Rise!

 

Psalm 9 is about God’s justice and power.

In verse 19, the psalmist calls upon the Lord to prevail against mortal men,

Psalm 9:19a (NRSVue) - Rise up, O Lord! Do not let mortals prevail;

In Mark 9, Jesus foretells His death and resurrection.

Mark 9:31 (NRSVue) - for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.”

The day would come for His crucifixion,

Upon His death, undoubtedly there were some mortals who thought they prevailed.

They certainly thought death prevailed.

But the resurrection of Jesus proved them wrong on both counts.

The miracle of the resurrection proved that neither mortals nor even death itself can prevail.

For our part, we should be forever grateful for His sacrifice.

It was a sacrifice not made in vain.

For on the third day, the Lord did rise!

And our response of gratitude should be rooted in faith, hope, and love.

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

 

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com on Friday, April 3, 2026.

I will be back here on Friday, April 10, 2026

Oh, Brother!

 

Luke 15 contains three parables.

One is about the lost sheep.

The second is about the lost coin.

The third is about the lost son.

The three parables teach about the lost.

They also teach about repentance and the joy in recovering the lost.

But there is one part of the parable of the lost son that always makes me pause and think.

It concerns the son that did not leave and his reaction to his brother’s return.

Luke 15:28-30 (NRSVue) - Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command, yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!

This brother was angry.

He felt it necessary to remind his father of his service.

He accused his brother of wasting his inheritance on prostitutes.

Scripture states his spending was reckless but says nothing about prostitutes.

This was an assumption.

He also accuses his father of favoritism.

He basically asks, “What have you done for me lately.”

In this parable. Jesus is comparing the son that stayed home to the Pharisees.

Yet how many of us can identify with the son who stayed home?

How many of us can relate to “What have you done for me lately?”

This part of the parable reminds me to be grateful and not vindictive.

In short, I should not expect to be rewarded now for doing what I am supposed to do.

Matthew 6:2-4 (NRSVue) - “So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

 

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com on Friday, March 20, 2026.

I will be back here on Friday, March 27, 2026

New Creations

 

Isaiah 43:18-19 (NRSVue) - Do not remember the former things or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth; do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

Isaiah 43 is about restoration.

The prophet states that we should not focus on the things of old.

Rather, we are to consider the new.

Paul wrote about restoration in his second letter to Corinth.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NRSVue) - So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; look, new things have come into being!

As we continue our journey through Lent, let us remember that we have been reconciled with God.

Moreover, it is Christ that made us right with God.

And as a result, we are new creations.

We are different from what we were before.

Christ leads us forward.

He guides us.

He rekindles our passion to worship and serve.

We are new creations in the body of believers known as The Church.

As new creations within The Church, we can introduce others to Christ.

After all, they long to leave the past behind and start anew.

As new creations, we owe them the opportunity to experience the same.

 

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com on Friday, March 6, 2026.

I will be back here on Friday, March 13, 2026

Love

 

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

Paul wrote these words centuries ago.

Faith is wonderful.

And who among us does not wish to have hope.

Nevertheless, love is the greatest of the three.

While there are distinct kinds of love, the English language offers us one single word.

With Valentine’s Day approaching, people are searching for the right way to express their affection.

Paul expressed that love is greater than faith and hope.

Yet Jesus spoke about the greatest love of all.

John 15:13 (NRSVue) - No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

As we enter the season of Lent, we are reminded that Christ had the greatest love of all.

And we, His friends, are beneficiaries of that love.

It is difficult to find that perfect gift for that perfect someone for Valentine’s Day.

No matter how perfect our choice is, it will pale in comparison to that greatest love of all.

Despite this, scripture makes one thing abundantly clear,

1 John 4:19 (NRSVue) - We love because he first loved us.

 

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com on Friday, February 20, 2026.

I will be back here on Friday, February 27, 2026

Into the Light

 

Isaiah 42:16 (NRSVue) - I will lead the blind by a road they do not know; by paths they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I will do, and I will not forsake them.

The recent eclipse made headlines.

I happened to live in what scientists called “the path of totality.”

It was most interesting to see midday grow dark for a few minutes.

But it would be a different matter if the phenomenon were unknown.

How frightening it would be not knowing whether the sun would return.

But, figuratively speaking, some live in darkness. 

Isaiah 42 contains a song of praise to the Lord.

And just as the sun returned to dispel the daytime darkness, so the Lord turns darkness into light.

