Heaven Came Down

There will be a full moon this Christmas.

This is a bit of a rare event.

The last time there was a full moon on Christmas was in 1977.

As I thought about this, I considered the influence the moon has on our planet.

Because we have a moon, the wobble in the earth’s axis is minimized.

Without the moon, this wobble would be considerably more dramatic.

There would be no seasons as we currently know them.

Earth’s climate would undergo radical and continual change,

The moon, along with the sun, influences the tides.

The moon has even more influence on the tides than the sun because it is so much closer to the earth.

We don’t always see the moon.

Several times a year, we experience what we call a new moon.

We cannot see it at all because of the shadow of the earth.

At other times, cloud cover obscures our view of the moon.

What is important to remember is that the moon continues to have a profound influence on the earth whether we see it or not.

A similar thing can be said of Jesus.

We set aside Christmas Day to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

John 1:14 (NET) - Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory—the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father.

Our lives were forever changed.

That first Christmas was not the day we reached up to God.

That first Christmas was the day God reached down to us.

Jesus has a profound influence on our lives.

That influence continues to exist even during the times we fail to see Him.

There are times when the events of the world try to hide Him in the shadows.

There are times when we attempt to obscure our own ability to see Him.

What is important to remember is that Jesus continues to have a profound influence on our lives whether we see Him or not.

Some say that Christmas is a time for children.

There is a grain of truth in what they say, but they are missing the bigger picture.

John 1:12 (NET) - But to all who have received him—those who believe in his name—he has given the right to become God’s children

I wish you a blessed Christmas!

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, January 1, 2016.

I’ll be back here on Friday, January 8, 2016

A True Revolutionary

Dictionaries typically have more than one definition for the word “revolutionary”.

The definition most people think of is someone “supporting a political revolution”.

The one I prefer is someone “causing a great or complete change”.

If you want me to be completely honest, I consider Jesus to be a revolutionary.    

Not in the sense of a political revolution.

I consider Jesus to be a revolutionary because he brought about a great and complete change.

The change Jesus brought about was so great and so complete that the time of his birth is used to delineate time.

Time before His birth is designated as B. C. and the time after his birth is designated A. D.

Jesus brought about complete change but He was not at all what the world anticipated.

He did not arrive on the scene as a general or a military strategist.

He was not a powerful political leader.

He was not born to wealth and privilege.

He did not even grow up in a large and powerful city.

God sent His Son into the world in a completely unexpected way.

Jesus entered this world as a baby.

He was born to humble parents in a relatively obscure town.

It was not the powerful and influential that first learned of His arrival but simple shepherds.

Even as an adult, His life and teachings were not at all what the world expected.

He instructed us to love rather than hate.

He taught us that when wronged, we should forgive.

He never once sinned even when He experienced temptation, hunger, rejection, abandonment, ridicule, torture and more.

Jesus did not come into the world to conquer it.

Instead, He came into the world to die for it.

That is truly revolutionary!

2 Timothy 1:9-10 (NET) - He is the one who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not based on our works but on his own purpose and grace, granted to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but now made visible through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus. He has broken the power of death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel!

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, December 18, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, December 25, 2015

One Thing

My plans for Thanksgiving Day changed.

The wonderful people who invited me to share the day with them encountered circumstances beyond their control.

They contacted me the day before and explained the situation to me.

I completely understood and told them so,

I told them not to worry about a thing and informed them that I would lift them up in prayer.

The moment I hung up the phone, I did just that.

Once I concluded that portion of my prayer I asked for His guidance in how I should spend Thanksgiving Day.

The answer came as no surprise as it was embedded in the name of the day.

I should spend my day simply giving thanks to God.

Although this should be simple, the difficulty lies in where to begin.

No matter what circumstances we find ourselves in we discover that we have so much for which to be thankful.

As I began to mentally prepare a list, my thoughts turned to a work by a man named John Amos Comenius who lived in the 1600’s.

Comenius was many things.

The world knows him as the father of modern education, but he was also an author, a theologian and many other things as well.

Unum Necessarium is but one of the books Comenius wrote.

The subject of this book is “the one thing necessary.”

Of all that we have or could have only one of them is completely necessary.

What is this one thing?

The one thing necessary is a relationship with God which is made possible through Jesus Christ.

