2:9 (KJV) - And an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

The angel tells them not to fear because he brings wonderful news for all people everywhere.

Luke 2:11 (KJV) – for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.

A “multitude of the heavenly host” then appeared before them praising God.

What an awesome sight this must have been.

What wonderful news they received.

Scripture tells us that after the angels departed the shepherds responded by going to Bethlehem to see firsthand what they were told about.

Angels have been used by God as messengers.

God wants us to be messengers as well.

Isn’t now an excellent time to share the Good News with those we know?

Shouldn’t we help them break down the walls of fear and doubt?

Shouldn’t we be willing to show them real hope?

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The  Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, December 19, 2014.

I’ll be back here on Friday, December 26, 2014

Preparing for Advent

The dictionary defines the word advent as “the arrival of a notable person, thing or event.”

Advent has its roots in the Latin word adventus which means “coming”.

The Season of Advent in the Christian calendar includes the four Sundays preceding Christmas and this Sunday is the first Sunday in Advent.

Though we celebrate the earthly birth of Christ on December 25, Advent marks the time in which we prepare our hearts for that day.

As there are four Sundays in Advent prior to Christmas, I thought I would select four passages of Scripture to help me in preparing my heart.

Isaiah 9:6 (KJV) - For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isaiah’s words preceded Christ by centuries.

This reminds me that God’s promise is true and that He provided for our salvation through Christ who came to live among us.

Luke 1:31 (KJV) - And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name, JESUS.

These were the angel’s words to Mary.

God sent the angel to Mary to tell her that she would bear the Son who saves mankind.

He even told her the name chosen for Him, Jesus.

Matthew 2:2 (KJV) - Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

This reminds me that men anticipated His arrival and understood the appropriate response was to seek Him out and worship Him.

Matthew 3:17 (KJV) - And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

This reminds me that God Himself told the world that this was indeed His Son and that He loved Him.

These are the verses that I have chosen for myself for this Season of Advent to help me prepare my heart to celebrate His birth.

They will serve to remind me that His coming into the world was foretold by the prophets and ordained by God.

They will remind me to seek Him out and worship Him.

They will remind me that there can be absolutely no doubt as to who Jesus is.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The  Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, December 5, 2014.

I’ll be back here on Friday, December 12, 2014

Myth Conceptions

I am an avid reader.

Right now I am in the process of reading The Iliad and The Odyssey by Homer.

You may be asking why a Christian would bother reading mythology.

Mythology reminds me that everyone needs to believe in something or someone that is greater than himself.

The ancient Greeks felt that need.

They looked at the natural world around them and recognized that there was an order in the way things were.

Unlike us, they had neither the benefit of Christianity nor the wisdom that comes only from scripture.

So, they simply did the best they could.

They took stock of everything they could sense and invented various gods and goddesses to whom they assigned control of things.

They also assigned them human attributes including very human character flaws.

When disaster struck, they then incorrectly interpreted that these events were likely the result of these invented gods and goddesses struggling with one another for control.

A handful of gods was insufficient, so they also invented a host of lesser gods to fill in the gaps.

One more thing they did was create some human heroes who were able to contend with their deities.

The ancients took delight in stories in which these heroes were able to outwit the gods and defeat them at their own game.

Christianity of course is radically different.

Through the benefit of scripture and His grace, we know that there is only one true God.

It was He that created the universe and everything in it by speaking them into existence.

He also takes a very active and personal role in our lives.

Another critical difference is that God is all knowing and we cannot hide anything from Him.

It is impossible for us to deceive Him.

I must admit that I did learn a valuable lesson from this reading of Homer

The Iliad is about struggle.

It tells a story about a war between the Greeks and the Trojans.

Their gods took a very active role in this war and although they could not be killed by humans they could be wounded by them.

As I read the account I remember thinking that we could never wound God.

I now do not believe that to be entirely true.

I now believe that we can and do wound God on a certain level.

We do this when we refuse to obey Him.

We also do this when we mistreat others because they, like us, were made in His image.

We certainly do that when we reject His most precious gift to us.

That gift is His only Son, Jesus, who paid the price for our salvation.

Where The Iliad is about struggle and conflict, The Odyssey is a myth about the struggle and desire to go home.

We, as Christians, feel a similar need and desire to go home.

The home we desire is our heavenly home.

It is a home that has been prepared for us by Jesus.

John 14:2 (NET) – There are many dwelling places in My Father’s house. Otherwise, I would have told you, because I am going away to make ready a place for you.

That is certainly no myth.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The  Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, November 21, 2014.

I’ll be back here on Friday, November 28, 2014

What If

Can you recall your first day at school?

Do you remember when you learned how to drive a car?

How about the day you graduated?

Do you recall the day you started your first real job?

Think about the day you got married,

Call to mind the day your child was born.

How about the day your grandchild was born?

These are but some of the milestones we experience in life.

As you thought about these milestones, did you remember mostly the good things?

If you are like me, then you probably answered yes to that question.

If that is the case then think about these events once again and as you do try to remember any anxiety you might have experienced with each one.

With each of these events and others you probably experienced at least some anxiety along with the anticipation.

As a rule, we tend to repeatedly ask ourselves questions that begin with the words “what if”.

Can you recall asking any of the following questions?