In Luke 24, two followers of Jesus encountered the risen Christ on the road to Emmaus.

As they walked, they still did not recognize Him.

When they arrived at their destination, they invited Him in.

It was then that Jesus revealed Himself.

Luke 24:30-31 (NRSVue) - When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he vanished from their sight.

Even though Easter Sunday has passed, we are still in the Easter season.

This reminds us, as do these passages of Scripture, that the risen Christ dispels the darkness in our lives.

Each day is a new day.

Each day is a personal gift.

It is a gift we are meant to share with those who still live in darkness.

By reflecting the light of Jesus into their lives, we can coax them out of their darkness.

They can then step into the direct light of His love and experience a new day with Him.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com on Friday, April 19, 2024.

I will be back here on Friday, April 26, 2024

Sharing the Faith

 

Psalm 105:1 (NRSVue) - O give thanks to the Lord; call on his name; make known his deeds among the peoples.

Psalm 105 is a Psalm about God’s faithfulness to Israel.

The psalmist stresses the need to thank God.

He also stresses the need to make the deeds of God known.

In his letter to the Romans, Paul shares that Salvation is for all,

This requires faith.

Paul then shares the source of that faith.

Romans 10:17 (NRSVue) - So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.

So, what is the point of all this?

Mainly, it is that we need to share our faith with others.

We need to make the Lord’s deeds known to those around us.

We must share the words and example of Christ with them as well.

As we near the end of our journey through Lent, we should feel extraordinarily blessed!

Ironically, we often hesitate in sharing our praise with those we encounter.

Let us take the words of the psalmist and Paul to heart.

May we see each encounter as an opportunity to share our faith.

May each meeting prompt us to praise God and make His deeds known.

May each contact remind us to share the words and example of Christ.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com on Friday, April 5, 2024.

I will be back here on Friday, April 12, 2024

Walking in the Light

Isaiah 2:5 (NRSVue) - O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!

Scripture makes many references to light.

.

The prophet Isaiah made such a reference when discussing the future house of God.

He invited the people to “walk in the light of the Lord.”

As we continue our journey through Lent, our thoughts turn to Jesus and what He endured.

We think about those who tried to trap Him.

We think about His betrayal.

We think about a crowd who welcomed Him one day and shouted, “Crucify Him,” the next.

We think about those who abandoned Him.

We think of His mockery of a trial.

We think about how He was tortured,

We think about His cruel execution among criminals.

We also think about His burial in a borrowed tomb.

Given all this, how can we possibly “walk in the light of the Lord?”

We can for one special reason.

Jesus is the light of the world.

And, if we follow Him, we will never walk in darkness.

Moreover, we will have the light of life.

Christ assured us of this.

John 8:12 (NRSVue) - Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”

Christ died for every single one of us.

But each new dawn should serve to remind us that Jesus is the light of the world.

We do not have to live in fear of darkness any longer,

As we continue our Lenten journey, let us remember that Jesus is the light of the world.

Let us also pray that our lives may reflect His light to others still living in the darkness.

Together, let us “walk in the light of the Lord!”

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, April 7, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, April 14, 2023

The Power of Love

 

Zechariah 2:8 (NRSVue) - For thus said the Lord of hosts after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you: Truly, one who touches you touches the apple of my eye.

The prophet encountered angels sent by the Lord.

I am struck by the second part of this verse in which God’s people are called the apple of his eye.

This is an expression of love.

As Christians, we are commanded to love.

Christ frequently reminded us of this.

He did so in Matthew 25.

And the way He reminded us of this is anything but subtle.

Matthew 25:40 (NRSVue) - And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.’

Speaking plainly, we are to love everyone just as God loves everyone.

Sometimes, as human beings, we find some people easier to love than others.

But here, Christ reminded us we are to love everyone.

We are even to love those we find difficult to love.

After all, they are the ones who need love the most.

As we continue our journey through Lent, we remember Christ.

We should also remember how He told us of Gods great love for all.

John 3:15-17 (NRSVue) - “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

Every person in creation is special to God.

To borrow from Zechariah, they are the apple of His eye.

We must remember that.

We must also live by that.

As we mature in faith through God’s love, we can.

Paul also reminded us of just how important love is in our lives.

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

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, March 17, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, March 24, 2023

What's Good About It?

What can possibly be “good” about Good Friday?

Not only did Jesus die on this day, He endured so very much along the way.

He was abandoned by those closest to Him.

He was beaten and made to wear a crown of thorns.