Acts 16:31 (NIV) - They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

I will forever be grateful for the one thing necessary.

Being thankful in this will allow me to be grateful for everything else.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV) - Always rejoice, constantly pray, in everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Of course that means I am grateful for you too.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, December 4, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, December 11, 2015

Still Waters

I learned something new the other day.

I learned that sheep will not drink from running water.

This immediately brought to mind Psalm 23.

Especially the second verse.

Psalm 23:2 (KJV) - He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

Most people consider Psalm 23 to be simply a passage that provides comfort and a sense of peace.

It also provides a tremendous amount of truth.

Verse one sets the tone.

Psalm 23:1 (KJV) - The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

The Lord is the shepherd and as such He knows exactly what His sheep need.

Notice that He makes us lie down.

Left to our own devices we constantly find ways of staying busy.

The Lord knows we need rest as well so He makes us do just that.

A good shepherd also knows that his sheep will not drink from running water.

The Lord, being our shepherd, leads us beside still waters.

If we partake of this water, we will never thirst again.

John 4:14 (KJV) - But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

There is more.

Psalm 23:3 (KJV) - He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

The Lord restores our souls and leads us into righteousness not only for our sake, but also because this is who Hs is.

This is what He does.

There is still more.

Psalm 23:4 (KJV) - Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Even the thought of death cannot frighten us, for we do not travel the path alone.

Psalm 23:6 (KJV) - Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

The shepherd assures us that death is not the end, but merely a transition.

Psalm 23 provides us with comfort.

It also provides us with a tremendous amount of truth.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, November 20, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, November 27, 2015

Sincerity, or Truth

When given a choice between a more difficult path and an easier one, people often select the easier one.

We have even come up with a term for it: “Taking the path of least resistance”.

On the surface it would seem like there is nothing at all wrong with this.

After all, why put forth effort if someone else provides what seems to be an easier alternative?

That has been the case with the topic of salvation for centuries.

According to scripture, there is only one path to salvation.

Jesus Christ is that path.

In fact, He is the only path.

Yet people, some of whom are quite influential, try to tell us otherwise.

They tell us that there are many paths that lead to God.

They tell us that it really does not matter what we believe as long as we are sincere in our beliefs.

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

What good is sincerity when one could be sincerely wrong?

What if someone offered me a glass that contained a clear, odorless and tasteless liquid?

I might sincerely believe that glass contained water and drink it.

What if it were not water, but instead a lethal poison?

The end result would be my death no matter how sincere my belief was.

Sincerity in one’s belief only matters if what one believes happens to be true.

The plain and simple truth is that Christ is the one and only path to salvation.

The fact that some choose not to believe this truth in no way diminishes it.

Some, especially those with influence, will counter that Christianity’s view is too narrow.

They may even say that they cannot accept a view that provides only one way to salvation.

Yet when you consider all the evils that man has committed throughout history, isn’t remarkable that God provided one way for us at all?

2 Timothy 4:3-4 (NET) - For there will be a time when people will not tolerate sound teaching. Instead, following their own desires, they will accumulate teachers for themselves, because they have an insatiable curiosity to hear new things. And they will turn away from hearing the truth, but on the other hand they will turn aside to myths.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, November 6, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, November 13, 2015

No Matter Where You Are

This time of year always causes me to reflect on change.

In the Northern Hemisphere we are now into fall.

Leaves are turning various shades of brown, red and yellow.

Soon the ground will be covered with them,

The temperature is also growing milder and this serves to remind me that winter is not too far away,

The opposite is true in the Southern Hemisphere where spring is in the air.

Winter is releasing its hold on that part of the world.

Everything there is once again turning green with the promise of renewed life.

To our way of thinking, changes of this kind seems gradual.

It takes an entire year to complete the cycle of seasons.

Other changes take place both more quickly and more often.

This is true when we change directions from North and South to East and West.

Half the globe is experiencing day and the other half night in a cycle.

It takes only 24 hours to complete this cycle.

These are changes with which we are somewhat aware.

Yet there are some things of which we are not aware at all.

You may need to sit completely still for this next part.

The speed at which the Earth rotates about its axis is close to 1000 miles per hour (1600 km/hr) at the equator.

The speed at which the Earth travels around the Sun is an incredible 66,000 miles per hour (107,000 km/hr).