What if I don't get the job?

What if the person I propose to says no?

What if we cannot afford to have a child right now?

What if I lose my job?

Yet here we are today and these events are now memories on which we can reflect.

These events changed us in one way or another.

Now consider one more thing.

Remember that there is Someone who has been along side us for the entire journey.

Someone who has not changed one bit even though we did!

Hebrews 13:8 (NET) – Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever!

I am particularly fond of this translation as it uses “forever” instead of “tomorrow”.

It is good for us to remember that He was with us through all our yesterdays.

It is nice to be reminded that He was there for us today.

It is both reassuring and encouraging to know that He will be there for us not just for tomorrow, but forever!

Finally ask yourself one of the very few “what if” questions that really matters.

What if someone I care about does not know Him?

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, November 7, 2014.

I’ll be back here on Friday, November 14, 2014

In the Psalms of His Hands

Today's headlines seemingly bombard us with nothing but bad news.

War is an ever present reality.

So is the threat of terrorism.

Not to be outdone, disease now appears to demand its share of today's news stories.

What are we to do?

We could refuse to pick up a newspaper or a magazine.

We could refuse to turn on the television, the radio and the computer.

But living in denial is not a solution.

These issues will not simply go away just by our refusing to acknowledge them.

If anything, denial will only make matters worse.

That is an option I refuse to accept.

What other options do we have?

We could do what some have already chosen to do.

We could build a bunker or some other fortified shelter.

We could then amass a stockpile of food, water, weapons and ammunition there.

Then, if things got bad enough, we could move into that shelter and try to protect our resources from all who would try to take them from us.

But if we were to do that, wouldn't we be forfeiting our humanity?

That, too, is an option I refuse to accept.

Having ruled these two out, what options remain?

One very real option is to live in fear.

If we are not careful we could easily let fear dominate our lives.

We could spend much of our time and energy worrying about things that are not in our control.

Fear, like denial, accomplishes nothing.

What option, if any, could possibly be left?

There is an option and it is the very best option of all.

We can place our trust exactly where it belongs.

The Book of Psalms is an excellent guide for trying times.

We do not need to live in denial because He is there to help us.

Psalm 121:2 (NET) – My help comes from the LORD, the Creator of heaven and earth!

We do not need to forfeit our humanity and exchange living for mere survival.

Psalm 36:9 (NET) – For You are the One who gives and sustains life.

Perhaps best of all, we do not have to live in fear.

Psalm 118:6 (NET) – The LORD is on my side, I am not afraid! What can people do to me?

Sometimes the world's problems can seem overwhelming.

When they do, we always have Someone we can turn to and a place where we can go.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, October 17, 2014.

I’ll be back here on Friday, October 24, 2014

The First 250 Steps

I have reached a bit of a milestone in my writing.

It was almost five years ago that I felt God leading me down this path.

I freely admit that I did not respond to it at first because, at the time, I failed to recognize it for what it was.

Fortunately for me, God was as patient with me as He was persistent.

Eventually I got the message, trusted His leading, and embarked upon the journey.

Now, 250 pieces later, I pause to look back on the journey and appreciate just how far He has brought me.

Very early on I learned two valuable lessons.

First, I learned that I would have to trust Him completely and without reservation.

I would have to count on Him to provide both inspiration and motivation week in and week out.

Second, I learned that I would have to set aside time every week specifically for this purpose.

Shortly after I began, I was invited to participate in a group effort.

I prayed about this and began alternating between the two sites.

In time, God blessed me as I learned that these offerings were of help to a few people along the way.

I was so grateful to learn that.

If I knew of a few that benefited then maybe, just maybe, there were others who have benefited that I will never know about in this world.

In April 2013, the monthly magazine that serves my church's denomination asked me to write a piece for the magazine.

This has turned into a regular monthly contribution.

I had to trust that if God would help me write four pieces per month, He would certainly help me with five.

Perhaps the greatest blessing God had in store for me was the number of Christian friends I was able to connect with from every corner of the world.

Proverbs 27:17 (NET) – As iron sharpens iron, so a person sharpens his friend.

I can truthfully say that together we definitely sharpen each other.

This ministry has also made me a both a better teacher and a better speaker.

These are just some of the things that have happened since I followed His leading.

What will come of this ministry in the future?

I cannot say.

Only God knows what He has in store for me and that, in and of itself, is sufficient.

Now, I am forced to ask myself one final question.

Would I continue to do this even if I thought that no one was reading them?

To this I would have to answer that I would for two reasons.

First, if I honestly feel as I do that God wants me to do this, then do this I will.

Second, through each piece I am also learning more about myself.

Each piece serves to remind me just how much I need Jesus Christ in my life.

Each piece also serves to remind me that I am very much a work in progress and still have far to go.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, October 3, 2014.

I’ll be back here on Friday, October 10, 2014

Into All the World

I was recently reminded of one of those moments that had an impact on my life.

That moment occurred years ago when I drove past a new shopping center that was not clearly visible from the highway.

Being difficult to see, it was going to take some time before people learned about it and began shopping there.

Businesses, especially those that are not part of a chain, need customers.

One of these businesses paid an employee to stand by the highway with a sign pointing the way to their store.

I honestly felt sorry for this young man.