He was mocked.

He was made to carry His own cross.

He was then crucified – the most painful and cruel form of execution ever devised.

So what can possibly be “good” about Good Friday.

To begin with, He did this willingly for the entire world.

This was foretold centuries before.

Isaiah 53:3-5 (NET) - He was despised and rejected by people, one who experienced pain and was acquainted with illness; people hid their faces from him; he was despised, and we considered him insignificant. But he lifted up our illnesses, he carried our pain; even though we thought he was being punished, attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done. He was wounded because of our rebellious deeds, crushed because of our sins; he endured punishment that made us well; because of his wounds we have been healed.

Jesus endured all of this for us.

Yet upon His death He knew He had fully accomplished the Father’s will

John 19:30 (NET) - When he had received the sour wine, Jesus said, “It is completed!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Then, at the exact moment Jesus died… God did something incredible.

Matthew 27:51a (NET) - Just then the temple curtain was torn in two, from top to bottom.

The physical barrier that separated sinful man from a perfectly Holy God was no more.

What a beautiful gesture on God’s part!

Of course, all this was but a prelude of what was to come.

On the third day, His tomb was found empty.

Luke 24:2-3 (NET) - They found that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

These things are what make this week the most important week in the calendar to Christians.

This year we will not be able to gather due to the pandemic.

But that in no shape, way or form diminishes the significance of what Jesus did!

Jesus is exactly who He claimed to be!

Jesus did exactly what He came to do!

Yet still we might wonder “what’s good about Good Friday?”

We might even wonder why God would allow a pandemic that would keep us from gathering at such an important time.

In the following days, may we find comfort in the book of Romans.

Romans 8:28-29 (NET) - And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose, because those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, April 17, 2020.

I’ll be back here on Friday, April 24, 2020

Just Look

People often expect God to do one thing only to find that He does something else.

Sometimes whet He does just does not make any sense to us.

We read in the book of Numbers of God’s people and their encounter with serpents.

Moses led the people in a direction that would take them around the land of Edom.

The people became impatient along the way and spoke out.

Numbers 21:5 (NET) - And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness, for there is no bread or water, and we detest this worthless food.”

In response, God sent poisonous snakes among the people.

Many people were bitten.

Many died.

It did not take very long for the people regret their rebellion.

Numbers 21:7 (NET) - Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord that he would take away the snakes from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

The people expected God to simply make the snakes go away.

God had something completely different in mind.

Numbers 21:8 (NET) - The Lord said to Moses, “Make a poisonous snake and set it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.”

Moses did as God instructed him and God was true to His word.

Numbers 21:9 (NET) - So Moses made a bronze snake and put it on a pole, so that if a snake had bitten someone, when he looked at the bronze snake he lived.

The people expected one thing and got another.

They expected God to remove the snakes.

God gave them something to do instead.

God’s response probably made little sense to them at first.

How was simply looking at a bronze snake hanging on a pole going to save their lives?

It probably did not take the people very long to see that God was true to His word.

They likely remembered its exact location at all times just in case they were bitten.

People often expect God to do one thing only to find that He does something else.

Today we look around and see all the problems there are in the world.

We would prefer that God would just simply make these problems go away.

God gives us something to do instead.

God gives us places to look as well.

He gives us a cross that no longer has an occupant.

He gives us a tomb that now lies empty.

I wish you a Blessed Easter.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, April 21, 2017.

I will be back here on Friday, April 28, 2017

A Good Question

As we continue our journey through the season of Lent, one question bears considering,

“Who is Jesus?”

It is one thing to examine how this question was addressed by those who followed Jesus.

Examining how this question was addressed by others is another.

This is particularly true of individuals who were involved in one way or another with His crucifixion.

Pilate is but one example.

Chapter 19 of the book of John reminds us that Pilate initially tried to free Jesus.

Failing in this attempt, he had a sign affixed to the cross.

John 19:19 (NET) - Pilate also had a notice written and fastened to the cross, which read: “Jesus the Nazarene, the king of the Jews.”

The was written in several languages.

As soon as the chief priests read these words they appealed to Pilate to change them.

Pilate refused.

John 19:22 (NET) - Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

In Luke’s account of the crucifixion we are told of the mocking of Jesus.

One of those crucified with Jesus also mocked him.

The other crucified with him had a much better understanding.

Luke 23:40-41 (NET) - But the other rebuked him, saying, “Don’t you fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we rightly so, for we are getting what we deserve for what we did, but this man has done nothing wrong.”