The Sun (along with the Earth) is travelling around the galaxy at a staggering 483,000 miles per hour (792,000 km/hr)!

Just how fast is the galaxy moving (along with the Earth)? This speed turns out to be an astounding 1.3 million miles per hour (2.1 million km/hr)!

You see, even when you are sitting completely still you are still travelling at an incredible rate of speed even though you are not even the slightest bit aware of it.

Day or night, spring or fall, or even where you in the universe at any given moment based on its various speeds, God knows exactly where you are and what is going on in your life.

He not only knows; He cares.

Joshua 1:9 (NET) - I repeat, be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic, for I, the Lord your God, am with you in all you do.”

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, October 16, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, October 23, 2015

A Universal Reminder

For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated with astronomy.

It began when I was a young child.

At that time the United States and the Soviet Union were caught up in “the space race.”

Each nation wanted to be the first to send men to the moon and return them safely back to earth.

Although space exploration has changed my interest in astronomy has not diminished.

Whenever I think about astronomy, I also think about God.

God spoke the universe into being and the things he has created are magnificent.

Genesis 1:16 (NET) - God made two great lights – the greater light to rule over the day and the lesser light to rule over the night. He made the stars also.

The universe is so wonderful that we continue to discover new things about it all the time.

Take black holes for example.

There was a time when we could only theorize about them.

They were not even called black holes until 1963.

It was not until 1971 that technology had improved enough for a likely candidate to be found.

Black holes are remarkable in that they are formed when large stars die and collapse in on themselves,

The resulting mass is so dense and has such a gravitational pull that anything passing too close will be pulled inside.

Not even light which travels at 186,000 miles per second can escape its pull.

This is the reason why they look black.

Even more amazing is the concept of supermassive black holes in the centers of galaxies.

The reason they are called supermassive is that they can have the mass of billions of suns.

Certainly we have the technology to see them in other galaxies today.

In reality, we have to look no further than the heart of our own galaxy to find one.

As I pondered this, I was reminded of a passage from scripture.

This passage of scripture talks about sin.

We do not need to look for sin only within others.

We need only to look within ourselves.

Matthew 7:3-5 (NET) – Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

The universe God created is full of wonder and there is much out there that we have not yet seen.

The universe can also serve to remind us that we also need to look deep within ourselves.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, October 2, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, October 9, 2015

A Heritage of Faith

I am a very fortunate man.

My parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts were people of faith.

Each of them helped instill a foundation of faith in me which I continue to build upon.

Although almost all of them are gone, I continue to thank God for every one of them.

I am also interested in history especially the history of those with whom I share a connection.

Some were people from my family’s history.

Some were people from my church’s history.

Some were people native to the lands from where my family originated.

One of the things they had in common was faith in the Lord.

Many of them willingly risked much in order to preserve their faith.

Many were persecuted for their faith.

A few even willingly sacrificed their very lives for their faith.

As I learn more about these individuals and their stories two things happen.

Their stories become a part of me and I want to share their stories with others who share a similar heritage,

I share these accounts with members of my family and members of my church.

I may even share their experiences as an example for the students in the Sunday school class I teach.

As time has gone by I have found that others also have an interest in these accounts.

This makes sense because faith is an important part of the heritage with which we have been entrusted,

These accounts need to be shared,

Sharing these accounts gives us a better perspective on our own faith.

It also helps us to develop stronger bonds with each other.

It also helps us to be more grateful.

Isaiah 38:19 (NET) – The living person, the living person, he gives you thanks, as I do today. A father tells his sons about your faithfulness.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, September 4, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, September 11, 2015

Getting Out of His Way

Romans 12:7 (NET) – If it is service, he must serve; if it is teaching, he must teach;

One the great joys in my life is teaching an adult Sunday school class.

The learning experience should last a lifetime,

We begin learning when we are very young and we should continue to learn as we mature.

One of the challenges each teacher faces is how best to teach the age group with which we are entrusted.

Young children learn differently than older children.

Teenagers learn differently than young adults.

Adults learn differently than senior citizens.

Scripture tells us that we must have faith as that of a child.

I would not for a moment disagree with this.

Mark 10:15 (NET) – “I tell you the truth, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”

Scripture also places emphasis on wisdom.

Matthew 10:16 (NET) – “I am sending you out like sheep surrounded by wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”

It must be stated that there is a big difference between intelligence and wisdom.