To begin with, it was a very hot summer day and he looked very uncomfortable in his uniform.

Drivers would speed by and honk their horns at him.

Some perhaps jeered at him as they passed or maybe even shouted obscenities at him.

He was subjected to the noise of the traffic and likely inhaled a good deal of exhaust as well.

Yes, I really felt sorry for this young man.

I remember telling myself how much I would dislike having his job.

Before I crested the next hill, I suddenly realized that, as a Christian, that is exactly the kind of job that I have.

I am to share the Good News with everyone I encounter no matter what I have to endure.

That realization had a profound impact on my life.

I was reminded of that moment as I drove home from work earlier this week.

I was on another stretch of highway and there was a large truck in front of me.

The driver was on his way to pick up a load and on the back of his cab a message was clearly visible.

There, painted in large white letters, was the message: “GOD IS GOOD!”

It was that message that reminded me.

This moment also struck me for a number of other reasons.

First, even without a load, the driver was delivering something valuable to everyone – the truth.

Second, he was delivering that same truth wherever his job required him to go.

Third, there were likely times he was unaware that he was delivering this message though he delivered it constantly.

This served to remind me that I should do the same.

First, I should deliver the truth that God is good and that He sent Jesus to save us!

Second, I should share that truth wherever life requires me to go.

Third, I should live in such a way that people should be able to notice this even if I am not verbally telling them so.

Yes, the road can be an excellent teacher.

Mark 16:15 (NET) – He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, September 19, 2014.

I’ll be back here on Friday, September 26, 2014

Turn It Off

Last weekend I happily attended my aunt's birthday party.

Both my parents came from large families so I grew up with many uncles and aunts.

That was long ago.

Of all those uncles and aunts only this one remains.

It was wonderful celebrating this special day with her.

It was also very nice to be surrounded by family.

I took many photographs and look forward to giving them to her.

I was especially glad to see everybody spending some quality time with her.

I took my turn as well.

I also enjoyed spending time with my cousins and their families.

We talked about how much things have changed since we were young.

After several such conversations, I began to wonder.

Have times changed forcing us to cope with them?

Or, have we changed forcing the times to accommodate us?

Frankly, I think it is a combination of both.

Certainly technology has changed.

But these advances were supposed to make our lives simpler and better.

But have they really?

It seems that we are all doing more but accomplishing less.

We are bombarded with information but know so very little.

Then there is the element that concerns me most of all.

We spend so much time with our phones and devices that we interact with others less and less every day.

I recall an evening when I went to a restaurant and a young couple came in and sat at a nearby table.

They were on a date but the first thing each did when seated was get out their phones and began texting.

I will admit that the thought of them texting others and ignoring each other bothered me.

One thought bothered me more.

Could they actually be texting each other?

Is this the future of human relationships?

This reminded me of a conversation I had with a cousin at the party about time.

I think most everyone agrees that as we get older time seems to go by faster.

Frankly, I do not think time goes by any faster but rather our perception of its passing changes.

Isn't it possible that this is part of God's plans for our lives.

If we do not know Jesus as we should doesn't it make sense that God would put this mechanism in place to heighten our sense of urgency to know Him?

If we do know Him, doesn't it then follow that we experience a similar sense of urgency to share Him with others?

While it is all well and good to use technology to share our faith we must not forget the importance of personal, face to face encounters.

Such opportunities present themselves all the time.

That is when we need do is turn off our devices and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.

The Great Commission still apples.

Mark 16:15 (NET) – He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, September 5, 2014.

I’ll be back here on Friday, September 12, 2014

One Now at a Time

The events of the last week reminded me of one of my mother's favorite songs.

Many times I would hear her either singing or humming One Day At a Time.

There is a tremendous amount of wisdom in those words.

When you get down to it, life is best lived that way.

As human beings, we go about our lives traveling along a perceived time line.

Speaking along such a line, we divide time into three components.

The first component of time is the past.

The past is not only confined to our lives but includes everything that preceded it.

All of recorded history lies in the past.

The past is something from which we should be able to learn yet human beings have a tendency to repeat mistakes.

We repeat not only our mistakes but those of previous generations as well.

The second component is the present.

This is the most fleeting component of all.

Try saying the word "Now".

By the time you have finished saying this tiny word, the moment in which you said it has already slipped into the past.

That leaves us with the third and final component, what we call the future.

As human beings, we have little idea what lies in store for us in this mysterious realm.

We may plan for certain events.

We even fill our calendars with appointments and special events.

We even make long term plans for ourselves.

But, in the final analysis, we cannot say with absolute certainty what will occur in the future.

To further complicate matters, we do not just how each appointment, event or plan will ultimately turn out if they do manage to materialize on time.

Will we like the outcome?

Or, will we dislike it maybe to the point of wishing it had never occurred?

We simply will not know until the moment unfolds.

There is something we can count on.

God is not confined to the time line to which we have attached our lives.

He is outside time.

It may be difficult for us to comprehend, but God is already in tomorrow.

God is with us now, but He is also awaiting us in the tomorrow in which we have yet to see.

Whatever tomorrow brings, God already knows about it and will see us through it.

That is something in which we can take great comfort.

We cannot change the past.

We can only imagine the future.

All we truly have is the ever fleeting "now".

