Love, Not Fear

 

Haggai 2:5 (NRSVue) - according to the promise that I made you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit abides among you; do not fear.

The prophet reminded the people that they were covenant people.

He also reminded them not to fear.

In John 16, Jesus spoke to the disciples.

Jesus reminded them that their grief would turn to joy,

He also reminded them not to fear.

John 16:33 (NIV) - “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

I teach an adult class.

One of the things we examine in that class is history and how it relates to the present.

History is full of misery, heartache, and bloodshed.

Much of this has been brought about by fear.

We are taught to fear those who are different from us.

We are taught to fear those whose practices are different than our own.

Sadly, we are even taught to fear those who worship differently than we worship.

It has not gotten any easier,

The media divides us along different lines.

It tries to teach us to fear others.

Yet Scripture tells us repeatedly not to fear.

Instead, we should allow God to make us bold in all things.

We do not need to fear because Christ has overcome the world.

As I remind my adult students…

I do not have to agree with everyone.

I do not have to adopt their practices or customs.

But Scripture is remarkably clear on one thing.

I must love my neighbor.

I must even love the neighbor who disagrees with me and refuses to love me in return.

Yes, Scripture reminds us repeatedly not to fear.

And focusing on love is an excellent means of overcoming fear.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com on Friday, March 1, 2024.

I will be back here on Friday, March 8, 2024

Vindication

 

Isaiah 50:8 (NRSVue) - he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand in court together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me.

Isaiah spoke of humiliation,

He also spoke of vindication.

Christ was familiar with both humiliation and vindication.

In John 8, the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman to Jesus.

They claimed to have caught her committing adultery.

To trap Jesus, they reminded Him that the law demanded she be stoned.

Jesus bent down and began writing on the ground with His finger.

Scripture does not tell us what He wrote.

But what He wrote had an impact.

Those who attempted to trap Him left.

In time, only Jesus and the woman remained.

John 8:10-11 (NRSVue) - Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.”

Christ extended his grace and mercy to the woman.

Isaiah understood that God would also offer His grace and mercy.

People will let us down.

But the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are the source from which goodness springs.

They see us for who we really are.

And, despite our flaws, they extend grace, mercy, and forgiveness to us.

They give us another chance even when people are unwilling to forgive.

They even give us another chance when we are unwilling to forgive ourselves.

Then we, like the woman who stood before Jesus, should make the most of that second chance.

We too should go our way and not sin again.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com on Friday, February 16, 2024.

I will be back here on Friday, February 23, 2024

The Only Real Choice

 

1 Kings 18:21 (NRSVue) - Elijah then came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him, but if Baal, then follow him.” The people did not answer him a word.

Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal.

Of course, he knew that God would triumph over those who followed false gods.

But before the contest took place, Elijah spoke those words to the people.

He knew the people had drifted from God.

These words were a caution that you cannot serve God and false gods.

In Matthew 6, Christ taught the disciples how to pray.

He also gave them cautionary instructions.

One of these concerned serving two masters, namely God and wealth.

Matthew 6:24 (NRSVue) - “No one can serve two masters, for a slave will either hate the one and love the other or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

God is, and always has been, supreme.

He expects to be first in our lives.

Moreover, He commanded this.

Exodus 20:2-4 (NRSVue) - “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above or that is on the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth.”

The simple fact is that anytime we place anyone or anything above God, we practice idolatry.

We rob God of His rightful place in our lives.

When that happens, God asks us to choose.

Choice is a part of life.

But correctly choosing Who has priority is crucial.

It requires commitment.

It requires loyalty.

People and things constantly vie for our attention and affection.

But we must choose to put God first.

Fortunately, God helps us choose wisely when we make ourselves open and available to Him.

 

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com on Friday, February 2, 2024.

I will be back here on Friday, February 9, 2024

Rooted in Love

 

Psalm 119:6 (NET) - Then I would not be ashamed, if I were focused on all your commands.

The Psalmist declares his desire to remained focused on God’s commands.

But this desire is not rooted in legality.

Rather, it is a desire to live the way God wants all of us to live.

That means building and strengthening our relationships.

As the created of God, we need to have a strong relationship with Him.

But it does not stop there.

We also need to build and foster relationships with others.

For they, like us, were created in God’s image.

And God loves others as much as He loves us.

Jesus echoed the Psalmist’s sentiments.

Christ desired to do God’s will.

John 4:34 (NET) - Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to complete his work.

Once, a Pharisee tried to trap Jesus.

The Pharisee asked Him which of the commandments was most important.

The Pharisee must have been surprised when Jesus gave him a twofold answer.

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.”

Jesus innately understood that by keeping these two commandments, we would be keeping them all.

That is because they are rooted in our relationships with God and others.

Both the Psalmist and Jesus desired to live according to God’s will.

That should be our desire as well.

In God’s word, He tries to teach us a love for Him that is open and honest.

God also wants us to love our neighbor.

This means respecting them even when we disagree with them.

The Holy Spirit can help us do that.

God made us in His image.

Therefore, God can teach us to love as He loves.

And Christ, by example, can teach us what love really looks like.

That is why it is essential for us to focus on His commands.

After all, they are rooted in love.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, March 4, 2022.

I will be back here on Friday, March 11, 2022