Intelligence is what allows us to learn.

Wisdom is the application of what we have learned.

We live in a world that, intentionally or not, feels the need to treat each of us as if our intelligence is limited.

Cups warns us that coffee is hot and bottles warn us that shampoo is for external use only.

That is why I challenge my students with difficult material.

God gave us a heart therefore he expects us to use it for compassion.

God also gave us a brain therefore he expects us to use it in order to become wise.

It is possible for one to grow in wisdom and still maintain faith like that of a child.

It is a great pleasure to witness wisdom flourish in my students.

There are times when my students interact with each other about the material on a level that exceeds even my expectation.

In those moments, I get a glimpse of the Holy Spirit at work in their lives and I do something very wise.

I humbly get out of His way and allow Him to do what He is far better at than I am.

Perhaps I am growing wiser as well.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, September 4, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, September 11, 2015

Taking a Different Road

I was driving to work a few days ago and approached a major highway intersection.

Traffic had backed up further than usual and as I stopped the car I could see why.

Although I could not see the intersection I could see the flashing lights of numerous emergency vehicles.

It was obvious that a serious accident had taken place and emergency crews were in the process of rendering assistance to those involved.

It was also obvious that the intersection was going to be closed for quite a while.

To my right was a large shopping center and one by one the cars ahead of me were entering the parking lot in an attempt to find a way around the accident.

I entered the parking lot as well.

As soon as I exited the highway I found a parking spot and offered up a prayer for those involved and for the emergency personnel working the scene.

I then rejoined the line of cars that turned off the highway as we attempted to find a way around the scene of the accident.

Slowly we maneuvered through a series of connected parking lots working our way to an exit on the far side.

Everyone in this line of cars wanted to make a left hand turn out of the parking lot onto a service road that led back to the highway.

Being familiar with the area I knew that this road would quickly back up as well as it was not designed to handle this volume of traffic.

So, I did the opposite.

I turned right instead knowing I would be able to get back onto the highway by taking a different path.

My path would be longer, but it would be safer.

The Christian walk is rather like that.

Sometimes the way we choose to go doesn’t make sense to those going another way.

In the end, the way we choose to go is the better way because God has provided us with scripture as a roadmap for our lives.

The way we choose to go may not be the shortest or easiest way, but with scripture to guide us we are certain to reach our final destination.

After all, that is where we most desire to be.

Matthew 7:13-14 (NET) – “Enter through the narrow gate, because the gate is wide and the way is spacious that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. But the gate is narrow and the way is difficult that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, August 21, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, August 28, 2015

Lasting Impressions

July 20 was the 46^th anniversary of mankind's first landing on the moon.

There were a number of thoughts that crossed my mind as I considered this.

My first thought was about how young I was at the time.

I was a child during the “space race” when the United States and the Soviet Union competed to see who could put men on the moon and return them safely to earth.

My second thought was how excited I was when Apollo 11 launched.

I remember sitting in front of the television watching the news coverage.

I remember the countdown finally reaching zero and watching those enormous rocket engines firing up and how they lifted that huge rocket into space.

My thoughts then turned to the lunar landing and the exploration of the moon.

I remember anxiously awaiting Neil Armstrong’s first step on the moon.

I also remember Buzz Aldrin following moments later and how they skipped around the surface of the moon.

It still amazes me that the astronauts were able to figure out that skipping was the best way get around in reduced gravity.

Then the time came for them to climb back into the lunar landing module and return home.

I also thought about the things they and every other astronaut that followed them left behind on the surface of the moon – footprints.

Because the moon has no atmosphere, those footprints will remain as long as there is a moon.

That struck me most of all,

Each of the men that walked on the moon left a set of impressions behind that will last practically forever.

You and I also leave impressions with everyone we meet and those impressions will last a very long time.

What kind of impressions do we leave?

Hopefully they will be of the kind Jesus commanded us to leave.

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, August 7, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, August 14, 2015

Glimpses of God

Moses was a man of God.

He asked God for something special.

Exodus 33:18 (NET) – And Moses said, “Show me your glory.”

God explained that this was impossible.

It was not impossible for God.

Rather, it was impossible for Moses.

Exodus 33:20 (NET) - But he added, “You cannot see my face, for no one can see me and live.”