So, take one "now" at a time and use it in a way that glorifies Him.

Romans 15:5-6 (NET) - Now may the God of endurance and comfort give you unity with one another in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.


Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The  Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, August 15, 2014.
I’All be back here on Friday, August 8, 2014

You Give Them Something to Eat

The feeding of the 5,000 has occupied my thoughts a great deal lately.

This is the only one of the many miracles of Jesus that is recorded in all four gospels.

Matthew's account is in chapter 14.

Mark records this in chapter 6.

Luke documents this in chapter 9.

Finally, John describes this miracle in chapter 6.

All four accounts are remarkably similar.

Jesus ministers to a very large crowd.

Feeling compassion for them, He heals their sick.

His followers then want to send them away so they can buy food for themselves.

Jesus surprises His followers and says to them, "You give them something to eat."

His followers protest and reply, "We have here only five loaves and two fish."

John's gospel states that these were barley loaves and belonged to a boy as did the two fish.

It is reasonable to assume that these loaves were probably more like buns and the two fish were not very large.

In other words, this was probably the boy's lunch and surely not enough to feed thousands of adults.

Jesus instructs His followers to bring the loaves and the fish to Him.

He then tells His followers to have the people sit down.

Before anything else happens, Jesus gives thanks!

He then distributes the food to the masses and all 5,000 eat their fill.

Jesus then instructs His followers to collect the leftovers so that nothing is wasted.

The leftovers are collected and fill twelve baskets.

This miracle must have made a great impression upon Matthew, Mark, Luke and John as each included it in his gospel.

In reflecting upon it, three things stand out in my mind.

The first is that before the multitude was fed, Jesus gave thanks.

The second is that Jesus initially told His followers, "You give them something to eat."

Everything we have belongs to God.

Whenever we give we are, in essence, giving back to God what already belongs to Him.

Jesus reminded His followers that the poor would always be among us.

John 12:8 (NET) - "For you will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have Me!"

This is still the case and the words of Jesus ring truer than ever.

"You give them something to eat."

When we do, we should first give thanks and remember that what we give belongs to God already.

2 Corinthians 9:7 (NET) - Each of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver.

What is the third thing?

As abundant as His blessing was, He wanted none of it wasted.


Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The  Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, August 1, 2014.
I’All be back here on Friday, August 8, 2014

Just As I Have Loved You

In the second half of Luke chapter 8, Jesus makes three individuals with three very different issues whole again in very quick succession.

Beginning in verse 27, we read of a man who was possessed by many demons.

This man wore no clothes and lived among the tombs away from people.

Luke tells us that this man was often chained and placed under guard.

But whenever the demons took hold of him he broke his bonds and was driven by them to deserted places.

The demons begged Jesus not to be sent into the abyss but rather into a herd of pigs.

Jesus granted this request and the demons entered the pigs.

The pigs immediately rushed into the lake and drowned.

As word had spread what Jesus had done, the people who lived nearby became so afraid of Jesus that they asked Him to leave.

When Jesus returned a large crowd was already on hand and a ruler of the synagogue named Jairus pleaded with Jesus to heal his twelve year old daughter.

As they departed the crowd pressed upon Jesus.

Among them was a woman who had suffered from a bleeding disease for twelve years.

She spent all she had on physicians but still had not been cured.

She came up behind Jesus and touched the edge of His cloak and immediately her bleeding stopped.

Jesus stopped and asked who touched Him because He felt that power had gone out from Him.

The woman knew the truth would come out, so she fell before Jesus and in front of the entire throng of people explained why she did what she did and told Jesus that she had been healed on the spot.

Jesus reminded her that her faith made her well and told her to go in peace.

As this was going on, someone from the house of Jairus arrived and informed Jairus that his daughter had died and that there was no longer any need to trouble Jesus.

Jesus told Jairus not to be afraid; he had only to believe.

When they arrived at the house, mourners had already gathered and were wailing and mourning.

Jesus told them to stop weeping as the girl was not dead but asleep.

At this, the mourners began laughing at Him.

Jesus went into the house, gently took the girl by the hand and said, "Child, get up."

Her spirit returned to her and she got up.

Three distinct miracles.

Three very different people relieved by Jesus from very different issues ranging from possession to illness to death.

There were also three distinct ways that people reacted.

In the case of the demon possessed man, people reacted to Jesus with fear.

In the case of the woman with the bleeding disease, physicians were willing to treat her as long as she had money to spend on them.

In the case of the daughter of Jairus, the mourners showed their true colors when they laughed at Jesus.

Despite the reactions of people, there is one thing that each of these miracles had in common.

Jesus treated each of those in need and He did so with love.

Treating others with love is precisely what he wants and expects from people like you and me.

This is especially true when it comes to those in need.

John 15:12 (NET) - My commandment is this - to love one another just as I have loved you.


Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The  Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, July 18, 2014.
I’ll be back here on Friday, July 25, 2014

As We Forgive Those

Forgiveness is something we struggle with.

One reason is that we have been conditioned from childhood to look out for ourselves.

For another, we have been taught not to let others take advantage of us.

There are without a doubt many more reasons and excuses we could cite.

When someone wrongs us our first response is not forgiveness.

We might be tempted to retaliate.

If we overcome that hurdle then the temptation to dwell upon it arises.

