…And Let It Begin with Me

 

Psalm 38:9 (NRSVue) - O Lord, all my longing is known to you; my sighing is not hidden from you.

In Psalm 38, a penitent psalmist prays for healing.

But individuals are not the only ones in need of healing.

Today’s headlines reveal just how much the world needs this.

The fifth chapter of 1 John includes a testimony about the Son of God.

Moreover, it includes a promise.

1 John 5:14 (NRSVue) - And this is the boldness we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

These verses coupled with the time of year put me in mind of a carol.

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day was originally a poem written by Longfellow in 1863.

In time, it was set to music.

As we see the state of the world, the psalmists longing is akin to ours

They are reflected in Longfellow’s lines…

And in despair I bowed my head;

"There is no peace on earth," I said;

"For hate is strong,

And mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Similarly, John’s words remind us that God hears and answers our prayers.

You can see that connection in Longfellow’s next lines…

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;

The Wrong shall fail,

The Right prevail,

With peace on earth, good-will to men."

God knows our longing.

Even our longing for peace in a world long accustomed to conflict.

God can heal individuals.

God can heal nations.

Indeed, He can heal the world.

Where world leaders, diplomats and generals fail, God can succeed.

God created this world.

He sent His Son into this world to redeem it.

And, with the help of the Holy Spirit, each of us can make our concerns known to God in prayer.

All of which reminds me of lines from another song we cherish this time of year...

Let there be peace on earth

And let it begin with me

 

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

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

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

Refinement and Love

 

Jeremiah 9:7 (NIV) - Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says: “See, I will refine and test them, for what else can I do because of the sin of my people? 

Jeramiah lamented the state of the people.

He lamented their sins and deceitfulness.

But Jeremiah received the word of the Lord.

The people would experience difficulties and hardships.

But this was not punishment for punishment’s sake.

God would use these difficulties to test and refine His people.

But what does “refine” mean?

In practical terms, to refine something means to make it undergo a process to remove impurities.

But this is not a painless process.

Metals are often subjected to intense heat until the metal melts and the impurities are drawn off.

Oil is refined by exposing it to a combination of heat and pressure.

So, to refine us, God may subject us to times of difficulty.

At what point do we start becoming refined?

Most probably it starts when we learn to rely more on God than in ourselves.

Christ spoke of refinement as well.

He did this when He foretold of persecution.

Mark 13:13 (NRSVue) - and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

For all that He was, many despised Christ.

Those who followed Him were likewise hated.

Also, persecution is not confined to the past.

People still hate those who follow Christ today.

But even this hatred refines us.

It tests us to see what the limits of our faith are.

How are we to respond?

Christ told us how.

Matthew 5:44 – (NRSVue) – But I say to you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

That is a true test for those who aspire to be God’s people.

One of life’s greatest ironies is that those who are hardest to love need love the most.

Followers of Christ will face difficulties.

They may even face hatred and persecution.

But it is through this refinement that we can follow His will for our lives.

And that includes loving those who hate us for what we believe.

It even includes loving those who hate who we believe in.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com on Friday, December 15, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, December 22, 2023

Covenant Thanks

 

Jeremiah 32:40 (NRSVue) - I will make an everlasting covenant with them, never to draw back from doing good to them, and I will put the fear of me in their hearts, so that they may not turn from me.

God reassured Jeramiah.

God promised Jeremiah that the people would return.

God would also make a covenant with them.

God said, “They shall be my people, and I will be their God.”

God has also made a covenant with us.

Theologians have called this the “New Covenant.”

This New Covenant with us is made possible through Christ.

1 John 4:9 (NRSVue) - God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him.

Being part of that covenant is wonderful.

But we have our part to play as well.

We should strive to live in harmony with God.

As importantly, we should strive to live in harmony with our fellow man.

And that means living in harmony with the world in which we live.

God will not break His covenant with us.

He proved this when He sent His son into our world.

Christ guaranteed that covenant with His life and His death.

So, we should remain faithful to that covenant as well.

Today, we celebrate Thanksgiving.

And the New Covenant is something for which we should all give thanks.

Will we always be faithful?

As flawed human beings, the honest answer is “no.”

But when we confess our shortcomings. God is ready to forgive us.

And that is yet another reason for us to give thanks.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com on Friday, December 1, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, December 8, 2023

Faith Lives on in Others

Deuteronomy 32:7 (NRSVue) - Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you.

Moses recited these and other words to the people.

He did this just before his death was foretold.

What strikes me now is the part about asking the elders to explain.

They say that with age comes wisdom.

That is not always the case.

But elders within the church take on a unique responsibility.

Along with the pastor, they are leaders within the church.

And not everyone is cut out for that responsibility.

Paul had a unique perspective when it came to elders.

He passed this along in his second letter to Timothy.

2 Timothy 1:5 (NRSVue) - I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you.

Paul recognized Timothy’s faith,

He also understood the source of that faith.

He acknowledged the contributions of Timothy’s mother and grandmother.

This resonates within me.

Like Timothy, Godly grandmothers and a Godly mother played significant roles in my faith.

The faith of Timothy’s grandmother and mother lived on in him.

And so, the faith of my grandmothers and my mother lives on in me.

God generously gives us elders, grandparents, and parents.

He does so that they can build a foundation of faith within us.

We learn not only from their words, but from their example.

Although I instruct adults, I see children in church every Sunday.

I also know that children instinctively watch adults.

I understand that a careless word or action on my part could be harmful.

That is why I pray to be a good example for them.

I was blessed by those who contributed to my spiritual life when I was young.

Now it is my turn to do the same, be it directly or indirectly.

With God’s help, perhaps some of my faith will live on in others.

 

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com on Friday, November 17, 2023.

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

From Roots to Fruits

 

Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NRSVue) - Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit.

In this chapter, the prophet discussed Judah’s sin and punishment.

He also described those who trust God.

He compares them to a tree planted by water.

When the rain does not fall, the tree remains strong.

It can do so because its roots have access to the water nearby.

It also bears fruit.

Christians also bear fruit.

These are the fruits of the Spirit.

They are evidence of faith to those around them.

But what are the fruits of the Spirit?

Paul discussed this in his letter to the Galatians.

Galatians 5:22-23 (NRSVue) - By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.

The triune God makes all this possible.

The Father creates.

The Son redeems.

The Holy Spirit makes holy.

The moment we accept Christ as Savior, our roots begin to run deep.

These roots preserve us even in times of difficulty.

We also begin to bear the fruits of the Spirit.

Others bear witness to our love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

There is no better way to introduce others to the triune God.

Then they can experience all these things for themselves.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com on Friday, November 3, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, November 10, 2023