God did make it possible for Moses to get a glimpse of Him.

Exodus 33:22-23 (NET) - When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and will cover you with my hand while I pass by. Then I will take away my hand, and you will see my back, but my face must not be seen.”

We find ourselves in the same situation as Moses.

We long to see God’s glory.

Scripture reminds us that we cannot see His face and live.

God does give us glimpses of Himself.

We can see glimpses of God in nature.

We can see glimpses of God in the way the formulas of science and mathematics work perfectly time after time.

We can also see glimpses of God in others.

We can see glimpses of God in the young.

We can see glimpses of God in the not so young.

We can see glimpses of God in those that are like us.

We can see glimpses of God that are not so like us.

This is not surprising.

Each one of us is created in the image of God.

Genesis 1:27 (NET) – God created humankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them, male and female He created them.

Think about this.

Right now there are billions of us on the planet.

Billions more preceded us.

Who knows how many are yet to come?

All those billions and billions of people, and yet we are all different.

Yet we are all made in the image of God.

Each and every one of use offers a glimpse of God’s glory to the others.

Is it any wonder that God’s glory is so magnificent that no man, not even a man like Moses, could see it and live?

One day, we will see God’s glory.

Until then, we must be happy to see glimpses of Him in others.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, July 17, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, July 24, 2015

No Strings Attached

In the tenth chapter of Luke, an expert in religious law asked Jesus what he had to do in order to inherit eternal life.

Jesus responded with two questions of His own: what is written in the law and how do you understand it?

The expert responded.

Luke 10:27 (NET) – “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.”

Jesus told the expert that he answered correctly.

According to scripture, the expert then asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Jesus then told the expert about a man who was beaten by robbers and left half dead.

He told the expert that first a priest and then a Levite each saw the injured man and passed him by.

Fortunately for the injured man, a Samaritan came along and “felt compassion for him.”

The Samaritan treated his wounds and took him to an inn to render additional treatment.

The next day, the Samaritan gave the innkeeper some money.

He instructed the innkeeper to take care of the injured man and promised to repay him in full whatever was spent on the man’s care.

Jesus then asked the expert which of the three became a neighbor to the injured man,

Luke 10:37 (NET) - The expert in religious law said, “The one who showed mercy to him.” So Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”

This is certainly not the only place in scripture we are told to love God.

It is also not the only place in scripture we are told to love our neighbor.

Love, whether for God or neighbor, has to be unconditional.

We are told to love our neighbor in the plainest of terms.

We are to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.

Our fellow man is our neighbor.

He might disagree with us.

He might even dislike us.

To be completely honest, he might even absolutely hate us and everything we believe,

Even so, Jesus reminds us that we are to love him.

We must love him with no strings attached.

The love of God and neighbor go hand in hand,

If we cannot find it within ourselves to love our neighbor unconditionally, we cannot honestly say that we love God.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, July 3, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, July 10, 2015

I Didn't Know

I never have to look far to see God’s blessings in my life.

Every year when Vacation Bible School comes around I can always count on God blessing me through a child.

This year was no exception.

This year I taught the adult class and we studied the life and faith of Jan Hus.

Hus was burned at the stake in 1415, but his example influenced those that founded my church in 1457.

The books that Hus wrote were gathered and publicly burned prior to his execution.

I certainly would not put my writing on the same level as that of Hus, but there is one thing our writings have in common.

Writing is a form of worship and I cannot begin to imagine how it would feel to have that destroyed by men,

I explained that to my class.

I also added that any service performed for the Lord is a form of worship.

As I personally knew the students in that class I looked at each in turn and called out one of the services each performed.

I reminded them that each of these services was a form of worship.

As things came to a close that evening I stayed around to help lock up for the night.

A little boy saw me using my keys as I locked a set of doors.

He ran up to me and said, “Hey! I didn’t know you worked here!”

He knew nothing of my teaching or my writing or anything else about me.

All he saw was me using a set of keys and concluded that I was on the staff.

At that point I remembered what I shared with my class about every service being a form of worship,

I felt extremely loved by God at that moment.

I looked at the little boy, smiled and said, “Yes. I work here. In fact, I have worked here for a very long time.”

He smiled and returned to his family who were waiting nearby.

I removed the key from the lock and thanked God for this very special blessing.