This is the temptation that we normally give into.

Dwelling upon the injustice accomplishes nothing.

It distracts us from what we could and should otherwise be doing.

It can even keep us awake at night as we replay the event over and over in our minds.

But that is not what Jesus wants for us.

Jesus tells us that we must forgive.

This is not an option nor is it just good advice.

When Jesus taught us to pray, He was very clear about this.

We are to pray "forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us".

That is from the Lord's Prayer and that is the way forgiveness works.

It is, in essence, a two way street.

If we wish to be forgiven, we must forgive others as well.

Yet forgiveness does not come easy to us because of our human nature and weakness.

That is why we have to rely on God's strength rather than our own.

When we do that then the task of forgiveness becomes much easier to accomplish.

Once we forgive, something truly remarkable happens.

We are liberated.

We cease to carry around a completely unnecessary burden that interferes with the kind of life He wants us to experience,

Think of your life as a ship and the unwillingness to forgive as an anchor.

While anchored, our lives are stagnant.

No progress is possible.

But true forgiveness is not merely the act of pulling up the anchor and taking it with you.

True forgiveness is severing the line and completely leaving the anchor behind.

We then have complete freedom to sail to the next destination He has planned for us.

Jesus told us more.

Matthew 5:7-8 (NET) - Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

When we truly forgive we are being merciful to others and have taken a big step in purifying our hearts.

The best part is that we do not have to do this alone.

We can ask for His help.


Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The  Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, July 4, 2014.
I’ll be back here on Friday, July 11, 2014

Prayer Revisited

I recently had the privilege of leading two adult classes on the topic of prayer.

Prior to leading those classes I posted a blog on my other site entitled Teach Us to Pray.

There I cited the examples Jesus gave us on the proper approach to God in prayer as well as the model He gave us which we now lovingly refer to as The Lord's Prayer.

In this post I thought would expand on the topic of prayer based not only on the curriculum but also from feedback I received from those in attendance.

To begin with, I still maintain my position that prayer is much more than "praying big" to God whose power is limitless.

Prayer remains one of the best means we have of strengthening our relationship with God and not merely a means by which we receive things we request.

Please do not misunderstand me.

I think it is a wonderful thing to pray for others especially when they are ill, coping with loss or dealing with difficult situations.

If we are faced with similar issues, then we should take them to God in prayer as the old hymn reminds us.

But we also need to exercise good judgment when it comes to praying for ourselves.

By that I mean that we really need to understand what is motivating us to pray for ourselves.

When it come to praying for things we really need to exercise caution.

Let's take praying to God for a new church building or for the expansion of an existing one as an example.

On the surface, this seems benign but even in this case we need to examine our motives.

If our motivation is to edify the body and we need more room to accommodate more people then I think we are on good footing.

If our motivation is merely to have a nicer and more beautiful structure then perhaps we should take time to think things over before approaching God.

Granted, I am painting with an extremely broad brush, but this is merely for the sake of example.

That said, let us examine the results of prayer.

For example let us say that there are two people and each has a close family member who is extremely ill.

Let us also say that each prayed for the healing of his family member.

Let us also assume that the first family member was healed but the second died.

Can we conclude that the second person did not pray as hard as the first, or that the right prayer was not said?

Can we conclude that the first person had more faith than the second?

The answer to all these questions is "No".

God has a plan and understands it completely, whereas we cannot.

Though each of the two prayers was answered in a different way, the relationships between each of those praying and God were strengthened.

And the prayers should not end there.

The second should pray for comfort, peace and understanding.

The first should pray with gratitude.

Thus the relationships between those praying and God continues to be strengthened.

It must be stated that too often it is the prayer of gratitude that is overlooked.

These are but a few thoughts on prayer, so I invite you to read Hebrews chapter 11 in its entirety to put things in a proper perspective.

Bear in mind the last two verses.

Hebrews 11:39-40 (NIV) - These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

This brings up a final point.

Some prayers are not answered right away.

Some might not even be answered in our lifetime.


Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The  Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, June 20, 2014.
I’ll be back here on Friday, June 27, 2014

Full Circle

Sunday provided me with a wonderful reminder of God's eternal love.

The church I attend has two young people who will graduate from high school this year.

On Sunday, we recognized them and congratulated them on reaching this milestone in their lives.

During the portion of the service designed for children, I could not help but think how one day they too will reach this milestone.

Later that afternoon, a group of us met at one of the local nursing homes and sang hymns for the residents.

As I looked upon these wonderful senior citizens, I remembered a job I had as a young man and one of my responsibilities was to make deliveries to this very same home.

How long ago that seemed.

I then recalled our two graduates which made me think of my own graduation.

This took me back farther into my past.

I then recalled the children from the morning's service which made me think of my own childhood.

This took me even farther back.

After the hymns, we visited with the residents.

I took my turn as well.

I cannot begin to describe the joy I experienced as I walked up to each resident in turn.

There is a special moment that occurs when a person so advanced in years realizes that you are going to spend time with them.

Their face lights up in a very special way when they realize that you have chosen to enter their world and you take their hand in yours and a connection is made.

Experience has taught me to follow their lead in conversation and simply talk about whatever it is that they want to talk about.

What matters most is that you have chosen to enter their world and have given them two very precious resources.