Then there was the centurion who witnessed the crucifixion in Mark’s gospel.

The death of Jesus brought a deep and profound understanding to the centurion.

Mark 15:39 (NET) - Now when the centurion, who stood in front of him, saw how he died, he said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!”

Neither Pilate, nor the criminal nor the centurion were followers of Jesus.

Yet through His crucifixion they understood who Jesus was.

What about us?

How do we answer the question: “Who is Jesus?”

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, April 7, 2017.

I will be back here on Friday, April 14, 2017

Plans You Can Count On

In the fifth chapter of the book of Ezra, we read that Zerubbabel began to rebuild the temple of God in Jerusalem.

The prophets of God were also there supporting this work.

The regional governor and his colleagues did not approve.

They came to them and asked. “Who gave you authority to rebuild this temple and to complete this structure?”

They also wanted a list of names of all who were involved.

This was clearly an intimidation tactic.

Yet God was with them.

Ezra 5:4 (NET) - But God was watching over the elders of Judah, and they were not stopped until a report could be dispatched to Darius and a letter could be sent back concerning this.

The regional governor and his colleagues composed a lengthy letter and sent it to Darius the king.

Upon reading the letter Darius issued orders that all the archives in Babylon were to be searched.

A scroll was found in the province of Media concerning this.

It contained the order given by Cyrus the king stating that the temple was to be rebuilt.

That order also specified the dimensions and materials that were to be used.

Darius sent a reply to the regional governor and his colleagues that must have come as quite a shock.

Ezra 6:6-7 (NET) - Now Tattenai governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar Bozenai, and their colleagues, the officials of Trans-Euphrates—all of you stay far away from there! Leave the work on this temple of God alone. Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this temple of God in its proper place.

The regional governor and his colleagues were in for an even bigger surprise.

Darius the king also ordered that tax money from the royal treasury be given to the men so that their work would not be interrupted.

Darius had yet another surprise.

Ezra 6:9-10 (NET) - Whatever is needed—whether oxen or rams or lambs for burnt offerings for the God of heaven or wheat or salt or wine or oil, as required by the priests who are in Jerusalem—must be given to them daily without any neglect, so that they may be offering incense to the God of heaven and may be praying for the good fortune of the king and his family.

He also told them of the unpleasant consequences that would come to those who interfered with these orders.

Throughout history, people have foolishly tried to interfere with God’s plans.

Unlike human plans, God’s plans always prevail.

They are the plans you can count on.

The Psalmist understood this.

Psalm 33:10-11 (NET) - The LORD frustrates the decisions of the nations; He nullifies the plans of the peoples. The LORD’s decisions stand forever; His plans abide throughout the ages.

As we continue our journey through the season of Lent, may we be reminded of His plan for our salvation.

A plan made possible through Jesus.

A plan in place from the very beginning.

John 1:1-4 (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.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, March 17, 2017.

I will be back here on Friday, March 24, 2017

Epic Fail

Using today’s terminology, when someone makes a mistake it is sometimes referred to as a “fail”.

A mistake of grand proportion is sometimes referred to as an “epic fail”.

As our journey through the season of Lent continues, my thoughts once again turned to Jesus and the disciples who surrounded Him.

While Jesus never made a mistake, those around Him certainly did.

When it came to making mistakes, it seems that no one could make them like Peter.

In the book of Matthew, Jesus tells the disciples to travel ahead of Him by boat.

Later that evening the disciples see Jesus walking on the water toward them.

The disciples grow afraid even though Jesus tells them they have nothing to fear.

This is where Peter experiences a “fail”.

Matthew 14:28-31 (NET) - Peter said to him, “Lord, if it is you, order me to come to you on the water.” So he said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind he became afraid. And starting to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

This is not the only time Peter failed.

In Chapter 17, Peter experiences another fail during the Transfiguration of Jesus.

Matthew 17:1-5 (NET) - Six days later Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John the brother of James, and led them privately up a high mountain. And he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. Then Moses and Elijah also appeared before them, talking with him. So Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, I will make three shelters—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my one dear Son, in whom I take great delight. Listen to him!”

Peter would fail once again; but this time in a big way.

In Chapter 26, Jesus tells His disciples that when His time comes, all of them will fall away.

Peter claims that he will not fall away.

Matthew 26:33-34 (NET) - Peter said to him, “If they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away!” Jesus said to him, “I tell you the truth, on this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.”