Colossians 3:23-24 (NET) – Whatever you are doing, work at it with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not for people, because you know that you will receive your inheritance from the Lord as your reward. Serve the Lord Christ.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, June 19, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, June 26, 2015

Remember

Monday is Memorial Day in America.

It was originally called Decoration Day.

It is a day set aside to remember those who have died in service of the United States.

Sometimes, people lose sight of that.

Each year news crews are sent to places like parks.

There they will interview people and ask the question, "Why do we observe Memorial Day?"

Most will remember.

Inevitably, there will be a few responses that are way off the mark.

Memorial Day is not just to provide us with a day off from work.

It is not to provide us with time for barbecues and recreation.

Although there is nothing wrong with these activities, we should set aside at least some time to remember the fallen.

Sometimes we lose sight of that.

In a similar way, people sometimes lose sight of who Jesus is.

When asked who He is, we get a variety of answers.

Some will say He is a myth.

Some will say He was a good man who lived a long time ago.

Some will say He was a good teacher.

Some will say He was a man who had some good ideas.

While some of these responses contain some truth, plainly speaking, Jesus is so much more.

The first chapter of the book of John sets the tone for understanding who Jesus really is.

John 1:1-5 (NET) - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God. The Word was with God in the beginning. All things were created by him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. And the light shines on in the darkness, but the darkness has not mastered it.

John 1:14 (NET) - Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory - the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father.

John 1:29 (NET) - On the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

John 1:34 (NET) - I have both seen and testified that this man is the Chosen One of God.

John 1:41 (NET) - He first found his own brother Simon and told him, "We have found the Messiah!" (which is translated Christ).

John 1:45 (NET) - Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law, and the prophets also wrote about - Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

John 1:49 (NET) - Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel!"

This Memorial Day, take the time to remember those who have fallen in defense of their country.

Also, take the time to truly appreciate who Jesus is.

After all, that is one of the freedoms for which the fallen laid down their lives.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, June 5, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, June 12, 2015

Mayday!

The month of May is upon us and this brought to mind a particular word.

That word is “Mayday” and it has absolutely nothing to do with the month of May.

It has its origin in the French m’aider which translates as “help me”.

Mayday is an internationally recognized word and is used in distress calls.

When the plot of any craft shouts, “Mayday!” into his radio, you can be certain that his situation is dire and that he needs help immediately.

You can also be certain that any craft in the area will change course and render assistance.

This even happens with prayer.

As human beings, it becomes all too easy for us to place less emphasis on prayer.

Perhaps we pray less often.

Perhaps we may just go through the motions.

Some may even cease praying altogether.

Then one day it happens.

We suddenly find ourselves in dire straits.

Perhaps we get bad medical news.

Perhaps we get injured.

Perhaps we are in danger of losing our job.

Perhaps it is a loved one who is in trouble.

When trouble comes we find it suddenly easier to turn to God in prayer.

Our prayer becomes a distress call.

We cry, “Mayday!” to God and expect Him to render us assistance.

God hears our prayer.

Eventually, the crisis subsides.

What then?

Do we slip back into our old patterns?

Do we even forget to thank Him for hearing our prayer?

This is unfortunate.

Prayer helps us develop and strengthen our relationship with God.

Prayer should be a regular part of our daily walk with God.

It should not only be a distress call when troubles arise.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, May 15, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, May 22, 2015

Truth and Freedom

John 8:32 (NET) – “and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

This passage of scripture has been on my mind a great deal lately.

Anyone can see that it is composed of two parts.

The first part says that we will know the truth.

What is the truth?

When Pilate questioned Jesus, Jesus tried to explain truth to him.

John 18:37 (NET) – Then Pilate said, “So you are a king!” Jesus replied, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world – to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

Pilate did not understand.

Pilate responded with the question, “What is truth?”

Two thousand years have passed and the world still echoes that same question.

“What is truth?”

Jesus could not have been clearer.

Jesus said, “Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

Jesus is the source of truth.

Think about the number of times Jesus spoke the words, “I tell you the truth...”

If Jesus is the source of truth and we know it, we will be made free.

The question then remains, “Free from what?”

Death? Even the faithful die an earthly death.

Persecution? Some of the most faithful are persecuted for their faith.

There is freedom in His truth.

We are freed from fear.

Even the fear of death is forced to release its hold on us.