You have given them your love and your time.

As we rush about in our daily lives, we often take these commodities for granted.

They do not.

As we departed, I thought about how things come full circle.

When I was a child, my world was very small.

My world then expanded to that which I know today.

If I live long enough, my world will shrink to the point where I too will be glad whenever someone cares enough to enter it.

Even if it is only for a few brief minutes.

Through it all, one thought outshines everything.

Regardless of where we are in our earthly journey God's love for us never diminishes.

Psalm 115:13 (NET) - He will bless His followers, both young and old.


Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The  Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, June 6, 2014.
I’ll be back here on Friday, June 13, 2014

When I Grow Up

When you were a child, what job did you most want to have when you grew up?

When I was a child, the race for space was in full swing so I dreamed of becoming an astronaut.

That, of course, did not happen.

I posed that question to my friends and I was surprised at the variety of answers I received.

One wanted to be a baseball player.

Another wanted to be an archaeologist.

Other occupations that made up the list I gathered were artist, nurse, teacher, actress, radio disc jockey and forest ranger.

I suppose by now the list has grown even longer.

I was really surprised by the wide variety of answers I received.

Most of the people I asked did not get the job they dreamed of doing.

Fortunately for some students, two of the teachers did.

Although I never became an astronaut, I do have a job that I enjoy and have had it for a long time.

I have not had to go to a job interview in a good many years, but one of the questions I remember potential employers usually asking was, "Where do you see yourself in five years?"

I suppose they were trying to somehow gauge the amount of ambition I had by analyzing my answer to this question.

But, to be honest, there is not a single one among us that really knows the answer to that question.

That would require a degree of omniscience that human beings simply do not have.

Fortunately, God knows us better than we know ourselves.

He knows what he has planned for us.

He will even equip us to fulfill that plan.

He will do so even if that plan is one we would not have chosen for ourselves.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NET) - 'For I know what I have planned for you,' says the LORD. 'I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.'

Bear in mind that prosperity does not necessarily mean financial prosperity as today's definition of the word currently implies.

Some of the most faithful people I knew were anything but financially prosperous.

By the way, if you are one of the few who actually got that job you dreamed of, I congratulate you.

Whether you did or not, make sure you thank Him for the one you have and do it to the best of your ability to bring Him glory.


Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The  Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, May 16, 2014.
I’ll be back here on Friday, May 23, 2014

Exchange Policy

The other day, my air conditioner stopped working and I had to schedule a repair.

I was going to have to wait at least two days as the repairman had a number of calls ahead of mine.

With the forecast calling for unseasonably warm temperatures I decided to purchase a new fan.

I felt I would be more comfortable with at least some air circulating in the room.

I stopped by the store and looked over the selection of fans that they had in stock.

One model in particular caught my eye because of both its features and its price.

It happened to be the only one like it that they had in stock.

When I picked the box up from the shelf I noticed that it had been opened before and very carefully taped back shut.

There was a sales clerk in that department so I asked him about it.

He apologized for the box having been opened and he was nice enough to explain the situation to me.

It turns out that someone had purchased the fan and taken it home.

They opened the box and saw the amount of assembly required and the size of the instruction booklet that came with it.

They decided not to invest this amount of effort.

They promptly returned it to the store and exchanged it for a simpler model.

The clerk assured me that every component originally in the box was accounted for.

I purchased the fan and took it home.

I unpacked all the parts and got out my tools.

Then, before I so much as turned a single screw, I did something very important.

I read the assembly instructions.

Once I had familiarized myself with them I began to assemble the fan.

I kept the instructions close at hand and within an hour I had it assembled.

I plugged it in and tested it to make certain that it worked.

Having done that, I next read the operating instructions in order to familiarize myself with all its features.

As I write this in the comfort of its cool and refreshing breeze I am struck by the similarity this has to our faith.

Salvation is God's gift of grace to us but after we accept it there comes a certain amount of effort on our part.

We are to do the things which please Him.

We are also to refrain from doing those things which displease Him.

Fortunately for us, He gives us the tools we need to do this.

He also gives us a marvelous instruction book to help us make sense of it all.

That book is the Bible and we should make reading it a regular part of our lives.

2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV) - All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.

It is said that the Bible is the best selling book of all time.

It does not fulfill its purpose when it sits on a shelf unread.

We have choices.

We can accept God's gift and all that comes with it, or, we take one quick glance inside the box and return it.

The hardest and most painful work has already been done for us.

Shouldn't we be willing to do our small part in return?


Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The  Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, May 2, 2014.
I’ll be back here on Friday, May 9, 2014

There Is Hope for Everyone

There once was a boy who dearly loved his mother.

His mother was diagnosed with a terrible disease when he was ten years old.

The boy prayed to God for his mother to be healed.

She was not.

The boy's mother died and as a result he blamed God for her death.

That blame then grew into a genuine disbelief in God.

By age thirteen he became quite "worldly" and declared that he was no longer a Christian.

In the plainest of terms, he had given up on God..

By age fifteen, he began to hate the school he was enrolled in and begged his father to take him out of it.

Although he had an aptitude for literature his lack of ability in mathematics caused him to fail in school.

When war broke out, he was recruited into the army and found himself on the front lines on his nineteenth birthday.