It happened just as Jesus said it would.

Peter denied knowing Jesus three times.

Matthew 26:73-75 (NET) - After a little while, those standing there came up to Peter and said, “You really are one of them too—even your accent gives you away!” At that he began to curse, and he swore with an oath, “I do not know the man!” At that moment a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Peter realized that this truly was an “epic fail”.

Scripture tells us Peter failed time and again.

Yet scripture never once tells us that Jesus ever stopped loving Peter.

Peter was redeemed and his transformation was incredible.

Both his ministry and testimony were powerful.

As we journey through this world people will fail us.

We will also fail others.

Some of these failures might even be considered “epic fails”.

Despite our failures, even our “epic” ones, Jesus never for a moment stops loving us.

We must continue to love others even when they fail us.

If we are completely honest with ourselves, we know that we will certainly fail them.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, March 18, 2016.

I’ll be back here on Friday, March 25, 2016

Criticism

The Super Bowl is over.

In spite of all the hype and emphasis placed on this game, it ended as all games usually end.

There was a winner and there was a loser.

That should be the end of it, yet something else reared its ugly head - criticism.

Criticism is one thing at which human beings seem to excel.

One player in particular seems to have garnered more than his share.

People criticized his performance.

People criticized him for his attitude after the game.

This bothers me in several ways.

First, a good many people will have forgotten that his team was even in this game a few years from now.

Second, the majority of his critics have never even played the game much less at his level

Third, there is the very real prospect that he is criticizing himself.

As others continue to criticize him this prospect becomes more certain.

Yes, human beings seem to excel at criticism.

Even people who claim to be Christians can be quite critical at times.

I recently read where the work of a Christian author has been criticized by his peers.

As we begin our journey through the season of Lent, I thought about Jesus and criticism.

People criticized Jesus throughout His ministry on earth.

Yet when Jesus encountered sinners, He did not criticize them.

He simply told them to sin no more.

Take the woman accused of adultery.

John 8:10-11 (NET) - Jesus stood up straight and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” She replied, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you either. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”

Jesus reserved His criticism for the religious leaders and experts in the law.

In other words, He saved his criticism for those who were supposed to have known better.

Matthew 23:13 (NET) - “But woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You keep locking people out of the kingdom of heaven! For you neither enter nor permit those trying to enter to go in.”

And this is but one of the seven woes Jesus declared to them in this chapter.

As Christians, we need to be less critical of others.

Shouldn’t we know better?

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, February 19, 2016.

I’ll be back here on Friday, February 26, 2016

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

Having a Bad Day?

It was a few days before Christmas about 25 years ago.

I stopped at the local mall after work to do a little Christmas shopping.

After checking out a few stores I decided to get something to drink.

I made my way to the second floor where there was a common dining area surrounded by several restaurants.

One counter and had only one customer so I got in line behind her.

A young lady in her teens manned the counter and was in the process on waiting on this customer.

This customer was digging through her purse looking for change.

It was obvious from the sound of her grumbling that was having little success.

That’s when it happened!

In an attempt to ease the tension the young lady behind the counter innocently asked, "Having a bad day?"

The woman immediately stopped looking through her purse, glared at the young lady and asked (quite loudly), "What did you just ask me?"

The young lady behind the counter then received a verbal lashing that caused her to turn several shades of pale.

The customer then demanded to see the manager.

At this point, I picked up on two things.

First, the young employee was worried that she was about to lose her job.

Second, the customer indeed had a bad day and was willing to vent her frustration at anyone who dared to get too close.

I wanted to say something to the irate customer but decided to see how the manager would handle this volatile situation.

The manager arrived and asked if there was a problem.

He then became the object of the woman’s wrath.

When the woman finished delivering her complaints, the manager told her that he encourages his employees to be friendly and he felt certain that no harm was intended.

At this the woman’s anger soared to new heights as she all but shouted, "I don’t believe what I am hearing!"

That’s when she made her mistake.

She turned and looked at me and barked, "Do you believe this?"

I looked her in the eye, smiled and asked calmly, "Having a bad day?"

Fortunately for me, looks cannot kill.

If they could, I would have just finished my last day on earth.

After glaring at me, she picked up her purse and stormed away without an additional word.

I looked at the manager who simply shook his head, laughed and returned to his office.

I stepped up the counter to place my order.

The young lady who had been extremely frightened only a moment ago gave me a smile and said, "Thank you!"

"Don’t worry about it." I said.