1 Corinthians 15:55 (NET) – “Where. O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?

We are freed from this fear and all others.

We are even freed from the fear of persecution.

Matthew 28:19-20 (NET) – Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, May 1, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, May 8, 2015

The Pride Within Prejudice

Matthew 22:37-40 (NET) – Jesus said to him, “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”

Prejudice has been around for almost as long as there have been people.

When I was a child, prejudice puzzled me.

I wondered how any one group of people could look upon another and somehow feel superior to them.

I witnessed prejudice at an early age.

With God’s help I was able to determine that it had no place in my life.

Being a child, I was also a bit naïve.

I remember thinking at the time that prejudice would surely be gone by the time I grew up.

Sadly, I was wrong.

Half a century has passed and prejudice is still alive and well.

If today’s headlines are any indication, it will be around for some time to come.

Do not get me wrong.

I do not believe that everyone is prejudiced,

I am certain that there are many people who feel as I do that prejudice serves no useful purpose.

I am also certain that many people will disagree.

When it comes to prejudice, I have reached several conclusions.

I honestly believe that some people look down upon others as a way of feeling better about themselves.

Perhaps they too have felt the sting of prejudice and somehow feel better about themselves by thinking themselves superior.

I also believe that prejudice is quite often a learned behavior.

When children see prejudice in those they are supposed to look up to, they could learn to emulate it until it becomes a part of who they are.

Even people who consider themselves Christians can be guilty of prejudice.

That is perhaps the saddest conclusion of all.

Jesus told us what the greatest commandments are.

He told us to love God and love our neighbor.

Let’s be completely blunt and honest.

Prejudice flies in the face of both.

We cannot love our neighbor if we feel that we are superior to him.

We also cannot completely love God if we feel are superior to someone He has made in His image and His likeness.

Someday mankind may learn this.

Hopefully, he will learn this before it is too late.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, April 17, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, April 24, 2015

Rings a Bell

Church bells have been in use for centuries.

There are primarily used to signal worshipers that the service is about to begin.

Some churches, including my own, also ring the church bell at the conclusion of the service.

Some churches ring their bell three times a day as a reminder to their members to recite prayer.

Church bells are even rung in celebration at Thanksgiving or at weddings.

In fact, many wedding and anniversary cards have pictures of church bells on them.

When rung in celebration, the sound of the church bell adds to the joy of the occasion.

Psalm 98:4 (KJV) - Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.

I have been called upon to ring my church’s bell both before and after worship.

When rung in a certain way, the bell produces a loud and joyful sound just as described by the Psalmist.

I believe this helps prepare the believer’s heart for worship.

In the same way, that joyful sound it creates at the end of the service also serves a purpose.

I believe it helps prepare the believer to take what was shared during the worship service out into the world.

The sound the bell makes is not always a joyful one though.

In Great Britain during World War II the church bells were silenced.

They were only to be rung as a warning of a pending enemy attack.

There is another time when the sound of the church bell is not a joyous one.

I know this from experience as I have also been called upon to ring the church’s bell at funeral services.

In fact, I was called upon to do just that on Saturday.

Whenever I am called upon to do this, I take the responsibility very seriously.

I see the church bell is a musical instrument that is capable of producing only one note.

Whenever I ring the bell at a funeral service, I try to ring it slowly, regularly and somberly.

I do this out of respect.

I also do it for one more reason.

It is possible that someone attending the funeral service has not yet made himself right with the Lord.

If such is the case, they need to do so while they still have time.

Psalm 144:4 (KJV) – Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.

Just as the bells were rung as a warning in times of war, perhaps the slow, regular and somber tone of the church bell will serve as a reminder.

A reminder that our time on earth is limited.

Although limited, it is never too late to get right with God through Jesus Christ.

For as long as we draw breath there is hope.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, April 3, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, April 10, 2015

Too Beautiful to Believe

Sometimes even an ordinary thing can lead to an amazing realization.

I had such an experience this week and it involved social media and a simple picture of a horse.

While browsing I noticed that someone had shared a picture of a horse.

This was not your ordinary horse but one of a specific breed.

I know the breed as Gypsy Vanner but other names also apply.

These are draught horses so they have excellent muscle tone.

They also have long manes and long hair (feathering) around their hooves.

They look nice standing still, but when they run they really are sight to see.