After the war, he returned to school and resumed his education.

At age thirty-one, he fell on his knees and confessed that "God is God' and became a theist.

Although he believed in God, he still did not believe that Jesus was who He claimed to be.

Two years later, at age thirty-three he went on a thirty mile motorcycle trip to the zoo with his brother.

He later said that when the trip began, he still did not acknowledge that Jesus was the Son of God.

By the time they arrived, he did.

The man about whom I write is C. S. Lewis.

He was known as one of the most famous defenders of Christianity in the twentieth century.

As a boy, Lewis had given up on God.

God never gave up on Lewis.

Throughout the remainder of his life, Lewis composed a large body of work which not only defended the Christian faith but explained with complete and flawless logic why it is the only faith that makes  sense.

In recent years his Chronicles of Narnia series have been made into full length motion pictures.

Among his works was a series of radio lectures which he broadcast on BBC Radio during World War II.

These were eventually compiled into one book entitled Mere Christianity.

We are now studying that book in the adult Sunday school class I am privileged to teach.

Lewis died on November 22, 1963.

That was the same day President John Kennedy was assassinated.

News of the assassination greatly diminished the newsworthiness of the passing of C. S. Lewis.

Considering the life of C. S. Lewis leads me to remember another life that was changed permanently.

Paul, who penned the letters that make up such a large part of our New Testament, found his life forever changed.

Be it a road to Damascus or a road that leads to an English zoo, lives can be completely changed at the time of God's choosing.

For as long as we draw breath, there remains hope for meaningful and eternal change.

That means that there is hope for everyone.


Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The  Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, April 18, 2014.
I’ll be back here on Friday, April 25, 2014

What Is Your Gift?

Every believer is gifted by God so that he or she can use those gifts to glorify Him.

Scripture describes some of those gifts in Romans 12.

The gifts listed there are prophecy, service, teaching, exhortation, contributing, leadership and the showing of mercy.

It also describes how those gifts are to be used.

It really is a wonderful feeling to know both what your gift is and that you are putting it to use.

But what if you are not sure about what your gift is?

How do you go about finding out?

The best place to begin is with prayer.

Mathew 21:22 (NET) - And whatever you ask in prayer, if you believe, you will receive.

Bear in mind that this does not necessarily mean asking for a particular gift.

The better approach is to prayerfully ask God to reveal to you the gift He has in mind for you.

Also, be prepared for the subtle ways in which God sometimes reveals Himself.

While God revealed Himself to Moses through a burning bush, He also revealed Himself to Elijah in a whisper.

Elijah witnessed a powerful wind which caused landslides on the very mountain upon which he stood.

After that, he witnessed an earthquake.

Elijah witnessed still more.

1 Kings 19:22 (NET) - After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire there was a soft whisper.

Elijah recognized that God was in the whisper.

How can we be sure to hear something as subtle as a whisper?

Scripture even provides us with an answer to that question.

Be still.

Psalm 46:10 (KJV) - Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen. I will be exalted in the earth.

It is important to spend time with God in a quiet place that is free from noise and distractions.

There is one more thing to keep in mind.

When He reveals the gift He has given to you it may not be one you expected.

It may not be the one you would have chosen for yourself.

If that happens, do not worry.

He knows what He has planned for you and He will equip you to use it.

That is a big part of what having faith is all about.



Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The  Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, April 4, 2014.
I’ll be back here on Friday, April 11, 2014

Always There

The other day I ran into a problem with a company I have been doing business with for some time.

I knew that I would need to talk to someone in their customer service department in order to clear this up.

I picked up the phone and dialed the number posted on their website.

What I got was a recording.

“Thank you for calling the customer service department,” the recording began.

It continued, “Our business hours are from 8 AM to 5 PM Eastern time Monday thru Friday.”

I called from a different time zone.

I looked at my watch and it was 5:01 in the Eastern time zone and I had missed getting a resolution to my problem by a single minute.

It would be necessary for me to postpone my call for one more day.

As I hung up the phone, I remember thinking how glad I was that God does not operate on such a schedule.

I can talk to Him any time at all.

God listens to prayer 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

There is no waiting as God can listen to many prayers at the same time.

I think it is that aspect of prayer that bothers unbelievers the most.

After all, how can God listen to many prayers "at the same time"?

If you think about, that concept is not really that difficult to comprehend.

"At the same time" simply applies to the human side of the equation - us!

God is not confined to the limits of time.

God is outside of time.

God always existed; He exists right now; He will continue to exist forever in the future.

God can, and does, listen to every prayer that is lifted up to Him.

Philippians 4:6 (NET) - Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God.

We can lift up our prayers to Him at any time of the day or night.

How He chooses to answer those prayers is up to Him.

His will, not ours, will prevail.



Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The  Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, March 21, 2014.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I’ll be back here on Friday, March 28, 2014.

Condition Is Not Everything

There are some fairly interesting television programs on the stations I watch most often.

Many have to do with artifacts of historical note.

One of the things these programs often focus on is value.

When it comes to the value of artifacts, their condition plays a key role.

Experts have even come up with standards for grading their condition.

The better the condition, the more the artifact is worth.

When it comes to determining the value of individuals, people tend to take a similar approach.

So much so that we generally allow our first impressions to determine how or even if we will associate with others.