"You didn’t do anything wrong. She decided to take her frustrations out on you," I stated, "and that isn’t right."

I then placed my order for an iced tea which she paid for despite my protests.

Bad days.

We have all had them.

How do we deal with them?

As our journey through Lent continued, I thought about the kind of day Jesus had.

He was arrested.

His friends abandoned him.

He was mocked.

He was beaten.

He was made to carry His own cross.

He faced the cruelest form of execution - crucifixion.

As Jesus was crucified, He showed mercy to those who antagonized Him.

Luke 23:34 (NET) - But Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing." Then they threw dice to divide His clothes.

As Jesus endured this, a thief asked Jesus to remember him.

How did Jesus respond?

He showed him mercy as well!

Luke 23:43 (NET) - And Jesus said to him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

Throughout this ordeal of pain and humiliation, the mercy, kindness and forgiveness Jesus showed remain without equal to this day.

As Easter draws ever nearer, we should be extremely grateful that His mercy, kindness and forgiveness are extended to us as well.

We should also take the time to ask ourselves a very important question.

If Jesus could forgive so very much under the most extreme of circumstances, shouldn’t we be willing to forgive others of so very little by comparison?


Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, March 8, 2013.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I’ll be back here on Friday, March 15, 2013.
Schedule subject to change.

At the King's Table

(Author’s Note: I have personally learned a great deal from allegories through the years, and often use them when teaching my Sunday school class. As part of my journey through Lent, I felt moved to put one down in writing.)


As you walk into the great dining hall you are amazed.

The magnificent hall seems to go on forever.

For all you know it might, for you cannot see the end of it.

The table is equally spectacular.

It, too, seems to go on forever.

The end of it, like the hall, simply disappears from view.

"There is an empty seat over here," you hear someone say.

You look upon the speaker, one of a vast multitude seated at the table, as they point out an empty chair next to them.

You walk over, thank them, and take your seat.

You look up and down the table and spot some very familiar faces, but you seem to know everyone you can see somehow.

Before you can ask yourself how it is that you know everyone here, a plate is set before you.

You are amazed by the meal placed before you.

Others are already enjoying their meal.

The meal in front of you looks so inviting that you simply must taste it.

This is without doubt the best meal you have ever had.

In time, you and the others finish and you are overwhelmed by a new sensation.

Complete and total satisfaction.

Never before have you ever felt this satisfied.

As you are about to discuss this with the one who offered you your seat, you notice someone come into the hall.

As he nears, you realize two things.

First, this man is the head waiter.

Second, he carries with him the bill for the entire meal.

This is something you certainly had not counted on.

The waiter is getting uncomfortably close to you.

Discomfort turns to something akin to panic when he stops at your seat and places the bill alongside your now empty plate.

What to do?

You certainly could not afford such a meal for yourself. let alone everyone else in the great hall.

Soon, it appears that all eyes are on you.

As you try to think of a way to explain your inability to pay you realize that it is not you they are looking at.

They are looking behind you.

You turn in your seat and look up into the kindest face you have ever seen.

The individual with the kind face looks at you knowingly and smiles.

He reaches for the bill and that is when you see the nail scarred hand.

As He picks up the bill, you turn to face Him again.

You want to say something, but mere words are not enough.

He places His other hand reassuringly on your shoulder.

It, like the other, is nail scarred.

He smiles and says, "It’s okay. You see, My Father wanted Me to pay for everyone that you see here. That means He wanted me to pay for you too."

Words cannot express the gratitude you feel to this man with the kind face, the warm smile, and the nail scarred hands,

The seeds of this allegory were planted years ago when I read of David’s act of kindness to a crippled Mephibosheth.

2 Samuel 9:13 (NET) - Mephibosheth was living in Jerusalem, for he was a regular guest at the king’s table. But both his feet were crippled.

David performed this act of kindness for the sake of Mephibosheth’s father, Jonathan.

Mephibosheth was crippled by a fall as a child, yet David made sure he had a place at the king’s table.

We are crippled from a different kind of fall.

One that goes back to Eden.

As we continue on our journey through Lent, let us be mindful of the kindness Jesus showed us as He obeyed His Father’s will to the cross and beyond.

We cannot earn salvation.

Neither do we deserve it.

Someone had to pay the price we could never hope to pay.

As the hymn reminds us, "Jesus Paid It All!"


Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, March 1, 2013.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I’ll be back here on Friday, March 8, 2013.
Schedule subject to change.