This particular photo was of a running Gypsy Vanner.

With its long mane and feathering flowing in the breeze it was extremely beautiful.

The photo was so beautiful that some people could not believe their eyes.

They thought the photo had been retouched or doctored in some way.

No horse, they thought, could possibly be this beautiful.

They simply could not accept the reality as truth.

Thinking about this led me to realize something amazing.

We are rapidly approaching Easter.

This account of the Lord’s great love for us has a special beauty all its own.

God loved us so much that He sent His only Son into the world to save us.

Jesus loved us and willingly endured many things for us.

He loved us so much that He did everything the Father willed.

This meant enduring a violent and painful death for us.

On the third day, He arose.

When the women arrived at the tomb, they discovered that the stone had been rolled away.

When they entered, they encountered a man dressed in white.

Mark 16:6 (NET) – But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has been raised! He is not here. Look, there is the place where they laid him.”

Jesus was who He said He was.

Jesus did all that was required.

He did this for us even though we did nothing to earn it.

We certainly did not deserve it.

Look!

The tomb lies empty!

It does not get any more beautiful than that.

Perhaps that is why some people need a little help believing it.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, March 20, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, March 27, 2015

The Grand Illusion

People, as a rule, are stubborn.

I should know, because I am a person and I tend to be stubborn.

When it comes to life, we like to believe that we are in control.

But this belief is merely a self-imposed illusion.

The proof lies in the outcome of the plans that we make.

Sometimes, things work out the way we plan.

Often times, they do not.

That is some pretty compelling evidence.

If we were in complete control of our lives, shouldn’t everything work out the way we plan?

If we are not in control, then that leaves us with two possibilities.

Either no one is in control or someone else is.

If no one is in control then the entire system should break down.

Granted, the world has its share of problems.

There are wars, poverty, disease, ignorance and a host of other problems.

Despite all of these things, life goes on.

That leaves us with one option.

Someone is in control.

That raises the question of exactly who is in control.

There is only one possible answer.

God is in control.

Even the community of science gives us some glimpses of that.

The speed of light is a constant.

The acceleration due to gravity is another.

The list goes on.

As I said at the outset, I am stubborn.

Even as a Christian, I liked to think I was in control of my life.

Eventually, I learned to let go of the wheel.

Once I did that two things happened.

First, I discovered that I was actually able to enjoy the ride even more.

Second, I asked myself why I had not let go sooner.

Proverbs 19:21 (NET) – There are many plans in a person’s mind, but it is the counsel of the LORD which will stand.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, March 6, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, March 13, 2014

Love

Valentine’s Day is soon to be upon us.

The moment Christmas was over stores committed aisles of shelves to this holiday.

The assortment of gifts includes candy, cards, flowers and jewelry.

I will not even hazard a guess as to how much money will be spent on this holiday.

Do not get me wrong.

I firmly believe that if you love someone you should demonstrate it.

I am also of the opinion that if you truly love someone, you should demonstrate it every day.

Love should not be measured by how much money we choose to spend on Valentine’s Day.

The English language further complicates things because there are different kinds of love; yet we only one word for it.

Perhaps that is why there are so many Valentine’s cards available.

Ranging from the ridiculous to the sublime, it is a challenge to find a card that expresses the kind of love we have for someone.

I wonder how we have taken something as basic and essential as love and turned it into something complicated.

When it comes to our love for others, there is no better guide than 1 Corinthians 13.

The opening verse sets the tone for the entire chapter.

1 Corinthians 13:1 (NET) – If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but I do I do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

The last verse sums matters up quite nicely.

1 Corinthians 13:13 (NET) – And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Paul reminds us that love is even greater than faith.

When Jesus was asked which commandment was the most important, He gave a two part answer,

Mark 12:30-31 (NET) – “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”

What about God’s love for us?

John 3:16-17 (NET) – For this is the way God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son , so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through Him.

Do you want to feel even more loved?

What about the love of Jesus?

John 15:13-14 (NET) – No one has greater love than this – that one lays down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.

Perhaps it is time we look at love in an uncomplicated way again.

Perhaps we need to remind ourselves through the words of a song we were taught as children.

Its meaning has not changed even though we have.

I am sure you remember the words.

Jesus loves me. This I know

For the Bible tells me so.

With LOVE,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, February 20, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, February 27, 2014