In Luke 15, Jesus speaks of a man with two sons.

The younger son asks his father for his portion of the estate.

This son then leaves home and proceeds to squander his share of the wealth.

Once spent, a famine strikes the land and the son finds himself in need.

He then takes a job in the land feeding another man's pigs.

Soon, he comes to his senses and decides to return to his father and beg him for a job.

His only desire is to be accepted as a hire hand.

Luke 15:21 (NET) – Then his son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to to be called your son.”

His father reacted in a way that must have taken him by surprise.

He had his servants bring the best robe to clothe him.

He put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.

The fattened calf was slaughtered and a celebration took place.

The son returned to his father, humbled himself before him and confessed the error of his ways and found his condition to be much improved.

While the conditions of artifacts cannot improve. God can dramatically improve the spiritual condition of anyone that genuinely comes to Him.

Jesus said so.

Luke 15:7 (NET) – I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine people who have no need to repent.

Humans tend to focus on present condition.

God sees the potential.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, March 7, 2014.

Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!

I’ll be back here on Friday, March 14, 2014.

On Encouragement

There are many things I love about the adult Sunday School class I teach.

Collectively we are called 'The Encouragers'.

I love that name because we not only encourage each other, we also try to encourage others.

In teaching this class, I challenge my students with material that some would consider to be of an advanced nature.

It has been my experience that I have to provide a good deal of encouragement at the beginning of each study.

As time goes by and the students get further into the study, the level of encouragement I need to supply diminishes while their enthusiasm increases.

As we near the end of the study, their grasp of the material becomes more solid.

Their questions and comments get deeper and more challenging thus proving to me that they are grasping the material.

This in return encourages me to continue teaching in this manner.

We are to have childlike faith but we are also to grow and mature as Christians.

As we reach out to those that do not know Christ, we are often asked difficult and challenging questions.

One of my goals is to better equip the students to respond to such questions.

My students are also 'Encouragers' in their own right, but I need to make it clear at the outset that I have nothing to do with this.

One of my students began a ministry making prayer quilts for those in poor health.

Another of my students (who is also an excellent teacher) is quite involved in our community wide Bible study.

Another of my students challenges us to dig deeper financially and give more to our missions outreach.

In each of these cases, and others, these individuals felt the leading of the Holy Spirit and responded to it.

They not only encourage others through these ministries, they encourage us to take part in them.

When we think of what encouraging means today, we typically think of it in terms of being uplifting which is certainly an aspect of it.

Yet I think we all too easily lose sight of its truer meaning which can be found in the root word 'courage'.

Encouragement is helping someone find the courage to do or say what they would neither have done nor said on their own.

The Bible tells us of a man whose gift was encouragement.

Acts 4:36 (NET) – So Joseph, a Levite who was a native of Cyprus, called by the apostles Barnabas (which is translated “son of encouragement”), sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and placed it at the apostles' feet.

 

This was one thing that Joseph did but I suspect their were others.

Whenever I read this passage I am forced to stop and ponder on how wonderful it would be to be so encouraging that others would call you by a different name that means “son of encouragement”.

Encouragement is a wonderful thing.

It feels wonderful when others encourage us.

It feels even better when we, with the help of the Holy Spirit, encourage others.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, February 21, 2014.

Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!

I’ll be back here on Friday, February 28, 2014.

Come and You will See

John 1:38-39 (NET) – Jesus turned around and saw them following and said to them. “What do you want?” So they said to Him, “Rabbi (which is translated Teacher), “where are you staying?” Jesus answered, “Come and you will see.” So they stayed with Him that day. Now it was about four o'clock in the afternoon.”

This passage was part of a larger reading in our worship service Sunday.

It has been on my mind a great deal since then.

Especially the response Jesus gave the two disciples.

“Come and you will see.”

Jesus did not simply say where he was staying, rather it was an invitation for them to follow Him.

And follow Him they did.

So did the other disciples chosen by Jesus.

They came with Jesus and saw many remarkable things.

In time, they also did many remarkable things.

The lame were made to walk.

The blind were given sight.

Lepers were cured and made whole.

Even demons were cast out.

They came and saw things they could not have possibly imagined before following Jesus.

Yet for all they saw there was something they did not understand.

Luke 18:32-33 (NET) – “For He will be handed over to the Gentiles; He will be mocked, mistreated and spat on. They will flog Him severely and kill Him. Yet on the third day He will rise again.”

These things came to pass just as Jesus said they would.

Jesus was mocked, mistreated and spat upon.

Jesus was flogged severely.

Jesus was killed in the cruelest way known.

He was crucified.

Then, He was laid in a tomb which was covered with a stone.

When the women arrived at the tomb after the Sabbath an angel of the Lord had rolled the stone away.

His words, when compared to those of Jesus are quite remarkable.

Matthew 28:6 (NET) – “He is not here, for He has been raised, just as He said. Come and see the place where He was lying.”

When they returned to the disciples, the book of Mark tells us the disciples did not believe them.

I can imagine them saying, “Come and you will see.”

We have eternal life because of who Jesus was and the price He paid which we could not.

He was and is who He claimed to be!

The tomb is empty.

Come and you will see.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, February 7, 2014.

Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!

I’ll be back here on Friday, February 14, 2014.